Welcome to Storybrooke

"It was a mysterious island, lonely and beautiful. All the children stood and gazed at it, loving it and longing to go to it. It looked so secret - almost magic. 
“Well,” said Jack at last. 
“What do you think? Shall we run away, and live on the secret island?”
“Yes!” whispered all the children. “Let’s!”
 ― Enid Blyton, The Secret Island

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

The Strangers

It appears that strangers have been able to find their way into Storybrooke since the beginning. Does that mean they really are strangers to that place, or are they all trapped fairy tale characters already existing somewhere in the realms?  We already know there are many worlds, realms, islands, dimensions, and rooms.

It is very sweet to see the widow Kurt in his Marty McFly vest doing key chain crafts by the campfire with his free-spirited son, Owen, whom is a fan of Star Wars (Return of the Jedi). By the way, I've made hundreds of those key chains over my lifetime and I never kept any of them. That's weird, right? Anyway, they experience an "electrical event" that magically transports them into another realm, or dimension, if you will. Actually, Kurt thinks this "town" was dropped on top of them as opposed to them being transported to it. Well, that's in the thread of Dorothy's house being dropped right into Oz and on top of the Wicked Witch via the whirlwind transport event that made that happen. In fact that whole experience happened in Dorothy's mind; while she was sleeping (in the movie version).

Owen is the one who discovers Storybrooke after the electrical storm and then later Owen can't see it again. We see that although Storybrooke is there, it is visually hidden from via the other side of the town line in another dimension- perhaps on the other side of the looking glass. This definitely gives us a very Alice in Wonderland bit going on; add to that the time and spatial issues.

Welcome to Storybrooke is set in 1983, well, parts of it are. With Owen and Kurt we see how one becomes a visitor to Storybrooke and the other becomes a resident.  Maybe it's wrong of me to assume Kurt is still in Storybrooke, but on the other hand we've seen Regina lock up residents in her secret underground ward at the hospital. Perhaps that's where Kurt is. Maybe he's playing cards with Sidney Glass- or perhaps he's trapped in a computer/video game/simulation/matrix or hidden in some other realm.

Loop, Dude, Loop

Of course we have the ol' Groundhog-ish Day repeat of events, and even the nod of Back to the Future.

Regina finds herself in a redundant cycle; day after day things just boringly run through. The curse rendered the residents of Storybrooke basically robotic and soulless. Regina wants to manipulate, wants everything uniform and to her liking, she wants people to do everything she wants; but she wants them to do it because they want to do it and not because they have to do it. This loop bores Regina and she misses the human element of the people. She longs for the thrill of the chase and the fight. But she also longs for love and family. Her loop starts to develop slight variations in it.

Rumple may have created the curse, but he is clear in that he didn't cast the curse. It was Regina's choice to cast the curse and thus has to reap the results of it. Magic isn't the problem. It's the motives and choices each makes when using magic that determines if it's good or bad magic. The problem is in the person. It is all about the choices we make. There are lessons in the loop,  just as there was on LOST...  Break the cycle- and you keep doing the loop (and lesson) over and over until you get it right. Sometimes one gets stuck, like the needle on a broken record, and needs a little push. This is all to help one grow.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere is Signs

Does an apple a day keep the Doctor away for Regina, or will she be doomed with a black heart her whole life?

Softened by the boy's kind hearted gift, sort of like the Winter Warlock in Santa Claus is coming to Town, Regina is touched and drawn to him. They share similar heartbreak and loneliness. They both have a piece of their heart missing.

Regina and Mary Margaret both have darkness growing inside of them- but for different reasons.
Black always was Regina's color and her vengeance left her with a hole in her heart. Regina's darkness comes from a place of anger, selfishness, conceit, greed, and vengeance, she doesn't feel regret or think about the feelings of others- only her own needs matter. Her willingness to have Henry live under a curse and "loving her" was good enough for her. She didn't care that it wouldn't be his real emotions toward her; she is fine with it being fake as long as it was something to make her feel better. But that's not true selfless love. Even though she destroyed the curse at Henry's request I am curious if it's because there's a tiny glow of light still left in her heart or is it because she has another way to complete her task.

While Regina doesn't feel regret for her actions, Snow carries great pain by hers. The important and informative scene with Mary Margaret begging to be killed by Regina made me cry. Regina is right about Mary Margaret doing it to herself; she's causing her own suffering. Mary Margaret is wallowing in her negative emotions based on the choices she made (and it taking a life), but she is also willing to sacrifice herself to end the ongoing ugly fight. This down slide of Mary Margaret's works for Regina for that exact reason, it seems Regina can wait out Mary Margaret to self-destruct on her own.

Keep in mind Mary Margaret was only partially responsible for Cora's death and she saved Mr. Gold's life; she made a choice/decision based on the greater good- or the lesser of two evils. Is there ever a time when a truly good hearted person should make that sort of decision?  Let's not forget that we've seen Snow White steal while she was on the run and gear up for battle at the castle. She's one tough cookie.

Henry wants to blow up the well as for him this must be the source of magic. We know the well represents a few things like water- as a life source, and it's where you wish for something you lost be returned to you; it also connects to Lake Nostos. 

No matter where you go, there you are

Regina and Kurt wanted a place to go to start over, but you can't run away from things and you especially can't run away from yourself.  You are the only one who can make the changes you seek, both inside and out. Sure, we can follow a map, be guided along the way and pointed in the right direction- but ultimately change can only come from deep inside of you.

How to make the key chain

 Things to Note...Questions to Ask...

๑ The cards depicting the "time period" of events only shows up a couple of times, even though we visit current time-line and the Kurt and Owen time-line
๑ Who is Owen's Uncle?
๑ Computers. Monitors. Digital
๑ Loop. Fruit Loops
๑ Things, words, symbols connect to the "outside of Storybrooke."  Blur together
๑ Balance
๑ Real. Not Real. It's not real
๑ "Why would an 11 year old kid run away to the mines?" - Neal
๑ Apples. Regina's loop seems to include her having apple pancakes every morning.
๑ Little boy Owen sounds like Henry
๑ Episode 7:15
๑ True North : Hansel and Gretel are given a compass by their father and they too must find him and be reunited in Storybrooke. The twins are known as Ava and Nicholas Zimmer, children of Dory Zimmer, father is Tow Trucker Michael Tillman
๑ The Sheriff car (not black/white-more brownish/white) is number 1. We've seen #2 in episodes
๑ It might by 1983, but there are reflections of other older things/items/stores/music/cars, etc. in Storybrooke
๑ NO Key. The handmade crafted key chain Owen gives Regina is key-less
๑ 8:15. Arrival. Stuck
๑ 108
๑ The Thing you Love Most, to cast the curse Regina needs the heart of the one she loves most
๑ Green and Red- Like Luke and Darth's Light Sabers
๑ Wake up
๑ No I.D. - Who are you?
๑ Map. Directions. Blind corner
๑ About having a child, Marco claims "I was never so lucky."
๑ Camp. Beach chairs. campfire
๑ Claimed
๑ Teacher. Teach. School. Learn.
๑ Hospital
๑ Heart of Darkness
๑ Gift- Present 
๑ The Blue Bird was an old movie I remember and enjoyed as a child.

๑ Lana tweeted "In honor of tonight's episode... (the music video) Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) from the album Speaking in Tongues

This photo is from LOST- A Tale of Two Cities

Vocabulary and Research...

๑ Flynn is a surname of Irish origin it is an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Floinn "descendant of Flann", a byname meaning "red(dish)", "ruddy". The name originated in the landlocked county of Laois in the mid-1300s by a large farming family.  The name was almost wiped out from both plague and famine, although still lives on today throughout the world
-The Flynn Effect, the gradual rise in IQ test scores

๑ Kevin Flynn: Flynn's Arcade is a video game arcade owned and operated by Kevin Flynn. The upper rooms have been furnished to serve as both a work space and accommodation, in which Flynn lived prior to taking control of ENCOM. The basement level is accessed by way of a secret door hidden behind a TRON arcade game on the ground floor. ENCOM is an American multi-national computer technology corporation that developed many important programs and technologies such as digitization hardware and software, the MCP and Tron. In the 1980s ENCOM was mainly focusing on defense systems, but quickly began focusing more on video games after the amazing success and profits produced by games such as Space Paranoids and Light Cycles. The company is headquartered in Center City. ENCOM was founded by Dr. Walter Gibbs, Ph.D. on July 22, 1972, originally from inside his garage.
๑ Tron: 1982 American science fiction film was released by Walt Disney Productions about a computer programmer is transported inside the software world of a mainframe computer, where he interacts with various programs in his attempt to get back out. A sequel titled Tron: Legacy 
-Flynnlives.com 

๑ Flynn Rider:  aka Eugene Fitzherbert is a character in the animated movie Tangled (Rapunzel)
๑ Apple: Symbolism- Forbidden fruit. Apple of Discord. Wisdom.
๑ Heart Shaped Box is a song by Nirvana
๑ The White Pine Trail- State Park: is Michigan's longest rail-trail following the former Grand Rapids and Indiana rail bed for 93.5 miles through five counties. This massive trail showcases a variety of landscapes, from swamps to forests to open farmland, plus numerous towns and cities.
- The northern terminus of Fred Meijer White Pine Trail is in the City of Cadillac.

✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale

✈ A Tale of Two Cities:  Juliet listens to "Downtown" on a blank CD taken out of The Talking Heads CD case.
-At 7:15 Jack is stalking Sarah
✈ 8:15
✈ 108
✈ Loop. Do-over
✈ Rock
✈ In Some Like it Hoth- Hurley rewrites Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back
✈ Eggs
✈ Tulip
✈ Electrical
✈ Sink (sync)
✈ Claim
✈ White Rabbit:
Jack has to bury is father.
Remember, Jack's father Christian was found dead of a massive heart attack/cardiac arrest brought on by alcohol in an alley in Queen's Cross, Australia
✈ In Numbers Hurley's mom doesn't like surprises. Plus there's many more connections to this ONCE episode within Numbers:
✈ Good/Bad Parenting:
Hurley think's Jack would be a good dad.
Michael hates being a father
✈ (A few examples of) "Why did you bring me here?" is said by:
Kate in A Tale of Two Cities
Jin in The Package
Jack in The Candidate
Kate in The End
Jacob brings people here, to the Island
Richard feels "murder is wrong" and what brought him here/to the Island, in Ab Aeterno
Locke "brings him/Anthony Cooper here" in The Brig
✈  Real- Not Real- A few examples:
White Rabbit
Hearts and Minds
Fire + Water
Orientation
Cabin Fever
Desmond claimed "It's not real"
Yemi tells Eko "real world"  The 23rd Psalm
Maternity Leave Claire says she needs to find "That place- that room. It's real!..."
✈  I Do -Kate aka Monika is given a locket from her future mother in law before the wedding
✈ Patience- that's Locke.
✈ Locke was a Boy Scout, well, technically he was a Webelo- working toward merit badges in Hearts and Minds. And Locke is shown to have many framed badges/patches in his Flashes as seen in The Man from Tallahassee

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

Kurt and Owen Flynn are camping in the woods at night and crafting little plastic key chains together; made of long plastic threads- red and green like Luke and Darth's light sabers.  It's Owen's first time making them, and Kurt instructs him with the loops. {Note: Talking Heads song} Kurt gives Owen the key chain Owen's grandfather taught him how to make. Owen notes Kurt wasn't very good at making them when he was his age. Kurt checks his (I think it's a) pocket watch and decides it's time to get diner started when he sees a change in the atmosphere. He turns off the old radio and has Owen put out the fire and get in the tent; Owen is sure to take his Star Wars blanket with him. It's probably an electrical storm. Kurt tells the kid they're going to be alright.

Purple and Green smoke washes over the entire campsite and all the land. When father and son emerge from their tents it is daylight. The big bizarre storm wrecked the campsite and the vehicle, so they hike to find refuge.

Kurt follows a map wrapped in plastic for protection; trying to locate the highway over the ridge and then get a ride to the nearest town. It's Owen who discovers the town in the distance.

As they walk through gloomy Storybrooke Kurt feels it's impossible because they drove through there yesterday and "...there's nothing here. It's like somebody dropped a town right on top of us."

They're met by Sheriff Graham. "Need some help? You two look lost."
"Who are you? What is this place?" asks Kurt.  Graham introduces himself, shakes Kurt's hand and welcomes them to Storybrooke.

Regina's eyes open- she wakes up in Storybrooke in 1983. She looks out the window and determines, "I did it- I won."

Regina tours the gloomy streets of Storybrooke:
Walking past Marco fixing the Neighbors Five and Dime store sign with a screwdriver. "That should hold you."
Mr. Gold walks by.
Ruby argues with Granny outside of the Diner while Granny puts out the sign. "I can't believe you put me on the early shift!"
"It's not my fault you stayed out all night! When I put over-easy on the menu I was talking about the eggs!"

Archie walks Pongo and greets Madam Mayor, mentioning it's a beautiful day; even though it's sort of gloomy. Regina almost calls him Cri...("Cricket") but stops short can greets him as Dr. Hopper and agrees it's a beautiful day.  And we see a man at the fruit truck with an orange.

Mary Margaret holds the Blue Bird and educates her students that they're building a home for the birds and not a cage.  "A bird is free it will do what it will. This is for them not us. Their loyal creatures (She releases the bird out the window it flies to the bird house). If you love them and they love you, they will always find you." The bell rings and she tells the kids they'll pick this up after recess.

Regina enters wanting Mary Margaret to refresh her memory. "How long have you been a teacher here?"  Mary Margaret can't recall but replies "As long as I can remember." Regina takes her on a field trip.

"Why are we in the hospital?" Mary Margaret asks Regina.
"Tell me, do you know this man?"
Mary Margaret looks at the sleeping man behind the glass, looking a bit confused, "No? Why, who is he?"
Regina shares "He's a John Doe, a coma patient. No one's claimed him."
"Maybe someday he'll wake up and maybe someone who loves him will find him," Mary Margaret is hopeful. Regina wouldn't count on it.

Sunday October 23, 1983

At Granny's Regina is served apple pancakes. Graham enters and Regina flirts, telling him his uniform is well fitted.  Graham asks her if she wants him to come over later, as they're apparently involved in a physical/sexual relationship.
"Hey," a little boy, sounding much like Henry, walks over to the couple and asks Regina, "You like apple pancakes too?"
"Who are you? Whose child is this?" she asks the other patrons and then asks Marco "Is he yours?"
"Mine? No. I was never so lucky," replies Marco.
The man in the Marty McFly vest claims the boy as his. "You'll have to excuse him. His manners are a little rough around the edges. I'm, uh, Kurt Flynn."  Confused and troubled Regina and Kurt shake hands.  The man and his son are looking to rent a hotel room for the night, as they need a place to sleep. Granny offers them a room.
Regina privately speaks with Graham. "Who the hell are those people?"  Graham doesn't know, they just showed up; they were camping in the woods near the Toll Bridge. Freaked out Regina doesn't like surprises- she finds them threatening. "And do you know what happens when I feel threatened? Bad things."

Present Day:

Regina places a red rose on her mother's coffin and is met by Mr. Gold.
"Black always was your color. He's there to pay his respects (places a red rose crossing Regina's placed rose.) He shares that he and Cora may have had their differences, but she'll always have a place in her heart.  Regina is there to bury her mother and is obviously in deep morning.
Gold killed Cora to save his own life- "Desperate times call for desperate measures."  Mary Margaret tricked Regina into killing her own mother. Regina thinks Gold/Rumple may be able to hide behind his dagger, but Mary Margaret can't. Regina is going to make sure she dies for what she did.  Gold reminds her killing Mary Margaret will cost her the thing she really wants most- Henry. "Why don't you just give up this obsession with vengeance? You know it can never make you happy?"
Regina feels it will.
"You had a whole curse worth of vengeance, and what did it get you?" asks Gold, "A gapping hole in your heart." Regina claims "That was your curse."
"Which you cast," Gold replies, "Still haven't learned your lesson, have you?"
"What lesson?" asks Regina.
Gold tries to be the voice of reason. "The same one your mother learned a long time ago. You can't have everything. She wanted power- ripped out of her own heart to get it. You want vengeance? Henry's the price you'll pay. Time to cut your losses."
But Regina will never do that; she will have her son and her vengeance- "I will find a way to have everything."

Depressed Mary Margaret stays in bed while Emma and David try to protect Henry from why Mary Margaret is a little "sick." Henry knows they're lying (especially Emma, who's eating Fruit Loops). Emma sees he's lost trust in her and shares the truth with him, explaining Mary Margaret is partially responsible for Cora's death and that's why she's so upset. She was trying to protect them. Henry thinks she couldn't because she's Snow White- she wouldn't hurt anybody. Mr. Gold/Rumple shows up to inform angry David about Regina's plan to strike back against (your/Emma's mother) Mary Margaret. She didn't say what she's going to do to her.  David feels Gold doesn't get to come in there and drop a bomb like that. "You're gonna figure this out... and you're gonna help us."  The reason he's going to is aside from them being family now, Mary Margaret saved Gold's life and he owes her a debt- and Gold/Rumple always pays his debts. "You're gonna help us stop Regina," David informs Gold.

Kurt and Owen sit at the counter finishing up their meal when Mayor Mills comes in and is pissed off that the little boy is sitting in her seat. Owen doesn't give in to her childish behavior. Regina informs Kurt his car will be repaired by the end of the week; since she's the mayor things get done when the mayor asks for them, and she hates to keep them from getting home to...
"New Jersey. Home of The Boss," Kurt replies. {Regina doesn't seem to know who that is.}
On their way out Owen gives Regina a gift for letting him sit in her seat; the red and green key chain he made. She seems a bit touched and Kurt is proud.

Regina opens her eyes, waking up with Graham next to her in her bed. She walks over and looks out the window, just as she's done before.
{WATCH VIDEO BELOW}
Hospital Volunteer Mary Margaret puts little white flowers (Lily of the Valley?) on the table next to the man with no I.D. while Regina watches with glee.

She takes her walk down the street of Storybrooke- past Marco working on the sign with a screwdriver, "Maybe this time you won't fall."
Ruby argues with Granny, "This is the last time I'm working the early shift." Granny throws her hands up in an "I give up" gesture.
Dr. Hopper walks Pongo and greets the Mayor, "Good morning Madam Mayor. Beautiful day, isn't it?"  Mary Margaret walks right into Regina as Regina is still watching Archie walk across the street.
"Oh, Madam Mayor, I'm so sorry," states nervous Mary Margaret. {Carrying books}
"You should be. Watch where you're going next time!" Regina warns. Very intimidated Mary Margaret nods yes and hurries off.

Regina opens her eyes, waking up next to Graham again, but now seems a bit bored.

Volunteer Mary Margaret places tulips on the hospital bedside table of the sleeping man with no I.D. As per her loop, Regina watches from the background but seems less interested.
She walks past Marco fixing the sign, but now it must be hammered into place.  Finally Regina is noticing things aren't what they seem... they're the same yet different.
This time when Regina runs into Mary Margaret she asks why she's apologizing when it's Regina who ran into her. {Mary Margaret holds papers, wear a white knit beret.} Mary Margaret knows she should have been looking where she was going .
"You're not even going to fight back?!" Regina asks. Mary Margaret wonders why she would do that and she walks away.

Regina pays a visit to Mr. Gold in his shop. "I'm not happy," claims Regina. Mr. Gold directs her to Dr. Hopper's office.
"This town... this isn't the deal we made," Regina tells him, but Gold doesn't know what she's talking about. {He's preparing a tea set.} She realizes he doesn't. "I was supposed to be happy here."
Gold reminds her she's the Mayor, the most powerful woman in the town. "What is there to be unhappy about?"
Regina complains "Everyone in this town does exactly what I want them to." Gold is amused by her problem as Regina continues,
"Well, they do it 'cause they have to not because they want to. It's not real."
Gold asks her what exactly it is she wants. Regina feels "Nothing you can give me." She walks out looking at the plastic woven key chain she received from Owen.

Regina calls Kurt and invites him and Owen to dinner before they leave.

Regina rummages through Cora's belongings desperately looking for something important. She comes across the locket of her and Cora, she cries.

In a fit she tears up Cora's gown and finally she finds what she needed. Cora's curse scroll. "Thank you, Mommy," Regina says.

Armed with a flashlight, David and Mr. Gold search Regina's family vault to discover they just missed their dear Queen. Mr. Gold deduces Regina's going to use one of Cora's spells on Mary Margaret. He notices something missing from a small trunk- Chimera Blood and Viper's Eye. Those ingredients are needed to cast The Curse of the Empty-Hearted.

Back at the apartment Mr. Gold explains that in theory the curse has the power to make you love someone. Emma wonders, "Doesn't that break magic laws? You can't bring someone back to life- you can't force someone to love you..."
Apparently this particular spell can make someone think that they love you. "And if  you're as desperate for love, as Regina appears to be, "You might just believe it," claims Mr. Gold. Henry realizes Regina's going to use it on him. Henry, refuses to be kept in the dark and lied to and demands to know why Regina is using this curse.  Gold tells the boy, "It's the only way she can get everything she wants. That she can get you."  He goes on to explain Regina wants Henry's love but also wants vengeance on Mary Margaret. The curse gives Regina both due to the last ingredient needed to enact the curse- the heart of the person she hates the most. Emma wants Gold to stop her, but he doesn't have to do anything; he believes warning them fulfills his debt. This upsets the group because they're family.
Mr. Gold feels, "Yeah, well, wars have costs."  This is a blood feud that goes back a very long time. The only way to end a blood feud is by the spilling of more blood. That is the only way he knows how to eliminate their Regina problem. The rest of the group feels killing her is the only option. Henry wants them to stop and listen to themselves, "You're talking about killing my mom. You used to be heroes- what happened to you?" The group is left speechless as Henry storms out.
Emma heads out after him, but is sure to inform the men, "No matter how this plays out, we need to keep him as far away from it as possible."  Mr. Gold agrees, noting that Cora was dangerous because she didn't have a heart and Regina is dangerous because she does.

Kurt compliments Regina on her lasagna, while free spirited Owen doesn't hold back his opinion that it isn't good. Regina's aware she's not the greatest cook unless it involves apples. She asks for Owens' help making turnovers for desert and instructs him to the kitchen sink to pick out some good ones.  Kurt shares that Owen gets his free spirit from his mom, "She, uhhhhh, passed away six months ago." That is why Kurt brought him there; camping and new surroundings might help him take his mind off things, but...
Regina admits "I came here looking to start over too. Hasn't turned out quite the way I hoped."  She feels "What good's a new life if you don't have anyone to share it with?"

Smiling Owen watches Regina put three turnovers into the oven and asks her why she's not a mom. He feels although it didn't work out that way he feels she would have been really good at it.
Regina seems touched. "Thank you, Owen."  Anxious Owen wonders "So, how much longer?" Regina advises "Patience. They're almost done."  Owen shares with her that he likes Storybrooke better than New Jersey. He doesn't miss his home or his friends. "I hate it there. All the kids at my school treat me weird now," apparently because of what happened to his mother. "Nobody gets it... it's like..."
"There's a piece of your heart missing," Regina finishes his thought.  When Kurt enters Regina proposes the idea that they should stick around town a little longer- as in "move here."  She can get him a great job with the City and there's a great/grade school for Owen. It could be a chance for a new start. Owen sounds excited at the thought. And while Kurt appreciates everything Regina's done for them but they have a life in New Jersey, "It's not here."  Regina is dejected... and so is Owen.

"Why did you bring me here?" Henry asks Emma as they enter Granny's Diner.  Emma steers him to the booth that Neal is sitting in, waiting for him. Ruby brings over a sundae with extra everything, which Henry sees as a bribe. So he pushes the obvious bribe aside. Neal tells Henry that he and Emma feel Storybrooke isn't the safest place for Henry right now, so they should go to New York. Regina can't cast the curse in New York because there's no magic there. Henry has a brainstorm that someone should find a way to get rid of magic in Storybrooke, this way Regina can't cast the curse- it would solve everything.  Neal feels the kid is right, "But until then, why don't you come with me."  Henry nods "yes."

While Emma is being served by Ruby, Greg asks Ruby pack his sandwich "to go," as he's decided to go on a hike. Dr. Whale said it would be good for him to get on his feet; plus he's kind of a nature photography nerd. Emma just thought he'd be back in Pennsylvania by now. Neal reveals "This town's starting to grow on me."

Emma walks back over to the booth to ask Neal how it went. Neal, proud of his work as a "day three dad" tells her the kid said "yes."   Emma sees the kid took his backpack with him to the bathroom and asks Neal "Did you really fall for that? He's your son." Neal thinks for a moment and decides "He's running."

Henry is seen running through the forest.

Regina magically lets herself into Mary Margaret's {# 3} apartment but is intervened by the guard dog Mr. Gold.

Regina talks to the mechanic about modifying Kurt car repair to ensure him a longer stay in Storybrooke. But Mr. Flynn already picked the car up- 10 minutes ago.

Regina hurries to her office to unlock a file cabinet and retrieve a small box containing a heart. {The heart glows and looks obviously plastic.} She literally relays detailed instructions into the heart to communicate with the Sheriff; using it like a one way walkie talkie or internal intercom.

Their visitors are driving out of Storybrooke, "Find them before they cross the town line, pull the car over and arrest the father for drunk driving... then bring the boy to me." But Kurt witnesses this and doesn't want any trouble; he just came by to thank her. Regina claims it's a misunderstanding.
"No. I understood," Kurt replies, "We're leaving."
"I'm not going to hurt him. Please don't leave," begs Regina. But Kurt is apprehended by the Sheriff and arrested for driving under the influence/drunk driving right there on Regina's desk! Which of course, Kurt hasn't been drinking nor driving. Kurt tries to get through to the Sheriff "She's controlling you. I don't know how- but she's got this glowing thing- it was shaped like a heart... Don't listen to her."  Kurt manages to toss the heart box onto the floor and this causes Graham chest pain; he lets Kurt escape.

Kurt runs to his car and he and Owen flee!

Running Henry runs right into hiking Greg! Henry claims his being out there all alone is because he's a Boy Scout trying to get a merit badge. Greg claims he's taking pictures of Maine's scenic beauty. Henry directs Greg in the direction of the actual hiking trail. Greg thanks him and covertly snaps a photo of the I.D. tag on Henry's backpack. He wishes Henry luck with his merit badge and walks away- Henry takes off running again.

Down in the mines Emma, David, Neal and Ruby are on the hunt for Henry. Ruby determines he was in there.
Neal asks "Why would an 11 year old kid run away to the mines?"
Emma- "Wouldn't be the first time."

David realizes Henry was there for dynamite. Neal reveals he knows it's to get rid of magic. He shares the conversation he and Henry had at the diner.

Greg calls Henry's mother, Regina, {sitting in her car} to inform her Henry was all by himself by the White Pine Trail. After identifying himself as the guy who crashed his car outside of town, he tells her the boy seemed a little upset and just thought that she would want to know.  Regina says "I'm on my way."
This blurs right into...
Regina and Graham are in hot pursuit in the Sheriff's car after Kurt and Owen. Regina seems to love the chase.
Just as Kurt thinks they lost them, Graham cuts them off at the Storybrooke town-line.
Kurt instructs Owen to run into the woods, get as far away as he can and call your Uncle. Owen doesn't want to leave without his father. Kurt sees the boy clutching the handmade loop key chain and tells Owen "There's a reason I gave you that... Because as long as you have it... I'll always be with you. You can do this. So do it! Run! Go! Go! Run!"  Owen gets out of the car, seeing the Sheriff arrest Kurt and runs toward the town line. Angry Kurt yells to Regina "You may have this whole town wrapped around your finger- but not my son! You can't force him to stay with you!" He yells for Owen not to stop "Run!" But Regina tries to win the boy over. "I just want you to stay with me. You said you liked it here. You wanna stay here, don't you?"
"Not like this," the upset boy replies. Regina apologizes. "I just wanted us to be happy." Regina lets the boy go.

Henry readies to light the fuse on his TNT when Regina approaches.{Note her hands are in the same position she just had them in with Owen.} Magically the TNT doesn't light.

Henry claims to be getting rid of magic because it's ruining everything, "And you can't stop me."
"All that's gonna do is get you killed," mother warns.  But Henry feels she's just saying that because she needs magic to cast that curse on him. Regina magically vanish the TNT in a puff of purple smoke. Approaching Henry, she tells him she can't lose him. "You mean too much to me."
Sincere Henry pleads, "Then don't cast the curse. Don't kill Mary Margaret." Regina feels "She has to pay."
"The curse, it won't make me love you for real- it'll be fake," Henry tells Regina. But Regina feels at least it will be something, and even though it may be hard for him to understand "We can be happy. We can have everything." Henry backs away, "Not like this."  Emma and the men arrive, "Get away from my son!"
"He's not yours, he's mine, and after I cast this you'll never see him again," Regina reacts to Emma's command. If Regina wants to kill Mary Margaret she'll have to go through them. So Regina readies a fireball in the palm of her hand causing David to draw his gun- Henry jumps in the middle of the two sides! He won't get out of the way until someone helps him destroy magic. Regina tells the boy there's no way to get rid of it "You just can't blow it up!"
"Magic isn't the problem, kid, it's her," Emma says holding her hand out to Henry.  The kid knows it's not just her "It's everyone! Look what magic did to Mary Margaret. (Turing to Regina) Look at what it did to you, it's ruining everything. It makes good people do terrible things."
"And bad people," Emma holding her hand out to him, but he turns to Regina and her flaming fireball and begs her please, "It's gonna destroy my family. Help me get rid of it."  Regina can't do that- but there is something she can do- she burns Cora's scroll curse in her palm filled with the fireball. Henry thanks her, takes Emma's hand and they hug tightly. The little family walks away from Regina.

 

Owen returns to the Storybrooke town line with two State Troopers (one white man and one black man).  "Here, this is the place they took my dad!"
"There's nothin' here, kid," one of the Troopers replies.
"No. This is where Storybrooke was, by this rock," Owen claims.  The Trooper informs the boy {calling him son} that there isn't a town called Storybrooke anywhere in Maine.  Owen is sad. "You don't believe me?"
The Trooper is compassionate to Owen's situation. "Look, now you've been through a lot," but Owen runs from him a little further toward the town-line.
"Son!" the Trooper calls out. Owen stops, holding tightly to the key chain yelling down the road that is devoid of a town called Storybrooke proclaiming "I'll find you dad. I promise, I'll never stop looking!"
And what we see is Regina standing on the other side of the town-line seeing Owen and reaching out to try and touch him. Storybrooke is there, yet visually hidden in another dimension from Owen's side- perhaps on the other side of the looking glass. The Troopers takes the little boy from that place and Regina cries.

While depressed Mary Margaret continues to sit in her and stare into space, Mr. Gold gives her the news that Henry convinced Regina to destroy the curse, and adds "Which means my services are no longer required."
Mary Margaret asks him how he lives with himself knowing all the bad things he's done. He replies,
"Well, ya tell yourself you did the right thing... and if you say it often enough... one day you might actually believe it."

Desperate Mary Margaret pays a visit to Regina and begs her to kill her. Watch this very  important and amazing scene through to the end.

EnchantaCon Presents...

ATTENTION ONCERS!

Mark your calendars for November 22, 23 and 24, 2013 for EnchantaCon's Weekend With the Stars of Once Upon A Time!  I'll be there- You couldn't keep me away from the magic!

They will be providing more details leading up to the launch of their New Official Website on March 31, 2013.  You won't want to miss this awesome event being held in Orlando, Florida.

Check back for details.
Confirmed cast thus far for the event:
David Anders
Faustino Di Bauda
Michael Coleman

You can follow EnchantaCon on twitter.

Manhattan

“Assumptions are dangerous things to make, and like all dangerous things to make -- bombs, for instance, or strawberry shortcake -- if you make even the tiniest mistake you can find yourself in terrible trouble. Making assumptions simply means believing things are a certain way with little or no evidence that shows you are correct, and you can see at once how this can lead to terrible trouble..." Lemony Snicket, The Austere Academy "

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


There are no facts only interpretations

I think if the writers stumbled upon my little site here, I fear they would find me crazy or worse.  After years of watching LOST I tend to read between the lines and question everything. That's not always a good thing. After all, that may not be the writers intention with ONCE Upon A Time, although we are given reason to be cautious of what we see. I love the writers and I thank them constantly for making me "think."

Why, oh, why does it bother me so, that in the episode Desperate Souls the original Dark One referred to Baelfire as Rumple's bastard child. The original Dark One tells Rumple- "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..."
Now, did the Dark One say that just to piss off and confuse Rumple, or is there any truth to that statement?  Let's note that Neal just met his "bastard son." Interesting, it's like a circle or a cycle. Hmmm...
In this episode the Seer tells Rumple about Milah already being "with child." Is it possible Milah cheated on Rumple (let's say with the real love of her life, Hook or someone else) and Bae isn't Rumple's.

Of course I may be making more out of this than I should, but... Just to play devil's advocate, Milah, nor Rumple hint that she's with child before he leaves for his time in the Army. If anything, Milah only encourages him to fight brave, "And when you return we can start living the life we've always dreamed of- we can have a family."  So, doesn't the possibility exist that Milah wasn't with child during the opening conversation?

Rumple was excited at the possibility of escaping his father's shadow. Although Rumple's father was a coward, he deeply pained Rumple by abandoning him. I was pissed to see Milah harping upon Rumple's return, about Rumple's father being a coward and making him think he was as well, even after Rumple sacrificed his leg to be home with his wife and son and not be guilty of abandoning his child. But Milah twisted the whole thing around to make Rumple look wrong, weak and cowardly, instead of seeing any positive in his sacrifice. Therefore Rumple's only "fear" was being afraid to leave Bae fatherless- not afraid of the fight itself. But Rumple is guilty of listening to a Seer.

They are all guilty of holding on to the ghosts of their pasts.

Went to a Fortune Teller- Had my Fortune Read

"It's a tricky beast," Rumple is warned. But Rumple was taken by the tricky child Seer, who gives him, just vague enough information combined with a bit of valid Intel, to put doubt and fear into his head. She could have heard those facts from the gossiping soldiers in the camp and front line. The Seer implied Rumple's destiny is "something" that he perceives as death. But he's unaware that the future puzzle isn't a complete picture; it's jumbled and the pieces need to be sorted.  Now with a poisoned mind, poisoned by the tricky monster, fearful Rumple takes action- the very action that causes his own future suffering and leaves Bae without a father.  The child Seer never said he was going to die, that's a notion he put into his own head, she only said "your actions on the battlefield tomorrow will leave him fatherless."  He didn't even let events unfold naturally. As a matter of fact, the night before he was to go into battle the soldier was happy because things may have been looking up- "Fortune favors us! Fresh supplies have arrived from the Duke. Today we will not be marching into battle, we'll be riding."  If Rumple would have let the puzzle pieces fall into place, who knows... maybe he would have left a hero or maybe not. But he did fulfill the Seer's vision, in that he made it happen.


When will my reflection show... who I am inside

Call it what you want... Reflection, Mirror Moment or even a Flash, they are moments when we reflect back on the things that cause us pain, make us who we are, show us what to direction to take on the path and change who we are.  But we can only be in control of so much- there are variables.

Again, I'll bring up the tricky child Seer who states Rumple is scared to turn out like his father, but the newly drafted Rumple we saw was brave enough to try and dispel that fear, even though he lost his way for a while. He realized quickly that letting Bae go was the wrong decision and he's been working hard to fix that. He still may not know all the right moves to make, but he's trying to change for the better. Henry just might be the person who is Rumple's undoing... in that, he may help him turn over a new leaf; although Rumple currently perceives him as a threat, as per the Seer's prediction and Rumple now assuming she meant Henry.

Whether you realize it or not, even though Rumple is trying to improve his life, he seems to be helping others out too. He just has to look at the bigger picture and not think selfishly.  It's been my experience that people don't think with their head, they think with their heart and then they con their mind into justifying their decision.

I wonder if August is manipulating the story at all. His hands are in things somehow. There may be some trickery and conning going on. 

Many can assume and even hope that Bae is Peter Pan based on a few tid-bits given in episodes and it may be true, but there may be another way to look at things.  August is a big player in all of this as storytelling Pinocchio.  In Disney's Pinocchio, the liar and storyteller is conned by Honest John and Gideon, who convince him that he's sick and the cure is to go to Pleasure Island. There Pinocchio makes friends with other trouble making boys that gamble, smoke, get drunk and destroy Pleasure Island. The island has a crazy curse that turns the bad boys who make jackasses of themselves into actual donkeys; then they are sold to work in the (salt) mines and circuses. Neal wasn't an honest young man; he was a liar and a thief on the run.  Let's just see how all this plays out.

Things to Note...Questions to Ask... 

๑ Puzzle. Missing pieces.
๑ 407 is the area code for Orlando- home of Walt Disney World
- Ontario Highway 407
๑ August.
๑ Bae left Fairy Tale land before Regina cast the curse, so how did he come to know about the curse?
๑ A nice bit of text that August shows Neal in the episode Tallahassee,when he tells August "... I'm gonna tell you a story..."  Here in the episode Manhattan, August tells Neal  "When you see what I have in here you're gonna listen. You're gonna believe every word I say."
๑ Book. Written out. Draft. Stories. Report. Dewey-Decimal System. Read. Library.
In the Pilot episode Emma's door had  this-

๑ Both Neal and Mary Margaret's apartments have green doors. A green door leads you into Oz
๑ Regina said the curse was about Magic and not memories- yet in addition to Storybrooke being a land without magic, the residents have lost their memories.
๑ Fly
๑ Is Gold's ring a Mood Ring of sorts?
๑ Teach. Training. Learn
๑ Weave. Sew
๑ Honor (Although here it's not spelled how a New Yorker would spell it).  Nobel.
๑ Island = Manhattan. Bar. Key.
๑ In Child of the Moon, Quinn wears a ring with an "eye" motif on it.
๑ When the magic globe glowed the whereabouts of Bae, Rumple's blood did not settle on the New York area.

Vocabulary and Research... 

๑ "The Hedley Kow" is a Northumbrian English fairy tale. Abou a mischievous shapeshifting creature.
- Cow- adult female cattle
- Cows are sacred
- Cell on Wheels
- The Circle of Willis
- COW- Computer Originated World
- Cowes- the main township on Phillip Island in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia.
- Cowes- is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight.
๑ The Flat Iron Building: The Fuller Building is located at 175 5th Ave. It sits on the block of 23rd 5th Ave and Broadway, anchoring the south Downtown end of Madison Square.
๑ Pan's Labyrinth- The film interweaves this real world with a fantasy world centered around an overgrown abandoned labyrinth and a mysterious faun creature, with which the main character, Ofelia, interacts.
๑ The Kris or Keris is a prized asymmetrical dagger most strongly associated with the culture of Indonesia, but also indigenous to Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei.  The Kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, but in the past, most had straight blades.  A Kris can be divided into three parts: bilah (blade), hulu (hilt), and warangka (sheath).  These parts of the Kris are objects of art, often carved in meticulous detail and made from various materials; metal, precious or rare types of wood, or gold or ivory.  Both a weapon and spiritual object, Kris are often considered to have an essence or presence, considered to possess magical powers, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad. Kris are used for display, as talismans with magical powers, weapons, a sanctified heirloom, auxiliary equipment for court soldiers, an accessory for ceremonial dress, an indicator of social status, a symbol of heroism, etc. Legendary Kris that possess supernatural power and extraordinary ability were mentioned in traditional folktales, such as those of Mpu Gandring, Taming Sari, and Setan Kober.

✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale

✈ And... Manhattan is an island.
✈  8 (August), 23
✈  Bar- Christian Shephard, Jack Shephard
✈ Circle.
✈ I was always amazed that the Castaways were always following crudely drawn maps on the island, as if a child drew them.
✈ "The universe has a way of course correcting" Flashes Before Your Eyes
✈ Missing Pieces
✈ Desmond "sees" the future
✈  Three minutes
✈  "It doesn't work like that"- Desmond in Tricia Tanaka is Dead,
✈  "It doesn't work like that/that way"
       - Locke in This Place is Death
       -What Kate Did
✈ Kate broke Jack's heart
✈ About his visions of the future, Desmond tries to explain to Hurley "...it was sorta like a jigsaw puzzle, only I don't have the picture on the box, so I don't know how the pieces fit together exactly- but if one of the pieces..."  In Catch 22
✈ Manhattan: Michael lives in Manhattan, N.Y. - Meet Kevin Johnson
- The Flat Iron building is mentioned by Michael to Walt in episode "...In Translation"
- Jeremy Bentham/Locke pays a visit to Walt in Manhattan
✈  The Dharma Initiative recruits members (not drafts).  Some of its members are former military soldiers; Desmond, Kelvin, Mikhail, etc.
✈ Recruit
✈ Three Minutes
✈ The recruitment poster Desmond passes in Flashes Before Your Eyes doesn't represent the military or wording of the Military of England.
✈ Coincidence and Fate is a theme.  "Don't mistake coincidence for fate": The Cost of Living
✈ Christian tells Locke that the wheel slipped off its axis and all he needs to do is give it a little push it. This Place is Death


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

Milah seems happy and feels Rumple is a good teacher (sewing). She asks what brings Rumple home so early.  He's happy his weaving days are behind them and he's happy to be called to the front to fight in the Ogre Wars; he reports for training the morning. Milah's heard stories about the front being a brutal place. But this doesn't deter Rumple. He may be frightened, but this is the chance he's been waiting for all his life.  "I've lived under the shadow of my father's actions for too long now."  Milah encourages him, "Just because your father was a coward doesn't mean you are." Rumple knows that as does she, but to the world, fighting in that war finally gets him the chance to prove it to everyone else. So understanding Milah tells him to go and be brave, "Fight honorably."
Rumple smiles and tells her I love you, and she loves him too. "And when you return we can start living the life we've always dreamed of- we can have a family."  They are happy.

SOHO, N.Y.C.
Rumple/Gold, Emma and Henry arrive at their NYC destination. Emma guesses Rumple's son isn't expecting him.

Cora sits with Regina on her bed. Regina is worried about Henry because Emma left town with Gold and took him with her. She didn't stop them because she didn't know until after they'd gone. Cora is sure he's safe, "And as soon as Gold's done, Henry will be back."   "But not with me," claims sad Regina.
"Back- from where? Where's Rumpelstiltskin gone?" asks angry Hook, who appears in the doorway from out of nowhere.

Hook realizes if Rumple's left town then he's powerless and can be killed. Cora shares "The moment either of us leave we lose our magic- and our advantage."
"Your memories?" Hook wonders.  
Regina- "None of us were victims of the curse, it's not about memories- it's about magic."
Hook doesn't need magic and will go after Rumple alone. Regina feels that he can't just walk up to Rumple and stab him with his sword; although Hook prefers his hook. But hook isn't going anywhere. Hook is getting fired up, as he deserves his vengeance.  Cora feels he's right, "With the Dark One gone we can search for the one magical item that can actually kill him here... his dagger."

Henry checks out the apartment resident directory/bells but doesn't see Baelfire.  Emma feels "Yeah, that probably wouldn't fly as an alias. Your magic globe didn't give you an apartment number?" 
Rumple- "It doesn't work that way."
Henry checks out the resident mailboxes and asks Rumple if any of those names mean anything to him.
Rumple- "Well, names are what I traffic in, but sadly, no."
Emma decides she's found the boy, noting apartment 407. Rumple thinks not; maybe it's just vacant.
Emma- "You may traffic in names and magic, but I traffic in finding people who don't wanna be found, and those sort of folks don't like to advertise their whereabouts." She pushes the button to ring 407 and when the line connects she announces "UPS package for 407."  The line disconnects and Emma determines "He's running."  She hurry outside!
They see a man running down the fire escape when Rumple wants to cash in the favor Emma owes him. "This is it. Get him to talk to me. I can't run."  Emma tells Rumple to watch Henry and she takes off after Bae.

Emma chases the hooded man through an obstacle course and maze of streets- past the Flat Iron building, and then cuts him off, tackling him. They recognize each other. Emma freaks out; she won't answer anything until Neal tells her the truth.  "Are you Gold's son?" Emma asks. Neal doesn't know what she's talking about, "Who's Gold?"
"You played me." Emma states. "You're from there. You played me- And he played me- you both played me... You and Gold..."  Neal wants her to slow down, again asking who Gold is.  Emma blurts out "Your father. Rumplestiltskin!"  Neal is confused.  "He's here?"  Why else would Emma be in New York.   "You brought him to me?! Why would you do that?!"  Neal yells, but is cut off by upset Emma yelling back claiming to be the only one who is allowed to be angry here. "Did you know who I was, where I was from the whole time?! Was this just some sort of sick twisted plan- Did, did you even care about me at all?! I wanna know. I want the truth! ALL OF IT!"  Neal concedes, but feels they gotta get off the street. They can't do out here- out in the open.  "I spent a lifetime running from that man, I'm not gonna let him catch me. There's a bar down the street, we can talk there."  But Emma isn't drinking with him, she wants him to tell her everything now. Neal feels the bar is better and he gives Emma permission to keep yelling at him when they get there. Frustrated, she follows him.

Henry assures Gold not to worry because Emma's really good at catching people. Gold feels his son is good at running away; as he's been at it a long time. Henry notes the positive, "At least we found him, right?"  Gold agrees. Henry thanks him for the hot dog and Gold thanks Henry for bringing Emma to Storybrooke. After all, if he didn't, none of this would have come to pass. "You are a remarkable young man."   Henry shares "You know, I forgave her. Emma. For giving me up. She thought it was the best for me then, that's why she did it. I'm sure your son will get it too."
"Alas, the circumstances surrounding our separation weren't quite so noble."
"But you're here now, and you want him back, right?" Henry asks. Indeed Gold does, more than anything.  Henry knows that's all that matters.

"Well, what do you wanna know, Emma, the truth? Ask away."  Neal is sitting at the bar with two beers at the ready.  Emma doesn't sit and she doesn't hesitate to start the questioning. "Did you know who I was when we met?"
"If I had I wouldn't have gone near you," replies Neal.

Emma thinks he's holding out, but Neal reveals he was in hiding and "came here to get, awa, away from... (waves his hand) all that crap."  Emma surmises if he didn't know her then he was just using her because he needed somebody to take the fall for all the watches that he stole."I wasn't using you," says Neal.  "When we met I didn't know. I found out."  Emma sits and asks him how.
"When I went to sell the watches... I ran into a friend of yours... August."
FLASH to the night August purposely finds Bae and shows him what is in the box on the back of his motorcycle.
August- "When you see what I have in here, you're gonna listen- you're gonna believe every word I say."  {Note: Tiki torches.}
Neal- "Yeah, right." 
August makes the big reveal...

Emma is very emotional. "You left me... and let me go to prison because Pinocchio told you to. I loved you. "  Stumbling over his words, Neal claims he was trying to help her.
Emma- "By letting me go to jail."
Neal- "By getting you home."
Emma- "Are you telling me... that us meeting was a coincidence? Because how the hell did that happen, if it wasn't in your plan or your father's?"
Neal- "Think about it... He wanted you to break the curse. Us meeting- that could have stopped it. Maybe it was fate."
Emma- "You believe in that?"
Neal- "You know there's not a ton about my father that I remember that doesn't suck... But he used to tell me that there are no coincidences. Everything that happens happens by design and there's nothing we can do about it- forces greater than us conspire to make it happen. Fate. Destiny. Whatever you wanna call it, the point is... maybe we met for a reason.  Maybe something good came from us being together."
Emma takes a moment to reply "No. Not that I can think of. I just went to jail. That's it. Doesn't matter now. I'm over it... and you." {Talk about holding out!}
Neal notices she wears the (Swan) Keychain he got her and asks her why. Emma rips it off her neck and places it on the bar. "To remind myself never to trust someone again."  She tells him to come, sharing that she made a deal with his father she'd bring him to him.  Neal is bothered that she made a deal with Rumple.  Yep, and she's upholding her end. Neal tries to make it easy for her "Tell him that you lost me, tell him that you can't find me. You do that- you never have to see me again."


Rumple walks across the cold and snowy army camp when he's called over by a soldier, "I'm needed at the front. You guard this crate with your life."  The crate is covered over like a birdcage covered at night for a sleeping bird. Curious, Rumple asks what's under there. The soldier reveals it's a prisoner who could help them turn the tide against the Ogres. He warns Rumple to be careful, "It's a tricky beast."

Soldier Rumple stands guard of the tricky beast, when a small voice says his name from under the cover. He lifts up the cover to see it's a red haired child.  The child points, "Please. I haven't had a sip in days." {Of what, alcohol?!} The child knows his name because she's a "Seer. I see all." The child's eyes are not in her head where they should be, as those are stitched up with ugly black stitches, but her eyes are in the palms of her hands.

Rumple feels that's impossible and assumes the child must have overheard someone speak it.
"Rumpelstiltskin, child of a coward, raised by spinsters, scared of ending up like his father. Did I overhear that?" says the child. "I told you, I see all. Even what has yet to pass." The child claims to see the future, including his. Rumple refuses to indulge this dark magic. The tricky child wonders, "Even if what I see concerns your wife, Milah?"  The child demands water and Rumple, concerned that something's happened to Milah, obliges. "Here, slake your thirst, Witch, then speak of which you know of my wife."
The child Seer claims Milah is already with child. This makes Rumple happy, "I'm to be a father?"  The child witch adds "You wife will bear you a son, but your actions on the battlefield tomorrow will leave him fatherless."
"I'm gonna die?" asks Rumple. He wants her to tell him how so he can stop it from happening. The child claims he can't.  Frustrated Rumple is done helping the child, but the tricky witch knows, "For now. Someday you'll help me again."
"I bet Milah isn't even pregnant. You just said that so I would give you water- And now you're trying to trick me into deserting."
"You shall see... tomorrow, when you see the army rides cows into battle you will know I speak the truth."
Amused Rumple wonders "Cows? And who's going to mind the catapults, Milk Maids? I have had enough of your fiendish lies." The child raises her eye hand and claims "There's no escaping it. You will have a son and your actions will leave him fatherless."  Rumple quickly covers up the tricky beast.

Freaked out Emma is on the phone from N.Y.C. to her mother in Storybrooke, explaining how Gold's son is  Henry's father.  Although they each have a million questions, that doesn't matter right now because Emma doesn't know what to do.
"Henry thinks his father is dead,I told him that for a reason. I want to protect him," Emma tells her mother. But Mary Margaret doesn't want her to keep the news from Henry; she of all people should know how important the truth about your parents is.  Panicked Emma doesn't want Henry to get hurt and she just wants to protect him.
"Are you sure this is about protecting Henry and not yourself?" asks her mother.

Henry asks the obviously nervous Mr. Gold why he's so nervous. Gold's been fiddling with the ring on his hand. When Henry found his mom, he was excited.

Mr. Gold shares "Because I have the benefit of a little more... life experience. I know that things don't always happen... the way we want them to."
"Sure, but in my book it says you can see the future. Can't you just look and see what's gonna happen?" asks Henry.   Gold explains that ability is complicated and that he didn't always have it. "And then when I did... well, it's maybe not the gift one would expect. Seeing the enviable... can be a terrible price."
Henry feels then he would have to worry about stuff- you'd just know.
Gold enlightens the boy. "But that's the great trap... The future... is like a puzzle with missing pieces, difficult to read and never, never what you think."
Emma joins them in the lobby and tells Gold his son got away.

Regina pays a visit to Belle in the hospital.  "Who are you?" asks Belle.  Regina's pleased to see it is true that Belle doesn't remember anything.
Belle wonders "We're we friends?"  Regina only admits to spending some time together.  She's there because she believes Belle can help her find something that belongs to Rumple/Mr. Gold. Of course, Belle doesn't know him.  Regina casts a sleeping spell on Belle and goes through the things in Belle's bag via levitating them and picks a floating card out of the air.

At the library, Regina, Cora and Hook use the clue found on the index card to point them in the direction of Rumple's dagger.  Regina feels Gold wouldn't risk crossing the town line and losing his memory without entrusting the dagger's location to someone; and not hide it in an obvious spot.  Regina guesses Belle hid it in one of her beloved books.  Cora makes like she's impressed with Regina's detective work.

Regina's disappointed when the slot she believes should contain the clue isn't there.  Hook's impatient. But Cora is the one who fishes a little deeper into the space and pulls out a crude map.
"To the untrained eye, child scribbles, but to a Pirate... it's a map." Lucky for the ladies, he can read it and he's quite adept at finding buried treasure.

Puzzled David is trying to follow along and process that Rumple is Henry's grandfather. Yes, Henry has more than one grandfather. The family tree is strange.
Regina, the Evil Queen is Henry's Step- Grandmother- Mary Margaret corrects him "Actually, his Step Great Grandmother- and she's also his adoptive mother." David feels it's a good thing they don't have Thanksgiving in their land because that dinner would suck. Mary Margaret thinks maybe this will mellow everyone out.

Mr. Gold is pressing all the buttons in the apartment building and he gets buzzed in. "I'm finding my son," he tells Emma and Henry. He may be gone but he lives here, "He'll be back and I'll be waiting."

Mr. Gold is quite adept at breaking in. He tells Emma "Finding people is what you do, Miss Swan. I'm simply going to assist you, " as he picks the lock.  "There may be information in here- who he is, what he does- who he loves."  Emma warns Gold about laws. Henry decides to be lookout.  Gold isn't concerned about being arrested because that would mean his son would have to testify against him, hence reuniting them. Gold unlocks the door.

Rumple watches as the injured soldiers are brought back into camp. Another soldier considers them "Lucky bastards," They're not dead, but they can't fight, which means they get sent home; which means that's the only way out of there alive.  "When the Ogre's rip you limb from limb, pray that they're quick."
Another soldier announces "Fortune favors us! Fresh supplies have arrived from the Duke. Today we will not be marching into battle, we'll be riding."
Rumple asks "Riding? Riding what?"  "What kind of question is that- a horse of course. Now grab yourself a cow and get ready!" says the soldier.
The cow - the saddles made from the finest leather, they call them cows. At least their ride into doom will be a soft one on their backside.  Now, Rumple is really afraid, so he hurries over to chat with the covered tricky child.
"So, it's true. I'm gonna have a son. And I'm gonna die. Answer me!"  The seer isn't there and this angers Rumple. Desperate, he takes the huge hammer that is right there waiting for him and he purposely inflicts injury and pain upon himself.

The three enter Neal's tiny apartment. Emma notices a familiar dream catcher hanging in the window.

"You find something, Dearie?" Gold asks Emma.  Nonchalant, Emma just says it looks like a dream catcher. Gold wonders if it's nothing, then why she's still holding it. "You're lying to me."  Emma puts it back on the window and tells him to keep looking.

Pissed off Gold knows she's lying. Emma demands Henry wait in the bathroom while she talks to Gold. {Watch that look Henry gives Gold on the way out of the room.}

Emma claims "There's nothing here. The guys a ghost."  Gold isn't a fool, he wants to know what and why she's holding back. "Did he tell you something?!" yells Gold.
"No. He didn't say anything."
Gold now knows Emma knows more than she's saying, so he threatens her. Even though there's no magic there he doesn't need magic to do it.  They both don't want to be pushed. Gold flips out "We had a deal! No one breaks deals with me!"
Just then Neal barges in "Leave her alone."  Gold is floored.

The gimp imp returns home to Milah. He enters to find her holding a sleeping baby in her arms- she is surprised at his return. Rumple immediately wants to know "What's his name?"  Milah smiles, "Baelfire."
Rumple is happy with the strong name choice and falls from his pained injury. 
"Something he'll need if he's to live with the shame of being your son," Milah says.  She wants to know if it's true- did he injure himself on purpose. Apparently everyone told her that. Rumple admits he did do this to himself, explaining that a Seer told him he was going to die in the battle.  Milah's upset he did it because a Seer told him to do it. But Rumple says the Seer was right about everything else."I left the front to be with you- you and... Baelfire."
Milah feels he left because he was afraid. "You became what everyone thought you were- a coward just like your father!"
Rumple jumps to his feet "I'm nothing like my father! He tried to abandon me. I will never ever do that to my son. That's why I did this- for him. All for the boy. To save him from the same fate I suffered- growing up without a father."
Milah feels Rumple sentenced him to a fate much worse "Growing up as your son." She'd rather Rumple fought, "You could've died."   Rumple is hurt. Milah hands him the infant and walks out with her water bucket.  Rumple looks into Bae's eyes, telling him it will be alright.  "Your papa's here. And I promise... I will never ever leave you."

In Neal's apartment Gold sees Bae for the first time and says "You came back for me."  Bae says "No. I came back to make sure you didn't hurt her. I've seen what you do to people who break deals."  Rumple begs, he just wants to talk to Bae, but Bae has no interest in talking to him and tells him to go. Rumple isn't going anywhere and when Emma tries to calm "Neal", Rumple realizes the two know each other and demands to know how. Henry hears the commotion and asks his mother what's going on. {Yes, he calls her "mom."}
Neal asks "Who's this?"  It doesn't take long for a few of the pieces to fall into place.  Neal asks the boy "How old are you, kid?!"  Henry yells back "11!"  Neal asks Emma if this is his son, it's Henry who shares "No. My dad was a Fireman, he, he died."  Now Henry realized Emma has lied... lied to all of them.  Emma finally says "yes" to the shocked family. Upset, Henry steps out on to the fire escape. Neal is focused on the news he just received, wanting to go to his son and Gold wants to talk to his son. "All I want is a chance to be heard."   Neal wants him to leave, but Rumple won't because Emma deal isn't fulfilled. The deal included Bae talking to Rumple. Neal gives him three minutes.

Greg makes a call on his cell before leaving the hospital. He tells "Her" that he's going to stay there for a while and sends her video proof of Regina using magic in Belle's hospital room.

Cora rips the map out from under Hook, who has just given them the location of the dagger. "We'll take it from here."  Hook is pissed and goes after her. Cora simply uses magic to toss him back. "The Kris Dagger is much too powerful to be wasted on you."   Regina has a revelation "So, is this what it was all about? Getting Rumple's dagger so you could obtain his dark powers?"
"If we possess the dagger we control the Dark One, and when he returns to Storybrooke we can command him to kill Snow White, Prince Charming and Emma. Our enemies will be vanquished and you will be blameless in the eyes of the only person who matters."
"Henry."

Out on the fire escape, overlooking the cities buildings with their water towers perched on top of them, Henry asks Emma "So, that's him."  Emma admits it is and admits lying because she never thought she'd ever see him again and she never wanted to; because he was a thief, a liar, a bad guy who broke her heart.  Henry lets her know he could have taken the truth and Emma knows that. It's just that was a part of Emma's life she wanted to forget. "I was thinking of me- not you."
"I thought you were different, but you're just like her, Regina, she always lied to me too," Hurt Henry shares with his mother.  This in turn hurts Emma and she apologizes. Henry wants to meet his dad.

Neal tells Rumple the clock's ticking, so Rumple talks. "I know I've made mistakes, but you must believe me... I wanna make up for it. There's no greater pain than regret."
Neal quietly chuckles, "Try abandonment."
"Please, let me make it up to you."
Neal wonders how he's going to do that. He grew up alone, without a father- "You can make up for that?"    Rumple can. Neal updates "Two minutes."
Rumple invites him to go to Storybrooke with him. "There's magic there. I can turn the clock back... make you 14 again. We can start over."
Neal moves uneasy on his feet and appears antsy. He doesn't want to be 14 again, "Are you insane?" Rumple can't make up for the lost time but he can take away the memories.
"Take away who I am, no thanks. One minute."
Rumple whispers, begging, "Give me a chance. You once loved me."
Neal feels Rumple was once a good man and Rumple feels he can be that man again. "I've changed. Look, I came here... to this City... without magic."  Neal accuses him of trying to use it to make up for his mistakes and make it all better- it can't. "You have no idea what I've lived with... You're so worried about you, you know what I've dealt with?  Every night- for more years than you know... the last thing I see before sleep... is the imagery of you. You and me... over that pit, your hand... wrapped around mine... and then... you open your grip... and as I fall away all I can see is your face... choosing all ... this (waves his hands indicating everything)... crap, over me. Letting me go... Now it's my turn. Now I'm lettin' you go."
Even though the replay of those events break Rumple's heart all over again, Neal doesn't care because he didn't get closure so Rumple doesn't either.  Time's up.

The Dark One approaches a fire pit in the forest and is met by an older version of the red headed Seer. She's been expecting him. "What I foretold to you during the Ogre's War has finally come to pass."
Amused, Rumple replies, "Well, in a matter of speaking. I, uh, hobbled myself on the battlefield, was branded a coward, my wife run away and left me. Then my son was called to the front. Oh! And then I became the Dark One. Then- Bae left me. So, yes, my actions on the battlefield left my son fatherless. But... would have been nice to know about all the pesky details."
"Knowing... would not have made a difference, you still would have been powerless to escape your fate," The Seer informs him.
Rumple giggles his impish laugh, "Just - like - you."  He puts the old Darth Vader choke hold on her and wants to know how to find his son. The Seer gets herself into a dramatic pose to conjure the images she's to share with him, whispering "You will find him."
"How? And this time don't leave out a single detail," Rumple warns.  The tricky creature, still in her  "altered" state of summoning the future, tells him "His will not be an easy path- it will take many years and require a curse - a curse powerful enough to rip everyone from this land..."
"Yes! Yes! There's more I know it, tell me!" Rumple needs to know as he waits through this dramatic display of fortune telling.
"You will not cast the curse, someone else will. And you will not break the curse- someone else will," as the Seer seems to stop seeing.
"Tell me!" demands Rumple. But she says she doesn't know, "Even my powers have limits."
Rumple waves his finger in disapproval toward her, "Ah, ah, ah! Not good enough, Dearie."  Rumple again Darth Vader choke holds her again, and with her straining voice she tells him "If you want to see the path you must take there is only one way... (She holds her hands in front of him) Take this burden from me."  Gladly, he does, while she screams.

Emma climbs back into the apartment to tell Neal his son wants to meet him. She warns him not to break his heart.
"Trust me, I'm not gonna do to him what he (Rumple) did to me," Neal referring to Rumple.
"And what you did to me?" Emma replies.  Neal gets it, they're all messed up and they should try to avoid that with Henry.

Neal climbs out the window onto the fire escape to meet Henry, but it's Henry who speaks first. "So, you're my dad.... I'm Henry."
"It's nice to meet you, Henry. I'm sorry it took so long."  Henry says it's okay, "You didn't know."
Rumple takes a peek at the pleasant reunion on the fire escape of father and son. {Note: Rumple's reflection.}

The Seer is still screaming during the transfer of "seeing the future" power into the Dark One.
"I can't see anything- It's too much. It's nothing but a jumble!" Rumple states.
The Seer tells him the future is a jumble with many pieces to be sorted, "In time you will learn to separate what can be from what will be."  Rumple breaks their hand holding vision transfer and the Seer falls to the ground. Rumple feels this is why she wanted to give him her power, "To free yourself from this torment!"  The Seer assures him in time he will work it all out. "Wait. As gratitude I offer you one piece of the puzzle... You will be reunited with your son and it will come in a most unexpected way..."
"How?!" demands Rumple.
"A boy... A young boy will lead you to him. But beware, Rumpelstiltskin, for that boy is more than he appears. He will lead you to what you seek... But there will be a price... The boy... will be your undoing." And out she goes.
Rumple is certain, "Then I'll just have to kill him."

We see Emma and Gold looking through Neal's apartment window at the lovely reunion.

Damon and Carlton in Storybrooke

There were many LOST references in the episode "Tiny."
Here is a clip of Damon and Carlton in Storybrooke- where they mention the LOST episode "Expose" and it's show within that episode titled "Expose." 
"Expose" is referenced in a few other LOST episodes as well.