Once Upon a Time returned two weeks ago and I have intentionally remained silent.  The reason is simple.  I didn’t want to say anything until after Emma’s story was told.  Now I feel a little (notice little) more confident in what I have to say.

I don’t mind the new Henry.  I don’t mind the fact that we are reliving the opening of the very first episode.  What I do mind is that we have no idea of the curse or who cast it.  The Henry we know and love would never forget his daughter unless under extreme circumstances.  So, who caused the extreme circumstances.  And why does Henry appear to be the last one to have arrived in Hyperion Heights.  Alice made a point of telling Rumple (I mean Weaver) that he was in town.

I just love the names and symbolism associated with the old characters.  Weaver for Gold is very appropriate as he weaved gold out of straw.  I can even see Roni for Regina. Roni is the Hebrew for word for “song” and she did do an excellent job with her musical number.  And the bar is the most appropriate place for her to work since she met Robin at a bar.

Now, on to Hook or should we say Wish Hook or Hook 2?  I’m not sure but Hook’s new name of Rogers is also appropriate as he sailed on the Jolly Roger.  The real question though comes from his change.  Lady Tremaine used our Storybrooke’s Hook’s blood to make Hook 2 look younger and our Hook.  Okay, I’ll buy this but that leaves a whole new can of worms.

Lady Tremaine/Victoria (I think is her Seattle name) evidently has some experience with magic.  She states that she hates magic and seems to want the landscapes around her cleansed of all magic yet she can sure use that wand!  If she is so against magic, why can she use it.  And what “price” did magic have for her?

Unfortunately, Emma’s return wasn’t what I expected (not exactly).  I’m happy that she and our original Hook are starting a family but her appearance wasn’t for the entire show much less mind blowing.  There’s some speculation over on Twitter that Emma’s not telling Henry everything but I am not thinking along those lines.  If Emma wanted Henry to know she was pregnant, she would have told them not to say anything.  She would want to tell him herself.

Now that brings us to the last questionable issue that we have.  We know that Henry had graduated high school when he left on his grand adventure, now he’s a young man who has married.  None of our returning characters have aged that much.  Even Emma didn’t seem any older.  I’ve always speculated that the time runs different in the different worlds so could this be evidence.  Or, is my mind seeing a potential set-up for this being the entrance to Narnia and the Last Battle (as C. S. Lewis wrote).  Only time (and renewal) will tell.