~ Review: Fighting For True Love ~

Once upon a time…

It’s the day of the wedding. For James and Abigail that is. Abigail arrives and is greeted by King George. Abigail notices something is wrong, but the king tells her not to worry. He then goes and tells one of his guards to find James. James is shown trying to escape from the king’s knights and just when he thinks he’s safe, he turns around and is caught.

Three hooded knights surround James and he tells them to kill him already. Instead one of them unties him and Abigail appears. Abigail has eyes and ears at her father’s court and wants to talk to James before King George kills him. She knows that he loves Snow and James tells her he can’t marry someone he doesn’t love, and would rather die instead. Abigail calls his action “charming” and understands as she also doesn’t want to marry James. You’re so nice Abigail! Yayy!!!

James and Abigail are riding through King Midas’s kingdom. James angrily wants to know what is going on and why Abigail is showing him such kindness. Abigail tells him that her heart belongs to another, someone who she was supposed to marry, name Frederick. James asks what happened to him, to which Abigail replies, “we all have our tragedies. Lost love being the worst,” and she had hope that reuniting James with his love would be a consolation to her. James tells her that his love doesn’t love him back, so that is his tragedy. But Abigail says to him that is no tragedy and tells him to follow her.

Help Me Prince Charming...You're My Only Hope

They arrive at a memorial where Fredrick sacrificed his life. James is intrigued by how the statue looks so real, but Abigail tells him that is Fredrick. He accidentally turned into gold after saving King Midas during an ambush. I think this is a nod to the fable story when King Midas accidentally turned his daughter into gold after she touched him.  James tells her that all curses can be broken by true love’s kiss; Abigail says she tried but it did not work. She tells James there is a legend of a lake called Lake Nostos and its water has the ability to bring something back that was once lost to someone.  Abigail says she tried to get it, but it’s guarded by a creature (aka the Siren) that lures victims to their deaths. No one has succeeded. However James is confident (more like a bit overconfident, if I may say so) that he will defeat the Siren and return with water to bring back Frederick. Abigail tries to talk him out of it, but James insists that one of them should be happy.  And should he fail, then at least his misery will end.

Later that night, they arrive to a shrine where all men leave an offering to the Siren to show them mercy. James tells Abigail that he will go alone from here, but Abigail wants to come as this mission is for her. But James tells her, “the only life I want in my hands is my own.” Abigail wishes him luck and reminds him of the offering, but James sees no point in it and walks off to the lake.

James appears at the lake and tells the Siren to show herself. The Siren appears and tries to seduce James, but James refuses to fall for her tricks. She then transforms into Snow and James tries to reject his feelings for Fake Snow, but can’t resist. Fake Snow kisses him and James almost falls for it, until he snaps out of it and pulls her away. Fake Snow congratulates him as he is the first, and then pushes him under water.  It’s actually more like she pounced on him. HAHA! The Siren drags James down to the bottom of the lake and continues to seduce him (she is so persistent!), but James grabs a knife and stabs her, thus killing her.

He returns to a grateful and very surprised Abigail. Hello... He’s Prince Charming. James tells her true love was at stake and it was a battle he couldn’t afford to lose. Abigail takes the water and pours it over the golden knight. The water slowly melts the gold and Fredrick is back! He and Abigail happily kiss. Fredrick thanks James and James tells him he can pay him back by marrying his true love. He also adds he would like a horse and supplies for his journey. Abigail asks him where he would go and James tells her he is going to find Snow because you have to fight for true love as it can never be replaced. Abigail asks him how will he find her and James says a “little bird” helped him once and hopefully it will again. What “little bird?” Abigail wishes him luck and tells him to be careful as King George, like many others, will stop at nothing to destroy the happiness of other people. *cough Regina cough* On another note, I wonder if Abigail and Fredrick were present at Snow and James’s wedding?

James ~ "Dang It! Just Leave Me Alone Your Majesty!"
Ruby ~ "Oh, We Are In Trouble Now..."

The next day, James and Red Riding Hood meet. This part of the scene was shown in the previous episode called “7:15 A.M.” However, the scene continues….James tells Red that he will find Snow and will always fight for her no matter what. Red tells him that it won’t be much of a fight as Snow wants to be with him just as much. Obviously Red didn’t get the memo about King George’s intervention. James tells Red not to mock him as Snow told him that she doesn’t love him, but Red insists that she does…unless something changed her mind. But James immediately catches on and says it’s more of a someone. All of the sudden, King George and his knights are riding towards them, with the king telling his knights to bring James’s head. James and Red hop on the horse and ride off (lucky girl!), with the knights right behind them. 

Reaction:

I liked this episode because it showed that Abigail/Kathryn is very nice and is just as much as cursed as everyone else. The Storybrooke storyline was good as well, but it must be a very small town for everyone to know about Mary Margaret and David’s affair so quickly. Even Granny told Mary Margaret she should be ashamed, although I suspect Regina had something to do with it to keep Snow miserable. Another thing I liked about this episode is that it showed that even though the characters are cursed, Regina doesn’t have complete control over everyone’s doings. She was surprised when Kathryn told her she wanted David and MM to be together. And of course Kathryn couldn’t leave town, but instead of getting hurt, she disappears.

Refection:

1)  So true love’s kiss doesn’t always break a curse.  Isn’t that like a main theme in fairy tale stories?

2) Any thoughts on what little bird told James where Snow was the first time? I have 3 guesses. Rumpel… as he seems to pop up in every fairytale story one way or another. Red Riding Hood… in the last scene, it seemed liked they knew each other. An actual bird… James once told Cinderella that one of Snow’s bluebirds sent a message to Rumpel to meet with Cinderella.

3)  I was dying for something more with the scene of August putting back together the book. I can’t wait to find out who he is.

4) The video game Regina gave Henry looks kind of old. I haven’t played video games in a while so I don’t know if that style is still in or not. Which brings me to my question: What year is it supposed to be in Storybrooke. 2012?

5) Loved the little Disney reference: "The “Wishing Well.” I wonder if that is the same well where Prince Thomas disappeared.

6) The scene with Emma and Mary Margaret at the end was very sweet with Emma comforting her mother. I wonder when or if we will get to see some sort of relationship between Emma and her father.

Favorite Quotes:

“I’m not your mother…According to Henry, I’m yours.” ~ Emma and Mary Margaret ~ Technically that is true.

"Believe me, I want you two together." ~ Regina to Kathryn ~ At least she is being truthful for once. 

“If you don’t, I will.” ~ Granny as August tries to convince Emma to go with him somewhere for a drink. ~ This totally cut me off guard, in a good way. So funny. I look forward to the Red Riding Hood episode.

“Say what you want about me, but I always tell the truth.” ~ August ~ I have a feeling this will come in to play in a later episode. So I guess his real name is August Wayne Booth. 

“True love isn’t easy, but it must be fought for. Because once you find it, it can never be replaced.” ~ James ~ As Shakespeare once wrote, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” 

"My marriage to David was just like an illusion. I don't know how it happen, but it was never real." ~ Kathryn to Regina ~ That's because your under a curse! Come on!! Remember!!....BTW loved Regina's face as she was saying that. 

“I will always fight for her no matter what comes between us.” ~ James to Red ~ I hope he subconsciously remembers that as David.