Review/Recap of Once Upon A Time Episode 6.06 "Dark Waters" - SPOILERS!
It's taken me a day or so to process what I thought of this episode. A good sign for any installment of Once Upon a Time. Perhaps it is the frame of mind I find myself in at this point in time. Also, Hook-centric episodes tend to do that to me.
This episode, at its core, is about Killian Jones reconciling himself to his past. We get that so rarely, and it's so very necessary to the overall story. And I'm not just saying that because he's my favorite (that doesn't hurt) - he is, quite honestly, the most interesting character this show has. The showrunners ignore him at their own peril.
Sure, we dealt with Killian's "dark" side last season (kinda) - but that was superficial, at best. Even though we did get some juicy backstory for him. To my astonishment (and utter joy) they have NOT forgotten that backstory. Which is, I think, why I enjoyed this episode so much.
In present-day, Killian doesn't do what Emma asked. He didn't get rid of the destiny-severing shears. Can you blame him for that? Faced with the prospect of losing the woman he loves? And after all the crap they've been through? If it were me, I'd hide those suckers away underground in a safe that nobody knows about and I have the only key (does Dark!Emma's secret basement hideaway still exist in this house?) I trust Killian to keep those shears safely hidden away where no one else knows about them. If not to save Emma, to make sure nobody sketchy finds them. Has Emma even seen Lord of the Rings? Killian probably hasn't, but Emma should know that when you try to throw questionable magical objects away, bad people find them. But we'll get to that.
Everyone (including himself) tells Killian he's wrong. That he should have done what Emma asked. That he betrayed her. That by not following her wishes, he doesn't deserve her. Even Henry gets on Killian's case for it (unfairly, if you ask me). And sweet cupcake that Killian is, he tries to fix it.
Which brings us to the flashback portion of the episode.
You don't think the Nautilus's first mate is going to be anyone remarkable. He's just a dude. Captain Nemo is the focus of this fractured fairy tale. He and Killian (Captain Hook) bond over their shared love of the sea, exploration, and just regular badass-captain-ness. It's damn adorable.
Then comes the "Oh crap - I know that first mate!"
I'm pretty sure I figured it out the same time everyone else did. When Nemo explained his first mate's backstory - that his father was mysteriously murdered in the middle of the night when he was a child, that his father was a top-rate sailor, that he wanted to find the person responsible and exact revenge. Oh, and the first mate's name? Liam.
Yep. First Mate Liam is Killian's baby brother (well, half-brother). Named after Killian's older brother who kept him out of trouble for all those years, Captain Liam Jones.
Let the feels destroy you, friends.
Even before Emma Swan, Killian Jones was trying to fix his mistakes. He even tries to get Baby!Liam (sorry, I don't have anything else I can call him. Liam 2? Sure) to talk it out. He wants to apologize - start over - be a family. At least reconcile with the only blood relative he has left. But Liam 2 isn't having it (again - can't blame the lad). So Killian has no choice but to high-tail it off the Nautilus and back to the Jolly Roger.
Fast forward to the present - Liam 2 is in charge of the Nautilus and Killian is back on board, but this time, Henry is along for the ride. A rather petulant and pissy Henry - who may be justified in his anger, if you look at it a certain way. Killian thinks he's about to lose the closest thing to a family he's had in years. Oh, and by the way, that reminder of his earlier screw-up is waiting outside the door to kill him at the first opportunity.
Yeah... not much chance for reconciliation, is there?
Killian's first priority in this scenario is Henry and, by extension, Emma. Even if it means that Emma hates him for keeping the shears and she kicks him out of the house (that she just invited him to move into with her in the last episode... sure...) - Killian is going to protect Henry. To the point that he sends Henry off by himself into the sea with the last diving suit and helmet the Nautilus has. Against Henry's protests - even though it's obvious Henry is mad at Killian.
And the Evil Queen's insinuations that Killian's going to end up being Henry's evil stepdad... no, you know what? That was just stupid. It was BEYOND stupid. It was brain-dead, idiotic, ignorant, ridiculous, asinine, absurd, ludicrous, and every other synonym for "stupid" you can dig up out of your thesaurus. I mean, what kind of mentally-challenged MORON would think that trying to turn Henry Mills against Killian Jones was a good idea?? That kid tried his damnedest to get Hook and Emma together in the first place! Henry is not just some petulant, selfish teenager. He's the Author! He is the Truest Believer! He helps make happy endings happen. Especially for his mother!
So, no, Queenie. Take your family-wrecking bullshit elsewhere. Nobody's buying this.
Ugh. I just wanted to punch that woman so hard that her cleavage would fly into next week.
Anyway, back to Jones Family Feels - there is no hope that Liam 2 would want anything to do with Killian. That's is perfectly understandable. It doesn't stop Killian from trying to rescue Liam 2 and reunite him with his beloved father-figure, Captain Nemo (who ended up in Storybrooke General Hospital for... reasons. Hey, at least he wasn't an amnesiac like David Nolan was in Season 1). But Killian does the right thing in the moment that he has to do it. And he explains to Emma what he did/didn't do. But rather than getting mad at Killian for not doing what she asked, Emma understands his actions. And she forgives him (after he makes up for it by taking the shears to the bottom of the sea). Because they're family. And families forgive each other.
That brings us to the Evil Queen. Because I KNEW that she was going to end up finding the shears, because that's what she does. Again - Emma needs to brush up on her epic fantasy and remember what happens to legendary magical objects that are simply sealed away and forgotten, rather than kept track of people who wouldn't, you know, use them to DESTROY THE FRICKIN' WORLD!
Sheesh... will heroes never learn?
I said at the beginning of this post that this episode hit me at a funny time. I've been thinking about forgiveness and reconciliation between people where there seems to be no hope of such. On the one hand, Liam 2 is under no obligation to think the best of Killian. All Liam 2 knows of Killian is he's the one that killed his father. The fact that Killian killed his own father at the same time is a moot point. There is no chance that the two of them are ever going to be a family.
And yet - Killian tries. He tries to be a good human being, because he's left all that garbage behind him. He can't make up for his bad deeds in the past, but he can leave the man that he was in the past. And maybe people don't believe that he's genuinely changed. That's up to them - everyone has to make their own judgment call there.
Trying to be Liam 2's brother would be the wrong thing in this instance. It would be trying to go back to the past, where there is no past left to go back to. What Killian has is his future with Emma (and Henry). That's what he should choose to focus on. Sure, it's uncertain. The future always is. But what Killian chooses to do with that future is completely up to him. No one else has any say in what he does, unless he decides to let them (he certainly wants to let Emma have a say, I'm sure).
I suppose... I suppose I'm tired of listening to people tell me that their way is right and I should follow it or else [fill in the blank]. I have a handful of people who I trust and who I want to listen to. The rest - is just mindless chatter. Without getting into too many sordid details (because they're not necessarily mine to tell), there are too many outside forces pulling at me to look back at things that happened in the past. And I simply don't want to. Ironically, looking at things that have already happened bring fear and panic and nervousness into my life. And I don't need any of that crap. I'd much rather look at the good things that are about to happen and enjoy the life that I have waiting for me.
Anyway - that's what I thought of during this episode. Leave it to that lovable, devilishly handsome pirate captain to bring some perspective into my life.
Next week -
Eh. Okay. Evil Queen being evil. What else is new?
It's taken me a day or so to process what I thought of this episode. A good sign for any installment of Once Upon a Time. Perhaps it is the frame of mind I find myself in at this point in time. Also, Hook-centric episodes tend to do that to me.
This episode, at its core, is about Killian Jones reconciling himself to his past. We get that so rarely, and it's so very necessary to the overall story. And I'm not just saying that because he's my favorite (that doesn't hurt) - he is, quite honestly, the most interesting character this show has. The showrunners ignore him at their own peril.
Sure, we dealt with Killian's "dark" side last season (kinda) - but that was superficial, at best. Even though we did get some juicy backstory for him. To my astonishment (and utter joy) they have NOT forgotten that backstory. Which is, I think, why I enjoyed this episode so much.
In present-day, Killian doesn't do what Emma asked. He didn't get rid of the destiny-severing shears. Can you blame him for that? Faced with the prospect of losing the woman he loves? And after all the crap they've been through? If it were me, I'd hide those suckers away underground in a safe that nobody knows about and I have the only key (does Dark!Emma's secret basement hideaway still exist in this house?) I trust Killian to keep those shears safely hidden away where no one else knows about them. If not to save Emma, to make sure nobody sketchy finds them. Has Emma even seen Lord of the Rings? Killian probably hasn't, but Emma should know that when you try to throw questionable magical objects away, bad people find them. But we'll get to that.
Everyone (including himself) tells Killian he's wrong. That he should have done what Emma asked. That he betrayed her. That by not following her wishes, he doesn't deserve her. Even Henry gets on Killian's case for it (unfairly, if you ask me). And sweet cupcake that Killian is, he tries to fix it.
Which brings us to the flashback portion of the episode.
You don't think the Nautilus's first mate is going to be anyone remarkable. He's just a dude. Captain Nemo is the focus of this fractured fairy tale. He and Killian (Captain Hook) bond over their shared love of the sea, exploration, and just regular badass-captain-ness. It's damn adorable.
Then comes the "Oh crap - I know that first mate!"
I'm pretty sure I figured it out the same time everyone else did. When Nemo explained his first mate's backstory - that his father was mysteriously murdered in the middle of the night when he was a child, that his father was a top-rate sailor, that he wanted to find the person responsible and exact revenge. Oh, and the first mate's name? Liam.
Yep. First Mate Liam is Killian's baby brother (well, half-brother). Named after Killian's older brother who kept him out of trouble for all those years, Captain Liam Jones.
Let the feels destroy you, friends.
Even before Emma Swan, Killian Jones was trying to fix his mistakes. He even tries to get Baby!Liam (sorry, I don't have anything else I can call him. Liam 2? Sure) to talk it out. He wants to apologize - start over - be a family. At least reconcile with the only blood relative he has left. But Liam 2 isn't having it (again - can't blame the lad). So Killian has no choice but to high-tail it off the Nautilus and back to the Jolly Roger.
Fast forward to the present - Liam 2 is in charge of the Nautilus and Killian is back on board, but this time, Henry is along for the ride. A rather petulant and pissy Henry - who may be justified in his anger, if you look at it a certain way. Killian thinks he's about to lose the closest thing to a family he's had in years. Oh, and by the way, that reminder of his earlier screw-up is waiting outside the door to kill him at the first opportunity.
Yeah... not much chance for reconciliation, is there?
Killian's first priority in this scenario is Henry and, by extension, Emma. Even if it means that Emma hates him for keeping the shears and she kicks him out of the house (that she just invited him to move into with her in the last episode... sure...) - Killian is going to protect Henry. To the point that he sends Henry off by himself into the sea with the last diving suit and helmet the Nautilus has. Against Henry's protests - even though it's obvious Henry is mad at Killian.
And the Evil Queen's insinuations that Killian's going to end up being Henry's evil stepdad... no, you know what? That was just stupid. It was BEYOND stupid. It was brain-dead, idiotic, ignorant, ridiculous, asinine, absurd, ludicrous, and every other synonym for "stupid" you can dig up out of your thesaurus. I mean, what kind of mentally-challenged MORON would think that trying to turn Henry Mills against Killian Jones was a good idea?? That kid tried his damnedest to get Hook and Emma together in the first place! Henry is not just some petulant, selfish teenager. He's the Author! He is the Truest Believer! He helps make happy endings happen. Especially for his mother!
So, no, Queenie. Take your family-wrecking bullshit elsewhere. Nobody's buying this.
Ugh. I just wanted to punch that woman so hard that her cleavage would fly into next week.
Anyway, back to Jones Family Feels - there is no hope that Liam 2 would want anything to do with Killian. That's is perfectly understandable. It doesn't stop Killian from trying to rescue Liam 2 and reunite him with his beloved father-figure, Captain Nemo (who ended up in Storybrooke General Hospital for... reasons. Hey, at least he wasn't an amnesiac like David Nolan was in Season 1). But Killian does the right thing in the moment that he has to do it. And he explains to Emma what he did/didn't do. But rather than getting mad at Killian for not doing what she asked, Emma understands his actions. And she forgives him (after he makes up for it by taking the shears to the bottom of the sea). Because they're family. And families forgive each other.
That brings us to the Evil Queen. Because I KNEW that she was going to end up finding the shears, because that's what she does. Again - Emma needs to brush up on her epic fantasy and remember what happens to legendary magical objects that are simply sealed away and forgotten, rather than kept track of people who wouldn't, you know, use them to DESTROY THE FRICKIN' WORLD!
Sheesh... will heroes never learn?
I said at the beginning of this post that this episode hit me at a funny time. I've been thinking about forgiveness and reconciliation between people where there seems to be no hope of such. On the one hand, Liam 2 is under no obligation to think the best of Killian. All Liam 2 knows of Killian is he's the one that killed his father. The fact that Killian killed his own father at the same time is a moot point. There is no chance that the two of them are ever going to be a family.
And yet - Killian tries. He tries to be a good human being, because he's left all that garbage behind him. He can't make up for his bad deeds in the past, but he can leave the man that he was in the past. And maybe people don't believe that he's genuinely changed. That's up to them - everyone has to make their own judgment call there.
Trying to be Liam 2's brother would be the wrong thing in this instance. It would be trying to go back to the past, where there is no past left to go back to. What Killian has is his future with Emma (and Henry). That's what he should choose to focus on. Sure, it's uncertain. The future always is. But what Killian chooses to do with that future is completely up to him. No one else has any say in what he does, unless he decides to let them (he certainly wants to let Emma have a say, I'm sure).
I suppose... I suppose I'm tired of listening to people tell me that their way is right and I should follow it or else [fill in the blank]. I have a handful of people who I trust and who I want to listen to. The rest - is just mindless chatter. Without getting into too many sordid details (because they're not necessarily mine to tell), there are too many outside forces pulling at me to look back at things that happened in the past. And I simply don't want to. Ironically, looking at things that have already happened bring fear and panic and nervousness into my life. And I don't need any of that crap. I'd much rather look at the good things that are about to happen and enjoy the life that I have waiting for me.
Anyway - that's what I thought of during this episode. Leave it to that lovable, devilishly handsome pirate captain to bring some perspective into my life.
Next week -
Eh. Okay. Evil Queen being evil. What else is new?
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