We Are Both

“A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others.” - The Wizard of Oz

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

We are both - Many- One. 

It's no secret I've shared that in many ways Once Upon A Time brings me back to my own childhood. Back to a time when reading was a way for me to escape those unpleasant times and trying to grow up holding on to hope and with some belief in magic. I would often sit and daydream I was someone else, someone like a Princess, one with great wealth and much more. This of course was the total opposite of my real life in the land without magic, New York City (Manhattan). But the things I saw, the challenges, experiences and people I faced while growing up, coupled with my hope for a better life, as envisioned in some of the glorious tales I read are all components that make up me. It is easy to become a product of your environment and circumstance and become a carbon copy of someone you know is rotten to the core.  Even at a young age I knew who I wanted to be (although I'm still not there yet), and who I absolutely didn't want to be.

We are who we are because of all our individual good and bad life experiences. Our past- our scars, our insecurities, fears and weaknesses, as well as our morals, boon, bravery and light, shape us into the people we become. Finding balance and letting go of negative things are necessary for us to become stronger, better and more loving people. But we shouldn't forget those bad times or our "other side" as all of it is an education in itself and part of our growth process. I have memories of being around 5 years old and in bed thinking and knowing I would never allow those types of negative/bad things or people in my own future. I mean, I was fucking five years old and scared most of the time yet somehow I had the fortitude to know that I didn't want that.  But because I can remember the "other side" of myself I am free to make conscious choices to not let those issues control me and make me into someone I don't want to be.

Life will never stop bringing us good and bad experiences, challenges and hurdles. Hopefully one has learned how to make those experiences a positive part of their being and not a negative one. Don't get me wrong, there are times when that scared, hurt and lonely little girl in me surfaces. But we have to choose how we're going to wield our own magic. Will it be with good or dark intention?  So, I'm going to embrace Charming's beautiful speech he gave to the residents at the line they're not supposed to cross. It was wonderfully motivating and touched my heart.

 “I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then”

As I mentioned in season 1, Regina originally sees "magic" as a negative source, evil; the tool that her mother uses to keep her on a short leash and to punish her when she veers off the path Cora set forth. Really, it is abuse.  Cora sees her magic and spells as pure power; a way to control everyone and everything.  These two women we given the gift of "magic" and both end up using it for personal power and control. Ultimately their choice how they used this gift and how they turned out are what cause their own darkness and suffering.

In this episode we literally see magic-less Regina trying to light the candle. She is desperately trying to bring her magical power back to existence; she is lost without it as she is incapable of controlling the situation. But metaphorically we are witnessing Regina literally trying to bring back her own "light." She is struggling to do this and desires a shortcut. But as I learned from my guru, LOST, there are no shortcuts. All of this matters; every choice we make, everything we did and do, how we act and react, etc., all matter.

Is Regina beginning to see the error of her evil selfish ways and the darkness that is at her core, or is she still lying to herself?  Maybe she's finally motivated to make changes to her life so she can genuinely be happy, peaceful and loving. Although we see there are lessons to be taught and learned in this fairy tale, in a way we witness Regina come to realization that she is responsible for her own learning. In this episode we witness Regina facing and hopefully learning some humility, how to communicate, understand her emotional ills, overcome fear, stop trying to control things/people, learn to trust and have tolerance... Grace. If in time she can learn to let go of her anger and twisted use of magic and learn how to love and open up her good heart, it is then she will be free. She can do all of this- if she would just let herself.  In reality we are more powerful than we realize or allow ourselves to be. The use of this power- this magic must be used wisely.
Regina removed the obstacle- her mother, Cora. But will Regina's weakness, her mother, appear to challenge her daughter again. Is that why Regina didn't burn the Spell Book? Does she think she'll need to use it as a weapon?  Maybe the final battle is between Regina and Cora. Wouldn't that be a kick in the head?

Let's note it's Rumpelstiltskin who gives the "gift" to Regina, Maybe there's a part of him who would love to do the right thing, be a hero and be loved.

We also must note that Charming reclaimed his positivity, bravery and leadership and didn't let the "David" side of become predominant.

“I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, sir,' said Alice, 'Because I'm not myself you see.” 

Is this episode just about the two sides of these characters living in two worlds? Or are there mental and emotional issues that are causing literal conflict within the characters? Could it be that a few of the characters are a combination of characters, i.e. Ruby is Red Riding Hood is the wolf.

In this episode there are many moments when we can hear the obvious ticking of a clock. (Who knows, maybe it's a metronome.) And of course we get reference to the hat, a tea set, a bunny and a looking glass- all leading us down the rabbit hole into Alice in Wonderland.

I'm going to ask a crazy question... Is it possible that the "hat" belongs to someone else and not really to Jefferson the portal jumper?  Oh boy, the writers are going to be pissed at me for questioning this, especially when they've already given us Jefferson being the Mad Hatter. Now, I'm not saying he's not the Mad Hatter and that he's definitely someone else, this is just an observation. We only really know Jefferson as Jefferson. At this point I've not seen Jefferson admit to being the Mad Hatter or not. He only admits (from his own mouth) to being Jefferson, a portal jumper.  Could Jefferson be two people or misrepresenting who he is?  Maybe we don't know his whole story yet. Yes, yes, I know I'm guilty of over thinking things, but with Jefferson something feels off.  It's hard to put my finger on it. I mean, I admit we observe Jefferson is a bit worked up over the goings on- but he also has some clarity about it. We've seen him insanely desperate to make a hat that works; this is the only time we see him with a hat on his head. We also see his connection with a tea set and especially a rabbit and he has his Grace to get back to- that I understand. But other facets of Jefferson can connect to the White Rabbit or even the March Hare. Of course I'll give examples- He only goes by the name Jefferson, connection to the Queen, he doesn't wear a hat, there's the foraging in the forest, drugging people, hurrying off in this episode, and with all that (portal) Port-Hole jumping he does in his handsome clothes and waistcoat could be some traits of the Rabbit. But what the fuck do I know.

Charming says "No. I mean yeah- I mean... the Prince me doesn't know him, but David had memories of reading Alice in Wonderland in school."  If the spell is broken, why doesn't Charming know the Mad Hatter or who Jefferson really is?  So, I'll ask it again... Does the possibility exist that Jefferson, the man who doesn't like Wonderland, is really someone else?

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

๑ Geppetto's hand drawn flier says to call Marco, not Geppetto.
๑ The photos on these types of fliers are as if they're ripped out of a storybook or drawn by a child or even off of Henry's bedroom walls.
Other visible notes: "Pyramus and Thisbē:, "PIERRE ELARD","Desperately Looking For Peasblossom", "TITANIA"
๑ Where is Pinocchio/August?
๑ Snow should remember Cora is Cora, Regina's twisted mother.
๑ Mother. Cora. Mother Superior- the Blue Fairy
๑ Wake up
๑ Tree
๑ Eye color: purple
๑ Deep breath
๑ Guiding
๑ Guarding
๑ Fix
๑ Pearl
๑ Mirror
๑ Baby. Child.
๑ Teach. Learn. School. Coach. Motivation.
๑ Remember. Memories. Forget.
๑ Knowing.
๑ Mood. Feelings. Frustration. Anger. Fear. Confusion. Panic. Calm, etc.
๑ Charming refers to the Blue Fairy as just Blue
๑ Cora is the Miller's daughter
๑ Cora sleeps with the Book of Spells under her pillow. In A Land Without Magic Emma puts the Fairy Tale book under Henry's pillow
๑ Charming tells Henry "I did the fighting. Snow did the talking." Well, that's really not true.
๑ Rump's Fairy Tale Land outfit  has a bit of crocodile design to it
๑ Alice in Wonderland
๑ More ways to conjure a portal

Vocabulary and Research...

๑ Pyramus and Thisbē are two characters of Roman mythology. The tale is told by Ovid in his Metamorphoses.
๑ Rocinante is the name of Don Quixote's horse in the novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.
- The name John Steinbeck gives to the modified camper truck in which he travelled the country in his book Travels With Charley.
- Julia de Burgos's description of herself in her 1938 poem 'A Julia de Burgos': "que yo soy Rocinante corriendo desbocado" (trans. by Grace Schulman: "I am Rocinante, bolting free, wildly").
- the name of a tulip created by a Dutch bulbgrower named C. van der Vlugt.
-The ship flown by Cervantes Quinn, a colorful freelance trader, in Harbinger, the first volume of the Star Trek Vanguard novel series.
๑ White Horse Temple in China.
- The wind horse is an allegory for the human soul in the Shamanistic tradition of Central Asia. In Tibetan Buddhism, it was included as the pivotal element in the center of the four animals symbolizing the cardinal directions and a symbol of the idea of well-being or good fortune. It has also given the name to a type of prayer flag that has the five animals printed on it.

๑ The name Rumpelstilzchen in German means literally "little rattle stilt". (A stilt is a post or pole which provides support for a structure.) A rumpelstilt or rumpelstilz was the name of a type of goblin, similar to poltergeist, a mischievous spirit that makes noise and moves household objects.
The story in short- In order to make himself appear more important, a miller lies to a king, telling him that his daughter can spin straw into gold. In reality, the girl is lazy and has never learned to spin at all. The king calls for the girl, shuts her in a tower room filled with straw and a spinning wheel, and demands that she spin the straw into gold by morning or he will strike off her head. She has given up all hope, when an imp-like creature appears in the room and promises to spin the straw into gold for her in return for her necklace. Another of the Grimm fairy tales revolves about a girl trapped by false claims about her spinning abilities:
The Three Spinners has obvious parallels to Rumpelstiltskin and obvious differences.

๑  Chinese: "The spirit of the way"' bringing eternal change. The early Chinese believed in four magical, spiritual and benevolent animals; the Phoenix, the Tortoise and the Unicorn and the Dragon, the most revered of all. It holds an enormous magical pearl (DNA symbol), which has the power to multiply whatever it touches.
๑ The Chinese Dragon Pearl: Chinese Dragons are associated with a pearl of wisdom either pursuing it, or held in the mouth, under the chin, or in the claws. This glowing pearl is said to be their source of supernatural powers and not surprisingly, dragons protect it fiercely. In connection with the Chinese dragon and the pearl has been called the image of thunder, of the moon, of the sun, of the egg emblem of the dual influences of nature, and the 'pearl of potentiality'.  The pearl is most often depicted as a spiral or a globe.
- In Daoist concepts the moon, pearls, dragons and serpents are inextricably linked. Like the snake that is reborn when it sheds its skin, the moon is reborn each month, and both are symbols of immortality.

 ✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale

✈ Beach/shore
✈ Survivors
✈ Orange
✈ Black. White
✈ Guard
✈ Draw straws/sticks
✈ Go home
✈ Geronimo Jackson
✈ 108
✈ Risk
✈ Tree
✈ Guiding
✈ Guarding
✈ Eye color- changes
✈ Fix
✈ Pearl
✈ Arrow
✈ Mirror
✈ Bug
✈ Teach. Learn. School.
✈ Remember. Memories. Forget
✈ Knowing.
✈ Jack's motivational "live together, die alone" speech (We saw that twice)
✈ Alex uses a slingshot
✈ Ben is led via roped hands
✈ In The Hunting Party "There's a line" is said to Jack by Christian Shephard and Mr. (Tom) Friendly- and they encourage him to "Go home."  And Hurley and Charley  come across a Geronimo Jackson album in the hatch. Sun wants Jin to wear a hat.  Jack, Sawyer, Locke (and Kate) look for Michael, who is looking for Waaaaaalt.
✈  Lines mentioned on LOST:

• "...keeping you/him alive..."  Locke asks why they're keeping him/Mikhail alive. Sawyer asks why they're keeping Ben alive.
• S6- He looks like you. You look like him.
•  Ben asks Locke "How did it feel?"
• "I shouldn't have brought you here."
• About "feeling it"-  "Can you feel it?"  Locke "feels it". 

✈ PIT:  a few examples {a pit is the center of}

•  Ana Lucia has Michael, Sawyer, Jin and Nathan thrown in the pit. 
• The DHARMA Initiative remains of their members are in a pit.  
• Kate, Sawyer and Alex hide in a pit.
• Locke tells the guys they're gonna make a pit stop (Cabin Fever).  
• Jacob is burned in a fire pit. 
• The destroyed Swan station ends up being a bit.
• Numbers- Danielle's exploded lair.
• Namaste- Hurley says he saw the pit where all the bodies got dumped.

✈ "What are you?" is a question that was presented to John Locke
✈ PUSH

Enough of my rambling... Here's your episode recap! Enjoy!

The Seven Dwarfs are on a mission to investigate the great barrier of their existence- the border of Storybrooke- does it remain? Leroy is spearheading an experiment to see what happens when one leaves Storybrooke. He's spray painted an orange line at the border so they may investigate the line.

He made straws; the short one crosses. He has the guys draw.
The brethren are cautious and concerned and wondering. "With the curse broken we can cross, right? Should be no problem?"
Sleepy- "With magic back it could be even worse now."
Doc- "Like...vaporize us."
Bashful- "Let's go home."
Leroy snaps. "Guys! We are the Royal Guard! Dwarfs loyal to Snow White! This is our chance to prove ourselves to the Prince. We must do this."  He has everyone show their hands to reveal their straw. It looks like Snotty is up.  Nervous Sneezy suggests send a found turtle and nudged it over first. But Leroy wastes no time and pushes Sneezy across the line. Sneezy violently shakes, as if electricity is running through his entire body.

The town of Storybrooke has been hit hard by the visit from the Wraith. It looks like a hurricane blew through the town.

We see Pinocchio laying in his bed, a wooden man. But we see him blink his blue eyes!

At City Hall the town's people try to organize to put life back together. Geppetto puts up a hand drawn flier for people to find Pinocchio. {Note Pryamus  & Thisbē}
Ruby acts as the Town Crier; giving displaced and disoriented residents instructions on how to find a family member to go to the front table, if you need counseling Dr. Hopper has a sign-up sheet, and if the Wraith damaged your house there are cots at the school. Mother Superior/Blue Fairy feels this is getting out of hand, people are in a panic and don't know what to do. Ruby assures her it will be fine as long as everyone remains calm. "I have a feeling our Prince is working on something right now.

Charming pounds on Regina's front door demanding to know about the hat.{He takes a position up a few steps on the staircase, so he's above her.}Regina's surprised he doesn't have armed guards around the clock. But Charming doesn't need them, as he knows if Regina steps outside there's a line a mile long for her head.  Regina wonders "Who's going to risk coming at me?"  Charming tells her to take her chances then. "But I think that little wallpaper trick... was an anomaly. If you had your abilities back this town would be charcoal by now. You're having problems with magic, aren't you? Right now the only thing keeping you alive... is that Henry wishes it. Now this {the hat}."
Regina- "It's the hat that pulled your loved ones away."
Charming- "Well, where did you get it?"
Regina- "I've long since forgotten. You know what? Maybe you should be less concerned with hats... and more concerned with taking care of my son."
Charming- "Oh, because you took such great care of him."
Regina-"I will not listen to child care lectures from a man who put his daughter in a box and shipped her to Maine."
Charming- "Okay, listen. I need my family! There's magic here now, there have to be ways to follow them."
Regina- "Follow them where? Into a sucking airless void?  And good luck getting magic to work. Because as you said you'd be charcoal."  {The two are closer eye to eye.}
Charming notices her frustration and feels it serves her right. "You earned every bit of this!"
Regina- "Keep on baiting me, Charming. Right now I don't have magic and I don't have my son. But when I get one- I get the other. And you don't wanna be around when that happens."
Charming notes "If you have to use magic to keep your son... you don't really have him."

In Fairy Tale Land Regina rides feverishly on horseback through some foggy and gloomy weather.  "Come on, Rocinante, go! We're almost free!"  All of a sudden she is magically pulled from her horse and snared by the limbs of the trees. This is Cora's doing. Cora thought they were done with all this nonsense.  Trapped Regina asks "What evil have you conjured?"
Cora chuckles. "Not evil darling. A Barrier Spell. {She blows purple magic from the pages of her spell book and Regina is released, falling to the ground} Designed to keep you... where you belong."

Regina- "I can't leave?"
Cora explains "Not alone. Not without the King. We've been through this. In two days you'll be married, you'll be Queen. After that you'll be free to go- Whenever you're with him."  Regina reiterates that she doesn't want to marry the King. "I don't want this life."   Cora feels Regina's just frightened of having all that power."   But Regina doesn't want power. "I want to be free."  Cora states that power is freedom. "Don't worry. I'm here to show you." Cora leads her daughter away.

Charming arrives at the chaotic City Hall to catch up with Henry. {Henry has his Fairy Tale Book. Firemen mill about.}  Charming asks if he's seen Blue- Mother Superior. Henry says no, but that "everyone is looking for you."

Charming is bombarded by questions and people looking answers.
Red asks him if he knows where "...Rump...Mr. Gold is?"
Archie- "Wait. Does the Queen still have power?"
Geppetto thought he would find his boy and wondering if the lists are complete.
Henry yells "He's gotta be planning something!"
And pig, Dr. Whale asks Charming "Are the Nuns still Nuns, or can they... you know... date?"  Charming doesn't know the answer to Whale's question.  He calls out to "Blue", whom is working in the bottled water tent.  Dr. Whale tells him "Don't say it's me asking."  Motivated Charming asks Blue "Could there be a tree on this side? The way we sent Emma through as a baby- maybe I can go after 'em that way."
Blue says it's possible "But.. without Fairy Dust to guide us here, I....no, it's hopeless."
Encouraging Henry feels "You'll find another way. In the book things always look worse right before there's good news."
"TERRIBLE NEWS! TERRIBLE NEWS!"  Upset Leroy/Grumpy comes running into the crowd with his fellow dwarfs to share what they've discovered at the town limits. He has Sneezy tell them who he thinks he is.
Sneezy- "Will you stop calling me that, you know who I am. I'm Tom Clark I own the Dark Star Pharmacy. What's going on here?"
Leroy- "If you cross the border... you lose your memory all over again.
Archie- "And coming back doesn't fix it?"
Leroy yells "If it did would I have come running in yelling 'TERRIBLE NEWS!' If we leave our cursed selves become our only selves.

The town's people are clamoring for help- seemingly from Charming.
Red- "Do we know if anything's gotten out that way?"
Henry wonders if his mom knows. Henry's comment seemed to spark Archie's interest.
Henry- "I can help!"
Overwhelmed Charming starts to walk away as he's followed by the concerned and desperate folks. He addresses them. "People! Everybody! Everybody meet back here in two hours. I'll tell you my plan to fix everything."  As he walks away Red asks him privately "What's the plan?"  Charming doesn't know yet; he has two hours to figure it out. Henry and his book hurries after Charming.

Regina sits focused trying to use her power to light a candle. {NOTE: It's of her using the power of her mind, than the magic in her hands.}  It flickers for a second but quickly goes back out. Frustrated, she throws the candle into the unlit fireplace.

Regina cautiously exits her house and on her way to the car runs into Archie, who is there to ask her if she wants to talk.
Regina- "Oh, right, the conscience thing."
Archie- "It's what I do."
Regina- "I'm in no mood."
Archie- "It's too bad... 'cause talking about your pain might be helpful. Might help you learn who you truly are."
Regina looks him right in the eyes and says "I know who I am."

Regina tells young Snow that she looks beautiful. {Snow is holding a mirror} Snow takes a link chain necklace that holds the ring that Daniel, the stable boy gave to Regina. Snow puts it around her own neck.  Regina admits to little Snow that Daniel didn't leave her and that he was killed. This stuns Snow. Regina continues to blame Daniel's death on the little girls inability to keep her secret from Cora. Devastated Snow tells Regina "But she said... she told me she was going to help you."
Regina {She starts to strangle Snow by using the chain/ring.}- "My mother corrupts young souls. If you were stronger none of this would have happened."
But this is a fantasy!
The scene picks up with Snow saying "It's pretty...Where did you get it?" {We see Regina shake her head, as if to get the thoughts and images out of it.} Disoriented Regina only says "I don't remember."

Regina and her father are in the garden. Upset Regina is opening up to him. "Daddy, you don't know what's she's doing to me. It's like she's turning me into her. I have to get away."
Father/Henry (with dark gloves)- "Get away? But tomorrow's the wedding, child."
Regina- "I don't wanna marry the King. I've told you that."
Father/Henry- "You certain it isn't just cold feet?"
Regina is certain. "Daddy, this is not cold feet. This... this... this is insanity. I'm angry all the time. She's making me crazy."
Father/Henry- "She wants to give you everything she never got for herself."
Regina (crying)- "I don't want her life! I want a life of my own. How did she get like this?"

Father/Henry seems troubled- "There was a man- well, not quite a man. Someone Cora knew before I met her. He brought magic to her. Gave her that book of Spells. He made her like she is."
Regina- "What was his name?"
Father/Henry- "I don't know. Cora won't even say it."
Regina- "But the book is his."

Regina enters Mr. Gold's shop; even though the sign says closed, as starts to look around. Gold enters telling her the library's beneath the clock tower. "You closed it, remember? When you still had power."  Regina explains needs the book, as she needs to get her son back. Gold wonders "Which book? Ah... so, it's come down to that, eh?  You need mommy's help?"  Regina demands the book.
Gold- "Do you really need the smell of the written word to get the magic flowing again, Love? Maybe if you relaxed it would just happen."
Regina is desperate and doesn't have time. "It worked once. I know I can do it, I just... I just need a shortcut back."
Gold doesn't have time either and tells her to leave- "Please".
Regina- "Well, how about that? Your 'Pleases' have lost their punch."
Gold- "Well, the fact remains... jump-starting your magic is not in my best interest."
Regina- "You know what else isn't in your best interest? Having everyone know the Enchanted Forest still exists. Knowing that you and I are keeping that little secret. You're up to something. And it doesn't involve going back home."

She reaches for the trunk/luggage and he stops her, but then magically produces the book for her. "Careful, Dearie, these are straight up spells- rough on the system."  Regina grabs the book. "I don't care if they turn me green. I'm getting my son back."  She turns to leave when Gold proclaims "Oh, my."
Regina- "What?"
Gold- "It's just- holding that... I told you once you didn't look like her but, now... Now I can see it."
This resonates with Regina. She walks out.

Cora sleeps with the Spell book under her pillow.  Regina sneaks it out.
By {full moon?} Regina looks through the book and pronounces the name written in; with its German pronunciation.  She summons him.  Sitting in a nearby chair he sits and corrects her "That's not how you say it, Dearie. But then again- you didn't have to say anything."
Regina- "What are you?"
Rump- "What? What? What? My, my, what a rude question. I... am not a what."
The beginner, Regina, apologizes, as she doesn't know what's she's doing.  Rump feels that much is clear.

He introduces himself, complete with a bow. He also admits to knowing everything about her.
Regina- "Because of my mother, Cora. You taught her?"
Rump- "My legend precedes me."
Regina shares that people say she looks like her when Cora was younger. Upon closer inspection Rump doesn't see it. "No. That's not how I know you."  He shares that he knew her long ago and although it's been some time, he knew this day would come.  As a matter of fact, he's been waiting for it. "And I'm so happy... we are back where we belong."  Regina is confused and asks "Where's that?"
Rump answers "Together."

Regina takes a deep breath as she sits staring anxiously at the Spell Book. {She's sitting on a bench underneath the tree.}

Charming rehearses his speech to the people of Storybrooke in front of the mirror.  "... I know we're trapped again, things look... bleak... but they're not."  Henry encourages his frustrated Grandfather to keep going as he was onto something. But Charming tells Henry that he did the fighting while Snow did the talking.  He takes the tattered hat out of his bag. Henry asks "Can I see that?" He thinks he knows what this is. He pages through his already open storybook to show Charming an illustration. "It's the mad hatter's hat. It's a portal between worlds."  Henry asks if he's heard of him.

Charming- "No. Uh, I mean yeah- I mean... the Prince me doesn't know him, but David had memories of reading Alice in Wonderland in school. I need to get it to work again. Who is he? I mean, who is he here?"
Henry doesn't know, but mentions maybe he'll check in at the crisis center. "You could check after the thing."
Charming forgot. "What thing?"  Henry reminds him about the meeting "where you tell us your plan... remember, the speech you were doing?"
Charming- "Oh, yeah, right."  He grabs the hat to head out. "I'll be back for that."  As he rushes out, Henry follows his Gramps telling him he has to use him. "The curse was broken because of me! Let me help!" But Gramps has left the building. Henry continues "... or not."

Mr. Gold is putting (U.S. City) maps into his bag when the front door bell rings. {Massachusetts- which he's supposed to be in. Green- Baltimore map} "It appears when I bought that "Closed" sign I was throwing my money away."
Charming- "Looks like it.
Gold is sorry to hear about his wife and daughter. "If you're looking for a retrieval, I'm sorry "portal jumping" is just outside my purview."  Charming understands that. Gold wonders what the commotion outside. Charming tells him it's a little stir at the border "Problem crossing the line." This peaks Gold's interest. "Do tell."  Actually Charming is there to  buy something; a way to find someone.
Gold- "What, like a map?"
Charming feels something with a bit more kick. "The ring you gave me to find Snow."  Gold understands "Ah, yeah, magic. Whom are you following?
Charming- "Not telling."
Gold- "So, do you have something of theirs, this missing person."
Charming- "Yes."
Gold- "May I see it?"
Charming- "No." They're mutually amused.

Gold takes out a potion from his bag of tricks and instructs Charming to "Pour this on the object and then follow it. So simple, even David Nolan can do it."  Charming asks what he wants. Gold wants "Peace. Leave me alone."
Charming- "What do you care David Nolan does?"
Gold- "No. NO. It's Charming I worry about. I'd like a little Non-Interference Guarantee."
Charming- "Fine. If... you give me the same. You and I- we stay out of each other's way."
Gold hands him the potion and thanks him for his business. The men have an accord.  As Charming is walking out, Gold asks what happens when you try and cross the border.
Charming- "You lose your memory of everything of our old lives. Looks like we're stuck here."
This is not what Gold wanted to hear- but needed to hear.  Frustrated, he uses his cane/walking stick to break a few glass cases.


Rump is telling Regina about their past. "I held you in my arms. You were younger- more portable. There is much history between your family and me. History both in the past... and in the future."  He can possibly help Regina with her current situation. "You seek power. The death of your enemies. The death of your friends?"
Regina says no, she doesn't want to hurt anyone. Rump finds this hard to believe she's from the same family. He gently touches her face/cheeks. "So kind. So gentle. So... Ooh! Powerful. {He almost got a tingle there. lol}You could do so much... if you just let yourself."   But Regina admits to not knowing how to do that.
Rump- "Well, let me show you the way." He turns her around and she sees the gift he magically presents. He claims "Magic. It can set you free."

Regina doesn't want to use magic because "That's what she does. I don't want to end up like her. "
Rump- "No. No. Of course not.  But that's the beauty of my gift... you don't have to. It will do it for ya."
Regina- "What is it?"
Rump- "It's a portal. A passage between lands. This is a portal to a specific annoying little world- useless to me. But for your purposes are perfect. You're unlikely ever to see her again. All she needs is a little push. The question is... can... you... do... it?"
Regina looks troubled.

Regina sits under her (black) rotting (apples) tree, working herself up to open the spell book. {Deep breath, she touches the heart in the center of the book.} She blows on the pages, just as Cora had done. But Regina inhales its Black and Gold smoky vapors. This changes her eye color for a moment, to purple. This gain in power also repairs/restores her rotting apples.

Charming pours the potion onto the tattered hat and waits for the magic to kick in. He puts the hat on the hood of his truck, checks his cell phone- the hat starts to vibrate, jiggle and fly away. Charming follows it.

The enchanted hat lands atop of an upside down car housing trapped Jefferson. He's been calling out but nobody heard him. There is broken glass, a tea set and Jefferson holds on to a stuffed rabbit. Jefferson is unhurt, which mean he and Charming can talk.

The residents gather for the meeting and Charming's plan. Henry is busy calling his Gramps, needing him to pick up- but to no avail.  Red is telling everyone to be patient, as she's sure he'll be there any second. Granny is prepared with her crossbow for their lawless town.

Magically the double doors burst open and present magically enhanced Regina.  She marches down the isle {but not glides when she entered Snow and Charming wedding}.  When threatened Archie speaks up to tell her to think about what she's doing, Regina only says "Bug" and magically tosses him aside; and the same to protective Grumpy.  Granny fires an arrow at Regina, but she catches it and ignites it on fire, tosses it across the room and then the ball of fire boomerangs around to set the Storybrooke tree emblem ablaze.  Apparently Henry knows Regina is there because she wants him. He agrees to go with her as long as she leaves all of them alone.

Charming asks Jefferson "Can you get me through?"
Jefferson- "No."
Charming- "Can you get them back?"
Jefferson rolls his eyes/head.
Charming- "Can you get it to work?"
Jefferson (laughing)- "If you only knew."
Charming- "OK, You had a little girl's tea set in your car and a stuffed rabbit toy, so I"m thinking you have a daughter you love. Well, I do too, and a wife, and they're out there somewhere- the Enchanted Forest or a void, I don't even know, but I'm going to get them back."
Jefferson- "They're in the Enchanted Forest, that's for sure, I can't get there."
Charming is shocked. "It still exists?"
Jefferson- "It exists. I don't know if that matters since we can't go there!"
Charming- "So, you won't help me."
Jefferson- "I'm a portal jumper and you destroyed my portal- so you're out of luck."
Charming grabs him by his smart coat's scarf/ascot, telling him he's the closest thing left to a sheriff there so he can just throw him into a cell until he figures out a way.
Jefferson- "Then all we'll both do is sit. Stuck. Two lives in our heads cursed worse than ever. Two lives forever at odds. Double the pain. Double the suffering."  He snaps, over turns the table and runs off!  Charming takes off after him but is stopped by Red who tells him that Regina has Henry and is threatening everyone. But Charming feels Jefferson has the way! Red recounts the events from the town meeting he missed, and how Regina's magic is back and everyone's panicking wanting to leave town. "They're going to lose everything!"  Charming wants to go after Jefferson first, feeling that's the only way to get Emma and Snow back.
Red- "Back to what?! This town is about to come apart. You've got to do something."

Regina {Carrying her Spell Book} and Henry enter their home. Regina is carefree in telling Henry "Now I don't want you to think that things are just going to go back to how they used to be." But Henry runs right up to his room and tosses his already crafted rope made from bedsheets, out the window for a quick escape.  He's immediately caught by Regina, who magically entraps him via the branches of the nearby tree. She warns him not to fight it as he'll get a splinter.

Once back safely on his bed, Henry asks Regina "How long am I in prison, 'til I grow up?"  Regina rescued him because she loves him.  Henry wonders "So, I'm a prisoner because you love me. That's not fair."
Regina- "You know where I come from" that was really not fair. Of all the places I've seen this really is the fairest of them all."
Henry- "You ruined lives. You sent away Mary Margaret and Emma. (To which Regina feels was an accident.) The way you treated me wasn't an accident. You made it so no one believed me. You made me feel like I was crazy."
Regina tells him that's all gonna change. "Henry, you can know all the secrets. You can live in a house with magic. Look what I can do... {She blows on the palm of her hand and magically manifests a giant cupcake.} And I can teach you. You can do this and so much more.  You can have all the friends you want come over anytime, and you can show them everything in your book."

Henry- "No one's gonna want to come over here. They're scared of you."
Regina gets fired up. "You can make them not be scared! {She catches her tone} You can make them love you."
Henry- "I don't want that. I don't want to be you."
Again, this resonates with her.

Cora asks Regina what the giant gift is.  Regina claims to not know. "...a gift?"
Cora- "Maybe it's a portrait." And magically unwraps it to find it's a looking glass, and is disappointed, feeling this isn't nearly as personal.This makes her wonder if the people really love Regina. Regina tells her she's doing her best. Cora apologizes and leads her closer to the looking glass so Regina can look at her(self) with her whole life ahead of her. "And it's going to be better than you can imagine. The King's not a strong man. The Kingdom will be yours. Raise the tributes, form a personal guard, let everyone know where the new power lies... and you'll hold the hearts of your people in your hands."  Regina thinks and asks Cora if that's what she would do. And yes, that is exactly what Cora would do. With that, Regina states she doesn't want to be her and lunges at Cora but is immediately stopped and held in a magical forcefield by Cora.  Cora warns her daughter that she's stuck with her forever, as she is her mother and she knows best.  Just then, Rumpelstiltskin appears in the looking glass coaching and motivating Regina to give Cora a push into the looking glass.  Regina works up her courage, breaks free of the forcefield and pushes Cora hard into the looking glass and it explodes- broken glass everywhere!

Charming cuts off and blocks the caravan of Storybrooke residents on their exodus toward the line they're not supposed to cross.  The residents feel they have a right to go, but Charming just wants them to listen to him. "If you cross that line you're gonna be lost! Everyone who loves you will lose you! But there's something worse... You'll lose yourself.  Look, I get... wanting to leave here- I do. But I get that it's easier to let go of bad memories, but... even bad memories are part of us. David... Storybrooke, David was- is... weak... confused... and he hurt the woman I love. I wouldn't give up being Charming just to be him. But you know what?  I wouldn't make the other trade either. Because that David reminds me not only of whom I lost... but of who I wanna be. My weaknesses and my strengths- David and the Prince. I am both. Just like you. You are both. The Town is both. We are both. Stay here and every choice is open to you.  Live in the woods if you want. Hell, live in a shoe if you want. Or eat frozen burritos and write software. Let's open Granny's and the school, and get back to work. I will protect you. She won't be able to hurt any of us, not as long as I'm alive. Not as long as we all come together... as we did before. As we shall do again."

The residents are motivated and encouraged by Charming's (reclaimed) positivity, bravery and leadership. They will work together!

Regina approaches the Kingdom limits on horseback and is blocked by Rump. It was always her plan to leave. She has a gift for him- the Spell Book- she doesn't want it. But he feels she can't give him a gift as it was his to start with.
Rump- "Before you go... answer me this... How did it feel?"
Regina- "I love my mother."  But that's not what he asked!
Rump- "How did it feel to use magic?"
Regina- "It doesn't matter- I'll never use it again."
Rump- "Why not?"
Regina- "Because I loved it."
Rump is pleased. "You discovered who you are. You could do so much now.  ♪ If you let me show you how ♪"
Regina is intrigued. "Through magic?"
Rump- "Through many things.
Regina- "And what do you get out of it?
Rump- "Someday... You'll do something for me. (holds out the book) Let me guide you."
Before she takes back the book she asks "And  I won't become like her?"
Rump- "That, Dearie... is entirely up to you."

Regina sits at her dining table in her house, holding and staring at the book when sword wielding Charming literally kicks in her door demanding to see Henry.  Regina walks right up to Charming's sword and calmly calls Henry down. She tells Charming he won't be using his sword. But Charming warns that he can fight whatever she can conjure. She means he won't need it.  Regina seems genuine when she gets eye level with Henry to talk.  "Henry, you're gonna go home with David. Really. I shouldn't have brought you here. I was... I don't know how to love very well. I wasn't capable of it for a very long time.  But I know... I remember that if you hold onto to someone to hard- it doesn't make them love you. I'm sorry I lied to you, that I made you feel like I didn't know who you are. But I want you to be here because you want to be here, not because... I forced you... and not because of magic. I want to redeem myself. Go get your things."

Henry heads up stairs. Charming wants Regina to "prove it."  She wonders how.
Charming- "Answer one question. Does it exist? (What?) The Enchanted Forest- our land? Does it still exist?"
Regina admits it does, but she doesn't know how to get back there. She can see she's just launched Charming on a heroic quest. "Just also make sure you can take care of my son."  Charming can do that. {They look deep into each other's eyes.} The men leave.

Business start to reopen in Storybrooke and the Six Dwarfs are armed with pickaxes. They run into Sneezy/Clark, who wonders what they need those (pickax) for.  Grumpy tells him "Don't worry brother- You've lost something and it's gonna take fairy dust to get it back. So we're gonna do what we do best. Come on boys- it's off to work we go."

Charming and Henry enter Granny's Diner and find sad Geppetto sitting alone. Henry whispers something in his ear.

Geppetto enters the room where we last saw wood Pinocchio {The door was slightly ajar.} But he isn't there. Geppetto finds the boy's hat.

Mr. Gold stands at the line they're not supposed to cross- knowing he can't cross.
Regina is about to throw the Spell Book into the fire (place) and has seconds thoughts and locks it away (Key) in a cabinet.

Charming shares with Henry that The Enchanted Forest is still out there- and so are they. Henry asks "How do we know they survived the trip there?"
Charming- "Because I can feel it."

Prisoners Emma and Snow are being led via roped hands by Mulan and Aurora across the gray shore/beach. {There are three horses.}
Snow- "What is this place?"
Mulan- "Our home."
They arrive at a little village where Emma remarks the people look like refugees. Mulan corrects her, "We're survivors."  Snow tells Emma to run as she tries to break free.  Mulan uses a slingshot and knocks out Snow. Concerned Emma tries to wake her up- calling her Mary Margaret. Mulan instructs someone to take them to the pit.  Inside the pit Emma and {unconscious Snow} are greeted by a friend lurking from the dark asking if she needs help.
Emma- "Who are you?"
Only identified as a friend, we see that it is Cora.