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Once Upon A Time episode review- "We Are Both" *Spoilers present*

Following the fantastic season premiere (which I reviewed here, shameless plug) that left Storybrooke in absolute chaos, how would all of our favorite characters adapt to the aftereffects of the curse being broken, magic in Storybrooke, and knowing the truth about themselves but being powerless to change it? Will David be able to bring back Emma and Snow? Does Regina find out how to unleash magic to imprison the town? Most importantly, can the nuns now date? Hopefully "We Are Both" will reveal all of that!

The Good:

Regina-centric- The character most of us love to hate dominated this episode.It was nice seeing more of her past; how her mother (and Rumpelstiltskin to a certain extent) corrupted and led her character down this path. Regina’s lust for power has caused her to lose those she has loved, like her dad and Henry, and while her mother obviously had a big impact on that, clearly she could have made some better choices along the way (i.e. not killing both of your parents). Also interesting was how far back Rumpelstiltskin and Regina’s relationship goes, that he was the one who gave Regina and her mother their power, though we don’t know the terms of their deals (Rumple does nothing for free). Oh well, she claims that redemption is her goal, but am I the only one who isn't buying it? Especially after she declined to throw away the spell book, guess that lust for power is still too great.

Nothing says “I love you” like forcing your adopted son to go with you under the threat of magical violence against the rest of the town, keeping him prisoner in your house, bribing him with magic, and offering to mold him in your own (evil) image. She’s an amazing mother, not. At least Henry was allowed to leave, but despite what Regina says, it doesn't appear as if she is really turning over a new leaf.

“You're not going to need that sword”- Nothing concerning his past like Regina, but after her this episode showcased Prince Charming’s character amazingly well. From his steadfast obsession of doing anything possible to get back Snow White and Emma, to ensuring that Storybrooke’s residents are protected (from themselves and Regina), and uniting everyone while giving them hope. David (Prince Charming) showed his amazing and charismatic leadership ability, just when all seemed lost and the residents of Storybrooke were abandoning the town he came through and delivered quite the speech. Prince Charming is known to doubt himself and his worth, but David showed that he didn't need his sword or Snow White’s words to accomplish what he needed to. There is very little doubt Charming has all the qualities of a king and is Storybrooke’s best chance of making it through all the chaos alive and getting back to their real lives.

Also, David walking into Regina's house... LIKE A BOSS. He doesn't need an invite.

"Lady of the Lake"- From the look of things next week we'll see what Snow, Emma, Mulan (plus Lancelot!!!) are up to, and a few weeks after that Captain Hook (!!). In typical OuaT fashion, only a few characters are focused on per week (minus the premiere which spoiled us rotten) but this allows the writers to balance out the numerous and complex story-lines with the many characters.

The Bad:

Leaving Storybrooke has serious consequences- Depending on your viewpoint; this may be good or bad, keeping the characters together or another way of trapping them (how most of the characters see it). Sneezy (Mr. Clark) drew the short straw, literally, and lost his memory again. It’s obvious this limitation has and is going to continue to impact the lives of everyone in Storybrooke, quite a few who were willing to leave. After so much time and energy spent trying to break the curse, if not for David most of Storybrooke could have been right back where they started and forgotten everything they are.

Magic is different here… Or not- Thanks to Mr. Gold; Regina’s magical powers are back and without limit, which is very bad news for Storybrooke. Apparently Mr. Gold’s been preparing for this moment for a long time and has stocked up on magical items, whether it’s a book of spells or potions to find someone. David put magic to good use, but the same could not said for Regina. Magic being in Storybrooke drastically shifts the balance of power to but a few.

"Oh, dear, we are in trouble"- As if the residents of Storybrooke didn't have it bad enough being trapped in the town and cut off from their real lives, now they have to contend with Regina being able to fully use magic and Mr. Gold who's beyond furious that he can't leave Storybrooke or he'll lose his memory. Good thing David has a deal with both of the town's big and powerful "baddies."

Overall:

7/10. There was very little chance another episode was going to live up to the premiere, but "We Are Both" provided a lot of filler and valuable information, especially in regards to Regina. Combine all that we learned this week with the preview for next weeks and this season is certainly shaping up to be "magical."

Edit: Here's the link to this episode: http://abc.go.com/watch/once-upon-a-time/SH55126545/VD55237218/we-are-both

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