Once Upon A Time - Recap: Ice Breaker

The present story is framed by a flashback centering on Ingrid the Snow Queen (Elizabeth Mitchell), who had a past that was not dissimilar to Elsa's. She grew up feeling like an outcast due to her powers, and was hidden away from the world since the people of Arendelle likely wouldn't understand. Only her sisters understood and accepted her for her powers. And, in much the same way Elsa (Georgina Haig) is fiercely devoted to Anna, Ingrid was fiercely devoted to Helga and Gerda. But there's no accounting for powers that can't be controlled, and so it's somewhat inevitable that Ingrid is going to end up accidentally hurting somebody. We already know that Grand Pabbie had to erase all memory of Ingrid and Helga from everyone in Arendelle, so the question is what, exactly, happens to the missing royal sisters to cause such a drastic move on Gerda's part. And from there, the logical leap isn't that drastic to make.

Credit: ABC

But it's still compelling to watch unfold, since it takes the canon of Disney's Frozen and expands upon the background of its characters. I loved getting to see Duke Wesselton in this world, along with the added backstory that he was engaged to Helga. It's his presence that catalyzes the tragedy that turns Ingrid into the villain she becomes, as Helga accidentally takes an ice blast meant for Wesselton, who threatens to reveal Ingrid's secret to all of Arendelle. For dramatic effect, the ice doesn't slowly work its way to Helga's heart. Instead, she freezes on the spot, and then shatters into a thousand icy pieces. Gerda happens upon the scene and, discovering what her sister has done, condemns her as a monster and locks her in the magic urn, before getting Grand Pabbie to create a potion to remove the memory of Ingrid and Helga from the citizens of Arendelle. There's a lot of pathos at the root of Ingrid's character. Not only is she misunderstood, but her failures give way to acts of questionable morality on Gerda's part. Was erasing Ingrid and Helga from existence really something that needed to happen? I suppose you could make the argument that it was necessary, considering the kind of backlash that might have resulted from revealing that Ingrid has ice powers that resulted in the death of her own sister. But it seems strangely invasive to compromise the memories of an entire kingdom, and it casts a darker shadow over the late Queen of Arendelle, who had that sisterly conflicted reignited in her own daughters (although, of course, it ended much better for Elsa and Anna than it did for Ingrid and Helga).

Credit: ABC

Naturally, this flashback informs Ingrid's motivations in the present, as she tries to convince Emma (Jennifer Morrison) that her powers will make her an outcast of the same variety. Emma insists that her family loves her for who she is, but their confusion over her powers doesn't help matters. Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) seems downright puzzled by Emma accidentally heating baby Neal's bottle with her powers at the "first-time mothers" group (oh, hey there, Cinderella and Aurora! You were missed. No, seriously). And that mistrust flowers into outright fear when Ingrid's attempts to rile Emma actually work, resulting in Emma releasing an icy burst that destroys the wall of the sheriff's department. When David (Josh Dallas) tries to figure out what gives with Emma, she accidentally injures David. In that moment, Mary Margaret has an instinctual reaction against Emma that causes her to reconsider what Ingrid said about her outcast status. This conflict is interesting enough on its own, since it forces a certain introspection in Emma about where she stands with the people she considers her family. But it's also interesting for what it means to Ingrid's presence as a villain, since she's able to not only force Emma to doubt her relationships, she's also planning on using Emma for a larger plot that involves taking over Storybrooke. And she makes a deal with Rumplestiltskin to set it into motion, trading information about the Sorcerer's Hat in return for her sisters' ribbons, which hold the power of True Love. I'm not sure where this is headed, but Ingrid has become one of the more interesting villains this show has had in some time. She's sympathetic, to a certain degree, but she's difficult to really side with. I simply love that dichotomy.

Credit: ABC

"The Snow Queen" ultimately tells a tale of corrupted love. Between sisters, between mother and daughter, and between lovers like Regina (Lana Parrilla) and Robin Hood. Despite her best attempts to send him away, Robin refuses to let her go, resulting in a kiss that could reignite this relationship, regardless of what happens to Marian, whom Robin no longer loves. It's one of the better relationships in the show, and I like how complicated it's become, since Robin isn't a bad guy, but he seems a bit less than honorable for ditching Marian so abruptly now that she's turned up alive. You could make an argument for both Marian and Regina, and those are the best kinds of love triangles -- even though one of the parties is frozen stiff. Once Upon A Time is getting more emotionally complicated, but that's when the show is at its most compelling. Next week's two-hour episode should up the ante.