I have such mixed feelings about this episode. On one hand I really enjoyed Henry’s story, I found his rebellion from the sidelines refreshing. I’m so glad he has his own subplot and especially interested and excited because it isn’t in addition to any of the other main characters’ stories. On the other hand, I just couldn’t get invested in Liam’s story. I think this might be because we really don’t know the character. We only saw him once in a flashback and didn’t get to know him enough in “The Brothers Jones” for his actions and sacrifice to make a significant emotional impact. That being said, this is one of those Once Upon a Time episodes that isn’t necessary filler, it just brings the story to the next point. It was a bit of set up, but as we saw in the final scene of “The Brothers Jones”, what they are setting up is definitely intriguing.
While Liam’s inclusion and his distaste for Emma left something to be desired for me, I did enjoy the way “The Brothers Jones” explored the status of Hook and Emma’s relationship. Yes it’s true they made up in the end, but that initial reunion and how Emma wanted everything to go back to normal, but Hook had reservations, seemed very natural to me and I appreciated that more than if they were instantly 100% fine with each other. While they reconciled rather quickly, I felt it was better to restore the relationship as opposed to dragging out their conflict for the rest of the half season. I enjoy character exploration and I enjoy plot driven action, but when you don’t balance them out it becomes overwhelming.
What did grab my attention in ‘The Brothers Jones” was Henry’s subplot. Not only did it feature Cruella, who is just a fun character all around, we got to see the Apprentice again. I was always dissatisfied at how the Apprentice died, I felt there was more he could do to guide and teach Henry. Here, he admits to the young author that he may have stretched the truth a bit in regards to the restorative powers of the quill. I found that fascinating and made me wonder what other authority figures could be twisting the truth (I’m looking at you, Blue Fairy). What was best about this scene was that the Apprentice wouldn’t give Henry the correct answer, he allowed the boy to figure out the right path for himself. It’s just so satisfying to see Henry finally taking charge and not waiting in the wings. He’s being proactive now instead of reactive and I look forward to what the rest of the season has to bring in regards to him taking up his author duties. It’s a relief that this storyline is being picked up again as it is central to the lore of Once Upon a Time, the exploration of which is the most satisfying part of season 5B.
Speaking of Cruella, while this may have started out as a more comedic scene, her interaction with Charming was interesting, if not slightly uncomfortable. She pretty much confirms that James, Charming’s evil twin, resents his brother because he got the life James wanted. I mention this because it reminds me strongly of Zelena and her beef with Regina, as well as the notion that villains see themselves as heroes in their own stories. And with Zelena coming back into the picture, I’m sure this will have some relevance later. Also, the fact that Cruella uses the word “mama” as a pet name for a man who she admits has mommy issues in some ways cracks me up and in others makes me want to high five the writers for sneaking that in there. While brief, this is one of my favorite things about “The Brothers Jones”, just a small character moment with well-timed humor and a bit of a dark underbelly.
Tune in next week for “Our Decay”.
