The Queen Is Dead

"The Queen is Dead" is the 37th episode of Once Upon a Time.

Summary
Upon discovering Cora and Regina's plan to find and take possession of Rumplestiltskin's dagger, Mary Margaret, with the aid of David and Mother Superior, makes it her mission to find it first; and while Mr. Gold continues his quest in New York to reunite with son Bae, Hook devises a plan to rid himself of a crocodile. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, the Blue Fairy offers Snow White an unconventional enchantment that could help save her dying mother, Queen Eva.

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

Hook asks Cora and Regina, in the latter's house, where Rumplestiltskin's gone, and Regina wonders if he thinks he'd just be able to stab him in the heart with his hook. Hook states that he'd prefer his hook, but he can't find that, and Cora says that with the Dark One gone, they can search for his dagger. Emma, Henry and Gold witness the latter's son climb down a New York fire escape and Emma chases him. She eventually catches up and discovers that he's in fact Neal Cassidy, Henry's father. Neal tells Gold to get out of his apartment, and when Emma approaches her former flame, Gold realizes that the two of them know each other, and wonders how. Henry soon enters the room and asks his mother what's going on, leading to Neal's realization that Henry's his son. In the fairytale land that was, as the seer is laying on the floor, dying, she tells Rumplestiltskin that a young boy will be his undoing, at which Rumple shrugs, "Then I'll just have to kill him."

Teaser
A group of white flowers are seen in an expensive flower pot amongst the many decorations surrounding the room that a young Snow White, who's wearing an extravagant pink dress, is seen walking through. She approaches her mother, Queen Eva, who is talking to some servants, and when the servants disband, Eva turns to her daughter and is speechless due to how her daughter looks. Snow asks her mother if she likes it, and Eva states that she is an absolute vision, telling her that she will be the talk of the ball and not just because it's her birthday. The queen's arms open and Snow hugs her mother with a grin on her face, and after the hug ends, the two girls begin walking, during which Eva comments on how fast Snow is growing. Eva suddenly gasps, turning to Snow and saying that she's just been reminded of something, telling her that she has a gift for her, explaining that it was her mother's once, and her mother's mother's before that. The queen places her hand on Snow's face, stroking her cheek, telling her that soon it shall be hers.

Elsewhere in the palace, a tiara is seen resting in a jewelry box as a couple of hands are seen grasping it. Snow White's handmaiden, Johanna, lifts the tiara to her head and places it there, before looking at herself in the mirror and smiling. She savors the moment, but her name is soon heard being called, and she removes the tiara from her head in shock, frantically apologizing to Queen Eva and her daughter, who have just entered the room. Snow approaches Johanna as she begs forgiveness and asks her, "How dare you?" Johanna frowns as Snow exclaims that the tiara is hers, and not for a servant, and so Johanna says that it was her mistake, and places the tiara back into the jewelry box. As she turns back, Snow lifts her head high and states that servants don't wear crowns, at which Queen Eva declares enough. Johanna apologizes to her majesty once more, but Eva dismisses it, saying that she was talking to Snow. The young princess turns to her mother, confused, as the queen says that she thought she raised Snow better than that, and explaining that it doesn't matter whether one is a servant or royalty, everyone in the kingdom deserves their love and respect. Snow argues that Johanna took her tiara, but Eva exclaims that she apologized, and points out that it isn't Snow's yet. Johanna cuts in, assuring Eva that it's alright, and the queen says that she's kind, but that Snow must learn. "My dear, we are all the same," she tells her daughter. Snow looks at her mother, and says, "But I thought we were royals." Eva assures her that they are, but that it doesn't make them better than anyone else.

The queen takes the upcoming ball for instance, asking Snow if she can tell her what it's for, and the princess states that it's to honor her on her birthday. Queen Eva denotes this as wrong, explaining that it's for Snow to honor the people, by showing them that she will be a kind and benevolent leader when that time comes. "Please," Eva says, extending her arm to Johanna, and the handmaiden hands over the tiara. Eva holds it before her daughter and explains that when she is crowned with it, on her birthday, it will be a symbol that she will always hold goodness in her heart and rule justly. The queen asks if her daughter understands, and Snow nods, saying that she does. Eva smiles, handing the tiara to Snow who gives Johanna a gentle smile as she walks past her to look at the tiara in the mirror, and her mother stands behind her. Snow comments that it's beautiful, and Eva adds, "And it's heavier than it looks." Suddenly, Eva falls, taking a deep breath as Johanna catches her, and Snow calls out for her mother. As the queen stabilizes herself, she assures the two of them that she's fine, but Johanna refuses to believe this, escorting the light-headed queen over to the nearby chair and sitting her down on it. Johanna states that she's getting the doctor before running off, and Snow kneels down beside her mother who assures her she's fine. Snow looks over to where Johanna has gone in worry.

Mary Margaret stares at herself in the mirror in her apartment as David is seen working in the kitchen behind her. She notices this, and turns to her husband, asking him what he's doing as she walks over to him. David slides a pancake onto a plate before telling her that he's making breakfast, but Mary Margaret wonders why, at which he tells her that he's hungry. She asks if he thinks she doesn't know what he's doing, reminding him that they talked about "this" and had a deal. David turns to his wife, assuring her that he knows, but says he thought that with the curse broken, she might have changed her mind, and Mary Margaret tells him that she didn't. She walks on over to the table where the sees a wrapped package, asking David what it is. He tells her that it's a birthday present, and Mary Margaret appears upset with him. Charming assures her that it isn't from him, but Snow says that no one else knows. He points out that apparently someone does, and they also think she should celebrate, explaining that the gift was left outside the door that morning, and Mary Margaret begins to open it, albeit, seeming extremely discomforted. She soon opens the box beneath the wrapping paper and David asks her what it is, at which she pulls out the tiara she was given by her mother as a child, and begins to tear up looking at it.

David approaches his wife slowly, saying that he thought the tiara was lost when the curse hit, and Snow tells him that she did also. As Charming takes the tiara, Mary Margaret frantically searches for a label concealed within the present, and soon pulls out an envelope which she quickly opens and takes out the birthday card inside. She looks at the card, as does David, to read "Thinking of you today,'" and sees that it's from Johanna. Charming says that he didn't know she was in Storybrooke, and Mary Margaret tells him that neither did she, before inspecting the address on the envelope. David reminds her that after the curse, she was gone for a while, and everyone was still finding each other. He tells her that it hasn't been easy, and Mary Margaret quickly grabs the tiara from her husband and tells him that she has to go. She goes to her coat, but David stops her, wishing her a happy birthday before kissing her, and Mary Margaret thanks him for understanding. She grabs her scarf from the hook and puts it on as David grabs her coat, applying it for her. As he does so, she tells him that he should go to work as it's getting late, and he says he knows but that he just wishes this day made her happier. "I know," Mary Margaret says, "But we both know it can't." She then turns around and walks out of the door, leaving David to sigh heavily.

David is seen walking through the halls of the sheriff's station before entering the office and turning the lights on. As he takes his jacket off and places it on a coat rack, he hears a penny drop on the floor and turns to it, before Hook is suddenly seen emerging from around a corner with a crowbar. In an instant, David is knocked out by Hook and a single blow of the crowbar to his face, and the pirate throws his weapon on the ground before taking David's keys from his pocket. "Apologies, mate. But I think you have something of mine..." he states, looking around before entering the office. He is soon seen placing the key into the lock on David's drawer and twisting it, allowing him access. Inside, he sees a sheet of black material and lifts it to reveal his hook. The captain grabs it before placing it down on the desk, removing the fake hand his has applied in his mechanical socket and placing it down, lifting the hook once again and reapplying it to where his left hand should be. He proceeds to leave the station. ONCE UPON A TIME

Act I
In a lovely garden in the town of Storybrooke, Snow White's former handmaiden Johanna is seen planting a flower bed filled with little white flowers that were previously used to decorate Snow's birthday ceremony. As Johanna continues to dig at the soil, Mary Margaret is seen approaching her, before uttering Johanna's name. The maid approaches stunned, standing up and uttering, "Snow..." in return. "It's Mary Margaret here," she says, but Johanna tells her that she'll always be her dear Snow. The two of them quickly exchange a heartfelt hug. Snow says that she never thought she would see her again, and as the two of them lean out of the hug, she adds, "Or this," and begins to rummage through her handbag, eventually pulling out her tiara. Johanna explains that she came across it in Mr. Gold's shop and knew how much it meant to Snow and knew she had to have it. Snow smiles, thanking Johanna before her attention is drawn down to the flower bed, where she comments that she hasn't seen those flowers for a long time. Johanna tells her beloved Snow that they reminded her of her because they can survive the harshest winters and she was born in the harshest one of all. Mary Margaret nods, a tear rolling down her cheek, and says, "That's why she named me Snow..." Johanna nods, telling Snow that the thought this garden would be a nice way to honor Queen Eva, and Snow pauses, assuring her that it is. The two of them hold hands, and Johanna tells her, "I miss her too," referring to Eva, and Snow smiles at her maids joyously. Johanna proceeds to wipe the tear from Snow's cheek when a noise is suddenly heard, and the two women turn to the town forest behind them in shock. Johanna asks what that was, and Snow tells her to stay there as she's sure it was nothing. Johanna appears cautious but Snow begs again for her to say there before walking into the woods, leaving her former maid to look on after her in worry.

Deeper in the Storybrooke woods, Mary Margaret is seen walking through the trees as the sound of a shovel digging at the earth draws closer and closer. Soon enough, Mary Margaret hides behind a tree, poking her head out so that she's able to see Regina and Cora, the former of which is digging before taking a map from her pocket and unfolding it. Mary Margaret watches in confusion as Cora asks her daughter if she's sure that they're digging in the right place, and Regina folds the map up once more after a closer look, answering her mother positively, saying that Hook marked clearly that Rumplestiltskin's dagger is where they're digging. She digs her shovel back into the ground and moves a few more mounds of dirt, and Cora suggests that Hook may have lied to them. Regina sticks the shovel in the ground, taking out the map once more and naming it useless as Gold is the only one who can translate it. Cora tells her daughter not to worry, saying that Hook could have saved them a lot of effort with honesty but the truth is that they don't need anyone. She says that she can reconstruct the map but it may take some more time. "And when we find it," Cora assures a hopeful Regina, "I promise you: I'll use that dagger to force the Dark One to kill anyone you like." Mary Margaret continues to watch this conversation from behind a tree, becoming extremely worried.

Back in the sheriff's station, David is seen lying down unconscious as Mary Margaret walks in, looking for him. She sees him in his state and becomes shocked, throwing her handbag to the ground and running to his aid where he soon comes to. His wife asks him what happened and Charming tells her that it was Hook, before standing up and stating that the pirate ambushed him. Mary Margaret worriedly asks him if he's hurt, but David assures her that he's fine, checking the bruise on his head and saying that it's not him who Hook wants: it's Gold. He then looks over to Hook's detachable hand on the sheriff's office's desk and adds, "And his hook." The prince says that he's going to enjoy throwing his ass in jail as he sits down on a chair and Snow tells him that Hook isn't the problem. David asks her to tell that to his head, but Mary Margaret tells him, "It's Regina; she's been lying to us. She's working with Cora to find Gold's dagger." David appears stunned, stating that the dagger controls Rumplestiltskin and that if Cora gets it, she can force Rumple and all his power to do her bidding. As David stands up, Mary Margaret adds that Cora could also become the Dark One herself, and Charming states that neither one of those options sounds good. He says that, lucky for them, they can call the man himself as he's in Emma, but as he reaches for the phone, Mary Margaret tells him that she's already tried that and sent a message, and David hangs up the phone, telling his wife that they can't just wait. Snow agrees, saying that they have do bide time until they call them back or return, and David asks how. "Regina," Mary Margaret suggests, "She doesn't trust her mother; never has. If we can put some doubt in her about Cora's motives, it might slow them down." David asks Mary Margaret if she thinks Regina will so easily trust her, but Snow responds, "She doesn't need to trust me, she just needs to listen to me... and I know how to get her to do that."

Trivia

 * The title card features the Storybrooke library and clock tower.
 * Although credited, Emilie de Ravin (Belle) and Meghan Ory (Ruby/Red Riding Hood) are absent from this episode.

Production
The title of this episode was revealed by executive producer/co-creator Adam Horowitz, via his Twitter account, on December 25, 2012.

Ratings

 * This episode posted a 2.2/6 among 18-49s with 7.39 million viewers tuning in, reversing a decline from the last outing.

Reviews

 * Entertainment Weekly critic Hilary Busis give it a good review and added "The juxtaposition isn't lost on Snow, who starts ruminating on all the horrible things that have happened as a result of her trying to do what's right. As a wise man might say, she tried her best, and she failed miserably. The lesson is, "never try." But wait -- Snow's actually going in a different direction with this. Maybe the true solution is to stop listening to her conscience, to forget her mother's dying words, to let Snow Dark take over once more."


 * Amy Ratcliffe of IGN gave the episode an 8.1, stating that "Bailee Madison’s resemblance to Goodwin in physical features and mannerisms is uncanny. The young actress nails portraying the younger version of Snow and she’s so precious that seeing her face down evil and witness her mother’s death breaks your heart."


 * Oliver Sava of The A.V. Club gave it a B and give it a good review: "Now, it’s time to work with the characters that are already on the board, and “The Queen Is Dead” does strong work building up character motivations and moving pieces in place as the season nears its conclusion. It’s a Snow White-centric episode with a fairyback that looks at her mother’s final days; both Bailee Madison and Ginnifer Goodwin give genuine, emotional performances that make Snow seem like a real human being, largely thanks to their chemistry with new character/cannon fodder Johanna."

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.