As one would expect with an episode title like “Sisters,” this episode focused on our favorite Once Upon A Time siblings – Regina and Zelena.  Their relationship has alternated between hatred and hesitant tolerance over the years. It looks like with a little help from their mother, their relationship finally sees a turning point in this episode.  Will it be for better or for worse?

***** SPOILERS BELOW *****

For awhile it looked like Zelena’s character would be completely unredeeming, kind of how I’m finding Rumple’s character to be at this point (more on this later).  It didn’t look like she had any desire to become closer with her sister or to be “good.”  Regina seems to want to mend things a little bit with her sister, but initially it seems like it’s more self-motivated because she wants to use Zelena’s connection with Hades to the heroes advantage.

When Regina is having problems getting through to Zelena on her own, she decides to bring in the secret weapon in this family rivalry – mom! It’s always great to see Barbara Hershey reprising her role as Cora, although I’m still not sold on Cora as a good guy.  I haven’t and won’t forgive her for the way she treated Regina growing up.  But anyways…

Cora and Zelena meet for the first time and it’s actually pretty touching.  However, Zelena isn’t stupid and knows Cora and Regina are playing her.  For a second, I thought this was all going to blow up in Regina’s face, but Cora plays mediator pretty well between her bickering daughters and calms the situation down.  She reveals to them that they were actually friends when they were younger, but Cora erased their memories.

While this family is having some bonding time, the other heroes are dealing with problems of their own.  Emma and Robin are cornered by Cruella and evil twin James, but Charming and Hook come to their rescue.  This leads to a battle of the twins and Charming ends up throwing James into the river, where he meets his demise.  Charming feels bad about it, but Emma reassures him that there was really nothing else he could do here.

Cora tells her daughters that they were her unfinished business, they are waiting to see if she is going to go to the worse place or the better place, and she ends up moving onto the light. Honestly, I’m calling BS on this.  Cora was literally the WORST, for YEARS.  The abuse she inflicted on her own daughter is bad enough, but it’s nothing compared to the countless people she killed and tortured.  And SHE gets to go to the “better place”?  I’m sorry, but if Cora gets to move onto greener pastures, than literally anyone can.  Not buying it.

Regina sends Zelena off to find her happiness with Hades, but Rumple steps in first.  He’s not too pleased with Zelena, because he thinks she played a part in Belle inflicting the sleeping curse on herself.  He brings dear old dad Pan to come kidnap Zelena.  Looks like Regina may have some more rescuing to do!

What did you think of the episode?  Comment below!