After a hiatus, Once is back with “The Return.” This week we get a Gold/Rumpelstiltskin-centric episode!

Previously Kathryn was thought to have been murdered by Mary Margaret but suddenly she appears dazed and confused in the streets of Storybrooke. Unfortunately she doesn’t remember anything about her captor, since she was been drugged and chained in a basement.

However, we know better. Regina is furious with Mr. Gold for going back on his deal and now everything will point to her. He simply tells her he never agreed to kill her, just to put her through something tragic. Deal upheld. Could Regina be in hot water? I doubt it.

Meanwhile Henry sets out with the stranger, August Booth, to continue on Operation Cobra. He helps August to sneak into Mr. Gold’s pawn shop, but August is caught and tries to play it off. However, Mr. Gold grows increasingly suspicious of August and begins to investigate him. He follows him around town, breaks into his apartment and discovers a drawing of the knife inscribed with “Rumpelstiltskin”…the knife that can kill and take the powers from him, the Dark One.

Other happenings in Storybrooke include Mary Margaret’s “Welcome Home” party…from jail…for homicide. Strange, yes. Also, she still doesn’t want to have anything to do with David. I mean, he did kind of leave her high and dry when she needed him most. Emma is investigating Kathryn’s disappearance and reappearance. She speaks with Mr. Glass and it’s obvious he is so in love with Regina and would probably even take the fall for her. All in all, these side stories were just moving the rest of Storybrooke along this week.

In Fairytale Land, Rumpelstiltskin is cray cray. He is the Dark One and the evil powers continue to make him darker and darker…to his son’s, Baelfire, dismay. He simply wants his Papa back. Rumpel terrorizes the town and makes everyone flee even from Bae. The poor kid just wants his father and some friends. He finally talks it out with Rumpel and gets him to agree that if there’s a power out there to take away the dark powers, then he’d do it.

Bae goes into the woods and summons the Blue Fairy and pleads his case to her. She gives him a magic bean, the last one. Bae takes it to Rumpel, who resists at first but finally agrees. However, when the bean opens a portal Rumpel refuses to go in. Bae falls in and the portal closes, leaving Rumpel alone and filled with regret. He finds the Blue Fairy and pleads, but there are no more magic beans. However, she does give away one fact…a curse. Rumpel suddenly finds himself on a mission.

Back to Storybrooke, Mr. Gold starts to put things together…that August may be his son. He confronts him in the woods and tells August that he knows, to which August replies…”Papa.” Really, it’s going to be THAT obvious? But then Mr. Gold takes him to the inscribed knife to prove he’s changed and August turns on him trying to use the powers of the knife to control the Dark One. Whaaat?! But there’s no magic in Storybrooke. Oops. And Mr. Gold turns the knife on him, angry and upset. It turns out August is lying, yet again. He’s not his son. But he does have a life-threatening disease that needs magic and he does know about Fairytale Land. Ultimately Mr. Gold lets him go…and the mystery continues.

An interesting episode…and it always is whenever Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin are at the forefront. I’m really glad that August didn’t turn out to be his son. It just seemed too obvious. But the mystery still remains…who is he? I still feel like we should have a little more info by this point!

Anyway, what’d you think? Love it, hate it? Leave your comments!

This week in Fairytale Land we follow the story of Geppetto and Pinocchio. Just like the original, Geppetto had made this little boy puppet and the blue fairy comes to turn him into a real boy. And of course, Pinocchio had that little problem of telling lies here and there.

When the curse begins to threaten the land, the blue fairy enlists Geppetto’s help. There is a magical tree that can be carved into a wardrobe and save two people from the curse. The idea is for Charming and the pregnant Snow White. But Geppetto can’t bare the thought of losing Pinocchio, so he strikes a deal with the fairy to save Snow and Pinocchio. She tells Snow and Charming the wardrobe can only save one.

However, by the time the curse comes, Emma is born. Geppetto is panicked and against the blue fairies instructions still sends Pinocchio. Snow sends Emma alone. The two children arrive in the woods and are eventually found in an orphanage. Pinocchio is given the opportunity to escape and does, leaving Emma all alone.

In Storybrooke, August turns out to be Pinocchio. He longs to reunite with his father who does not remember him. Additionally, since he ignored his task to be there for Emma and help guide her, his leg has begun turning into wood.

August sets out on a mission to prove to Emma that the fairytales are all real. He eventually takes her to the tree that they arrived in. However, she thinks he’s crazy. Really crazy. He even tries to show her his leg, but her disbelief causes her to not be able to see even that.

Meanwhile Regina is cooking up a plan. She manages to get David to come to her home and cook dinner for him. By the end of the evening she goes in for the kiss. However, he refuses. Thank goodness. I don’t think I could handle a third person added to his list. The guy’s turning into a player!

In addition, Sydney Glass wants to take the fall for Regina. But Emma knows the truth, it’s just the matter of proving it. Emma finds herself on a mission to get custody of Henry, to get him away from Regina. And at the end of the episode Emma sets out to leave Storybrooke…with Henry.

So, we finally know a good chunk about the stranger! What’d you think? Did you know he was Pinocchio all along or were you surprised? And what do you think about Emma leaving with Henry? Good or bad? Leave your comments!

In Fairytale Land we pick up on the story of Snow and Charming where he had been taken away by the king right after reuniting with Snow. The king is intent on killing him, but Regina shows up and persuades him to hand James over to her. She can use him to destroy Snow White.

Snow storms the castle with help from the dwarves, Granny and Red, and the fairies. Snow is fierce and takes out a lot of guards. Once she reaches the dungeon, she finds a mirror with James in it. He tells her that Regina took him and Snow vows to rescue him.

Snow meets up with Regina where Regina grew up. Regina reveals that it was Snows fault that her mother killed her one true love. She says the only way for James to be freed is for her to eat the poison apple, willingly. And as the story goes, Snow eats the apple and falls into a deep, deep sleep. All of the others arrive and believe her to be dead, sacrificing herself to save James.

Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Henry talks Emma out of kidnapping him and leaving town. But she’s on a bit of a roller coaster. She doesn’t want to stay because she doesn’t want people counting on her. She just wants to run. Mary Margaret calls her out on it.

Regina tries to make a deal with Mr. Gold to get rid of Emma, because apparently killing her would break the curse. Hmmm…interesting. But Mr. Gold isn’t having it. So she enlists the help of Jefferson, aka The Mad Hatter. She wants him to go back to Fairytale Land with his hat, but that requires magic. Luckily she has a little stowed away. However, it isn’t enough…just enough to reach in and grab something. Naturally she grabs the poison apple.

Emma talks to Regina about how she needs to just leave and how Henry will be safe staying with Regina. It seems like a truce. But as Emma is leaving, Regina gives her a turnover…an apple turnover.

Once back at the apartment Henry shows up and continues on with trying to convince Emma after finding out that August had failed. When he discovers Regina gave Emma an apple turnover, he snatches it and bites into it…falling to the ground.

Wow. So Henry’s been hit by the poison apple?! True loves kiss broke the slumber the first time…but I don’t know that Henry has a true love just yet!

What did you think? Feeling the episode or not so much? Pumped for the season finale next week? I sure am! Let’s see some fireworks!

Once certainly didn’t hold back with this week’s season finale. They pulled out all the stops! In Fairytale Land we pick up with Charming on his mission to save Snow White. None other than the Huntsman himself, who is dearly missed, helps Charming escape from Regina’s castle. And yep, she’s pretty ticked.

Charming soon finds himself faced with Rumpelstiltskin who has stolen the ring Charming has for Snow. In total Rumpel fashion, they make a deal. Charming will place an egg that contains a powerful true love potion into the belly of a beast. That beast ends up being the dragon-form of Maleficent. Charming succeeds and Rumpel returns the ring, thus Charming sets out to find Snow.

Unfortunately Snow is already “dead” and the dwarves have her placed in a glass coffin. But Charming wants his last goodbye. With true loves kiss, the curse is broken and Snow awakes. The two embrace and determine to take the kingdom back…together.

Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Henry is rushed to the hospital after eating the poison apple turnover Regina made for Emma. After the doctors find nothing wrong, Emma realizes all the stories are true and Regina confirms the curse. With the love both have for Henry, they join forces to save him.

They discover from Mr. Gold that the last remaining magic is locked away in the beast. Regina has kept her in a dungeon in her true dragon form and they send Emma down with her father’s sword. Emma tries shooting the dragon, but ultimately embraces the sword and defeats it. However, Mr. Gold tricks Emma into giving him the potion and he runs away.

The two women rush to the hospital after receiving phone calls, but it’s too late. Henry is dead. Emma and Regina are both upset. Emma gives Henry a kiss on the forehead with an ‘I love you’…and the spell is broken! Henry wakes up and not only is the curse on him broken, but the memory curse is broken as well. Everyone starts to remember. Charming finds Snow. The doctors all remember. Granny and Red. Suddenly the Evil Queen isn’t so safe anymore.

In a little bit of a side story, Jefferson (aka The Mad Hatter) is angry at Regina for not holding to her deal of reuniting him with his daughter. So he finds Belle, who Rumpel loved and thought was dead, and sets her free. He tells her to find Mr. Gold, which she does. Rumpel is in disbelief, but overjoyed. He brings her along with him and she remembers loving him when Emma breaks the curse. They arrive at a well and Mr. Gold throws the potion into the well. Cue the purple smoke taking over the town. Apparently magic is returning…and Regina seems pretty happy about that.

So, what did you think?! It was a pretty packed episode! Loved the dragon fighting…and that it was father and daughter in two different worlds! Also I’m a big fan of the whole breaking the curse thing. Granted, there’s still a lot more to it, but the fact that everyone is remembering shows that the writers aren’t going to draw it out forever. I’m PUMPED for next season. Lots more magic to come! Leave your comments!

MAGIC IS HERE!

Last season on Once Upon A Time we left off with Henry eating the poison apple but being brought back to life when Emma kissed him on the forehead. This in turn set off a chain reaction in which the curse placed on Storybrooke by Queen Regina was broken and all the townspeople began remembering their former lives and identities. Additionally, Mr. Gold was reunited with Belle and he threw a potion into a well, releasing a purple cloud throughout the town. Regina retreated back to her home, knowing full well the curse had been broken.

Once picks up with the townspeople coming to the realization of their identities and marching to seek vengeance on Regina for the curse. However, Emma stops them and promises to Henry that she will protect Regina. Mr. Gold visits Regina in jail and marks her with a talisman. The marking attracts the wraith, a monster that feeds on the souls of people. He then summons the wraith into the town with his Rumpelstiltskin dagger. After attacking Regina once, she devises a plan with Emma, Mary Margaret and David to send the wraith back to their world using Jefferson’s Mad Hatter hat because their world no longer exists, destroyed by the curse. The plan works but Emma and Mary Margaret are pulled into the hat with the wraith, supposedly into oblivion.

Magic is Back

Meanwhile in Fairytale Land we pick up on Prince Phillip rescuing Princess Aurora from her cursed sleep. Upon reviving her, he finds a talisman. However, his companion warrior warns him of being marked by the talisman, as it will attract the wraith. But it is too late; Phillip hides the fact that he was indeed marked for the wraith. The warrior with Phillip turns out to be Mulan, who has fought along with Phillip all along the way to rescue Aurora. While in the woods, Phillip disappears and Mulan realizes he was marked and has gone to meet his fate. Aurora sees that Mulan has actually fallen for Phillip as well and they go to rescue him. The wraith attacks and takes his soul, leaving a lifeless Phillip. They return him to where Aurora was placed during her slumber. Mulan reveals to Aurora that the world she knew has changed. A curse came and destroyed much of their world, leaving the tiny portion where they are. They were frozen for 28 years and unexpectedly brought back to life.

At the very end, Mulan and Aurora discover a pile of rubble that had not been there before. Upon uncovering some of the rubble, it is revealed that Emma and Mary Margaret are underneath. They have been transported to the Fairytale Land. The entire story of Sleeping Beauty had not been a flashback like we had become accustomed to, but rather it was in real time.

I’m personally thrilled with where the story is going. I was slightly worried about the curse being broken so soon into the series, but how could they honestly keeping moving forward with it? One of my main critiques of the first season was that I found the stories of Fairytale Land to be most interesting and the stories of Storybrooke to be rather bland. With this new plot twist everything will be meshed and mingled. I see it as a phenomenal decision on the part of the writers!

But what did you think? Were you shocked by the plot twist or did you see it coming from a mile away? Are you excited about the direction of season two, or worried it’s seen its best days? Leave your comments and let us know!

Last week the residents of Storybrooke, with their identities restored, were up in arms with Queen Regina and wanted her to pay for what she had done. She was jailed but Rumpelstiltskin marked her for the wraith. Attempting to save her upon Henry’s request, Mary Margaret and Emma were seemingly sent into oblivion but wound up in Fairytale Land…a part that somehow survived the curse but remained in near ruins.

This week in flashback Fairytale Land we dig a little deeper into what makes Queen Regina tick. And really what makes her tick is her lovely mother, Cora. Her mother is controlling every aspect of her life…to the point that she can’t even escape because magic intervenes. Cora intends for Regina to go through with the marriage to King Leopold and refuses any alternative. Regina goes to her father Henry for some insight and guidance. He tells her that Cora became this way because she received a book of spells from some man in her past.

Later Regina steals the book from Cora’s room and summons Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpel is pleased to see her, saying he knew her from the past and knew they’d meet in the future. He nudges her in the direction to using magic, even giving her a magic mirror to push Cora through to another world. On her wedding day at first she is unable to push Cora in, but does so on her second attempt; the mirror immediately shatters. Regina flees the castle but is confronted by Rumpel who questions whether she enjoyed using magic. She says yes and he offers to help her if she agrees to return the favor.

In Storybrooke the seven dwarves discover that if they cross the town’s boundaries they lose their identities all over again, with Sneezy being the guinea pig of the operation. Meanwhile Regina is up in arms because she has no real control over her magic. She searches Rumpelstiltskin’s shop for her book but cannot find it. After speaking with him, he magically makes it appear and gives it to her. David shows up next and wants help finding Jefferson, the owner of the portal hat…but he refuses to say who or why. Rumpel gives him a potion on the condition that they stay out of each other’s business.

Regina uses the magic of the book to terrorize the townspeople at town hall, but Henry surrenders himself to stop it. She takes him home where he attempts to flee but is stopped by magic, just as her mother had done to her. David restores order to the fleeing townspeople with a heroic speech, telling them they have dealt with the Queen before and they shall continue to thrive. David then goes to Regina’s to retrieve Henry, and she surprisingly gives him up willingly. She claims she wants to change, however it is revealed that she just can’t part with the book.

In current Fairytale Land, Mulan and Aurora take Mary Margaret and Emma back to their refugee-style camp in the post-curse, desolate land. After trying to flee, they are locked away. In the final moments, we see they are locked away with none other than…Cora!

What did you think?! I’m still on the bandwagon of loving the new vibe of this season. Fairytale Land and Storybrooke are finally groovin’ together, and I love it! How did Cora get there? Did she fall through the mirror into post-curse Fairytale Land or is there more backstory to it? I’m thinking the latter.

Anyway, your thoughts on the episode? Love it or leave it? Do you feel some sympathy for Regina and what she’s been through or completely despise her? How will the people of Storybrooke find the Enchanted Forest? Leave your comments!

In flashback Fairytale Land, King George’s knights attack Snow White and Charming’s camp in the forest. Charming sends Snow to the cabin where his mother is waiting for him, however she is captured by a knight that turns out to be Sir Lancelot. At the palace the king offers her a drink and tells her how he just wants Charming to feel the pain of not being able to have a child. Snow realizes the drink was tainted and a curse has been placed upon her so that she cannot conceive.

Sir Lancelot feels guilty and offers to help Snow because knights have been sent to attack Charming at his mother’s cabin. When they arrive it is too late, his mother was shot by a poison arrow. They seek out the magical Lake Nostic, but it has dried up since Charming had killed the Lady of the Lake. However, Lancelot finds a small amount of water in a shell…enough for only one person.

Charming’s mother takes a sip but it does nothing. To honor his mother, Lancelot marries Charming and Snow while she watches. The two are united as one and sip from a chalice. Charming’s mother then passes. He finds her medallion that predicts a baby’s gender and uses it on Snow. It previously did not spin at all but suddenly does now, proving she will conceive. Snow realizes Ruth had not drunk the water but had Lancelot save it for her in order to break the curse.

In Storybrooke, Henry is determined to get in on the action. He hunts down Jefferson who tells him he can’t help. Kind-hearted Henry insists that Jefferson reunite with his daughter Paige (Grace in Fairytale Land) so she doesn’t feel lost and abandoned. Jefferson also tells Henry about Regina’s vault in the cemetery. So Henry fools Regina into meeting him for lunch while he steals her keys and discovers the vault in the cemetery. In the vault he opens a box that contains poisonous snakes, but Charming shows up and saves him. In the end, Jefferson reunites with his daughter and Charming begins sword training with Henry using wooden swords. However, at the very end we see King George watching Charming and Henry from a distance.

Meanwhile in current Fairytale Land, Emma begins talking to Cora in the pit. However, Snow wakes up and immediately intervenes saying Cora cannot be trusted. Emma sees no reason to not at least talk to her. A leader, who turns out to be Sir Lancelot, then summons Snow and Emma from the pit. He immediately realizes she’s Snow and frees them. Snow and Lancelot discuss trying to find a portal, but Snow is very careful due to Cora’s presence nearby. He agrees to let them go and try to find a portal as long as Mulan, his best warrior, joins them.

The trio set out and at one point Aurora jumps Snow, but Emma intervenes. The scuffle wakens the ogres and Emma is attacked but saved by Snow’s swift archery. Aurora puts her anger to rest and the women reach Snow’s disheveled palace. Mulan and Aurora guard the gate while Snow and Emma are inside determining whether the wardrobe that transported Emma in the first place can be used again. Lancelot shows up but Snow is quick to realize it’s not truly him. He transforms into Cora and apparently Lancelot had been dead for some time. Cora has been trying to find a way to get to her daughter, Regina, and they have led her straight to the wardrobe.

Cora attacks the two women but Emma sets the wardrobe on fire. Cora magically tries to aim the fire at Emma but Mulan intervenes and Cora vanishes from the room. Upon discovering Lancelot has died, Mulan suggests Snow become the leader of the refugees. Emma realizes that she destroyed the only portal in order to save Henry, just as Snow had sacrificed in order to save Emma. The women leave the palace and Cora reappears, scooping the ashes of the wardrobe into a bottle.

Wow, this episode contained A LOT! I’m really intrigued by Cora. All during the first season I knew Regina was the Evil Queen and essentially “the villain.” But now I really think we’ve got that great antagonist that we can all honestly hate. And I love it. I also still love having the current Fairytale World. I feel like it makes the whole show so much more involved and connected. The Sir Lancelot storyline was give-or-take for me. Good to see him, but I didn’t grow attached. Also, I’m wondering if this is the wrap-up of Jefferson. He doesn’t seem to be needed anymore at this point since his hat is destroyed, so it’s good to see he gets a happy wrap-up with his daughter. But the reappearance of King George/Albert Spencer brings the question as to whether he’s still miffed about Charming and his happiness. He might still be seeking vengeance.

Anyway, what did you think? Like the episode? Was there simply too much going on in this one? Looking forward to more evil Cora? Leave your comments!

In flashback Fairytale Land, we dig a little deeper into the troubled life of Rumplestiltskin. Rumple and his wife, Milah, have a difficult marriage. He confronts her after he discovers she left their son home alone to go to the tavern with a group of pirates. Apparently she is ashamed of him for not going to fight in the ogre wars. Later the pirates abduct her and Rumple confronts the captain, Killian Jones. But when the captain requests a duel, Rumple is overcome by his cowardice.

Many years later Rumple has become the Dark One and goes to the tavern to meet a trader about a magic bean that can transport between worlds. He then runs into Jones who tells him Milah is dead, and they agree to a rematch swordfight the next day. This time Rumple has the upper hand and almost kills Jones but is stopped by Milah. She apparently left freely with the pirates in search of a life of adventure. She asks that they be spared in exchange for the magic bean. But Rumple rips her heart out, killing her instantly. He then slices off Jones’ left hand, thinking the bean is inside. Jones stabs Rumple with a hook, but Rumple disappears with no injury whatsoever.

It turns out that Jones tricked Rumple and actually kept the magic bean. He throws the bean into the ocean and a portal opens. He summons the trader, who turns out to be Smee, and the crew prepares to sail off into Neverland.

In Storybrooke, Belle confronts Rumplestiltskin about his potion making, but he refuses to explain. So Belle leaves him once again. She visits Granny’s and talks with Red about wanting a job, who points her in the direction of the run-down library. While visiting the library Belle is kidnapped by William Smee.

It turns out that Smee was hired by Belle’s father to capture her. When she admits to her father that she fell in love with Rumplestiltskin, he has Smee continue out the plan…to send Belle out of town so that she’ll forget her identity and love for Rumple. Meanwhile Rumple asks Charming for help and Red joins in using her wolf scent-tracking. The group reach Maurice’s flower shop, he admits his plan and they rush to stop Smee. They reach Belle in time, but she is angry with both her father and Rumple and never wants to speak to them again.

Later Red gives Belle a gift, which happens to be the keys to the library. It turns out that Rumple was actually behind the gift. He explains to Belle that he created the curse in order to find his son and has been trying to break the new curse to try and get out of Storybrooke to find his son as well. Essentially Belle and Rumple make up, but he keeps one thing from her…he has Smee locked away in his basement. He questions him about the location of Captain Hook, as it appears he is nowhere to be found in Storybrooke.

Meanwhile in present-day Fairytale Land, Captain Hook is overlooking the refugee island. Cora shows up with her bottle of magic ashes from the wardrobe. She says it’s not enough, but it’s a start to trying to find their way to Regina and Rumplestiltskin.

Even though Cora was in the episode for just one scene, she gives me real chills. And Captain Hook is a great companion villain! I’m in love with this whole joining-of-the-villains concept! It could really build some momentum and anticipation as the line is drawn between good and evil! The whole storyline of Belle and Rumple as the Beast is still weird for me…I just have trouble seeing him as the enduring, grow-to-love-him Beast from the Disney classic. Of course I’m biased because it’s my Disney favorite.

Anyway, what did you think? Love the addition of Captain Hook or are you ready to leave him already? Thoughts on the Belle and Beast storyline? Leave your comments!

In flashback Fairytale Land, Regina has become Rumplestiltskin’s apprentice and he is teaching her all she needs to know about magic. She excels at magic but when he tells her she must rip the heart from a unicorn, she cannot. She claims it is innocent. Later she pleads with Rumple to continue her training because she wants to bring back her dead fiancé back. However, he says magic cannot do it and dismisses her.

Jefferson, the Mad Hatter, arrives during Rumple and Regina’s conversation and gives him a crystal ball. But Rumple wants some “slippers.” He overhears their conversation and tells Regina the “wizard” could bring someone back from the dead; if he can’t, then no one can. So she follows Jefferson to the “wizard” who claims to actually be a doctor. He has never actually brought someone back from the dead, but says in order to do so he needs a strong heart. Regina retrieves a heart from Cora’s collection and the doctor attempts but fails to bring Daniel back.

Regina returns to Rumple and tears out the heart of his new apprentice to prove she is worthy of his guidance. Later Jefferson and the doctor show up and Rumple thanks them for creating his “monster.” He gives the doctor the strong heart and Jefferson uses his hat to take him to a black and white realm. In the realm he is working to bring back his brother. Using the heart, he finds success and it is revealed that he is Dr. Frankenstein.

Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Regina goes to Archie for counsel as she attempts to not use magic. While there, Dr. Whale shows up and demands she send him back so he can find his brother. She refuses. Later while driving home she sees her fiancé Daniel and knows Dr. Whale must be behind it. She goes to confront him and finds his office in disarray. He had successfully brought Daniel back, but created a monster.

Regina tells David what Dr. Whale did and believes Daniel may head to the stables. David is in immediate panic since he had just given Henry a horse to tend to. When they arrive, Daniel is attacking Henry. They stop him but Regina pleads with David to leave Daniel alone. When Regina confronts Daniel, he attacks her. But then the real Daniel comes through and pleads with her to let him go and move on. Suddenly he goes back to a monster and she must use magic to stop him and let him move on.

Regina returns to Archie and tells him she used magic but wants to move on. Dr. Whale goes to Mr. Gold to repair his arm from the attack. Mr. Gold asks him to admit he needs magic, which he does. And so Mr. Gold magically repairs it.

In present-day Fairytale Land, Emma, Mary Margaret, Mulan and Aurora return to the refugee island and discover that Cora has ripped everyone’s hearts out. Only one man survived, but none of the women knew him. Emma is wary of him and they tie him to a tree to leave for the ogres. The man finally caves and tells them he is Killian Jones, also known as Captain Hook. He explains that Cora saved the enchanted ashes from the wardrobe and plans to travel to Storybrooke. Hook bargains with the women, saying he knows where to get a compass that can help get them to Storybrooke as long as they take him along. Emma and Mary Margaret are still cautious of him but agree. In the end, he leads them to a beanstalk where a giant awaits.

I don’t know how I feel about Dr. Whale as Frankenstein. It felt too abrupt for me, like that wasn’t the writers’ intention all along. Maybe it was, but it just seemed like a stretch to me. And Storybrooke wasn’t really working for me this week. I like seeing Regina’s tender moments from the past, but I just can’t relate to them in present-day. Bringing back Daniel for one episode just doesn’t sit well with me. But on a positive note, what about that beanstalk? I can’t wait to meet the giant…hello, Jorge Garcia!

Anyway, what did you think? Did you see the Frankenstein twist coming or were you floored? Enjoy Regina’s emotional side or could you leave it? Leave your comments!

This week in present-day Fairytale Land we catch up with Hook and the warrior women at the base of the beanstalk that leads to a giant who possesses the compasses needed to return to Storybrooke. The beanstalk is enchanted to prevent intruders from climbing it, but Hook has two magical bracelets to get by…one for him and the other meant for Cora. Mulan and Mary Margaret fight over who will go, but Emma puts her foot down and dictates she’ll be the one. And this makes perfect sense because she’s the only one unfamiliar with Fairytale Land…

Hook and Emma reach the landing and there is rubble everywhere, apparently left over from the battle between the “evil” giants and the humans attempting to retrieve their magic beans. Only one giant remains and it comes storming out. Hook distracts him while Emma sends him into a deep sleep. The two enter the home and immediately begin looking for the compass.

Enter the giant because the sleep has worn off. Hook is buried under debris from the earthquake and Emma is nearly squeezed to death. However, she escapes and traps the giant in his own booby trap. She threatens him with Jack’s poisoned sword and he gives her the compass. She proves to him that all humans aren’t the same by allowing him to live. So when he breaks free of the booby trap, he allows her free passage to leave.

Emma frees Hook of the debris, but chains him to a wall. She can’t risk being betrayed by him, leaving him and rejoining the other girls. She tells them it will give them a head start to find Cora and retrieve the wardrobe ashes in order to return to Storybrooke.

Meanwhile we have a flashback of the real world this week, of Emma and her criminal days. She attempts to steal a car but is caught red-handed by the owner, Neil Cassidy…who actually stole the car himself. The two hit it off and become a duo of crooks, covering one another’s backs in sticky situations. Finally Neil and Emma decide they want to settle down. She closes her eyes and points to a map, and Tallahassee it is.

However, Neil finds a wanted poster of himself for stealing a set of watches, which he has stashed in a locker. Tallahassee is suddenly out of the question and he says he must flee to Canada alone. But Emma retrieves the watches for him. He gives her one of them, tells her to meet him later and goes off to return them.

Neil is followed and caught when he attempts to flee. It turns out to be August (aka Pinocchio, who entered the real world with baby Emma). He tells Neil that Emma has a destiny she must fulfill and he is standing in her way. To convince Neil of magic and Emma’s destiny, August shows him something in a box. It does the trick; Neil is convinced but still has a hard time letting go of her. Meanwhile, based on a tip Emma is arrested in their meeting place for stealing the watches and sent to prison for 11 months.

Later Neil meets August in Canada and August tells him what happened to Emma. He is heartbroken and gives him the money from the watches and the keys to their stolen car to give to Emma when she’s freed. We then see Emma in her cell and she’s received a package. It’s the keys to the car on the keychain Neil had stolen for her. And it is then revealed she just learned she’s pregnant.

In Storybrooke, Henry wakes from a nightmare. He saw red and curtains on fire and someone staring at him. It was the same nightmare Aurora had in present-day Fairytale Land.

The episode was pretty straightforward. It was exciting to meet Henry’s father finally! And to know that he actually cares for her when they almost had me believing he was going to ditch her on his own freewill. It was also nice to bring August back into the fold. He’s always full of mystery…like what’s in the box?! Also, what about that nightmare? Is it a premonition of what’s to come and why did Aurora and Henry both have that dream…are they connected in some way? So many questions!

Let us know what you thought! Leave a comment.

In flashback Fairytale Land, Snow and Red are on the run from the queen’s men. They narrowly dodge them, but Red’s cloak is torn. She worries it will not protect her from shifting into a wolf during the full moon. So the two women separate and agree to rejoin in the morning.

The following morning a man, Quinn, approaches Red and reveals he is also a shifter. He leads her to a hidden den where other wolf shifters reside. The leader, Anita, tells Red she is her mother and that Granny had kidnapped her. Furthermore, she explains that she can control herself during her wolf state by accepting the wolf as part of herself. That night Red is able to control her wolf self and remembers the experience in the morning.

Snow finds the den, but was followed by the queen’s men. They enter and during the ensuing fight Quinn is killed. Anita is outraged and says all humans are the same, so Snow must be killed…by Red. Red refuses, so Anita shifts to kill Snow. But Red saves Snow, unintentionally killing Anita in the process. She is heartbroken, but the two women bury Anita and Red tells Snow that she is actually protected her true family.

In Storybrooke, the dwarves find diamonds to make fairy dust in the mines. Charming is ecstatic to be able to use the dust on Mad Hatter’s Hat to bring Snow and Emma home. Later Spencer, aka King George, arrives; he reminds Charming that he is a mere shepherd’s boy and plans to expose him. But Charming says it didn’t work in their old world and won’t work now.

Meanwhile, Red meets a man who turns out to be Cinderella’s little mouse, Gus. She’s obviously a little smitten, but she’s anxious about the first full moon approaching. Granny locks her in the freezer but she escaped during the night. Granny and Charming find her in the woods, and then also find Gus murdered. Spencer starts to rally the townspeople against Red and Charming. Red is struck with grief and believes she did it. Charming, Granny and Belle hide her at the library but Red runs away.

Granny follows her scent, but finds her cloak and an axe in Spencer’s trunk. He had set her up. Charming and Granny find the townspeople closing in on Red as a wolf and Spencer tries to shoot her but is stopped by Granny. Charming reveals the true culprit, but Spencer slips away. When they catch up to him, he has the Mad Hatter’s Hat and throws it into a fire.

Additionally, Henry’s nightmares have been getting worse. He has started receiving burns from them. Mr. Gold says it’s the effects of being under a sleeping spell and prescribes a potion that will allow him to take action during his nightmares.

In present-day Fairytale Land, Aurora continues to have her flaming nightmares as well. However, this time the flames die down slightly and Henry is there telling her not to be afraid. She awakens and tells Emma and Snow the little boy’s name is Henry.

So, what did you think of the episode? It was a lot of backstory for Red, who I love and adore…a nice standalone episode in that regard. I am deeply excited about this link Henry and Aurora share! I can’t wait to see it play out! Leave your comments below!

In Storybrooke, Henry learns from Aurora that Snow and Emma are fine and that Cora is fighting to come to Storybrooke. After sharing the information with Charming and Regina, they enlist Gold’s help by telling him he is more vulnerable to Cora now due to his love for Belle. He tells them of some magic ink he left in Fairytale Land that would help Snow and Emma return. However, Henry is unable to give the information to Aurora because she is pulled from the nightmare unexpectedly. Afterwards, Charming and Regina agree it is too dangerous for Henry to return because he is receiving harsh burns.

Thus, Charming wants to go to the fiery nightmare. The only problem is that it’s reserved for victims of a sleeping curse. So Gold sets up a poison spinning wheel and Charming falls into a deep sleep. Another obstacle Charming finds is that he hasn’t yet been awoken from the curse, so he is sent wondering in darkness. But he is able to find the fiery room and breaks into it, discovering not Aurora but Snow. He tells her of the magic ink and how he has faith she will return. And she must, because only she can awaken him from the curse.

In Fairytale Land, Killian Jones escapes from the giant to find Cora waiting for him at the beanstalk. He tells her of his plight with Emma and how he does not have the compass. So she dismisses him and returns to the village she destroyed. She summons the dead through the hearts she’s collected and sends them to attack the women.

Meanwhile Aurora continues to try to contact Henry through the fiery nightmare, but Mulan realizes she is actually receiving burns. Having vowed to Philip to protect Aurora, she pleads with her not to continue. But Aurora continues the effort anyway. While sleeping, she is pulled back from the nightmare to the women being attacked by the walking dead. She is captured and taken back to Cora.

Cora tells her she can help Aurora find Philip because wraiths move the souls of their victims to other worlds. However, Aurora refuses and Cora knocks her unconscious. She sends a message to the other women through a blackbird that she’ll kill Aurora if they don’t bring the compass. Mulan wants to take it immediately, but Emma and Snow plead with her to buy time.

Snow realizes the fiery nightmare is a place where all victims of a sleeping curse can travel, thus she can return to it. Through a sleeping powder Mulan made, she falls into a deep sleep and finds Charming there. After he gives her the magic ink information, she begins to slowly fade—she’s waking up. She vows to return to him and awaken him with true loves kiss. When she wakes up, she is devastated to realize Charming is cursed but determined to return to him. Emma and Snow realize Mulan has left with the compass and rush to find her.

Jones awakens Aurora from her sleep and sends her to return to the other women and tell Emma his offer stands…he’ll help them in return for passage to Storybrooke. Aurora finds the women just as Snow is attacking Mulan for taking the compass. She tells them Jones saved her to show his loyalty to them. However, it is revealed as Jones reunites with Cora that he actually took Auroras heart and is controlling her, cementing his loyalty to Cora.

LOVED the episode! No flashbacks were even necessary. For me, it’s certainly a little difficult to see our former ‘villains,’ aka Regina and Gold, working with our ‘good guys’…especially since season one tried so hard to make them formidable villains. However, that was one criticism I had of season one—sometimes it was hard to hate the villains. But this season, these villains are downright vile. And I LOVE it! Cora is queen of evil in my eyes. And Jones, what a right-hand man…I fall for the good guy act every single time.

In other news, will Charming be sleeping the rest of the season? Honestly, I would be okay with that. He’s not able to do much from Storybrooke anyway. Let’s leave it up to the ladies in Fairytale Land. And Aurora, what’s going to happen to her? Is she a puppet from here on out? And how exactly does the heart thing work…can you put it back or are they without it forever?

What did you think? Love it or leave it? Leave your comments!

In flashback Fairytale Land, Captain Hook breaks into Queen Regina’s fortress in order to retrieve Belle, believing she has information on Rumplestiltskin. However, she does not. So he tries to kill her but is stopped by the queen herself. Regina then enlists Hook’s help in defeating her mother. She tells him she is going to enact a curse upon the land that will render Rumple an ordinary man without power, thus easy to kill. She enchants his hook to be able to steal a heart and sends him to Wonderland, the land where Regina banished her mother.

Hook arrives in Wonderland and discovers the Queen of Hearts to be Cora. He attempts to steal her heart, but she laughs in his face and grips his until he tells her of her daughter’s plan. Rather than killing him, she recruits him to help her by telling him the curse would cause him to forget his identity and thus he could never exact revenge upon Rumple.

Hook takes Cora back to Fairytale Land and she pretends to be dead. Alone with her mother’s body, Regina tells her she had to kill her because she still loved her. And like Cora had told her, love is weakness. She couldn’t risk not being able to follow through with her plans. After leaving, Hook emerge. She takes him to another section of the Enchanted Forest and creates a shield against the curse. She explains that a savior will break the curse in 28 years. They will be frozen until that time, and then they will make their move.

In present day Fairytale Land, the women find Rumplestiltskin’s chamber and begin looking for the squid ink. However, all they find is an empty bottle and a scroll with Emma’s name written repeatedly. Suddenly Aurora closes the entrance to the chamber, locking in all of the women. Cora arrives will Hook and reveals she is in control of Aurora through her displaced heart. They steal back the compass and leave the ladies locked away. Snow realizes the scroll to have been written in squid ink and blows the words, opening the chamber. Aurora asks to be tied up and left behind since Cora has her heart. Mulan vows to return with it, then the three women set off.

They find Cora and Hook at Lake Nostos, having opened the portal using the restoration properties of the water to bring magic back to the wardrobe ashes. A battle ensues. Mulan retrieves Aurora’s heart and returns to her (and after placing the heart back in, they set off to find where the wraith has displaced Philip’s soul). Cora attempts to take Emma’s heart, but love is her magic and she is able to fend off Cora. Snow and Emma enter the portal back to Storybrooke.

Cora feels defeated, but Hook reminds her he has a petrified magic bean and the lake has restoration properties…

Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Gold convinces Regina that they must block the portal from Fairytale Land because they can’t risk coming face to face with Cora. Regina lies to Henry saying she’s preparing for Snow and Emma’s arrival. Regina and Gold go into the mines and steal the magic that’s been mined.

The dwarves discover the theft and tell Ruby who in turn tells Henry. He realizes he’s been lied to and they go to the forest to confront Regina and Gold. However, the two have already used the magic to great a death portal, killing whoever passes through. Henry pleads with Regina to have faith that it’ll be Snow and Emma who emerge. Convinced, Regina absorbs the magic from the portal.

Snow and Emma soon appear through the portal and Emma thanks Regina. Ruby takes Snow to Charming and she awakens him from his sleeping curse. Henry thanks Regina, but he leaves with Emma and the rest of the crew. Regina is left with Gold, who in turn mocks her. As the group walks away, Hook’s ship is visible on the horizon.

What did you think? Honestly I was surprised to see Snow and Emma already back in Storybrooke. I thought this would be a season long struggle. But kudos for moving forward. So, Hook and Cora are arriving in Storybrooke. What can we expect? Will they terrorize the entire town or just their single targets? Will other villains emerge, join forces and create an epic battle? We shall see when Once returns in January! Leave your comments!

Once has returned from hiatus with Cora and Hook ready to seek vengeance on Storybrooke.  In The Cricket Game, Emma invites Regina to their welcome home party. As expected, some feathers are ruffled and she certainly does not receive a warm welcome. Regina leaves but Emma follows her. They discuss spending time with Henry and Emma even reassures her that she knows she’s trying based on her conversations with Archie.
Regina confronts Archie about disclosing of her sessions to Emma. Ruby witnesses the encounter. Later Regina returns to his office and attacks him. Again Ruby witnesses Regina entering and exiting the building. In the alley it is revealed that Cora transformed into Regina.

Pongo, Archie’s dog, goes to Emma and they soon discover Archie to be dead. After questioning Regina, Emma believes her and lets her go. They all come to the conclusion that Rumplestiltskin is the only one capable of such. They go to his store and he pleads innocent, offering a magical dream catcher to search Pongo’s memory. In his memory they see Regina killing Archie.

They go to Regina to tell what they’ve seen, but she wants to tell Henry her side. The blue fairy tries to stop her, but is unsuccessful. Emma tells her Henry will never believe her again and she uses magic to vanish. When Emma goes to Henry, Regina is waiting in a car crying.

Meanwhile, Cora and Hook have returned to the boat with a bound and gagged Archie, hoping to exploit Storybrooke’s secrets and weaknesses.

In flashback Fairytale Land, the Evil Queen corners Snow White in the forest and Snow seeks to talk. But instead the Queen attacks and it is revealed to have been a trap. Charming sentences the Queen to death. At her execution she admits her only regret is not causing more destruction and killing Snow White. However, Snow cannot have her killed.

In one last attempt, Snow meets with the Queen to talk. She once again attacks and stabs her. But Rumple had cast a spell where the Queen could not harm Snow or Charming while in this land. The Queen is then banished and later Rumple reiterates that she cannot cause harm in THIS land…and so she sets out on her Storybrooke plan.

This week on Once’s The Outsider, we flashback to Belle where she learns of a monster, the Yaoguai, from local men at a tavern. Heeding Dreamy’s (aka Grumpy) advice, she asks to join the adventure. The men mock her for reading all the time, but she reveals she knows the location of the monster based on her books. After she tells them, they abandon her in the forest. But she lied and actually finds the monster on her own. When she approaches, the beast hears her and Mulan arrives to save her.

Mulan is angry Belle ruined her attempt to kill the monster and refuses her offer to help. Belle is confronted by the men in the village for lying to them, but Mulan steps in during the scuffle and is injured. She finally accepts Belle’s help to track the Yaoguai. When they find it, Belle must go to kill it because Mulan is too injured. After dousing it with water, it writes “Save me” in the sand. She sprinkles the fairy dust from Dreamy on him and he transforms into Prince Phillip. He explains Maleficent cursed him to separate him from Aurora. Belle asks him to help get Mulan medical attention for saving him and she sets out to return to Rumplestiltskin. But she is stopped by Regina and is taken prisoner.

In Storybrooke, Gold takes Smee to the town line. He places an enchanted hat on him and shoves him over the line. Smee does not lose his memory, thus Gold has found a way to leave Storybrooke. He tells Belle of the success and explains he must search for his son, Baelfire. He enchants a shawl that belonged to him and though Belle wants to go too, there is only enough magic for one object.

Archie is interrogated by Hook, who becomes increasingly angry from his lack of knowledge on the Dark One. He goes to the library to find Belle, but she evades him and informs Gold of Hook’s presence. When Belle and Gold arrive back at the store, they discover it ransacked and the shawl missing. Belle promises to go to the library while Gold searches for Hook.

In the library Belle discovers a piece of rope left by Hook. After researching, she identifies that it belongs to a ship. She leaves the library and discovers the invisible ship at the docks. She finds Archie and sends him to retrieve Gold while she searches for the shawl. Hook appears; he tells her that Gold killed his own wife when she left him for Hook. He nearly shoots her, but she escapes. He intercepts her again on the deck, but Gold shows up and beats him. Hook taunts him to kill him, but Belle convinces him not to do so because there is still good in him.

Belle and Gold go to the town line. He puts on the shawl and she wishes him well. But suddenly Hook shoots her and she falls across the line, forgetting her identity. Gold prepares to use magic against Hook, when suddenly a car with a Pennsylvania license plate crosses from out of town and hits him, crashing into the woods.

So, what did you think? Excited to have Once back from hiatus? I’ll admit, I’m missing the current Fairytale Land scenes…but I have a feeling we’ll be going back there soon enough. And who could this mystery car be? Tallahassee? Leave your comments!

In flashback Fairytale Land, we find Dr. Viktor Frankenstein in his black-and-white world. He is with his father and younger brother, Gerhardt, celebrating the Silver Cross award Gerhardt received. Their father gives Gerhardt the watch of his late wife’s father. And to Viktor he gives a military commission and states that he will no longer fund his scientific research.

Viktor begins to pack up his lab but tells Gerhardt that he’ll find a way to continue. Rumplestiltskin overhears the conversation; he later goes to Viktor and offers him gold to continue his research if he can teach him to bring back lives. Viktor readily accepts the offer.

Gerhardt later confronts Viktor while he’s digging a body in the graveyard. A guard is alerted and fatally shoots Gerhardt. Viktor tries to bring him back but instead disintegrates his heart. Their father blames Viktor for the tragedy and disowns him. Rumple shows up with a magical heart in exchange for showing off to Regina. Viktor brings Gerhardt back to life and takes him to their father. However he is not the same, and their father becomes upset. When he goes to hit Viktor, Gerhardt attacks and kills their father. He then becomes dismayed and runs away.

Later Viktor has locked Gerhardt away in a cell. Viktor goes to him, he begins to attack, but then comes to his senses. It is clear he is suffering inner turmoil. Viktor pulls a gun and puts it to Gerhardt’s head. Gerhardt welcomes the end, but ultimately Viktor cannot pull the trigger. He leaves determined to save his brother.

In Storybrooke, people begin arriving at the scene where Hook shot Belle and was then hit by a car. They stop Gold from killing Hook and the paramedics take Belle and the driver to the hospital. At the hospital, Dr. Whale is interrupted from his solo-drinking binge to help the victims. Emma confronts Hook at the hospital about Cora’s whereabouts, but he claims to be none the wiser.

Emma finds out the stranger’s name is Greg Mendell. He’s from the Pittsburg area and seemingly a tourist passing through. But everyone becomes worried that people will begin missing Greg and come looking for him. The tensions rise when Greg’s phone continues receiving calls from “Her.” Whale states that he could save Greg or he could do nothing and just let the problem go away. However, they all agree that he must be saved.

Dr. Whale never shows up for surgery and they find his pager and coat in a laundry bin. Ruby uses her werewolf instincts to locate him. She finds him at the pier and he jumps, but she uses her speed to save him. Afterword they talk and Whale confides in her saying that like magic, science even comes with a price. She tells him that they’ve all been given a chance to start over and he can do so by saving Greg’s life.

Whale returns to the hospital and saves Greg, but admits that he still has weeks until a full recovery. Emma questions Greg who seems to not have seen anything, stating he was texting while driving. Emma is reassured and tells the others they have nothing to worry about. However, Greg later calls someone on his phone and appears to have seen more than he had admitted.

Meanwhile, Cora goes to Gold, who is heartbroken that Belle does not recognize him. She offers him a globe that will help him find his son as long as he does not interfere in her reuniting with Regina. He agrees and goes to Belle for one last final attempt to jog her memory. He gives her the chipped cup from their past, but she shatters it. Gold leaves and drops blood onto the globe, locating the whereabouts of his son.

Cora finds Regina hidden in her vault under the disguise of Henry. Cora tells Regina she framed her for Archie’s murder and wanted to make it right with her. Cora agrees to go with Regina to tell the townspeople. However, during the ride over Cora pushes Regina on the subject of Henry, telling her she’ll never get to be with him like she wants as long as Emma and Mary Margaret are there. Finally Regina breaks and she asks what Cora has in mind.

Mary Margaret, David and Emma tell Henry about all of the events at the hospital and about Whale’s Frankenstein identity. He is puzzled because Frankenstein never appears in his storybook and wonders who or what else could be in Storybrooke. Gold shows up and tells Emma he needs to cash in her favor. He needs her to travel with him to find his son. He also notes that he’d kill everyone should something happen to Belle.

So, what did you think? Honestly, it was a bit on the slow side for me. The Frankenstein subplot isn’t my favorite. However, I see this as an episode that’s really getting some wheels turning. Who is Greg, and what trouble is he about to create? What plans are Cora and Regina conceiving? Are Gold and Emma going to actually find his son…and will Storybrooke go to shambles without their sheriff? And what I’m most interested in…what other stories or worlds, like Frankenstein, are going to start intertwining with our fairytales?

What did you think? Leave your comments!

Once returned from hiatus delved into the past of Anton the giant, quaintly nicknamed Tiny. Living with the other giants, they work to harvest the magic beans and as Arlo says it’s more about the work than the actual beans. They no longer give their magic beans away as the humans are greedy and disgruntled.

But even so, Tiny still has a fascination with humans. After being made the laughing stalk at dinner, he climbs down the beanstalk to the human realm. Eventually he runs into Prince James and his current girlfriend, Jacqueline. He seems to befriend them and grows even more attached to the human world.

Prince James knowingly allows Tiny to overhear him discussing his kingdom’s misfortunes and debt. Tiny, wanting to help his friend, says he’ll go back up the beanstalk and retrieve some of their treasures to settle the debt.

However, James and “Jack” follow him up the beanstalk and wage a war against the giants using poisoned swords. They don’t are about the treasures, but the beans. Arlo immediately tells Tiny to destroy the fields. When he returns, all the giants have been slain and Arlo lies dying. He gives Tiny the last remaining sprout to grow magic beans and dies. Prince James slips away with a stash of treasures, leaving a poison-stabbed Jack to die as well. Tiny is left stunned and all alone.

Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Emma agrees to accompany Rumplestiltskin on his search for Baelfire only if Henry is allowed to join. Rumple approves and the group set out. They cross the city line and Rumple’s enchanted scarf works; he retains all of his memories. Outside of Storybrooke, they begin they’re journey. Rumple must remove his scarf at airport security but retains his memory. Afterwards, he beats a wall in the bathroom out of frustration and realizes he cannot use his magic to heal his knuckles.

 
Charming, Snow and Grumpy search the docks with Hook and eventually locate the ship. Onboard they find Cora’s “secret weapon.” They uncover Tiny the giant, but he’s been reduced to human size. They wake him to ask him questions but Tiny is immediately angered at the sight of Charming and storms into the village. The three gather together and Charming realizes Tiny must’ve mistaken him for his twin, Prince James, because he had never seen Tiny his entire life. Meanwhile Regina confronts Tiny and gives him a mushroom to regain his size. Tiny reenters the city and begins his terror.Charming and Snow prepare to find out more about Cora using Hook. They are greeted by Regina at the door and they tell her they know her innocence, saying Cora was responsible for her being framed. She asks to see Henry but is stunned to find he left with Emma without her consent. Snow explains no one knew where she was and technically Emma is Henry’s mother. Regina leaves dumbfounded.

Charming explains to Tiny that he met his twin brother, James. And Snow explains they’re friendship through his encounter with Emma. But when Tiny asks to see Emma and is told she’s out of town, he is convinced they’re lying. He goes to squash them but falls into a sinkhole and returns to normal size. Charming rescues him and they come to terms. Later while meeting at Granny’s, Tiny reveals he has a sprout for growing magic beans, providing hope for a return to Fairytale Land.

Elsewhere, Ruby visits Belle and sees firsthand her memory loss. Greg also visits Belle and tells her she’s not crazy; he saw Rumple use magic.

This week we dive back into Rumplestiltskin’s backstory. Rumple goes to his wife, Milah, and proclaims he’ll be joining the army to fight in the ogre wars. It’s finally his chance to distance himself from his father’s cowardice. Though reluctant, Milah finally accepts this.

When Rumple arrives at the camp, he is told to watch over a secret weapon in a covered wagon. Hearing his name called, Rumple uncovers a seer. The seer reads his future and tells him his wife is with child and he will lose his life in the war, leaving his son fatherless. Rumple does not believe her, but her predictions begin coming true. So he injures himself to avoid fighting in the war. When he returns home, Milah is upset by is cowardice and leaves Rumple with their son.

 
Years later Rumple has become the Dark One and lost his son. He comes across the seer who has been expecting him. She tries to give him her powers but he cannot decipher the puzzle pieces. She tells him he’ll be reunited with his son, but it will take years. There will be a curse that he will neither cast nor break. In the end a boy will lead him to his son, but will be his end. And Rumple simply states, “I’ll just have to kill him.”

Outside of Fairytale Land and Storybrooke, Emma, Henry and Mr. Gold find the apartment building they hope will lead them to Baelfire. After buzzing the apartment, a man runs down the fire escape and Emma pursues him. When she catches him, she realizes he is Neal Cassidy; Rumplestiltskin’s son is also Henry’s father.

The two go to a bar and Emma questions Neal’s motives. She cannot get over why he left her and let her go to jail just because Pinocchio told him to. She tells him that she has to take him to Gold, but he pleads against it. Not wanting to reveal him to Henry either, Emma returns and says Bae got away.

Rumple is not satisfied with the outcome and breaks into the apartment. When Gold realizes Emma knows more than she’s letting on, the two get into a shouting match. Neal shows up and begins shouting as well, but Henry interrupts and Neal realizes Henry is his son. Henry is upset with Emma because she lied to him just like Regina lied to him. Gold tells Neal he’ll make everything up to him; he can turn back time and make everything right. But Neal says he doesn’t want that; he replays Rumple letting him go into the pit repeatedly and now it’s time for him to let go. Later Neal talks with Henry and Gold realizes the seer’s prediction is coming true…a boy, Henry, led him to his son and that boy will be his undoing. Unfortunately, that same boy is also his grandson.

Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Cora, Regina and Hook go in search of the dagger that can kill Rumple. Regina goes to Belle and uses magic to sift through her things. She finds a number corresponding to a book in the library. Unbeknownst to her, Greg captures her use of magic on his phone and sends it to the mysterious “Her.”

The trio searches the library and finds a map in the location of the book number. Hook deciphers the map but is promptly put down by Cora when he realizes she’s betraying him. Cora explains to Regina that once they have the dagger they can force the Dark One to kill Charming, Snow and Emma and then she’ll have Henry back.

Interesting last two weeks. Magic beans apparently are back in play and offer the possible return to Fairytale Land, though I’m sure it’ll take a while. Also, Henry is Rumple’s grandson. That poor kid…an evil Queen as a step-great-grandmother/adoptive mother and the Dark One as a grandfather. And now that Neil/Baelfire is here, how is he going to complicate the storyline? Also, Greg keeps building a case, but what’s his endgame?

What did you think? Leave your comments!