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
1904 London. Night. Wendy calls Bae to the nursery window. Apparently it was just dumb luck that the Darling parents happened upon Bae in that earlier scene, because otherwise, these grownups can't even see what is directly in front of them. There's no way I'd put these two twitterpated adolescents in the same bedroom, with only two sleepy little boys as their chaperones. That said, I adore this nursery set and am glad it's used, so pay my objection no mind.
Wendy explains that a few weeks prior, right about the time Bae arrived, an unattached Shadow started coming to the nursery window. It can do wonderful things, including flying between worlds, because it has magic. Upon hearing the magic word (sorry) Bae asks Wendy to promise she'll never again open the window or talk to the Shadow. "Magic is dangerous. It always comes with a price." John Darling assumes Bae's just saying that because he doesn't believe in magic. Bae wastes no time in setting him straight. "No. I do believe. That's the point. I've seen magic. I come from another land, a land where magic is everywhere." Mesmerized, Wendy says that sounds wonderful. Bae begs to differ. Magic is why he left. "I lost everything because of it. [...] Magic destroyed my family. I don't want it to do the same to yours. If the Shadow comes back, promise me you won't go anywhere near it." Wendy promises. We flash forward to...
Storybrooke. Gold's Shop. Snow and Charming arrive and tell Gold that Regina is missing and might be in danger. Speaking for the audience, Gold says, "Just the way I like her." Eventually, Gold shoos Laceybelle off to the back room. Charming claims the favor he just extracted from Gold, to help them find Regina. Yes. I know. I'm shaking my head too. Gold wonders why they care about helping Regina. Snow says she owes her, on account of how she maliciously used Regina, who is always trying to kill them or wreck their lives, to kill Cora, who was bound and determined to kill them. Okay, that's certainly a paraphrase, but my bitterness is the only way I'm going to get through this without a glass of wine. Rumpy produces a vial containing one of Regina's tears, like that's a rare commodity. He then makes Snow cry and adds one of her tears to the vial. She's to drop the solution into her eye. That will link her with Regina. Whatever she sees and feels, Snow will see and feel. Oh my, I would certainly not be introducing Regina's bodily fluids into myself, particularly not my eye. Gold tells them the spell will last long enough to lead them to Regina, and with that, he pronounces his debt to Charming paid. Ugh.