Ep 1x8 Desperate Souls...Discussion?

[maddarilke.livejournal.com]

Are we doing episode discussions in this comm? What did you all think of it?


It was a terrific ep, and I'm glad we got some backstory on my favorite character--Rumpelstiltskin--but I found a lot of loose ends in it, and perhaps this was on purpose.

1.) So, Rumpel has a son. We know from inference that he has not followed him into Storybrooke--or at least, he's not with Mr. Gold. The episode ends with Rumpel saving his son from the soldiers, and it's left there.

2.) Why is Rumpel so terrified at receiving The Dark One's power? What is so inherently awful about it? He seemed pretty happy to have it, when he saved his son. I'm sure I've missed something, but I don't quite get it.

3.) I'm not so sure I buy Mr. Gold's story about having Emma stand up to him being part of his plan, all along. He seemed rather upset in the auditorium...though that may have been part of the act. On the other hand, he is pretty much her "frenemy," now, and she still owes him a favor. So how is the Emma/Mr. Gold relationship so different from Sheriff Graham/Regina's? After all, she was holding something over his head, too. Or rather, in his chest.

4.) Who is "THE DARK ONE?" Is this another LOST-style conundrum? He's not the devil, though he does seem to strike deals for souls.

5.) Rumpel seems to have a reason for continuously wanting to bargain for children. I'm sure it has something to do with the loss of his son, whenever that's going to be revealed. Perhaps it also ties in with certain speculation surrounding Regina.


OK, that's all I've got. I'm guessing it's fair to warn that any comments may also be spoilery.

Comments

[chloris.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's up in the air whether she would have given Henry up anyway but not having a choice has to be difficult even if the choice would have been the same. I think that's why she was so adamant that Ashley have a choice.

[atatteredrose.livejournal.com]

*Fighting back against The Man at every turn!*

*g*

I still lose a little respect for Emma here, since Ashley is clearly incapable of anything at this juncture in her life, and so Emma's comments showed really poor judgment.

[chloris.livejournal.com]

But no one can know for certain if something like this is out of their reach until they try. And as far as raising a child, half of the battle is WANTING to do it. Also, Emma has the savior role pushing on her even if she doesn't know it. I get the feeling that what feels right and necessary to her since she has come to Storybrooke is what she needs to do to give people back their happy endings.

[atatteredrose.livejournal.com]

It's more a personal reaction I have against the media constantly valourizing teenage pregnancy. Especially when it's "devotion to a tiny life" somehow meaning more than ... anything else... Like years of study and work.

Which is a rotten thing to say, I know, but it's not about the PC so much as I was a straight-A, obsessively intellectual kid, and got my teeth kicked in a lot in preference for people like Ashley. *shrugs*