Once Upon A Time 3x4 “Nasty Habits” FULL REACTION

Nasty Habits- Thank you so much for another reaction for Once Upon a Time! Overall... I enjoy this episode. It's not one of my favorites and some of the storylines I really like more so than others. I mostly love the storyline taking place with Emma, Hook, David, Mary Margaret, Regina, and Tinker Bell, even though it is definitely the much smaller story taking place throughout this episode And I also really love the backstory between Rumple and Pan, which begins a new mystery as to how these two brilliant characters know each other. I especially love that Pan too has taken the place of another well known storybook character like we've seen with Rumple, who so far has been the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, the Crocodile in Hook's storyline from Peter Pan, and Cinderella's Fairy Godmother like we saw back in season one's episode... The Price of Gold. In Nasty Habits, we learn that Pan is also the Pied Piper of Hamlin, a well known folk tale, which sets up the origin story for how Pan recruits the Lost Boys. And it's really, really good. Clever writing for sure. And I love it! Now, to be perfectly honest.. while I actually do enjoy the acting between Robert Carlyle (Rumple) and Michael Raymond-James (Neal) throughout the storyline between Rumple and Neal in this episode, as Rumple discovers Neal is alive after all... I am not really a fan of this storyline itself. A part of it I know is unfair because I don't care much for Neal's character. As I've said so many times up to this point. But the other part of it is also because I am mostly just tired of the feud between Neal and his father, and their constant back and forth between Neal hating his father for abandoning him, then loving him again when things get bad, to Rumple fighting to prove to his son that he's changed and Neal's disbelief in him, and finally to Neal just hating him again upon learning from Pan and later Rumple about the truth behind the prophecy that Henry is somehow destined to be Rumple's undoing. I certainly understand Neal's feelings and why he's so constantly back and forth. He wants to believe in his father, but he can't because of their long history together. I do understand it to a degree. However, for me... their long time family problems have just worn thin for me. And believe me... I know that I am in the minority when I say this. But it's the truth. It's how I feel. I also just don't care much at all for the love storyline between Emma and Neal either. Like I've said a number of times. I feel like their love for one another is behind them, while I would prefer them to simply remain good friends. Neal had good reasons for leaving Emma, because he wanted to give her a chance to fall once again on the right path after she had been a thief with him and even beforehand for so long. However, he did abandon her and let her take the fall for his crimes. So while he meant well and knew doing so would straighten her life out in the long run, Emma never knew any of this until recently. For a long time, Neal just abandoned her and let her take the fall for his crimes, and this isn't something someone would simply forget about. Least of all Emma. She can forgive him, but to love him again and for their love story to go on just like it never ended... I can't see that being in Emma's character. It wouldn't be right. Even should this be the story that is written for their characters by the show's creators and writers. It's why I don't like the idea of them getting back together should the heroes discover that Neal is still alive. But with all that being said... each of the scenes between Neal and Rumple, especially with Pan as well, are all well acted and nicely shown, but these are my least favorite storylines throughout this episode. I also don't really care much for the scenes in the backstory between Rumple and Bae, because again I don't care much for the bitterness between them even though it does all make sense. It's all just a storyline that's worn thin for me. However, I love how this backstory connects to Rumple discovering Pan is the Pied Piper, who had drawn Bae and a number of other children out of their homes with the music from his pipe that is revealed can only be heard by the boys who feel lost and like they are unloved. As Rumple learns Bae feels as well. I love seeing Rumple later rip off the cloak from the Piper's head, as Pan reveals himself to him, and how we learn that Rumple has actually known Pan since he himself was a boy, which is a very long time. This was a brilliant scene between Rumple and Pan... Again... Pan is an amazing villain. At first... when it was revealed to us that Pan might be so, I wasn't so sure I would like it if Pan was a villain, especially since Hook is the villain we've known all these years from Peter Pan. However, it was after the second episode from this season... Lost Girl, that my mind really came around to really loving Pan as a villain, especially since we've also come to see Hook slowly changing into a better man by the end of season two, and more so as season three continues. And in this episode... Pan is amazing. As for my favorite moments throughout this episode... I love the scene in the beginning as Emma, Hook, David, Mary Margaret, Regina, and Tink are all trying to come up with a battle plan to use against Pan and to save Henry. I think it's hilarious when Emma struggles to call Tinker Bell by her real name because of how funny doing so sounds to her. And I also agree with Tink that they all need to come up with a way to escape Neverland, before she agrees to risk her life by helping them all to break into Pan's camp. Once Tink leaves the others to return to her tree house until they can come up with a plan, David then turns to Hook and states that Hook had once escaped from Neverland and Emma asks him how he did so. I love how we learn that Hook had once made a deal with Pan so that he could leave the island... a deal that is unknown, as Hook doesn't go into detail about it. But then... Hook guides them all to the cave in which Baelfire lived while he too lived in Neverland. I love how Hook shares with them how he had taught Bae to chart and navigate the stars in the sky, and how to make a map, even though Hook reveals he can't actually read the map due to him also teaching Bae the importance of secrecy for the life of a pirate. Meaning... that Bae is now the only one who can read the map as it's made in code. Now, I have to say that my absolute favorite moment throughout this episode... is the brief moment between Hook and David, as Hook continues to urge David to tell his wife and daughter the truth about being poisoned. I really love and appreciate it, especially in regards to the continuing development in Hook's character. Unfortunately, David still refuses to, believing that it's best to keep their minds on saving Henry, rather than giving them something more to worry about. And then... in a very brief moment, David senses that Hook isn't telling him something. And Hook may know something more than he's saying. This is my favorite moment throughout the entire episode, in spite of how brief it might be. Because it's just really nice to see the continued changes in Hook, and to see him be the wiser one between him and David, who in my opinion is making a foolish choice not to tell his family the truth about having been poisoned. It's nice to see Hook be the more sensible one as he continues to urge David to tell his family he truth, as I sense Hook would have wanted to know if it were someone he loved too. :) In the end... Emma finally breaks down as she admits to her parents that she has realized too late that she still loves Neal, but that she's also angry with him for only admitting he loves her back when he was about to die, before she then storms off to be alone. And while I may not like Neal or the idea of him and Emma winding up back together, I still feel really bad for Emma in this moment. I can really feel her pain and emotions... which shows wonderful acting by Jennifer Morrison as well. And lastly... I enjoy the continued scenes between Rumple and his vision of Belle. They're sweet and while Belle isn't really in Neverland, I really love how the creators and writers found a way to keep Belle very much involved in Rumple's storyline throughout this season since they can't be together. It's very clever. Overall... again, I enjoy this episode, though it's not one of my favorites from this season. However... the next episode is one of my absolute favorite episodes from this season, and is overall one of my very favorites throughout all of the seasons too. It's amazing and I can't wait to watch your reaction for it!!!!! So thank you again for another fun reaction! Until next time...

Heidi Elizabeth Marcum