OUAT: Everything is Upsy Daisy

Last time on “Once:” After we see how Isaac became the Author, he then rewrites everything so that the heroes are the villains and vice versa. It’s heartwarming to see that Regina is considered a hero here as Isaac is determined to keep her from having a happy ending. If she does, everything is undone. So Henry works to get Regina to kiss Robin as she tries to stay one step ahead of Evil Snow and Evil Charming. Regina is determined to leave the Enchanted Forest, especially as Robin is marrying Zelena (ugh), so Henry sets out to find Emma, who is trapped in tower.

A tower that looks taken straight from Tangled.

(Seriously!)

Anyway, Henry has to get to said tower. So what does he do? Seek out Hook, of course! He finds the man on the Jolly Roger but it’s soon clear that Hook is not the captain. No, he’s a lowly deckhand who serves the real captain—Blackbeard. Since this is Rumplestiltskin’s happy ending, Hook is a coward. Which makes sense since that’s why Milah accused Rumple of being and why she left him for Hook. Henry takes charge, knocking Blackbeard out and telling Hook they will sail the ship. Hook isn’t sure he can do it by himself but Henry assures him he had a good teacher. “You,” he says. The cowardly pirate looks a bit confused.

(Aww, they wobbified Hook)

They approach the island and Henry takes charge. He pretends to be a prisoner and Hook escorts him in. They knock out the guard and Henry races to find Emma. When he finds her, he starts to explain who he is but Emma knows. She’s not mad and she hasn’t forgotten. Thank goodness someone else beside Henry has their memories. Henry lets her go and they go find Hook.

Emma falls into his arms and they have moment. 

(Moment!)

It’s broken by the arrival of the guard, who turns out to be Lily. Emma says they have to run because she can still turn into a dragon. Lily does so as Hook and Henry guide the ship away from the island. Emma is forced to take down her childhood friend in order to get them to safety. Hook pulls out his flask to celebrate and Emma swipes it. She makes a face, asking what’s in it. Hook explains it’s goat milk and that he’s allergic to rum. Emma looks like she can’t believe the job Rumple had Isaac do on her boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Rumplestiltskin arrives home. Belle greets him in a beautiful dress and then motions to the baby boy in the cradle. Did…Did Rumplestiltskin steal Baby Neal? Really? Anyway, Belle and Rumple are all lovey-dovey until she mentions they have a guest. She motions to Isaac in the other room and gives them some privacy.

(Rumple's happy ending)

Rumplestiltskin doesn’t remember Isaac, but Isaac proves he knows a lot about Rumple. How like Rumple lost his first son, Baelfire, in the Ogre Wars. Rumple says he wars going to rescue him but he as too late. Isaac says he knows and that Baelfire knew as well. That he saw his father as a hero. All together now:

Anyway, Isaac reveals there is a boy in the land who wants to destroy Rumple’s happy ending. Isaac says Rumple has to stop him from preventing a wedding. And then Rumple gets to keep Belle, Baby Neal and his happy ending. Rumple’s like “But I’m a hero now!”

Decisions, decisions.

Back in town, Emma finds a more practical outfit than her voluminous dress while Henry gets them food. It kinda looks inspired by Flynn Rider and JMo looks amazing in it. She then teaches Hook how to use a sword, saying that in her reality he was an expert. So she’s hoping muscle memory kicks in. Of course, she has to get really close to Hook and he’s not complaining. He even admits to being jealous of his other self. Enjoy your moments, Captain Swan shippers. Enjoy them.

Especially as Lily appears around the corner. She says she found them, revealing she’s with Evil!Snow, Puppet!Charming and Dark!Grumpy. Emma tries to appeal to Snow and Charming, telling them that they are her parents and they taught her about being a hero and having hope. Snow says hope is a very powerful thing and that’s why she has to snuff it out of Emma and Henry. She orders them to kill Emma…and that’s when Henry comes back. Good timing, kid.

Hook takes up his sword, telling Emma to take Henry and run. She doesn’t want to leave him alone but he says that if she can make everything right, then what happens on the docks won’t matter. Emma runs off as Hook fights Charming. He’s able to knock the man down and turns his sword onto Snow. She maneuvers him into a position that allows Charming to stab him in the back. As Emma and Henry watch in horror, Hook dies by Puppet!Charming’s hand. Henry pulls his devastated mother away.

(Ouch)

It’s okay, Captain Swan shippers. Would you like some of the booze I’ve stockpiled since Robin crossed the town line?

Rumple has a talk with Belle. He tells her that there is a danger to their family but he may have to do something non-heroic to save them. Belle tells him that she loves him no matter what and knows he’ll do what’s best. Rumple’s not so sure and in his frustration, drops a tea cup. He apologizes and Belle says it’s only chipped. Rumple makes his decision.

Are you drowning in the parallels yet?

Regina is busy packing when Henry bursts into her log again. She’s like “Not you again, kid.” But Henry introduces her to his mother, Emma. Emma tells Regina she has to stop the wedding and Regina thinks the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. So Emma pretty much asks her if she loves Robin. Regina admits she knows what her heart says (yes) but she doesn’t know if Robin’s is saying the same. Emma tells her she has to try and then reveals she just watched her own love die without telling him about how she felt. That seems to convince Regina.

(Emma needs a hug)

At a little church in the middle of nowhere, Isaac attends the wedding of Zelena and Robin Hood. Robin stands at the altar with Will (drink!) and watches as Zelena starts to walk down the aisle. Outside, Team Moms and Henry run up. They note the bells have rung yet so they have time to fix everything. Except Rumple steps up to stop Regina from entering the church.

Emma steps up, taking on Rumple. She tells Regina to go stop the wedding. Regina hesitates for a moment before running toward the chapel. Emma fights Rumple, calling him the Dark One. He tells her she has the wrong name. Emma doesn’t think so. They fight and Emma is knocked out.

Zelena says “I do” as Regina opens the door. The priest turns to Robin and asks him if he takes Zelena to be his wife. He pauses and appears to sense Regina’s presence (or at least that’s how it seemed Maguire played it. Hopefully someone can a copy of the script to see what the stage directions were). Robin turns to the door and finds her there, peeking inside. They exchange smiles and the entire Outlaw Queen fandom sits on the edge of their seat, waiting for Robin to run to Regina if not share True Love’s Kiss with her. Zelena prompts him to answer but he continues to make eyes at Regina. Go ahead, Robin. Run to her. You know you want to.

Outside, Henry takes up a sword and fights Rumplestiltskin. But since he’s a knight here, Rumple easily disarms him. Henry insists that Rumple won’t kill him because he’s a hero here. Rumple says that’s why he has to kill Henry—to make sure he stays that way. He swings his sword and connects with Regina, who steps in front of the boy she had been avoiding the entire time. As she crumples to the ground, Rumple disappears.

(I may have yelled at my TV at this point)

Henry holds his mother, tears coming to his eyes. He asks her why she didn’t stop the wedding. Regina gasps out that she couldn’t let him die. Some part of her knows he’s her son. And she’s also a hero here as well. Emma comes to and rushes to Regina’s side as the bells begin to ring. She realizes they’ll never be able to change anything now.

People pour out of the chapel, including Robin and Zelena. They are now married but the honeymoon doesn’t last long. He spots Regina and races to her side. Zelena follows but starts to complain about getting blood on her dress. Robin scolds her, saying that Regina is injured. Zelena throws a tantrum, saying she’s ruined her day. Her hand starts to turn green and Zelena runs off. Robin stays behind, holding Regina. He tells her that she’ll be alright and she tells him that she won’t be. Robin promises her that she won’t die alone.
Isaac pops up and is like “Too bad, so sad.” Emma slugs him and it is glorious. Look at it:

Isaac pops back up and Emma demands he fix everything. Once again, he explains he can’t. As he and Emma argue, Henry notices Isaac’s bag on the ground. A book and the pen lay there. He picks up the pen and it begins to glow. Emma asks what’s going on and Isaac says that Henry is the next Author. The entire fandom says: “Called it.”

(What a non-surprise)

Emma tells Henry to fix it but Isaac points out that they don’t have any ink. She goes to draw some of her blood but Henry points out it won’t work because Isaac wrote her out of the story. She’s not the Savior. But they have a new Savior. He kneels down next to Regina and uses her blood to undo Isaac’s work, saying her death undoes everything. As Robin tries to smile, Regina closes her eyes and a bright light engulfs them.

When it dies down, we are back in Storybrooke. Regina lies in the street as Henry stares down at her. When she opens her eyes, Henry smiles and Evil Regals all breathe a sigh of relief. She stands up and hugs him, telling him he did it. Henry says they did it. Robin rounds the corner and tackle hugs Regina as Henry races toward his other mother. Emma hugs her son before remembering Hook. She runs off as Robin pulls Henry into a little huddle with Regina.

You know, I saw behind the scenes pictures. There was an Outlaw Queen kiss during this scene. Why was it left on the cutting room floor?

Anyway, Emma bursts into the loft and greets her hugging parents. Because, you know, something got broken. It’s not official until those two are hugging or kissing. Anyway, she asks where Hook is. David points to the kitchen and says he was there right before Isaac changed everything. Emma says everyone ended up where they were before the changes hit (except Henry). Sadness overtakes her as she breathes out “No.”

Then Hook pops up in her bedroom, apologizing for making a mess. She races up to him, hugging him so hard they end up on the bed. Hook reminds her that he’s a survivor. As they sit on the bed, Emma talks about how it was to watch him die and says there was something she had wanted to tell him. He asks what and Emma chickens out, saying thank you. Hook is slightly disappointed.

(Enjoy this, CSers)

In Gold’s shop, Isaac can’t believe his work was undone and he is no longer a best selling author. Gold comes to and Isaac runs off as Belle runs in. She asks Gold what he was doing and he reminds her about his heart. He wanted to go to a place where they were happy. Belle rightly points out that they could’ve been happy in this world and Gold admits that he stood in their way. Now, his heart is about to become a lump of coal and there will be no Rumplestiltskin, only Zuul the Dark One.

In the Mayor’s office, Henry goes through the original Once Upon a Time book while flipping through the blank pages of Heroes and Villains. The Apprentice talks to him about being the Author. Henry asks if there was anyway for him to bring back his father, Neal. The Apprentice pretty much says no. He explains that the best way to honor Neal is to write about him, to record his story. Henry says that one person shouldn’t have so much power and he snaps the pen, no doubt taking a cue from Harry Potter. The Apprentice looks proud so I guess this isn’t a big deal? Is Henry still the Author? Show?

(Congrats, kid. Don't screw up)

So what happened to Isaac? He tries to drive out of town but is stopped by a sheriff’s car. David gets out and pulls Isaac from the driver’s seat. Mary Margaret is also there. They ask him why he wrote what he did—they think it goes beyond Rumplestiltskin. After all, Isaac could’ve escaped from him several times. He could’ve gone to the Charmings. And he set the Charmings down a path that led to half a season worth of angst. Isaac says they reminded him of an asshole boss he once had. Of someone who kept putting him down. Mary Margaret said that what he did made him just as bad as that boss. With those thoughts, Isaac is put in the back of the Sheriff’s car.

(Don't mess with the Charmings)

Well, there’s only one thing to do now: Party at Granny’s! Everyone gathers there as Granny hands out the food and drinks. Henry and Regina look through the restored book as Robin approaches. He and Regina share a kiss before he slides into their booth. Though he doesn’t want to be a downer, he asks if she checked on Zelena. Regina says she did, that Zelena is back in her padded cell and she’s still pregnant. Robin’s disappointment mirrors the entire fandom. Regina says that it’s something they can deal with and Robin responds “Together.” He then asks if she wants to go for a walk in the moonlit and Regina agrees. With a goodbye to Henry, the two leave Granny’s.

It’s the season finale and they’re on the right track. Outlaw Queen fans, we can breathe a sigh of relief.
David and Mary Margaret apologize to Hook for killing him. Hook forgives them, saying it was all Isaac’s doing. Though he may keep it as leverage, just in case. As Emma rolls her eyes, she then goes to talk to Lily. Lily holds up her necklace and explains it was from her egg. And it's the only clue she has to her father's identity. Emma asks her if she asked Maleficent. Turns out Maleficent doesn't know because it's a dragon thing (My theory: Smaug). Lily says she plans to stick around to find out more and Emma is happy to hear that. 

(More Lily!)

Belle runs into Granny’s. She tells them that Gold is in trouble and needs help. Or else they are all screwed.

Everyone (sans Outlaw Queen still on their moonlit walk) gathers at Gold’s. The Apprentice takes his heart and says he can try to remove the darkness from him, capturing it in the Sorcerer’s hat. He does seem to do it, leaving a crystal clear heart behind. The Apprentice returns it and puts Gold in a magical coma. He says they’ll wait to see if it works and warns Belle that he might struggle to adjust after being the Dark One for so long.

(A new Rumple?)

Then the darkness breaks out of the hat and tries to possess the Apprentice. It doesn’t seem to work, so it escapes out into Storybrooke. David and Mary Margaret give chase while Emma, Hook and Henry tend to the Apprentice. While he had rejected the Dark One, it also sapped him and he’s dying. He warns Emma that many years ago, the Sorcerer found that the best way to deal with the Dark One was to bind it to a person. He says the only one who can defeat it now is the Sorcerer. And who is he? If you said Yensid, you’re wrong. Shocking, I know. But then again, who the Sorcerer really is isn’t all that shocking either:

It’s Merlin.

Once it appears the Apprentice dies, Emma and Hook join in the search for the Dark One. Regina and Robin find the little search party and Regina is not thrilled to hear what’s going on. They wonder where the darkness is and Emma says it’s around them. Regina gasps as it engulfs her since as we know, there is no dwarf called Evilly so of course it goes for her.

Robin’s not going to take this and tries to charge at the dark mass. It repels him. Emma realizes they have to bind the darkness to someone like the Sorcerer did. Hook twigs onto what she’s going to do and tries to stop her. Emma tells her parents to take the darkness out of her like the did before, but this time to do like heroes…meaning no putting it into a baby and exiling said baby. She then tells Hook she loves him before impaling the darkness with the dagger.

Free from the darkness, Regina runs into Robin’s arms and he holds her protectively. Everyone watches as Emma is consumed by the dark cloud. She makes eye contact with Hook before she disappears. All that’s left is the dagger, which now reads Emma Swan.

(dun dun DUN!)

Dear CSers, here’s more booze. At least you got an “I love you.” Hold on to that, okay? It’s going to get you through the hiatus. Trust me. I’m an Outlaw Queen shipper and we clung to “I choose you” like a lifeboat.

So that was the season finale! And it blew last year’s out of the water, if I do say so.

There are still a lot of questions to be answered but now that the other world no longer exists, I’ll doubt we’ll get them. Can we get a spinoff with Ginny as Evil!Snow, Josh as Evil!Charming, Lana as Bandit!Regina and Sean as Robin? Oh well, I guess there’s always fanfiction.

I think I’ll save my season 5 wish list/theories/speculation for another post.

For you Outlaw Queen fans, this is a friendly reminder that I write fanfiction and a shamless plug for them. There’s “A Thief and a Queen,” which is a collection of one shots I’ve written. And then there’s “All That Was Me,” a fic based on “Outlander.” Enjoy!

Don’t forget to visit my tumblr here.

See you next season!

Screen caps from here.