Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: B- | 51 USERS: D+ YOU GRADE IT (Re)Born In The U.S.A.
By Cindy McLennan | Season 2 | Episode 17 | Aired on 03.17.2013
As the camera crosses the town line, we can see what Owen and the troopers cannot. Regina is standing on the other side of the line. The "Leaving Storybrooke" sign is only visible from her side. Watching Owen, she starts to reach out to him. Her fingers brush up against the magical barrier between them. Back on the other side, the troopers try to comfort the boy as they lead him back to their cruiser. Once again, Regina cries, but I feel only contempt, not pity. We flash forward to the...
Present. Snow's Hovel. Gold tells Snow that David called and said Henry convinced Regina to destroy the curse. Finally, Snow speaks. She asks Gold how he lives with himself, knowing all the bad things he's done. Gold says, "Well, you tell yourself you did the right thing. If you say it often enough, one day you might actually believe it." He leaves Mary to stare out her window. I hope she spots all the bird droppings on the outside sill and washes them off, because that's just yucky. We cut to...
Mills Manse. There's a knock at the door. Regina opens it to find Snow White asking her to kill her. Regina scoffs, so with a tear rolling down her cheek, Snow says, "Regina, we have been fighting for so long. It's cost us so much. It has to end before anyone else dies. So... please, just do it." Regina shakes her head. "Henry would never forgive me." After a beat, she adds, "But do you know what my problem is? I never learn from my mistakes." At that, she thrusts her hand into Snow's chest and grabs hold of her heart. Snow groans as Regina pulls it out. It glows candy apple red, but when Regina observes it more closely, she notices a black spot growing in the center, and shows it to Snow, who asks what Regina did to it. Regina says, "Oh, I didn't do that. You did it. You darkened yourself." Snow cries, "No, no," but Regina says, "Yes. And once you blacken your heart, it only grows darker and darker. Trust me, I know." Snow begs her nemesis to crush her heart and get it over with. Regina says, "And put you out of your misery? I don't need to destroy you. You're doing it to yourself, and along the way, you'll break down that perfect little family you fought so hard to reunite. And then Henry will be mine." With a relieved smile, and tears rolling down her cheeks, Regina says, "You see? I can have everything, thanks to you." She shoves the tainted heart back in Snow's chest and says, "Now get off my porch." She leaves Snow there gasping in pain.
Greg is out on the street, hiding behind the neighbor's shrubs. He has recorded the entire incident on his phone. He rushes to his car and goes to start it up, but then pauses to look at the aged brown leather lanyard that serves as his keychain. "I'll find you, Dad. I promise." At that, he starts up the car, and we fade to black.