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Episode Name: Going Home

Episode number: 198

News:

Press Release on
DECEMBER 17, 2013 – The Paley Center for Media will honor TV’s best at the iconic Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland for the 31st annual PALEYFEST from March 13 to 28, 2014. 

The Dolby Theater is the current home for the Academy Awards.

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Rebecca Mader as Elphaba. The hat

I got Big Love for Eduardo Castro, but the hat. I dig getting away from the classic witch hat, but…

The lead singer of The Cult wore a similar hat (to me),

so did Van Helsing from the movie. It looks like a Raiders hat,

Abraham Lincolns stove pipe hat and a Puritan hat got morphed together into this – hat.

I trust him, but I’m gonna need some time to get used to it. Maybe 3 months or so.
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Views from the Deck:

The pain of the new curse and the pulling apart of the group will bring the happy ending for Emma, but everyone has to sacrifice theirs, especially those connected to Emma.

A quote from Emma in the Pilot “You know what’s kind of crazy? Yesterday was my birthday and when I blew out the candle on this cupcake I bought myself, I actually made a wish. That I didn’t have to be alone on my birthday. And then, Henry showed up.”

One Year Later scene-

Charley’s girl
High rise apartment – shout out to Broken/Neal’s apartment
Granny’s in their apartment. Not having to go somewhere, they have all they need already.
Emma serves Henry like Ruby or Granny would have. A latent memory?
Lots of real plants in the background (Not plant/forest art or wallpaper). Henry waters the plants to thematically keep the connection of the forest past life alive.

What does Emma do for a living? Why isn’t she working at 8:15 in the morning? Is it the weekend?

Chains and Shackles hung on the wall.

Notice the two umbrellas beside the door. Archie had an umbrella when he met Emma in Storybrooke.

Henry wasn’t too freaked out about a man dressed as a pirate kissing his Mom at the door and she kissed him in the crotch.

Apartment 311 –

Hook is the new Henry. He knows more that Emma and Henry.

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From Aleana

She thinks that the Wicked Witch will make Regina go back to her evil ways.

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From Maii

Helloo guys how are you? I have no idea how to feel about that finale because it’s just wow you know..wow.. It’s been days and I’m still reeling..
I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this because I have a lot to say about Killian Jones and that final scene..

Rumpel and Belle, cruel circle

Rumple is not dead not just because Robert Carlyle has one of the biggest fan bases but because he’s Rumple.. I think they are going to make us think he is dead and he won’t show for a while.. Rumple thought Belle was dead now it’s Belle turn to think Rumple is dead.. which btw while I don’t really ship it I feel really bad for the Rumbelle fans they get a kiss then a season of pain, kiss then season of pain..
Rumple proved that he was not a coward…he rose above it and went up against his father.. I think the Dark One is dead but Rumple is still alive..if that’s possible 

Shady Blue

Blue is still shady and the fact that she’s back makes her shadier.. “I might have  been a little too strict? You think..” Although she finally called her Tinkerbell so that’s something.. about her shadow..maybe her shadow was returned bc she was the last shadow that had been taken?

Maleficent Returns?

Black Fairy- Maybe it was Maleficent? Now that they are back at the EF does that mean she’s no longer trapped in the basement?

Regina- I am now and forever officially a Regina fan..She’s accepted all her faults and made the ultimate sacrifice of giving up Henry and then giving them a memories of a life together…Regina will always be on the side of gray but I think (I hope) she won’t fall back on being against them anymore.. I think they’ve now accepted they are all on the same side.. 

Emma doesn’t remember her parents, but she remembers Henry. His first word, his first step… Every first he’s ever had is hers to cherish now. Nothing will really ever atone for what Regina’s taken from her, from so many, but giving Emma that gift was one of the best things she’s ever done.

“You’re not a villain you’re my mom” -> Great story development from Henry seeing her as the evil queen to seeing her as mom
Tinkerbell: Tink got her wings back! This makes me extremely happy…that entire scene was wonderful, her incredulous face, Everyone’s smile, Captain Charming..  
You guys mentioned Grumpy’s warning and it does seem like he is crying. His voice is completely cracked and it’s like he can’t believe it.

Emma’s not done

Emma: “I’m not done” This broke my heart, because after searching her entire life she finally has her family, her son, her pirate, her friends.. and now she has to say goodbye to all of it once more…It’s nowhere near fair 

Maybe a Pirate can help her complete her destiny (Is she the savior anymore?)

Killian Jones:
-Finding out Emma is going to be the one left behind- 

A friend of mine’s tags really explain it perfectly 
No but really, showing Hook’s face in those precise moments was SO VERY SIGNIFICANT. They deliberately CHOSE to focus on his reaction, his more than anyone else’s. This is not a ‘dalliance’ or a flirt or a whim of the moment. It’s deep love, TRUE LOVE. She’s a part of his life now, his loooong life, the life he’s been giving away to wrath and revenge. She’s now everything to him, they’re linked, THERE IS NO WAY THEY CAN LIVE APART. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have focused on Hook in this scene, nor in any other scene this season. They were almost always next to each other, standing as ONE BEING. One being the other one’s HALF. Emma, you have to go is like a dagger cutting off his other hand. BECAUSE THERE IS NO KILLIAN WITHOUT EMMA. 

-The Church- 
The first time he’s accused (by Charming) of doing things for Emma he looks like *crap* he caught me and this time with Tinkerbell it’s different. 
I know why you risked your life back there and it wasn’t for yourself or revenge, it was for Emma. He looks proud of himself and kind of blushes a little bit and Tink? Tink looks so happy for him, and she looks proud of him.. She is one of his oldest friends, she met him at his worst (after he lost both Milah & Bae) when he was completely focused on Revenge and now it’s the opposite..He’s found his true love. 

Captain Charming- Charming pulls Killian away from danger in the church.. and up until 3×11 it was always Killian pulling Charming out of danger and now it’s the other way around.. Not only that He helped him get up and kept his arm on him long after Killian was up and then gave him an approving pat. this bromance is going to be the death of me

Friends and The Captain

Captain Swan:
Did you guys watch FRIENDS? Odd question I know but bare with me.. Remember in the final episodes that Rachel was leaving to go to Paris and she says goodbye to everyone but Ross? Ross thinks it’s because she doesn’t care and she tells him this
Rachel: You really think I didn’t say goodbye to you because I don’t care? Because it is too damn hard Ross! So if you think that I didn’t say goodbye to you because you don’t mean as much to me as everybody else, you”re wrong. It’s because you mean more to me. 
Emma was going into the bug before he stopped her and you can see that’s where she starts to fall apart. 
Quite a vessel you Captain there Swan” – I see what you did there..one word from saying captain swan
“There’s not a day that goes by that I won’t think of you” and she answers “Good” She doesn’t want him to stop thinking about her. This man this pirate who wormed himself into her heart and she is going to loose him to this curse..  She wants to be selfish for a second and know he is going to keep thinking of her.. Then he gives her one of the most in love looks we’ve ever seen in this show and not only that we see her look at him the same way..

Connection to a Charming letter in the past

This reminds me of two things Charming’s letter to snow in 1×10
“Not a day goes by that I’ve not thought of you”
and Star Wars…specifically Han/Leia.. the first “I love you” “I know” when he is being lowered into the carbon..
Who are the last people we see before the curse takes them away? Killian, Snowing and Regina aka the biggest parts of Emma and Henry’s life
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Killian Jones + Hope 
“All great relationships start out with hope, and the hope that it can overcome all obstacles” -Adam Horowitz
Happy endings start with hope- Snow
“I was hoping it would be you” Hook to Emma in Tallahassee
“If there’s something I’ve learned from you hero types it’s that there is always hope” Hook to Charming in Neverland
“I was hoping it meant something.” Killian to Emma in Neverland about the kiss
“I was hoping you felt the same way.” Killian to Emma in New York
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Timeless
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuznT7mcIn4
Ever since the video came out last year, we’ve said Timeless is the Captain Swan song and the lyrics have never been more fitting
As she disappeared alone in the darkness,
I felt her spirit stay in the room.
And I wished that our lives were just endless
Cause it’s all too short, and I’m leaving soon.
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One Year Later
Let me preface this by saying they could have sent ANYONE to look for Emma.. 
Charming or Snow are her parents although yes that would be hard to believe so maybe they aren’t the best choice
Regina- She’s the one that gave Emma the memories and she’s Henry’s mother
Neal- Neal is the only person Emma still remembers bc he’s Henry’s father.. Has actually lived in NY and he’s got a pretty good understanding of our world
but no they sent the pirate (who is dressed head to toe in black leather) who has no real knowledge of how our world works to look for her, and he ends up in one of the biggest cities in the world..
Killian’s face- He looks like a man seeing the sun for the first time 
“At Last” 
“An Old Friend” – He isn’t lying to her and he knows she’s going to use her lying thing and see that.
Emma’s face –
Yes she is surprised to see this man dressed as a pirate at her front door but it is the look of surprise that she knows this face. She recognizes him. Almost in shock to see Killian. Emma probably dreamt of his face. To her it was her imagination creating an image of man that didn’t exist. Now there he was standing in front of her. Saying her name. It took her by surprise that he could actually be real.
This could explain why when Killian kisses Emma she leans and closes her eyes for a brief moment. There is a part of her that knows him. That same part the reminds her of who Killian is may also be the same part that reminds her that she like cinnamon on her hot chocolate and wear Grahams shoelace everyday. They are just important moments in her life that are ingrained in who she is and no memory loss can take it away.
True Love’s Kiss 
Killian Jones tried TLK on Emma Swan.. He’s positive his true love is Emma.. let that sink in.. 
Q: If true loves kiss doesn’t work, does that mean a couple isn’t true love?
Jane Espenson: Not at all, if one has lost memory of one another for example.
We’ve already seen this before
Season 1 Heart of Darkness with Snowing
Season 2 In the name of the Brother with Rumbelle 
and now in Season 3 Going Home with Captain Swan
and the woman all reacted the same way, Snow punched Charming, Belle got freaked out and started screaming and Emma kicked him in the groin.. 
True Love does not fix everything. True Love breaks curses and probably really bad spells. That is why being kissed with memory loss doesn’t work. It is technically not a curse.
Memory loss is a fate worse than sleeping curse. It is only cured by action.
By proving to the one you love that once  again you will find a way to reach them. Nothing will stop them from proving how much they love them because they are worth it. You have to put in the same effort or even more to show them just how much you love them and how important they are to you.
• Charming took an arrow for snow
• Rumple became the man he believed Lacey wanted and even brought her back with a potion so he could die with her.
Once you have proven yourself and made the person fall in love with you,again, they remember you. Love is established and there is a crack in the wall that was blocking the person from remembering who their love is. Killian gave kissing Emma a shot because to her she is his true love. He doesn’t know exactly the extent of memory lose. Like Rumple and Charming he doesn’t know that he needs to prove himself.
True Love has to be fought for and that is why a kiss doesn’t work on memory loss. A kiss may have a lot of power behind it but when showing someone how much you love them you need to pull out all the stops. You need to do whatever it takes.
Now think about another thing.. When Killian Jones helps her get her memory back Emma is going to remember/realize that he risked it all for her, he fought for her, he never stopped believing in her and looking for her. The girl who wasn’t used to anyone putting her first is going to have this man who loves her beyond anything she could ever imagine…
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Two posts I thought you’d like
There’s a theory/headcanon on tumblr that says
Charming was the one to tell hook to try true love’s kiss
knowing that it doesn’t work on memory loss
and knowing that emma would proceed to beat the *crap* out of him
and then spent the rest of the night cackling to himself..
And later Snow finds out that he didn’t explain the memory loss thing and he’s sleeping on the couch for the next week because the fate of the kingdom is at stake and he’s playing pranks on his mate
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But now i imagine Hook knocking on every apartment’s door on his way to Emma, just like Enchanted when Edward goes looking for Giselle, and he finds all sorts of weird ppl while in the process 
*KNOCK KNOCK* “Swan! SWAN!?!”
Love always, Maii 

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From Lindsey

First Timer

Hi guys first time emailing you,
This episode was THE BEST episode of Once EVER.  It was perfect from start to finish.  At least that’s what i thought right after the episode ended.
I still love it, but i have some nagging thoughts in my head, a few of which you asked as well in the first thoughts podcast.
First off I loved Regina giving Emma false happy memories, it was a great moment between the two characters and showed how they had grown.
Now for my questions/thoughts

1.  Rumple can not be dead!!! I forbid it.

2.  Why do Bae and Hook necessarily have to go back to the Enchanted Forrest?  both of them can leave Storybrooke and not lose their memories.  Neither of them were under the curse.  Hook was in the Enchanted Forrest when it happened, but was protected by the dome created by Cora, so while time did stop for him, he never was taken to the new land.  The same goes for Ariel, as far as we know she was never under the curse since we saw her come to Neverland.

3 Tied in with that, I’m not totally certain if the Storybrookers have all of their memories in the Enchanted Forrest or not.  I’m not sure if you guys consider the previews spoilery or not, but I’m pretty sure i heard Belle say: “Do you know who cursed us,” now that of course could be referring to a new curse, but I’m not sure, and Hook clearly had his memories in the flash forward.  I really hope Regina doesn’t revert back to the Evil Queen, I love how she is now, she still has magic, but shes more cautious to use it, and is wary of the consequences, shes also at a good place with Snow, and Charming as well as Emma and Henry….does she forget about Henry or just not be able to see him any more.   At least this is a chance to see more Evil Queen fabulous outfits unless she decides to keep her Mayor Clothes…that is if she remembers them….ugh so many things depend on how this whole thing works, and we just aren’t sure how it works.
 
4.  Not really a question but I loved that they did the one year later thing….it totally helps with Henry (i.e. Jared Gillmore’s) growth spurt and voice change he had over the summer, especially since time has been moving so slowly for the last two seasons, where season one covered about 9 months….we think.  You could totally tell that the Oct. 2011 Henry was different from the pilot version which would have happened after the scene in the mid season finale.  On that count I’m sorry but Emma will never look like shes 18 in the flashbacks, Jennifer Morrison just does not look that young.  The Flash Forward in this case is going to be a great story telling devise for them.

5. Are we sure that the Darlings left Storybrooke?  I don’t remember that.

6. I do wish there was some mention of Ruby, I missed her a lot in this episode

7. Also there was not mention of the disappearance of the Knave of Hearts….as seen in the pilot of Wonderland…you would think that might have been mentioned.

The Book

8. I really wish they had remembered to take the book with them, it has left Storybrooke before, why didn’t any one think of that?  Or would all of their objects from there appear in the Enchanted Forrest…plumbing in Fairytale land!

Jeff – What if stories will be revealed by newer devices or ways?

Hook a singer?

9. How could Emma afford that apartment in New York City, I am assuming it is in NYC because the name of the next episode is named New York City Serenade…hmmm Hook singing maybe??  I hope we get a glimpse of what Emma and Henry have been up to for the last year out in the real world together.  And maybe get some insight into those false memories.

Jeff – New York City Serenade is a song by Bruce Springsteen

Oh she won’t take the train, no she won’t take the train 
She’s afraid them tracks are gonna slow her down 
And when she turns this boy’ll be gone 
So long, sometimes you just gotta walk on, walk on

Maybe Hook needed a mint

10. I do understand why Hook’s kiss didn’t work because Emma didn’t feel the same way about him, she didn’t know him, it was the same as when Charming kissed Snow after she had taken the potion to forget about him, her curse didn’t break right away because she didn’t believe it either.

Jeff –

11.  per the preview: Elphaba’s coming!!!  but booo she’s a villain.  Why couldn’t they have gotten Idina Menzel to play her with Kristen Chenoweth as Glinda….sigh.

12. will Jefferson go back to Neverland? will Whale go back to his black/white world? Will Ariel turn back into a mermaid?  What happens to the Neverland boys?  will the go back to Neverland since when the curse was enacted that’s where they were?
So many questions and no answers until March!  And I’m sure I will come up with more between now and then.
Still a fantastic episode, and I’m not sure how I am going to last until March.

By the way i listened to your Christmas Podcast episode today, and I loved the Night Before Rumple skit…it was so funny!

Love listening to you guys at work, makes the time go faster.

Give Lady a treat from me, until next time,

Lindsey (LostLindsey in my Lost Podcasting days)

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From Lindsey Part 2

I forgot to add one last thought: You could totally tell that Ginnifer was pregnant in the last episode.

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From Katie

Wow, this was such an emotional episode! Rumple sacrificing himself was sad but also a good way for him to redeem himself. I am glad that Pan is dead though. The goodbyes before Emma and Henry leave were sad too, but not really as emotional as Rumple. I feel that there should have been more time devoted to Charming saying goodbye to Emma. It should be interesting how and when Emma gets her memories back and reunites with everyone, though it probably won’t happen until the end of the season.

Dead’s not really dead

I don’t think that Rumple is really dead. Blue and Pinocchio came back to life so anything is possible. I think that we will still see plenty of Rumple regardless through flashbacks and other ways. They may even do something similar to what they did with LOST, like the side flashes.

The writer, Blue?

The blue fairy said that she was not sure how the stories would reveal themselves to Emma. While it is possible for the blue fairy to have written the book, it may have also been at least partly due to Rumple, given his age and seer abilities. We may never know who actually wrote it, which might actually be better anyway. I think some of the magic of the book would be taken away if we found out.

I get why everyone brought over to this world from the curse are going back to the Enchanted Forest but Neal and Pinocchio did not go to Storybrooke with the curse, why do they have to go back or at least given the option of staying? Since all of Emma’s and Henry’s memories are new, actually are they or is it just from when Emma decided to keep Henry, it would be interesting to see some flashbacks of these new/fake memories.

Did you notice that the song playing when Emma was getting their breakfast together- Charley’s Girl- was the same one playing when we first saw Neal in the first episode of Season 2?

I wonder what the Wicked Witch of the West as in store for everyone back in The Enchanted Forest.

Katie

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From Brad

Hello Jeff and Colleen, 
Here are the things I learned from the episode Going Home.
#1. It’s flattering to have your heart ripped out.
#2. Hope is easy when you have magic wings and a wand.
#3. Smee needs to work on his physique.
#4. Tinkerbell takes a mean swig of rum.
#5. Fairies can hear conversations even when they’re dead.
#6. Never leave Rumple alone when he has to deal with unfinished family business.
#7. Nobody was surprised by Blue’s miraculous resurrection.
#8. Snow cleans her bedroom closet every week.
#9.  It’s easy to strut around and pose when you’ve taken Pan’s magic away.
#10. Hook’s soul takes awhile to prepare.

Here are some other thoughts about the episode. 
           *THE BLACK FAIRY*
I love the idea of a black fairy. I’m just confused why we have never heard about this important wand or fairy before. I agree that it may be Maleficent and that we’ll probably conveniently get the backstory around the time when the Disney’s Maleficent movie comes out. 
                       *THE BOOK*
I realize signs are pointing to the Blue Fairy writing the book but I really hope it’s not her. I would love to see someone like the Dragon be attributed to writing it. He was such a unique and mysterious character that we need to hear more about. How did he know so much? 
               *STORYBROOKE*
Storybrooke may have been physically removed but I don’t believe that changes anything that happened in the town.
If Regina actually made it so it never existed that would be messing with time. So far, the only things we have seen is Regina reaching into time through Jefferson’s hat and grabbing the apple. Other than that we have never seen the past changed. There was so much character development that I’m sure everyone else remembers Storybrooke besides Emma and Henry. Plus, we do see at the end that Hook remembers Emma. 
  *RUMPELSTILTSKIN & THE DAGGER*
   Once last thought, we have heard Rumpelstiltskin say, if Pan dies, he dies. Since the show has never explained why this is,   
   could it be that Pan made the dagger and it is the only thing that could kill him? If the creator of the dagger was killed, wouldn’t it 
   also kill the Dark One as well? Hopefully they explain this at some point.
Have a great Christmas!

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From Lisa

Hi Jeff and Colleen,
Can’t say enough about this episode….so emotional….so profound. There really are no words but there were plenty of tears. 
A few moments that stood out for me:

—-It’s 8:15 again!

Kiss Connection

—-As Emma was about to leave, Snow walked up to her and kissed her on the forehead just as she kissed baby Emma before Charming took her to the enchanted wardrobe.
Though she won’t have her memories, will Emma still have her baby blanket?

Pan was right!

—-Pan’s prediction to Emma in Neverland came true. She is an orphan again.

Rumpel hand off

I also wondered if Rumple actually did cut his own hand off(off camera), remove the cuff and then heal himself after having his magical powers restored. How else could he have summoned his shadow and retrieved the dagger?

Not long enough goodbye

The one thing I missed was some dialogue between Emma and her parents. We saw them all embracing but I would have liked to have heard Emma tell them that she loved them. We were promised more David and Emma this season and there have been a couple of solid moments but not nearly enough.
Don’t want to get my hopes up too high but I’m very much hoping that the second half of this season lives up to this winter finale.
Hope you both have a Merry Christmas!
Lisa

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