"Once Upon a Time" Recap: "Souls of the Departed"

​Written by Shae

​THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

I won't lie to you guys, this episode had me in tears. Like legit laying here, sobbing uncontrollably, unable to handle this, tears. The very idea of an afterlife had many of us questioning a lot of things. This whole half of the season is about traveling to the Underworld to save Hook. Is there a saving him? Can they bring him back? Or does Emma need to learn to move on and say goodbye?

When the episode began I was expecting more conflict. The flashbacks throughout the episode brought back the reminder that Regina is not who she used to be. Back when she was bent on revenge there was always one person on her side, believing in her. That was her dad. We saw how Henry fought so hard to get Regina to let her feud with Snow go. How he wanted her to move on. Henry believed in her so much, he did everything he could for her. We forget that Regina, even when she was evil, was a hurt, damaged, soul. Yet her father always stood by her, encouraging her to change, to be better. Regina's hate for Corra fueled so much, but Henry tried his damnedest to change that.

In the Underworld when Regina finds Corra, she isn't sure what to expect. Corra welcomed her with open arms, then told her to leave, even arranged for her to do so. Complete with the threat of retribution against poor Henry if she doesn't go. Regina isn't sure what to do. Emma encouraged her to go, which also broke my heart because of how close the two are. It was an emotional episode. Even when Rumple runs into his father, Peter Pan, I was sad. Granted, Rumple seems to piss me off pretty much every season, I still have a soft spot for him. Peter, of course wants out, but Rumple isn't about to help him do that. Or is he? I have trust issues.

When Emma tried to communicate with Hook, I was shocked and sad and scared, so many things. It seems he is in far more trouble than we realized. And then Regina spoke with her dad. When Henry hugged her and told her it was okay, I lost it. The tears are still coming as I write this. Corra's threat to send Henry to a worse place, I lost it even more. But then, magic happened. Corra left, and Henry wasn't in danger anymore. Instead a pathway with a light appeared, and Henry was able to move on to a better place. The last scene where he and Regina spoke and hugged; where Henry met Henry, I am so glad nobody was here to see me cry that hard. This season isn't pulling its punches anymore....

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