OUAT: Lost in the Darkness

Yep, since we now know the new recurring characters for Season 6A are Jekyll and Hyde, I’m going to be using songs from the musical as recap titles. Enjoy!

Last time on “Once:” Robin was still dead and the Merry Men took Roland back to the Enchanted Forest. But Regina was off with Emma chasing down Henry, who is trying to destroy magic, so he said his goodbyes to ZELENA. Because that makes sense.

Anyway, Rumple pursued Henry to New York to get the magic back so he could free Belle from Pandora’s box. Regina had some self-realization going on and the other leads got stuck in a world populated by Jekyll and Hyde.

Now onto part II…

Jekyll comes to in a straightjacket and he’s like “Great.” Hyde also left him a note, gloating about besting him. But Jekyll notices the Orderly asleep and manages to relieve him of his keys. Score 1 for Dr. Jekyll.

He returns to the cage and apologizes that he lost the wand. They aren’t thrilled to hear that. But he does tell them he got the key, so he can let them out. He thinks he knows where the Warden hid the wand so he can take them there. Then they can all go to Storybrooke. They bust out.

Jekyll leads them through a market place filled with an array of people. He explains that this is a land of untold stories, a place where all types of characters congregate. Intriguing.

(How many characters can you spot?)

In New York, Henry and Violet haven’t done with Emma asked them to do. Of course. Instead, they track down where Rumple is—the dark purple clouds swirling against the skyscraper was a pretty big freaking clue, after all. Henry is still determined to destroy magic and will not be deterred.

(Hmm, wonder where Gold is?)

A hotel employee gets off an elevator with room service, listening to “Jessie’s Girl” as he heads toward Rumple’s room. He hesitates, though, when he notices an unnatural glow coming from behind the door. Rumple opens it, making the man more nervous. Especially when it looks like the room is set up for some sort of ritual. The man uncovers the meal but it’s not what Rumple ordered. He apologizes and offers to exchange it, trying to get out of there before Rumple can kill him. Rumple stops him and then gives him a $100 bill, explaining it might get messy in there. The man runs from the room.

(Is worried he just stepped into a horror film)

Outside, Emma gets a message from Granny and informs Regina that Snow, Charming, Hook and Zelena were sucked through a portal to another realm. Regina’s response: “Again?” It just sums up the show now. They realize they have to get the magic back so they can rescue their family and head toward the hotel with the ominous purple clouds. Emma stops Regina, asking her what her plan is without her magic. It’s pretty much break his nose, which I can get behind. But she does have another one…

(Regina's face is just the perfect depiction of everything)

Regina appears at Rumple’s door, saying she wants in with whatever he’s doing. She says she’s done being good, that Robin’s death was the last straw. Being good doesn’t pay. So the Evil Queen is coming back and so she’s going to help her old teacher, since the storm clouds outside tell her that Belle is still stuck in the box and asleep.

(She looks ready to burn everything to the ground)

In the World of Untold Stories, Jekyll takes the heroes to his house. Zelena makes a quip about maids not having untold story as she finds some dirt and dust in the house. Jekyll picks up a vial of red solution before he is ambushed by the Orderly, who injects him with the usual serum. As Jekyll begins his transformation, Snow realizes who their new friend really is. Zelena tries to zap him but it does nothing, so they run for it. Hyde emerges and clutches onto Jekyll’s potion, happy.

(What fresh hell is this?)

Emma sneaks into Gold’s room and searches for the crystal. However, he reveals to Regina that she’s not really the Evil Queen anymore and tells Emma she can stop slinking about. Regina asks how he knew and Gold says she’s too good now, that not even the death of a boyfriend (he was her SOULMATE! STOP DOWNPLAYING IT WRITERS!) could make her revert.

(Busted)

Gold gloats about having the crystal but Henry bursts in with Violet. He manages to get the crystal and tosses it into the chalice. It explodes with a violent light that shakes the room. As everyone recovers, Emma asks her son what he did. Henry replies that he destroyed magic forever. They are aghast.

(He touches Henry, he's dead)

Back in the World of Untold Stories, Hyde injects himself with the serum Jekyll was looking to make off with. In what is definite nightmare fuel, we see Jekyll separate from Hyde and fall to the floor. They are now two individuals and Hyde is looking forward to destroying Jekyll. But the heroes rush in and Snow retrieves the wand, using it on Hyde. David helps a surprised Jekyll up. He thought they would’ve run and Zelena said she was all for that but was outvoted. After Jekyll grabs a few things, they run and leave an unconscious Hyde behind.

(Go get 'em, Snow!)

In New York, Henry is in for a rude awakening. Regina and Emma inform their son that his grandparents, aunt and Hook are trapped in another world. That without their magic, they won’t be able to rescue them now. Henry realizes that the consequences of what he did were severe, though to be fair, he didn’t know. Nor could he know that Belle was trapped in Pandora’s box. They really didn’t do a good job explaining what destroying magic would mean so that maybe Henry wouldn’t be so focused on how magic kept hurting him family over and over. Now, they need to figure out what to do next.

(Oh crap)

Emma finds Henry sitting in front of a fountain. She says she remembered that he enjoyed coming there when they were in New York. Henry says that they were happy when they were living there but Emma points out that they didn’t remember their family. She then recalls how he used to love to throw quarters into the fountain and make a wish. Holding out a coin, she asks if he wants to do that now But Henry feels too guilty about the fact that his family is stuck but Emma assures him that they will do everything they can to get them back.

(Henry doesn't look comforted)

Rumple and Regina take a trip to Chinatown as he explains there is someone who can help them. They enter a grocery store and approach the owner. Rumple dispenses with the niceties and forces the owner to reveal who he truly is—the Dragon, back from the dead.

Meanwhile, Robin is still obliterated.

(Not. Fair.)

Emma meets up with them, bringing Henry and Violet. The Dragon is able to locate Snow, David, Zelena and Hook but cannot bring them back. He is not strong enough to do that but that they might be able to find a way to bring magic back. They just have to believe. Rumple also suspects that’s where Belle-in-a-box went as well. Before they leave, the Dragon has a warning to Regina—saying that she is fighting a battle inside her and if she loses, they will all suffer.

(Wonder if JMo is getting House flashbacks?)

Henry brings everyone back to the fountain and says he has an idea. He tells Emma about the last time he wished for something at the fountain, saying it was that she wouldn’t be so lonely. A few days later, Hook knocked on their door. (So I guess things weren’t so great with Walsh or did the writers forget about him?). Henry says that he believes the fountain has magic and that they just need to wish their family back. They all take a quarter and make the wish, throwing their quarters into the water.

Nothing happens.

(Bring Robin Hood back)

In the Land of Untold Stories, Jekyll leads the heroes to an alley near a crowded marketplace. He says it’s the best place to try to get to their world. Meanwhile, Hyde has followed them and watches from across the market.

Back in New York, Henry gets and idea and climbs to the top of stone lion. He addresses everyone chilling by the fountain and says he needs their help. Henry tells them that once upon a time they believed in magic and he needs them to believe again to save his family who are trapped in another world. So he asks everyone to throw a coin into the fountain and wish for her family to be rescued. He asks them to believe.

(I'm King of the World!)

While the others are proud, embarrassed or a combination of the two, the people around them do start tossing quarters into the fountain. As they do, the crystal starts to glow and they realize magic is coming back. It’s working.

In the marketplace, the heroes and Jekyll are being pelted with quarters. Realizing something is happening, Hyde lunges after them and they feel cornered until a portal engulfs them in a bright light. Hyde is left behind while they emerge in the fountain in New York to thunderous applause.

(Ta da!)

As they reunite with their family members, the people begin to drift away. Henry realizes with a pang of disappointment that they thought it was just some performance. Emma tells him that that’s how they need to see it because they aren’t ready to accept the truth about magic. Though I think that’ll be the storyline for the final season, whenever that is—the outside world discovering magic and Storybrooke having to defend itself from the onslaught.

In the Land of Untold Stories, Hyde rages in Jekyll’s laboratory. He smashes everything until Rumple arrives. Rumple knows that Hyde has Pandora’s Box and is willing to make a deal with him for it.

Uh oh.

Everyone else has retreated to Neal’s/Robin’s apartment. They are still concerned about Regina, who has gone up to the roof. Emma says she’s talked with her and understands her better. Snow decides to head up with some hot chocolate to talk to her.

(That's an interesting ingredient)

Regina says cinnamon isn’t going to solve her problems. Snow says she has another secret ingredient, pulling out a flask and adding booze. I approve of this secret ingredient. Clearly so does Regina as she does sit down to talk with Snow, once again about her dual nature. She admits she made a wish at the fountain and no, it was not to bring Robin back. Because…the writers suck. No, she wished for a way to be rid of the Evil Queen.

Snow thinks she might have a way to make that dream come true. She reveals that Jekyll brought along the serum that allowed him to separate himself from Hyde. Regina can use it on herself and destroy the Evil Queen for good, if she wants. Even though it seemed that Regina was always on par to accept that the Evil Queen was always part of her…but fine. Still don’t see why Robin had to die for this.

(Also, they’re at Neal’s but the roof looks like the one from Emma’s apartment building. I know it’s probably easier to just recycle the same set but…does it mean Emma’s way nicer apartment was in Neal’s building? Someone?)

Anyway, Emma comes up and offers to help if Regina wants to separate herself from the Evil Queen. She decides to do it and warns them to be careful with the queen, that they’ll have only a few moments before she realizes what is happening. Regina rolls up her sleeve and lets Mary Margaret inject her with the serum.

You know, I can’t help but feel that if Robin was here, he’d be against this. That he’d talk to her about how he loves all of her, including the Evil Queen and she doesn’t need to destroy that part of herself. Is that why he had to die?

We get more nightmare fuel as the Evil Queen is separated from Regina. The two stare at each other—Regina looking terrified while the Evil Queen sneers. She declares Regina weak and starts to lay into her when Regina pulls out her heart. The queen laughs and tells her that she needs her (the Evil Queen). Regina denies that and crushes the heart. The Queen disintegrates. She looks at Emma and Snow and feels free at last.

(Double the Lana!)

They return to Storybrooke and Henry takes Violet aside. She says she needs to get back to her father and face the music. He apologizes for making them miss going back to Camelot and she reveals that her father is actually from Connecticut. You guessed it—Violet’s father is Mark Twain’s Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. They even drop the title. She says he never felt at home or welcomed in Camelot and so was glad she was born there. But she’s eager to learn more about his world. She and Henry share a kiss and it looks like this teenage romance might have some legs after all.

(Go, Henry!)

As everyone disperses, Emma and Hook talk. After he made a comment about her usually saying “I love you” because one of them was in mortal danger, she points out that everything is calm. He agrees and then she tells him she loves him. He kisses her, lifting her off the ground as well.

(Happy CS)

Henry returns to Regina and asks how she’s doing. She says she’s okay and they hug. But then they notice the crystal in the middle of the street and it starts to glow. A shadow appears and they look up to see Hyde standing before them.

Uh oh.

He approaches Regina and reveals that he made a deal with Rumple. He gave the imp something he wanted and in return, Rumple gave him control of Storybrooke. So Hyde’s bringing over people from the Land of Untold Stories and is going to run the town. Regina’s like “I know several people who have tried and failed. Let me put you in touch with them.” As he threatens her and Henry, she realizes this might be serious.

Down in Chinatown, a strange mist floats on the wind. It goes to visit the Dragon and reforms as the Evil Queen. She’s pissed that Regina tried to destroy her and reveals that she’s not going down so easily. As she removes the Dragon’s heart, she grins like a madwoman.

(Long live the Queen)

So ends Season 5, which started on a high note for me as Sean Maguire was made a regular and ended on a low note as Robin Hood was killed and Sean let go. Despite all my ranting and my love for Sean, I did love Once without him and so I will continue to watch.

(Though I keep my fingers crossed Adam and Eddy realize how bad a decision it was to kill Robin and figure out a way to resurrect him. It’s happened before on this show, right?)

It’s been confirmed that Season 6 will be more like Seasons 1 and 2—an overreaching plot for the entire season rather than two half seasons with their own arcs. So we’ll see how that goes!

I’ll resume my hiatus watching of Season 1 this week so I should have those recaps starting again soon. Otherwise, see you in September for Season 6! 

Screen caps from here.