Once Upon a Time - Last Rites

5.21 "Last Rites"

This week one half of a couple decides that power is more important than love and that controlling others is more important than keeping the trust of his significant other. And no, I'm actually not talking about Rumple and Belle (though it continues to be true of them, too). This time it's Hades and Zelena! So Zelena decides that she can believe that Hades has changed despite virtually not knowing him at all and having virtually no evidence to support that change. And Regina decides to trust Zelena and is, shockingly, not wrong? But she loses Robin in the process. Meanwhile Killian tries to move on and has to team up with Arthur in order to take care of his unfinished business.

Okay, so I'm kind of upset over Robin's death. But last week's teaser said the "heart of Storybrooke" died and, even though Robin's a great guy and everything, he's not the heart. Sorry. So I'm glad Henry's not dead, but I feel annoyed by that? I kind of feel, though, that I would have been annoyed no matter who died, because I'm just annoyed with the show in general.

We'll get to my conflicted feelings on Captain Swan in a moment.

I want to know why Zelena is so sure that Hades has changed. His entire line in all the time that he has known her is revenge, revenge, rule the world, revenge, kill everyone who hurt me, rule the world. Of course, the revenge and kill everyone who hurt me parts were Zelena's byline until recently (and I'm really annoyed that she changed so quickly when I think about how hard Regina has had to work and struggle to change and to earn the right to be trusted and Zelena has one hug from Cora and *poof* is all happy go lucky saved and changed?), so I guess I can understand why she wants to trust him. And, of course, in the end she realizes she can't trust him and that Regina does actually have her best interests at heart.

And this was where I knew he was doomed
from here

Robin's death just seemed like a sideline in the midst of the kill Hades story, which is one of the things that annoys me. It just felt completely unnecessary and pointless. Pretty much from the moment he told Regina that she was his future I knew he was doomed. Just because they would need to kill someone off. And, to be honest, though Robin is nice, I never really connected to him and though I liked him with Regina, I rarely felt any real chemistry between them. So the death sort of lost its impact. In fact, I didn't even tear up at the funeral and I am the biggest crier in the world.

Also, just pointing out that basically all Hades and Zelena did was stand around while Hades shot blue light at the broken lightning bolt.

I do love that Belle's father is a florist in Storybrooke - that cracked me up. But I don't understand how Belle's father can give her True Love's Kiss after selling her to Rumple and then getting angry when she fell in love with him and now refusing to wake her? How is any of that love? Much less love strong enough to break a sleeping curse. I mean, if Emma and Killian can't get True Love's Kiss to save his life in the Underworld, then that certainly should not be enough. And why on earth would Rumple think that Belle would ever be okay with him beating up her dad to wake her up. Because it doesn't seem like he's entirely given up on winning her back and I'm pretty sure that would break things even further.

Even at the end Rumple is still all, this is my kingdom mwahaha and running after power while Belle is sleep cursed. Here is where I don't understand people who are still pro Rumple. I am not against people being redeemed, obviously. But it's all based on actions and choices. Regina has consistently made decisions moving in the right direction. It took time and she backslid a lot, but she was making regular progress. Same with Hook and many of the other villains.

But Rumple always - always - chooses power over love, even when his relationship with Belle is on the line. Every. Time. And every episode confirms this. He occasionally makes a good choice or helps someone, but the pattern is selfishness. So how can he ever be a good partner for Belle?

And shouldn't someone have dustbusted Hades up or something? It seems really dangerous to leave a pile of god-dust just laying around.

Arthur is dead! *dances*
One thing I really disliked about the Underworld is the way they let people off the hook for so many things. Like Cora - She shares a tender moment with her daughters and suddenly everything's okay? It sort of counters a lot of the premise of the show. And now Arthur. All the terrible things he did and he's just an okay guy who's going to help bring order to the Underworld?

Okay. So I am really conflicted over the Killian thing.

Honestly, aren't they the cutest!
from here

On the one hand I am SO HAPPY he's back with Emma and their reunion was pretty much the most adorable thing of all time. SO CUTE.

BUT I'm really conflicted about the whole Zeus/Hades thing and that Zeus was happy Hades was destroyed and decided to reward Killian by bringing him back to life? But if Zeus is lord of the dead, how does Zeus have that power? and it's all just so argh! I really wish they had stayed away from the mythology because the whole thing has just made me want to flip tables.

What could possibly happen in the finale next week? I feel like there's no story left for another episode, much less another season. I'm pretty much planning on not watching Season 6, but I have a feeling something is going to happen next week that will suck me into this train wreck again. We shall see.