I really enjoyed this episode. When the show first began, I wasn't sure what to think of Sheriff Graham. I was leaning more towards the "he's a bad guy in cahoots with Regina" for the first few, but this one definitely cleared that misconception up for me. I loved the way they delved into his past little by little and revealed things about who he was as the Huntsman before the curse.
One of my favorite scenes in this episode is when Graham goes to Mary Margaret, telling her that he thinks they know each other - not from this current life they're living in, but from a past life. And the forlorn look on his face when he asks her if he's ever hurt her was enough to give me a lifetime of feels.
I mentally cheered as I watched him stand up to Regina at the cemetery (Regina: "You're leaving me for her?" Graham: "I'm leaving you for me" - more of us, I think, could use that attitude when it comes to being in abusive relationships), and cheered again when he took Emma back to the station to dress her cut.
And then I nearly cried, as he kissed Emma and thanked her for helping him remember his past life, and I was also optimistic, because this meant that he and Emma could start addressing their feelings for one another, and maybe Graham could help her believe.
And then I nearly cried for a different reason.
Just when we were getting to understand Graham's story and the reason he was the way he was, he got snatched away from us by Regina crushing his heart - literally. The episode ends with Emma frantically trying to revive him, to no avail, and as the scene fades, you're left with a sort of bittersweet feeling - happy that Graham died knowing he wasn't going crazy, that his dreams and visions were actual memories, but heartbroken that he had to die at all.
One of my favorite scenes in this episode is when Graham goes to Mary Margaret, telling her that he thinks they know each other - not from this current life they're living in, but from a past life. And the forlorn look on his face when he asks her if he's ever hurt her was enough to give me a lifetime of feels.
I mentally cheered as I watched him stand up to Regina at the cemetery (Regina: "You're leaving me for her?" Graham: "I'm leaving you for me" - more of us, I think, could use that attitude when it comes to being in abusive relationships), and cheered again when he took Emma back to the station to dress her cut.
And then I nearly cried, as he kissed Emma and thanked her for helping him remember his past life, and I was also optimistic, because this meant that he and Emma could start addressing their feelings for one another, and maybe Graham could help her believe.
And then I nearly cried for a different reason.
Just when we were getting to understand Graham's story and the reason he was the way he was, he got snatched away from us by Regina crushing his heart - literally. The episode ends with Emma frantically trying to revive him, to no avail, and as the scene fades, you're left with a sort of bittersweet feeling - happy that Graham died knowing he wasn't going crazy, that his dreams and visions were actual memories, but heartbroken that he had to die at all.