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!