What did you think of Episode 2×04 “The Crocodile?

Posted on October 21, 2012 | 27 Comments

What did you think of the Once Upon a Time episode 2×04 The Crocodile, which aired on October 21, 2012?


What are your first thoughts about the episode? Leave a comment below.

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27 responses to “What did you think of Episode 2×04 “The Crocodile?”

  1. Ms Terri | October 21, 2012 at 9:20 pm | Reply

    Now we know the origin of the curse. Well, we’ve known for a while, but I don’t think it’s been so explicitly spelled out before — that Rumpel created the curse as a way to cross over to our world so he could find Bae.

    I thought Belle, at the end, was was very moving. I hope Rumpel doesn’t let her down. I think she would be wise to stay on her own for a while.

    Loved Captain Hook’s eyeliner!

    • Riles | October 21, 2012 at 9:45 pm | Reply

      That sure was a lot of eyeliner huh?
      Crocodile = Rumpelstiltskin …. very cool !!
      Loved the message…..a coward is always a coward until they make the hard and brave choices. Power does not equal and is no substitute for courage …… very cool !! (Our politicians could learn a little something about that )
      How does everybody feel about Bae’s mother? Although she left Rumple (for reasons some may and may not agree with), she abandoned her son. Even though Rumple’s revenge was harsh, I had very little sympathy towards her for that reason alone. I don’t agree with Rumple sentencing her to death….but…. let’s state the obvious….Rumple is dark.
      ….and on the more important stuff….
      Did everybody see next week’s teasers? It seems Dr. Whale attempted to bring back David. Jefferson said he knew a man that can bring back people. It seems the “Dr. Frankenstein” theory holds true. Personally, I hope they don’t go down that road. If they do, what’s next? Dracula? Darth Vader? The Wizard of Oz? Superman? Spiderman?
      This is supposed to be a story of fairy tales. They are on a slippery slope if they bring in the Frankenstein thing. If they start pulling ideas from left field like they did in “Lost”, I’m going to stop watching the show….just like many did (including me). There’s a difference between creativity and mashing garbage together by pulling in all kinds of junk that has no place in a story line. Stick to the STORY writers !!!! Don’t start pulling in pink elephants, Star Trek, aliens, the Bible, and the price of rice in China.

      • Princess Donna | October 21, 2012 at 10:07 pm | Reply

        Riles, I understand your feelings about making Dr. Whale be Dr. Frankenstein, and how that is not a “so-called” fairy tale. And, like you said, where does it end?

        But, that being said, Frankenstein was a written story – like all fairy tales are written stories.

        So maybe the writers feel that all fiction stories are “fair game”.

        Oh yes, and you mentioned Star Wars. Well, did you happen to notice Rumple using “the force” to choke the guy with the red hat? I know, I know! It was magic. But it sure reminded me of Darth Vader using the force! LOL!

      • Lisa | October 21, 2012 at 11:30 pm | Reply

        I was left with the same feeling—-that the writers are going off in too many directions and straying from the fairy tale roots of the show, but from what creators Adam and Eddie are saying in interviews their goal is to make OUAT the ultimate “mash up”. So far the idea doesn’t thrill me.

        As some fans expressed missing Rumple and Regina in last week’s episode I found myself missing Snow and Emma(and even Regina) this week. I wasn’t expecting to see them but I still felt their absence. I’m not a Belle/Rumple fan so their episodes will never be in my top ten and, frankly, we’ve already seen Rumple humiliated in front of Bae so the whole Captain Hook stealing his unfaithful wife was pouring it on a bit thick. And now Hook and Cora are in cahoots—–the writers are stretching things. Let’s hope they don’t stretch too far.

      • Ms Terri | October 22, 2012 at 12:04 am | Reply

        As much as I enjoyed Captain Hook’s eyeliner (and the way they made Rumpel the cause for his missing hand), I thought the pirate story did seem to come out of nowhere. I felt the same with Lancelot’s story.

        I think the show would be more coherent if it stuck to characters from the Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen stories — there are certainly more than enough characters there to choose from.

        That said, if the writers are really able to weave this hodgepodge of characters into the existing story, then I can live with it. Jefferson, for example, turned out to be an interesting character who played a role that makes sense in both worlds.

        What I wouldn’t like is if the show turns into a new-character-of-the-week episodic drama, where guest stars play a central role in a single episode and then are rarely or never seen again. (That may have already happened with Lancelot.)

        As for Rumpel’s wife — I found her totally unsympathetic — but then Rumpel went way too far, as usual.

  2. Princess Donna | October 21, 2012 at 9:53 pm | Reply

    Way cool how Rumple was the Crocodile! And LOVED Killian Jones! I thought this was a great episode.

    And the promo definitely makes me say Dr. Whale is Dr. Frankenstein!

  3. Princess Donna | October 22, 2012 at 2:10 am | Reply

    I agree, Ms. Terri. If this becomes a “character of the week” show, then I will stop watching.

    I originally thought they should stick to fairy tales too. But, also like you, liked the Jefferson/Mad Hatter/Wonderland story, and how they incorporated it into the main story-line of the show.

    I read on another sight the writers are thinking of introducing Oz. So if they do it right, it may work. (Even though I’m not a huge Wizard of Oz fan).

    But I still will favor plain old fairy tales over the rest. Give me Cinderella any day of the week, and I’m happy!

  4. wildheart | October 22, 2012 at 2:50 am | Reply

    Many of the stories that other commenters have mentioned can never happen because of copyright (of particular note is Oz. The popular movie was produced by MGM, but it seems like Disney is currently making a movie based on another Oz book. I am unaware of who has the rights to use Oz characters). I understand that some of these suggestions were probably meant for exaggeration, such as the comics. But I must ask, would Oz characters be anymore unusual then from Wonderland and Neverland?

    Pinocchio is from an Italian novel. Mr. Glass is from a Grim story AND from Arabian Nights (the genie part, at least). The characters that we have had in season one weren’t all from the Grims’ and Anderson, and season two seems to be just following that trend. Even if the writers limited themselves to just fairytales, that leaves much more than just Grim and Anderson. Fairytales exist in every culture around the world, why limit it to just European? Particularly when one message that can be discerned from OUAT is that love is universal, and another being about the truth in stories.

    I say, instead of being disappointed in the flexibility of the show, get excited! Countless characters, unique interpretations of those characters that have never been done before! Instead of exaggerating it to places the writers won’t and can’t go, think of what they might do and what would be interesting to see! Aladdin, King Oberon, Anansi, and countless more!

    On Whale being Frankenstein:
    Personally, I’m interested in the idea, but not sold. The lone problem I see is once the writers let one character come back from the dead, it opens the door for any character to come back, and then nobody can ever really die. And we also know what the writer’s/producer’s like doing, so I’m completely convinced that this is who Dr. Whale is. Although… Dr. Whale… sounds a bit like doctor wail… that could have been a clue pointing to Frankenstein all along.

    On Rumple’s wife:
    I did not persay, feel for her at all, but I don’t think that was the point either. Instead, at that very moment when she died, I was feeling for Rumple. It was another example of how much Rumple does have good in him, but the monster (beast, or crocodile) keeps getting in his way (despite how he thinks it’s the other way around).

    Villains:
    We seem to have now been introduced to what appears to be this season’s main villains: Hook and Cora. And both of them have vendetta against season’s one villains, Rumple and Regina. I’m not saying that Rumple and Regina don’t have those villainous qualities anymore, but both of them are trying to be good, in their own way. Hatred, however, is what makes the ultimate villain. Rumple never seemed to have that so much as he was lead to be a villain because of 1) fear and 2) desire to get his son. Regina did have hatred, for Snow, which was her main motivation. But now, she has shown that she truly does care for Henry, and her main motivation has changed to getting him to forgive/love her.

    Cora and Hook, on the other hand, are different. Hook hates Rumple, that’s that. Cora’s feelings toward Regina are interesting, and as of yet, we don’t know what she wants to do. If it is pure hate, then all Cora wants to do is destroy that evil which she made herself. Different, from how Regina reacts with Henry. Many people still think Regina has ulterior motives, but I don’t think so. Snow is currently gone, so that object of hate is gone. When Snow returns, it will be another story. But I think we should remember that young girl who so quickly rushed to save another life. Regina never liked her mother. Cora, is currently a major villain. Regina’s options are going to be A) work with the woman who killed the love your life, 2) work with the woman who was manipulated into helping the woman who killed the love of your life, and is also the grandmother of your son, or C) be the radical third party that Rumple has played so well, seeming not caring about getting but his own wishes.

    Who knows what Cora would do with Henry? That tells me Regina will be good, or at least be good as long as it takes to defeat Cora.

  5. Princess Donna | October 22, 2012 at 5:03 am | Reply

    Wildheart, I like you indepth post.

    As far as Dr. Whale being Frankenstein and starting to bring people back from the dead. I don’t think that is what they are planning. From the trailer, it looks like he did bring back the stable boy for Regina in the past, but by doing so he made the stable boy a monster (inside, his personality). It showed the stable boy throwing Regina up against a wall – so he was being a monster and being mean. (I’m thinking it was like that Steven King movie, Pet Semetary.)

    And Dr. Whale’s name is a hint. The man who directed the original Frankenstein movies had the last name of Whale.

    And, is it just me on this – I really feel for poor Rumple (when he is playing the coward). He just looks so pitiful. And everyone is always so mean to him and cutting him down. Makes me much more sympathetic toward Rumple when he is mean to others – makes me feel like everyone deserves it, at times. (Of course, I haven’t forgotten he chose magic over his son.)

    • wildheart | October 23, 2012 at 12:55 am | Reply

      I actually meant to write that ‘I’m -not- completely convinced Dr. Whale is Frankenstein.’ And yet, it’s hard to imagine him being someone different after the promos.

      About Rumple, I agree. It’s amazing how in this last episode alone, we went from one clip where his killed his own wife, and then were moved by another clip where he admits the truth to Belle. And this was a only few minutes apart!

  6. Princess Donna | October 22, 2012 at 5:13 am | Reply

    Oh God! I’m wrong! I just watched the Canadian trailer for next weeks episode on http://www.oncenews.net. Dr.Whale brings back the stable boy now! In present day in Storybrooke! He is Dr. Frankenstein (or someone like him). The trailer shows the stable boy throwing “present day Mayor Regina” up against the wall and choking her!

    Someone hurry up and comment so we can discuss!

    • Sassy | October 22, 2012 at 11:27 am | Reply

      I had the feeling Daniel was mad at Regina for being a ‘monster’…but I am always wrong in my guesses!

    • Ms Terri | October 22, 2012 at 5:21 pm | Reply

      For convenience, here are the U.S. and Canadian promos:

      I’m hoping that the clips are a little deceiving out of context. I don’t want to see the Stable Boy go after Regina — I want to see him go after Cora! Cora always seems to get away with everything when her victims blame the wrong persons.

  7. George | October 22, 2012 at 10:13 am | Reply

    All great comments! I thought it was a great episode, but I have one question for everyone. When Killian Jones threw the magic bean into the water to create the portal, why did he say they were going to a place where they will not get older: Neverland? I thought the portal was supposed to take them to our world just like it did Bae, that’s why Rumple created the curse to come to here. Is that bean supposed to be different? I know that we might not know the answer but I thought it was a good discussion question.

  8. Princess Donna | October 22, 2012 at 10:18 am | Reply

    George, maybe the magic bean could take you to any other world of your choosing – since it is magic. ??? Just a thought. Don’t know if I’m right or not.

  9. George | October 22, 2012 at 10:51 am | Reply

    Thats a very interesting idea Princess, can I call you Princess?, but did Bae choose to come to our world? I guess he did…maybe you’re right. Then I guess we need to know where Neverland is and where is the island that Aurora and Mulan took Emma and Snow and why the people at both of these place stayed put when Regina enacted the curse. I think that’s too much thinking for a Monday morning. :)

    • Riles | October 22, 2012 at 12:41 pm | Reply

      The “Enchanted Forrest ?(Kingom)?” and adjacent lands were all affected by the curse. We don’t know how big that area is, but it seems to be rather small. The characters can go from kingdom to kingdom in a day or two. The show never really elaborates on this. One section of the land was not affected by the curse, nobody knows why. Probably some kind of magic. I have a feeling Cora had a hand in it….but who knows.
      Neverland is another world, just like Wonderland is another world. Since the curse was limited to the Enchanted Forrest and adjacent areas, it did not transcend worlds and curse those people too. Part of the curse did act as a portal though, to transport the cursed Enchanted Forrest folks to our world.

  10. Ms Terri | October 22, 2012 at 5:06 pm | Reply

    I agree with Princess D — I suspect the bean can open a door to any world of the user’s choosing. Perhaps the Blue Fairy chose our world (for some unknown reason) when she opened the portal for Bae??

    The geography of all the worlds is very murky now, but I suspect we’ll have more info soon. I was very surprised to see how close Mulan’s land was to the (now ruined) Enchanted Forest and surprised that they were able to just cross over from one to the other.

  11. Anonymous | October 22, 2012 at 8:22 pm | Reply

    Could Bael be Peter Pan?

  12. Anonymous | October 22, 2012 at 8:39 pm | Reply

    Same Anonymous as above…

    A couple of thoughts:

    1. Are we certain Bae came to our world? Is it possible he went to Neverland instead? On the otherhand, if Princesss is correct, in that they could choose which land they went to, Bae wanted to go to a place without magic because he wanted his dad back and the Dark Lord to go away.

    2. Remember Regina has the book of spells. I think an epic battle may happen between her and Cora. Regina is going to have to pull the book out and use it in order to fight her mom. This will fuel her hunger for magic once again.

    Thoughts?

    • Ms Terri | October 23, 2012 at 2:32 am | Reply

      I definitely expect an epic battle between Regina and Cora. I agree, Regina is likely to resort to magic — and probably also to the help of Snow, Charming, and Emma — and maybe even Rumpel — who may all end up on the same side when it comes to fighting Cora.

      I suspect that the Blue Fairy, not Bae, chose Bae’s destination (if the destination was, in fact, a matter of choice). She was the one who used the bean to open the portal. And Bae was just a child, without magic. How would he know of our world?

      It’s true Bae might have gone anywhere. But if he was really in Neverland, then everything that Rumple has done to get access to our world — including creating the spell that brought everyone to Storybrooke — would have been in vain, just a tragic mistake. It would be logically possible for that to have happened, but, I think, dramatically unsatisfying — all the characters would have suffered for nothing.

      • Cicifon | October 23, 2012 at 12:07 pm | Reply

        Let’s go back to season one.at one point rumple said that he made the curse to be able to travel through time and space.since rumple is really old he knows that bae is probably already dead in real world that is why he made the curse to travel back in time when he is still alive.the only thing he cares about is finding his son.

  13. wildheart | October 23, 2012 at 1:18 am | Reply

    Did anyone notice when Charming said, “I hate mine dust.” It got me thinking one why in earth would they add that. What if the mine dust is actually the fairy dust? I can’t figure out why else they would have had that line. And it would mean the dwarfs are currently swimming in the one thing they’re looking for, without even knowing it!

    • Cicifon | October 23, 2012 at 12:10 pm | Reply

      That’s what I thought at first too.and it is much of a possibility.I think the writers also might have used that as foreshadowing to later on the episode when he noticed Belles dad had been in the mines.

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