Once Upon a Time introduced Elizabeth Mitchell last week in her role as the Snow Queen. But what else can fans find from the original story of The Snow Queen?
Once Upon a Time pulls another page, or two, from Hans Christian Anderson’s collection of seven stories about the Snow Queen for their Frozen arc this season. The original story focuses on two young friends, Kay and Gerda who live across from one another. In the springtime they play together and enjoy the beauty of the flowers that surround their village. But when winter arrives, they can only heat pennies to make small peep holes to look at each other without trekking outside. One winter ill-fate takes Kay away from Gerda and she spends the story traveling to rescue him.
But what details of the story can we expect to see on Once Upon a Time? Here are a few we believe will surface!
Are Hook and Emma in danger?
While we do not anticipate another Peter Pan story line where a young boy is taken by the Snow Queen, there is another gentlemen in the land who may succumb to another detail of the story. The Snow Queen opens with the tale of a great hobgoblin who made a looking glass that had the power to make the good and beautiful disappear and magnify the worthless and evil in world. The tale says that when people tried to soar to the heavens to look through the mirror at angels, the glass fell and shattered into millions of pieces on Earth.
The tiniest pieces worked their way into the eyes and hearts of the people, changing their perception for the worst and casting ice in their hearts. This is the fate that befell Kay.
While fans may predict that the title of Once Upon a Time episode 5, “Breaking Glass,” may refer to Sydney Glass’ fate, we have another theory. Could Hook be the recipient of a shattered glass fragment in his heart that clouds his ability to find the good that has grown in his heart and the beauty he sees in Emma? (We apologize for this in advance.)
Luckily, the tears of Gerda melt away the ice cast in his heart. Perhaps, Once Upon a Time can work in a true love’s kiss to take care of this ailment should it befall Killian Jones.
Snow Queen’s Fortress
We know that the Snow Queen is in Storybrooke, but what brought her there? In the story the Snow Queen is able to travel around from place to place and cool volcanoes saving farmers crops and oddly, lemons. However, our icy Queen has another mission. In a flash of this week’s promo, the Snow Queen looks at a makeshift model of a palace in the forest, perhaps keeping an eye on someone she has inside. But what clues does Hans Christian Anderson give us about the palace? Well one of significance is the central lake within the walls. Referred to as “The Mirror of Reason” by the Queen, this may be a clue to season 4, episode 8’s title, “Smash the Mirror.”
Robber-girl or Anna?
Casting each person in Storybrooke with a Snow Queen counterpart is not only foolish, but it simply will not work for the story that is already in motion. However, taking elements of each story and pegging them with plot points makes sense, especially after last week’s episode.
Related:Once Upon a Time season 4, episode 2 recap: For Peep’s sake
The Robber-girl is a feisty person that Gerda encounters on her journey to rescue Kay. The robber-girl sends Gerda off to a person in Lapland who may be able to help with a talking reindeer and sandwiches. Have we seen Anna sent off with sandwiches and a steed recently?
Gerda meets two women who pass along messages on dried fish, that guide her to the woman who may have her friend Kay. As Anna is directed to Rumplestiltskin, Gerda takes her directions to a place no person dares to pay visit. It is then revealed that Gerda, much like we predict applies to Elsa, already possess the ability to defeat the Snow Queen. The message goes well with Once Upon a Time‘s style, the power of innocence of heart is the key. Who does this apply to? Perhaps both Anna and Elsa’s sisterly love.
Flowers, Staffs, and Dreams
Gerda wants to know for certain if Kay is dead, but with no way to find out she uses her ability to talk to the flowers for answers. Just as Elsa uses Bo Peep’s staff, the flowers alert Gerda that Kay is not dead, for they share the ground with the dead and Kay is not among them. The sound of Anna’s heartbeat keeps her on the mission to find her sister who is, presumably, with the Snow Queen.
There is a particularly haunting scene in the story where Gerda encounters the kingdom and prince and princess. While walking the halls the shadows of dreams travel swiftly along the walls of the halls heading to grab the thoughts of those out hunting. Imagine what Adam and Eddie can make out of that detail following their shadows in Neverland!
Watch Once Upon a Time season 4, episode 3, “Rocky Road,” Sunday, October 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.