ONCE UPON A TIME Review: Magic Can’t Fix a “Broken Kingdom”

By Meredith Loftus

The Camelot plot continues to thicken with “Broken Kingdom.” The curtain has been drawn back, and we are now beginning to see this kingdom for what it truly is. Camelot may be the place of romance, but it also the kingdom of shady business. Is there anyone there we can trust now that we know how Arthur gained the trust of his kingdom? The themes of trust continue to be at the forefront, while the motivations behind certain power plays are beginning to come to the light. Normally this uncertainty would be unsettling, but in fact this makes this arc all the more compelling.

It’s been a little while since the show put focus on Snow and Charming as partners working together; now that their daughter is the new Dark One, the timing couldn’t be more perfect. As parents, Snow and Charming are trying to figure out this new situation. They both want to save their daughter from the darkness as soon as possible, but their opinions on who they should trust create tension between them. At first glance, it really appeared that Charming was willing to put his trust in Arthur, a monarch he just met, over his true love with whom he shares a heart. Snow calls him out on his need for validation as a hero, while Charming questions Lancelot’s trust and Snow’s lack of answers. It’s never easy to see spouses quarrel and to watch Snow appear to go behind her husband’s back made audiences worried. However, they both know where their priorities lie and it’s with Emma and her well-being. They tricked both Arthur and Lancelot in order to determine who they should really trust. Arthur failed that test. Trust can’t be created with some magic sand from Avalon or bribed with a knighthood; it comes from a place of mutual respect and is reinforced by a history of following through for one another. Snow White and Prince Charming not only set the standard for true love on Once Upon A Time but also are a prime example of excellent teamwork built on trust. Couples may disagree on issues, but the ones that last are the ones that are willing to put aside their differences for the sake of the other, and their family. Their hearts physically and metaphorically beat as one.