Many Years Ago
An emir rides across the plains, a man on a flying carpet blasting him from above. The man rides to an isolated home and begs for help, saying that "he" is coming. The emir enters and finds a nurse attending to the owner. Gasping for breath, the emir says that his kingdom is in danger and they need the Savior. The nurse says that the Savior isn't seeing anyone, and the emir turns as the man attacking him--Jafar--enters the home.
Jafar transforms the emir into a pile of dust. When the nurse begs Jafar not to hurt the Savior, he tosses her aside and says that Aladdin was foolish to think that he could have escaped his fate. Aladdin tells Jafar to kill him if he's going to do it, but Jafar says that he wants to savor his enemy's suffering. He reminds Aladdin that when they met, Aladdin had honor. Now that Aladdin has become a hero, it's all come apart for him and he's lost everything. With tht, he walks out, smiling, and Aladdin shares at his shaking hands.
Storybrooke – The Present
At their home, Emma and Hook are kissing and Hook assures Emma that no one will interrupt them. the town shakes and they realize that something is wrong. The couple goes outside to investigate and sees a giant flying ship blotting out the suns. The townspeople go to the field where the ship is arriving, and Jekyll identifies it as a dirigible from the Land of Untold Stories. Hyde steps out and says that it has come to his town. He tells them that the Dark One gave it to him, and Emma invites Regina to help her attack Hyde. Regina warns that she doesn't know how strong she is with her evil half gone, but she and Emma concentrate their magic on Hyde. He shrugs it off tells them to be careful because there's nothing more dangerous than an untold story... and the people who don't want them told.
The dirigible crashes nearby and the townspeople investigate. Entering, Emma and the others confirm that there's no one aboard. Mary Margaret points out the running footprints of the passengers, and Jekyll says that the people who came there could cause chaos. He explains that he may be able to use equipment from the dirigible to defeat Hyde, and the others start searching the wreckage. As they do, Emma has a flash of herself in a swordfight and her hand shakes. She tells the others that it's nothing and they keep searching... and Emma's hand continues to shake.
Gold walks through the forest and remembers Hyde telling him about the Temple of Morpheus. Inside it are sands that will let Gold walk in Belle's dreams and wake her. Gold teleports to the temple summons the sleeping Belle. He then pours out some of the sands and sprinkles them on Belle, and enters her dreams. Morpheus is there and introduces himself, and asks if Gold wants to wake Belle up.
Regina goes home and finds Zelena with her baby daughter. Zelena explains that she was unpacking, and Regina explains about how Gold gave Hyde the town. Regina says that Zelena should stay there, and Zelena thanks her for inviting her into her home. She then looks for a feather that Roland gave her from robin's arrow to give to Regina. Zelena can't find it, and Regina says that she'll put a protection spell around the house. She assures Zelena that she's not angry that her sister can't find it.
As Regina casts a protection spell around her vault, Mary Margaret arrives and says that Jekyll finished her weapon. She asks how Regina is doing since the loss of her dark half, and Regina insists that she's fine. However, she finally admits that Zelena has lost something that Robin passed onto her. Mary Margaret advises her to talk to her sister about it, and Regina says that she'll focus on it after they deal with Hyde.
Everyone gathers at the town hall with Jekyll's weapon. Regina drags Jekyll forward and calls on Hyde to come out. He does and she offers him Jekyll if he leaves Storybrooke. Hyde refuses, saying that his work is in Storybrooke and he'll take everything that he wants. When he points out that no one is afraid of Regina since she lost her dark half, Regina fireballs him and Emma tries to fire the weapon. She has another vision of fighting the Dark One, but manages to fire the weapon as Hyde chokes Regina. Jekyll and David run forward and put a special pair of manacles on Hyde to restrain him. Emma says that she's fine, but Hyde knows that Emma is having problems. She demands to know what he knows, and Hyde tells her that she knows where to find him if she wants to know more.
Later, Emma returns to the dirigible and her hand still trembles. Archie arrives with coffee and Emma realizes that his parents sent her. He points out that her walls are down and it let in all the collateral damage of her fighting. Archie warns that there are no shortcuts to fixing personal problems, and it will take time.
Emma goes to see Hyde and demands an explanation. Hyde says that he knows that she was once a passenger, and says that he knows about the battle in her mind's eye. Emma admits that she was in a prison and understands the loneliness, and figures that Hyde will tell her what she wants to know or no one will come back. When she starts to go, Hyde tries to strangle her but his chains draw him up short. He says that he brought someone who can fix her problem, and tells her to follow the red bird. Hyde wonders if she's ready to face her own story and steps back.
Gold travels through Belle's dream and comes to a representation of his castle. Morpheus is with him and they go in. Belle greets Gold as Rumplestiltskin and is surprised that he came back so soon. She runs off to prepare the tea, and Morpheus says that in her dream she's still a servant and Gold is still the beast. The god warns that the sands will not last forever and if Gold doesn't wake her in an hour then she'll remain in the fiery red room. Gold insists that he loves her and that's how he'll get Belle out by making her fall in love with him again.
Morpheus says that in Belle's dreams, the castle was a horrifying place. He asks if Gold is willing to lie to her about their love, and Gold insists that his love for her and his child is true. Belle returns with the tea and Gold approaches her. She sees him as Rumplestiltskin and drops her cup, and Gold catches it. He tells her to take a break and invites her to dance. Belle wonders what is going on, and Gold says that he has a ball to attend and asks her to help him practice. She accepts and they dance, and the room starts to brighten. Gold enchants a dress for her and says that he's tired of being a beast, and they continue dancing.
Regina goes to her office and Zelena joins her there. She congratulates Regina on beating Hyde so quickly, and Regina says that it's the first time she's been there since Robin died. Zelena points out that she lost someone there, and says that they should help each other in their grief. Regina refuses, saying that she blames her for what happened to Robin. She trusted Zelena and Robin lost his soul, and Zelena says that Regina ripped the evil part of her and talked to Mary Margaret before her. It was the part of herself that was most like Zelena. Regina is stricken speechless, and Zelena says that she'll leave with her baby by nightfall.
David and Mary Margaret search the forest and find a trap. She figures that they're hiding because they're scared, and calls out to the fugitives. Mary Margaret announces that Hyde is locked up and they want to help, and after a moment people emerge from the shadows. She invites them to Granny's for food and leaves with David.
Emma and Hook are in the forest, and her parents call to tell Emma what they found. A red bird lands nearby, and Emma tells Hook to go on. Hook wonders if she's trying to avoid him, and points out her tremors. Emma insists that she's fine and repeats her request, and Hook angrily leaves. The red bird flies on and Emma follows it. It leads her to the Oracle, who says that the bird is her pet and she knows of Emma's visions. The Oracle says that the visions tell the story of her future.
In her office, Regina is performing a locator spell when Henry comes in. She explains that she's trying to find Robin's feather, and Henry says that the spell didn't work because it's looking for Robin and he's obliterated. He figures that Hades lied and that there's a special place for heroes like Robin.
Gold and Belle continue dancing, and Gold explains that he son who left him because he was frightened of the darkness in his soul. Belle asks if Gold would change now if he could, and Gold says that for her he'd be the best man that he could be. They kiss but then Belle pulls back and remembers that they've done it before. She remembers all the years of broken promises, and Gold reminds her of how she put herself to sleep to protect her child from the danger and now he needs her to wake up. He insists that it's the truth, but Belle says that what she saw is all the truth. She loves him and believes that he loves her, but the two of them together can only bring heartbreak. Their child would be better off with her then being in debt to Gold.
Morpheus comes in and apologizes to Belle. He says that they had to be sure that she wouldn't fall for Gold's lies again, and now he can wake her up with true love's kiss. Belle points out that she doesn't know him, and Morpheus says that she's known him since the day he was conceived. He says that it is his dreamworld as well as Belle's, and he's there to make sure gold doesn't destroy his new family likes his old one. Morpheus kisses Belle on the forehead and she wakes up. Gold realizes that he's lost his second son like his first one, and conjures a doorway home. Belle says that she'll go back but she'll do so alone because she's listening to their son's warning.
The Oracle says that what Emma saw was a tiny piece of future time, and knowing the future is a heavy burden. Emma says that they have to get it done, and the Oracle tells her to look at the bird. Its eyes glows and Emma has a clearer vision of fighting the robed Dark One as the others run up. The Dark One disarms Emma and teleports her sword away, and the Dark One runs Emma through. The Oracle tells Emma that it's a small piece of the end of her story, and she will die no matter what she does. With that, the Oracle disappears.
Later, Emma visits Hyde and demands to know how she defeats what is coming. She insists that she'll defeat it, and Hyde says that the Savior always vow that... and a villain always comes and takes them down. He doesn't know who the villain is, but suggests that he or she came with him. Hyde figures that Emma will want to help the ones who came with him, but asks if helping them is what causes her story to end.
Hook is at the diner drinking when Emma comes in and joins him. She asks for a drink and says that she talked to Archie and talked everything out. As for her hand, Emma says that it was stress and kisses Hook.
Mary Margaret meets with Regina and says that things will work out. Regina figures that the problem between her and Zelena is Robin, and admits that she was an awful stepmother. She wonders how Mary Margaret maintained hope, and Mary Margaret says that when she lost her parents, she realized that the only way she could stay alive was to never give up. Regina is the one who taught her that, and that hope is a choice. Regina says that Hades was wrong and Robin is at peace. She admits that she thought the fugitives from the Land of Forgotten Stories were pathetic for hiding out, and realized that's what she used to do. She only heard the story she kept telling herself, that she was the Evil Queen. She finally forgot the most important thing: that her life was never just one story.
At the diner, Emma and the others greet the fugitives.
In the temple of Morpheus, Gold looks at where Belle rested.
Belle walks past the pawnshop.
Regina says that she is different stories: to some she's a villain and to some she's a hero.
Emma leaves the diner and realizes that her hand is still shaking.
Regina tells Mary Margaret that she wants to start a new story where the Evil Queen doesn't get a part, and she believes that it will have a better ending then her last story. As they walk away, a feather drifts down on the bench where they were sitting.
Zelena enters her old farmhouse and finds the Evil Queen waiting. She says that Zelena picked the wrong sister and laughed, and Zelena realizes that Regina's dark half is still alive. The Evil Queen offers her a drink and says that it's time for some sisterly bonding.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 26, 2016