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Enchanted Past. Regina is Rumpy's magical apprentice, but she balks when he tries to teach her the fine art of ripping out hearts (which I get, because ew, and also he wants her to rip out the heart of a unicorn), so he sets her up. Rumpy introduces Regina to Jefferson, who baits her with tales of a wonderful wizard (while this story isn't that story, at least not this week, the Oz references abound) who can do far more than mere magic. Dr. Whale is a whiz of a wiz if ever a wiz there was -- and his name is Victor Frankenstein. It is rumored he can bring the dead back to life, but to do so, he needs a heart.
Victor is in L'enchantement, because he understands the disembodied hearts there are so strong that they glow. Rather than rip out a heart on her own, Regina raids Cora's vault. She and Jefferson wait while Victor "operates" on Regina's late love, Daniel, but alas, the dearly departed stable boy does not come back to life. While Regina's off somewhere crying her eyes out and purging her wardrobe of everything that doesn't scream Evil Queen, Rumpy and Victor have a mild science versus magic disagreement, before Jefferson whisks Victor back to his own realm. Regina resumes serving as Rumpy's apprentice, once she rips out the heart of the young woman with whom he's currently working. I guess it's emotionally easier for her to rip out the heart of a busty village girl than a unicorn. Meanwhile, Victor returns to his own realm with the heart he never tried to put in Daniel at all, and transplants it into his brother. We leave him in his castle, soon after the creature's hand quickens.
Enchanted Present. Emma, Snow, Mulan, and Aurora return to the Haven to find almost all the refugees have been slain. Cora has ripped out their hearts. Curiously, Killian Jones/Captain Hook is the sole survivor. Emma's superpower seems to be on the mend, and she gets Hook to confess that he's working with Cora to find a way to Storybrooke. After Hook is strapped to a tree (and is threatened with being left as a tasty ogre snack) he tells enough of the truth -- including the fact that Cora has ash from the wardrobe -- to earn some measure of freedom. He says Cora needs to obtain a magical compass, and then somehow that, in conjunction with the enchanted ash, will open a portal to Storybrooke.
Hook says he'll offer our ladies the same deal he struck with Cora. He'll help them get to Storybrooke, provided he can come with, so that he can exact revenge upon the man who cost him his hand -- Rumpy. Hook leads our gang to a giant beanstalk. He says they have to climb it, to find what they seek, but warns of the dangerous giant they must face after their climb. Now, call me crazy, but since magic beans seem to be the go-to choice for portal opening, and they're set to climb a beanstalk, I'm suspicious of this whole compass contrivance. Don't worry, though. Snow and Emma are suspicious of Hook and the venture in its entirety. They figure the swashbuckler is setting them up for Cora, but since they want to get home, and they do not want Cora anywhere near Henry, the best thing to do is play along and keep their eyes open. I hope Emma watched Lost and realizes that Hook may well be her Benjamin Linus.
Storybrooke Present. In hopes of convincing Regina to return him to his own realm, Whale takes one of the hearts from her vault and reanimates Daniel, but he's not really Daniel, anymore. He's a monster, and he means serious business, which you can tell, because he's already crossed "Rip off Whale's arm" off of his to-do list. Daniel makes his way to the Storybrooke stables, where Charming left Henry, so that they boy can learn how to groom horses. After Daniel startles the animals and tosses Henry around, Regina and Charming race to the rescue. Charming, in accordance with child labor laws, orders Henry to run.
Once the boy is gone, Charming tells Regina to magically subdue Daniel, but she hasn't used magic in two days, because she's trying to earn Henry's trust. When she balks, Charming says he'll have to shoot the creature. Regina convinces Charming to let her talk to Daniel. The creature storms at her and throttles her, but when Regina whispers that she loves him, it seems to clear his head. He's in terrific pain, and begs for Regina to put him out of his misery. She's reluctant at first, but a couple of minutes of watching him writhe, contort, and basically lose it, makes Regina realize she has no other choice. She freezes Daniel and poofs him away. Later, she rushes to Archie's office to confess she's fallen off the wagon. Meanwhile, Victor brings his arm to Rumpy and asks him to reattach it. Rumpy makes the man of science admit that he needs magic, then fixes him right up.
"The Doctor" is an ambitious episode that, by bringing in the Dr. Frankenstein character, exponentially increases the scope of fictional sandbox in which our writers play. I have to confess though, I'm more impressed by the serendipity of it all. This is the Halloween episode, so it's great that Frankenstein appears this week, but that's planned, so it's not what I'm talking about. What couldn't have been planned is that the East Coast is hunkering down, trying to ride out Hurricane Sandy -- which has been dubbed Frankenstorm. I suspect Kitsis and Horowitz of conjuring up this whole thing. Be careful, dearies. Magic always comes with a price.
I'll be back with the whole story, in the full recap, if we ever have electricity, ever again -- which the media predicts is doubtful. In the meantime, please grade the episode at the top of the page and then come on over to the forum, where we're riding out the storm.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Hi everyone. Let me welcome you back, because I don't know that I've ever meant it more. Welcome back! I wish I could hug you all, wrap you in soft blankets, and feed you warm chocolate pudding. I wish I could restore power, rebuild your homes, your neighborhoods, and your grieving hearts. To all of you who are struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy (including many fine folks at the TWoP home office), please know you're in our prayers, thoughts, and hearts.
People like to talk about all the division in America. It's there, I know, but I truly believe in what's good and true in us, and that is our dedication to one another. If, like me, you escaped much of the horror that swept up our beautiful Eastern Seaboard, I know you know it's time to step up. I know you're doing and will do the right thing. Don't let politics and the media make this feel like it's someone else's problem. A country, at its best, is simply a big family. Let's be at our best. Let's take care of each other.
I've got a job to do, and while I've never thought it was a world changing job -- even in my most delusional moments -- right now, doing it makes me feel particularly vapid and useless. It's hard to bring the fun in, when feeling vapid and useless -- at least for me. That said, I recognize the human hunger for art (not what I do, I mean this beautiful story Kitsis and Horowitz are telling us). I also recognize the need for escape. I'm pretty much an escape addict. A lot of addicts are dealers, so why should I resist the cliche? If I can give you a half an hour in which you can pretend that things are better, maybe that's something, so...here goes nothing.
Previously on Once Upon A Time, Regina takes a grownup Snow to Daniel's grave. He's dead because Cora ripped out his heart. In Storybrooke, Regina lets Henry leave with Grandpa Charming. She wants Henry to be with her, only if he wants to be. She needs to redeem herself. She needs said redemption, because long ago and far away, she allowed Rumpy to manipulate her into using the very magic that she's struggling to quit today. In present day L'enchantement, Emma, Snow, Aurora and Mulan realize Cora killed Lancelot and has been magically impersonating him. They need to return to their Haven. But hark, what fetid souls on Neverland's border beach doth ooze? It is Cora, and Killian Jones, a.k.a. Captain Hook.
Currently on Once Upon A Time, Emma, Snow, Aurora, and Mulan return to the Haven that is Neverland, and make me realize I need a good name for this foursome, because I'm already powerfully tired of typing out their names. Does Team Princess work for you? Does it work, even though Mulan isn't technically a princess? Excellent. Thank you for being so accommodating. Why do I always needs spellcheck's help when spelling out accommodating? I think it's that second M that always trips me up. Thank you, spellcheck.
As Team Princess makes its way back to Neverland, Snow lectures Aurora on the fine art of political spin. So as not to unnecessarily panic the masses, Snow insists that they just concentrate on the parts of their story that are true: Lance did die honorably, and Cora did escape. Aurora isn't sure that any panic which might arise from revealing the whole story is all that unnecessary. I'm not sure she's wrong.
When Mulan spies the now-empty watch tower, and smoke in the air, she hushes the bickering royals. She draws her sword and cautions Team Princess to stay close as they rush to the scene. All the refugees are dead. Mulan assumes the ogres found the hidden haven, but when Snow surveys the carnage, she realizes the dead have had their hearts ripped out. Clearly, this is Cora's work. While Mulan and Snow argue, Emma spots movement in the pile of corpses. They dig out the survivor. It's the handsome Hook. Title card.
Storybrooke. Day. When Whale approaches Charming and says they need to talk, Charming punches him right in the kisser. Whale wants to know what that was for. Charming: "For sleeping with my wife." Whale: "Kathryn?" Since you were so confused as David, you should forgive his confusion, my handsome Prince. I'm just saying. Maybe he listens, because Charming sets the record straight, when he says, "Snow." Whale: "Look, I didn't know, all right? I was cursed." Charming: "Yeah. I got it." He smiles as he sits down. "What do you want?" I sort of love that Charming understands Snow's adultery was incidental, but still indulges his desire to clock her one night stand.
What does Whale want? Well, some intel, for one thing. He knows Charming wants to build a portal back to his land, but Whale is confused because he thought the land was destroyed by the curse. Even though these two hardly know each other, Charming only feels the need to reply, "Apparently not," because he understands that it should be a given that Regina is a lying liar who lies. Whale asks if all the lands still exist. Charming deems it possible. Whale: "So the Queen lied to us. Again. Are you sure?" Charming: "Remember who we're talking about." That's what I was just saying.
Regina arrives at Archie's office. She needs help staying off the mojo. When she whines that magic is the way she's always gotten everything, Archie (yeah, I know I said I was going to stick with their storybook names, but I'm not feeling Jiminy today, so Archie it is) points out it's also the way she lost everything. Their session is interrupted by Whale, who barges in, ignores Archie's protests, and demands that Regina send him back to his land -- to his brother. When Regina suggests Whale check the "missing board" for his brother, Whale says the curse only brought over the living, which is our first in-episode cue to his identity.
You all know I stink at pretending I don't know someone's storybook identity, when said identity is going to be revealed later in the episode. Today is no different, so SPOILER: Whale turns out to be Doctor Victor Frankenstein. I read some speculation weeks and weeks ago that tipped me off. It pretended to be unspoiled speculation, but at the time, there was only one thin clue (I'll explain later), so I'm pretty sure the speculator was spoiled but pretending to be unspoiled, so that when his/her fantastical theory proved to be correct, he/she could then pretend to be a genius, or possibly even a prophet. I hate that game. My point is, I smelled the spoilers and tried to keep my yap shut, so I didn't spoil you. I don't think I mentioned Whale=Victor before now. If I did so, either here or on our boards, I apologize. This is exactly why I don't spoil: when I'm in the thick of writing, I sometimes forgot how I know what. Anyhow, Regina's voice drips with insincerity as she offers her condolences for his loss, but claims she can't send anyone anywhere. Whale wonders if she means can't or won't.
Archie orders the doctor out of his office. Once he's again alone with Regina, he calls her out on not being truthful on one fine point. While she let Whale think the curse only brought the living here, Archie knows the grave of her father is in Storybrooke. Regina: "I don't care about Whale or his brother. I brought who I wanted." Wow, she maybe just accidentally told the truth. Archie, probably thinking of his own mostly dead parents, asks, "Anyone else?" Regina's sneer is the only non-answer she's willing to offer. Archie tells her if she wants help, she has to trust him, because stopping magic is much harder than starting. We flash back to...
The Enchanted Past. Rumpy teaches Regina to immobilize a beautiful, bucking, black unicorn. It's way better well done than Maleficent's pathetic pet of season one. Regina is proud of and pleased with her progress until Rumpy gives her his instruction: rip out the unicorn's heart. Regina is less than enthusiastic, given that's what her mother did to her true love, Daniel, but she approaches the unicorn. Rumpy says, "Gentle. No harm will befall it, unless, of course, you will it." Regina closes in on her prey, but at the last moment, shrinks away. Accidental rhyme! She can't do it. The unicorn is innocent. Rumpy: "Nothing is innocent." And beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Rumpy reaches into the unicorn's chest to show her how it's done. Once the candy apple red heart is in Rumpy's hand, the unicorn is unfrozen. It whinnies and bows (or whatever) to Rumpy who is now its master. Rumpy says, "Now, it belongs to me. You see, when you take a heart. It becomes enchanted -- stronger than a normal heart. You're not hurting the beast. You're controlling it. Now, show me you know what to do with that power." Is it just me, or does that say something ugly, or at least frightening about love -- at least on a metaphorical level?
Rumpy tosses the heart to Regina and says, "Kill it." Regina's all, "What?" Rumpy: "You've seen it done. Now do it yourself. Show me you can take the step in your training. Crush it." Regina starts to, but when the unicorn falls over on its side, she loosens her grip. Fighting back tears, she shakes her head and looks from her victim to her tormentor. Rumpy is disappointed. Magic is power. Until she can take power, she's not learning anything. If she wants him to teach her anything, there's one question she needs to ponder for her own sake: what is holding her back?
Wearing an outfit similar to the one Snow wears during her dried up Lake Nostos Nostros Nosotros Nostrils wedding to Prince Charming, Regina visits the glass coffin in which she has stored Daniel's magically preserved body. We flash forward to...
Storybrooke. Present. Night. Still in Archie's office, Regina explains about preserving Daniel. He's dead, but frozen. She admits she keeps him in the family mausoleum. Archie tells her that as long as she refuses to let go of the past, it will continue to haunt her. Regina, who has had enough tea, sympathy, therapy and conscience, stomps out of Archie's office, scoffing at his promise that he can help. It's storming as she drives home. When lightning illuminates the Storybrooke streets, she sees Daniel. But in an instant, he is gone. Commercial.
Morning. Charming brings Henry to the Storybrooke stables. Yes, there are stables now. Both charming fellows miss the womenfolk, but soldier on, they must. Since the boy needs to learn to be a proper knight, he's got to start at the bottom -- mucking out stalls, grooming, and feeding the horses, twice a day. He doesn't even get to ride until the horse tells him he's ready, so I sure hope his horse is a relative of Mr. Ed. Anyhow, this is all about building trust between our wee knight and his noble steed. Charming leaves Henry, and says he'll pick him up, later. The kid asks his steed if he has anything to say for himself. I giggle despite myself, and we cut to the cemetery. Regina approaches the mausoleum. When she descends to Daniel's crypt, she gasps to discover his empty glass coffin. We flash back to the...
Enchanted Past. Rumpy's Estate. There's a pile of straw on the floor, but did you ever notice it is yarn he weaves into gold, not straw -- even though last week, he said he used straw? Me too. I can't decide if this is filming logistics, a continuity error, or a plot point, but anyway it's driving me nuts. Regina watches him spin for a bit, then asks if he's ready to begin their lesson. He says the question is whether she's ready and asks why she's there. She says she's there for power, but he tells her to stop wasting his time. She's done her soul-searching. What's the skinny, Mini? Finally, she admits she wants to bring back the dead. Rumpy mocks her. Dead is dead, and transcending death is even beyond his reach. If that's true, Regina says she is lost. Rumpy snits that if so, she has wasted his time.
Jefferson magically appears and says he thought nothing was beyond Rumpy's reach, then apologizes for intruding. Rumpy insists there's nothing going on there, and pulls Jefferson aside so they can complete their transaction. While she feels a little rejected, Regina still makes sure to listen to the men. Jefferson gives Rumpy a crystal ball, but has to admit that he failed to procure the slippers Rumpy seeks, which he believes have been transported to another land. It's said slippers that Rumpy truly desires. While Jefferson's hat is nifty and all, it only transports between magical realms. Rumpy needs the slippers to get to a land without magic. When Jefferson asks Rumpy if he still wants the crystal ball, Rumpy hesitates, giving Robert Carlyle the opportunity to prove again that timing and delivery are his dual superpowers. He hems, haws, says, "Nnnnn," and then "Yeah." He then instructs Jefferson to help himself to however much gold he deems appropriate. Since there's no haggling over price, and no twisting of terms to suit Rumpy's needs, it's in that second that I'm sure that while Rumpy may well want the (ruby, I'm sure) slippers for their ability to travel even to non-magical realms, this whole scene has been performed for Regina's benefit (and by that, I mean it is a setup -- one that will be to her detriment). As Jefferson helps himself to gold, Rumpy tells Regina she can let herself out. Their work is done. Regina is bereft that he refuses to teach her any longer. Rumpy tells her that as long as she harbors foolish notions of resurrecting the dead and living in the past, she will never find her future. "Teaching you was a waste of time."
Jefferson tells Regina that perhaps she needs to look elsewhere for assistance. He claims he knows the man who can do what she wants. You might say that man is a wizard. Regina wants to know Jefferson's price. He wants a royal passport, so he'll have free rein to traverse her kingdom. Regina: "How would I do that?" Jefferson: "Well, you're the queen, right?" Regina has a d'oh moment and then agrees. She just wants assurance that this wizard can truly bring back someone. Jefferson: "Well, if he can't, no one can." Commercial.
Neverland. Present. Mulan tells Emma that Killian is a blacksmith who came to the Haven a while back, but Emma's spidey sense is tingling. It makes no sense that Cora would leave him alive. Cora has tricked them before, after all. Emma takes the Team Princess lead and interviews Killian about being the only one to escape Cora's attack. He claims he hid under dead bodies, and Cora didn't find him. Emma leans in close to Killian and tells him she's a pretty decent lie detector. I hope he didn't watch Season 1. Killian insists he's telling the truth. Emma's smirk comforts me. There's no way she believes him, right? Mulan says they should leave. Snow adds they need to find a portal. Killian offers to guide them. Emma pulls out a knife, and grabbing Killian's pretty head in one hand, she holds her blade against his throat. "You're not gonna guide us anywhere until you tell us who you really are." We jump sideways to...
Storybrooke. Present. Regina visits the bowels of the hospital. In the dark, she calls out for Dr. Whale. We flash back to the...
Enchanted Past. In a palace -- it's Knifingham, I think, Jefferson and Regina talk about the task at hand. If the Wonderful Wizard of Oz references were a Kansas farm house, I'd be not only merely dead, but really most sincerely dead. Regina: "Where is this wizard. You promised to bring him to me." Jefferson: "Indeed, and off we shall go to see him, but I warn you -- be cautious." Jefferson says he isn't to them, but he's never been to a realm like theirs, and he's unfamiliar to their ways and their magic. Out in the garden, Jefferson makes a great show of presenting Regina to her salvation. It's Whale a.k.a. Victor Frankenstein, who says he prefers to be referred to as Doctor.
Down in vault, Victor marvels at the condition of Daniel's corpse. Regina credits the preservation spell and asks the doctor if he can bring back Daniel. He opens the casket, takes out a scalpel and slices into Daniel's palm. Examining the blood, he proclaims Daniel's condition ideal. When Regina asks how many times he's done this, Victor explains that the procedure is still experimental, but he's optimistic. When Regina asks what kind of charlatan Victor is, he tries to reassure her. He understands the last piece of the puzzle exists in their land. He needs a particularly strong heart. He understands that in her world, there are enchanted hearts that are fortified when they are ripped from the chests of their owners. Regina refuses to use magic for evil, and will not rip out a heart. When Victor asks if he's wasted his time there, Regina admits she knows where to get a heart. We flash forward to...
Storybrooke. Present. Regina finds Dr. Whale down in a basement operating room. Well, first, she finds his disembodied arm. Finally she finds him bleeding out on the floor. She's got no time to nurse him back to health, though. She knows he took Daniel's body and one of her hearts. She demands to know why. When Whale doesn't answer, Regina's face cringes as she says, "Did you bring him back?" Whale stammers out that he did, but, "He's not Daniel. He's a monster." Commercial.
Enchanted Past. Regina's Childhood Home. She shows Jefferson and Victor a fireplace that is far more than it seems. First, they hear the beating of many hearts. , the fireplace (with a burning fire) opens up to reveal a stairway. Regina leads the men down to a vault full of hearts. Regina: "My mother was a collector." Jefferson winces as he asks whose hearts are there. Regina has no idea. Cora took so many hearts it's impossible to keep track. "She was a monster." Victor selects a drawer, opens it up, sees an enchanted heart and declares it perfect. We flash forward to...
Storybrooke. Present. Charming finds Regina watching over Whale at the hospital. Regina tries to pretend she doesn't know what's up, but when Charming presses her, she admits that she came to talk to Whale because someone from her past has come back. His name is Daniel. Charming knows the backstory and Snow's involvement. Regina believes Whale has brought Daniel back from the grave, but claims she doesn't know how. When Charming calls b.s., Regina explains about the hearts, and figures Whale took one of hers. Charming is all, "You have hearts here?" Regina is too psychotic to let Charming's horror register. Charming asks whose heart Whale took. Regina, echoing her description of Cora, once upon a time, admits, "I have no idea. I took so many, it was impossible to keep track." She waits a beat then says she needs to go help Daniel.
Charming demands to know where Daniel is, since clearly he's dangerous. Regina doesn't want to come clean, but Charming tells her she has two choices -- tell Charming where to find Daniel, or go to jail. Regina figures that Daniel's awakening may well harken back to Charming's. "I think it's like when you awoke from your coma. He's following his final thoughts to where he last met me. The stables." Charming: "No. Henry. Henry's at the stables." For the first time in this entire scene, an appropriate measure of worry and terror finally registers on Regina's face. She runs after Charming. We cut to the...
Stables. Henry talks to his horse. "Gramps says you'll tell me when I'm ready to ride you. So...any time. Like...soon?" Just then the horse whinnies and rears up. Whatever has upset Henry's horse has the entire stable in an uproar. Before Henry can investigate, his horse kicks him and he falls to the floor. Poor little guy. Since his stall is open, Henry's horse takes off. Henry looks up to see Daniel looming in the doorway. He cringes as the monster looms toward him. Commercial.
Oh look, it's another iteration of Pitt's Chanel No. 5 spot, with different, if no less ridiculous images, and the same insipid script. God bless you, Brad. I hope you give all this money to the Red Cross or some other hurricane relief organization. You'll be better able to sleep. Trust me. Ew. Now it's a bunch of political ads, and I don't even live in a swing state. Call me Abigael Evans, but I never imagined I'd appreciate Pitt's pitch before the break was even over.
Neverland. While Emma interrogates Killian, Mulan ties him to a tree. When he continues to insist he's but a blacksmith, Emma says, "Sure you are," and then lets out a loud whistle. We hear the growling ogres in the distance. As they close in, Team Princess packs up to leave. Finally, Killian speaks. He congratulates the ladies for besting him, adding that he can count the people who have done that on one hand. Hey, I'll do the punning here, thank you very much. Emma's on my side. "Was that supposed to be funny?" He explains that he's Killian Jones a.k.a. Hook. He's pleased Emma has heard from him. With the ogres getting closer, Hook admits that Cora enlisted him to gain their trust, so he can learn everything about Storybrooke. The Mother of All Evil wants no surprises when she gets there. Snow doubts that's possible, since they destroyed the wardrobe.
Hook explains that Cora gathered the ashes, which retain some enchantment. She's going to use them to open up a portal. Mulan thinks they should leave Hook there to pay for all the lives lost. Hook insists they need him alive. They want the same thing Cora does -- to get to Storybrooke. He'll offer them the same deal he offered her. He'll help them, provided he can accompany them. He says that while the ashes will open a portal, to find their land, they need an enchanted compass. Hook will help Team Princess find it before Cora does. Snow wisely says this sounds too good to be true. Hook says they'll find out. Holding her knife to Hook's neck, Emma's voice is hushed and shaky. "You tell me one thing, and whatever you say, I'd better believe it. Why does Captain Hook want to go to Storybrooke?" Hook tells the truth: "To exact revenge on the man who took my hand. Rumplestiltskin." (Sic!) I'm still not sure they're after a compass though. We flash sideways to the...
Storybrooke Stables. Present. Daniel is throttling Henry when Regina and Charming arrive. When Regina shouts out the name of the monster who was once her love, he drops Henry. Charming wastes no time in hustling the boy out and ordering him to go. Henry is suddenly down with letting the adults do the heavy lifting and flies like the wind. While Regina is marveling that Daniel is really there, the monster lumbers toward her. Charming shoves her out of the way and struggles to shut the stall door. Charming wants Regina to cast a spell to subdue Daniel, but she refuses to use magic on him. Charming is ready to shoot Daniel, but Regina begs for the chance to talk to Daniel. She rushes at Charming and screams, then quietly begs for a chance to talk to her fiancé. We flash back to the...
Enchanted Past. Night. It's storming as Jefferson and Regina wait outside a tent. When Victor comes out, Regina hands over the chest containing a heart. Victor thanks her. He already had the heart, when he was down in the vault. Ugh. Whatever. It's been a rough week for everyone. Let's enjoy the good, rather than dwell on nitpicks. Victor insists he must perform the procedure alone, and retreats to his tent. Regina wonders if he's doing magic. Jefferson says that supposedly Victor wields a power greater than magic. Regina wonders why they can't watch. Jefferson covers by saying there's much from Victor's land they can't understand. Clearly this is a set-up. Jefferson confirms this again by telling Regina that if Victor can't achieve what she seeks, "...then Rumplestiltskin (sic) was right. It can't be done."
Inside the tent, Victor holds up the heart above Daniel's corpse. We cut to the outside and watch from Regina's point of view. She can only see shadows within. Lightning strikes. Victor appears to bring down the heart and shove it into Daniel's chest. Jefferson holds on to Regina. Finally, Victor emerges. Regina smiles until Victor apologizes and says he failed. The heart wasn't strong enough and couldn't withstand the procedure. Regina enters the tent and strokes Daniel's forehead. She buttons up his shirt and lays her head on his chest. We flash forward to...
Storybrooke. Regina opens the stable stall. Daniel seems calm as he approaches her, but then turns violent. He throttles her and holds her up against the wall. In choked whispers, she assures him it's her and that she loves him. Since love is the most powerful magic of all, this manages to reach him, at least briefly. His voice and face are normal as he speaks to her, but soon he is once again contorting and is clearly in pain. He begs Regina to stop the pain. When she asks how, Daniel says, "Let me go." At first Regina refuses. She won't lose him again because without him, she is lost. As Daniel's suffering grows, she begs him to come back to her, but he cannot. When she says, "I love you," Daniel groans. "Then love again." He steps back and writhes in pain. Monster overcomes the man. He holds up a hand. Regina's eyes grow wide. She raises her palm to Daniel's. Magic washes over him. Regina's face crumples. She sobs, even as she raises her other hand and causes him to magically dissolve. When he is but dust on the stable floor, Regina cries, "Goodbye, Daniel." Wouldn't it be great if you could do that to every ex who haunts you? Just sayin'... Commercial.
Enchanted Forest. While Hook leads Team Princess, Snow asks Emma if he's leading them into a trap. Emma agrees it's definitely a trap. Mother and daughter decide that as long as they know they're being played, they can stay one step ahead. Once they reach a ridge, Team Princess sees a giant magical beanstalk in the distance. Emma, realizing they've found their way to the compass, asks how they get to it. Hook says, "It's not the climb you need to worry about. It's the giant at the top." Call me crazy, but we're really in need of a bean, not a compass, right? We flash sideways to...
Storybrooke. Regina parks her car. Yeah. That's it. I don't know why we had to go there, either. We flash back to the...
Enchanted Past. Regina, now dressed all in her trademark black, finds Rumpy teaching magic to a peasant girl. He taunts Regina that he needed someone more dedicated. Regina takes umbrage at this and says, "Dedicated?" She then walks over her would-be replacement, rips out her out her heart, holds it up to Rumpy and crushes it to dust. Rumpy wiggles his fingers as he lets out a fey, delighted giggle. Regina says, "Now, where were we?" Rumpy smiles and holds up the grimoire. We flash forward to...
Storybrooke. Present. Regina knocks on Archie's door. When he opens it, he's surprised to see she's back. Regina cries as she says, "I used magic." Archie invites her to come in and tell him what happened. We flash back to the...
Enchanted Past. Victor follows Jefferson through the forest, complaining that he needs to return home now. After all, their deal is done. Jefferson says the deal isn't done until "he" says it is, so on cue, Rumpy appears. "Now, now, patience please. Our transaction is nearly complete." When Victor asks Rumpy if he's satisfied with the results, Rumpy laughs at his own pun (again, I say puns are mine, Show) when he says Regina seemed heart-broken. They all agree that Regina bought their act. Jefferson hands Victor the heart. He opens the box and inspects it, then tells Rumpy it's been a pleasure doing business with him. Rumpy says the pleasure is his. "I've made my monster. Now I do hope you'll be able to make yours."
When Victor insists he's not making a monster, Rumpy patronizes him. "Sure you're not. Good luck." Victor claims he needs neither luck nor magic. Rumpy points out that he needs a magic heart. Victor crows that his powers transcend Rumpy's magic. Rumpy asks Victor if he cares to wager on whether his abilities are more powerful than magic. He insists someday Victor will see things his way. Victor doubts it, and asks Jefferson if they can go. As Jefferson throws down his magical hat, Rumpy offers a final word of warning. "Careful, dearie. Just remember, whatever it is you traffic in -- it comes with a price." Purple haze rises up from the portal. Sadly, Jimi Hendrix does not. Victor tells Rumpy, "We'll see," and then he and Jefferson jump into the hat. Rumpy watches them disappear. We flash forward to...
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.
"The Doctor" is an ambitious episode that, by bringing in the Dr. Frankenstein character, exponentially increases the scope of fictional sandbox in which our writers play. Oh wait, before I get to that, I mean to comment on the Whale/Frankenstein connection. That slim clue I mentioned -- the one that the supposedly unspoiled speculator used as the foundation for speculating that Dr. Whale might be Dr. Frankenstein, is this: the director of the original Frankenstein film adaptation is none other than James Whale. As soon as I read it, I knew the speculation was right, but it wasn't too long before I also felt like I'd been tricked into spoiling. So, there you go.
Now about our newly enlarged sandbox. I talked with friends about this early in the week. My friends Robyn and Ginger can accept (to some extent, grudgingly) that the different fairy tale characters live in adjacent worlds, and that Oz and Neverland, while not traditional folk stories, are sort of cut from the same cloth. Still, they're not crazy about the idea of making the sandbox so large that it even includes Frankenstein. They find it jarring.
On the other hand, I'm thrilled by it, as is my friend Jenn. Since Victor needed the Mad Hatter to get him to the Enchanted Forest Universe, I didn't find it jarring, at least not in a bad way. When we had Jefferson's episode last season, and he took Regina to that room between the worlds (and then to Wonderland), I took that as a promise that we'd be getting more than fairy tales. If Victor could have gotten back to his world on horseback, then I would be upset.
Additionally, while Chief and Nurse Ratched's Season One appearance seemed mostly like an Easter egg, it also seemed to indicate the fictional world will be as big as the writers can dream. Ditto the mention of Avonlea (in the first Belle episode). Most fairy tales tell the same story. Blasting out the walls of the universe to include all fiction, seems to me to be a good idea -- especially if they want the show to run five or seven years. I don't expect it will ever completely abandon the fairy tale premise because of who are main characters are, but I'm happy to know that the whole of fiction is now available.
My friend, Rachel, is impatient with the separation between the Charming men and the Charming women. She also feels we've had more than plenty of backstory focusing on Rumpy and Regina. She'd prefer if this season featured more current story -- one that honed in on the relationships, particularly between all the Charmings, since that's the true heart of this story. I admit to sharing her frustration where the family is concerned. The Charmings made me fall in love with the show. I agree they are the heart: strong, enchanted, all glowing and candy apple red.
I love Parrilla and Carlyle, but there were times, in the first season, that I thought they were overused. This season though, I think we're seeing them so much because they are part of the extended Charming family. This is not a spoiler, but I really think the Mysterious Stranger might turn out to be Bae. If he is Bae, and if he's Henry's bio-dad (which previews make seem likely), that's going to make Rumpy Henry's other grandfather. Regina already has two ties to the Charming family (Snow's step-mom and Henry's adoptive mom). So while I want to get more on Snow, Charming, Emma and Henry, I think we're building to that. Now, watch me be completely wrong. Still, I believe Once Upon A Time is a redemptionista work, and Rumpy and Regina need nothing else so desperately.
I'll be back Monday with coverage of "Tallahassee." In the meantime, please grade the episode at the top of the page and then come on over to the forum where we need both science and magic.