Once Upon a Time Season Finale Review: Operation Mongoose (Season 4 Episode 21 and 22)

Well that was certainly an… interesting season finale.

As a tried and true Once Upon a Time fan, I’m going to have to call a spade a spade, guys. This season finale was tragic. There were parts that shined, and there were parts that made me reach for another glass of wine because OH MY GOD THIS THING IS TWO HOURS LONG.

Let’s start with the good.

Henry kills it. All season long (frankly longer than that) Henry has been cast aside in favor of shipping, wonky mythology, and weak side plots, to the point where we’ve had to keep reminding ourselves that he is still an actual character on the show.

But this two-part finale is Henry’s time to shine and be the hero he’s always dreamed.

Watching him battle ogres, stage rescue missions, and become the next author feels so fitting and right. It gives him a purpose and an adventure that has been a long time coming. Heroes and Villains is Henry’s story above all, and it’s a well deserved milestone for him.

Everything else? Oh, boy.

Besides the slightly offensive jab at “crazy fans” encompassed in the author’s book signing scene, the whole thing feels like a very bizarre fan-fiction. Regina as the put-upon princess, Snow as the vengeful, raging psychopath, and even Hook as the shy, clumsy pirate. I can appreciate characterization being flipped on its head most of the time, but this alternate reality is very hammy.

More importantly, where in the hell did baby Neal go during this two-hour foray into bizarro-world? Poor kid.

Mostly, there is simply too much going on with too many characters for the finale to feel cohesive. The Lily build up goes nowhere, as she is only featured in two small scenes — and Maleficent doesn’t even make a cameo. Belle is a very pretty wall-hanging for most of the episode, Zelena barely gets a nod, and even Charming is more of a footnote. Once Upon a Time might need to cut down on their cast next year, because it’s feeling mighty crowded, even in a two-hour episode!

The most exciting outcome of this finale, however, is that Emma is apparently now the Dark One as well as the Savior!

They’ve been teasing Dark Emma for the past four months, and now it looks like they’re finally following through on it. Just when I thought it was time to count her out!

Other Thoughts:

• Why is Belle even on this show anymore if she’s going to be continually ignored?
• Wow, they really wanted to make it clear that Baelfire couldn’t be brought back from the dead, didn’t they?
• That Captain Swan “muscle memory” scene? Swoon!
• Anyone else get Elder Wand flashbacks when Henry snapped the pen in half?

What did you think of “Operation Mongoose?” Leave your thoughts in comments below, and be sure to give the episode your own rating!

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