Once Upon A Time Recap: "Selfless, Brave, and True"

Ah, nothing like coming back from a nice relaxing weekend to do a bit of blogging. And nothing says "The Missing Linc" more than a OUAT recap! So let's get into this week's episode: "Selfless, Brave, and True". As always, if you don't want to be spoiled like last month's bananas, you might want to avoid this post for the time being.

It seems that, according to Kitsiss and Horowitz, there's nothing like quite Phuket to run away to whilst having an existential crisis. I'm sure there's a deleted scene where August runs into Jack Shephard.

That's Chinese for "I'm Turning Into Wood"

At 8:15 am (that's 8:15 pm Storybrooke time, when Emma first enters town and time starts to move forward again) August wakes up to discover that his leg has turned back to wood. Still not quite the hero we see him become at the end of Season 1, he tries to find a way to heal himself and is led to a man known as the Dragon. But someone else is waiting for him. It looks like Neal's fiance`, Tamara, has a past that she hasn't shared with her future husband.

"Well if you think THIS is a wild story..."

Tamara, on a mission to find magic in this world, has tracked August and tricked him into getting a vial full of magic from the Dragon. The all-knowing, mysterious healer is fully aware of who Pinocchio is and where he comes from, but Tamara kills the Dragon (with a taser that I'm guessing was set to "Sith Lighting") before we find out more about him.

Is it at all wrong that I immediately thought "Mushu from Mulan"?

After a harrowing chase through the streets of Hong Kong, Tamara absconds with the vial, leaving August to further suffer the affects of being turned back into wood. However, she's not done with him yet. Following August to New York, she discovers that there is a town called Storybrooke, and that yet another man hails from the land of magic. Using the old "oops, clumsy me!" routine, she bumps into Neal and starts a relationship with him, biding her time until she can get her hands on an entire town's worth of magic.

And that brings the Stiltskin Family Love Success Rate to.....0%.

Back in Storybrooke, Snow White needs to clear her head and goes out to shoot some arrows, one of which finds its way directly into Pinocchio's leg. He cannot face the shame of returning to Storybrooke in his wooden state, despite Snow's insistence that there are people there who care about him. A visit from Tamara, who promises him a bit of healing potion in return for his exile, causes August to turn tail and run, until he discovers that she has been lying. Before he can warn his friends, Tamara once again sets her taser to 11 and fries August to a crisp (if you listen carefully, you can hear him whimper "Don't tase me, bro!"). But fear not, August fans! Because his last act was to attempt to warn Emma and Co., he was deemed selfless, brave, and true by the Blue Fairy and turned back into a hunky, dreamy....

....Oh. Never mind.

Unable to remember what he was going to tell them, Pinocchio walks off with Geppetto and the Blue Fairy, ready to give being a good little boy one more try. Meanwhile, Greg Mendell, aka Owen, has just had an encounter with Regina who warns him not to continue his search for his father. At the end of the episode, he receives a knock at the door. And the person on the other side is none other than: HER!

Behold: HER!

So, it aaall comes out! Tamara is in league with Owen, but what are their true intentions? Are they simply out to find his father? To gain access to magic? Or maybe they're just working together to accomplish their respective goals. It looks like the biggest threat to Storybrooke didn't come from Cora, but will instead come from our world. As we enter the home stretch to the finale, we'll find out more about their true plans in just....wait....what?.... THREE WEEKS?!

"Son of a..."

'Til then, dearies!

-Joe

Your Evening Linc: New Star Trek Into Darkness Trailer, OUAT Clip, And Doctor Who Teasers

What a fine evening it is! At the time of writing this blog has been viewed 1,034 times! I'm very grateful for all of you that have read, commented, and shared The Missing Linc. I have had a blast writing it and you better believe there will be more to come! As a matter of fact...

1. New Star Trek: Into Darkness Trailer and Poster

Now, I have to preface by saying I was never that big into Star Trek, but J.J. Abrams has certainly given the franchise new life and made it appeal to fans and non-fans alike. The sequel, Into Darkness is due out May 17th. Here is the new poster just released today:

Mr. Holmes, I presume?

It's funny, but once I start liking a new show or movie, it's all I see anywhere. Benedict Cumberbatch of Sherlock fame is looking absolutely dark and devious as villain John Harrison. Our heroes, Uhura, Kirk, and Spock, look a little out of their depth. And if the new trailer is any indication, it looks like they'll be facing a whole mess of danger.



2. Regina Confronts Owen in a Clip of Sunday's OUAT

It's always nice to see a familiar face...except when that face looks exactly the same as it did 30 years ago. Greg Mendell, aka a grown-up Owen, is confronted by Regina in his hotel room. He doesn't believe that his father just up and left Storybrooke and he demands answers. Regina gives him one: leave, or he'll disappear too.

 

Can't wait for Sunday and another fantastic episode!

3. Doctor Who: Bells of St. John Prequel To Air, New Clip, and Peter Jackson Really Wants to Direct

The good people over at the BBC will be airing a prequel webisode to the first new episode "The Bells of St John" on Saturday, March 23rd. The Doctor has been searching in vain to find Clara, the impossible girl who has died twice so far in different eras. When he does find her though, the Eleventh Doctor's boyish charm shines through (thanks to the brilliant acting of Matt Smith).

"Wait, this isn't a video clip!"

Well, Clara, you're right. The clip can only be viewed at Entertainment Weekly's website. But when you do, note the glee in the Doctor's voice. He can't help but be intrigued by Clara, who in this incarnation doesn't quite know who the Time Lord is yet. This scene is classic Smith, including his delight at his accidental invention of the "quadracycle".

And who knows, maybe one day we'll see an episode by this bright new talent named Peter Jackson. That's right, the Lord of the Rings director has been a Whovian since childhood and has publicly stated more than once that he would love to take the helm for an episode. Jackson reveals his enthusiasm in another exclusive EW article.

"They don't even have to pay me," Jackson writes. But I have got my eye on one of those nice new gold-colored Daleks. They must have a spare one (hint, hint).

Does this man have any unfulfilled child fantasies?

C'mon Moffat, giive him what he wants!

That's all for now! Here's to the next 1,000 views and beyond!

-Joe