Siege Perilous

"Siege Perilous" is the 91st episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
In Camelot, the heroes feverishly work to free Merlin; determined to help Emma, David embarks on a quest to retrieve a magical relic that Regina could use to communicate with the imprisoned sorcerer, but, when the prince leaves, Arthur insists on joining him because the dangers ahead are greater than he can imagine. Meanwhile, Mary Margaret discovers the fate of her old friend Lancelot. Back in Storybrooke, Arthur seeks David's help to catch a thief who threatens the safety of his people while, across town, Emma reaches out to a conflicted Hook as she sets about her plan to draw Excalibur from the stone.

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

Standing before the tree of which Merlin has been imprisoned in, Hook finds it unbelievable that one as powerful as he could be condemned to such a fate, to which Emma questions King Arthur, who believes they can get him out, for Merlin's prophesies are never wrong. Mother Superior gives Belle with the magic rose, going on to explain that as long as the flower still sprouts petals, Rumplestiltskin lives on. Emma tells Hook, who she has welcomed inside her new home, that despite her being the Dark One, the two of them can still be together. Arthur explains to Guinevere that the Storybrooke residents are in Camelot to destroy the Dark One, but that helping them may be his only chance of getting his hands on the dagger. Regina and Emma make their way into Merlin's tower, in hopes of finding a way to free him from the tree. The darkness guides Emma to Excalibur, persuading her to plot to make it whole again, with the dagger, so she can snuff out the light.

Teaser
In the mines of Storybrooke, hacking away as they whistle a tune, the dwarfs do about their daily job, though maybe not as well as some would prefer. Leroy speaks up, ushering them to be more productive since Dopey can't, seeing as how he was turned into a tree. (See "The Price") "He's producing oxygen," Happy jokingly comments, striking up the laughter of some of the other dwarfs, but Leroy still isn't amused, wishing they'd stay focus. The dwarfs go back to hacking away, but are soon startled by the voice of Emma Swan, who sarcastically agrees with Grumpy, stating that no one would want a "nasty surprise". The dwarfs stop what they're doing and face the Dark One, who stares each of them down. "You're not getting any dust, sister," Leroy makes clear, but Emma states that she's "shopping" for something else, something with edge; she takes Happy's pick axe, something that doesn't make him all that happy. Emma goes on, making her way to the dwarf so she can whisper in his ear, that if there's one thing she's learned since becoming the Dark One it's that if your name is on something then to hold on to it. With that, she disappears in a puff of white smoke, startling the dwarfs, who look around to see where she could be. ONCE UPON A TIME

Act I
Flashback to six weeks prior, inside the royal castle of Camelot. Working to free Merlin from the tree, Regina argues over what ingredients are needed, while Belle retaliates that the labels have all faded away. Emma, however, has other ideas; she tells the two to not bother with a de-cloaking potion, believing it not to be a glamor spell anyway. If reading everything clearly, Mary Margaret has come to the conclusion the tree could actually be him transfigured. Belle suggests they find out with a sample, but Regina sarcastically asks that if they snap off a twig and it turns into a finger then who would be crying then, proceeding to usher everyone to go back to finding the needed ingredients. "You guys sure I shouldn't just wiggle my nose and get him out of that tree?" Emma asks, to which Mary Margaret replies with a quick and blunt "no." Regina reminds the true Savior that her magic is dark now, so it's not worth it; she states that she'll continue masquerading as the Savior while the two of them figure things out together. David, who has been tending to Prince Neal this whole time, agrees with Regina.

This is overheard by King Arthur, who makes his way in, commenting to the Prince that it's always a safe assumption to believe a woman to be right. He then asks how Regina is progressing, to which she replies that progress is being made, slowly, but surely. Belle speaks up that's marvelous to have Merlin's own books to work with, as if it's like talking with the "master". Mary Margaret then comes up with an idea: what if they could talk to him? This confuses Emma, but Regina likes the sound of the idea, commenting that her stepdaughter can occasionally be a genius. "Yes, if we talk to him, he can tell us how to get him out," Belle realizes, as Regina flips through one of the books, finally coming across a page with an image in particular. "A mushroom?" David questions, only to be corrected by Regina that it's in fact toadstool, a deadly poison, extremely useful in communicating across barriers - even through spells - and the formerly Evil Queen reveals it to be called the Crimson Crown. As Regina writes a large question mark across a piece of paper to bookmark the page, Arthur reveals that he knows of the name, having heard rumors of it growing in the Forest of Eternal Night.

He states that it was surely a mere legend though, believed to be nothing but fiction; however, David points out that the same was believed about all of them, and proceeds to ask how far away it is. "A half day's ride," Arthur reveals, "but if it is there it'll be protected by magical forces." David glances at Mary Margaret, who knows what he is thinking; she asks that he wait until they learn more about it, but he insists that it's not like he's needed there, so here's his chance. As Prince Neal is handed over to his mother, David sets out. As David makes his way through the castle to set out, Arthur catches up to him, ordering that he halt. David insists His Majesty not try to stop him, to which Arthur replies that he wouldn't dream of it. Instead he was there to propose, if it was alright with the Prince, that he accompany him on the journey to lend aide; "Come with me and we can get ourselves outfitted, and then we can quest together as brothers." David has come to like the sounds of this, and so he proceeds to follow King Arthur back through the castle to do just that. SIX WEEKS LATER Back in the present day, that is of in Storybrooke, the book of which had been searched through six weeks before is examined at the sheriff's station. On the bookmarked page, Regina recognizes the piece of paper with the giant question mark being of her hand writing, thus leading her to believe she marked the page in Camelot, and though she doesn't know if it's the right answer or not, but the books they are currently searching through came from there, and so she thinks they were looking at it for answers. Before Mary Margaret and David have a chance to speak, in walks Grumpy, followed by the five other dwarfs, who exclaims, "We've been violated." David questions what the problem is, to which an angered Leroy sarcastically question what the Prince thinks it is, before stating that it's his kid. Happy speaks up that Emma took his axe, and Regina turns to Mary Margaret, gathering all of the books, stating that dwarfs are her stepdaughter's department, and so she'll stay busy with the other task at hand. As Regina sees herself out, Mary Margaret, clearly not all that thrilled, asks what Leroy wants her and David to do about it.

"Help us," he exclaims, "We know she's your daughter, but you've gotta do something, because if you won't, we will." Mary Margaret sits up, demanding that the dwarfs not hurt Emma, but David calms her, stating that it's okay because they can't. "Like that's all that matters?" Leroy asks, going on that he needs to stop being a scared parent and go back to being their sheriff again, because they need him. David agrees to see about getting the axe back, and, in an insincere tone, thanks Leroy for letting him know. "Looks like just another insult for us to swallow down... for now," the dwarf replies, leaving, upset, with the other five. Mary Margaret is appalled by what has just gone down, and David stands to his feet, hanging up his coat and entering the office, slamming the door behind him. Mary Margaret quickly follows behind him, wondering why Emma would need an axe, something David himself doesn't quite understand either, thinking that there must not be much she can't just do with her powers. Enraged, the Prince kicks over a couple boxes, resulting in Mary Margaret calling out to him.

He states that he just wished Emma would talk to them, which Mary Margaret barks back that she wishes the same. "The worst part is... we can't save her." "Yet," Mary Margaret corrects, stating that they're trying. David questions how though, asking what it is he is doing. Mary Margaret answers that he's leading, to which David points out nobody seems to be following. "Oh don't worry about the dwarfs," his wife barks back, to which David, the tension having risen intensely, replies that he's not, but that he's worrying about Emma, and how it's all his fault. Mary Margaret reminds him that it was her who made the choice to save everyone, but David believes he should have stopped her, that he is her father, but now he's simply paralyzed. There is nothing he can do for Emma, for Mary Margaret, for anyone. Mary Margaret doesn't buy this though; she states that he is doing something - he is leading everyone the best he can, though he believes that to just be the problem. However, Mary Margaret reassures that in any world, David is her hero, asking if he will remember this. He gives in, stating that he will, and proceeding to give his wife a kiss, he ushers her to go, stating that he'll take care of everything.

Seeing Mary Margaret out, David is left alone; he looks up at a bulletin board where a picture of him and Emma hangs, back from the days in which they both worked as sheriff together. This moment is soon interrupted, however, by the arrival of King Arthur; David greets the King, questioning if he has had any luck in locating Excalibur, which the King confirms he has not, though moving on to the fact that he is coming to David with something far more urgent; "Our reliquary has been robbed," Arthur exclaims, leaving David confused. Arthur explains that it contains all the magical relics collected by the Knights of the Round Table, all of which are very important to them. He had no idea it came with them from Camelot until he discovered it in Storybrooke, but nearly empty. He goes on that inside was a magic bean, having the ability to take his people home in an instant, and that he has to tell the sheriff that he will search every residence in the city until he has found it. "You don't have to do anything alone," David assures agreeing to help Arthur, going on to state that he will help get him and his people home back to Camelot. The two shake hands, and Arthur thanks David.

Trivia

 * The title card of this episode features the Forest of Eternal Night.

Production

 * The title of this episode was officially confirmed by executive producer/co-creator Adam Horowitz, via his Twitter account, on July 30, 2015.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.