Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A+ | 379 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT PANic And PANcakes
By Cindy McLennan | Season 3 | Episode 11 | Aired on 12.15.2013
Emma lets go of Snow and Charming, although her hand lingers in her father's grasp as long as it can, as approaches Neal. When she is face to face with him, she says, "Neal, I'm sorry." Neal, shakes his head. "Don't be." He nods toward Henry and says, "You've gotta get our boy the hell out of here." Emma says, "And you've got to go back there." Neal says, "Yeah, I do." As they hug, he looks over Emma's shoulder at their son. When they let go of each other, Neal says, "Hey, this isn't over. I'll see both of you again." Oh wow, poor Neal. Poor everyone.
Emma walks right past her parents to highlight how weird the blocking continues to be. Hook hastens to her side and breathes her name. Emma turns to face him. Working up the courage to say what he really wants to say, he cocks an eyebrow at her Yellow VW Bug. "That's quite a vessel you captain there, Swan." Did his dialogue just make CaptainSwan canonical? I think it might have. Emma tries to chuckle, but her grin melts before it's fully formed. When their eyes meet, Hook says, "There's not a day will go by that I won't think of you." The corner of Emma's lips turn up. Her gaze never falters. "Good." Hook's eyes light up. Emma gaze travels from them, to his lips, and back again. And in that moment it is clear, at least to this recapper, they have an understanding.
Awkwardly, Hook backs away, until he's rejoined the crowd. I'm happy to report that Archie has his arm around poor Belle. Regina goes to Emma and says there's something she hasn't told her. Emma sounds exhausted when she asks, "What, now?" Regina says when the curse washes over them, it will send them all back. "Nothing will be left behind, including your memories. It's just what the curse does. Storybrooke will no longer exist. It won't ever have existed, so these last years will be gone from both your memories, and we just go back to being stories again." Emma asks what will happen to herself and Henry. Regina doesn't know. Emma says that's not much of a happy ending. Regina says it isn't but she can give them one. She can't preserve their memories, but she can do what she did to everyone else, and give Henry and Emma new memories. Uh oh.
Emma is with me. "You cursed them and they were miserable." Regina says they didn't have to be miserable. That was just the Evil Queen bonus bonanza, Emma. Regina takes Emma's hand and makes like one of Aurora's good fairies. "My gift to you is good memories and a good life for you," she turns back to Henry. Neal has his arm around the boy, but lets go when Regina gestures at their son. When Henry joins them, Regina continues: "...and Henry. You'll have never given him up." Emma gasps. The tears she has been struggling to keep at bay are ready to spill. Regina is teary too, but it is a day that ends in Y. "You'll have always been together." Imagine if someone could erase the action you most regret. Imagine.