To the merry old land of Oz we go in Once Upon a Time 5×16, “Our Decay,” where CGI scarecrows are the least of our worries.

A blank page is the Devil’s playground. In the case of Once Upon a Time 5×16 I do not mean Hades, but the writers. They are hold something more powerful than Henry’s quill — a copy of Final Draft, a show bible, and a deadline. Just like the hero gang, we need to sit through some oatmeal and dry toast to get to the good stuff that gets us out of the Underworld. “Our Decay” attempts to create a love story interlude where one should never exist, between a silenced heart and one tangled in wickedness.

The old adage that opposites attract is not at play with Zelades. The two are two branches of the same tree. Desire to change time and stop the “better, chosen” sibling? Check! In need of true love and acceptance? Check! Why does this story feel so disconnected? Because just like Hades’ spin on the bike, we are going in circles at this point in the narrative.

A few things are not worth revisiting again and again. Luckily, most of them appear in this episode! Let’s review what storylines need to be slapped on a gravestone and sent to a better place.

Zelena having another shot at raising her child

Zelena can work a crowd to her advantage. I want desperately to give Zelena a chance with her child. Why? I think she needs someone to care for in her life. She needs to go far away and just focus on the child. But time and time again Zelena zaps herself, or in this case her baby, in the face with her over-zealous magic in front of the army of people whose mission is to tear her down.

No longer does Zelena feel like a threat than a roadblock to constructive character building. She is not growing and she is putting a stop to Regina, Robin, and the story as a whole.

Once Upon a Time did throw a nice curve ball in the mix with Hades and Zelena’s final interaction. Underbrooke exists solely to give Zelena exactly what she always wanted — the life Regina built for herself. Touching, but not enough to save the episode from the “Her Handsome Hero” preview.

Rumbelle has played itself out

It’s a tale as old as time. Belle is in love, smitten if you will, that her man has summoned her for a great mission to help save the heroes! Only that story will never happen.

Belle puts everyone before herself, but now is the time where she needs to stand up tall and turn down Rumpel’s request for a future, especially upon hearing the baby news. The game has changed for our literary heroine and it is high time for her to adapt to the new world. I’m not opposed to Belle taking the backseat in the storytelling, so long as when she returns her story is one that is worthy of her participation.

I thought we had the situation worked out when Belle pushed Rumpel over the town line. Good riddance to Rumbelle, I cheered! Belle deserves better than a man who will never be able to give up his lust for power. It is a part of him, a point he made very clear in “Our Decay.” In fact, Rumpel’s speech to Belle, confession about the baby and all, was fantastic. It laid out in a neat package every single thing that is wrong with the man. He can paint a beautiful picture of the life he envisions for his family. But when something shiny and powerful comes along, he would give it all up in a heartbeat.

“You have to choose to,” does not make Belle swoon as much as he hoped it would, but it did help calm my rage as it sent her off to find her friends.

Portal magic

At this point, just make portals easily accessible. Beans, shoes, twigs, a rock that looks like Mickey, give it up. Now that Zelena made it to Storybrooke with zero explanation and the one given for the portal in the Underworld was washed over with something about “combined magic,” just lift the portal embargo and let our heroes jump worlds.

What we would like a bit more of…

Warrior Dorothy. Where has this girl been hiding?

Planning. Emma and Hook had a map. That’s a step in at least a new direction.

Watch Once Upon a Time season 5, episode 17, “Her Handsome Hero,” Sunday April 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.