OUAT: Frozen Heart

Last time on “Once”: Emma remembers an old friend of hers named Lily as she works to repair her relationship with Regina. Regina, meanwhile, is trying to find the Snow Queen in order to get her to unfreeze Marian. She teams up with Emma to find her as Elsa falls for one of her aunt’s tricks. David convinces Mary Margaret to join him for a walk to work on her attachment issues to their son. In the process, they discover Will’s escaped and go looking for him. Mary Margaret finds him and gets her spark back. Emma discovers the Snow Queen was once her foster parent as the Snow Queen vows to have a family who loves her.

And Marian is still a popsicle. 

We start in the Enchanted Forest, during the Ogre Wars. Frances O’Connor is there, packing her books as soldiers plead with her to flee the oncoming onslaught from the ogres. But she’s not going anywhere without her books. Or her daughter—Belle! Yes, this is Belle’s mother. Good casting, show! Belle runs into the room, clutching a book that’s important to her. Mom and Belle prepare to flee but they waited too long! The ogres are upon them! Colette and Belle hide under a table as the ogres try to get in through the barricaded door. Colette holds her daughter close as it appears the ogres will make it in. When they do, the screen goes black.

(Look! It's Belle's mom!) 

Belle sits up in bed, gasping. She goes looking for her mother. Instead, she finds a room full of people and her father. Maurice tries to convince Belle she needs to go back to bed but she wants to see her mother. She breaks free and spies a giant casket. Colette was a casualty of the ogre war. Belle breaks down and demands to know what happened as she can’t remember what happened after the ogres broke down the door. Maurice thinks it’s for the best and sends her back to bed.

In Storybrooke, Mr. Gold puts his dagger in his safe as Belle calls him. He has to be quick so she won’t discover his secret. She enters just as he finishes closing, none the wiser, and tells him they have to head over to the Sheriff’s office. Emma’s calling a meeting of all the regulars except Will Scarlet. He’s still running around Storybrooke somewhere and won’t be appearing in this episode.

Anyway, Emma plays the video for everyone so they can see that once upon a time, the Snow Queen was her foster mother. 

(Cast shot!)

She just doesn’t know why she can’t remember it. Elsa and Belle note that there are magical beings who can alter memories. Everyone agrees they need to learn more but they’ve searched her store and her house. There was nothing. So Henry suggests the ice cream truck. Emma is surprised that the Snow Queen, who owned an ice cream shop, has an an ice cream truck. They agree it’s a good plan. Belle offers to stay in the library to look up any more information and Elsa asks to come with her. Maybe there’s something that can tell her what happened to Anna. Belle agrees though she gets the same look Hook had in “The Jolly Roger” whenever Ariel asked him if he remembered something about the missing year.

(Oh, yeah. That look definitely screams "GUILTY!") 

In the Enchanted Forest, we see Belle studying a book. She tells her father that there are legends of creatures that can restore memories. She wants to visit them so she can remember what happened to her mother. Maybe then she’ll find peace. Maurice, though, refuses. He says she’s to stay in bed until the doctors say she is better. Something tells me that’s not going to happen.

In the woods, Saraha stashes her truck. And she plants something for Emma to find as she hears our intrepid heroes approaching. It seems Robin Hood and his Merry Men had found the ice cream truck. Emma and Hook go ahead while Robin hangs back to talk to Regina. But she points out that she’s about to storm an evil ice cream truck and stalks away. Emma tries to get her to just talk to Robin but Regina is having none of it. She even takes a jab at Hook and Emma.

The Snow Queen is not in the truck though we the viewers can see her watching from the woods. It looks like the truck isn’t going to help them until Emma questions why there’s a padlock on the freezer. Hook uses his, well, hook to break the lock. Inside, Emma finds the file Sarah planted there earlier. Emma realizes it’s a file on her, going back to when she and August were discovered on the side of the road in 1983.

(Okay, this is a bit creepy) 

Anna and Elsa are reunited in Arendelle. Elsa has gotten a better handle on her powers and Anna is impressed. She is introduced to Auntie Sarah…I mean Auntie Ingrid. Anna, though, is suspicious. Why hasn’t she heard of Auntie Ingrid before? And she doesn’t believe the story about her mother locking Auntie Ingrid up in the urn.

(Family reunion!)

Anna confides in Kristoff and says she needs to go talk to Grand Pabie. She believes he’ll know the truth. Kristoff tells her that Grand Pabie is still a bit miffed she postponed the wedding but Anna says she’ll be fine. She asks him to look after Elsa but warns him that she hasn’t told Elsa about what she discovered yet. She hasn’t found the right time. Kristoff promises to keep her secret and to watch Elsa.

In the library, Elsa can’t find anything on Arendelle. Belle continues to avoid really helping her. But Elsa just wants to know if Anna’s alright and what happened. The guilt gets to her and she tells Elsa to keep looking. She has something to do.

It’s Wandering Oaken! And they got an actor who is spot on. Wow. 

(*Stands up and applauds the casting department as well as costuming*)

Anyway, he talks with Belle, who is looking for trolls. He tells her to stay away from them but Belle specifies she doesn’t mean bridge trolls. She’s looking for the trolls that can change people’s memories. Anna, who has snuck in, offers to help her. She’s going to see Grand Pabie herself. Belle and Anna agree to be a team while Wandering Oaken keeps trying to get them to use his sauna. Looks like only his family will be using it for now.

(Sadly they do not appear).

(I sense the beginning of a beautiful friendship!)

Out in the woods, Robin finally gets Regina to talk to him. He says he gets the feeling she’s avoiding him. She is and he asks if it’s because he told her he’s still in love with her. (Excuse me while I squee). Anyway, Regina confirms it is. And it’s also because she can’t find a cure for Marian. There’s nothing she has that can unfreeze Marian. So she tells him that the only way for them to save Marian is for Robin to fall back in love with his wife. He needs to forget about her. Robin looks like it’s the last thing in the world he wants to do.

(See?)

Belle goes to Gold’s shop and finds her husband. She asks him to take her to the Snow Queen’s lair. He refuses, saying it’s too dangerous. But Belle was expecting this answer. That’s why she brought the dagger. She didn’t want to have to use it and Gold is hurt she would even think about it. But Belle is desperate, so she orders her husband to bring her to the lair. Even though it’s a fake, Gold has to go along with the charade and obeys.

(Betrayed by his wife or afraid his secret will be revealed? You decide!)

In the past, Belle and Anna talk and bond as they head over to the trolls. Belle reveals she recently lost her mother and Anna talks about losing her own. Belle says she hopes the trolls can help her remember what happened to her mother. She thinks she’ll get peace once she does. Anna though warns her that the truth may not bring her peace but only more questions. She’s speaking from experience. Belle is curious but Anna doesn’t elaborate. She focuses on climbing up the mountain instead.

Gold leads Belle right to the Snow Queen’s frozen cave. He reiterates that it’s too dangerous and he doesn’t think she should go in. Belle uses the dagger to tell him to keep watch and wait for her to call him. She then goes inside, looking around the ice palace. As she does, she hears someone calling her name. She looks and discovers the Snow Queen’s mirror.

Anna and Belle arrive to see Grand Pabie. He rolls forward and tells Belle he knows why she is there. He pulls a purple cloud from her head and turns it into a stone. She is instructed to boil it with some tea, then drink it. All her memories will return after she does. He then asks to speak with Anna alone.


Anna tells him about Auntie Ingrid and her suspicions that she isn’t really her aunt. But Grand Pabie reveals that Auntie Ingrid really is her aunt. Anna and Elsa’s mother Gerda had two sisters—Ingrid and Helga. However, as young girls, they disappeared and were never seen again. The royal family asked Grand Pabie to remove the two from the memories of everyone in Arendelle. Extreme, much? In addition, they scrubbed Ingrid and Helga from all the records as well.

Interesting.

Anna and Belle head back down the mountain but they notice storm clouds in the distance. Anna believes it is the work of Auntie Ingrid. As if to confirm this, a giant wind blows and knocks them down. Belle stays on the cliff side but her memory stone is lodged in a precarious spot. She tries to reach it but then hears Anna calling for her. Anna has been knocked off the cliff edge and is holding on for dear life. Belle tells her to hold on for a few seconds while she tries to reach the stone. 

(I'm just gonna chill here)

Instead, it falls and shatters on the rocks below. Belle is devastated but then she goes to try and save Anna. She’s too late and Anna falls.

The mirror in the Snow Queen’s lair taunts Belle about this. Belle’s reflection really lays into her. All her insecurities are brought to the surface. How she’s not a hero and everyone around her sees that. After all, she chose the rock over Anna. That Rumple only married her because she’s not a threat. He can control her. Oh, and that he didn’t give her the real dagger.

(Insert other fan complaints about Belle here)

Belle has a breakdown, yelling at the mirror. Gold runs in, telling her that the Snow Queen is coming. He sees her hysterical and tries to calm her down. She fights him so he poofs her back to the shop. Once they are there, he is able to calm her down and tells her not to pay attention to the mirror. Belle is upset though and wonders why Gold came into the lair. She ordered him to stay outside but he points out that she ordered him to keep watch. He sensed the Snow Queen was coming and went to get her. Saved by a loophole!

She admits she has been keeping a secret. And she had hoped to right it by going to the Snow Queen’s lair. She needed a hat Ingrid has in her possession, a powerful hat that can take away powers from magical beings. She knows Ingrid has it because she saw it herself. She feels awful for keeping the secret when she knows he isn’t keeping anything from her.

(Of course, she doesn’t know her husband has it and the real dagger)

Belle looks over the cliff’s edge to see Anna on the ground. As she watches, Auntie Ingrid walks toward her niece. Belle yells at her to stay away, but Auntie Ingrid only tells her that this is family business. She needs to keep her nose out of it. Auntie Ingrid picks up the container holding the sorcerer’s hat before disappearing with Anna.

In Arendelle, Anna wakes up in a prison cell. Auntie Ingrid says that Anna didn’t trust her so she’s the enemy. She can’t be apart of Ingrid and Elsa’s new family. So there.

("You need to see our movie. Then you'll realize how pointless this is.") 

How old is the Snow Queen?

Belle comes clean to Elsa and promises to help her. She says they know Anna is alive but the question is what did Ingrid do to her.

In the Enchanted Forest, Belle returns home to her waiting father. Maurice says he’s been worried sick and Belle apologizes. She says she had to know what happened to her mother but the trip wasn’t worth it. Maurice relents and tells her what happened. Turns out he knew the entire time! Jerk. 

("Fine, I'll tell you.")

("Wait, you knew? I didn't have to do that?")

Anyway, after the ogres stormed in, Colette shielded her daughter and distracted the ogres long enough for Belle to be saved. However, the soldiers couldn’t save Colette. She died protecting Belle and their country. Aww.

Belle says she wants to be a hero like her mother. She’s heard of a powerful sorcerer who might be able to help them. Maurice silences her, saying she shouldn’t say his name. He doesn’t think going to him is a good idea. But Belle says she will do anything to save their country. Even if it means she ends up Rumple’s virtual slave, falls in love with him, ends up the Evil Queen’s prisoner, winds up in a strange land, loses her memories, regains her memories, watches her true love die, watches as her true love’s son absorbs her true love into his body, tries to rescue her true love from the Wicked Witch of the West, gets married and has no clue Rumple is lying to her. It’s a sacrifice she’s willing to make.

Speaking of Rumple, Gold pays the Snow Queen a visit. He reveals that he's taken the hat from her so she doesn't have any leverage. He does. It's really just him taunting and threatening her for a few minutes. You know, the usual. 

Emma goes through the file the Snow Queen has collected on her. She finds drawings from her school and essays she has written. Understandably, Emma is a little freaked out. She finds a letter where she thanks Sarah for taking her in and expressing happiness. Hook tells her it doesn’t matter but Emma is upset. It’s a missing six months for her. She wants to know what Ingrid wants with her.

Belle and Elsa burst in with the answer to that. Elsa has found a book that hasn’t had Ingrid or Helga erased from it. Elsa points out that Emma looks like Helga. She believes that Auntie Ingrid is trying to rebuild the family she lost using Elsa and Emma because they have powers. Emma looks weirded out.

(Looks like there was one place the trolls didn't get to)

It gets worse. Belle reveals that the Snow Queen’s mirror can be used for a dark spell. When cast, it will turn the people of Storybrooke against each other and bring out their darkest natures. Emma realizes that the people will destroy each other, leaving only Ingrid’s “family” standing—Emma and Elsa.

(Emma's face says it all)

Things are heating up in this Frozen arc. What happened to Helga? What will the mirror do to Storybrooke? Will Ingrid get her little family? Will Robin forget Regina? Will she do something to make him to so?

So many questions, so little time.

Next time: The Snow Queen plays mind games with Emma.

Screen caps from here.