Doctor Who Christmas Special "Twice Upon A Time" Review

                                           
The First Doctor (David Bradley) is attempting not to regenerate as he's not accepting he is dying.  As he wanders to the South Pole and running into Doctor Twelve (Peter Capaldi) which is pretty much where we left off in the last episode.  A Doctor Falls which is basically where Doctor Twelve signed off and this ep was his momentous goodbye to us all.  Where the fat lady sang.  The Doctor not wanting to go on and just wanting to die means something else was required for the mix, not only for the series to continue with new Doctor Thirteen, but also for Peter Capaldi to say a farewell and introduce the new Doctor.  Thus the parallels between the First Doctor not wanting to 'die' and this one, Twelve, wanting to die, to find peace.  As he asks when will he find peace?

It isn't the dilemma that faces Doctor Twelve and his decision on whether to get a new face (and body!) but rather their refusal causes a paradox thus leading to time freezing, as shown by the snowflakes still in midair.  With numerous references to the TARDIS and how it's changed, with added windows.  (Headed for another change now methinks!)

As we also jump to Ypres 1914 and a soldier, two soldiers of opposing sides, facing off with each other, fingers poised on triggers, neither one wanting to fire, but it's war this is inevitable.  The soldier  (Mark Gattis) being transported to the South Pole by an 'alien' looking, transparent being.  Stopping the Doctors in  their tracks as he asks if one of them is a Doctor?  Doctor Twelve replying, 'you've go to be joking.'  Entering the TARDIS, with the ultimate, 'it's bigger on the inside' reference. They both proceed to tick each other off.  The Doctor Twelve with his First's incarnations and outbursts and outmoded attitude and less dealing with technology, advanced that is.  Including several references to the Sonic and his sunglasses to follow, such as they being sonic and having an interface.  Browser history 'n' all.  Doctor One asking for brandy for the soldier, who can't fathom what's happening but he's not dead and right now that's all that matters. Oh and the guitar reference with Doctor Twelve trying to hide it.

As they try to escape the 'alien' they find the TARDIS is being hoisted into the ship (akin to a balloon, chain and what no laser lights or technology to beam the TARDIS in. The alien tells them it will give them a life  in exchange for the soldier as it was his moment to die and he must face it.  (A little like the two Doctors.)  Out walks Bill (Pearl Mackie) and the Doctor must examine her with his Sonic as she can't be real.  She tells him she is and she's not a Cyberman as the girl from the puddle turned up and she found her.  The First Doctor adding she must be his companion and it's good she's back since the TARDIS could do with some cleaning.  However they speak of women being glass and she says she's not, she knows women, including being with other woman, which shocks them.

The Doctors examine the 'alien' being and Doctor One says her face is distorted and if it was a computer it would be perfect.  The alien reveals others like it, they are the memories of people.  They take them, get their memories and keep them for the future. Their testimony.  He is referred to as "the Doctor of War."  Doctor Twelve thinks that what they're doing is not right and he will find out who they are and he will return, as they make their escape by following his lead and jumping onto the chains holding the TARDIS.  However the TARDIS is reeled back, thus they must resort to using the First Doctor's one.  A much similar, cleaner line (and I'm not referring to his 'needs cleaning' line from earlier either.)

Doctor Twelve examines the alien again on the screen and places the sunglasses on Doctor One's head.  Doctor Twelve was pretty quick to grab the glasses once browser history was mentioned, what's he hiding then?  Ha.  He knows somewhere they can find out what the Testimony is and takes them to Villengard where someone will be happy to see him die close up.  Of course it could only be a Dalek.  The one lone Dalek, the enemy of its own 'people'.  Agree to Doctor Twelve's terms and allows him to use the interface.  As the Doctor adds it's the only one that's appeared to him naked.  Accessing the interface he finds they are people from the future, preserving memories and Bill is part of the Testimony institute.  As we see her hand change whens he pours another brandy for the soldier.  Nameless thus far for reasons that will become obvious.

The Doctor wants to take the soldier back as he must since he tells them about his family, his sons and how they must leave their father.  Thus he takes them back to the Christmas Armistice of 1914, where his life is saved.  Where he tells them to look in on his family: the LeftBridge-Stewarts, it could only be.  Doctor One saying he now understands why they called him the "Doctor of War" not cos of his war mongering or belligerency, but his humanity and saving lives.  The moment when the Doctor decides if he still wants to die, as the First Doctor accepts his fate, returns to his TARDIS for his regeneration.  Putting right what once went wrong.  Bill said this and it brought back the line from Quantum Leap of course, Sam's prime purpose with Project Quantum Leap.

Bill says she has her memories and that's all that's necessary for her to be Bill.  As Nardole (Matt Lucas) makes an appearance too, mentioning his invisible hair and now he's glass completely and not just his nipples.  Group hug for one last time this trio will be together.  Then what fans would have been waiting for and be surprised too in some ways at the appearance of Clara (Jenna Coleman in her pre Victoria appearance on ITV later) calling him "stupid old man" and the Doctor realizing his memories are back.  He will remember her and she tells him that forgetting her was "offensive."  The push that he needed to go on and not just wither and die.  Peace is not yet in his domain.

Finally stepping back into the TARDIS one last time and letting go to Doctor Thirteen.
Who stumbles into her own problems as the TARDIS burns up and she freefalls...

The climax of course was Peter's monologue as the Doctor delivered for the final time, with emotion, depth, understanding of his role and making us realize how much we will miss him, as he stepped into this role with much uncertainty and a lot of past Doctor's shoes to fill over the years from past Doctors.  But undoubtedly it was apparent he won us over overtime (no pun) and really did make Doctor Twelve one he could be proud of.  A shame that all good things must end and Peter will rank up there as my three fave modern takes on the Doctor, Doctor Eleven (Matt Smith) Twelve and Ten (David Tennent)! Goodbye Doctor Twelve you will be sorely missed!!

Doctor: "Oh, there it is. Silly old universe. The more I save it the more it needs saving. It’s a treadmill.  Yes, yes I know they’ll get it all wrong without me.  Well, I suppose….one more lifetime won’t kill anyone. Well, except me.  You wait a moment, Doctor. Let’s get it right. I’ve got a few things to say to you. Basic stuff first.  Never be cruel, never be cowardly. And never ever eat pears! Remember – hate is always foolish…and love, is always wise.
Always try, to be nice and never fail to be kind. Oh, and….and you mustn’t tell anyone your name. No-one would understand it anyway. Except…Except….children. Children can hear it. Sometimes – if their hearts are in the right place, and the stars are too. Children can hear your name.
But nobody else. Nobody else. Ever...Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
Doctor – I let you go..."
Regenerates...More Shakespearean than speeches from past Doctors and yet even more poignant as more thought went into writing it!  But utterly moving and tear inducing!!

As for Rusty, Rusty Dalek was seen in 2014 Into the Dalek, where the Doctor and Clara explored Rusty and what had happened to him, whereby he was fixed by the Doctor since he had a chemical leak, effectively turning him back into an evil Dalek.  When the Doctor became a miniature and being able to explore inside him, he referred to that moment twice in this episode, telling Rusty how it's "been a long time" and "remember the good old days? When I got miniaturized and climbed around inside you?"  Rusty recalling how he taught him to hate the Daleks and as the Doctor's hatred of them was transferred to Rusty.  Rusty here saying "you are a good Dalek" to the Doctor reaffirms the earlier episode where the Doctor's desire to destroy the Daleks came into play.  With the Doctor now ending up in Villengard attempting to access the Dalek hive mind for information on the Testimony.  Rusty after all, was the first Dalek Doctor Twelve encountered and thus in this ep became the last he would also encounter, coming round full circle.

And read here to find where the references in the Doctor's final speech hail from:
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2017-12-25/did-you-spot-all-the-doctor-who-references-in-peter-capaldis-regeneration-speech/

Victoria Christmas Special 2017 "Comfort and Joy" Review

                                             
Kingdom of Dahomey, West Africa
King Gezo (Derek Ezenagu) would not like to anger the "great white Queen" means the Captain can take the girl as a gift.  Not much changed there!

Victoria (Jenna Coleman) played piano all the time when little, as an only child she had to break the silence.  Albert (Tom Hughes) demands a Christmas carol as it's his fave time of year. 
Victoria is given an African Princes to look after and she wants to treat her as part of her own family.  She won't accept her as a gift but as a Princess of Royal blood and in the season of charity and good will, she will also be taking in an orphan.  Handed over by Captain Forbes (Ben Lamb) and his wife, Mrs Forbes (Catherine Steadman) who has enjoyed having a child under their roof.  However everyone such as her mother (Catherine Flemming) and Albert object to this as she is not a part of their family no matter how hard she tries.  Albert particularly stressing Sarah (Zaris-Angel Hator) won't be happy here and isn't.  But Victoria doesn't listen as she is determined to make her fit in, in a  way harking back to her own childhood and how she was neglected by her mother.  The only one who cared for her was Lehzen, as Victoria misses very much.

As part of the Christmas celebrations, Albert has invited the family to the palace, not so much since he wants to see any of them, especially not Leopold (Alex Jennings) but since he wants his children's Christmas to be just as happy as he remembers it, giving them happy memories to remember too.  As he tells Ernst (David Oakes) his fond memory is when their parents stood by the Christmas tree and it was all lit up, with their mother's face glistening in the light.  As he takes Ernst along to cut down trees.  Ernst having his own problems still with the arrival of Princess Gertrude of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Nina Pavlovic) whom he is meant to marry.  Leopold not caring about his condition even if his children may be born deformed.  It's all about wealth, power and position of course.  But he cannot be with someone he doesn't love and alas the dilemma being that he cannot be with the one he loves either.

The Duchess of Buccleuch (Diana Rigg) thinks it a good idea if Wilhelmina (Bebe Cave) throw herself at Lord Alfred (Jordan Waller) since she is not happy at seeing Harriet so unhappy.  The Duchess adding it is better to be a widow than an old maid and suggests Alfred would make a suitable match.  Of course Wilhelmina always wanted Alfred before Drummond got in the way.
To top it all off at the Cinderella opera, Victoria finds the Duke of Cumberland (Peter Firth) is here and he makes reference to the diamond necklace Victoria is wearing as it happens to belong to his late mother, her grandmother.  Wilhelmina having to give Alfred a hanky as he dries his tears at the opera.  Cumberland even shows Victoria the legal document where it states all his mother's worldly possessions were to be passed down to him.  Victoria adding she may not be versed in the law but she is aware that possession is nine tenths of it and refuses to give up the necklace.  She wants Albert to have a look at the will, but he thinks it is rightfully his and should be returned.

Albert caught up in the festivities and wanting trees hung from the ceiling, a tree for all the six tables and presents under it.  Making it a grand affair.  Bringing home the German traditions of Christmas with trees, lights, and oranges.  As well as mentioning cards with delightful pictures on them.  How quaint!  And how Martin Luther decided on a tree with lights in his house after he saw the stars lighting up the sky. Sarah is unhappy as he said and she has nightmares about home and missing her mother.  Victoria takes her out shopping and she buys a doll for her.  As when Victoria was little she only had dolls as her friends and no one else.  Harriet (Margaret Clunie) suggests Victoria pose for a portrait for Albert's present as the artist, Winterhalter, will bring out the goddess in her.  (Had to laugh at that considering we'd just had David in Venus in Fur: a veritable feast of goddesses being mentioned in that!!) whereas Albert has his own creation up his sleeve, he commissions a crown to be made for Victoria with emeralds being her birthstone (mine too ha!)  As her mother frowns upon the portrait, Victoria with her hair down to one side, perish the thought as if Albert isn't seen her all bare and naked!!

It snows and the Royal party heads for a spot of ice skating on the frozen lake, but Harriet refuses Ernst's help with her skates, ruing over the Princess being here and she ignores him after falling down and he tries to explain to her.  Albert is happy with his sleighing antics with the children and Victoria builds a snowman with Sarah.  With them both having their disagreements, as she refuses to believe that Sarah is unhappy here and should return home.  Victoria cries as Sarah wanders the palace in the dark and comes across the parrot which reminds her of her own home again and she tells Victoria how Mrs Forbes told her that crying solves nothing.  Instead she made a funny face which she tells Victoria to try.  Also Victoria doesn't miss her mother but she misses Lehzen.  As Albert and Victoria argue over why Sarah doesn't have a table of her own, she listens to them.  As well as writing a letter to Mrs Forbes wishing she could be making current buns in the kitchen with her.

The Royals attend the staff party downstairs as Victoria dances with Penge (Andrew Schiller).  Ernst wants to dance with Harriet but she refuses and he chooses Cleary (Tilly Steele) instead, as well as shutting out the Princess.  That'd would've made Cleary's Christmas!! ha. Wilhelmina notices Alfred isn't dancing with the maids so she dances with him herself as the Duchess of Buccleuch looks on very happy.  Leopold admonishes Ernst for rejecting the Princess who is leaving for home.  Since marrying for love won't make him happy.  Harriet sneaks in to his room in her undies and as they frolic about on the bed, Ernst can't bring himself to go through with it and wreck her life.  Instead he dismisses her by saying he's "only interested when the fruit is forbidden!"  Leopold finds her crying and knows she's been with Ernst and tells her about his affliction.  Which as we know, should have been Ernst's to tell not his. 

Wilhelmina gives Alfred a lock of Drummond's hair which his fiance had sent to her.  It is rightfully his and inside it reads 'surpassing the love of a woman.'  He later proposes to Wilhelmina saying there are other kinds of love.  Victoria finds Sarah is missing and looks for her outside at the lake.  Where she sees Albert skating as he suddenly falls through the cracking ice.  She tries to rescue him but can't break the ice, fearing losing him, he suddenly resurfaces crashing through the ice.  As Albert sings Christmas carols jovially, Ernst comes in and takes one of the especially hand-crafted baubles Albertd had made in Bohemia.  Fearing he might drop it, he does on purpose and breaks the news to Albert that the fun he remembers that Christmas wasn't a happy memory at all.  It was the Christmas their mother left them and the glistening were her tears.  Their Christmas wasn't so happy after all and he stomps away.  Ernst always being the level-headed, pragmatic brother, except when it came to his love life.

Victoria sends Sarah away to live with the Forbes again and gives her the parrot to look after.  Ernst apologizes to Alfred for his behaviour and tells him of his condition.  How he went to Paris after their father died and being just like him, he came away with this disease.  Alfred wants to know why he didn't tell him sooner and Ernst adds since he's older he should've known better.  Having a different reaction from him than he did with Leopold who spoke more of the proclivities of their father.  Harriet also tells Ernst she knows of the mercury and she wants to be by his side more than anything, which is all they can do, as he holds her. Leopold suggests Albert should speak with Cumberland regarding the necklace but Albert thinks it should be returned.  Victoria telling Albert of how Cumberland would want her to die so he could become king and how she slept in her mother's room for 18 years incase he tried to dispatch her.  Alfred not wanting Leopold here but only invited him since it is Christmas.

At the Christmas celebration, Cumberland comes around again with a change of mind and says he doesn't want the necklace.  Albert knowing Leopold was behind this but he says the Duchess had more to do with it knowing that he keeps an apartment at St James's Place as it belonged to the crown.  Albert still thanks him and Victoria asks Cumberland to stay.  Her mother saying she always tried to do her best for her.  Exchanging their gifts Victoria loves the emerald encrusted crown and Albert thinks the portrait exquisite.  He knows she misses Lehzen who would be her only support and enjoyment at Christmas when she was little, with her box of cherries, but he says they are grown up now, no matter how much she would like to have her back.  Oh Albert she was more than a mother figure to her, she was also her friend and confident.  Sometimes he came across as being so out of touch with Victoria's feelings, just as he was with Ernst's, not knowing there was something wrong with him, especially when eh smashed the bauble.  Being right as there's more to life than mere trinkets and happy memories which are not shared by everyone.

Meanwhile life downstairs takes a turn for the better for Mrs Skerrett (Nell Hudson) and for Penge, but their fortunes don't last long.  Penge invests in the Leeds Thirst Railway line which isn't to be and loses his life savings.  Whilst Skerrett inherits from a paternal uncle she never knew about.  However it's actually slaves in the US that have been left to her, but she can't keep them.  Even if Francatelli (Ferdinand Kingsley) says they could start their own hotel.  She wants them to be set free and the pompous Lincoln's Inn lawyer says she should get the advice of a man before she does that.  Penge and Skerrett drowning their sorrows in wine.  However Penge says that anyone should have the right to make their own decisions.  They are servants but they are not slaves.  She also tells Francatelli this who states he would have told her to do the same had she come to him.  He proposes to her asking if she'll accept a man with only a pastry brush to his name.  If they find out, they'll be dismissed, but she doesn't care as they want each other.

Thus ended the saga of a Victoria(n) Christmas with the usual fare of unrequited, unwanted and doomed love.  Two engagements, two rejections, and Victoria and Albert always doing what is right even if it takes them a while to see it.   The title of course referring to the carol God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen as is the season, it was all about what men wanted.  Thus Skerett being told to get advice from a man, not having a mind of her own.  Though Victoria gets her own way, would she have taken her in if she hadn't been of 'Royal' blood, highly unlikely, if at all.  As for Skerrett being given property, of course 'comfort and joy' was no reflection of humanity and what it was like to actually be comfortable and joyful.  An episode highlighting slavery and the wrongful machinations of men, if only just touching upon it since it was meant to be about Christmas after all.

Albert was the only one who have designed a tiara for his wife back in 1845 reflecting his creativity and more so his love.  Though where those jewels were pillaged from was anyone's guess.  Of course tis only TV and I jest at this point in time.  But Alfred is still not over his grief as he wears his black armband under his shirt, though he could have worn it under his jacket.  If only they hadn't intended to show him shirtless.  In a similar scene (almost) Ernst still has his rash and more despair to overcome.  Never fear though as Victoria Will Return...

Surf's Split - A Short Spirited Story

Returning to the crashing empty waves again on each midnight hour, he recalled the bitterness of the days that had gone before.  The spirit to achieve a victory in the surf comps every night proved daunting and physically impossible at times.  Through it all he persevered if only to prove to his lost love that he could do it.  For her, in her name.  But tonight as the moon grabbed the creamy surf of the water and ravaged the gravity to a crescendo, something proved to be lacking.  It didn't feel the same to him and he knew there must be something more than this surfing life.  Something more meaningful.  Yet he longed for her, for her memory; to hold her in his arms again.  Gripping her tightly and sensually as he gripped his surfboard.  The waxed smoothness under his hands and feet as it hit the cool crest of the waves.

Tonight was different.  He imagined her there, reaching out to him and as he stood on the beach, each grain of sand slithering under his feet.  There it was.  A sigh, silent, but it took hold of him like nothing he ever felt before.  A feeling, an emotion.  No it was more, much more than that.  It was a chill even though this was San Pedro and the air was never so cold or frigid.  He felt slimy fingers brush across his ankle.  He thought it was the surf, the ocean clinging to him as it always did when he was out there amongst the many other surfers.  As he looked down, he spotted a hand.  The tanned fingers, slender and smooth, but clammy and cool to the touch at the same time.  A figure rose from the curdling sandy grains.  Rubbing his eyes in wonder, he saw her  in all her magnificence as if she had never left him.  Her midnight blue sarong gently flapping in the breeze.

It couldn't be her.  She was a distant memory and she was no longer around.  He had said his goodbyes that fateful December evening and at the service.  Ghosts.  He didn't believe in those.  He believed her soul to have risen to a better place.  One where he could no longer hurt her.  No one could touch her.  The dreams he had of her all those days and nights after made him fuel his career further.  But it was for her he kept telling himself.  All for her.  He couldn't let the guilt go.  He tried to feel it ebb away everytime he stood on that precious surfboard, yet it lingered like an echo.  Calling out to come to terms with his guilty act.  The mens rea could not be reconciled with the actus reus.

Casually and fervently he was drawn out of his enchantment and she was edging closer to him still.  He could see through her.  The transparency was as clear as the foam that builds on each crest and in that desperate one last coffee before the thrill of the swim.  Slowly she whispered his name.  He dropped the bottle from his hand.  The one he had been cradling for comfort and the one that got him through the emptiness, the empty nights on the beach.  The beach bum that he'd become.

It wasn't his fault he told himself and yet each lamentable evening at dusk he would smell mimosa and jasmine.  All coming together in some evocative mix and scantily haunting him.  Then as soon    as it came, the moment desisted.  No one could have prepared him for that ungodly act.  He knew she was his only love and he would always love her no matter what.  But things turned round in a flash.  Passions spent and tragedy ensued.  Ill prepared he rued what he had become...

Her paintings were her life blood and she would paint for hours on the beach.  Capture all, a fleeting picture before the light faded.  Her love of the ocean was how they met.  She would see him in the water from early crimson dawn onwards.  Whenever the wanes were turbulent and he would catch the big one.  The wipe out.  The heavenly tumbling time after time and wave after wave made him forgot who he was.  For he was at one with nature, the fiercest sea and the world.  Peace out with his world.  She painted him.  Capturing the essence of his persona; his character and the only thing that was forever on his mind.

This time, the mimosa became real and as he reached to take away the soaked hand from his leg, he couldn't hold it.  His fingers slipped through and he could only hold his own ankle.  Yet she was still there...words failed him and her beauty mesmerized him still.  She opened her mouth, curled her delicate, ruby lips, but she said nothing.  Words failed him, but she couldn't speak.  As she gestured to him, he didn't get the meaning.  Suddenly he appeared to come to his senses and stumbled backwards almost falling onto his bottle, which by now had drained away and floated across the fluctuating sandy carpet.

What was he doing?  She wasn't real, only the cruel imaginings brought on by the furore of his drinking.  That was real.  The ebb and flow of his heartbeat and the massive pain he felt in his head all made him marvel at the phantom creature that emerged before his very eyes.  He wasn't afraid, not now.  He wanted to touch her still and hold her.  Why now?  What was her reason for being here?  The questions swirled his mind, but he could only wonder.  Slumping down again for he couldn't get away, she crossed his path once more and went through him.  He shivered as the chill passed through him.  Turning around, she gestured to him with her bony finger.  Paralysis struck him at this moment and he dared not move...He glanced once more behind him but something was amiss.  She was gone and he didn't know what to think.

The logical process was all too consuming and he was way past the thinking stage.  Once again he tried to make sense of the madness.  December loomed in his head again and the painting.  It depicted it all.  Lone surfer on a sea of scarlet.  Raising his arms, flailing frantically as he struck the one person who was trying to be his saving grace...Wiping the sweat from his furrowing brow, he managed to reach his bed and sink into the pillow face down.  He thought he passed out in some drunken stupor and awoke to find the bed being violently shaken.  He was rolled from side to side and swallowed by his linen sheets.  He grappled, fought for air.  Tossed every which way as felt the miasma when riding those surely waves.  This was incredibly consuming and frightening.  He couldn't breathe.  The pillow being stretched across his face once the sheets were moved.  He felt pulling and a sudden shock to his heart.  He thought he was being squashed and sat upon by an unforeseen force.  This wasn't her.  She couldn't be so strong.  A moment passed.  It was only a minute as he managed to stare at the luminous numbers of the clock.  It ended as soon as it began.  Calm once more struck a motionless sorry existence in that bleak room.

Sitting up he tumbled across the bed, falling to the floor.  He reached in front of him stamping his hands on the solid, cold hardwood.  This was the finality of the night.  Some damning entity had reached him.  Invaded his space and he still didn't believe in ghosts.  Spirits.  Wandering souls looking for revenge.  To find a semblance of peace.  Was this her?  Was this the same fate that awaited him when that destined end arrived for him.  In the waves, crashing under the seamless contours of each ripple, each riptide...Suddenly there came a crash.  The window was broken and glass shards fractured to smithereens were scattered and strewn across the entire room.  Yet it was silent.  No breeze, only silent yet protruding sounds from the surf.  Always the surf.

He got up once again.  No - he picked himself up.  Ran towards the glass and the window.  Being careful not to cut his feet.  Stepping over and onto the balcony.  Through the sway of the palm trees, he glimpsed a small solitary figure high above on the edge of the rocky cliff.  Then he saw it swiftly jump.  Soaring down into the sink and onto the slippery sleek rocks below.  Rubbing his eyes again not forgetting the image.  The haunting facade was much scarier than some spirit trying to possess his every being.  He took a deep breath and swallowed hard.

Once more he recalled that day.  She was on the cliff ledge and leaned over to catch a rare piece of history.  Painting a sunset smothering the ocean with its blend of intriguing hues, orange, yellow, deep russet.  She left him that day but he drove hr to it; at least in his limp mind.  Was it natural?  Expected?  He believed it was him that had pushed her and now he was having niggling doubts...spirits were violent...spirits were angry...spirits were peaceful...comforting...did something drive her to it?

Competition day arrived again and he thought long and hard about pulling out of it.  He was in no fit state to surf and win.  Only a coward would give up.  He was a coward.  This was his life...Angry thoughts wouldn't hold him back or stop him from living the last moments of his dream.  Soon he would be too old to surf and compete.  Beach bum that he was.  Surfing was paramount.  Surfing was - is life...

He was still tormented by the dreams, that vision he saw on the cliff, the fall.  His flailing, this time zooming in close-up fashion, he saw himself.  Going over the edge, but he was here and not there.  It was almost like a bilocation.  As if he were seeing a scary doppelganger.  The thoughts occurring to him of how this signified a darker foreboding.  Surely he had nothing to do with supernatural happenings.  Dreams, nightmares, that's all this ever was.  Something he could control and wake from in an instance.

Waves hit, streaming in unison with his lifeless, limp body.  He extricated, tried to escape the rift, the rip that was ebbing further and further towards him.  He was caught up in a tidal wave-like grasp which seemed to take hold of his body.  His arms, his legs, the evil grip tightening like a rope around his neck.  He felt cold, clammy fingers again, the same that had held him that night on the beach.  With each passing wave over his head, he could see the emptiness of his life.  Some strange apparition had caught him, entered his body and he had been too weak to stop it.  This was his reckoning and his tumultuous ending.

This was her revenge.  He did have a doppelganger, he ended up living in the same house, same interests someone born with another's memories and not once did he think his love of surfing would lead him to such a climactic crossroads.  That the ocean could be so cruel in exacting such a tempestuous tsunami on his life.  Only she, as a spirit suffering in turmoil, had found the wrong victim to exact her scathing scorn.  He had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, as cliched as it sounds...now he too could scour the seas and always be a winner in his never ending surfy trip...

Once Upon A Time 7.10 "The Eighth Witch" Review

                                             
Some questions are answered in this episode as we get to see Zelena (Rebecca Mader) and Regina (Lana Parilla) in the other realm and how she's come to Emerald Farm to see Robin (Tiera Skovbye) too who's all grown up now and is 25.  As she fires some arrows at Reggie thinking she's an intruder.  Zelena adding at least she's a lousy shot.  Reggie's come to warn her about the witches and how they're trouble.  Zelena shows her the coin with that same symbol Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) saw on the man in Hyperion Heights.  She tells Robin she should warn their loved ones.

At Hyperion Heights Lucy (Alison Fernando) still lies in a coma and nothing can be done to revive her, as Rumples (Robert Carlyle) tries to teach Anastasia (Yael Yurman) how to control her magic, or rather he tells her to pick the dagger that looks familiar or she thinks is magical.  All the daggers fly off into the cupboard which contains Rumples' actual dagger. 

Henry (Andrew J West) tries to call Jacinda (Dania Ramirez) from San Francisco but she doesn't reply and he suspects something isn't right.  They find Zelena as Reggie/Ronnie gives him a pair of jogging bottoms.  They ride exercise bikes at a place where she's working as a spin instructor and calls everyone flying monkeys, as she would.   Zelena hates Ronnie cos she sent Robin away convincing her it was more interesting to travel than to educate herself.  Ronnie says she needs to have one drink with her and then she'll leave.

At the locker she pours the remembering spell potion into the whiskey and convinces her to take a drink, she'd prefer cucumber, honey and lavender.  (Sounds like the drink Rapunzel whipped up in the previous ep!)  After a while she regains her memories and Ronnie tells her they need to head back to deal with Gothel (Emma Booth).  Also Zelena tells her she's getting married and she needs to do this cos even if she remembers now, she still loves him.  Zelena finding someone to love when Reggie can't.  Henry finds out about Lucy and heads back.  Zelena agrees to help cos that's what heroes do.

In the Other Realm, Drizella (Adelaide Kane) tells everyone what will happen on Lucy's eighth birthday with the curse and Henry is ecstatic he has a baby girl.  Victoria (Gabrielle Anwar) uses magic to turn her to stone, but that will wear off in eight years too, coincidentally! Eight years on, on the day of Lucy's birthday, Gothel shows up with some of her minions (fellow witches) and breaks the curse releasing Drizella.  With the impending curse Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) needs Rumples' (Robert Carlyle) help in finding a way to be with his daughter, Alice (Rose Reynolds).  He gives him a white elephant, remarking on how everyone knows what that meas by now.  Alice is willing to go through this as he is making such a sacrifice and she gives Hook a note for her love, which turns out to be Robin.

Lucy and Henry meet Tiger Lily (Sara Tomko) and she gives him Geppetto's axe which will cut down the tree, but it's too late as the witches find him.  He tells Lucy to go to the other world and take the book with her.  This is where we came in at the opening ep of season 7.  The witches gather to cast the curse but Victoria tries to stop them and isn't powerful enough.  Reggie and Zelena arrive with
the others but can't do anything since one of the hooded figures is actually Henry who's been poisoned by Gothel.  Either Reggie casts the spell as she needs the final ingredient, a witch's magic; one who has crushed the heart of a true love, or Henry will die here, as they need to get to a land without magic.  Reggie has no choice and it's what she has to do.  Jacinda is concerned Lucy won't remember her and she's just a child.  Sloppy writing there instead of referring to Lucy as a child, she calls her a 'kid', how twentieth century of her!  Hook gives her the white elephant instead, which explains why Jacinda recalls Lucy in Hyperion Heights and Hook had the misfortune on missing out with Alice.

Before the cursed curse strikes, Rumples gives Alice the little teacup as a key to his remembering and that she should give it to him.  As the curse continues, we get to see that it was actually Reggie who had to cast the curse again, Evil Queen past catching up to her again, but it's for the greater good this time round in saving Henry.  We also get to see that symbol on t he tat/coin is the markings that the witches stand upon, thus it has eight sides.

Lucy still lies in a coma and Jacinda thinks if Henry reads to her, then it might help her wake up.  He reads the part about how he was waken by Emma and true love's kiss and as he tries it with Lucy, saying he finally believes, it doesn't work.  Reggie tells Zelena Henry tried that already and they have no choice, they have to bring back magic even if it means Henry will die.  Alice shows Hook the symbol on the tat and drawing in the journal before it's washed off a wall.  Anastasia can't control her magic as Gothel makes her appearance and she sweeps everyone away.  But Ivy turns up and tells her she's Drizella all grown up and she puts on some vine bracelets to dampen her magic, as she takes her to Gothel.  When she arrives, she also puts on those bracelets.  But instead of Ivy getting the magic, Gothel gives it to Anastasia.  Ivy saying how she betrayed her.  She throws Ivy down into the well, where Victoria tells her not to look at her.

Gothel shows Anastasia the eight robes which need to be filled by the witches and they're in town.  Thus the symbol appearing everywhere.  Three months for the return but hopefully it will be a little less all the over the place and try and reach more of a conclusion to its various chapters.  Once again poor Hook misses out on knowing Alice and Rumples doesn't tell him either, though he did tell him about Belle.  As we ask ourselves who the other witches will be.  Henry once again loses his belief as Lucy doesn't respond and Reggie will have to find some way of saving them both..... along with Zelena's help.  Henry not believing is a complete reversal of  the younger Henry who was the one who always had an answer for everything with his operations.  Believing in fairytales and happy endings was all he ever wanted.  Which is now turned around cos of the curse.  Wonder why Reggie didn't give Henry any of the potion before they left for San Francisco, though that would interfere with the way the ep/season was written.  But who cares, it would've helped in the longrun.  Though no one knew that he was cursed to die if he came near magic!

Once Upon A Time 7.9 "One Little Tear" Review

                                           
We see Rapunzel (Meegan Warner) in the Other Realm as she tries to forage food for her family and her daughters, as she mentions Anastasia, knew she was really Victoria, she had to be related to one of the characters in the Other Realm.  She's caught by the witch aka Mother Gothel (Emma Booth) and she makes a deal with her: that her family not want for anything and in return for this deal, she basically sacrifices herself as Rapunzel is transported to the tower.

In Hyperion Heights Victoria (Gabrielle Anwar) speaks with Ivy/Drizella (Adelaide Kane) and she's still determined for Anastasia (Yael Yurman) not to be resurrected.  Did she really expect Victoria to help her in telling her where she hid her.  Weaver/Rumples (Robert Carlyle) then comes in and Victoria makes a deal with him too.  They can stop playing this game cos she knows he knows who he really is.  Thus she says she will tell him who the Guardian is if he helps her get out.  Even calling him Rumpelstiltskin for that added extra touch.  She's released since Hook Rogers (Colin O'Donoghue) didn't have a warrant for that place when he arrested her.  Rumples also letting drop he knows she's Rapunzel.  So Hook proceeds to get into Rumples' storage locker and finds a number of files all to do with them and with their photos.  He sees Sabine/Tiana (Mekia Cox) and he questions her again (see he deffo has a soft spot for her).  She draws him the dagger that Rumples questioned her about.  Obviously he was seeing if she could be the Guardian and thus wielding magic.  Saying it was used to jimmy open the door.

Victoria gives Jacinda (Dania Ramirez) her files regarding Lucy (Alison Fernandez) and says she was the one who signed her away it wasn't Victoria, but now she wants Jacinda to have her back.  She's glad she got in touch with Nick (Nathan Parsons) as her lawyer.  Victoria saying it was a test to see if Jacinda would fight her custody application, but she didn't at first but she did later and clearly she's passed.  Victoria was trapped in the tower for six years without seeing her children so she does know a little about family and fighting tooth and nail for them. As she was trapped in the tower Rapunzel gets the idea to escape after seeing some lanterns floating by, she uses her hair as a rope and chops it off.  Shame those scissors were left lying around.

Reaching home she finds Marcus (Matty Finochio) is married to Cecilia (Cindy Luna) and has a step daughter, Ella/Jacinda.  Gothel shows up again and tells her she should get rid of the competition, thus giving her some poison in a toadstool.  She throws it onto the fire but then she becomes a slave to the family and isn't happy when Drizella ignores her at her birthday party.

Jacinda asks Nick if the papers are authentic and says she wants Nick in her life after she kisses him, but only so that he can get to know Lucy.  She then picks up the mix tape again.   Victoria heads to the mausoleum but it's only to pick up her bag and some other ingredients she needs.  Rumples expected to find Anastasia there.  He tells her about Baelfire and how he wanted to have a better relationship with him before he lost him.  After he finds Ivy and Gothel following them.  She disappears by the time they arrive after saying she has plans for them.  Gothel has words with Rumples as she tells him by letting Victoria go he's done something very bad for his great grand daughter, Lucy.

In the Other Realm Rapunzel used the mushy but it made Cecilia fall asleep and as she and Marcus grew closer together and were on the verge of sharing a kiss, Ella walks off as the snow man's hat blows away and ends up falling into the cracking ice.  Anastasia tries to save her, but Marcus can only bring out Ella.  She takes Anastasia to Gothel who manages to save one last breath in her lungs.  Gothel wants to return Anastasia to the tower but Rapunzel gets one over on her as she steals the bottle from her and sends her to the tower instead.  Which is where she will meet Hook and escape as we saw earlier.

Victoria shows Lucy the vid she took of Jacinda kissing Nick and shows her the Once Upon A Time book, telling her the stories are real.  As she then proceeds to break her innocence by telling her that she and Henry won't be together, thereby catching her tear on the book, which she uses to wake Anastasia.  Just barely, I mean how long was she going to mess around with that tear before she lost it, but also it didn't dry up already.  They search for Lucy and she returns home where she passes out.  Anastasia wakes and Ivy walks away despondent but not giving up.

Hook confronts Rumples about what's happening, he's either a corrupt cop, he can't decide.  Rumples tells him he won't believe him, but he is looking for his wife.  It's crazy but Hook believes him and helps him.  Now some of the pieces begin to join together as we near the mid-season finale.  As we get answers to who Victoria really is and how Gothel ended up in the tower, as well as how Ella lost her mother.  Even if Victoria says she believes in family, she still manages to put her own family first and in helping Anastasia, she lets Lucy suffer.  So her good deed of letting Jacinda have custody back was just for her own purposes and not out of the goodness of her cold heart.  Well Rapunzel should've stayed locked in the tower.  Explains Victoria's  taste for buildings and high rises.  Ha.