TV Recap - Once Upon a Time 3-10 - The New Neverland

For the first time all season, we spent no time in Neverland.  Honestly, it was kind of nice to see sunshine and Storybrooke again like the old days.  If only it were the happy reunion everyone thought it would be.

But before we head to Storybrooke, let’s head to Enchanted Forest to tag along on Show White and Prince Charming’s honeymoon.

If you’ll recall, Regina showed up at their wedding and threatened them and the entire kingdom.  That shook Snow, and she wasn’t even willing to go on the honeymoon and Charming had to talk her into it.  She finally says she’s always wanted to visit the Summer Palace with her husband, so they go there.

But Snow has an ulterior motive.  There is a mythological creature near there she thinks she can use to stop Regina once and for all.  As she explains to Charming, when Regina was only threatening them, it was one thing.  But now that she’s threatening the kingdom, it is something else.

Snow thinks she’s snuck out of the palace, but Charming knows her too well.  He is waiting for her on the path and insists on the truth.  That’s when we find out which mythological creature this is – Medusa.  Yes, that Medusa from Greek mythology.

They head to her cave.  The plan is to cut off her head and then send it to Regina.  Only the sword shatters when they try.  In a panic, they try to run, but Snow gets captured.  In his efforts to free her, Charming looks into Medusa’s eyes and turns to stone.  The only way to free him is to kill Medusa.

That’s when Regina pops up.  Not literally, but via the shiny surface in a shield in Medusa’s lair.  She starts laughing because Snow has defeated herself.  Regina didn’t have to lift a finger.

And that mirror taunting gives Snow an idea.  She takes the shield and uses it to reflect Medusa’s image back to her.  It works.  Medusa turns to stone and Charming becomes human again.

Back at the palace, Snow finally confesses what is really bothering her.  She wants to start a family, but she worries what it will mean for their children with Regina out there.  But she decides they will deal with that as they always have – one crisis at a time.

And one crisis at a time describes what we are facing in Storybrooke as well, although it’s more than just a threat.

We actually open with Belle helping Ariel reunite with Eric.  That was a nice touch since I didn’t think we’d see either of them again.  Ariel is a little afraid of how Eric will respond to her, but he immediately starts kissing her.  Their reunion is short lived, however, because the Jolly Roger has returned with everyone from Neverland.

And it’s a happy, joyful reunion.  Everyone is greeting each other.  That includes Belle and Gold as well as Wendy, John, and Michael Darling.  The Darlings talks about going home while everyone else celebrates the return of the heroes.  Regina is standing off by herself when Emma points her out and praises her for her part in their rescue mission.  (I have had it pointed out to me my memory was bad.  It was Mary Margaret who pointed out Regina's part in getting them back to Storybrooke.  Either would mean something for their relationship with Regina, but it does mean more from Mary Margaret.)

Of course, what no one knows is that Pan and Henry have switched bodies, and Henry is trapped in Pandora’s Box, which Gold seals under his shop.  Crisis averted.

But something seems off to Emma about “Henry.”  He doesn’t seem to recognize his fairytale book, but when Emma gives it to him, he pours over it.  And when Emma tells him it is time to leave the welcome back party at Granny’s, he wants to go home with Regina.

Of course, what he’s really up to is trying to get his hands on some magic.  He asks Regina if the vault with her magic is in Storybrooke, but she tells him she is never taking him there.

Also as the party, Tinkerbell runs into the Blue Fairy.  Regina tries to get Tink her wings back, but the Blue Fairy says it will come when Tink actually believes in herself again.

The next day, there is screaming in town.  Pan’s shadow has broken free from its prison on the sail of the ship and is chasing the Blue Fairy.  It gets her shadow and flies off, killing the Blue Fairy.

Since only Pan can control his shadow like that, they figure he is still powerful even from the box.  While Regina hides “Henry,” Emma leads a group to take Pandora’s Box outside of town, free Pan, and kill him.  Fortunately, Emma hesitates, and it allows Henry to prove he is trapped in Pan’s body.

Now the race is on to find Regina and the real Pan.  They go to the vault, but it is locked.  When Gold finally opens it, they find that Regina is in there knocked out.  “Henry” used a powder to do that and then he stole something.  When Gold sees what it is, he turns white.  Pan has stolen the curse.  Regina doesn’t realize it could still be used a second time.  Even worse, it doesn’t have true love woven in, meaning this time, everyone would be scattered to their own lands with no memories of their true selves with no way to break the curse.  Emma would have no power over it.

And the final scene is “Henry” with Felix, Pan’s second in command, looking over the town, preparing to create the new Neverland with the curse.  I wonder just what Pan will have to sacrifice to enact it.  Felix?  Gold?

In romantic triangle news, Hook told Neal he was going to back off and let Neal crash and burn with Emma.  After all, Neal already left Emma once.  Neal still asks Emma to join him for lunch the next day, a date that Emma is almost talked into going to before Pan’s shadow starts attacking.  Meanwhile, Hook makes a pass at Tink, who turns him down flat.

So, I’m a little unclear what would happen with the curse.  Would they all wind up back in Enchanted Forest?  Or would they stay in Storybrooke not remembering who they really are.  Heck, does Pan really know what he’s doing with it.  Maybe what he thinks would happen isn’t what would really happen.

Personally, my theory is that the new curse will hit and everyone will wake up in Enchanted Forest at the end of next week’s episode.  We’ll then have to wait until the season resumes in March to find out what happens to them over there.  I hope I’m wrong, but that’s my theory.

Any theories of your own?  Thoughts on the episode?  Please let me know.

Edited to add: I forgot to mention that the water they took from Neverland worked well enough to give Gold a chance to create the cure for David.  He's said he might ask a favor at some point in the future, and since they are practically family, he hopes David will consider it.  But that is the only price he is asking.