Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25926288-20171028005802/@comment-24593235-20171028024215

DeviousPeep wrote: Virtually flawless episode, and that is honestly all that needs to be said. Okay, now for my actual thoughts on this episode...

Still perfect! Seeing Belle and Rumple through the years, raising Gideon, going on adventures, working to do away with the dagger and living out their life together on the edge of the realms. It was just all so beautifully done and it had all the right things that reminded me why I fell in love with these two characters and their relationship. No more pointless drama and Rumple being evil just for the hell of it. This episode showed wonderful development for him, and was the best way possible to end Belle's story happily while keeping Rumple on the show. She got to spend a long, happy life having raised a son with her one true love. She got to die with a feeling of contentment and no regrets, and I think that's beautiful and very well deserved. Her speech to Rumple recounting their love story, the archive footage they included, had me in tears. Literal tears. The writing of the dialogue and the acting itself was absolutely phenomenal. Love the 1x12 callbacks, the dance, the Up reference. No complaints.

As for the rest of the episode, for once I was actually into the Hyperion Heights stuff. The writing for the new characters was better than the past three, and I quite liked both Tilly and Ivy this episode. Tiana, meanwhile, was absent. Wasn't she supposed to be promoted this episode? Was she promoted this episode? Pretty sure Eion Bailey was absent the episode he was promoted in back in Season 1. Weird. Anyways, yeah, I like both of those characters far more than before and honestly wish they were regulars. Low key ship Henry and Ivy.

As for Weaver and Tilly in particular though, the drama was all fun there. And I adore the fact that they have Alice on medication; feels very correct. I think Rose Reynolds did a fantastic job with her, and I'm excited to see more. Also, Alice is gay and it was introduced very casually and I'm happy with that. (And they didn't touch on Gideon's sexuality at all, so my headcanon that he was in love with Roderick still remains.) Anyways, Rumple's awake now, and I'm looking forward to the rest of his journey this season. I'm pretty sure this will be Bobby's last year on the show regardless of whether or not they're renewed for Season 8, so I'm just hoping for a Rumbelle afterlife reunion in the finale.

Anyways, great episode. Definitely one of my favorites of the show. Does it beat "Skin Deep" as my all time favorite? I... do not know yet for a variety of reasons, but it's definitely in my top two!