Once Upon a Time - S3E11 - Going Home
Henry-Pan and Felix are at the Storybrooke well. In a very relaxed and nonchalant manner, Henry-Pan is tossing together the ingredients of the curse that will overtake Storybrooke. Felix is present and excited for what is to come. Henry-Pan reaches the final stages of the recipe and explains that he must add the heart of the thing he loves the most. Of course Felix thinks that would be his son, Rumple. NOPE, it’s not because Pan is a horrible creature. Henry-Pan reveals he never loved Rumple which is pretty awful. Henry Pan thanks Felix for being loyal and proceeds to rip out his heart, then toss it into the well. The spell has been unleashed.
The gang is standing near Regina’s crypt with Peter-Henry. Gold explains that there is a way to break the curse. They have to cast a spell to switch Henry and Pan back to their own bodies, and Regina as the original caster can reverse the curse. Gold requires a very powerful magical item. Tink suggests the Black Fairy’s wand. The group disbands to set things in motion.
Hook, Tink, Charming and Neal head to the convent where the Blue Fairy’s body is lying in state. Pan’s shadow appears and tries to thwart their attempts to find the wand. Tink finally believes in herself and uses her fairy dust to fly, capture and destroy the shadow. The Blue Fairy comes back to life hands over the wand and welcomes Tink back to the Fairy Fold. The Blue Fairy is still kind of a bitch but at least she acknowledges that Tink has paid her dues, and then some. The gang reconvenes at his pawn shop and Gold begins working on his spell. He pulls out the cuff that was used to temporarily restrain Regina’s powers. The crew leaves Gold with Peter-Henry while he casts his body switching spell.
During this time, we are also flashing back and forth between:
Charming, A Pregnant Snow and the Blue discussing the fate of baby Emma as the savior. How would she know her destiny? How would they find her?
Emma giving birth to Henry and making the decision to give him up for adoption. This scene has been shown in a few episodes and it is sad every time.
Henry pining for a “real” family. Unanswered questions about his birth mother, confusion about his adopted mother and what constitutes family. Snow offered Henry some pearls of wisdom; about hope and she hands him the book, the book that leads him to Emma, Once Upon a Time.
Back in Present Time
Granny uses her nose to help the gang find Henry who is running from the library while gripping the scroll containing the curse. He hands it to Regina she passes out. Gold waits as Pan awakes from his slumber. Pan spews a string of vile statements, rips off the cuff, slaps it on Gold and propels him against the back wall of the shop. Gold whimpers and writhes on the floor as Pan threatens to murder everyone in Storybrooke. Henry and the crew are on the streets of Storybrooke and Pan appears before them, places them in suspended animation so they can watch while he destroys the town. Gold appears with his still cuffed arm and no magic at his disposal, but he has an ace in the hole, his shadow that retrieved the hidden RumpleBlade. Gold apologizes to everyone because he knows what he has to do. He and Pan have to die in order for everyone to have chance to live: “I’m a villain; I don’t get a happy ending.” He stabs Pan through the back he transforms into his older self and they vanish in a swirl of black smoke.
The gang grieves ever so briefly for Gold. Belle ugly cries and Neal stands there looking like the 6th member of New Kids on the Block. Regina reveals that while she can undo the curse she also has to give up the one thing she loves most, Henry. By undoing the curse Storybrooke is destroyed and all its native inhabitants will be returned to the enchanted forest. That means that Emma and Henry must leave town. Another catch is that Emma and Henry would have no recollection of their lives prior to the destruction of Storybrooke, but Regina can replace those lost memories with new ones of their lives together. And any life they create after they pass the town line will be real. Emma shares teary goodbyes with everyone, and a flirty farewell with a sexier than usual Hook.
Emma and Henry drive into the sunset, and the town is engulfed with the new curse, Storybrooke is no more.
Jump forward a year later, Emma and Henry are in their Boston apartment listening to Mumford Fire and enjoying what appears to be a very routine breakfast. There is an urgent knock at the door.
It’s Hook (Hey Boo!) Something terrible has happened and he needs Emma’s help. She does not know him; he kisses her she threatens to call the cops and slams the door in his face returning to her breakfast with Henry.
Most of the episode felt more like the finale for a show that was not renewed for the remaining part of the third season versus a show that is scheduled to return in March. Yes, MARCH. The sneak peak reveals that the Wicked Witch of the West will be our next OUAT baddie. Yawn.
Just a hunch; she is the Black Fairy and she will be on the hunt for her wand and revenge. I find it hard to believe that we have seen the last of Gold. He and Regina have such good chemistry, I’ll miss his presence in the show.
Upside: I find the happenings in the Enchanted Forrest much more interesting than Storybrooke. Characters that I want to see more of: Robin Hood(yummy); Mulan and Aurora, and I am hoping for the return of Ursula.
Downside: I have a feeling we will see a lot of Hook and his guyliner traipsing around the streets of Boston, trying to convince Emma that she is still the savior and she must return with him to the Enchanted Forrest.
What say you OUAT fans? Happy with how they dispensed with Pan? Sad to see Rumpel go? Looking forward to the CG antics ahead of us for the second half of season 3?
Oh I agree on the not being the last of Gold. Too many loopholes possible. Plus, I may be in denial. I just love him. Really hope there is more of Robin Hood, Mulan and Aurora as well. Way to keep things fresh and new all over again. I loved it.