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Enchanted Forest: Charming struggles to escape Regina's prison. He disables a couple of guards, but then is confronted by two more. One guard shoots an arrow at the other. That one guard is our Huntsman, Graham. What the Horowitzing Kitsis? I love him, so. The Huntsman doesn't know Charming, but he knows Snow, so he helps Charming escape. Later, he lies to Regina that he will find Charming. Regina doesn't need him, though. It seems her Magic Mirror shows her everything, even what's going on in the forest, where there are no mirrors. Reflect on that. Sorry.
Charming runs into Rumpy, who magics Mama Charming's true love ring right off our faux prince. Rumpy enchants the ring such that it will grow ever brighter, as Charming nears Snow. Rumpy wants to make a deal, but Charming will have none of it. They have a sword fight, but Rumpy uses magic, so it's not fair. Rumpy bests Charming, but since he claims they both want the same thing (a Snow/Charming reunion), he contends that Charming should agree to make a deal. He produces a vial of true love and explains that while it can slip through one's fingers, it's the most powerful magic of all and can break any curse. Rumpy wants Charming to help him protect it, by putting it in a safe place -- inside the "belly of the beast."
Storybrooke: It only takes Emma seconds to wake up to the truth. Thank heaven! The Fairy Tale is reality, duh. It only takes her seconds more to get Regina to admit that truth. Henry is in critical condition. Regina says they need help from the one other person who knows the truth. Emma is all, "Mr. Gold." Regina corrects her. His name is Rumpelstiltskin, even if the show spells it incorrectly.
Meanwhile, David finds Mary. He is sorry he sucks like a vacuum. Unless she comes back to him, he's going to flee to Boston. Mary's all been there, done that, had the scarlet letter spray-painted on my car windows.
Regina and Emma go to see Gold, who chides Regina that magic comes with a price. My word processing software thinks the word chides is too archaic for you. It suggests I use scolds or reprimands, but I have faith in your literacy, gentle readers. Anyhow, true love is the only thing powerful enough to transcend any curse. He has some that he extracted/created/magicked out of Snow and Charming's hair. And? When he created the Dark Curse, he placed a small drop on the parchment as a safety valve. Emma gets it. That's why she's the savior and can break the curse. All she cares about is saving Henry, though. Gold tells her not to worry. He saved some true love for a rainy day. Emma says, "Well, it's storming like a bitch. Where is it?" Love her so much. Where it is -- isn't the problem. Getting it is. Regina tries to assert her parental rights, but Gold will have none of it. It has to be Emma. Regina warns Emma not to trust Gold, but Emma knows they have no other choice. Gold asks Regina if their "friend" is still in the basement. Regina's all, "You hid it with her?" At first, I think her = Belle, but oh no! Anyhoodle, Gold says it's not with her; it's in her. After some more back and forth, he gives Emma Charming's sword.
Emma visits an unconscious Henry, tells him he was right about the curse and apologizes for not believing him. She leaves his Once Upon A Time book by his bed, for when he wakes up. When Regina arrives, Emma tells her she has 10 minutes with their boy, but then they have to meet up. Regina cries as she tells Henry she's sorry. Jefferson emerges from the shadows and blathers about the difficulty of not knowing when one will see his child again. He wants to collect on his bargain with Regina. She points out that Emma was supposed to eat the apple. The deal is void. Jefferson may want to kill her, but Regina says he can't. He doesn't have it in him. She leaves to "save" her son.
Emma goes to August's room. He can't even open the door, so Emma breaks in. She can see he's turning to wood. Emma asks him how to stop this. August tells her to break the curse. She promises she will, but she needs to save Henry first and needs his help. He says she can do it on her own. She can save Henry and all of... He never finishes his sentence, because his face turns to wood.
I just deleted about 500 words, so I'd have something left to say in the full recap. Let's sum it up. Charming, back in his day, implants a golden egg (containing true love) in a dragony Maleficent. Emma, today, takes an elevator ride to the Enchanted Forest and retrieves true love from the belly of that same beast.
On his noble steed, Charming rides to find Snow is already "dead." He kisses her anyhow, because necrophilia for the win? She wakes. True love conquers all. Later, he gives her his mother's ring and proposes. Snow accepts, because OF COURSE. She just thinks they need to settle the little matter of his "father" and her step-mother. Her suggestion? Take back the kingdom. Together.
Storybrooke. David looks up at the clock tower, then hops in his truck and prepares to leave town.
Enchanted Forest. Emma rides the elevator back up to Storybrooke, but it conks out on the way. Gold is at the top of the shaft and tells Emma that Regina has abandoned her and sabotaged the elevator. Emma wants to climb out of the shaft. Gold tells her to toss up the magic-containing egg and promises Henry will be fine. Emma makes the toss. Gold leaves her. Emma climbs out. She finds Regina tied up and gagged, which is a good look for her. Regina says Gold tricked Emma and can't believe Emma gave him the magic. As they set out, they both get calls from the hospital. When they arrive, Whale and Sister Blue Boob break the news. They're too late. Henry is gone. Emma, as if in a dream, walks toward her boy. Regina watches through the glass in tears.
Back at his shop, Gold unlocks the egg and retrieves his true love potion. Just then, Belle walks in. She tells him what Jefferson told her to. Oh wait, that's part of what I deleted. Shoot. Anyhow, earlier, Jefferson broke Belle out of the hospital and told her to go to Gold and tell her Regina locked her up. Gold can't believe Belle is real and alive. He's horrified to learn what Regina did to her. He will protect her.
At the hospital, Regina sobs in Whale's arms. Emma approaches Henry with tears in her eyes. She smoothes his hair and whispers, "I love you, Henry." When she kisses him, bright magic rushes through the room. Henry awakes with a gasp. "I love you, too. You saved me." Regina is all, "You did it." Outside, that same bright magic whooshes over the whole town. It first strikes Mary, then Granny and Ruby, then Archie. Finally, we cut to David. He's just about at the town line when it hits him. He screeches his truck to a stop. Back at the hospital, people start wandering into Henry's room. Emma asks Henry what's going on. He says, "The curse. I think you broke it." Sister Blue Boob says, "That was true love's kiss." Regina is all, "No. No." Sister Blue tells "her majesty" to find a place to hide. Regina tells Henry that no matter what anyone says or thinks, she does love him.
David Charming finds Mary Snow outside the garage. Their memories leave them practically wordless. Finally Snow says, "You found me." He says, "Did you ever doubt I would?" Back at home, Regina clutches Henry's pillow and cries. Gold has Belle out in the woods, when she regains her memories she tells Rumpy she loves him. They embrace and Rumpy says he loves her too, but there will be time for that. First, there's something he must do. He leads Belle to the magical well (where August once took Emma). He explains the magical properties of the waters below, then drops the vial of true love into the well. Purple hazey magic rises and spreads out over the town.
Back at the hospital, Emma wonders why everyone hasn't gone back if the curse is broken. Back at home, Regina sees it approach. Gold's Purple Magic has come to Storybrooke. Emma says, "What is that?" Henry says, "Something bad." Out in the woods, Rumpy tells Belle magic is coming and magic is power. What does power do, children? It corrupts. Cue a smiling Regina. Cut to Snow and Charming. They hold each other as the purple magic rushes over them. The hands on the town clock click to 8:15, before the magic washes over it. Oh my word. Does this mean we're back to the beginning? What the heck, Show?
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, where magic always comes with a price.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Remember when you were in school (and hey, perhaps you still are)? Remember how hard it was to keep your head in class during the last few weeks? Well, this is my last recap of this television season and then I'm taking off the summer, so my brain has already checked out. I just spent a whole minute trying to open my word processing program... by clicking on my browser icon. I mean, I was ready to reboot my Mac. I only realized what I'd been doing once I closed my browser window. If this recap seems scatter-brained, it's only because it is. You ready? Okay!
We open in the Enchanted Forest. Charming is trying to escape his dungeon cell. When he fails, he sinks to the floor and says to no one in particular, "I will find you, Snow." Two of Regina's guards drag him out of his cell -- and to his execution. I thought Queenie promised Snow that if she ate the poisoned apple, Charming would be spared. Oh, right. Queenie. See what I mean about scatter-brained? Be grateful I don't have cats or this recap would probably end up being about them. Anyhow, Charming manages to escape the first two guards, but while running through the palace he encounters another guard who is aiming a bow and arrow right in our hero's direction. Charming turns to run the other way, but a second guard blocks his path and orders the first one to "Shoot him." The first guard does shoot -- but he shoots the second guard, not Charming. Charming says, "Who the hell are you?" The guard takes off his helmet and we finally get a look at his face. He's exactly who I dared not hope he'd be when I first saw the bow. It's the Huntsman (a.k.a. dead hottie Sheriff Graham). Hooray! The Huntsman tells Charming he's a friend of Snow's and that the Queen was traveling to meet her, so her fate is precarious. The Huntsman gives Charming a weapon and says that while he will try to stall the Queen, he can't accompany him to find Snow because he gave up his heart so that the Queen would spare Snow's. "Don't let my sacrifice be in vain. Find her." Title card.
Storybrooke Hospital. Henry's unresponsive. Emma tells Dr. Whale she's pretty sure he was poisoned by the apple turnover. She wants Whale to test it, but he says Henry is exhibiting no symptoms, which suggestion neurotoxins. Right now, he just needs to stabilize Henry because he's slipping away. Emma dumps out Henry's backpack, looking for clues. Lost fans raise your hand if you want to try an Apollo bar? Me too! Whale's babbling on about how he has no clue what could have put Henry in this state. "It's just like..." Just then, Emma sees Henry's book so she finishes Whale's sentence for him. "...Magic." With that, she picks up the book and has flashbacks to her own birth and Charming putting her in the wardrobe, as well as a memory of Henry telling her that everything in the book is true.
Recapper's House: Your recapper is hungry. Her husband wants to take a nap and then he'll go out and get them lunch. Your recapper is too hungry to wait. She makes a piece of toast and smears it with peanut butter. Her youngest son, who is home sick, comes into the kitchen and asks for Macaroni and Cheese. Knowing his wife is more distracted than a seven year old with ADHD, your recapper's husband makes their child lunch.
Storybrooke Hospital. Regina rushes into the E.R. to see Henry. Emma says, "You did this" and drags the Mayor into a supply room and roughs her up as she accuses Regina some more. When she tells Regina that Henry ate the apple turnover, Regina drops the charade and admits she was going to poison Emma. Emma reminds Her Honor that she was leaving town, so the poisoning seems like overkill. Regina says, "As long as you're alive, Henry will never be mine." Emma says he'll never be anyone's unless he lives and orders Regina to wake him up. She can't. She used her last bit of magic to get the apple. "It was supposed to put you to sleep." Emma asks what it will do to their boy. Regina doesn't know. "Magic here is unpredictable." When Emma realizes Henry could die, she asks Regina what they can do. Regina confesses that one other person in town knows about magic. Emma says, "Mr. Gold." Regina: "Actually, he goes by Rumpelstiltskin." Emma's brain dribbles out her ears. Commercial.
Enchanted Forest, Knifingham Palace. The Huntsman reports to Regina that Charming escaped. She magics him against a wall and yells at him for letting that happen. The Huntsman says he will find Charming. She says that won't be necessary. She looks in her Magic Mirror and watches Charming run away. Regina magics him into a vast forest and says, "He's mine."
Woods. When Charming seems unsure which way to go, Rumpy appears wearing Charming's old cloak. "Lost, are we?" He claims he's just there to help. Charming says he'll be fine, but Rumpy says, "I don't think so. This is the Infinite Forest. There's no way out... well, except my way." When Charming says he wants nothing from Rumpy, Rumpy pulls out the true-love ring that Charming got from his mother. "Not even this?" He magicked it right out of Charming's pocket. He's enchanted the ring, so that the closer Charming gets to Snow the brighter it will glow. Charming demands it, but Rumpy wants to play Let's Make a Deal. Charming refuses and draws his sword. Rumpy uses magic to evade him and produces his own sword. They duel for a moment, but Rumpy cheats with more magic. Still, hero that he is, Charming manages to wound his foe so Rumpy's inner coward kicks in. He magically heals himself and cheats with more magic to disarm our hero. "Bravery won't get you out of this forest, dearie. Magic will." He insists this is a deal that Charming wants to make, because they both want the same thing -- for Snow and Charming to be together. We cut to the...
Recapper's House. Your recapper's husband enters her office and starts blathering about work. Your recapper pauses her TiVo, sighs, looks at her spouse and keeps typing. He doesn't get the hint, even when your recapper sort of pointedly moves her head toward her Mac. Finally, the kitchen timer goes off, saving your recapper's mind and her husband's life. We cut to...
Storybrooke, Night. David finds Mary and apologizes for hurting her. He talks about how he keeps making the wrong decisions and he's not even sure how that's happening. Nothing about his post-coma life sense makes a lick of sense, except his feelings for Mary. He's talking to her now because unless she gives him a reason to stay, he's going to move to Boston. Katherine put a down-payment on an apartment and isn't using it. Mary says she can't give him a reason to stay. David's eyes well up with tears, but Mary's immune to that by now. She climbs in her car. We cut back to the...
Infinite Forest. Charming shows Charming his vial of true love. Charming doubts Rumpy knows anything about true love, but Rumpy assures him he had it in his life ever so briefly until the object of his affections died. Charming wants Rumpy to cut to the chase and tell him what he wants. The true love magic must be protected at all costs, so Rumpy wants Charming to put it in a safe place -- inside the belly of the beast. He takes the vial and puts it in a gold case shaped like a giant egg. Charming doesn't understand why Rumpy wants to hide the true love potion. Rumpy says, "Let's just say, I'm saving it for a rainy day."
Recapper's House, Office. Your recapper is typing away when her cousin calls her about having brunch on Sunday. Your recapper is always up for brunch, so again she pauses the TiVo. The two women babble for a while. When the call ends, your recapper stares out the window for an indeterminate amount of time. Then she wanders to the dining room to look at the thermometer. It's sunny and in the mid-70s. Your recapper decides to open all the windows and air out the house. While she's upstairs, she makes the beds. Afterwards, she pours herself a glass of iced tea and goes out onto the front porch to enjoy the day. It's only when she wonders what she's going to do today that she remembers she is supposed to be working. Yikes! We cut to...
Storybrooke, Mr. Gold's Shop. When Emma and Regina enter, Gold takes a look at our Sheriff. "Do my eyes deceive me or is that the look of a true believer?" I just want to say that I appreciate the fact that neither Gold nor Regina bothered to pretend with Emma that the fairy tale is just a fairy tale. I was afraid this episode was going to be full of that sort of nonsense and I was dreading it. The women want Gold's help saving Henry. After Gold reminds Regina that magic comes with a price, he admits to Emma that from strands of her parents' hair he made the most powerful potion ever -- true love. Emma immediately catches on that that's why she's the savior. Gold says that when he created the dark curse, he placed a single drop of true love on the parchment as an escape valve -- just in case of a rainy day. Emma: "Well, it's storming like a bitch. Where is it?" Emma has to be the one to retrieve the magic because she's the product of it. When Emma asks where the magic is, Gold turns to Regina. "Tell me your majesty -- is our friend still in the basement?" Regina knows who he means. "Oh, you twisted little imp. You hid it with her?" Gold corrects: "Not with her -- in her." Was I the only one who was misdirected here? I really thought they were talking about Belle the first time I saw this scene. I'm so glad they're not.
Emma just wants to know who this "her" is. Gold tells her it's someone for whom she should be prepared. He dusts off the long case lying on his counter and opens it. Emma looks inside, "What is that?" Gold: "Your father's sword." Commercial.
Storybrooke Hospital. Emma holds Henry's book in one hand as she strokes his hair with the other. "Henry, you were right about the curse. I should have believed you. I'm sorry." She tucks the book under the corner of his pillow and whispers in his ear, "For when you wake up." When Regina enters the room, Emma tells her she has 10 minutes with the boy. Regina: "Do you know where to meet?" Emma: "Yeah. Don't be late." Alone with Henry, Regina approaches his bed. She leans over the boy and says, "I'm sorry."
Jefferson (the Mad Hatter) emerges from the shadows. "Pity, isn't it -- there's nothing harder than not knowing whether you'll ever see your child again." Regina tells him this isn't a good time, but he disagrees. He's there to collect. He wants his fresh start with his daughter, Grace. Regina tells him since Emma was supposed to eat the apple and didn't, their deal is null and void. Jefferson can't believe Regina is screwing him over yet again, because he's just that stupid. Regina points out that she knows Jefferson wants to kill her, but he can't. He doesn't have it in him. She adds, "Now excuse me. I have to save my son." We cut to...
Granny's B&B. Emma knocks on August's door and calls out to him to open up. His voice is faint as he says he can't. Emma forces her way in and finds that he's nearly completely made of wood. August: "You can see it now. You believe." To stop it, she has to break the curse. Emma insists she needs August's help. "I just talked to the Evil Queen and Rumpelstiltskin about a quest to find magic. I can't do it, August. I can't. No normal person can." August: "Luckily for us, you're not normal. You can save Henry. You... can save... all of..." And with that, he turns completely to wood. No, this is a family show. I am not going there.
Emma meets Regina in front of the shuttered Storybrooke Library (home of the clock tower). Regina lets them in and leads Emma to an elevator hidden behind a panel. Emma says she'll get in the elevator after Regina, but Regina needs to remain above to operate it. Emma: "And I'm just supposed to trust you?" Regina: "I don't think you have much choice in the matter, Miss Swan." Emma wants to know who she will be facing. Regina only says, "An old friend," which sort of annoys me because Regina does want to save Henry so shouldn't she be prepping Emma as best she can? Emma suggests that since "he" is an old friend, Regina should talk to "him." Regina says, "Her punishment here was different from everyone else's. I trapped her -- in a different form. She doesn't want to hear from me. You have to trust me on that." Emma: "Okay, I will go down there. But let's be clear about something -- Your Majesty. The only reason you're not dead is because I need your help to save Henry. If he dies, so do you." Regina: "Well then, let's get on with it. Now this is what you're going to have to do..."
Sidebar: Okay, so maybe I was hasty with my earlier judgment. Still, it's frustrating to sit through two scenes (the earlier one in Gold's shop and the above) with such coy dialogue about Emma's opponent. I understand the goal is to build suspense for the audience, but rather than anticipating what sort of beast has the true love egg in its belly, I want to choke Emma for not yelling at Gold and Regina to stop being so cryptic. She's a mother, desperate to save her son. I just can't buy that she put up with the mystery for so long. If she's going to compete her mission, she has to know what the mission is, yes? Yes. Anyhow...
We cut to Emma, alone in the elevator. She draws Charming's sword as the elevator descends.
Recapper's House. Your recapper is thoroughly engrossed in the story, when her mother calls. She's going to brunch on Sunday too. She also just visited another cousin and catches your recapper up on that. She wants to stop by, but your recapper explains how she's on deadline and can't stop for even a minute. Your recapper's mother understands and they end their call. Just as your recapper returns to the work at hand, her husband wanders into her office. He's got his iPod, which is playing the Beatles, but doesn't have the earbuds in his ears so your recapper again pauses her TiVo. Her husband stands in front of her (AND THE TV) and starts talking about the lawn. Finally, he notices your recapper's expression and asks her what's wrong. Your recapper keeps her voice soft so she won't betray how very bitchy she's feeling and mutters, "Just frustrated." Apparently, she keeps her voice too soft because he says, "What?" Your recapper's voice rises. "I'M WORKING!" She immediately feels like a jerk, but then her husband lies down on her office couch and declares he's taking a nap. Your recapper stops feeling like a jerk. Once her husband puts his earbuds in his ears, she starts playing the episode again. Then she pauses it and rises to her feet. She looks around and tries to remember why she stood up in the first place. Her glass of iced tea is only half full so she decides she must have meant to fill it up before resuming work so she won't interrupt herself. When she returns to the office with a full glass, she sits down and immediately remembers that she originally stood up not to refill her glass, but to empty her bladder. D'oh. We cut to the...
Enchanted Forest, Pre-Curse. Maleficent climbs the stairs to her throne. She's still blonde, darn it. When she takes her seat, Charming appears out of nowhere and puts a sword to her neck. "Where is the beast who reigns over this castle?" Malef magics him down the stairs, then rises and says, "That would be me, but beast is so harsh. I prefer Maleficent." She says her name incorrectly. I cringe. Charming: "I'm gonna need a smaller egg." Ha! When Malef says, "Such a shame. So handsome," Charming struggles to his feet. Maleficent waves her hand in a semi-circle and blows, extinguishing all the light in the castle. We hear her laugh, as if far away. Charming: "Show yourself, witch." She does -- and she's a dragon now. YES!
Elevator. Emma reaches her destination. She strolls through caves and comes across Snow's glass coffin. Since she's still getting used to the truth, she's a bit overwhelmed and backs away from it. She's leaning against what she must assume is a wall. A giant green eye opens to her. Emma's hand senses the scaly texture of the "wall" and turns to see it is the dragon! As it roars and breathes fire, the dragon's chest glows. Emma freaks all the way into a Dark Shadows commercial.
Charming's Timeline. The dragon breaths fire at our valiant hero, who manages to get to a hallway too small for the beast too enter. He looks down at the magic containing egg and steels himself before he reveals himself to the beast and yells, "Come on."
Recapper's Timeline. Your recapper's son enters her office and starts telling her about his video game. Your recapper puts on her I'm listening face -- you know, the face that is a total liar? Story complete, your recapper laughs as if she understood the story and/or its point. Satisfied, her son walks off and your recapper starts up the TiVo again -- just as her husband starts snoring. Your recapper is tempted to check out fml.com, but she resists.
Emma's Timeline. Emma stands with Charming's sword pointed at the dragon and then realizes she doesn't even know how to fence. Throwing down the weapon, she says, "To hell with this" and pulls out her service revolver. Silly old bear. You can't kill a dragon with a gun. I'd be harder on her, but she was a de facto orphan. Maybe nobody ever read to her. Oh gosh, that was supposed to be quippy, but it just made me really sad.
Charming's Timeline. He leads the beast on a chase.
Emma's Timeline. Having little luck shooting it, Emma tries to hide from the dragon.
Charming's Timeline. Charming runs up some stairs and then leaps down onto the dragon's neck.
Emma's Timeline. Emma peeks out from her hiding place, just in time to watch the floor collapse beneath the dragon's feet.
Charming's Timeline. He's still riding the dragon. He yells as tries to shove the magic containing egg into the dragon's... um... gills? The dragon shrieks and raises its head. Charming is thrown to the floor.
Emma's Timeline. Cautiously, Emma makes her way to the crater in the floor. When she looks down below, a cloud of dust blocks her view.
Charming's Timeline -- oh hell's bells. I know this is a recap and it should be long and detailed but I cannot keep jumping back and forth, like this. Eventually Charming gets the egg inside the Dragon's gills and forces it down into the literal belly of the beast. Charming jumps right through Maleficent's stained glass window and lands in the water, far below. When he looks up, the dragon sticks her head out the broken window and breathes some more fire like you do. Charming smiles.
Emma's Timeline. Eventually, the dragon flies back up to Emma's level, which knocks Emma on her ass. Fortunately, her jeans are so tight they protect her from serious injury. We cut to...
Storybrooke Hospital. Mary Margaret is reading to a still-unconscious Henry and of course she's reading Snow White's story. "And yes, she was beyond hope -- beyond saving. This was her end. When Prince Charming saw his beloved Snow White in her glass coffin, he knew all that was left was to say goodbye. He had to give her one last kiss and when he did, true love proved more powerful than any curse. A pulse of pure love shuddered out and engulfed the land, waking up Snow White and bringing light to the darkness." Mary takes a second to blink back her tears, then closes the book and looks down at Henry. "Henry, when I gave you this book, it was because I knew... I know life doesn't always have a happy ending, but I thought..." Just then, the alarm on Henry's monitor begins to sound. Mary screams for Dr. Whale. He and Nurse Mother Superior Blue Boobs enter the room. Whale orders Mary out of the room and says Henry's heart rate is falling. One nurse ventilates him, while another performs chest compressions. We cut to the hallway and watch a male form in an orderly's uniform make its way to an electronically locked exit door. He punches in the security code and enters (or exits, well, you know what I mean -- he goes through it).
Look, I already know the orderly is Jefferson and so do you so I'm dropping the pretense. At the nurse's station in the secret basement ward, he gives Nurse Ratched a cup of tea. She asks about the commotion upstairs before passing out. Once she's unconscious, Jefferson grabs her keys and strolls down the hallway. Chief is mopping outside a room. The tag to the right of the door identifies its inhabitant as "S. Glass." I'd say, "Oh no, Sidney," but he's a Queenie-whipped tool so instead I laugh. Jefferson opens the door down. Belle is lying on her cot. Jefferson tells her he needs her help to do something he can't. He tells her to find a man named Mr. Gold and tell him that Regina locked her up. Poor Belle is all, "What?" Jefferson repeats his instructions. It's most important that she tell Gold that Regina locked her up. He'll know what to do.
Enchanted Forest, Maleficent's Shore. As Charming exits the water, Rumpy is warming himself by a fire on the shore. "Impressive dearie. Very impressive, indeed. When he invites Charming to come warm himself, Charming demands the ring. Rumpy acknowledges Charming's urgency. We cut to...
Recapper's House. Your recapper's glass is empty. She goes to the kitchen and is about to pour some more iced tea when she notices the half bottle of wine still on the counter. Looking at the clock, she cites how many UK friends she has -- even ones she's met -- thereby rationalizing that it's not too early at all and pours herself a generous glass. No long, futile struggle with conscience, judgment or crickets in her realm! We cut back to...
Maleficent's Shore. Rumpy holds up the ring. "With this, Prince Charming, you will find her." When Charming takes the ring, the enchanted stone glows. As he walks off, he thanks Rumpy, but Rumpy tells him something is missing and magics up some princely duds for Charming. "Now, you're ready for your big moment." Charming asks why Rumpy wants Charming and Snow together. Rumpy says, "I'm a fan of true love dearie and more importantly, what it creates."
Emma's Timeline. Emma's still struggling with the dragon. She finally realizes the gun isn't going to get the job done. When she sees Charming's sword, she runs for it. The dragon chases her with its fiery breath. Emma finally gets to the sword and there's something here that, to me, is a nice parallel to her acceptance that the curse is real. This time, when she sees the sword it's like she gets it every bit as much as if she'd had magical flashes. She yells to the dragon. When it rears up, Emma hoists the sword over her head and hurls it at the beast. Being Charming's sword, its aim is true. It plunges itself into the dragon's glowing chest. The dragon bursts into flames. Emma ducks. When she rises, we see Snow's coffin to Emma's left. As the camera zooms out, it reveals the magic containing egg lying in a pile of dragon ash. Emma brushes off the treasure before she picks it up and hugs it. Commercial.
Recapper's House. Your recapper finally takes a sip of wine. Or two. But no more. There's work to be done!
Charming's Timeline. Our hero rides hell-for-leather on his trusty steed. The enchanted ring shines ever brightly as he approaches his true love. At last he reaches a clearing in the woods where the Seven Dwarfs surrounding Snow White's hand-crafted casket inform him he's too late. Charming begs them to open the glass lid anyhow. Moved by his tears and his request to say goodbye, they do as he asks. He bends over and kisses Snow White on the lips. Rainbows and sparkles shoot out of them and ripple all over the Enchanted Forest. Snow White awakens. "You found me." Charming asks if she doubted he would. Yes, I just plagiarized myself from the pilot recap. Did you ever doubt I would?
As Charming and Snow walk along the shore, she asks how he managed to do it. He shows her his mother's ring and says it led him back to her. "Now, I never want it off your finger." He drops to one knee and proposes. Snow holds out her hand. He slips it on. She looks at the stone and says, "What do you think?" They kiss, but when they part, Charming can see Snow looks upset so he asks her what's wrong. She says it's the little matter of his father and her step-mother. She says they should take back the kingdom. Charming asks her how. Snow: "Like we shall do everything... together."
Storybrooke, Day. David stares at the clock tower, It's just about 7:00 AM as far as I can tell, but knowing the timeline shouldn't it be 8:00 AM? Whatever. He gets in his truck and drives off.
Inside the library, Emma hugs the magic containing egg as the elevator lifts her back up. Suddenly, it jolts to a stop. Emma yells out for Regina, but Gold appears at the top of the shaft. He says he came to check on her and is glad he did because Regina has abandoned her and sabotaged the elevator. Since the top of the elevator is open, Emma says she's climbing out. Gold tells her there's no way to scale the shaft while carrying the egg. Emma says she can try, but Gold tells her to toss it up and promises her boy will be fine. Emma trusts him and throws him the egg, then climbs the cable to the top. I'd be stuck in that elevator for the rest of my days -- if I had to rely on my rope-climbing prowess. Not Emma, though. Maybe rope climbing is her real superpower and the lie detection gift was misdirection.
At the top, Emma finds Regina bound and gagged. She takes the duct tape off Regina's mouth, which is rather gallant of her if you ask me. This is why I'm not a savior. I'd be running around duct taping as many mouths as I could. Anyhow, Regina chastises Emma for trusting Gold -- who has now run off with the egg -- and blathers that he manipulated them all. When Emma finally has Regina free they set out in search of him, but stop when their cell phones ring. It's the hospital. We cut to...
Storybrooke Hospital. The mothers run to their boy and are met by Dr. Whale and Nurse Mother Superior Blue Boobs who say they did everything they could, but it's too late. Emma enters Henry's room first. Another nurse shuts off his monitor and removes his oxygen mask. Emma's love is written all over her face as she looks at her dead little boy. Regina watches through the window. Commercial.
Recapper's House. Time for another sip of wine. And maybe some tissues!
Gold's Shop. Gold unlocks the egg and removes the vial of true love. It sparkles and dazzles as true love is wont to do. When the bell on the shop door rings, Gold scurries to hide his treasure. A woman's voice asks if he's Mr. Gold. He tells her the shop is closed, but when he turns he is struck dumb. It's Belle. She says, "I was to find you and tell you that Regina locked me up. Does that mean anything to you?" Gold walks out from behind the counter. Haltingly, he grabs Belle's right shoulder. "You're real. You're alive. She did this to you?" Belle says, "I was told you'd protect me." Gold cries as he hugs her and assures her he'll protect her. When he steps back, Belle says, "I'm sorry. Do I know you?" Gold says, "No, but you will."
Hospital. Regina's in Henry's room now too. She sobs "No" and hides her head in Whale's chest. Tears stream down Emma's face as she walks to her son's side. Her throat is rippling from the force of choked back sobs as Emma smoothes the child's hair. As she lowers her face to his she says, "I love you, Henry." Then she kisses his forehead. A pulse of pure love shudders out and over everyone. Henry gasps and returns to life. "I love you too. You saved me." Regina's voice is kind as she says, "You did it."
Outside, the love pulses over the town and the townsfolk. We first see it hit Mary Margaret. It nearly knocks her off her feet. it hits Granny and Ruby, then Archie. David is driving down the road when it strikes him. He stops his truck short, just before the "Leaving Storybrooke" sign. Back at the hospital, people are drawn to Henry's room. Emma: "Henry, what's going on?" Henry sits up. "The curse. I think you broke it." Nurse Mother Superior Blue Boobs says, "That was true love's kiss." Regina scowls. "No. No!" Boobs turns to her. "If I were you, Your Majesty, I'd find a place to hide." Regina marches to her son's bed. "Henry, no matter what you think, no matter what anyone tells you, I do love you." Henry looks disconcerted by this confession. Regina's eyes are tearful. She turns and runs out of the room. Henry smiles at Emma. We cut to...
Downtown Storybrooke. David is in front of Storybrooke Hardware and Paint when he spots Mary Margaret, across the street. Stopping in his tracks he shouts out, "Snow!" She turns and whispers, "Charming." They run to each other. Snow gasps as she grabs her true love's jacket. Finally, she speaks. "You found me." Charming: "Did you ever doubt I would?" They kiss, but this time it's no stolen, dirty, shameful smooch. It's the most powerful magic of all.
Mayoral Mansion. Regina sits on Henry's bed. She grabs his pillow, hugs it to her and cries. I let myself feel bad for her, because I seldom learn any more quickly than our beloved characters.
Recapper's House. Husband, older son and younger son enter your recapper's office at the same time. They're all talking at once. The phone rings. It's your recapper's daughter, looking for a ride home. Your recapper hands her husband the phone and orders all three gentlemen out of her office. Dejected, they walk away. Recapper wonders if she too has a hole in her heart. She decides if she does, the wine might help fill it and takes another sip.
Storybrooke Forest. Gold is leading Belle through the woods, when she stops and tells him to wait. He tells her they can't. They're very close. Then she says, "Rumpelstiltskin, wait." She remembers. She tells him she loves him. Rumpy takes her in his arms and says, "Yes and I love you, too." When he lets her go, he says, "There'll be time for that. There'll be time for everything -- but first, there's something I must do." Belle follows him to the well, the one to which August brought Emma. He tells her about the restorative properties of the waters that run below. At the well, he uncorks the vial of true love and drops it into the well. Rumpy puts his arm around Belle as thick purple smoke rises from the well. It passes their feet and spreads out over the ground.
Hospital. Nurse Mother Superior Blue Boobs Fairy approaches Dr. Whale, whoever he really is. Emma turns to Henry and asks, "If the curse is broken, why didn't they go back?" Henry says he doesn't know. Just then a nurse, who is staring out the window, drops a chart. Emma goes to her side. "Are you okay?"
Mayoral Mansion. We hear the purple smoke rumbling through the streets. Regina does too. Rising, she goes to the window. When she sees the smoke pouring over the town, we cut back to the hospital. Emma says, "What is that?" Henry: "Something bad."
Back at the well, Belle says, "I don't understand." Rumpy says, "We're in a land without magic power, but I'm bringing it. Magic is coming." Belle looks horrified as she says, "Why?" Rumpy: "Why? Because magic... is power." When will they ever learn? Where have all the flowers gone? Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Mayoral Mansion. Regina looks out the window and smiles as the smoke envelops the town.
Outside as the smoke rushes down the street, Charming grabs Snow. They cling to each other for dear life as the smoke completely surrounds them. The clock tower clicks to 8:15. The smoke hits it and it clanks. Dun dun dun.
For quite some time, our members have been saying that -- aside from the mystical amnesia -- life in Storybrooke sure looks a lot better than life in the Fairy Tale. After all, in Storybrooke, no one can turn you into a beetle and step on you. There are no man-eating wolves. There's no magical, capricious royalty. I do find it intriguing that magic has come to town and its arrival seems like a bad thing. Mythology-wise though, I am not crazy about the fact that true love, brings not only good, pure magic, but also this seemingly darker brand as well.
I find myself worried about August. It seems to me that the love that shot out from Emma's kiss should have restored him, just as it restored Snow and Charming's memories. I can't decide if his restoration was just left out because of time or for drama's sake or if more must be done to save him. Similarly, I'm worried about Graham -- that is, I'm wondering if he's still dead or if breaking the curse will somehow revive him. Please pick Option 2, writers. Please?
I find myself thinking about Henry's paternity. Surely Gold must have known the baby he procured for Regina was the Savior's biological child. Did Gold engineer Henry's conception, as well? It seems to me the boy's father will have to play into our story, eventually. Will he be a villain, a hero -- or a little bit of both? Likewise, I wonder when we'll again see Baelfire and how he'll come into play, in Rumpy's redemption or downfall.
Magic has come to town, so anything is possible in season two. Admittedly, that ending (especially the clock bit) has me more than a little concerned about season. If the 8:15 is just a bookend to the beginning of the season, I'm fine with that. But, I watched Lost, you know? I don't mind resets that change or expand the rules. I'm just terribly afraid this is going to be some reset that undoes all the progress we (finally) made at the end of this season. I'm going to spend the summer trying not to think about this at all so that I'll be open to whatever direction the show takes in the fall.
Thanks for reading and for writing, tweeting and posting at me. I hope you enjoy the hiatus and meet me back here in September. I'll be over my Spring Fever by then, tired of summer heat and ready to get back to work, maybe even without recapping the action in my house. Like I said, be glad I don't have cats.
Gentle Readers: No, um, cats are more entertaining.
Recapper: I know. Have a nice summer!
Please grade the episode at the top of the page and then come on over to the forum, where magic always comes with a price.
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Please grade the episode at the top of the page and then come on over to the forum, where magic always comes with a price.
Think you've got game? Prove it! Check out Games Without Pity, our new area featuring trivia, puzzle, card, strategy, action and word games -- all free to play and guaranteed to help pass the time until your show starts.
What are people saying about your favorite shows and stars right now? Find out with Talk Without Pity, the social media site for real TV fans. See Tweets and Facebook comments in real time and add your own -- all without leaving TWoP. Join the conversation now!