Once Upon a Time has reached a point where we’re building to the conclusion. Zelena has to be destroyed in my book. She wants to the the favored child, but time travel may not accomplish that. Her spell requires Charming’s courage, Regina’s heart and Rumple’s brain. Zelena may overstep in this week’s episode when she threatens Henry. And Glinda also makes an appearance, so it will be a busy night.

Once Upon a Time: Zelena’s Plan Has One Big Flaw >>>


Enchanted Land

Regina, Charming, Snow, Aurora and Phillip have a meeting when Belle enters. She tells everyone that Rumple is back and Neal is dead, but Rumple absorbed him. Zelena has the dagger that controls Rumple. 

Aurora admits that Zelena threatened their child. Zelena wants Snow’s baby. Zelena enters, turns Aurora and Phillip into flying monkeys and freezes everyone else. She feels Snow’s stomach and says Snow’s baby will do nicely. Well, we now know where Aurora and Phillip are: they’re flying monkeys.

The war council hears Grumpy report that the fairies think Zelena is too powerful. Charming comes up with a plan to sneak into Rumple’s castle. Belle can’t help, but Robin knows the way. Regina isn’t happy that Robin is helping but agrees (which explains his presence in Storybrooke).

At Rumple’s, they find Rumple spinning. Belle grasps his hand and pulls Rumple out who tells them it will take light and magic (Emma’s?), and he sends them off to the dark forest where Glinda has been banished. His clue: “Through the door, step inside. If pure of heart, then she won’t hide.”

In the Dark Forest, Snow and Charming enter a hidden door because they are pure of heart. Glinda appears and knows about them. Zelena was a friend (think Wicked) and she gave Zelena her pendant. To defeat Zelena, they need white magic. Snow realizes they need Emma, which requires the dark curse to be cast again. Who will give something up this time?

Regina can’t cast the curse and Snow realizes she must. Charming tells her to use his heart, but she refuses. In the end, Regina takes Charming’s heart and gives it to Snow, who crushes it. Charming dies and Zelena (the witch) shows up gloating. She throws the memory curse into the mix and flies away.

Snow realizes that Charming and she have had one heart since they fell in love. She asks Regina to take her heart, split it in two and give each half. While Regina thinks this is insane, she does it and both come back as the curse swirls around them.

Zelena has a spell that will let her and Rumple remember. Rumple takes the antidote and starts to drink, but Neal comes out. He takes the antidote, ties it to a dove’s foot and sends it to the Jolly Roger. My head is swimming. Is Neal alive and Gold dead? 

Interviews: Rebecca Mader and Creators Talk Wicked Witch, Rumpelle, Frozen and More >>>

Storybrooke

At Granny’s, Regina and Robin share a kiss but are interrupted by Henry. Robin asks if she can feel without a heart. Regina smiles and tells him not as completely as before.

Upstairs, the Neverland gang meet and realize that Henry is the one that must break the curse. He must believe and the storybook is needed to trigger the memories. We’re taking a visit to season 1, folks!

Zelena and Rumple revisit Killian (in the car trunk), who hasn’t completed his mission. Zelena threatens to kill Henry.

The Neverland gang hunt for the book at Regina’s. It is Snow who finds it. She realizes it’s need and it shows up where Emma has just looked. As the rest leave, Snow and Emma talk. Snow is hurt that Emma has considered returning with Henry to New York.

Killian doesn’t want Henry hurt and take him to the docks. Smee will take Henry to New York in a stolen boat. As they start to board, Zelena’s flying monkeys show up. Killian protects Henry and we learn that gunfire turns the monkeys to flame. As Killian runs out of bullets, Emma arrives with a gun and Charming with his sword. They defeat the monkeys.

Emma asks Henry if he trusts her. He says he does (even though she had hurt his feelings earlier). She hands him the book and his memories come back. Oh, how sweet! He remembers Regina and hugs her, but Zelena shows up to break it up. She grabs Henry and starts to choke him. Emma has to save Henry, and she pulls her white magic out and saves Henry. Zelena declares war as Henry goes to wake Regina, who got zapped in the battle.

Emma learns that Snow cast the curse, but Charming paid the price to find Emma. It was faith that helped Regina save both Snow and Charming. You know, this family (including Regina) is dysfunctional, but they get things done.

As Regina, Henry and Robin take off together, Emma wants to know what Zelena meant when she said Killian didn’t fulfill his bargain. She can’t trust him. Killian swears he got the antidote and message from someone in Storybrooke. Think back! In the episode where Neal died, we learned that he sent a note to Killian!

Emma and Henry visit Neal’s headstone. Henry wants to know if it was hard to come back. Emma tells him she had his voice in her head voting to return. Henry declares Operation Cobra is back as Snow starts to go into labor.

Once Upon a Time: Is Dorothy the Key to Zelena’s Spell? >>>

My Final Thoughts

Okay, I admit I was upset when Aurora and Phillip did not tell everything to Snow, but this is extreme. Zelena has to go! She has gone too far. In addition to Rumple, Neal, the kissing curse and Henry, she now wants the baby. My question for the comments section: will it take Regina, Emma, Henry and Snow’s baby to defeat her?

Next week: the baby comes and Zelena shows up to get the baby. Dorothy returns and can defeat Zelena, who plans to blow her up. 

 

Once Upon a Time airs Sundays at 8pm on ABC.

(Image courtesy of ABC)

Linda Martindale

Contributing Writer, BuddyTV