"Once Upon a Time" The Dark Swan (TV Episode 2015) Poster

(TV Series)

(2015)

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8/10
Rise of the Sith
hellraiser728 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Warning don't read unless you've seen the episode.

Not much I can really say, this was pretty much a standard setter episode.

We see something at the beginning when Emma was really little as she sunk into the theater to watch "The Sword and the Stone" (how ironic) we then see someone whom is disguised as an usher whom gives Emma a warning not to remove Excalabur. What did he mean by that and who is the guy is he one of King Arthur's knight whom have somehow traveled in time to our realm. Also did anything more happen in Emma's life we don't know about? Another thing is discovered when we see Excalabur has been drawn out of the stone but the other half of the blade is broken. We then discover what that other half is the dagger that now controls Emma.

Despite the fact I'm not a fan of the film "Brave" it was interesting seeing Merida, liked the actress that plays her Amy Maison whom I remember as Medea in the TV show "Atlantis". As usual she's fraking hot, liked her look and her performance, it really felt like she came straight out of the movie.

There a decent back and forth between both Emma and her. Really liked the moment when Emma was losing it as the dark side of the force was taking control preying on her desperation, you can tell from some of her vocal tone she was being nonsensical and cold. Merida was then defending herself shooting a bunch of arrows and getting to different positions. But unfortunately Emma catches all of them, the way she just moved and captured them it's like she read Merida's mind knowing where they would come from.

And then there is a moment when Merida is in real danger and Emma has her heart, I know if Emma kills her there is no saving Emma. But of course the Storybroke party arrive on time and really liked seeing Hook act as the Negotiator talking Emma down and of course thankfully he succeeds and Emma gives Merida's heart back and Emma gets her sanity back as she no longer see the Dark One for now anyway.

We see all of the Storybroke gang admitted to Camalot by King Arthur, really like the design of the castle which was solid. But then we see a six week span in our realm has passed and all of the Storybroke party are back in the our realm. We see all of them in medieval attire, I liked Regina attire she really looked like a princess. That detail showed that they all been there for a really long time, who know in the fantasy realm may'be a year passed. And we see they all lost there memories of their time there.

That's my only problem is once again they played the amisha card on all of them which I feel is getting old, we've already been down this road with Season 3 and Season 4 it's becoming repetitive. Granted they had to maintain the mystery element so I'll let it slide but this is the last time your playing this card guys, you better change tactics.

But though this we know that somehow the party failed, something went terribly wrong, someone must have found something to put a stop to the dark one once and for all which is why a portion of time got wiped from them and they all got transported back to their realm, that's only a theory we'll have to wait and see.

However the worst discover comes when we find Emma has succumb to the darkness and she is now a Sith Lord. I really like her Black Leather outfit it reminds me of the outfits of the Centebites from the movie "Hellraiser". And she got a extremely pale skin complexion and that white hair, kinda looks like Evil Lyn from "He-Man" but without the helmet. In a way Dark Swan is sort of like Evil Lyn as we see she has become obsessed with power, a bit of a power monger, and just uses her powers just because she can.

I also like how intimidating and menacing she has turned out to be, which I'll admit sent me a chill and makes me concerned about all their lives because at that moment I knew both realms are in mortal danger.

It also made me wonder if there is any saving Emma, the Excalibur is the maguffin of this part of the season I'm wondering if it's the very thing that will cure or may'be kill Emma. I also wonder if this season is setting up Emma to be Morgana Le Fay. It kinda seems that way since Morgana in this version doesn't seem to be in the picture. It would be a cool and funny twist if we discovered that Emma's middle name is Morgana. I don't know but somehow she is connected to Arthur realm in a big way.

Overall solid start lets just hope the season stays good, Emma isn't saving anyone now.

Rating: 3 stars
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9/10
A little proofreading here would be helpful.
akicork19 February 2019
"prophesized"?... "prophesized"? Really? Has anyone in the writing/acting chain graduated high school? Apart from that, a good start to the season... swept us right into the action with a good storyline and good performances.
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10/10
Dark Swan
sini-20012 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
What a start for season five! I loved the premise for this season: the savior going dark. We has been giving hints already it happening kn season four. And of course Jennifer Morrison is the perfect actress. She is doing wonderful as Emma tries her best to not go fully dark. Seeing Merida was a surprise but loved her and her thick accent (see what you did there Rumple) . The heroes and villains doing all to get to Emma was good, and how Regina is too soft to use the wand :D Loved seeing Zelena back too. Getting Granny's Diner to Camelot was hilarious! And that ending! She is so good at being Dark Emma.
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10/10
Darkness and humanity in this swan
TheLittleSongbird18 June 2018
When 'Once Upon a Time' first started it was highly addictive and made the most of a truly great and creative premise. Really loved the idea of turning familiar fairy tales on their heads and putting own interpretations on them and the show early on clearly had clearly had a ball. Watched it without fail every time it came on and it was often a highlight of the week. Which was why it was sad when it ran out of ideas and lost its magic in the later seasons.

Season 5 had a lot to live up to after Season 4 being as impressive as it was. As far as Season 4's episodes go, they were all decent to brilliant with the only small dip being "Family Business" (though "Heart of Gold" was uneven) and the best being the "Smash the Mirror" two parter, "Best Laid Plans", "Mother" and the first part of "Operation Mongoose". So was expecting a good deal from Season 5 and "The Dark Swan" is only the first episode and already there is a lot of potential.

"The Dark Swan" was a brilliant season opener for Season 5, and one of 'Once Upon a Time's' best season openers. Also a high point of the season itself and certainly one of the most interesting and most emotionally investable. It basically sets things up and starts to put things into place, but does this superbly. It does so also advancing the characterisation and the story.

Particularly notable is seeing in "The Dark Swan" how the maturity and confidence has grown so much. Really loved the dark tone of the episode, definitely one of the show's darkest as far as this and the previous episodes go. Also its humanity, advancing the characterisation without softening any characters or making them standard archetypes and not losing what made them work.

Also notable is the development to Emma. Instead of the overwrought and passive character she could be in earlier episodes, the character has come on such a long way, as has the writing and the tone, the way she's written is like the episode itself, dark and human. There is a good deal of emotional investment and found myself connecting to Emma and the story. The episode wastes no time in going straight into the main story without anything padding it out or distracting.

All the acting is strong, especially from some first class work from Jennifer Morrison, giving one of her best performances of the show. She is advantaged by her material being some of her meatiest and most mature up to this point of 'Once Upon a Time' and indicative of the vast size of Emma's progression as a character.

Furthermore, "The Dark Swan" is a very handsomely mounted episode visually, the settings and costumes are both colourful and atmospheric, not too dark or garish and never cookie cutter. It is photographed beautifully too. The music is haunting, ethereal and cleverly used with a memorable theme tune.

Writing has the right balance of humour, pathos, mystery and intrigue, or corn or cheesiness here. This aspect has come on such a long way since when 'Once Upon a Time' first started, much more complexity and nuance.

Overall, brilliant. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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