OUAT: A Brand New Beginning…

I’m not going to do a “Last time on Once” here. The season 6 finale wrapped up several storylines. That story is over. In many ways, Once Upon a Time is over and this is a brand new reiteration…that just so happens to be season 7. So we’re going to start fresh.

(Actually text from the start of the episode. Sounds familiar, no?)


We open in the familiar sight of Storybrooke before returning to 108 Mifflin Street (AKA the Mills’ household). Regina and Henry (still Jared Gilmore, in a guest starring role) leave. He has a backpack on as well as a leather jacket and appears to have finally caught up with Jared’s real age. Regina asks if he really has to go and says she always thought he’d go to college after graduating high school. Henry says that college is always going to be there but he needs to do this. He says that Operation Cobra is over—everyone has their happy endings—and Regina says that it’s all the more reason to stay. Henry replies that he’s the author and he’s written everyone’s stories, returning the book to the Sorcerer’s mansion. He says he discovered hundreds of other books (though that’s been discovered a few times since Season 4) and there are different versions of all the fairy tale characters, like a French Snow White. But he’s not in any of them. He wants to find his story and to do that, he needs to leave. Regina nods, hugging him.

(My Regal Believer heart!)

Henry pulls away and heads to a motorcycle, getting on it. I guess August gave him lessons? He puts on his helmet before pulling out a magic bean, tossing it ahead of him. A portal opens as Regina watches, concerned. She points out that it’s his only bean which means getting back…”Will be an adventure,” he finishes. He tells her he loves her and she echoes the sentiments. With one more smile, Henry takes off and drives his motorcycle into the portal.

(Bye, Henry!)

We then open in “Another Realm Some Years” later. The motorcycle roars down a road and we focus on Henry, now played by Andrew J. West and no longer wearing a helmet. As he continues down, he spots a small carriage coming toward him. The woman inside seems to be having trouble with her horse even before he gets spooked as Henry swerves to avoid hitting them. The carriage is overturned, throwing the woman to the ground amongst several flowers, and the horse runs off. Henry hops off his motorcycle to check on the woman. She is wearing a beautiful blue-purple ballgown but what draws Henry’s attention are her shoes. They are glass slippers and he gasps out: “Cinderella?”

(The shoes are pretty much a dead giveaway)

(I saw this episode at New York Comic Con and afterwards, the moderator asked Adam and Eddy what Henry’s motorcycle is running on. Their answer: Magic. Best guess is that Regina enchanted it). 


Next we see a phone with a “Swyft” app. It’s like Uber/Lyft and Henry’s  one of their drivers in present-day Seattle. We see him driving around a few fares—including a couple making out, some friends dancing in the backseat and a family on their way to Disneyland (or home from it). He then returns to his apartment, throwing down his keys. The camera focuses on his keychain for a moment, showing a swan engraved on it, before we see him sit down at his desk and open his laptop. He pulls up a Word document and all we see written there is:

Ahh. Writer’s block. It sucks.


Henry then hears a knock at his door and he answers it. (Note: He lives in apartment 815). Looking down, he finds a little girl standing in front of him. She asks if he’s Henry Mills and when he confirms he is, she introduces himself as Lucy and says she’s his daughter.


You know. Like how Henry knocked on Emma’s door and introduced himself as her son.

Henry lets Lucy in and says that he doesn’t have a daughter. She tells him that’s the curse—it wiped his memories, just like in his book. Lucy looks around the apartment and says she expected her favorite author to be more successful. She calls his apartment a dump and he says he didn’t write Harry Potter. Lucy points out that he hasn’t written anything since his last book, looking at the document on screen. She tells him he has some work to do and he closes the laptop, telling her that sophomore albums are hard. He then says it’s none of her business and asks her if she’s an obsessed fan.


When Lucy tries to tell him she’s his daughter, he cuts her off and says he doesn’t have a daughter. She says that the curse changed his memories, just like the one he wrote about in the book. She says that he hasn’t been able to write another book because of the curse, because it’s keeping him from living his story. Lucy asks him to come to her neighborhood, Hyperion Heights, with her. She says it’s just like his Storybrooke but Henry says Storybrooke isn’t real. Hyperion Heights is as it’s right there in Seattle, a real town with real people. Lucy agrees and says that some of those people are fairy tale characters who have forgotten who they are due to the curse. Including his true love, her mother—Cinderella. She reminds him that he crashed into her in the last chapter of his book.


Henry crouches down and tells her that the book was all makeup believe. Snow White isn’t his grandmother (except she is), Jiminy Cricket wasn’t his therapist (he was), he never flew with Peter Pan (he did and that didn’t end well), and he didn’t crash into Cinderella (dude, you totally did). Lucy says he did and that he restored all the happy endings. She says he needs to do it again, explaining that the curse put most in Hyperion Heights. Henry says it’s an up and coming neighborhood, not really a curse. Lucy says that it’s up and coming because her step-grandmother (Cinderella’s stepmother) is bringing in people from the real world and forcing the fairy tale characters out. Everyone will be scattered and just like Henry lost Cinderella, they will lose everyone they love.

Henry tells Lucy that it’s a sad story but once again, it’s just a story. He offers to take her home but she insists that he help her mother. Henry tells her that he isn’t a hero and that her mother is going to have to do what everybody else does—save herself.

(Lucy realizes she is fighting an uphill battle)

We see Cinderella now here in the real world as she runs down a street, dodging people. She sneaks into the kitchen of a restaurant, putting on a name tag that read “Jacinda” and putting on a yellow apron. She sneaks over to grab latex gloves but she is still busted by her boss. Jacinda apologizes, saying her roommate was taking forever in the bathroom and then she had some other problems that delayed her. Her boss, Louie, tells her that he doesn’t care and starts to lecture her about being on time. It’s interrupted when the other employee drops a tray of fried chicken and Louie turns his ire on him. He tells the employee, Carl, that it will be coming out of his paycheck. Jacinda tells Louie to lay off him, that it’s only chicken and there’s no need to be a jerk.


Louie crosses his arms and tells her to apologize. She says she can’t because it’s true—he is a jerk. He counters, saying she thinks she knows him but he knows a thousand like her. She is a single mother who is barely getting by and has no skills to speak of, except her temper. Jacinda needs this job and so she’s going to apologize. Jacinda shakes her head and hands him her apron, saying she can’t do that. She leaves, upset but with her head held high.

(You know, that speech could be construed as sex discrimination. Contact the EEO and sue him)

Back in the other realm…which I’m just going to refer to as the Enchanted Forest since that’s so much easier…Henry hurries over to Cinderella. He rouses her, helping her up as he apologizes. She says the hyacinths broke her fall and Henry calls them her lucky flower. Cinderella then notices that her carriage is broken and says he scared off Philippe, who she tells Henry is her horse. (Beauty and the Beast shout out?) She then asks about his headless steed (“Motorcycle,” Henry points out) and what he was doing. Henry explains he was going home and that time was of the essence. She asks if his home is going anywhere and he says that the way to it is as portals can be unpredictable.


Cinderella decides that she doesn’t really care and says she now has to walk—in glass slippers—to get to her destination. Henry remembers the fairy tale, even mentioning that everyone knows her story, and says she has a prince she’s supposed to meet. She hesitates but agrees and he offers to give her a ride on his motorcycle. Naturally, Cinderella has some doubts but Henry assures her she’ll like it and she seems to come around.

(Her face says it all)

Back in Seattle, Henry sits down at his desk to continue writing. Or staring at the blank page, most likely. Anyway, he opens the desk drawer but doesn’t find his laptop. Instead he finds a Post-It note clearly from Lucy, who says that if he wants to see it again, he needs to go to Roni’s and gives instructions—which we can assume puts it in Hyperion Heights.


Looks like someone takes after her father!


Henry drives there, passing by a giant carving of a troll under the overpass. It appears to be watching him and he finds a place to park, checking his directions again. As he walks up the street, he catches sight of a young blonde woman watching him. And for a moment, it looks like Emilie de Ravin without her Belle wig. The woman jumps from the roof, lands on a dumpster and then hops down to the street. She studies Henry and when he greets her, she doesn’t respond. She just walks off and Henry looks disgusted. He clearly wants to get the hell out of Hyperion Heights. STAT. He looks up and spots the sign for Roni’s.

(Say hi to Tilly)

Henry enters and asks if the place is Roni’s. The woman at the bar says that it better be or else she put the wrong sign out in front of the building. She turns around it it’s Regina, except in jeans and with curly hair. She gives him a smile and introduces herself as Roni, though, and asks what she can get him.


Of course, we’ve all known that Regina would have a cursed identity and it was confirmed over the summer that it would be bar owner Roni. But here she is!

(I love her hair!)

Roni tells Henry that he came on a good day—everything is half off until midnight. He asks what happens at midnight—does the bar turn into a pumpkin? She chuckles before saying that it turns into a juice bar or whatever the bitch who bought it decides to turn it into. Roni explains that Victoria Belfrey is buying up properties and pushing people out. She says that it used to be a community but now everyone is scattering, so she might as well take the money. Roni then does a shot as Henry looks around.


She notes that he doesn’t look like he’s having a good day and he says it’s been interesting. Roni asks how so. He asks her to imagine that he had walked in and said he was her son. She says that would be a kicker.


(It’s also the truth though sadly Regal Believer doesn’t know that right now).


Back in the Enchanted Forest, Henry shows Cinderella how the motorcycle works. She says she figures there are worse ways to go to a ball than being escorted by a handsome man on a horseless contraption. He explains it’s a motorcycle when his brain catches up, realizing she called him handsome. She climbs on behind him and asks him how her story ends, if she ends up with the prince. Henry says that there is usually a complication and the prince has to find her. She asks how he does that and he explains that she usually leaves one of her glass slippers so he can find the girl who fits it. She laughs, saying that makes no sense since there are many girls who wear the same size as her. He acknowledges that it is a plot hole. She gets off the motorcycle, saying she doesn’t believe in signs. And she has one more thing to tell him. Henry leans in, clearly expecting a kiss. Instead, she punches him and thanks him for the motorcycle. She drives off, thrilled with her new ride to the ball.

(Henry really thinks he's about to get lucky)

Jacinda creeps into her apartment but is busted by her roommate. No name is given but the press releases have called her Sabine, so I’ll go with that. Jacinda reveals she quite because Louie was a jerk. Sabine agrees he was but he’s a jerk Jacinda needs to put up with so she can keep putting money in their rent jar. 

(Say hi to Sabine)

Jacinda says she’ll figure something out as she helps Sabine cook something. Sabine asks how her stepmother is going to react since she didn’t want to let Jacinda have custody of Lucy even with the job. (There’s already been some debate but it seems Jacinda’s stepmother would have very little say over whether Jacinda got custody of Lucy unless she signed away her rights for some reason). Jacinda says her stepmother isn’t going to find out and then says Lucy needs to get ready to go spend time with her grandmother. Sabine says Lucy’s door has been closed all morning and Jacinda heads in to make sure her daughter isn’t still sleeping. Instead, she discovers the room is empty and needs to figure out where Lucy went before her stepmother kills them both.


We then focus on a license plate that reads “VB” and a pair of high heels gets out of the car it’s attached to. Upstairs, Adelaide Kane switches away from the building’s security system and announces that “she’s” on her way. She grabs a cup of tea or coffee and hurries through, snapping at people. She tells one man to remove his tie and tells everyone else to look busy as she positions herself right in front of the elevator. It dings open and Gabrielle Anwar exits. 

This is Victoria Belfrey and she wants to know why none of her three assistants can’t find her granddaughter, who was not waiting at the house for her. Adelaide—whose character is named Ivy, though it’s not stated right away—says she’s trying to reach Jacinda. Victoria takes the cup and tells Ivy to stop trying and start succeeding before moaning that she has to do everything herself around there.


Lady Tremaine wakes up Cinderella’s fairy godmother, who is shackled, and calls her a disappointment. She also reveals she got off the fairy’s wings as she was sleeping and adds a cruel “Surprise.” The fairy godmother asks what Lady Tremaine is doing and she replies that she’s using the fairy as a teaching moment for her other daughter, Drizella. Drizella—Ivy’s real identity—comes in and says she’s ready for the ball and she’s afraid the prince won’t wait. Lady Tremaine assures her that the prince will still be there and says she wants to show her what real power looks like, holding up the fairy godmother’s wand. Drizella asks if she can use it but Lady Tremaine tells her to never rely on magic as it’s not real power. People can take magic from you. (They can take power too, lady. Your analogy sucks). She says real power comes from fear and then decides to use the wand, saying “Bibbety-boppety-boo” to destroy the fairy godmother. Drizella stares in awe at the pile of fairy dust on the ground and Lady Tremaine says that if she’s sees Cinderella to order her to clean it up.

(Drizella has something to think about)

Lucy leans over a well as her mother pulls up in a car. Jacinda asks Lucy what she’s doing and Lucy says she was going to make a wish before her grandmother destroyed everything. Jacinda points out that it’s an empty lot and Lucy says it was once a community garden. She says it could be once more and says she found the quarter right on the well, so it has to be a sign. Jacinda tells her that she doesn’t believe in signs and that it’s a waste of a quarter. Lucy says it isn’t if it works and together they throw the quarter in. Jacinda turns and says it’s still an empty lot but Lucy tells her to give it time. Jacinda then says she needs to get Lucy ready for ballet and that she already got her in enough trouble with her stepmother. Lucy apologizes but tells her mother that she found her father, surprising Jacinda.

(Mother and daughter)

Henry sips a drink at Roni’s bar as she greets Jacinda, who enters with his laptop. She explains to Roni that Lucy stole it and then gives it back to him, apologizing. He takes it but is staring at her, naturally making her uncomfortable. She asks what’s wrong and he says that he was starting to wonder if he had a kid but clearly he doesn’t because he would remember meeting her. And the line he uses is so close to Robin’s “I doubt I would ever forget meeting you,” my broken OQ heart started to cry. Jacinda seems to be getting into him and Roni gives them some drinks as icebreakers. They say cheers and clink their glasses together.

(Salut!)

Fireworks explode overhead as we cut to the prince’s ball. Cinderella enters and spots her family milling about the people. She does her best to creep through the room, remaining out of their sight. Cinderella passes Sabine in this realm, all dressed up and wearing a tiara. A server offers her frog legs and she refuses. Though not stated, she is Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog.


Henry sneaks through the room as well, accepting a drink from a server. He takes a sip or two before putting it down, reaching out for Cinderella. He asks for a dance and she hesitates until he produces a hyacinth and promises not to knock her over. She agrees to one dance and he places the flower in her hand. Cinderella asks if he’s there for headless horse and tells him it’s behind the palace. He says he’s there for the dagger she stole from him, pulling it out from the back of her dress. He points to the initials on the hilt—“HM” for Henry Mills. She tells him to be quiet as she takes it back. Henry realizes she’s not there to fall in love with the prince and she admits she’s there to kill him. Cinderella says the prince killed her father and doomed her to a life sweeping floors, so she’s going to get her revenge. He says that if she kills the prince, the guards kill her and she gets no happy ending. Cinderella doesn’t think there’s a happy ending in her future.


Henry says that maybe his running into her was a sign that her stordy could change. She reminds him that she doesn’t believe in signs. He then tells her that he knows a place where people start over all the time and that is where he is heading. He invites her to come over, to put revenge aside and to write her own story. Cinderella is tempted but she says her father was everything to her, so she has to do this. She runs off to introduce herself to the prince as Henry watches.

(So this is love?)

Henry tries to go after her but he gets woozy, falling down to become acquainted with the show’s other returning character—Floor. As he fights off whatever is going on, he spots the server. It’s the girl we saw in Hyperion Heights earlier. She smiles at him and winks as he asks her what she did to him. He then finds himself in a strange world that’s lit in greens as branches hold him prisoner. The young woman tells him he needs to be careful when accepting drinks from strangers and then introduces herself as Alice.

(Someone looks pleased with herself)

In Hyperion Heights, cursed!Alice heads down some alleyways and knocks on a backdoor. A man dressed in black opens it and she says she needs to see Weaver. He lets her in as we cut to a man being dunked in a vat of water and held there, struggling to get out. Cursed!Alice addresses the man who is hold him—Weaver. She says there’s a new face in the neighborhood and that she thought he’d want to know. Weaver turns to face character to reveal it’s Rumpelstiltskin! Looks like he’s still dark.

(Dear New People: Don't trust this man!)

At Roni’s, Henry asks about Lucy’s father. Jacinda replies that he was a fling but it gave her Lucy, so she can’t regret it. She does wish some parts of her life were better. Henry asks her what she would change about her story and she says that every day, she sees this island out in the harbor and wonders what it would be like to have a little house out there with Lucy. She says it looks like a place where people live happy, quiet lives. Jacinda thinks that it must be boring but he thinks it sounds perfect. Aww, look at these two smitten fools.


Then Victoria storms in, ruining the moment. Roni points out that she doesn’t own the bar yet and to leave but Victoria says she’s there to talk to Jacinda. She’s heard about Lucy sneaking out to meet up with strange men and is very concerned. Henry tries to step in but Jacinda tells him she’ll handle it. Victoria, though, doubts it since she’s found Jacinda day drinking and reminds her that’s how they ended up with Lucy. Jacinda tells her that wasn’t fair but Victoria doesn’t care. She says that Lucy needs stability and discipline so she’s moving back in with Victoria starting tomorrow. Jacinda leaves, upset as Roni gives Victoria the stink eye.

(Victoria is definitely now on Roni's list)

Henry says he understands Lucy’s whole “Cinderella” hang up. Victoria tells Henry that he needs to back off, that Lucy is a lonely little girl who doesn’t need him using her to fill some void in her life. She tells him to go back to his books and his fairy tale worlds because in the real world, people get hurt. And if that happens, she says she’ll make him regret he ever stepped foot on that street. Lady, he’s just there to get his laptop back and you’ve now threatened him in front of a witness. And she’s just activated Henry’s latent Charming “hero” gene. Not a smart move, Victoria.


Once again, there’s been a lot of debate over the legalities of Victoria being able to demand Lucy live with her and keeping her from Jacinda. This isn’t like season 1 where Emma legally had no rights to Henry and Regina was well within her rights to keep him from her. Emma had given him up for adoption and signed away her rights. Of course, I don’t really think the writers understand custody rights nor have been bothered to research it in the past seven seasons though.


Henry leaves Roni’s but discovers his car is not where he left it. He spots a police department and heads in, reporting his car has been stolen. The desk cop is absolutely unhelpful but another cop steps in to help Henry. It’s cursed!Hook, known as Officer Rogers. He gives Henry some paperwork to fill out but says they probably won’t find it, that it’s been stripped for parts by this point. Rogers promises to look, though, and Henry thanks him. He says he just wants to get out of Hyperion Heights.

(He actually got the biggest round of applause at the Comic Con screening)

Back in the strange world, Henry demands that Alice let him go. She asks what’s hold him and he realizes that the branches have disappeared. He then glimpses a bottle tied to her belt that has a tag which reads “Drink me” and realizes she’s Alice from Wonderland. 

(Almost as good as a name tag)

She snaps that she’s been other places but that she had one weird trip and now everyone only knows her for that. He apologizes and then says he needs to get back. She replies that she can’t let him go and tells him that it’s not his story, addressing him by name. He asks how she knows him and she reveals that she works for Rumple, who is keeping an eye on his grandson. She then warns that bad things happen when someone interferes in a story that is not their own. And she doesn’t plan to be around for Bad Things. She tells him to go home but he says that when someone is in trouble, he helps. He then leaves as she delivers an “Oh shit” face.


Lucy spreads seeds in the abandoned community garden as Henry finds her. He tells her that his car was stolen and asks if she had anything to do with that. She says she didn’t since her feet wouldn’t reach the pedals. Henry then starts to head out and she asks where he’s going. He says that he’s going to go find his car and then go home. She insists that he is home and that he needs to stay. He kneels down and says that he gets that her life isn’t the greatest but he’s not the answer, that he isn’t her father. She begs him to remember and says that he always believes (he has the Heart of the Truest Believer!). Lucy also says that it didn’t happen right away with Emma and he snaps that his book isn’t real, that there isn’t a curse. He isn’t her father and she asks how he’s so certain. He says it’s because he had a family but lost them.

(You know the song: "It's not a curse! Fairy tales aren't real!")

That catches Lucy off guard and he explains that he had a wife and daughter but lost them in fire. He would love to have a second chance but Lucy and Jacinda aren’t it. Lucy insists that they aren’t his second chance but his real family, that the curse gave him false memories. She says that it’s also why he can’t write, saying that he’s waiting for the perfect first sentence but it doesn’t have to be perfect. The story just has to start. This seems to resonate with Henry but then he retreats, telling Lucy that he’s not what she’s looking for. He leaves her heartbroken in that empty lot.


Lucy isn’t alone for long. Jacinda pulls up in her car and tells Lucy to get in. Lucy asks where they are going and her mother says they are going to go live their story.


However, Jacinda’s car breaks down. She curses out the car but Lucy says it’s the curse, that it’s trying to keep them in Hyperion Heights. Jacinda catches sight of a ferry to the little island she always wanted to move to and she tells Lucy that they’re walking. Lucy sighs, shouldering her backpack and following her mother.


At the ball, the prince says he wasn’t thrilled with his father’s decision to host such an event in hopes of finding him a bride but now he’s glad since he met Cinderella. She acts pleased before pulling out Henry’s knife. She says he doesn’t recognize her—a simple girl from a simple family but whose life he destroyed. However, she can’t bring herself to kill him and she lowers the weapon. The prince thanks her and starts to assure her about something…when he is stabbed from behind.


He crumples to the floor and Cinderella stares in shock at her stepmother. Lady Tremaine chides her for never finishing her chores. She explains that the prince rejected Drizella but that his younger brother has taken a shine to her. She had been hoping Cinderella would do her dirty work but that didn’t pan. Now, though, she can take the fall. Lady Tremaine announces that Cinderella killed their beloved prince and sic’s the guards on her.

(Cold, Lady Tremaine. Cold)

Cinderella makes a run for it, running into Henry. He tells her to take his motorcycle and go back to where they first met. Henry says he’ll meet her there and that a portal to his world will open at midnight. They’ll use it to escape. She nods and he pulls a sword, starting to fight the guards. Cinderella though is no wallflower. She grabs a sword as well and fights her way across the floor, even sliding at one point. She hurries out as Henry continues to hold off the guards, all while Lady Tremaine watches in disbelief.


Henry checks in with Officer Rogers, but the police officer hasn’t been able to find Henry’s car. Henry is incredulous and Rogers warns him to not make him an enemy. Victoria then bursts in and insists Rogers drops everything to help her. He asks her what’s wrong and she says that she needs him to find Lucy. Henry asks if Lucy is missing and Victoria is like “You’re still here?” He’s like “Trying not to be.”


Victoria notes that Jacinda is missing and asks Henry if he knows something. He denies it but she can see right through him. She says that she knows he doesn’t think highly of her but that she does care about her girls. She says Jacinda tends to make mistakes (which is human, lady) and that she won’t be able to make a better life for herself by running away from her problems. While all this sounds nice and rational, I also think that Jacinda’s main problem is her powerful and meddling stepmother who just expects her to mess up. I think getting far away from Victoria might be best for her. But Henry is swayed and looks ready to talk, especially when she promises to get his car back for him.

(Don't do it, Henry!)

At the ferry, Lucy refuses to get on. Jacinda sits her down and tells her that Victoria wants her to live with her full time. Lucy is upset and Jacinda tells her that the island in the harbor is their chance to start living their story. Lucy asks about Henry and the curse. Jacinda says that Lucy has a big and beautiful imagination and that she understands why Lucy needs to believe in the fairy tales—real life sucks. But she asks Lucy to believe in her this time. Lucy tells her mother that she believes in her and they share a hug.


Unfortunately, Officer Rogers pulls up with Ivy in tow. She hurries out of the car and orders Lucy to come to her, saying that her grandmother was very worried about her. Jacinda makes a comment about Victoria not bothering to show up. Ivy says that “Mr. Mills” told them all about her island fantasy and Lucy grows upset, insisting it wasn’t true. Officer Rogers assures her that Mr. Mills was just trying to help and Ivy says the truth can hurt. She then pulls the book from Lucy’s backpack and orders Officer Rogers to get rid of it as it’s caused enough problems. He flips through it, spotting something that makes him grow thoughtful. But he abandons it as Ivy asks if they are leaving. He closes the book and heads off with her and Lucy.

(Is that Regina's apple tree?)

Henry stands on the sidewalk as a tow truck puts his car back. Jacinda approaches him, saying he got his car back. (I guess Lucy told her it had been stolen?) He says that it was found on the side of the road and nothing had been taken, noting that was weird as Alice looks on. Jacinda isn’t in a happy mood and lays into Henry. He notes that he didn’t ask to be pulled into her life and she tells him to stay out of it then. She tells him goodbye and walks away.


In the Enchanted Forest, Henry pulls up to where he met Cinderella and calls out for her. However, she and his motorcycle are nowhere to be seen. He has a conversation with the horse, saying he guessed he didn’t really expect her to be there. The alarm goes off on his phone (and I guess Regina enchanted that to never run out of battery and to always have service) and the portal he’s been waiting for opens. But before he can go through the portal, he spots one of Cinderella’s glass slippers. He picks it up and watches as the portal closes, announcing that Operation Glass Slipper is under way.

Yes, he still has operation names.


Back in Hyperion Heights, Rogers returns to the precinct. The desk sergeant greets him and congratulates him on his promotion to detective, telling Rogers that he has a fairy godmother in Victoria Belfrey. He then takes Rogers to meet his new partner—who turns out to be Weaver. Yes, he’s not some gangster but a (possibly dirty) cop. Weaver shakes Rogers’ hand, saying he’s sure they will do great things together. 

(Run, Rogers. Run far away!)

Roni taps her pen as she stares at the signature line on the paperwork that would give Victoria her bar. She then puts it down and says she’s not going to sell after all. Victoria snaps that they had a deal and Roni says Jacinda made her change her mind. She explains that she didn’t like how Victoria just stormed into her bar like she owned it and Roni realized she doesn’t want to own it. Jacinda stood up to Victoria and Roni realizes that doesn’t happen that often. So she’s going to stand up to Victoria as well. She says that it’s her bar and her home and she’s not going to let Victoria have it.


Roni then gives an awesome speech that ends the episode. I can’t even begin to do it justice, so go to Youtube and find it. For now, I’ll recap the scenes we see as she delivers the speech—starting with Jacinda swallowing her pride and asking Louie for her job back. He hands her a mop and she starts cleaning.

(Oh, Jacinda)

Henry walks down a street carrying a bouquet of hyacinths. There’s a church across the street but when he arrives at his destination, he sees only an empty lot. He stops a woman and asks if there ever was a cemetery. She says no and that she’s been living there for over two decades. The woman walks on and Henry starts to realize something might be wrong.

(That is a WTF? face)

Officer Rogers continues to read the book and he stares at an illustration of Emma, bewitched by her.

As Roni talks about inspiration and new beginnings, Jacinda finds a quarter as she sweeps. She then goes to the well and makes a wish before throwing the quarter in. Meanwhile, we see Henry open up his laptop and erase his placeholder sentence. He then starts typing: “Once Upon a Time” as a hyacinth grows in the garden.

(Is this supposed to be like the clock starting to move?)

We return to Roni’s bar as she tears up the paperwork transferring the bar to Victoria, saying she won’t let a bully like her take the inspiration and new beginnings from the people of Hyperion Heights. Victoria tells her she’ll regret it but Roni tells her she lives without regret before doing a shot. She stands behind her bar, pleased with her decision.

(Cheers, Roni)

I’m not going to make any grand pronouncements about the new season as it’s just the start. I want to see a few more episodes and get a better feeling for it overall.


As for this episode, I think it’s a good start. I was more interested in the scenes in the Enchanted Forest as I felt many of the HyperIion Heights scenes bordered a bit too much on being a season 1 rehash with all the “We’re all cursed” “It’s not a curse! Fairy tales aren’t real” conversations. It also seems the show is setting up a Regina/Emma dynamic with Victoria/Roni in that Roni is now going to push back against Victoria, who is trying to steamroll them.

It’s interesting to see Henry, who possesses the Heart of the Truest Believer, not believe. And I can’t wait to see how the Cinderella/Henry relationship plays out. Dania Ramirez and Andrew J. West are doing a great job so far. And I can’t wait to see more from Sabine/Tiana!

Of course, we have several questions that need to be answered: Who cast the curse? Why? How did Regina, Hook and Rumple get caught up in it? What about everyone in Storybrooke? Hopefully, we’ll get these answers as the season continues…

Next time: We bid goodbye to Emma Swan and Jennifer Morrison.