Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.19, "The Return"

Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series here.

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1.19, "The Return"

Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Paul Edwards

Synopsis

Following a brief  recapitulation of recent events and the title card, the episode begins with August abed, nursing a strange malady. He staggers to a phone and calls to note a need to accelerate matters. Later, he enlists Henry in a bit of distraction, sending him into Gold's shop to cover his own clandestine pilfering. The boy distracts the pawn-broker of many talents unsuccessfully, and Gold arrives back in his office before August can purloin what he seeks.

All according to plan, but whose?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Emma checks in on Kathryn, who convalesces in the hospital. She reports having been imprisoned and lacking useful information, and the idea that someone is framing Mary Margaret is noted. Regina accuses Gold of breaking a deal with her, which accusation he rejects. She notes the challenges facing her, Gold having outplayed her. She questions why and gets no firm answer.

In the Enchanted Forest, a young Baelfire plays, occasioning some commotion. Rumpelstiltskin arrives to rebuke the villager who had commented sharply at the boy, turning him into a snail and delivering an ignominious ending to him--despite his son's entreaties.

David calls on Kathryn in the hospital, startling her. They confer, him apologizing for his earlier follies. They seem to end at an accord, and David departs. Meanwhile, Mary Margaret is welcomed home, noting the mismatch between the current festive mood and her earlier treatment. Henry and August, both present, confer about their escapades at Gold's, August revealing little; Henry gifts her a card and a bell, David arriving just as Emma makes to attend the party. Emma dismisses him with the boy, and she and Gold confer about August.

In the Enchanted Forest, Baelfire rebukes Rumpelstiltskin for his actions. He notes the differences in his father, and Rumpelstiltskin muses on the necessity of power and his existence as the Dark One. Balefire strikes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin for the promise of his renunciation of power.

This might not be the most welcome nighttime visitor.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, Gold picks the lock on August's room, reconnoitering it to learn more about August. What he finds--an image of the Dark One dagger--disturbs him mightily.

Emma confers with Sidney at Granny's, confronting him about his having bugged her office. She realizes that Sidney is in love with Regina and dismisses him. And Gold continues his pursuit of August.

In the Enchanted Forest, Baelfire tries to play with local children and is shunted aside; the children know their parents' fear of Rumpelstiltskin. The children flee from him, save for one young woman who voices approval of Rumpelstiltskin. She notes the availability of another power to afford him his father's freedom, and Rumpelstiltskin's evident slaying of their mute servant seems to confirm that desire in him.

In Storybrooke, Gold watches August confer with the Mother Superior and confronts her about the conversation. The details give Gold ideas about August's true identity. And in the Enchanted Forest, Baelfire confers with the Mother Superior's counterpart, the Blue Fairy. The two discuss the exile of Rumpelstiltskin to a world without magic, the fairy pushing the boy toward enacting his father's banishment and giving him a magic bean that will enable travel between worlds.

David tries to talk to Mary Margaret, and she rebukes him sharply for his failures. He tries to justify them to her as he apologizes to her for his disbelief. She spurns him.

Baelfire reports his success to Rumpelstiltskin, bidding him accompany him. Rumpelstiltskin notes the problems in his interactions with the Blue Fairy, and Baelfire argues. Rumpelstiltskin is shamed into going along with his son--and in Storybrooke, he confers with Hopper about the possibility of his son's return. The conversation goes awkwardly, Gold noting his own failures and his uncertainties; Hopper's recommendation for honesty does not sit well with Gold. That night, Gold confronts August about his pursuit. August calls Gold his father.

I feel like this should end with Spaghetti-O's.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Enchanted Forest, Baelfire leads Rumpelstiltskin out to where he can use the magic bean to take them both to a world without magic. Baelfire makes the journey; Rumpelstiltskin, afraid of the loss of power and still a coward, does not, and loses his son in the exchange. He regrets it immediately, but it is too late to amend matters. Gold admits as much to August, who admits that he is searching for the knife, and Gold reveals its location to August. They retrieve it, and August accepts it, revealing that he is not Gold's son as he commands the Dark One. It does not work, and Gold confronts him about it. He realizes that August is from the Enchanted Forest, and August notes that he needs the Savior to restore magic to save his life. Gold bids him try again and lets him live for the moment.

In the Enchanted Forest, Rumpelstiltskin confronts the Blue Fairy about her meddling with his son. He stumbles onto a way to effect a return to his son, and he proceeds to devote himself to finding a way to the world where his son has gone, raging at her as she flees.

Regina awaits Emma in the sheriff's office, noting that a confession in the abduction of Kathryn is forthcoming; Sidney tenders the confession. Emma disbelieves and confronts Regina about it, warning her of her intent to reclaim Henry.

Discussion

Image via Smithsonian from the
British Library's Queen Mary Psalter, used for commentary

It's a small thing, but the references to snails early in the episode bring to mind the phenomenon, discussed by Colin Schultz and others, of snails popping up in medieval manuscripts' marginalia.  Interpretations vary, of course, and how likely it is that the production staff for the series would have had such a thing in mind is open to question (although likely not). Still, it is an interesting little point of correspondence, intentional or otherwise, doing just a bit to reinforce the series's medievalism.

A larger thing that emerges for me is the comparative machinations of Gold / Rumpelstiltskin and the Blue Fairy. In one sense, the former stands as an almost-ideal example of typical depictions of fay folk, being (largely) bound by agreements made and adhering almost slavishly to the letter of those agreements (indeed, "intent means nothing" is overtly stated in the episode.), and he is not at all above abusing those letters to get what he wants from those with whom he bargains. It is decidedly Faustian, perhaps early modern more than strictly medievalist, although the term remains...ambiguous. The Blue Fairy, though ostensibly "good," is a peculiar kind of good--not above coercion and deceit, certainly not in line with the more heroic ethos espoused by more central protagonists in the series. She seems to be much less rules-bound, even than Gold / Rumpelstiltskin, which makes her more dangerous; at least with the Faustian character, it can be assumed that his word is his bond, but she can clearly lie...

It's something to think about, certainly.

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.18, "The Stable Boy"

Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series here.

There should probably be a content warning re: abuse on this one.

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1.18, "The Stable Boy"

Written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz
Directed by Dean White

Synopsis

After a recapitulation of the series's premise and the title card, the episode opens with Regina contemplating a ring until interrupted by Gold, who asks her for a favor; he asks for charges against him to be dropped in exchange for his assistance with Mary Margaret--in the form of plotting the murder of Kathryn and arranging for Mary Margaret's escape.

He's no Burrich, certainly.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Enchanted Forest, a young Regina takes riding lessons, putting her horse through its paces. She is interrupted in them by the arrival of her mother, who comments aspersively on her excesses and her current unmarried status. The stablehand present attempts to intervene, drawing ire as he attempts to smooth things over. He takes the horse in hand as Regina confronts her mother for her interference and is subjected to her magics and abuse. Regina runs off as soon as she can, conferring with the stable hand, Daniel. They kiss, clearly enamored each of the other.

In Storybrooke, David confers with Emma regarding Mary Margaret. Emma rebukes him and drives off; Regina, meanwhile, presses Mary Margaret to confess to the murder of Kathryn. She refuses and is badgered about it. And the source of Regina's hatred for Mary Margaret begins to be revealed. Her Enchanted Forest assignations with Daniel proceed and run into the problem of Regina's mother, interrupted by a runaway horse carrying a young Snow White. Regina rushes off to the rescue, saving the girl.

Well, this isn't a set-up for a pattern...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, Gold presses Mary Margaret to sit for questioning; Emma resists the idea. Gold pushes for a sympathy plea until Sidney interrupts--with a poor report. Mary Margaret agrees to the interview, and the district attorney--the counterpart to Charming's adopted father, George--arrives to conduct it. The interview proceeds, and it goes poorly for her.

In the Enchanted Forest, Regina's mother works upon her, preparing her for an audience with Snow White's father, King Leopold. He greets her graciously in thanks for her actions, and he asks to marry her; Regina's mother accepts on her behalf, despite her father's silent advice against it. In the night, Regina rushes to Daniel, reporting events and pressing him to marry her swiftly. She realizes that flight is the only option for the two of them to be together; Daniel advises her to accept the offer the king has made, and she refuses in his favor. An impromptu betrothal follows, which Snow White observes. Regina gives chase to the fleeing child, swearing her to secrecy when she catches up to her.

It's a serious talk.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Emma reviews Henry's book until confronted by August. They confer about Mary Margaret, and he offers such comfort as he can. He frames advice in terms of working through writing problems, and she follows up on the lead thus generates, heading to the location where the heart had been discovered. August is pained, clearly, but he continues to work to advise Emma. She finds a shard from a shovel, thinking it is Regina's; she makes to verify the hypothesis as Henry feigns sleep and guides her searches. They reveal the damaged shovel in Regina's toolshed.

In the Enchanted Forest, Regina's mother confronts Snow White, pressing her for information when she unwittingly reveals tension surrounding Regina. Snow White childishly lets slip the secret she has sworn to keep, and Regina's mother acts swiftly upon the knowledge.

Emma presents Regina with a search warrant for her tool shed, only to find that the offending shovel has been repaired or replaced. A confrontation ensues, and Emma again gets the worse of the exchange. She confronts August afterward, and he rebuffs her rebuke; she rebukes him in turn. Regina visits the weeping Mary Margaret in jail, mocking her for her imminent conviction. Mary Margaret pleads for forgiveness, and Regina admits her knowledge that Mary Margaret is not the killer.

Might not be the best time...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Enchanted Forest, Regina meets with Daniel in preparation to flee. Regina's mother confronts them, halting their escape and killing Daniel. Not long after, she is fitted for her wedding dress, and the learns that Snow White has spoken the secret; her hatred blossoms in that moment, though she quashes its outward expression swiftly as she steels herself to face her marriage to Leopold. Regina's mother commends her on the performance, and Regina susses out that she has arranged the whole affair.

Regina muses on her lost love, exulting in her impending vengeance as Mary Margaret is conducted to court in restraints, and Gold proposes to make matters right. Emma lashes out and finds that her office has been bugged; events fall into place in her mind, and she apologizes to August for her earlier rebuke of him. A scream interrupts their conversation, and the body of Kathryn Nolan is found--alive.

Discussion

I am struck once again by the costuming at work in the episode; frankly, the women depicted do not dress as would be expected, as makes sense, for outdoor activities and clandestine assignations (for the most part; Regina's riding habit is sensible for that activity, at least, but she usually gets the most sumptuous and varied costuming in the series). And while it might be the case that people in lower socioeconomic strata might not have the ability to change clothes to suit the day's tasks, Regina is very much not among the lower socioeconomic strata, even before becoming the king's fiancée. Her mother might have been a miller's daughter, but she is not. Then again, it is Disney, and the princesses aren't exactly noted for dressing sensibly.

I'm struck, too, by the overt parental abuse at work in the episode. There is a clear purpose, of course; establishing just how bad Regina's mother is is such a purpose, and the callous treatment of her child--as her father looks on, impotent--accomplishes that purpose handily. It also speaks to a Freudian excuse for Regina's actions, even before the childhood folly that results in Daniel's death occurs--but it also falls into some decidedly uncomfortably antifeminist tropes that are already too often bruited about. I should not be surprised, really; Disney's not exactly noted for depicting healthy maternal relationships, and the present series has already shown that it doesn't do much to repudiate a number of problems it really ought to address...

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.17, "Hat Trick"

Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series here.

I suppose there ought to be a content warning on this one.

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1.17, "Hat Trick"

Written by Vladimir Cvetko and David H. Goodman
Directed by Ralph Hemecker

Synopsis

Buck up, man!
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

After a recapitulation of the series' premise and the title card, the episode begins with Mary Margaret making good her escape from imprisonment. She runs off into the woods as Henry reads, conferring with Emma when she arrives with Gold. Mary Margaret's escape is revealed, and Emma moves to pursue the fugitive, driving off through the fog and coming upon a heretofore unknown inhabitant of Storybrooke, Jefferson, whom she gives a ride.

In the Enchanted Forest, Jefferson's counterpart, Jefferson, flees through the forest, only to be found by his daughter, Grace, as they play together. They are interrupted by the arrival of the queen; Grace is bidden hide as her father confronts the queen, finding that she has work for him and his magic. Regina offers to compensate him richly for his work, and he refuses.

Emma delivers Jefferson to his strangely lavish home, walking him back in and accepting his hospitality--to her peril; he drugs her tea and takes her captive, restraining her.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, Grace longs for toys that Jefferson cannot afford. Therein, the Queen presses upon Jefferson.

Seems he'll bar none.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, Emma rouses to find herself captured and bound. She assesses her surroundings and situation and begins to effect her escape. She finds that she has been under observation, stunning her, and she reconnoiters Jefferson's home, finding him sharpening a large pair of shears.

In the Enchanted Forest, Jefferson tends to Grace. Seeing her amid their straitened circumstances bids him reconsider the queen's offer, despite Grace's protestations.

In Storybrooke, Emma sneaks through Jefferson's house, stumbling onto the restrained Mary Margaret. As she makes to free her, Mary Margaret reports the events surrounding her escape from jail, and the two attempt to stalk out of the house--to no avail. Jefferson forces Emma to retie Mary Margaret, and he takes her off.

In the Enchanted Forest, Jefferson reports to the queen, securing a promise for her support of Grace. It being given, Jefferson produces a magical hat, the which he spins to generate a magical portal. They enter it, and Jefferson presses on Emma in Storybrooke, speaking to her of the same kinds of things Henry discusses. She disbelieves his assertions of magic, claiming he is insane.

Morrison, Manzarek, Krieger, and Densmore are just off camera.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Within said hat is a room of many doors. One such leads to Wonderland, which Jefferson hates.

In Storybrooke, Jefferson presses Emma to make a magic hat. She reiterates her disagreement with his fundamental worldview; he retorts with a philosophical screed that she continues to reject even as he presses it further.

Jefferson and the queen press through Wonderland, coming into possession of a strange box and attracting attention from locals as they do. The box is revealed to contain the queen's father, whom she restores to full size. They abandon Jefferson, and he is apprehended and taken before the Queen of Hearts. There, he is arraigned, interrogated, and beheaded.

In Storybrooke, Jefferson reveals the loss of his daughter. He notes that his seeming insanity derives from his simultaneous perception of two realities; he remembers the worlds of Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest. Emma takes advantage of the situation, and a fracas ensues; Mary Margaret dispatches their abductor--who vanishes.

Curiouser and curiouser...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the wake of it, Mary Margaret and Emma take stock of their situation. Emma presses Mary Margaret to face her trial rather than trying to run; she accepts it, and Emma conducts her to her cell, where she awaits arraignment. And Emma reports events to Henry, checking his book for information about one of his classmates' counterparts and revealing Jefferson's ongoing efforts to reclaim his daughter.

Discussion

I'm struck, among others, by the cheerful anachronism inherent in amalgamating so many different milieux as the series does; the fairy tales which Disney, filtering Perrault and others, presents hail from different times and places and depict the same, yet the present series, as well as the "traditional" treatments from which the series borrows, compresses them together. (Kavita Mudan Finn has much to say on the matter, as witness this and others. Her work is well worth reading.) Admittedly, it's hardly a unique occurrence, as I've commented once or twice and as Shiloh Carroll has commented more powerfully; the neo/medieval makes much of anachronism, conflating premodern periods to sometimes dubious effect. It's not a surprise to see the series do it again, although perhaps it is one with my delayed work on this rewatch--for which I apologize--that I am struck by it again.

Admittedly, if there is a period apt for amalgamating with the medieval in an Anglophone context, it is the Victorian. The era's own medievalist tendencies are amply attested, of course; that they are is, in fact, part of the problem that faces medieval studies yet, as the Victorian project, aimed in so many cases explicitly at justifying white supremacy, forms an understanding of the medieval all too often used by execrable people in support of reprehensible ideologies. There is much yet to do to push back against such; too few apply themselves thereto, and more of us should.

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.16, "Heart of Darkness"

Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series here.

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1.16, "Heart of Darkness"

Written by Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg
Directed by Dean White

Synopsis

After a restatement of the series's premise and the title card, the episode begins with Charming and Red still being pursued and attacked by the king's men. Red bids Charming flee to find Snow White, remaining behind to assume her lupine form; he does, and melee ensues.

No towering figure, she.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, Mary Margaret is processed into police custody. She and Emma confer about their respective situations; both are constrained by their positions.

In the Enchanted Forest, Snow White tends to the dwarves' cottage. Grumpy invites her to dinner, which she resists; the assembled dwarves introduce Jiminy Cricket to her conducting something of an intervention with her, addressing the changes in her behavior following her taking a memory-erasing potion. It does not proceed as they hope, and Snow White prepares to depart in anger to kill Regina.

In Storybrooke, Emma questions Mary Margaret with Regina present. The questioning goes poorly for Mary Margaret. Her counterpart fares better, waylaying one of the Evil Queen's riders and interrogating him regarding Regina's whereabouts. She despoils the rider and proceeds along her way, despite the dwarves' impassioned pleas. Grumpy proposes to take Rumpelstiltskin to reverse the effects of the potion; she demurs.

Yep, everything seems in order.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Emma checks her shared residence for signs of a break-in following the questioning session. None are forthcoming, and Henry arrives to interrupt her search and notes that Regina has motive to frame Mary Margaret. A strange scratching sound attracts attention, and Emma finds a hidden hunting knife.

August later meets Henry at Granny's, conferring with him about developments. August suggests Henry check his book for answers; Henry attempts to demur, but is persuaded into it. August also explains the difficulty of persuading Emma into belief, and Henry resumes his reading.

In it, Charming continues his pursuit of Snow White, coming across the knight Snow White had despoiled. He reports her actions and direction, to Charming's disbelief.

How does he do it?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, David calls on Regina, pleading with her about Mary Margaret. She presses him about his lack of knowledge of her. He tries to argue that he has done ill during his blackouts. Meanwhile, Emma notes her findings to Mary Margaret and notes that she should hire a lawyer--at which point Gold announces himself and offers his services. Mary Margaret accepts the offer, although Emma is uncertain of Gold's sincerity.

In the Enchanted Forest, Rumpelstiltskin notes there is no return available for Snow White. He offers to assist her in killing Regina, advising her of a better tactic to do so. Grumpy refuses further complicity, and Rumpelstiltskin delights in the prospects.

David calls on the psychologist, Dr. Hopper, asking how to remember the events of his blackouts.

Charming makes to confront Rumpelstiltskin about Snow White. The Dark One notes that true love's kiss can break the potion's effect and offers Snow White's location in exchange for Charming's cloak. Charming rushes off as Snow White makes her assassin's preparations; he confronts her, finding her memory gone and kissing her. It does not work, and she knocks him unconscious.

Well, that'll open some doors for you, kid.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Henry greets Emma outside her residence, brandishing a set of keys that allows access to everything in Storybrooke. Emma is doubtful, but Henry demonstrates the truth of his claim.

Charming rouses to find himself restrained. Snow White rejects his appeals and stalks off to assassinate Regina. David, meanwhile, undergoes hypnotic regression. The memories that emerge conflate his life in Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest, and David departs Hopper's office in haste. Charming is confronted by Jiminy Cricket, and the two proceed to try to interdict Snow White, who is taking up position to assassinate the riding Regina. Charming intercepts the arrow meant for Regina, and the two confer, with Charming pressing Snow White to remember who she is. At that point, they kiss, and she recalls herself and him. George's pursuit continues, and Charming is taken prisoner; she begins to pursue him, in turn.

Mary Margaret continues to languish in lockup, David visiting her. He reports his own findings to her, which revelation staggers her no less than his pained rehearsal of the evidence against her. She rebukes him for his doubts and dismisses him.

Snow White, penitent, returns to the dwarves and apologizes. They accept her back, but she notes that she cannot stay; she must retrieve the imprisoned Charming. The dwarves move to accompany her in her quest and fall in to work.

Mary Margaret finds one of the strange keys in her cell. Trying it on the cell door, she finds it works and that she can walk free; she conceals the knowledge as Emma arrives with breakfast. She reports that the heart is, indeed, Kathryn's and that, with that evidence, legal proceedings will have to begin. They confer about circumstances, and Emma goes off to confer with Gold about how to prove Regina's interference. He offers cryptic encouragement, and his alter-ego prepares more magic. Mary Margaret, meanwhile, makes her escape.

Discussion

The thing that stands out in mind for me in the episode is the permeable nature of imprisonment. While it is the case that concerns of race factor heavily into depictions of jail--it is, and they do, as is true of the reality of imprisonment in the United States--the episode does follow precedent both in focusing on incarceration and in depicting it as both porous and escapable. I am minded of Malory, as is often the case in the work I do for the Society; the "knight-prisoner" author of Le Morte d'Arthur refers repeatedly to his own incarceration in the work, and he focuses on knights' imprisonment several times, as well. Indeed, a section of my dissertation (66-72) concerns itself with such matters; I'll not recapitulate it here, but will simply note that at least one major work of medieval literature presents prison as permeable and escapable (not least because of its author's experiences), so that for Once upon a Time to present it as such reinforces the (pseudo-?) neo/medievalism of its milieu.

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.15, "Red-Handed"

With apologies for the delay...
Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series here.

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1.15, "Red-Handed"

Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Ron Underwood

Synopsis

It's never a good sign...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Following a restatement of the series's premise and the title card, the episode begins with Emma questioning David regarding his possible involvement in Kathryn's disappearance. She sends him home to get some sleep--with a recommendation to retain a lawyer.

Formidable.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

At Granny's, August flirts with Ruby while Granny looks on in some annoyance. He boasts of his travels to her, and the scene pivots to the Enchanted Forest, where Ruby's counterpart, Red, entertains a gentleman caller, Peter, despite her grandmother's intent. The two attest their mutual affection and intent for one another before Red is called away to join her grandmother. The latter dismissed a hunting party and confronts Red about Peter; Red speaks in his defense, and the two secure their home for the evening.

Granny confronts Ruby about her conduct; an argument follows, with heated words exchanged. And in the Enchanted Forest, Red and her grandmother begin the next day, Red tending to the chickens. There, she finds Snow White hiding and purloining eggs; Snow White gives an assumed name and is taken in. Red reports on the ravening wolf as Snow assists her with further chores; they find the slaughtered remains of the previous night's hunting party.

In Storybrooke, Mary Margaret asks Emma about David and Kathryn. They walk together, conferring, and Emma notes the opprobrium facing her. They encounter Ruby and Dr. Whale, the latter soon absenting himself. Ruby notes her desire to leave town in reaction to the fight with Granny and quitting her job. Emma cautions her about the need to have a destination, and Mary Margaret invites her to their shared home.

Hell of a love-nip.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Enchanted Forest, rabble-rousing regarding the ravenous wolf ensues. Granny and Red arrive at the tavern where another hunting party is being planned, and she rebukes those gathered for their thoughts that they might prevail against the wolf. She notes her own history with such creatures, having watched the beast slaughter her family. Snow White and Red confer about the situation afterward and Red's infatuation with Peter. Red arrives at the idea of killing the wolf; Snow demurs, but Red persuades her to assist.

Administrative work can be rewarding, yes.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, Mary Margaret drives up to the town line, meeting clandestinely with David. They confer about their shared situation, though David seems addled and wanders off. And in the Enchanted Forest, Snow White and Red track the wolf, finding signs of its passing and of its immense size. Meanwhile, Henry helps Ruby find new work; she begins answering phones in the sheriff's office, and Emma takes her on as an assistant. Mary Margaret reports her encounter with David to Emma with some shame.

Red and Snow come across strange tracks as they continue searching for the wolf. They realize they are remarkably close to Red's home; the tracks lead there, and Red arrives at the notion that her beloved Peter is the wolf. They work out a plan to save Peter and the rest of them.

Ruby returns to Granny's--as a customer, rather than an employee. Granny greets her bluntly, conversation between them tense and terse.

Why am I hearing four strings and three horns?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Red confronts Peter about the possibility that he is the wolf. He expresses initial confusion but agrees to be restrained for the safety of all involved, and she declares her intent to remain with him.

Henry reports to Emma that Ruby is, in fact, Red Riding Hood and remarkably capable. As he leaves, Ruby arrives with lunch; Emma takes her on patrol, finding her strangely capable as she hunts for David. Ruby soon finds David, unconscious in the woods and injured. Emma rouses him, and he evidences a gap in his memories. Dr. Whale diagnoses it as a similar event to his early emergence from his coma, and David worries that he did something wrong while unaware of it. Regina arrives to disrupt matters, and Emma dispatches Ruby to follow up on a sudden idea she has. Ruby searches, soon finding recently disturbed earth and, beneath it, a box, the contents of which startle her.

In the Enchanted Forest, Snow White impersonates Red--poorly--and Granny reveals that Red is, in fact the wolf, realizing that Peter is in grave peril. And he learns as much when, chained, he comes under attack from the wolf.

The box Ruby finds contains a human heart, and Emma commends her efforts. Snow White and Red's grandmother charge out into the woods, the latter relating Red's background and history along the way. She notes that she, too, is a werewolf, and she makes ready to kill Red while she feasts upon her erstwhile lover's body. The shot fails to kill Red, but it does incapacitate her long enough for magic to effect her transformation back into a human; they make to flee the coming hunting party as the revelation of her status breaks upon Red.

Ruby returns to Granny's, asking for her job back. Another awkward conversation ensues, offering something like apologies and reconciling the two. Mary Margaret tries to comfort David, and he begins to believe he has done something wrong. Emma arrives where they are, noting findings--including that Mary Margaret's fingerprints were inside the box with the heart.

Discussion

I've written about werewolves before, here, and while it is the case that a lot of work subverts the expectations of audiences, it is also the case that as much or more maintains those expectations; they have to come from somewhere, after all. And despite the protestations of many that Disney and its subsidiaries are "too woke," the media institution that it is is fundamentally conservative in scope; Disney has worked over decades to make itself one of the standard reference points for United States popular culture and common understanding, an unofficial canon that carries more weight than most anything else taught as "authentically American." It's not a surprise, then, that the present episode returns to those understandings in its presentation of lycanthropy--or that it links it to misogyny, as well, because there's no shortage of that in "real America." While not perhaps very neo/medieval/ist, it is unfortunately prominent and common; here, as elsewhere, I am disappointed but not surprised not to have seen better.

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.14, "Dreamy"

Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series here.

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1.14, "Dreamy"

Written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz
Directed by David Solomon

Synopsis

The very picture of grace...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Recapitulation of the series' premise being absent, after the title card, the episode opens in the Enchanted Forest with the Blue Fairy receiving a delivery and report from another fairy of much less poise. She rebukes the other fairy and dispatches her, the latter dropping some fairy dust along the way--which settles onto a large egg and alters it in advance of its unexpected hatching a smiling dwarf.

In Storybrooke, Leroy angrily eats his breakfast as Mary Margaret pleads for help with candle sales. She is greeted with silence. Leroy notes their shared pariah status, rattling her; Emma follows after, asking about the candle sale and reactions to Mary Margaret. She laments her status, and Emma is called off to tend to duty; she offers encouragement as she leaves.

Admittedly, I react to glitter similarly.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Preparations for the festival the candle sales underwrite--the Miner's Day celebration--proceed, and Leroy encounters a nun, Astrid, at work on them. He reacts much more happily than might be expected, helping out, and the two seem to connect before going off to their respective tasks.

Emma reports to the scene of Kathryn's disappearance, soon joined by Sidney. Investigation proceeds, and suspicion begins to fall on David swiflty.

The hatched dwarf, Leroy's counterpart, is brought into service, Explanations are offered to him, along with labor-force indoctrination. The dwarf, along with his seven brothers, receives a mattock that gives him his name, Dreamy, and the group are sent into the mines to work in support of the magic underlying the Enchanted Forest.

Leroy belatedly signs up to volunteer to help with candle sales. He overhears Astrid getting into trouble and moves to offer comfort; he learns of the financial difficulties she and the convent face. Emboldened, Leroy resolves to aid. Meanwhile, Emma confronts David regarding Katharine's disappearance, quizzing him about what he knows. Emma affirms that she will find Kathryn. Regina provides records to Sidney regarding the disappearance, as well.

Shiny.
Image taken form the episode, used for commentary.

In the Enchanted Forest, work proceeds in the mines to produce fairy dust, which the fairy counterpart of Astrid, Nova, monitors. She struggles with it and is aided by Dreamy, who recognizes her from his pre-hatching dreams. A series of mishaps ensues, from which Dreamy manages to save the fairy dust and the fairy tasked with its delivery. He encourages her, and the two connect.

Candle sales start off poorly at the event. Leroy takes it into his head to sell door to door. Emma presses Sidney for his promised help as the sales duo tries and fails to peddle their wares.

In the mines, Dreamy sits alone, contemplating his feelings. Belle, present where the dwarves are taking their meal, notes that Dreamy is in love; it is clear to her from his deportment. The other dwarves disbelieve as Belle expounds upon love to Dreamy. She encourages Dreamy to go meet Nova, and he does so.

Leroy makes to report his difficulties to Astrid. He is unable to follow through on doing so, for fear of disappointing her, and Mary Margaret rebukes him for his failure. He avows that he will make good on his promise.

They are cute together.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Dreamy rushes to meet Nova, and the two look out over the Forest together, happily. They confer about their respective situations, and Dreamy offers to sail the world together with Nova. She accepts, and they arrange to meet again and run off together.

Leroy offers to sell his boat to Gold. Gold refuses, citing a history with the nuns. Astrid calls on Leroy after Gold leaves, and she marvels at the boat before finding the unsold candles and silently rebuking Leroy for his dishonesty. Meanwhile, Emma receives Kathryn's phone records, giving her cause to doubt David. Leroy reports his failure to Mary Margaret, and the two commiserate about their common pariah status.

Dreamy rushes away to meet Nova again, sneaking out in the night from the dormitory he shares with his brothers. One, Stealthy, confronts him, the rest waking at the exchange, and they press him. Dreamy relates his reasoning, and his brothers cheer him on his way. A senior dwarf tries to interdict him, citing his responsibilities and a congenital inability to love--which the Blue Fairy, descending, affirms. Dreamy is persuaded to abandon his love for Nova, putatively in her own interest, just as Leroy tries to set aside his affection for Astrid. He resolves to take action, and proceeds to where the Miner's Day festival is in progress. Ascending to a rooftop, he disables the lighting for the festival--and obliging candle sales en masse.

"It's Grumpy, now," understandably.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Nova waits for Dreamy, having found a ship for the two of them to sail away. He relates what he has been persuaded to believe, and she rages at the situation. He denies her love, and they part in sadness. Dreamy returns to work; his old mattock fails him, and a new one declares him Grumpy.

Candles sales proceed at the Miner's Day festival, Mary Margaret and Leroy exhausting their inventory. Leroy delivers the proceeds to Astrid, and he offers to take her aboard his boat once it's restored. They delight in the festival while Emma reviews phone records, her investigation ongoing and under threat from Regina. Mary Margaret even begins to receive some reconciliation from the community, while David looks on in longing, and Emma takes him into custody as the town looks on.

Discussion

Of some interest is the depiction of fairies as being...not entirely benevolent. It's something at odds with the Disney sources that inform the understandings of neo/medieval/ist materials much or most of the presumed primary audience of the series has; in Disney, of course, the colorful fairies are sympathetic, helpful beings that work selflessly to the benefit of those they encounter, rather than traffickers in exploitable resources. Frankly, the Blue Fairy is something of a jerk in the present episode, outright laughing at her subordinate in a way that smacks of what James Fredal discusses in his January 2011 College English article.

I note, too, with some interest the hatching of the dwarves. Given my background and the Society, the Tolkienian comment about there being no dwarven women comes to mind--but who lays the eggs? More seriously, though, with Labor Day in the US having only recently passed, I am in mind of the labor stratification that is clearly at work with the former Dreamy and his siblings. The idea that certain groups are fated to work in support of others is hardly unique to the medieval, of course; there are any number of execrable people even now who espouse such hateful ideology. But it does line up in broad strokes with the traditional three orders social system many ascribe to and associate with the medieval; the dwarves are a "natural" labor class, conditioned and constrained to work and punished for deviations from that labor. It's...not a good message, really, embedded in them.

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.13, "What Happened to Frederick"

Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series here.

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1.13, "What Happened to Frederick"

Written by David H. Goodman
Directed by Dean White

Synopsis

Following a restatement of the series's premise and the title card, the episode opens with Princess Abigail arriving at Charming's kingdom. The king greets her amid sudden tumult, and the search for the escaping Charming commences as the prince rides off. He manages to evade pursuit, at least initially; he is ambushed and taken.

Well ain't this just cozy?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, David and Kathryn dine quietly together. Conversation is clipped and tense, Kathryn noting a hitherto unannounced application to law school in Boston; she suggests moving to make new memories and make a fresh start.

Charming finds himself apprehended by Abigail, who notes his love for Snow White. She offers to assist him in his flight, noting her lack of love for him.

David and Mary Margaret confer about Kathyrn's revelation; she complains about their secrecy and deceit, calling for disclosure, and he demurs despite having no real alternatives. She reiterates the call, pressing David to choose; he chooses Mary Margaret, and she bids him tell his wife before she walks off.

Who is this guy, really? (We find out later.)
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the morning, Emma calls in at Granny's, where she finds the stranger. He reluctantly gives a name--August Wayne Booth--and arranges for them to meet later. Emma follows up by meeting with Mary Margaret, and the confer about the latter's romantic entanglement. Mary Margaret notes that David is supposed to be telling Kathryn. He  tries to confess himself to her, but fails to give an accounting.

In the Enchanted Forest, Abigail takes Charming to Midas's realm, and Charming presses her for her reasons. She notes her ongoing love for another, Frederick, and when he notes that Snow White does not love him, she escorts him to where Frederick, afflicted by Midas's touch, stands. Abigail notes that a means for saving Frederick is available, but guarded; Charming undertakes to face the guardian.

August inserts pages into Henry's book, repairing the physical text with skill. Henry receives a gift of a handheld video game from Regina; he voices a desire to see Emma just before Kathryn intrudes. Henry leaves, and Kathryn presses Regina for details about her husband; Regina notes Mary Margaret's involvement in the affair, which Kathryn had not known, and provides the details requested. They are damning.

The hits keep coming.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Abigail and Charming approach the means for saving Frederick, a lake with salvific water. David mulls over pictures of Kathryn and calls Mary Margaret, lying to her about his actions. Kathryn arrives to rebuke Mary Margaret, publicly and violently. David's dissembling becomes clear.

Charming proceeds to the lake and is confronted as he tries to take its water. An alluring figure emerges from it.

August arrives for his meeting with Emma, taking her for a motorcycle ride. She reluctantly accompanies him, ultimately to a well at the outskirts of town. The significance is explicated, and they confer about the town and about openness to new ideas and experience. Meanwhile, Mary Margaret finds herself the subject of censure and derision in the town.

Fracas, yes.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The confrontation at the water in the Enchanted Forest continues, devolving into a fracas in short order.

Mary Margaret confronts David about his dissembling. She rebukes him for his failure, noting that she is paying for his transgressions and she breaks off the relationship.

Emma finds a box wedged up against her parked car. It contains Henry's book, as August sees. Kathryn calls on Regina, apologizing for her earlier outburst. She also notes that David never seemed to love her the way he clearly does Mary Margaret, and she relinquishes her claim on him in favor of moving to Boston for law school, having encouraged David and Mary Margaret after her initial anger.

In the Enchanted Forest, Charming delivers on his promise to retrieve the water for Abigail. She delights in it, and it restores her beloved Frederick to himself and to her. Charming resolves to pursue Snow White, departing in peace and amity--and with a warning about the coming wrath of Charming's putative father, King George.

Regina covertly enters Kathryn's home, purloining a letter she had left for David. Emma greets Henry at school, returning his book to him, to his surprise and delight. He reads of Charming's continued pursuit of Snow White, where he learns from Red Riding Hood that she has gone before he must flee again. Mary Margaret sorrows over what has transpired, Emma unable to offer much comfort or ease. And Regina delights in continuing to meddle as Kathryn seeks to leave town, only to be narrowly missed by a passer-by: Frederick.

Discussion

I forget if I've made the comment before, but the roads in the Enchanted Forest are remarkably regular, far more than would be expected of the pseudo-medieval milieu. While I am aware that much of medieval Europe--including the medieval England that the series seems most apt to ape--was able to take advantage of existing Roman roads, themselves legendary for their regularity and quality, there is not much to suggest that a similar political body preexists the fairy-tale world in which the characters have their overt origins. It may be inferred, of course, from the medieval(ist) parallels; the medieval was in some ways a reaction to the Roman, so that the Roman is something of a necessary (but insufficient) precondition for the medieval, but there's nothing direct so far, no Classicist ruins or holdovers to be seen. Even Midas, a Classical myth, is not in the series; he's present, but he's solidly medieval(ist). With all that said, that the roads are consistent in size--judged against non-shapeshifting characters for reference--and quality is something of an anachronism, and while I understand that the physical constraints of location-based filming are, I wonder about the choices made.

This dapper fellow, antithetical?
Image taken from Playbill, used for commentary.

I forget, too, if the name of Charming's false father is noted in earlier episodes, but the George is significant for American audiences such as would be expected for a show appearing on ABC. Kings named George are antithetical figures in the United States foundational mythology, of course, but George also has resonance with the medieval England in which the series obliquely traffics. It's not something I'm certain would rise to viewers' attention, but that does not mean it's not present and doesn't have some influence. What it means, though...I do not know.

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.12, "Skin Deep"

Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series here.

---

1.12, "Skin Deep"

Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Milan Cheylov

Synopsis

Perhaps it ought to be called the Kingdom of Generica...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

After the title card and absent a restatement of the series' premise, the episode opens with peril facing the Enchanted Forest and discussion in a noble's court of that peril. Rumpelstiltskin arrives with an offer of a deal to secure the safety of the town--for the price of Belle as a servant in his estate. The deal is refused by the noble but accepted by Belle, who agrees in the the interest of her community and leaves her father and fiancee.

In Storybrooke, Gold confronts the florist French, alter-ego of Belle's father, repossessing his van as a penalty for defaulting on a loan. Regina confronts him, but Gold evades the confrontation. Emma meets Mary Margaret at Granny's, where she and David are "not together." Ashley reports in, conferring with them, and Ruby invites the three out for drinks and revelry. Emma is summoned back to work and reports to Gold's home, where he has found it broken into and robbed.

Nice digs.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Rumpelstiltskin brings Belle to his estate, where he effectively imprisons her, giggling. Her servitude to him begins, with him taunting her amid her initially inept work.

Emma presses Gold about the robbery, and he reluctantly notes that French was the likely perpetrator. Emma moves to investigate amid oblique threats to French from Gold.

Belle's servitude continues, and she asks Rumpelstiltskin about his spinning. He teases her, and she laughs, the two softening towards one another.

Emma retrieves Gold's stolen property. He complains that French remains at large and begins his own ominous pursuit.

It's in the eyes, really.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Belle continues to press Rumpelstiltskin about himself. They continue to soften towards one another, and Rumpelstiltskin notes the loss of his son. He begins to grow suspicious of her, and Belle's fiancee comes to challenge Rumpelstiltskin; he is turned into a rose, which the captor gifts to the captive before pressing Belle about her reasoning. She explicates, noting the circumstances of her betrothal along the way and musing on love. He offers her a deal, letting her go out on an errand in exchange for relating his story.

The revelry ensues, and Ruby acts the virago, leaving Ashley and Mary Margaret to confer about their respective love lives. David tries to navigate his own relationship, and he and Gold confer over purchases about love--as Gold abducts French, taking him to his cabin in the woods and forcing him in at gunpoint.

This seems ominous.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Belle is going about her errand when the Evil Queen happens on her. They walk together a while, the queen pressing her about her relationship with Rumpelstiltskin. She notes that true love's kiss will break a curse, clearly intuiting who her captor is. Belle makes to act on that knowledge, returning to Rumpelstiltskin to hear about his son and confer again with him about love. They kiss, and Belle lets slip that she has been informed of his weakness by Regina, and he sours against Belle, imprisoning her again.

Gold proceeds to torture French, reflecting Rumpelstiltskin's rage over Belle. Emma stops him as Rumpelstiltskin stops himself.

Ashley and Mary Margaret continue to confer, arriving at a mutual understanding. Sean arrives on his break to give Ashley flowers and propose marriage; she accepts, to the applause of onlookers. Mary Margaret arrives at a decision and meets David. He gives her a gift, awkwardly and backhandedly, ruining the moment, and Mary Margaret sends him home to his wife. He agrees, reluctantly, and they part once again.

Emma confronts Gold about his overreaction to French, arresting him for the assault. Belle languishes in Rumpelstiltskin's cell until he arrives and sends her away. She rebukes him for his choice to reject her love, calling him a coward; he rejects the insult, claiming that power matters more to him than love. She departs.

Ominous, ominous, ominous...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Regina arrives at the jail and sends Emma and Henry away. They confer, and Gold tries to strike a deal; the price is his name. He admits to being Rumpelstiltskin, to remembering. They reaffirm their antipathy.

In the Enchanted Forest, the queen confronts Rumpelstiltskin, seeking to strike a deal. He rebukes her, and she mocks him. She also notes Belle is outcast, turned out by her father and provoked to suicide. He doubts, but not fully. And, as it happens, Belle is imprisoned in the Storybrooke hospital...

Discussion

I note the early ejaculation by Belle's father: "Oh, my gods!" Earlier in the series (such as here), there had been heavy implications that the Enchanted Forest is vaguely medievalist Christian. Certainly, the officiant at the wedding of Snow White and Prince Charming looks very much like a medieval bishop. And while the note has been made that the presumed Christianity of the Enchanted Forest is just that, presumed rather than overt, it remains...present; there are enough references to things (Arthuriana, in particular) that are overtly and explicitly Christian that the references carry through. For a noble to ejaculate polytheistically in that milieu, then, is striking. Admittedly, there was another medievalist property attracting attention at the time, about which no few comments--such as these--have been made, and it's possible therefore that the comment was set thus as a nod to that property, which does admit of several faiths and polytheism. Perhaps it goes to the point that many have made, in this webspace and elsewhere, that neo/medievalist properties influence popular understandings--but that would probably be something better addressed by media studies, in which I am not conversant.

I note, too, that the action in Storybrooke centers on Valentine's Day. For the presumed primary audience of the series, of course, the day is associated with romantic (and usually sexual) love, although the linkage is problematic even within the episode. The association of Valentine with love, especially the often-adulterous courtly love at which David and Mary Margaret are playing, gets going in earnest in the high middle ages; it's certainly amply attested in documentation from the time. So that much comes out as authentic, at least, even if it might not resonate with the prevailing audience of a primetime broadcast...but it doesn't have to do so to be present.

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.11, "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree"

Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series here.

---

1.11, "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree"

Written by Ian Goldberg and Andrew Chambliss
Directed by Bryan Spencer

Synopsis

A relief...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

After the title card, a reprise of the series' premise being again skipped, the episode opens with Emma meeting with Henry at the playground he favors--and at which he has hidden his book; he is concerned that a recent storm has damaged things. Regina soon arrives, searching for her adoptive son and chides Emma--something about which she grouses to Mary Margaret later on. A text from David interrupts, summoning Mary Margaret away; Sidney, the newspaperman, slides in as she leaves, making an offer to Emma of information on Regina.

Robin Williams, he ain't.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Enchanted Forest, Sidney's alter-ego languishes in captivity, a genie in a lamp pulled from a lake. He is released by a crowned man and gives a spiel about the wishes he can grant and their limits. The figure refuses to wish, and the genie discourses on his situation, only to be freed from his servitude and granted a final wish; he holds it, praised for his wisdom as he begins to search for love. The crowned figure takes him along with him to his home--the palace it happens he shares with Regina and his daughter, Snow White. He is welcomed warmly, and his attention follows the queen.

In Storybrooke, Henry's playground is demolished at Regina's insistence, and Henry's book has gone missing. Emma chides Regina for her actions and is dismissed; she decides to accept Sidney's offer. Mary Margaret meets David in the woods, where he has prepared a picnic meal for their illicit assignation, and Emma meets Sidney clandestinely. He notes that Regina has been embezzling funds and asks for aid in ferreting out more details about her.

Naughty, naughty.
Image take from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Enchanted Forest, Snow White's father's birthday is celebrated; he praises his daughter, and Regina is disturbed, which the genie marks. He moves to comfort her, and an illicit attachment of their own begins to develop.

Emma and Sidney review records, finding a gap in them. Mary Margaret returns home, and Sidney undertakes to conduct clandestine acts, supported by Mary Margaret; Emma demurs for a time, but ultimately confronts Regina about it--and plants a listening device in her office.

In the Enchanted Forest, the king confronts the genie about Regina's affections. He opines about his wife's feelings and tasks the genie with finding the object of her affections; the genie accepts the task.

Emma and Sidney, acting on illicitly gained information, pursue Regina during to a clandestine cash handoff; the brakes on their car fail, though, and they crash. Hampered but uninjured, they find the brakes tampered with; Emma presses ahead, finding that the payment was being made to Gold. He notes the payment was for land, his land, and warns them against acting further.

The genie confers with Regina's father, who notes that she is captive. He asks the genie to take a parcel to Regina, citing his affection for her as reason.

Purely platonic...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Emma and Sidney ransack Regina's office, being confronted by Regina. Emma offers to help, only to be turned down, and the genie delivers the package as requested. It turns out to contain a deadly snake, which Regina tacitly encourages the genie to deliver to the king's chambers.

Henry confers with the visitor about the material he recalls from his book. Henry challenges the visitor about his motives, receiving a glib answer and sincere encouragement. Sidney and Emma review the information purloined from Regina, Emma coming to doubt their work; Sidney reveals more information, noting his complicity, and the information is presented in an open town hall meeting--only to be revealed as plans for a new playground, undermining the attempt to thwart Regina's power.

In the Enchanted Forest, the genie delivers the poisonous serpent to the king's chambers, where it kills him as the genie watches, attending his death and confessing his complicity and apologizing. 

Oh, ho, ho!
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Regina confronts Emma, rebuking her. Emma is obliged to keep distance from Henry for some time, but engages in a search for his lost book--which is in the visitor's possession. Emma and Sidney confer about their failure, affirming their alliance.

The genie reports the king's death to Regina, only to learn that he is suspected of the king's death and is to be executed for his perfidy. Regina dismisses him with disdain. He refuses to flee, and enacts his final wish: to remain with Regina. He is trapped in her mirror as a result--much as Sidney is trapped in Regina's service even still.

Discussion

I probably should've read Said more closely than I did and more recently than I have, but it's still clear to me that the episode is reveling in Orientalist tropes that really ought not to be reinvoked--especially in the political climate contemporary to the series. (They don't do much better in the context of the current composition and publication, given events in Afghanistan.) The attire of the genie and the illicit lustfulness associated with him, among others, are both fetishizations, exoticisms, a reduction of what could have been a compelling character down to stereotypes--which is problematic enough on its own, and more so when applied to a person of color and one with a putatively Middle Eastern background. (I have to question the accuracy of the depiction in more general terms; I am not an expert in such matters, so I cannot go into much detail, but I also cannot shake the feeling that it's wrong.) It seems to me to be the kind of thing that was going on in depictions of Middle Eastern people during the Crusades and in many, many presentations of that time and those conflicts more recently. And that is problematic for reasons I should not have to rehearse...

As a reminder, please consider submitting work to the coming roundtable at #Kzoo2020, Twenty-First Century Neo/Medievalisms;
information is here.