Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

“Do not be fooled by its commonplace appearance. Like so many things, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts.” -Aladdin

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

The Mirror Strikes Again!
Indeed it does! So, let me start off by saying that this episode connects wonderfully with the episode The Thing You Love Most and a few LOST episodes. 

The Evil Queen/Regina and Genie/Sidney's mirror only reveals the shallow and intangible aspect of their lives. They need a mirror that reveals the truth and depth of their life so they can grow and lead a happier and more beautiful existence.

Genie, who is referred to as a man, didn't hide his attitude about his unhappy and redundant life when freed from the lamp.  He is unimpressed with his gift of granting wishes because he knows they all turn out badly. He gets no happiness from it.

We've yet to see a glimmer of goodness in Regina's heart- she's a snake.  Regina needs her mirror but not for vanity. Clouded Regina doesn't recognize her own selfishness, jealousy, anger and belligerence.  And until she can have clarity and see the truth of who she truly is, she won't be able to guide others along the path.

We understand that the residents of Storybrooke are trapped by "the curse", but their sense of imprisonment really stems from deep emotional issues, pain and feeling lost.  The true essence of who each person is dwells locked away- somewhere deep down inside.  We were under the impression that each resident of Storybrooke has a picture perfect existence in the Enchanted Forest, yet we've witnessed that their life there is anything but.  In addition to experiencing many challenges there they also deal with hurt, abandonment, loneliness, identity insecurities, poor upbringing and good old fashioned back stabbing in that magical land.  They're looking for a way out- to be free of their suffering; on some level in both realms.  In this episode a red locked toolbox contains the fairy tale book and a box contains the deadly gold snake; each box representing "a way out" for someone.

Let's touch on little Henry for a moment as he is the one who "brought" Emma to Storybrooke.  Is Henry a healthy normal boy daydreaming in and out of his own world, fantasizing and imagining he has another mother who can come and save him from his wretched life?  We did hear Archie say in a previous episode -"The word crazy is quite damaging. These stories are his language.  He has no idea how to express complex emotions so he's translating as best he can, this is how he communicates.  He's using this book to help deal with his problems."  Is that statement about Henry or someone else or all of them?
Henry has claimed a few times that "Operation Cobra" isn't about "him and Emma", rather it's about "the curse".  Is this a fantasy that lives exclusively in a child's mind or does Henry represent something in Emma or even all of the residents? 

Tree
Have you noticed that the symbol of Storybrooke is a tree?  The Queen's tree grows in the palace garden.  This tree goes everywhere with her, indicating she does continue to nurture it.  A tree represents life, with its branches representing that all life is connected.  Is the Queen/Regina's apple tree representing only poison?  Does it represent the connecting of two realms? Or could it be the tree of knowledge; possibly connecting good and the underworld?  Does the possibility exist that the tree will be the symbol of enlightenment?
The Book of One Thousand and One Nights has a story, 'The Tale of Buluqiya', in which the hero searches for immortality and finds a paradise with jewel-encrusted trees.

The Long Con
Are you going to get fooled again?  We all may be victims of a long con here.  Again I am brought back to the adventures of the "Island".
We went into this new adventurous journey with the premise of fairy tale characters that had been cursed and banished into "our world", yet they aren't really in "our world".  So, that would mean things and people are not what you think they are.  Just as on the "Island" will we find that perception plays a role with this story as well?

A Long Con works by getting someone to ask you to do something 'like it's their idea', but it's not their idea, it's your idea.  The Evil Queen played a long con on the lonely and needing true love, Genie.  She played him like a fiddle and foolish Genie never saw it coming.  Was Regina's father, Henry, in on the con with her or was he just being a protective father trying to help his daughter?  Was there a loophole? The Evil Queen played the con and got someone else, in this case the lovesick Genie, to murder her husband.  I saw that on the "Island" with John Locke using a loophole getting Sawyer to kill his father, Anthony Cooper in The Brig.  In the episode Outlaws Hibbs cons Sawyer into killing Frank Duckett. Also on LOST, Jacob and Man in Black talked about a loophole being a game changer. Other episode mentioning loopholes is Confidence Man.

Regina and Sidney worked together to "sell something" to Emma. I wonder if there's a con within that con too.  Are they doing any of this for the greater good or is it all still self serving? What will it take for them to learn and grow to become better loving and compassionate people, people who can feel and give love.

Mr. Gold keeps reaching out to Emma but she shuns his help. He seems to have knowledge and understanding about things and goings on. We've seen him lead people in the right direction, so, is he trying to guide and help Emma through this journey or is his motivation completely for self serving purposes?

Where does the stranger come in to all of this and where is this elaborate setup going to lead us? I can't wait to find out! It's all so exciting!

Guys... where are we? - Really
Can Henry, the child, or any of the residents of Storybrooke answer that question?  Is it really just the poor kid that can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality or is it everyone?  Is it a metaphoric statement or is there some logical but unique explanation to things?  The realms obviously overlap and blur together. 

How is this fantastical and magical adventure happening?  Did The DHARMA Initiative recruit more people for their anthropology experiments?  Did Octagon Global Recruiters get back in business?!  Just as with LOST I feel a sense of things and people not being what you think they are.  I don't want to sound like a broken record but every time I watch ONCE I feel like I'm watching our very important "Island" journey, except instead of the adventure being lived and worked out on the "Island" it is being experienced in a fairy tale environment.  Maybe you can get away to find yourself!

Fans may find another familiar layer of the LOST story in ONCE, especially with a few similar season 6-like happenings going on in ONCE.  But just as on the "Island" the residents of Storybrooke/Enchanted Forest are not/were not literally dead.  I have a different perception about the experiences I observed throughout the six seasons on LOST.  That doesn't mean my perception is correct.
But if this is a case of ONCE being related to LOST then maybe we should read some of my LOST notes and see what similarities bridge the two stories together and if there is a mutual party involved:
...And Yet We Keep Playing It 
Data and Evidence
Instructing Further

Before you read on let me ask you this...Is it ever OK to do a bad thing even if it's for good?

Things to Note...Questions to Ask...
๑ "We won't get fooled again"- A song by The Who; final track from the album Who's Next? And the single B side of it is "I Don't Even Know Myself"
๑ In Storybrooke we have "the curse" and on the "Island" we have "the sickness/infection"
๑ Writers in this episode: The scruffy stranger, The Evil Queen and little boy Henry
๑ The castle playhouse is moved from the beach to the woods
๑ See you in another life
๑ Henry, the father and Henry, the adopted son- what is the connection?
๑ Did Regina do something else to her son?
๑ How does the Queen/Regina end up married to King Leopold? A man knowing he could 'never love her', yet is a man who knows the preciousness of love and family
๑ Did the book end up in the hands of its rightful owner or a thief?
๑ Henry thinks the book is gone and never coming back.
๑ What do the skull keys in Regina's office open?
๑ Things noted as dangerous: The last pages of the book, Regina, Mr. Gold. Viper, The playhouse castle
๑ There is a Genie Lamp and Gold Chess set at Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop
๑ Regina's father, Henry, wears a wedding ring
๑ Emma and Henry have a special place- Mary Margaret and David have a special spot
๑ The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Andersen: 'hiding things under many mattresses'
๑ Snow White loves birds and feathers; they seem to end up in her attire
๑ Henry wears a Pea Coat- (or pilot jacket) usually it's heavy wool, originally worn by sailors of European and later American navies. The U.S. Military Navy issue pea coat is dark blue. A bridge coat is a pea coat that extends to the thighs and is a uniform exclusively for officers and Chief Petty Officers.

Vocabulary and Research...
๑ Fruit of the poisonous tree is a legal metaphor in the U.S. used to describe evidence that is obtained illegally; meaning that if the source of the evidence (the "tree") is tainted, then anything gained from it (the "fruit") is as well. The phrase is attributed to Justice Felix Frankfurter
๑ King Leopold- Belgium's King Leopold II is mentioned in the novella The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. This symbolic story is a story within a story or frame narrative. Mr. Kurtz is a central fictional character. He was the direct inspiration for the Kurtz character in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now.

๑ The Genie of the Lamp- Jinn or Genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind.  The Arabic root ǧ-n-n means 'to hide, conceal'.
The Qur'an mentions that Jinn are made of smokeless flame or "scorching fire". In many modern cultures, a Genie is portrayed as a magical being that grants wishes. The earliest of such Jinn stories in folklore originate in the book of the One Thousand and One Nights. A common theme in many Arabian Nights tales is fate and destiny.
- The word genie in English is derived from Latin genius, which meant a sort of tutelary or guardian spirit thought to be assigned to each person at their birth.

๑ Magister: Master, sir;  a title of the Middle Ages given to a person in authority, or to one having a license from a university to teach philosophy and the liberal arts. In Sweden, Magister historically was the highest degree at the faculties of philosophy and was equivalent to the doctorate used in theology, law and medicine. The degree was abolished in 1863, and replaced with the Doctor of Philosophy. The Magister degrees used in Denmark and Norway most closely resemble this degree.

✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale
★ A few {as there are many} episodes connections to this ONCE episode: Expose, The Long Con, Confidence Man, Outlaws and Catch 22
★ 4, 8, 23 and 50: Yes, I noted 50 for a reason. Jack meet Mr. Friendly on day 50 and Christian/Jack is sober 50 days in A Tale of Two Cities.  Plus there's the book club, Jack gets "bailed out" and so much more.
★ Swan- Swan Station/Hatch.  Sidney/Sydney Glass.
★ Identity. No Identity
★ Cranium/Head: Mental health. Psychology/Psychiatry. Sessions
★ Hear-listen.  Look-see
★ Being watched/observe. Communication
★ Bug. Monitor. Record/tape. Walkie-Talkie. Tracking. Flash/thumb drive. Computers
★ Code. Execute. Escape
★ Security system and alarm
★ 1st Place- 2nd Place- Win {A Race or contest- Game} Rules
★ Chess
★ Direction and choices: Start. Stop. Right. Wrong.  
★ Life: Birthday/birth. Departed/death {gone}
★ Mirrors
★ Sleep. Awake
★ Grow. Nurture. Teach. Learn
★ Things written out: Blueprints. Text. Records. Documents. Files.
★ Diary/journal: Claire, Daniel Faraday, Ben Linus and The Black Rock kept journals. Note- Although The Black Rock's journal was up for auction in The Constant, it has LEDGER is written on book spine
★ Burying things- not staying buried for very long
★ Drinking alcohol. Drunk. Bar
★ Bacon is mentioned by Hurley, Charlie, Ana Lucia and Miles
★ Picnics- Charlie/Claire, Hurley/Libby, Sayid/Shannon
★ Queen of the castle- We had King of the castle Mobisode Number 3
★ See you in another life, Brotha- Desmond.  Nadia wrote to Sayid “You’ll find me in the next life, if not in this one” in Solitary
★ Jack says "Forgive me" as he prepares to jump off the bridge in Through the Looking Glass
★ When Genie inquires "And what will you do to him once I have found him?" Brings me back to the question Jack asks Locke "What happens when I catch him?" in White Rabbit
★ In the episodes The Lie and The Little Prince we get specific shots of the silver cell phone just as we do in this ONCE episode
★ In the episode What Kate Did Locke frees Jin of his handcuff, and Mr. Eko spoke to John Locke about the Book of Law and temple in ruins
★ In the episode Dave we learn that Hurley feels responsible for the death of a few people; because the deck that was built to hold 8 was holding 23 and it collapsed, leaving him to feel it was due to his weight.   And Henry Gale's balloon story is confronted and found to be a made up story. {The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad}
★ I gotta say that when we are introduced to The Viper I had thoughts about the spiders in Expose for a moment
★ Expose also shows up in Ji Yeon {On the TV in Sun's room}, The Man From Tallahassee {Locke's mental health/depression and he watches Expose}, The Lie {David Reyes watches Expose}

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

Focused  Henry {wearing a helmet} rides his bike right past Emma sitting in her sheriff car. {We get a great shot of both individually in the rear view mirror} He peddles right past Emma.
Henry- "The storm!"  The playhouse castle is in ruins.

Emma assures him they can fix it; she'll call Marco to do it.  But Henry seems more concerned with finding his buried book that he's hid so his mom doesn't find it.  He also ruled out hiding it under his mattress because that would be the first place the Evil Queen would look; the second place she'd look is to Emma. The book is buried in a key locked red toolbox.  Henry shares that his mom doesn't know about the castle because it's his and Emma's secret.
He buries the box again, just as Regina calls out his name; she's been looking everywhere for him.
Henry has a session with Archie this morning.  Regina should have known he was with Emma. She commands him to the car.
Regina looks at the ruined playhouse castle and asks Emma "You let him play here?"
Emma- "The storm hit it hard but we can fix it."
Regina- "Well, can you fix a cracked cranium? 'Cause that's what you'll have on your hands if one of these boards collapses under his weight. You're not thinking about Henry or his safety, just ways around me.  Miss Swan, don't let your feelings cloud your judgment. People can get hurt."   That statement means Emma's the sheriff now and it's time to be responsible.  Regina walks away.

At Granny's Diner annoyed Emma is re-telling the conversation she had with Regina, to Mary Margaret. "Don't let my feelings cloud my judgment? That's all Regina ever does."   Mary Margaret feels Regina's just upset because Emma and Henry have a special place- and she doesn't.  Emma wonders how Regina found out about the castle in the first place.  Mary Margaret informs her Regina, the Mayor, knows everything about this town.  She checks her cell phone and sees there's a message from David Nolan, and hurries out.  But she also lets Emma know she thinks Emma's right because she sees the affect Regina has on Henry.

As soon as Mary Margaret is away from the table Sidney doesn't miss a beat and sits right in the chair across from Emma.  He has been drinking and claims to be able to grant Emma's wish.
Emma backs away from his liquored breath and asks if he wants a side of bacon with that whiskey.  Sidney can help her show the town who the Mayor really is. Emma feels that would be hard to do since Sidney is inside the Mayor's pocket.  Sidney claims he and the Mayor are done. "She got me fired from the paper! She made a fool of me in the election. So, I started working on an Expose on the Mayor's office and I found something she didn't want found."
Emma- "Sidney, you're drunk. Go home, sleep it off. {she takes her keys} Be grateful you don't have to answer to her anymore."
Sidney gives her his business card. "Call me. Storybrooke deserves to know the truth about her." Emma reluctantly takes his card. {Note- the whole scene at Granny's the time on the clock is on 9:00}

Genie is sitting inside his lamp looking at himself in his hand held mirror. He is bored and lonely.  Above/outside the Genie notes a new master. "Here we go." 

At the shore/beach King Leopold rubs the found gold lamp. {With three green gems. Note the sound as he the king touches the lamp} Dark smoke escapes from the lamp and manifests into a Genie. {The Genie wears an earring that looks like a leaf.}
The obviously sick and tired Genie runs down the "three wishes" rules in a redundant fashion to his new master.  "You awakened the Genie of Agrabah!  You are entitled to three wishes, no more, no less. But you must know that magic has its limits.  You cannot wish for life- nor death. You cannot wish for love. You cannot wish for more wishes. And once spoken a wish cannot be undone no matter what the consequences. So...tell me your first wish."

The happy go lucky King is giddy trying to think of a wish, but ultimately can't think of a single thing he desires because he has everything he needs. "I seek nothing more than the happiness of all who set foot in my Kingdom."
The Genie- "Ugh!"  Again Genie is obviously spiritless.  He sits down on some old tree limbs/driftwood. King Leopold notices that although Genie is in his Kingdom he seems unhappy.
Genie- "I have served as Genie of the Lamp for longer than you've been alive.  Life as a Genie is not as magical as it may appear.
King Leopold- "So, you wish to be free?"
Genie- "More than anything."
The generous hearted King knows his first wish. "I wish you to be free".  And with a magical Whoosh the gold cuffs that bind the Genie are released.  The excited Genie wonders "Can it be? Am I truly free?"
King Leopold- "You're the Genie, you tell me."
The Genie asks the King what he will do with the remaining two wishes.  For the King's second wish he wishes to give his third and final wish to the Genie and he hands the Genie the lamp.
Genie- "In my time I have granted 1001 wishes...and I've seen them end poorly 1001 times.  Making a wish comes with a price.  And that is why I will never use this wish."   He puts the lamp in his pocket.
The King commends him for being a man of wisdom and asks what he will do with his freedom.  Genie will find the one thing he's always desired, the thing that his prison has kept from him; "True love."  In that case the King invites him to his palace as he is certain he will find it there.  The King wants him to meet his family.

As Genie and the King walk through the garden {with its 8 sided structures} of the Steel/Iron/Glass Palace, Genie compliments him. "Your palace is as lovely as you are kind."  But the King feels it's more than kindness, and introduces his beautiful daughter, Snow {with flowers/Gerber daisies}, and then to his wife, Regina. {Note 1 of the 8 sided structures is not complete and it houses the tree which is surrounded by a fence.} Regina picks an apple off the tree and says hello to Genie. {Genie carries a dagger as part of his attire} The Queen appears lovely and beautiful.

The playground castle is being torn down while Regina stands by overseeing the destruction.  Emma hurries to Henry's side.  His book is no longer on the site where he buried it.  Emma sarcastically congratulates Regina on destroying thing Henry loves.  Concerned mother Regina feels it was a dangerous thing that can only hurt him and others. "You see me as a villain, Miss Swan, but that's just your perception and you're wrong.  Learn your place in this town or soon enough you won't be in it."  Regina walks away and Emma wastes no time calling Sidney. "Hi. I'm in. I want everyone to know who she really is."

Mary Margaret hurries to the TrOLL Bridge to meet John Doe/David.  She got his text and wonders what is going on.   {David wears his wedding ring}
John Doe/David- "Follow me."
He pulls her and leads covertly.  This makes Mary Margaret scared.  He tells her what's wrong  "You're late".   He presents her with a picnic. "Now the wine's getting warm." {White wine. Gerber daisies}  She kisses him but feels they have to stop doing this.
John Doe/David- "We just started doing this."  They will figure out what they are doing- tomorrow.

Literally right under them- under the TrOLL Bridge {Trolls live under bridges} Emma drives through the tunnel to (covertly) meet Sidney.  Emma is listening and wants to know what he knows about her.  Sidney reveals that $50,000 {grand} out of the budget is missing and Regina's responsible... The money is just the tip of the iceberg. "We figure out what she's doing and it all falls apart. It all crumbles. And we'll finally learn her secrets.  You see what she is. I see it.  All we need is a crack in the mirror to show everyone! I'm telling you this is it!"
He feels the plan is to "Tap her phone. G.P.S. her car. Hack into her E-Mail. Dip into your bail bonds person bag of tricks!"
Emma says no, as she's sheriff now and has to be responsible. "I want to do this by the book."
Sidney- "She's gonna know that you're on to her, sooner than later.  Are you prepared for her wrath?" Emma is prepared, while Sidney says he wasn't.   They walk in opposite directions.  Emma stops to ask, "If you thought she was so terrifying... how did you allow yourself to end up in her pocket?"
Sidney seems sincere when replying, "I used to think she was a different person."

King Leopold is celebrating his birthday with friends and family with a feast. The Queen sits alone at the table looking very sad. {Wearing gray-ish color}
The King lovingly makes a speech as he tenderly holds Snow's hand. "No gifts are required to mark this special day.  For they all pale in comparison to the greatest gift of all- My daughter, Snow.  Every day I look upon your face... and I am reminded of your dearly departed mother, who like you truly was the fairest in all the land."
Genie watches the sad and jealous Queen walk out of the room.

The Sad Queen looks up at the moon and Genie joins her.  She is started by his voice behind her. Apparently she's not in a festive mood and no one seems to notice her absence.  But Genie noticed.  He compliments her lovely tree.  {He touches a leaf} The tree is from her childhood garden. The Queen feels she and the tree share something in common; neither of them can leave the palace and neither truly belongs.  She shares her sadness with Genie.  "No matter how hard I try to please the King he will never love me the way he loved his first wife. I'm trapped by the memory of a life they used to share."

Genie knows more than anyone about being trapped.  He gives her his large hand held mirror from his pocket in an effort to lift her spirits. "So you can see yourself the way I see you."  She tearfully asks how he sees her.
Genie-"As the fairest in all the land." They look into each other's eyes.

At Mary Margaret's apartment Emma and Sidney look through files and file boxes for Intel.  She asks if it sounds right that the transfer went through about three weeks ago. Sidney says "Yeah. Why?"  Emma reveals those records are missing.

Mary Margaret barges in to talk to Emma and realizes Sidney is there.  Emma informs Mary Margaret that she and Sidney are doing some work and may have found something on Regina.  Mary Margaret feels that's "Interesting work. Oh, I approve".  Sidney suggests if Emma wants to do this by the book they should get a warrant.  But Emma's concerned that they wouldn't be able to find a judge that Regina doesn't own. "We're screwed."  Or there's Sidney's way; to which Emma reiterates she wants to do this right.
Sidney- "What's right is exposing her.  Sometimes doing a bad thing for a good reason is OK, right?"
Wound up Mary Margaret chimes in. "Yeah. I mean maybe you're doing something wrong but if what's meant to be if its what's right does that really make you a bad person?!"
Sidney laughs "Exactly."
Emma thinks the two are doing a whole lot of rationalizing.
Sidney- "But look what she's done to you. To me. To your son. I mean she's not gonna stop, so whatever you do you gotta do something."
Emma wants to start by talking to Regina.

In the Mayor's black, white and touch of red office Regina asks knit cap wearing Emma and the disgraced {X} ex-reporter what they're accusing her of.  Sidney just stands stoic as Emma does all the talking.  Emma tells her $50,000 was transferred out of the city account by her and public records show they are missing.  As Mayor, Regina's involved in many transactions and she probably checked them out; as her job often requires her to do.  And if the records were checked out three weeks ago "That means they burned- in a fire".  In a fire she recalls got Emma elected sheriff.  Confident Regina has nothing to hide.  {Well, were they checked out or did they burn in the fire?!}
Emma leans on Regina's desk and looks into Regina's eyes and tells Sidney there's nothing for them to do, so they leave. {Where is that super power Emma has- the one  where she claims she can tell when people are lying?}

Outside, troubled Sidney questions Emma's plan "I thought you were gonna do something?"  Emma did. "I planted a bug. You win, Sidney. Let's do whatever it takes"
We get a shot of the planted bug under the desk, while Regina types away at her laptop.

Genie enters through giant double doors into the King's bedchamber as  the King had called for Genie. {The King looks disappointed} He has reason to believe his wife's heart belongs to another man.  Genie has no reaction and feels the Queen would never stray.  The doubting King shows Genie her diary suggesting otherwise. 

"Last night a man gave me a gift. And though it was but a simple mirror, it awakened feelings in me that I abandoned long ago.  Hope for love and companionship...even though I am trapped in my husband's court."  
Genie silently realizes he is the man she's referencing.  The King notes that sadly the diary doesn't name the man who gave her this mirror. "I am not a fool!  I realize that the Queen is unhappy...and yearns for someone... to love her in a way that I never can.  And yet I never imagined that she would betray me like this."  Genie knows that the Queen will never act on these feelings, but the King feels love makes people do foolish things.  Genie asks why the King called upon him.  The King admits he needs a man with Genie's wits; to learn the identity of the man who has stolen his wife's heart.  Genie inquires "And what will you do to him once I have found him?"   King Leopold feels that is only his concern.  The King presents the mirror to Genie and asks "Now, tell me, Genie... Can you find the man who gave the Queen this mirror- or not?"  Genie looks into the mirror.

Sidney is listening to Regina's scintillating one sided phone conversation via the planted bug under her desk.  Regina's chat- "Miss Ginger, I really don't have time for more complaints about working conditions, the air temperature is not one of my areas."  Sidney tells Emma he found "something better than good" with a call Regina made little over an hour ago. He pushes play on the recorder to playback her dialogue.
Regina- "I'll meet you tonight at access road 23 with the rest of your payment. Yes, it will all be in cash. And I don't need to remind you that no one can know about this. Yes, I know it has to be tonight."
Curious Emma wonders who is on the other end, but there's no way to know that because only the office is bugged and not the phone.  They are excited with the Intel of the impending payoff in the woods with the stolen city funds.  The duo head out to see who Regina's meeting.

In the dark rainy night Emma and Sidney in the sheriff car, follow Regina in her Mercedes to her rendezvous.  Emma hits the breaks and panics because they don't work. "It won't stop!"  They crash right into the sign and get stuck on some rocks!

Emma thinks they're going to miss the hand-off.  Sidney feels Regina is on to them. She must have found the bug Emma planted as someone's been tampering with the breaks.  Emma is pissed off that she was almost killed!  Emma and her flashlight lead Sidney into woods to find out what Regina is doing.  Mr. Gold appears in the woods with a briefcase. {Walking stick}  Apparently Regina met him for a business transaction. Land comes with a price too.  Regina bought Mr. Gold's land; the very land Emma is standing on.  Emma asks what Regina bought it for.  Mr. Gold feels that in business it's best not to ask too  many questions. "Hurts the bottom line. Question is, Emma, why are you standing out here in the middle of the night with Mr. Glass? "
Stoic Sidney states- "You don't know what Regina did to me. You don't know what she did to her son. We can't just sit idly by."   
Mr. Gold {whispers} "Of course you can. Be careful. Emotional entanglements can lead us down very dangerous paths."

In the palace garden Genie cuts an apple off of The Queen's tree, and without turning around says "I was beginning to worry you wouldn't come."  Entering cautiously and suspiciously is Henry, the Queen's father. Henry asks "You were expecting the Queen?"
Concerned Genie asks "Who are you? What have you done with her?"
Upset Henry- "The King's locked her away in her chambers.  My daughter is a prisoner in her own Kingdom!"  He asks Genie to take the box to his daughter. "The palace guards won't allow me into her chambers. They know I'd die for her. But you- the King trusts you.  He doesn't know that you have my daughter's heart. The guards will allow you in. Give her this box."
Genie doesn't understand and wonders about the box.  Henry explains it's the only thing that can free her from this wretched life. "If you truly care for my daughter, I know you'll do whatever it takes to set her free."
Genie checks out the skull key.

Emma and Sidney arrive at City Hall in her VW Beetle.  Emma needs to find out why Regina bought land from Mr. Gold; she bets Regina bought it for personal reasons.  The duo will break into Regina's office and find proof; documents that officially link her to that land.  Sidney's concerned about Regina's locked office with its state of the art security system and alarm.  Emma feels if they don't show this town who Regina really is then who will.
Confident Emma thinks she can crack Regina's code.
Emma breaks the glass setting off the alarm. Since Emma is the "police", the person called when an alarm is tripped, she rationalizes "2 Minutes to get her call from the alarm company, 1 minute for her to get her coat and keys, 3 minutes to drive here- we got maybe 6 minutes!"

In Regina's dark office Emma uses her Flash/thumb drive to retrieve documents from Regina's laptop; overriding the security. 

Emma's uncovered every file that references the tract of land she bought from Gold.
Emma also uncovers from a drawer in the printer copier stand, a ring of skull keys and wonders what the hell they open.  Sidney doesn't know.

Emma continues searching the office for Henry's book.
Sidney- "We didn't come here for Henry we came here for files..."
Emma- "No, you didn't come here for Henry. Me, that's the only reason I'm here."
Regina runs into her dark office and shields her eyes from Emma's flashlight and disables the alarm.  Emma makes up a story telling the Mayor that some kids broke in; she heard the alarm and she's checking it out because she's the sheriff.  She also adds that she brought Sidney because he saw it on his walk; he's a witness.
Regina- "And what did you see, Sidney?"
Nervous Sidney replies "Some kids...with a ..."   Emma interjects "Rock" and Sidney concurs.
The sheriff doesn't know if the kids took anything; she'd have to do a thorough sweep to find out.  It appears to Regina that it was just a prank.  Regina doesn't want Emma to take the place apart to find out differently.  Regina informs the sheriff that her services are no longer wanted nor needed. Emma's fine with that "Well, you know where to find me" and walks out.  Sidney looks a bit uncomfortable for a moment before he exits.

The sad Queen sits at her vanity table when in walks Genie to deliver the box.
The Queen- "It's you!"  She throws her happy arms around him and the hug tightly.  The Queen's love for Genie grows stronger with every beat of her heart.  She tells him the King has read her diary and found her mirror and soon will discover the truth about the two of them- there's no escape.
Genie assures her there's always an escape. "Your father said what's in this box will would give you your freedom.  The Queen believes it will as well.  Genie hands her the skull key and she opens the box.

The Queen- "The Agrabahn Viper."  {Two}
A snake so deadly it can kill anything with a single bite.  Genie knows all too well of this serpent's poison; it's from his homeland.   The Queen had it brought there because there is no happiness left for her in this life; feeling the one small bite will free her from her prison forever.
The Queen cries- "I'm sorry we couldn't be together, my love. Perhaps in another life we will find each other again."  She slowly and dramatically reaches her hand down toward the snake box and is stopped by Genie because he's thought of another way. "What if the King...didn't live?"   Genie would do anything for her and he'll take care of it.  The grateful Queen hugs him as she doesn't know what she would do without him.
Genie- "You will never have to find out."   He closes the lid on the snake.

At Granny's Diner the scruffy stranger asks Henry what he's working on.  With no time to waste Henry is focused on writing everything down before he forgets. {Blue marker. He includes drawings}
The Stranger- "Yeah I hate it when great ideas slip away from me."
Henry- "But they're not my ideas. They're stories from a book that I lost."
The stranger thinks it must be a hell of a book and asks what it's about.  Henry never lifting his cautious head up replies "Stuff".   The stranger obviously wants to converse.
Henry- "You seem awfully interested in me and my book!"  The stranger is just being neighborly.
Henry- "What are you doing in Storybrooke?"
The Stranger- "I'm a writer."
Henry- "You can write anywhere. What are you really doing here?"
The Stranger whispers in Henry's ear "Stuff".  He wishes Henry good luck with the stories and leaves.

Sidney and Emma are going through Blueprints, bank statements and other documents, wondering what Regina is building out there.  Emma asks "A mansion?"  {A Swan Hatch, a church?}

Sidney feels whatever it is it doesn't matter because the escrow statements have her name all over it.  He tells Emma she was right "Personal use. She's done. We got her."

Emma looks troubled.  Sidney asks "What's wrong? Didn't you hear me?"  Emma feels bad because they stooped to Regina's level; she promised Henry she wouldn't do that.  Sidney's excited that they "got her!"
Emma- "It's the fruit of the poisonous tree. Illegally obtained evidence. It'll get thrown out in court in a heartbeat."
Sidney- "We don't need her to go to jail."
Emma- "Then what are we doing here?"
Sidney- "What you wished for...Get everyone to see who she is!  What she did to Henry she does to everyone. She destroys what people love."  He reluctantly shows Emma a box of photographs of her and Henry.  Regina made Sidney follow Emma and Henry and tell her everything about their secret place weeks ago. "She just waited to destroy it 'til it would hurt you and Henry the most. And it's all my fault. If you don't do this...I have to."
Angry Emma agrees.

Madam Mayor is leading a session of the City Council.  They'll begin by reading the minutes of the last meeting.  Sidney stands up indicating he has something he wants to bring to the council's attention. Regina informs him that this isn't an open forum and no one on the council is interested in hearing the boozy complaints of a disgraced reporter. She demands he sit down. Emma jumps up with something to say.
Regina- "Miss Swan. This meeting is to discuss issues facing Storybrooke."
Emma blurts out that the Mayor is stealing thousands of dollars from the city to build herself a second home.  The attendees are shocked. Mr. Gold watches and listens to the interactions between the two women.
The Mayor demands Emma sit down "Or so help me..."   Emma wonders, or what- Regina will punish or bully her, like everyone else in the town. "No. Not today." 

Emma claims to hold in her hand proof the Mayor stole funds from the city to build herself a lavish home in the woods.  And the reason disgraced reporter Sidney was fired was because he stood up to her; he questioned her.  "We all know what happens to people who question the Mayor. You claim that you act in the best interest of all of us, but that isn't the truth, is it? The truth is that you are a thug that doesn't care about anyone or anything but yourself.  That is who you really are.  And it is time for the people of Storybrooke to know that."
Regina- "You are right, Miss Swan. I am building a house. A Playhouse."  She presents a power point on the new playground she's having built with city funds for Henry and all of the children; so they can have a special place to play...safely.  The sketch was inspired from a drawing from one of Henry's books. "So there you have it Miss Swan. You've exposed me for who I really am. I hope you're satisfied."  {Check out Mr. Gold's reaction}

King Leopold sleeps in alone in his bed. Genie holds the box with the snakes and whispers "Forgive me".   He opens the box with the skull key and commands the gold snake to the sleeping King.  As the snakes slither their way under the blankets the King wakes up to find Genie standing over him.  The King is bit in the neck by the duo snake!  Seeming compassionate Genie holds the King's hand encouraging him that the pain will so pass.  As the King is gasping Genie also confesses he's the man who gave the mirror to the Queen. "I am that man. You gave me my that freedom. You gave me a chance... to find love and for that I am forever in your debt.  But just as you freed me, so must I now free your Queen. Forgive me."
The King grabs Genies hand to tell him he was right. "I never... should have made the wish." The King stops struggling; his eyes open and lifeless.

Outside City Hall Mr. Gold tells Emma and Sidney to look at her "Queen of the Castle"  He commends Emma on trying to bring Regina down but suggests a stronger ally if she really wants to accomplish this.  Emma's still not interested in Mr. Gold's partnership.
Mr. Gold- "Oh, one can wish."
Regina speaks to Emma alone.  Regina doesn't know what Emma was hoping to accomplish in there but she hopes Emma will just go back to her job "Which is upholding the law. Not breaking it."  She knows Emma broke into her office.  Emma doesn't want Regina to pretend she's so innocent; accusing her of messing with the brakes on her car.
Regina- "Your brakes? Are you delusional? Why would I kill you when you just saw I have nothing to hide?"
Until Emma has something more substantial than sustain to throw Regina's way, Emma is to stay away from her and her son; and that's not open for discussion. "You've lost the high ground, sheriff.  If I wanted to there's not a judge in the world that would deny me a restraining order after what you've done. You don't get to see my son...unless I say so. And right now...I don't say so."

Henry {wearing a pea coat} plays at the new playhouse in the woods.  Emma watches from her Beetle. They wave to each other.  Henry radios her asking why she's so far away "Come out here".  Emma tells the kid she can't today.  Imaginative Henry thinks she's undercover for Operation Cobra.  Emma tells him she's not undercover and that his mother doesn't want them seeing each other for a while.  Emma screwed up and does have to listen to Regina right now. "I got mad at your mom about you and the book and everything. We're just going to have to be apart for a while."
Henry doesn't want to be apart and Emma assures him she will find a way back in.  "And hey, if it's out there, Henry...I will find your book."
Henry- "Good luck. It's probably gone and it's probably never coming back."  He watches Emma drive away.

The scruffy stranger breaks into Henry's old red toolbox and retrieves the book. {He has a lot of tools with him!}

Sidney sits at the bar, uh I mean Granny's diner counter drinking a beer. Emma joins him. "Looks like we had the same idea."   Sidney feels if you can't beat her- drink.  Emma is served her beer.
Sidney ponders "How did we not see this?"
Emma- "We did. We saw it all right from the start. Just didn't wanna look. Blinded by our anger.  By everything."
That may be true this time, but since there's a lot of skeletons in Regina's closet Emma's got herself an ally. The two raise their glasses as Emma toasts "We won't get fooled again".

Excited Genie enters The Queen's chambers announcing that it's done. "You are free, my love. We are free to be together at last. Did you not hear me? Our days of imprisonment are over."
The Queen- "You haven't heard the news. The palace guards found the snake. They know it's from your country. They know it was you who killed the King.  It's only a matter of time before they catch you. You will be executed. I'm sorry...but we will never be together.  Come. I've arranged for a boat to provide you safe passage out of the Kingdom. You must leave at once."
Genie is stunned realizing the she chose that particular snake so the murder could be traced back to him. "You fooled me. You never loved me."
The vicious Queen wanted the King killed and Genie killed him and now Genie is no use to her any longer. "Be grateful I'm offering you an escape. Now flee the Kingdom and never turn back!"
The disgraced Genie still can't and won't live without her.  The queen raises her voice so he hears her. "I don't love you! There is no way we will ever be together."
Genie- "There is one way."   He uses the one remaining wish from the gold lamp. "I wish to be with you forever. To look upon your face always to- never leave your side."   And in a Whoosh the Genie trapped himself inside her mirror.  Genie pounds to get out of his new prison. The amused Queen sees he got his wish and he will be with her forever.

Sidney is looking at himself in the mirror in Regina's office.  Regina takes an apple from the bowl and asks him "Well?"  Pleased Sidney plays the tape of his meeting with Emma.
Regina is happy, "She bought it."
Proud Sidney- "All of it."
Regina feels it was a masterful job top to bottom "And cutting the brakes on her car, ha- Inspired."  Now Emma trusts Sidney and now they can have some fun.  She gives him the apple.
Sidney- "Everything she does, everywhere she goes...you'll know about it."
Regina touches his thigh and they look into each other's eyes as she tells him she doesn't know what she'd do without him.

Desperate Souls

“Look at every path closely and deliberately, then ask ourselves this crucial question: Does this path have a heart? If it does, then the path is good. If it doesn't, it is of no use.” - Carlos Castaneda


The Path
It's true that the choices we make along the path makes us who we are.  What is Mr. Gold's role with the children of Storybrooke?   Is he trying to save all the children of all the lands?  We have to reflect on timid and apparently cowardly Rumpelstiltskin.  He is a loving, caring and over protective father.  But he is also a broken man who is desperate to hold on to his son; the only thing he feels he has left.  Desperate times call for desperate measures, so, desperate Rumpelstiltskin acquires power; in this case from the Dark One's dagger, in order to help spare his son fighting in the Ogre war. Don't ignore that fact that Bae was perfectly willing to go and fight, but it is his father that won't 'let him go'.
With his new bravery and power Rumpelstiltskin's behavior frightens his son causing him not to feel safe.  Although Rumpelstiltskin wanted to use the power for good and to keep all of the children safe, you have to ask did he wield the power wisely.  He didn't choose to control the power, he chose to take it.  Since then Mr. Gold has learned how to read the fine print of a contract and also work in his own loopholes too.
Regina abuses her power. 

Be warned of a wolf in sheep's clothing. This is when one plays a role contrary to their real character and with whom contact is very dangerous.  One's basic nature eventually betrays itself.

We also see the dichotomy of two sides, two realms, good V evil, and how decision making tips the scale. How does one restore or gain balance? We all have two sides and traits we feed unnecessarily.  We have to find a way to beat or rid the 'bad' so that 'good' can win out.  We can't believe that good won't ever win- that would be wrong!

I wonder what Henry is so scarred from.  Is he an abused child? He's obviously a depressed boy.

I find it very interesting that Storybrooke has no problem hiring non trained police and ex cons in the role of sheriff.  Not only that, Mr. Gold gives away the Town's two walkie talkies. But of course, he knew they'd end up in the new sheriff's hands because he's intuitive; has a sense of knowing.

Things to Note...Questions to Ask...
๑ Names. Moniker. Identity. No Identity.
๑ Names/words spelled wrong. {I believe this is the proper way to spell Rumpelstiltskin. But WTF do I know.} Plus dates not adding up.
๑ MacCutcheon
๑ Alchemy
๑ Power/power source
๑ Red- Fires
๑ Communication. Walkie Talkie
๑ Teach. Learn
๑ Sleep. Wake up
๑ Law can also mean Dharma
๑ Intuitive
๑ Reflection. Mirror
๑ Competition. Beat. Win. Race
๑ Being Watched
๑ Theater. Staged. Act
๑ Children are taken away from their parents i.e. Henry
๑ Karma
๑ Emma keeps a photo of Henry on her desk at the sheriff's office.
๑ Rumpelstiltskin was chosen by The Dark One- Emma chosen by Mr. Gold.
๑ Mr. Gold claims to be doing some waterproofing yet is accused of setting the Town Hall fire.

* When names, words or time or dates are wrong, it's usually the sign of lucid dreaming.

Vocabulary and Research...
* Balefire, in the world of the "Wheel of Time", is a weapon created with the One Power or the True Power (both being magic available in the Wheel of Time), described as a blindingly bright beam of "liquid light" immediately annihilating (almost) everything it touches.

* ZOSO- Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin inspired the band members to choose symbols to represent their names on the album cover of Led Zeppelin 4.  Page stated that the symbols were taken from common reference texts. Three of the symbols were easily identified, but Jimmy Page's own "Zoso" symbol was harder to identify.
The Zoso symbol is a Sigil; which may be found in a book of Grimoires (magick).
* Sigil - a symbol used in magic and is used in computer programming.

* Titles of tunes on Led Zeppelin 4:
Black Dog
Rock and Roll
The Battle of Evermore
Stairway to Heaven
Misty Mountain Hop
Four Sticks
Going to California
When the Levee Breaks

✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale
★  Karma
★  MacCutcheon
★  Sydney. Glass
★  Eloise Hawking had an antique shop
★  The mind/head. Lucid Dreams. Consciousness.
★  Sleep. Wake up
★  Loophole
★ Candidate
★ Being watched
★ A few people accused of setting fires in LOST: Charlie, Rousseau, Walt and Kate. Kate's fire was due to exploding the house using gas. Locke tends to blow things up. There's an episode titled Fire + Water.
★ Dr. Bae delivered Ji Yeon
★ Expose. Cobra

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

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

Rumpelstiltskin is focused on spinning his thread/wool on his spinning wheel when his son enters upset that they have come for Morraine.  Outside they witness Hordor on horseback take the 14 year old girl by orders of  The Duke, while her distraught parents plead and beg for them not to take her.
The Ogre Wars have taken their tolls and more troops will turn the tide.  Baelfire is worried because they lowered the age again.  As the hysterical mother whips out a dagger to attack the child-napping soldier, a vibration wave is send from the fist of the Dark One who is on horseback in the distance watching and temporarily disabling the girl's parents.

Baelfire and his father (Rumpelstiltskin) are scared because they know the boy faces the same fate in three days.  But Rumpelstiltskin assures his son "We'll find a way".
In the distance you can see the red glow of the war.

In Storybrooke
Emma enters Mr. Gold's shop looking for him.  Gold is in the back room waterproofing something with Lanolin.  Emma comments on the horrible smell of his "livestock" ointment.  Gold called upon her to express his condolences for Graham; whom he considers a "good man".  Graham's been gone two weeks.  Gold believes that after two weeks of acting as sheriff and since Emma is still wearing the Deputy badge, that its only right the job becomes hers and she have to wear the real badge. Emma's not really in a hurry.

Gold wants to offer Emma a keepsake from Graham Humbert's things. He just happens to have possession of Graham's things; because the good man rented an apartment Mr. Gold owned. Emma feels she doesn't need anything.  With that Mr. Gold mentions he'll give the items to Mayor Mills; as she was the closest Graham had to family.  Fearing the boxed items will be heading directly for the trash bin so he offers her Graham's jacket, to which she declines. And then he offers her the set of walkie-talkies.

Mr. Gold seems caring and says to Emma- "Oh look. Your boy might like these, don't ya think? You could play together. No, please...they grow up so fast. {Emma takes them and thanks him} You enjoy these with your boy. Your time together is precious, you know? That's the thing about children...before you know it...you lose them."
Emma looks like she's realizing something is weighing on Mr. Gold's heart.

Emma meets up with Henry whom is sitting solo in his seaside wood frame castle playhouse.  He looks very sad.  Emma offers him one of the walkie talkies so they can use them in Operation Cobra.  The boy has been ducking Emma for weeks. {For weeks?! Huh?}   Sad Henry thinks they should stop Cobra stuff for a while. "You don't play with the curse. Look what happened to Graham."  Emma assures Henry that the autopsy claimed Graham dies of natural causes. {Really?!}
Henry is pleased that Emma doesn't believe and that should keep her from messing with it and getting killed.  The boy feels "She killed Graham because he was good...and you're good.  Good loses. Good always loses- 'cause good has to play fair. Evil doesn't. She's evil. This is probably best. Don't wanna upset her anymore."  Henry walks away, handing her back the walkie talkie. 

Emma decides to put on Graham's sheriff badge when she is interrupted by Regina telling her "That's not for you."   Emma assumes she's received the automatic "two week" promotion to sheriff.  Regina informs her that after due reflection she chose newspaper man Sydney Glass to be the sheriff.  Evidently Sydney's covered the sheriff's office for as long as anyone can remember; and he'll do whatever Regina wants him to do.  Emma remarks that Regina can't stand the fact that things are getting better around there. Regina starts to get upset "Are you referring to Graham's death as better?!"
Emma- "No."
Regina- "He was a good man, Miss Swan. He made this town safe and forgive me for saying it- but you have not earned the right to wear his badge."
Emma reminds her that Graham picked her to be deputy, to which Regina notes that he was wrong.  Emma feels Graham knew what he was doing and freed that office from Regina's leash.  Regina fires Miss Swan and takes the badge with her.

Emma is drinking MacCutcheon {with her glass half full} and cranking up Sonic Youth's "Kool Thing" on her ipod, while she attempts to fix a toaster she broke.  Mary Margaret enters and Emma shares the news of Regina firing her and putting in one of her puppets as sheriff; although Emma insists its her job and she wants it back.  Emma feels she just wants to beat Regina.
Mr. Gold shows up to chat with Emma about the injustice he just heard about.  Emma feels "Yeah well, What's done is done".
Mr. Gold- "Spoken like a true fighter."
Emma doesn't know what kind of a chance she has- "She's Mayor and I'm...well...me."
Mr. Gold- "Miss Swan, two people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Two people with a common enemy... can accomplish even more."
He offers to be her benefactor and shares with her the Town Charter.  The comprehensive Town Charter indicates that Regina may not have as much power as she seems.

In the Dark Forest
Rumpelstiltskin wakes up his son Bae {Baelfire} and hurries him, "We're going now! Come on! Come on!" {The boy had a lovely sheepskin blanket}

On their walk into the woods Baelfire tells his father that it feels wrong to run away. But the protective father feels it's worse to die and he won't have him taken away to the Ogre war.  There just happens to be an old beggar who stops them and begs; to which the good and poor Rumpelstiltskin gives to the old beggar.
Rumpelstiltskin assures Bae there's no other way to keep him safe. Bae is all he's got left. He goes on to say that the boy doesn't understand what war is like and what they do to you. They hear approaching horses so Rumpelstiltskin wants the boy hide in the ditch, but he doesn't.  They are stopped by the army and asked what they are doing on the King's Road.  Rumpelstiltskin says they have some wool to sell at the fair Longbourne.  Hordor thinks he knows the timid father and recalls some shitty names he's made up. "Spindleshanks? Threadwhistle? Hobblefoot?"   Brave Bea steps up "His name's Rumpelstiltskin!"  Scared Rumpelstiltskin urges his boy to hush.
Hordor- "Rumple...Ah, the man who ran. Is this your boy? How old is he? What's your name?"

Bae- "I'm Baelfire and I'm 13."  The brave kid admits his birthday is in two days time. Hordor decides he's going to share how Rumpelstiltskin ran and the Ogre's turned the tide of the battle, and the others were killed and he returned home to a wife who could not bear the sight of him. "You see- women do not like to be married to cowards."
Rumpelstiltskin is getting emotional and whispers- "Please don't speak to my boy like that."
Hordor informs them it's treason to avoid service and commands his army to take the boy now. Rumpelstiltskin- "No. No. No. What do you want?"
Hordor- "What do I want?  You have no money. No influence, no land. No title, no power. The truth is all you have is fealty. Kiss my boot."  That is Hordor's price.  Rumpelstiltskin obliges and Hordor kicks him away.  The army leaves and the old beggar arrives to help him home.  Frightened Rumpelstiltskin admits he doesn't have any money to pay him, but of course the beggar can think of another way. "You just feed me whatever you can spare and I'll find a way to be your benefactor."

In Storybrooke
In Regina's office the flashbulbs flash as the newspaper people takes their photos for the ceremony.
Regina- "Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own homes. That's why Sydney Glass is my choice for post of sheriff.  This man has put the needs of Storybrooke above his own for as long as any of us can remember- as chief editor of the Storybrooke Daily Mirror.  Please welcome your new sheriff."
Emma enters to put the kibosh on Regina's power to appoint Sydney; indicating that the Town Charter says she can only appoint a candidate; and then requires an election/a vote.  Regina feels the term candidate is applied loosely.  Emma reveals she's running!  Well, so is surprised Sydney; with Regina's full support.
Regina- "I guess we'll learn a little something about the will of the people."

Bae sleeps as Rumpelstiltskin feeds the old beggar.  Helpless Rumpelstiltskin realizes another day is gone; they'll be no fleeing now.
The Old Beggar- "No. You need to find another way. You need to choose a different path."
Rumpelstiltskin- "Choose? What choice do I have?
The Old Beggar- "Everyone has a choice."
Rumpelstiltskin- "I'm the town coward. The only choice I have...is which corner to hide in. {he cries} I'm lame...friendless. The only thing I've got is my boy...and they're gonna take him away from me. If they take him away...I will truly...truly...become dust."
The Old Beggar- "Not if you have power."
Rumpelstiltskin- "You may as well say diamonds.
The Old Beggar- "Get a hold of yourself. Think. Why do you think someone as powerful as the Dark One would work for a useless fool like the Duke of the Frontlands?  The Duke has the Dark One in Thrall. He's enslaved  him with the power of a mystical dagger and on the blade is written a name. The true name of the Dark One.  If you were to steal the dagger- then you would control the Dark One yourself and then no one...would be able to take your son away from you."
Rumpelstiltskin- "To keep a man like the Dark One as a slave...No, I can't. I'd be terrified."
The Old Beggar- "Then perhaps...instead of controlling the power...you need to take it."

In Storybrooke
Mr. Gold looks deeply into the flame on his lighter. Regina enters his shop, locks the door and turns the OPEN sign around.  Mr. Gold offers to move some things and make a bit of space "for her rage".
Regina- "You found that loophole in the Town Charter."
Gold- "Legal documents. Contracts, if you like. Always been a fascination of mine."
Regina- "Yes, you love to trifle with technicalities."
Mr. Gold likes small weapons; the needle, the pen, the fine point of a deal. He knows subtlety is not Regina's style. {He's near the a glass case housing a dagger.}  Gold feels grief is getting the better of her.  "Shame what happened to Graham."  Regina gets defensive and doesn't want Gold talking about him "You know nothing."
Gold- "What is it to know? He died."
Regina- "Are you really going up against me?"  {They both stand on opposite sides of the counter while they claim their sides. Note the scale}
Gold- "Not directly. We are, after all both invested in the common good. We're just picking different sides."

Regina thinks he picked a really slow horse this time; a loser.  Gold disagrees, "Never underestimate someone who acting for their child."   Of course now it's Regina who trifles with technicality, as Henry's not Emma's child-legally.

At the diner Emma plops down next to Henry who is obviously distant from her.  He's reading the newspaper. She asks him how school is. He shows her the paper that Sydney wrote and asks if its a lie.  Shocked Emma says "No". 
Henry- "I was born in jail?"
Emma admits it and also reveals these records were supposed to be sealed. "Tell me you're not scarred for life."
Henry- "I'm not. Well, not by this."  {Well then, by what?}
Emma suggests they throw the paper out and get their news from something more reliable, like the Internet.  Henry's been trying to tell her that good can't be evil, because good doesn't do this kind of thing. "My mom plays dirty. That's why you can't beat her...ever."
Emma reveals she has Mr. Gold on her side, but smart Henry warns her not to do this. "Mr. Gold is even worse than she is. You already owe him one favor, you don't wanna owe him anymore."

Emma storms into Regina's office complaining about her publishing her sealed by court order "juvie" record. She doesn't know how Regina got it, but feels its abuse of power and illegal. All Emma cares about is that this hurts Henry.
Regina- "He would have learned eventually. We all lose our heroes at some point."
Emma pleads- "He doesn't need to lose anything more. He's depressed, madam Mayor. He doesn't have any hope. Don't you see that?"
Totally unaffected Regina feels Henry's fine. Emma feels the smear campaign is upsetting to the boy. All Regina did was expose him to the truth and feels as for the legality, she did nothing wrong. Emma and Sydney will have a chance to get into all of that at the debate.  As they descend down the stairs to exit the building Regina warns Emma about getting into bed with the snake Mr. Gold.  Emma is just fighting fire with...
A huge explosion and fire rages on the other side of the open door! Regina is trapped and wants Emma to help get her out.

Rumpelstiltskin's House
Motivated Rumpelstiltskin instructs Bae to keep the fire good and stoked; the sheep's fat needs to be liquid and get that wool good and soaked.  Bae asks why they're doing this with the good wool they can spin and sell.  Rumpelstiltskin feels these are their keys to the castle. "And once I'm inside, there's something I have to take."  He shares the fine tale the old beggar told him about The Duke and his magical dagger. If Rumpelstiltskin owns that dagger he controls the Dark One and if he kills the Dark One with the dagger he takes his power.  Bae is stunned while excited Rumpelstiltskin imagines himself with the powers. "I could get to redeem myself.  I could turn it towards good. I'll save all the children of the Frontlands. Not just you my boy."
Although Bae would love to see that, he feels the law says he must fight, and he can fight.  Rumpelstiltskin tells the boy that the law doesn't want him to fight, the law wants him to die. "That's not battle, that's...a sacrifice, son.  You look at the red in the sky- that's not the fires of the battlefields, that's the blood of our people, son. It's the blood of children. Of children like you. I mean, what sane person would want to get involved with that?"
Bae realizes the truth in his father's previous running away story. Rumpelstiltskin tells him he had no choice. Bae asks if mother left him like the Knight said "You told me she was dead".
Rumpelstiltskin whispers- "She is dead."
Bae thinks and asks "So, what do we need to do?"  Rumpelstiltskin tells him The Duke's castle is made of stone but the floors and the rafters are made of wood."  This matters because wood burns.

In Storybrooke
The fire rages on.  Regina asks Emma "You're gonna leave me, aren't you?"   Emma doesn't answer, she runs through the flames and returns with a fire extinguisher, putting out flames. She also helps Regina out.
As they exit the flaming building a photographer snaps a photo of Emma saving Regina.  But Regina makes it look like Emma didn't set her down gently enough and she hurt her ankle. Since Regina is so ungrateful about Emma saving her life Emma threatens that next time she'll...well, next time she'll do the same thing...and the time after that, because that's what descent good human beings do.  We can hear excited Henry ask a fireman "Did Emma really save my mom?!"

Regina takes in some oxygen from the oxygen tank and claims she's fine.  Sydney hurries over with his camera in hand and takes a nice shot of the victim/Regina.  Regina's nervous that would hand the election over to the competition, Emma.  But Sydney feels this is news. Regina pushes him away.
The town's people are excited about their new hero, Emma.  Granny suggests they make campaign posters for the election with the news photo of the rescue.  Emma tells Henry "This is how good wins. You do something good and people see it and then they wanna help you."   Henry feels maybe she's right.  Something catches Emma's eye in the rubble- She believes it belongs to Mr. Gold.

Emma storms into Mr. Gold's shop as he's wiping his nails/hands clean.  He claims he's been right there. She accuses him of setting the fire as she tells him to take a whiff of the cloth that smells like his flammable sheep crap oil.  He suggests that's from the flammable solvents used in the construction work going on over at City Hall.  Emma doesn't waver and asks why he did it.
Mr. Gold- "If I did it...If I did it that would be because...you cannot win without something big. Something like, uh...Oh, I don't know...being the hero in a fire."
Emma wonders how he'd know she'd be there at the right time.  Mr. Gold implies Regina isn't the only one with eyes and ears in this town or "maybe I'm just intuitive...were I involved"   He also knows Emma's not the type who would have just left Regina there.  Evidently Emma inadvertently went along with his plan.  He feels this is just the price of election, but it's a price Emma isn't willing to pay. She tells him to find another sucker.  Mr. Gold lets her know that by exposing him, she'd be exposing a lot more and she'd be walking away from something important and who she might be disappointing.

Rumpelstiltskin and Bae work together setting the fires at the castle.  Rumpelstiltskin enters the burning castle and takes the dagger that is hidden behind a huge tapestry. {Looks like fish on the tapestry} ZOSO is revealed on the dagger.

Mary Margaret is putting up "Emma" election posters on the town bulletin board. On the other side of the board is John Doe/David putting up posters for "Sydney".  John Doe/David got a job at the animal shelter.  He's supporting "Sidney" because his wife is friends with Regina.  Since his wife Kathryn will there soon, annoyed Mary Margaret makes a quick exit to get more posters.

Archie is having a bit of a hard time reciting the dialogue for his role as mediator for the debate, even though his notes are written out on index cards.  Sydney is primping in the mirror.   Emma peeks at Henry from behind the curtain; he smiles at her.   Mary Margaret brings Emma her notes on index cards and a bottle of water.  Emma feels she's not going to win.  Even though everyone's talking about what Emma did in the fire, Emma still feels Henry's right that she can't beat Regina since she fights dirty.  Emma wants to show Henry (and herself) that good can actually win and that a hero can actually win. "And if I'm not...a hero and I'm not the savior then what part do I have in his life?"  There it is!
As Emma peeks through the curtain again, she shots Mr. Gold entering; they make eye contact.

In the Dark Forest
Baelfire awaits his father's return. The boy was worried and asks "Are you burned? The castle..."  Rumpelstiltskin wants the boy to go home and wait for him there.  Bae pleads with his father "Please, I have a bad feeling."  But this is something Rumpelstiltskin must do on his own.  Bae seems frightened and unsure as he backs away from his father to head home.

Rumpelstiltskin calls out- "ZOSO. ZOSO. I summon thee."  Thinking ZOSO hasn't appeared, the does cloaked Dark One appear. "You were asking for me?"   Frightened Rumpelstiltskin commands him to submit "I control you!"   The Dark One agrees and tells him to wield the power wisely.  Rumpelstiltskin seems frozen in fear, so the Dark One encourages him to "You can wield it at any time now. It's almost dawn.  That means it's your son's birthday. I bet Hordor and his men are already on their way to your house."
Rumpelstiltskin- "No, they can't take him."
The Dark One- "You don't control them- You control me.  Have you ever wondered...was he really your child at all?  Unlike you he's not a coward and yearns to fight and die in glory.   What a poor bargain that would be, to lay down your soul to save your bastard son. So, I ask you...what would you have me do?
Rumpelstiltskin- "Die!"  He plunges the dagger in to the Dark One's heart. As the Dark One appears to be dying it is revealed that it is really the old beggar man; he's laughing. "Looks like you made a deal you didn't understand. I don't think you're gonna do that again."
Rumpelstiltskin- "You told me to kill you."  {When? He literally told Rump to kill him?}
The Old Beggar/Dark One- "My life was such a burden. You'll see. Magic always comes with a price and now it's yours to pay."
Rumpelstiltskin- "Why me? Why me?"
The Old Beggar/Dark One- "I know how to recognize a desperate soul."  As the old beggar seems to die Rumpelstiltskin begs him to stay and tell him what to do.  He pulls the dagger out of the man and sees the name inscribed upon it.

In Storybrooke
"Tragedy has brought us here, but we are faced with  this decision and we only ask that you listen with an open mind and please vote your conscience."   Archie introduces the candidates.
GLASS  SWAN.  He makes a joke to which no one laughs "Wow. Crickets. OK, um..."  He introduces Mr. Glass for his opening statement.  Mr. Glass's statement is short. "...If elected, I wanna serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke.  Honesty, neighborliness and strength. Thank you."  Apparently Regina knows every one of his words.
And Emma Swan- She starts off acknowledging her troubled past but they've been able to overlook it because of the "hero thing".  She admits the fire was a setup by her supporter in the race, Mr. Gold.  She was unaware of his intentions.  She doesn't have evidence, but she's sure. The worst part is "I let you all think it was real. And I can't win that way. I'm sorry."   Mr. Gold just gets up and walks out. Regina is very happy.

Emma sits having a drink at Granny's diner bar. Henry enters the bar, uh, I mean diner and gives Emma a walkie talkie. {Umm...I thought he left Emma with both walkies at the playground.}  He thought her standing up to Mr. Gold was pretty amazing.  He feels that's what heroes do "They expose stuff like that." He whispers "I should have never given up on Operation Cobra."   Regina enters "I thought I might find you here...with a drink...and my son."   Sydney may join Emma for a drink.  Emma Swan is now the victor! Sheriff Swan.  Regina reveals it was a very close vote but people seem to like the idea the sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold.
Emma- "Are you joking?    Sydney knows she doesn't joke.
Regina- "You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan. But he does make a superlative enemy. Enjoy that."

At Rumpelstiltskin's House
Hordor- "Everyone's watching from behind their curtains today."  They have Bae with them.
The new Rumpelstiltskin kills one of the soldiers.  Hordor automatically notes this action as being done by the Dark One, but Rumpelstiltskin isn't dressed in a dark cloak; he bows and then realizes "No. Who are you?"
Rumpelstiltskin- "Have you forgotten me already. What was it you used to call me again? Spindleshanks? Hobblefoot."
Bae- "Papa?"
Hordor- "Rumpelstiltskin."
Rumpelstiltskin- "And now you shall know me as the new Dark One. How about a little fealty? Kiss...My...Boot."  And he proceeds to kill all of the men.
The boy is confused and scared. "Papa...what has happened to you?"
Rumpelstiltskin walks toward his son with the dagger still in his hand. "You're safe, Bae. Do you feel safe, son?"
Bae- "No. I'm frightened."
Rumpelstiltskin- "I'm not. I protected what belongs to me. And I'm NOT SCARED OF ANYTHING." He laughs a sinister laugh as the frightened boy backs away.

In Storybrooke
Emma sets herself up in the sheriff's office. Graham's jacket hangs in the corner.  Mr. Gold startles her; thought she might like the jacket after all. 
Mr. Gold- "It's all part of the act, my dear. Political theater, in an actual theater. I knew no one was gonna vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality.  And I'm afraid saving ol Regina's ass from the fire just wasn't gonna do that. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me- and they did."  
Emma- "There's no way you planned that."
Mr. Gold- "Everyone's afraid of Regina...But they're more afraid of me. By standing up to me you won them over. It's the only way."
Emma- "You knew I'd agree."
Mr. Gold- "Oh yeah. I know how to recognize a desperate soul."
He did this because Emma made a deal with him sometime back, establishing she'd owe him a favor. He understands it could be a bad feeling 'owing someone', and now that she's sheriff he's sure they'll find some way for her to pay back what she owe him.  He congratulates her.