The time has arrived, Oncers, as we prepare for a summer long drought without our favorite Storybrooke fairy tale characters. But before we bid adieu to Season 2, the final climatic ending remains to be seen. Will Greg and Tamara succeed in their plans? (Considering that ABC has already renewed the series for another season, the obvious answer is no.) Will Mary Margaret and David find their way back to Fairy Tale Land? Read on to find out how this season of ‘Once Upon a Time’ ends…
The episode picks up right where we left off in Neverland waters after Captain Hook rescues Bae after he was dropped into the sea trying to get away from the Shadow. The timeline, we see, is just after Hook lost his love to the Dark One (who just happened to be Bae’s parents). It’s not until Hook questions his rescue that he makes the connection and takes him under his wing (and in the background we imagine hearing the strands of “Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate’s life for me!” – After all, it is Disney).
Hook has found a way to seek his revenge on his crocodile for killing his lady love. Smee warns the Captain that they should return the boy to the Shadow as it has killed for less. Just then, the Lost Ones board the ship looking for Bae. They work for “Him” and he wants the boy back. Unable to find Bae on the pirate ship, the Lost Ones leaves with a final warning about what happens to those who lie to their leader.
While in his care, Bae and Hook become close each sharing their stories of how their father abandoned them. Inadvertently, Bae tells him how to kill the Dark One.
Back in Storybrooke, Gold tries to kill Henry convinced that what the seer told him will come true, but the arrival of David, Emma and Mary Margaret prevent him from completing the task. David tells him about Neal’s fate and Gold is heartbroken. He blames himself and refuses to help stop Greg and Tamara from blowing up the town. He states that he is the reason Neal is gone. He brought magic into this world to find him and now magic is making him pay the price despite the fact that everyone in the town will die.
While all this is happening above ground, Hook, Tamara and Greg are in the underground tunnels and activate the diamond. It begins to glow and the removal of the town’s existence begins.
Regina has recovered from her ordeal just in time to feel the first shock of the ground shaking indicating that the two muggles have triggered the fail safe. As Henry tries to reason with his two moms to work together to save the town, Hook comes in and David promptly punches him in the face (“That’s for the last time we met”). Looks like Hook values his life more than revenge and offers to help them. Regina states that nothing can stop the magic once it has been activated but she can slow down the process. David thinks it just might be enough to find the beans and get everyone through the portal before the town blows up.
As the town prepares for the inevitable, Mother Superior has found a solution to bring back Sneezy’s memories back. (Loved the snarky remark that Gold made about how that the town is about to be destroyed and NOW the Blue Fairy finds a cure for the memory loss). Grumpy tells Gold he had her make another one for Belle. As he puts it, Belle reminded him who he was and he wants her to do the same. He asks Gold that if Belle is to die with the town, she should die with the knowledge of who she really is, not as Lacey.
Hook and David catch up to Tamara and Greg but after a tussle, the muggles get away with the beans – all but one which Hook secures in his waist pouch.
Meanwhile, Emma and Regina find the diamond. Regina tells Emma that containing the device will require all the strength and she will be unable to join them. Emma then realizes that Regina had known this all along. She has accepted her fate and asks Emma to tell Henry that she was, after all, able to do the right thing in the end.
As the woods begin to overtake the town, Gold gives the potion to Lacey who instantly reverts back to Belle and the two have a heart wrenching reunion with the knowledge that they may soon die.
Emma returns to Granny’s diner where everyone has gathered and she tells Henry about Regina. He doesn’t want to lose his adopted mother/step-grandmother (that always gets me) and feels there has to be a way to save her. After all, they saved her from the wraith. This is a light bulb moment for Mary Margaret who suggests instead of the townspeople going through the portal, why not send the diamond through it (maybe because it will then destroy the dimension it lands into? But I digress…). Everyone thinks that’s a wonderful idea except Emma. She counters that it may not work but Mary Margaret feels it’s worth a try. She doesn’t feel right to leave Regina to die. Emma agrees but Hook doesn’t. Emma is able to change his mind but he’s not convinced of her motivation in saving Regina. She tells the pirate captain that Henry has already lost a father, she was not going to have him lose a mother also. When Emma tells Hook that Neal/Bae was Henry’s father, he is shocked.
He remembers the last time he saw Bae. Hook had grown fond of the boy but when Bae found a drawing of his mother on the pirate captain’s desk, he realized it was Hook that had killed his mother. Hook tells him the truth. His father lied to him and it was the Dark One that ripped his mother’s heart out and crushed it. Bae, however, blames the Captain for his broken family and wants off the Jolly Roger. Hook is crushed much like the heart of his beloved.
Later, he tries to convince Bae to stay with him but Bae refuses saying that all Hook cares about is himself – just like his dad. Unbeknownst to him, however, Hook made a deal with the Lost Ones and they come to take Bae away. Hook watches as the Lost Ones put a sack over Bae’s head and row away.
Meanwhile, the Nolan/Charming family head to save Regina, but when Emma checks the pouch that Hook gave back to her, it is empty. Hook is getting ready to sail on his ship with the bean but the memory of Bae’s words haunt him.
Regina announces that she can’t contain the diamond’s energy much longer and the Charmings all hold each other waiting to die. That is, until Emma realizes she, too, has magic and tries to see if together, she and Regina can prevent the diamond from exploding.
Since the show is all about fairy tales, the two working together breaks the power of the diamond and the town is saved! Hurrah!
Storybrooke returns to normal, but as everyone is getting ready to celebrate, Emma realizes that Henry is gone! Greg and Tamara managed to head into the tunnels, grab Henry and take him away without anyone noticing (yes, it’s a plot hole, but just go with it). They take Henry and just as Emma, Regina, David and Mary Margaret get to them, they use a bean and jump through a portal. Unfortunately, the Charming clan was not fast enough and the portal closes before they can jump in.
Gold and Belle appear (because they just happened to be taking a stroll on the pier?) and after hearing their plight, he tells them he can’t conjure up a portal. Just when all hope is lost, in comes the Jolly Roger with Hook, who has had a change of heart (there seems to be a lot of that going around lately) and gives them the last bean. They all decide to go after Henry.
Everyone except for Belle. Gold tells her she must stay and protect the townspeople as Greg and Tamara were not working alone. He gives her a cloaking spell that will protect the town but she asks how will he be able to find his way back? Half expecting the ol’ true-love-will- lead-me-to-you –line, Gold tells her he doesn’t plan on returning. Henry will be his undoing but he still has to save his grandson – for Bae’s sake. Belle refuses this is goodbye and with one final kiss, she tells him she is certain she will see him again before walking away.
Just before sailing off, a few ground rules needed to be discussed, mainly the understanding that Hook and Rumple won’t kill each other. Once that was established, Rumple brings up the magical location globe and Hook recognizes the area the Greg and Tamara have taken Henry: Neverland!
Just before they enter the portal, Rumple reveals what he knows of Greg and Tamara. They are working for a force that is greater than them and someone they should all fear. Who could that be? None other than Peter Pan himself, who has been looking for Henry all these years and why he’s been kidnapping boys across dimensions.
Why does he want Henry? Is this how Henry becomes Rumple’s demise because it is him who led him to Neverland where something may happen? Why does the Pan man want to destroy magic? Will Belle see Rumple again? And now that we know that Princess Aurora, Prince Philip and Mulan have found Neal/Bae, how will he fit in the whole picture?
I guess we’ll just have to wait until the Fall when ‘Once Upon a Time’ returns.
In the meantime, what do you think of the finale and how season 2 played out? Let me know in the comments below!
