ONCE UPON A TIME – “Ariel”

Reader discretion is advised. Previously on Once Upon a Time… The relationship between Pan and Hook is finally revealed. Hook’s rise to power comes after his brother’s death, at the hands of Pan. In the present, Captain Hook saves Prince Charming from his terminal, when the deadly dream shade graced his chest. While celebrating the good news of Charming’s new lease on life, Hook and Emma kiss. This week when Ariel saves Snow White from drowning in the ocean’s depths, Snow returns the favor by helping her new friend get acquainted with Prince Eric, with whom she has fallen madly in love with. Meanwhile, Emma, Mary Margaret, David and Hook attempt to save Neal, who is imprisoned in one of Pan’s encampments, and Regina and Mr. Gold begrudgingly team up to find a way to take down Pan, on “Once Upon a Time,” Read ahead for our detailed recap of Season 3 Episode 6 of “Once Upon a Time.”

The show starts in a very intense situation as we are transported to the past where Snow is running for her life. Although the Queen’s guards constantly chased her, never has she been forced to jump off of a cliff in order to survive. With no other choice, she jumps off of the cliff, and plunges into the ocean below. Since swimming isn’t really a key component of Royalty 101 we initially fear for her life, but a fellow princess comes to her rescue, Ariel.

Back in the present world, the Evil Queen tries to use the darkness to entice Emma into performing magic. However, Emma and especially her mother, Snow White, have no desire to find their power from a dark place. Ironically, in Emma’s anger she creates the fire that they had been longing for. After a considerable amount of arguing, the Evil Queen has had enough when it is revealed by Hook that Neal may be alive on the island.

This compels the alliance to pursue Neal, but the Evil Queen draws a line in the sand. She wants to focus exclusively on finding Henry; while the others believe finding Neal, Henry’s father, is in the best interest of saving Henry. The Evil Queen feels as though they aren’t doing everything they can to save Henry, and for that, she turns away from the Alliance.

ONCE UPON A TIME – “Ariel”

Meanwhile in Snow White’s other life, she talks with Ariel whom hopes to meet Eric at the ball he’s hosting. Snow wonders how she will accomplish this feat when, as a mermaid, she can’t walk on land. Lo and behold Ariel magically can transform her tail into legs. Snow then questions why she can’t spend more than the 12 hours she has with Eric, and Ariel explains Ursula’s myth. With that Snow has found another problem to solve. She commits herself to helping Ariel and Eric fall in love so that Ariel can be honest and reveal herself as a mermaid.

Back on Neverland, Peter Pan attempts to get under the skin of Rumpel. Pan berates Rumpel telling him he will never have the happy ending he wants with his son and grandson as they will NEVER forgive him for what he’s done to them. Pan closes by saying that in his own self-interest his best move is to simply return home to Belle, let the past be the past, and walk away.

With time having past by, it is finally time for Ariel and Snow to attend Prince Eric’s ball. On the way into the party, they pass a golden fountain that has Ursula sculpted in it alluding to the future. As Ariel approaches her Prince she stumbles only to be helped up by Eric. Confident that he has seen Ariel before, all Prince Eric remembers is that she has been in his dreams for months. After hitting it off, Prince Eric offers Ariel the opportunity to travel the world with him, which sounds to Ariel like the adventure of a lifetime. All she has to do is meet him at the docks to his palace the next morning.

ONCE UPON A TIME – “Ariel”

As the Evil Queen peers in through one of the mirrors, she is disgusted by what is unfolding not only for Ariel, but for the fact that Snow White is still alive after her guards told her that she had fallen to her death. Out of disgust and aggravation, the Evil Queen cruelly does away with her two guards, and concludes that she will have to use new techniques to do away with Snow.

Ariel is frustrated by her circumstance of forcing Prince Eric to either know the truth about her, and have them live together as mermaid and man. Snow White assures her to not be afraid of making the choice because in Snow’s eyes the greater the risk romantically the better the reward. Although Eric might not accept Ariel, according to Snow’s logic, at least she will have been honest and have no fear if he does fall in love with who she truly is.

Ariel goes on shore seeking Ursula’s help, but ends up talking to the Evil Queen, disguised as Ursula. The Evil Queen convinces Ariel that she can have legs if she does a small favor for her.

As the drama heightens in Neverland, Pan decides to change the rules of the game. Pan orders Felix to move Neal to the Echo Cave. On their way to the Echo Cave Emma tells Snow White the truth about kissing Captain Hook. While talking about Neal, Snow says she understands because she says that Emma deserves a happy ending, and that every happy ending begins with hope.

On the other part of the island, Belle, who is believed to be the figment of his imagination, implores Rumpel to return home. Rumple’s arch nemesis, the Evil Queen, stumbles on the scene and chokes Belle before she convinced Rumpel to return to Storybrooke and run away from his problems. In doing so, it is revealed that “Belle” was Peter Pan’s shadow all along manipulating him towards Pan’s aims. After the Evil Queen confronts Rumpel about his negligence, they agree to take on Pan together.

ONCE UPON A TIME – “Ariel”

In order for Ariel to get a pair of legs, she is forced to give Snow White a bracelet, which turns her into a mermaid. Ariel sees this as her only way out. The Evil Queen gloats at what she has done to Snow White. Fortunately for Snow, Ariel comes to her senses after leaving her, and Ariel brings back a fork to stab the Evil Queen, giving Ariel and Snow time to switch back, and allow both of them to escape together before the Evil Queen returns a blow.

In one of the most anticipated scenes of the season, the 4 remaining members of the alliance are forced to come to terms with their deepest darkest secrets in order to build a bridge between them and Neal, and ultimately release Neal. Captain Hook reveals his kiss to Emma signified a deeper love for Emma. Snow White admits that she wants to have another baby because she lost the opportunity to raise a child with Emma. Prince Charming reveals that he can’t leave Neverland because of the antidote he used to be cured of the dream shade.

After walking across the bridge, Emma, compelled to action is forced to come to terms with the fact that she never stopped loving Neal. The worst part of is though is that she wished he was dead because it would be easier to put him behind her. Each one of these revelations solidifies some preconceived notions about our leads, but for characters like Snow and Charming these notions will shift their relationship dramatically. On their way through the forest Captain Hook sees that in fact his dreams with Emma have never seemed more distant a realization.

ONCE UPON A TIME – “Ariel”

As Ariel’s story comes to a conclusion, she finally returns to Prince Eric. Even though he waits as long as he possibly can, Ariel tragically realizes that all magic comes at a cost, and you’ve guessed it folks, that cost being her voice. With that, the Evil Queen appears at the docks of Prince Eric’s Castle, and says that she will never know what could have been or what will become of her true love. This heart breaking reality motivates Ariel to swim home.

After arriving at her castle, the Evil Queen relishes in her small victory, even with Snow White back on the loose. However, this is short lived as the golden statue in her palace reveals itself to be the real Ursula. Ursula extends her tentacles out, wraps them around the Evil Queen, and says that if you ever claim to be her, that she will have a price to pay.

By far, the most exciting take away of the episode, came in the final beat as Rumpel and the Evil Queen stood on the shore of Neverland. Although Rumpel is initially a skeptic, the Evil Queen summons Ariel to the shore and commands her to return to Storybrooke. After getting her voice back, Ariel wonders why she would do that for her, and the Evil Queen responds because her Prince Eric is there waiting for her.

From a character standpoint, this is my favorite episode that they’ve ever done. Although I sometimes question the fantastical visuals that aren’t based in something in reality, Prince Eric’s Castle looked magnificent as did the Echo Cave. I thought the depths to which the characters where willing to go to rescue Neal, signified their loyalty to one another, and towards finding Henry. I thought the casting of Joanna as Ariel could not have been more perfect. Although in the past, I have had issue with some of the acting choices the actors/ directors have taken, I thought the bliss in the beginning and the heartbreak at the end, were completely grounded in her reality.

My two biggest moments of awe and amazement were when Ursula came out of the fountain because that plants the seed for later in the season, just like they did with the Queen of Hearts. The second moment was when the Evil Queen came out about the location of Prince Eric, who I thought for the longest time was in Storybrooke because of what happened with Belle. I thought he too could be locked in the hospital against their will, and then brainwashed. With more chaos and pandemonium ensuing as Ariel will bridge Storybrooke and Neverland. Next week seems to be an opportunity to bring all of the other character back into the fold, but with Emma being chased by dark shadows in the end, how will our heroes be victorious then?

What did you think of this epic quest? Leave your thoughts and questions below….