OUAT: For Good

Last time: Zelena’s portal sucked Hook and Emma through, landing them in the Enchanted Forest, in the past. Before the Dark Curse was cast, before Snow White met Prince Charming but after Regina went full on Evil Queen. However, Emma ruins her parents’ meet-cute and she needs Rumple’s help in fixing things and getting back. After an elaborate ruse involving Emma distracting Past!Hook, things seem to be course-correcting—until Snow drops the ring and Emma-disguised-as-Princess-Leia ends up Regina’s prisoner.

Uh oh!

We open in…prison? Did Regina go high tech as the Evil Queen? Because the last time we saw her dungeons, they were pretty much your standard medieval/fairy tale fare. Oh, no wait, there’s Emma and Neal. This is a flashback. Sorry, I missed the placard saying so. Neal picks a lock and gets them inside a deserted carnival. He and Emma ride the merry-go-round as they talk about home. Neal says he feels like home is the place you run to.

(For those who miss Neal)

Now we end up in Regina’s prison. Emma is tossed into a cell, wearing more peasant-looking clothing. The woman from the first episode, the one Regina was parading around the village, is in the cell next to her. Emma strikes up a conversation with her but she’s not very forthcoming. She tells Emma that the one thing keeping her family safe is the fact that she hasn’t told anyone her name. And she’s not going to change that for Emma.

(The mysterious Lady Sack)

Meanwhile, Hook tries to save Emma. He partners with Prince Charming, who has captured Snow White, and asks them to help him free Princess Leia. They agree. On their way to the palace, Hook and Charming have a man-to-man talk. Charming is impressed with how dedicated Hook…sorry, Prince Charles…is to Emma…I mean, Princess Leia. Hook pretty much admits he’s in love with her, which is no surprise as he’s been singing that song since Neverland. Charming hopes that if he has a daughter, she’d have a suitor like Hook. Hook’s like “Hold on to that thought, okay?”

Charming then turns to Snow, having a conversation with her. She admits she stole the ring to get safe passage out of the kingdom because the Queen wants her dead. Charming asks her why. And we have a change. In the first season, Snow tells Charming it’s because she’s pretty than Regina, which is more in line with the original fairy tale. But now, Snow says it is because the Queen thinks Snow ruined her life. Charming asks if she did and Snow admits it.

(Charming is intrigued)

In the palace, Regina interrogates Emma. But Emma really has no information so she’s useless. Regina says she won’t be a prisoner for much longer before leaving. Lady Sack tells Emma that’s because everyone in the prison will die in the morning. Emma’s learning that Regina was far more evil than she realized. But she’s not going to sit around and do nothing. She busts herself and Lady Sack out.

Meanwhile, Snow brings in some help taking care of the guards. That help? Ruby, in wolf form. Snow rushes off while the others press on to rescue Emma, only meeting up with her halfway through. And no one questions the fact that “Leia” and “Charles” call each other “Swan” and “Hook.” I guess they figure the two have really weird nicknames for each other. Ruby notes that Snow isn’t with them.

(Emma can save herself, thankyouverymuch)

Snow has gone to see her stepmother. And she finds Regina sitting in front of her vanity, holding an apple. Does she…Does she just do that to pass the time? Okay…

(Really?)

Snow sneaks up, ready to toss some black pixie dust on her to turn the Evil Queen into an Evil Cockroach. But Regina freezes her, telling her that dark magic is her domain. She then orders Snow White arrested and executed.

And she doesn’t mess around and wait for dawn. No, she has servants make a pyre in the courtyard and soldiers drag Snow there to be burned immediately. Charming, Emma, Hook, Lady Sack, and Red spot the pyre from a window and realize they cannot stop it. They watch as Snow is engulfed in flames. The Evil Queen cackles in glee.

Guys…Did…Did the show just kill a main character?

Wow.

(RIP Snow?)

When we come back from commercials, everyone is upset. They sit around a fire in the woods, staring at it sadly. Hook goes over to talk to Emma, who can’t believe her mother is dead. But then she realizes she’s still around. If Snow White is dead, why hasn’t Emma faded from existence? Paradox? Nope. It’s because Snow White isn’t dead. Remember that black pixie dust? Instead of using it to turn the Evil Queen in to the Evil Cockroach, Snow White used it to turn herself into Snow Ladybug and escape burning alive. She lands on Charming and everyone wonders why she keeps…squeaking? Is that the sound a ladybug makes?

(Snow Ladybug!)

Anyway, Blue shows up! She is able to turn Snow Ladybug back into Snow White. Everyone is happy to have her back! Especially Emma. She hugs Snow, but Snow doesn’t know her. She gives the strange princess a look before rushing off with Red. Hook asks Emma if she’s alright. Emma isn’t, but choses to focus on Lady Sack. Hook’s like “You know the dangers of changing the past. I keep telling you about them.” Emma decides that for that reason, Lady Sack can’t go back to her family. So instead, she’ll have to go back with them to the future.

Surprisingly, Lady Sack is not too thrilled with this plan. Please note the sarcasm. Emma and Hook try to convince her it is for the best before going with Plan B: Knocking her out and kidnapping her. Our heroes, everyone!

(Lady Sack takes a little nap)

Meanwhile, Snow is determined to give the ring to Captain Hook even though the Queen thinks she’s dead…I don’t know. Charming pursues her. Emma and Hook pursue them because Emma recalls this is the part where her parents encounter the trolls but this time, Snow doesn’t have the black pixie dust to use. Emma’s worried about them.

But they got this. Charming tries to fight off the trolls but it doesn’t go so well. Snow runs up, saying she has black pixie dust. And she’s not afraid to use it. The trolls cower and let them cross the bridge. Charming asks her if she really had more black pixie dust and Snow reveals she had sand. Trolls aren’t very smart, after all. Charming is impressed. After they cross, Snow decides to give him his ring back. But first she tries it on. And Charming is smitten. Snow hands him the ring back and they part ways.

(He's in love)

Meanwhile, the trolls get punished when Regina gets a hold of them. She also learns that Snow White tricked her and isn’t dead. Uh oh.

In the bushes, Emma is teary-eyed and Hook is concerned about Snow and Charming parting ways. Emma assures him that’s how it happened the first time. Hook wipes her eyes and tells her that not everyone gets to see their parents fall in love. Emma pulls out the book and everything is back. All is restored.

(Remember this scene from the pilot?)

She and Hook gather up Lady Sack and head back to Dark One Manor. He’s not that happy to see them with an extra person but Emma waves it off. But there’s bad news: Rumple can’t send them back. The wand will only work with someone who was affected by the curse. And Emma still doesn’t have her magic despite Zelena’s defeat. It looks like she and Hook are trapped until the curse. And on top of that, Rumple zaps them into his vault for safekeeping. Maybe Belle will let them out?

Hook starts touching things while Emma goes into despair mode. Lady Sack is still out cold. It’s up to Hook to comfort Emma. She says she just wants to go home. Which is Storybrooke. She realizes it now. Hook asks how she came to this epiphany. And it was Snow’s “death.” Losing her mother made her realize how much she loves the Charmings. And the hurt she felt when she looked into Snow’s eyes and saw nothing there, she realized it was the hurt Mary Margaret and David must feel each time she pushes them away. She’s tired of running. The Lost Girl has been found.

And without True Love’s Kiss, Emma’s magic is back. It was tied to her love for her family. Aww. 

(Emma's magic is back! Yay!)

Time to go back to Storybrooke! Hook picks up Lady Sack as Emma opens the portal. But before she can go through, Rumple grabs her. He wants to know more about Bae. Emma is hesitant but the Dark One is insistent. So Emma reveals that Bae dies. But he dies a hero. She begs the Dark One to let Neil/Bae have that. He lets her go and she jumps into the portal.

Rumple drinks the Forget Me potion so as not to change anything and wonders why he’s in his vault. He leaves, presumably to continue pretending he doesn’t have feelings for his housekeeper.

Hook, Lady Sack and Emma arrive back in the barn. Emma leaves Hook to explain everything to Lady Sack. She has a family to go see! As she runs out, her phone is still ringing. Either David kept trying her or the time portal worked the same as Narnia—about 2 or 3 days in the Enchanted Forest past equals about a second in the Storybrooke present.

Emma rushes into Granny’s and embraces Mary Margaret and David. She even calls them “Mom” and “Dad.” And this isn’t like the last time she did it—their lives are not in danger at all! Emma announces that she’s found her family and her home. Henry asks if that means they are staying. She confirms it does. Yay! 

(Family reunion!)

Now, let’s learn the little prince’s name. Everyone gathers around. David and Mary Margaret explain they named him for a hero, for someone everyone there loved and who loved everyone there. Citizens of Storybrooke and fans of Once Upon a Time, meet Prince Neal! Rumple is touched and everyone seems to like the name.

(See? Aurora's all human again. No sign of Prince Phillip though.) 

We’ll just ignore the fact that he’s named after Emma’s former boyfriend and the father of the baby’s nephew. This family tree gets weirder and weirder.

Henry goes through the book and there’s Emma and Hook…I mean, “Leia” and “Charles.” Mary Margaret and David are surprised. And David’s probably regretting a certain conversation he had with “Charles” in the woods. Emma goes outside to talk to Hook, saying they are in the book now. She wonders what else has changed. Hook says not much or else he would now have memories of trying to track her down in the past.
Emma changes subjects, asking him how he got back to the Land Without Magic. Hook says he knew the curse was coming, so he ditched his crew and sailed far enough to escape it. Emma doesn’t believe he outsailed the curse but Hook reminds her how remarkable the Jolly Roger is. He then knew travel between the worlds was possible again. So he got himself a magic bean. She asks what he bartered for it. Hook reveals he traded the Jolly Roger for her. Emma is touched. And she kisses him.

(All together now: Aww!)

This is Captain Swan shippers right now:

Looks like we’re going to get happy endings all around! Because out in the woods, Archie is ready to officiate the wedding of Rumplestilskin and Belle French. Mr. French is even there to walk her down the…aisle? Anyway, they recite their touching and heartwarming vows as we see Hook and Emma continue to kiss. And then we see Robin and Regina walking to Granny’s while little Roland eats some ice cream. They pause, letting him run ahead while they share a kiss. Outlaw Queen shippers all together now: Aww.

Hold on to that moment.

(Seriously. Remember this moment)

For Regina enters the shop and Lady Sack notices her. She’s upset to see who she believes is the Evil Queen. Emma rushes to calm Lady Sack, telling her that Regina is no longer evil. And she’s going to prove it. Emma goes up to Regina and explains she brought someone back from the past who thinks Regina is still the Evil Queen. Regina understands and agrees to talk to Lady Sack.

But wait! Lady Sack stands and when she steps forward, Robin recognizes her. “Marian?” he asks. Yep, Lady Sack is Maid Marian. She’s not dead anymore! The two are reunited as little Roland comes forward. Maid Marian embraces her undoubtedly confused son as Regina realizes what’s going on. She turns to Emma. “You! You did this?” she asks Emma, hurt in her voice. Emma looks remorseful, telling Regina she didn’t know Lady Sack’s name. But Regina tells Emma she’s just like her mother—never thinking of the consequences. Regina was all okay with Emma bringing someone back from the past until it just so happened to be her true love’s wife. Anyway, Regina tells Emma to pray that they didn’t bring anything else back from the past.

Right now, Outlaw Queen fans are like this:

The finale isn’t over yet! We go back to the barn and the camera zooms in on the urn Hook had touched in Rumple’s vault. It came back with them, releasing whatever was contained inside. A liquid fills the compass Zelena drew to open her portal. It then congeals to form a person. A blonde haired woman in a pale blue dress who wears gloves. She pulls off a glove and shoots something at the ground. It freezes. The camera pulls back to reveal…well…the back of a very familiar Snow Queen.

Hot damn, y’all, Frozen is coming to Storybrooke!

(Hi, Elsa!)

So that was the end of Season 3! Season 4 is looking to be interesting: Emma and Hook exploring their relationship. Mary Margaret and David navigating parenthood. Regina coping with Marian’s return and Robin dealing with his feelings for both women. Henry hitting puberty. And maybe even Ruby will return and actually get to do something! (Hint, hint, writers).

I know some people aren’t too thrilled with the decision to include Frozen next season. They either see it as the show selling out to capitalize on the success of the movie or as the show jumping the shark. (Maybe even both). But I think this could be interesting. Especially as the producers have promised that Elsa will be more like she was in the movie—a conflicted heroine, not the villain. I can’t wait to see it!

See you all in September!

(Screencaps from here)