Dark Hollow

"Dark Hollow" is the 51st episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
Mr. Gold and Regina send Ariel back to Storybrooke with an item that will allow Belle to locate a hidden artifact that could help take down Pan. But unbeknownst to them, two men have broken into the town with the intent to stop them - at all costs. Meanwhile, Emma, Neal and Hook attempt to find Dark Hollow, where Peter Pan's shadow dwells, in order to capture it, and Mary Margaret is upset with David for keeping his poisoning a secret from her.

Plot
"Previously on Once Upon a Time..."

Regina coaches Emma on how to use magic, and tells her to find her anger. Emma unknowingly magicks up a small fire. David tells Mary Margaret that he can't leave Neverland; if he does, he'll die. Regina considers other options when it comes to dealing with Peter Pan, besides killing him. Gold says he might have just the thing, and they then get Ariel to help them. The mermaid asks why she would help them, and Regina tells her that Eric is in the place where they're sending her. Pan tells Gold that he has a nice girl waiting for him in Storybrooke: "Belle, is it?"

Teaser
Five days ago

Shortly after Henry has been kidnapped by Greg and Tamara, his family goes aboard Hook's ship. Belle plans on doing the same in the company of her lover, Gold, but the latter says that he has to go, and she has to stay there. The confused Belle asks why, since she wants to help, but Gold tells her Greg and Tamara weren't working alone and others will follow. Gold hands a tiny scroll to Belle, and explains that it's a cloaking spell that will shield the town and make it impossible for anyone to find. Belle nods, but asks how Gold will find his way back to her, and the pawnbroker remains silent. She soon realizes that Gold isn't coming back and he says that the prophecy said that the boy is his undoing, but he's also his grandson, and he must save him. Belle begins to tear, placing her hand on Rumple's shoulder and telling him that she understands, "But I also know..." she says, "That the future is't always what it seems... I will see you again." The two of them exchange a passionate kiss. Then, the ship is seen soaring across the water, and soon enough, it sails on the rim of the portal the crew has opened, before being carried down the thing by a large wave and falling through it. Another final wave crashes and a small burst of magic spreads across the now completely still and calm ocean. (see "And Straight on 'Til Morning")

Belle is left crying on the docks. "They did it!" a familiar voice behind her says, as the seven dwarfs, Mother Superior and Archie rush on over to her, each of them blissful over the fact that the town has been saved and their lives spared. "They saved us!" Leroy continues, before noticing Belle's sad look and asking, "They did save us, didn't they?" Belle looks distraught and everyone notices this. Leroy asks if those are tears of joy, and Archie wonders what the matter is, and whether she's okay, and the head nun asks what happened and where everyone is. Belle recounts that they stopped the self-destruct device, but those people that came, Greg and Tamara, kidnapped Henry and took him through a portal. Her company looks glum. Mother Superior asks where the portal led to, and Belle says that she doesn't know, everyone else followed them on Hook's ship. Leroy asks her why she'd stay behind, and Belle responds that she had to, with utter sadness, before she takes out the scroll Gold gave her from her coat's pocket. She takes out a small bottle with magic liquid from inside the scroll and unwraps the piece of paper, spreading it out before Mother Superior, who has a look at it and acknowledges that it's a cloaking spell, and wonders about its purpose. Belle tells them that Rumple said others are coming. Her friends are uneased. Archie sighs.

Meanwhile, someone is seen making their way to Storybrooke. A red convertible drives through the isolated rural road near the town, and a pair of men is focused on. One wears glasses and side bangs, and the other one, the driver, has a teddy bear keychain hanging from his rearview mirror. The seven dwarfs are then seen entering the mine area, accompanied by Belle, Archie and Mother Superior, and Leroy asks Belle exactly who Gold thinks is coming, and the beauty tells the grumpy dwarf that her lover didn't say specifically. Archie urges them not to panic, because for all they know it's a precaution. The dwarfs take out their pickaxes, and Belle reminds the therapist that Gold did say these "others" are working with the people who tried to destroy the town. Leroy asks, sarcastically, if they can panic now, to which Archie responds, "Yeah. Sure. Maybe, just a little." Belle tells them they'll be fine as long as they get the spell up in time. The gang then keeps on walking through the mines, and Archie and the nun exchange a look. Leroy tells Belle to be careful because mines are a dangerous place, and Belle goes over the instructions on the scroll and tells them they need fairy dust. The Blue Fairy points out that it runs through the walls of the mines, they just need to open up a vein and that'll carry the magic through town. Leroy tells his brothers in arms to get swinging, no time for whistling, and the seven dwarfs start mining.

Meanwhile, the convertible is still off on its way. The man on the passenger seat holds a map over his lap, with the trail to Storybrooke lined out in black. The miners keep up their work, in the meantime, and Leroy orders them to halt once they reach their goal. Belle admires the fairy dust on the large rock in front of her and then takes out and opens the vial of magic Gold left her, but then pauses. Grumpy asks her about this, and Belle reminds him that she's never cast a spell before. She then turns to the nun and suggests that she do it instead, but the fairy shakes her head and denies this, saying that Mr. Gold entrusted that task to Belle for a reason. "You just need to believe in yourself," she adds. Belle nods, and pours the content of the vial over the rock. Everyone looks on anxiously, but nothing happens. "You might wanna believe a little harder," Leroy tells Belle. She does. And a powerful ray of glowing, bright magic bursts out of the rock and passes through them, making its way out of the mines through a sewer duct entrance (of which the magic blows the lid right off). The cloaking spell shoots through the sky over Storybrooke and starts to form a dome around the town. Meanwhile, the convertible has nearly reached its destination. Once the driver notices the magic dome forming before them, he steps on the gas and speeds off as fast as he can, as the magic curtain descends from the sky, soaring over the limits of the town. The "Entering/Leaving Storybrooke" sign is seen, and the car speeds on over towards the orange line at the border of the town (see "We Are Both"). The car makes it just in the nick of the time, before the spell closes off the perimeter for good, but the back portion of the convertible is still caught by the powerful magic, and the license plate is tore right off. The driver slightly loses control of the car after they've made it inside, and parks it. The two passengers then look behind, at the license plate that's been ripped from their car, but don't really react. They resume their journey.

ONCE UPON A TIME

Trivia

 * The title card of this episode features the Storybrooke clock tower.
 * The same title card was featured in "The Queen Is Dead".
 * When Ariel and Belle are in Mr. Gold's shop, a bottle of McCutcheon scotch is seen resting on the table: a fictional brand of alcohol featured on Lost.

Production

 * The title of this episode was confirmed by executive producer/co-creator Adam Horowitz, via his Twitter account, on September 15, 2013, along with a photograph of the script's cover.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.