Hades drives Zelena outside of Underbrooke to a burning fire. He takes out some wine and then leads Zelena to a view of the town below. Hades says that she deserves the real thing, and says that once his heart is beating, he will take her there. Zelena wonders about his plans, and Hades says that he doesn't care about them as long as he can have her. When Zelena points out that Regina and the others will object, Hades says that they won't be there to stop them. The heroes will be trapped there and he made sure everyone's name is on a tombstone. Hades warns that it's Regina or them, drops to one knee, and asks if she will make chaos with him.
Zelena returns to her farmhouse and finds Regina waiting for her. She asks her younger sister where she was, and Zelena realizes that Regina already knows. Zelena insists that Hades isn't her boyfriend, and points out that she didn't say yes. Regina notes that she didn't say no, either, and says that Zelena isn't going to see Hades again. She insists that she's trying to help Zelena, and Zelena figures that Hades can change. She insists that she can help him, and Regina wonders what happens to the rest of them if Zelena fails. Zelena tells Regina to stop pretending that she cares and walks away.
The Enchanted Forest
A young Regina is dancing with her doll, Isabella, when Cora comes in. She says that she has too much work to attend to, and Regina complains that she never has time to play. Cora talks about how when she was a girl she worked in the mill all day, and she learned that the only person she could depend on was herself. She says that she'll see Regina at supper and leaves. Once she's alone, Regina opens her mother's desk and finds a case holding a wand. She takes it out and uses it to transform her doll into her sister. There's a flash of energy knocking Regina unconscious. Cora and the Valet come in, and Cora says that her magic won't cure Regina when it was the cause of her pain. She says that Regina needs another family member with magic who hasn't harmed her, and gets and idea.
Now
At the loft, Regina tells the others about Zelena and Hades. Hook suggests that he kill Zelena, but Regina warns that it will be difficult. She figures that there's only one person who can destroy the love between Zelena and Hades: Cora.
At the pawnshop, Gold makes the sleeping Belle comfortable and holds her hand. He says that it's time for him to fix it, but admits that he can't use light magic like she'd want. Gold figures that there's only one way to save their child, and he has to do it their way.
Beneath the toppled clock tower, Cora works at the grain mill inside. When her wheelbarrow catches on a crack, the guard tells her to get back to work. Cora finds Hook's hook in her grain and cuts her bracelet free, and then knocks the guards unconscious. She runs out and finds Hook waiting for her, and he says that her daughter needs her.
Oz: Many Years Ago
Cora goes to a cottage and watches a young Zelena gather wood for the fire. When Zelena drops the wood, she calls on her magic to levitate it. As the girl stares at her hands in satisfaction, the Woodcutter comes out and reminds her that he told her not to give in to her wickedness. Zelena promises that it won't happen again, and the Woodcutter says that he's going to teach her a lesson. Cora freezes him with magic and steps forward, and tells Zelena that she did it. She assures Zelena that she's a good witch, and says that Zelena has a gift. Cora asks Zelena if she wants the chance to show her magic isn't wicked, by helping someone dear to her. Zelena agrees and Cora leads her off.
Now
As David walks down the street, James pulls up in his sheriff's car and insists that David call him prince. David says that he's glad that they can talk, and James says that David stole his glory and got everything that was his. Now he plans to make David pay. He draws his gun and points out that he's already dead, and David grabs a piece of wood and tries to attack. James tasers him and says that it's his turn to impersonate his twin brother.
Later at the loft, James arrives impersonating David. She shows him a photo of David and Mary Margaret together, and James plays along. He has the supplies that Regina requested and they head out to meet Regina in the woods.
Regina meets Cora in the vault and apologizes for not rescuing her sooner. When Regina explains that Hades has trapped her there, Cora says that Hades can't leave the Underworld. Her daughter says that he can if he restarts his heart with true love's kiss, and Zelena is the one who Hades plans to use. Cora says that they need to change Zelena's mind, and warns that Hades can't be changed by something as simple as love. She tells Regina that they only have one option: to make Zelena forget that Hades ever existed.
The Enchanted Forest
Cora returns with Zelena and tells the Valet not to ask questions. Once he leaves, Cora goes to get the book necessary, and turns to see Zelena healing Regina on her own. Zelena says that the magic just came to her, and Regina recovers. She wonders who Zelena is, and they introduce themselves.
Now
Cora leads Regina to a spring from the River Lethe, the River of Forgetfulness. Cora takes some of the water and explains that there was a similar spring near their retreat and used it. Regina wonders when, but Cora avoids the question and tells Regina that she has to get Zelena to drink it. She figures that it's time for Zelena to meet her mother.
Emma leads David to where Robin is supposed to make them. Robin arrives with the baby. James puts a magic-negation negation bracelet on Emma and draws his gun on Robin, and they realize that he's James. Cruella drives up and congratulates James, and then punches Emma. She says that she wants out of the Underworld and only Hades can release her. She figures that she needs the child of the woman Hades loves as leverage. Robin shoots James in the chest, but he's already dead and casually pulled it out. He threatens to kill Robin if Robin doesn't hand the baby over.
Cora arrives at Zelena's farmhouse, and Zelena recognizes her. She tries to slam the door in Cora's face, but Cora opens it with magic and says that Zelena has been waiting to see her her entire life. Zelena reluctantly lets her in.
The Enchanted forest
Zelena and Regina are secretly playing, and Regina is sure that Zelena won't be going home. She opens the desk drawer to get a necklace, and Zelena sees the box with the wand. She opens it despite the blood magic, and Regina realizes that they're related. Zelena wonders why Cora wouldn't have told them, and they run off to ask her. Cora is hiding and overhears them.
Now
Regina waits outside the farmhouse as Cora and Regina talk. Cora explains that Hades imprisoned her, and Zelena figures that Regina sent Cora to talk her out of helping Hades. Her mother says that she would do that and figures that Zelena is trying to fill the hole in her heart when Cora abandoned her. Zelena insists that she's over it, but Cora knows better and apologizes for giving Zelena away as a baby. She claims that she thought it would be best for Zelena, and for her, but she was wrong. Cora can't leave the Underworld because her unfinished business is with both of her daughters. She hugs a crying Zelena and then looks at Regina as she sneaks into the house.
Once Zelena recovers, Cora goes to get her some water. Regina gives her the glass with the forgetting potion, and Cora gives it to Zelena. Zelena says that she knows Cora's apology was fake and throws the water into the fire. She tells Regina to come out, and Regina insists that she was trying to help. Zelena says that neither one of them cared about her.
The Enchanted Forest
Regina and Zelena approach Cora and ask her if they're related. Cora says that they're sisters, and Regina says that they're being a family would make her more happy than anything. Her mother says that makes appointed because she told her earlier that she has to look out for herself. If people find out about Zelena then everything Cora has tried to do for Regina will be over. The guards drag Zelena away despite both girls' objections, and then Cora uses a forgetting potion on Regina.
Now
Zelena insists that she and Regina will never be on the same side. Regina agrees and the sisters prepare to fight, but Cora stops them and says that it's all because of her. She takes their hands and says that it's time that they remembered, and breaks the forgetting spell. Zelena and Regina remember meeting as children, and Cora explains that she thought any kind of love was weakness. She admits that she was a fool for believing it, and points out that Regina stayed in the Underworld to help her father and friends. That strength came from the people she loves, not Cora. As for Zelena, Cora tells her that she meant what she said earlier and should have been there for her. She hopes Zelena won't make the same mistakes that she did, and Zelena wonders if it's too late for her. Cora says that it's never too late for family and tells her daughters that they never stopped being connected until the end... and even after.
James and Cruella take Emma and Robin to the docks and James prepares to throw them into the River of Lost Souls. David arrives and knocks James down, and Hook disarms Cruella. She hides and they watch while David tells James that he knows how to break out of his own jail. He insists that they're family and he can help James find peace, but James figures that killing David is his unfinished business. The brothers fight and one of them finally knocks the others down. Cruella whispers to James, who draws a knife and charges at David. David throws him into the River and they watch as he's eternally trapped. Cruella runs off and Emma tells her father that he did what he had to. David figures that there must have been another way.
Regina, Zelena, and Cora go to the bridge across the pit. Cora figures that whatever her fate is, she deserves it. She's happy to face it knowing that she brought Regina and Zelena together. Cora makes them promise that they'll hold onto each other, and says goodbye. She hugs her daughters and then walks across the bridge. She reaches the end and the fires sweep up to surround her. After a moment the portal to the light opens, and Cora smiles at her daughters one last time before passing on. Regina tells Zelena that is' okay and says that she has another love to find: Hades. She tells her sister to go to him, telling Zelena that maybe she can change him. Zelena thanks her for her trust.
Later, Zelena goes to the diner to meet Hades. Gold arrives outside and reminds Zelena that she gave Belle the sleeping curse. He figures that Zelena took advantage of Belle, and now he's taking advantage of his deal with Peter. Peter arrives and Gold introduces his father. He says that he's much more wicked than Zelena and throws a bag over her.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 25, 2016