Once Upon a Time
Sunday, 8pm, ABC
Original Air Date:
Season 1, Episode 4
“The Price of Gold”Brought to you by OBS staff member Annabel Cadiz“People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. You just gotta punch back and say no, this is who I am.”
New Characters:Cinderella/Ashley: Jessy SchramPrince Thompson/Sean: Tim PhillipsRuby: Meghan Ory (Was in previous episodes but has a bigger role in this one)
Recap/Review: In the fourth episode to
Once Upon A Time, the story ventures into the tale of Cinderella. Her three evil step sisters head off to the ball along with the nasty step mother while Cinderella is left to clean in rags. Suddenly, her fairy godmother appears ready and willing to help Cinderella get to the ball . . . That is until Rumpelstiltskin kills her and claims the wand as his own. How rude! Evil never plays nice. Cinderella desperately wants a way out of her wretched life so Rumpelstiltskin makes her an offer. He will help Cinderella out of her sucky life as long as she can handle the consequences and she will have to grant him a favor in return. He wants something precious but Cinderella agrees without hearing the exact favor Rumpelstiltskin requires. Cinderella signs Rumpelstiltskin’s contract and he waves the magic wand, creating the iconic blue dress and glass slippers so Cinderella may head off to meet her prince.
Back in our world, Emma and Regina are still throwing witty quips at each other while Emma continues to bond with Henry. Regina has done some digging into Emma’s past and she haughty points out to Emma that she has never stayed in a place for longer than two years. That’s why things wouldn’t have worked out with Henry, a child needs stability and Emma can’t provide that. Emma gets so mad she ends up dropping her coca onto her shirt and heads to the back laundry room to clean up where she finds the nineteen year old Cinderella also known in world as Ashley crying. Ashley is pregnant and feeling overwhelmed. No one believes she will be able to be a good mom and she just feels like giving up. Emma gives her a good tongue lashing and tells her the decision is hers to make not everyone else’s.
But Mr. Gold (Rumpelstiltskin) won’t let Ashley (Cinderella) out of their deal quite that easily.
Important Events:•
Rumpelstitskin joins forces with Emma: Ashley breaks into Mr. Gold’s Pawn Shop to steal something from his hidden safe. Mr. Gold appears and catches her in mid act but Ashley fights back and knocks him out. Mr. Gold goes to Emma to ask for her help in locating Ashley since he has no idea where she has disappeared off to. He claims Ashley is just a lost and confused girl and he just wants to help her.
•
Cinderella’s Deal Comes with a High Price: Cinderella was able to not just dance at the ball with Prince Thompson but wind up marrying him. She celebrates her lavish wedding with Snow White and Prince James (Charming). But soon Rumpelstiltskin shows up to shake things up a bit. He tells Cinderella it’s time to cash in his favor: he wants what she does not have yet but will soon be coming, her first born child. Cinderella packs her bags, ready to leave the prince in order to protect her baby from Rumpelstiltskin but the prince doesn’t care about her past mistakes, he loves her and tells Cinderella they will just make a new deal with Rumpelstiltskin.
Back in Storybrooke, Ruby helps Emma out by telling her where she can find the father of Ashely’s baby, Sean (Prince Thomas) who isn’t much help since he’s being controlled by his father. Sean’s dad had made a deal with Mr. Gold that supposedly Ashley agreed to: she agreed to give up the child and would be paid handsomely for it. But the trip to Sean’s house was Ruby’s way of creating a diversion long enough for her to send Ashley away to Boston. The problem is no one can leave the town according to the curse so Ruby’s car winds up totaled by the side of the road with Emma finding Ashley in labor.
•
Prince Thomas Fake Baby: Prince Thomas comes up with a plan (with the help of Prince Charming and Grumpy) to change the contract between Rumpelstiltskin and Cinderella. He will have Cinderella pretend to be pregnant with twins and will promise Rumpelstiltskin the fictional set of babies in exchange for wealth and power. Cinderella will have a magic quill that was covered in fairy dust and once Rumpelstiltskin signs with it, his magic will no longer work. Rumpelstiltskin signs the contract and his power is frozen in place but Rumpelstiltskin promises Cinderella no matter where she goes, he will have the baby.
•
Magic Always has Consequences: Just as Rumpelstiltskin warned Cinderella: all magic has consequences and Cinderella finds out the hard way when Prince Thomas disappears. Rumpelstiltskin tells Cinderella she will not have him back until she meets her end of the bargain and gives him her child.
•
Emma Makes A Deal: Rumpelstiltskin makes Emma an offer: he will back off of Ashley and her baby if Emma promises to owe him a favor one day. Emma agrees but Rumpelstiltskin does not elaborate on what precisely the favor will be. Sean is reunited with Ashley and their daughter, Alexandria.
•
Emma Builds Some Roots: Emma decides to take Sheriff Graham on his offer to become Deputy and possibly build a life in the small town as she continues to grow stronger in her relationship with Henry.
Favorite Moment/Scene/Revelation: It was such a sweet scene when Prince Thomas tells Cinderella that the “magic may have brought” them together but it didn’t create the love between them. I also thought the scene when Sean reunites with Ashley and his daughter was a nice happy ending touch.
Favorite Character: Rumpelstiltskin played by is just amazing! He is terrying and funny and devious. I also really love the way the show created his look. His eyes are so freaky and just speak pure evilness.
Least Favorite Moment/Scene/Revelation: Even though I saw it coming a mile away, I was still annoyed the creators of the show decided to throw in an affair between Regina and Sheriff Graham. The show has many dark themes but also offers a light touches. I hate that they have decided to go with such a cliché. But then perhaps, Sheriff Graham may just be playing Regina for his own purposes. Maybe there’s more to time than just a dim witted small town sheriff. I hope there’s more to his story and that the show doesn’t keep heading in such a generic direction.
Author