Once Upon A Time Season 4, Episode 21 "Mother"

Or better title "Holy Mother of God, It's a Dragon!"

We know we're in for a dark episode when the Evil Queen breaks up a wedding by killing the groom. Apparently the peasants were about to tie the knot close to her ex-boyfriends grave. And since it was the anniversary of Daniel's death, she was a entitled to stomp on everyone's happiness.

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While she's weeping for her lost love, Cora strolls out from behind a tree.

Hey, girl. Aren't you supposed to be in Wonderland beheading hot dudes?

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Cora is all about getting Regina a man...a new man, one with a real job. It seems that Cora 'bumped' into Tinkerbell and she revealed that a tattooed man is Regina's true love.

Barbara Hershey should win an award for pulling off that line with a straight face.

Meanwhile in Manhattan, Robin and Regina discuss what their plan is now that Zelena is pregnant. He wastes no time saying he's ready to dump Zelena and start having special naked hugs with Regina again...you know, since his wife really is dead and everyone hates Zelena anyway.

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Regina gives him a lemon face and is like, "Dude, you're too complicated to be with. Mmm-bye, bye."

Go Regina!

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Emma wastes no time getting Lily back to Storybrooke, but makes Maleficent wait to see her missing daughter while she hugs Hook in slow motion...for a long time. Mary Margaret and David stand by like the third and fourth wheels, but the only thing Emma gives them is a cold shoulder.

Harsh!

And then Maleficent and Lily finally see each other. And instantly Maleficent isn't evil anymore. Over breakfast at...you guessed it, Granny's, she says, "I don’t even care about getting revenge on the Charmings. Let’s sign up for mother daughter yoga classes.”

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But Lily has a different plan. "What the hell kind of mother are you? I came back to help you take down our enemies! Forgiveness? Later. I'm catching the last bus out of here."

In other news, Regina steals the Author from Mr. Gold, since he's barely alive and dying of a heart condition. She wastes no time in finding Lily hanging out at the bus stop.

Why is there a bus stop? No one can leave Storybrooke?

Whatever...after a bit of small talk, she pulls out a knife and cuts Lily's hand. She collects the blood for the Author's ink bottle. And now she has ULITIMATE POWER.

Regina and the Author pay a visit to Zelena in the secret psych ward in the basement of the hospital. It seems she's changed her mind about Robin and has come up with a new plan.

Zelena is like, "He can't unwrite me...can he?"

Silly girl! He's the Author! And if we've learned anything from this show it's that the writers can do whatever they want regardless of plot holes, illogical timelines...

On the other side of town, Maleficent begs the Charmings to help her convince Lily to stay in Storybrooke since they've been such successful parents to Emma.

Their brilliant solution is to drive around in the truck. But this turns out to be a good idea since they soon come across a dragon.

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Maleficent is super proud of her little dragon baby and is thrilled to be present for her first flight. Mary Margaret—for no reason other than to get injured and thereby force Emma to sympathize with her—rushes the dragon only to get knocked out.

Point for dragon!

And just as the writers hoped, Emma runs over and instantly heals her while forgiving her for throwing an innocent baby down a wormhole after filling it with pure evil.

Um...whatever. That storyline was getting old anyway.

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Maleficent finally gives Lily her baby rattle. Lily decides to stay in Storybrooke for a week to bond with Maleficent and maybe get some flying time in and totally forget those sappy Charmings.

So what happened to Cora? Oh right, back in Fairy Tale land Cora goes to a bar and picks the first guy that hits on her to become Regina's true love. After slapping on a fake lion tattoo she takes him to the castle for some sweet lovin' true love style.

Everything was going well until Regina realized the dude and his tattoo were fake, then she smashed stuff like the Hulk, scaring the fake dude. He confesses this was all a plan to get Regina pregnant.

Oh yeah, Mom? As a counter attack, Regina swallows an infertility potion in front of Cora ensuring the bloodline ends with Regina.

Cora was like, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I thought you'd be happy as a mother. It’s only the choices we make to punish others that deprive us of true happiness.
I guess I should have said that before, like maybe in front of Daniel's grave. Gosh, what rotten luck, darling."

Yikes.
Back at the psych cell, the Author is all ready to erase Zelena when Regina decides she is responsible for her own happiness and she doesn't need the Author to write her own happy ending, she'll make it herself.

*cough* Obvious theme *cough*

Miffed, the Author writes himself out of the room and back to Mr. Gold, who by this time is lying on the floor of his shop, counting his last breaths. With wheezy commands Mr. Gold tells the Author to start a whole new story called Heroes and Villains.

I have no idea what crazy crap is coming for he last episode but I sure hope there's a dragon fight.

Once Upon A Time Season 3, Episode 18 “Bleeding Through”

Or better title, "Sins of the Mother"

 Zalena arrives at Regina's for a little sisterly chit chat.

Regina's wearing a blue dress! She never wears colour!

Zalena enjoys Regina's fancy house and they beat the, 'I'm jealous because you got all the good stuff and I got nothing' motive. Then she tells Regina she'll never know their mother's secret. Regina rolls her eyes. Then Zalena says, "Guess what The Dark One is getting in the forest right now?"

Regina's face loses its colour. "My heart!"

Working under Zalena's orders, Mr. Gold stands in the middle of Robin Hood's camp.

Aw, he's literally protecting her heart. Robin Hood + Regina = Robina



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Robin Hood threatens Mr. Gold with the arrow that always hits its mark. But gosh darn it, Robin Hood's son wanders into the camp.

Mr. Gold regretfully changes the direction of the arrow so that it's an inch from Robin Hood's son.

Robin Hood has no choice but to give Regina's heart to Mr. Gold. 

Regina arrives and confides to Robin Hood (and us) that since she's still alive, Zalena must have something totally horrible planned for her heart.

Hasn't she been saying that all along? Why would this be a surprise?

Anyway, Regina goes to Mr. Gold's shop and begins to ransack the place, desperate for something to help her uncover Cora's secret. Belle is disgusted when Regina asks for help. She says, “Why would I help you? You physically and mentally tortured me for years.”

Regina has no time to explain that she's not the villain this season, instead she says, "Hey, I'm trying to help unchain your boyfriend from Zalena. Don't you want your Rumple back?"

There are so many weird jokes going through my mind right now...

Belle says she doesn't know if she can trust her since Zalena has her heart. No problemo, Regina shrugs, it's charmed so Zalena can't control her.

Phew, that was a close plot hole.

Regina's eyes sparkle when she sees the candle Mary Margaret used to kill Cora. "Now I'll learn my mother's secret!" she says.
 

In a grimy pub we see a young Cora working to earn extra money. She's caught the eye of a young handsome man. He confesses his love for her and she's flattered. Then he lets it slip he's a Prince in disguise, searching for a woman of true heart—she captured his heart without even knowing he was royalty!

He ties a bit of straw around her finger and promises to come back in two weeks and turn that straw into gold and marry her for reals.

Gee, I hope nothing bad happens.

Then he adds shyly that two weeks without seeing her will be torture. She mentions that since they're practically married...and he has a room upstairs already paid for...you know...
 

Mary Margaret, David, Hook, and Emma go to Regina's house to do a séance in order for Regina to find out her mother's secret past.

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Zalena places Regina's heart in a trunk with Charming's sword of courage. There's another box beside the sword which I'm guessing is waiting for Mr. Gold's brain.

She greats Mr. Gold in his cage and tells him to get dressed up for a special dinner. They sneer at each other and she lets him know she has plans for Snow White's baby.

Ew.

Regina has changed from her blue dress into a white blouse.

I guess the colour change was too much for the whole day.

Everyone sits around the table. She lights both ends of the death candle. They all hold hands...well and a hook. She tells them to concentrate on Cora.

Lights flicker! There's a crack of thunder and a blue vortex opens in the ceiling. Regina demands her mother give her a sign.

Um, there's a tornado in the ceiling.

Hook hits the table while crossing his legs and everything goes back to normal. Regina is totally miffed the moment is lost. "Whatever secrets she has buried in her past, she wants to keep there."

Way to go, Hook. You ruined everything. Why can't you sit still?

Young Cora waits in the rain on the roadside with her straw ring, but the Prince does not show up. She travels through the wet forest until she reaches the palace. She finds him taking shelter in a gazebo.

He doesn't look happy to see her. She explains that she's been waiting for him for two months. She notices his boots are muddied. He's not a prince! He's the palace gardener!

He says, "Whatever, you had a good time."

Then she tells him she's pregnant and demands money to help support the baby.

He laughs at her. She calls for the guards, saying she's being attacked. He pushes her down, then runs away. Cora stays crumpled on the ground. A kind man comes along. He helps her up, and introduces himself as Prince Leopold.

FYI, Prince Leopold was Snow White's father.

Everyone leaves Regina's house post séance except for Snow White. Weird things start to happen in the house but they don't notice because they're busy sorting out their mother/daughter issues.

Prince Leopold and Cora chat and charm each other. He confesses he doesn't feel sure enough to be king. He says that once he becomes king he has to produce an heir immediately. He's betrothed to someone he's never met, someone called Princess Ava. He's clearly smitten with Cora and wishes he could marry her instead.

Mary Margaret apologizes again for killing Cora. Regina admits that it's complicated.

Yep.

Regina wonders why her mother gave up Zalena and why she never mentioned she had a sister. The house answers with a creepy sound from the upstairs. She and Mary Margaret discover the ghost of Cora. And she's super mad.
 

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Emma practices magic at Granny's pub/diner/laundromat but Hook isn't in the mood to applaud her efforts. She asks what's bothering him but he stays quiet since this episode has nothing to do with his kissing curse.

Belle bursts in, hugging a large volume. She slaps down the spell book on the table and announces she knows what Zalena is up to.

Zalena has a candle light diner with Mr. Gold. She tells him Neal is still alive and she can bring them together.

How? Where?

More like, when. Zalena explains she's unraveled the trick to time travel. Mr. Gold is amazed. She's going back to time to take what's rightfully hers and promises Mr. Gold can find his son. He gets all dreamy eyed and says he'll have a second chance to never give him up.

Cora's ghost pushes Regina out of the way, trying to avenge her killer. Regina pulls a Ghostbuster trick to keep her at bay.

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Young Cora sits in the royal gazebo admiring her engagement ring. The palace gardener shows up and demands cash and jewels for his silence about the baby. She promises to meet him in the great hall with the payment, but the conversation is overheard by Princes Ava.

Hold on. If Prince Leopold is marrying someone else why is Princess Ava even there?

Regina demands answers from her mother. Cora's ghost enters Mary Margaret and she sees what happened.

Young Cora goes to the great hall, but she finds Prince Leopold waiting for her. He tells her he's heard a rumour that she's pregnant. But he's okay with that. As long as she tells him the truth he knows he can trust her...he says he'll marry her anyway.

Well, that sounds easy. Tell him the truth about how the gardener tricked you. The gardener will get sacked and you'll live happily ever after.

Instead, Cora lies and tells him she's not pregnant.

Princess Ava comes out from the shadows. She tells Prince Leopold to check her pockets for the jewelry and gold she promised to the gardener.

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Busted!

The palace guards take her away. Princess Ava tells Prince Leopold he deserves to have a child with someone who is pure as snow.

I loath that line.

Regina uses magic to blast Cora's ghost out of Mary Margaret. Everyone is worried about the baby. Belle arrives with Emma and Hook. She tells them Zalena is collecting items to help her go back in time.

But why, they wonder.

Mary Margaret comes out of her daze and lets them know her mother, Princess Ava is the one who let out the secret of Cora's pregnancy.

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Cora was forced to give up Zalena because as an unwed mother she can never be more that a Miller's daughter.

She leaves her in a basket in the woods.

*Cue the green tornado*

It's now clear to everyone that Zalena will go back in time and kill Snow White's mother BEFORE she lets out the big secret.

Mr. Gold and Zalena drink wine and toast each other on their super awesome plan to go back in time. Mr. Gold starts to make out with Zalena.

Ew. Please stop, ABC. Just, stop.

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He reaches for her dagger, but she moves too quickly. He vows to kill her. She orders him back to his cage and promises he'll never see his son again. And then she cries because she likes him?!?!

Regina and Mary Margaret clean up the mess ghost Cora made. They talk about how complicated their histories are. "Let's stop being haunted by our past."

Regina's still upset about not having a heart and having the whole town think she's still bad.

Mary Margaret glows because she loves any excuse to talk about the power of love. She tells her, "You don't need your heart, you feel everything with your soul. You still have worth."

So, what can you do with soul?

Regina goes to Robin Hood's camp in the middle of the forest. He's all alone by the fire. He promises to get her heart back. She answers him with a kiss. Then he kisses her back. Then she kisses him back. And then they lose count and just keep making out.

Whoo-hoo! Robina!

Need more Storybrooke? You'll find my recaps for ALL of the Once Upon A Time episodes (even from the very first season) on my Pinterest page here.