After last week’s Regina-centered episode, this week’s Once Upon a Time continued the theme of parents and children, but with a focus on Snow White in the vastly changed Enchanted Forest with Emma. There are some moments in Storybrooke as Henry continues to try and convince Charming that he wants to help, and Jefferson overcomes his fears and reunites with his daughter, but the bulk of the story lies with Snow and her motherhood.
The episode began with one of its patented flashbacks, this time to Snow, Charming, and Red running from King George, Charming’s “father,” and his men. They split up with plans to meet later after they escape the king’s rumored new general. But Snow isn’t so lucky and is captured by the newest sword-for-hire: Lancelot, formerly of the Round Table.
In her current dilemma, Snow is trapped in a dungeon with Emma and Regina’s mother Cora. Though she claims to be nothing like her daughter, Snow doesn’t trust her. Luckily for them, the leader of the group of survivors is none other than Lancelot, who Snow claims is an old friend, and the two are released. Apparently they are on an island haven that keeps the few survivors of the curse (who have no idea how they were spared) safe from their biggest threat: ogres. All Snow and Emma want is to get back to Storybrooke to Charming and Henry, and Snow has a plan. She knows of one portal that could remain, and tells Lancelot that she and Emma are leaving to find it. He sends Mulan with them to keep them safe.
In the past, we see Lancelot take Snow to King George, who is angry at Charming for embarrassing him in front of the kingdom. He explains that he too was once in love, but his true love was poisoned and cursed to never conceive a child. And guess what he just slipped into Snow’s drink? Though we know that curse has to break eventually, since she gave birth to Emma, Snow’s pain is still real.
Back on their journey, Snow explains to Emma, who’s been bristling under Snow’s leadership, that their plan is to try and find the wardrobe that original sent Emma to the non-magical world. This means going back to Snow’s old home.
In the magical world, Mulan, Emma, and Snow stop to make camp. Emma doesn’t seem to take orders well, despite the fact that she’s the only one with no knowledge of this world. The others leave her behind while they search for water.
Flashing back, Snow had been dumped in the woods by George’s men, but Lancelot followed. He explains that he doesn’t agree with what the King did to her, and is there to help. He warns that men have been sent to kill Charming’s mother at her cabin, which is also where Charming is waiting for Snow.
At the cabin, Charming and his mother are waiting so she can finally meet Snow. He hears the soldiers arrive and tells his mother to go inside as he then singlehandedly takes them all down. But his epic fighting was for naught, as his mother stayed outside and was shot with an arrow. Snow and Lancelot arrive in time for her to meet her dying future mother-in-law.
Back in the now, Aurora is still angry about Phillip’s death and blames Snow and Emma. She follows the trio into the forest and attacks Snow when they split up. But Snow is incredibly badass and takes her down easily, yelling her to “find another way to cannel your anger!” Mulan arrives and the three are all upset, leading Emma to walk in and shoot off her gun. Of course, this leads the ogre right to them. Everyone runs off, but Emma trips and is almost killed. Luckily Snow returns and pulls a Mrs. Weasley by yelling “Back away from my daughter!” and killing it with an arrow to the eye. Emma finally learns to listen to her mother while they’re in her world.
In the past, Charming realizes his mother has been shot with a poisoned arrow, but he’s not ready to give up. Remembering the magical lake he found last season, the four prepare to take her there to be healed. While Charming and Lancelot lead their wagon, Snow and Charming’s mother Ruth bond. Ruth makes it clear that she’s fine with dying, as long as her son is happy with his new family. She even pulls out a necklace that, depending on how it swings, foretells the sex of your future child. The grandchildren guilt is too much for poor Snow, who admits to now being barren thanks to the King. But Ruth is undeterred, saying the lake can heal them both.
However, when they reach the lake, they find it’s all dried up.
Flashing back, Charming realizes the lake dried up when he killed the siren. Luckily Lancelot is there, and “lake” is his last name. He finds a shell with a small bit of water inside. Ruth wants to give it to Snow, saying that parents always put their children first, but she won’t take it.
In Snow’s present, she and the other women reach the ruins of her former castle. Inside they find Emma’s nursery, and Snow gets nostalgic as Mulan and Aurora leave to stand watch. Snow explains that, “this is the life I wanted you to have. You never got to do any of it. We never got to be a family.”
In her past, the lake water isn’t working Ruth, it’s not enough. Charming blames himself, but his mother has no regrets, except for not being able to see him get married. Luckily knights can apparently marry people, so Snow and Charming have an adorable wedding, complete with drinking from a chalice as a Holy Grail metaphor, which Ruth watches before she dies.
Back in the present, Snow and Emma find the wardrobe, and just when they need to figure out how to get it to the island, Lancelot arrives. But Snow can tell pretty quickly that something is wrong. Turns out “Lancelot” is really Cora, and she killed the real knight years ago. She attacks the two, saying she wants to use the wardrobe herself to get to Regina and Henry. But mentioning Emma’s son was the wrong move, as she then sets fire to the wardrobe as Mulan and Aurora rush inside. Cora leaves, but the damage has been done.
After Snow and Charming bury his mother, they share some words of love and Snow is about to admit to her curse when he pulls out his mother’s necklace and… it moves! She can have babies again! It turns out Lancelot (a moment of silence because wow was he awesome before Cora got him) and Ruth tricked them, and Lancelot put the real lake water in the wedding chalice.
Back at the ruined nursery, the four decide to return to the island and say that Lancelot had been killed but died a hero. Mulan nominates Snow to be their new leader and she and Aurora promise to help the mother and daughter return home. Emma and Snow have a final heart to heart where Emma explains not being used to having someone put her first. Snow tells her she better get used to it. The two leave, Snow having a tearful moment imagining the room as it once was. In the last moments Cora reappears, taking some of the ash from the wardrobe with her.
Of course, Cora isn’t the only problem the Charming family has to deal with. Back in Storybrooke as Henry and Charming play swords, we see them being watched by none other than King George!