In Neverland, the Lost Boys chase Hook through the forest. They finally surround him and the leader says that they want to make him pay for what happened to Pan. As Hook draws his sword, a woman shoots the boys with envenomed darts, knocking them out. He realizes that it's Tiger Lily and thanks her for the rescue, and Tiger Lily jabs him in the neck with a dart and says that it wasn't a rescue.
In Storybrooke at the oft, Regina and Henry show Emma and David the hieroglyphics that Henry watch, and explain that they mean the Final Battle. David realizes that it's the Final Battle that Rumplestiltskin told him and Mary Margaret about. Emma says that she won't lose but her hand shakes. She and Henry go to the library to research the hieroglyphics, and David tells Regina that Emma can't go into the Final Battle without her whole family. Regina insists that she's working on the antidote to the sleeping curse, and admits that she has something but warns that it may be dangerous. David says that they'll do whatever it takes to help their daughter, pointing out that it isn't the first sleeping curse they've woken up from.
Storybrooke: The Time of the Dark Cruse
Mary Margaret is walking down the street and bumps into Regina. Regina complains that Mary Margaret isn't watching, and Mary Margaret explains that she's taking flowers to the comatose John Doe at the hospital. Mary Margaret asks if he's been identified, and Regina tells her that it doesn't matter because the man may never wake up. Dismayed, Mary Margaret tosses away the flowers but notices a single red flower growing in the sidewalk.
At the hospital, Mary Margaret enters John Doe's room and gives him the red flower. Magic dust spreads from it onto John Doe--David--and he wakes up and asks where the Evil Queen is. He explains that the Queen's guards stabbed him and the Dark Curse must have brought them there, and says that he and Mary Margaret love each other. David figures that Mary Margaret knows it somewhere inside of her, and after a moment she takes his hand. Their hands glow, breaking the Dark Curse on them, and they kiss.
Now
David and Mary Margaret have switched places and gone to the mausoleum, and Zelena and Regina warn that it's going to hurt. They remove the couple's hearts and Regina explains that the sleeping curse is split between their connected hearts. She and Regina put the hearts into the potion and then reinsert them, and Mary Margaret clutches at her chest in pain as David stirs in his sleep. Regina realizes that the Evil Queen's curse weakened their hearts. By the end of the day, they'll both be asleep with no way to wake up... and Emma will fight the Final Battle without them.
The Past
Charming finds Leroy working as a janitor at the hospital and tells him to find the other dwarves. He has no idea what Charming is talking about, and Snow quickly leads Charmin back to his room and explains that everyone in town has no memory of what happened. She doesn't know what happened to Emma, and sees Regina with a guard coming. Snow tells Charming to get to Rumplestiltskin at the pawn shop while she keeps Regina from finding out what is really going on. She then goes to Regina and tells her that John Doe was sleepwalking. Regina asks where he was, and Snow tells him that he was going into the woods.
Now
Mary Margaret records a message about how the antidote didn't work. When he wakes up, David shows the video to Emma, and sees flower petals on Mary Margaret's coat in the video. Zelena identifies them as Pixie petals, and warns that they only grow in reaction to the presence of great evil. She warns that whoever Emma is meant to face in final battle is already there.
The Black Fairy arrives at the pawnshop and greets Gold. Gideon comes in with her and apologizes, saying that he supported his mother. Belle comes in and, seeing Gideon, saying that he can always come back to them no matter what he's done. When Gold tries to use magic against the Fairy, she uses his Dagger to command him to stop. However, she tells him that when he joins her it will be because he wants to. Gold refuses, and the Fairy says that when the darkness comes he'll change his mind and they can be the family they were finally meant to be. With that, she teleports herself and Gideon away, leaving the Dagger behind.
The Past
Charming goes to the pawnshop and recognizes Gold. Gold claims that he has no idea what he's talking about, but Charm figures that he still has his memories. He reminds Gold that he told him to put Emma through the wardrobe, and Charming grabs a sword. However, Charming seemingly accepts that Gold doesn't remember and says that they'll have to find Emma on his own. Gold gets his memories back when he hears Emma's name, and Charming asks where she is. The owner claims that he doesn't know where Emma is, and has Charming explain why he woke up. When he hears it, he says that Pixie dust can restore people with true love... like Emma and her parents.
Now
David approaches Emma at the loft and says that they'll need Mary Margaret's tracking skills to find the flower. Emma wonders how they find a way to work together, and David says that he knows his wife is fighting for him and Hook is doing the same for Emma.
Tiger Lily takes Hook to her camp, ties him up, and wakes him up. She explains that she needs him to deliver a message to another realm,, shows him a part of a wand, and says that it's the only weapon that will let them win the coming war. Hook says that it isn't his war, but Tier Lily warns that there's a great darkness on the horizon and if Hook doesn't do what he says, the Savior will die. When he explains, Tiger Lily realizes that the woman he loves and the Savior are the same woman. She explains that the Fairy is in Storybrooke and the wood is the only thing that will defeat her. Tiger Lily says that Pan might have some magic that will let Hook return home, but it's at Pan's camp... and Hook says that the Lost Boys don’t stand a chance.
The Past
Regina, Archie, and Snow search the forest for Charming. When Regina suggests that they go back into town, Snow objects and a surprised Regina suggests that they check the mines. She tells Archie and Pongo to check them, and she then reveals a detonation switch and explains that the mine was rigged to blow up years ago. Regina figures that Snow and Charming are awake, and Snow would never let Archie die while Mary Margaret has never stood up to her. As Snow secretly takes out a pair of scissors to stab Regina, Marco, Granny, and the others arrive and Marco quickly closes the detonation box. Regina realizes that Snow has slipped away.
Now
In the forest, Mary Margaret and Emma find a field of the flowers. The Fairy arrives and explains that she created the Dark Curse, and they're fated to clash. Gideon steps out and the Fairy says that everyone will know when the Final Battle begins. Mary Margaret threatens to shoot her, but the Fairy says that she will be unable to do anything once Mary Margaret and David are both asleep. She has Gideon destroy the flowers and says that it's better that Mary Margaret not have to watch her child die, and teleports away.
Hook and Tiger Lily watch Pan's camp and Tiger Lily explains that the wood is part of a wand that banished the Fairy to the realm where she was trapped. She tells Hook that she used to be a fairy, and was close to her. Tiger Lily should have stopped the Fairy from beginning her dark path, but failed. She gave up her wings and sought refuge in Neverland. Hook assures Tiger Lily that she can have a second chance, and Tiger Lily points out a tree that has the sap necessary for Hook to return to Storybrooke.
Tiger Lily opens fire on the Lost Boys and draws them away. Hook goes to the tree and extracts the sap, and casts the spell as the Lost Boys return. A shadow appears to lift Hook into the air, and the Lost Boys grab Hook by the legs. He tells the shadow to deliver the piece, and it flies off as the Lost Boys pull Hook down and beat him.
The Past
Snow goes to find Charming at the abandoned farmhouse. He's there and Snow gives him the Pixie flower. Gold comes in and says that he can't let them find Emma. She's still 18 years shy of her 28th birthday when she becomes the Savior. Gold says that the rest of the town is still asleep, and if they find Emma then she will never break the Dark Curse. He offers them a potion which will put them all back under the Dark Curse, and says that it's the only way forward.
Now
In the forest, Emma tells Mary Margaret that it's not her mother's fault. Mary Margaret says tit it is their fault and shows her a single Pixie flower and they realize that it survived because it needed to.
The Past
The next day, Charming and Snow use the petal and it summons a portal. They see a young Emma sitting alone on her bed, but she can't see them. Snow stops Charming from going through and says that if they go through then Emma will never become the Savior. She explains that Regina said earlier that Snow is a hero who wouldn't let people suffer to get what she wants. Snow realizes that Regina was right, and they can't sacrifice the others because they can't wait a little longer to be reunited with their daughter. She tells Charming that they have to believe that Emma is strong enough to grow up with them. After a moment, Charming admits that she's right, and Snow says that they'll see Emma again before closing the portal.
The search party approaches and Snow and Charming say goodbye again. Charming promises that he'll always find him, and they kiss. The couple then drinks Gold's potion, restoring the Dark curse on them. David collapses and the search party arrives.
Now
Back at the loft, Regina prepares to use the petals to break the sleeping curse. The shadow flies in and Emma realizes that it's Hook's shadow. It gives Emma the piece and Hook's severed hook, and Emma realizes that he's in trouble. The shadow strokes Emma's cheek and then disappears. Mary Margaret says that the petal's magic can reunite anyone who shares true magic and can open a portal to Hook. She explains that if they had used it in the past then Emma would never have been the Savior, and she's putting Emma first. Mary Margaret gives Emma the petal and tells her that Hook needs it more than they do, and then passes out.
The Lost Boys capture Tiger Lily as well and sentence her and Hook to death. The portal opens and Emma comes through. Hook tells tiger Lily to run and she ducks into the woods, while Hook follows Emma into the portal. Back in Storybrooke, Emma gives Hook his hook, and he apologizes for not telling her what he did to David. She admits that she didn't make it easy for him to explain, and Hook proposes to her before he's sent away again. He tells Emma that he will always be at her side and asks her to marry him, and Emma accepts. They kiss and Emma shows him he sleeping parents. Regina suggests that there might be another way to break the sleeping curse but it's risky.
Later, Regina gathers everyone at the mayor's office. She tells them that Snow and Charming could have left the town but stayed for the good of everyone. Regina asks the townspeople to do something for the couple: all share the curse and dilute its power. Hook drinks first and Regina drinks second. Emma and Henry are next, and Grumpy goes next. The others drink as well... and David and Mary Margaret wake up. They kiss when they realize that they're reunited... and realize that everyone else is unconscious. Emma wakes up after a moment later and the others do so as well. David tells Hook that it was a long time ago and Hook is a changed man. Regina tells Mary Margaret that it wouldn’t have worked if Mary Margaret hadn't inspired everyone, and Mary Margaret tells Emma that she won't face the Fairy alone.
Gold approaches the Fairy on the street and she says that the end is near. He asks her why she gave him the Dagger, well aware that the Fairy has Gideon's heart. Gold tells her that Gideon kept one of the Pixie flowers alive, and a true believe wouldn't have done that. The Fairy doesn't believe it, but Gold points out that Gideon found a way to resist her because he has his mother in him. He promises to get Gideon's heart back, and the Fairy says that if Gold comes at her then there may be nothing left of Storybrooke when they're finished. Gold says that it's a price he's willing to pay and walks away.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 17, 2017