Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A | 6 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT The Shadow Knows
By Cindy McLennan | Season 2 | Episode 21 | Aired on 05.05.2013
Neal argues that Henry needs Emma. "He can't lose both of us. Don't make him grow up like we did." Emma says, "Then don't let go." She's crying now and adds, "I need you." She looks down at Neal then says, "I love you." Neal says, "I love you, too." As Emma smiles through her tears, Neal looks into her eyes and works his hand free. Emma screams as he falls away into nothingness. The vortex closes. Emma weeps. I throw stuff at my TV.
Woods. Groan is digging fast and furious, when his shovel hits something that sounds like metal, so of course it's a shirt. Yes. He cries, "No, no, no," which is exactly my answer when you ask if I care about his personal loss. After finding the shirt, he soon comes across a skull and says, "Dad." I'm ignoring how improbable it is that Groan could find exactly the right spot at their unmarked campsite in which to dig, mostly because I have a deadline. The Contrivance Fairy says, "You're welcome." We cut to...
Snow's Hovel. Blue waves her wand over Regina, then tells Snow and Charming, "Now that the cuff is off [Regina] is going to be okay. Her magic will return." Well whose dumbass idea was it to remove the cuff? We don't get an answer to that, because Emma returns and she's nearly catatonic. David asks what happened. Emma doesn't answer, so Snow adds, "Where's Neal?" Emma stares blankly, then finally says, "He's gone. She killed him." We flash back to...
1904. The Shadow drags Bae ever closer to Neverland. Remembering what Wendy said about one's feet touching down on Neverland soil, he struggles to free himself from the Shadow. Thinking quickly, he recalls storing a box of matches in his bathrobe pocket, so he takes them out, lights one and waves it at the Shadow, who drops Bae into the sea and flies off toward Neverland. As Bae rises to the surface, a ship nears. The crew hauls him aboard. Bae lies on his stomach and coughs up water. A familiar voice encourages him. "Good lad. Get the sea out of your lungs." Bae looks up and says, "Who are you?" Our favorite swashbuckler is standing next to Mr. Smee, and says, "The name's Hook. Captain Hook. Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger, my boy." We flash forward to...
Storybrooke. Emma is sitting on the loft staircase. Charming has his arm around her and says, "Emma. I'm so sorry." Still dazed, Emma wonders half aloud, "How... am I going to tell Henry?" David knows there's no right answer to that question, so he pulls his daughter close and kisses her hair. Oh look, he got to be her father for mere moments, in the penultimate episode of the season. Satisfied? Me, neither.