Once upon a time the bear and the bow

First of all, apologies for the delay in getting this review up! I was on a Disney cruise and unfortunately had to miss the episode since cruise staterooms don't have DVRs. But now that I'm home, let's catch up. "The Bear and the Bow" was Merida-tastic. Coincidentally, I rewatched Brave while on the cruise, so all the homages to the animated film jumped out at me. There were too many of them. The shot of Merida loosing the arrow to save the lives of her brothers was just like when she shot for her own hand. And since they did reference the events of the movie -- Merida said she'd experienced the magic of the potion -- Merida should know she doesn't need the potion to change her fate. Wasn't the lesson one of the biggest takeaways from the movie?

Merida was a key part of the story in the flashbacks and present day and so was the tried and true theme of finding the hero within yourself. Belle helped in both time periods, and Emilie de Ravin's performance in this episode was some of her best work on the series to date. It was some of the best character material, too. Belle doesn't need the spotlight, but by offering her support and help to others, she is in the spotlight. She's so much more than a supporting, Giles-esque character. She is a hero in her own right, whether she realizes it or not.

Once Upon a Time: "The Bear and the Bow" Photo Gallery:

Once Upon a Time: "The Bear and the Bow" Photos

Belle also helped Rumplestiltskin become a hero. The way she constantly believes in him is occasionally frustrating, but it's true to her character. She has stood up to him in the past, and she did so here too by leaving his side when he wanted to run away from the problem. The Belle of a few years ago wouldn't have pushed back. She's come a long way, and since Rumple is no longer the Dark One, maybe their relationship can develop too. There were certainly moments in the episode that showed their potential.

Rumple becoming more heroic because of Belle completely worked. She's the only person who could bring out the brave side in him. Robert Carlyle has been a delight to watch as a villain, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he'll do as a hero. But does one act truly make someone a hero? Was his selfless move enough to change his core? It was surprising that he was able to pull Excalibur from the stone. It should be more difficult to wield such a powerful magic object. I understand there's an issue of time and wanting to move the story along, but it was too easy.

A couple of other points didn't make sense. Regina's not dumb. Why would she agree to leave Arthur alone with the Crimson Crown? She would override Charming. It was for the sake of story. Similarly, Arthur was really stupid enough to not stay and ensure the toadstool burned? Come on, people. And then there was another little thing: Zelena told Emma she doesn't mind being alone. But isn't she so excited about the baby because it means there will be someone to love her? She doesn't want to be alone.