Once upon a Time Rewatch 2.20, "The Evil Queen"

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

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2.20, "The Evil Queen"

Written by Jane Espenson and Christine Boylan
Directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton

Synopsis

After a recapitulation of series events, the episode begins with a bound Hook being confronted by Greg and Tamara in the ruined clock tower in Storybrooke. He refuses, citing the death of Rumpelstiltskin--and he is shown that Rumpelstiltskin yet lives. The demonstration convinces him to aid in recovering Kurt in exchange for assistance in killing Rumpelstiltskin.

Where's Wat Tyler when you need him?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The episode pivots to a scene in the Enchanted Forest during which Regina leads a small party to investigate a cottage where Snow White had been hiding. The villagers are gathered and pressed for information, but none is forthcoming, prompting an execution order.

In Storybrooke, conversation about returning to the Enchanted Forest between David and Mary Margaret ensues. Regina, disguised, overhears the conversation and proceeds on her own path. In the Enchanted Forest of the past, she confers with Rumpelstiltskin about her failure to elicit cooperation from the peasantry regarding Snow White, and he makes Machiavellian comments regarding her reign that she contests with little success. She asks for further magical assistance from Rumpelstiltskin, plotting revenge; he agrees to assist her in exchange for cutting trade with George's kingdom. The deal is concluded, and Regina, disguised, proceeds upon her plan to find and kill Snow White.

In Storybrooke, Regina meets with Henry confusing him. She shows Henry the magic beans she has purloined. She works to suborn Henry to her against the plan to leave her behind when they return to the Enchanted Forest. She overplays her hand, however, and Henry balks at the idea, resisting until Regina ensorcels him to wipe his memory.

Things seem remarkably regular, uniform...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Disguised as a peasant, Regina stalks through a local market. Amid doing so, she overhears talk lambasting the queen and rails at it. She is taken prisoner by local authorities, forgetting the constraints of her disguise.

In Storybrooke, Hook meets Regina in her office. He asks her for sanctuary, noting Greg and Tamara's plans and trying to argue for another arrangement of his own. She notes the presence of magic beans and her own plan to abscond with Henry--which will also defeat Rumpelstiltskin.

Hell of a cheat sheet.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Emma runs into Tamara at Granny's, noting a strange list as she helps her pick up dropped goods. They confer briefly, awkwardly, and Emma realizes Tamara's deceit--and Tamara, Emma's understanding. She reports her suspicions to Mary Margaret, who tries to allay her concerns. Henry overhears and plots to assist in investigating Tamara. And Regina and Hook proceed into the caverns beneath Storybrooke's library.

In the Enchanted Forest, Regina faces summary execution and calls out to Rumpelstiltskin for aid. She is saved by an attack from Snow White and flees from town with her.

Regina and Hook proceed, Hook musing on revenge. As he does, he displays a token that Regina's mother had given him; she demands it back from him, and he obliges her. In the event, it mutes her magical abilities, perilous as they move to confront Maleficent and she uses Hook as bait for her as she reconstitutes herself from ash and dust. Melee ensues, going poorly for Hook. Regina, meanwhile, retrieves another bit of magical apparatus.

In the Enchanted Forest, Snow White attends the still-disguised Regina. Conversation alludes to other adventures on Snow White's part, and Snow White rehearses her story with Regina. In Storybrooke, Henry and Emma confer about how to proceed investigating Tamara. Henry talks about travel to the Enchanted Forest, longing for the life that might be available there. They snoop, Emma finding a loose floorboard before being warned off by Henry as Neal approaches. Neal realizes Emma is snooping about and he confronts her about Tamara. They investigate the floorboard, finding nothing, and Emma reluctantly withdraws.

Remarkably tidy deaths, these.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Enchanted Forest, Regina rises to find Snow White preparing to evacuate against the approach of Regina's own patrols. She accompanies Snow White into the woods and presses her about her relationship with the queen, and Snow White opines on it. Regina is somewhat taken aback, and her ruse begins to falter. They come upon the massacred village, and Snow White's heart is soured against Regina; Regina's ruse is broken, and she flees.

In Storybrooke, Regina returns from her expedition to find Hook waiting for her, to her surprise. He confronts her with Tamara and Greg, and she finds her magic has been muted. Meanwhile, Emma and Henry confer about their hindering, and David takes Leroy and Mary Margaret to investigate the bean field. They find it burned and despoiled.

Regina confronts Rumpelstiltskin for the removal of the spell he placed upon her. She accepts his Machiavellian ideas, and he restores her to herself. And as the evil queen, she faces Greg and Tamara, who take her captive.

Discussion

One brief note of interest: There is an extra in the episode played by a man credited as Hrothgar Mathews. Þæt wæs god freólsman!

There is a common conception that medieval rulership was absolute and monolithic. As with many common conceptions, it is incorrect. Even a fairly broad overview of medieval theories of rulership indicates as much, noting that even in the highest and holiest instances of medieval rulership, there was an understanding that bad rulership could rightly be overthrown. While what counted as "bad" might very from place to place and time to time, the fact that such justifications were seen even in relation to the pinnacles of governance is...telling. And it is seen, indeed, even in such commonplace medieval/ist works as those treating Robin Hood and the wars of dynastic succession that constitute and inform so much; how many would rise up against a system they see as working well for them?

Consequently, the attention the present episode pays to the unrest against Regina's reign in the Enchanted Forest--surprisingly more so than against her governance of Storybrooke, which takes place in an explicitly election-driven dynamic--while seeming at first blush to run counter to "medieval" thought in favor of pandering to a predominantly American audience, accords more closely with reported medieval understandings than is typically supposed. That it is intentionally so is doubtful; there's enough the series gets wrong, as has been noted repeatedly, that makes clear "correctness" is not a major concern (with some justification, of course). But even an unintentional act has effects, and what we do without thinking about it says quite a bit about us as we approach the world.