ONCE UPON A TIME – Season 3 Ep.16 (TV Review)

ONCE UPON A TIME - "It's Not Easy Being Green"

ONCE UPON A TIME – “It’s Not Easy Being Green”

Previously on “Once Upon a Time”, Zelena, aka the Wicked Witch of the West, follow through on arguably the most heinous act of the entire series, she killed Neal, Emma’s lover and Rumpelstiltskin’s father. Furthermore, Rumpel’s weakness to Zelena is revealed, as she touts her control over him. With him in her back pocket, she demands Regina to meet her the next night on Main Street to battle. This week the story was driven by Zelena’s struggle in the past of always being second best to Regina, and how she sought to revenge her existence in the present. Click ahead for our Recap and Review of this week’s “Once Upon A Time” (Spoilers Ahead!)

This character history was for me the most fascinating and most complex, as the show writers delved into the back story for Zelena, and her transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West, as they saw it. The way they pieced her story was just so brilliant. They began with her descent into Oz, and being raised and adopted by a pair of Ozians. Yet with the mother’s passing, Zelena’s past was revealed with her dad saying that she was born wicked into their lives.

Rumpelstiltskin teaches his dark magic to the naive, driven, and insecure Zelena in hopes of using her towards casting a curse.

Rumpelstiltskin teaches his dark magic to the naive, driven, and insecure Zelena in hopes of using her towards casting a curse.

With that she blitzed out of his life, and went off to visit, you guessed it, Oz the Great and Terrible, who showed her who her mother was and the crux of what made her who she was, her half sister, Regina. As Zelena was told that she was abandoned because she could not bring her family into royalty, and that Regina was able to use it, therein planted the seed to cause the deep seated jealousy between Zelena and Regina. At the conclusion of her trip to the Emerald City, Zelena was given the Silver Slippers, which transported her to meet Rumpel, the mentor she had always dream of having in order to hone her powers.

With that Zelena was taken away to Regina’s castle, in the Enchanted Forest, where she met Rumpelstiltskin. Initially Zelena expressed her ancestry, and Rumpel was a skeptic; however, upon further review her statements were founded to be true. Through this process Zelena demonstrated not only her appetite and capability with magic, but her loyalty and affection to Rumpel. As they grew close, Zelena wanted him just to herself, and when Rumpel realized that the curse couldn’t be cast by her to bring him back to his son, he broke off the relationship, causing her to begin to go green with envy.

Zelena seeks answers from the Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz.

Zelena seeks answers from the Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz.

With Zelena viewing Regina as the necessary obstacle to overcome, she transports into her room, pulls out a knife, and with great venom tells her why she must die. Not only does she long to be royalty, and Cora’s daughter, but her primary aim is to be Rumpel’s only pupil who is capable of casting her curse. Although she is able to stab Regina, Rumpel is up to his schemes of deception and decoy as he transformed himself into Regina to protect her. Although he immediately tries to kill her she clicks her Silver Slippers together 3 times, and is taken away to Oz.

With Regina as the bane of her existence, she goes back to speak to Oz the Great and Terrible, yet when his true colors come through, Zelena transfigures him into a Flying Monkey who will work in servitude for him. With her winged minion at her side, she says that she will find a way to go back in time to prevent the existence of Regina from ever happening. For in her mind, once Regina goes away, so goes away her sense of abandonment and inability to reach her potential.

Neal's death marks the passing of one of the most important characters.

Neal’s death marks the passing of one of the most important characters.

Meanwhile when this chapter opened up in Storybrooke, it was on a very somber note as not only did all of it’s citizens feel the impact and loss of Neal, but Emma and Rumpelstiltskin were devastated, as Rumpel could feel the dirt come upon the casket as he was buried away forever. With that only hours remained, and although the cities leadership sought answers from Regina about the Wicked Witch’s pursuits, Regina had no intent of sharing in that exploration with them. Except initially to prove that she was in fact Zelena’s sister.

One of the more moving and groundbreaking developments was the relationship between Robin Hood, and how significant a note that Rumpel had written had impacted her life. As a great sense of trust is forged between Robin and Regina she expresses her fear that she might not be strong enough to defeat the Wicked Witch, given that Rumpel, their teacher, saw her as the more powerful sorceress. As Robin and Regina grew closer, critical developments were taking place at Zelena’s house.

As Belle raced into save Rumpel from servitude, she faced an unforeseen problem with Zelena hiding in the shadows as Belle urged him to run away with her. With that Belle ran away as Zelena sent Rumpel after her as he threatened that if anyone tried to stop her that she would let the Dark One, aka Rumpel, loose on the town. With that all that could be done as the battle loomed over the city.

ONCE UPON A TIME - "It's Not Easy Being Green"

ONCE UPON A TIME – “It’s Not Easy Being Green”

As Zelena got ready for battle, Prince Charming told everyone to go home, which prompted her to demand that they stay in order for her to have an audience. Soon the two began going back and forth about their motives, and after the Evil Queen brought the heat by slapping the Wicked Witch. Soon Regina was lifted far away from her citizens, and fell through the clock tower, which brought the Wicked Witch’s true aims to light.

Zelena attempt to add to Prince Charming’s courage, by pulling out Regina’s heart, but fortunately for her she anticipated it all along and hid it with Robin revealing her trust in him. As Zelena flew away, the Wicked Witches full transformation into her green self, took place as she gained control of Oz the Great and Terrible. With the Wicked Witches pursuit of Regina’s heart, one can only imagine that what ever value she finds in Charming’s courage and her heart share some intrinsic value to go back in time.

Will the Wicked Witch and her Flying Monkey, Walsh, find the means to travel back in time, or will she continue to deal with the agony of being second fiddle to Regina? Will Emma make peace with Neal’s passing, and allow herself to reveal Neal’s true identity to Henry?  Looking ahead, in what way will Hook’s romantic ways impact the safety and security of Storybrooke? To find out tune in next week for another chapter of Once Upon A Time.

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