The Doctor

"These pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them." - Rumi

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

A Whale of a Tale

The writers picked an interesting classic literary character to introduce and add to the mystery of this fairy tale mash-up.

It's a good thing no one reads my notes because even when I re-read them I think I'm going crazy with seeing connections to the "Island".  I owe the writers of ONCE a heartfelt apology for my insanity with thinking that their story has some sort of a connection to LOST; especially when their intention is simply to give us their own beautiful and unique fairy tale- which they are and I truly love very much! Plus I respect and I'm always inspired by the wonderful creative works they constantly give us. I really do feel stupid making these connections, and I really hope the writers wouldn't be insulted by my delving into the LOSTness facet of their story. I don't know... maybe I am going crazy and I need some professional help with this. Perhaps a trip to Storybrooke or a trip back the "Island" is the prescription I need.  Nonetheless, ONCE is so amazing on so many levels. I truly love every second of it and long for more.

As these people play their roles in these fantastical environments, they find that this wonderful adventurous journey serves a purpose- to transform them. They are the cause of their own suffering and solely responsible for their own happiness, but they don't realize they have the capacity and the power within them to achieve wondrous things. This journey is a bit like therapy, enabling them to utilize the lessons learned from challenges and take steps in retraining their minds, building confidence and healing their hearts.  The reward is that the path will lead them home.

The Wizarding Doctor: As I watched the episode unfold I noted many obvious Wizard of Oz overtones and couldn't help but wonder how the world of Frankenstein fits into our fairy tale- but it does. Reanimation- breathing new life into someone is the key to that.  But as far as fantasy lands go, Dr. Whale told us he wasn't from their world. Okay, I get that; and I get that everything is connected. We know there are many worlds, lands and realms.  But if you've read the book Frankenstein (aka, The Modern Prometheus), a novel written by Mary Shelley, we know her story was conceived in a dream. She had a friendly competition with her fiancée and a couple of friends to see who could write the best horror story.  Mary's story is about a creature created by an eccentric medical-scientific experiment of piecing together body parts of miscellaneous deceased people and reanimating the dead.  Although this fiction as well as the actual "science" of the tale is born from fantasy, this story itself doesn't take place in a fairy tale or fantasy environment, it takes place in Geneva.  In addition, the characters are regular people and scientists; except for frenzied Dr. Frankenstein, whom is a bit obsessed with his vision and god-like complex.

Of course Frankenstein is a term that relates to the monstrous creature that was created. But I must note that in the story, when speaking to Victor Frankenstein, the monster refers to himself as "the Adam of your labors."

Welcome Back to the Land of the Living

We find Dr. Whale/Victor take the LOST sentiment "See you in another life, brotha" to a whole other level.  He goes to great lengths to breathe new life into the dead.  His motives were to help Regina with her "Daniel" issue as a means to help him get home to his brother.
Note: We see him in a lab declare "It's alive" and not "He's alive", when seeing his shocking experiment through.

There are many things in ONCE that are under the same umbrella as LOST.  Charlotte declared "This place is death" and she's right. The "Island" is the place you go to die so you can experience a rebirth.
Immobilized, frozen, stuck and paralyzed. John Locke was metaphorically paralyzed, as were his fellow Castaways. Frozen and unable to move forward- just like the "Island" itself.  They learned that until you can un-stick it/yourself, you're not going anywhere. You must find the power within you, as painful as it may be to accomplish this.  But there are guides to help you along the way and offer a little push when you need. In the end you'll be the better for it.

Rumple already has knowledge of some "power" and is willing to share it.  He's very clear to his apprentice, Regina that how she wields this "power" will be determined only by her own hearts will and desire. The choice is hers.  Of course, Rumple has his own motives as well.  Everyone has a motive.  Rumple had made his monster and Whale created/reanimated his. But guess what? We all have monsters, dragons and ogres to defeat.

Whatever Happened Happened

Magic is like a drug for Regina, an addiction. We're seeing that these people have vices, bad habits and they need to change that behavior.

Regina hasn't been able to let certain things in her past go and this fueled her anger and control issues. The result is Regina became her mother.

Metaphorically Regina has been emotionally preserving Daniel in such a state of importance and "holding on" that it only feeds her pain. Regina had to literally come face to face with Daniel to "let him go so" she can be free to love again. Although Dr. Whale reanimates the tool (Daniel), it is really Regina's pain  we see manifested in this challenging exchange with Daniel. She finally says goodbye to him, letting him go... but can she really let her anger go as well?

Connect Four

While all of this digging down deeper to find and uncover the real "person", they also seem to be learning to connect.

Locke connected with the "Island" and here in Storybrooke we're seeing that Henry must learn to connect with the horse. It's a matter of learning to be being "in tune."

Higher collective consciousness- Enlightenment: I kind of feel like everyone's asleep and dreaming- transcending realms and crossing over into each other's consciousness. Can this be accomplished via some transcendence, transport or "travel" mechanism?  Maybe the possibility exists that there's some science connected to all of that magic. Now, that doesn't mean they're all on the same plane, but maybe they're getting there.  Go ahead mock the shit out of me. I can take it, as I've done many, many times before.  I do feel like ONCE Upon A Time connects to LOST.  I'm just gonna ask it already... Could we be privy to some input via Mittelos Bioscience, the Hanso Foundation and the DHARMA Initiative?  It could be. Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?!

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

๑ "An island full of corpses."   Death
๑ Island- tropical plants
๑ Coma. Unconscious. Sleep. Dream- Wake up.
๑ Black. White. Red
๑ Rumple teaches the "ripping out of hearts" bit
๑ I guess Rumple was looking for the ruby red/silver "slippers" to get to that land- Kansas
๑ An interesting version of Jefferson.
๑ Who is Whale's brother? What if Dr. Whale's brother is a twin? Why bring back Daniel, is that just for Regina's sake?
๑ Time issue: Hook arrived at Mulan's camp a few months ago, he admits he's Cora's plant, yet the ladies just came upon him.
๑ Did Dr. Whale sleep with Kathryn too?
๑ Hook is missing a hand (via Rumple). Dr. Whale loses an arm. Daniel.
๑ Compass
๑ Smoke and Mirrors. Con. Lies. Tricks {palm}. Charlatan. Wizard
๑ I love the color and black and white visuals
๑ Dead is Dead
๑ School. Learning. Experiments. Coach. Teach. Training.
๑ Vault
๑ Regina's father Henry's "grave" is in Storybrooke and on the "Island" Jack's father's coffin is there.
๑ Free reign- Royal passport
๑ Science. Lab. Experiments.
๑ Karma


Vocabulary and Research...

๑ 1931's Frankenstein and 1935's The Bride of Frankenstein films were both directed by James Whale.
๑ "The Whale" is an instrumental by the Electric Light Orchestra. The song is track 15 from their 1977 double LP Out of the Blue. The song was the B-side of their United States single "It's Over" in 1978 and on a remastered version on their box set compilation Flashback.
๑ Pink Protea Plant/flower: was named in 1735 by Carl Linnaeus after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his form at will; because proteas have such a wide variety of forms. Versions of this plant are found in southern Africa, and in Australia and South America and the other smaller segments of Gondwana that are now part of eastern Asia.
๑ A Wizard is someone who is an accomplished magician.
๑ Knight: A game piece in Chess.  Knight's Tour is a mathematical problem involving a Knight on a chess board.
- Crainte et tremblement- The book in the Temple is "Fear and Trembling" (original title: Frygt og Bæven), a philosophical work by Danish philosopher, theologian, and psychologist Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, published in 1843 under the pseudonym Johannes de silentio (John the Silent). In the book Kierkegaard introduces the “Knight of Faith” and contrasts him with the "knight of infinite resignation". The latter gives up everything in return for the infinite, that which he may receive after this life, and continuously dwells with the pain of his loss. The former, however, not only relinquishes everything, but also trusts that he will receive it all back, his trust based on the "strength of the absurd".
๑ Crystals: The history of talismans and amulets, made by alchemists, priests, magicians, magi, shamans, and witches, goes back as far as there are records. Can be used in meditation for contacting higher self, relaxation, creative visualization, allowing out flow, healing, opening energy centers,grounding and connecting with guides.  
White (Hope)  
Silver (Introspection)  
Black (Protection)  
Brown (Grounding)
Clear
Purple
Green
- Black Crystal- Black crystals are very protective and offer you a retreat, the safety of being hidden from your enemies. Use the as protective amulets. Carry them when you are concerned with your personal safety. Keep one near your front door. They also have water energy. 
- Black is not a color, but rather the lack of color. In nature, black is the color of night when the moon is not in the sky to illuminate the landscape. Dark night is a time of unease in which the familiar world is obscured. Black often associated with death
๑ Unicorn:  First mentioned by the ancient Greeks, it became the most important imaginary animal of the Middle Ages and Renaissance when it was commonly described as an extremely wild woodland creature, a symbol of purity and grace, which could only be captured by a virgin.
- Narwhal, an Arctic species of Whale which, with a tusk attached to their head
- Unicorn (spider), a genus of Oonopidae
- Unicorn. Album by T-Rex:
1. "Chariots of Silk"
2. "Pon a Hill"
3. "The Seal of Seasons"
4. "The Throat of Winter"
5. "Cat Black (The Wizard's Hat)"
6. "Stones for Avalon"
7. "She Was Born to Be My Unicorn"
8. "Like a White Star, Tangled and Far, Tulip That's What You Are"
Side Two
1. "Warlord of the Royal Crocodiles"
2. "Evenings of Damask"
3. "The Sea Beasts"
4. "Iscariot"
5. "Nijinsky Hind"
6. "The Pilgrim's Tale"
7. "The Misty Coast of Albany"
8. "Romany Soup"

 ✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale

✈ Experiment. The DHARMA Initiative
✈ Karma
✈ Life, death, rebirth.
✈ Immobilized. Frozen. Paralyzed.
✈ 8
✈ Flash- Flashback
✈ Dead is Dead
✈ Let go
✈ Guard. Sentry. Watch.
✈ School.  Learning. Experiments. Coach. Teach. Training.
✈ Time
✈ Protect
✈ Hidden
✈ Vault- The Orchid Station
✈ Con. Tricks. Smoke and mirrors
✈ (Radio) tower. Communication.
✈ Limbs. Organs
✈ Whispers
✈ Psychology
✈ Science. Lab. Experiments.
✈ Carte Blanche
✈ Tied to a tree: Sawyer, Sayid and Ben
✈ Ash
✈ Risk
✈ Has work to do
✈ Puzzle. Game
✈ Montand lost his arm, so did Ray Mullen
✈ Cabin Fever 
✈ Across the Sea
✈ Pilot P2- Recorded on a loop that ran for over 16 years, Danielle is heard (translated) saying in French, "...It killed them. It killed them all." And in Solitary the hearing of said translated loop "...He killed them. He killed them all."

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

The ladies come upon the usually guarded by sentries tower and find their people have been slain. Just before this discovery, Snow is encouraging Aurora to "leave the particulars" of the honorable Lancelot death and Cora escaping events to them. Aurora sees this as lying.

Mulan feels this can't be because their land there was protected- hidden. "How did the Ogre's find us?"  Snow realizes by evidence of the slain hearts being ripped out, that Cora did this.  "This is her magic. Twisted and evil. We have to stop her."
Mulan- "Too late. She killed them. She killed them all."
Emma notices movement under some debris. {Well} There's someone under there! A man- Hook.  He begs for their help. Snow assures him he's safe now.

Acting sheriff, Charming/David, is met by Dr. Whale, who needs to talk to him. David punches the doctor for sleeping with his wife. Dr. Whale questions "Kathryn?" David confirms "Snow."  Of course the Dr. didn't know because he was cursed. Whale goes on to ask David if its true what people are saying; "That you're trying to find a way to build a portal back to your land because that's where you think Emma and Mary Margaret are? That they're alive."  David says (Well) the whispers can stop, as he has no secrets from this town- that's exactly what he's doing. Whale informs him that the land is gone; destroyed by the curse.  David tells him it's not, but isn't having any luck accomplishing this yet. Whale wonders if this means all the lands still exist.  David looks at him with curiosity and a bit of suspicion. "Possibly."  Whale knows the Queen lied to them again and asks if David's sure.
David- "Remember who we're talking about."

Regina shows up at Archie's to see him for a chat. She admits she's been trying to keep her promise to Henry, but it's been difficult.  It's been two days since she used magic. Archie commends her on an excellent start.
Regina admits that magic is the way she's always gotten everything.
Archie- "Sounds like its also the way you've lost everything. Regina, this is your chance to start over. To earn Henry."  Just then Dr. Whale walks right in to confront Regina, demanding she send him back- to his land and to his brother.  Regina looks confused and tells him to check the "Missing" board like everyone else.  Whale states that her curse only brought the "living."
Regina- "Well, then, I'm sorry for your loss."  She can't send anyone anywhere. Archie orders Dr. Whale to "Go!"  Regina seems surprised that Archie was so assertive.  Archie asks if what she said wasn't entirely true; about the curse only taking the living. "The grave of your father's here, right?"
Regina makes it clear she doesn't care about Whale or his brother, as she brought who she wanted.
Archie- "Anyone else?"  He wants Regina to trust him- so she can open up and be honest. "Stopping magic is a lot harder than starting."

Rumpelstiltskin is working with his apprentice, Regina, on enchanting a black Unicorn.  He instructs her to immobilize it.  Once the Unicorn is frozen on its hind legs, Rumple gives her one last tiny detail- to take its heart.
Regina- "Like what my mother did to ..."
Rumple-"Ah, you're true love, indeed. Then you already know how it's done."
Rumple coaches her as she approaches the Unicorn. "Gentle. If you do it right, no harm will befall it. Unless of course- you will it." Looking into the Unicorn's eyes Regina backs off, unable to do it to this innocent creature.
Rumple- "Nothing is innocent." He plunges his hand into the Unicorn and removes its heart. The Unicorn is unfrozen, but belonging to Rumple. "You see, you take a heart it becomes enchanted. Stronger than a normal heart. You're not hurting the beast- you're controlling it. Now, show me you know what you can do with that power. (tosses her the heart) Kill it."  He wants her to prove she can take the next step in her training. "Crush it."   Regina begins to squeeze the heart but stops when she sees it's taking down the Unicorn. She can't do it; she didn't sign up to kill Unicorns.  Rumple had high hopes for her. "Magic is power! Until you can take power- you're not learning anything. Do you want me to teach you or not?"
Regina- "Yes!"
Rumple- "Then there's one simple question for you to ponder."
Regina- "I'll tell you anything."
Rumple giggles "I don't need the answer- you do. ... What's holding you back?"

 

Regina pays a visit to Daniel; laying "dead" in is see through/glass coffin (hands in Mudra mediation/balance position) and places an enchantment spell over him.

Regina shares with Archie "His name was Daniel. I preserved his body with an enchantment spell. He's dead, but frozen. And I've kept him in my family mausoleum."  Because she can't let go of him. Archie encourages if she can't let go of the past, its doomed to haunt her.  Regina gets teary, she's had enough. She also doubts Archie can help her.

Regina's driving in the rain and sees Daniel standing near the library- and then he disappears.

David and Henry arrive at the stable. Henry yawns and David jokes that this isn't school and it should be fun.  Henry admits he couldn't sleep. David bends down eye level to the boy and tells him "I miss 'em too."   He tells the boy Emma and Snow will be when they come home to find Henry's become a proper Knight.   David tells the boy to say hello to your steed. But Henry approaches the wrong horse and is introduced to the correct horse; stall number 8.  He also tells him that he's not riding today, as there's much the boy must learn before he hops in the saddle. The boy will learn everything from the basics onward- twice a day. Henry doesn't feel that's riding, he feels that's babysitting. David corrects him "Horse-sitting. It builds an essential bond. The trust between Knight and steed."  Henry's only interested in "When will I ride him?"
David- "When the horse tells you."  He's going to check on the Dwarfs to  see how the mining is going. He'll pick the kid up later.

Henry asks the horse "So, anything you wanna tell me?"  The horse literally shakes his head "no."

Regina visits her tomb (ring of skeleton keys and wearing a crystal). She makes her way down below to find Daniel's see through/glass coffin is empty.

Rumple sits quiet spinning at his wheel.  Student Regina asks him if he's ready to being- to which he's been ready. He asks her "Are you?"  Regina's ready.

The teacher asks "Tell me why you're really here."
Regina- "For power, for..."
Rumple- "Stop wasting my time! What is it you want? Come on. You've done all your soul searching. Now tell me."
Regina- "Can you teach me how to use magic to bring back the dead?"
Rumple- "That's what this is about? The stable boy?"  Regina claims to want true happiness.
Rumple- "Then find it elsewhere, Dearie! Magic can do much, but not that. Dead is dead."
Regina is dejected and claims "Then I am lost."
Rumple- "And I've had my time wasted.  I'm sorry but, uh, transcending death is beyond even my reach."

Appearing out of the blue is Jefferson. "I thought nothing was beyond your reach."  Rumple ignores Regina, advising Jefferson to do the same.  Jefferson brought Rumple the item he wanted, a crystal ball- sans the slippers.
Jefferson- "Uh, couldn't find 'em. Heard talk they've already been moved to another land."
Rumple- "That's what I needed to get to that other land."  (Regina knocks something over) Jefferson tells Rumple to "Well, come with me in my hat, I'm sure we can work something out."
Rumple says no, as his hat only transports between magical realms. "I need to get to a land without magic."  Jefferson finds this strange. "Why would anyone want that?"  But this is Rumple's business. Rumple will still take the ball and pays Jefferson with gold he's spun; trusting him to help himself to take only what he deems appropriate.   Rumple tells Regina to let herself out; their work  is done. He won't teach while she's harboring foolish notions of bringing back the dead. "So long as you live in the past, you'll never find your future. Teaching you is a waste of time." Rumple walks away.
Silly eavesdropping Jefferson thinks Regina needs to look elsewhere for assistance. He hears things. "Jefferson's the name, and I'm a man who travels and sees much. And I know the man who can do what you want- bring back the dead. He's, um, you might say- a Wizard. I can bring him to you."  His price is a Royal Passport. He's made many enemies and would like free reign to traverse her Kingdom. He figures this naive woman is the Queen, "Aren't you?"  Regina is. She asks if this Wizard really can bring someone back from the dead.
Jefferson- "Well, if he can't... then no one can."

Mulan tells Emma that this man arrived at their camp a few months ago; he's is a blacksmith who lost his hand in an Ogre attack. Emma wonders why Cora would leave a survivor. She's cautious over this little mess and knows Cora's tricked them before and doesn't want that to happen again.
Emma asks the blacksmith, "An island full of corpses. You're the only one to escape. How exactly did that happen?"  The blacksmith informs the ladies that "She attacked at night. Slaughtered everyone in one fell swoop. When she started ripping out people's hearts I hid under the bodies of those who had already been killed. Pretended to be dead myself. Mercifully the ruse worked."  It was all he could do to survive. Emma gets down to his eye level to let him in on her superpower secret; she's pretty good at knowing when someone is lying to her. The man says he's telling her the truth. Mulan suggests they leave there in case Cora decides to go back. Snow says they should start searching for a new portal back to Storybrooke; she only got about 5 minutes with her husband- not to mention her grandson.  With that, the blacksmith offers to guide them, as he knows this land well. Emma pulls a knife on him (throat) "You're not gonna guide us anywhere until you tell us who you really are."

Regina enters the secret dark deserted lower level mental ward where she looks around for Dr. Whale. "...Where are you?"

"Where is he, this Wizard?" Regina asks Jefferson, as they walk the long hall of the castle. Jefferson warns her to be cautious. He's not dangerous to them- "But bear in mind he's never been to a world like this before. He's unfamiliar with our ways... with our magic." Regina only cares about what she wants from this Wizard.
In dramatic fashion Jefferson introduces the mysterious man. "Now, may I present to you... your salvation."

The man sits sketching/drawing the tropical flower that is in front of him.
Regina asks "You're the Wizard?"  The man prefers "Doctor. But you're welcome to call me whatever makes you comfortable."   Regina calls him doctor. The Doctor understands why he was brought there and asks to see the patient.

The Doctor finds Daniel's state remarkable; as if his last breathe was drawn moments ago. That's due to Regina's preservation spell. Do determine if this Doctor can bring him back, he cuts into Daniel's hand, drawing blood, and indeed does determine "His condition is ideal- apart from being dead, that is."  Cautious Regina asks him how many times he's done this before. The Doctor reveals the procedure is experimental; success is yet to occur. But, if certain conditions are met, he's optimistic. Regina wonders what kind of charlatan he is.  The Doctor claims to be no such thing. "I was told the last piece of the crucial puzzle exists in this land."  He also needs a strong heart; a fragile organ. "I've searched the far reaches of my realm for one with the fortitude to withstand the shock of my procedure- none have survived. But they say in your land there are hearts transformed by magic. Hearts made so powerful they glow."  He needs this for his work. The Doctor asks Regina how she changes these hearts. "How do you enchant them?"
Jefferson answers. "Those who practice the dark arts do it by ripping the organ out of the living while it still beats."  Regina claims she can't do that act. The Doctor was assured this Queen was some powerful sorceress.
Regina- "I will not use magic for evil."
Apparently if she wants her fiancée back then she's going to have to find someone who will.  The Doctor asks if he's wasted his time there. Nope, Regina knows exactly who can help them. "I know where to get a heart."

Regina enters a medical procedure room with flickering electricity and the room is in shambles.  She uncovers a table with body/severed limbs/hand and in a fright knocks into a glowing florescent light. She discovers Dr. Whale laying on the ground. "I know you took Daniel's body and  you took one of my hearts. Why? Why?! Did you bring him back?"
The Doctor claims "I did it."
Regina- "He's alive?"
Whale- "Yes. I brought him back but... he's not Daniel. He's... He's a monster."

Regina stands in front of a roaring fire in the castle fireplace. This was her mother's . The men aren't impressed. Regina tells them to "Just listen."  The sound of a beating heart is heard. It's coming from her/Cora's vault. Regina magically transforms the fireplace and opens a doorway and they make their way down the steps to the vault of red glowing beating hearts claimed by heart collector, Cora. Regina doesn't know whose hearts these are, as Cora took so many and caused so much pain- it was impossible to keep track. "She was a monster."  The Doctor opens a box with a glowing red beating heart. "Finally. After all this time. It's perfect."

Regina observes Dr. Whale from behind the glass wall of his hospital room. We hear the heart monitor beeping.  David arrives asking what happened; he heard Whale was attacked. Regina tells David to ask Whale's Doctors. Regina shares (the truth) that she came there to talk to Whale and discovered he was hurt. She was to talk to him about someone from her past. "I believe he's come back. Daniel. Daniel's his name."  David knows this as the man she was to marry; Snow told him how it was her fault the man died.
Regina- "Yes. He did."
David wonders "Then how can he be back?"
Regina- "Whale. He believed he could bring him back from the grave, and I don't know how, but he has."  She tells David he practices something more powerful than magic- or so she was told. All he needed was a heart and he took one of hers. David is stunned! "You have hearts here?" Regina admits "In my vault- from our land."  David asks whose heart Whale took, but Regina has no idea. "I took so many it was impossible to keep track."  Regina must leave to go find Daniel, but David won't let her go, giving her two choices "Tell me where he is or jail." Regina feels Daniel won't hurt anyone else and also feels "I think it's like when you awoke from your coma. He's following his final thoughts to where he last met me. The Stables."  David freaks out because Henry's at the stables.

Henry brushes and chats with his horse about being anxious to ride, but all the horses start reacting to something. Henry gets knocked down and his horse runs out and Daniel appears.

Mulan ties the blacksmith to the tree because Emma doesn't believe him. She threatens him that the Ogres can get to the truth by ripping him limb from limb. The Ogres can be heard in the distance.  The ladies walk away from the scared man. Aurora wonders if he's telling the truth, but Emma knows he's not.  The man calls out from the tree "Good for you! You bested me. I can count on one hand the amount of people who've done that on one hand."
Emma asks him "Who are you?"   This is Killian Jones. "But most people have taken to call me by my more colorful moniker- Hook."  The ladies verify this by checking his satchel.  Emma's heard of Captain Hook. Emma hurries the man to talking as the Ogres are getting closer.  He reveals Cora wanted him to gain their trust so he could learn everything about Storybrooke; she didn't want any surprises when she finally got over there.  He also admits that even though the ladies destroyed the wardrobe the enchantment remains. Cora gathered the ashes and will use them to open up a portal. He wants to be cut loose, as he's not responsible for the lives taken there; that was Cora. The ladies walk away but Hook yells that they need him alive. "Because we both want the same thing. To get back to your land."  Emma knows he would say anything to save himself so why should they believe him now. Hook arranged for transport with Cora, but since Emma is also resourceful he offers her the same deal. "I'll help you if... you promise to take me along."
Snow asks "How are you going to help us get home?"  Hook reveals that the ashes will open a portal, but to find your land she needs more. There's an enchanted compass, Cora seeks it. I'll help you obtain it before she does.
Emma- "So Cora won't make it to Storybrooke and we'll get one step closer to getting home." Emma looks over at Snow for her take, but Snow feels it sounds too good to be true.  With the Ogres approaching Emma (whispers) to Hook demanding he tell her this one thing (and whatever he says she better believe it) "Why does Captain Hook wanna go to Storybrooke?"
Hook- "To exact revenge on the man who took my hand. Rumpelstiltskin."

Henry is trying to communicate with the man (Daniel- bloody left hand) standing in front of him. The horses are scared. Henry asks "Are you hurt? Can I help you?"  Henry holds up his hand to offer him help, but this causes Daniel to have a Flash of when Cora ripped out his heart. Now enraged, Daniel chokes Henry and is stopped by Regina. David makes Henry run off.
Regina sees it's true, Daniel's really here.  Daniel looks confused. As her runs to attack her, David slams the door on him but the lock won't hold for long! David asks her if she can cast a spell to subdue him, but she won't use magic on him. {WTF?! You already have.}  David readies his gun. "He's a monster, Regina! If you won't put him down then I will!"  Emotional Regina pleads to talk to her fiancée Daniel.

Regina gives the Wizard Doctor the box containing a heart so he can perform the procedure- alone. {Thunder and lightning.} Regina asks Jefferson "What's he doing back there, magic?"
Jefferson- "He says he wields power greater than magic."  They watch the Doctor's performance behind the curtain (tent).  Curious Regina wonders "Why won't he let us see?"
Jefferson- "In his land there's much we don't understand- or can't. If he can't achieve what you seek, Rumpelstiltskin was right, it can't be done."   We (somewhat) see the Wizard Doctor "plunge the heart downward, into the patient, Daniel with a wonderfully timed lightning strike.
Regina is hopeful when the Wizard Doctor comes out with news. But the Wizard Doctor has failed. "The heart wasn't strong enough. It couldn't withstand the procedure."  Regina visits with lifeless Daniel. She lays her head on his chest/heart.


Regina unlocks the stable door to visit with reanimated Daniel. She is happy to see him, but he only chokes her. She begs him to stop and he does only when she whispers "It's me. I love you."  This snaps him out of his "rage" and they hug.  {PLAY THE SCENE I POSTED AT THE TOP OF THIS POST} Daniel is reacting physically to the pain and wants it to stop. "Just stop the pain."
Regina- "How?"
Daniel- "Just let me go.
Regina- "No. No, I won't lose you again. Without you I'm lost."  Daniel's pain continues.  Regina begs him to come back to her, but he can't.
Regina- "But I love you."
Daniel looks in her eyes and tenderly says "Then love again." He pulls away from her and again becomes enraged. As her goes after her their hands meet and a magical forcefield radiates in Daniel. Regina cries and with the wave of her hand Daniel magically disappears. "Goodbye, Daniel."

On their walk through the forest, Hook informs them up head; they'll find the compass just over the ridge. Snow tells Emma she feels as if he's leading them into a trap for Cora. Emma feels its definitely a trap, but as long as we know they're trying to play them they can stay one step ahead.
They come upon the sky-scraping stalk that looks eerily similar to one Wizard of Oz cyclone. The compass is up there. Prisoner Hook tells her it's not the climb she needs to worry about- it's the giant at the top.

We see upset Regina drive her little Mercedes into Storybrooke town and pull over.

In the forest Regina, dressed in black, approaches Rumple who is in the middle of a training session with Regina's more dedicated replacement. Insulted and motivated Regina plunges her hand into the young woman and rips out her heart and crushes it. Rumple is pleased. They'll pick up where they left off. {He has the spell book.}

Upset and remorseful/guilty Regina goes back to Archie and confesses she used magic.

Jefferson leads the Wizard Doctor through the forest. The Wizard feels this is enough; he needs to be taken home. "I have work to do and I believe our deal here is done."  But the deal isn't done until he, Rumple, says its done. Rumple tells him to have patience, as their transaction is nearly complete. The three were in a con spearheaded by Rumple to trick Regina. The ruse proved her heartbroken. Rumple has seen the aftermath of this. The Wizard Doctor gets his property back; a box containing a beating heart. He feels it was a pleasure doing business with them. Rumple thanks him, for its the Wizard's efforts Rumple was able to make his monster. "Now, I do hope you'll be able to make yours."
The Wizard claims he is not making a monster.
Rumple- "Sure, you're not. Good luck."
The Wizard- "If these hearts are as strong as you say I won't need luck."  What he's going to accomplish goes far beyond magic.
Rumple- "And yet you need a magical heart to do it."
The Wizard- "So small minded. I need my powers to transcend the power of limitations of your magic.
Rumple- "This must be quite a land you hail from- if you think your abilities are more... powerful."
The Wizard- "They are."
Rumple- "Care to wager? I suspect someday... you'll see it my way."
The confident Wizard doubts it.  Jefferson readies his hat portal to get the Wizard back to his land.
Rumple warns the Wizard to be careful "Whatever it is you traffic in... it comes with a price."
The Wizard- "We'll see."  He jumps into the portal with Jefferson.

One armed Dr. Whale carries a cooler containing an/his arm, and pays a visit to Mr. Gold's/Rumpelstiltskin shop.

 Mr. Gold/Rumple will reattach his arm, but first he wants Whale to tell him why.  Whale says "Because I want to use it again."  Rumple meant "Why bring that stable boy back from the dead? Why now?"  Whale thought that if he helped her, she would return him back to his world. "I want to see my brother. To try to bring him back again." He explains "The first time ended badly. I need to return and try it once more."
Rumple feels that's beyond her abilities. "My condolences."  About Whale's arm- there's a difference between can and will.  Rumple's price is to hear Whale "say it."
Whale- "I need magic."
Rumple- "That's all I needed to hear." With the wave of his hand he magically reattached the Doctor's arm. "Always a pleasure doing business with you, uh, Victor."  They shake hands.

In shades of dark and light: the only color is presented with the glowing red heart.
In an old castle laboratory on a dark stormy night, the Doctor {with his heart in a box} returns to meet with his lab assistant. His assistant asks "Did you find what you were looking for?"
The doctor has, and presents the remarkable heart. He believes it's the final piece to the puzzle.

The Doctor uses the already churning electricity to help power the components of his lab and send shock waves into the sheet covered body on the table. "It's alive."  A {left" hand reaches out from under the sheet. Victor believes he's done it. "Welcome back, brother."  The impressed assistant feels it's magic.
Victor Frankenstein- "No. Not magic. Science."

The Return

"As children, we all live in a world of imagination, of fantasy, and for some of us that world of make-believe continues into adulthood.”  ― Jim Henson

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


This episode was very emotional and powerful.  Both Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold and Emma have a child they're trying to find.

Fear is a very powerful thing

Let's acknowledge two important things:
 
1.) To be clear- Rumpelstiltskin is a man; A human man.
2.) Upon gaining his "dark power", the newly appropriated "Dark One", Rumpelstiltskin, liberated all the children from the Ogre Wars and returned them to their families; and he created a truce.  Was that the actions of "darkness"?  Nope.  Rumpelstiltskin used his newly found "power" for a good and noble cause.  He should have been recognized as a hero.  His powers could have been seen as a blessing in disguise.  But sadly Rumpelstiltskin didn't change his or the towns perspective on how the "power" could be seen.  Living with the belief he/the power is "dark", people would now respect Rumpelstiltskin and no longer belittle him and call him weak.  His need for more power is fueled by him feeling it's the only way he can protect Bae.

And who's not to say that Mr. Gold's goal in Storybrooke isn't the same as the noble task of returning children home to their families and ending a war, as was done in Fairy Tale Land; but this time with a much brighter outcome- He reunites with Bae.

A leap of faith

At the otherworldly vortex, we see the literal and metaphoric struggle of Rumpelstiltskin clinging to the power of the dagger (his power and ego) and the pulling/losing of his son.  He had a tiny window to make a choice, to be free of the dark power and live a new life with Bae.  Bae was certain going through the whirling green light into another world was the answer to a better existence for him and his father.  Bae was fearless. But Rumpelstiltskin's fear, coupled with his attachment to his power, was so strong that he couldn't find the strength within himself to fight that and be with Bae. 

Rumpelstiltskin was so terrified of the unknown that he couldn't take a leap of faith with Bae, hence he lost him to the world without magic. This causes Rumpelstiltskin's great suffering. So, maybe Rumpelstiltskin made the spell for Regina- with a loophole- to bring him (and the rest of the characters) to the land where Bae should be.  When Rumpelstiltskin finally does find Bae in that world or any other world wouldn't that be pretty fuckin' magical?!  That in itself makes it magic.

Talking with Archie may be the very first time Mr. Gold has faced his pain.  Mr. Gold acquires some courage, faces and pours his heart out to August, (who is impersonating his son Bae).  It seems that Mr. Gold's words were from his pained heart.  He was moved to be reunited with "Bae" and truly wanted his son's forgiveness.  In Fairy Tale Land Bae wanted things to go back to the way they were... but it is my experience that things can never go back to the way they were. You can only hope to move forward from whatever place one is currently in and make things more positive. Embrace a new beginning.

August taking advantage of Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold puts him on the defensive.  I wonder if Bae is in Storybrooke and if so, is he hanging back, watching to see if he's welcomed, and if his father has changed and would all be forgiven?

Eye of the beholder

As you can see, the individual perception and definition of "magic" differs from person to person.  This is also true to some other issues we witness with these characters.  Perception becomes your reality.

In addition to the perception issue I noted in the beginning of this post, another example is when Morraine heard the other soldiers speak of "It", Reul Ghorm; an ancient being that rules the night- The original power- bigger than anything.  Yet we discover Reul Ghorm is a tiny blue fairy.  The notion and interpretation of "It" is formed individually by assumption via stories, rumor, guessing, experience, judgment and beliefs.
Also, Morraine doesn't think Rumpelstiltskin is "that bad."  She saw him walking onto the battlefield and stopped the fighting. She felt it was like a miracle.

And of course, the conversation between the Blue Fairy and Rumpelstiltskin literally addresses the perception topic.

Pay attention to what all of these people are saying to each other. There is much confusion and misunderstanding, assuming, and a dose of conning going on too.  Seeing and hearing what one wants to see and hear, or what one chooses to ignore, even when it's right in front of their eyes; there's even a case of mistaken identity.

* Mr. Gold is smart with semantics and his deal with Regina.  She assumes he's going to play things how she imaged they should go.  But he outsmarted her by doing just enough for her, but without killing anyone. These two have their own agenda for the deals they are making, but is one willing to kill?

* August mentions he thought "the entrance" was in Mr. Gold's office in his shop.

* Emma admits to being a blind sheriff.  She actually knows lying, yet loyal Sidney is on Regina's side, yet she still would rather have his help bringing Regina down. Why won't she see what's really going on?

"It was the donkey's fault"

Was it the donkey's fault?  Oh, August... who are you- with your crafty lies, conning, pretending, storytelling, writing, drawing, improvisation, theatrics and your fondness for donkeys and lumber yards. Why do you need magic to cure your sickness?  Are you writing your story or someone else's?  Did you incorporate some new text into the story or change or take any out?  Henry ripped out the last few pages of his book. What exactly did August do with the book we saw him with?  Something isn't right here. Is something missing?  Hmm... What a tangled web we weave.
I wonder why August was willing to kill Mr. Gold - is it for the power alone?

Here's a (list) of a few more tid-bits from the original story The Adventures of Pinocchio

• Field of Miracles
• Improvisation acting
• Catchfools
• Pinocchio and the Fairy decide to become brother and sister. 
• He buries his gold then runs off to wait the twenty minutes it will take for his gold to grow
• Red Crayfish Inn
• Blue Fairy- Fairy with Turquoise Hair.
• Blue-haired Fairy sends a falcon and a poodle
• Whale
• Donkey
• Snail
• Pinocchio meets a fox (who pretends to be lame) and a Cat (who pretends to be blind)
• Mangiafuoco- wealthy director of the Great Marionette Theatre
• Harlequin, Punch, and Signora Rosaura are puppets 

It would be awesome if we could journey fearlessly through time and space.  Are we witnessing experiences in worlds that can be accessed diagonally?  Do they all go by pseudonyms in this adventure? Is there a place you can go to cure what ails you? I think there is. It sounds like a good time to me- I'm in!

The Newspaper in Storybrooke

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

๑ World. Realm. (Maps and globes)
๑ Kansas leads Dorothy to Oz- the other side of the rainbow. Oz is another land experienced via the mind- altered state of consciousness.
๑ Is Bae the 7 year old boy who found the baby on the side of the road? If not, who is?
๑ Does Archie know something he's not sharing with Mr. Gold.
๑ Bae is a deal maker, just like dad.
๑ Little Henry gets used by August, not only in Operation Cobra, but also his con with Mr. Gold.
   And Emma is willing to use Henry to get back at Regina.
๑ Truce
๑ In "Snow Falls" Snow White uses her "Dangerous Fairy Dust" to turn the Trolls into bugs
๑ Words. Story. Book. Novel. Drawing.
๑ Set. Movie. Theatrics. Improvisation. Make-believe/pretending. Playing a role of someone else.
๑ Game. Board. Win. Cheat. Loophole.
๑ 23
๑ 42
๑ Where's Tinker Bell?  Hints to Belle
๑ Bell. Tone
๑ Musical instruments
๑ Perfume
๑ Map
๑ Speak. Don't speak. Mute.
๑ See. Blind
๑ Hear.
๑ Right. Right side. Correct.
๑ Chest. Heart.
๑ Time. Lost time
๑ DNA. Related
๑ Mental health. Crazy. Sociopath. 
๑ The word "well" is used a lot!
๑ Nuns. Advisor.
๑ Onora is a Latin girl's name meaning "honor"
๑ Even mutes can draw a picture.
๑ The paperweight is a donkey- Lamp-wick is from Pinocchio. All "boys" are turned into donkeys.

Vocabulary and Research...

๑ The Bell is a short story by Hans Christian Anderson
๑ The color Green (in literature) may represent inexperience, hope, new life, immaturity. 
๑ Snail- coiled shell mollusk.
   - The phrase- at a snail's pace or very slow speed.
   - Snail Maze: a 1986 Sega video game
   - A spiral-shaped cam, used in striking clocks and other mechanisms
   - The Snail (L'escargot) is a collage by - Henri Matisse. The work was created at the Hotel Regina in Cimiez, Nice
๑ Bae, often spelled Pae or Pai, is a unique Korean family name.
     - Internet slang for baby
๑ Pseudonyms:
    - C. Collodi is the pseudonym of Carlo Lorenzini, author of The Adventures of Pinocchio
    - The Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll
๑ A pseudonym is a name a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from his or her original or real name and are often used to hide an individual's real identity:  This includes: stage names for actors and musicians, noms de plume/writers pen names, aliases, gamer identifications, anagrams, Graecisms, Latinisations, mystifications, nicknames, assumed names, graffiti artists' tags, resistance fighters' or terrorists' noms de guerre, and computer hackers' handles, (and orders) of popes and monarchs 
๑ Reul Ghorm literally translated in Gaelic-Irish is (ghorm) blue (reul) sixpence- Rumpelstiltskin translates it as The Blue Star- which that literal translation would possibly be- an réalta gorm.
๑ Mage: Someone who performs feats of magic.
   - are part of world of Dungeons & Dragons and the World of Warcraft.
   - Mage: The Ascension is a role-playing game based in the World of Darkness.
   - Mage: The Awakening is a role-playing game- characters in this game are able to bend or break the commonly-accepted rules of reality to perform subtle or outlandish acts of magic. These characters are broadly referred to as "mages". Mages "awaken" to the ways of magic.
๑ The Wheel of Time- is a series of epic fantasy novels written by American author James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under the pen name Robert Jordan. The first volume, The Eye of the World, was written in 1984. The stories major elements relate to mythology and the cyclical nature of time found in Buddhism and such.

✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale

✈  Arnold Böcklin: was a symbolist Swiss painter, 1827 – 1901. His works include The Isle of the Dead and The Return
✈  World. Realm.  Planes. (Maps and globes)
✈  Bae's glass magic bean is in the shape of a kidney: Locke's dad stole his kidney
✈  Game. Board. Win. Cheat. Loophole.
✈  Lab 
✈  Wake up. Awake.
✈  Sleep.
✈  Mental health. Crazy.
✈  Truce with the Others
✈  Dead. Not dead. Gone.
✈  Map
✈  Drugged
✈  Bugged
✈  Monitor
✈  Time and Space
✈  Advisor. Guides.
✈  Son- Sun
✈  Coward:  Desmond, Charlie, the boar that attacked Sawyer's stuff, and Keamy refers to Richard as one.
✈  Dr. Bae delivers "Ji Yeon"
✈  "Deus Ex Machina" John Locke doesn't want the "Island" to "take it back"; as the "Island" has magically healed his legs.
✈ "Raised by Another" during Hurley's census, Locke tells Hurley "I was looking for something."  Hurley asked "Looking.... uh huh. Did you find it?"   Locke replies- "No. It found me."
✈  "...supposed to die" is a phrase we mostly hear from and about Charlie Pace.
✈  "Orientation"  Locke asks Jack if he's upset "because he (Desmond) recognized you."

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

We get a view of a left foot in a black sock belonging to August whom is laying in his bed.  His leg starts to rumble, causing him great distress.  He tumbles out of his bed.  He hobbles his way over the desk with the old fashioned writers tools (typewriter and donkey paperweight) and calls someone from the old fashioned three-tone (copper - gold/emerald green) colored rotary phone. A bit out of breath he dials three digits and speaks to an unidentified person.
"Hey, you there? Good. This is taking too long, we need to accelerate the plan."

August and Henry discuss the plan in the rainy lumber yard. August informs Henry "It's almost 9:00. You all set? You know what to do?"  Henry says Operation Cobra is always ready. He just doesn't understand what this has to do with getting Emma to believe.
August tells him that "Sometimes other priorities assert themselves. Can you handle a little improvisation?"
Henry- "Yeah. Can you?" {Of course he can!}
August is pleased. "We're a go." He sends Henry on his mission to Mr. Gold's shop while he heads in the shop's back door.

Henry tells Mr. Gold he wants to buy a gift for Miss Blanchard; since she didn't kill that woman.  He looks at bells. You hear their muffled bell conversation (and ringing bells, as Henry must be trying them out) in the shop, while August snoops around the back office.
A bit of their muffled conversation:
Henry asks Mr. Gold "Are these bells?" and that he's looking for something special, to which Mr. Gold's reply is "You're asking a lot from a bell."
Henry- "This one's good. How much?"
Mr. Gold- "The price on the back."

As August snoops around Mr. Gold's back office, Mr. Gold appears behind him and asks "May I help you?"   August says he's looking for some maps; he's a bit of a collector.
Mr. Gold is suspicious of him. "Well, there's maps through in the shops. This is my office."   August thought it was the entrance.  Annoyed Mr. Gold tells him "Well, it's not. The shop's through there." August goes through the curtain doorway.

Storybrooke General Hospital.  {Note the school bus and that Nurse's dress in traditional uniforms}

Emma heads in to see Kathryn.

Dr. Whale tells Emma to come in. "Look who's awake."    Emma doesn't want to take up a lot of Kathryn's time, but asks if Kathryn remembers what happened.  Kathryn doesn't know much, but recalls being in a car accident and the airbag going off. The next thing she knew she was in the dark- in some basement.  She didn't see anyone, but there was food and water.  {She looks at Dr. Whale} "And then I guess I was drugged?"   Dr. Whale says "Yeah. And we're trying to flush that out of your system."
Kathryn- "And then I woke up in a field at the edge of town and I started walking. That was it."
Emma- "You saw no one? {She just fuckin' said she didn't!} You didn't hear a voice? Smell perfume? Cologne? Anything?"
Kathryn says no and that she's sorry. "I wish I could help. Especially since... while I was gone... you thought I was dead?"  Emma shares that her DNA matched the heart they found.  Dr. Whale shares that they're grilling everybody down at the hospital lab to see who doctored the DNA results.  Emma tells Kathryn she thinks someone tried to frame Mary Margaret.  Kathryn seems upset about this and wonders who would do something like that.

Regina confronts Mr. Gold in her shop.  "You broke our deal."
Mr. Gold- "I broke one deal in my life, Dear. And it certainly wasn't this one."
Regina is pissed. "Kathryn was supposed to die and Mary Margaret was to get the blame!"
Mr. Gold- "Yeah, murder seems so much worse here, though, doesn't it? You can't just turn someone into a snail and then step on them, can ya? You didn't say "kill her". We agreed that something "tragic" should happen to her. Now abduction is "tragic".
Regina raises her voice- "The intent was perfectly clear!"
Mr. Gold- "Oh, let's not talk about intent- intent is meaningless."
Regina- "Intent is everything!"
Mr. Gold- "Please!"  {he takes his ball and places it near the musical instruments on display}
Regina is concerned because this is going to raise all kinds of questions about where Kathryn was and how the test results were faked."
Mr. Gold sarcastically agrees. "Oh yes. And who put the key in her cell?"   Regina seems troubled that it's all going to lead to her.  "You bastard! This doesn't make any sense. You and I- we've been in this- together- from the start."
Mr. Gold scoffs- "Oh have we?"
Regina- "You created the curse for me. The curse that brought us here and built all this."
Mr. Gold- "Yes. It's time you said thank you."
Regina asks "Why did you do it?"
Mr. Gold- Well, you're a smart woman, Your Majesty. Figure it out."

Many children are playing together.  Bae is playing kick ball with his friends, when the ball gets away and rolls in front of the donkey cart.  Bae hurts his leg.  The donkey driver yells at him "What are you doing in the middle of the road, boy?!"   Bea apologizes.  The donkey driver instantly changes his tone when he realizes "Hey, I know you. It's fine. It's fine. It was the donkey's fault. You want a chicken or some eggs?"   When Rumpelstiltskin comes over to see what's going on, Bae tells him it's alright,.  Everyone gets nervous at Rumpelstiltskin's presence.  The donkey cart driver tells him it's nothing "It was my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going. He's fine!"   Bae tells father he is fine.  Rumpelstiltskin asks Bae if he's sure and supposes this won't happen again.  Rumpelstiltskin looks down to see Bae's left leg is bleeding a bit and this panics the boy and the donkey cart driver.  Again, both insist "It's nothing."   Rumpelstiltskin tells the man not to bother; and magically turns him into a snail.  Although Bea begs him not to, Rumpelstiltskin purposely steps on the snail.  Of course this act of power makes the town's people turn away from him.

David pays a visit to sleeping Kathryn in the hospital.  {She shares a room with an older male patient; whom is on the other side of the curtain.}  Kathryn is attached to chest/heart monitors.  She bolts awake, a bit panicked as David nears down to kiss her on her forehead.  He meant for it to be sweet.  Kathryn smiles "Well, thank you. It's good to see you."   Sincere David apologizes to her; for lying and cheating on her.  "I'm just so sorry for all of this."   Kathryn tells him it's okay. "You know, what we had... it wasn't it for you. Maybe for both of us.  I can't blame you for just being the first one to see it."   David feels she's kind of amazing.  Kathryn agrees, and sends him on his way so she can get some rest.  David gives her fair warning as he's going to give her that kiss on her forehead now.
Kathryn smiles "Knock yourself out."

Granny let's herself in Mary Margaret's and Emma's apartment.  "Hi!" she says when entering with a covered plate of food.  Everyone is gathered there to WELCOME HOME MARY MARGARET!
Emma is ladling punch into cups.  Mary Margaret seems a bit curious that all of those people are there to welcome her home.  Emma tells her she's got a lot of friends, but Mary Margaret didn't feel like she had a lot of friends yesterday.

Henry watches Mr. Gold as he walks around the apartment alone.  He asks August, sitting next to him, "How bad was it?"
Confident August- "Getting caught in his office?  Not bad. I played it off."   Henry asks what he was looking for. "Did you find it?"
August- "Nope. But I have a feeling it's gonna find me."  He suggests Henry give Mary Margaret her present.   Henry hands her the extra large handmade card from the whole class; and then a gray/silver box wrapping with a white bow. "And I got you a bell."

Mary Margaret thanks Henry and wants him to tell everyone she'll be back soon.   Emma hurries Henry off, as they should get him home before his mom finds out. "That won't be pretty."   As Henry is leaving to head home and do homework, David is there to see Mary Margaret.  At Mary Margaret's urging, Emma cuts David off, letting him know "She's kinda tired. I think if you just give it some time.  Hey, Henry. Why don't you head home with David."

Once Henry has gone, Mr. Gold remarks to Emma, "Hard to let him go, isn't it? Your son."  Emma agrees it's pretty much the hardest thing.  Emma shifts gears to talk about the reappearance of Kathryn. "Was it you?"   Mr. Gold asks "Was what me?"
Emma- "Did you make Kathryn suddenly materialize- 'Cause it sure played that way to me.  Is that the magic you were going to work?  Because  if you kidnapped that poor innocent woman just to let her go..."
Mr. Gold wonders if Emma's proposing he's working with Regina or against her.  Emma's doesn't know, "Maybe diagonally."  He tells her to keep working on that one. "My question's about something else. What do you know about him?"
Emma- "Goes by 'August'. He's a writer. Typewriter wrapped in an enigma wrapped in stubble. Why?"  {So, he's like a "package"?}
Mr. Gold shares that he was poking around my shop today. "August Wayne Booth. Clearly a false name. There's one thing I know about- it's names."
Emma- "Writer's go by pseudonyms, what does it matter?"
Mr. Gold- "You trust him?"
Emma- "Yeah. A lot more than I trust you."   She walks away.
{Mr. Gold gives a very interesting quiet reaction to her comment. I took it as if Gold was internalizing "Poor Emma. You don't know what you're doing. And, maybe you should trust me."}

A blond maid is making the bed. She turns in response to Bae and Rumpelstiltskin entering the house. Courteous Rumpelstiltskin thanks Onora "You can fetch our supper now, Dearie."
Bae looks at his hurt knee "You killed that man."
Rumpelstiltskin- "Well, you were hurt. Speaking of which..."  He begins to use his healing magic on Bae's injury, but the boy stops him.  He doesn't want magic.  He'd rather use a good old fashioned remedy.  Rumpelstiltskin does as the boy wishes.  He takes the medicine out of a small box to care for his son.
Bae- "You're different now.  You see it, don't you?  You hurt people all the time."
Rumpelstiltskin- "I created a truce in the Ogre's War, Bae.  I walked into the field of battle and I made it stop. I led the children home. Surely a man who's saved a thousand lives..."
Bae- "Is done. A man who saved a thousand lives could be done with it. You can stop doing things!" 
Rumpelstiltskin pours the medicine on Bae causing him to wince.  Rumpelstiltskin tells his son that he can't stop and needs more power.  It's his only way to protect Bae.  Bae feels he wouldn't need protecting if his father didn't have power.  Rumpelstiltskin says he can't get rid of it.
Bae- "Have you tried?"

Rumpelstiltskin- "Tried. If someone kills me- with this. Then they gain the power. Now you know that, Bae. Is that what you want?"
It's not what the boy wants. He wonders if Papa looked for other ways to get rid of the power.  Onora enters the house and Rumpelstiltskin stops talking.  He tells Bae to look for other ways, but not to get his hopes up.  Onora puts the pot on the table but doesn't serve them dinner; she leaves the room.   Bae asks if he finds a way to get rid of the power- a way that doesn't kill his father or hurt himself, would Papa do it. Rumpelstiltskin feels it's not possible.
Bae- "Don't you miss how it was?"
Rumpelstiltskin seems a bit irritated by the continuing conversation and asks the boy "Are you really that unhappy, Bae?  I can conjure anything you desire. Name it. What do you want?"
Bae- "I want my father."
Rumpelstiltskin whispers sincerely to him "All I want is your happiness, Bae. If you find a way... I'll do it."  This makes Bae happy. So he holds out his hand to shake his father's hand. "The deal is struck."  Rumpelstiltskin seems to note his son's making their loving arrangement "a deal."

Mr. Gold picks the lock and lets himself into August's room.  He looks at the page in the typewriter and then picks up the donkey paperweight.  And then he takes the top page of text off of a pile of pages and sees a drawing of a dagger with the name Rumpelstiltskin on it. {There is another page of text underneath the drawing.}

At Granny's Diner, Emma sits down in a booth across from Sidney. He seems quiet, lonely and a bit nervous.  He sees that things certainly did work out for her friend, Mary Margaret.   Emma confronts him with the bug, that Sidney makes like he doesn't know about it.  Emma wanted to believe that Sidney could help her with Mary Margaret. But eventually there are things even a blind sheriff  can't ignore.  She puts the broken bug on the table  Sidney asks "Is that a bug?"

Emma tells him to "drop it!"  She knows she's been fooled and that he spied on her; reporting it all back to that sick crazy woman. Emma can't imagine what Regina has over Sidney, but it must be something huge.   Sidney feels Regina's a good Mayor.  Emma argues Regina tried to get Mary Margaret convicted of a murder that didn't even happen. Emma informs Sidney he's in a lot of trouble. There's a DNA trail in the basement of some house out there, and I'm gonna find it. "She's gonna go away."
Sidney- "Maybe. But I wouldn't bet against her. She's an amazing woman."
Emma figures Sidney is in love with Regina; to which he doesn't really give an actual answer to Emma, only body language.
Emma tells him, before he knows it she will have that evidence and he needs to think long and hard. "You can either help me and help yourself or you're gonna go down with her too."  She walks away from troubled Sidney.

Parked near Storybrooke Hardware and Paint, from his parked car Mr. Gold spies on August as he rides off on his motorcycle.  Mr. Gold follows him. {Note August's motorcycle plate at the top of this post}

Rumpelstiltskin and Bae come upon a four boys playing with their wood swords and large sticks, in a make-believe battle near a small stream.  Rumpelstiltskin suggests to his son to stay and join in, as he has some business nearby to attend that would bore Bae.   Rumpelstiltskin makes his way to s structure nearby.
The four boys see Bae nearing and run away in fear of him.   Morraine sits next to sad Baelfire.  He warns her to be careful not to be seen with him, as he is dangerous.  Morraine says they're just scared of Bae's Papa, "But I'm not. You won't let him hurt me.  I don't think he's so bad anyway. I saw him on the battlefield when he stopped the fighting- it was like a miracle."
Bae- "Now he's getting worse every day. But he said he'll change back if I find a way. I just don't know where to look."
Morraine- "Reul Ghorm"
Bae- "What?'
Morraine- "I heard about it when I was in the trenches. The other soldiers talked about it. Reul Ghorm is an ancient being that rules the night- The original power."
Bae- "Bigger than Papa or worse than Papa?
Morraine- "Bigger than anything."   They hear a twig snap.  Morraine says "He's coming back. Good luck to you."   This unafraid girl sure leaves in a hurry as not to be seen by Rumpelstiltskin.  But he saw her. "Your friend didn't want to say hello?" he asks Bae.    Bae says he frightens them. Rumpelstiltskin asks what is there to be frightened of.  "They'll get over that in time."

Bae- "You have stains on your boots."
Rumpelstiltskin - "Oh, yes, that. Uh... we need a new maid."
Bae- "Gods no!"
Rumpelstiltskin- "She heard us talking about the knife."
Bae- "She was mute! She couldn't tell anyone."
Rumpelstiltskin- "Even mutes can draw a picture."

Mr. Gold spies on August having an intense conversation with Mother Superior outside of the SISTERS of something... building.
Here's bits of their conversation that I could make out. I don't know how much I heard that is correct, but here's the idea:
August- "I understand..."
Mother Superior- "Listen. Don't do anything rash.  ... what you're doing before you (think of) doing it  and things will work out."
August- "Thank you."  He leaves.

Mr. Gold walks over to Mother Superior on the veranda. She assumes he's there about the rent; that they paid in full. {We can hear a motorcycle ride off}
Mr. Gold isn't there about the rent, so she bids him a good day.   Mr. Golds asks about "the man who just left here. Who did he say he was? What did he want?"   Mother Superior doesn't have to tell him that and Mr. Gold doesn't have to not double her rent.
Mother Superior- "Advice.. and  council.  He came to town looking for his father after a long separation and he recently found him.
Mr. Gold- "Ah. And, ah, a happy reunion has already taken place?" 
Mother Superior- "No. He hasn't spoken to him yet."
Mr. Gold- "Why not?"
Mother Superior- "Hm. It was a difficult parting. There are many issues to be resolved between them."
Mr. Gold- "I see."  {We can see he's deep in thought.}

Led by the light of his lantern, Bae steps gingerly on the ground near a small stream. {It looks like where he sat with Morraine} He sits and speaks the name "Ruel Ghorm.  Are you there? If you can help me, please make yourself known to me."  He closes his eyes {keeping them closed} and a blue light appears from behind the tree.  It's the Blue Fairy.

He opens his eyes and is startled yet asks "Can you help me?"  The Blue Fairy says she can help.  Bea asks how he can trust her.
The Blue Fairy explains "Because there is good magic and dark magic, and I'm on the right side."
Bae- "You're a fairy."
The Blue Fairy give a little giggle but then seems  troubled- "Hm. Oh...You're not untouched by magic  are you, child? There's something dark in your life."
Bae- "My father. He is the Dark One"
The Blue Fairy- "Oh. I can't make him the man he was before.  But I can send him someplace where he won't be able to use his powers."
Bae- "Not a jail. I wanna be with him. Like it used to be."
The Blue Fairy- "Not a jail, young one. Just a place without magic."
Bae- "But magic is everywhere."
The Blue Fairy- "In this world, yes. You see, what ails your father is specific to our realm. His powers do not belong here. You must go where you can escape this wretched curse."
Bae- "Go? We have to leave?"
The Blue Fairy- "Yes. It is the only way.  Can you do it? Can you leave everything here behind for the unknown?
Bae- "If it means I get my father back- then yes."
The Blue Fairy- "You're a very good son, Baelfire. You are the part of him that keeps him human. That little light inside of him that still glows... it's his love for you.  Hold out your hand."

She tosses him one (glass kidney shaped) magic bean. "The very last one that is known to our kind.  The others got away from us. Just use it wisely and follow it wherever it leads you. It will save you both."  The Blue Fairy disappears and Bae runs off with the magic bean.

David waited for Mary Margaret to appear on the street.  When she finally does she ignores him. David will leave if she wants, but he thinks they just need to talk.
Mary Margaret keeps on walking to her car but tells him "So, talk."
David- "I need to apologize."
Mary Margaret- "Yes. You do. Keep going."
David- "I didn't believe you. I didn't stand with you."
Upset Mary Margaret shares with him "I will never forget that moment- the moment the world sort of blows you backwards and the one person you thought would always be there to catch you- he isn't there."
David tries to explain "Look at what was going on. It was your jewelry box , your fingerprints, knife in your apartment!"
Mary Margaret- "It was a setup!"
David- "And a really good one! I'm human. I fell for it. I'm sorry. But we have to move forward."
Mary Margaret- "But we can't. It's like something in this world doesn't want us together."
David scoffs- "Like what? Dark forces?"
Mary Margaret- "Maybe. I don't know, but it's like something just keeps pouring poison between us. And what I don't want is to have all of those good memories... replaced by moments like that, when I looked at you and I saw that you didn't believe me. "
David knows that and he's so sorry; and Mary Margaret knows that. 
David- "But I love you."
Mary Margaret tears up and tells him "And that... is what makes it all so sad." David is crying too.

Rumpelstiltskin is working on his wheel when Bae enters to share his news.  Rumpelstiltskin seems unmotivated by the boys discovery.  Bae tells his father he found a way for things to be like they were and he wants him to go with him.  "I can make things right. Have you heard of the Reul Ghorm?"
Rumpelstiltskin perks up a bit- "Blue Star. The Blue Fairy?  Oh, son, please tell me you didn't.  Fairy magic doesn't mix well with what I am."
Bae- "But you promised! She can help us. To take us to a place without magic."
Rumpelstiltskin feels a place without magic- he'd be powerless and weak.  But Bae feels this would make him like everyone else. "It wouldn't matter. We'd be happy."
Rumpelstiltskin- "We could be happy here."
Bae- "Father. Please. You're getting worse. And you promised. This can work. It can. You made a deal with me. Are you backing out?"
Rumpelstiltskin isn't backing out.

Mr. Golds knocks twice on Archie Hoppers office door and then has seconds thoughts about it.  As he turns to leave Archie opens the door and asks if Mr. Gold is here for the rent.  Mr. Gold wonders why everyone always asks that. {That was fuckin' great! Good job writers!}  Archie replies "Well, because you... Never mind."  Archie asks him if he'd like to talk.  Obviously lost Mr. Gold doesn't know.  Archie tells him if there's something he'd like to get off his chest, please come in.

Stunned Archie states- "A son! Wow, I didn't know you had a son. How, how old is he?"  Mr. Gold suggests they start with something easier.
Archie- "Okay. What do you mean to say that you may have found him?"

Mr. Gold- "Let's just say there's someone acting the way I would expect them to act."
Archie- "So you, so, you recognize him?"
Mr. Gold- "Maybe. Or perhaps I'm just seeing what I wanna see. I don't know."
Archie- "Okay, well, wouldn't he recognize you?
Mr. Gold- "There was conflict. I'm not sure he's ready for a teared soaked reunion."
Archie- "So, he sought you out and he's hanging back? Maybe he's watching to see if he's welcome. Looking for a sign that all is- forgiven"
Mr. Gold corrects Archie. "He's not the one who needs to be...  I think he might still be very angry.
Archie- "Anger between a parent and a child is the most natural thing in the world."
Mr Gold- "I think he might be here to try and kill me."
Archie seems stunned. "Uh, right. That's, that's not..."
You can see that Mr. Gold is sad and disappointed. "I let him go. I've spent my entire life since trying to fix it and now he's finally here... and I just don't know what to do."
Archie looks deeply touched by something. "Be honest. Just tell him what you told me, and ask him for forgiveness and when your face to face you'll know what to do."
Mr. Gold- "Honesty's never been the best color on me."
Archie feels there's no other way.

August is hanging around a log cabin. {It is night time}  Mr. Gold shows up and claims "I know who you are... And I know what you're looking for."
August- "Well, then. I guess all the lying can stop... Papa."

Nervous Rumpelstiltskin is being led by inspired Bae.  He asks Bae "Where are we going, boy? What kind of world is this we're going to?  What kind of world is without magic?"
Bae shows him the glass kidney shaped magic bean and tosses it onto the ground and says "A better one."  The ground starts to shake and a whirling bright green vortex opens up in the ground.  Rumpelstiltskin begins to panic as he is overwhelmed with fear. "My gods boy! It's like a tornado!"
Bae yells "We have to go through! It's the only way!"  But frightened Rumpelstiltskin doesn't think he can. "No! No! No! No! It's a trick! It'll tear us apart!"

Bae- "No it's not! I promise! Papa!"
Rumpelstiltskin pulls on the boy, preventing him from going through the vortex in the ground.  He then plunges his dagger into the ground, using it as an anchor to secure him so that he can hold onto Bae.
Bae continues to plead "We have to go through! What are you doing?! Papa! It won't stay open long! Let's go!"   But terrified Rumpelstiltskin can't do it.
Bae- "Papa please! It's the only way we can be together! Papa- Please! You coward! You promised! Don't break our deal!"
Rumpelstiltskin repeated over and over "I can't!" and he has to break their deal.  The two lose grip and Bae travels down into the bright vortex alone.  The opening closes immediately upon swallowing Bae.  Rumpelstiltskin is left alone, gripping onto his dagger.  He frantically calls out for Bae and tries desperately to dig into the hole to get to his son. "...I'm sorry, Bae! I want to come with you! I want to come with you, Bae!  I wanna come with you! Bae! Bae! Bae!"

"You were right, Bae. You were always right. I was a coward and I never should have let you go. I know it's little consolation but,  I just want you to know that ever since you left... ever since you crossed the barriers of time and space, in every waking moment- I've been looking for you.  And now that I've finally found you... I know I can't make up for the past, for the lost time.  All I can do is to ask you to do what you've always done.  And that's to be the bigger man.  Forgive me. I'm so sorry son. I'm so sorry Bae. " sincere Mr. Gold tells August.  {Watch August the whole time}  August and Mr. Gold hug and Mr. Gold cries.  "Oh. Oh, my boy. My beautiful boy! Can you truly, truly forgive me?"
August, still hugging him replies "I forgive you, Papa."
Mr. Gold- "You were looking for the knife."
August- "I thought that if you still had it ... it would mean that you hadn't changed."
Mr. Gold- "Well, let's go find it and see."


August digs near the flowing stream.  Mr. Gold tells him he buried it shortly after Emma came to town. Things were changing. I didn't want to take the chance of Regina finding it."
August- "Of course."
Mr. Gold- "It should be right about here, son."  He unwraps it.

Mr. Gold wants August to take it and destroy it "The way I always know you always wanted to. I found you... and I don't need it anymore. I chose it once, now I choose you."     August takes the knife and looks at in awe, and claims it to be remarkable.   He takes his stance and addresses Mr. Gold.  "By the power of the darkness... I command thee- Dark One!"
Mr. Gold- "You're trying to control me?"
August- "I command thee- Dark one!"
 Mr. Gold- "You're not my son!  You're not Baelfire."
August seems offended.. "Papa, why would you say that? I'm just trying to use your power to help us."
Mr. Gold- "Enough! It's over, Booth! Or whoever you are.  My son would never try to use me.  And he would know that this knife cannot harness any magic in this world- because there is no magic in this world! That's why he chose this place. He didn't want me dabbling."  He takes the dagger from August's hands.
August wonders "So why bury a useless knife?"
Gold- "Oh, I wouldn't say it was useless. It can still cuts through flesh rather nicely.  It's about time you answered some questions, Sunshine. Why the theatrics? Why didn't you just come to me?"
August- "I needed you to work for it. Needed you to want it so bad you would ignore what your eyes were seeing. Do I even look like him at all?"
Gold- "How do you know about this knife?"
August- "I hear things."
Gold- "No one even knows about this knife."
August- "No one here remembers."
Gold- "Yet you do. You're from there, aren't ya? From my world."
August- "The fact that you're asking the question means you know the answer."
Gold- "Well, now that that's settled {He forces August against the tree by dagger point} How 'bout my other question... Who told you about me and the knife?"
August- "A little fairy."
Gold- "Why did you want it? If you know who I am- then you know who I am.  The chances of you surviving this little encounter... are pretty slim. So why take the risk?"
August- "Because I'll die anyway."
Mr. Gold looks surprised. "What?
August- "I'm sick. I'm sick and I need magic. I was gonna get the savior to believe. But that woman... (hahaha) I don't think I'm gonna make it long enough to see that happen."
Mr. Gold holds the dagger to his neck again and says "She trusts you, it might be enough. {Gold backs off} Try again."  
August is a bit baffled- "You're gonna let me live?"
Mr. Gold- "You're gonna die either way... this way... at least I might get something out of it."
Mr. Gold walks away, and August, relieved, slinks down the trunk of the tree.

"Reul Ghorm! Show yourself!" pleads Rumpelstiltskin.  The Blue Fairy flies in behind him.
Rumpelstiltskin asks her "How do I follow him?"  Seeming a bit annoyed with him, the Blue Fairy says he had the way but he didn't take it "And there are no more magic beans."  Rumpelstiltskin claims "that's a lie."
The Blue Fairy tells him not to do that, and he "will never make it to that world."
Rumpelstiltskin will find another way.  He feels there's must be other paths "A realm jumper. A time-turner. A Mage. A curse." 
The Blue Fairy seems frustrated with him. She tells him there's no other way- except when he mentions "A curse."
Rumpelstiltskin is excited! "Ah! So it is a curse."
The perturbed Blue Fairy - Of course you would think of a curse instead of a blessing. Your magic is limited by its own rotten core, Rumpelstiltskin. Anyway, it can't be done- not without a great price."
Rumpelstiltskin "I've already paid a great price."
The Blue Fairy- "So, you'd be willing to sacrifice this world for the next, because that's how great the price is."  {Come on! That was the plan when you gave Bae the magic bean- to leave this world and go somewhere else!}
Rumpelstiltskin- "Well, what do you think?"
The Blue Fairy- "Well, then I'll comfort myself knowing that such a curse is beyond your abilities."
Rumpelstiltskin- "Oh, for now! But I've got all the time in the world. I will do nothing else. I will love nothing else. I will find a way. You took my son- but I will get him back."
The Blue Fairy- "I didn't take your son."
Rumpelstiltskin yells- "You took my son, but I will get him back!"
The Blue Fairy- "You drove him away."
Enraged Rumpelstiltskin swats at the hovering Blue Fairy.  She flies away while Rumpelstiltskin yells "I will find him! I will find him! I will find him."

Emma walks into her sheriff's office to find relaxed Regina already there waiting for her. Regina congratulates the sheriff. "There's about to be a big break in your case. You just got yourself a confession. But I want you to listen to the whole explanation so you understand why this happened.
Emma will hang on every word she says.  Regina summons in Sidney. "Tell her what you told me."
Somber Sidney proclaims "It was me. I confess. I abducted Kathryn. I held her in the basement of an abandoned summer home by the lake.  I bribed a lab-tech to get me the heart from the hospital. I used that same person to doctor the lab results."
Regina- "And the other thing."
Sidney- "I borrowed some skeleton keys from Regina... and planted the knife in your apartment."
Regina- "My keys. I can't help but feel personally violated by that part."
Emma asks Sidney "And I am supposed to believe you did this for why now?" {Frustrated, she tosses her jacket and keys onto the desk}
Sidney- "I was gonna find her after the conviction- be  a hero. Then get the inside track on the biggest story to every hit this town.  I'd get my job back. Plus a novel and a movie, and I don't know, it sounds crazy... "
Emma- "I don't know about crazy. But false, yes, false as hell."
Sidney- "I have maps to where the house is.  You'll find chains in the basement. Lots of fingerprints, I'm sure- hers and mine.  But I didn't hurt her."
Regina- "The man has obviously suffered some kind of mental break.  He clearly hasn't been himself for a while."
Emma, figuring what's really going on here, replies "Yeah, it's like his words aren't his at all."
Regina- "Wow. You are so sold on your rush to judgment that you can't even see the truth anymore."
Emma- "A word in the hallway, please!"

Emma- Well, that's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard.
Regina- "I'm pretty sure that's not true."
Emma- "That poor man. I know you are behind all this.  I understand that you own the game and that you've set the boards so no one else could win.   But I am about to start playing an entirely different game. I don't care about what happens to you. I don't care about what happens to me.  All I care about is what happens to my kid!  And you are going to leave him alone."
Regina- "Am I?"
Emma- "Unh-Unh. I'm talking. You're a sociopath, lady. You tried to take away someone that I love. And now... I'm gonna take away someone you love. I am taking back my son."