Once Upon a Time introduced a very special Disney item into the premiere episode of season 4. But just what does it mean for the story line this season?
First, a little background. The hat that Rumple pulls out of the relic found in the abandoned house in Storybrooke, is the hat usually seen worn by Mickey Mouse. First worn in the classic short, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice from the movie Fantasia, the hat wields a great deal of power. If the hat is found in the possession of the wrong person, the consequences can be dire. The lesson: spirits should only be summoned by the master himself.
Sounds like just the right kind of magic to place before the man who just swore that he is going to be removing the temptation of power from his life. We’ll see how he holds up to his promise to be a better man for Belle in the name of his son’s sacrifice.
1. The Key to Rumple’s Demise:
Will Rumple make it out of this season alive? While nothing about Rumple’s future on the show has been hinted at, one cannot simply rule out death on Once Upon a Time. After less than 24 hours, it already seems that Rumple is going back on his promise to live a life free of the temptation of power. For a man with a vault filled with the things he cannot understand, placing a hat filled with spirits he is not the master of before him does not seem wise.
2. The Sorcerer Wrote the Storybook:
Yen Sid, the original Sorcerer from the Disney film is a brand new character the show can choose to implement this season on Once Upon a Time. (For all you super fans, that’s Disney spelt backwards!) While bringing back August for a cameo may be a great treat for fans, Kitsis and Hororwitz mention to EW that the owner is “Someone we’re going to meet, not someone we already know.” Perhaps this is the person Regina needs to find.
3. Henry’s Future?
As previously reported, Henry is going to be spending more time dealing with his paternal side of the family tree. If Rumple does take the hat, perhaps he can use it to teach Henry the ways of magic. However, with an item as powerful as the Sorcerer’s Hat, the stakes are high, even if the apprentice has the “heart of the truest believer.”
Related: Read our full recap of “A Tale of Two Sisters”
4. The Hat Holds the Power to Transport Regina:
Although Regina was not present, or aware of the hat, perhaps she will hear of a new piece of magic floating around Storybrooke. The Frozen characters have a clear connection for Rumple to deal with for now, so let’s give Regina a chance to don the hat. Maybe she can use it to find the author (if he is not Yen Sid) or even fix the book herself. At least she’ll get into a bit of trouble in the meantime.
5. Merlin…?
In the Disney feature film adaptation by the same name, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice focuses on the three students of the wizard Merlin. With a lot of crazy timeline capture and release of Arthurian legends along the way, only the true decedent of Merlin can defeat the nemesis of the days of old. The hat makes a brief appearance at the end of the film, merely as a relic, but Once Upon a Time is known to twist a tale or two!
One thing we hope to rule out for certain, the appearance of a certain mouse in red robes.
What do you think the Sorcerer’s Hat is for?
Watch Once Upon a Time season 4, episode 2 “White Out” Sunday, October 5 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
We want to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Write a comment below or submit an article to Hypable.