The Outsider

"The Outsider" is the 33rd episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
Mr. Gold finds an unwilling test subject to see if a spell he has concocted will allow him to cross the border of Storybrooke - without losing his memory - and go in search of his son, Bae. Belle stumbles upon a vengeful Hook in the Storybrooke harbor whose main goal is to eradicate Rumplestiltskin, and Mary Margaret and David go house hunting in search of a bigger place to live. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, Belle meets Mulan as the two set out to slay a fearsome beast called the Yaoguai, who has been ravaging the land.

Teaser
It's late at night on the outskirts of Storybrooke. A car slowly drives up to the line defining the barrier between Storybrooke and the outside world. The driver, Mr. Gold, parks just beside the line and then gets out to head to his trunk. He opens the trunk, revealing a tied up and frightened William Smee. "This'll only take a moment" Gold smiles sinisterly at him. Smee is taken out of the car and his bounds are untied. He begs Gold not to push him over the line as he'll lose his memory, calling it a cruel fate. Mr. Gold points out that he was more than willing to bestow that fate upon Belle. He slightly taps Smee with his cane and the cowardly man falls to the floor in fear. Gold removes Smee's red hat and points out that he's had it since the day they met. When he asks why it's so important, Smee explains that his grandmother made it for him when he was younger. Gold removes a vile containing a potion from his pocket at then pours it onto the hat. Smee asks what difference the hat makes, so Gold, in an evilly cheery tone, says it makes all the difference in the world. He throws the hat back to Smee and calls it his only chance. Smee puts the hat back on and then kneels up, confused, asking what he means. With that, Gold kicks Smee, causing him to fall over the line. The man cowers with fear as a blue light surrounds him. Gold watches nervously. When the blue light fades, Smee freezes in silence and Gold watches him. "What's your name?" Gold asks. The man responds by saying "William Smee", so Gold asks "Who am I?", causing Smee to respond "Rumplestiltskin...the Dark One". Smee cheerfully stands up and states he remembers everything. He steps back over the line and asks how it's possible, so Gold states their experiment worked. He then grabs Smee and pulls him close, making him cower. "Now go" he growls. A terrified Smee turns and runs back into Storybrooke as fast as he can. Gold turns back to the line and smiles to himself, stating he has a trip to plan.

ONCE UPON A TIME

Act I
At a graveyard in Storybrooke, all of Archie's friends are gathered around a gravestone reading "Archibald Hopper - Friend and Conscience". Mary Margaret, who is leading the ceremony, states some people knew him as Archie, some as Jiminy, but adds that everyone knew him as a friend. "And though he may now be gone, he will always live on inside of us, reminding us to be our best selves..." she continues to say, tearing up. Pongo, Archie's dog, whines sadly at the coffin, and then everyone else looks upon the coffin sadly. "...to do the right thing, to always be our best selves" she continues. After wiping away a tear, Mary Margaret says they shouldn't think of today as goodbye, just as a way of saying that they'll be listening to him. Upon finishing her speech, the emotional Mary Margaret hugs her loving husband as she breaks down into tears. Everyone else begins to cry and comfort each other, everyone but Geppetto. Geppetto, carrying his friends treasured umbrella, steps towards the gravestone and places the umbrella beside it. He kneels down beside the coffin and then sadly tells his friend that he misses him so much, but then comforts himself by stating that he's in a better place now.

Meanwhile, below the deck of Hook's ship, Archie, who is very much alive, begs his captive to not hurt him. The pirate grabs his prisoner by the chin and tells him to shush, which he eventually does out of fear. Hook points out that Rumplestiltskin must have told Archie lots of secrets as his patient, so asks where "the dagger" is. Archie claims not to know anything about a dagger, so the pirate pauses for a moment and scans his prisoners face to detect any signs of deception. After coming to the conclusion that he's telling the truth, Hook explains that the dagger is Rumplestiltskin's weakness. When he asks the therapist if there are any other weaknesses, he immediately thinks of Belle, and becomes very nervous. When he doesn't reveal the obvious weakness, Hook leans towards his prisoner and evilly states he's always wanted to dissect a cricket. He puts his hook above Archie's head, causing the captive to cower and beg for his life, pleasing Hook. As he strokes his hook down Archie's face, he angrily demands to know what the weakness is.

Later on, after the funeral service, Belle rushes into Rumple's shop and asks Rumple what was so important that he couldn't tell her over the phone. With a smug look on his face, he reveals that he can leave Storybrooke, exciting Belle. He pulls out a potion from his briefcase and explains that once he pours it on the object he holds most dear, it becomes as talisman that allows him to cross the town line without forgetting his memory. Belle adds it'll also allow him to find who he's looking for, so Rumple confirms, stating "my boy". A curious Belle asks what he is going to enchant, so he heads to a painting behind his shop counter. He opens the painting, which has hinges on one side, revealing a vault hidden behind it. He opens the small vault and pulls out a dirty shawl. He explains that the shawl is all he has left of Baelfire. Belle asks if she could possibly come with him, but Rumple disappointingly tells her that although he wishes she could come, he only has enough of the potion for one object. A slightly saddened Belle understands this and then watches as Rumple locks the shawl back in the vault. He turns to his love and tells her this is his journey, and it's something he must do alone. The two hug and Belle assuringly tells him that she knows.

In the fairytale land that was, Belle is sat in a tavern drinking a beer as a group of men listen to their leader tell tale of a beast that is ravaging nearby villages. He states that no man has been able to kill the beast, known as the Yaoguai, but assures them that they will. He then explains that there is room on his wagon, so asks who shall join him. Some of the men cheer to signal their support. Belle smiles at the men with a look of adventure on her face. Suddenly, Dreamy the dwarf approaches Belle and asks if she's looking for an adventure. Belle successfully recalls the dwarfs name and they both sit down together. Dreamy thanks Belle for her advice the night before, stating "it worked". He gleefully adds that he and Nova are running away together. A joyous Belle tells him that's wonderful, but then turns her attention back to the group of men. Dreamy suggests signing up for the hunt, but Belle tells him that despite dreaming of heroics, she thinks its safer to stick to her books as they're the only adventures she knows to have happy endings. Dreamy supposes this one could have one too, but Belle doubts this as she already faced a beast and it didn't end well. Dreamy asks what she's talking about, but before she can answer, the leader of the group tells his men to follow him. They then leave the tavern to begin their hunt for the Yaoguai. Dreamy tells Belle to get on the wagon, to take a chance. A curious Belle bites her lip and then prepares herself to leave. She thanks Dreamy, packs her book in her satchel and then begins to leave. As she walks away, Dreamy stops her and gives her fairy dust as it might come in handy. A nervous Belle declines the offer as she's seen what magic does to people, but Dreamy explains she's seen what dark magic does to people. He assures her that fairies use their dust for good and tells her to be a hero. Belle smiles and thanks Dreamy once more before running after the group, eager to join. Dreamy watches her, smiling as she leaves.

Back in Storybrooke, outside the library, Belle walks down the street and then enters her beloved building. She takes a pile of books to put them away, but she stops when she sees Captain Hook stood, "reading" a book, showing off his shiny metal hook. Without sensing any danger, Belle apologizes and tells the man that the library isn't open yet. Hook slowly turns his head to Belle and explains that he isn't here for the books. Upon seeing his face, Belle is suddenly filled with fear, and remembers him as the man who snook into her cell at Regina's palace. She suddenly sprints away, hoping to get away from him, but he chases her and they end up trapped on the opposite sides of a book shelf. Hook tries to go around one side, but Belle counters him by running the other. When they stop, a scared Belle states that he wanted to kill Rumplestiltskin. Hook assures her that he still does, but adds that right now, he'll settle for her. As he makes a move around the shelf again, Belle pushes the shelf over on him, trapping him for a moment. She runs to the elevator in the library and opens it. She rushes inside and then immediately closes the doors. Hook chases after her, but the doors shut just as he reaches her. As Belle cowers inside the elevator, Hook slams his hand against the door. Belle pulls out her cell phone and calls Rumple. When he answers, Belle tells him that she's in the elevator at the library and a man broke in who wants to kill her. However, the call breaks up so Rumple is unable to hear everything clearly. He says she's breaking up, so asks who is in the library. She tells him that a pirate with no hand is, however, it becomes useless so she hangs up. Rumple calls out for his love when the call ends.

Act II
In the fairytale land that was, a wagon with men on it is pulled by horse through an open field. Among the men is Belle, who is now in more appropriate clothing for hunting the Yaoguai. As she reads a book, one of the men, Alistair, asks her what it is, so she teasingly tells him its a book. He asks Belle if she thinks she can defeat the beast with a book, so one of the other men suggests she will bore it to death. Belle shrugs off their comments and states it will help them find the Yaoguai. Alistair takes the book from her and examines it, but says it's just scribbles. Belle takes her book back and tells him it's another language, one that she knows how to translate. As she continues to read the book, she makes a slightly intrigued sound, causing Alistair to asks what she found. Belle negates to tell him and reminds him that they're "just scribbles". Alistair then sternly tells Belle that they're here to protect the land, so she must tell them where to go. After a slight hesitation, Belle tells him that they'll find the Yaoguai by the lake. Alistair turns to the driver, Claude, and tells him to head to the lake. Alistair then suddenly kicks Belle off the wagon and then tosses her the book. Belle stays on the ground as the men drive away, laughing. She then picks herself up and then her book. She yells to the men, telling them to enjoy the lake, and then she smiles. Belle continues to read her book and reveals that the Yaoguai actually prefers mountain habitats. She then looks at a picture of the cave the beast may be found in.

A while later, Belle is stood outside the cave that is identical to the one in her book. She reads in the book that the Yaoguai sleeps by day and hunts by night. She then closes her book and looks worriedly at the cave. She takes a deep breath and begs for the beast to be asleep. As she slowly steps towards the entrance of the dark cave, she pulls out a small dagger, holding it ready to kill the beast. However, as she slowly creeps forward, she steps on a twig and lets out a loud cracking sound. She freezes with fear, realizing her mistake. She peaks into the cave to see if she alerted the beast, but it's too late, after a slight pause of silence, a large roar comes from within, terrifying Belle. She immediately turns and runs for her life. Moments later, the Yaoguai, which is a large demon dog like creature with a mane made of fire. The beast pounces for Belle as she falls to the ground, but it's stopped momentarily when a hidden archer shoots it from the distance. The beast yelps with pain and then runs off into the forest. Belle is left mortified. The hidden archer rushes to Belle and then removes their helmet, revealing them to be Mulan. Mulan helps Belle to her feet and then the latter asks how she can thank the former, as she saved her life. Mulan angrily states that Belle ruined her hunt, claiming it took her weeks to track the Yaoguai. Belle picks up her book and says she found it in a day. Mulan tells Belle she had luck on her side, but Belle explains it was the book and the offers to help find it again. Mulan tells Belle that she's done enough already and says if she wants to help, then she should stay out of her way. Belle then watches with shock as the warrior walks away.

Back in Storybrooke, Belle is still hiding in the elevator. Loud bangs and clunks come from the other side, making her cower with fear. Suddenly, sounds begin to come from the elevator that mean the doors are unlocking, so Belle becomes even more worried. As the doors open, she shakes with fear, but is suddenly relieved when Rumplestiltskin is revealed to be on the other side. He calls out to her with relief and then she instantly runs to him, hugging him. He hugs her back and assures her everything is okay. As Rumplestiltskin puts his jacket on a shaken Belle, she anxiously asks where Captain Hook is. Rumplestiltskin states that he doesn't know and then he assures her again that she doesn't have to worry because he's here. They hug again.

Over at Emma's apartment, a depressed Henry is sat on his grandparent's bed, looking sad. Emma approaches him from behind with a pop tart, wondering if he's hungry. He declines the offer, so Emma looks over to Mary Margaret, who is stood with other people as they hold a wake for Archie. They both exchange a concerned glance. She leaves the food beside him and then walks over to her mother, upset. Mary Margaret comforts Emma, stating she's doing everything she can. Emma points out that that's what makes her feel awful. The two women are suddenly interrupted by Leroy, who nervously approaches them and asks, on behalf of him and his fellow dwarf, when they'll be going "back". Emma wonders where he's talking about, so he explains the Enchanted Forest, their home. Mary Margaret seems shocked that they want to go back, and Emma states that they fought really hard to come back to Storybrooke. Leroy points out that after Archie's death, Storybrooke isn't as safe as they thought. Emma tells him that they're going to find her soon as there are only so many places she can hide. After Mary Margaret promises they can take care of her again, Leroy adds it isn't just her as there is a hold world full of people that don't know who or what they are. He asks the women what would happen if someone came to "pay them a visit", they both look at each other worriedly. Ruby agrees with Leroy and worries someone will see magic...like a girl turning into a wolf (something people in the Enchanted Forest didn't approve of either). Emma tells the group not to worry about "what ifs" and then reminds them that nobody is in Storybrooke. "Yet. Maybe they come, maybe they don't. But that doesn't change the fact that while we enjoy things like Penicillin...we're a bit homesick" Leroy adds sadly.

Meanwhile, Rumple and Belle are walking down the streets of Storybrooke. Belle asks where they're going, so Rumple explains that they're going to his shop. When asked why, he explains that there are things they can use to keep Hook away from her in the future. Belle says they should just report the incident to the sheriff as they'll find him. She then reminds him that he's so close to finding his son, so he shouldn't let his hatred for Hook get in the way of that. A frustrated Rumple states Hook tried to hurt her, so she curiously asks why. Rumple tries to turn her away from the subject by saying its not really her concern, however, she states it is because he tried to hurt her. The two stop in their tracks and then there is an awkward silence for a moment. Rumple looks anxiously around before finally explaining what happened. He explains that many years ago he was married to a woman named Milah, until Hook crossed their paths. Belle realizes this woman was Baelfire's mother. Rumple goes on to say that because of Hook, Bae grew up without his mother. "He took my wife, he took Bae's mother... so I took his hand" Rumple finishes. Belle understands that this is why he came after her, but then asks what happened to Milah. A nervous Rumple seems reluctant to answer the question, so Belle takes his hand gently and assures him that he can tell her anything. Rumple nods slowly and then reveals that Milah died...leaving out a vital piece of information (that he killed her). As the two enter the shop, they're both stopped with shock as they see it has been destroyed. Belle asks what happened, so Rumple states Hook happened. He realizes Hook attacked Belle so he'd leave the shop. Belle asks what he wanted as Rumple discovers Bae's shawl is missing. Meanwhile, they're unaware that Hook and Smee are watching them from the rooftop of a nearby building. As Hook puts away his telescope, he asks Smee if he has "it". Smee hands over the shawl and asks what it is. Hook takes it, stating "It's the end of the Crocodile's hope...now he's trapped here".

Production
The title of this episode was revealed by executive producer and co-creator Adam Horowitz, via his Twitter account, on November 23, 2012, along with the title for episode 2.10.

Trivia

 * The title card of this episode features the Yaoguai.
 * This is the first episode of the series that only features Queen Regina and not her Storybrooke persona, Regina Mills.
 * When the Yaoguai writes "save me" on the ground in Chinese (救我, pronounced "Jiu Wo"), Belle manages to read the entire phrase, "Jiu Wo", before the beast finishes writing the first symbol; Jiu.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.

Ratings

 * The episode took a major hit from a combination of factors (both the Golden Globe Awards and a delayed 60 Minutes due to the AFC playoffs running overtime into the 8PM Eastern time zone), resulting in its lowest numbers by far, placing 2.8/7 among 18-49s with only 8.15 million viewers tuning in.

Reviews

 * Entertainment Weekly critic Sarah Caldwell gave it a good but mixed review: "'I think we can all agree that this was a pretty stupendous episode -- and I’m not just talking about Belle's wardrobe."


 * Oliver Sava of The A.V. Club gave it a B: "Once Upon A Time is a problematic series, but it’s not unfixable. The last two episodes back from winter hiatus have made big strides toward improving this show, largely by focusing on character development rather than mythology. While it’s fun to see how these Disney fairy tales intersect in the past, the fantasy elements can feel empty without a strong emotional core. “The Outsider” does a good job balancing those different aspects of the series, spotlighting Belle as she fights to help Rumpelstiltskin realize the good inside himself while teaming up with Mulan in the past to hunt a giant flaming dog. It’s a little silly but that’s the Once Upon A Time M.O., and ultimately the episode is a strong story about fighting for what you really believe in, even if that ends up getting you a bullet in the back."