So, if you're tired of the same old story... Oh, turn some pages
Regina is a woman who wants to change she just wants everyone else to see it. I feel like Emma is talking about herself with that statement as well as Regina. Emma is also being given a chance to make changes in herself and already admits "Well, I'm not me."
Change is, in a way, killing off your old ego/self, putting an end to an old behavior or way of thinking, acting and reacting to things in life and being aware of choices and consequences. Now one must be absolutely conscious of the choices and decisions they make, as to not repeat the negative and painful way of life. Change also involves letting go of pain caused in the past. Letting go doesn't mean for one to avoid memory of the past, on the contrary. Those memories of the experiences in life that deeply challenged you emotionally are actually pivotal moments in your own personal evolution.
Letting go isn't just about letting go of the bad things or bad people, it's also about letting go of old broken and flawed understanding, ideas, notions, impressions, interpretation and perception. An example of that comes with Snow White saying "I'm letting the woman who saved my life go." Sure, once upon a time Regina saved Snow, but no matter what, that is the past. Snow can't hold on to the person Regina once was, or even the person Regina came to be. But Snow can move forward from all of that as positively as she can, and maybe, just maybe, Regina will learn and let go of her own tortured past and move forward as well- freeing her to become a better Regina.
Right now Regina has to walk a line and not cross it. The line- is keeping herself in check and not snapping and getting defensive. She needs to be aware of what makes her revert and not act upon that emotion in a negative way. But will she be able to do this, especially when faced with her mother? Regina doesn't like Cora, but she loves Cora.
Mama's gonna put all her fears into you- Of course, Mama's gonna help build the wall
Controlling mother Cora is motivated by her own twisted view of how to show love to her daughter. As much as Cora may want the best for her daughter, so far we've seen that Cora really only loves Cora. Regina is suffering with traumatic childhood and young adulthood memories that are contributors to the evil Regina we've witnessed. Is there any chance Cora has changed over time? Could Cora be motivated by love instead of power? Can Regina to forgive her mother for the past, or will she continue hanging on to it?
Being a parent doesn't come with instructions, and something new is learned every day. Good parents make mistakes too, but they learn from them. Each new generation learns how to protect and nurture a child from the generation before, all leading and following by example. This is also evident in dysfunctional families.
Parents never stop being parents no matter how grown up their child is, but parents must also walk a line. Families must work together, learn together and grow together.
Magic is here
Many of us live our lives in search of magic. We look high and low. We look for it in strange places, in bottles, powders, potions or pills. We even hope it is something we can acquire or even purchase from someone else. Is magic really so elusive? I feel magic can be found simply by... believing. Believe and trust it is in you and around you.
Magic has always lived in Emma. All she needed was a little push and encouragement; and she gets that from Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin. Emma is just now discovering that all she has to do is "will it" to be so and she could accomplish wonderful things. She still has much to learn about magic, and she must be careful to use magic for good and never cross a line and use it in a negative way.
Things to Note...Questions to Ask...
๑ Perception: What do you see and hear?
- Looks like one this, but is something else.
๑ Pongo's perspective/visual review of memory still didn't give the full picture of what he experienced that night. The dog felt this wasn't Regina and couldn't communicate a warning to Archie.
๑ Dreamcatcher: Connection for Emma and Neal. Tallahassee
๑ Evidence
๑ Learn. Knowledge.
๑ "Well, I don't know how it is in Fairy Tale Land, but in the real world... its usually hard to find evidence. This has been way too easy, unless someone wants us to find evidence?"
๑ Umbrella/parasol
๑ Game: Pieces are being removed and/or moved around from/on the playing field.
๑ Welcome banner: it looks like "EMMA" was an afterthought. lol
๑ Some of the gang considers Storybrooke home. This could be because they are with their family and family = home.
๑ Snare- trap
๑ Fish
๑ FATE
๑ Alive. Live. Life. Breath
๑ Dead. Death. Kill. Late. Execute. Assassination.
๑ Test. Rehabilitation
๑ Snow and Charming were technically married already at Lake Nostos by Lancelot in
Lady of the Lake
๑ Henry is 11 years old. Time has passed since Emma arrived in Storybrooke
๑ Granny's gets a lot of attention tonight.
๑ "Do not tell me what we can or can't do!"
๑ Archie got his PHD from a curse. Doc one of the Seven Dwarfs got his title from the magical carvings on an ax.
๑ Snow and Charming trick Regina into a trap, just as Charming did with trapping Rumple for Cinderella in The Price of Gold
๑ Every person is motivated by something. Rumple is behind the whole Regina bringing residents of the Enchanted Forest to Storybrooke
๑ Golden glowing ring of memories
๑ Henry the father. Henry the son
Vocabulary and Research...
๑ Execute: This word is very interesting, as it can seem to take on opposite meaning.
- To accomplish, carry out, perform, produce, inflict
- To begin, start, put into action
- To end, kill, behead, purge
- Cricket (insect), family Gryllidae, also known as "true crickets"
- Cricket (darts), a game using the standard 20-number dartboard
๑ Pescartarian (creatures): Occasionally used to describe vegetarians/those who abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish.
- pesce in Italian translate to fish
๑ Pongo is one of the 101 Dalmatians or The Great Dog Robbery. Pongo and Missis Pongo (or simply Missis) are a pair of Dalmatians who live with the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Dearly and their two nannies. Cruella de Vilis the villain of the story.
- a genus of orangutan
✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale
✈ Swan. Arrow. Sheriff/security Station
✈ Eyes
✈ Being watched. 2 way mirror.
✈ 108
✈ Vessel. Ship
✈ The path
✈ Tabula Rasa: Clean slate. Do over. Second chance.
✈ Tacos/ Taco night. Lasagna
✈ FATE
✈ "Don't tell me what I can't do!"
✈ Cuffs. Cell. Prison.
✈ Fire. Ash.
✈ Test.
✈ Suffering
✈ Gift. Package
✈ "There's always a choice" is spoken by:
- Sayid replies to Kate The Greater Good
- Desmond to Charlie in Happily Ever After
- Sawyer is told by Hurley he'd be banished if he doesn't change in Left Behind
- Charles Widmore in Dead is Dead
- Ben - The Incident part 1
- Ben talks about Napoleon being banished from the island of Elba in Dr. Linus
- Locke banishes Kate and Sawyer UN-banishes her in Eggtown
- Sayid in Sundown
- Jughead
- Jack felt he wasn't cut out to be a dad in Lighthouse
- Michael was thrust into becoming Walt's dad
- Claire ended up keeping the baby she wanted to give up for adoption
- Kate raises Aaron for a few years
✈ Jack needs his surgical team to believe in him, and wants his father to believe in him. Jack needs to believe in himself. The Incident pt2
✈ Desmond, the man, was "the package" kept on the submarine by Charles Widmore
✈ Nobody does it alone- The End
✈ Locke is not a what but a who: a man. He tells this to Ben in LA X pt2 and to Sawyer in
✈ To the "Island" residents Season 6 Locke isn't Locke, but the Monster/Man in Black disguised as (dead) Locke; a substitute
Enough of my rambling... Here's your episode recap! Enjoy!
A fisherman approaches the visitors asking if they need anything; the tackle shop's not open until morning. He'd be happy to open early for them if they want to try and snare some pescaritian creatures. The fisherman also compliments them on their fine vessel, and asks when they got in.
Cora's response is "What vessel?" She magically makes the ship disappear. The fisherman finds that to be a neat trick, and wonders if she's some sort of magician back in their land. Cora, having had enough of the fisherman's curiosity, turns him into a flopping floundering fish on the dock. Hook spares the fish by pushing into the water. Cora's hid Hook's ship from prying eyes. For what they both want to do they need the element of surprise.
Cora- "Let's go have a little look at this Storybrooke, shall we?"
David and Mary Margaret are canoodling in her bed. She's happy to be back and is thinking 28 years is too long. Henry bursts into the apartment with Emma; excitedly announcing taco shells were on sale. Henry asks the adults what they're still doing in bed since it's the middle of the afternoon. They couple claim they needed rest. Flustered Emma's preparing taco's for the ton of people who will be at Granny's welcome back party tonight. David feels it's impressive that they can still provide her with a few traumatic childhood memories at the stage of the game
Regina- "Do not tell me what we can or can't do!"
The guard/soldier informs Regina that Snow White is alone on her way back to meet the Prince. This is good news to the Queen. She doesn't care how many men he loses to keep them apart until Regina finds her. "I will not let them defeat me."
Snow White runs through the dark forest and trips over a rock. She is met by happy Queen Regina. Regina asks "Leaving the battle so soon?" Snow feels "The battle's over, Regina. Our army is too great. You can't win." Regina feels that all depends on Snow's definition of victory. Snow offers Regina parley; to negotiate the terms of her surrender. A bit stunned, Regina says her terms are simple, "Your death." Once Regina lunges to attack Snow, Snow calls upon the Blue Fairy, who freezes Regina's body in place.
Emma tells Granny about the tacos she made. "I can't tell you the relief of cooking something that I didn't have to kill first."
Granny- "Don't I know it. Meatloaf back home- what a bitch."
Charming makes a toast; thanking everyone for coming. "Um, Mary Margaret and I have a saying... That we will always find each other. And while I believe that with all my heart, I'd like you all to raise your glasses and join me when I say- Here's to not having to look for a while. To Mary Margaret and Emma!" Cheers!! And in walks Regina and her lasagna. She apologizes to the shocked guests for being late. Emma invited Regina, as she helped get them home. "No matter what she did in the past, we owe her our thanks now." Emma was going to tell her parents earlier, when they were busy "resting". Snow is upset, "Emma! She tried to kill us- yesterday."
Emma- "No she didn't. She's trying to change for Henry. He believes in her. And right now that's enough for me. I couldn't have changed if I wasn't given a chance, so, she gets one too."
Regina serves Henry lasagna. Henry's glad she came; so is Regina. Leroy is reluctant to eat Regina's lasagna; accusing her of adding a secret ingredient- poison. Regina cooks with red pepper flakes, it gives it some kick. Leroy takes the plate.
The celebration is sweet. Everyone is eating, drinking and spending time together... except for Regina who sits alone in a booth. Regina leaves and Emma hurries after her. Outside Emma tells Regina that Archie made a cake, "You don't wanna stay for a piece?" Regina says she's fine and thanks Emma. She also thanks her for inviting her. Emma shares that Henry wanted it, and she's glad they got to spend some time together. Regina is too; she'd like to see more. Maybe Emma would consider letting him stay over some time, as she still has his room waiting for him. But Emma's not sure that's best. This seems to trigger Regina defenses and she replies, "Because you know so much about parenting in the five minutes you've been with him. Talk to David. At least he took care of him while you were away like I did, during the 10 years you were away the first time!" Emma recognizes Regina's attitude and just thanks her for coming. Regina apologizes for snapping at Emma and knows she shouldn't have done that. Emma accepts her apology and goes on to share that Archie said she was trying to change and she is and goes on to detail more about Regina's struggle not to use magic, etc. Emma sought advice about inviting Regina to the party first and Dr. Hopper thought it a good idea. Regina feels it was a good idea to invite her, but she's taken aback by Archie sharing "confidential" conversation with her/people.
On this gray overcast and moist day, Archie walks Pongo down by the docks. He's met up by Regina.
Archie greets her, "Beautiful day, isn't it, Regina?"
Regina- "Why should I answer you, Bug?"
Archie's just making friendly conversation. Regina calls him out on repeating things to anyone with an ear and telling Miss Swan about their sessions. Archie was only trying to help Regina and would never betray Doctor-Patient confidentiality.
Regina- "Doctor? Doctor? Need I remind you you got your PHD from a curse."
Hooded Ruby jogs by to make sure everything's okay. Regina tells her it's a private conversation, "Go take yourself for a walk." Archie assures Regina he can be trusted. He's lucky Regina has changed.
The Prince agrees and asks what their options are. This round table meeting is with a few important Enchanted Forest residents; including the Blue Fairy, Grumpy, Red Riding Hood. The Evil Queen has been captured by magic that will only keep her powerless for a short while. Granny, while continuing her knitting, suggests banishing her to another realm. Jiminy feels it would unconscionable to condemn another realm to the suffering that we've endured. Red feels he's right. "She's our problem and we have to deal with her." The Prince feels the only certain thing is as long as the Queen lives the Kingdom is in danger. "We must kill the Queen..." The meeting ends, and privately Snow asks her Prince if he's sure about this. The Prince wonders what other choice is there, "As long as she draws breath, she will come in after us- after you."
Snow- "There's always a choice." She reminds him that he took an arrow to save Regina/stop Snow from killing her; she wonders why this is different. The Prince took that arrow to save Snow, not Regina. That was assassination- this is an execution. If they don't stop her now, there's no telling what she'll live to do.
{Dr. Archibald Hopper, M.D. Psychiatrist}
Archie works in his office while Pongo rests a few feet away. Regina arrives knowing it's late, but she wants to talk. Pongo barks, seeming to pick up on a vibe or something fishy about Regina. Archie retrieves Regina's file; knowing how hard of a struggle it is for her to change. Regina chokes Archie and magically freezes Pongo in place. The choke hold on Archie includes a nifty smoke show and then the magical evaporation/disappearance of Archie.
Emma and Henry share a meal at Granny's diner. Henry asks her what it was like "over there", so she tells him about it. Henry wants to walk alone to the school bus, but Emma won't let him, even though David let him and she used to let him. But Emma isn't David, "Well, I'm not me. I'm walking you, 'cause that's what mothers do. And I'm doin' it."
Pongo's made his way over to Granny's where he tries to communicate with Emma and Henry. It's Ruby who can interpret "dog barks." With trouble brewing, Emma decides 11 is old enough to walk to the bus alone, while she goes to investigate missing Archie. Pongo directs the ladies to Archie's office.
They discover dead Archie. Ruby thinks she knows who did this.
Emma- "You know why you're here. Because of Archie."
Regina admits to an earlier argument with Archie but doesn't know anything about Archie being killed. David divulges that Ruby saw her going into Archie's building late last night, to which Regina feels Ruby's lying. Regina was home. Regina asks Emma, after everything she's done to change and to win Henry back, why would she toss it all away now.
Regina feels the fact that Archie's dead proves sloppiness; sloppiness is not the hallmark of Regina's evil doings. David knows Regina's incapable of change, no matter how many times they give her a chance.
The Prince calls for the arrows and the men to take their aim. Smug Regina is blindfolded and the determined Prince calls "Fire!" The arrows are launched and Snow yells "Stop!" The Blue Fairy magically stops the arrows and they fall to the ground.
Emma, David and Mary Margaret talk about Regina's fate from behind the 2 way mirror. Emma feels they can't lock her up because she believes Regina didn't do it; she saw how Regina reacted to the news about Archie. She feels the old Regina would have reduced this building to ashes. Regina's a woman who wants to change, she just wants everyone else to see it, "I know that look. I know her. I believe her." Emma thinks one problem may be that David and Mary Margaret are angrily attached to the "Queen" from the Kingdom, but here she's "Regina". Emma the sheriff says she's innocent until proven guilty and suggests they let her go and then they find the truth.
At the castle David questions Snow's decision to show the undeserving Queen mercy. But what Snow heard out there was a woman who didn't want to appear weak in her final moments. David argues that what he's seen of Regina has been every moment filled with evil, and that is exactly Snow's point. Snow has seen another side to the Queen, a side from before, when she was good and saved Snow's life. Snow feels if she's changed before, she can change back. Snow wants to show Regina mercy is the first step in giving her a chance to rehabilitate her black soul. The Prince feels they can't take the chance when the whole Kingdom is in danger where Regina's concerned.
Snow informs him "There's no going back from killing." The Prince will do whatever Snow feels is the right thing to do, but he reminds her there's no coming back from that either.
Troubled Snow White wanders into the courtyard and is visited by Rumplestiltskin. He notes her being troubled. He went there to witness the Queen's execution; even had his heart set on a wee souvenir. He's disappointed in Snow calling off the execution and is amused by Snow's novel thought that Regina can be redeemed. Rumple asks Snow how she plans to accomplish such an impressive feat, but Snow doesn't even know if it's possible.
Rumple- "Maybe you need someone to show you that it is possible." He'll provide Snow with a test to help determine whether the Queen can truly change. Suspicious Snow questions trusting Rumple, especially when she knows he wants the Queen dead. "You never make a deal without a price."
Rumple- "Maybe I just want her alive." Snow doubts that. Rumple admits to having motives, and he can help Snow with hers, "Do we have a deal?"
Emma- "Well, I don't know how it is in Fairy Tale Land, but in the real world... its usually hard to find evidence. This has been way too easy, unless someone wants us to find evidence?" {WTF, Emma?!}
They toss around the being "framed" notion but there's only one name on the list of possible suspects that would resort to killing to get what they want...
Emma- "We know you killed her."
Rumple- "And your father's tact."
Emma informs the duo that Dr. Hopper is dead and she thinks Rumple has something to do with it; because all of the evidence points to Regina. Emma insists its a frame job. Rumple's sorry to disappoint, but it wasn't him and he can prove it. He suggests they ask the witness.
Emma- "No one was there."
Rumple has David bring him Pongo, the witness. Belle didn't know Rumple was such a dog person.
Rumple- "Well, a long time ago, in another life, I got to know a sheepdog or two."
Unless Rumple speaks "dog" Emma wonders how Pongo's gonna tell them anything. The answer is magic, of course. Rumple shares that it won't allow them to communicate, but it will allow them to extract Pongo's memories. He also tells the group not to fear trickery from him to fool them, its Emma who will be using magic for this task. Emma wonders how.
Rumple- "You have it within you. Told me so yourself. (to Mary Margaret) You witnessed it, didn't you?" He shows Emma a Dreamcatcher, one that's capable of capturing so much more than dreams.
Emma- "How? It's just a jumble."
Rumple- "Will it. Will it... and we shall all see."
Emma peers into the golden glowing ring of memories, but can't see anything.
Rumple whispers to her "Yes, you can." So, Emma focuses and a clear visual review of the night Archie was killed by Regina appears via Pongo's perspective. Again the group determines Regina is a murderer and Emma was wrong about Regina's innocence.
Motivated Emma storms out to get Regina. Mary Margaret warns that Regina has her powers back and even though Emma has magic, she doesn't know what to do with it. Mary Margaret knows going after Regina without a plan is a mistake. Even if the dwarfs construct a cell to hold Regina, they need a way to contain her magic until then. Mary Margaret suggests Fairy Dust; Leroy said they were processing a new batch of it. It's stopped Regina's power before, but the problem is she'll see them coming.
Emma- "Leave that to me. Trust me, we're locking her up."
 |
| Regina is looking into her glowing candle. |
Regina- "Then why are you here?"
Snow shares her feelings on knowing Regina wasn't always like this. The woman who saved her life all those years ago had good in her.
Regina continues handling and looking into the candle, "That woman lost much. And now she's gone."
Snow- "Maybe. But as hard as you've tried to bury her... I think she's still inside you."
Regina is adamant. "No, she's not."
Snow- "All you need (she unlocks the cell lock, opening the door) is someone to help you let her out." She's letting the woman who saved her life go. She's giving Regina a chance to start fresh; to leave evil behind in that cell; Just like that.
Regina chokes Snow against the bars "You make change sound so easy. (Snow pulls the dagger on her and Regina takes it from her.) Did you really think this would protect you? Since I can't use magic... I can think of no better way than to kill you than with the blade you had meant for me. Goodbye Snow White." She stabs Snow! But Snow's not even hurt! Regina feels that's impossible.
Snow- "No. That's magic." The Prince arrives and reveals this time it wasn't thanks to Fairies; Thanks goes to Rumple, who took one of Regina's hairs and used it to fashion a protection spell. "Now there's nothing you can do in this land to hurt Snow or me. You're powerless against us."
Regina feels she's been tricked. But it wasn't a trick, it was a test; one that Snow truly hoped Regina would pass. And since she didn't take the chance to change she's now banished to live alone with her misery.
The Prince- "As long as you're alive in this world- you can't hurt us."
Snow tells Regina "You saved my life once. And now I've saved yours. So we're even. And if you ever try to hurt anyone in my Kingdom again I will kill you."
Emma- "Yeah, that's a price we're both gonna pay."
Emma knows that Henry believed in Regina and now his heart's going to break. Regina will not let Emma poison Henry against her, but Emma feels that's an interesting word choice "Since you already did." Regina panics; wanting to see him because he deserves to hear her side of the story, "He's my son!" Emma snaps "He's not your son! He's mine! And after this you're not getting anywhere near him! Do it!" "Do it" is a call out to the Blue Fairy who was hiding nearby to throw a ball of fairy dust at Regina- But Regina catches it and tosses it at Snow and her Prince {the magic does nothing to them} and asks them "Did you really think that would work again?"
Emma, David and Mary Margaret wait for Henry's bus to arrive. Emma is anxious doesn't think she can do "real parenting stuff" and tell Henry the news. She wonders how she can be a parent if she never was one. That happens to be a concern to David and Mary Margaret as well and for them it's no different than what Emma is going through. Mary Margaret and David can figure it out and so can Emma.
Emma- "You don't know me, you don't know what I was before Storybrooke. And trust me, I was not parent material."
David- "We know who you are since you've been here."'
Emma- "What if I revert? Regina did."
David- "You're not going to. The Emma I know was great with Henry."
Emma- "I was his parent for five minutes!"
David- "And I was yours for five minutes too, but things are different now, for all of us. We don't have to go through any of it alone. We're family."
Henry's bus arrives and Emma meets the independent kid he can hear the latest news about Regina from her first.
Regina cries as she watches from behind the wheel of her car {via the side view mirror} as the duo chat.
Rumple thought she'd might like someone to help raise her spirits; especially on a day like today.
Today is a special day, it's Snow White and Prince Charming's wedding. Neither Rumple nor Regina received invitations to witness the two love birds declare their true love. Regina is upset that Rumple made it so there's no way for Regina to stop the wedding or harm the love birds in this land. The imp confirms the explicitly of his deal, but insinuates Regina could carry out her wishes toward the couple in another land. Regina's friend magically disappears. Motivated Regina calls upon her father to bring her carriage "I have a wedding to get to."
Cora- "Not what- Who."
They board the invisible ship where Cora leads Hook down to the hold where she brings him face to face with the person privy to Storybrooke's deepest secrets; including Rumple's. This is someone who can help determine Rumple's weaknesses here. Dr. Hopper is Hook's gift. Hook wonders "Well, if that's him, who did you kill?"
Cora- "How do I know? It's my first day in town."
Hooks impressed that Cora disguised the body to look like him, "If death wasn't punishment enough... marvelous work." Cora feels now Hook will have all the knowledge he'll need, although it may take some work, "But this cricket will chirp."
