Strange Case

"Strange Case" is the 115th episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
Hyde and the Evil Queen continue on their quest to steal Dr. Jekyll's serum, while Snow looks forward to her first day back as a school teacher and Emma looks forward to Hook moving in with her. Hook, however, finds himself trying to protect Belle from Mr. Gold, who has made sure his wife can't leave the confines of the Jolly Roger. Back in the past, Rumplestiltskin helps Jekyll complete his formula to separate a man's personality into two halves - good and evil - but his help comes with a hefty price.

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

Jekyll dabbles with formulas outside the crashed dirigible, trying to replicate his infamous serum, while Regina clarifies if his little science experiment can really tell them how the Evil Queen is still alive, and how to destroy her. Snow moans to David that she just wants things to be normal again, then delving into how she liked teaching. In his cell, Hyde tells the Queen that information is a tall order to fill from in there, and so she vanishes his cuffs and takes a walk with him outside. The two are then seen escaping, arm-in-arm. Rumple makes a portal back to Storybrooke for he and Belle, only for her to tell him that, while she will go back, she's not making a home with him.

Teaser
Rumple's eyes are shown, greatly enlarged, as he stares through a magnifying glass down at a pocket watch he's repairing at the counter of his shop. A pair of pliers rest in one hand, to keep the object steady, while a pair of tweezers are worked in the other, with the Dark One trying his best to tinker with the device in front of him. However, it soon drops from his grip, and in his frustration he's just left staring at his own reflection in the nearby mirror. After taking a brief look at himself, he turns away as though disappointed, and then his hands reach for a pair of scissors that are also resting on the counter. He picks them up and inspects them, as though contemplating something, and then back at the mirror. Whatever his decision, it seems this makes up his mind. He proceeds to charge, scissors in tow, into the backroom of his shop, leaving his menial repair task behind.

When he emerges, his hair is noticeably shorter, cropped close to his scalp as opposed to hanging down in curtains like before. "Well," comes a familiar voice, and Rumple turns to see the Evil Queen fondling a crystal apple on display, "Look who cleans up nice." She seems to approve of his new look, flirtatiously stating that it highlights his eyes, but he is only indignant towards her, approaching the wicked monarch and taking the crystal apple out of her grip as he makes clear that he's closed. The Queen believes that, for her, he can make an exception, and then she steps closer so as to caress Gold's face with her hand, questioning his reasons behind the change in hairstyle. Gold grabs her by the wrist to cease this uncomfortable physical contact and tells her that his reasons are his business, at which yet another familiar voice comments, "Changing your appearance can't help you." Rumple turns again, this time to see Mr. Hyde; he emerges from the shadowy corner of the shop as he continues in saying that the Dark One can change the outside, but what's inside is still there.

The proprietor orders these two serum-based intruders to get out, only for Hyde to say that he will in due time, for right now he's looking for something he believes Mr. Gold to have there - an old cameo necklace. Rumple knows the one he means, and so Hyde tells him to give it to him. "And what would you be giving me in return?" Rumple wants to know, but Hyde, stepping closer, makes clear that he'd be offering him nothing. He seems very self-assured in the audacity of this, even preparing to add on to his reply, but he's soon unable to do so because a very fed up Rumple simply outstretches his arm and starts to strangle the villainous warden with his magic. Hyde is forced to his knees, choking all the while, but through his strains he suddenly starts to laugh, and the Evil Queen cackles alongside him while Rumple just looks confused. The latter demands to know why Hyde won't die, and the Queen joyfully states that he can't be killed, just like Regina couldn't kill her. So, unless Rumple would like to spend the rest of his days choking him...

Finally, the Dark One relents, and Hyde is able to breathe again. He coughs profusely as he gets to his feet, then regaining his composure and placing a hand on Gold's shoulder. Again, he mentions the necklace, but then he turns around and sees it on display not far away, and so he goes to retrieve it. With it now in tow, he comments that it has great meaning to him, only for the pawnbroker to say that it now belongs to him. "Not anymore," Hyde assures, "I'm taking it. And you're letting me because that's how our deal works. You won't stop me. These stories, they're going to play themselves out, whether you like it or not. Oh, and I sense you may not." Hyde prepares to leave upon stating all of this, but Rumple demands to know what he's talking about, saying that if it's Belle then the Queen promised not to touch her. The Queen recalls this, turning to Hyde and telling him that she won't hurt the bookworm because she and Rumple have a deal. "But we don't," Hyde points out, in reference to himself and Gold, and the Queen looks excited as she exits the shop hand-in-hand with her fellow doppelganger. Rumple, on the other hand, looks entirely livid, and worried for his wife's safety. ONCE UPON A TIME

Act I
An array of pancakes are seen having been lain out on Emma's kitchen table while David, who's apparently cooked all of these, slides some more onto his daughter's plate. Snow is nearby, holding Neal, while the blonde says that she's usually only lucky enough to get a lukewarm cup of coffee on her way to work. David asks if a father can't cook for his daughter, proceeding to move the pots and pans over to the sink, and Emma responds that sure he can, it's just that she's the savior and not a Romanian power lifter - and so she doesn't need the sheer amount of food that he's prepared for her. He just tells her to enjoy the breakfast, giving her a kiss on the forehead, and eventually she comments that this is about Hook. "No," her father responds, at which his wife says, "David..." and he feels forced to admit the truth: with Hook moving in, things are going to be different and Emma's parents aren't going to see her as much. Emma promises that Killian being there is not going to change anything and that David can come cooking breakfast for her whenever she wants, though these leftovers she has here will probably last the next month or so. As this is said, Henry can be seen hightailing his way down the stairs in his school uniform, and Snow approaches her husband to tell him that all's good because things are getting back to normal. Henry asks his grandmother if she's ready for her first day back at school and, indeed, she is.

She hands Neal over to his father, preparing to walk out the door, but before she has a chance to do so the house is entered by both Regina and Jekyll. Snow comments that this can't be good and Regina tells her fellow heroes that they need to talk. David, emerging from the kitchen, promises his wife that, whatever this is, he and Emma will take care of it, and he encourages Snow to get to school along with Henry. "Remember: back to normal." With this in mind, Snow and Henry decide to ignore the drama and just leave, while Emma asks Regina and the doctor what's wrong, wondering if the latter shouldn't be in the lab working on the potion. First off, Jekyll comments that it's technically a serum, and then he reveals that there's been a complication. "It's Hyde. He's escaped," Regina finally lets loose, with Jekyll explaining that he was in the lab until early morning and when he returned to his room at Granny's Bed & Breakfast he found this... He holds up the same cameo necklace stolen from Gold's shop by Hyde, and he tells the heroes that it belonged to a woman he cared deeply for. Hyde knew, and he's trying to taunt him with it. Emma says that they need to get him back to the lab, for now not only do they need the serum to defeat the Evil Queen, but they also need it to finish Hyde. Jekyll takes this declaration on board.

Jekyll, in flashback, turns to stare out the window at Victorian England - apparently the realm in which he used to live. Buildings such as the Big Ben clock tower establish this as being London, but Jekyll soon grows distracted from the view when an even better one comes strolling into his laboratory: the lovely Mary, who's sporting the very same cameo necklace currently in the doctor's possession in the present. As she fixes his bow tie, which juxtaposes nicely against his lab coat, he tells her that he can't thank her enough for arranging this, and that he can't even begin to tell her how much it means to him. Sensing that he's nervous, though, Mary assures that he needn't be, for her father is going to love his work, and Jekyll tries to bear this in mind as said father also enters the laboratory. "Mary, there you are," says the familiar Dr. Lydgate, happy to see his daughter, and the two of them greet one another. Lydgate then acknowledges Dr. Jekyll and asks what it is that's so important that he had to be pulled away from scotch and cards at the academy, and Jekyll requests to be allowed to show him.

He leads his fellow doctor over to his lab equipment nearby, which contain a confusing myriad of substances, and then he holds up a vial of blue liquid. The serum. He explains that, once perfected, it should be capable of separating a man's personality in two, and dividing the higher more noble aspects of his nature from the primitive beast of which every man is born. Lydgate comments that this is intriguing, while Jekyll implores him to imagine what it would be like if man were in control of the beast within, rather than slave to it. His superior asks him how he can be certain his serum wouldn't make things worse, only for Mary to assure that it can't get any worse for Henry's patients - for that is Dr. Jekyll's name: Henry - who are no hope at all. "Dr. Lydgate, if I had the scientific academy behind my back..." Jekyll starts, only for Lydgate to cut him off, realizing that that's what this is about - he wants him to grant him membership to the academy. Unfortunately, he can't offer it, for Jekyll's work is dangerous. Both Jekyll and Mary seem disappointed by this, and then the latter's father bids the doctor a good evening, before beckoning his daughter to come with him.

"I'm sorry, Henry," is all Mary can say before going after her father, and then Jekyll is left alone with nothing but his frustration. As such, he takes a glass beaker from the equipment and throws it into the fireplace, where it smashes violently. He then heads on over to the window, wanting to calm himself down, and yet another familiar voice comments, "Looks like someone's lost control of his inner beast." It is none other than Rumplestiltskin, who has appeared within the lab, and Jekyll demands to know who he is and how he got in there. The Dark One gives one of his old signature giggles as he assures it doesn't matter, then saying that what does matter is, unlike that blowhard Lydgate, he is there to help them. He straightens the doctor's bow tie as he says this, to the latter's surprise, and then he demands to know why this disturbing stranger would want to help him. Rumple only gives a half explanation, saying that he has invested interest in Jekyll's work, and he asks him if he wants to get into that club or not. Jekyll, seeing as the Dark One begins inspecting his lab, wonders how he's supposed to do this, and Rumple, clutching a magnifying glass, asks the doctor if he ever stopped to consider that what he thinks of as weakness is really strength.

Perhaps using that serum to get in touch with his deepest desires is exactly what he needs. Jekyll seems doubtful of this, saying that even if Rumple is right, the serum isn't finished because he can't get the active particles to suspend correctly. Suddenly, however, Rumple waves his hand and makes the active particles suspend correctly, and Jekyll is utterly mesmerized by his now complete serum. "All science needs is a little magic," the Dark One states, then maniacally exclaiming, "Congratulations, dearie, you're a genius!" Another giggle later, Rumple comments that all that's left to do is to get that pretty friend of Jekyll's to finally notice him, and Jekyll, still marveling at the serum, asks if Rumple means Mary. "Ooh, she's right within your grasp. The question is: how far are you willing to go to get what you want?" With this in mind, Jekyll finally uncorks the serum and downs a large swig, and Rumple appears utterly delighted as the doctor starts to scream and keel over in pain as his "worse half" starts to come out.

In the present, Hook is showing Belle a chest he has packed aboard the Jolly Roger, saying that that's everything, and she supposes that, given how little he's taking with him, there won't be any fights over closet space with Emma. Hook explains that a sea-faring life doesn't call much for possessions which, speaking of, he has something to give her because he's leaving; he opens up the chest and Belle grows curious as to what it is, and soon she is handed a large conch shell which Hook assures is a bit of mermaid magic. It's how they stay in touch beneath the sea, and if Belle's in trouble all she has to do is call into it and Hook will hear her using the smaller shell on his necklace, for the two are connected. Belle sees this as clever, thanking Killian, while Mr. Gold comments that he always thought the captain went down with the ship as he steps onto the deck. Hook greets the Dark One as "crocodile", moving to shield Belle, but the beauty assures her pirate protector that it's okay, and she asks Rumple why he's there. He claims to be there to protect her - and their unborn son - but she fires back that the only one they need protection from is him. "Well I'm afraid that's not the case," her husband makes clear, "Hyde has escaped, and since he wants to use you as leverage against me, I have to make sure he can't do that again."

Belle wonders why Hyde would care anything about her, wanting to know what it is that Rumplestiltskin did to him, but Gold can't bring himself to say. "Of course, why would you tell me?" his wife nods, "You know what? I don't care. I've got friends who can protect me, you... can just go." "You heard the lass," Hook chimes in, and Rumple says that if she wants him to go then fine, but first... He proceeds to wave his hand and cause a force field to materialize around the circumference of the ship. Hook asks what the devil he just did and Rumple explains that he cast a protection spell on this barnacle-encrusted heap, one which will prevent Hyde coming aboard to hurt Belle - and also make it impossible for Belle to leave. Belle is naturally displeased by this, attempting to chase after her husband when he vacates the ship, but she is blocked by the magical barrier he just put in place, and she grows distraught because of it. She begins to rage, screaming that he can't just lock her in a case like one of his objects, but he points out that apparently he can, assuring that one day she'll thank him for it as he just leaves to go about his business. Belle remains both trapped and enraged.

Act II
With Henry at her side, Snow can be seen reentering the busy halls of Storybrooke's local public school, with the former commenting to his grandma how nice it is to have her back. She says it's like she never left, apparently viewing everything as the same, and then Violet emerges from a nearby classroom - decked out in a school uniform of her own - and bids Henry good morning. As he is apparently her boyfriend, she greets him properly with a kiss on the cheek, and Snow awkwardly realizes, "That's different." Amused, Henry tells her that he hopes she has a good day, and she extends the same sentiment to him before he heads on into the classroom with his lady friend. Continuing down the halls, Snow then accidentally bumps into a woman passing her by, who apologizes profusely. The princess assures her that it's fine while the woman says that she thinks she's lost; she asks Snow if she knows where Room 20 is and Snow reveals that that's in fact her classroom. Upon hearing this, the woman realizes that she's Snow's new teacher's aid, and as such she introduces herself as Shirin. Shaking Shirin's hand, Snow recalls that she's from the Land of Untold Stories like the students, and then she adds how nice it is to meet her and introduces herself in turn. Shirin is taken aback to be in the presence of Snow White, asking what a princess like her is doing working there as a teacher, and Snow tells her that it's complicated. She asks the new arrival how much she knows about the curse that created Storybrooke but Shirin knows very little, and so Snow gives her the "short" version: she didn't always know she was a princess; well, she did, and then she didn't, and then she did again, but when she didn't, she was a teacher, and, even though she curse is long gone, she realized she loved teaching. Shirin views this as very admirable but supposes that she shouldn't be surprised. After all, this is Snow White she's talking to, and her reputation precedes her. "Oh, yes it does," Snow chuckles, then walking with her teacher's aid as the bell rings and she announces that they should get started. As they begin to stroll the halls together, she casually asks if Shirin has ever built a birdhouse, in-keeping with the lessons we've seen her teach in the past. In the garage of Dr. Whale, or rather, the makeshift laboratory of Dr. Frankenstein, the heroes can be seen congregating around a surface - apparently deep in discussion - while Emma stands with her phone nearby. She tells the person on the other end that she'll be in contact as soon as they get to Hyde, then hanging up and alerting her comrades that that was Hook, who just informed her that Gold trapped Belle on the Jolly Roger with some kind of protection spell because he thinks Hyde's coming after her. Jekyll expresses confusion at something going on with the Dark One's wife, for he thought she was under a sleeping curse, at which Regina comments that it's always out of one prison and into another with her. David doesn't get why Hyde would go after her and Emma says that they need to speed this up, asking Jekyll if he's close with the serum. Jekyll is afraid to admit he's hit a bit of an impasse, and David asks about Gold, with Jekyll asking in turn if the heroes really think he'd be willing to help them. Emma recalls how Jekyll told them Rumple helped him finish the original serum, plus he wants Hyde gone as much as they do, and then she asks if Regina thinks she could talk to him. She agrees to do so, while Emma says that she and her dad with track down the Evil Queen and Hyde; as she says this, she picks up the electronic weapon fashioned to subdue him the first time round, and she tells Jekyll to call them when the serum's ready before heading out of the garage. David tells Leroy and Doc, who've been there the entire time, to keep an eye on things at the lab, at which Leroy assures that they've been keeping an eye on things since the day they hatched. "Wonderful," Jekyll exclaims as the others begin filing out, "I was hoping someone would make a run to Granny's for a mutton sandwich. And, uh, extra pickles." Leroy turns to him at this, enraged, and yells that dwarfs aren't errand boys. Jekyll assures that it helps him think, and so Leroy angrily states, "It better. Or you're gonna see my dark side!" And then he heads on out, to Jekyll's bemusement. Back in time, a horse and carriage can be seen going past a rather extravagant mansion, and then we're taken inside where a doorman greets Rumplestiltskin and his friend - the man whom, in the present, we know as Mr. Hyde. Right now, though, he is simply the unnamed dark side of Dr. Jekyll, and, as they step into the mansion's foyer, Rumple asks him if he's ready for his debut. He says he doesn't feel like the same man, and then he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror, adding that he doesn't look like him either. The Dark One comments that that's because he's not the same man; in fact, he's not a man at all. He's part of a man. The parts, scars and all that Jekyll wanted to hide from the world. "As a matter of fact, maybe that's what you should call yourself. Mr. Hyde." And with that, Jekyll's serum-self has a name, and before long the grand double doors to the mansion's main space are being opened so that he may enter the party there beyond. It certainly seems to be an exquisite affair, with a multitude of high-end Victorian guests speaking with those of a similar standing, and then Hyde spots Dr. Lydgate conversing with his daughter Mary across the room. He approaches them slowly, nervously looking around as he does so, and then he addresses Dr. Lydgate directly, at which Lydgate asks if they've met. Mary, meanwhile, seems immediately rather taken with Hyde, who informs the doctor that he's there on the behalf of a mutual friend: Dr. Jekyll. He introduces himself as Mr. Hyde, and Mary, intrigued, says she doesn't believe Henry's ever mentioned him. "Hasn't he? He certainly mentioned you, and for good reason. You must be Mary," Hyde responds flatteringly, and Mary hardly seems to mind extending her arm for him to kiss her hand. Lydgate then suggests that his daughter leave to go get their uninvited guest a drink, and Mary agrees to do so, eyeing Hyde up as she goes. Hyde and Lydgate are then left alone, and the latter says that if this is about Dr. Jekyll's membership to the academy then he's already told him "no". And, if he thinks sending some ruffian will change his mind... At this, Hyde reveals that that's exactly what Jekyll thinks, then adding that he told him the story of Lydgate and his new lab assistant. He then points her out across the room and comments on her beauty, as well as the fact that she's young enough to be his daughter. "Now that's a story I imagine you would like to keep hidden, but I'm sure Mrs. Lydgate would be very interested in hearing it. Or Mary, for that matter. Look, here comes Mary now." As his daughter approaches, Lydgate starts to accept that he's going to have to give in to Hyde's blackmail. Jekyll, in the present, is hard at work in the lab when Leroy approaches with a bagged lunch from Granny's Diner, grumpily dropping it onto the counter at which the doctor snidely comments, "Excellent." The dwarf then says that, unless Jekyll needs a back rub or a foot massage, he'd like to get back to doing what dwarfs do best. Jekyll wonders what this even is and Leroy valiantly explains that they're the kingdom's guards. Its protectors. The mighty wall between chaos and calm. "Excellent," another person comments, "Because chaos is here." As Doc so rightfully exclaims, it's the Queen, and she's there with Hyde. The Queen asks the dwarfs if they missed her, only for Grumpy to grab his pickax and scream, "Let's dance!" However, a mere flick of her wrist sends the two height-impaired individuals tumbling unconscious to the floor, and a terrified Jekyll demands to know how Hyde found him. Hyde then approaches the doctor, saying that he led them right to him, and he pulls the cameo necklace from his pocket, explaining that his new friend cast a beckoning spell on it. "So now, my lesser half, shall we see what I - the monster you made - can really do?"

Trivia

 * The title card of this episode features Big Ben.
 * The same title card was featured in "Second Star to the Right".
 * Although credited, Rebecca Mader (Zelena/Wicked Witch) is absent from the episode.

Production

 * The title of this episode was officially confirmed by executive producer/co-creator Adam Horowitz, via his Twitter account, on August 7, 2016.
 * This episode marks, overall, the twenty-second writing credit for David H. Goodman and the first for Nelson Soler.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.