The Miller's Daughter

"The Miller's Daughter" is the 38th episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
Cora's desire to rid herself of Rumplestiltskin in order to take his place as The Dark One takes one step closer to becoming reality as she and Regina try to overpower a dying Mr. Gold, and Mary Margaret is once again tempted by dark magic. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, Rumplestiltskin agrees to offer his services to a younger Cora - for a price - when the king calls her bluff and orders her to actually follow through on her boast of being able to spin straw into gold.

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

Captain Hook arrives in New York and stabs Mr. Gold in the chest with his iconic hook. In Neal's apartment, Emma notices the oddness of Gold's wound and he states it's poison. Emma says that they need to get him back to Storybrooke and Neal reveals that he can sail them there on his ship. Mary Margaret sees Cora and Regina digging in the woods for Rumplestiltskin's dagger. Mary Margaret later tells David of Cora and Regina's plans, and he states that they have to stop them. Cora is seen with the dagger in her hand. The "Blue Fairy" offers a young Snow White a candle, explaining that it is fused with magic and can save one life by taking another in exchange. Cora tells Eva's corpse that poison looks good on her, revealing that she killed her. "You killed my mother! Why did you take her from me?" Mary Margaret asks Cora within the Storybrooke clock tower, to which Cora replies, "To make my daughter the queen."

Teaser
A windmill is seen turning in the fairytale land that was as the shot moves down to reveal a man, passed out drunk atop a wagon full of flour sacks. A young woman, Cora, is seen approaching him, placing her wicker baskets down and addressing the unconscious man as "father". He awakens with a bottle of alcohol in his hand, wondering what his daughter wants and professing that he's resting, however, Cora grabs the bottle out of his hand, stating that he's always "resting", before throwing it against the wall, causing it to smash. She goes on to remind him that the flour was due to be delivered that morning and that she for one would like to eat that week. At this, Cora lifts the wheel of flour herself, deciding to deliver it in her father's stead, and begins wheeling it away.

As Cora wheels the flour into King Xavier's castle, Eva, an honored guest who is there are the time, spots the young woman carrying the heavy bags. As she, the king, and his son walk past Cora, Eva subtly trips her up, causing her to fall and spill flour everywhere. Eva yells at Cora, calling her a "stupid foolish girl". The king asks what happened, so Eva explains that the peasant fell. The king asks her if she's all right, but Cora assumes he's asking her, so replies. When the king corrects her, Eva states that Cora ruined her slippers. Henry tries to defend Cora, but his father says she'll receive no money for the flour and she'll apologize to Eva. Cora is appalled at the idea of apologizing, claiming she was tripped and calling Eva a wench. The king tells Cora to watch her tongue and reveals that Princess Eva is an honoured guest visiting from the Northern Kingdom. Cora angrily snarls that she's just a girl. The king asks for Cora's name, and when she gives it, he demands her to kneel. She reluctantly obliges and then even apologizes to Eva when asked again, worried the king won't buy her flour any more. The royals then leave as Cora stays kneeling down on the ground, where she belongs.

ONCE UPON A TIME

Act I
We are treated to a view out at sea before being taken into Captain Hook's camouflaged pirate ship to see Henry Mills sailing it, with his father, Neal Cassidy, guiding him. Inside the hold of the ship, Mr. Gold is seen holding a bandage to his poisoned chest wound as Emma walks in, telling him that he doesn't look comfortable. The pawnbroker sarcastically retorts that the poison racing towards his heart will have that affect. The blonde approaches him, wanting to talk about that dagger of his, asking if Cora and Regina do have it, whether they'll be able to make him do anything. Gold answers positively and Emma asks if "anything" includes "kill us all", to which Gold stares at her, before confirming this. He asks her if this means that she's now hoping he'll bleed to death, but she reminds him that he's Henry's grandfather, which means that they're family now, and she's going to save him. "I feel so reassured..." Gold utters, non sincerely.

In Storybrooke, David is telling Mary Margaret, who's in her apartment, via cell phone that he just talked to Emma, who said that Gold has a poisoned wound which can only be cured in town, and they're sailing home. Inside Regina's office, we see the mayor and her mother, Cora, listening in to the conversation via phone tap. Mary Margaret replies to David, saying that they need to stop Regina and Cora, asking "who knows what that wicked woman would do?" At this, Cora knocks the machine off of the table, causing its malfunction. Regina scorns her mother for this, proceeding to pick the machine up as Cora goes on to say that she doesn't like what the "enchanted box" was saying, claiming that she's not wicked. Regina informs her mother that it's not an enchanted box, it's a phone tap, before sitting back down, but Cora exclaims that she doesn't care as what matters is that they've been warned. She states that Rumplestiltskin's smart, and now he's had time to think. Regina reminds her mother that Gold is injured, and Cora looks down at the Dark One's dagger, which is resting upon the table, noticing that the "R" of "Rumplestiltskin" is fading away, followed by the "u" and "m". At this, Cora lifts up the dagger and tells her daughter that Rumple is more than injured - he's dying.

She then explains that when his name disappears from the weapon, all of that power of his will just boil off into the air and there will be no new Dark One. Regina takes this to mean that they have to use Gold to get Henry back before he dies, but Cora tells her that they can't in his condition, as she wouldn't want to kill him faster. "No. There are no other options. I have to stab him with this knife and take his power as my own. I have to become the Dark One. And with his power... there's nothing I won't be able to do." Regina stands up, telling her mother that Henry's never going to forgive that. "And the whole point of this is- Wait, what is the point of all this?" Regina wonders, becoming confused as to what her mother's true motives are. Cora replies that the point of all this is to protect their family, but Regina asks if maybe it's just Cora gaining her power. Her mother is silent for a moment, stating that whatever power she gains is for them, to protect her and to protect Henry. She says that if they lose this battle, they will spend the rest of their short lives on their knees in front of them - "And that, my love, is something I'll never do."

We see a woman in a masquerade mask twirling in the arms of a man, who's in a similar mask, as the shot moves out to reveal many couples doing the same, them all being in attendance of a royal masquerade ball. At an unnoticed entrance, we see Cora, wearing a beautiful red dress, walking right into the ball, grabbing a mask from beside her an applying it to herself to disguise herself, acting as though she belongs. We see her take a rose from the flowers that rest upon the stair banisters and apply it to her hair, before proceeding to mingle. Cora walks through the dancers and stands at the side, taking her place next to Prince Henry, who is also spectating. She asks him if the king has only brought these rich women here simply to pair off with his son, calling him "Poor Prince Henry". Henry tells her that she's very frank, and she turns to him, realizing that he is the prince himself and feeling embarrassed. She tries to apologize, calling herself a "goose", but as the current song ends, Henry offers to let them find out, extending his arm out, inviting her to dance as the next song begins. As they step out onto the dance floor together in order to waltz, Cora states that she wouldn't want to get in the way of anyone purchasing him, which leads Henry to ask her what she's doing there, before they bow to each other as part of the dance. She jokes that she merely came there for the free food and Henry laughs before exhibiting a twirl and beginning to dance. As they waltz, Cora compliments him on the exquisite mutton, and he thanks her.

King Xavier approaches them and excuses his son, asking to cut in. Henry allows this, going elsewhere, and Cora tells the king that she didn't expect such an honor as she begins to dance with him. He assures her that it is no honor, asking if she really thought a stolen gown and mask would keep him from recognizing her. He points out that there's straw on her dress before telling her that she carries the mill with her, "miller's daughter". Cora tells the king that he has some nerve disparaging her when he's selling off his own flesh and blood. At this, Xavier stops dancing and tells Cora that she's an insolent girl, explaining that the kingdom has been strained. he says that they do need gold, but that they are still miles above "her kind". Cora gives him an evil glare and he orders her to go, picking a stray strand of straw from her dress and stating that it's all she can offer them. She assures him that that is nothing but delusion, forcing Xavier to ask what she could possibly have to offer them.

Worried, Cora improvises, "I can turn straw into gold and solve all your woes." Xavier has a hard time believing this and Cora goes on to say that, as the king's insulted her, he shall not reap the benefits. "Good luck whoring your son," she tells him as the music stops, before walking away. However, Xavier grabs her by the arm, stopping her, before calling his loyal subjects to attention. He tells them that they have a very special guest with them, dragging Cora over to the stairs where she can be seen by everybody. Xavier tells his subjects that this woman tells him she can spin straw into gold, at which each and every one of them laughs, before the king adds that she's going to demonstrate it for them. Cora appears worried, telling the king that it takes time to gather her thoughts, at which Xavier tells her to spend the night there locked in a tower full of straw, spin it into gold tomorrow, and she can marry the prince. He points out Prince Henry in the crowd who smiles at this idea, Xavier then tells the miller's daughter that if she is to fail, she shall die.

Act II
At the town docks, Mary Margaret and David step out of the latter's van to see Emma and Henry, with Neal and Ruby beside them, who are escorting a poisoned Gold off of Hook's ship. David and Mary Margaret run over to them and the former helps stabilize Gold as Henry brags that he drove the ship as his dad showed him how. David glances at Neal, who explains that that's him, and the tow of them rest Gold up against the back of the van. David asks the pawnbroker if Cora's trying to control him with the dagger, however, he replies that he would know if she were, as most of them would be dead by now. Mary Margaret states that they will just have to take the fight to her before that can happen, and David says they will, however, Mary Margaret adds that this time, they're going to finish it. David tries to quiet her down, but his wife tells him that Cora needs to be stopped, "She needs to be killed. This is our family, we are going to protect it!" David tells her that of course they are, but that what she's talking about goes beyond that.

"Does it?" she asks, before pointing out that Cora is the reason that David never met her mother. The prince says that he knows what happened to Queen Eva and that he has zero problem with Cora dying for it, but not by Mary Margaret's hand and not out of vengeance. Mary Margaret asks him why and he grabs her by the arms, telling her that she wouldn't be able to live with herself. "You have the purest heart of anyone I have ever known. That's who you are. And that's who you're gonna stay." Mary Margaret remains silent and Emma approaches Gold with blankets in her arms, asking him if he's okay. He says that he does feel a bit stronger but that they need to take him back to his pawn shop as there's magic there that can protect them. Neal and David begin to escort the former's father and Henry guesses that he gets to stay with Ruby. Emma tells him that he guessed right and Ruby promises to keep the kid out of the crossfire. Mary Margaret thanks her and Henry quickly tells his mother and grandmother not to look so worried, assuring them that they'll stop Cora and won't let her get away.

We are treated to an exterior view of the window to the tower that Cora is locked up in, before we are shown the girl lean out of the window, looking at the water below and contemplating jumping out. A shrill giggle is heard behind her and she turns around to see Rumplestiltskin inside the tower, holding a piece of straw. He tells her that "that's never gonna work", saying that she'll escape, but she'll be dead, which kind of defeats the purpose. Cora asks him who he is but he extends the same question to her. She tells him that her name is Cora, to which he points out, "Not a very pretty name, is it? Sounds like something breaking." Ignoring this, Cora asks Rumple how he got inside, thinking that if he got in, then she can get out. He tells her that as he understands her situation, the straw and the spinning wheel are her way out. He sits at the wheel, stating that it's such a marvelous coincidence that spinning straw into gold just so happens to be something that he likes to do, picking up a piece of straw and dabbing it, he says it's almost like fate. Rumple begins to spin as Cora tells him that no one can spin straw into anything, however, she is proven wrong by the long golden thread that Rumple magically produces and presents to her. Cora is amazed, inspecting the gold and surprised that Rumple wants to help her. But he instead tells her that he wants her to help him, and she will, because the future is his gift ("in a manner of speaking"), which makes Cora ask what he could possibly get from her. Rumple clicks his fingers, telling her that it's funny she should ask and asking if she can read, magically presenting her with a contract.

Cora takes it from him and begins to read, realizing that he wants her first born child, to which Rumple replies that she is quite important. "'She'?" Cora asks, and Rumple again reminds her that he sees the future. He adds that he only gets his payment if Cora lives past tomorrow and she asks him if he'll be able to spin all of the straw into gold by morning, which he can, telling her that she can parade in front of the royals and take the hand of the dear prince in marriage, having the subjects kneel before her. As Rumple elaborates, Cora simply says, "No," which confuses the Dark One. He turns to her, and she asks him to teach her, don't just do it, teach her how to do it. She suggests that he make it part of their deal and Rumple giggles, naming Cora as a "spicy one" before bowing and introducing himself as Rumplestiltskin, saying that he does believe she just earned it before changing the contract's words with magic. Rumple offers Cora a quill so that she may sign it, before telling her, "Now, let's begin."

Back in Storybrooke, in Mr. Gold's pawn shop, David, Mary Margaret and Bae sit the dying pawnbroker down on his couch in the back room before he proceeds to ask Emma, who's carrying a jar, if she found "it". She presents the jar, saying there's nothing in it, but shaking it and hearing a rattle, becoming confused. She reaches inside and pulls out- "Invisible chalk," Gold tells her as Emma looks at the space between her fingers where the chalk is being held, but not seen. Gold proceeds to tell her to use it on the front doorway, to draw a line, telling the rest of them that they might want to prepare for battle. Emma goes into the front section of the shop and is soon followed by David and Neal. Mary Margaret begins to follow on, but is stopped by Mr. Gold, who asks her to please retrieve him a warmer blanket, which she'll find in the cabinet. Mary Margaret obliges and opens the cabinet, however, she is absolutely shocked to see the object inside, not a blanket... but a magic candle, one that had been given to her when she was a little girl by the "Blue Fairy". Mary Margaret carefully takes the candle out of the cabinet with one hand, asking Gold why he has it. "For a rainy day," he replies, but Mary Margaret appears far from amused.

In the front section of Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer, Emma is seen holding the invisible chalk and bending down to scribble a line beneath the doorway with it. Neal, who's behind her and holding a sword, jokingly tells her that she missed a spot, and Emma sarcastically tells him that he's hilarious, continuing to draw. He tells her that he didn't know she was magical and she asks him if he's being "judgey" about it, saying that he's not allowed to have opinions on surprises and calling him "Mr. I'm-the-son-of-Rumplestiltskin". He gives an "Oh," and Emma wonders what it means, he explains that he didn't mean for Emma to be surprised. She asks him if he's referring to the fact that the guy she dated a decade ago is engaged, but Bae doesn't answer. David walks into the room, telling the pair that they're all clear outside and asking them if everything's okay. Neal smiles and turns to Emma, who nods.

In the back room, Mary Margaret is still holding the magic candle and realizes that Mr. Gold wasn't really getting better. He explains that the candle is needed to save him as there's nothing else. Snow reminds him that she wouldn't use it to save her own mother, asking him what makes him think she would use it for him. He replies that she's all grown up now and, for once, their interests are aligned. Mary Margaret then realizes that it will be Cora who dies in Gold's place and he tells her that he knows she can do it and he knows she wants to do it. Mary Margaret offers him a blank look, stating, "There's no coming back from murder." But he points out that there's no coming back from death either, and that's what will happen to her loved ones. Mary Margaret says that even if she were to do this, that the candle only works when you whisper the victims name over them. "The heart will do," Gold tells her, leading Mary Margaret to realize that Cora's heart isn't in her body. Gold tells her to use the candle to curse the heart, before performing the tricky part. Snow is confused as to how that's not the tricky part, and Gold explains that she has to put the heart back into Cora's body in order for the candle to take affect; she will die, and Rumple will live. "There's another way: I get Cora's heart, I control her and make her do the right thing, and I let you die. Takes care of two evils in one," she points out. A weak-looking Mr. Gold laughs and tells her that he's just imagining the look on Henry's face when he finds out that she killed his grandpa. Mary Margaret appears taken aback when Emma walks into the room, causing her to place the candle into her pocket. The blonde states that she drew the invisible line and asks what they do now, wondering if Gold is to cast a protection spell, however, the pawnbroker reveals that Emma's going to do that for him. "I'm relying on you," he tells Emma, although this little phrase clearly also applies to Mary Margaret, who stares at Rumple with rage.

Act III
"I can't cast a spell! I can spell 'spell'," Emma tells Mr. Gold in the back room of his pawn shop. However, a weakened Gold tells her that it's in her. Emma asks if she's meant to cast it from where she is, from her brain, but Gold just tells her to try. Emma closes her eyes, attempting to oblige, but Gold exclaims for her to stop thinking as conjuring magic is not an intellectual endeavor, it's emotion. She must ask herself 'Why am I doing this? Who am I protecting?', he tells her to feel it. Emma takes this on board before turning around, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, suddenly, we flash between the shop's exterior and her as we begin to see an invisible barrier rise from the chalk line that Emma drew. As the spell becomes complete, Emma nods and smiles to herself as we see the protection spell reach full capacity. Gold asks the blonde if she felt it and she tells him that she thinks she did, before turning to him. He calls her a "very good girl". Back in the tower of the fairytale land that was, Cora is seen spinning straw into thread as Rumplestiltskin stands over her, seeing that no gold is being produced, she stops spinning and angrily tells the Dark One that it's not happening. He tells her that she just needs to stop thinking about it as magic is about emotion. "Summon up that moment that made you so angry... you would have killed if you could." Cora stares at Rumple, asking him if he does that, and he replies that he does. She wonders what his moment is and she smiles before telling her that once, "a man made me kiss his boots in front of my son", and now in his mind, he goes back and he rips out his throat and he crunches his veins with his teeth - "And that, dearie, is how magic is made." Cora smiles at him, before uttering, "Blood lust." Rumple tells her that he likes the phrase before walking behind her and placing both hands on her shoulders, asking her to let him help her. At this, he crouches down beside her, running his hands down her arms, as she continues to spin the wheel. "They made me kneel," she starts as Rumple buries his face in the crook of her neck, "I didn't do anything wrong... but they made me apologize... to a child. I realized, no matter how good I was or how hard I worked, I was never going to be more than I am now." As Cora continues to spin, Rumple asks her what she would like to do to them, and she smiles, before saying, "I want to make them bow. I want their kneecaps to crack and to freeze on the stones. I want their necks to break from bending." At this, Rumple tells her to look and Cora sees that she has successfully spun straw into golden thread. She happily says that she did it and she's going to live, but he assures her that she's going to do much more than that, telling her not to stop until they are on their knees. As Rumple runs his face up her neck and smells her hair, she decides to keep on going, and the wheel begins spinning once more.

Trivia

 * The title card features Rumplestiltskin's spinning wheel.
 * The same title card is used in "That Still Small Voice" and "Skin Deep".
 * Although credited, Colin O'Donoghue (Captain Hook) is absent from the episode.
 * Despite her name being in the official press release, Sonequa Martin-Green (Tamara) is also absent.

Production
The title of this episode was revealed by executive producer/co-creator Adam Horowitz, via his Twitter account, on December 31, 2012.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.