The Stable Boy

"Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering." - Yoda


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


Say it again- Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Perception is everything. That statement is true and I couldn't agree more. Perception is not just about what you see.  It's also about what you hear and what you feel. Your perception is interpreted based in your own personal experiences, beliefs and what you believe to be the truth.

This is also true as to how someone perceives "magic"; whether it's in a positive or negative light. Some people behold "magic" as a beautiful and powerful thing; true love is pure magic. Others feel "magic" is associated with something wished for; such as wishing for dreams and desires to come true. And then there are other people who observe "magic" as a powerful antagonistic force; using it to control, manipulate, curse and abuse.

Regina's pain goes beyond little Snow White's inadvertent betrayal. Mommy dearest, Cora, is at the core of it. Is Regina confusing "magic" and (child) abuse?  Is Cora walking a line between tough love and abuse?  Is motivated mother really just "helping" and guiding Regina for a purpose; like trying to turn soft metal into steel?  Cora uses her manipulating and magical controlling tactics as a means to help her daughter and others.  On the surface it may seem she is driven by the desire to have her daughter attain the brass ring (so to speak) so Regina doesn't have to suffer a life of poverty. But looking a little deeper, it could be taken that Cora's motives are simply seeded in her own hurt heart, and that she may be a bit crazy and crossing a line into child abuse.  Whether that's the case or not, the bottom line is Regina fears Cora.

Cora is imprisoning Regina with her control based from her own fears. She saddles her daughter with expectations of a life she herself desired. But that life does not include true love; as it is obvious mother has a hatred for love due to a deep hurt from it. This experience has twisted her perception. This actually makes Cora emotionally imprisoned as well. Cora's actions of ripping Daniel's heart out may be to spare her daughter of the heartbreak she fears this man and their love will bring. But it is that twisted act of protection that causes her daughter's extreme heartbreak.

Although we see a moment when young Regina can reprimand the stable boy in front of her mother  (this pleases Cora) she does know what love is, the difference between good and bad, helping and being compassionate to others. She even selflessly doesn't hesitate to save little Snow on her runaway horse.
"The only way to overcome fear is to face it."  Regina gave this wonderful nurturing advice to fallen Snow White. She also tried to face her fear of Cora in the stable- but Cora was stronger... much stronger.

Cora's concerns for her daughter's happiness may seem genuine to outsiders and especially to good hearted young Snow White, a loving motherless child; whom she also manipulates.  But the thing I wonder about is father Henry.  He doesn't really do much to protect Regina from Cora's damaging parenting. Henry may be Regina's constant, the source of her grounding- her stability.  The stable boy would have been a stable relationship for Regina. But alas, it wasn't to be. Who knows, maybe there's a chance for them in the future.

All little Snow wanted for Regina was for her to be happy with her true love.  Regina being with her true love was more important to Snow White than Regina being her stepmother.  Snow was so compassionate to Regina and Cora's relationship that she wanted to help save it.  She didn't want Regina to lose her mother, like Snow lost hers.  But the now poisoned Regina couldn't let go of the "treason" of the little girl, as opposed to having understanding that it was an innocent yet unfortunate mistake.  She saw Snow's "helping" as a correlation to her mother's idea of the word "helping."  Regina's perception about love and family becomes distorted.  Poor little Snow White was used.  She is innocent and also was the victim of manipulative Cora.  Thus becomes the vengeance that fuels Regina wrath. Make no mistake about it, Cora and Regina made choices on who they were to become. Ultimately the rotten apple didn't fall far from the rotten tree.

Sometimes it's hard to see what's right in front of us

Even when we're looking for proof and it's staring us in the face, we still may not see it.  While others may see proof but still chose not to believe it. People in Storybrooke are walking around confused and not understanding things, and at times try to attach meaning to nonsense and madness. Some are blindly following in the hopes that someone will lead them to whatever it is they're looking for or where ever they need to go.  Emma is one of these people.  There's a need for some guidance.  What truths will be uncovered when they finally have clarity?

On a funny side note, to me Emma is kind of like the Daniel Faraday of Storybrooke. Daniel Faraday is a physicist and visitor to the LOST "Island."  He was smart but confused and in need of the "Island's" help to get well.  In my opinion he wasn't a very good physicist and was wrong about certain "Island" happenings a couple of times. Emma is not a very good detective and doesn't have good instincts or superpowers.  She often needs to be nudged in a direction of investigation and she couldn't even decipher Henry's simple code of "The eagle is in the nest and the package is secure."

Emma and Jack Shephard of LOST share a few similar traits.  Both are stubborn and doubters; both need evidence of things.  They are not believers of faith, magic or destiny. Something has to happen for them to open their eyes and truly see and believe.

"If you drink much from a bottle marked 'poison' it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later."

I'm not a writer, but just like August, I'm also partial to finding my answers in a literary form- and I'm a sucker for stories being told via metaphor.

In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, chapter 12 is titled Alice's Evidence.  In short- There is a lot going on in the court.  Alice is on trial for the issue of the tarts.  We learn about Rule 42 and how there's making up of one's own rules.  Everyone in the courtroom is confused due to misunderstanding of words and things being backwards.  The Queen even demands the sentence be read before the verdict!

But in the end Alice sees that Wonderland isn't real- it was all a dream.  Alice's evidence is that she woke up, shattering her illusion.


The Marionette Theater

There's a part of this current fairy tale that I've recalled upon a lot over the past few days.  In the episode "That Still Small Voice", Jiminy Cricket's parents turn a nice little boy's parents into marionettes/dolls, leaving the boy an orphan. And then the Blue Fairy tells Jiminy Cricket that he needs to find the boy and help him. That boy's name is Geppetto.  If the orphan boy is Geppetto, he's younger than Jiminy is in Fairy Tale Land, but he's older than Jiminy/Archie in Storybrooke.

Who is August?  I don't fuckin' know.  But I just can't seem to let go of trying to find out!  The clues point toward a link to Pinocchio.  In this episode alone August talks of writers block and uses the word "block" a few times, he complained of shin splints and he obviously uses a homophone three times in one sentence; indicating the word "wood".  And I can't ignore his reaction to the implication of him possibly being a liar.  Do we have a bit of liar paradox there?

But are we being misled by the writers and Augusts' reveal will be a shocking twist like he's someone like... Walt Disney?  Bwahaha!  If he is mischievous Pinocchio, could he have been in the tree wardrobe with the infant when a spell was cast?  We have the newspaper clues mentioning that a 7 year old boy found a baby on the side of the road.  Is this boy a traveling companion with the infant or was this really a different boy and an innocent side of the road discovery?

Okay, here are a few more literary facts about the boy made from a block of pinewood from The Adventures of Pinocchio-
Mister Antonio/Master Cherry, known for his bright shiny red nose, found a block of pinewood which he plans to carve into a leg for his table.  When he begins, however, the log shouts out, "Don't strike me too hard!"  Gepetto drops by looking for a piece of wood to build a marionette; seeing a perfect opportunity, Antonio gives the block to Gepetto.


Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K

Wait, what? Okay, I'll be the first to admit it... I'm confused about Regina and her wanting to send Mary Margaret out of Storybrooke for good.  I thought she wanted her trapped in Storybrooke.  Maybe Regina wants her out because the truth is creeping in on her and this is a move she needs to make for her own protection.  Maybe it's possible that we're not witnessing the curse strictly cast by Regina's spell alone.

Things to Note...Questions to Ask...
๑  Here's a thought- Is there any way little Snow's runaway horse incident was staged only by Cora, or by any chance was the King in on it with her? I'm just asking.
๑  Regina is a bad-ass equestrian
๑  Henry has a lot of clocks in his room
๑  To me, there seemed to be a lot of green eyes in this episode. 
๑  Does the Storybrooke TOLL BRIDGE actually take tolls?
๑  Mental and emotional health
๑  King George- Spencer
๑  Learning
๑  Horse. Deer
๑  Honor
๑  Hope and Faith
๑  Right. Wrong
๑  Key
๑  Balance: Bicycle. the number 2
๑  Flowers: Orchid. Tulips
๑  Granny really wants people to know she's OPEN.  She has a lot of signs!
๑  Visitors
๑  Win
๑  Games: Stratego. Risk. Scrabble
๑  Bug
๑  Graham's jacket still hangs in the sheriff's office
๑  Firefly Hill in "Dreamy"
๑  Homophone: Would- Wood.
๑  Cora- core

Vocabulary and Research... 
๑  Cora- The  name Cora means maiden.
    - In classical mythology: name of Persephone, the goddess of the underworld who lives there in winter, before her return in spring causes the cycle of life to continue.
๑  Mr. Gold uses the word "prototype" when describing Mary Margaret.  I don't know, I would have used the word "profile." 
   - A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.
    - The word prototype derives from the Greek (prototypon), "primitive form", neutral of (prototypos), "original, primitive", from (protos), "first" and  (typos), "impression".
   - Prototype is an open world action video game
๑ The Package is a song off the album "Thirteenth Step" by the band A Perfect Circle.  There's also a track titled A Stranger
๑  Bow:
   - Bows are performed both in Shinto and Buddhist settings.  Namaste is derived from Sanskrit and means "bow to you" translated as "I bow to you"
   - Korean Zen Buddhism has a daily ritual in which practitioners do 1,080 full prostration bows, usually spread throughout the day.  More casual practitioners and laypeople typically do 108 bows once a day instead.
  - Bowing is an important part of the Japanese tea ceremony.
  - is a nautical term that refers to the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is most forward when the vessel is underway.
๑ Tea contains L-theanine, and its consumption is strongly associated with a calm; but heightens alertness and focused, relatively productive (alpha wave dominant), mental state in humans.  This mental state is also common to meditative practice.
   - Tea, a slang term for marijuana
๑  Skeleton Key- used in reference to a key (or similar object) capable of opening any lock regardless of make or type. aka a passingkey is either a key that has been altered in such a way as to bypass the wards placed inside a warded lock or an American term for a lever or "bit" type key. The term derives from the fact that the key has been reduced to its essential parts.

- A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake (1944) by mythologist Joseph Campbell and Henry Morton Robinson; which provides an in-depth analysis of Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce. That James Joyce's book is considered to be "the greatest book that nobody's ever read"

 -  Skeleton Key is the Third book in the Alex Rider series (adventurous spy novels about a teenage boy) written by British author Anthony Horowitz. They are children's books.
 - Skeleton Key: A Dictionary for Deadheads, by David Shenk and Steve Silberman. For fans of the Grateful Dead.

 - Skeleton Key is a rock band based in New York City.
๑  Horseback riding tid-bits- Show jumping comprises a timed event judged on the ability of the horse and rider to jump over a series of obstacles, in a given order and with the fewest refusals or knockdowns of portions of the obstacles.
   - The idea that riding a horse astride could injure a woman's sex organs is an old wives tale.
๑  Saddle stitch, a form of book binding
๑  Old Maid- a child's card game- The game spawns an element of bluffing, commonly used in poker.
๑  Hearts is an "evasion-type" trick-taking playing card game.

In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, chapter 12 is titled Alice's Evidence:
I'm noting this passage- "Off with her head!' the Queen shouted at the top of her voice.  Nobody moved. 'Who cares for you?' said Alice, (she had grown to her full size by this time.) 'You're nothing but a pack of cards!'

What do we make of this page from the fairy tale book? I apologize that it's not a clear picture.

Flowers are prominent in this episode, especially tulips and orchids; two flowers that are part of the LOST story.  This is the Orchid on the "Island"-

✔  Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale
✈  108
✈  23
✈  Honor
✈  Expose:  Cobra, Nikki, Paulo, crime scene, trajectory, Medusa spider, script, orphans, diamonds, walkie, Mr. LaShade is the Cobra, Hurley feels that Desmond (flashes) superpowers are lame.  Things don't stay buried for long.  We also discover Ben is behind certain things; he finds out what the Castaways are emotionally invested in and he exploits it.  And, the perception by a few Castaways' as to what they each heard when Nikki says "paralyzed."
✈  We learn more about John Locke's "mother issues" in "Across the Sea".  His mother had mental/emotional issues.
✈  Locked up in a cage: Kate, Sawyer, Karl, Jack jail and glass cell, the bears and birds.
✈  Incarcerated: Hurley in Santa Rosa and jail.  Kate and Sawyer.
✈  Dead.  Deceased.  Late.  Gone.  Not dead
✈  Charles Widmore's son is Daniel Faraday-Widmore and daughter is Penny Milton.  Also he was financing the medical care of Theresa Spencer.  Abigail Spencer appears in Jughead
   -    HM Melbourne Assessment Prison is an Australian remand and reception prison located on Spencer  Street, Melbourne Victoria. The prison is also known by its knick name "The Map."
✈  Desmond is referred to as "the package" in The Package.  He's been returned to the "Island" by Charles Widmore
✈  Tulips
✈  Bug
✈  Tea
✈  Sun's mother chats with her about getting old and not being married
✈  Sundown
✈  Again I'll note that in "This Place is Death", Charlotte tells Locke "You can find the Orchid at the well".   The Orchid hides the frozen wheel behind the Dharma Station Gizmo that is used for experiments.

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

Regina holds a gold twisted band and is obviously deep in thought with a longing memory.
"Remembrance of things past" asks Mr. Gold. {Regina's back is to him, yet he knows what she was doing.}  He shows up in her office in need of a favor.
We then get notice of-

ONE WEEK AGO

Mr. Gold- "Well, as you know there are battery charges against me- pending.  I really don't relish the thought spending any more time locked up in a cage.  Now, someone with your influence can make the D.A. suddenly realize what a flimsy case they have.  Isn't that right, Your Majesty." {He takes one red apple from the white bowl of apples}  In return he offers her help with her Mary Margaret problem.  He's noticed that no matter how hard Regina tries to stop them, she and her charming friend keep finding ways to be together.  He suggests, "If you want to inflict pain... then you must inflict pain. If something tragic were to happen to David's wife and if Mary Margaret should take the blame... {Regina interjects- "She'd be ruined." } and you'd have your victory- at last."
Regina thinks a trial could be very messy; but he didn't say anything about a trial.  Mr. Gold feels once Miss Blanchard is incarcerated Regina could plant one of her lovely skeleton keys in her cell, and when she tries to leave Storybrooke  "Well, we all know what happens to people who attempt to leave town..."
Regina asks him for one good reason why she should trust him.
Mr. Gold- "Because I always honor my agreements. Do we have a deal?" {He tosses her the red apple}


Young Regina is being cheered on by her father, Henry, as she rides on horseback jumping over a series of obstacles.  He finds her riding beautiful, while stern mother scoffs, hardly finding her riding beautiful. "You ride like a man. A lady should be graceful. You should use a saddle."   She also feels Regina is getting a little old to be having fun. "Who's going to marry you when you behave like a commoner?"  Father asks "Honey, please leave her alone."  But Mother tells him to "Stop coddling her! She's becoming an old maid. All the other girls her age are married. (humph) I had such high hopes.
The stable boy standing by holding a saddle asks "Milady- perhaps this saddle..."
Regina cuts him off stating she's done riding for the day.  She also reprimands the young man "And don't ever interrupt me and my mother again."  Mother is pleased by Regina's handling of the young man. The stable boy walks away with her horse, looking back at her- dejected.   Regina {Holding the reigns} ask mother "Why do you always have to criticize me?"
Mother- "I'm not criticizing you dear. I'm helping you."   Frustrated Regina walks away.  Angry mother uses magic to stop her daughter. "Don't you walk away from me!"   This traps Regina in a purple field of magic; lifting Regina high up off the ground.

Regina doesn't like it when mother uses magic.
Cora- "(humph) And I don't like insolence. I'll stop using magic when you start being an obedient daughter."
Regina-"Uh, Why can't I just be myself?"
Cora- "Oh, because you can be so much more... if you just let me help you."
Regina- "I don't care about status. I just wanna be... "  Cora raises Regina higher and magically wraps two belts around her; constraining her further.
Father, who stands by letting this abuse happen finally speaks. "Cora, please."
Now Regina is frightened and begs mother "Please. I'll be good."  Cora is pleased. "Excellent. That's all I wanted to hear."  Regina runs away from her to the stables.

Regina apologizes to Daniel for snapping at him.  Daniel feels it's alright; she'll just have to find some way to make it up to him.  They kiss!

TODAY

David (carrying a black umbrella) runs into (in a hurry and doesn't have time) Emma {Putting her hair into a ponytail} outside of Granny's.  David asks her how Mary Margaret's doing.  He realized Mary Margaret misunderstood him; that she thinks he thinks she's guilty, but he wants her to know he doesn't think she's guilty.  David feels it's this situation; it's been confusing and horrible for everyone. "Emma, I don't think she's guilty.  I need her to know that. Can I see her?"   Emma shares that Mary Margaret doesn't want to visitors.  David realizes she may not want to see him.  Emma knows David's heart is in the right place "But the last thing she needs is words of encouragement from you."  {WTF?! Of course she would like that that!}  David asks "What does she need?"
Emma- "A miracle."   Emma gets in her bug and drives off.

Mary Margaret is sleeping on her cot in her jail cell; she bolts awake to see Regina sitting there quietly waiting for her to wake up.
Regina- "They say only the guilty sleep in prison."  She tells Mary Margaret that Emma hasn't arrived yet. Regina stopped by to offer Mary Margareta chance to spare herself and the town the messiness of a trial. "The chance to confess."
Mary Margaret insists she didn't kill Kathryn and doesn't understand why no one will believe her.
Regina rehashes that the murder weapon was found in Mary Margaret's apartment and her fingerprint was on the box containing Kathryn's heart. "Shall I go on. Why not, for once, make it easier on everyone? Because confession or not... you're leaving Storybrooke"
Mary Margaret- "And you like that. Why? Why do you take such pleasure in this? What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much?"
As Regina takes a breath, to seemingly answer her, the scene switches to Regina horseback riding (with a saddle) in Fairy Tale Land.
Regina meets up with Daniel by a pine tree and they kiss.  Daniel suggests a ride up to Firefly Hill "Make it by sundown, have a picnic."   Regina can't. "I have to be back in an hour.  A Lady never misses her tea time."   David is frustrated that they have to steal kisses between lunch and tea. "When are you gonna tell your parents about us?"
Regina- "It's not my parents.  It's her."
Daniel- "I don't understand.  So I work in the stables.  She started out as the daughter of a miller. Wouldn't she of all people understand?"
Regina- "She does. But she thinks one's trajectory needs to keep moving up and..."
Daniel- "And I'm down." 
Regina- "She believes that, Daniel. I know better."
Daniel wants Regina to tell her. "She'll get over it.  But Regina won't because she fears her magic.
Daniel- "Who cares about magic?  True love is the most powerful magic of all. It can overcome anything."  Just then a frantic little girls calls out for someone to please help her.
Regina- "Shhh. Someone's here."  They see the frightened little girl on a runaway horse that won't slow down.  Regina doesn't hesitate one second and jumps on her horse and takes off after the runaway horse.
Regina saves the little girl; pulling her off the speeding horse. "It's okay, Dear. You're safe."
The little girl with flowers in her hair realizes this woman saved her life.  She's alright, but she'll never ride again.  Nurturing Regina tells her "Nonsense.  The only way to overcome fear is to face it. To get back on that horse as soon as possible."  The little girl thanks her savior, Regina. This little girl is Snow White.

Mary Margaret sits in her cell while Emma and Mr. Gold chat about the D.A. wanting a pretrial interview with the prosecution.  She wants him to explain why this is a good idea.  Emma feels Mary Margaret is done answering questions.  And asks why are they kissing up to the D.A.; they should be going after Regina for setting up Mary Margaret.   Mr. Gold asks "And what proof do we have of that, sheriff?  Just because you found the Mayor's skeleton key in the cell doesn't mean that she put it there."  He believes their best chance of winning this is case is to employ their most valuable asset.  Mary Margaret asks "What's that?"
Mr. Gold- "Well, that's you, dear. A sweet, kind, elementary schoolteacher, doesn't exactly fit the prototype of a killer, now, does it?"
Emma wonders "That's how you're gonna get her acquitted? By using her personality?"
Mr. Gold- "Perception is everything, Miss Swan, not just in the courtroom- but in life. As such as you could imagine how the jury would perceive Miss Blanchard if she agreed to cooperate with the District Attorney, these things engender trust, showing the jury that she's at least trying.  Sidney walks in with a vase of tulips to brighten the place up.  Emma hurries into her office to talk with him.

Emma quietly asks Sidney "What did you find?"   He didn't find anything; he tried, he really did.  Sidney says he looked into her phone records "I talked to the people at the TOLL BRIDGE. But look, what can I say, Regina knows how to cover up her tracks."   Emma asks if he found anything connecting her to the murder weapon. But as far as Sidney can tell "She never bought or owned a hunting knife."  He tells her not to worry, as he will keep digging and won't stop until he finds something.

After conferring with Mr. Gold, Mary Margaret informs Emma she's agreed to talk to the D.A. feeling Mr. Gold is right; she knows she has nothing to hide, but no one else does. "I need to let people see me for who I am."
A voice from behind them says "Excellent decision, Miss Blanchard.  My name is Spencer. I'm the District Attorney. Shall we begin?"   Of course, Regina is right there with him.

The D.A. begins the questioning that progressively gets very intense, while Emma and focused Regina watch through a Looking Glass- a 2 way mirror.
The D.A.- "After she learned about your affair, Mrs. Nolan, the deceased, came to your school to confront you.  Is that correct?"
Compassionate and sincere Mary Margaret replies, "She was hurt. She felt betrayed."
The D.A. - "She struck you- in the face, was it?"
Mary Margaret- "Yes, but..."
D.A.- "That must have made you angry."
Mr Gold tells Mary Margaret she doesn't have to answer that.
Mary Margaret- "No, it's okay. I was not angry. I was sorry for all the pain I had caused her.
D.A.- (Smirky breath) "Miss Blanchard, this is  not a courtroom.  I'm not here to judge you. You can be honest with me."
Mr. Gold is concerned- "Should we end this?"
Mary Margaret- "I am being honest."
The D.A. - "The wife of the man you loved humiliated you in a public forum. Surely you must have felt some anger towards Kathryn."
Mary Margaret- "Yes, I was angry..."
D.A.- "And did you ever think about acting upon that anger?"
Mary Margaret (getting a bit worked up)- "Of course not."
The D.A.- "I have a hard time believing that."
Mary Margaret- "Wh- Why?"
The D.A.- "Because you wanted Kathryn Nolan gone."
Upset Mary Margaret- "I never said that. I..."
Mr. Gold- "All right. My client is answering no more questions for the day."
The D.A.- "Your client agreed to this interview because she claims she had nothing to hide."
Mary Margaret- "I don't have anything to hide!"
The D.A.- "Then what is your answer? You wanted Kathryn gone, didn't you?"
Mary Margaret- "NO!"
The D.A.- "Even after she tried to keep you and David apart? After she slapped you in public. After she made you a pariah in your own town?"  {He shows her the photo of the vehicle with the word TRAMP}
Completely intimidated Mary Margaret answers out of her frustration. "Yes, of course I wanted her gone! She was the only thing keeping us apart- so yeah, I wanted her gone! Is that what you want to hear?"
The D.A. and Regina are very pleased, while Mary Margaret and Mr. Gold realize she shouldn't have answered that way.
We see Regina's very pleased reflection in the 2 way mirror- that leads us right into...

Regina is primping herself in the mirror.  Displeased mother sees Regina "No. This won't do." and magically transforms Regina's look into a beautiful gown.  Cora excitedly tells her "We have a guest. And he'll be here any moment."  Regina says she can't, as she has a riding lesson with David to get to.  Conveniently mother canceled it. "Now smile. We don't want to disappoint him."  Happy Cora tells her the King is coming because Regina finally did something right. "That little girl you saved- is the King's daughter.

The King enters with three Knights and Regina's father Henry.  He seems a bit mesmerized. "Is that her?"
Henry introduces them. "Yes. Regina, honey. This is Snow White's father."   The two women bow to the King.  But the King interrupts their bow.  "No. It is I who should bow to you. You saved my daughter's life.  There is no way to repay that debt.  It is an honor to meet you."   He bows before her and Regina just stands there, a bit stunned.
Cora- "Regina, dear. The King is honored to meet you- say something."
Regina snaps out of it. "Oh. The honor is mine."   The King tells Regina "You're quite lucky to have a mother who looks out for you.  My dear Snow has many things, but a mother is not one of them. (He looks directly at Cora) We lost her years ago."   Regina is so sorry.  The King shares that since then he has scoured the land looking for a wife.  He's yet to find a woman with an interest in his daughter- until now.  He kneels down, presents her with a ring and asks "Will you marry me, Regina?"  Henry shakes his head 'no', while Cora answers for surprised Regina. "Yes. Yes."

Frantic Regina hurries to see Daniel in the stables throws her arms around him and says "Marry me."  He wonders if she's told her mother about them.  Frightened and crying Regina says 'no'.  She can never tell her, she'd never understand.  She shares the news of what happened with the King and suggests the only way out of this is to run.  "For us to leave this place, for us to be married, for us to never come back."
Daniel tries to make her understand what that would mean. "Life with a stable boy is a far cry from a life as a Queen."  To Regina life as Queen means nothing. "Daniel, all I care about is you."   Daniel will do this properly.  He takes a gold twisted band from a saddle and puts the ring on her ring-less finger and says "Here."  Regina is happy and they kiss to seal the deal.  A thud is heard!  It is shocked Snow, standing at the doorway.

Regina asks "Snow. Dear. What are you doing?"   Teary eyed Snow dropped her little saddle. "You said to get back on the horse and... What are you doing with him?"   Regina can explain, but the disappointed little girl runs off.  This panics Regina and she runs off after her into the cold night.

Little Snow falls and Regina catches up to her.  Little crying Snow claims she's not okay and asks Regina why she was kissing that man in the stables. "You're to marry my father, you're to be my mother."  Regina is very tender and caring to little Snow; being understanding to Snow's disappointment.  She explains Snow's father, King Leopold is a kind and fair man, but she doesn't love him.  Snow doesn't understand "Why not?"
Regina tells her love doesn't work that way. Love... True love... is magic. And not just any magic, but the most powerful magic of all. It creates happiness."
Snow- "And that man in the stables... you love him."
Regina replies "With all m heart."   Understanding and respecting Regina's love for that man, Snow tells her "Then you must marry him. I will go tell father right away."  But fearful Regina stops her.  Snow feels her father will understand.  Regina says her mother won't; she'll stand in the way.  Snow understands that's why Regina is running.  Regina feels that's the only way their love can survive. "Snow. Do you know what a secret is? If you really truly want to help me (excited Snow does) then what you saw, what I told you... you must keep it a secret. Can you do that?"
Snow- "I think so."
Regina- "I need you to be certain. You can never speak of this.  And above all you mustn't tell my mother. Will you do that for me?"
Snow- "Yes. (whispers) I promise."  They hug.

Emma sits at the dock looking through the fairy tale book. It is wet and gloomy outside.  August meets up with her, asking what she's doing.  Emma is grasping at straws.  August hands her the newspaper and wonders "Still trying to find a way to prove your friend's been framed?"  Emma feels "Every time I go down a path I think leads somewhere it leads to a dead end.   I used to think I had these great... instincts, superpower, ah, I don't know." {Yeah, Emma, you don't!}   To August it sounds like Emma's got a case of writers block. "Only without the whole writing part."  He goes on to tell her "You know when I get struck by a block I usually reread what I've done rather than plow ahead blindly. Sometimes I find maybe a little nugget of inspiration left behind."
Emma- "You mean start over?"
August- "I mean, when I start writing, I usually have one idea, and then in the middle I may get another idea, and things are different."
Emma- "So your perspective changes."
August- "Exactly. When you started this investigation what was it about?"
Emma- "A missing person."
August- "Then it became a murder and then a cover up. If you knew that then,  maybe you would have  approached things differently."
Newly inspired Emma gets to leave.  August asks "Where are you going?"  Emma is going back to the scene of the crime. August offers to drive because she hasn't slept in days and, if they're honest, he seems proud that it was his idea.  Emma leaves the paper behind.

August drives them on his motorcycle (Plate 23). The cross over the TrOLL BRIDGE.

As they make their way down the little embankment to the shore where Ruby found the box with the heart in it, August winces out complaining he gets shin splints.  Emma asks what's wrong and offers to take a look at it but he'd rather just walk it off.   Emma looks around the scene.  August says he's sorry to her, as it this must be hard on her. Emma thinks that's an understatement.
August- "I don't know you that well. But it seems to me that aside from Henry, Mary Margaret the closest thing to family you got. It's okay to admit it."
Emma doesn't acknowledge his comment, she only has him take a look at a piece of evidence she's found in the damp sand.  He takes it and asks what it is.  Emma replies "It's a shard- from a shovel. Must've broken off when it hit a rock. If we can find he shovel that it broke off of we can prove that Mary Margaret didn't bury the heart. We can prove that she's innocent."  August, knowing exactly where Emma is going with her clue connection, knows that Emma is thinking she knows exactly whose shovel she thinks it is.

Regina peeks in on sleeping Henry. {Note items on bookshelves, back of door, walls, et.} But Henry was make-believe sleeping, and as soon as Regina closes the door Henry grabs his walki from under his pillow and listens to be sure Regina is taking a shower.  He radios Emma; speaking code. "The eagle is in the nest and the package is secure."
Emma left the code book at home so Henry translates his simple code phrase for the simple sheriff. "She's getting into the shower and the keys are under the mat."
So Emma finds the key and opens the door.  She whispers warning August not to touch a thing. To which he shows her he's already wearing gloves.
They dynamic duo head into the garage-like storage room and they look around in the dark with only their flashlights to light the way.  We see a shovel leaning against the wall and door jam, while the duo looks around.  Emma spots another shovel with a missing piece.  She puts the found piece of shovel onto the broken spot and it fits. Emma is excited. "We got her."    August seems happy for her.

Little Snow White is admiring the beautiful and delicate orchids.  She reaches to touch one and is interrupted by Cora, who sweetly warns Sweetheart to be careful. "Flowers are a delicate thing.  Be gentle. You want it grow and not pluck it before its time."   Snow says "Sorry."  

Cora gives a light chuckle and tells her it's alright. "You needn't fear me. I'm only trying to help. Perhaps you can be the flower girl at the wedding.  I can already see how close you and Regina have become.  She's going to make a fine mother for you."
Snow- "She is kind to me."
Cora- "Indeed. I warms my heart how you two share everything... already. Perhaps you can share something with me.  {seeming genuine} Why has she pulled away from me?"
Snow asks what she means. Cora tells her a mother knows her daughter "Regina's pulled away. I love my daughter so much, but she's not letting me help her and I, I know she's unhappy. Has she said something? I'd do anything to make her happy."
Snow believes her. "You'd do anything?"
Cora- "Of course, dear. You know talked to the King about your mother.  He told me how much she loved you. Losing her must have been... so hard.  {Snow says "It was."} Hearing him I realized he might as well been talking about me and Regina. I don't want us to lose each other.  Hopefully I can show her how I feel- that no matter what all I want is her happiness."

Caring about Regina's happiness as well, Snow tells Cora not to make her marry her father.
Cora- "I'm sorry."
Honest Snow gets emotional telling Cora, "She doesn't love my father. She loves someone else. She made me promise not to tell. But she'll lose you. She can't lose her mother. No one should. "
Cora strokes Snow's hair, "Oh, sweet Snow. It's alright. She won't lose me. You can tell me. You must tell me."

Emma shows up at Regina's asking her to unlock the garage for her; she has a search warrant that says Regina has to.  Regina asks "On what grounds?"  Emma presents the evidence she found near where the heart was buried; figured whoever buried it may have left something behind. "Then I got an anonymous call from someone who said they saw you digging near the Toll Bridge the day the heart way found."

Regina prods "An anonymous call?"
Emma- "Yeah, well, I can't control the fact they didn't leave a name. I suppose they didn't want to risk pissing you off.
Regina- "Hmm"
Emma tells her to do or she'll find a way to do it herself.

Regina and Emma enter the garage where Emma discovers an intact shovel in place of the one with the missing piece. She accuses Regina of knowing she was coming and asks why she's doing this to Mary Margaret whom is a good person who doesn't deserve this.  Regina feels Miss Blanchard is a liar and a murderer. No matter what accusations Emma throws her way- that won't change. "She's going to pay for what she's done. That woman has destroyed the last life she is ever going to destroy."

Frantic Emma bangs (5x) on door #2.  This is August's room. Emma wants to know how he could do this and how could he do this to her, to Mary Margaret    August tells her "Whoa.  Slow down. Do what?"
Emma informs him the shovel was gone when she got there; Regina knew she was coming for it.  August seems stunned thinking he told Regina.  As he's the only other person who knew about it.
August- "I would hope that you would have enough faith to know that I would never betray you." {Wood}
Emma- "Why should I? How do I know you're not lying about this, about everything?"
This strikes a chord with him, and stone-faced he replies "I'm not a liar."
Emma feels that's exactly what a liar would say.


Arrogant Regina enters the Sheriff's office to find Mary Margaret crying in her cell.   Regina, taunting Mary Margaret, wanted to see her while she could. That means, simply, that the trial starts tomorrow and it won't be a long one.  "And you'll be sent out of Storybrooke for good and I will never have to see you again. (Ahh) I want to enjoy this while I can."   Teary eyed Mary Margaret asks "Enjoy what?"
Regina- "Justice."
Mary Margaret- "Justice? Watching an innocent suffer?"
Regina continues to provoke Mary Margaret from the other side of the cell bars. "You've always seen yourself that way, haven't you? Innocent." 
Mary Margaret is very upset and sobbing "I am innocent. I don't know what this is about. I don't know what I ever did to you but whatever it was, Regina... I am sorry. I truly am."
Gloating Regina relishes seeing the prisoner so desperate. "Apology not accepted."
Devastated Mary Margaret begs for Regina to stop, feeling she doesn't deserve this. "I did not kill Kathryn!"
Audacious Regina strokes Mary Margaret's cheek through the bar "Oh, I know."  This revelation stops Mary Margaret's crying.  Regina grabs Mary Margaret face and tells her "But you do deserve this."  She just walks out.


Regina has packed a bag and runs to the stable to meet up with Daniel.  They're excited.  Daniel asks "Are you ready?"   {It is a cold night.}
Regina- "Let's go."  They are met by pissed off Cora just outside the stable. "You could have at least left a note."  Magically, she flings them back into the stable; where she also magically appears inside the doors. The doors magically close and lock behind her. Regina tries to speak to her mother, but mother says "Don't. You sneak out of my house in the dead of night and think I won't notice. How dare you?"
Daniel helps Regina to her feet while Regina tells her mother "You're impossible to talk to. Stop with the magic and listen to me... I want to be with Daniel."
Cora- "Oh you don't know what you want. But I do. I didn't make the sacrifices I did in life I did to get you to the cusp of greatness so that you can end up the wife of a stable boy."
Regina- "It's my life!"
Cora laughs. "You foolish girl. It's mine. After what I had to do- the deals I had to make to get us out of poverty, to get us this life, and you just want to toss it away."
Daniel encourages Regina to stay strong.
Regina- "Your magic can't keep us apart. I love him."
Daniel- "And I  her."
Cora "And I love her too."
Regina- "If you loved me you wouldn't try to keep us apart."
Cora- "And if you loved me you wouldn't try to run away."
Regina tries to stand her ground- "I'm sorry, but this is my happiness. We're going."
Cora raises her left magical hand to stop them. "No... you're not."
Regina- "So, what's your plan? You're going to keep us forever? Because that's what you'll have to do."
Cora quiets for a moment looking at the couple and then asks Regina "So, this is... your decision? This will make you happy?"
Regina- "It already has."
Cora quietly says "Then who am I to stop you?"  Grateful Regina hugs her mother and thanks her.  Cora walks over to speak to Daniel; he is welcoming and she seems sincere. Cora tells him if you want to have a life together, a family... "then there's one important lesson I can impart on you. It's what it means to be a parent. You always have to do what's best for your children."
Daniel- "Thank you. I understand. Because that's what you're doing now."
Cora- "Yes, it is."  She plunges her hand into his chest and rips out his red glowing heart; crushing it until it turns to ash or dirt or whatever.

Regina is devastated. "Mother! Why have you done this?!"
Cora- "Because this is your happy ending. Oh, you have to trust me, Regina. I know best. Love is weakness, Regina. It feels real now, at the start it always does. But it's an illusion- it fades. And then you're left with nothing... but power... true power endures.  And then you don't have to rely on anyone to get what you want. I've saved you, my love."
Regina- "You've ruined everything. I loved him. I loved him!"
Cora yells "Enough! I've endured this long enough. Now clean yourself up. Wipe away your tears. Because now you're going to be Queen."

Regina readies for her wedding.  Happy little Snow walks in and sees Regina in her wedding gown. {Note Snow wears the color gray} Snow White feels Regina is most certainly the fairest of them all.  Numb Regina is disconnected from the little girl but thanks her all the same.  Snow hopes for her own wedding day she will be as beautiful.  Regina's sure she will be. Snow knows Regina and Daniel will be so happy together.
Regina- "What?!"
Snow- "Well, I just knew your mother would let you marry him. Once she knew how happy he'd make you. Once she knew how much you love him. You have such a wonderful mother. She would do anything for your happiness."
Regina asks Snow "Did you... tell her.... about me and Daniel?"
Snow- "Yes."
Regina is getting worked up. "But I told you very specifically not to."  Snow realizes her telling may have been a mistake and starts to tear up.  "I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to lose your mother- like I've lost mine."  Regina is visibly distressed.  Snow asks "Are you mad?"
Regina snaps out of whatever "state" she was in and turns to the girl kindly telling her "No. I'm not mad at all. You were just trying to help me. {Snow nods 'yes'} However, I'm not marrying Daniel. This dress is for your father."  This confuses Snow, as she thought Regina was in love.
Regina- "So did I.  But I was wrong. Daniel has run away. What I had with Daniel wasn't real. It was an infatuation. You see that's the thing about love. It can come in the most unexpected places.  Your father and I have something even more special. Because it's not just about the two of us- it's about all of us.
We're going to be a family. ... That's right. I'm going to be your stepmother and I couldn't be happier."
Snow is happy and the girls hug.  They are interrupted by Cora, telling Snow she has to go to her room and help with the packing. "Your father wants you ready for the journey  and we're heading for your castle first thing in the morning."
Snow feels they're (mother and daughter) are going to love it there. Cora knows they will.  Snow leaves the women.
Cora tells her daughter "Well played, my dear. You're learning."
Regina- "I should change. I wouldn't want to ruin the dress before my big day."
Cora- "I am so proud of you."
Regina seems to have a revelation and asks Cora "You knew the King was traveling through our land, didn't you?  That steed with Snow on it didn't go wild on its own, did it?"
Cora- "I have no idea what you're saying."
Regina has obviously changed. "I should've let her die on that horse."

In Storybrooke
Standing at the window Regina holds the twisted ring tightly and whispers "We got her, Daniel. We got her."

Mary Margaret is cuffed and is being escorted by two court officers.  Emma confronts Mr. Gold. "You told me you could fix this. That's why I came to you. So that you could make sure that Regina didn't win."
Mr. Gold- "She hasn't yet."
Emma- "Well, she's going to.  And now my friend is going to pay for me trusting you."
Mr. Gold- "Look Sheriff, I know this is emotional, but it's also not over. You must have faith, there's still time."
Emma- "Time for what?"
Mr. Gold- "Time for me to work a little magic."  He leaves.  Frustrated Emma has a fit and throws the vase filled with tulips against the file cabinet. She discovers among the wreckage that she's been bugged!

Emma meets up with August {putting on his gloves} outside of Granny's Diner.  She apologizes for doubting him; she made a mistake. She presents him the evidence that proves she's been trusting all the wrong people. "I should have listened to you. This bug is from Sidney."
August- "The newspaper guy?"  {No, Sydney, the city in Australia!}
Emma- 'I should've seen it."
August- "Well, don't beat yourself up about it, Emma.  Sometimes it's hard to see what's right in front of us. But I knew you would."
Emma-"I'm trying."
Suddenly they hear a scream!  It's Ruby; she's freaked out, claiming "She's in the alley."
Emma runs back there turns over the body to find Kathryn awake on the ground; looking like a bag lady, I might add.