Into the Deep

"Into the Deep" is the 30th episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
Cora does everything in her power to steal the compass away from Mary Margaret and Emma in her quest to find the entrance to Storybrooke. Meanwhile, in order to protect Henry from further danger, Regina and Mr. Gold must put David's life in jeopardy in an attempt to put him in contact with Mary Margaret across the lands to give her vital information that could help her and Emma return through the portal back to Storybrooke.

Plot
"Previously on Once Upon a Time."

Emma, Snow, Mulan and Aurora return to the safe haven and discover that everyone has been killed, having their hearts ripped out by Cora. Henry is put under the sleeping curse after eating a poisoned apple turnover. Mr. Gold explain that when you're put under a sleeping curse, the souls travels to a netherworld. Henry travels to the netherworld, red room filled with fire, during his sleep. Mr. Gold gives Henry a medallion that will help control his dreams. He does so when he next visits the netherworld and meets Aurora. Aurora wakes up from her dream and reveals that a young boy named Henry talked to her, Emma and Mary Margaret are shocked. Hook offers to help his captors and takes them to a beanstalk where a magic compass is held. Emma and Hook climb up and find the compass, but Emma locks Hook up so she can escape with it.

Teaser
It's late at night in the fairytale land that was. At the base of the beanstalk, Hook drops to the ground after a long journey back down it. As he catches his breath, Cora approaches him from behind, saying seems her dear captain has been on quite an adventure. Upon hearing her voice, Hook closes his eyes and sighs with fear. She asks for the compass, so he turns around to her, smiling. He explains that matters grew complicated and tells her the details of the story are a "bit of a bore" so they've alluded him. Cora points out that stealing her protection spell and climbing the beanstalk must be a bore to him, but to her, it's a betrayal. Hook assures Cora that he was going to give her the compass and states that their agreement remains; they're going to Storybrooke together. Cora says she doesn't have time for his games, explaining she's crossed too many worlds to lose now. She then asks who it was that bested Hook, so he reluctantly tells her it was Emma Swan. He promises Cora it won't happen again, she chuckles. "No, it won't. You chose her...and the consequences of that decision" Cora says sternly. Hook playfully asks if she's going to kill him and then tells her to go ahead and try. Cora shudders with excitement and calls Hook brave. She explains she won't kill him, as she has something more satisfying in mind. She claims that she will travel to Storybrooke alone, leaving Hook in the fairytale land with her thirst for revenge unquenched. Worried by this news, Hook puts on a brave and charming face and tells her there's no need to be rash and offers to discuss it. She tells Hook that his pretty face buys him a lot, but not her time as it is far too valuable. Hook promises he can get the compass back, stating Cora needs him. She laughs, claiming she doesn't as she begins to walk away. "You've had your chance, now it's my turn to do this the right way" she says. An angered Hook dives towards Cora to stab her with his hook, but she dissipates into a cloud of mist, causing Hook to fall to the ground. He looks up and huffs angrily.

Meanwhile, at the safe haven, a cloud of mist appears and Cora emerges from it, holding a lantern. She places the lantern on a desk which has numerous draws in it. She takes out one of the draws, which is revealed to be a small container, and she opens it. She takes out an enchanted heart, but this one is different to the others, as it is not glowing. She holds it in front of her and then slowly blows air onto it. The magic she has cast brings the heart to life and it begins to glow the bright red. As that heart awakens, several other hearts in draws awaken, and the draws slide open. The sound of hearts beating becomes very clear. Cora then walks with the one heart in her hands and she steps to the doorway of the building she's in. As she looks to the ground below, she darkly says "rise" and a hand suddenly awakens, raising into the air. The men whom Cora had previously killed all begin to stand up, groaning like mindless animals. They all walk away in one direction. Cora watches the "zombies" coldly.

ONCE UPON A TIME

Act I
Emma is sat holding a picture of Henry in front of Aurora, asking if he's the boy from her dreams. A confused Aurora confirms that it is, shocking Emma and Snow. Emma says it's impossible and asks how she could dream of her son; Aurora has no idea. An anxious Snow supposes it isn't a dream, shocking Emma and Aurora. Mulan emerges from the behind the tent and all three listen to Snow explain that she has been to the same room as Aurora. A frustrated Aurora points out that she didn't say anything before, so Snow explains that she was scared and didn't want to make things worse by saying it's real. Unable to believe what she's hearing, Mulan asks if the room in a dream is real. Snow says it must be the sleeping curse as both she and Aurora have been under it. A guilty Emma realizes Henry went through it because she wouldn't believe him. "What else did you lie about?" Aurora asks angrily. Snow defensively claims she wasn't lying, but protecting her. Emma asks the princess what Henry said in the dream, but all he said was his name and then she woke up. Snow comforts her daughter, saying it's going to be okay. However, Emma doesn't believe her and states they're far from okay. "We have a way home now" Snow assures her, but Emma tells her they only have a compass and the ashes are with Cora. Mulan states that any attempt to steal from Cora would be suicide, but Snow reveals they can stop her. Mulan asks how, but Snow doesn't know...however, she reveals someone does, Rumplestiltskin. Emma realizes that they can use Henry to talk to him. Aurora begins to realize the plan and seems reluctant, but Emma turns to her and says "Oh yeah, princess...You're going back to sleep".

A while later, after Aurora has gone back to sleep and her soul has returned to the netherworld, she is stood in the red room engulfed with flames, calling out for Henry, trying to find him. She tries to shield herself from the flames as she calls out, but there's no answer. Suddenly, Henry yells out "Hello" to Aurora. Aurora approaches him and recognizes him from the photo. He asks who she is, so she introduces herself and explains that she is with his mother and grandmother. Henry asks if they're okay, so she tells them they're fine and just want to go home, but they need his help. Henry understands and then asks what he needs to do. A while later, after he's been given the information, Henry awakens from his sleep and yells that "They're alive". Charming and Regina are sat nearby, keeping him company as he sleeps. Charming asks who is alive, so he explains that Emma and Snow are. "I told you kid, I told ya'!" Charming yells excitedly. Regina asks if the woman he saw told him this. Henry explains she's called Aurora and they have a way home, but there's someone in their way, someone they need help to stop, someone who only Mr. Gold knows how to defeat. Puzzled, Regina asks who he's talking about, so the boy awkwardly explains it's her mother. Regina is shocked.

Act II
At Granny's Diner, the chef in the kitchen gives two burgers with a side of fries to Granny as music plays around the busy diner. She takes the food over to a table, where Rumplestiltskin and Belle are sat, enjoying a nice chat. As she puts them on the table, Belle tells her they smell delicious, Granny says that are delicious. With an attitude, she looks at Rumple and adds it didn't take any dark magic either. She leans towards him and says she charges extra for the pickles, Rumple awkwardly acknowledges this. After Granny walks away, Rumple explains he has a complicated relationship with her, as he does with most people. Belle assures Rumple that it'll take people a while to get to know him, like it did for her. Rumple picks up a bottle of ketchup and suggests she try her burger with it, as condiments are "this world's most powerful magic". Suddenly, Regina enters the diner, saying she needs to talk with Mr. Gold. With a look of disinterest on his face, he asks if they do. Granny foresees an unpleasant situation forming between the two, so worried, she asks everyone in the diner to leave as they need to close. Regina assures Granny that it's okay because they're civil, "For now" Gold adds. He then turns to Belle and sarcastically asks if she remembers the woman who locked her up for twenty-eight years. An uncomfortable Belle offers to leave, but Gold asks her to stay, as whatever Regina has to say won't be a secret and whatever she wants, she won't get. Regina points out that she came about the one thing that might unite them, humoured, Gold asks what that is, "Cora. She's coming from our land, I need your help to stop her" Regina says. Gold's face freezes and a hint of fear is visible. He quietly explains she was dead and reminds Regina that she saw the body. Regina says Gold must have taught her well. She then states Cora isn't dead and she's on her way, and it'll be unpleasant for both of them. Gold says it'll be unpleasant for Regina, as he can handle Cora. Regina slightly smiles and says "That's not how she tells the story", "I won in the end" Gold growls. Belle watches the two curiously. Regina points out that there's a difference this time, as he now has someone he cares about, a weakness. A confused Belle who the woman they're talking about it, but Gold assures her it's someone she'll never meet. "So you say she's coming, where is she now?" Gold asks. She stands up straight and sharply says "With them", implying Emma and Snow.

In the fairytale land that is, Emma, Snow, Mulan and Aurora are making their way through the enchanted forest. Emma asks how close they are to their destination, as Henry may already be waiting in the netherworld. However, Aurora assures her that they arranged to meet up in two hours time. Snow says they won't leave him waiting, but Emma begins to panic, so Aurora assures her that he was fine. Snow then points to an area in the woods and says it's good to set up camp. She tells Aurora that she'll settle in and find Henry to get the information that they need from Rumplestiltskin. She then says they need to act fast, get in and out because it's dangerous in the forest. As Emma and Snow continued heading towards their destination, Aurora's cloak gets caught on a bush, she stops walking. Mulan turns to her and asks if something is wrong, but Aurora explains she's just caught on something. Mulan notices a burn on her arm, which is revealed by the cloak being pulled back, and says that doesn't explain it. The princess covers the burn and asks what she's talking about. Mulan states that the burns she is hiding aren't from the sun. Aurora claims to have brushed against some poisonous leaves and then tries to walk away, but Mulan stops her, explaining that the room in the netherworld had fire in it. She warns the princess not to return if that is the place she was burned. Aurora confesses that she doesn't have much of a choice. Mulan explains that Aurora is choosing to go in deeper and stay their longer because of Henry, she then reminds the princess that she vowed to Prince Phillip to protect her, not to help strangers find a portal to another land. Aurora states that she was cursed to spend eternity in her sleep, and the only reason she is here is because Mulan and Phillip risked their lives to save her. "Every day since my awakening has been a gift, so let me do something with it. It's my turn to help someone else. I'm going to go back in and find that boy" she states. The princess then continues her journey, a guilt ridden Mulan watches her.

Back in Storybrooke, at Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer, Regina carries a blanket over to Henry, who is laid on a mattress that's on the floor. She tells him she brought his blanket from home and them puts it on top of his torso, he thanks her. He then turns to Regina, Mr. Gold and Charming and asks if Cora is powerful. Gold confirms, but says she isn't as powerful as him. Regina laughs at this and calls it debatable, however, Gold claims it isn't. Charming sighs at the two for arguing over power and then he sits beside Henry and holds his arms comfortingly. He asks if he's sure to do it, Henry replies by saying "I was born to do this. I'm done reading about heroes, I wanna be one". Charming tells his grandson that sometimes, being a hero is knowing when not to run into the fire. Henry assures a worried Charming that he'll be okay. Gold points out that what Henry faces in the netherworld will be far less dangerous than what they'd face if they fail. Henry repeats that he can do it, so a reluctant Charming sighs and agrees. He stands up and tells Gold to get on with it...fast. Gold sits down on a chair beside Henry and tells the boy to relax because he'll soon drift off. Henry asks what he has to tell them, so Gold tells him to listen to his bedtime story...and everything will make sense. He puts his hand on Henry's head, and Henry closes his eyes. "Once upon a time, Snow White and Prince Charming needed to stun a very powerful magician, and long enough to lock him up in the dark dungeon" he starts. Henry points out that the magician was Gold and they used Cinderella to trap him with the magic quill. As he talks, Gold lowers his hand down Henry's face and the young boy drifts off to sleep. "Yes, indeed, a quill. And yet, it wasn't the quill itself, but the ink that captured the dark one. Harvested from the rarest species of squid from the bottom of a bottomless ocean, impossible to find, unless you're a mermaid...or me, and I happen to have a private supply. In my jail cell, that is where they will find it." Gold then raises his hand back up Henry's face.

Back in the fairytale land that was, Aurora is sleeping under a make-shift tent as Mulan puts her hand over her forehead and then nods to Snow and Emma, indicating she is in her deep sleep. Mulan sits beside Aurora as Emma walks slightly away from the tent, worried. Snow follows her and takes her hand, assuring her everything will be okay. She tells Emma she'll see Henry again and their plan will work. Suddenly, they hear the sound of a twig snapping. Mulan also hears it so stands up and watches out into the woods like a hawk. They all stand very still as the sound of twigs snapping continues. As they continue to look out, Mulan puts her hand on her sword, ready to draw it. They all then look over to Aurora, who is still asleep in the tent. She moves around as she begins to "dream".

In the netherworld, Aurora is stood alone in the red room filled with flames. She looks across to the other side to look for Henry, but she cannot see him. She suddenly sees him so calls out his name. She asks if he can help them, so he yells that he knows what they have to do to stop Cora. However, the roar and crackling from the flames is loud and they can barely hear each other's voices. He yells that they have to go to Rumplestiltskin's cell, but the roar of the flames prevent Aurora from hearing his message. She asks where they have to go, but she's stopped by large flames almost hitting her. As they continue to avoid the deadly flames, Aurora asks where they have to go again. He tells her Rumplestiltskin's cell again, but the flames prevent her from hearing him. She tries to explain that she cannot hear him, but she's stopped by a deep voice in the distance shouting "Aurora". She looks around, to see where the voice came from, and she asks if he heard it. He asks Aurora if she heard him, so she tells him to say it again. Another bursting flame prevents them from talking, and then Aurora hears the deep voice yelling her name again. She asks if he can hear it, but he tells her he can't and then asks what's going on. The deep voice yells her name even louder, she asks if he can hear it. Suddenly, Aurora is viciously sucked into the air in a spiral motion into a cloud of mist. Henry watches her helplessly from the ground.

Back in the fairytale land that was, Aurora is woke up in a hurry by Mulan shaking her and yelling her name. She helps Aurora to her feet as the princess explains that Henry wasn't finished. The warrior tells her the time for that is over before drawing her sword, turning around and fighting a man who charges at her with his sword. She defeats him, then another comes after her. Aurora hides behind the tent. Snow and Emma both participate in the fight against the "zombies" that Cora had previously awaken. Mulan and Aurora sneakily run away. Snow is grabbed by one of the man and another comes at her from the front, but she manages to kick him away. Emma continues to fight more men as Snow breaks from from the man's grasp and she attacks him with her bow. She looks over to Emma and yells for her to watch out. A man suddenly dives on Emma and tackles her to the floor. She drops the compass and the man grabs it. As he prepares to run away with it, Emma yells "The compass!". Snow turns her attention to him and then fires an arrow into his chest, causing him to drop it. Emma takes it back and then runs away from the man, who is still standing. Snow fires another arrow at him and Emma fights off a few more, asking if she has any idea how to kill them. Snow tells her she has no idea. Snow fires an arrow at another man and then calls Mulan for assistance. There's no reply so she looks at the tent and notices she and Aurora have gone. Emma asks where Mulan is, but Snow tells her to run for it as more people draw in towards them. Emma knocks one over and then they run away. Snow narrowly avoids being hit by an axe as she runs.

Meanwhile, Mulan and Aurora are escaping from the men. They run through the forest together and then stop as Mulan assists the princess past a tree. When she makes it past it, Mulan tells her to go in a hurry. Mulan follows shortly after, but is suddenly grabbed by one of the men, who is laying on the ground. She falls over and screams in fear. He jumps on top of her and attempts to grab her sword from her hand. Mulan struggles against him to keep it. A second man then chases Aurora, who runs away in fear, screaming. Mulan suddenly regains control of the sword and then slashes it across the man's head. He falls down beside her, dead. When Mulan stands up, she looks around for Aurora, but there is nobody in sight. Knowing she has been kidnapped, Mulan becomes very worried and then she begins to call out for the princess. When there is no reply, she runs away to look for her, leaving the body of the man she killed...the headless body as she chopped his head off. Meanwhile, Emma and Snow are running through the forest. They've successfully escaped the "zombies", so stop. Emma asks her mother if she's still in one piece, "Yeah, pretty much" Snow replies. Suddenly, they hear some bushes rustling, startling them both. Snow points her armed bow and arrow in the direction of the noise as Mulan suddenly emerges from the bushes. When she sees the bow pointed at her, she stops in fear. Snow and Emma sigh in relief at the sight of her and the former lowers her bow. A distressed Mulan says "They took her. Aurora's gone". Snow and Emma are shocked.

Back in Storybrooke, at Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer, Henry awakens after returning from the netherworld. He seems disorientated and in pain. Regina, Charming and Mr. Gold rush to his side. Charming asks if he's alright, Gold asks if he saw her and if he told them. He explains that he didn't get the chance because something happened, claiming "got got sucked out of there". As Henry tries to sit up, he groans in pain and holds his arm. Concerned, Regina examines. As she pulls down the sleeve of his shirt, Henry states that something is wrong. When the sleeve of the shirt is pulled down, a large burn mark all along his arm is revealed. Everyone looks at it with horror. "Henry" Regina gasps, shocked at how bad the burn is.

Trivia

 * The title card of this episode features the horde of people Cora ripped hearts from rising and walking.
 * Although credited, Meghan Ory (Ruby/Red Riding Hood) is absent from this episode.
 * This is the first episode of the series not to dedicate flashback sequences to at least one character.
 * The title of this episode was revealed by executive producer and co-creator Adam Horowitz, via his Twitter account, on October 16, 2012, along with the title for episode 2.09.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.