Last night’s ONCE UPON A TIME told the story of the most unlikely couple in the history of the show – Hades and Zelena.
I don’t know about you, but I was not expecting to see actual romance between those two, and I admit I was very much surprised to see the words true love being thrown around about them. Could villains really love? Is there such thing as true love for someone who doesn’t love anyone?
They first met in Oz, when Zelena was trying to get the Scarecrow’s brain in order to complete her time travel spell. Dorothy had successfully hidden her friend and the Wicked Witch had no way of finding him again. Cue Hades’ spectacular entrance and – who knew – they both had siblings issues and they bonded over that. Both wanted revenge on their respective brother and sister, for taking what they thought was rightfully theirs.
So they come up with a plan to find Scarecrow and they succeed beautifully. Except, somewhere along the way, they both feel something and Hades is all for going for it. He calls what they have true love and – how convenient – a true love’s kiss could set him free from the Underworld. Zelena doesn’t believe him and tell him to go take a hike and they part ways.
Except Hades apparently really does love her in all her green glory, and he makes Rumple create a portal to take Zelena’s baby from the living world, in order to give her back to Zelena. But his plan kind of backfires because the portal brings the baby, Zelena and Belle. There was a nice little moment when Zelena concludes she can’t protect her baby because her magic is too unpredictable and I really thought she was about to redeem herself, but nope – she is still as wicked as ever. The moment she found Hades and that he had created the entire Underworld as a mirror of Storybrooke for her, she reverted to her evil self and sided with the God of the Underworld. Out of love. Because they have true love. I don’t know if that’s laughable or scary as hell.
Meanwhile, Snow and Charming are worried about Baby Neal. Finally, someone remembered the kid still exists. So they hear about this – I kid you not – haunting booth. All you have to do is go into the phone booth and tell the operator who you want to haunt. That subplot was as absurd and hilarious as it was completely heartbreaking.
In the end, they do get a message to Neal, and they know they have succeeded because Henry – in full teenage author mode – is writing new pages of the story book, which gives them hope that they will get back to the living world in one piece. Hopefully.
A new episode of ONCE UPON A TIME will air on April 10, at 8/7c on ABC (U.S.) and CTV (Canada)