Previously on OUAT: We didn’t actually look for Hook. It all leads back to Hades who just happens to be scared of people leaving the Underworld so he works out ways to make sure they don’t.

The Season’s Main Story: Hook leaving the underworld
For this week we are going to establish that in some way or form, every episode will deal with saving Hook. In this episode we start with Hook in a “cell” with the company of an unnamed female telling him he can’t escape. His first course of action? He’ll play bait, the girl will escape and lead Emma to him, and then Fluffy gets him (I know that his name is Cerberus, but for the purposes of my happiness I will call him Fluffy). Important notes: Hook did receive Emma’s message, but just didn’t answer back; so he is very aware she is in the underworld for him. Emma, Henry, Robin, and Henry are looking for Hook in the woods, when Regina send Robin and Henry to get town maps from her underworld office to maybe help. From Regina’s conclusion, the Underworld is in fact a bizarro Storybrooke where everything seems to have a doppelganger or they are a copy of the original. They discover this is more of a fact when they realize the Charming’s apartment is vacant until they die and come to it. Emma and Regina learn of who is guarding Hook in the cells: Fluffy! Snow points out that Herc can beat it. Killian’s dashing escape clearly does not go as planned, and he ends up literally in Hades’ living room to be tortured. Killian still proclaims he will do whatever is worse than death to Hades. That sassy man. Emma gets a map from Meg to get to the cells. 

There are moments in this plot line that are very telling: Killian did refer to himself as Captain Jones before saying Captain Hook; does he no longer see himself as Hook? Also, he is literally separated from his Hook at the end of the episode. 

Episode Main Story: Snow and Herc vs Fluffy and the Band
In this storyline we learn that once upon a young Snow, she was friends (and crushing) on Hercules. Snow then comes up with the plan that if they help Herc, then Herc could possibly help them rescue Hook. This episode thus introduces a subplot to the season in the form of Identity. These characters whom we have seen for a while now live within two lives, and multiple sets of memories are now having to decide which of those people they choose to be. Snow is the second to make a choice (Killian already called himself Captain Jones once in the episode, that seems a choice as well). Once they know Herc will help, they go to Grannies (not quite the same, but way creepier), Snow goes to find him at the docks and then gets him to help with Fluffy; only to find out he is now scared of Fluffy since it already killed him once. They, Emma and Regina, meet Hades, who informs them that he is currently torturing Killian. Hades also points out an important fact, that the Underworld looks like Storybrooke because he chose that. Also Hades disappears in a puff of blue flames, which is awesome. Snow and Herc talk and they realize that Fluffy needs to be beaten by attacking all three heads at once; and on the other end of town, Fluffy is chasing after our unnamed girl (we know who she is but let’s not spoil the reveal). Once Fluffy chooses to attack, they gather at the library with unnamed female and recruit her to kill Fluffy, once they succeed they head out to Granny’s and it revealed that the girl is Megara, and that Herc tried saving her from Fluffy but failed, and then Fluffy killed her as well. Their issues now resolved and they move on. I need to point out the importance that the unresolved issues for both Herc and Meg; were them knowing each other as well as both defeating Fluffy. After realizing that Herc returned to being the hero he always was, Mary Margaret chose to become Snow as well. Both Herc and Meg move on to Olympus.

Sub plot A: Henry and Cruella
Cruella (like Pan) wants to live again, and figures Henry as the author can do just that. Henry tells her that he broke the quill, but Cruella explains that the quill isn’t the object and the magic of it traveled to the underworld for him to use again. Henry realizes he can do anything with that quill, and seemingly plots with Cruella to make it so. I feel like this particular plot will not end in the happiness Cruella wants, but I feel she will be able to move on to the good place after it. Just a feeling. Also, Henry might be able to save Emma and Killian with the pen at some point, also another guess. Cruella misses Gin. I find that funny but relevant. Set a glass down as a distraction might work. Let’s also look at Henry’s motivation for saving Cruella: clearing Emma of murder. Now, while yes, Cruella being alive means Emma didn’t kill her technically, it means nothing in my book. Think about it like this: Emma still killed Cruella, and just because Cruella did not stay dead, does not mean Emma did not kill her. 

Flashbacks: Tween Snow Show
Snow’s dad is away at business, and when the villagers come calling Snow is overwhelmed and runs away. She meets Hercules in the forest, and through his encouragement she begins her hero journey. We now know the origin of her bow skills, and her “Bandit” Snow White abilities. It is important to note the parallel drawn between Snow and Hercules, who both are on a heroes’ journey to complete a labor (Snow has to rid the woods if a bandit, and Herc has to beat Fluffy). On the first try against the bandit, Snow gets some cold feet, and Herc has to help out a little. Young Snow comes to a crisis of identity thinking she cannot help her people. Herc recalls his victory over the lion, and then points out that failing only teaches one how to win. Young Snow, then “defeats” the bandit, and saves her people (I have a feeling the dude gave up). Herc and Snow kiss, making all of Charming’s jealousy valid in a way, but the fact that he is a tween and she is a grandmother makes me think that was puppy love for eternity, since he is also dead and all. Let’s also point out that the bandit was hired by the Evil Queen.

The Big Twist: Hook is a pseudo Fate!
Hades, in revenge, for all the souls that are being saved; has decided to punish Hook. For every soul the heroes save, one of them must stay behind. The punishment for Hook is that he has to choose who stays and who goes. Given the track record of the heroes, one has to wonder who will Hook start with. (If he knew Rumple was there…)

RATING: 7.5 – Good. While I did love the inclusion of Hercules, he was reduced to essentially just being someone to give an advice to a young Snow, only to be given the same advice years later. The plot is saved with Hook’s ever increasing difficulties in the Underworld

Questions to be answered:

• Does coming to the underworld bring up unresolved issues for the living as well? Would have Snow decided to be Snow, if not reminded by Herc again? 

• When will we start seeing some of Emma’s or Hook’s unresolved issues? Could one of those be the fact that they are True Love, and have been sundered for eternity? 

• Can Rumple be forced to stay in the underworld, even if he is the ultimate Dark One? Could Hook write his name on a tomb?

• Herc went to Olympus, Regina’s dad went somewhere else… is moving on different for everyone?