TV Recap: Once Upon A Time In Wonderland (Series Finale) "And They Lived"
By: Sue
The last Once Upon A Time in Wonderland is finally here! Jafar and Amara work together to change the laws of magic. The room is like a giant static ball. With the spell complete, Amara goes to her fallen son, but Jafar isn’t happy with another being his equal, and he moves to kill Amara. His father interrupts, telling him that to show real power sometimes you must show mercy. He father never loved him, and without the laws of magic in his way, he makes his father love him. His father turns into the loving doting father he always wanted, but that isn’t all Jafar wanted. He wants his father to feel what it feels like to be murdered by someone he loves. Jafar drowns him, but doesn’t get the satisfaction he was hoping for. He turns back to Amara, Alice and Cyrus, but they’re gone. Carrying Cyrus between them the ladies try to make a getaway, but they still have far to go, so Amara makes a carpet fly to assist her.
Jafar goes to find the Jabberwocky, to see what he fears now. She listens, and shockingly finds that he fears nothing. He turns her blade against her, and pins her like a butterfly to the wall. She asks what he will do with all his powers. He tells her anything that he wants.
The girls head over to the rabbit’s home, where Amara heals Cyrus, taking back his injuries. Cyrus comes back, and Alice realizes that she hasn’t been properly introduced, and introduces herself. The White rabbit fusses over the new bloodstains in is home, and Amara thanks her for everything that she’s done for Cyrus. Amara hopes that Alice has saved some of that luck, to bring down Jafar.
Jafar releases his Genie, the Knave Will, who still doesn’t have a high opinion of him. Jafar tells him that despite the fact that Will did not hold up his end of the bargain, he plans to hold up his. Jafar has brought back Anastacia, but there’s a barrier between them. Will isn’t sure why Jafar did it, but he thanks him. Jafar tells him that thanks are not necessary. Jafar brought her back, but she’s not the same, she loves Jafar now. Ana kisses Jafar, breaking the poor Knave’s heart. Will is done with the display, but the barrier keeps him from striking out. Jafar changed the laws of magic, and is using it to torture Will. He has big plans, ones that includes the Red Queen, and zombies.
Alice heads towards the palace. Amara wants to returns the water instead to the well of waters. With the water returned, the genies will be no more, and also Jafar’s magic. Cyrus points out that it will also disable Amara, but that’s what must be done, the laws of magic were put into place for a reason. Alice made a promise to Will to save the Red Queen, but Amara tells her that it cannot be done. Cyrus agrees, that to save the Red Queen she’ll sacrifice Will. She decides that returning the waters is the best option, that they should split up, because although losing magic will disarm Jafar, but it won’t defeat him. Alice will take the rabbit, and gather troops, so that once the water is returned they can storm the castle and rescue will. The lovebirds say goodbye for now.
Jafar welcomes him men back to the land of the living, telling them that he is the one they should thank, that they owe him a debt to repay. He wants them to help him preserve this land, and their lives. To do that they must just locate Amara and he allies. He warns that if anything or anyone gets in their way, break it burn it or kill it anything to bring Wonderland to its knees
Alice and her small band of troops creep through the woods. Alice tries to calm fears, to rally her men while the rabbits scout ahead. She tells the followers that what lies ahead is dangerous and important, that if they wish to turn back now she does not blame them, for they need to be resolute in battle. They’re not just fighting for themselves, but those they love, for Wonderland. With hope renewed they prepare to strike back.
Amara approves of the bravery Alice has shown as she and Cyrus get closer to the well. Alice looks for the rabbit, but finds a band of Jafar’s men. Cyrus and Amara, too are surrounded, but whereas Alice fairly kicks some major butt, Cyrus wishes to warn his attackers. Amara disarms the men with her magic, and forces them to use their own daggers against themselves. Cyrus realizes without magic, that Alice does not stand a chance. Alice fares well in her battle, but her men do not, and they’re slaughtered. She is taken hostage back to the castle. Will sees Alice’s arrival, and he’s powerless to help her, but Alice, ever feisty takes a swing at Jafar. Jafar stops her before he punch can land with magic, and plants her in a chair. She sees the Red Queen alive, and well on a nearby chaise, cozying up to Jafar. Another bout of PDA, turns both Alice’s and Will’s stomach. Jafar asks for Alice’s help to find Amara. He asks about the laws of magic, and checks them all off of things that he can now do. He can reach back into the past, and twist them. He ponders what means the most to her to change. He moves to make it as if she never came to Wonderland. Never met her true love, and is still just the ignored and lonely girl. Jafar prepares her for a new heartbreak, to have never loved at all. He spins her engagement ring around in a wine glass. Should she give up Amara, then she can keep her love. Will tells her that its over, to tell him, and save herself. Alice tells him to go ahead and change the past. Their love means everything to her, and he thinks perhaps that she’s underestimating his power. She tells him that he’s underestimating hers, believing that their love is more powerful than any magic. No matter what he does to her, Jafar can never feel true love for himself. Jafar asks what about the Red Queen, an illusion, a lie. All the magic in the world cannot measure up to the love that she has felt, and true love cannot be destroyed. A pair of guards come with news of Amara and Cyrus’s whereabouts, Amara went through a pair of red doors. Jafar asks Alice about the red doors, and she stonewalls. Jafar calls Anastasia forward, and asks her where the red door lead. Alice and Will both beg for her to not tell him, but she happily spills the beans.
Cyrus and Amara make it to the well of Wonders. Cyrus leans before the well, about to summon the Nyx, but Amara stops him, she already knows she’s there. The Nyx rise’s waters shimmer.
Will wonders if they won’t make it, Alice knows that they will. Anastasia tells them to give it up as she reads her magazine, but Alice tells her that they weren’t talking to her. She tells them not to talk at all them. Will notices the Rabbit creeping in, and he moves to distract Anastasia so that the rabbit can untie Alice. He asks for a drink, but she won’t do it. Anastasia spots the rabbit, and shoos him away from Alice. Will tells her that she’s not really in love with Jafar, but she still thinks that she is. He tells her that love isn’t that easy, its messy and complicated, and sometimes seems unworth the trouble, but it is. And in the end you forgive each other whatever you did. He forgives Anastasia for all that she’s done to him, because he loves her. He asks that if any part of her still has a shred of love inside, to help them. They’re just words to her, she thinks she knows what she feels. Will maintains that its just a curse, and she wonders if what she feels is just a curse what love really is. Will reaches through the barrier, and pulls her in for a kiss breaking the spell on her. She asks if she wants to stop Jafar, that he needs to hurry up. Will jumps forward, but the barrier is still in place, knocking him on his behind. Anastasia moves to untie Alice, she’s fully back.
The Nyx rises. Amara surrenders herself, surrenders the water to fix the balance, and release her sons. The Nyx tells her to step forward, and Cyrus stops her. Amara asks him to let her go, and he does. She goes to meet the Nyx, but Jafar has arrived, pulling her back to him with magic. He knocks Cyrus back, as he kills Amara with his magic. Amara dies on the foot of the well, all of the water draining away from her on the steps. Jafar asks him what he hopes to accomplish, and he does not answer still shocked. The rabbit and Alice arrive from the ground disctracting Jafar. He mocks her efforts, bringing just a sword and a rabbit to face him, and knocks the rabbit away. While he holds Alice immobilized, Alice tells Cyrus to go, get the water. Cyrus scoops what water he can into his hands and returns it to the well, but Jafar grabs the water before it falls. Jafar guesses that if the water is returned then the genies’ curses are broken. Jafar smashes the water, thinking that he’s won. He asks Alice what she plans to do now that he’s stolen the water. Alice tells him that she plans to do nothing, that she told him that he would be his own undoing. He didn’t steal the water from her, but from the Nyx. The Nyx rises, and bestows upon Jafar the same genie curse she had amongst Cyrus and his brothers, and sends him far away in his bottle before he can retaliate against Alice. From Nyx a surge of power sweeps out across the land, restoring the balance of magic. The brothers and Will are free, and Anastasia is dead once more. Cyrus and Alice reunite. The rabbit finds the battle over.
Cyrus reunites with his brothers, and it’s a happy greeting, until they ask about their mother. He tells them that she gave her life for theirs, so that they could build the families she always dreamed of. Taj asks if it was all for nothing, but Cyrus tells him it wasn’t, it was for everything. The Red Queen is still gone, and Will mourns for her again. He tells Alice in the end she did the right thing, and he cannot believe that he has to go through the pain of losing her again. Alice tells him that it wasn’t her time. Cyrus has water from the well of wonders, but Will doesn’t want to risk it. The water was not stolen, but given by the guardian this time. The red Queen’s path was meant to go on. Will gives her the water, and she returns. She asks what happened, and he tells her that it’s a long story, but now she has the time to listen.
Alice and Cyrus look over the horizon. She tells him that she thinks that she’s ready, to leave Wonderland, to start a new adventure. The rabbit arrives with perfect timing, and Alice wishes to go home. Home in England, Alice’s father comes to get her. He tells her that she looks beautiful. He’s proud and happy to welcome Cyrus into their family. He thanks her for proving it was real, not Wonderland, but forgiveness. The bride arrives for her small ceremony full of people from both Wonderland, and her life in England. Alice and Cyrus wed with the rabbit officiating, with the Knave and Anastasia watching, the rabbit, Tweedle, and Cyrus’s brothers. The knave interrupts the wedding for but a moment, but it was just in jest. In sickness, and in health, for better or worse, until death doesn’t really apply for them, they’ve already been all those together, but they kiss and become one. The Knave prepares to head back to Wonderland, to fix it, and Alice tells him that he’s welcome there any times. Alice thanks the rabbit for bringing her to Wonderland, and he tells her that many people come to Wonderland, but few find the important thing there, themselves. It’s hugs and promises to see each other soon, all around, but both Will and Alice pause in going their separate ways. Alice rushes back to the Knave, and holds him tight. She thanks him for everything, telling him to hold onto his heart this time, and for her to do the same. She watches him leave, and it’s bittersweet. She heads back into her home.
Alice reads to her child a story of the White King and White Queen who restored Wonderland with the help of their rabbits. Her daughter asks what she’s going to call it, and she leaves it up to her to name it. She calls it Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland. She asks if the stories are true, because their so unbelievable, and she tells her that anything is possible in Wonderland. Cyrus brings tea, and the family sits for tea as the rabbit watches.
And that folks is the series finale. Don’t despair that the series didn’t get picked up for a second season, it was only every intended as a one shot season. Personally I’ll be glad to be rid of Alice and her Genie, especially with the news that our favorite Knave will be heading over to Once Upon A Time, which you can catch on Sundays on ABC.
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