Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.8, "Desperate Souls"

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

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1.8, "Desperate Souls"

Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Michael Waxman

Synopsis

Awkward effects. Ostentatious attire. Yep, that's Evil®.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

After another restatement of the series's premise and the title card, the episode begins with Rumpelstiltskin spinning thread. He limps out into the small village of his home, where soldiers are conscripting children into a war effort, aided by powerful magic. Rumpelstiltskin, holding his son and leaning on a crutch, looks on helplessly; his son notes that his own conscription is coming.

Gold works in his pawn shop as Emma enters; he offers condolences on the loss of the sheriff two weeks past. Gold notes also that Graham's belongings are in his possession, urging Emma to take something that had been his and to tend to Henry due to the transience of youth.

Emma meets with Henry, giving him one of Graham's radios as she tries to comfort him. Henry notes reluctance to proceed against Regina in the wake of Graham's death. He also refuses the gift and, saddened, makes to return home. Emma resumes her law-enforcement duties and is informed that Regina has appointed Sidney Glass to the sheriff's office and dismissed her.

Quite the thing to walk in on...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

That evening, Emma is somewhat dissolute when Mary Margaret returns home. They confer about Emma's dismissal and are interrupted by the arrival of Gold at their apartment. He urges her to challenge Regina.

In the Enchanted Forest, Rumpelstiltskin wakes his sleeping son, Baelfire, purposing to flee before he can be conscripted. He notes the horrors of war before soldiers come upon them; one recognizes Rumpelstiltskin and accosts him for his cowardice. In an attempt to save his son, Rumpelstiltskin humbles himself before the soldiers' leader and is kicked in the face for his trouble.

In Storybrooke, Regina holds a press event to announce the appointment of Sidney to the post of sheriff. Emma intrudes, citing the legal obligation to hold an election and announcing her candidacy for the position.

Rumpelstiltskin continues to fret about how to help his son escape conscription and likely doom. A benefactor confers with him about following another path, and Rumpelstiltskin notes his cowardice and incapacity. The benefactor notes the Dark One's Dagger, an artifact that allows for control over the Dark One whose magic supports the soldiers; he urges Rumpelstiltskin to steal that dagger, thus coming to control the Dark One and the power the Dark One wields. When Rumpelstiltskin demurs, the benefactor urges him instead to become the Dark One.

Gold receives Regina at his shop. She confronts him about his involvement with Emma, and their tête-à-tête soon treats Henry--whom Emma meets in a diner and with whom he discusses his birth in jail. Henry reminds Emma that Regina is underhanded--and he advises her that Gold is even worse than Regina. And when Emma confronts Regina about the news reports of Henry's birth, an explosion blasts the city offices; Regina is immobilized and cries for Emma's help.

In the Enchanted Forest, Rumpelstiltskin has Baelfire help him prepare to take the Dark One's power. The father notes to his son the certainty of his death in battle if he goes to war, warning him against the terrors he himself had fled. Baelfire asks Rumpelstiltskin about the truth of the soldiers' claims of his cowardice, and his father cannot deny it. He makes to help his father even so.

Emma seems to flee Regina, only to return moments later with a fire extinguisher to clear a path for them; they extricate themselves from the town hall. They are met by a crowd and the press, including Sidney. Emma's heroism is noted, and campaign activities begin to coalesce around her--which Henry notices. And Emma notices Gold's handiwork, moving to confront him about it. He does not admit to aiding her, though he lays out hypothetical tactics as he admonishes her.

Aaaaand obligatory castle shot.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, Rumpelstiltskin works his infiltration with Baelfire, committing arson. In the ensuing confusion, Rumpelstiltskin retrieves the dagger.

Mary Margaret runs into David as she campaigns for Emma--and he for Sidney. They confer briefly and awkwardly. Elsewhere, debate preparations are finalized, Emma doubting her victory. Mary Margaret offers encouragement.

Rumpelstiltskin returns to Baelfire with the dagger. He sends his son home with the note that he will follow soon after; when Baelfire leaves, Rumpelstiltskin summons the Dark One--finding that it is his benefactor as he kills him and himself becomes the Dark One. The power begins to work on him swiftly.

The debate between sheriff candidates gets underway somewhat raggedly. Glass gives a polished opening statement; Emma's is rougher but more authentic, even as it admits culpability. She departs, leaving Regina smiling and the room quiet. After, Emma consoles herself with drink; Henry approaches her with hope. Regina and Glass join shortly after, congratulating Emma on her victory; Regina warns her about Gold.

The soldiers make to conscript Baelfire. The empowered Rumpelstiltskin interdicts them and humbles the soldier's leader who humbled him before--and slays the lot of them before his son's eyes, to his horror. And, in Storybrooke, Gold offers his own congratulations--in sinister fashion.

Discussion

An interesting point comes to attention early in the episode when Regina fires Emma from what would have been a promotion from deputy to full sheriff. In some early English legal structures, the sheriff was a royally appointed officer, one working with local authorities but answering to the crown. (Echoes of the arrangement sound in Disney's Robin Hood, with its parallels to Isengrim and Reynard.) That the sheriff in Storybrooke answers to the mayor may come across as somewhat odd to the mainstream United States audience expected of the series; the sheriff is typically a county-level official, while the mayor is a city-level official who would not normally "outrank" the sheriff. It does, however, make sense in the fairy-tale context; the mayor is, after all, the queen, and so the sheriff would answer to her. The tension makes for interesting interaction of neomedievalist and modern precedents, something good to see handled directly in contemporary media--and (pleasantly) surprising in a series that shows the problems it has negotiating complexities.

Another interesting point comes up in the episode's fixation on lanolin and wool. It firmly fixes the fairy-tale notions of the series in an Anglophone context, despite most of the stories Disney reworked coming from the Continent (several of the "classic" Disney movies note working from Perrault, for example). The wool-focus does so due to the centering of the wool trade in (late) medieval England, to which no few scholars in several disciplines (including Eileen Power) have attested. Again, given the presumed audience for an ABC broadcast, the Anglophone-centering makes sense, even if it might be more subtle than many viewers would necessarily catch. That said, such details do help solidify the context of the series, offering a more stable frame for interpretation--and that is decidedly welcome.

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.7, "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter"

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

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1.7, "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter"

Written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz
Directed by David M. Barrett

Synopsis

Impressive even for a sober guy.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Following a rehearsal of the series' premise and the title card, the episode opens in Storybrooke with the sheriff seemingly drunkenly playing darts. After winning a bet, he is confronted by Emma, who makes to stalk off before a running argument that spills out into the street, becoming harassment as the sheriff has sudden flashes of images of a wolf. Emma rebukes him, justly, and departs.

Some of the earlier architecture stretches points, but this is just silly.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The sheriff then calls at Regina's, kissing her in the search for more images; she recalls an episode in the Enchanted Forest in which she, as evil queen, looked over Snow White laying a flower on her father's tomb. The queen offers such comfort to her as can be done, averring her alignment to her stepdaughter. Later, she consults her servitors, exulting in her impending victory; rather than acting directly, she considers a huntsman--the sheriff's alter-ego in the Enchanted Forest. And the sheriff wakes in Regina's bed, remembering dimly; when he leaves, he encounters the wolf from his recollections.

Emma finds a bouquet on the table in the kitchen she shares with Mary Margaret and discards it, only to be chided; the flowers had been a gift to Mary Margaret. The two confer about the latter's relationship with the physician, Dr. Whale. Conversation soon becomes decidedly uncomfortable.

You know this won't end well.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The sheriff, Graham, runs out into the forest, where he encounters Gold, with a cane and a shovel in his hands. They confer tersely, and Gold heads off after offering cryptic advice; the scene shifts back to the Enchanted Forest, with the huntsman coming into a tavern and being accosted by others therein. A melee ensues, which the huntsman gets the best of; Regina bids him be brought before her.

Graham continues through the woods outside Storybrooke, following the sounds of wolves. He sights the wolf again, approaching it closely and remembering more as he touches it--and it vanishes. Stupefied, he returns, going to speak with Mary Margaret about what he recalls.

The huntsman reports to the evil queen as bidden. She presses him about his upbringing and assesses him as she tasks him with the assassination of Snow White. He presses for the protection of wolves as his fee and accepts the commission.

Conversation between Graham and Mary Margaret begins to point out gaps in their memories, startling both. It also goes to strange places that Mary Margaret connects to Henry's views of the town's fairy-tale origins; she recommends he go home and rest, which advice he heeds.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, the huntsman accompanies Snow White on a walk in the woods, where he means to fulfill his commission. He finds himself unable to do so, however, as Snow White susses out his intent and flees.

In Storybrooke, Regina calls in at the sheriff's office; she and Emma converse regarding Graham. Regina warns her against a romance with him, confusing her. Graham calls on Henry in the meantime, asking him about his stories.

Not the normal pleading, no.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Enchanted Forest, the huntsman catches up with Snow White, and the two confer. She gives him a letter to be delivered to the queen after her death at his hands. He accepts the letter, reading it, and finding that he cannot go through with the act of killing her; he gives her a whistle and sends her on her way, sacrificing a deer to enable her escape. And Graham confers with Henry about his memories and identity, tracing out implications and future events. Henry also notes the location of the sheriff's heart, and Graham rushes off to find it.

Along the way, Emma confronts him, noting his evident illness. His report to her confuses her, until she sees the wolf. Graham gives chase, Emma following, and they find themselves in the town cemetery, standing before a burial vault. He tries to enter, Emma assisting him; they effectively break into it.

In the Enchanted Forest, the huntsman reports to the evil queen, delivering the letter and the deer heart. The queen bids him read the letter aloud, which displeases her. She intimates the source of her enmity towards Snow White and demands the heart; with it delivered, she stalks off, only to recognize the ruse belatedly and punish the huntsman by taking his heart, in turn, effectively enslaving him.

You know this won't end well.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the burial vault, Graham searches to no avail. Regina confronts him and Emma, and Graham cuts off the relationship he had had with Regina. And Emma rebukes Regina, as well, only to be punched in the face for her trouble. Emma responds in kind, and is restrained by Graham; later, he tends to her at the sheriff's office. They confer, and Regina enters the inner sanctum of the burial vault, where she enacts a working that kills him--just as Emma moves to return his affections and his memories come back to him.

Discussion

I'm struck in the present episode by the relative cleanliness of people in the medievalist milieu, as well as the relative lack of accoutrements carried by those traipsing about the forest therein. I know it's a fantasy depiction, of course, and I know it's Disney--which tends to mean sanitizing happens (although there is a fairly frank and open note from the putative savior and clear protagonist that extramarital adult sexuality is fine, which surprises in a prime-time series from the company)--so some cleanup is perhaps to be expected. Too, keeping dirtiness consistent is difficult, which vitiates against its inclusion in a weekly series; production demands would seem to argue against it. But it's still a bit disconcerting to see so many people who are shown as involved in agriculture and outdoor pursuits not getting anything on them; I live and grew up in central Texas, and that does not line up with experience, even with ready access to laundry and shower facilities.

No carts, no packs, just some nobles living their best lives...
Image taken from the Bayeaux Tapestry online, used for commentary

Similarly, the fact that people running around forests without so much as a backpack or a waterskin grates on me. It's one thing, of course, when someone is chased out of their home without time to gather materials; it's quite another when characters deliberately go out on a walk or a ride. Look at hikers now, or joggers; how many go for more than a quick trip up the block and back without at least a water bottle? And consider royal and noble processions, which would, as a matter of course, involve many people, all of whom would want to eat and drink along the way...but then, after looking at some medieval visual depictions of hunting, I have to note that expected baggage trains and carry-ons are absent. I guess, then, that while the series may not have such things true to life, it gets them at least true to (relatively) contemporary depiction, and that's something.

Not a lot of packs, but perhaps a lot of baggage...
Image taken from the V&A, here, used for commentary.

Also, please consider submitting to the Tales after Tolkien Society's offering for the 2022 International Congress on Medieval Studies, discussed here: Twenty-First Century Neo/Medievalisms (a roundtable session). The session seeks to investigate "how a given twenty-first century work (any medium is accepted, and a diversity of media will be appreciated) makes use of the medieval or makes use of earlier works that themselves make use of the medieval, interrogating briefly how the mis/use of the earlier material serves to transmit ideas of the medieval forward. Prepared remarks should run some five to seven minutes, with open discussion to follow as time permits. Ideas in early stages of development are welcome." ***The formal call is here.***

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.6, "The Shepherd"

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

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1.6, "The Shepherd"

Written by Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg
Directed by Victor Nelli

Synopsis

Doesn't look bad, actually...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary

After a recapitulation of the series premise and the title card, David Nolan returns to his putative home in Storybrooke. He and Kathryn confer about it, and David betrays a lack of memory as he is led into a surprise party and introduced around. The party proceeds, with Henry continuing to propound his ideas about the true identities of the town's residents. David asks about Mary Margaret as Regina presses Kathryn, who does not know how to handle matters. Meanwhile, David wanders out of his party and finds his way to Mary Margaret in town. He pursues her, and she seeks to demur in favor of his present marriage; he avers his choice of her as a beloved, and she refuses him again.

So it's that kind of party...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, melee proceeds, to applause from an assembled royal delegation. The victor is praised and tasked with slaying a dragon in exchange for a supply of gold generated by the touch of one of the present kings--Midas. Details of the arrangement ensue, as do preparations for assault on the dragon--and the erstwhile victor is slain amid boasting of the victory.

The other king, whose son had been the victor, attends the body in a chamber with a round table. The body is borne out, and plans to replace the slain are made--involving Rumpelstiltskin. The two confer, arriving at a new deal that provides a duplicate heir. Said heir is a shepherd.

In Storybrooke, Emma confers with Mary Margaret about David. Emma advises against Mary Margaret pursuing a relationship with him. David, meanwhile, attempts to reconstruct his memories with Kathryn as he looks over photos from their life before; he ineptly reacts to her marital advances.

In the Enchanted Forest, or near it, the shepherd gathers in a sheep as his mother returns from market and notes an advantageous marriage prospect. He deflects it in favor of wedding for love, and Rumpelstilstkin arrives to strike a deal. Revelations of old dealings are made, and the shepherd resists the notion of accompanying Rumpelstiltskin to the king's assistance.

Or it's this kind of party...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, Regina confronts Mary Margaret about Kathryn and David. She warns her away from David; David has left Kathryn, and Regina advises Mary Margaret against further engagement with him.

In the Enchanted Forest, the shepherd makes ready to face the dragon, uncertain of himself and his position. He is advised of his intended role, and the expedition against the dragon proceeds. The ruin it has caused is shown in some detail, and the putative hero is bidden remain in place as others proceed and melee begins--going badly for those who have gone ahead. The shepherd rushes in to assist as he can, which is little enough against the dragon, given his lack of training--but with some cunning and luck, the shepherd emerges victorious.

In Storybrooke, David approaches Mary Margaret. She again tries to deflect him, to push him away, and he refuses, pressing her for acceptance. The sheriff asks Emma to cover a night shift until interrupted by Mary Margaret, who rushes in to seek advice. And David considers matters.

She looks thrilled. Who wouldn't be?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, the shepherd is lauded. Midas offers his daughter, Abigail's, hand in marriage to the shepherd. After some protestation--taken as humilitas--the offer is accepted.

Once again, my inner Hank Hill...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, Regina confronts David, seeking to persuade him back to Kathryn. She gives him directions to his intended goal and sends him on his way--somewhere other than he had intended, away from where Mary Margaret awaits him. But he calls in at Gold's pawn shop, where Gold gives him better directions, and parts of his memory begin to return, to Gold's amusement.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, the shepherd returns to his mother, victorious. She exults in his return, but he tells her he cannot return, being obliged instead to wed Abigail under threat of death--and his mother's death--from the king. In tears, she gives him a ring which she says true love follows, which ring is on Mary Margaret's finger as David finally reaches her. He announces what he remembers to Mary Margaret, noting that he remains confused about his current feelings. She rebukes him for his folly and leaves in tears.

Later, Emma sees a shadowy figure leaping from a window and gives chase. Said figure is the sheriff absconding from Regina's home after an assignation. In disgust, she sends the sheriff on her rounds--and David returns to Kathryn, his memories returning. They confer about the status of their relationship, David noting the need to work and his willingness to do that work--much as he had done with her in the Enchanted Forest. And Mary Margaret begins to find comfort elsewhere.

Discussion

Several points come to mind for me in the episode. One is the bit about the victorious son being slain amid boasting. I find myself put in mind of the Malorian Sir Kay, about whom I've done...some work. And, if I may borrow from Shiloh Carroll's excellent work, well, this comes to mind. I forget my chronologies, so I don't know which example's earlier, but they do certainly both speak to a theme, and it does seem to be one that suits neomedievalist works well enough.

A second, related, is the decidedly Arthurian twin-story--not so much because of the twinning, but because of the backhanded approach to the Beaumains / La Cote Male Tayle type involved. The Fair Unknown would seem to apply, at least in part, here; the heroism seems to be inborn, though there is no exalted lineage on display as yet.

The greatest of the points that come to mind has to do with the adulterous impulses David has in Storybrooke. The whole courtly love trope commonly associated with chivalric romance--and which is attested at least in part by Andreas Capellanus, thus giving it an "authentically medieval" imprimatur--hinges on adultery, on nobles philandering about with more and less success. The perils of such are amply attested, of course; the later parts of Malory offer the example clearest to my mind, although there are certainly others to be found, and penalties for violations of sexual ethics are noted in medieval English law and literature (one example among many is here). Even aside from "true love" moving to the fore, the actions of Prince Charming David seem consistent with the behavior expected of medieval/ist nobility (and, indeed, people in power in most times and places); it's something that the series evidently gets right.

Getting Ready for #Kzoo2022

𝔄s noted in the report from the Tales after Tolkien Society's activities at the 2021 International Congress on Medieval Studies, session proposals were made for the 2022 Congress. Information from the Congress regarding those proposals has been returned, indicating that the Twenty-First Century Neo/Medievalisms Roundtable session has been approved. Further information is forthcoming from the Congress, and submissions will almost certainly be made through Confex.

In the meantime, members and interested parties are invited to draft abstracts for a roundtable talk on the topic/s of how a given twenty-first century work (any medium is accepted, and a diversity of media will be appreciated) makes use of the medieval or makes use of earlier works that themselves make use of the medieval, interrogating briefly how the mis/use of the earlier material serves to transmit ideas of the medieval forward. Prepared remarks should run some five to seven minutes, with open discussion to follow as time permits. Ideas in early stages of development are welcome.

Volunteers to preside over the session will also be appreciated. While it is expected that such volunteers will also need to register through Confex, a brief email to talesaftertolkien@gmail.com indicating willingness to take on such a role will be appreciated.

As ever, members and interested parties are invited to share this information widely. The Society is happy to see work from across academe and outside it, particularly from historically marginalized groups and those approaching from less-commonly-heard perspectives.

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.5, "That Still Small Voice"

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

There are stereotypical depictions at work in the episode. Just so y'all know.

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1.5, "That Still Small Voice"

Written by Jane Esperson
Directed by Paul A. Edwards

Synopsis

Something's very meta about this...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

After a recap of the series' premise and the title sequence, the episode opens with a puppet show being performed in a castle town--and a curly-headed boy picks pockets and purses among the audience. Later, the boy and the puppeteers confer over the performance, considering their ill-gotten gains and the boy's feeling of constraint by them.

In Storybrooke, Henry confers with his therapist, Archie; Henry asserts that the therapist is Jiminy Cricket and that there are no (other) crickets in the town, expounding on his theories. Archie presses Henry about his motives, urging him to think on them.

Elsewhere, Emma accepts a position as a deputy sheriff, refusing a uniform but reluctantly accepting a badge. An explosion rocks the sheriff's station as she does, and the two rush off to the scene of a cave-in at a local mine; Regina attempts to order Emma off, and the fact of her deputization becomes an issue in short order. Archie and Henry arrive on site as Regina expostulates; Henry rejects the idea, only to be dismissed by Regina as the area is cordoned off. Perhaps expectedly, he sneaks off, summoning Archie and Emma to investigate what he sees as a link between Emma and the collapse. Regina again interjects, angrily, and demands he work against Henry.

Ain't this a charmingly typical scene?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, the puppeteers and their grown son--Jiminy, the alter-ego of Archie--make ready to run another scam. Jiminy again protests and is overruled, guilt-tripped into assisting with the con as rain begins to fall. A boy talks to him about his situation, commenting on crickets, and a gift touches Jiminy's heart strangely.

Henry arrives for another therapy session and presents his idea for investigating matters further; Archie moves to quash what is described as Henry's emerging psychosis. The boy withdraws in anger, and Archie cries over it.

Yeah, this's gonna be a problem...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Elsewhere in Storybrooke, Mary Margaret plays a word-game with David. His wife, Katherine, arrives, and Mary Margaret withdraws, later confessing her perfidy to Emma over a dessert. They are interrupted by the arrival of a weeping Henry, and Emma goes to confront Archie about what he has done with Henry. The confrontation is interrupted by a call from Regina; it is clear that he has gone to investigate the collapsed mine.

In the Enchanted Forest, Rumpelstiltskin works a spinning wheel as Jiminy approaches, delivering purloined goods for pay. He intuits Jiminy's desires and offers a deal that will allow him to achieve them. Jiminy accepts the deal, somewhat trepidatiously, and leaves.

In Storybrooke, the search for Henry in the mine begins. Emma and Archie follow Henry as he reconnoiters the old mining tunnels, finding broken glass and triggering more collapse; Archie is trapped in the mine. He finds Henry, who leads him further into the mines.

Again, my inner Hank Hill...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Jiminy returns to his parents as they attempt another con. They are welcomed warmly and ply their work, exchanging a "tonic" for material goods and coin. As the itinerant make to leave, Jiminy realizes that their erstwhile hosts have suffered the effects of his deal with Rumpelstiltskin--and been transformed into puppets. Compounding the deed, the hosts were the parents of the boy who had greeted Jiminy so kindly in the rain.

Archie finds Henry in the mine again, reiterating their danger as search and rescue efforts continue. Arguments ensure, and Emma and Regina set aside their differences to effect the recovery. Meanwhile, Archie and Henry find an elevator, and preparations are made to blast the mine open. The explosion does not help.

David greets Mary Margaret as she makes to leave, asking her to walk with him a while. She agrees, and they stroll together, her asking him about his memories. He notes the surreality of his situation--except for his interactions with her. Katherine arrives again, interrupting them.

Search and recovery continues, Emma employing Archie's dog to help. They uncover an air shaft, and, in the mine, Henry apologizes for causing trouble. Archie apologizes for his outburst with Henry in his office. The mine continues to shift around them as, above ground, work to clear the air shaft continues. They confer further about Henry's ideas, and Emma makes her way toward them.She extricates them just as the elevator gives way, returning both safely to the surface. Archie, emboldened, confronts Regina--successfully.

In the Enchanted Forest, a mournful Jiminy looks to the heavens in hope and makes a wish--that is granted obliquely, making him into the cricket as which he is known and binding him to Geppetto. And in Storybrooke, the crickets return, Gold stalks through his shop, and Mary Margaret resigns from her work at the hospital. Regina, however, looks into the mine with concern, where a shattered container lies.

Discussion

Once again, the series does poorly in rehashing old prejudicial ideas--not by name, of course, because that might be actionable, but in a coded mixture that makes clear what is being referenced without having to speak the name thereof. In this case, the brightly colored wagons and clothing of the puppeteers and their propensity towards theft and grift call up stereotypes about the Roma/Romani (I've seen both terms used, and I'm not sure which is preferred; I know both are preferable to others) long used to persecute the itinerant people. And there might be some who would argue that reliance on the imagery is, in fact, a nod to historical accuracy--but that would betray a misunderstanding of the historical fact; yes, the prejudicial depictions are historically attested, but the accuracy of those depictions is questionable at best. (I do not think "best" really applies in the present case.) It's another bit of sloppiness on the part of the show's...I'm not sure who, really, is responsible, here, actually; I guess everybody involved is complicit at some level, and I and others who watch/ed the series, prompting its continued existence, bear some blame, as well.

The questions, then, are how do we recognize what is wrong and how do we work to make it right?

Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.4, "The Price of Gold"

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

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1.4, "The Price of Gold"

Written by David H. Goodman
Directed by David Solomon

Synopsis

You can see where this is going, I think.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

After a recap of the series premise and the title card, the episode opens with three extravagantly dressed young women taking a carriage while another, in rags, cleans. As she does, her fairy godmother appears, introducing herself to Cinderella and offering her a chance at a better life--until she is destroyed and her wand taken by Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstitlskin tells Cinderella that he has actually helped preserve her from harm; she pleads to be taken away from her current life, and he strikes a deal with her--for her future good. That done, he sends her along the traditional Cinderella story.

In Storybrooke, Emma and Henry walk down the main street and consider their situation. After Henry goes on his way, the sheriff confronts Emma, thanking her for her assistance and offering her a job as a deputy. She demurs, though he reiterates his invitation with seeming romantic intent. Later, Regina confronts Emma again, noting her lack of connection to the community; Emma ends up spilling cocoa on herself and makes use of a local laundry, where she encounters Cinderella's alter-ego--again working in cleaning. She is pregnant, soon due, and afraid; Emma works to encourage her.

I channeled my inner Hank Hill...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Mr. Gold, Rumpelstiltskin's alter-ego, closes up his shop and goes out; in his wake, Cinderella's alter-ego, Ashley, breaks into his shop, searching through curiosities and knickknacks for money. Gold confronts her, and she sprays him with pepper spray; he falls, knocking himself out, and she steals a trinket form his unconscious body.

Regina makes ready to attend a council meeting, bidding Henry remain home while she is away. He, of course, steals away at the earliest opportunity to where Emma is unpacking her meager belongings at Mary Margaret's home. He is preceded, however, by Mr. Gold who offers to engage her services to retrieve Ashley and his trinket. She reluctantly agrees as Henry arrives; Gold departs, and Henry voices confusion about Gold. Henry tries to tag along with Emma as she searches for Ashley; she cannot deter him.

...are held for charity, and some for fancy dress...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, Cinderella's story continues to unfold along the Disney model. She and her prince confer about their nuptials, and they greet Snow White and Prince Charming in advance of a fancy dance. Rumpelstiltskin confronts her about their deal, demanding his price in the form of her firstborn. She packs to flee, and her husband confronts her; she notes her pregnancy and the coming price to be paid, confessing her folly. Her husband avows his love for her, offering another bargain.

Emma pursues leads regarding Ashley, starting with her boyfriend--her child's father, Sean Herman, who is reported to have left her upon learning of her pregnancy. Emma moves on to confront the boyfriend, who lives with his father; the father is the cause of the breakup, having paid Ashley to give up her child--to Gold. Emma presses on, continuing to pursue Ashley--who is heading for Boston, and Emma moves to intercept. Henry notes the inability of people to leave the town, and pursuit intensifies.

Not the most dangerous game, but hardly safe...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Enchanted Forest, Cinderella and her husband join Charming and a dwarf in surveying a cell being prepared for Rumpelstiltskin and a plan to subdue him. Cinderella demurs, but her husband offers to pay the required price. The plan proceeds--as does Emma's pursuit, which finds Ashley's car wrecked just inside the Storybrooke city limits, and Ashley in labor. They rush her to medical attention, Emma expounding on maternal responsibility along the way. Rumpelstiltskin arrives to confer with Cinderella about amending their deal; he resists the machinations of which she is aware, but he seems unable to resist making a new deal, falling victim to the plan and being imprisoned.

At the hospital, Henry confers with Emma about the ability to leave Storybrooke until Gold arrives. Cinderella's husband again reaffirms his love and rushes off to retrieve water for her. He is taken, and Emma rages. Similarly, in Storybrooke, Gold presses for the child, confronting Emma about adopting children. Emma successfully dissuades him from taking the child at the price of a favor to be determined later. Mother and child are well, and Emma rushes Henry home to beat Regina home from her assignation. And Sean arrives at the hospital despite his father's admonitions, trying to be part of their lives again, while Emma accepts the sheriff's job offer.

Discussion

I've commented in this webspace about anachronism and compression of the medieval in neo/medievalist works, certainly, and it seems to be at work again in the present episode and elsewhere. Disney's presentations of fairy tales tend to fall into doing such things already, let alone with the milieu-shifting at work in the series, so it's not a surprise to see them happening once again. Even unsurprising, though, it is annoying to see so much pre-twentieth-century material conflated together, as if time and cultures prior to 1900 are a unitary mishmash of idealized feudalistic romance, Regency pageantry, and Victorian conceit.

I don't know why I should've expected any different, of course. I've already noted that the series is problematic in the ways it, early on, reinforces prevailing stereotypes (something reiterated in the present episode with Regina's clandestine assignation); it's not less so in reinforcing lazy thinking to its broad audience, rather than using its platform to at least try to get things "right" (acknowledging both that concerns of addressing the audience limit what can be done and that "right" is a damned slippery term, in the present context and many others). While overt lecturing would scarcely be appropriate, getting details of setting and costume at least aligned to a consistent time-frame wouldn't be so hard to do. It's not as if there is or has been any shortage of people who do study such things and would be happy to consult (for appropriate fees) on them.