I Promise No Cracks About the Mirror

So this episode of "Once Upon A Time," certains on the magic mirror.  I know they want to keep the central mystery on the back burner, but at this rate there will be episodes about the mother of the seven dwarves, or snow white's manucurist. 

Anyway, in Fairyland our mirror was once a genie.  He was set free by the king via his first wish.  The King did so because he wants everyone in his kingdom happy.  His second wish was to give the freed genie his third wish.  The Genie then says that wishes tend to backfire in his experience of granting 1,001 wishes.  Something he might have mentioned before hand. 

Meanwhile in the real world Mayor/Queen/Witch is doing her usual douchery do.  She has fired the Mirror in the real world from his job in the news paper.  He of course gets drunk and decides to wreck her with the help of Emma.  Emma is like, ok as long as we do it all legal like.  Give you a  clue how long that lasts.

Meanwhile meanwhile, back in the fairyverse the genie falls in love with the evil queen.  The evil queen is unhappy because she will always be number two in the king's heart.  Well ok number three if you count snow white.  The genie pitches some genie wooing and gives the queen a mirror so that she can always see herself as he sees her.  Of course, this does not escape the attention of the King.  The King summons the genie and says he knows someone is rubbing his rhubarb but he doesn't know who, so he gives the genie the job of finding out who.  Now, maybe I'm just a rube, but it seems to me if the queen is suddenly two timing with someone one's first suspect should be the handsome fella that just joined the court at the same time.  Just saying.

In the real world Emma thinks she dug up some dirt.  Her and the now crusading reporter crash the town meeting with news.  .......and the Queen/Mayor/She Who Must Be Obeyed wiggles out of it with ease, and makes Emma look like the world's biggest ass.

In Happyland the Queen gets locked up and is prepared to kill herself with snakes.  Snakes that come from the same land as the genie so he knows they are a one bite and check out forever reptile.  He stops her from serpentcide and promises to kill the King instead.  Remember that bit about wishes going all FUBAR?  Yeah, well king gets it in the asp.  Now the Genie comes back and the Queen says, "Opps they know it was you cause it was snakes from your land, you better blow the castle and never come back."  The Genie is like oh yeah I figured you used me but I love you so much and I'm not leaving.  Genie wishes to always be able to gaze upon her face.... gee people forget their own advice about wishes.  Genie is now a mirror.

Is that a promotion?

In the real world we learn that it was all a hose job.  The mirror has not turned against his mistress and now Emma thinks she has a friend when instead she has a viper close to her.  So episode wise it was embarrassing in places.  They also forgot that Emma supposedly can see through lies.  The thing that sells it is the acting, but it was a near thing.