Once Upon a Time - S3E3 - Quite a Common Fairy

Previously, on Once Upon a Time: “Lost Girl”

The Scooby Gang is trudging through Neverland trying to find Pan’s camp, until they realize that he is toying with them and moving the camp every time they get close.  Charming shows Hook his injury from the scuffle with the Lost Boys, he has days, maybe weeks to live. How are they going to find Henry? Regina suggests magic. The gang gives her the side-eye and their usual calm- your happy ass down look. Hook suggests locating a certain fairy that lives on the Island. Tinker Bell. She may have pixie dust, which is industrial strength fairy dust. Regina looks hesitant. She and Tinker Bell (Rose McIver) have a complicated past. The crew decides to push on if they want to find Henry (and save Charming).

Back in the Enchanted Forest: Shortly after the death of her true love and being married off to the King, we see Regina stewing over a Queenly feast. She blinks and Rumple appears. He has missed her at her Evil-doer lessons. She is heartbroken, lonely and angry. Rumple tells her she can’t fight the anger, she must embrace it, that is all she has. He sets up a tentative Evil-Doer apprentice class for the following day and disappears just as quickly as he arrived. A frustrated Regina stares out onto to the kingdom from her lofty tower, in a fit of rage she breaks the railing and hurtles towards the ground.  Green dust appears and she begins to float back up to the tower. Defiant as ever, she demands to know who saved her and why? We meet Tinker Bell, looking adorable and semi-sexy. The next day they bond over some tea and bread in the local market. Tinker Bell sees good in Regina even if she does not see it in herself. Tinker Bell wants to help her and devises a plan.

She returns to fairyland where she is greeted by none other than The Blue Fairy, her mentor.  Green, as The Blue Fairy calls her with disdain, has broken several rules: enlarging herself; using Pixie Dust and saving Regina’s life (potentially changing destinies of others).  Tinker Bell is reprimanded and told that she is not to interfere with Regina and that she is not being a very good Fairy.  Tinker Bell is stubborn, she steals some pixie dust and heads off to save Regina. She arrives at Regina’s tower, sprinkles her with dust and they are off, following the trail of dust to Regina’s new true love. They arrive at the door of a tavern. The dust is giving Regina’s potential new beau a green aura. He can be seen from behind chatting with friends, he has a lion tattoo on his forearm. Tinker Bell gives Regina one last bit of encouragement and leaves the rest up to her. Regina is struck by fear and doesn’t enter the tavern. Tinker Bell returns to the tower to find Regina neatly tucked into bed. She asks how things went and Regina lashes out. First, she lies about meeting the young man then she berates Tinker Bell and tells her she is not a very good fairy. Tinker Bell is hurt by her words and actions and returns to her home. The Blue Fairy stops her at the gate. Cuts Green down to the quick, and tells her she no longer believes in her, Tinker Bell’s wings vanish and she falls to the ground.

She is no longer a fairy and has no magic.  Regina’s version of a complicated history is a doozy, she just ended Tink’s career.  Regina remains horrible but redeemable. I am waiting for it to be revealed that she actually stole candy from babies.

At the Dark One’s castle, Mulan, Neal and Robin are looking for a magical item that can create a portal to Neverland. Little John and the rest of the Merry Men arrive with Robin’s son (Little Robin, Robin Lite, Tiny Merry Man). Neal’s eyes light up and he has found a way to get to Neverland. Robin’s little boy has to say he “believes” and the shadow will come to take him away to Neverland. Instead of taking Little Hood, Neal will tag onto the shadow and be whisked off to Neverland. Easy peasy.  Robin is reluctant because he already lost his wife and is fearful he will lose his son. Neal calls in a debt because Rumple helped his wife survive long enough for her to deliver Little Robin. Robin agrees to help. The trio talks about love and missed opportunities as Neal’s motivation to save Henry and Emma while setting the stage for Little Robin to beckon the shadow. He does, the shadow arrives and it’s a little messy, but a success. Robin keeps his son, Neal grabs the shadow’s foot and the next Stage of Operation Save Henry continues.

Pan is attempting to get Henry on board with the Lost Boy Olympics. Tonight’s event: Shooting an apple off the head of another Lost Boy using a poison tipped arrow. Henry successfully completed the task as requested. Pan tries to convince Henry that he is the savior and not Emma, and then gripes that he is just like his father. Henry does not believe him even after seeing the ancient scroll with his own image.

The gang is making its way to Tink’s home and Regina trails off. Emma asks what is this “complicated past” Regina tells her, I did what I always do. That was enough and Emma leaves Regina alone and catches up with the group. Tinker Bell has been tracking the group and sees her opportunity to nab Regina and get her revenge.  A bound Regina sees the disheveled Tinker Bell and remarks about her appearance, she also realizes that she no longer has magic. Tink threatens her with a dreamshade tipped arrow. Tink wants to know why Regina didn’t enter the pub. Regina admits it was too hard to be happy, and she couldn’t do it.  Tink tells her she ruined her life. Regina reaches into her chest, giving Tink her blackened heart. However, if she kills Regina her heart will also turn black. Regina shares that she is there to save her son who she loves. Tink returns her heart. The gang catches up with the two and is able to convince Tink into helping them get into the camp.  However, they only have one chance.  Regina admits to Tink she never went into the pub. Tinker Bell tells her that she also ruined the other person’s life with that choice.

Robin and Mulan chat, he offers her a place with his Merry Men. She declines for now because she has to go tell someone she loves him or her. Mulan runs back to Aurora’s castle, or she takes a horse, somehow she winds up there. She sees Aurora and her face is glowing with excitement. Is this going where I think it is? Mulan asks about Philip’s whereabouts, he is off Philiping somewhere. Aurora is also very happy can tell Mulan has some news to share but hers is bigger and more important.  She and Philip are going to have a baby. Mulan’s face is crestfallen. She congratulates Aurora and then tells her she is going to join the Merry Men. Mulan was about the drop the L-bomb on Aurora and not in a sisterly way. Mulan returns to the Merry Men’s camp and is welcomed with a lion tattooed set of open arms, Robin’s.