Murder Most Foul

"Murder Most Foul" is the 123rd episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
Before Hook takes the next step in his relationship with Emma, he wants to make sure David sees him as more than just a pirate. So, when David asks him to help him uncover the truth about his father's death, Hook agrees. Meanwhile, Regina works to acclimate Robin to life in Storybrooke, but soon discovers he has a dark side that makes the task much more complicated than she anticipated.

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

Robin of the wish realm aims his bow and arrow at Emma and Regina, with the latter uttering his name and walking towards him. Regina is then seen returning from the wish realm, via tree, with this new Robin in tow. She officially welcomes him to Storybrooke. In the fairytale land that was, the shepherd David is shocked to learn that he had a twin brother whom Ruth gave away to Rumplestiltskin. David, as we know him today, places a coin down before Mr. Gold and states that it belonged to his father, and now he needs to know if his death was really an accident. After receiving the info from Gold, David reveals to Snow that his father had been stabbed and that he wasn't drunk when he died, and he ponders the idea of his killer still being out there.

Teaser
A thunderous storm hails down on the sheep farm where we know David to have been raised. Approaching the cottage is a man, covered both by a cloak and by the dark of night, ignoring the scared sounds of his flock as he tries in vain to shield himself from the wet. As he draws nearer, we are taken inside, where a baby's cry is heard. Or rather, two babies'. A young Ruth is tending to them as her husband, Robert, finally makes it through the door, and as he draws down his hood and steps inside, she is eager to hear what happened while he was out. Apparently having journeyed out for some medicine, for their twin sons, Robert is forced to reveal that he hadn't the money to pay for it, then apologizing to his wife. He approaches his sons after stating that he's failed them. "I've failed David and James." And it is then that the names David and James are repeated by an all-too-familiar voice. Ruth and Robert are shocked to turn around and find that Rumplestiltskin has appeared in their cottage, with the Dark One commenting on how the two boys have such strong names and yet such weak lungs. He adds that good medicine is so expensive nowadays and proceeds to throw a sack of gold onto the nearby table, suggesting that perhaps he can help. Staring down at the gold, Robert, who's currently shielding his frightened wife, assures that they have nothing to give him for that, at which Rumple asks if his boys like bedtime stories. "Alright, here's one," he gives with no reply, "Once upon a time, there was a king named George. He had great riches, but no son. And then there was a farmer named Robert, poor as dirt, yet he had two sons. Can you guess how this story ends?" Ruth, indeed able to guess, quickly grabs a knife off the chopping board and aims it at the imp in her home, ordering that he get out. She makes very clear that their sons are not for sale, but Rumple points out that that means they won't survive the winter, "dearie". To reiterate, he states that she can either have one healthy son... or two dead ones, and Ruth begins to tear up as Robert places his hand on hers and lowers the knife on her behalf. He tells her that there is no other way, and that they have to do this, and she appears shocked while Rumple commends Robert on a wise choice. The Dark One says that all they have to do now is decide which son goes to the King, an idea which makes Ruth cry more and more. He knows this to be an impossible decision, and so he decides to make it simple. Taking out a coin - the very same coin that was handed to David by the Evil Queen in Storybrooke (see "A Bitter Draught"), that he said belonged to his father - Rumple decides that heads shall mean he takes David, while tails shall mean he takes James. He passes the coin to Robert, who gives it a reluctant toss unto the table, and Rumple sees that it comes up... "Tails! Prince James it is!" He gives one of his signature insane giggles as he scoops up the baby on the right, and Ruth's crying gets even more profuse. Robert assures the baby boy that his father loves him so much, while all Ruth can bring herself to utter is, "Oh, my son..." Rumple, now holding the baby in his arms, warns the shepherd's wife to be careful with her words; this deal must stay secret, which means this boy is no longer her son. With that, he vanishes in a flurry of smoke, and Ruth shows sign of immediate regret while her husband stands stoic. Like his mother, baby David cries in his cot, now an only child.

Trivia

 * The title card of this episode features the Ferris Wheel from Pleasure Island.
 * Although credited, Emilie de Ravin (Belle French/Belle) is absent from this episode.

Production

 * The title of this episode was officially confirmed by executive producer/co-creator Adam Horowitz, via his Twitter account, on November 1, 2016.
 * This episode marks, overall, the twenty-seventh writing credit for Jane Espenson and the fourteenth for Jerome Schwartz.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.