Once Upon A Time Season 5, Episode 12 "Souls of the Departed"

Or better title, "Your Questions Are Pointless"

The mid-season premiere opens with Emma waking up in her yellow bug. Neal pops up from the backseat and explains this is his happily ever after and he's totally content to live in the abandoned amusement park by himself.

Instead of embracing her former true love she tells Neal she's going to the Underworld to rescue Hook. There's a little awkward stepping around the fact she didn't consider doing the same with Neal.

Anyway, he warns her not to go.

Emma, her parents, Regina, Mr. Gold, and Henry arrive in the Underworld and it looks just like Storybrooke...except everything is filmed through a red lens and everyone has shifty eyes.

Emma is full and questions and so am I? Why does the Underworld look exactly like Storybrooke?

But Mr. Gold says, "Your questions are pointless."

True, dat. This is OUAT after all. 

In a flashback to the Enchanted forest, the Evil Queen confronts a group of villages who won't give away the hiding place of Snow White. Then she returns to her castle and complains to her dad about how her birthday stinks bigtime.

Back in the Underworld we learn that Cora is in charge.

Although, didn't Regina take out all the darkness of her heart and give it back to her? Why hasn't she moved on like Neal?

Meanwhile at Underworld Granny's, Mary Margaret is kissed passionately by David, except it turns out it's his twin, James.

This is AWESOME!!! I can only imagine the twists and shenanigans we'll be enjoying now that rascally, James is in town. But instead of building up that fun story line, we have to listen to Cora painfully explain to Regina that she has to high tail it out of the Underworld or Cora will be forced to start burning people to death.

Um...what? Why? How can you burn people who are already dead?

Back at the Underworld Pawn Shop, Mr. Gold runs into Peter Pan. This is great news because I loved these two battling it out. And now that Henry is a bit older since the last time they met, the dynamics will be interesting to watch.

Instead, Pan hands over a random vial of potion to Mr. Gold that lets people talk to the dead once it's poured over their graves.

Why would people have graves in the Underworld if they're walking around the Underworld?

Speaking of graves, Mr. Gold meets Emma at Hook's tombstone. Apparently the Underworld is no match for a famous pirate who used to be the Dark One. And of course, the potion doesn't completely work and they can only see Hook, not speak with him.

Don't look too long at this gif, it will cause seizures.

However, Regina has better luck over her dad's grave...

How come the potion worked for him?

For a character that's had hardly any mention in the last four seasons, Henry Senior gets several monologues! He tells Regina not to leave the Underworld, but to stay and help her friends.

Meanwhile in the flashback, Cora has somehow out magicked herself from Wonderland and steals Snow White's heart. She then gives this token to Regina as a birthday present. But when Regina watches Snow White through the magic mirror, she doesn't die while Regina squeezes the enchanted heart, instead one of the guards collapses.

It seems Henry switched enchanted hearts.

Okay, WTF, people? Henry also has the ability to rip out hearts?!?

Miffed that her only birthday present turned out to be a dud, Evil Regina shrinks her dad and puts him in a box. Then she banishes Cora back to Wonderland, maybe for good this time, who knows? However, Cora grabs the little box containing little Henry.

But then, when Regina banished Cora back to Wonderland, Cora took Regina's dad with her.

Back in the Underworld, even though Regina's parents are giving her opposite advice, they keep explaining what will happen although I'm not entirely sure what is going on. Why will Cora be forced to burn people?

I wonder what Neal is doing in the abandoned amusement park?

Anyway, when Regina decides to stay in the Underworld, the fire around her dad disappears and a bridge to heaven appears for Henry senior to ascend. There was a touching moment when Henry junior meets Henry senior. But this whole point felt forced and I didn't enjoy it as much as the usual
'Regina epiphany' moments.

And then we're left with this cliffhanger...

Darn. New villain for Mr. Gold and Emma and Regina to make a temporary alliance to defend. Just like last season...and the season before that...and the season before...


Which villain are you hoping to see the next episode?