Once Upon A Time - Season 3, Mid Season Spring Premiere - 'New York City Serenade' [Review]

 Oh yes, it's back! The spring premiere of Once Upon A Time graced our screens last night, and oh boy, was it full of surprises. Sassy Regina was out in full force, hook was in full stalker mode trying to pursue Emma (you know, to save her family and stuff...) and Neal and Belle were totally convinced that Rumple isn't dead (seriously, we know he 'died' but come on, he's still in the posters, so he's obviously coming back). And in case that wasn't enough for you, there's an eerie air of green mist lurking over the Enchanted Forest, New York & Storybrooke (did we mention there's flying monkeys?!). Let's start from the beginning. In the fall finale, we saw that Hook had managed to crawl his way back to New York, and was in pursuit of Emma and trying to get her to remember her 'past.' Well, it didn't exactly go well, but this time Hook manages to stalk Emma to a restaurant where she is dining with some creepy looking dude who proposes to her through her dessert. 

Give me a break - he's so not right for you Emma! As her date leaves the table, Hook sits down (thank god) and tries to convince Emma that her life is built on lies. He gives her an address and tells her that if she wants to remember, then she should go there. He tells her that he will wait in central park for her if she goes there and has more questions. Prior to this (exactly one year ago), Aurora and Prince Philip are getting cosy in the woods, when - low and behold - the Storybrooke residents arrive! 

Throughout the episode we switch back on forth between a year ago in the Enchanted Forest and present day in New York with Hook, Emma and Henry. In New York, Emma temporarily rejects Walsh's proposal and asks for time to think. Back in the Enchanted Forest, Snow and the gang agree to head to Regina's old castle. Aurora and Philip reunite with Snow and Aurora is pregnant. Regina is needless to say 'overjoyed' - so much so - to the point on nausea. She has a pretty classic line here which just highlights why so many people love the Evil Queen (displayed through this gif below). 

However, when they head to leave, Aurora argues with Philip about how they have to tell 'her' or she will hurt their unborn child. Back in New York, Emma arrives home and tells Henry that she didn't answer Walsh's proposal and he encourages her to take a chance on him. Back in the Enchanted Forest, Prince Charming gathers the troops and advises them to all head to the castle, and notices Hook leaving separately. He approaches the dashing pirate and asks him where he is going. Hook exclaims that he has always been a pirate and needs to return to his ship, as according to the Evil Queen, all belongings should return to their owners in the Enchanted Forest. This inspires Neal, who believes that Rumplestiltskin's dagger might return and him and Belle talk over the idea that Rumple might not be 'dead'. They agree to swing by Rumple's old castle to search there. 

In New York, Emma plucks up the courage to go to the address while Henry is in school. She arrives at the address and realises that the apartment belongs to Neal and finds a bloody rag there (left by Mr.Gold/Rumple) and Henry's camera (from their trip to the apartment previously). This leaves Emma confused and she heads to central park to meet Hook. Hook tries to convince her to drink a memory potion that he has acquired, but she refuses to believe him and has him arrested. In the Enchanted Forest, Snow finds Regina burying her heart because she is struggling to deal with the pain of losing Henry. Snow advises her that it will pass and she will find happiness; something Henry always wanted for her. Regina puts her heart back in her body. Upon leaving, Regina and Snow are attacked by a flying monkey, who cuts Regina's arm. The monkey is shot by Robin Hood and flies away. Robin Hood (who was said to be Regina's true love by Tinkerbell) offers his hand to Regina to help her up, but she declines and also mocks him for not calling her 'majesty'. Back in New York, Emma drops Henry off at her apartment and opens an envelope from the drug store. She is visibly shocked and heads over to the jail to bail Hook out. 

She confronts him with the envelope, which contains pictures of them in Storybrooke and New York. She exclaims that he could have photoshopped them (but he has no idea what that even means) and he encourages her to take a leap of faith and take the potion. She eventually agrees, and remembers everything that had happened before. 

Back in the Enchanted Forest, Robin Hood reunites with Belle and Neal and Regina and Snow discuss Robin Hood. Snow exclaims that he is 'cute' and Regina exclaims that he smells like forest. Classic. The gang reach the castle but Regina is surprised to find a green force shield replacing hers. They cannot pass, but Robin Hood offers them refuge in his camp. Regina looks like she wants to stab a bunch of people, and she swears revenge on whoever did this to her. Back in New York, Hook and Emma discuss how they are going to explain this to Henry, as there is not enough memory potion for him to drink (convenient). Emma then realises that Henry has invited Walsh over for a romantic meal while he is at a friend's. Emma goes up to the roof to tell Walsh that she can't marry him. 

Walsh looks put off - until he tells her he wished she didn't drink the potion, and proceeds to turn into a giant winged monkey. Hands up if you knew the guy was bad news. Emma wrestles the monkey off the roof and he turns into a cloud of smoke. Hook arrives on the roof and Emma says that her life could never be what is was because she is the saviour. Hook tells her that he family is trapped in a new curse in Storybrooke but he doesn't know who's behind it. The next day, Emma tells Henry they will be going on a trip to Maine to solve a new case and that he will miss school for a while. Emma says that she just needs one thing before her journey - which turns out to be her lucky (or unlucky) red jacket. The games have officially begun! 

Henry, Emma and Hook arrive in Storybrooke and Henry has fallen asleep in the back of the car. Emma and Hook exit her car and Hook triumphantly puts on his hook and Emma tells him to try and avoid giving Henry nightmares. Emma goes off to find her parents. She arrives at Mary Margaret's/Snow's old apartment and finds David/Prince Charming and Mary Margaret there. Charming and Snow reveal that Snow is pregnant - like we didn't see that one coming. They say that they cannot remember the last year of their life. Back in the Enchanted Forest, the flying monkey that attacked Regina earlier returns to a woman who asks him if it is the Evil Queen's blood. The monkey gestures yes, and the woman says that she will get her revenge, dropping the blood into a potion bottle. She then turns to face the mirror and says that whilst the Queen may be Evil, she is Wicked, and Wicked always wins. 

Phew! Now wasn't that an intense episode. Overall, it was great to see Snow and the Evil Queen teaming up for Team Storybrooke/Evil and Team Wicked being helmed by this episode's new addition of the Wicked Witch of the West. It was interesting to see how they incorporated Ginnifer Goodwin's pregnancy by making Snow pregnant as well - certainly makes for a convincing baby bump! Of course, the Evil Queen was back on tip top form, making a whole heap of sarcastic and snide remarks about her fellow travellers and reminding us all why she is number one (at least while Rumple is gone). It was terribly bittersweet to see the life Henry and Emma could have had together, and her having to give it up was pretty poignant. Although, it was a life built entirely on lies and a bit of Regina magic. Hook really brought the charm to this episode and adds a touch of leathery sneakiness to the series (seriously - he must be boiling in that outfit). In other news, the Wicked Witch of the West looks seriously prepared for a fight, leaving everyone to question who will win out - Evil or Wicked? (and of course, how many episodes will pass until Rumplestiltskin returns.) 

Tune in next Sunday to see the next episode, entitled 'Witch Hunt'.