Six Weeks Ago
Hook and David break into a dungeon beneath Camelot and knock out the guards. Merlin comes in and takes out the last few, and Belle joins them. More guards go past and the intruders go to the cell holding Lancelot and explain that David and Mary Margaret are no longer under Arthur's spell. Merida asks them if they're to free her as well, and they agree to release her. Merlin discovers that the bars are enchanted with magic, preventing him from breaking them. Belle finds a counterspell in one of her books and Merlin frees the prisoners. Merida says that she needs her wisps, but Merlin says that it's too risky and they'll find another way to locate her brothers.
Now
At the mayor's office, Regina tells the others what Emma said about how Merlin was freed in Camelot. None of them know why Merlin didn't destroy the Darkness, and Regina produces a Crimson Crown. They can use it to summon Merlin, but Regina says that he will only appear to someone that he has chosen. They figure that Arthur is such a person, and David starts to go to get him. Belle wonders why they don't use Gold, insisting that the Darkness seduced him just like Emma. Hook disagrees and the others agree, but Belle refuses to endanger her lover.
At his camp, Gold hobbles over to where his teacup is. He picks it up and asks Belle to forgive him, kisses it, and then breaks it to use a shard to cut his ropes.
Six Weeks Ago
The group heads through the forest and Merida compliments Belle on her magical skills. Merida explains that she followed the wisps to her brothers. She took a boat to cross the Ivory Sea, but it belonged to Arthur and he captured her. Merida claims that she hears something to hold Belle back, and then knocks her unconscious.
Now
Merida takes Emma to the camp and they discover that Gold has escaped. Emma threatens to crush Merida's heart, and Merida tells her to go ahead. However, the Dark One says that she hasn't finished her job, and now she knows that Gold is willing to fight for Belle... to stop Merida from killing his love. She tosses Merida her bow and tells her to kill Belle.
Six Weeks Ago
Merida takes Belle to the shores of DunBroch via boat. When Belle wakes up, Merida explains that without the wisps she needs another way to find her brothers. She tells Belle that the clans want her to marry one of their leaders to support their own claim. The clans will only free her brothers if she marries, and Merida refuses. Belle agrees to help her.
Now
At the library, belle is trying to locate Gold when she hears someone come up in the elevator. The doors open, revealing Gold. He says that Emma is after him, and Belle assures him that he's safe. Gold thanks Belle for keeping him going when he was in the coma, by giving him something to live for. Belle tells Gold that they have to leave before Emma finds him, but Gold figures that Emma must know where she is. He explains that Emma wanted to turn him into a hero to pull Excalibur from the Stone, and realizes that Emma will threaten Belle to force him to protect her... and become the hero that Emma needs. Gold says that they should go to the pawnshop to get magic to help them.
Six Weeks Ago
Merida and Belle find a witch's house and go inside to use her cauldron. Belle casts a location spell and they see the Southern Moor and the gathering of the clans. The three lords that want to marry Merida--Macintosh, MacGuffin, and Dingwall--are there, as are Merida's brothers. The women watch as Macintosh says that they will execute the brothers at sunset because Merida has betrayed them. Belle promises that they'll find a way to rescue them from their fate, and Merida gets an idea. She finds a spell scroll and says that she needs Belle to change her brother's fate.
Now
Zelena is in her cell reading about pregnancy and feels her unborn child kick. The nurse comes in with organic produce, and Zelena orders her away. Emma appears in the cell and teleports Zelena to her home. Zelena wonder what kind of trouble Emma wants to get into. Emma conjures the Apprentice's Wand and admits that she'll need her help. In return she will give Zelena her freedom and protection from her enemies. Zelena knows what Emma has been doing and warns that Henry will never forgive her, and says that she doesn't need Emma's family problems as well as hers. Emma warns that Zelena will need an ally and join her eventually, but Zelena says that she doesn't mind being alone... unlike Emma.
Belle checks that the coast is clear to the pawnshop, but Gold is too afraid to go. He worries that he can't make it because of his limp, and says that his limp reminds him of his cowardice. Belle assures him that he made many mistakes, but breaking his foot so that Bael wouldn't grow up without a father. She tells Gold that she's always seen the man behind the beast, and now she sees a hero.
Six Weeks Ago
Belle finds Merida outside practicing her archery. She explains that her father taught her to fight, and Belle wishes that her father had been as supportive. Belle warns that the spell will turn Merida into a prince, but Merida insists that the Spell of Mor'du will change fate by giving her the strength of ten men. When Belle says that Merida can make her own fate and prove to the clans that she's worthy of being their queen, Merida disagrees.
Now
Belle and Gold get to the pawnshop and get Gold's cane. Merida fires an arrow through the window, just missing Belle, and then comes in. She says that she tried to fight Emma's compulsion but couldn't, and shoots an arrow through the door as Emma gets Gold into the next room.
At the mausoleum, Regina prepares the spell and Arthur and Guinevere arrive. The king agrees to add the Crimson Crown to the cauldron and complete the spell. However, she says that it's best if he does it alone, and David leads the others out. Once they go, Arthur tosses the toadstool into the fire. He then emerges and says that the spell didn't work.
Merida breaks through the door and finds Gold and Belle. She tells Gold to be the hero they all need, but Gold can't. Belle pulls the carpet out from under Merida and Gold takes a pouch out of his safe and says that it can keep them safe.
Six Weeks Ago
Merida and Belle sneak up on the clan gathering and spots Merida's brothers. Belle demands to know why Merida needs the potion. She finally explains that she was unable to save her father during a battle, but missed her shot. The knight killed her father and Merida blames herself for his death. Belle says that she lost her mother in the Ogre Wars and blamed herself, but finally realized that it wasn't her fault. She tells Merida to forgive herself, but Merida warns that the clans lost faith in her that day. Belle gives her the potion and Merida thanks her.
Now
Gold drives for the town border and says that the pouch contains anti-transformation powder. Belle refuses to abandon the others, but Gold warns that Emma will keep coming until she gets what she wants. She orders Gold to stop the car and when he doesn't, she threatens to jump out until he does. Once Gold pulls over, Belle starts walking back. Gold begs her to stop, but Belle says that running never made anyone a hero. She says that he was brave before, and Gold tells her that he didn't cripple himself to get back to Bael: he did it because he was scared. Belle refuses and heads back to Storybrooke. Gold gets in the car and drives for the border.
Merida is waiting for Belle on the road, and belle says that Gold isn't his sweetheart. Her pursuer says that Emma is making her drink the potion. She does so and transforms into a bear, and Belle runs.
Six Weeks Ago
Macintosh prepares to execute the brothers before the clans. Merida steps out with Belle and tells Macintosh to release her brothers. When he refuses, she drinks potion... and nothing happens. Belle whispers that she switched the potion with water, and tells Merida that she needs to defeat the clans as a queen. She insists that Merida can do it. Macintosh tells Merida to relinquish her crown, and Merida refuses. Macintosh, MacGuffin, and Dingwall prepare to shoot the brothers, and Merida shoots all three arrows out of the air with one shot. The clans stare in shock, and the lords prepare to attack Merida. She draws her sword and asks if they want to see what she can do with her sword. The clansmen kneel and two of them rush to free the brothers. When the clansmen threaten the lords, Dingwall and MacGuffin kneel, Macintosh realizes that he has no choice and does so as well. The brothers run over to hug their sister, and Merida smiles at Belle in thanks.
Now
Belle runs through the woods and the bear pursues her. The bear finally catches up to her and Belle tires to get through to her. However, Gold limps forward and Belle tells him to run. He refuses and tells her to go. The bear knocks him down and prepares to kill him, and Gold dares it to do its worst. Desperate, he grabs the anti-transformation powder and throws it into the bear's mouth. The spell ends and Merida reverts to human form, stunned. Belle runs to Gold and he admits that he didn't know the powder would work. When she says that he saved her, Gold says that she saved him and they hug.
Six Weeks Ago
Merida and Belle go back to the boat, and Belle says that the kingdom needs Merida's help. She plans to go back home and save her loved one, and promises that she won't give up no matter what. Merida thanks Belle for everything and helps her aboard the boat, and watches as she rows away.
At the diner, Merlin is contemplating a chocolate bar when Emma comes in. He explains that he was the one who visited a young Emma decades ago in the movie theater, and Emma realizes that he was the usher. She remembers Merlin telling her not to remove Excalibur from the Stone, and Merlin says that it's more important than ever that Emma remember his warning to leave Excalibur alone. The wizard says that the fate of everyone she loves rests upon it.
Now
Gold and Belle return to the cellar with Merida, and Gold figures that Emma won't stop wreaking havoc until he pulls Excalibur out. However, he also knows that she won't resist a deal. Gold offers to pull Excalibur in return for Merida's heart. Emma gives Merida her heart back and confirms that Merida's brothers are fine. She says that Gold will die if he can't pull the Sword from the Stone, and Gold starts to reach for it. Before he does, Gold tells Belle that he wants her to know that he's sorry for everything. If he could, he'd change everything for her. Belle tells him that it's never too late, and Gold grasps the hilt... and pulls Excalibur out. He tosses it to Emma to fulfill his deal, and says that she's made one terrible mistake: she's turned him into a hero. When Emma points out that there are other heroes in Storybrooke, Gold says that none of them are him and leaves with Belle and Merida.
At the mausoleum, Regina insists that she did the spell correctly. David finds the charred Crimson Crown in the fire, and they realize that Arthur lied to them. They need someone that Merlin has chosen, and Regina says that there Merlin chose one other person in Storybrooke: the Author. They summon Henry, and he insists that Emma is still in the Dark One somewhere and he'll do whatever it takes. He takes another Crimson Crown and places it in the cauldron, and Merlin appears to them with a pre-recorded message. He says that Nimue is the only one who can defeat the Dark One. Before he can finish, the Dark One interrupts him and he disappears.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 2, 2015