Once Upon A Time Season 4 Episode 11 Shattered Sight
Added 2025-09-12 00:55:01 +0000 UTC
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Shattered Sight- Yay!!! Thank you so much for your reaction to such an amazing, funny, and beautiful episode, Jay!!!! Again... This episode is most definitely among my favorites from season four as well!!! I feel that this Frozen arc has the most number of episodes within a single arc that I consider to be among my favorite episodes, and we still have one more to come!! This Frozen arc is really quite beautiful. :)
First, in regards to the Spell of Shattered Sight and its effects on everyone... I really had hoped we would have seen a bit more darkness in everyone given how much this spell has been built up to be so vicious and cruel throughout the first half of this season. However, Once Upon a Time is a show that kids watch as well as adults, because of the whole fairy tale aspect. So, this show's creators and writers didn't go any darker, and instead chose to bring in more humor into this episode as well. But more so... I suspect that the spell must also take time to fully build up and for people to really see the darkness within themselves. Just like we see with Belle back in a previous episode, titled... Family Business, when she was staring into her reflection in the Snow Queen's mirror within her ice cave. Her inner darkness was really building up more and more the longer she was under the spell's trance. Had the spell over everyone remained over their minds, it would have eventually caused the absolute worst of them all to come out and that's when they would have begun to kill one another, had Anna, Emma, and Elsa not found a way to remind Ingrid of her sisters' true love for her. And so, because of this, we only get to see the build up with everyone simply picking on one another instead, and it's all pretty funny. :)
And second, regarding Rumple... He is annoying, and he makes me so angry most of the time. Especially throughout this season. But sadly... This is what you have to expect from Rumple, mostly because of the Darkness within him. While yes... Rumple did manipulate Regina into casting the dark curse so that he could find his son in our world, the Darkness is still very much a part of him and it's something he struggles very deeply with. Because while yes... Rumple does have love within him too... Love for both Neal and for Belle, his darkness... both his figurative darkness and the literal dark entity inside of him, is still very much a problem for him. Because this entity isn't just his inner darkness, but a living entity taking up residence within his body, causing Rumple to lust deeply for power. Even if doing so causes him to hurt those he loves most. We see this throughout season one, as well as throughout seasons two and three. But even more so throughout this season so far too. Because at last, Rumple has found a way... A chance to supposedly have love with Belle and to keep his power. And this chance also gives him an opportunity to kill his oldest enemy on top of it all in order to gain both. So, of course he would jump at the chance to have everything, as it's what he's always wanted. Rumple loves Belle, but he also loves power. He lusts hungrily for power. And he absolutely hates Hook more than he hates anyone else, so he has absolutely no qualms with killing him in order to gain both. He's even all too excited to kill him, which is horrible.
I really hope this explanation helps you to understand why Rumple is continuing to act as he is. I'm in no way making excuses for Rumple. He annoys me and makes me so mad a lot throughout this show, especially throughout this Frozen arc. And he's why Rumple and Belle are one of my least favorite True Love couples throughout this show. He and Belle just aren't always so good for one another. And it's absolutely mostly because of Rumple. Because he does hurt Belle more often than I'd like to see. However, she's far too blind to the pain he causes her and especially everyone else like Killian, and Emma too. At least... I think so. This is what bothers me the most about Belle as a character throughout this show. Because she allows for Rumple to get away with a lot. Too much for my liking. I love Belle and Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold so, so much!! And their actors... Emilie De Ravin and Robert Carlyle, are absolutely fantastic!!! It's just that their characters can annoy me too.
Now, with all this being said, my favorite moments throughout this episode...
First... I absolutely love the final scene between Emma, Elsa, Anna, and of course Ingrid too, as Ingrid finally learns that her sisters loved her all along and that Gerda was so sorry for everything that happened between them, including taking all memories of Ingrid and Helga away from the people of Arendelle. I love how Ingrid gives her life to reverse her Spell of Shattered Sight. What a beautiful and heartbreaking moment!! Because all Ingrid has truly wanted is just to feel the love of her sisters again. She just lost her way, feeling like she needed to find new sisters who could love her, but in the end... Her true sisters really have truly loved her all along. And she truly feels their love again in the end, just like the Apprentice and the Sorcerer predicted about Ingrid. Which is why I feel they actually agreed to help this one villain, because they knew she still felt love in her heart for her sisters, for Elsa, Anna, and for Emma, and because she still had goodness and love in her heart. It's so beautiful. The end of Ingrid's story is a little rushed, as is this entire episode, but it's merely due to time constraints with having to fit the end of the Snow Queen's story within a single episode. It's beautiful overall. I've always loved the Snow Queen as a villain, and I really love Elizabeth Mitchell as an actress too. The Snow Queen isn't my favorite villain by any means, but she is really great. And I love that she also finds redemption so she too can have her happy ending, despite being a villain just moments earlier. Ingrid attacking Anna and then suddenly feeling such remorse may seem a little strange for some viewers, but then... Ingrid does pick up the crystals and comes to feel her sisters' love again at their touch. So, I understand it as well. Overall... So beautiful. :)
Second... I absolutely love, love, love both scenes between Killian and Gold inside his shop. I love Killian's lines and his banter as he struggles to remain strong while he's being forced to do Gold's bidding against his will, in spite of feeling so heartbroken knowing he's going to die soon once Gold gets around to crushing his heart.
And third... I love the moment inside the town hall between Killian and Henry, as Killian is there on Gold's command to kidnap Henry for Gold. I love how Henry calls Killian a dirty pirate, to which Killian responds, "Dirty... I bathe quite frequently, thank you very much." Their banter continues when Killian is happy to hear that Emma used the word "together" upon hearing Henry talking about their relationship.
One thing I love about Killian within this scene... I think Killian focuses on the wrong/good words Henry says to him and not on his cruel words towards him, using humor to help lighten up the situation he's trapped in, because Killian understands that Henry is under the spell's influence and therefore knows Henry doesn't mean any of the unkind words he's saying to him. And Killian cares very much about Henry, who he knows cares about him too. So, I really appreciate this about him.
Killian then finally gets inside through Regina's spell until he unfortunately falls hard on the marbles Henry put out on the floor in front of the door to try to slow down anyone who breaks inside much like Kevin in Home Alone, which is pretty hilarious too. And to make things worse... Killian then runs into Will Scarlet after he gets back up to his feet and attempts to chase after Henry. Will still has a quarrel with him due to when Killian gave him a black eye and attacked him under Gold's influence back in a previous episode, titled... The Apprentice. It's a good thing Killian is able to defeat him pretty easily. Very funny and so good. :)
Will really is simply a character who pops up every now and again for scenes such as this one, and I can enjoy his character simply for this reason. He is strangely listed as one of this season's main actors, which really makes no sense to me, because his character really has no real or strong purpose for being here in this show, other to have scenes with certain characters like this scene and others he has with Killian. And most importantly with Robin Hood, given that Will Scarlett is one of Robin Hood's Merry Men. And in truth... I am happy Will doesn't have a bigger role, because these surprise and funny moments for him are all that I really like about his character.
Now, as for Ingrid's backstory with young Emma... While I feel they are the weaker scenes throughout the episode overall, I still really love this backstory that shows how Ingrid not only gets to know Emma when she's young and how they both grow to love one another, but also how the Snow Queen later comes to be in Storybrooke, and we see a scene between them just after Emma first arrives in Storybrooke herself inside Ingrid's ice cream parlor, known as Any Given Sundae.
The only minor nitpick I have with this scene, is that back when Emma had just arrived in Storybrooke, and we know it's early on because the time that appears onscreen is 2011 just after Emma first arrives in Storybrooke with Henry, and Emma mentions she is going to call Graham for help upon seeing Ingrid is apparently stalking her... Ingrid swiftly uses magic to pull out Emma's memories of her and into the crystal, when magic didn't exist yet in Storybrooke. Maybe she was able to use magic because Emma is the Savior, and we know that magic could come back at certain times because of Emma. But I'm not so sure. Maybe this was a misstep, or maybe Emma being there was what allowed Ingrid to use magic. Either way... I still enjoy this scene.
What I love most about the past storyline is seeing just how much Ingrid truly did love Emma when she was young, how much Emma came to love her back in spite of the bad that happened between them, and seeing how Ingrid makes the mistake of pushing young Emma, as well as Emma upon her arrival in Storybrooke... too far, much too fast. They're sad, even heartbreaking moments, especially upon seeing young Emma had almost been adopted and felt loved for such a brief time by someone, only for her to wind up getting hurt all over again. And you can also really see Ingrid's love for Emma too. Had she not attempted to push Emma into her powers, then perhaps she and Ingrid could have been happy together and Ingrid could have been able to let go of her plan. However, if this was so, then we wouldn't have this beautiful show that I love so much! Things had to happen as they did for us to get to the point in everyone's lives we're at now.
As for present day Storybrooke under the influence of the Snow Queen's Spell of Shattered Sight... Oh my gosh!! These scenes between each of these beloved characters are hilarious! I love seeing Regina become the Evil Queen again so briefly. I love the banter between her, Mary Margaret, and David, as well as between her, Emma, and Elsa too. I love the sword battle between Regina and Mary Margaret inside the sheriff's station while David is trapped still in the jail cell. And I love the overall banter back and forth between Mary Margaret, David, Anna, and Kristoff. So adorable and hilarious. I especially love the banter when David mocks Kristoff about being an ice man and how all of Arendelle is frozen... A fantastic nod to the Disney movie, Frozen. :)
I love how Emma and Elsa work together to discover a way to destroy the ribbons around their wrists. And I love that they are quickly able to figure out they can use Regina's current hatred while under the spell to counteract Ingrid's love. Although... Emma really should have put up a new containment spell over Regina's vault in order to keep Regina inside once they did what they needed to do. Emma's lucky Regina didn't kill her parents or brother.
And I love how Anna finally joins them upon finding hers and Elsa's parents' letter to them along with the memory stones containing the memories the rock trolls had taken from all of Arendelle of Ingrid and Helga. The moment between Anna and Ingrid is beautiful and heartbreaking. I love it!
Also... I love the moment between Anna and Kristoff once again on the beach after Regina poofs them away, as Kristoff sadly continues to complain under the spell's influence. It's a sad moment, but I love how Kristoff's lines are still funny in Kristoff's way, because it's who he is. And he and Anna are just so adorable together. I love them! Sadly, Anna has to render Kristoff unconscious by striking him across the back of his head with the glass bottle, in order to save his life. Thankfully, this allows for Anna to find her parents' message in the bottle. Perfect!
And lastly, to go along with one of my favorite moments... I absolutely love how Killian pleads with Gold to leave Emma and all of Storybrooke alone now that the Snow Queen's threat has been taken care of, as a last request. And I love how Gold eerily and darkly responds that so long as the heroes don't stand in his way, they have nothing to fear from him. Yet he can't promise such for the rest of the world. This moment is so sad because Killian is so broken upon knowing he's going to die soon, yet so amazing because Gold is so sinister and cruel. I love, love, love this scene!!! I hate Gold for his continued plan to hurt so many people, especially Killian as he's been doing. And yet I can't help but still love his character! Mr. Gold/Rumplestiltskin is definitely a character everyone loves to hate. :)
Overall... Such a beautiful and phenomenal episode! I love seeing all of the townsfolk including Granny and the dwarfs fighting one another under the spell's influence, then seeing them hug one another as the snow begins to fall once the spell is finally broken. And I love, love, love seeing Regina, Mary Margaret, and David begin to laugh upon the spell breaking as well once they all see Regina dressed once again as the Evil Queen and remember how they were fighting one another, then seeing them join their loved ones outside along with Elsa and Anna too. Seeing them laughing with one another after all is said and done... This really does show just how far they've all come. Everything about this episode is brilliant! :)
Thank you so much once more, for another phenomenal and fun reaction, Jay!!!
Sincerely,
Heidi