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Enchanted Forest: King Charles Widmore is about to chop off Charming's head when Queenie saves the day. She takes the would-be prince and uses him as bait for her favorite prey -- Snow White. Snow and the Avengers assemble and ride to Charming's rescue, but Regina has spirited him away. She proposes a parlay to Snow. Snow agrees. They meet on Henry and Cora's estate, which Queenie surely thinks of as the scene of Snow's crime. Regina presents her step-daughter with an apple, poisoned with a Sleeping Curse. Snow is too smart to eat it. Regina explains it won't kill her. It will do something even better! It will keep Snow in a deathlike state, but she will be alive, trapped in her own body, forever. Muahahaha. Snow has to eat it willingly or it won't work. Since Regina will kill Charming unless Snow eats the apple, Snow takes a big old bite. She drops deadish. The apple falls from her limp hand. It rolls down the hill and into a magical portal.
Storybrooke: Henry talks Emma out of running away with him. Mary Margaret is furious that Emma would leave without even saying goodbye and gives her a good earful about her actions. Later Archie tells Emma that all this fighting with Regina is no good for Henry. One of August's arms has turned to wood now, too. He shows Henry, tells him he failed to make Emma believe and says he just wants to spend what little time he has left with his father.
Regina wants Emma gone. Gold reminds her that if she kills Emma, the curse will be broken. Regina wants to strike a new bargain with Gold, but he refuses. , she lures Mad Hatter Jefferson to her office. She manipulates him into using his hat (which she brought with her from the Enchanted Forest), with a sketchy, not nearly specific enough promise to give him a fresh start with Grace. The problem is, the hat doesn't have any magic in this new reality. Regina takes Jefferson to her secret lair under her father's crypt. She hopes the hat will absorb what ever magic residue lingers in the air. It doesn't. Regina has one object left that retains any working magic -- it's the saddle ring Daniel gave her, shortly before her mother ripped out his heart.
Jefferson says it contains enough magic for him to reach into the hat and retrieve something small. He needs Regina to guide the hat to a time and place. She flashes back to Snow eating the poisoned apple. When the apple disappears into the portal, it appears in Storybrooke. Jefferson grabs it when it pops out of his hat and hands it to Regina.
Regina goes home and bakes an apple turnover with the poisoned fruit. Emma has been weighing Archie's words all episode, and chooses that moment to knock on Regina's door. She wants to make a deal. She is willing to acknowledge Regina is Henry's mother, and she will leave town, provided she still gets to visit him from time to time. Regina argues just enough to be convincing, then she finally agrees. She packs up the poisoned pastry for Emma, with some extra b.s. about being cordial.
Henry arrives at Emma's as she's packing up to leave town. She explains the deal she made with Regina. Henry tries to talk her out of it, but Emma's mind is made up. When he notices the turnover sitting on the counter, Henry asks who made it. When he learns it was Regina, he rushes for it, because he knows it's poisoned. Emma still thinks Henry's the one who refuses to face reality, but that's only because she's still refusing to face reality. She is going to take a bite of the pastry to prove to the boy that it's harmless, but he gets to it first and takes a bite. Just as Emma starts to ask him if he'd like some ice cream with it, Henry falls to the floor -- appearing lifeless, because of the Sleeping Curse.
I'll be back with the whole story, in the full recap. In the meantime, please grade the episode at the top of the page and then come on over to the forum, but um... don't eat anything.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!We open in Storybrooke, or do we? Regina and Henry are eating a rather bloody roast beef in silence when the doorbell rings. It's Emma. While Henry invited her, she hasn't come for dinner. She's come for Regina! Regina turns back toward their son but he's not there. In the doorway behind Emma are Mary, Archie, Ruby, Granny and Leroy. There should only be pitchforks and torches. When Regina turns from them, she's confronted by Henry carrying a good long length of rope. The better to restrain you with, my dear.
Okay, clearly this is a dream sequence, but it's a fun one. In the town square, Regina is tied to an apple tree, but the apples are pitch black. The angry mob accuses Regina of all her sins, and taunts her "majesty." Emma walks up to Regina, plucks an apple and crushes it, not unlike the way Regina crushed my poor hottie Sheriff Graham's heart. (NEVER FORGET!) She looks Regina in the eye. "Rotten to the core." Regina: "I just wanted to win. For once." Oh spare me, Regina. Emma, who feels the same way, grabs Regina by the throat. "You took away our happiness, and now it's our turn to take away yours." David gives Emma his sword. Regina begs Henry to save her, but he is so not inclined. Emma swings the sword at Regina's slender neck.
Regina wakes with a start. Once she catches her breath, she gets up and peeks in on Henry, but is fooled by the lump on his bed into thinking he's sound asleep. Rookie. Any mother worth her salt pokes the kid. I'm just saying. When my children were babies (especially my first) if they were sleeping too soundly, I'd poke them, just to make sure they were breathing. Don't mistake my parenthetical up there. I love the second and third children every bit as much, but I was much more nervous as a newbie. Even now, when I look in on them at night, I adjust their covers or kiss their cheeks. Perhaps if Regina didn't have that gaping hole in her heart, she'd be able to discern between an real live boy and artfully arranged bedding.
Emma and Henry are on the road. She took her stupid pills last episode, and is still convinced that kidnapping is a viable method of assuming custody. When Henry realizes what she's doing, he tries his best to talk sense into his bio-mom. Of course, since sense requires her to accept the fairy tale is real, Emma is not at all open to it. She doesn't want to fight for everyone, just Henry. She doesn't want to believe in the curse. She refuses to be the Savior. When reason fails, Henry grabs the steering wheel and crashes them into a ditch. Emma is freaked that he could have gotten them both killed. I'm slightly freaked that a bail bondswoman and sheriff thinks kidnapping is the best way to get back her son. Regardless. Henry says they must stay in Storybrooke. "Please Emma, they need you. Your family needs you."
Enchanted Forest. Charming is forced to kneel before King George Charles Widmore, who snarls about how the young man stood to gain everything, if only he would have married Abigail -- King Midas's daughter. Charming says losing his life for love is a sacrifice he is happy to make. With an "As you wish," and a nod, the King sentences Charming to death. Guards lead our hero to the guillotine. I expect Abigail or Midas to appear and plead for Charming's life, but I am sorely mistaken. When the executioner releases the blade, it magically turns to water and splashes all over Charming's head. Queenie saves the day, or at least the moment. She saunters in and makes the King an offer he can't refuse and that he's glad to accept. She'll make it well worth his while if he'll turn Charming over to her. She wants to use him to destroy his one true love -- her one true hate -- Snow White.
Storybrooke, Day. In the yard, Regina surveys her prized apple tree. While the apples aren't as far gone as they were in her nightmare, they are starting to rot. She marches this evidence of an ever-weakening curse to Mr. Gold. He taunts that he's planning a trip out of Storybrooke. Regina is not amused. Why doesn't he care that Emma is undoing all her beautiful wickedness? Gold suggests Regina is really unhappy because she's losing Henry. The Dark Curse was meant to destroy Snow and Charming's happiness. Since all magic comes with a price, perhaps Henry is her price.
Regina wants to get rid of Emma before the curse is broken completely, but Gold reminds her that killing Emma will also break the curse. That's an elegant savior trope. I wonder if it was intentional. Regina wants him to tweak the curse, but Gold has neither the desire nor the magical means to do so. Magic is scarce in Storybrooke. Regina asks Gold why he wants the curse broken. He tells her to mind her own business. She tells him to shove his reasons and proposes a new deal which will allow her to get rid of Emma without breaking the curse. Even when Regina offers anything he could desire, Gold refuses. His advice: she'd better plan a trip, because once people wake up and remember what she's done to them, they will be out for her blood. Commercial.
Storybrooke School Yard. Children run into the building. Once they're gone, Regina plants a white rabbit card on a little girl's bicycle. The license plate reads, "Paige," so we know the bike belongs to the little girl who, back in the Enchanted Forest, was known as Grace -- daughter of Jefferson, the Mad Hatter. We cut to...
Mary Margaret's Hovel. Mary's making breakfast even though in the last scene, the bell rings and the children run into school before Regina leaves the card on Paige's bike. Who's the principal of this joint? An adulterous teacher, once accused of murder, is free to make her own hours? Nice gig if you can get it. When Emma arrives home, Mary makes it clear she's hurt and angry that Emma would leave without even saying goodbye. "Do you remember when I left -- when I ran -- what you said to me? You said we have to stick together. We're like...family." She can't understand how the same woman who said that could up and leave without a word. Emma doesn't want any of "this" -- with "this" being responsibility. When Mary asks, "What about Henry?" Emma says, "I took him with me." Mary: "You abducted him?" Emma: "Maybe." Jennifer Morrison's delivery is perfect there. Mary points out how absurd Emma's being, which saves my blood pressure. Running isn't best for the kid. Emma is reverting into the person she was before she came to Storybrooke. Mary tells Emma she needs to figure out what is best for Henry, and do it now.
Enchanted Forest, Night. Snow, Granny, Ruby, Grumpy and the rest of the dwarfs are scoping out George's castle in advance of Operation Rescue Charming. When Granny says they're going to need air support, Grumpy says he knows just the person to provide it, and it's one who owes him a favor. Just then, Red returns. Grumpy gestures towards his lips. "Uh, Red, you've got someone on your chin." Hee. Red apologizes and wipes her mouth. She has information. Charming is still alive. The bad news is that Regina is there. Granny says it's a trap. Snow knows it is. She understands if any of them want to turn back, but she must carry on. Snow's crew is inexplicably loyal, so they shout down her suggestion. Once Red has a moment alone with Snow, she asks what's up Queenie's butt. Snow says she destroyed her happiness, so now Queenie wants to destroy hers. I think the less often the show reminds me how pettily psychotic Regina is about Snow's "sins" the better off we'll be.
Dungeon. Queenie visits Charming and tries to get frisky, but he fends her off. He offers his life in place of Snow's. I don't want him killed, but this seems like a "fair" trade. Snow is "at fault" for Daniel's death (in every way except not at fricking all, since she was a little girl who was manipulated by an evil witch). Regina can take Charming's life in exchange. Regina's not out for blood. She's out for pain and suffering. As she leaves Charming, she pulls out a beautiful red apple, which you just know has to be chock full of Sleeping Curse. When she holds it over her shoulder for Charming to see, he tries to break the cell bars, but to no avail. Who let him read plot spoilers?
Storybrooke. Regina is gazing out at her tree when Jefferson arrives. He knows she knows he watches over Paige/Grace. Regina wants Jefferson's help. She figures he knows that if she's dead, he'll never get back to Grace. She says she has a way for them to both get what they want. He refuses the drink she pours him, so Regina walks over and retrieves his hat box. The hat is still inside. He says he can't make it work in Storybrooke. Nobody can -- not without magic. Regina says she has some left, hopefully enough for one last journey. She wants to return to their land, where she says there exists a solution to her problem. Oh, so it's the apple. See, I'm a little bored now, at least with discussing this, because now I know how 98 percent of this episode will play out.
Anyhow, Jefferson knows that Emma is the problem to which Regina refers. Jefferson is all Team Emma because if she breaks the curse, he will be reunited with Grace, and yet somehow Regina manages to manipulate him. I guess being poor really bugged him because a reminder of that, a little talk of family and a flimsily worded "guarantee" that she will give Jefferson and Grace a fresh start is all it takes to make him agree to help Regina, even though he clearly doesn't trust her. Should we write this off to his insanity or to the writing? What to do? What to do? Commercial.
Enchanted Forest, Night. After hearing Red howl, Snow and Co. begin their siege on George's castle. They shoot flaming arrows because it looks cool on TV, regardless of the fact that it seems likely to... I don't know... say, warn their opponents that they're on the way. Grumpy: "I miss Stealthy." Me too, man. Me too.
Up in the sky, Blue and a host of colorful jelly fish fairies, each with their own bag of fairy dust (and hey, yeah, I thought one bag was supposed to be a year's supply, too) lend air support. Oh, I guess the flaming arrow was a signal to the fairies. Seeing how they're magical beings who can be summoned, I still think there could have been a more discreet (albeit it not as cool looking) way to sound the battle cry. Blue tells her minions, "We're a go. Fairies, attack." I'm working that phrase into my everyday life this summer. You've got to have goals. That's mine.
The fairies swarm toward their target, buzzing every bit as loudly as a million bees. Meanwhile, Snow is the first to scale the castle wall. Two dwarfs follow only after she's gotten to the top, even though there are three ropes (attached to grappling hooks). I guess this is so Snow gets to be all badass and face off against a guard herself, which suddenly makes me okay with this approach. Snow disables the first guard. When second comes charging at her, he's saved by Grumpy who buries his pickaxe into the assailant's back. Snow and Grumpy exchange a look and then rush off. The entire company of heroes has made it to the roof and follows along.
I am not your action recapper. Suffice it to say Snow and the dwarfs defeat all the guards, but then they're magically restored to health and/or life. When Snow and Co. are surrounded, it's then that the fairies arrive to save the day. They dive bomb the palace courtyard, wiping out George's forces with fairy dust.
Storybrooke, Granny's B&B, Day. Henry goes to August's room and tells him Emma wants to run and take Henry with her. He reminds August he was supposed to make Emma believe. August totally lames out on the kid with an, "I'm sorry. I failed. [...] I tried to show her. First it was my legs. And now -- now take a look... at the unvarnished truth." When August pulls up his sleeve, we can see one arm too, has turned to wood. Henry: "It's wood! [...] All of this. I was right. The curse. It's real." When August tells Henry he's a smart kid, Henry says, "And you're Pinocchio." August: "What gave it away?" D'oh. August explains he's changing back because he hasn't exactly been a good boy. If the curse doesn't break, the transformation won't stop.
Henry is excited by this development and says that once they show Emma that August is turning back into the puppet he once was, she will have to believe. August tells the boy he already tried that. Emma doesn't want to see, so she doesn't. He's getting tired. It's hard to ride and walk. Soon it will be hard to breathe. He wants to spend what little time he has left with his father. Henry: "Marco." August: "Told you, you were a smart kid." Henry: "So, everyone's giving up." August: "I'm afraid I don't have a choice. I'm sorry kid, but I'm out of Operation Cobra. Now it's up to you." Alone in the hallway outside of August's room, Henry dons his resolve face. We cut to the...
Granny's Diner. If I say, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," you'll never respect me, so I'll refrain. Emma looks just as steely as her boy did in that last shot, though. It's Archie's turn to beat Emma over the head with the fact that she can't prove anything bad about Regina, and therefore has no case for custody. He says Henry is the one getting hurt here while this war rages between the two mothers. Henry may have been happier since Emma entered his life, but he's skipped school, stolen a credit card, run off, endangered himself repeatedly. In the eyes of the law, it's not so clean cut. When Emma asks how it looks to Archie, he tries to reframe the conversation. He suggests that his advice to Emma about indulging Henry's fantasy life has only made the boy retreat further into it. Emma wonders if Archie thinks Henry is better off with Regina. He only offers a weak, "I never said that." When Emma asks if he thinks Regina would ever hurt Henry, Archie's, "No, never," is much stronger. "Everyone else, but not him." He says Regina's actions have all been defensive. Really? Tell that to Mary Margaret. He says it's not a matter of "better off" for Henry. The war between the mothers must end. Emma has to figure out the best way to accomplish that.
Enchanted Forest. George's Castle. Snow makes it down to the dungeon. She rushes toward Charming's cell and lets herself in before she realizes that she wasn't seeing and looking directly at him. He's appearing via a magical mirror. He's in Queenie's dungeon, not George's. When she cries, "No," Charming explains where he is. Snow says, "But I'm rescuing you." Charming chuckles and says her name. She wonders if this will always be their life -- taking turns finding each other. Charming says he knows they'll be together. "Have faith." Snow presses her hand against the reflection of Charming's hand, and then he disappears in a flash. Queenie appears, cackling. "I just had to stop you. I have no interest in cleaning tongue marks off of my mirror." Snow tells Queenie to let Charming go. "Your fight is with me." Queenie agrees and proposes a parlay. They'll lay aside the fighting and talk. "Come unarmed." Snow asks where they'll meet. Regina: "Where it all began." Commercial.
Snow regroups with her Company. Where are they? Is George just letting them use a room in his castle? Maybe the fairy dust knocked out everyone in the joint except this group. Anyhow, Grumpy encourages Snow to keep a small knife hidden, but Snow is determined to abide by the parlay agreement. Red tells her she's too noble for her own good. Snow can't let anyone else get hurt by Regina because of her. She's off to face the Big Bad, alone. The dwarfs try to stop her, but Snow won't let them. "I love each and every one of you, but this is something I have to do." Once she's gone, Red says, "I don't like this. I don't trust that Queen."
Storybrooke. Regina and Jefferson go to the room beneath Father Henry's crypt. Jefferson lays the hat on the floor, but it's clearly out of gas. Regina suggests waiting a moment to let it absorb some magical residue. When nothing happens, she gathers up some magical trinkets and tosses them in the hat. There's no active magic left in them, though. Jefferson says they need something that still works. Regina takes out the brass saddle ring that Daniel gave her long ago and far away. His face appears in it. Jefferson can see its magic is still working. Regina is loath to part with it, but not as loath as she is to let the Dark Curse fail. The hat spins to a start. It won't open a full portal through which they can enter, but if Regina can think of something small enough to be grasped with one hand, Jefferson thinks he can reach through and grab it for her. Regina smiles. She believes she knows just the thing. Jefferson hands her the hat and tells Regina to direct him to the time and place in which the object exists. Regina asks, "How?" Jefferson: "Think about it. Guide the hat." The hat starts spinning with more force. Purple haze fills the crypt. Jefferson asks what they're after. Regina says, "An apple." Yeah, we got there like 20 minutes ago, folks. Commercial.
Enchanted Forest, Day. When Snow arrives on the grounds of Henry and Cora's estate, she finds Regina waiting in the stable. Regina is caught in a tearful reverie until she hears Snow's voice. She leads our Princess out to the hillside where she saved her life. Snow remembers, and says it all looks the same. Regina leads her to a gravestone decorated with an out-of-place pink heart. It's Daniel's grave. For all these years, Snow believed that Daniel ran off and abandoned Regina. Regina says, "I told you that to spare your feelings out of... kindness, but he died because of you." Snow says she's sorry, but Regina says, "Nothing can change what happened -- what you did. You promised to keep my secret. You promised, but you lied." Snow tries to explain that she was very young and manipulated by Regina's mother, but Regina interrupts. "She ripped his heart out, because of you -- because you couldn't listen to me." Snow: "You took my father. Haven't we both suffered enough?" Regina says, "No," then takes out the apple. When Regina blathers that apples represent health and wisdom, Snow asks why she's pretty sure that one will kill her. Regina says it won't kill her. Instead, it will trap her inside her own lifeless body, as though it were a tomb. Snow assumes Regina will force her to eat the apple, but Regina says Snow must willingly eat it for the curse to work. And then Regina ups the ante; eat the apple or Charming will be killed. Snow grabs the apple, congratulates Regina on winning, then takes a big bite. As soon as she swallows it, her body starts to contort in pain. Back in his dungeon, Charming can feel its poison killing his true love. Back on the hillside, Snow collapses. Cut to Charming, rising to his feet. "Snow." He shakes the bars of his cell and yells, "What have you done to her? What have you done? SNOW!" Back on the hillside, the apple rolls out of Snow's limp hand, rolls down the hill and into a purple portal. We cut to...
Storybrooke, Crypt. The apple pops out of the hat. Jefferson catches it in midair and asks if it's what Regina wanted. It is. He asks about Grace. Regina reminds him the deal isn't done until she solves the conundrum. "How to get the savior to taste my forbidden fruit?"
Regina's Storybrooke Kitchen. As Regina bakes an apple turnover, Emma arrives unexpectedly. Regina can't believe her good fortune. Emma wants to make a deal. She is willing to acknowledge Regina is Henry's mother. Emma will leave town, provided she still gets to visit him from time to time. Regina argues just enough to be convincing, then she finally agrees. She invites Emma into the kitchen and removes the poisoned pastry from the oven and packs it up for Emma, with some extra B.S. about being cordial. Emma, still too dumb to live, never questions why someone would go to all that trouble just to make one apple turnover. She just blindly takes up Regina on her offer of a little something for the road. Superpower super schmower. Commercial.
Enchanted Forest. Snow's company arrives on the scene. Granny and Red scope out the stable. Red says she can smell that Snow is there. From outside, someone calls to them. The Dwarfs have found Snow's body. Red demands Granny's dagger and holds it up to Snow's nose. I have to stop my TiVo to explain to my kids that were Snow breathing, it would cause condensation to build up on the blade. This is the umpteenth thing I've had to explain to them, and it's annoying me more than it should. How did I get this hole in my heart? Is it just end-of-season exhaustion, or have I been casting dark curses on the sly? You be the judge. Anyhow, Red gets to make a melodramatic speech about how Snow sacrificed herself for true love. Grumpy adds, "She sacrificed herself for all of us." Since Snow is one of the main heroes of the show, and because the series began with Charming kissing Snow and breaking the curse, I'm afraid this scene is less poignant than was intended.
Knifingham Palace. Regina watches the sad scene through her magic mirror and snickers. "It appears sacrifice is overrated." And who needs iPads? With a waggle of her finger, she changes to a view of Charming. He's still mouldering in his cell, screaming, "What have you done to her? What have you done?"
Storybrooke, Mr. Gold's Pawnshop. Regina comes in and says she hopes Gold bought travel insurance, because no one is going anywhere. She found a solution to her Emma Swan problem -- an old reliable one. Gold asks how she managed to obtain a Sleeping Curse in Storybrooke. Regina: "By sacrificing the last bit of magic I had left." Gold: "So you made magic from magic. Well, I'm sure I don't have to remind you that all magic comes with a price." Regina tells him he can pay it because now the curse will be stronger than ever, and Gold will remain right here where he belongs. "Don't you understand? I won, so whatever plan you had -- whatever reason you wanted the curse broken -- too bad, because it's never going to happen."
Henry arrives at Mary and Emma's as Emma is packing up to leave town. She realizes Henry was right. She knows she can't take him out of Storybrooke, but she can't stay, either. She explains the deal she made with Regina. Henry tries to talk her out of it, but Emma insists it's what best for him. Every time she tries to fight Regina, someone gets hurt. Henry says this is just a low moment -- the kind you have before you fight back. Emma is practically in tears as she crouches down to face her boy. She tells him this isn't a story; it's reality. Things have to change. He can't skip school, run away or believe in curses. This is how it has to be right now. "I made a deal. I used my superpower. She's telling the truth. She's going to take really good care of you." Henry understands that, but says Regina wants Emma dead, and Emma is the only one who can stop her. Emma says all Regina has ever done is fight for Henry. "It just got out of hand. I'm sorry." Henry throws his arms around Emma. His head ends up underneath one of her arms though, she she's having a hard time hugging him back. It is then that he notices the turnover sitting on the counter and asks who made it. When he learns it was Regina, he rushes for it, because he knows it's poisoned. Emma still thinks Henry's the one who refuses to face reality, but that's only because she's still refusing to face reality. She is going to take a bite of the pastry to prove to the boy that it's harmless, but he gets to it first. "I'm sorry it had to come to this. You may not believe in the curse, or in me, but I believe in you." He takes a big bite of the turnover. Just as Emma starts to ask him if he'd like some ice cream with it, Henry falls to the floor -- appearing lifeless, because of the Sleeping Curse. Emma shouts his name 'til we fade to black.
I'll be back soon enough with coverage of the season finale, but let me leave you with some good, if not unexpected news: The show has been picked up for a second season. Until the finale, please grade the episode at the top of the page and then come on over to the forum, but um... don't eat anything.
I'll be back soon enough with coverage of the season finale, but let me leave you with some good, if not unexpected news: The show has been picked up for a second season. Until the finale, please grade the episode at the top of the page and then come on over to the forum, but um... don't eat anything.