Once Upon A Fan

By Amy Degenstien Hood

We begin in the past of FTL this week. Red runs into a tent to tell Snow and Charming that King George’s army is coming. She also tells them that George has a new General, a man so vicious that they call him the Leviathan. Snow tells them she does not want to run, that they are taking back the kingdom, but Charming convinces her to leave and meet him at his mother’s cottage in 2 days time. While running, Snow is accosted and captured by the man they call Leviathan. He removes his helmet and says that his name is actually Lancelot. Snow recognizes the name as a member of the round table, but he says “Not anymore.”

     In present time FTL, we see Emma and Cora tending to an unconscious Snow. Cora is acting sweet and caring. She confesses that she is imprisoned because she is Regina’s mother. She tells Emma that Regina is nothing like her and that the “apple fell very far from the tree.” Snow wakes and tells Emma to stop talking to Cora. “As bad as you think Regina is, this woman is worse.” Emma does not want to take Snow’s advice, saying she needs to get back to Henry, and maybe Cora can help. Emma explains to Cora that Henry is her son that she “shares” with Regina. The conversation is interrupted when a villager opens the hatch and tells them that their leader wants to see them. Snow and Emma are brought into the village center, and are relieved to see that the leader is Lancelot. Snow explains that he is an old friend, and Lancelot is very happy to see them. They sit down to eat, and Lancelot explains that the people in that area were not torn away by the curse. He says that ogres have returned to FTL and that it is dangerous. Snow says she may know of a porthole, but refuses to tell Lancelot where it, and fears Cora may have a way to overhear. He persists, but she refuses. Across the road, Aurora tells Mulan she wants justice and revenge against Snow and Mulan for bringing the wraith that killed Phillip. Mulan says that revenge is not the path she should take. Back at the table, Lancelot offers to send Mulan with Snow and Emma to help protect them on their journey to find the porthole. 

     In a flashback, we see that Lancelot has brought Snow to King George’s castle. George offers Snow a glass of water, and begins to tell Snow about the loss he has experienced in his life. He explains that he once loved a woman who became cursed when she drank a potion that made her unable to have children. George says that death is too good for Charming and that he must know his pain. Snow realizes that the glass of water she just drank had the same potion, and that she will never have a child. 

     In current FTL, Snow and Emma choose weapons. Snow tells Emma they are going to find the wardrobe that sent Emma to Maine in the beginning. She tells her that they are going home. They begin their journey through the enchanted forest. 

     In Storybrooke, we see Jefferson looking sadly at a picture drawn by a child that says “Have you seen my Papa?” Henry approaches him and wants his help. He says he can’t help and tells him to check his mom’s vault. Henry tries to convince Jefferson to go to his daughter, but he says he can’t because he left her, and she will not forgive him. Henry says he was left too, and that not knowing is the worst thing ever. We then see Regina packing up the mayor’s office after being asked to leave. The phone rings and it is Henry asking her to meet him for lunch at Granny’s in 10 minutes. She is visibly very happy, almost in tears as she leaves the office. As the door closes we see Henry sneak in and steal the skeleton keys.

     In flashback FTL, Snow is pushed out of a carriage by King George’s men. She hears a horse and grabs a long branch. Swinging, she knocks Lancelot off his horse. He tells her that he has come to help her. He says he still has honor and did not agree to help George curse her. He tells Snow that George’s men are already on the way to Charming’s mother Ruth’s cabin. We then see Charming with his mother; she is very excited to be finally meeting Snow. Knights approach and Charming fights them all, but his mother is struck in the chest by an arrow. Snow and Lancelot arrive to see what has happened. Ruth is in very bad shape. The arrow is poisoned, but Charming suggests they go to Lake Nostos where he fought the siren, and that the magical waters will heal Ruth. While Charming and Lancelot walk ahead, Ruth and Snow talk. Ruth shows Snow a necklace that her mother gave her, and that it will predict the gender of your future child. When she holds it over Snow, it does not swing at all. Snow confesses what has happened, and that she was cursed into not being able to have a child. Ruth tells Snow that the lake waters can cure her too, and her hope is restored. As the group finally comes to Lake Nostos, they realize it has dried up. There is no water left. If you look hard and don’t blink, you can see a sword sticking straight up in the bottom. It could be Excalibur. Charming and Lancelot search for a small bit of water that may have been trapped. Lancelot finds a small shell of water, enough for only one sip. Ruth tells Snow that she wants her to have it, but she refuses. Charming runs up and gives Ruth the water in a cup. It doesn’t seem to work, and Ruth tells Charming that she only regrets not being able to go to the wedding that will happen. Snow asks Lancelot to marry them, so that Ruth can watch. They have a small ceremony where they share a drink from a cup, and kiss as they are wed. Charming looks over twice, the first time Ruth is smiling, the second time she has passed away. 

     In current FTL, Aurora sneaks up on Snow and pulls a knife. She tries to put it to Snow’s throat, but Snow flips her onto the ground. She tells Aurora that Phillip’s death was not her fault and she better get in line. I for one, was so glad to see tough girl Snow back in action again. Emma fires her gun in the air to break up the fight, but the sound has drawn the ogres. Ogres are blind and only hunt by sound, so Emma’s gunshot was like a beacon for them. In the chase, Emma is almost killed. Snow runs up yelling “Back Away from my daughter” and shoots the ogre through the eye with an arrow, killing it. As the group goes forward, Emma gives Aurora her jacket when she is cold. They finally approach a clearing and see the castle across the lake. We see the group enter Emma’s old nursery. Mulan and Aurora go to stand watch downstairs. Snow is visibly saddened by seeing the nursery. She tells Emma how badly she wanted to have taught her to walk, talk and dress for her first ball in this room. Snow says she wanted them to be a family. As they inspect the wardrobe, Lancelot enters the room. He says that a porthole that strong still has magic. She asks why he’s so interested. Lancelot says he just wants Snow and Emma to get back to Henry. Snow realizes that Cora is the only one that Emma told Henry’s name too, and she pulls her sword. Lancelot is surrounded by smoke and changes back into Cora. She says she killed Lancelot ages ago and that she only pretends to be him so the people will follow her. She uses magic and holds Snow against the wall, she then flings Emma across the room and wraps her legs with a blanket snake. Cora says she has been looking for a way over for a long time, she wants to see her daughter, and Henry. Emma lights the wardrobe on fire to keep Cora from getting it, and Cora vanishes. 

     In SB, Henry has found the vault. He enters the crypt in the cemetery and finds the secret passage. Looking around, he pulls a box from the wall and unlocks it with a skeleton key. The snakes that killed Snow’s father jump out and almost bite him. Charming jumps forward and slams the box shut. He tells Henry that Regina was worried when he didn’t show up for lunch and she called Charming hoping he could find him. Charming tells Henry he needs to get to school, but that they will find Emma and Snow together.

     In past FTL, Charming buries his mother. He tells Snow that she is his only family now. He holds his mothers necklace up to Ruth and it begins to swing. He walks away and Lancelot is standing nearby. Snow realizes that Ruth only pretended to drink the water, and that she asked Lancelot to put it into the wedding chalice so Snow and Charming would have children.

     Back in the nursery in current FTL, Snow is elected to be the leader, now that they know Lancelot is dead. Emma tells Snow that she is sorry she torched the ride home, but that she couldn’t let Cora get to Henry. Emma begins to cry and says she was angry for so long, but now she realizes what Snow did for her. She says she is not used to someone protecting her and putting her first. Snow tells her to get used to it, and they hug. As they leave the room, Snow looks back and sees the room the way it used to be. Crying she shuts the door. In the darkness Cora reappears and scoops up the ashes from the destroyed wardrobe. They begin to glow, and she smiles.

     On the street in SB, we see Jefferson watching a school bus unload. He appears nervous and sad. He sees his daughter and almost doesn’t call out to her, but then says her name. She runs to him, telling him that he found her, and that she knew he would. Jefferson cries as they hug. Across the street Henry watches from a car. Charming walks up with some wooden swords he got to teach Henry how to fight. He tells Henry he can’t do it without him, he needs him to find Emma and Snow. As they play fight, we see the DA, who is King George from FTL watching them…..