OUAT: Letting Go

Last time on Once: THEY KILLED ROBIN!

(Nope, still not over that)

Henry decided to destroy magic, causing his mothers and grandfather to chase after him. He succeeded…just in time to learn most of his family was trapped in another world. They all had to work together with the Dragon to try to bring magic into the world and Henry recruited a bunch of New Yorkers to help. With their help, they were able to restore magic and open a portal to save the others.

Snow, David, Zelena and Hook needed to be rescued from the Land of Untold Stories. They had befriended Dr. Jekyll, who helped them break out of an asylum. But it also meant dealing with Mr. Hyde, who separated himself from Jekyll. The heroes saved Jekyll and he came with them to the Land Without Magic AKA our world.

Jekyll brought back the serum he used to separate Hyde from him. He gave it to Snow, who gave it to Regina to use. With Emma and Snow watching, Regina used it and separated the Evil Queen from herself. She took out the Queen’s heart and crushed it, killing it and ridding herself of her evil side.

Rumple traveled to the Land of Untold Stories and made a deal with Hyde to get Belle in the Box back. That deal? He gave Hyde Storybrooke for the people of the Land of Untold Stories to move into. The others discovered this when Hyde showed up to ruin the moment after Henry’s first kiss with Violet. Regina was pretty much “Not another idiot thinking he can take my town from me. When will they learn?”

Meanwhile, the Evil Queen materialized in the Dragon’s shop. Regina didn’t kill her and now, she’s out for revenge.

And that brings us to Season 6…

(Another shot of a rider on a horse)

We open in the desert. Someone rides hard across the sands as a flying carpet overhead casts a shadow. The man tries to outrun the carpet, entering a building in the middle of nowhere. A young girl greets him and he asks for the Savior. She says he’s not taking any visitors.

The man is killed and pushed aside by Jafar, now played by a different actor from Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. He demands to speak to Aladdin but the Oracle steps between them. So Jafar bats her away too, challenging Aladdin. But he remains huddle up, his hand shaking. Jafar taunts him, saying Saviors give and give but in the end, get nothing. Especially not happy endings.

(Not Naveen Andrews)

In Storybrooke, Emma and Hook go home and are making out. As they fall onto the couch, Emma asks about everyone that could interrupt them—Henry is with Regina, he doubts her parents are going to walk in on them and he’s quite fond of her red jacket so, no, she doesn’t have to take it off. They resume making out until Hook realizes the house is shaking. They rush outside and a dirigible flies overhead.

(*Cue Marvin Gaye*)

Looks like they won’t even get five minutes without shenanigans.

Everyone has spotted the dirigible, which Jekyll says is from the Land of Untold Stories. Hyde shows up and reminds them that Gold gave him the town. Snow and Regina are like “That means jack” and Emma hits him with her magic. She asks Regina to join her, but Regina is uncertain how her magic will act without the Evil Queen. Emma assures her that her magic will work without the Queen (anyone remember she can do light magic?) and they hit him. It does little to defeat him but it does manage to stop him for a bit.

(A wild Hyde appears)

They go to check the dirigible but the occupants are long gone. They figure they ran into the woods and are hiding. For now, they need to subdue Hyde. Jekyll says that since dirigible came from the Land of Untold Stories, he can use it to make a taser like the one the Warden used on Hyde in the finale. It can knock him out and then they can lock him up. He is given the go-ahead to do it.

Emma touches some debris and has a flash. When she drops it, she finds that her hand is shaking. Snow calls out to her and Emma hides her hand, insisting everything is fine. She walks away and looks concerned as she clutches her hand.

(Uh oh)

Meanwhile, Rumple wanders around as we hear a voiceover from Hyde. He gave him some special dust that will allow Rumple to enter Belle’s dreams. From there, he can try to wake her up. He sets up Belle’s box and pulls her from inside. He then tosses the dust on her and enters…Mount Olympus? 
Hey, can you ask Zeus why he won’t send Robin back? Please?

(The secret ingredient is...)

Anyway, a man appears and introduces himself as Morpheus. He says he will guide Rumple through Belle’s dream world so he can try to wake his wife. But there will be a time limit. Rumple’s okay with that.

(Hot damn)

Regina returns home to find a mess. Zelena is moving in—as apparently she and Regina agreed to it in a scene that happened off screen. She looks pretty cute with her hair in a loose ponytail held by a green bow. Anyway, she promises to have everything sorted soon and asks Regina about fighting Hyde. Regina fills her in and Zelena lays Peanut (not using her given name and thankfully the show doesn’t seem to want to either) down in her crib for a nap before saying she’ll go help smoke Hyde. Regina tells her she needs to stay there as they have it under control and doesn’t mention what we’re all thinking: What kind of a mother thinks she can leave her month-old daughter alone?

Robin needs to come back to take care of Peanut since Zelena won’t.

(Poor Peanut. You deserve so much better. Like your Daddy)

Zelena then talks about the feather Roland gave her to give Regina, the one from his father’s arrows. Regina’s eyes light up but it dies when Zelena can’t find it. She asks if Regina is mad but she insists that she’s fine, that Zelena will find it.

As for me, I’m pissed that she lost Roland’s gift to Regina. UGH!

(Regina is totally not fine)

We next see Regina blasting protection spells at her vault, an angry look on her face. Snow finds her and asks if she’s okay. Regina insists she’s fine but Snow isn’t buying it. So Regina tells her about how Zelena lost the feather and Snow thinks Regina needs to have a conversation with her sister. But first they need to stop Hyde. Regina tells Snow that she should know best that heroics take precedence over personal problems.

Everyone regroups outside Town Hall. Jekyll gives Emma the weapon and everyone goes to standby while Regina double dog dares Hyde to come out and face her. He takes it, certain that he can easily beat the former Evil Queen. 

(Oh yeah?)

And as he starts to choke her, it looks like he might be right. She pleads with Emma to fire the weapon, but Emma’s hand starts to shake and she freezes as she watches it. Regina struggles against Hyde as I wish one of Robin’s arrows would fly through the air to rescue her. But in the end, Emma recovers herself and shoots Hyde. He is propelled back and damages Regina’s car.

Poor Regina can’t catch a break, can she?

Morpheus brings him through some woods before pointing to Dark One Manor, saying Belle is there. That’s her dream world. Rumple seems to be pleased that she’s dreaming of his house.

Until he gets inside. It doesn’t look like Dark One Manor at all. In fact, it looks even darker and scarier than Dark One Manor really is. Apparently, that’s possible. Belle is wearing her blue dress and white apron and apologizing that she doesn’t have anything ready as she wasn’t expecting Rumple home so soon. She runs out to get tea while Rumple figures out what’s going on.

(Beauty and the Beast...circa Season 1)

Morpheus explains that this is how Belle remembers the Dark One Manor in her dreams—it was place where she was terrified, where she was trapped. And she sees Rumple as the Dark One, as the macramé villain who locked her up and tormented her. She doesn’t remember that she loves him, so there’s an obstacle to True Love’s Kiss. Rumple needs to remind her of their love before time runs out and Belle ends up in the flaming room we haven’t seen since Season 2. (Nice they remember it).

No pressure.

("What the hell, man?")

Emma examines the dirigible when she hears someone coming. She tenses up before Archie emerges with Pongo. Welcome back, you two!  He comes bearing coffee and the offer to talk. She realizes that her family sent him and he tells her that they’re worried. That she’s been through a lot lately (keeping in mind that Season 3B, Season 4 and Season 5 happen right after each other. Maybe half a year or almost an entire year). But she insists she’s fine, lashing out at Archie. He’s calm through it all and tells her that he’s there when she’s ready to talk.

(Hi, Archie!)

She then finds Hook and tries to pretend she’s fine but he’s not buying it. He begs her to tell him what’s bothering her but she just brushes him off again.

Belle sets up the tea tray as Gold prepares to be Season 1 Dark One all over again. Except he has Season 6’s memories, so he’s a lot nicer to her this time around. He catches the teacup before it can get chipped and tells her to take a break. She looks suspicious but goes with the flow for now.

He then lies about having to attend some ball later and says he wants to brush up on his dancing skills. He asks her to help him and she’s hesitant at first. But when he sets the mood with music (“Beauty and the Beast”) and the gold dress, she agrees. They waltz around the room and Dark One Manor starts to change, brighten up. Rumple is pleased.

(They're determined to use this dress every season, I swear)

With Hyde out of her office, Regina returns to it. She pauses as she stares at the patch of floor where she clung to Robin’s body…I’m guessing not even a week ago. I’m not sure how long after his death Robin’s funeral was but it did seem like a day or two after. That same night, Henry and Violet decided to run off to New York, it was discovered the next day, it seems all the events of the finale took place in one day, they returned to Storybrooke the next day so…Yeah, not even a week. She stares at the spot and starts to tear up. It looks like we’re going to get Regina grieving…

But then Zelena walks in. I have no clue who is watching Peanut but based on the earlier scene, the poor thing is probably in Regina’s mansion by herself. Maybe Henry somehow goes to watch her since he’s hardly in this episode so far. Anyway, Regina mentions that this is her first time back since losing Robin and Zelena points out that she lost someone too. Regina’s like “Not now.” She then takes Snow’s advice and lets her sister have it, revealing that she blames Zelena for Robin’s death. Zelena counters that she didn’t drag Regina to hell but Regina points out that she went willing, as did Robin. And then Zelena yells that she feels betrayed that Regina took out her evil part, the part most like Zelena, without consulting her. Regina’s like “I didn’t have to” and Zelena decides to move out. She poofs out of there.

(Regina needs a hug and some time with Archie, not your whining, Zelena)

It annoyed me that Zelena made Regina’s grief all about her. And I’m glad the writers aren’t making them besties after just remembering one time when they were nice to each other. I still doubt that Regina will ever hold Zelena accountable for what she did to Robin, though…

Emma visits Hyde in his new lodgings—Zelena’s old cell. She asks him what he knows about the visions she’s having and her shaking hand. He tells her to follow the red bird. There’s then some threats and Emma telling him that he’s made a mistake crossing her and her family.

(Poor Emma)

Night falls as Snow and David walk through the woods. She senses the people from the Land of Untold Stories are lurking about. Snow announces to them that they are welcomed and no one will hurt them. She says they can go to Granny’s where they will be given food, supplies and shelter.

(Olly olly oxen free!)

Meanwhile, Belle and Rumpel are so close. She’s seeing him in a better light and he starts to remind her of their love. But it starts to remind her of everything he’s done to her and she’s like “Yeah, no. I’m done with you.” Rumple can’t believe she’s rejecting him.

(It's all coming back to her now...)

Morpheus, though, is thrilled. He said he had to be sure she wouldn’t go back with him, that she wouldn’t fall for his lies. Rumple is very confused and Belle is too as Morpheus says he can now wake her with True Love’s Kiss. She says she doesn’t know him or love him but he tells her she’s loved him from the moment he was conceived. Because he’s the unborn Rumbelle baby!

Oh SNAP!

It turns out that the dust didn’t just bring Belle’s dream world to life, it also brought their unborn baby’s! And he’s already aware of everything his father did to his mother and doesn’t approve. So he begs his mother not to go back to Rumple before kissing her forehead.

(How sweet!)

True Love’s Kiss wakes Belle and she returns to…Olympus? I don’t know. Anyway, she’s happy to be up but she also is going to heed their son’s warning. She leaves Rumple as she returns to Storybrooke and he stays behind to brood over how he already lost another son before the kid’s even born.

Ouch.

("Why me?")

Emma goes to the woods and spots the red bird Hyde was talking about. She follows it to the Oracle, the young girl who had been in the opening scene with Jafar and Aladdin. She knows who Emma is and why she’s there, talking about Emma’s flashes. And then she lets Emma see the whole vision.

(Iago?)

It’s night on Main Street as Emma fights a hooded figure with a sword. Hook, Snow, David and Henry run up to her but are powerless to help. Emma loses her sword and the hooded figure runs her through. The vision ends as Emma pants, upset. The Oracle reveals that she just saw her own death.

dun dun DUN!

Henry comes downstairs to find his mother kneeling in front of the fireplace, performing magic. She explains about the feather Zelena lost and Henry realizes she’s trying to cast a locator spell. He tells her it won’t work because the spell won’t be trying to find Robin’s feather, it will be trying to find Robin and they both know why it won’t find him. Regina says she knows he’s gone and it pains her to think his soul was obliterated too. Henry, though, doesn’t think so. He tells her that Hades was a villain and villains will say anything to hurt people. So he doesn’t think that Robin’s soul is gone and choses to believe that when a hero’s story is over, there’s a better place waiting for them. Regina takes comfort in that while I yelled at my TV that Robin’s story wasn’t over.

(Let's have some Regal Believer)

Emma pops into the diner, surprising Hook. She assures him that everything is fine and that she spoke with Archie, claiming her tremors was just stress. He seems to accept it and they spend the rest of the night together.

(Cheers!)

Meanwhile, Regina and Snow have a heart-to-heart outside Town Hall. She says she understands the people who went to the Land of Untold Stories to stop their story. For many years, she had stopped her own as she sought revenge against Snow. Regina apologizes for being an awful stepmother to her but Snow insists that she learned all about hope while on the run from Regina, so she’s grateful to her for that.

As images of people from the Land of Untold Stories entering Granny’s while Emma and Hook hand out supplies as well as Belle walking past Gold’s shop play, Regina says that she’s had several stories and played many roles. And now she’s ready to start a new story, one without the Evil Queen. She and Snow walk away as a feather floats down, landing on the bench.

More on that later. Let’s just get through the final scene.

Zelena storms into her farmhouse, Baby Peanut in hand. She is surprised to find a fire lit and stops short when she finds the Evil Queen sitting at the table. She has two drinks prepared and offers one to her sister, saying she can give her the sister Zelena has always wanted—one just like her.

(Can I have one of those?)

Okay, back to the feather. For those who aren’t obsessed with Lana Parrilla like me, feathers are very important to her. After a rough period in her life, she came to see them as a symbol of hope, of things getting better. She even as a tattoo of one. So it seems the writers used that with the feather.

There have been lots of theories about the feather, especially in light of the news that Sean Maguire would be reprising his role as Robin Hood some time during the season. Many have wondered if the feather (as well as all the talk about Robin) had been added to tease his return. My theory is that no, they weren’t. That they had been written and filmed that way to provide what Adam and Eddy believed would be closure for the character. I believe that the fan outcry and probably pressure from higher ups forced them to at least provide better closure for Robin, if that’s the storyline Sean is returning for. (We still know nothing about it).

As for a season premiere, it was pretty good. It built on things introduced in the finale and introduced new ideas well. Looks like we’re going to have to worry about Emma, though I think we’re all pretty sure she’s going to survive the season—right?

Next time: The Evil Queen reveals herself and the Count of Monte Cristo has some revenge to enact. 

Screen caps from here.