Home

"Home" is the 8th episode of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.

Summary
In flashbacks, we learn about Cyrus' origin story while Alice seeks out the White Rabbit for answers involving his actions in Wonderland. Meanwhile, the Red Queen and Jafar's disdain for one another comes to a head, followed by a series of chaotic events. The insurmountable consequence caused by their showdown will put everyone in danger and lead to a drastic change.

Plot
"Previously in Wonderland..."

The citizens of Wonderland watch as their King announces the identity of their Queen: Anastasia. The Red Queen tells Alice that everything she has, she had to take. Alice then asks her about everything she's lost. Will rides home to be with his true love, Anastasia, who hugs him joyously. In Jafar's dungeon, the Red Queen tells the evil magician to stop underestimating her, later reminding him that she possesses Cyrus' bottle. She is then seen locking it away in a checkered chest in her palace. Jafar orders his guards to find Cyrus, who has escaped. Cyrus runs through the woodland atop the floating island containing Jafar's tower. Alice, having just revealed to herself Jafar's tower's location using magic dust, assures Cyrus that she's coming for him. Alice and Will use the Forget-Me-Knot to see that the White Rabbit handed the bottle to the Red Queen; Alice wonders how he could just betray her like that. The White Rabbit points out to the Red Queen that he's fulfilled his obligation to her, but she sternly tells him that promises were made to be broken.

Teaser
In Wonderland of the past, Alice and Cyrus are seen sitting beside each other in front of a fire, looking up at the beautiful night sky. Alice remarks that she was promised "falling stars", and yet, all she sees is stars. Cyrus tells her to be patient, as it's almost time, and soon enough, the stars in the sky begin to precipitate, falling to the ground like snow. Alice comments on the scene's incredibility, and Cyrus, smiling, tells his true love that a kiss beneath the falling stars is said to bring good fortune. She says that if he wants to kiss her, he doesn't have to make up a story, and Cyrus assures her that it wasn't a story; the two of them laugh, looking into each others eyes. She then leans over and kisses him, and the passionate exchange occurs for a while. It is ended when Alice discovers a haywire little compass in the genie's pocket, and she wonders what it is. He says that it's just a trinket; it's nothing, but Alice tells him it's "a very nice nothing". She wonders if it's from another girl, and Cyrus reveals that it is "in a way", telling her that his mother gave it to him. Shocked, Alice says she didn't know genies had mothers, and asks if she was a genie too, but Cyrus answers negatively, saying that she was quite human; "As was I, when I was born." Alice is further shocked by the fact that her boyfriend hasn't always been a genie, and wonders why he didn't tell her. Cyrus points out that he's a genie now, and fears he may be one for the rest of his days; his life as a human was a very ling time ago. "And your mother, is she still...?" Alice starts, but Cyrus tells her that he doesn't know, explaining that his compass has great magic and always pointed him towards his mother, the only thing he kept in his bottle with him for all those years he was a prisoner, it provided him comfort as he knew she was out there, but some years ago, it just stopped pointing. The compass needle continues to aimlessly spin around, and Alice appears saddened by the story; she gently caresses Cyrus' hair with her hand and offers her condolences, but suddenly, a blade is pressed against the genie's throat. Alice gasps, looking up to see a Genie Hunter, holding a sword, ordering Cyrus to stand up. As Cyrus obliges, more genie hunters emerge, and the initial one tells the genie to stay away from the girl. The head hunter then tells his men that it took them along time, but they finally found themselves a genie, and more men with swords advance. "Looks like wishes do come true," he comments, still holding his blade to Cyrus' throat, and the latter says that he'll give the men whatever they desire so long as they do not harm Alice. The lead hunter, amused, asks what he would want with her, as once he gets his wishes he could have a hundred like her. He then grabs Cyrus' ear and forcefully throws him to the ground as Alice continues to worry for her love. Cyrus sits up with multiple swords being pointed at him, and the lead hunter asks him where his bottle is. The genie says that it's far away, but that he can take them to it, and as the hunter tells Cyrus that he better be telling the truth as he is "not to be trifled with", Alice is seen, unnoticed by the men, to be quietly grabbing her own sword, ready for a fight. Looking over to his true love, Cyrus tells the men, "Fortunately, neither's she." And with that, Alice gets up and quickly rams her sword into one of the men's legs, causing him to trip. She then clashes blades with their leader and ends up cutting him, leaving him to stumble away in pain. She then steps on the leader's head and leaps off of it, pouncing onto a third adversary and knocking him off his feet. She hits him in the face with the handle of her sword, but there are still more men to face. Cyrus, now on his feet and carrying a sword of his own, stands back to back with Alice as men run at them. All are batted away with the couple's deft swordplay, but another two remain. Alice and Cyrus battle one each, switching part way through. Eventually, the men give up and retreat into the woods, fearing for their lives; the leader leaves last after having rejoined the battle and have Cyrus' blade pressed against his own throat. Alice then turns to her true love once the battle is over and comments that the stars did bring them luck after all, saying that she was barely even scratched in the fight, however, her hand is clutching her midsection which is leaking blood. Seeing this, Cyrus quickly catches her as she collapses, and continues to cry over his girlfriend who doesn't stop bleeding from her sword wound, losing consciousness and in great pain. ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND

Act I
In the forests of Wonderland, present day Alice is seen hiding behind a tree, watching quietly as the Red Queen's guards search for something up ahead. Hearing someone approaching, Alice quickly draws her sword but is relieved to see it's only Will, who she says gave her a fright. She asks where he was, and as he crouches behind the tree alongside her, he tells her that "nature was calling". "Really? What did it say?" she asks excitedly, but Will looks at his friend blandly and tells her, "Nothing you want to hear, trust me." He then asks if the guards up ahead are looking for them, but Alice tells him they're looking for someone's who's escaped: Cyrus. Will takes this as positive news, and Alice wonders how he can do so, leading him to explain that, if they're still looking, it means they haven't found him yet; but it's only a matter of time, so he suggests that they start looking too. Alice tells the Knave that they don't have to, as she knows where Cyrus is going, and Will wonders where that would be. "The only place he knows he'll be safe," she tells him, but Will doubts such a place exists in Wonderland, what with Jafar and the Red Queen after him. Alice assures her comrade otherwise, and says that Cyrus just needs to get there before the guards get him. Elsewhere in Wonderland's forestry, Cyrus is seen to be speedily running through the woods, occasionally checking behind himself to make sure he's not being followed or about to be apprehended. He continues to do this, dodging trees and moving plants out his way, but is eventually caught in a grapevine, which latches on to his ankle and hangs him upside down from a tree by one leg. Swinging helplessly backwards and forwards, Cyrus attempts to remove the plant, not knowing what it is, but it's no use. He continues to simply hang there. Tweedledum is wandering the garden mazes of the Red Queen's palace when he hears Cyrus' struggling cries coming from a nearby plant. He stops and looks at the plant, putting a branch to his ear and realizing what this means: the genie is in the trap. Excited to tell his mistress, Tweedledum thanks the grapevine, and proceeds to make his way back to the palace. As he does so, however, he notices  Tweedledee shiftily making his way elsewhere. Confused, Tweedledum follows his brother but is shocked to see him approaching Jafar, quickly hiding behind a hedge. Tweedledee hands Jafar a bag, as he requested, and the dark magician asks his secret minion if he was able to retrieve "it" with no incident. Happily, Tweedledee tells his master that the Queen has no idea, and asks if Jafar will protect him from her should she find out that he's a spy; Jafar tells the tweedle that soon, the Queen shall no longer matter, and thanks him for his sacrifice before leaving. Tweedledum, absolutely shocked by his brother's treacherous behavior, hides to avoid being seen by him. Inside her palace, the Red Queen is seen trimming red roses as she carefully places them into a vase; soon, Tweedledum approaches, and tells her that he heard something through the grapevine. The Queen seems happy with this news, and asks what her tweedle heard, and he tells her that the genie has been captured in the forest and is hers now. "Spectacular!" she exclaims with a smile, saying that they should go and retrieve him, but as she walks past Tweedledum, she senses that he doesn't share her enthusiasm. He tells her that there's a problem concerning his brother, but the Queen tells him that their sibling rivalry simply does not interest her. "I fear he may have done a bad thing," the tweedle continues, but the Queen takes their mental limitations into account and decides that it's not something she needs to worry about. Tweedledum then exclaims that he saw Tweedledee giving something to Jafar - a bag, that he handed to the dark magician in secret. The Queen is stunned by the news, and asks what was in it, but the tweedle doesn't know, saying that he's sorry. She assures him that there's no need for apologies but orders him to leave before she decides to kill the messenger, and Tweedledum obliges. Thinking she knows what might have been taken, the Queen approaches a metal cabinet and opens the double doors. She then takes a checkered box from the red chest of drawers within and unlocks it with a key she keeps on her person before opening it. Her suspicions are confirmed - the bottle is missing. She slams the box's lid shut in anger and turns around, furious at this betrayal.

Act II
Back in Wonderland's woods, Will wonders where he and Alice are headed, asking his comrade where this safe place of hers is. She tells him that it's in the Outlands, and the Knave seems shocked by the prospect of walking all the way there, asking if she couldn't have picked someplace closer like... "Anywhere else?" Alice explains that, back when she and Cyrus were together, they made a deal that they'd always meet back there should they ever get separated. Will asks if there's any chance she left any food there as he's feeling rather hungry, but Alice ignores his question, telling him that they need to make a stop before they arrive. Annoyed, Will wonders where they're going now, and Alice tells him that they're headed for the White Rabbit's house. The Knave stops, refuting this, saying that he knows Alice is ticked off that the Rabbit betrayed them, but this is no time to settle a score. She assures him that she doesn't want revenge, but help, and Will is further angered that she wants help from a traitor. Alice points out that he's their only way out of Wonderland, reminding the Knave that they'll never be safe there with Jafar and the Red Queen lurking about; "You, me and Cyrus. We need to leave, today. And the Rabbit's the only one that can take us away." Will says that they can't trust him after what he's done, but Alice reminds him that she and the White Rabbit were friends once - good friends - and his betrayal doesn't make sense. The Knave suggests that maybe he got a better offer, saying that sometimes people turn on you, and you never understand why, but Alice still believes that there's a justifiable reason for the Rabbit's treachery. The two of them continue in their journey.

Trivia

 * The title card of this episode features the White Rabbit.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.