Mother

"Mother" is the 87th episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
Emma returns to Storybrooke wanting to reunite Lily with Maleficent, while Regina and Robin struggle to cope with the implications of Zelena's pregnancy. When Gold's health takes a turn for the worse, Isaac looks to a new ally for help procuring the magic ink he needs to re-write history, and in an Enchanted Forest flashback, Cora returns from Wonderland to beg Regina's forgiveness on the anniversary of Daniel's murder. The Queen of Hearts vows to help her daughter find true love, but Regina remains suspicious of her mother's true intentions.

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

Queen Regina takes Snow White to Daniel's grave. Daniel is killed by Cora in front of Regina. Rumple explains that all the dark deeds he's done have poisoned his heart. After being approached by Maleficent Emma asks who she wants found. Maleficent tells her she wants her daughter found. ("Lily") Emma and Lily meet after years apart. ("Lily") Rumple warns Maleficent that Lily might be the one to keep Emma on her dark path. ("Lily") Emma and Lily fight and Emma pulls out a gun. ("Lily") After discovering Lily knows about they Enchanted Forest, Emma realises she wants revenge. ("Lily") Regina tells Robin that Marian is Zelena in disguise, but Robin also reveals that she's pregnant. ("Lily")

Teaser
In the Enchanted Forest of the past, Queen Regina's carriage is riding through the forest when it comes upon a group of peasants in a field and the queen orders her men to stop. The confused peasants watch as the queen approaches them and greets them kindly with a smile, asking if they're enjoying the meadow. An old man states that it seemed perfect for a wedding ceremony, causing the bride and groom to smile. Regina feigns interest before explaining that they're on royal land and she doesn't recall giving them permission to marry here. The groom tries to explain that he didn't know, but before he can finish Regina rips out his heart, shocking the crowd. Regina's father tells his daughter that she might be overreacting because of what day it is, but the evil queen warns him not to talk to her about this day. He urges that she shouldn't alienate her subjects as it'd be short-sighted and weak, but this only angers Regina, who yells that she's not weak. She then turns to the groom and tells him that she was going to spare him, "But someone made me angry" she adds before crushing his heart into dust. The bride and everyone else is horrified at the sight of the dead groom. "Next time there's a wedding book the church" she warns the peasants before walking back to her carriage. As she steps inside, Henry tries to follow, but she tells him to make his own way home as she's got somewhere to go. As she rides off in her carriage, her frustrated father is left to walk home alone.

A while later, the carriage, after arriving at a new location, has stopped again and Regina is out of it, walking towards the grave of her long lost lover, Daniel, only to find a yellow rose already placed atop of it. A look of rage comes upon her face and then a shudder is sent down her spine when she realizes who placed it, "Mother..." she hisses, turning to her side to see Cora stood smiling at her. As Cora looks back at her daughter, smiling, she tells her that it has "been too long". A shocked Regina is left speechless, confused about how her mother is back after being banished to Wonderland through a Looking Glass by her.

ONCE UPON A TIME

Act I
Over in New York at night time, Robin and Regina are sat in a bar together, glumly drinking alcohol. Regina awkwardly comments that Robin has moved on with her, but he tells her that's not fair as she understood and agreed. She tells him that understanding and seeing it are different things, but Robin claims that's not the most important point here, Roland is, because Zelena won't keep wearing the glamour and he'll wonder where his mother has gone. Regina suggests a forgetting potion that will take him back to before the fake Marian showed up and Robin agrees that this is a good idea, thanking her. He then begins to think about how Zelena could kill Marian like she was nothing and so she could play out her sad farce with them. He grows frustrated and realizes now that he knew things weren't right, but he didn't know why. Regina apologizes because this was all about her, because for Zelena it was about making sure she didn't get her happy ending. Robin tells her that if her happy ending is each other then it's still possible, but it's messy. Regina points out they have a huge obstacle that will get bigger every day, and not just for nine months either, because it's for a lifetime. She states that no matter what happens from now on, there's going to be this child that'll tie them in a way that they'll never be. A saddened Regina comments that she was stupid for thinking life wouldn't kick her in the teeth again, so Robin comforts her, saying he hears her before asking what they do now.

Over at Neal's apartment, Emma is holding a dream-catcher when she comments her surprise at it lasting all this time. "This place that belonged to your..." Lily comments, before Emma explains that his name was Neal and he was a lot of things to her, but now he's gone, thanks to Zelena. Zelena, who overhears this, turns and feigns an apology. An angry Emma approaches Zelena, but the witch gasps, pretending to feel a kick, telling the blonde that she wouldn't want to rattle an expectant mother. With that, the door to the apartment opens and Regina and Robin enter. The former mayor tells everyone, including Zelena, to pack up as they're leaving for Storybrooke tonight.

The next morning, in Storybrooke, Rumplestiltskin and Isaac are sat in Granny's Diner as the latter questions what the food is. After Rumple explains he's holding a bagel, Hook enters the diner if they've heard. "This is why I hate this place" Rumple comments as Hook sits with the villains. He asks Hook if he wants to start his day tangling with the Dark One, but Hook points out he's a Dark One who can't strike back without charring his heart. He tells Rumple he's toothless, which means he can tell him the good news that Emma is coming back and she didn't turn evil after all. He gloats that he'll be able to find his happiness, while Rumple will never find his, and for him "never" is a long time. The pirate then pats Isaac on the back before getting up and leaving the diner. Once he's gone, Isaac comments that that's bad news as Emma's in charge of happy endings around here because the ink must contain her blood, as it must be governed by her dark impulses, and if there's no dark savior then there's no ink. Rumple coughs, seeming unwell, so Isaac asks if he's okay and what Hook was saying about his heart. A weakening Rumple assures the author he'll be fine once he finds a way to get that ink, leading Isaac to ask if he thinks there's a loophole. "There always is" Rumple tells him before asking him to leave. As they both stand up, Rumple struggles to walk as he's in pain, but refuses help from Isaac. "Forget walking, I've got a better idea" he says before teleporting them both away in a cloud of magical smoke.

A while later, Emma and everyone else from New York finally arrives in their cars. Snow, Charming, Hook and Henry make their way towards the cars, walking past Maleficent, who is stood waiting with anticipation. She watches as Emma gets out her car and hugs Henry and Hook. Snow tries to give her daughter a hug, but she steps back, not ready for that yet. Charming comforts a saddened Snow. They then watch as Lily exists the car and walks towards her mother. However, she catches a glimpse of Snow and Charming on the way and gives them a vicious glare. Emma steers her away, leading her towards Maleficent, and then she introduces the long lost mother and daughter to one another. Lily seems nervous, finally meeting her mother, but Maleficent is overjoyed and her face is filled with a smile and tears of joy.

Act II
"You show up on the anniversary of killing the man that I loved? To what? Rub salt in the wound?" a disgusted Regina asks Cora in the Enchanted Forest of the past, "To apologize" Cora claims. Regina asks her mother how she got out of the Looking Glass, so Cora tells her she "borrowed a rabbit", stating that Wonderland is an amazing place. She goes on to tell Regina that she understands why she sent her away, because without her she's become her own person and she's very proud. Regina angrily asks her mother what she wants, so Cora tells her she wants to help, for she has beauty, strength and power, so she wants to help her find the "final piece", which is love. Regina snarls that she had that and she took it and tore its heart out. "The stable boy..." Cora says, angering Regina, who tells her he was called Daniel. Cora confesses that she made a terrible mistake as she was fine with a loveless marriage and she assumed Regina would be too, but now she's realized Regina feels things more deeply than she does and she deserves more than she had. Regina tells her mother it's a bit late for that, but Cora claims they both know that's not true as she had an encounter with a "wingless fairy" who told her of a failed attempt to connect her with her soul mate. "You met Tinker Bell..." Regina groans, leading Cora to assure Regina there is someone out there for her and she's here to find him. "I'll believe it when I see it" Regina tells her mother, looking at her in a calmer mood now.

Back in Storybrooke, Regina, who is shortly followed by Zelena, enter the asylum part of the hospital where the Severe Nurse is seen at her desk. As she is led to her cell, Zelena comments that she has no reason to escape, but Regina points out that with the cuff she's wearing she won't have the magic to do it either. They eventually reach their destination and Regina introduces her sister to her new home, "Hmm, dank isn't it?" Zelena comments after the door has been opened. Regina smirks that she's glad to have thought of it, commenting that OB Dr. Whale resides upstairs so she'll be perfectly cared for and it's a perfect temporary home. "Yes, this home is temporary, but me being in your life is not" Zelena taunts Regina, rubbing her belly, "Because this means forever". Regina asks her sister why she's so confident and what makes her feel safe at night once that baby is born. Zelena points out that if Regina kills her then Robin will always know that she murdered the mother of his child. "You underestimate me Zelena. Enjoy your new home" the evil queen tells the wicked witch, both sharing grins, before closing the cell door. Regina then casts a protection spell on the door and the severe nurse watches on from the distance.

In Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer, Rumple tells Isaac, who is looking through a collection of books, to get "anything on blood magic", but to be quick as he's just remembered about something in the back of the store which could help. He goes into the back room and then struggles to stand from the pain he's in. He falls to the floor and then pulls out his heart, which is dark black with a tiny remnant of red in it. Suddenly the bell to the shop rings and Isaac is heard asking "What're you doing here?". He shoves his heart back into his chest before limping back into the main room to discover Regina standing there. He asks her what she wants, so she tells him she wants the Author, reminding him that finding him was her idea before he stole it. Noticing Rumple in pain, she asks what's wrong with him, but he assures her he's fine. She realises that it's his heart, commenting that it's "finally happening".

Rumple confirms that he is dying, but tells her it's bad news for her too. Regina recalls that he told her it'd kill his ability to love and then she realises that the Dark One can't die this way. He points out that "Rumplestiltskin" can and he warns that she doesn't want to be near the Dark One "when there's no one else at home". He suggests she don't antagonise him, but she explains that it won't matter, because when she get's her happy ending she'll be happy, so she won't care what he'll be up to. Rumple tells her she's being short-sighted and then takes out the Author's quill, stating that he has it and they could work together to figure out a way to get the ink. At this point Rumple is growing even weaker and Regina notices this so she simply walks up to him and takes the pen from his hand, sarcastically commenting that he looks like he's up for some serious collaboration. She thanks Rumple and explains that she'll figure out the ink on her own before taking Isaac's hand and teleporting away. Rumple tries to stop her but ends up falling to the ground unconscious, growing weaker and weaker.

Trivia

 * The title card of this episode features Lily in her dragon form, flying towards the screen.
 * Similar title cards involving different dragons are featured in the episodes "The Shepherd" and "Unforgiven".
 * Although credited, Emilie de Ravin (Belle Gold/Belle) and Michael Socha (Will Scarlet) are absent from this episode.
 * However, the former had been featured in promotional pictures of the episode, so her scenes were likely cut along with that of Raphael Alejandro (Roland).
 * Furthermore, Beverley Elliott (Granny) is credited in the episode's official press release but not in the episode itself, despite appearing in the background of one scene.

Production

 * The title of this episode was confirmed by executive producer/co-creator Adam Horowitz, via his Twitter account, on March 4, 2015.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.