New York City Serenade

"New York City Serenade" is the 56th episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
After Rumplestiltskin sacrificed his life to stop Pan from enacting another curse, Regina obliterated her original curse, which erased Storybrooke from existence and whisked its residents back to the Enchanted Forest - leaving Emma and Henry back in our world with no memories of Storybrooke. But all is not well back in the Enchanted Forest, when Hook comes calling on Emma in New York City in an attempt to jog her memory so that she can once again help her fairy tale family and friends out of a desperate situation.

Teaser
ONE YEAR AGO

In the Enchanted Forest, a lone man rides on his horse through the foggy fields of the countryside in an apparent hurry. He gallops through vast amounts of land before finally arriving at a stone gazebo where Princess Aurora waits with a picnic. The man, Prince Phillip gets off his horse and walks towards her, but she tells him he's late. He states he came as quickly as he could and she smiles, telling him she's hungry and missed him. Phillip points out that she's always hungry as he rubs her pregnant belly, "And cranky" she adds. Aurora apologizes, understanding that there are royal responsibilities, but Phillip explains that none of them match his responsibilities to her and their family. As they lean in to kiss, they're interrupted by the loud sound of thunder. They turn and see a large purple cloud hurtling towards them, "What is that? Is it a storm?" a frightened Aurora asks as they both slightly step towards it. The cloud begins to zap with lightning, scaring the couple's horses away. Phillip points out that it's not a storm, but magic, before telling her to run to safety. They run back to the gazebo, but the cloud catches them anyway, so they cower on the ground. When the mist passes, Phillip and Aurora check if they're both alright. Aurora wonders what it is, but Phillip says he doesn't know. Suddenly, their attentions are caught when they spot Snow White, Prince Charming, Queen Regina and a bunch of other people from the Enchanted Forest stood in a group, in their fairytale clothes, watching them. They're shocked. Aurora asks Snow what happened, "We're back" she replies with a saddened tone.

ONCE UPON A TIME

Act I
OUR WORLD ONE YEAR LATER

Emma Swan walks through the streets of New York City at night until she finally arrives at a expensive restaurant, where a man is waiting for her. He greets her and she apologizes for being late. He assumes she caught the man she was after, so she tells him he's optimistic, but he points out that if she didn't she'd have cancelled as she always gets her man. They both sit down at their small table and she is immediately met with a drink of wine. The man, Walsh, asks how Henry's volcano did at the science fair, so Emma explains that it was Pompeii all over again and then thanks him for his help. Walsh jokingly points out that he only convinced the boy not to use real lava; Emma says the teachers appreciated that. She then tells Walsh that they should eat as she's starving. They both look at their menus, and soon enough, their food has arrived. As she eats, Walsh asks if she's happy with it, so she states he is. Walsh gets a smile on his face and then he tenderly touches Emma's hand, "I'll be right back" he states before leaving to somewhere inside the restaurant. Emma begins looking at her phone, and when someone sits down at her table, assuming it's Walsh, she tells him to hang on as she needs to do something for work.

However, she's shocked to discover that it's Captain Hook, the man who kissed her at her house. He assures her that he can explain, but she calls him a stalker. Hook asks for her to hear him out as he's come to apologize, "For trying to kiss me?" she asks, picking up her knife. He says he was trying to jog her memory, but she tells him to go. Hook states her parents are in grave danger, but she says he has no idea what he's talking about. Hook asks if that's because she thinks she's an orphan before telling her everything she believes is wrong. Emma tells Hook that he doesn't know her, but he assures her that he knows her better than she knows herself. He tells her he's got proof before taking out a piece of paper from his coat, it has an address on it. He tells her if she wants to know who she really is and who her parents are then she should go to the address. Worried that Walsh will come back, Emma tells Hook to leave. Hook says they met a year ago but she doesn't remember, but Emma states that a year ago she was in Boston until a fire destroyed her apartment, "Regina really did a number on you" Hook says, almost impressed by the spell. Emma calls him a crazy person and a liar, but Hook states that he prefers dashing rapscallion or scoundrel. Emma asks for one good reason not to punch him in the face, so Hook tells her to use her "super power", "Yep, I know about that. Use it. See that I'm telling the truth" he tells her. Emma stares at Hook for a while and then when seeing he's telling the truth, explains that just because he believes something doesn't make it true. Hook points out that Emma knows something is off and then tells her to go to the address on the paper and when she wants to talk he'll be in Central Park near the entrance to the zoo. Hook tells Emma not to do it for him or herself, but her family as they need her. Hook then gets up and leaves, leaving Emma to think by herself.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, one year ago, everyone is under the stone gazebo catching up. Snow asks Aurora how things have been since they left so Aurora explains that the ogres have been defeated and they're now restoring their land and lives. Snow congratulates Aurora, looking at her belly, so the princess asks if its that obvious. Phillip states that they have much to celebrate and assures everyone that they're all welcome in their kingdom and if they need anything then they're at their service. Charming is grateful but simply asks for horses as they have their own kingdom and castle, however, Snow points out that it was destroyed in the curse. Hook sarcastically congratulates Regina for laying waste to everything. Aurora explains that not everything is gone as Regina's castle still stands, to which Regina explains that she protected it. Charming points out that it's Snow castle as it belonged to her first, but Regina reminds them that she married into it. Snow understands this but states they're taking it back together. She explains that everyone out there is scared and confused, so returning united is best. Charming thanks Phillip and Aurora for their hospitalities before making their way to Regina's castle. As they walk away, Aurora and Phillip step to the side and the former states that they can't pretend this didn't happen, stating that they have to tell "her" they've returned. Phillip says they can't as they know what will happen to them, but Aurora tells him if she found out they hid this then she'd take it out on their child. She repeats that they must tell her and they'll have to trust they can take care of themselves, stating its not up to them to save their friends.

Back in New York, Walsh returns to the table to find Emma with a concerned look on her face, so he asks he what's wrong. She assures him it's nothing just as dessert arrives, stating she couldn't eat any more. Walsh asks if she remembers their first date, reminding her that he brought her to this restaurant for lunch and she wanted an ice cream sundae, which wasn't on the menu, so he bribed the chef to make one up. She tells him she was nervous then but now she's full. He asks her to at least look at the dessert, spinning it around to reveal a ring on the plate. She is speechless. He tells her he couldn't wait any longer as he loves her, Henry and their lives together, adding he wants a future with her. He then gets onto his knee beside her and asks if she'll marry him. She doesn't reply, just gives him a scared look.

Trivia

 * The title card of this episode features New York City at night.
 * A similar title card was used in "Manhattan", which featured the New York skyline.
 * Although credited, Robert Carlyle (Mr. Gold/Rumplestiltskin) is absent from this episode.

Production

 * The title of this episode was revealed by executive producer/co-creator Adam Horowitz, via his Twitter account, on November 14, 2013.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.