Lady of the Lake

"Lady of the Lake" is the 25th episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
Emma and Mary Margaret, with the aid of Mulan, Aurora and brave knight Lancelot, attempt to find a portal that will bring them back to Storybrooke, but a dark force threatens their safe return. Meanwhile, Henry tries to talk Jefferson into reuniting with his daughter, and, back in the fairytale land that was, on the eve of meeting Prince Charming's mother, King George poisons Snow White, and the only antidote lies within the waters of the Lady of the Lake.

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

Queen Regina uses magic to send out a fireball. Regina smiles happily at the approaching purple mist. The purple mist engulfs Storybrooke and Charming and Snow embrace as it passes. Mr. Gold unleashes the purple mist and tells Belle that he's bringing magic to town. Regina tells the Charming family that magic is different there and Emma is sucked into the magic hat's portal, Snow White yells that she cannot lose her again before jumping in after her daughter. Henry asks Regina where Emma is and she tells him that she's gone. Henry stares at a photo of Emma amd Mary Margaret and Charming assures his grandson that he will always find them. Snow and Emma are taken prisoner by Mulan and Aurora and Snow rebels, she tells Emma to run but trips herself, Mulan orders that they be taken to "the pit". In the pit, Emma tries to awaken her mother when she is approached by none other than Regina's mother, Cora. Red and Charming are fighting a battle and Red asks who the army is, Charming tells her that it's King George who is riding a horse in armor, yelling, "Bring me his head!"

Teaser
Red Riding Hood is running speedily through the forest and into a tent where Charming, Snow and others resign, plotting battle. "We have to move camp, they're coming for us." Red tells them, "No! We can't run! We promised we'd take the kingdom back and we can't do that with our tails between out legs!... No offense." he tells them, apologizing for insulting Red, the werewolf. Red warns them that they cannot stay where they are because of the opposing side's new general, Snow asks who he is and Red explains that they say he strikes like a monster at the heart of the sea, you never see him coming and you never survive. "We'll see about that." Charming says, "How close is his army?" Snow asks, concerned. An arrow flies in and stabs the table. "I'd say pretty close." Charming notes. He nods at the others and he and two men draw their swords and go to attack George's army, "We should split up, divide them." Snow suggests, Charming agrees and sends Red off in one direction, his men in another, before pushing Snow away so he can fight. "Aren't you coming?" Snow asks, "He's after me, you have a better chance of escaping on your own." he explains, kissing her forehead. Charming tells his fiancee to meet him in two days time at "the cabin". "The cabin?! Where she is?" Snow asks, taken aback, wondering if he's sure, "We're engaged, I think it's about time you met my mother." he tells her before kissing her. A knight is seen riding up behind them, watching the pair, Charming tells his love to go and she obliges as the mysterious knight watches her leave.

Snow is running through the forest when the knight sticks out his arm, flooring her and causing her to yelp out in shock. "What kind of general hides behind a mask?" she asks, before demanding to know who he really is. "The name's Lancelot." the knight tells her, removing his helmet. "Lancelot?... Of the roundtable?" Snow asks, "Not anymore." he tells her rather sternly before advancing on her quickly, she screams.

ONCE UPON A TIME

Act I
Present Day

Mary Margaret/Snow White is lying unconscious in "the pit" with Cora leaning over her to check up on her, "You sure she's gonna be okay?" Emma asks, "Don't worry, she'll be fine." Cora assures her. "What is this place? Where are we?" Emma wonders, Cora explains that it's a little island that they're captors like to think of as a safe-haven, Emma asks what the haven is from, "The world's dangerous, what's left of it, anyway." Cora explains, "Well, they can't keep us down here, we didn't do anything wrong." Emma points out, "Neither did I." Cora states. Emma asks why Cora is down here and the latter explais that she's there because of something her daughter did, saying that she caused the Dark Curse that ravished the land. "Regina? You're Regina's mother?!" Emma cautiously asks, "Yes, but you have nothing to fear from me. The apple fell very far from the tree." Cora assures the blonde. Cora notices that Emma's from over there, and asks how she got back, however, before Emma can answer, "Emma!... no." Snow says, coming to and standing up, recognizing Cora and dreading her. Cora tells Snow that she's so relieved she's alright but she ignores her, instead, she grabs her daughter and tells her something, "As bad as you think Regina is... this woman is worse." Snow warns her. "Oh, Snow." Cora says, Snow turns to face her but shields Emma from the vile woman, "Sweet Snow, please... believe me. Whatever she told you isn't true. I just wanna help you."Cora assures her. "Let's hear her out." Emma whispers to her mother, "Emma." Snow says, fiercely, "Okay, right now, we are at the bottom of a hole with no other options, and Henry is back in Storybrooke with Regina." Emma points out, Cora asks who Henry is, "My son, I kind of share him with Regina, it's complicated." Emma says, Snow turns to Emma again, "Don't talk to her!" she exclaims. A voice soon yells and a climbing rope is dropped into the pit, "Our leader requests an audience!" the man says up at the small entrance to the pit.

Over in Storybrooke, Henry asks Charming what he thinks should be the first agenda for "Operation Scorpion", however, Charming merely asks what it is, "The code-name for our mission to find Emma and Snow." Henry explains as they cross the street, "Do you prefer 'Viper'? That was my second choice." he says. "Henry, listen, we need to talk..." Charming starts before Henry states that "Scorpion" is better, "It's... not that, it's..." he tries, Henry stops, "I'm not coming with you? But I thought we were gonna find Jefferson?" Henry reminds him, "...I already did." Charming says, "What?! Is he gonna help us?" Henry asks, excited. "No. No, Henry, he's not." Charming states, Henry asks why he wasn't told that Charming talked to him, Charming says that it was because he didn't want to disappoint him. "I know you wanna find your mom, but Jefferson can't help us." Charming tells him, saying that he needs to find a way to restore the hat, "So why can't I help you look?!" Henry asks, "Because you require magic, Henry, and magic a-" Charming starts, "Always comes with a price. I've read the book you know?" Henry finishes. "I'm sorry, but I really can't let you anywhere near this stuff. You really wanna help me? You'll go to school where I'll you you'll be safe, okay?" he asks, Henry sadly nods, before hanging his head a running off to the school bus. Charming leaves and Henry sees this, at this point, he runs past the school bus doors and carries on down the sidewalk.

In the fairytale land that is, Snow and Emma are walking among the safe-haven, Snow asks why Emma refuses to listen to her and Emma argues that she just wanted a way to find them a way back home. "I could have handled her." Emma says. "Don't be so sure! I've lived here, Emma, I know this world, and its dangers." Snow says. "Wait here." the guard from the pit tells them before going to talk to others, Emma seems fed up. "Is that why you came to the portal? Because you thought I was helpless here?" Emma asks, "No. I came through to be with you." Snow assures her before noticing someone stepping out of the small building in the camp: Lancelot. "Lancelot?" she asks, "Snow?" he says, before the two run into a hug. "If I had known you were the prisoners Mulan had brought back, I never would've locked you away." he assures her, asking for her forgiveness, which she gives him. "Lancelot? Really?" Emma asks, "He's an old friend. We can trust him." Snow assures her daughter. Afar, Aurora is talking to Mulan, "Why is he embracing her? She's responsible for Phillip's death!" Aurora exclaims, "You're new here, Aurora. Phillip trusts Lancelot... so must we." Mulan tells her. "I want justice." Aurora says, "Tread carefully. It's dangerous to confuse vengeance with justice." Mulan warns her friend. "Do you understand me?" she asks, Aurora is silent, Mulan walks to face her, "Do you understand me?" she repeats herself. "...yes." Aurora tells her, Mulan walks away and Aurora stares at Mary Margaret and Emma talking to Lancelot, she then turns around and pulls a large dagger from a holster hidden by her shall, she stares at it, ready for revenge, before looking back to the newcomers.

Act II
A platter of meat is set down before Mary Margaret and Emma who are sat around the table with some other refugees. "What the hell is that?" Emma asks, disgusted by it. "That is kymara, and acquired taste, but... all our hunting party could bring back." Lancelot tells her, "One part lion, one part serpant, one part goat." he says as Emma sticks a carving fork into the thing, lifting a piece, "Like turducken?" she asks before putting it back, not wanting it. "I don't understand, we were told this land didn't even exist anymore, how did you all escape the curse?" Snow asks her knight friend, "It is a mystery, when the smoke came and the dust cleared, most of us were torn from this land, but some of us here, in this particular region, were left behin. We don't know how and we don't know why. Finding this safe-haven wasn't easy, took some spilled blood, but worry not, you're safe here." Lancelot assures them. "We can't stay, my husband's back there, Emma's son, my grandson. We have to get back to them. Can you help us find a portal?" Snow asks. Lancelot tells her that leaving is unwise as the enchanted forest as not as she remembers it, "The ogres have returned." he states, "Ogres? What, as in 'fee figh foe fum'?" Emma asks, Snow corrects her in saying that those would be giants, "Ogres are far worse." Lancelot says, telling them that that's why they live on the island, because it's safe, he begs Snow to stay, telling her that there are no more portals left. "I might no of one." Snow says, Emma is at her attention, "You do?" she asks, Lancelot, intrigued, asks her where it is, "Cora's here, I don't feel comfortable voicing my plans, she's powerful." Snow explains, "Not anymore. The curse stripped her of her powers. But given her reputation, we've kept her locked up, as a precaution." Lancelot informs her. Snow tells him that nevertheless, she's not taking any chances, but asks the knight to trust her as she has a way. "Let us go." Snow begs, "I'll allow it. But on one condition, take my bravest warrior with you," he starts, giving a wave, "That way Mulan can defend you." Lancelot says as Mulan makes her way over, Emma tries to assure them that they can defend themselves, "Deal." Snow says, Emma turns to her, annoyed, "Thank you, Lancelot," Snow says, "For always looking out for me."

In the fairytale land that was, Lancelot pulls a bag from his captive, Snow White's, head, the princess shrieks. She is faced with King George and immediately enraged, "I don't care what you do to me, I will never tell you where he is!" she yells, he tells her that he knows and that that's not why she's there, he asks Lancelot to bring their guest some water, however, Snow is completely confused. "Times have been good for you, haven't they? I can see a light in your eyes. Cherish that. That light can die, and be replaced by something else... pain." he tells her. "The only thing you know of pain is how to inflict it." Snow says, accepting a goblet of water from Lancelot. George tells her that that's where she's so very, very wrong, stating that he's had his share of pain, he goes on to talk about the fact that he had a son that he loved die before his time (see "The Shepherd") and that he tried to replace him with Charming and offered him the world, but was rejected. Snow merely rolls her eyes at this tale and George reminds her how Charming humiliated him in front of his kingdom, and all for the sake of true love. "Something about which you know nothing." Snow retorts, taking a sip from her goblet. "I know more than you think." he assures her, "Do you?" she asks, very unintrigued, "Yes," he begins, "And she loved me, we were happy. Blissful. Then she became cursed. She drank a vile potion that made it impossible for us to conceive a child. Family is everything, my dear. Losing all hope of having one... there is no greater misery. Charming could have been that hope for me... but instead, he made my suffering worse, for that, death is too good for him. First he must know pain. My pain." he finishes, Snow is confused as to what he means and looks down at her goblet, realizing that it's the same potion George's love drank. "You poisoned her?" Lancelot asks, stunned, "I cursed her." the king says with relish. "She will never bare a child." he states as an angry Snow looks up at him.

Back at the camp, Mulan opens a trunk filled with weapons before Emma and Snow White, "Choose wisely, we must stay vigulant to survive the journey." Mulan tells them, Snow retrieves a sword on a belt and straps it on, whereas Emma merely asks Mulan where her gun is, saying she wants it back. Mulan takes the pistol from her armor and inspects it, "Is it magic?" she asks, "Depends on who's pulling the trigger." Emma says, extending an arm and receiving her gun and checking upon it as Snow retrieves a quiver full of arrows an a bow to go with her sword. "Do as I say, step by my step, and we might survive." Mulan instructs them. "Thanks for the pep talk, but I think we'll be okay. I just killed a dragon last week, so..." (see "A Land Without Magic") Mulan asks Emma if she's ever seen an ogre, and Emma says that she might have dated a few, "Legend has it that when they kill you, the last thing you see is yourself dying in the reflection in their eyes... Let's walk. It'll be dark soon." Mulan wanrs the blonde before walking ahead. The now equipped Snow tells Emma not to let Mulan bother her, "I won't let anything happen to us. Stick to the plan." Snow says, "What is the plan?! You haven't told me anything, what's going on?" Emma demands, "The wardrobe." Snow says, "The wardrobe. The wardrobe? Like the wadrobe that sent little baby me to Maine?" Emma asks, wondering if that'll get them back to Storybrooke. "I don't know, first we'll have to see if it survived the curse, then we'll have to worry about making it work." Snow says, Emma asks where it is ad Snow says it's at her place, "Wanna see where you're from, Emma? That's right, we're going home." Snow says before going after Mulan with a shocked Emma alongside her.

Act III
In Storybrooke, Maine, Jefferson is holding a child's rendering of himself with the words underneath it reading, "Have you seen my papa?" he stares at it sadly. "Jefferson, right? The Mad Hatter?" asks Henry who approaches the bench on which Jefferson is sitting. "I need your help." Henry says, "I already told your grandfather, I can't do anything." he tells him, "I know, but... there must be something we can do." Henry says. "I'm just the wrong person to talk to kid, magic's not my thing, try your mother. My she's got something in that vault of hers that will help." Jefferson suggests, "A vault?! Her vault is here? In Storybrooke?" Henry asks, shocked. Jefferson tells Henry that that's none of his business and instructs him to talk to his mother. "What's that?" Henry asks, noticing the piece of paper drawn by Grace, Jefferson folds it up and puts it in his inside pocket. "Your daughter's looking for you, isn't she?" Henry asks, Jefferson wonders what the kid knows about it, "I've read your story, I know how the two of you were seperated." Henry says, before telling Jefferson that she's there and will be in school. Jefferson tells Henry to go home, he stands up but Henry stops him, telling him that she probably wants to see him, "Get out of my way." Jefferson tells him, "Why aren't you going to find her?!" Henry asks, pushing against Jefferson to stop him from walking away, at this question, Jefferson crouches and grabs Henry by the arms, "Because I left her!... And she'll hate me." Jefferson explains, Henry asks him how he can know that, Jefferson backs off and takes a pause. "I was on my way, but... fate reminded me I shouldn't." Jefferson informs him, "You should! I've been left too, anything's better than nothing, she'll spend her whole life wondering why you left her. Not knowing... is the worst." Henry explains.

At the mayor's office, there are boxes dotted around the place and it seems emptier than usual, Regina is standing there when her cell phone begins to ring, she walks over to her desk to answer it. "Henry..." she says, addressing the other line, "I'm just packing up the office. I've been asked to leave... No, of course it can wait, I'd love to have lunch with you... Granny's, ten minutes." she says happily before hanging up with a smile. Regina grabs her purse and leaves the office, ready to lunch with Henry. Once she is gone, Henry emerges from another entrance to the office, cell phone in hand, and he sneaks around to the desk. He grabs Regina's extensive set of skeleton keys from her filing cabinet and walks away.

Over in the current fairytale word, Snow, Emma and Mulan are walking through the forest, Mulan designates their area as a good stop, saying that they can set camp there for the night once they find water and cut come fire wood. "We're hiding from ogres, shouldn't we maybe... not start a fire?" Emma asks, "Ogres are blind, they hunt by sound alone." Snow explains, "Great, because that's something everyone would know about ogres." Emma says sarcastically. Snow walks over to Emma, "Look, I know you're out of your element..." she starts, Emma states that she's fine, "I know, but... maybe you should stay here while we get water, guard the campsite." Snow suggests, "In the big, empty clearing?" Emma asks, cautiously, "It's the safest place, we'll be right back." Snow says, gesturing Mulan as the two of them start to walk in seperate directions, leaving Emma alone.

In the fairytale land that was, Snow White this thrown onto the ground of the forest by King George's men, she coughs and stands up as their carriages ride away. Snow walks among the piece of forest she's in and sees that she's at the campsite which has now been completely destroyed by the battle in which she was captured. She hears a horse riding in the near distance and is alerted, she grabs a large pole and runs to the creature and its rider, she awaits for him to come around the corner and knocks him off of the horse with her weapon, he falls to the ground. It's Lancelot. Snow angrily walks over to him and pressures her foot to his chest plate, about to ram him with the pole, he begs that she stop and she obliges, still keeping it aimed above him. "I've come to help." he professes, "After what you did to me?!" Snow exclaims, about to ram him again, "After what the king did to you!" the knight reminds her, "I still do have the smallest shred of honor left." he proclaims under Snow's heel. Snow, still angry, is about to hit Lancelot again, after asking where the soldiers are, "They're at the cabin! Where your prince is hiding his mother!" Lancelot tells her, "How do you know?!" Snow asks, raising her weapon. He explains that they were sent there to kill Charming's mother. "Charming's at the cabin, too." she notes.

Ruth is decorating the cabin as Charming approaches the place from down the road. "Mother, the place looks beautiful. Would you come inside?" he asks of her, "I'm sorry if I want things to be perfect when I meet the girl my son is going to marry." Ruth tells him. He halts her, "Did you hear that?" he asks her, "Go in, bolt the door, no matter what happens, stay inside." he warns her, Ruth nods and obliges, heading inside. Charming draws his sword and runs up the road, expecting soldiers, and he's correct, knights arrive from all closings and surround the prince, "What? That's it?" he asks. An arrow is fired at Charming but he ducks out of the way, causing the arrow to stab another soldier in the chest, he falls from his horse. Charming rolls across the ground and gets to his feet where he battles one soldier and defeats him, killing him with his sword, another two come at him and Charming engages in a sword fight, he stabs one and harms another before yet another knight begins to chase him. Charming runs onto a wagon and sways his sword, wounding the knight's neck, killing him. Soon, a knight on a horse gallops towards Charming stabs him across the chest as he passes, before striking down another. He leaps across the wagon and battles two soldiers, he stabs one of them, defeating him, and continues with the other. He places his hands on his shoulders and flips off of the wagon, snapping the knight's neck as he does so. "Son..." Ruth's whimper is heard, Charming turns to see her standing at the scene with an arrow sticking out of her chest, "Mama!" he exclaims, running towards her. He grabs her before she collapses and gracefully lifts her down to the ground. "I told you to stay inside!" he reminds her, crying, "I know, but I... heard you... I thought you were... hurt, I'm sorry." she explains, struggling with speech. "No, you're gonna be okay, okay? Everything's gonna be okay." Charming assures his mother. Snow kneels down beside him and Lancelot joins her, the two of them having just arrive at the scene. "I'm so sorry, we came as quickly as we could." Snow says, "Is this... Snow?" Ruth asks, smiling at her son's love, to whom Charming looks to.

Back in the present day fairytale world, Snow places her gathered wood into a pile and tries to stack them up for a fire. Suddenly, Snow is grabbed from behind and lifted to her head, a large dagger at her throat, "Don't move." Aurora tells her, the holder of the blade. "Phillip's gone because of you." Aurora cries, but Snow quickly grabs Aurora's arms and flips the princess over her shoulders, flooring her, she leans over the girl, pinning her down. "Listen to me, my princess! You think I don't know what it's like to be seperated from the people that I love?! What happened to Phillip was not our fault! So, I suggest you find another way to channel your anger." Snow tells her. "Don't talk to her like that!" Mulan exclaims, pulling Snow off of Aurora by the back of her cardigan. "She tried to kill me." Snow tells her, "I will deal with her!" Mulan yells, helping Aurora to her feet. A loud gunshot is fired. The three princesses are shocked and turn to see Emma, aiming a gun their way to protect her mother. "Emma, what are you doing?" Snow asks, "Protecting you! Drop the weapon!" Emma exclaims, "Emma, do you have any idea what you've just done?" Snow warns her, a long, snarling growl is heard, Emma turns to the direction of its source, "Ogres?" she asks, "RUN!" Snow screams. The four women do so as they speed through the forest in the opposite direction to where the growl was heard. They continue to run but the growls become more and nearer, "Split up!" Snow yells, following this, Mulan and Aurora run into one section of the forest and Emma and Snow run into another. Snow leads her daughter in another direction, and, in the drama, Emma trips over a stray root in the ground and falls to the floor, and, Snow doesn't notice and keeps on running. Emma turns around, scared, as a creature emerges from the trees, and is as big as them. The hideous beast runs at her, she is faced with an ogre. It soon crouches before her, growling, Emma quickly grabs her pistol, which is next to her, and aims it at the ogre, however, it lifts a massive fist and snatches it right out of her hand, "Seriously?" she says, as the ogre crushes the gun within its hand and throws it out of reach. Emma looks very scared in the midst of the ogre and it lets out a heavy roar, blowing Emma's hair back as it does so.

Act IV
The ogre is still kneeling over Emma and roaring in her direction, blowing her hair back, making her shield her face from the beast, a summoning whistle is heard and Emma is surprised, she turns to look at the source, and so does the ogre, who turns his attention away from Emma. Snow is seen standing there, "Back away from my daughter!" she yells at the beast in all seriousness, Emma sits up, riveted. The ogre stands up and begins to walk towards Snow who draws an arrow from her quiver and uses her bow to aim it at the ogre who's coming for her, she fires the arrow with extreme accuracy, hitting the beast square in the eye, causing it to screach loudly and fall backwards, dead. Snow pulls the arrow from its eye and re-adds it to her quiver, a shocked Emma stands up and makes her way towards her mother. "You have to shoot them in the eye." Snow explains, "When was the last time you fired an arrow?" Emma asks, amazed, "Twenty-eight years ago, I guess it's like riding a bike." Snow answers, casually. Emma then asks her how she knew she could hit that, and Snow says that she didn't. She then noices that Emma's carrying her gun, she tells her that that sort of thing isn't going to work where they are, "Yeah..." Emma says, "We should get going." Snow states before walking off, Emma stares at the ogre corpse next to her before following on.

In the past fairytale land, Snow, Charming and Lancelot are all kneeling over Ruth who is still lying on the ground with an arrow in her chest. "It's poisoned." Lancelot says after inspecting the arrow, "Then we find an antidote." Charming says, with hope, "The fairies. They can help us." Snow suggests, Lancelot denies this, saying that it'll take something alot stronger than fairy dust. "Lake Nostros! I've been there before. Its waters have powerful, magical properties. I've seen them turn a man from solid gold back into flesh. It isn't far, a day's journey, at most." Charming tells them. "I'll prepare a wagon." Lancelot says before walking away.

Snow White, Prince Charming and Lancelot are walking down the forest road with Charming's mother, Ruth, lying in the wagon that's trailing behind them. "Must be a curious tale..." Charming says, Lancelot asks what must be, "Oh, well how a knight of the roundtable ended up a sword for hire." he explains. "You mean, how did I fall from grace?" Lancelot asks, "The same way you ended up running from King George... a woman." he tells him. A curious Charming tells Snow that he and the knight are going to scout ahead and won't be long, Snow gives him a nod and continues to keep Ruth company. The woman exhales heavily, holding a cloth to her chest-wound, Snow dabs her forehead and Ruth thanks her. "Oh, it's the least I could do to make you comfortable." Snow says, "No, for giving my son... something to believe in." Ruth explains. Snow smiles as Ruth goes on to say that all he's ever dreamt of is having a wife, Snow smiles at this but her smile dissipates when Ruth adds, "And a son." Ruth tells Snow to fret not, saying that it could be a daughter, but all that matters is that it's healthy. "Let me show you something." Ruth says, removing the necklace from around her neck, "My mother gave this to me... when I was pregnant. She said it was spelled by a gypsy, to predict the sex of your first born... even before you're with child." Ruth says, "And it works?" Snow asks, unsure, "It did with my boys, if it swings North to South, it's a boy, East to West, it's a girl." she explains, doing the motions of the necklace as she does so. Snow nods, "Shall we? Just between us?" Ruth asks, shocking her future daughter-in-law. Snow says that she does not think that that's a good idea, but Ruth asks her to indulge an old woman, saying it'll help take her mind off of things. Snow awkwardly obliges, and holds out her hand, Ruth dangles the necklace's charm over her palm, however, it stays perfectly still. Snow nods sadly, "Don't worry, it's just a... silly superstition." Ruth says, putting the piece of jewelry back on. Snow begins to look sad and Ruth asks her what's wrong, she grabs her hand, "You can tell me anything, Snow." she assures her. "It's the king... when he captured me... he cursed me. So... so that I can never have children." Snow admits. "Worry not, if the water from Lake Nostros can heal me, it should be able to do the same for you." Ruth tells her. Snow asks her if she really thinks so, "You are going to be a wonderful mother." Ruth says, happily.

Mulan leads Mary Margaret, Emma and Aurora through the forest of the fairytale land that is, Aurora pulls her shall from a branch and Mulan tells her that she's got to keep up. "Sorry, but I'm not exactly dressed for the woods." she says, pulling her dress fabric from plants it keeps getting caught on, "It's cold out here." she says, "Then maybe you should have listened to me and stayed back." Mulan reminds her, "Here." Emma says, removing her leather jacket and handing it to Aurora, "But, I tried to kill you friend." Aurora says, taking the jacket, "Actually, she's my mom, and I have a feeling she can take care of herself. And I get it, you're not the only one who's been screwing up alot lately." says Emma before walking ahead, Aurora lifts the jacket and inspects it, "What kind of corset is this...?" she wonders to herself. "Over here!" Mulan calls, standing and watching with Snow, Emma hurries to catch them up, and Aurora soon follows, "Is that it?" Emma asks, looking out, "Yeah... That's our home." Snow says, nostagically. The four girls look out onto Snow White's old castle.

Back in time, Charming, Snow, Ruth and Lancelot arrive at Lake Nostros, however, Charming is suddenly alarmed and stops the wagon, he and Lancelot walk forward and Snow follows on, slower, "Where's the lake?" she asks, "You're looking at it." Charming says as the shot turns to reveal the empty pit in the ground, "It's gone." he says. The lake has dried up.

Act V
In Storybrooke, Henry is staring at a picture in his storybook of the Evil Queen standing outside of a mausoleum, leading to the vault, Henry looks up to see that Regina's father's mausoleum was very similar to that of in the book. Henry shuts the book and walks inside, closing the door behind him, he is faced with his grandfather's tomb. He looks at the engraving, "Henry Mills, loving father", however, on closer inspection, Henry sees a hidden staircase within the tomb, he runs to the other side and with all his strength pushes the whole thing out of the way, revealing the stairs leading to the vault beneath. Henry waks down into the vault and steps cautiously within the stone walls, he sees a wall completely covered in drawers, all containing hearts. (see "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter") Footsteps are heard and so Henry turns around to another segment of the vault, he takes in all of the magical memorabillia around him but seems particularly drawn to a standard size box with a key hole. Henry takes out the skeleton keys that he stole from Regina and takes out the box, placing it on the floor before kneeling over it. The boy places a key into the hole and twists, opening the box. Suddenly, two Agrabahn vipers poke their heads out of the box and hiss, a shocked Henry falls backwards, scared, however, Prince Charming quickly shuts the lid of the box, hiding the snakes. "Maybe we should've gone with 'Operation Viper'." Charming suggests before asking his grandson if he's alright and helping him up, Henry says that he is. "How come you knew I was down here?" Henry asks, "Your mom called, said you asked her to lunch, but when you stood her up, she went to her office, saw that her keys were missing, figured out the rest. She would have come herself, but she didn't think you'd go with her." Charming explains, before kneeling down and asking Henry what he was thinking, "I just want them back." Henry says, sadly. "It wasn't meant to be like this. I should be over there with them, riding horses, learning how to sword fight." Henry says, "I know." Charming acknowledges, telling him it's okay because they're going to do it together. "Alright, you gotta get to school, and I gotta make sure no one finds out about this place." Charming says, placing the snake box back in its place before walking away with Henry, out of the vault.

Back in the previous land of fairytales, Prince Charming walks out among the barren lake full of bones and picks up the tiara of the Siren that used to reside there. "This is my fault, the Siren that once lived here, I killed her, that's why the lake is dry." (see "What Happened to Frederick") he tells Lancelot. "You needn't worry, my mother raised me near a lake, there may yet be water, you just need to know where to look." he explains, Charming picks up a helmet and tries to dig but finds nothing, and so he throws the helmet on the ground in anger. Lancelot walks over to a tree branch and retrieves a small shell, sip-sized shell filled with lake water. Charming runs over to him, "You found it?!" he asks, excitedly, Lancelot gives the shell to Charming saying it's only enough for one sip, "To save my mother." he says, Lancelot looks awkwardly, knowing of Snow's curse. "We shall find out." he says, Charming takes out a flask and Lancelot pours the water into it. Afar, still within the dry lake, Snow is with Ruth who's still laying weak in her wagon, "I want you to have... the last sip of water." Ruth tells Snow, who refuses, saying that she couldn't, "That water... can lift your curse, allow you and my son... to have a child." Ruth reminds her. "But you'll die, I can't let you give your life for this." Snow says, "It's what parents do, they put their children first. Some day... you will understand." Ruth explains, Snow says that maybe it's for the best, stating that she was raised without a mother and wouldn't even know how to be one, she tells the dying woman that the water was meant for her. Charming and Lancelot approach the girls, the former of which seeming extremely excited, professing about the fact that they've found a morsol of water. Charming opens the flask and tells his mother to drink, Ruth takes it and seemingly takes the sip of water, she then lies back, apparantly cured. The men momentarily leave and Ruth apologizes to Snow who nods, understanding, Charming returns and gazes happily upon his mother.

In the present, Snow, Emma, Mulan ad Aurora walk into Emma's old nursery within Snow's castle. It looks quite messed up and disguarded. "Oh, my God, I recognize this place from Henry's book." Emma says, walking into the room. She walks up to the wardrobe as the other three princesses enter the room properly. "Come. We'll stay and watch the gate." Mulan says to Aurora before the two of them leave. Snow seems emotional and picks up a teddy bear of Emma's, "I never thought I'd see this place again. This room, it was your nursery." Snow says, "I lived here?" Emma asks, surprised, "Never even got to spend a night. This is the life I wanted you to have... I was gonna teach you how to walk in here, how to talk, how to dress for your first ball. And we never got to do any of it. We never got to be a family." Snow tells her, saddened. "We have a family, in Storybrooke." Emma reminds her mother before saying that right now they need them to get back there. "So, how do I get this to work?" Emma asks, gesturing the magical wardrobe. Snow, still clutching the teddy bear, looks up.

At Lake Nostros, Charming, Lancelot and Snow White are all gathered around a still-dying Ruth's wagon. Charming asks why the water didn't work and Lancelot suggests that maybe it takes time to heal, "No, no. I used this magic before, it worked instantly. There's not enough water, we need more!" Charming exclaims, running off, Ruth hands the flask to the knight, "Son... stop." Ruth says, Charming turns to her and walks back, "There's no... more magic here, and I... I don't want to spend my last moments in this way." Ruth tells him. Charming apologizes, saying that it's all his fault, "Your fault for what? For being happy? For finding your true love?" Ruth asks, stroking her son's face before turning to Snow. "For your happiness, I would... gladly give my life." Ruth says, saying that her only regret is that she won't live to see him marry Snow. Ruth becomes weaker and Snow leans in to her and whispers, "Yes, you will." referring to the marriage. Charming turns to her, "Lancelot, does a disgraced member of the roundtable still have the power to perform a wedding?" Snow asks, "It'd be my honor." the knight tells them, Ruth smiles.

"In my kingdom, there is a legend of a cup, it has the power to grant eternal life. So may the love between you always be strong, true, and eternal." Lancelot says within the lake as Snow White and Prince Charming stand beneath the alter, Ruth is watching. They are poured a cup of water and each of them drink, first Snow, then Charming. The pair smile at each other a share a kiss, they then look back to Ruth who is lying still in the wagon with her eyes closed. She is dead. Charming approahces her and places a bouqet upon her body, "Goodbye, mother." he says. Charming hangs his head, sadly, and Snow rests her head on his shoulder, comfortingly.

In Emma's disguarded nursery, her and Snow open the door to the wardrobe, "Where's the on-switch?" Emma asks, looking inside of it, "It's more complicated than that, we'll have to get it back to the island, hopefully someone there has access to enough magic to make it work again." Snow says, Emma asks how they're going to carry the thing, "With the help of an old friend." says Lancelot as he enters the room. Snow asks him what he's doing there and he explains that he heard of the ogre-attack and had to make sure that they were alright. "Where are Mulan and Aurora?" Snow asks, "I sent them to find food, tonight we'll set up camp and tomorrow we'll head back." Lancelot tells her, "So, this is it." he says, looking at the wardrobe. Snow says that it's the same one Emma went through allowing her to skip the curse. "Remarkable." Lancelot says, "Geppetto carved it out of an enchanted tree, but... there's no magic left." Snow explains. "With a portal this powerful, there must be another way to recharge it." Lancelot says, "Why're you so interested in the wardrobe?" Snow asks, "Well, I just want you to be home with your husband... and son, Henry. They must miss you." he says. Snow quickly draws her sword from her holster and aims it at Lancelot, "Stay away from that man, Emma. He is not who he says he is!" Snow exclaims, "What are you talking about? Who the hell is he?" Emma asks, "There's only one person you told Henry's name." Snow reminds her, "Cora." Emma states before Lancelot is covered in purple smoke before retaking his old form: Cora stands before them. "Clever girl." Cora says, "Where's Lancelot?!" Snow demands, "He's dead, I killed him a long time ago." Cora explains. "And you've been posing as him ever since." says Snow, still pointing her sword. "Oh, they'd never listen to me. Besides, every kingdom needs a hero, don't you think?" she asks. Snow advances on the woman with her sword but Cora creates a bubble of purple magic from her hand and uses it to stop Snow and lift her, throwing her across the room, pinning her up against the wall. Emma runs to her mother's aid but Cora swishes one arm and the blonde is knocked to her feat. The purple energy begins to strangle Snow who is starved for air and begins to choke, Cora walks up to the incapacitated woman.

Act VI
Snow is still pinned against the nursery wall and choking by the blue-purple surge of Cora's magic, while Emma remains floored. Cora approaches the former, "Thank you, Snow. I've been looking for a way over for so long." Cora says, at this Emma stands up, ready to defend her mother, but Cora is too quick and merely extends an arm which brings the carpet to life, causing it to wrap itself around Emma's ankles and pull her forward. "I never thought the person to help me find it would be you." Cora says as Emma is struggling, being dragged further away from Snow by the carpet. "Why? Why are you doing this?" Snow asks weakly from out of her compressed throat. Across the room, Emma takes out her gun and removes all the bullets, holding them in her palm. "I want to see my daughter, it's been too long. And, you know, I would love to meet my grandson, Henry." Cora tells Snow, while Emma continues her plan by cracking open something from her gun and pouring gunpowder over the base of the wardrobe. "No you won't!" Emma exclaims, using a shard to create a spark with her gun and set the gunpowder alight. "No!" Cora yells, disguarding Snow, she uses magic you draw the fire from the wardrobe and fire a flame ball at Emma, however, Mulan dives in and blocks the thing with her sword, returning it to the wardrobe and allowing it to keep on burning. Cora looks around the room, "We're not done." she assures them all, turning into a cloud of purple mist and dissipating before their eyes. The magic releases Snow and she falls to the floor, catching her breath. Aurora helps Emma to her feet and Snow stands up to see the burning wardrobe, "You okay?" she asks her daughter, "Yeah, you saved me." Emma states before going on to ask where Cora is, "Gone." Snow says, "So is our ride home." Emma notes, staring at the burning wardrobe.

In the fairytale land that was, Prince Charming lights a candle for Ruth and places it on a rock which marks her grave, "I'm so sorry. She was all the family you had left." Snow tells him. "No... I still have you." he says, before walking towards her, "I love you, Snow, and together we can start a new family." he holds her hands but she seems sad, soon, Charming takes out Ruth's susperstitious neklace, saying that she would have wanted Snown to have it, saying that it can tell you the sex of your child. "Please don't!" Snow exclaims, he assures her that it's just superstition but she says that there's something she needs to tell him. "What is it? What's wrong?" Charming asks, Snow is about to explain about her curse but she then looks down and sees the necklace hovering over her hand, swinging back and forth from East to West, signifying she will be baring a child. "We're going to have a child." she says happily. "What?" Charming asks, "We're going to have a child!" she repeats herself, he wonders if there's something he needs to know but Snow merely smiles and says she means some day. "Well, of course we are, what's it say it's gonna be? It's gonna be a boy, right? I can never remember which direction means what." he says, "It's a surprise." Snow tells him, smiling. Charming then assures his wife that they are going to take back the kingdom and they are going to do it as a family. They kiss and Charming soon runs off to retrieve the wagon. Snow walks over to Lancelot, realizing something, "This is because of you, isn't it?" she asks, "Ruth only pretended to drink the water, she had you put it in the wedding challow so that I would drink it. That's how King George's curse was broken, wasn't it?" she suspects, Lancelot smiles and says that he has no idea what she's talking about. "So, what's your child gonna be?" he asks her, Snow looks over to Charming who's with the horse and back to Lancelot, "A girl."

In Emma's nursery, the girls stand over the wardrobe's ash, "Lancelot was one of the bravest men that I ever knew." Snow says. "How could I be so blind?! How could I not see that it was Cora?!" Mulan exclaims, "Be fairer, the whole shape-shifting thing threw me too." Emma tells her, "What are we going to tell the people on the island?!" Mulan wonders, "The truth. That Lancelot was cut down by a terrible villain, he died an honorable death." Snow instructs. Mulan says that Cora's still out there and states that they need to find her and they need to defend what's left of the kingdom. "Who's going to lead us, you?" Aurora asks, "No. Her." Mulan says, turning to Snow. "I'm honored. But, Emma and I still have to find a way back to Storybrooke." Snow reminds them, "We'll help you. we'll find a way, won't we?" Mulan assures her, "Yes." Aurora confirms, saying that perhaps it'll help her channel her anger. Snow nods and Mulan gestures them to leave and does so with Aurora, however, Emma stays back with Snow White. "Sorry I torched our ride home. I couldn't let her get to Henry, I-" Emma apologizes, "You had to put Henry first." Snow finishes for her, uderstanding her actions. "I was angry at you for so long... wondering how you could choose to let me grow up without you. But then, just seeing all this... you gave up everything... for me. And you're still doing that. I'm sorry, I'm not good at this, I... I guess I just... I'm not- I'm not used to someone putting me first." Emma says, before reducing to tears, Snow quickly embraces her daughter, "Well, get used to it." she tells her. The two of them hug for a while longer before breaking it off, Emma walks out of the room but Snow is slower in doing so, she picks up the bow and arrow and looks out upon the nursery, seeing it as it should be, filled with color and undisguarded, tidy and fit for a baby to sleep in. Snow begins to cry and leaves the room, closing the door behind herself as she does so. A cloud of purple smoke reappears within the nursery and it becomes Cora who walks towards the wardrobe's remains, she kneels over it and picks up some ash, dropping it into her other hand where a vile forms around the sample, she looks at it and it glows red, signifying that there is still magic within it. Cora smiles wickedly.

In Storybrooke, Jefferson walks out from behind a lamp post and watches as the children step off of the school bus, looking for Grace. The young girl soon walks out and Jefferson nervously walks forward and exclaims her name. "Papa!" she yells, running towards him, the two hug and Jefferson tears up. "You found me, I knew you would." she says. Jefferson picks up his daughter and carries her home still in a hug. Henry watches the scene from afar in Emma's bug. Charming knocks on the window with an item in his hand, Henry rolls down the window so that the two may converse. "I've been thinking, if you're gonna start helping me, we gotta make sure that we do this right. So, I picked these up on the way home." Charming says, revealing the two wooden training swords he bought to Henry. "Seiously?!" Henry asks, excitedly, "Hey, you're the grandson of a Prince! I think it's about time you leanred how to use a sword." Charming tells him. Henry smiles and his grandfather tells him that he cannot get them back without him, he asks him if he's with him. "Can you teach me how to fight a dragon?" Henry asks, "We'll work our way up to it." Charming says, stepping away from the car and Henry steps out of it, being handed a sword. The grandson and grandfather begin to fence with the training swords, playfully running around and battling. From across the street, someone is watching this scene from their car, it's seen to be Albert Spencer, otherwise known as King George.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.

Trivia

 * Although credited, Emilie de Ravin (Belle) and Robert Carlyle (Mr. Gold/Rumplestiltskin) are absent from this episode.