The Enchanted Forest
Belle comes to see her father Maurice, and he says that their plans have changed because a suitor has come visiting. She knows of the man, supposedly the most famous hunter in the entire land. Maurice tells her not to judge anyone until she knows their whole story, and admits that there is much at stake. The suitor's father, Lord LeGume, has a powerful army that can help them repel the invading ogres. Belle isn't impressed, and the suitor--Gaston--comes in. He immediately says that he hates arranged meetings, and figures that she's not interested in him from what she's heard. Gaston offers to leave, and Belle agrees to have one walk with him.
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Belle goes the pawnshop where Gold is looking at Pan's pipes. She says that she needs his help to keep her child, and figures that Gold will fight for his son. However, Belle insists that Gold not use dark magic. She points out that Merlin said that someone might wield the power of the Dark one for good, and tells Gold to show him that he can be that man. Gold says that in the end, they do what they can to protect the ones that they love, and warns that in the heat of the moment, they all do what it takes. Belle insists that if he wants a future with her, Gold does it her way.
At the graveyard, Emma tries to remove the names from the gravestones while Mary Margaret and Hook look on. A she casts the spell, a storm brews and they seek shelter. It fades after a moment, and some creature lunges out of the storm and grabs Mary Margaret...
Emma wakes up from her nightmare, and realizes that she's on the roof of the library with Hook. He assures her that he has things under control and she needs her sleep. The light goes off inside, and Emma and Hook enter the library. Regina calls Emma over to open the elevator door leading down to Hades' lair. She has cast a spell to void Hades' protection spell, and she and Emma combine their magic to open the door. There's a brick wall on the other side, and Emma suggests that she burn their names off of the gravestones. She remembers the spell from her dream, and Hook agrees to go with her. Mary Margaret insists on going with her as well, and Regina says that she'll meet them at the cemetery after she talks to Zelena. She figures that if Hades has a weakness then she'll know what it is.
Hades watches Zelena on the street. Once she moves on without him seeing her, Hades sees a single flower growing in the street and plucks it.
Gaston is working at the town kennel when Hades comes in. He says that there are some visitors in town that Gaston would be engaged in: Gold and Belle. Hades suggests that Gaston get his shot at revenge, and explains that flowers have been growing all over town. Hope has come to the Underworld, and when souls have hope they move on. Hades says that the intruders must be punished, starting with Gold, and gives Gaston magical arrows. He says that this time Gaston can be the greatest hunter of all.
The Enchanted Forest
Gaston and Belle walk and he tries to flirt with her. She admits that she's heard some unflattering tales about him, and he explains that his friend LaFou who spreads tall tales to embarrass him. Gaston insists that he only hunts wild hunt, and his love life has been empty. He's spent his entire life looking for a woman of substance. As they walk, Gaston warns that there's a wild creature ahead of them. He draws his bow and goes to investigate, and Belle runs after him. She finds him at a pit, and he says that it's an ogre and it fell into the hunting pit. The ogre is just a child, and Gaston says that they have to take him to Maurice as a prisoner for interrogation. Belle objects and asks Gaston to trust her so she can find out what the ogre is after without hurting him. After a moment, Gaston agrees.
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At the pawnshop, Belle and Gold through the books trying to find light magic that can help them. Gold gives up, insisting that it's impossible to turn darkness to light. Belle refuses to allow it and figures that it was a mistake coming there, and runs out. Gold goes after her, just as an arrow streaks by Gold's head. He says that he's there to kill Gold as he killed him, and fires again. Gold catches the arrow and realizes that it belongs to Hades. Belle tells Gaston that they need to find a way to resolve their differences, but Gaston refuses to let the Beast go free.
Gold teleports himself and Belle to the docks, and Belle realizes that he killed Gaston. He insists that he was doing her a favor, and warns that Gaston can kill him with Hades' arrows. If he dies then he won't be able to help their child, and figures that Hades sent Gaston because he knows Belle won't let Gold hurt Gaston. He suggests that Belle let him use enough dark magic to take care of Gaston, but she refuses. Belle says that they're going to help Gaston move on, because it weakens Hades.
At the graveyard, Emma prepares to cast the spell and a storm comes up. When Hook says the same thing he said in her dream, Emma realizes that she saw the future. They take shelter and the storm fades, and the monster from the dream howls in the distance. Emma refuses to let Mary Margaret investigate, and says that they have to run.
At the diner, Zelena is sitting alone with Regina joins her. She sits and says that Zelena's daughter is in the woods with Robin. Zelena warns that Hades will find them eventually because he never gives up, and refuses to discuss her relationship with Hades. Regina suggests that they try acting like sisters, and asks what happened between her and Hades. Zelena finally says that Hades fell in love with her, and she finds the idea of anyone loving her ridiculous. Regina wonders if her sister loves Hades, and realizes that she does. She asks what Hades' weakness is, but Zelena figures that Regina is there for her own reasons. The Witch warns that as far as she knows of, she's hades' only weakness.
Emma, Hook, and Mary Margaret take refuge in the counterpart of Regina's vault. Mary Margaret is sure that she can kill it if she confronts it, and Emma tells her mother that she died in her dream.
Belle and Gold go to the kennel and Belle figures that the key to his moving on is there somewhere. She asks Gold to magic open Gaston's locker, and Gold points out that it would be using magic to steal another man's property. He points out that she's deciding what is good and evil, and opens the locker. Belle finds a book, "Her Handsome Hero," about magical antiquities and realizes that she's Gaston's unfinished business. She tells Gold to go and she'll get through to Gaston, and after a moment he leaves.
The Enchanted Forest
At the castle, Belle finds the antiquities book in the library. She's sure that one of the items will let them find out why the ogre is there. Belle mentions her mother and Gaston figures that she must be quite a woman to raise a daughter like Belle. Charmed despite herself, Belle shows Gaston "Her Handsome Hero" as one of the books her mother showed her. She explains that it's about compassion and forgiveness: the things that truly make a hero. Belle offers it to Gaston, and he promises to read it twice because he has a feeling that he has finally found a woman of substance. They start to kiss, but Belle turns back to the antiquities book and finds the Mirror of Souls. It will reveal the evil in someone's reflection, and it's but an hour's ride away. Gaston says that he'll watch over the ogre while Belle gets the Mirror, and makes her promise that she will summon Maurice and his knights if the ogre isn't innocent.
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Hades goes to the kennel and says that he won't hurt her or her baby. He wants the conflict between Gold and Gaston to go on, and offers Belle her baby in return for her help. If Belle lets Gold face Gaston then he'll take the mark from Belle's baby. She refuses to break her word to help Gaston, and Hades warns that loves makes someone do crazy things. He figures that she is capable of anything if her child's life is at stake, and leaves.
Regina arrives at the vault and finds the trio. They explain about the monster following them, and how it killed Emma in her dream. Regina suggests that the dream is about Emma working out her issues, and Regina agrees with her. He asks what's going on, and Emma worries that she's failed everyone. They're still trapped in the Underworld, and Emma is always frightened that someone will die because of her. Mary Margaret points out that they all wanted to come with her, and insists that love is worth it. She says that if they're going to go home then they have to face the monster together.
Gaston enters the pawnshop and looks for Gold. He goes to the back and sees Gold seated at a table. Gaston shoots him in the back and Gold goes down, but discovers that his target is a mannequin. Belle comes in and realizes that Gaston would kill Gold if he had the chance. She asks him to stop it, and Gaston says that seeing Gold dead is the only thing that he cares about. Belle shows him the book from his locker, and figures that it means something to him. He explains that he can't get rid of the book because it's part of his punishment. "Her Handsome Hero" reminds him that he died because Belle made him weak. He tried to do what was right and went after Rumplestiltskin alone, and it cost him his life. Gaston insists that being a hero is about doing whatever it takes to triumph, and reminds Belle that Rumplestiltskin kidnapped her and made her a servant. Belle says that Gold is her husband, and Gaston says that she already had a sore spot for a monster before leaving.
The Enchanted Forest
Belle comes back with the mirror and shows it to Maurice. They find Gaston unconscious in the forest near the pit, and he says that the ogre ambushed him when he returned. Maurice tells them to head back to the forest while he hunts down the ogre, and Gaston insists on leading the hunting party himself. When Maurice agrees, Belle insists on going with them and using the mirror to learn the truth. Maurice tells her to go home, and Gaston says that he'll be fine.
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Belle tells Gold about Hades' offer, but refuses to give him the details unless he promises not to harm Gaston. Gold agrees and Belle explains that Hades will erase the mark if Gold or Gaston end up in the River of Souls. She insists that she can fix Gaston, but Gold says that she wants to be a good man for Belle... but not that day. With that, Gold teleports away.
The Enchanted Forest
Gaston and his hunting party ride through the woods, chasing the ogre. Belle rides after them as the party comes to a halt. Gaston tells the others to draw their weapons, and Gaston shoots the ogre from its vantage point in a tree. As it cowers in fear, Gaston prepares to kill it and Belle runs up. She holds up the Mirror, revealing Gaston's evil, and he fires and destroys it. She sees that the Ogre is hurt, and sees Gaston's evil in the remaining shard of the metal. She realizes that Gaston tortured the ogre while she was gone, and Gaston insists that he doesn't need the Mirror to recognize a monster. Belle warns that Gaston will have to shoot her first if he wants to kill the ogre. The ogre nods to Belle in thanks and runs off, and Gaston tells Belle that he hopes she made the right decision.
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At the docks, Gold magically paralyzes Gaston and prepares to throw him into the River of Souls. Gaston says that Gold will always be a beast, and Gold tells him that he's okay with that. Belle arrives and says that she need to tell Gold one thing. She has always known who Gold is, and that's why she loves him. Belle kisses Gold, and then she draws the Dagger and says that she can't let him hurt Gaston. Gold has no choice but to release Gaston, and warns that she's making a big mistake. Gaston grabs his bow and Belle knocks him into the River.
The Enchanted Forest
Belle is tending to her horse when Maurice comes in and says that the ogres have invaded. She insists that she did the right thing to live with herself, and points out that their mistreatment of the ogres' young could be the cause of the war. Maurice says that they must do what it takes to save the kingdom, and Belle wonders what they'll do. Gaston's army is the only thing that can give them a chance, but only if Belle marries Gaston. Gaston comes in and says that their kingdoms will unite to defeat the ogres. He kneels and proposes to Belle, and after a moment she accepts.
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Belle looks down at the River and then gives Gold back the Dagger. She admits that he was right and the darkness will always win, and Gold points out that she saved him and their child. Hades arrives and points out that he only agreed to break the deal if Gold or Gaston threw the other into the River. Since Belle did it, the deal is null and void. Belle vows that she will get her baby free from Hades, and Hades points out that she was the one who doomed Gaston to eternal torment. She wonders why Hades pushed her to do it. Hades looks at a wilting flower and says that he has his reasons, and teleports away.
At the diner, a waitress brings Zelena a platter with the flower on it. Zelena looks at it and smiles.
Mary Margaret and the others track the monster into the forest and spot it ahead. They close on it... and realize that it's a wolf. A red robe lies nearby, and Mary Margaret covers the wolf with it. It transforms to Red.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 11, 2016