Once Upon a Time Review: Tougher Than The Rest (Season 6 Episode 11)

“We make our own fate” is the underlying theme of Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 11, “Tougher Than the Rest,” the show’s midseason return. Several characters take charge of their fates in satisfying ways, and we’re treated to more than a few incredibly strong scenes and moments.

The debut of Once Upon a Time Season 6B picks up right where Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 10 left off back in December. Emma and Regina, interrupted by Robin’s ill-timed robbery, are still in the fake wishverse version of the Enchanted Forest.

Luckily, their extended stay in this alternate reality gives us a few really solid moments – some of the best of the season so far.

August is a great character (and one that I wish was a series regular), so it’s a definite plus that he plays such a big part in this episode, when Emma seeks him out to recreate the magical wardrobe that can get her and Regina back to their world.

The inclusion of August also ties in to the flashback sequence that we’re treated to in the midseason premiere.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, I’m truly over the flashbacks. Six seasons into this show, more often than not, the memories aren’t showing us anything new or particularly interesting. However, in this instance, I understand why the brief scenes of young Emma on the streets being encouraged to rally and build her own destiny are included.

The revelation that it’s August who indirectly gives Emma her name and sets her off on her destiny is a fun one. My memory is a little hazy, but if I remember correctly, we didn’t know that bit of information about her name already (though we knew she interacted with August in her past).

The story of the “Ugly Duckling” and August’s interpretation of it (that the duckling believes so hard it’s a swan that it becomes one, rather than that the ugly duckling was a swan all along) provides a poignant realization for Emma in the present. It helps her realize that she can make her own fate – she doesn’t need to accept that she’s inevitably going to die back in Storybrooke.

Emma’s breakthrough encourages Fake-August to be able to overcome his own feelings of inadequacy compared with his late father’s woodworking skills, which in turn helps Emma and Regina get back to Storybrooke. I love how take-charge and wise Emma is in this episode.

But Emma’s changed mentality also helps Regina with her Fake-Robin situation in a really touching way.

Can I just say I’m so into this “new” version of Robin? Sean Maguire plays him as an entirely different character in this episode. So sassy and sarcastic. I kind of love it.

Even better, the fact that this Fake-Robin isn’t just a carbon copy of Regina’s Robin opens up an entirely new dynamic for Lana Parrilla and Sean Maguire to play around with. It’s awesome.

Parrilla gives incredible performances always, but her scenes with Fake-Robin this week are particularly strong and so emotional. Regina’s concern that everyone (including Robin) would have been better off without her in their lives makes sense, but it’s a huge relief to find out that loving Regina actually improved Robin’s life immeasurably.

Fake-Robin’s confession in Nottingham’s carriage that he’s essentially just a petty thief living a loveless life is an excellent moment. But the best scene of the episode is their conversation when locked up by Gold, as a tearful Regina confesses to Fake-Robin that her version of him is dead. Her emotional explanation that she believes he led a good life and Robin’s agreement with that is such a heart-wrenching exchange. So, so good.

That said, it makes all the sense in the world that Emma would encourage Regina to bring Robin back to Storybrooke. Why the hell not try it? Why remain miserable and alone when there’s a remedy to that right in front of you? My heart just about burst during the moment when Robin steps through that tree after Regina thinks that her plan failed, and Regina can’t help but hug him.

Meanwhile, back in Storybrooke during their absence, decidedly less exciting things happen, as David, Hook, Belle, and Gold scurry about town trying to figure out how to stop Gideon and essentially get nothing accomplished.

Giles Matthey is an excellent addition to the cast. I love his portrayal of Gideon, and he has incredible, natural chemistry with both Emilie de Ravin’s Belle and Robert Carlyle’s Gold. I also buy his whole tortured-guy thing right away.

All in all, a big fan of him sticking around permanently. Let’s make this happen, show.

I like the plot twist that he’s actually trying to do a good thing (in a bad way) by killing Emma. Obviously, none of us want Emma to die (and I’m more sure than ever that she won’t). But the reveal that Gideon is attempting to kill Emma in order to steal her Savior power and save the people being tortured by the Black Fairy makes the set-up for the rest of this season a lot more interesting and complicated.

David and Hook said it best – they’re willing to allow Belle to try to reason with her son, but if it comes down to it, they will protect Emma.

Not that I think Emma needs any protecting. She’s got this covered, based on her brief fight with Gideon upon her return to Storybrooke. Obviously, she should have killed him immediately upon incapacitating him, but this is Once Upon a Time we’re talking about – there’s no way it would ever go down like that. Emma’s a hero.

Gold’s scene with his now 28-year-old son in the forest is another great moment in this episode. The parallels between Gold’s relationship with Gideon, and his relationship with Baelfire, are clearly drawn and great. Here’s hoping that Gold has actually learned something that will allow him to fully repair his relationship with Gideon in a way that he never quite could with Baelfire.

In fact, the Gold/Belle/Gideon scenes are the only ones that make the Storybrooke segments of this hour halfway tolerable. Like, I could honestly care less about David’s guilt over inadvertently bringing Gideon to Storybrooke. Sorry, David, it’s time to tap out and let Mama Snow handle this one.

I’m really intrigued with the direction they’re going with Gold at this point. Which is totally shocking, given that I spent the entire first half of this season fully and completely over Gold (and Rumbelle) in every way imaginable.

This Gideon reveal is a perfect way to shock Gold out of his endless cycle of betrayal, lies, and manipulation.

The final scene of the episode, between Gold and Belle at the wishing well, is wonderful and a really strong reminder for Rumbelle fans that there’s still hope.

Obviously, Gold’s motives (as per usual) are a bit muddied. He insists to Belle that he sees the error in his ways, having earlier this season tried to sever Gideon’s destiny with the shears, and that now he believes Gideon must make his own choices. But at the same time, he privately offers to help Gideon kill Emma.

Which is Gold’s real intention? I’m inclined to believe that Gold will just do whatever it takes to keep Gideon alive, good or bad – no matter what. It will be interesting to see whether Belle sides with her estranged husband simply out of a motherly desire to protect her son at all costs. Based on their cryptic final conversation, I believe that will happen and cause tension between Belle and the others.

Other thoughts:

• Hugely fat, drunkard Fake-Hook’s encounter with Emma and Fake-August is one of the funniest things that this show has ever done. The entire scene is hilarious, and you can tell that Jennifer Morrison is hardly keeping it together. We need more funny moments like this.
• What is even the point of the Sheriff of Nottingham in this episode? I get that Regina and Fake-Robin need a reason to be forced together for their big emotional scenes, but being captured by Fake-Rumple would’ve done that just fine.
• The brief flashback of Tinkerbelle bringing Regina to meet Robin that first time makes me remember how much I love that character. She’s my favorite Once Upon a Time fairy!
• I’m wondering how long the Evil Queen is going to be out of commission. I don’t imagine anyone will be particularly inclined to release her from Gideon’s serpent spell. To be honest, I don’t mind a bit of a break from her. She’s great, but a little much sometimes.
• Fake-Robin giving Regina his feather really got me. I’m shipping these two all over again, though I’m sure it’ll end in heartbreak.
• I like the idea that the Black Fairy has been terrorizing some other land, and Gideon is dedicated to trying to save it. It seems definite that the Black Fairy will be making an appearance at some point this season.

What did you think of this episode Once Upon a Time? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Once Upon a Time airs Sundays at 8/7c on ABC.

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