The Wish Realm, Many Years Ago...
Hook finds his Jolly Rogers crew and tells them to make the ship shipshape. The Evil Queen arrives and sys that Snow White defeated her and took her magic. Hook realizes that without the Dark Curse, his chance for revenge against the Dark One is impossible as well. The Queen says that to pay for her passage, she will give him a map to a tower with magic strong enough to defeat an immortal like the Dark One. Hook wonders what the price is, and the Queen says that it's guarded by an evil witch. The pirate agrees to the deal.
Now
Rogers is at the crime scene of the dead perp. Weaver coms in and Rogers tells him that he's connected to the Gardener case. His partner says that he'll take it from there, and Rogers figures that he knows what Weaver is up to. Weaver says that Rogers has become obsessed, but Rogers vows to find Eloise and he won't let Weaver or Victoria stop him.
The next day at Roni's, Henry and Jacinda come in and ask if she's okay. She says that she's just overworked and overpaid, and they tell her that they got the electrical system working on the food truck. When Jacinda wonders how she's going to make money until the food truck is ready, Regina invites her to work for her. They go to their table and Henry suggests that Jacinda let him take her on a date to a convert with his favorite 80s cover band, Spicoli. Ivy comes in and tells Regina that she's there to make sure that Roni sis doing her job. She reminds Regina that if the Curse breaks, the people Regina loves will get hurt.
Victoria calls Lucy into her office and says that she knows Lucy has been running around town. She grounds Lucy, and Lucy says that it won't matter once her parents break the curse and Victoria will be alone. Victoria goes to the witch with tea and says that she'll wear Lucy down. She notices dirt on the floor and asks where it came from, and the Witch says that perhaps Victoria tracked it in. Victoria doesn't believe it, and warns the Witch that she will find them. With that, she leaves.
At Roni's Rogers is going through his files on Eloise when Henry comes in. The officer says that he can't put the pieces together, and Henry suggests that Eloise isn't around to fine. Rogers insists that she's still alive and feels a bond to Eloise as if they were family. He says that there's someone that he has to see, and Henry insists on coming along.
The Past
Hook and Smee find the tower and Hook starts climbing. He reaches the top and enters the chamber, and finds a long rope of hair tied to pots. The pots rattle, setting off an alarm, and a wonder comes in. Hook explains that he expected to meet a witch but finds a beautiful woman. The woman says that she's Rapunzel and realizes that Hook isn't there to rescue her. He says that a daring magic might be in order once she hands over the magic, and Rapunzel takes out a coffer containing a golden flower. Rapunzel explains that the Witch has already used the flower's magic to imprison her, and Hook figures that he might be able to trap the Dark One forever. He offers to get the flower once Rapunzel gives him directions, and points out that he's her only choice so she has to trust him.
Now
Tilly is selling a man a watch when Rogers and Henry come up. Rogers says that he needs her help and has her look at Eloise's journal. Tilly says that none if it is familiar to him, but she figures that Eloise is a runaway. She hesitates to help until Henry suggests that Rogers might otherwise write her up for selling stolen watches. Tilly agrees and tells them to meet her in the park in two hours.
Victoria is in her office checking the surveillance cameras to see who visited the Witch. She discovers that someone erased the footage, and goes out to the reception desk. Ivy isn't there, and Victoria searches the desk. She finds a pair of shoes with dirt on them, just as Weaver comes in. She says that everything is fine, and Weaver warns that Rogers is close to solving the Gardener case. He hasn't been able to break Rogers' emotional connection to the case, and Victoria threatens to have Rogers killed if weaver doesn't succeed.
The Past
Once Hook has the directions, he and Smee go to the garden. According to Rapunzel, they sing. A giant gnome statue comes to life and Hook sings a lullaby. It doesn't work, and Smee spots the flower. Hook runs over and plucks it, and the statue disintegrates. Smee asks why Hook knows a lullaby, and Hook explains that his mother sang it to him and his brother. He tells Smee to go to the Jolly Roger while he goes back for Rapunzel. Smee warns against it, but Hook says that he can handle the witch.
Now
Victoria confronts the Witch with Ivy's show, and wonders when the Witch woke Drizella up. The Witch says that Drizella has always been awake and wants Victoria's suffering. Victoria says that Ivy must grow by clinging to something else, and now she's going to take away every pillar that Ivy clings to beginning with the Witch. She promises that the Witch will never feel sunlight again.
Regina is looking at the photo of her and Young Henry and then sees Jacinda smiling as she cleans table. Jacinda says that she and Henry have a date that night, and she explains that she's considering getting Lucy back officially. Regina tells her that social workers are all about stability, and they hate single mothers with unstable relationships. They agree that Henry is a good guy, but Regina warns that Social Services will ask Victoria about Henry. Jacinda realizes that it doesn't look good.
Henry and Rogers wait for Tilly, and Hook says that he was drinking instead of patrolling Eloise's neighborhood on the night that she disappeared. Tilly walks up and then turns when Rogers calls to her. He runs over to her and she warns that he doesn't want to hear what she found out. Tilly says that she talked to some runaways and there was a guy who went out with a girl named Rain. She checked out the guy and he gave her a drawing "Rain" made of a sunset. It matches the ones in Eloise's book, and Tilly tells Rogers that Rain died in a car accident. Since Eloise wasn't using her real name, they couldn't identify the body. Rogers says that he needs to be alone and walks off.
That night, Rogers sits in the park looking at Eloise's journal. He takes out a bottle of alcohol and prepares to rink it, but then sits it down. He looks at the drawing and realizes that it's fresh paint.
The Past
Hook returns to the tower and Rapunzel is surprised to see that he came back. He showers her the Golden flower, and Rapunzel admits that she didn't expect him to return. Hook says that abandoning people isn't his thing and asks how the Flower will help her leave the tower. Rapunzel tells him that he doesn't need the towers, but she will finally be free and says that there are many things she hasn't done in a long time. She kisses Hook and they fall back on the bed.
Now
Henry tells Regina that Eloise is dead, and asks about Jacinda. He says that Regina cares no matter how much she hides it, and she leaves him to talk with Jacinda. Henry tells Jacinda that he's looking forward to their date, and Jacinda claims that someone called in sick so she's working a second shift for the money. She says that maybe they can hang out the next weekend and quickly leaves.
Weaver is looking at the Dagger in the evidence room. Rogers comes in and shows him the drawing, and explains that an informant gave him. He points out that the paint is fresh, meaning it's a fake and Rogers figures that Weaver is behind it. Rogers demands an explanation, and Weaver admits that Victoria put it up to him. However, he did it because Rogers doesn't know what's going on around there. He tells Rogers to believe him when he says that everything he did on the case was to protect Rogers from himself. Rogers doesn't believe him and figures that Eloise is alive. Weaver says that he wishes that Rogers wouldn't pursue the case, and tells him that Eloise is not who Rogers is looking for. Undeterred, Rogers walks out.
Rogers goes to Victoria's office, and Ivy tells him that Victoria is out. She insists that Victoria had nothing to do with Eloise's disappearance, but Rogers figures that Ivy knows it and demands the access code for Victoria's GPS.
The Past
The next morning, Hook finds Rapunzel looking out the window. As they kiss, a baby cries. Rapunzel says that the cry is the sound of her freedom, and explains that she gave birth in one night using magic. She transforms into the Witch and says that her name is Gothel. She explains that Rapunzel reversed the imprisonment, trapping Gothel. The only way she can escape is by leaving someone of her bloodline to take her place. The confinement spell fades and Gothel explains that the petal sped up the process. She explains that she left one petal for Hook, and suggests that she go with him and help him get his revenge and then he does the same. Hook refuses and Gothel disappears.
Now
Rogers follows the GPS to a warehouse and goes in. When Victoria comes out, Rogers demands to know why Eloise is. Victoria claims that she has no idea who Eloise is, and threatens to have Rogers brought up for entering her property without a warrant. Rogers handcuffs her and goes into the next room, and finds a woman there. She begs Rogers not to hurt her, and Rogers says that he's there to help. When he calls her Eloise, the Witch removes her hood and takes his hand. He leads her out and promises that Victoria can't hurt her, and the Witch smiles in triumph as she walks away.
The Past
The Queen and the crew are waiting at a tavern when Hook arrives and tells the Queen that he won't be going with her. He tells Smee that the Jolly Rogers is his, and explains that he has something more important than his revenge to tend to. The Queen wonders what is more important than revenge.
Back at the tower, Hook takes care of the baby and sings his mother's lullaby to it. He decides to name his new daughter after his mother: Alice.
Now
Tilly comes to the warehouse and apologizes to Rogers for lying to him. He says that it was the best and tells her that he understands. Rogers admits that he's disappointed, saying that Tilly isn't the person that he thought she was. He gets into the ambulance with the Witch, who looks at Tilly as the ambulance drives off. Officers lead Victoria away, and Ivy comes up and asks for a minute alone to say goodbye. Once the officers step away, Victoria tells Ivy that she knows that she's awake. Dropping the ruse, Ivy says that she poisoned the only person he knew was connected to the case. Victoria wonders why she did it, and Ivy says that now and she and the Witch are free of Victoria, and Victoria is the prisoner. As the officers put Victoria I the car, she tells Ivy that she will find out what she let loose on the world.
Henry goes to the bar and tells Jacinda and Regina that Rogers found Eloise and Victoria is in jail. Jacinda goes to Lucy and tells her that she gets to home. Miss Scarlet is there with Social Services, and Ivy is there as well. Scarlet says that custody was given to Victoria for a reason and Lucy has to come with them. Jacinda has no choice but to let them take her daughter, but promises that she'll get her back.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 18, 2017