Loved it? Hated it? What did you think of "The Queen Is Dead?"

[superhippie2000]

What did you think?

[Raissa]

I gave it an 8. I thought it was really good set up for the arc that's coming. Thank the gods they actually explained how Hook got to Manhattan. Given how they have a tendency to ignore logistics for the sake of multiple plot threads, I was afraid they wouldn't deal with it at all. Granted, he did find them rather too quickly for comfort once he got there, but we can't have everything.

[SteelyGal]

In this episode, my heart broke for Snow. It is her birthday which should be a day of celebration but instead it is a day of sorrow. A day her mother is killed by Cora and now Johanna. Cora truly is a wicked woman. She manipulated her daughter into being evil and now her goal is to manipulate Snow into being evil. I prefer a story that good wins against all odds. I am fine with Snow taking down Cora because she needs to be stopped. I just hope the price isn't her losing a piece of her soul. It is bad enough that Cora won in fully corrupting her daughter; I just don't want her to succeed in forever tarnishing Snow.

Mr. Gold lately seems like a man with a split personality. Occasionaly, like in this episode, the voice and evil tone of the Dark One pops out. Is Mr. Gold completely in control of his actions or does if have two personalities and sometimes the Dark One comes out and takes over? I think Henry might be own his own in taking down the Dark One because Emma's focus will be distracted by Neal's return, Snow possibility of going dark, and Regina going evil to notice something is off with Mr. Gold. In the end, as the seer said, Henry will be Mr. Gold's undoing. I don't think Mr. Gold will die but cease being the Dark One.

Once again Bailee Madison knocked it out of the park playing a young Snow. I hope she can do future appearances.

[closetclana]

Another great episode with young snow. Wow this girl does an awesome job every time. I don't think I've ever seen a show where the actor portraying a younger character is so much like the adult character - in manner and expression and everything.

I liked the continued awkwardness with Neal and Emma, and Henry who seems to be adjusting amazingly well to the whole dad-not-dead-but-is-this-rough-looking-fellow thing.

And wow, doesn't Hook travel fast? One minute he's knocking David cold with a cane, next minute he's stabbing Gold in the chest with his hook. How does that work anyway? I mean, imagine a hook on your hand and the angle - how can you get enough force to puncture 2 inches into a chest. He must have incredible forearms!

Shout out to Downton Abby guest star Lesley Nichol! I didn't read the spoilers on that one and was so happy to see her in Storybrook. Mary M had no idea she lived there, but then magically was able to find her right away. Convenient. I was glad to see Mary M have a mother figure for once, even if it didn't last very long.

Okay, now to Mary Margret. The whole lets-take -the-dagger-from-its-awesome-hiding-place (why? to propel the plot of course!) and then when Cora and Regina hold Johanna hostage, Mary M. shudders and crumples into a heap. Was I the only one yelling, "Stab Cora with the dagger!" at the TV? And yeah, she gives the dagger to Cora and then everything goes out the window So surprising (eye rolling commence) that Cora would betray her that way.

Is this not Snow? The forest bandit who robbed people and shot arrows at soldiers and sent trolls plunging off bridges to their deaths? Is this not the Snow, war hero, that led people into battle to retake the kingdom?

I totally reject the notion that killing an evil enemy, that if left living, would surely kill and destroy the lives of many others, is turning to the 'dark side'. And I'm sure by now in her experience, that Snow would have come to this same conclusion herself, practical gal that she is.

And what of David, who just stood there and watched it all happen? David must have left Charming in his other pants that day.

I'll be interested to see how they play turning Snow to the dark side, and hope and pray that a new more pragmatic MM/Snow will emerge from the ashes in the end.

I did love Regina in this. Going along with her mother, but all the time you can see in her eyes the question. And Cora sitting in her chair - yeah, just another sign to Regina what way the wind is blowing. I love evil Regina, but I am just as excited to see powerful good Regina. I would love to see those billowing capes, crazy eyes and powerful blasts of magic coming from her for the cause of right. Okay, for any reason really, I just dig powerful Regina.

[Anu]

C'mon why can't good kill people that are monsters? I hate that. No one can be that pure, at least not to someone that is monster and is far from redemption as is Cora.

7/10.

[Rac80]

In this episode, my heart broke for Snow. It is her birthday which should be a day of celebration but instead it is a day of sorrow. A day her mother is killed by Cora and now Johanna. Cora truly is a wicked woman. She manipulated her daughter into being evil and now her goal is to manipulate Snow into being evil. I prefer a story that good wins against all odds. I am fine with Snow taking down Cora because she needs to be stopped. I just hope the price isn't her losing a piece of her soul. It is bad enough that Cora won in fully corrupting her daughter; I just don't want her to succeed in forever tarnishing Snow.

Mr. Gold lately seems like a man with a split personality. Occasionaly, like in this episode, the voice and evil tone of the Dark One pops out. Is Mr. Gold completely in control of his actions or does if have two personalities and sometimes the Dark One comes out and takes over? I think Henry might be own his own in taking down the Dark One because Emma's focus will be distracted by Neal's return, Snow possibility of going dark, and Regina going evil to notice something is off with Mr. Gold. In the end, as the seer said, Henry will be Mr. Gold's undoing. I don't think Mr. Gold will die but cease being the Dark One.

yep yep *nodding head vigorously in agreement with everything SteelyGal had to say*...excellent ep. i gave it a 10- regina figured out her mother's hand in everthing beginning with the death of Snow's mother. Snow's desire to stay good for her mother's sake. Hook poisonong rumple was great. cora's delight at having the dagger AND the fact that it doesn't work outside of storybrooke....great ep!

[Resistance84]

I did not like Cora killing that woman after she got the dagger. And, I don't like Regina's actions, after showing progress. Hopefully she wisens up, once and for all. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it, as usual.

[superhippie2000]

C'mon why can't good kill people that are monsters? I hate that. No one can be that pure, at least not to someone that is monster and is far from redemption as is Cora.

7/10.

Its like the superhero thing. Heros cant kill.

[Exedore]

Its like the superhero thing. Heros cant kill.

Yes. Just like Prince Phillip didn't kill Maleficent in the movie. I remember how exciting it was to see her plotting away in Arkham Asylum in the end.

[Leonatus]

Yes. Just like Prince Phillip didn't kill Maleficent in the movie. I remember how exciting it was to see her plotting away in Arkham Asylum in the end.

Well, every person has their different interpretation on killing. Batman made a vow to never kill a person, and I don't think he's ever broken it.

Once Upon a Time has just hinted several times throughout the series that killing will corrupt their soul and take them down a dark path. If anything, it's similar to learning the ways of the Sith. The ideas sound noble and grand (IE bringing back a loved one from the grave), but you see how much it corrupts the soul and twists the mind. Whereas as strict and silly as the rules of the Jedi may sound, it's guaranteed not to leave you with a corrupt soul to where you fight in the name of justice and mercy, not in the name of vengeance. Heck, it could even be compared to Harry Potter as well, where the Killing Curse is something that only Dark Wizards use...and most of the spells in a good wizard's repetoire involve stunning/freezing/immobilizing the opponent and leaving them in the hands of the Wizengamot court, and even then the sentence is to either spend life in Azkaban, or have your soul sucked out of your body (but even then you'd still be alive, but in a vegetative state) via dementor.

But it was already mentioned in Heart of Darkness that if Snow succeeded in killing Regina, she would have been taken down a dark road that there was no coming back from. Now she's being tested again with Cora.

Anyways, onto the episode...I gave it a 9. I thought a lot was explained well, and I loved Bailee's performance yet again as young Snow. I also really enjoyed the reveal moment that Cora was behind EVERY step of Regina being queen, and that her grudge against Eva has something to do with her time as the Miller's daughter. I'm only curious as to what that grudge is, though.

I also like that Snow is figuring out that the right way isn't necessarily black and white, but I'm hoping that the Promos are only messing with us, and that she doesn't end up killing Cora and going down that dark path. At the same time though, I could see Cora's death finally unhinging Regina and turning her into the Season Finale antagonist.

[Raissa]

However it happens, Cora must be toast at some point, if for no other reason then BH herself. She's not going to be a regular. I'm surprised they were able to keep her this long.

[Resistance84]

If Snow would have tried to stab Cora with the dagger, Cora would have done one of her disappearing/relocating tricks. It has to be done via another manner, where she wouldn't be expecting it.

Regina did have those looks, when hearing about Cora's doings with Snow's mother and other stuff. I can't imagine she'd be horrified if Cora bit the dust- she knows how horrible she is.

[Leonatus]

If Snow would have tried to stab Cora with the dagger, Cora would have done one of her disappearing/relocating tricks. It has to be done via another manner, where she wouldn't be expecting it.

Regina did have those looks, when hearing about Cora's doings with Snow's mother and other stuff. I can't imagine she'd be horrified if Cora bit the dust- she knows how horrible she is.

You have to remember though, Regina has shown how unpredictable she is. She wanted her mother dead because Cora has such a hold on Regina's heart. But now that Cora has revealed that she's alive, Regina is letting herself get manipulated because of her love she has for her mother. I don't see her being horrified if she was the one to kill Cora herself...but if the woman she absolutely despised did it? She'd go nuts. It's sort of like when a person (We'll name them Timmy) makes fun of his mother, and it's alright. But if the person next to them makes fun of Timmy's mother as well, he shrugs a little. But if someone Timmy doesn't like makes a joke about his mother (not even in hate sometimes), Timmy goes ballistic and tell them that they're not allowed to make fun of his mother.