Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: C+ | 848 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT The Right Thing To Do Was Not To Lead Me On
By Cindy McLennan | Season 1 | Episode 6 | Aired on 2011.12.04
Sidebar: It's interesting to me that a windmill is David's false memory trigger, here, because Regina is Regina Mills, and while we've seen her as the Evil Queen in the Enchanted Forest, she's got to be the Miller's Daughter from the Rumpelstiltskin tale. Mills were used for milling grain. Charming's mother wanted to set him up with the grain merchant's daughter. Okay. Just thinking out loud. Commercial's over. That is all.
Enchanted Forest; Charming's Farm: The triumphant Charming arrives home. Mama Charming is thrilled to see him and crows that he looks like a prince. What's that engraved on her necklace? I never get quite a close enough look. Is it a swan? Is that where Emma's last name comes from? Anyhow, Mama thinks Charming is home to stay. He tells her about Midas's plan to unite the kingdom's by marrying Abigail to Charming. "Makes the grain merchant's dowry look like sheep dung." Mama tells him not to do it. She's ashamed she ever encouraged him to anything other than follow his heart. "Your freedom to choose is more important than anything." She's ready to give up the farm, but Charming explains, "Because of our ruse, Midas can never know who I am which means..." Mama finishes -- saying they can never see each other again. She doesn't care if she's killed. She'll lose Charming either way, and she'd rather know that he was happy and free. Charming tells her he didn't come for advice, only to say goodbye. He's already agreed to the deal. Mama Charming takes off her ring and gives it to him. "Give this to your wife-to-be." James says he doesn't know or love Abigail. Mama: "True love follows this ring wherever it goes, my son. I had it with your father. I've had it as your mother. Now you will have it. Take it. Take it and I will know, even if I never see you again -- I know you'll find love. I know you'll be happy." James twirls the ring between his fingers. We cut to...
Storybrooke, Toll Bridge, Night: Mary Margaret twirls the ring around her finger. David runs up, out of breath. "You came!" Mary notes that he sounds surprised, and maybe even almost disappointed. David tells her he remembers everything -- Kathryn. Mary's eyes fill with tears. "And you love her?" David: "I don't know, but I know I did. I remember how I felt, and I think I have to honor that." Mary: "And everything you said to me?" David says it's true. "I do have feelings for you -- intense feelings for you -- feelings I don't quite understand." Mary asks if he's going back to Kathryn. David says it's the right thing to do. Mary struggles to hold back the tears, but they choke her voice, even as they don't fall down her cheeks. "The right thing to do -- was not to lead me on." David: "I know." Mary: "So, you've made your choice." He reaches out for her as he says he's sorry. Mary back away and says, "That's okay. I guess it wasn't meant to be."