I'm not totally sure I'm qualified to write about this week's episode of "Once Upon A Time". It's focused on the making of Prince Charming, a story of the boy becoming the man so to speak. And seeing as I'm a woman... But there were still some interesting moments to comment on.
Apparently the Prince Charming we know is actually the twin brother of a son procured by Rumpelstiltskin for King George, one of the many kings in the Enchanted Forest. This first son is hired to kill a dragon that has been attacking the kingdom of King Midas. When the prince dies, King George, desperate for the money promised in return for the death of the dragon, deals again with Rumpelstiltskin for the twin brother as a replacement. James has spent his life on a farm, caring for sheep, knowing nothing of the whereabouts of his twin brother. Out of nowhere, Rumpelstiltskin arrives to pluck him out of that life and make him a prince. The job is simple: stand outside the cave while the knights slay the dragon. Of course, things don't go according to plan, and James winds up slaying the dragon himself.
I think this plot line was intriguing in light of some of the writings of one of my favorite authors, John Eldredge. He writes quite a bit about men and the need for a moment of initiation into manhood, a moment when the boy steps into the role he was created for and finds that he truly does have what it takes to be a man. Eldredge argues that without these moments, men will continue to struggle with this question throughout their lives. Now obviously, there isn't much call for the slaying of dragons these days, but there are still plenty of moments for men to step up and be who they were created to be.
Interestingly enough, Prince Charming's alter ego, David, is struggling with just such a moment. He started the series as an unknown patient in a coma. He wakes, but has amnesia. Henry hopes that he will start to remember Snow White and life in the Enchanted Forest, but Kathryn shows up. She's apparently his wife. He left one day when things were going badly in their marriage and, because of the accident, never returned. He can't remember anything about her or their marriage; all he knows is that he feels this connection to Mary Margaret (Snow White) that is "more real than anything else". When he tells her this, she does the right thing and seeks to distance herself from him. He continues to pursue her, and eventually decides he's going to choose her instead of Kathryn. He asks her to meet him at the bridge where she saved him. She struggles with the decision, but decides that because he's leaving his wife, it's ok to let him pursue her instead. Of course, things don't always go as planned. On his way to meet Mary Margaret, David begins to remember his life with Kathryn. By the time he gets to the bridge, he has chosen to go back to Kathryn and try to work things out. He finally makes the right decision, although his previous wrong ones have caused Mary Margaret pain (and I'm grateful she lets him have it for leading her on). He chooses to honor the commitment he made, one of the marks of a man living the role he was created for.
Like I said, I'm not totally sure what to make of all those thoughts. I don't have some nugget of wisdom to offer... But I do have a request and an encouragement to all my brothers: Please take the opportunity to become the man you were created to be. The world needs you. Your brothers need you. Your sisters need you. Let the King of the Universe make you into the Prince you are.
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