Once Upon a Time
Season 5 Episodes 18: “Ruby Slippers”
Directed by Eriq La Salle
Written by Andrew Chambliss, Bill Wolkoff
Created by Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas, Emilie de Ravin, Colin O’Donoghue, Jared Gilmore, Robert Carlyle, Sean Maguire, Rebecca Mader
ABC
Air Date: Sunday, April 17th, 2015, 8:00pm

Last week on Once Upon A Time, it was all about Belle and Gold (Emilie de Ravin, Robert Carlyle), as Hades throws Gaston in the mix. Gold killed Gaston, but forgot to mention that to Belle. Now he is a vengeful, yet handsome ex-boyfriend. She does not want anyone to get hurt, and pleads with Rumple to let her try to reach Gaston. Belle really doesn’t want Rumple to use dark magic. She ends up accidentally throwing Gaston into the River of Souls to save Rumple’s life. Emma (Jennifer Morrison) has a vision of Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) dying at the hands of a beast. When it starts to seem to come true, they change course and get the beast – Ruby (Meghan Ory).

Spoilers below.

Once Upon A Time 5.18 “Ruby Slippers” review: Ruby is unconscious with the Under-Storybrooke visitors surrounding her wondering why? How? When? We see a flashback of Ruby and Mulan meeting Dorothy and Toto in Oz. Zelena appears-Toto for the slippers. It’s not so flashback-y as the others, as it is in a very recent past.

Hades goes to Zelena (Rebecca Mader) and tells her that Dorothy is on the way. He can help her. She just wants to ditch, not wanting Regina to find out the truth of what she did.

Ruby woke up and said Dorothy has disappeared and she needs to talk to Zelena. She put a sleeping curse on her. The only thing that could wake her up is true love’s kiss, and Dorothy does not have a love. They figure on bottling Auntie Em’s true love’s kiss for Ruby to bring to her, But Hades melts Auntie Em.

Cruella rips out the phone that contacts the life above.

Regina (Lana Parilla) tries to convince Zelena that she can come back from the whole Dorothy thing. Zelena hands over the ruby slippers. She IS changing! I hope everyone gives her a shot.

The flashback has Ruby and Dorothy having a heart to heart. The story is not exactly the Frank L. Baum story. And I think, based on the tension who Dorothy’s true love is. And then she admits it to Mulan in the past (whom you know will be understanding given her feelings for Aurora earlier in the series), and to Snow in the present.

Belle is really upset with Gold for making her go to the darkness when she killed Gaston. She goes to Zelena for help. Zelena is reluctant, but agrees. She gives Belle the sleeping curse, then goes to Hades and says she will take a chance on him.

David (Josh Dallas) trades himself for Snow to go back. So sweet! At least that works out.

Way to go Disney for being so open-minded with this storyline. I have not been interested in anything to do with Oz before now, but I really liked this. OUAT is heading towards the inevitable showdown. Will it be Gold and Hades? Zelena vs Regina? Couples teaming up?

Some thoughts:

– I did get a little annoyed that they didn’t send Henry (Jared Gilmore) back with Snow.

– I still think Gold is Belle’s true love.

– Looking forward to the return of Cora (Barbara Hershey).

– It’s time for Mulan to find her real true love.

– I’m really rooting for those crazy kids, Zelena and Hades.

– Hook is back to being nice boyfriend. I want him at least a little more snarky.

Next week it looks like Josh Dallas vs Josh Dallas – so fun!

Once Upon A Time airs Sunday nights at 8:00pm ET on ABC.

Video

The Woods of Oz – Once Upon a Time

Mulan (Jamie Chung) and Red Riding Hood (Meghan Ory) find themselves in the woods in Oz and stumble upon Toto.

Hades Warns Zelena – Once Upon A Time

Hades visits Zelena to warn her about an unexpected visitor from Oz.