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
Storybrooke. Present. Whale makes his way to Gold's shop. He's got a big cooler strapped over his right shoulder. His left arm is inside it. Throwing it down on the counter, he glares at Rumpy, because he knows the imp is going to yet again step on my opportunity to pun. Rumpy does so, immediately. "When they say I charge an arm and a leg, that's meant as a figure of speech." Oh yeah, you pun stealer, then I'll just point out that there's only an arm in that cooler. There. That'll learn ya.
The men ignore me. Whale tells Rumpy, "Put it back." Rumpy confirms he can reattach the arm, and says, "But first, tell me why." When Whale's all well, duh, Rumpy clarifies. He wants to know why he brought the stable boy back, now. Whale confesses that he wanted to convince Regina to use magic to return him to his own world. He wants to see his brother and try to bring him back, again. He wants to return and try once more. Rumpy says that appears to be beyond Regina's abilities. Whatever. Whale wants his arm back on and reminds Rumpy he said he could do it. Rumpy agrees he can, but points out there's a difference between can and will. When Whale tells him to name his price, Rumpy tells Whale to say it. "You know what. You came here, not the hospital. So say it." Whale laughs bitterly, and shrugs off his jacket, to reveal his missing limb. He's still wearing the shirt he was wearing when Daniel ripped off his arm. Whale looks Rumpy in the eye. "I need magic." Rumpy smiles. "That's all I needed to hear." And then, Whale's arm is magically back in place. As he stares at it in wonder, Rumpy says, "Always a pleasure doing business with you, Victor. We flash back to...
Victor's World. Frankenstein's castle. The setting is very much that of the film version, not the one in Mary Shelley's original novel. Victor finds his assistant working in the lab. He takes out the heart and declares it remarkable. As lightning strikes, Whale says it's time to begin. The scene has all the bells and whistles fans of the film would expect. Finally, the sheet-covered figure on the operating table quickens. Its scar-covered hand emerges. Victor says, "It's alive." He grabs his creature's hand. "Welcome back, brother." The assistant says, "It's magic, Dr. Frankenstein." Victor says, "No. Not magic. Science." Somewhere in another realm, John Locke and Jack Shepherd stare each other down.