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!