TV REVIEW: Once’s “Snow Queen” Tests the Bonds of Love

By Meredith Loftus

Once Upon a Time’s “The Snow Queen” went back in time this week, with a story that initially spotlights our villain as a young girl, Ingrid, along with her sisters, Helga and Gurda. When we first meet them the sisters are playing with the ribbons from an abandoned kite. A man approaches them, initially claiming to be its owner. But when he attempts to kidnap Helga and Gurda, he is stopped by Ingrid who blasts a tree with her ice powers, knocking him out. Frightened Ingrid does not know how to react to her new abilities. She is afraid of hurting her sisters, but they calmly assure her that she will not hurt anyone. They promise to keep her secret safe and never view her as a monster, sealing the promise with the ribbons that were on the kite.

Arendelle

Some years later, Helga and Gurda are preparing for their father’s 70^th birthday celebration. Ingrid, since discovering her powers, has avoided any and all public functions, to keep her powers a secret and out of fear of losing control. Her sisters try to convince her that their love for her is enough to live her life instead of hiding. It is not enough to convince her so Helga and Gurda leave for the ball. At the ball, Helga introduces her father to her potential suitor, the Duke of Weaselton. As the festivities, Ingrid sneaks in and watches the festivities, but her powers start to emerge as a small flurry starts to form, so Ingrid runs away.

The next day, Helga and Gurda discover Ingrid packing her things with the intentions of running away. Ingrid believes she can never be queen without hurting the people around her. Helga continues to assure her that she is not the monster she believes that she is. Gurda reveals that there might be a way for Ingrid to control her powers: by seeking help from the powerful wizard in Misthaven (aka the Enchanted Forest), Rumpelstiltskin. They meet Rumpelstiltskin at his castle. Ingrid is determined to remove her powers. Rumple enlightens her on the power of true love that is in her possession, the love between she and her sisters. Still plagued with her fear of hurting those she loves most, Rumple gives Ingrid gloves that can help her control her powers as long as she believes it and an urn that can contain both her and her powers. Of course all magic comes at a price, and the price of these tools are the ribbons that the sealed the sisters’ promise to each other.

(ABC/Jack Rowand)
JESSY SCHRAM, SARAH BOLGER, GINNIFER GOODWIN, JENNIFER MORRISON

With the gloves in her possession, Ingrid starts to ease her way back into public life. While in the garden, the Duke of Weaselton approaches seeking to win her affections, instead of pursuing Helga. He tries to kiss her, and Ingrid deflects him with her powers. Helga appears and the Duke tries to convince her that Ingrid tried to kiss him and stuck him with her powers on purpose. Helga does not fall for the lie and tells him to leave without saying a word to anyone about her sister’s powers. When he makes it clear that he is going to tell everyone what he saw, Ingrid gets upset and sends a blast toward him. However, Helga is standing in the way as she is hit by Ingrid and turns to ice. Helga’s ice body breaks as Ingrid breaks down from losing her sister. Gurda walks to the garden too late, calls Ingrid a monster, and traps her sister in the urn. Heartbroken, Gurda seeks out Grand Pabbie and receives his help to erase Arendelle’s memory of Ingrid and Helga’s existence.

So much for promises and the bond of true love between sisters.

Storybrooke

Meanwhile in Storybrooke, the search continues for the Snow Queen and her evil mirror. Emma & Co (or as I like to call “The Fairy Tale Police Department”) finally have a break in the case when they find a candle that can trap the Snow Queen. As Elsa helps Emma practice her powers, Elsa asks Emma if her family has ever treated her differently because of her powers. While Emma confidently tells Elsa “no” here, this statement is later put to the test when Emma’s powers start to come out when she goes to pick up baby Neal for babysitting. Even though Snow has her own trust issues of letting Neal be with others, her moment of hesitation towards Emma creates a seed of doubt that will later be used during the Snow Queen’s manipulation of Emma.

Emma & Co find the Snow Queen in the clock tower and easily capture her. Emma and Elsa begin to question the Snow Queen back the sheriff’s station. The Snow Queen has the upper hand as she, within minutes, causes Elsa to lose her temper by using her erased memories against her. Emma asks Elsa to go help Charming, Hook, and Belle with the mirror while she continues to question the Snow Queen alone. There is no holding back as the Snow Queen begins to use her prior relationship with Emma. Emma’s prior derision toward her parents, the seed of doubt from her encounter with her mother earlier, and the current reality of her parents giving Neal priority is enough to make Emma lose control of her magic, allowing the Snow Queen to escape the sheriff’s station. With Emma’s current state of mind and her family arriving at the station, she tries to get them to back away. As Hook reaches out to Emma, her magic causes a light post to fall towards him; Charming pushes Hook aside and is not injured badly. However, Snow’s disappointed reaction towards Emma is enough for Emma to run away from her loved ones. Emma retreats to the far areas of town, and makes sure she is not found even though her family, Hook and Elsa included, are out looking for her. Snow and Charming feel defeated as they failed to be the loving parents Emma needed in her greatest moment of fear.

(ABC/Jack Rowand)
LANA PARRILLA

Meanwhile, Regina is in her vault when a distressed Robin comes in, begging to talk with her. Robin tells Regina that he is caught between his love for Regina and his code of honor. Regina then tells him that he needs to stop thinking about her and more of his wife, Marian. Indecision proves to do more internal harm than good. Upset, Robin turns to drinking and playing darts at Granny’s when former Merry Man, Will Scarlet walks in. Robin buys him a drink and retells the story of how he met Marian. Will is able to offer some perspective on why Marian left everything to be with Robin, that when you see good in someone you don’t just give up on them. Despite the consequences that can follow, true love is always worth fighting for daily. While this is happening, Regina is trying to let go of her feelings for Robin by putting all her focus on Operation Mongoose with Henry. Later that night, Robin again goes to see Regina in her vault. However, this time, instead of letting his moral code hold him back, he takes actions and passionately kisses Regina, a beautiful moment that was needed in an episode that was heavy on fear and broken relationships.

Finally, we see the Snow Queen walk into Rumple’s pawn shop, ready to make a deal. Her terms are simple: she wants the ribbons back. Rumple is reluctant to make a deal until she reveals that she knows the last piece of the puzzle Rumple needs in order to completely free himself from the power of the dagger. What is perhaps more disturbing is why Rumple wants total freedom from the dagger: he is looking to leave Storybrooke to expand his control and power to the land around him. The trade is simple: Rumple gives the Snow Queen the ribbons and Storybrooke and she whispers in his ear exactly what he needs to be free from the dagger once and for all. After she tells him what he needs, Rumple makes it clear that he will take great pleasure in getting what he requires. All we care to know is what the Snow Queen could have possibly said to make Rumple so confident.

Worth Mentioning

• The Duke’s dancing remained just as awkward and hilarious as it was in Frozen.
• In the season 4 premiere, the opening scene was Gurda desperately writing a message in a bottle and said that they (Anna and Elsa) needed to know the truth. After watching this episode, I have to wonder if she was referring to truth about her sisters. Only time will tell.
• Cinderella runs the Mommy & Me classes in Storybrooke. That’s actually adorable. Also, it was wonderful to see the first three Disney princesses (Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora) together at the same time with their children. My childhood dreams have been fulfilled!
• During the scene in the interrogation room, the Snow Queen was reminiscent of the Jabberwocky from Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. (For those who haven’t seen the spinoff, the Jabberwocky is a fearsome woman who knows all of your fears and uses it to manipulate her victims.)
• Speaking of Wonderland, where is Will’s true love, Anastasia?
• Robin’s actions, how wonderful they were, come at a price. By saying “yes” to Regina, he said “no” to his honor and code, a characteristic that Regina admired in Robin. Like all heroes, he will have to face the consequences of his actions, but for now we are going to enjoy his moment of bliss with Regina.