Home Featured TV Shows All TV Shows Movie Reviews Book Reviews Articles Frequently Asked Questions About Us

Once Upon a Time: Lacey

“You can’t tell what’s in a person’s heart until you truly know them.”

Rumple and Belle’s relationship is so dependent on the fact that Belle can see a side of him that nobody else can; the real him. As a person Belle has always been able to see who a person really is which is something that carries a lot of weight in a world that’s filled with magic and so many falsities. ‘Lacey’ took the foundations of Belle’s character and the idea of her and Rumple, and turned on its ass, which is exciting but also a little scary.

The spell that Regina cast was all in the guise of turning Belle into her Storybrooke, or real world self. But weren’t those identities some offset of the people they were once before? Lacey is pretty much the opposite of that. Instead of looking for the good in people, she gets thrills out of their darkness. She made judgement of Rumple before she knew the real him. And instead of seeing that side of Rumple that he’s been trying to bring out, she brought out that side that he was trying so hard to repress. She thought she was seeing the real him, and instead she saw the cover that he’s been putting on ever since he became the Dark One.

I guess it’s not that different from what happened between them before, only now Belle is the worst person for Rumple to be around. This revelation really begs more explanation, though. Is Belle gone forever? Is Lacey just a result of Regina’s meddling, or is she only made possible through Belle’s personality? Does Lacey think she’s met the real Rumple now that she’s seen him at his worst? Does that make her more like Belle?

Some more questions are popping up elsewhere. Now that Emma is struggling with the news that her family might be leaving the only world she’s ever known, will she go with them? I get that she wants to stay, and wants her family to stay with her, but shouldn’t this have come as no shock to her? They were only ever here as a result of Regina’s vengeance. It makes sense that they wouldn’t feel right here in the real world.

Add to that the fact that Owen and Tamara are seemingly looking to tear their new town apart. With Hook on their side, or at least begrudgingly following their orders, they seem to be headed for something big. One thing I’m still looking to find out is what Tamara really wants. Owen wants his father, but she seems far more interested in finding magic for herself. That was what she was all about when she messed with August.

This episode had its flaws, but the show is heading for darker territory, and that’s not a bad thing. ‘Lacey’ did something different, and a little odd sure, but it felt like more of an episode than ‘Selfless, Brave and True’ did. I’m not sure where the finale will end up, but it’s definitely going to be different.

3.5 out of 5 magic bows that always find their targets

Plus

Robin Hood! I assume he’ll be coming back. I knew he had to be someone important when he showed up in Rumple’s castle if the actor playing him was that pretty.

Lacey’s purple sparkly dress was tackier than tacky. Kill it with fire!

He Said, She Said

Emma: “This world is my home.”
Charming: “It’s been nothing but cruel to you.”

Rumple: “What have you done with Belle?”
Regina: “I’m sorry, do I look like a one-handed pirate with a pistol?”

Lacey: “You really are as dark as people say.”
Rumple: “Darker, deary. Much darker.”

Previously posted at PandaTV.

3 comments:

  1. what gets me is, at what time did she become this little barfly? wasn't she locked up all the time? It seems like they pulled this story out of their...hat, just to fit the purpose.

    ReplyDelete
  2. They had a bar at the asylum? Nurse Ratched tended it? Weird move yes. Not sure what the point was.
    Anna

    ReplyDelete
  3. Although it didn't really seem to fit with a lot of what we have learned before, I liked this episode because it did exactly what you said, Panda. It turned assumptions that I had made completely around.

    This is a show that tends to fall to the bottom of my watch list, but there are occasional glimpses of true storytelling. This was one of them.

    ReplyDelete

We love comments! We moderate because of spam and trolls, but don't let that stop you! It’s never too late to comment on an old show, but please don’t spoil future episodes for newbies.