A Land Without Magic

“I believe in everything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now?” ― John Lennon

** All photos posted here are chosen for a reason **

This entire season of ONCE was amazing and special, and a much needed treat for those of us in desperate need of hope and some positive magic. It was a totally beautiful and brilliant move by Eddy and Adam that this episode of a mother's True Love for her child aired on Mother's Day.

Where is this magic?

True Love transcends realms and can break any curse. It is the most powerful magic of all. Once True Love is felt it cannot be unfelt. True Love doesn't come in a box or a bottle. It cannot be forced. It lives and breathes in the good and noble balanced hearts and minds of some people.

"Why are you here?" and "Why did you bring me here?"  We've learned the truth is that no one can tell you why you're here or in a certain place at a certain time, with a certain person, in a certain situation, or in a certain state of mind. You have to discover that for yourself, by seeing, learn and growing.

Emma is very child-like in her learning and discovery of things in her adventurous journey, as she's learning a lot about herself.  Everyone hides things we don't want to recognize in ourselves, much less allow other people to see. There are parts of Emma that she locked away and needs to unlock, and there are parts of her that are trapped and must be freed.   This is also true for the other residents. We witness them going in circles, feeling they are trapped and imprisoned and they can't get out. This is illustrated plainly in the Infinite Forest. Characters are gaining some clarity with questioning and admitting "I keep making these wrong decisions," which is a good thing because now they can make right decisions.

In our own lives we all have dragons we must slay. Sure, our dragons don't breathe fire or fly, but our metaphoric dragons are monstrous people, situations and pain that taunt and control us, they keep us fearful and imprisoned. But just like Emma's quest and destiny to save everyone and herself, she must break the curse and be victorious in setting herself and the others free. She has the power to accomplish this. Emma didn't need magic to be with her, the magic already lives inside her- she just had to fight to find it and hold on to it.  Imagine your inner bright light is your magic, but you keep it hidden away from yourself and everyone else. Once you unlock your light, your loving magic will shine light on the darkness, and it can be shared.

On to Regina- Yes, you can feel compassion for her current "pain"- but it's not what we are on the surface that counts, it's what is at one's core that is their truth. Her pain is more about being beaten by the breaking of the curse and the loss of her control over everyone and everything, rather than her pain really being about losing Henry.  Emma made sacrifices for the greater good of her child. She wanted him to have a life she knew she couldn't give him. She was unselfish with that act.

Emma's kiss of True Love for Henry breaks a spell and wakes him up. And then we witness Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin stands next to his love, Belle, at the well, and is bringing magic back to a land that had lost it. The magic he releases is made from "True Love."  That should be a wonderful thing! But between Emma's "True Love's Kiss" and then Mr. Gold unleashing the power from the bottle containing "True Love" and the well water, what is going on? Will that bottled True Love wash over everyone in Storybrooke, Regina included, and will that magic be used as a gift for a good and noble cause, or will Regina twist the magical properties of it and continue to use it for self serving purposes and create another curse?  We have to wait and see.

PS: After detailing this episode, I suddenly feel the need to purchase No Doubt concert tickets.

Things to Note...Questions to Ask...

๑ Brain. Head. Mind. Sleep. Coma. Wake Up.
๑ Life. Death. Breath. Awaken.
๑ Regina wears a ring with a green stone.
๑ Prince Charming's mother's ring glowed brightly every time he saw it with Rumpelstiltskin.
๑ S. Glass in the secret underground solitary ward in the hospital.
๑ Teach. Learn. Discover.
๑ Guides. Nuns.
๑ Henry's name on the black and white notebook/journal.
๑ Black. White. Red. Gray. Purple. Green/peridot/gems/jewels. Gold.
๑ Scale- balance.
๑ Shaft-  LOST: Drive Shaft.
๑ Twine- net.
๑ Infinite Forest.
๑ Ring- circle.
๑ Loophole. Safety valve.  Fail safe.
๑ "Snow Falls"  and The Shepherd"
๑ Green eyed monster.
๑ Gold egg- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
๑ Real. Not real. Trick. Illusion.
๑ Some of the newspapers used with closing it off to the world include foreign and Asian print.
๑ Jefferson has a hand in what's going on in achieving a goal. He's a familiar face to the private underground solitary confinement ward.
๑ LOST - the "Island"


Vocabulary and Research...

๑ Peridot gem-  August (8th month) birthstone- symbolic of the sun and protects one from nightmares. In more recent beliefs the peridot is thought to strengthen life, bring about prosperity, growth, and increase openness. It is also believed to help one to understand relationships, and to alleviate depression, anger, fear, jealousy and anxiety. Used by Egyptians, Aztecs, and Incas to gently cleanse and heal the physical heart.
๑ Purple: The color represents royalty, nobility and spirituality. In gem stones, it's come to represent magic and mystery.
   -another name for the color purple is Orchid.
๑ Maleficent: Originally- An Evil Fairy Godmother in Sleeping Beauty. After not being invited to the baby's christening, she curses the infant Princess to "prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die; but the Princess will instead fall into a deep sleep for 100 years and be awoken by a king's son.
๑ Saint George and the Dragon: According to the Golden Legend, the narrative episode of Saint George and the Dragon took place in a place he called "Silene", in Libya.
   - The figure of the dragon slayer figures in the founding myth of Delphi, where Apollo slays the drakon Pytho.
   - An older Mesopotamian legend of the slaying of the flying dragon.
๑ Water is a common symbol of the unconscious rebirth, conversion, transformation.

✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale

✈ 8:15
✈ Airway
✈ Brain. Head. Mind. Sleep. Coma. Wake Up.
✈ Disorientation
✈ Geronimo Jackson cassette
✈ Apollo Bar
✈ Black and white notebook (Journal) ala Pearl Station.
✈ Video game controller
✈ Walkie talkie
✈ Backpack
✈ Flashes. Whooshing electrical activity.
✈ Comic book- super hero.
✈ Pace. LATE. Shaft- Drive Shaft
✈ Coffin
✈ Escape
✈ Net
✈ Egg
✈ Eyes
✈ Ash
✈ Bloody snow globe of the "Island"
✈ Ocean
✈ Orchid station elevator to descend.
✈ Lamp post
✈ S6 Claire and Belle are disheveled women with mental and emotional issues.
✈ Ben hid many secrets, identities and a chamber for a Smoke Monster behind a secret wall
✈ Two man/person operation- The DHARMA INITIATIVE experiments usually involved two men/persons.
✈ "Fire + Water"


Enough of my rambling...Here is your episode recap! Enjoy!

Prince Charming uses a rock to try break the lock on this prison cell but he can't do it. The tired cuffed prisoner states he'll always find her.
The faceless black Knight/guard comes, unlocks the cell and tells Charming "It'll be hard to do that without your head. Get up. The Queen is looking forward to your execution."

The two faceless black Knights/guards escort the weakening Prince down the hallway where he collapses to the ground. But it's a trick, so he can fight his way free of the guards.  He chokes a guard with the chain of his cuff and bangs the Knight/guards head against the wall.  Charming runs and turns a corner right into the path of another faceless black Knight/guard.  The Knight/guard is posed with his black bow and arrow ready to fire.  From behind Charming, another Knight/guard commands the bow and arrow Knight to shoot him.  The bow and arrow his fired at the other faceless guard; taking him down.

Charming yells "Who the hell are you?"  The faceless black Knight/guard removes his mask to reveal it is the Huntsmen AKA Graham- the sheriff of Storybrooke.  He tells Charming he's a friend.
Charming- "But I don't know you."
Huntsmen- "But I know Snow White."  Charming asks if she's okay. The rushed Huntsmen use the skeleton keys (belonging to Regina) and frees Charming.  The Huntsman tells Charming that "The Queen was traveling to meet her. Her fate is in a precarious place. We must hurry. Follow me. I can get you out. I'll try and stall the Queen. The rest is up to you.  (He hands him) Your weapon and some provisions. Good luck."  Charming is confused, "You're not coming with me?"
The Huntsmen- "I cannot. I gave up my heart so that the Queen would spare Snow's. Don't let my sacrifice be in vein. Find her."   Charming heads out.

Sleeping Henry is rushed into the hospital and is seen by Dr. Whale. Emma is trying to communicate with Henry- shaking him, "Wake Up! Henry, can you hear me?! Come on Henry, you can do it!"  The nurse tries to get Emma out but Emma isn't going anywhere.
Over the hospital intercom we hear something like- "Rescue... I.C.U... Drop a team to I.C.U. STAT."
Dr. Whale determines there's no pupil response and asks Emma what happened. "Did he fall? Hit his head?"  Panicked Emma presents what she thinks is a poison turnover telling Whale that's what Henry ate.  Dr. Whale checks his mouth "His airway's clear.  Did he vomit, any convulsions or disorientation?"  Emma insists Henry took a bite of this (the turnover) and he just collapsed, then demands the doctor test it for Arsenic or Bleach or Drano, whatever could have done this to him.
Dr. Whale feels the boy isn't showing any symptoms that would suggest neurotoxins, so whatever's going on "this is not the culprit."  Emma asks what it could be. The good doctor is trying to find that out. "Right now we just need to stabilize him, 'cause he's slipping away. Is there anything else that you can remember, any little detail?"
Emma- "I already told you everything- now do something!"
Dr. Whale- "I understand you're frustrated, Miss Swan, I do.  But I need something to treat. Right now, there is no explanation. It's like..."
Looking for answers, Emma dumps the contents of Henry's backpack out onto a nearby bed.  Emma finishes his sentence with- "Like magic."  The contents of the backpack are very telling.  When Emma picks up the fairy tale book she is jolted by Flashes of her infancy with Snow and Charming-Heart beating- Henry's voice saying "Every story in this book actually happened. Snow- "Good bye, Emma", You should know more than anyone You're in this book. Crying Charming putting the infant in the tree- "Find us."   Emma is breathing heavy.
Regina enters "Where's my son?"

Emma appears vengeful and grabs Regina, pulling her into a supply closet and beats her up. "You did this!"  Emma throws Regina against a locker telling her he's sick because of the turnover she gave her; he ate it. Regina is upset, "It was meant for you!"  Emma demands the truth from cornered Regina.  Devastated and defeated Regina says its true- all of it.  Overwhelmed Emma is crying, "I was leaving town, why couldn't you just leave things alone?"
"Because as long as you're alive Henry will never be mine", cries Regina.  Emma continues pushing Regina against the locker.
Emma- "He will never be anyone's unless you fix this. You wake him up!"
Regina- "I can't!"
Emma- "Don't you have magic?" 
Regina confesses "That was the last of it. It was supposed to put you to sleep."  Emma asks what it will do to him.  Regina doesn't know, "Magic here is unpredictable."
Emma- "So... so he could..."
Regina- "Yes."
Emma asks "So, what do we do?"  Regina looks lost, she suggests they need help. "There's one other person in this town who knows about this- knows about magic." {NO. Jefferson knows too.}
Emma- "Mr. Gold."
Regina reveals "Actually, he goes by Rumpelstiltskin."

The Evil Queen is pacing in her room when the Huntsmen enters. She asks "Where is he? The Prisoner!"  The Huntsmen -"Escaped."  She uses her magic to push him up against the wall. "A palace full of guards and you let him escape?!  (He claims he did his best) You failed! And do you know what happens to people who fail me, Huntsmen?"   The Huntsmen assures her "I'll find him. You needn't worry. Leave him to me."  The Queen catches the Prince on the run via her magic mirror.  She tells the Huntsmen it won't be necessary "He's mine." We see the Prince run through a forest (looks like dead trees) and then seem to jump through a magnetic vortex and fall in the green forest, when the Queen uses some sort of  magic.

Charming seems a bit disoriented but continues running. We get a view of some dark clouds rolling in and then back to the running Charming, who seems to be running in circles.
Rumpelstiltskin is sitting off to the side on a moss covered log. "Lost, are we?"  Charming wonders what he's doing here.  Rumpelstiltskin is just "here to help."  Charming feels there's no need; he'll be fine, but  Rumpelstiltskin doesn't think so.  "This is the Infinite Forest. There's no way out. Well, except... my way."  Charming wants nothing from him. Rumpelstiltskin presents a ring "Not even this?"   This alarms Charming, "My mother's ring! It was just.... (He reaches for the pouch it's usually kept in on his belt) How did you get it?!"  Rumpelstiltskin got it the same way he gets everything he wants, "Magic.  The same magic that allows me to do... this." He flips the ring into the air and shows the now enchanted ring to Charming.

"The closer you get to Snow White, the brighter it will glow. Interested?"
Charming- "Give it to me."
Rumpelstiltskin- "Ah! It's not something for nothing, Dearie. Time to make a deal."
Charming is fired up! "No! No more deals!"

Charming attacks Rumpelstiltskin with his large sword, but the undaunted and amused imp simply blocks his blade with his hand and performs a disappearing and reappearing act.  They engage in a sword fight (at one point Charming adds a dagger to his fight), where Rumpelstiltskin notes Charmings' persistence.  Charming will never "have enough" of the fight and manages to make a cut into Rumpelstiltskin's upper right cheek on his face.  Rumpelstiltskin giggles and just wipes it away; healing it with a quick little magic fix.  But Rumpelstiltskin overtakes Charming with Charming's sword. "So brave. So gallant. So pointless. Bravery won't get you out of this forest, Dearie. Magic will. Trust me. This is a deal you'll want to make, because we both want the same thing."
Charming- "What's that?"
Rumpelstiltskin- "Why, you and your true love to be together, of course. Mmm." He presents the enchanted (already) glowing ring to him.

Mary Margaret makes her way to her vehicle that's parked near Granny's and outside the Storybrooke Pet Shelter.  David shows up to talk. "I was wrong. About you... about me... about everything. I didn't believe in you, and I wish... I had a good reason why. But it's like I keep making these wrong decisions and I don't understand why they keep happening. You know, ever since I woke up from that coma my life hasn't made a lick of sense. Except for you... and what I'm feeling (he chuckles) its love, Mary Margaret."
Mary Margaret- "David, why are you here?"
David- "Because Kathryn put a down payment on an apartment in Boston. She's not gonna use it, but I am. (He smiles) Unless you give me a reason to stay."

Mary Margaret whispers "David. I can't."  He nods as if to understands, but is very sad and he cries. Mary Margaret gets in her vehicle.

"Behold. The most powerful magic of all... True love" Rumpelstiltskin says to Charming as he shows him the purple True Love/magic filled bottle. Charming reaches for it but is stopped by Rumpelstiltskin. "Ah! Careful. This is all I have left of it."  Charming wonders what he knows of "True Love."
Rumpelstiltskin- "Not so much as you, perhaps. But not so little as you might think."
Charming- "You? You loved someone?"
Rumpelstiltskin- "It was a brief flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness."
Charming- "What happened?"
Rumpelstiltskin states matter of factually "She died. That's the thing about True Love, Dearie, it can slip through your fingers. It's the most powerful magic in the world. The only magic powerful enough to break any curse, it must be protected at all costs."
Charming- "I don't understand. What exactly is it you want me to do?"
Rumpelstiltskin- "I want you to help me protect it. By putting it in a safe place for me."
Charming- "Where's that?" Rumpelstiltskin places the precious bottle inside a gilded egg, "Inside the belly of the beast, of course."

Charming wonders "Why hide it?"
Rumpelstiltskin- "Let's just say... I'm saving it for a rainy day."

Emma and Regina show up to deal with Mr. Gold at his shop.{Note-Three lit white candle. Mr. Gold touching the bridge of a guitar}
Mr. Gold- "Do my eyes deceive me, or is that the look of a believer?"
Emma blurts out "We need your help."
Mr. Gold- "Indeed you do. It seems quite a tragic ailment has befallen our young friend. (He looks at Regina) I told you, magic comes with a price."
Regina- "Henry shouldn't have to pay it."
Mr. Gold- "No, you should, but alas, we are where we are."  Of course he can help them. He explains the power of "True Love" to Miss Swan.  "The only magic powerful to transcend realms and break any curse. Luckily for you, I happen to have bottled some."  He did this from strands of Emma's parent's hair, "I made the most powerful potion in all the realm. So powerful, that when I created the dark curse, I placed a single drop on the parchment. Just a little safety valve."   In Emma's awe of his story, she realizes "That's why I'm the savior. That's why I can break the curse."
"Now you're getting it" replies Mr. Gold.  Emma doesn't care about breaking the curse, she only cares about saving Henry.
Mr. Gold- "Which is why it's your lucky day. I didn't use all the potion. I saved some... for a rainy day."
Emma- "Well, it's storming like a bitch. Where is it?"  Mr Gold explains to the novice it's not the "where it is" that is the problem; it's the "how" that should worry her. "Enough riddles. What do we do?" asks Regina.  Apparently Regina does nothing; it has to be Miss Swan.  Of course Regina feels it should be her, as she claims Henry is her son.  Mr. Gold respectfully corrects her- "It's her son. And it has to be her. She's the product of the magic. She must be the one to find it." Emma feels she can do it even though Regina warns "Don't trust him."
Emma- "What choice do we have?"  She asks Mr. Gold "Where is this magic?"
Mr. Gold asks Her Majesty "Is our friend still in the basement?"  Regina is annoyed, "Oh, you twisted little imp. You hid it with her?!"  Mr. Gold clarifies that it's not "with  her", it's "in her."  He knew Regina couldn't resist bringing her over.  Emma asks "Who is her?"
Mr. Gold- "Someone you should be prepared for. Where you're going, you're going to need this."  Emma looks right at it, "What is that?" {It's a fuckin' sword!!}  Mr. Gold tells her "Your father's sword."

At the hospital Emma apologizes to sleeping Henry, as he was right about the curse and she should have believed him. She places the fairy tale book under her pillow and whispers "For when you wake up."  It's Regina turn to spend a moment with Henry. Emma gives Regina a 10 minute limit to say what she has to say. Regina asks "You know where to meet?"   Emma, "Yeah. Don't be late."

Regina cries over sleeping Henry. "I'm sorry."  Lurking in a dark corner near the EXIT door is Jefferson. "Pity, isn't it? There's nothing harder than not knowing whether you'll ever see your child again." Regina tells him now is not a good time. But for him, it's the perfect time. "I'm here to collect. Where, where is she? ... My daughter."  Selfish Regina isn't paying. "Emma was supposed to eat that apple and she didn't. As far as I'm concerned that makes our deal null and void!"  They have this encounter right over the sleeping body of Henry.   Jefferson is upset, and rightfully so."I did what you asked, and you're gonna screw me over again?"  Regina tells him to look at it however he wants, "The fact is- I'm done with you."
Jefferson- "But..I, I'm not done with you." 

Regina leans right over Henry's body to confront Jefferson. "What are you going to do, kill me? I know you want to, but I also know you can't."
Jefferson- "Do you?"
Regina scoffs- "Yes. You don't have it in you. Now, if you excuse me, I have to save my son." She walks out.

Emma knocks on Augusts' door (#2).  "Please open up. I know you're in there. Open the door."  Augusts' voice sounds a bit muffled as he relies "I can't."   Emma forces open the door and finds August lying on the bed.  She sees! "Oh, no. What's happening to you?"
August- "You can see it now. (He whispers) You believe."
Stunned Emma believes, but asks how to stop this. August informs her "Break the curse."  Emma says she'll try, but she has to save Henry first and she needs his help.
August- "No you don't."

Emma insists she does; as this is all too much. "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... " He is turned back into a wood puppet right before her eyes.  Emma seems to catch her breath and get motivated.

The time on the Storybrooke Free Public Library is 10:45 PM. Pacing Emma is waiting for Regina.
Regina unlocks the doors to the closed up library. {The ground floor windows are covered up with newspaper; foreign papers. Upper windows covered with wood.} They enter and Emma asks "What is this place?" {It's a fuckin' library! It even said so on the facade! Oh, Emma, you're fuckin' killing me!} Regina takes her key ring and asks Emma if she'd like a tour or should they just get to it.  She leads the way. Regina places her hand on a fancy wall with a glass/mirror tree that is surrounded by stars; her hand on the panel opens it up.  Emma is like a child with how fascinated she is. 

The large heavy doors use many gadgets, gears, gages and a lever to open and close.  Once opened, there is a very old elevator.

Regina- "Get in."  Emma thinks Regina is going down with her but Regina states "It's a 2- man job. The elevator is hand operated I have to stay up here and lower you down."  Emma doesn't have much of a choice trusting Regina. Emma wants to know more about this battle she's supposed to fight. "Who is it? What is down there?"  Regina claims it to be an old friend, to which Emma suggests she go and talk to em.
Regina explains "Because her punishment here was different than everyone else's. I trapped her... in a different form. She doesn't wanna hear from me. You have to trust me on that."  Emma will, but warns her "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."

Emma descends in the old elevator; with her father's sword in hand. {A very old black hand held "candlestick" telephone.}

Maleficent take a seat in the single empty throne. A blade is placed against her throat, "Where is it? Where is the beast that reigns over this castle?"  Charming demands information from her. Maleficent magically tosses him to the ground while he holds on to the golden egg.
Maleficent- "That would be me. But, beast is so harsh. I prefer Maleficent."
Charming- "I'm gonna need a smaller egg."
Maleficent magically summons up wind that blows out the candle and makes her "invisible." Charming is swinging his sword around blindly at her invisible laughter. "Show yourself, Witch!"  The sound of a huge monster gets his attention. Rising up, growing from undercover, is Maleficent- the Dragon! She chases Charming and breathes her fire at him, but he doesn't let go of the egg he is protecting.

Emma reaches the level where her quest will begin. She walks through the dark underground caves and comes upon a once beautiful, but now broken, glass coffin. Emma backs away from it and right into...
A monstrous green eye opens! Emma has awoken a sleeping dragon! {Listen to the sounds of this dragon}

Simultaneous, we witness the action of brave Charming battling the fire breathing dragon to hide the egg in her, and the battle of Emma trying to retrieve the egg from the fire breathing dragon. Emma forgoes the use of the sword and shoots at the dragon.
Charming achieves his goal and jumps out the stained glass window in to the water below.
Emma is trapped by the angry dragon.

Mary Margaret/Snow White reads to sleeping Henry, just as she once did for coma patient, David.
"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  and engulfed the land waking up Snow White and bringing light to the darkness."

 {Note Henry's monitor has ? on it- and then it changes. She wears the ring.}

She speaks to sleeping Henry. "Henry, when I gave you this book it was because I knew... I know life  doesn't always have a happy ending. (She starts to cry) But I thought..."  Henry's monitors start beeping and going crazy and she calls out for Dr. Whale. "What is that?! What's wrong?" Henry's heart rate has fallen. They rush Mary Margaret out of the room. The P.A. requests a Defibrillator team to I.C.U.

Amidst the commotion we follow an orderly carry a cup of tea, enter a code into the keypad at an EXIT door, and head down into the secret solitary ward: the One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. {Note the wheelchair.}

The man gives the nurse her tea and she asks him about the commotion upstairs. The man informs her that there's a sick boy; took a turn. She thinks that's tragic, "Is there any hope for a..."   She sipped her tea and fainted.
Jefferson the orderly finishes the sentence- "Recovery? (He takes the keys) Doubtful."
He gives the patient cleaning the floor in front of S. Glass room, the "Shhh" be quiet signal and he proceeds to unlock the door of a room without a name/identity on the patient plate outside the door.

Jefferson holds out his left hand to the patient (Belle) "Come with me." Belle- "Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Jefferson- "My name is Jefferson and I need your help to do something that I can't. There's a man, his name is Mr. Gold- find him.  All you have to do is tell him where you've been, and that Regina locked you up. (She's confused "What?") It's very important. Mr. Gold's gonna protect you but you have to tell him Regina locked you up!  He's gonna know what to do. You understand?"
Belle- "Yes, I, I have to find Mr. Gold."

Charming walks out of the water. Rumpelstiltskin is on shore waiting for him. "Impressive, Dearie. Very impressive, indeed. Come, warm yourself."  There is a fire burning.  Charming has done what Rumpelstiltskin has asked, "Return my ring to me."  Rumpelstiltskin understands he's in a bit of a rush. "How rude of me. With this (ring) Prince Charming, you will find her." The ring glows brightly.

Charming thanks him. Rumpelstiltskin feels something's missing. He magically changes Charmings' clothes into regal red formal wear. Now he's ready for his big moment.  Suspicious Charming wonders why Rumpelstiltskin wants them together, "What do you get out of it?"
Rumpelstiltskin - "I'm a fan of true love, Dearie. And more importantly... what it creates."

Emma shoots at the giant dragon and finds she needs to resort back to the sword. Standing next to the glass coffin she throws the sword at the dragon, hitting it in the chest.  Fiery ash falls from the destruction. The egg is sitting comfortably in a pile of ash.

Prince Charming is riding on his horse to find Snow White; the glowing ring on his (left) pinky finger to keep him on course.  The green forest changes to a snowy one.  He comes upon the mourning 7 dwarfs, who tell him he's too late.  Beautiful Snow White is resting in "pause" in her glass coffin; dressed in white with feathers. The reluctant dwarfs let the crying Charming say goodbye.  He kisses her and a pulse of pure love shuddered (electrical activity and whooshing) and engulfed the land, waking up Snow White and bringing light to the darkness.

Snow takes in a deep breath and wakes up- "You found me." Charming- "Did you ever doubt I would? Charming tells her he did it with his mother's ring. And now, he never wants it off her finger. He gets down on one knee and asks, "Will you marry me?"  Of course she will! He places the ring on her left hand ring finger. They kiss, but Snow's obviously distracted.  "There's the little matter of your father and my step mother."  Charming is open to suggestions.
Snow- "Here's one. Let's take back the Kingdom. (he asks how) Like we shall do everything... together."

David puts a duffel bag under a green tarp in the back of his old two tone brown Ford truck and drives off.

Emma takes the elevator ride back up with the precious egg; she holds it tight to her. The ride abruptly stops and she calls out to Regina. Mr. Gold pokes his head out into the shaft opening. He tells Emma he's glad he came to check on her because Regina's abandoned her; sabotaged the elevator. Emma's gonna scale the wall and climb up, which of course concerns Mr. Gold. Since they're running out of time he tells her toss the egg up and promises her boy is going to be fine. Emma tosses it to him "You hold on to it. I'll be right up." Mr. Gold walks away from the shaft.
Emma climbs up to find Regina tied up with Duck Tape over her mouth. Regina informs Emma she's been tricked by Mr. Gold. "How could you give him that?!"  Regina is infuriated, feeling Mr. Gold manipulated all of this. As the women are about to head out after him both their cell phones ring. It's the hospital.

Emma and Regina show up and are met by Mother Superior and Dr. Whale. They give them the news that they did everything they could.
Mother Superior- "You're too late."
Emma goes into the glass room to be with Henry, while Regina looks through the glass at him/them
{Emma's deep breath is brought to our attention} The nurse turns off his monitor.{Note ? ? on it}

In his shop Mr. Gold uses a gold key that looks like a puzzle piece, to open the egg and reveal the True Love purple potion.   A woman walks into the shop while his back is turned and he's focused on the potion.  He puts the potion in his pocket and places the egg in a small trunk.  The woman asks "Are you Mr. Gold?"
Mr. Gold- "Yes I am. I'm afraid the shop is closed." He turns around and sees who the disheveled woman is... it is his Belle.
Belle- "I was, I was told to find you and tell you Regina locked me up. Does that, does that mean anything to you?"
Mr. Gold is stunned to see Belle standing there in front of him. He touches her right arm, "You're real. You're alive. She did this to you?"  Confused Belle replies "I was told you'd protect me."  Mr. Gold cries and holds her tight. "Oh yes. Yes, I'll protect you."
Belle- "I'm sorry... do I,do I know you?"
Mr. Gold (teary)- "No. But you will."

In Henry's hospital room Regina is crying and turns to seek comfort in Dr. Whale's arms.  Crying in pain Emma leans over Henry's body touching/combing his hair with her fingers. Leaning in to kiss him she whispers "I love you, Henry."  Emma's kiss triggers an electrical whooshing, complete with burst of wind. With a deep gasp for breath Henry wakes up smiling. "I love you too. You saved me."
Regina- "You did it."

Emma's powerful heartfelt kiss of True Love radiates through Storybrooke, giving a jolt- right through the town where heartbroken Mary Margaret walks alone, through Granny and Ruby, through Archie and through David (who is driving on his way out of town).

Inside Henry's hospital room, Emma asks Henry what's going on, as people seems different for a moment. Henry thinks Emma broke the curse.  Mother Superior confirms that True Love's kiss did indeed break the curse and suggests to her Majesty "If I were you, your Majesty, I'd find a place to hide." Regina can't believe all of this.  Crying and devastated she tells Henry "No matter what you think, no matter what anyone tells you... I do love you."  She hurries out of there.

Awakened David goes into town to find Mary Margaret, except, when he sees her across the street he lovingly calls out "Snow!" In front of the Marine Garage, the still seeming sad and lost Snow hears his call and turns to see him "Charming". The run to each other and embrace in the middle of the road.
Snow- "You found me."
Charming- "Did you ever doubt I would?" The lovebirds kiss.

At home, beat Regina sits on Henry's bed and hugs his pillow tightly and cries.

Mr. Gold leads Belle through the woods.  "Wait" says Belle.
Mr. Gold- "No. No. We're very close."
Belle- "Rumpelstiltskin, wait. I, I remember. I, I love you."  This stops him in his tracks and the hug.
Rumpelstiltskin- "Yes. And I love you too. But, hey, they'll be time for that. They'll be time for everything. But first, there's something I must do."  Belle is confused.  They arrive at the well.

Belle- "What is this?"
Rumpelstiltskin- "This is a very special place, Belle. The waters that run below are said to have the power to return  that which one has lost."

He pours the true love potion into the well and silky purple smoke erupts from the well and spills out and over, through the feet of these two people, making its way into the town of Storybrooke.

Dr. Whale sits by himself looking a bit distant and a bit confused in Henry's hospital room.
Emma asks Henry "What's going on here? If the curse is broken, why didn't they go back?"  He doesn't know. A nurse drops her tray as she stares out the window. {Listen to the sounds carefully} Thunder rolls.
Regina looks out the window and sees the approaching Purple Smoke/Magic. {Henry's window is open but she looks through the glass.}

Emma and Henry see the approaching purple smoky magic. Emma asks "What is that?"  Henry feels "Something bad."

At the well as they watch the magical purple smoke of True Love wash over everything Belle says "I don't understand."
Rumpelstiltskin- "We're in a land without magic, Belle. And I'm bringing it. Magic... is coming."
Belle- "Why?"
Rumpelstiltskin- "Why? Because magic... is power."

Regina looking out of the window and smirks at the approaching Purple Smoke/Magic.
The purple smoky magic engulfs/fogs over the town and its residents.  The clock on the library moves one minute to 8:15- right back where it all began.
And that's where we're left hanging... Until Season 2

An Apple Red as Blood

"Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!" - The cat. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

** All photos posted here are chosen for a reason **


Villagers got themselves some torches

Regina's bullshit may be catching up with her. It appears her "curse" is weakening in Storybrooke. Regina brought these people there, put them in a sort of fog, changed some names and separated families. But interestingly, not everyone is asleep.  Besides Mr. Gold, Jefferson has been spared of the snooze and was given a mansion to live in.  Did she spare him the "sleeping" part of the curse so she could call upon his skills whenever she needed him?  Obviously Jefferson is suffering in a different way with his "knowing" about things and not being able to change or do anything about it- but maybe he will find the strength to fight back.

But make no mistake about it- Regina is the cause of her own suffering. It's the choices she herself made all through her life that brought her to "this place."  Fuckin' Regina automatically blames Jefferson for the hat not working instead of the fault being hers for causing all of this to begin with.  Did you find it interesting the twisted ring Regina got from Daniel as s symbol of true love doesn't contain enough magic to make the hat work? I was.  But when Regina concentrated hard enough with her mind she was able to "make" magic- and then make magic from magic.

Revenge and her own conceit may backfire when she inadvertently harms Henry- putting him into a deep sleep.


`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.' `How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice. `You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.' 

Here's Jefferson all "safe" in Storybrooke and not in some hole in the middle of the universe. That's because one must let go of the idea of time and space when dealing with these fantastical realms/worlds.

I found it intriguing that during Regina's deal making session with Jefferson he mentions he wants to end the madness and go home, and then he states that "Remembering is the worst curse. Two lives in her head like me. I want to forget. I want you to write us a new story. A fresh start- here."  That conversation is important and very telling.


"...Your body will be your tomb and you'll be in there with nothing but dreams formed of your own regrets."

Don't get me wrong, of course I understand we see many lost people living out this adventure. But I must say that Henry's heightened emotions were very concerning to me.  I found that certain dialogue could lend itself to relating directly to him and how he is imprisoned.  Go back and watch Emma and Archie's meeting at Granny's.  Archie does seem to feel Henry is an emotionally troubled child living in a fantasy.

We see the adventure is being experienced by many "lost sleeping people" on a journey, but I have a few questions about Henry.

• Is Henry just an instrument, a device, used in the story as a means to help Emma on her journey?
• Does the possibility exist that it is in one child's or all of their minds while asleep, like Alice in Wonderland or Dorothy in Oz. 
• Is Henry an author of this story, creating villains, curses, quests, and bringing a savior/mother to rescue him?  
• Could Henry be the representation of the "child" in all of those hurt and lost people?
• Is he literally Emma's child or someone else's?  
• Or simply, did all of these people pay to go on this awesome fairy tale "trip", 'cause I'd sure as hell by a ticket. Maybe, just maybe, the DHARMA Initiative is involved.

When Henry visits August I was surprised to see how surprised Henry was by the transformation of August into Pinocchio. Is this the first "real" visual evidence (besides the book) Henry had to support his curse theory? Did Henry need proof that the curse is real too? Henry's desperation for Emma to see the truth led him to take matters into his own hands (and with a nudge/idea from August) by eating the triangle turnover, knowing that it contained a curse and that would prove to Emma she needs to open her eyes and not run from her destiny.  Did he make a sacrifice for the greater good? That makes Henry a hero. Will Emma finally face her destiny?

Sacrificing for true love seems to be one way to contribute restoring balance to the Kingdom.  But Regina sacrificing the last bit of magic for evil just may break up her family, where as sacrifices made by the good people are for true love and family.  No matter what it seems that things are going to change so "Have a cluckity, cluck, cluck day, Hugo."

Guide your mind through time and space. You  may find that you have the "magic power" all along.

 Things to Note...Questions to Ask...

๑ Magical properties.
๑ Decapitation. Head. Sleep. Dreams. Trip. White Rabbit.
๑ Everyone thinks Snow White is dead, they're wrong. She's in a deep sleep.
๑ Sight. Sound. Taste. Smell. Touch.
๑ Close, but can't be reached or touched.
๑ Emma's reverting back to who she was before - August is changing back into a puppet- Henry is retreating further back into his fantasy life.
๑ Regina brought Jefferson and the others to Storybrooke.  Henry brought Emma to Storybrooke.
๑ Regina's "calling card" is the White Rabbit placed on Paige's bicycle.
๑ August says it will be hard to breathe. Red determines Snow has no breath. Henry slips into deep sleep.
๑ What is Mr. Gold's first name?
๑ Mr. Gold wants the curse to be broken
๑ How many authors are there to the book?
๑ Spinning- Globe/World, the Hatter Hat.
๑ Orchids
๑ Riddles. Puzzles. Play on words.
๑ Magic tricks. Illusions.
๑ Life. Death.
๑ Look. See.
๑ Main page Storybrooke.
๑ August shows Henry his wood arm which happens to look varnished and he can wiggle those fingers.
๑ Bicycle- balance- stable
๑ Core- heart
๑ Time- Hurry up. Slow down. No time to waste.
๑ Mental and Emotional health. Schizophrenia/possible Dissociative identity disorder- split personality.
๑ The Queen took the Prince to her castle.
๑ Alice in Wonderland. Eat. Tarts/pastry- turnover

Vocabulary and Research...
๑ Magic Tricks and illusion- guillotine-is a device used for carrying out executions by decapitation.
๑ Conundrum: a riddle, the answer to which involves a pun or play or words. Or anything that puzzles.
 - A logical postulation that evades resolution  
๑ Grave doesn't only represent death, it is also an emotional state.
๑ A Land Without Magic: The second book in the Kit Stixby series- A novel by Stephen Elboz. The second in a series of books about Kit Stixby and his friend, Prince Henry, which started with "A Handful of Magic".

✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale

✈ Magical properties. Electrical activity and whooshing
✈ Head.  Sleep.  Dreams.  Trip. White Rabbit
✈ Drugs/mushrooms. Alcohol 
✈ Time and Space
✈ People are brought to the "Island"
✈ Crown. chest/heart. head/mind
✈ Dead. Gone. Not dead.
✈ Eyes
✈ Law
✈ Noble
✈ Suffering
✈ Sacrifice
✈  Life. Death
✈ 4
✈108
✈ Magic Tricks. Illusion.
✈ Glass. Cell. Being watched
✈ Truce
✈ Pen
✈ Axis
✈ War. Game. Deals. Rules.  Loopholes 
✈ Balance
✈ Part of a design:
✈ Schizophrenia. Mental and emotional health. Santa Rosa Mental Institute. Therapy.
✈ "Fire + Water"
✈ Flaming Arrow
✈ Tied to a tree: Sayid, Sawyer and Shannon
✈ "I do" and  "A Tale of Two Cities" - Glass cell
✈ "They need you": mentioned a couple of times-
   - "The Beginning of the End"  Charlie informs Hurley
   - "There's No Place Like Home"  Kate hears a voice tell her in reverse- The "Island" needs you...
   - "Man of Science, Man of Faith"- Kate to Jack
✈ Important connecting episodes: "White Rabbit",  "Born to Run", "Two for the Road", and "Expose".


Enough of my rambling...Here is your episode recap! Enjoy!


Regina and Henry are having a meal together. {Red meat, cauliflower and note 4 red apples on a white plate.}  The doorbell dings.  Regina didn't recall them expecting any company.  She opens the door to find Sheriff Swan. {wearing her red jacket} Henry invited Emma.  Irate Regina asks Emma if she honestly believes she would be invited to her house for diner after all the threats she made against her family.  Emma reveals she's not there for dinner- she's there for her/you.  Regina turns around and Henry and their dinner are not there.  She turns back to the door to find Emma, Archie, Mary Margaret, David, Grumpy and Granny.  Emma tells her "they all did" (come for her.)   Regina turns away to see Henry standing there with rope hanging off his right shoulder.

Emma and Archie tied Regina to a tree in the middle of the street in the town. The angry villagers with torches, include 7 Dwarfs, Snow White/Mary Margaret and Prince Charming/David/James holding hands, Little Red Riding Hood/Ruby, Granny and little Henry
Regina commands to be "let go!"
Ruby- "After what you've done to all of us!"
Archie- "Apologies, Your Majesty. But my conscience is clear!"
Leroy/Grumpy - "You're not Queen anymore, sister!"
Granny yells out "Tighter! She needs to feel our pain!"
Mary Margaret- "You took our love and ripped it apart!
David- "And now you're gonna pay!"
Emma takes a black apple from the tree and crushes it in her hands; it pours its blackness on to the street. "Rotten to the core."
Desperate Regina sounds panicked and starts to sob. "I just wanted to win... for once."
Emma grabs her by her throat. "You took away our happiness and now it's our turn to take away yours.
Regina is confused. "What?"
Prince Charming/David/James presents Emma with a large sword.  Despairing Regina begs Henry, "Please don't let them do this to me."
Henry- "You did this to yourself."  He backs away and Emma swings the sword at Regina.
Regina bolts awake in her bed. It was a dream.
  
Regina runs into check on Henry and sees the covered bulk- she is relieved.  Sadly she assumed it was Henry's sleeping body under the covers.  But Henry is on his way out of Storybrooke with Emma.

Emma is driving Henry in her bug.  Henry sees that in the backseat there is a bunch of stuff. "Is that all your stuff?"  Emma tells him "All I need."   Henry gets upset that Emma wants to leave now. Emma's getting him out of there; away from all of this- away from her/Regina.  Henry demands she stop the car. "You can't leave Storybrooke. You have to break the curse!"   Emma says she doesn't. "I have to help you."
Henry- "But you're a hero, you can't run! You have to help everybody."
Emma knows it's hard for him to see it, but explains she's doing what's best for him. "That's what you wanted when you brought me to Storybrooke."
Henry- "But the  curse! You're the only chance to bring back the happy endings."  He sees they're just about to pass the LEAVING STORYBROOKE marker and pushes on the wheel to cause the car to crash off the road and under a weeping willow tree.  This upsets Emma as he could have gotten them killed.  Henry is very panicked and he begs Emma "Please! Please! Don't make me go! We can't go! Everything's here. Me, your parents, your family. Please, Emma, they need you. Your family needs you!"

King George confronts his prisoner; his pretend son, the Prince.  "Did you think that I would let you get away? Hmm? You appear to have had quite the adventure since then."
David-"Whatever it is you're gonna do to me, get on with it!"   The knights raise the Prince eye level to the King.
King- "I took you in as my son and you betrayed me! I would have given you everything. the crown, the Kingdom- all you had to do was marry King Midas' daughter. But you decided to follow true love."
Prince- "Losing my life for love... that's a sacrifice I am happy to make."
King- "As you wish."
The Prince is placed in the guillotine and the King commands the faceless executioner to "Release the blade."

The blade descends and on it's way down to beheading the Prince, it is magically transformed into water.  The King asks "What is the meaning of this?"  Regina comes strolling in wanting the man he pretends is his son. "And I'm prepared to pay any riches Midas promised you in return for him."
The King wonders "What do you plan to do to him?"  Regina promises he'll suffer, "Far more than some swift and simple beheading."   The King asks "How?"   Regina will use him to destroy his one true love. "By using him to bring an end to Snow White."

Distant Regina looks out her closed window.  Then she heads outside to her prized and precious tree; the one she said she's had since childhood- and picks a rotting apple off of her now dying tree.  She is pissed off.

Regina storms into Mr. Gold's dark shop sharing the news that "My tree is dying. Why?"  Mr. Gold suggests "Perhaps its your fertilizer."   He smirks. {He is sure to carry a pen around most of this scene.}   Regina thinks it's a sign of the curse weakening... "Because of Emma. But do you care? No. You're content to just sit back and do whatever it is you're doing. While all my hard work burns."
Mr. Gold- "That's not all. Come on- you may as well get everything off your chest."
Regina doesn't know what he's talking about. Mr. Gold informs her that Miss Swan wants Henry.
Regina- "She'll have that boy over my dead body."
Mr. Gold- "The curse was meant to take away Snow White and Prince Charming's happiness.  Perhaps you giving up Henry is just the price to keep the curse unbroken.
Regina would rather just get rid of her.

Mr. Gold - "Whew! Well, well. You're gonna have to be quite creative. We both know the repercussions off killing Miss Swan..."  Both of them state at the same time "...the curse would be broken."
Regina- "That's because you designed it that way. Undo it."
Mr Gold scoffs. "You know, even if I wanted to- I couldn't.  Magic... well, is in short supply around here, and dwindling by the minute."
Regina thinks "You want the curse broken. Why?"
Mr. Gold- "That's not something I care to discuss."
Regina- "Don't bother. You can shove your reasons. I want to strike a new deal. One where I can get rid of Emma without shattering the curse."
Gold- "Unfortunately for you a negotiation requires two interested parties and I'm already planning a trip."
Desperate Regina will give him anything.
Mr. Gold- "Oh. You no longer have anything that I want, Dearie.  But I'll give you a piece of advice free of charge.  I'd plan a trip of your own. Because once people waking up and remember who you are and what you did to them... there going to be looking for blood."  He puts his pen down and spins the black globe on its axis.

In the school yard Regina places her calling card onto Paige's banana seat, high handle bar bicycle license plate.

Mary Margaret pours herself a glass of orange juice when Emma comes in with her belongings.  Mary Margaret thought she left; but couldn't tell for sure because she didn't bother to say goodbye.  She reminds Emma of things thing she told her when she decided to run.  "We have to stick together. That we're like... family."    Emma apologizes and knows she shouldn't have left.  Mary Margaret basically sounds like a pissed off and disappointed mother.  Emma tells her she doesn't want to be sheriff, she doesn't want people relying on her, she doesn't want this- any of it.  Mary Margaret asks "What about Henry?"
Emma admits she took him with her and this makes Mary Margaret upset. "You abducted him."
Emma- "Maybe."
Mary Margaret- "So, you don't want people to rely on you but you took your son. Now that sounds like a stable home for him. What the hell is wrong with you?"
Emma claims to want what's best for him, but Mary Margaret questions "And running is what's best for him? Or is that what's best for you? You're reverting, Emma... into the person you were before you got here and I thought you'd changed."
Emotionless Emma replies "You thought wrong."  Mary Margaret feels she has to do what's right for Henry now.
Lost Emma asks "What's that?"   Mary Margaret advises "Oh, I don't know. Your his mother. That's your job. So you figure it out."

Snow White looks through her telescope and states "If we're going to get him out we're going to have to go over that wall. There's a soldier on every parapet."  Granny feels their going to some "air support."  Grumpy {with a crossbow and arrow} knows just the person who can help them; one who owes him a favor.  Red arrives.  Grumpy informs her "Uh, Red. You've got someone on your chin", indicating she just attacked someone.  She found out "Your Prince is still alive."  She doesn't look happy because she also heard word the Queen is here.  Snow realizes "She knew I'd come for him."   Granny feels it's a trap.  Snow agrees, but she can't stop now.  She will understand if they want to turn back.  In unison all say "No!"  Happy Snow knows there's no time to waste.  Red asks Snow why the Queen is doing this. 
Snow- "I destroyed her happiness and now she wants to destroy mine."

Prince Charming sits alone handcuffed in his cell.  The Evil Queen arrives with two guards and commands they "Leave us."   She magically opens the cell door.  The Queen looks over the merchandise, the Prince, seeing what the allure is.  She reaches out to touch him and he pushes her hand away.  The Queen wonders if he'll be so incorruptible after his precious Snow is gone.
The Prince- "Whatever she did to you, leave her alone and take my life instead."
The Queen- "Oh, who said anything about taking a life? Oh, no... I have a far more satisfying brand of punishment for her."  She strolls out of the cell and proudly presents a large red apple from a velvet pouch.

Troubled Regina looks out her closed window into the yard with her sad tree.  Angry Jefferson enters flipping the White Rabbit calling card she left as a message {on Paige's bicycle license plate} over and over in his left hand.  He made it clear he watches his daughter.
Regina- "It must be so painful your daughter Paige being oh-so near."
Annoyed Jefferson corrects Regina; his daughter's name is Grace.  Regina should know that as she's the one who changed it. Regina wants Jefferson's help. {She's pouring two glasses of alcohol}
Jefferson- "And what makes you think... I won't kill you after everything you've done?"
Regina- "Because you don't have it in you. If you did you would have done it 28 years ago when I brought you here. Because you know if I'm dead you'll never get back to your daughter. And I have a way for us to both get what we want."  She offers him one of the glasses and he puts the White Rabbit card into it.

 

Then Regina presents him with his hat box.
Jefferson- "My hat."  He opens the box.  Regina wants him to use it again, but Jefferson can't make it work- no one can. "Not here. Not without magic."  Regina feels he's in luck because she happens to have some. "Not a lot. But hopefully enough... for one last journey."
Jefferson- "Where?"
Regina- "Back to our land- where there's a solution to a very delicate problem I have. How to get rid of the one person who can break my curse."
Jefferson- "Emma. And why shouldn't I let her do just that? End the madness and go home."
Regina scoffs- "To your hovel? Selling fungus at the fair? Why?  When you could just stay here in that mansion I gave you? My problem, Jefferson, is the same as yours. It's family. We both want our children back and we both can get them, if we work together."
Jefferson- "Why should I trust you now?"
Regina- "You shouldn't. But it's the only offer you've got. After we're through I'll wake up your dear Grace so she remembers who you are."
Jefferson- "No! Remembering is the worst curse. Two lives in her head like me. I want to forget. I want you to write us a new story. A fresh start, here."
Regina- "Well, my dear Jefferson, that's exactly what you'll have...  Oh, after we take care of Miss Swan."


Under the full moon, Snow White and her army hear the wolf howl.
Snow White- "Thank you, Red. Do it!"
The little army prepares to go over the wall. They launch their crusade with a flaming arrow.  As they put their hoods on and move out, Grumpy whispers "I miss Stealthy."  All of the fairies are hovering in the night sky with bags of fairy dust, ready to attack when the flaming arrow signals their mark.  They fly and buzz their way over the water toward the Castle.

Snow White is the first to head over the wall where she throws a dagger and stabs a Knight- also fighting other who attacks her. The rest of Snow's army follows upward.  Snow and her army are merciless.
They make their way to the courtyard and take on the Knights there too.  All seems to be won, when they turn to make way into the castle and are confronted by more Knights and the Knights they just took down returned back to life,  all surrounding them.  In come the colorful flying fairies- dropping their fairy dust bombs. All the Knights go down.  Snow and her army run...

...Henry hurries and knocks on August's door. {Room 2}.  Henry looks nervous and anxious.   He begs August for his help. "Emma wants to leave."
August- "What? Slow down."
Henry- "You were gonna make her believe- You have to!"
August seems disappointed. "I know, Henry. I'm sorry. I- I failed."  He says he tried to show her. "First is was my legs and now... now take a look at the unvarnished truth."  He shows Henry his left arm- which happens to look varnished.  Henry is surprised. "It's wood."
August- "Yes."   August wiggles the fingers on his wood arm.

Henry seems stunned and validated. "All of this... I was right- the curse. It's real!"
August- "You're a smart kid."
Henry- "And you're Pinocchio!"
August- "What gave it away?"
Henry- "But, why are you turning back to wood? Your story- You should be real."
August- "I'm changing back because I haven't exactly been a good boy. And... (He struggles to kneel down to Henry's eye level) well, if the curse doesn't break- this doesn't stop."
Henry- "So we show Emma that you're turning back into the puppet you were, and the she has to believe. And when she does she can break the curse."
August- "I tried that.  She doesn't want to to see, so she doesn't. There's nothing more that I can do. I, I'm getting tired. It's hard to ride. It's hard to walk. Soon it's gonna be hard to breathe."
Henry- "So we have to do something fast."
August- "There's nothing to do. And with what little time I have left, I want to spend it with my father."
Henry- "Marco."
August- "Told you you were a smart kid."   August sees Henry to the door.
Henry- "So everyone is giving up?"
August- "I'm afraid that I don't have a choice. I'm sorry kid, but I'm out of Operation Cobra. Now it's up to you."   He closes the door on Henry.

Archie and desperate Emma are meeting at Granny's.  {Emma wears her red jacket.} Archie is sorry "I'm afraid you don't have any case for custody."   Even after everything Regina's done; which Emma can't prove.  Archie asks her "With this war raging on who is getting hurt here?"   Emma knows it's Henry. "But isn't it a good thing that he's spending time with me? I'm his mother."
Archie- "Yes you are. And so is Regina. And look, the court is gonna come in and look at him and see how he's been since you've come into his life."
Emma- "He's been happier, right?"
Archie- "Maybe. I mean objectively? He's skipped school, stolen a credit card, run off, endangered himself repeatedly. And so in the eyes of the law it's not so..."
Emma- "What about in your eyes? What do you think?"
Archie really thinks things over. "A while ago I told you to engage him in his fantasy life and perhaps it was wrong, because he's only retreated further into it."
Emma- "You think he's better off with her?"
Archie- "I never said that."
Emma whispers to him "Do you think that she would ever hurt him?"
Archie is adamant. "No. Never.  Everyone else, but not him. Look, right or wrong her actions have all been defensive. I'm not judging but ... in many ways your arrival has woken a sleeping dragon."
Emma- "Tell me honestly, has he been better off since I got here?"
Archie seems troubled. "Ohh, it's not a matter of better off. It's a matter of this war has to end. If you two are going to be in his life you have to figure out the best way to do that."

Snow White hurries into the dark prison that is housing Charming behind bars.  Happy Snow takes the key ring, opens the cell door and rushes in to see that Charming is behind glass/mirror- she can't get to him.  Charming tells upset Snow that the Queen to him to her palace.
Defeated Snow- "But I'm rescuing you."
Charming lets out a little laugh and puts his hand up against the glass and she puts her there.
Teary Snow asks "Is this always gonna be our life, taking turns finding each other?"  Teary eyed Charming tells her they'll be together, "I know it. Have faith."
The mirror/glass magically transforms to show the entertained Evil Queen in Charming's' place. "Hahaha. I just had to stop you. I have no interest in cleaning tongue marks off my mirror."
Snow- "Let him go. Your fight is with me."
Queen- "My thoughts exactly.  Have you ever heard of a Parley? We break off all this messy fighting and have a little talk. Just you and me. Come unarmed."
Snow- "Where do I meet you?"
Queen- "Where it all began."

Snow disarms while she tells her little army not to talk her out of this. "The castle is secure."  Grumpy suggests she keep her little knife between her tuffets. But Snow promised to come unarmed "It's a Parley. There are rules."  Red feels Snow is too noble for her own good. Snow doesn't think so. "But enough of you have risked your lives because of something that's between the Queen and me. I will not let anyone else get hurt because of me."
Red- "Except you."   Snow thanks her for her concern, "But this ends today."  Grumpy and the gang feel they can't let her go. But Snow isn't asking. She thanks them for their support "I love each and every one of you. But this is something I have to do... alone."  Snow leaves.  Red informs the gang "I don't like this. I don't trust that Queen."

Regina leads Jefferson down into a dark vault where she reveals this is where she's kept the last bit of her magic.  "The only magic in this world is in the things I brought with me."  Unimpressed Jefferson places his hat on the floor and waits. "It's not spinning. It's not working."  Regina feels it needs to absorb the magic that's here. "I have some things left. A few trinkets."  She pours out these few small trinkets from a little box she took off a shelf.   Again they wait, but nothing happens. Jefferson picks up the hat and even tilts it; none of the trinkets fall out.  He feels it's not enough. "We need something that still works."  So heartbroken Regina pulls out the twisted ring Daniel gave to her.  Jefferson asks "Who's that?"  Regina only replies that it's someone long gone.
Jefferson- "Well, whatever or whoever it is, it still has magical properties. Gimme that- let me see what I can do with it."  Regina is reluctant to hand it over.  Jefferson tells her "If you want your son back, if you want your revenge give it to me."  

Regina doesn't hand him the ring, she puts the ring into Jefferson hat. There is only a little bit of weak spin, electrical activity and whooshing. Regina wonders what's wrong. "Why isn't opening a portal?"
Jefferson- "The magic- it's not enough. We can't go anywhere."
Regina- "Well then you failed."
Jefferson- "Maybe not! There's enough magic to touch the other side, just not to get us there. There might be enough to reach through and retrieve something."
Curious Regina asks "I can bring something back?" 
Jefferson- "Is there an object that can help you? Perhaps I can open it enough and reach through and grab  it. It would have to be small. Something that you can take with your hand. Is there anything like that that can help you? "
Regina- "Yes. Yes, I believe there is."
Jefferson- "Then you need to direct me to the time and place where this object exists."
Regina- "How?"
Jefferson- "Think about it. Guide the hat."
Regina closes her eyes, deep in thought. With that, that is enough to get the hat in action.
Jefferson still seems unimpressed. "Excellent. It appears to be working. Now what is it we're after?"
Regina- "An apple."

Melancholy Evil Queen waits for Snow in the stable where she had and her lost her love, Daniel.  Snow arrives and Regina has her follow her to the field.  Regina asks Snow "Do you remember when I ran down your runaway horse? Do you remember when I saved your life?"  Of course Snow remembers. She also recalls "It all looks the same."  Regina shows her a difference- a grave- Daniel's grave.

Snow is confused. "Daniel? I thought..."
Regina "Ran away. I told you that to spare your feelings out of ... kindness. But he died because of you."
Snow is at a loss for words, she can only say "I'm sorry."  Regina is sorry too, as nothing can change what happened. "What you did. You promised to keep my secret. You promised- but you lied."
Snow- "I was very young and your mother..."
Regina can only see her own selfish and angry side of that unfortunate event. "She ripped his heart out- because of you!  Because you couldn't listen to me."
Snow is realizing Regina's pain- "You took my father. Haven't we both suffered enough?!"
Regina- "No!"  She presents a morsel/apple. "Did you know that apples stand for health and wisdom?"
Concerned Snow wonders why she gets the feeling that one might kill her.
Regina- "It won't kill you. No, what it will do is far worse. Your body will be your tomb and you'll be in there with nothing but dreams formed of your own regrets."
Snow- "You're going to force me to eat it."
Regina- "Of course not. It wouldn't work anyway. The choice is yours. It must be taken willingly.
Snow "And why would I do that?"
Regina- "Because if you refuse the apple... your Prince... your Charming... will be killed.  As I said, the choice is yours."
Crying Snow verifies "I take that apple and he lives- that's the deal you want to make?"
Regina- "With all my heart."
Snow bites the apple. And as she falls asleep, Charming is waking up in his cell 
Charming wakes up knowing something has happened and yells "What have you done to her?! What have you done?! Snow!"

Sleeping Snow lets go of the bit apple and it rolls down the hill and appears, popping up into the vault where Jefferson catches it.  He holds the bit apple and asks "Is this it?"  Regina is pleased.
Jefferson- "My daughter, my Grace?"
Selfish Regina tells him "First things first. The deal's not done. Not until I solve the next conundrum. How to get this savior to taste my forbidden fruit."

We see Regina cut up and bake a triangle shape apple turnover.

Emma shows up needing to talk to her. Regina imagines they do; she was just about to call Emma.  She invites Emma in, also welcomes her to do what she's so skilled at "And make yourself at home."  Emma looks around the house.  She tells Regina that this isn't easy "I think that this... whatever is between us needs to end. {Regina agrees} I want to make a deal with you about Henry."
Regina- "I'm not making any deals with you."
Emma seems anxious and unsure- "I'm leaving town. This... what we're doing, is a problem... and I'm gonna go, but I have conditions. I still get to see Henry. I get to visit and spend time, whatever."
Regina- "And you get to see him. You're still in his life."
Emma- "Look, in any deal both parties are a little unhappy. But lets be honest, we both know the world where I'm not in his life no longer exists and there's no one who can do anything about that."
Just then the oven timer beeps. Regina tells Emma she's right. "Would you mind following me for a moment?"

Regina removed her special single apple turnover from the oven. She asks Emma "So, what are you proposing?"  Emma doesn't know, but that they'll "figure it out as we go."  Regina confirms, "But he's my son."   Hesitant Emma simply says yeah.  This makes Regina smile. As Emma turns to leave Emma stops her, offering her the apple turnover for the road.  "If we're going to be in each other's lives, it's time we start being cordial. My famous turnovers. Old recipe. But delicious."  Emma takes it, thanks her, but is clearly cautious.  Regina hopes she likes apples.


Red hurries into the stable to find Snow. She tells Granny she knows Snow was there as she can smell it.
From the distance Grumpy calls out that they found her.  Upset Grumpy found her lying there. Red uses Granny's dagger to check for breath on the blade. Sleepy says "Maybe she's just sleepin'." Red determines "She has no breath. She's gone. She sacrificed herself for true love."
Grumpy adds "She sacrificed herself for all of us."

The Evil Queen sits at her desk in her castle watching the goings on at Snow White's side via her mirror. "It would appear sacrifice is overrated. Hahahaha. Speaking of..."   She snaps her fingers and the mirror magically changes channels to show her Prince Charming in his cell yelling "What have you done to her?!"

Regina shows up at Mr. Gold's shop. She hopes he bought travel insurance because nobody is going anywhere; she found a solution to her Emma Swan problem.  Mr. Gold doesn't seem impressed at all until proud and happy Regina mentions it's an old reliable solution.
Mr. Gold- "A Sleeping Curse. May I ask how you managed to obtain one here in Storybrooke?"
Regina- "By sacrificing the last bit of magic from magic I had left."
Mr. Gold- "So, you made magic from magic. Well I'm sure I don't have to remind you that all magic comes at a price."
Regina- "Then you can pay it. Because now... the curse is gonna be stronger than ever and you will be right here where you belong."

Mr. Gold walks away from her and she's puzzled by that.  She asks "Don't you understand? I won! So whatever plan you had, whatever reason you wanted the curse broken... too bad. Because it's never gonna happen."  She spins the tan color globe on its axis and walks out.

Henry shows up at Emma's {door 3. and note the globe} asking if everything's okay; she sounded strange over the walkie.  She's okay and explains that yesterday when she tried to take him away that he was right. "I can't take you out of Storybrooke... but I can't stay either."  She has to go.

This troubles and confuses Henry.  Emma tells the boy that she and Regina made a deal that she can see him- just not every day.  Henry is getting very upset. "No. You can't trust her."  Emma feels she has to it's her only choice "It's what's best for you, Henry. Every time I fight her someone else gets hurt."
Henry- "No. No. No. You're just scared. This happens to all heroes. It's just the low moment before you fight back."
Now Emma is crying, desperate to reach Henry. She kneels down to his eye level. "Henry. This isn't a story, this is reality... and things have to change.  You can't skip school, you can't run away and... you can't believe in curses."
Henry- "You really don't believe?"
Emma- "I...  This is how it has to be right now. I made a deal and I used my superpower- she's telling the truth, she's gonna take really good care of you."
Henry- "Yes. But she wants you dead."  {He knows that}
Emma- "Come on, Henry!"
Henry- "You're the only one that can stop her!"
Emma- "Stop her from what? All she's ever done is fight for you. It just... got out of hand. I'm sorry."
Henry hugs her tight and notices the triangle turnover on the table. He sees it's apple and warns Emma not to eat it. "You can't eat that- it's poison.  Don't you see, the deal, it was all a trick to get you to eat that. To get rid of the savior."
Emma- "Henry, come on. Why would she do that when I told her I was gonna go?"
Henry- "Because as long as you're alive you're a threat to the curse!"
Emma- "Henry, you've got to stop thinking like this."
Henry is fired up. "But it's the truth! And you leaving isn't gonna change that!"
Emma wants to prove it to him by eating the turnover, but he grabs it from her, "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 bite and Emma says "See. You wanna some ice cream to go with that? And we can get back to talking about..."  Henry falls to the floor- asleep.