Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A- | 2 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Man of Science. Man of Faith.
By Cindy McLennan | Season 2 | Episode 5 | Aired on 10.28.2012
The Enchanted Past. Rumpy teaches Regina to immobilize a beautiful, bucking, black unicorn. It's way better well done than Maleficent's pathetic pet of season one. Regina is proud of and pleased with her progress until Rumpy gives her his next instruction: rip out the unicorn's heart. Regina is less than enthusiastic, given that's what her mother did to her true love, Daniel, but she approaches the unicorn. Rumpy says, "Gentle. No harm will befall it, unless, of course, you will it." Regina closes in on her prey, but at the last moment, shrinks away. Accidental rhyme! She can't do it. The unicorn is innocent. Rumpy: "Nothing is innocent." And beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Rumpy reaches into the unicorn's chest to show her how it's done. Once the candy apple red heart is in Rumpy's hand, the unicorn is unfrozen. It whinnies and bows (or whatever) to Rumpy who is now its master. Rumpy says, "Now, it belongs to me. You see, when you take a heart. It becomes enchanted -- stronger than a normal heart. You're not hurting the beast. You're controlling it. Now, show me you know what to do with that power." Is it just me, or does that say something ugly, or at least frightening about love -- at least on a metaphorical level?
Rumpy tosses the heart to Regina and says, "Kill it." Regina's all, "What?" Rumpy: "You've seen it done. Now do it yourself. Show me you can take the next step in your training. Crush it." Regina starts to, but when the unicorn falls over on its side, she loosens her grip. Fighting back tears, she shakes her head and looks from her victim to her tormentor. Rumpy is disappointed. Magic is power. Until she can take power, she's not learning anything. If she wants him to teach her anything, there's one question she needs to ponder for her own sake: what is holding her back?
Wearing an outfit similar to the one Snow wears during her dried up Lake Nostos Nostros Nosotros Nostrils wedding to Prince Charming, Regina visits the glass coffin in which she has stored Daniel's magically preserved body. We flash forward to...
Storybrooke. Present. Night. Still in Archie's office, Regina explains about preserving Daniel. He's dead, but frozen. She admits she keeps him in the family mausoleum. Archie tells her that as long as she refuses to let go of the past, it will continue to haunt her. Regina, who has had enough tea, sympathy, therapy and conscience, stomps out of Archie's office, scoffing at his promise that he can help. It's storming as she drives home. When lightning illuminates the Storybrooke streets, she sees Daniel. But in an instant, he is gone. Commercial.