Once Upon a Time - Heroes and Villains

After wrapping up the Frozen arc last week, Once Upon a Time's mid-season finale bids farewell to both Elsa (Georgina Haig) and Anna (Elizabeth Lail) who return home to reclaim their kingdom, throw a wedding, and eat some chocolate. Of all the casting choices the show has made over its four seasons Haig and Lail are arguably the best at creating living versions of their animated counterparts. With that arc wrapped-up, the show turns its attention back to Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) who only moments before achieving everything he's ever desired sees it all slip from his grasp as Belle (Emilie de Ravin) banishes her power-mad husband from Storybrooke forever (or at least until the show returns from mid-season hiatus).

Begun as a subplot earlier in the season, Regina's (Lana Parrilla) quest to find the author of the the storybook picks up steam as Henry (Jared Gilmore) makes an important discovery and a banished Rumpelstiltskin makes a fateful decision leading to renewing his partnership with a trio of villainesses in Maleficent (Kristin Bauer van Straten), Ursula (Merrin Dungey), and Cruella De Vil (Victoria Smurfit). Whoever the mysterious person (sorcerer?) turns out to be, the search for him is likely to dominate the remainder of the season.

Although the show delving into the idea of heroes and villains interests me, I'm a bit hesitant on the new villains who aren't helped by some cheap GCI during the flashback sequence. However, I am pleased to see Regina make a heroic sacrifice planting her firmly in the hero camp. Despite the fallout of her romance with Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) her recent strides have her allied with Emma for a powerful duo not to be messed with when the show returns. As Regina's future looks hopeful Rumpelstiltskin, now that he's lost everything, may be even more dangerous than ever before.