Friday night, season 7 of Once Upon a Time premiered and it was much more than I expected. Many have been calling the new season a 'requel' or a reboot sequel. New characters made their way into the show as well as other beloved ones who have returned from previous seasons.
*There are spoilers here so read at your own risk*
The new season starts off in Seattle in which now adult Henry (played by Andrew J. West) lives. Henry is a frustrated writer trying to find happiness and his own story. His cursed self doesn't remember his past from the other seasons or who he really is. His sad cursed memories of his family (daughter Lucy and wife Jacinda) dying in a fire haunt him. So, when Lucy shows up at Henry's apartment and tells him that she is his daughter, he doesn't believe her; this is much like at the beginning with his mother, Emma. From what we found out in this first episode, I'm excited to see how Henry reacts to the new people he has met and the changes that are likely to come.
One of my favorite newcomers is Lucy. Portrayed by the young Alison Fernandez, Lucy seems to be optimistic, persistent, and extremely hopeful. In the first episode, we get a glimpse into her life with her single mother, Jacinda. Like her father, she also had a 'Once Upon a Time' story book but unfortunately, it was taken away later on. We don't know much about her but we can expect to see her continue her struggle in getting Henry to believe her and maybe even forming a friendship with him.
Jacinda (played by Dania Ramirez), aka Cinderella, is, as stated above, Lucy's mother. In the cursed Hyperion Heights, Jacinda is struggling to support her daughter while working at a chicken place. At the beginning of the episode, I started off not knowing how to feel about her and about halfway through, I fell in love with this new Cinderella. She is a very strong and independent woman who says what she feels and does everything she can to take care of her daughter. On the other hand, with Henry, they meet but only for an hour or so. We should be able to see the pair reconnect later on as they uncover clues of their past. Overall, Ramirez's portrayal is spot-on and I can't wait to see more of her in this season.
One of the most loved characters is Regina, now known as Roni. I love everything about this new take on one of my favorite queens. Roni owns a bar and spends most of her time there. In the first episode, she meets Henry and bond, not knowing that they are mother and son. Henry tells her about his strange encounter with the little Lucy and says "Imagine if I walked in here and said that I was your son?" referencing to the fact that he really is her son but doesn't realize it because of the curse. In this new persona, she seems a bit rough and is no longer in charge but keeps the neighborhood together and safe. This version is very different but in a good way.
We all know Captain Hook and now he is cursed as Officer Rogers. This title seems very fitting for the character and I'm loving every bit about him. Towards the end of the episode, Rogers is given Lucy's story book and after flipping through it, he is drawn to an image of Emma. Now, we have no idea what happened to the couple at the time of the curse so hopefully that is answered in the coming episodes. When Rogers returns to the cop shop, he meets Weaver (Rumplestiltskin), his new partner. I'm curious to see where that relationship goes.
Like stated above, we get to see Rumple again who is now Weaver. He had a brief appearance in Friday's episode but it's safe to saythat he's pretty sketchy. Before he becomes the partner of Officer Rogers, we see him in a dark, damp, and underground place. Alice, a mysterious newcomer to the show, works for Weaver. Together, along with a few others, they are up to something and we'll probably find out what that is early on in the season.
Lastly, we have two new characters, Victoria Belfry (Lady Tremaine/Wicked Stepmother) and her daughter Ivy (Drizella). Victoria, who is portrayed by Gabrielle Anwar, is a real estate agent. It's obvious that she will be our new villain this season. With her daughter Ivy, played by Adelaide Kane, I'm not quite sure she is as evil as her mother but I'm hoping to see her drift away from Victoria later on. We don't know a lot about Ivy from the first episode but her role in the story will most likely unwind as we see more on Victoria's plans for Hyperioin Heights.
After meeting all these new characters and reuniting with old ones, I'm looking forward to the season ahead but I also have several questions for our beloved Emma and Belle. Where did they go? Overall, this 'requel' is looking up to be quite refreshing with ties to previous seasons. It puts out a whole new feel to the show that I'm really excited about. Comment below what you're looking forward to or what your predictions are for season 7.
