As the cast and crew are filming their final scenes we go into the last seven episodes but first, let’s look back over the past few weeks. Which has been about two characters finding themselves in different ways.
In The Girl in the Tower, we finally get the rest of Alice’s backstory and learn more about the similarities between Alice and her Hyperion Heights alter ego Tilly. In Hyperion Heights where Tilly knows everyone, but no one remembers her being at the wrong place during a murder places her as the prime suspect.
Of course, Roger’s who can’t explain why he needs to help her wants to clear her name.
Robin after her last misadventure in which she almost lost her life still seems to want to prove herself but this time not with magic. As well as her father's name she has like him become very handy with a bow and arrow and a monster terrorizing the town seems to be the way to prove herself.
Alice knows the troll or giant as they keep changing what they call him. He is a friend who helped her escape from the Tower after a birthday wish of course. However, the villagers don’t like the fact she likes monsters and locks both Robin and Alice up. They talk, and we find they are both as lost as each other. Robins shows Alice her phone and the picture of Emma’s car she stole which was the one time she felt free until the sheriff caught her. Using one of Alice’s hairpins to escape she leaves Alice behind but soon Alice escapes and stops her killing the troll.
They end up at the tower which Alice confides she still feels trapped. Robin tells her she doesn’t need the tower or troll as she isn’t alone anymore. Robin also realizes she doesn’t need to prove herself and keep making the same mistakes. These two have a lot common and I am guessing the troll certainly interrupted them in the bug. Alice says goodbye to the Tower girl and the troll and bug turn to stone. Which of course is the troll we see in Hyperion Heights.
Tilly is frustrated when Roger’s won’t let her come with him to clear herself. We soon notice the book she picks up to read is Robin Hood. Noticing a sticker on her shoe she heads to the stores but even though she knows everyone no one sees her. Rogers and Henry find her and they all locate her backpack but the evidence inside points again to her as the killer. It doesn’t help she is so confused... Is Tilly crazy or just like she said she has two puzzles but can’t put them together?
Tilly leaves and ends up at the Troll statue and is about to leave town. She would have been run down but for a stranger pulling her back. Its Robin’s cursed self, she smiles at Tilly’s antics and we notice she is reading her favorite book Alice in Wonderland. As Alice looks at the troll we see a glint of red in his eye, a camera. Like she said he has always seen her. The camera clears Tilly, but you do wonder who the killer could be.
Meanwhile, Margo/Robin goes to visit her Mum Kelly/ Zelena, who finds it hard to lie to her but her and Roni/Regina have bigger problems. After using Lucy to spy on Samdi and lying to Zelena, Roni comes clean about her feelings for Facilier but she had also learned Samdi/ Dr. Facilier is after the Dark One's dagger.
Thankfully the welcome return of Tilly/Alice and her wonderful story gave us an old touch of the Once Magic which seems to be sorely lacking lately. Rose Reynolds shines as Alice/Tilly and certainly has been one of my favorite characters this season.
Alice in Wonderland is an adventure of a bored little girl strange parallels to Robins story as she tells Alice about her being bored with her Storybrooke life, so she came to the enchanted forest looking for adventure.
Both children were also born via deception by their mother’s who are powerful witches. Lots of questions will need answering in these final episodes and I hope Robin and Alice have a happy reunion.
In Sister Hood, Ivy/ Drizella (yes, my spell check changed her name last time) who is trying to atone learns the path isn’t as easy as she thought. The killer is after Coven Members and soon Ivy receives some chocolates from the now named Candy killer. She almost becomes his next victim, but Ivy is tough and escapes. Hoping Roni/ Regina can help she gets a cold shoulder at first, but she reluctantly agrees. Samdi, however, swoops in and offers her a deal, her sisters magic for a way home. Anastasia has been in hiding since the death of her mother at Gothel’s hand.
In flashbacks from the Enchanted Forest, we see Ivy and Drizella were once very close but years later after Anastasia death and their Mother's obsession with resurrecting her, Drizella becomes cold. We have been shown how this turned Drizella against them both. Not even Regina could turn her from her path of revenge. Gothel manipulates Drizella to do her bidding and she wins her place in the coven.
In Hyperion Heights, Ivy tricks Anastasia saying she has a bean to get them home but drugs her putting her to sleep. As DR. Facilier is about to drain her magic she awakens. Gothel arrives telling Anastasia to kill Ivy. Of course, her being the Guardian this will turn her dark which is what Gothel wants. Ivy realizes she has fallen for all Gothel's tricks and speaks from the heart to her sister. Anastasia sees her sisters is not a threat and won’t kill her. As Weaver and Roni arrive we see the bond is strong between the sisters. While Roni/ Regina cant forgives Drizella for her actions she more than anyone understands about being manipulated while on a vengeful path. Drizella and Anastasia take the bean and with Anastasia's' magic, they head home. It was almost a little anticlimactic ending to their storyline.
As Roni confronts Facilier later we learn he took some magic and gives it to Roni/Regina to help her save Henry. Does he really have feelings for her or is he using her too?
Henry, who with Lucy’s’ help is trying to find some friend's, has been hanging out with Rogers and Nick but when Jacinda walks in even he thinks fate has a plan for them.
We have a lot of loose ends to tie up in the upcoming episodes including a killer that is closer than they all think. However, these two episodes gave me hope for the finale as Once proved it still can give us the Disney storylines with a modern twist. You have sisters bonding despite the darkness of one and love being found in the most unexpected places.
As Alice is brought to life by Robin, Drizella is brought back from the dark by Anastasia.
What were your thoughts?
Is the Killer a too dark a turn for once?
What do you hope for Alice and Robin?
How do you feel about the Drizella storyline end?
