OUAT: A Noblish Sacrifice

Last time on “Once”: Lucy was rushed to the hospital as everyone tried to figure out what was wrong with her.

Victoria meanwhile tried to keep Anastasia safe from Gothel and Drizella. She was forced to work with Rumple, who wanted to know if Anastasia was his long sought after Guardian as well as wanted to heal Lucy. He tested Anastasia and while she showed amazing magical powers, she ran away and let Drizella take her from their mother.

After going with Regina to San Francisco, Henry had to bail on her to be there for Lucy. She was left to deal with “Kelly,” Zelena’s cursed persona. Kelly hated Regina because she convinced Kelly’s daughter to drop out of college and travel the world, also seemingly cutting her mother out of her life as well. Regina apologized and tried to convince Kelly to come back to Seattle with her. When she refused, Regina was able to wake Zelena up. Zelena was willing to go to Seattle but pointed out a big problem—Kelly was getting married in a few weeks.

Rogers and Tilly discovered the coven symbol under the troll bridge and reported it to Weaver. He discovered a coin from the coven and told the two that “they” were in the city.

Henry read to Lucy and decided to try True Love’s Kiss, but it didn’t work. Regina told Zelena that was because Victoria must’ve broken Lucy’s belief, preventing the kiss from working. However, it was a good thing that it didn’t work—Henry’s life depended on it!

In the Enchanted Forest, we did a lot of time jumping. So hold on and try to keep up!

Ella gave birth to Lucy and Drizella showed up to threaten them with the Dark Curse. But Lady Tremaine somehow was working with the heroes and they used her blood to turn to Drizella into a statue. She got freed on Lucy’s eighth birthday by Mother Gothel and the two went off to cast the Dark Curse.

Regina went to recruit Zelena and a grown up Peanut, who were now in the Enchanted Forest while Hook went to visit Alice, who was keeping a fully Dark One Rumple company. Rumple gave Hook something to help him remember who Alice was in the curse and Alice asked him to deliver a letter to someone she had fallen in love with. Henry took Lucy to the original Enchanted Forest, leaving her with Tiger Lily so he could carve a magical wardrobe so they could escape ahead of the curse. But he got captured instead.

All the heroes confronted Drizella and Gothel, who revealed they captured Henry and poisoned him. It forced Regina to cast the curse. Alice’s new love was Peanut and they promised to find each other in the curse while Hook gave Ella the white elephant statue so she and Lucy would still be together in the curse.

In Hyperion Heights, Regina and Zelena vow to find a way to break the curse without killing Henry while Gothel gave Drizella’s powers to Anastasia. She then trapped Drizella in a hole with her mother while preparing to find the rest of her coven so the next part of her plan could start.

We open on a boiling potion as someone chants to some goddess. The camera pulls back to reveal three women in hoods, looking like members of Gothel’s coven, as the one chanting holds a book. She dips a vial in and gathers some potion in it before holding it up. 

(Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble...)

Her spell is interrupted by a ringing phone and one of the members lowers her hood to reveal she is a teen girl. She checks her phone and says it’s her mother, who will kill her if she misses family dinner at Granny’s. And then we get a placard that informs us that we are in Storybrooke and it soon becomes clear we are in Regina’s vault. Peanut lowers her hood and says that her friend can’t go since they are so close to making the spell work. Her friend says that they’ve been at it for hours and while Peanut’s mom is the Wicked Witch, Peanut has a long way to go in the magic department. Affronted, Peanut snaps that her friends can go but she’s going to continue with the spell.

Zelena puts a stop to it and sends the other girls home. She asks how Peanut got into the vault and Peanut says that “Aunt Regina” gave her one of Cora’s spell books because she’s cool and not anti-magic like Zelena is. She says that Zelena doesn’t want her doing magic because she (Zelena) doesn’t have hers anymore. Low blow, Peanut. Zelena takes her phone though Peanut argues that she’s eighteen. Zelena points out that Peanut is still a student and she pays the bills (what exactly is Zelena’s job then?). Peanut hands over the phone and storms out of the vault, saying she’s had enough mothering for one day.

Peanut storms out of the vault when the potion starts to react. She drops the vial and a dark cloud engulfs her, taking her away.

At Tiana’s palace, Henry and Ella admire their newborn daughter as Wish!Hook watches with pain in his eyes. Regina assures him that they will find Alice and a way to cure him so they can be together. As Ella takes Lucy from her father, a portal opens up. They all tense up and Wish!Hook pulls his sword. Zelena emerges from the portal and tells Regina that Mother Gothel has Peanut.

(Mama Bear mode: Activated)

Jacinda and Henry sit by Lucy’s beside as she remains in a coma. He notices Regina and Zelena outside, going to talk to him. Regina asks how Lucy is and he says there’s no change. She tells him not to give up and that she knows he’s a believer. He thanks her for the pep talk and walks away.

Zelena says it must be so hard for Regina to be so close to her son but he doesn’t know who he is. And she knows they need to break the curse but can’t because it will kill Henry. Regina says they will figure out a way to save everyone, together. Zelena says Wicked and Evil together but Regina says they’ll do it as sisters.

(The Mills sisters, together again)

Gothel tells Anastasia that she’s going to take her someplace more homey but Ana wants to live with her mother. So Gothel brings Ana to the well and raises Victoria up. Victoria asks if Ana is fine and Ana asks why she’s tied up. Gothel tells her that’s what you do to monsters. When Ana protests she’s not a monster, Gothel tells her that she poisoned Cecilia, killed a prince, framed Ella for it, nearly ripped out Drizella’s heart and killed Ana’s father. Ana asks her mother if that is true and Victoria says it is but that she did it so they could be a family. Gothel then reveals that Victoria but a little into a deep sleep to wake Ana and when Victoria confirms that, Ana runs off. Gothel says that it’s a good thing Ana found a new mother—her. She then drops Victoria back into the well and Drizella asks her mother how it feels to get everything she deserves.

(Victoria can't believe what's happening)

At the hospital, Zelena leaves a message asking Peanut to call her. Gothel makes a comment about how hard it is to be a mother and Zelena is ready to kick her ass. Gothel says she’s there to help Zelena and Regina, that witches need to stick together. She explains that she’s gotten Anastasia’s magic and they can use it to wake Lucy without hurting Henry. Zelena’s like “What’s the catch?” and Gothel smugs into the camera as we go to commercial break.

(That smile is a warning. She's about to pounce)

When we come back, Zelena tells Regina about Gothel’s offer. It seems what she wants in return is something called the Resurrection Amulet. Why are we just hearing about this and why wasn’t it used to bring back Robin last season? Anyway, Regina says that they can’t let Gothel have it because it comes with a very terrible price. Zelena says she knows but she’s agreed in hopes that if Gothel thinks they’re playing along, maybe they can find the Resurrection Amulet for themselves. Regina agrees and thinks they might be able to find a way to use it without paying the price.

Oh, Regina.

In the Enchanted Forest, Zelena lays into Regina for giving Peanut one of Cora’s magic books. Regina says that Peanut was just experimenting and that it was normal. Zelena, though, is not placated and says that now Gothel has taken her daughter to this realm where she does have powers. Hook is intrigued by her mention of Gothel and Zelena is first confused by his presence before remembering there are two of them. She tells him to buzz off and Regina offers to help find Peanut. Zelena says she did enough and that Peanut doesn’t need “cool Aunt Regina” parenting her. She tells Regina to stay with her perfect family while she deals with her dysfunctional one.

(That's definitely not how Regina thought this reunion was going to go. Seriously, how long has it been since Zelena and she saw each other?)

Zelena stalks off but Wish!Hook follows her. She dubs him “Nook” as in “New Hook” and tells him to buzz off. Nook tells her that he wants to kill Gothel too because she’s separated him from his daughter. Zelena doesn’t give a damn and Nook says he doesn’t give a damn that she doesn’t give a damn. He tells her that they’ll be better together—the enemy of my enemy and all that. Zelena reminds him that she’s the Wicked Witch of the West and she works alone but he asks her how that is working out for her. She realizes that she’ll need him and they set off together.

(An unlikely duo)

Rogers returns to the evidence locker, saying he’s left Tilly somewhere safe. He asks Rumple to explain what he meant by “they’re here.” Rumple says that Eloise Gardiner belongs to a cult that calls themselves the coven of eight and that she isn’t the innocent victim Rogers thought she was. Rather, she’s been part of some gruesome crimes, including kidnapping and murder. Rogers doesn’t believe him and says that he trusts his gut—which is that Eloise is innocent. And he’s going to prove it to Rumple.

(The usual reaction to Rumple)

At the hospital, the doctor says they still have no answers about why Lucy is in the coma. She asks Jacinda and Nick to get tested in case they need a donation of some kind. Relatives are the best bet and both agree to get tested. She points them in the right direction and they leave Henry. He glances at Lucy’s book before asking the doctor to test him. She asks if he’s a relative and he says no and asks if that really matters. She says there’s a better chance of a match with a relative but anyone can get tested. Henry agrees to be tested, hoping that maybe he’ll be able to help.

(This doctor has no clue what's going on here)

Victoria tries to climb out of the well as Drizella snarks at her. Victoria tells her that Gothel took her magic and threw her in a pit, which she says Drizella should take as a sign that Gothel is done with her. She reminds Drizella that she told her to stay away from Gothel and that the mother in her wants to leave her in the pit to die with that knowledge (that’s why you’re an awful mother, Victoria). But she has a daughter she does care about (ouch) and so pretty much demands Drizella helps her. When Drizella makes a snarky comments about Victoria ruining her nails, it gives her the idea to use her shoe to lower the rope. She and Drizella can now climb out.

(Resourceful)

Regina and Zelena return to Roni’s and Zelena asks her what she did to “her” bar. It seems “Kelly” either owned the bar or shared ownership with Roni. She says there used to be peanut shells and sawdust on the floor and moans that Regina had the bar top finished. Regina says she improved the bar but Zelena insisted it was “dive,” which was a respectable status for an establishment. Regina tells her that they aren’t there to debate what Regina did to the bar. She says that Gothel thinks Zelena has the resurrection amulet and she says that Victoria has been trying to buy the bar for as long as Regina can remember, so she thinks that her interest hasn’t just been in real estate and ousting Regina. They need to look around for the resurrection amulet.

Zelena watches Nook as he paces around the forest. She thinks he’s lost it but he says that his map says the place they need is right there. Zelena says his map is lost. He tells her that the map leads to a shop frequented by witches but that is hidden. Since he’s an expert at finding hidden treasure, he tells her to shut up and let him do what he does best. His hand hits something unseen but it makes a creaking sound. That perks up Zelena and she watches as he closes his hand as if it were on a doorknob, he turns it and welcomes her to Memento Mori.

They enter the shop and hear someone chanting in a distant room. Things start to happen—a toy monkey clangs some cymbals and a bell rings. For anyone who has ever ridden the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland or Disney World, you recognized the chants. They lead Nook and Zelena to where Gothel stands with a head floating in a ball. She introduces herself as Madame Leota, the Haunted Mansion’s mystic. Zelena demands to know where Peanut is and Nook threatens Gothel. Madame Leota is affronted that they have come into her store and are being so aggressive. She then says that there is no way out as the room as no windows and no doors (dialogue cribbed straight from the Haunted Mansion, though this time from the “Ghost Host” rather than Madame Leota). She offers a way out—zapping Nook.

(Hi, Madame Leota!)

Peanut steps in and stops Madame Leota before asking why Zelena is there. Zelena says she’s there to rescue her after Gothel kidnapped her. Peanut says she ran away because she’s an adult and trying to be the person Zelena won’t let her grow into. Nook tells Gothel he won’t let her take another daughter but she says that Peanut is the only one who can decide her fate. She asks Peanut which mother knows best. Peanut makes the door reappear and tells Zelena to leave while she stays to learn magic with Gothel. Brokenhearted, Zelena does just that while Nook tells Gothel it’s not over. He then follows Zelena out.

(Wrong side, Peanut)

Victoria and Drizella make it out of the well and Victoria says she can now go get Anastasia, the only daughter she gives a damn about. Heartbroken, Drizella tells Victoria that she’s been so focused on the daughter she preferred, she ignored the daughter right there. She then reveals that the lanterns she loved Anastasia for were really her (Drizella’s) idea. That throws Victoria for a loop.

Gothel has brought Anastasia back to her apartment. Anastasia says that there is a lot for her to adjust to—the new world, her mother’s crimes, everything. Gothel promises to help her and talks about how she longed for acceptance and a place to take root. She talks about finding people who supported her as a knock comes to the door. Anastasia makes everything start shaking and Gothel calms her down before hiding her in a closet as Rogers walks in. She says he startled her and he apologizes, explaining that Victoria is missing and he wanted to make sure she wasn’t bothering Eloise. Gothel says she hasn’t seen her. Rogers notices the bowl of cereal and glass of milk as well as the tea cup and asks if she’s alone. Gothel says she is and that she sometimes sets those things out to remind her of simpler times. He gets dangerously close to her closet and she tries to distract him with talk of her art therapy until she breaks a cup. It draws his attention away from the closet and she asks him to walk her to art therapy. Rogers agrees and they leave, Anastasia still in the closet.

(This is like something out of a horror movie)

The doctor gets a seltzer from a vending machine and when she turns around, Jacinda is right behind her. She makes a joke about the seltzer killing her before Jacinda asks if the results were in. The doctor tells her that the tests take time and she’ll let her know when she has something. Jacinda then goes to get a chocolate bar as Henry comes up, wondering who Lucy would think the doctor was. Jacinda isn’t in the mood, saying she can’t figure it out—one minute she was making Lucy dinner, the next she was rushing her to the hospital. She then notices a band aid on Henry’s arm and he says that he got tested, even though the chances were one in a million. But he says he would’ve taken one in a million for his family. Jacinda asks how he handled losing his family and he assures her that she isn’t going to lose Lucy. They then split the chocolate bar.

(Henry's giving a hope speech! Snow would be so proud)

Rogers returns to the evidence locker and Rumple asks if he found the proof of “Eloise’s” innocence. Rogers admits that she is hiding something but he isn’t sure what it is. Rumple shows him a list of greenhouses and explains that if it is the cult he’s thinking of, one of their rituals involves a sacred orchid. He warns that the ritual requires a sacrifice and Rogers wonders if “Eloise” could really be part of something so dark. Rumple says the best way to find out is to stop them.

Nook chases after Zelena as she blames herself. She says that she has stifled Peanut and her magic and now has lost her. Nook tells her that she hasn’t lost her daughter yet unless she decides not to fight for her. He tells her that she needs to go back and be Peanut’s mother—even if she doesn’t think she needs one, she does. And she needs her more than ever now that she’s mixed up with Gothel. Zelena takes his words to heart.

(Still an unlikely duo but I like it)

Zelena and Regina search the storage room. Zelena finds an old stain glass window that reveals Kelly and Roni used to own the bar together and it was called…Kelly and Roni’s. They…weren’t very original, were they? She’s touched that Regina kept it and Regina says that if she stays, they could put it. Zelena, though, breaks it and Regina is like “Were we not having a moment?” However, Zelena picks up something from the debris—the resurrection amulet. They’ve found it.

(It is a lovely sign. I love that "Kelly" is written in green and "Roni's" is written in purple)

Back at Madame Leota’s, Peanut admires all the items in the shop. Mother Gothel points out a bow and quiver, saying the arrows were enchanted to always hit their marks. (So like Robin always hit his mark). Peanut is impressed and then asks why there are no cauldrons in the shop. Gothel tells her only amateurs use cauldrons. Peanut takes it as proof her mother wasn’t very powerful since she had cauldrons everywhere—though they were only serving as plant pots now that she had no magic. She knows Gothel can help her be ten times more powerful than Zelena. In fact, Gothel reveals she’s going to help cast a spell that will bring Leota back to life using the Resurrection Stone and Peanut is thrilled. Gothel tells her to step up to the sacred ornament and Peanut does it, even though the Pentagram should’ve probably given her pause. Gothel tells her to stay perfectly still and Leota tells her to die.

(Serious red flags here, Peanut!)

Gothel shoots a beam from the resurrection amulet, which makes Peanut double over in pain. She cries that she thought Gothel was going to make her a powerful witch. Gothel tells Peanut that she’s a mediocre witch with a lot more ambition. Leota, though, is powerful and will be more useful to Gothel’s coven so Peanut should be honored to be sacrificed for her. Zelena, though, storms in and orders Gothel to stop. Nook is ready to fight her and Gothel continues to banter with him. Zelena ultimately takes Peanut’s place, pulling her daughter out of the pentagram and standing next to the sacred orchid. She says she’s doing it because she’s her mother and she orders Peanut to run away, to live her life.

(Poor Zelena)

Zelena weakens but the amulet is knocked out of Gothel’s hand. Peanut stands there with the bow and arrow. She says she doesn’t know if the arrows are really enchanted to always hit their marks or if she just has a knack for archery but wonders if Gothel is willing to take a chance. Gothel and Leota leave. Peanut hugs her mother, amazed she was going to sacrifice herself. Zelena says that she’s Peanut’s mother and apologizes for holding her back. Peanut apologizes for the awful things she said and then asks if they can leave.

(Like father, like daughter)

In Roni’s storage room, Zelena wonders if they can figure out a way to use the amulet without paying the price. Regina says she hopes so. Best case scenario, they wake up Lucy without anyone getting hurt and worse case, they buy themselves some time to figure it out. But then Victoria shows up with a gun, saying Regina’s problem is that she wants everything without putting in the work. (Shut up, Victoria. You clearly know nothing about Regina). She bellyaches about how Regina casts a curse and everyone forgives her because it was for a good reason. (More like everyone acknowledges that she was in an impossible position. Though only about five people are awake so really, Victoria?) Regina says it’s because people know she’s not a monster and Victoria insists she’s not either. (Yes, yes, you are). She gets Regina to hand over the amulet and says that she’ll prove herself when Gothel wakes up Lucy. Regina warns her that the price to using the amulet is too high but Victoria says that it is impossible when it comes to their children.

("Hand over the show and no one will get hurt")

At a greenhouse, Victoria delivers the amulet. Gothel is surprised to see it with her but Victoria just wants her to use it to wake Lucy and let her take Anastasia home. Gothel has Ana reactivate the amulet with her magic. She uses her own to tell Anastasia to go wait in the other room and not listen to anything she hears going on. Ana leaves and Victoria asks what Gothel is going to do now. Gothel transports Drizella there and tells Victoria that she should know that all magic comes with a price as a confused Drizella looks on.

("What's going on now?")

Zelena and Peanut walk through the woods at night, apologizing to each other. Zelena has the resurrection amulet and offers to give Peanut her powers back. Peanut, though, doesn’t think she’s meant to be a witch—she just thought she had to be one because of who her family is. She compares Zelena to Beyonce and herself to Blue Ivy. She says that she wants to focus on another legacy—holding the bow and arrow felt right, her name is Robin and her father was Robin Hood. It sounds like she wants to explore her father’s legacy. Zelena supports that, saying that being Jay-Z is just as respectable as being Beyonce. Peanut tells her mother to take her magic for her own so she can be a witch again. Zelena thanks her and does that before saying they need to hide the Resurrection Amulet. Even inactive, it can do a lot of damage in the wrong hands.

(Mother and daughter)

Like Gothel’s. Drizella asks what the price is and why she is there. Victoria realizes that the spell they need to cast requires a sacrifice and Gothel confirms that to save a life, they need to take a life. She uses the amulet on Drizella, who starts to double over in pain. Drizella lashes out at her mother, saying that her death is everything she’s ever wanted. Victoria, though, insists that it isn’t. She says that Drizella shouldn’t have to pay the price—she should.

Victoria pushes Drizella away and takes her place, saying she’ll sacrifice her life for Lucy’s. Gothel is pretty much “Works for me” and uses the amulet on her. Drizella tries to reach for her mother, apologizing and crying. Victoria tells her it is better that way and apologizes for not treating her better. She lets out a scream as Lucy starts to come around, the machines going nuts. Sabine runs out to get the doctor as Henry and Jacinda watch Lucy. We cut back to Victoria as Drizella cradles her. Victoria tells her daughter that she loves her before dying. Lucy wakes up and sees Jacinda and Henry, wondering why they are staring at her. They laugh and hug each other, relieved.

Zelena and Regina return to the hospital. It seems Zelena can pick locks and she tells Regina they need to have a conversation about the security of their bar. They approach Lucy’s room, amazed to see her awake and eating pudding as Jacinda and Henry talk with her. They wonder how she woke up and realize that someone must’ve lost their life so she would wake up thanks to the Resurrection Amulet.

(All is well)

Rumple and Rogers find Drizella cradling her mother’s body. She says it was supposed to be her but her mother saved her. Rogers asks if she’s okay and Drizella says she doesn’t know. Adelaide Kane’s acting in this scene broke my heart. Rogers tells Rumple that he’s sorry he didn’t believe him but he didn’t want to think there was such evil in their city. Rumple warns them that if the cult is back, then things are about to get very dark.

(Drizella looks so lost now)

At the hospital, the doctor goes through the test results. We learn that Jacinda’s cursed last name is Vidrio and the test confirms that she is Lucy’s mother. (Duh). She then goes to Nick’s results, which prove (in Maury’s voice) he is not the father. Behind his are Henry’s results, which prove (in Maury’s voice) he is the father! She is confused but doesn’t have much time to puzzle it out. She sips her seltzer but struggles to breathe after. She spots something in her drink before she collapses to the floor, dead. A mysterious gloved hand snips some hair from her and then takes the test results before the screen goes dark.

(Is there a realm of Agatha Christie novels?)

There’s a murderer in Hyperion Heights!

So this was a pretty strong premiere, but as I noted earlier, this show always does premieres (and usually finales) well. This does explain how Zelena and Robin got to the Enchanted Forest, though I’m not entire sure why they decided to stay and not go home. I guess they decided to stay and help their family fight Gothel.

Over the hiatus, there had been rumors that Gabrielle Anwar (Rapunzel/Lady Tremaine/Victoria) had already wrapped and that her character would die during the season. Some thought it made sense as her arc seemed to be going nowhere and the only thing to do was to kill her off while others didn’t think it would happen since Anwar was a regular. (Though they did kill Neal off halfway through season 3 and Michael Raymond-James was a regular). I thought that Victoria’s arc had become redundant and was okay with them killing her (though if that had been the plan, I’m not entire sure why they would then make Anwar a regular they would have to pay through the end of the season). I just think it was too little, too late to count as a redemption for Victoria. It was the motherly thing to die for Drizella but it still doesn’t make up for all the abuse she put her daughter through over the years. I think if there had been a few more episodes where she slowly realized how wrong she had been in her behavior and then had sacrificed herself, it might’ve been better.


The resurrection amulet seems a bit pointless. I figured back when it was first introduced it would never be seen again. And now that the season is over, I was right.


Next time: A Tiana centric!