Once Upon a Time Reactions Part 3

Overall, season 3 is the worst season so far. My reactions reflect the drop in quality.

Season 3 Part 1:

So the Evil Queen and Rumplestiltskin go to Neverland, a place dripping with magic? I have the feeling they're going to get nerfed, otherwise they'd just curb stomp everything. I also have the bad feeling - based on how everyone has warned me of this arc - that the nerfing is done badly.

I'm annoyed Belle didn't go along. I wanted to see more of her adventure skills!

Emma: Ever since the plot started bad things have happened to us!

Snow: I have faith that eventually the plot will end with a happy ending.

Emma: Why do you want our show to go off air?!

I like that mermaids are vicious creatures in OUAT like in the original myths. (The fourth Pirates movie did that, too.) I totally want to see Ariel as someone who feasts on humans.

"They made a movie about you." Ah, Baelfire. You just broke the 4th wall. Now you're Deadpool.

"But this is Neverland." Second time I've heard it. This is the meme for this arc, isn't it?

One of my overarching issues with OUAT is that the magical villains are so powerful there are few plausible reasons why they didn't just wiggle their fingers and turn the main heroes into mice. There really is no reason Regina can't simply seal Charming's face shut and suffocate him in the flashbacks.

The protection spell and deal mechanics work, but those came later. Before they went into effect there wasn't much stopping magic users from rolling over someone with a shiny blade.

Rumple has Mjolnir in his inventory. Marvel crossover?

If Tinkerbell's other designation is Green, does that mean she's the one who absinthe drinkers see?

I am disappointed Robin Hood's son isn't named Westley. Roland's a good historical shout out, though.

"And you can have a life. Under the sea."

"You can be part of his world."

Really, OUAT? I'm disappointed we didn't see Ariel using a fork to comb her hair.

I did enjoy Regina's impersonation of animated Ursula, though. Nice touch.

I'm seeing the issue with the Peter Pan arc. The core of it is good. Nice twists, good conflict, interesting tie-ins. The problem is pacing. Most of this could have been done in half the episodes. Or, at least, there needed to be better splicing so the multiple plot threads are tackled in a more interesting way. The episodes lack the punch of season 1 or 2.

Episode 9 is the first one of season 3 I've really liked. The back story of Regina and Henry is nice. And I love Regina's moment of awesome with the tree:

"I should be full of regrets. But I'm not." *Yoink*

That's the kind of thing OUAT did regularly in season 2.

Phew. Peter Pan arc done. I do like how it ended - the last couple episodes were decent. Getting there was a slog, though. I'm glad I can watch it without ads and all together. I can imagine the grumbling when it was aired.

Did they ever explain why Rumple was fated to die when Pan did?