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