Tonight on ABC their fantastical series Once Upon A Time returns with an all new Sunday December 14, season 4 episode 12 Fall Finale, called, “Heroes and Villains,” and we have your weekly recap below. On tonight’s episode Anna and Elsa return home and Regina [Lana Parrilla] faces a tough choice in the wake of the Snow Queen’s spell. Meanwhile, Gold’s quest puts Hook’s [Colin O’Donoghue] fate in jeopardy; and back in the past, an intrusion at Rumplestiltskin’s [Robert Carlyle] castle has repercussions for the future.
On the last episode, Storybrooke was in a state of chaos with all the residents under the Snow Queen’s Spell of Shattered Sight at each other’s throats. Emma and Elsa raced against the clock to free themselves of the ribbons and take down the Snow Queen and her curse. David can only watch when Regina clashed with Mary Margaret in an epic battle. Meanwhile, Gold gathered Belle and Henry as he prepared to leave town forever, and Will Scarlet looked to square his tab with Hook. Kristoff’s thick-headedness leads Anna to a heartwarming discovery. Did you watch the last episode? If you missed it, we have a full and detailed recap right here for you.
On tonight’s episode as per the ABC synopsis, “In the aftermath of the Snow Queen’s spell, our heroes try to pick up the pieces and Regina has to make a difficult choice. Hook’s fate hangs in the balance as Gold’s quest for power threatens everything he holds dear. And, in the Enchanted Forest flashback, an intrusion during Belle’s stay at Rumplestiltskin’s dark castle will wreak havoc in both the past and the future.”
Tonight’s season 4 episode 10 looks like it is going to be as magical as ever so make sure that you tune in to our live coverage of Once Upon A Time at 8:00 PM EST!
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page for Updates
We see a doorway open and shut during the opening credits. Elsa and the others stare at the ice wall at the town border. Elsa tries to blast it down. It shatters and Anna asks if they can go back home. Emma tells them to stop as she skips toward the border. Emma says she feels some of Ingrid’s magic is still there. Emma touches and finds it. Emma says they need a portal or magic beans to get Elsa, Anna and Kristof back to Arendelle. Elsa asks what’s the rush and Anna says Hans and his 12 brothers conquered it. Elsa tells Emma they need to find a way back now.
Gold holds Hook’s heart in his hand tormenting him. Hook is in terrible pain. Gold says if Ingrid’s plan had succeeded, this would be much easier. Hook tells him that Anna and Elsa are looking for a portal and Gold says he can’t have Anna running around loose. Hook realizes that Anna knows about his dagger plan and Gold tells Hook to keep Anna away from the shop. He says that buys Hook a little stay until tonight when he’s going to crush his heart.
Gold says he’s going to wake Belle and give her the life she’s always wanted. We see Belle back in the Enchanted Forest a long time ago. She lifts a sword out of one of the display cases when Rumple comes in. He tells her not to cut herself and he asks if she thinks it’s okay to play with his toys. He says he lied about when he would be back to test her. She says she was just curious about all the things he has from all over the world and never talks about them.
He tells her she’s the help and she says he’s rude. She tells him she’s always wanted to see the world and he has but won’t tell her anything. He threatens her and she says if he was going to kill her, he would have already. She asks about his trip to Camelot and he says good for him, not good for Camelot. He gives her a gauntlet to clean that he got there. It shows anyone’s biggest weakness. She asks why he needs it with all his magic. He says for most people weakness is who they love and that will point him in the right direction.
Now, Belle wakes to a kiss from Gold with breakfast in bed and then he tells her he’s taking her on their long delayed honeymoon to New York and then on for her to see the world. She smiles unwittingly at her oh-so-evil hubby. At Regina’s crypt, Regina takes Marian’s heart out of the box and pushes back into her chest. She wakes and hugs her husband who’s standing there. At Granny’s later, Regina mopes at her counter seat. Marian comes to thank her for saving her life twice. Regina says to forget about it and she says she can’t because Robin can’t.
Marian says she knows that for Robin it’s been year and his heart moved on and is in love with Regina. She says she thinks Regina is in love with him too. Regina says it doesn’t matter because Robin made a vow to her that he’ll keep. Marian says she doesn’t want him out of obligation. She says she’ll step out of the way if Robin truly loves Regina. She leaves the diner and Regina looks hopeful. The little broom man walks with Gold and Hook to the out of the way mansion where he’s keeping the hat. Hook asks Gold whose house it is and Gold says it’s the sorcerer’s.
He says there is a portal around here somewhere and they just need to find it. It’s in the middle of the ballroom. Belle is packing her suitcase when Henry comes in. He asks if she’s leaving and he tells her that there’s a magical spell at the border that won’t let them come back if they leave. She says she’s sure Rumple has something worked out. Henry shows her the book and says he’s worried about his mom’s story. She reassures him and he tells her – thanks Grandma. She tells him to just call her Belle. He tells her to be sure to go to the public library in New York.
Henry helps her look for another suitcase and a pile of stuff falls on his head. He says Gold keeps some strange things and she sees the magic gauntlet lying there. She says she didn’t expect to see that there. Back in the past, Belle serves Rumple tea and tells him that the reason he collects all this stuff is to fill a hole in his heart. He snaps his fingers and she finds herself outside hanging up laundry. A little Dalmatian puppy is there and she admires it. It runs off into the forest and she follows the dog. She looks around for it and is suddenly grabbed.
Hook finds Emma at the diner. He tells her he just saved the day and she asks what they’re celebrating. He says he found a portal to Arendelle. He pours her some whiskey in a cup and they drink. He tells her Gold that helped them and has turned over a new leaf. He says Gold has really changed. Gold is holding Hook’s heart and speaking which makes Hook say whatever he wants. Hook says all they have to do is to walk through it. She says he’s acting strange and asks what’s wrong. He insists he’s fine and kisses her. Gold tells him to tell her – see you around love.
Hook grips her arm so tight he shakes her and then forces himself to let her go. She looks at him strangely. Back in the EF, Rumple comes looking for Belle. Something falls from the sky – a sand dollar. A hologram of Belle appears and she says he has to bring the gauntlet from Camelot to trade for her or else she’ll be killed. Rumple yells at the crow that dropped it that he knows who his master is and won’t stand for his.
Regina and Robin watch Marian and his son Roland play. He tells Regina he’s decided to choose her but she says children should come first. She asks what Roland would think and he says it will be messy but he won’t live a lie. He says he has to follow his heart and that takes him to her. He unfolds a piece of paper and shows it to her. It’s the two of them kissing – and it’s a page from the book. Roland calls him to help and they run over and see that Marian has collapsed and looks chilled. Regina says some of the spell may still be inside her.
Regina says the one way that may save her is to put her over the town line where there is no magic. Robin says let’s go but she says it’s a one way trip and that she won’t be able to come back. She says they can’t send her alone into an unknown world. She says he and Roland should go with her but that means they can never come back.
Regina is at the town line sitting in her car. Gold gets in and sits with her. He tells her he hates goodbyes and she asks if he’s there to gloat. She asks what he wants and he says he and Belle are leaving. She tells him if he leaves he can never come back and he says he knows. He asks her to pass something on to Henry. He says to tell him that he misses him and his charming attempts to sniff around his shop. She’s surprised he knew and he asks what Henry was looking for.
She says Henry was looking for her happy ending and thought Gold might know who the author of the story book is. Gold says he has no clue and Regina says villains don’t get happy endings. He tells her in her case that’s true. She admits that he and Belle seem content and asks how he got a happy ending. He says he took it and she should too. He says if Marian died, all would work out for her. She says that’s not her anymore. He says being good doesn’t mean good things will happen to you.
She says she thought he changed but he says really he just evolved. He tells her there’s no author of his fate and no story book with his destiny written. He says he’s a villain a thousand times over but will take his happy ending. He says he wants the same for her. He leaves the car and she stares at the others at the town line. She gets out and walks to Robin. She reminds him about the map and money she gave him. She tells him he should go and he thanks her.
Marian starts shivering and Regina says to get her across the line now. Marian thanks her and Regina gives her a tight smile. Marian and Roland step over the line and Marian is instantly cured. They hug and smile. They look back but can no longer see Robin. She tells him his family is waiting and should go. He kisses her passionately and tells her he loves her. They’re both crying and then he steps across the line still holding her hand.
Regina steps back. Robin closes his eyes feeling sad then hugs Roland. He can’t see Regina but she watches him sadly. He puts his arm around Marian and the three of them walk away. Regina stares at the book photo of she and Robin kissing and tears it up into several pieces then drops them on the road as she walks away. Back in the EF, Gold brings the gauntlet to the meeting point. Belle runs up to him but she’s all tied up. It’s Maleficent and she demands the gauntlet for the wench.
He uses his magic and chokes her. He asks why she thinks she can steal from the Dark One and live. He asks if she has any last words and she says – I’m not alone. Ursula the sea witch is there and wraps her tentacles around Belle. Then Cruella de Ville is there too. It’s three lady villains versus Rumple. He threatens them all and Cruella tells Ursula to crush Belle’s heart. She tightens her tentacles and he throws the gauntlet to Cruella then lets Maleficent go.
The women say they’ve lived too long in a world where the heroes always win and the gauntlet will change that. They leave Belle and magic themselves away. Belle asks why he did it and refuses to admit he cares about her but says he’s the only one allowed to crush her heart. Now, Gold has Hook at the clock tower and is ready to crush his heart and do the dagger spell. Gold opens a moon roof at the top of the tower and tells Hook to get ready.
Henry and the others are at the sorcerer’s mansion. There’s a door there with Arendelle crocuses on it. Anna and Elsa are ready to go and Anna says she’s ready to knock Hans off his throne and Kristof asks if they can get married right after that. Anna and Elsa thank Emma and Elsa gives her a big hug. She tells them to thank Hook and Gold too. Emma opens the door for them and Elsa steps through followed by Kristof and Anna. Anna turns and asks who Gold was in the other world.
David says she’s lucky she never met him – his name is Rumpelstiltskin. Anna says she has met him and he always lies. Emma says Gold played them and wonders why. We see Gold open the container with the magic hat and the power swirls and the hat floats above his hand. He’s still got Hook’s heart in his hand. The magic explodes out of the hat and Gold says – it’s time. Mary and Emma shows up and demand he stop. He won’t and freezes them before Emma can do any magic.
Gold tries to crush Hook’s heart but can’t. He asks why and Belle says because she commanded him not to. She has the dagger in her hand. She tells him to drop the heart and he does. It falls into Hook’s hand. She tells him to release the others. He does. Then she tells him to take them to the town line so they can talk alone. He swirls them there in magic. He says he can explain but she says she finally sees the truth.
She says she found the gauntlet in the shop and says that told her that he would never give up power to be with her and never would. He tells her she doesn’t understand. She says that gauntlet leads you to what you love the most and she says that she used it to find his weakness and it led her to the real dagger – his true love. He tells her he can have power and love her. She says she just wanted him and wanted to be chosen. She says she tried to be everything for him but wasn’t.
Belle says she lost her way trying to help him find himself but won’t anymore. He promises to change but she says he has never changed. He begs her. She tells him it’s too late. She says she once saw the man behind the beast but now there’s only a beast. She holds up the dagger and commands him to leave Storybrooke. He tells her then he won’t be able to come back. She says she knows. He says he’ll lose her and she tells him he already has.
He says he’s scared but he has to walk backward over the line forced by the magic of the dagger. He falls to his knees and begs her but he can no longer see her or the town. He cries. In Arendelle, Anna is dressed for her wedding and Elsa tells her she looks perfect. She’s ready to get married but Elsa asks her why she postponed her wedding to find out the truth. Anna says she’s her sister and she couldn’t walk down the aisle until Elsa was happy too. Elsa tells her she’s very happy and Anna smells something. They realize it’s chocolate and giggle.
Elsa asks if she’s ready and she takes her sister’s hand to walk her down the aisle to marry Kristof. At Granny’s, Emma has Hook’s heart. He tells her to be gentle but she slams it into his chest and says she thought quicker would be better. He kisses her hard and tells her that he’s a survivor. Emma comes to sit by a glum Regina who tells her she’s not in the mood for a hug speech. Emma says she’s not her mom and offers to be her drinking buddy. They call for shots.
Emma tells Regina she did the right thing and says it’s not a speech but a compliment. Regina says she knows she did the right thing because she’s miserable. Emma tells her Gold is too and asks if that makes her feel better. Regina says it does and they toast to his misery. Henry runs into the diner and tells them to come with him to see what he found. He takes them back to the mansion and goes through a secret door he found. It’s a library full of books like his – but they’re all blank.
He says the place is full of potential story books so this must be the author’s house. Emma asks what’s going on and Regina says they were looking for the author to get him to write her a happier story. Henry says they’re calling it Operation Mongoose. Emma says she likes it and says she’s in. She says everyone deserves the happy ending and says she’ll help.
Six weeks later, in New York City, Gold gets off the bus on Madison Avenue. We see Rumple in the past with the three witches. He tells them he wants the gauntlet but Maleficent says they made a deal and he never goes back on a deal. He says it was a ransom not a deal. He has the gauntlet in his hand and Cruella says it won’t do him any good since villains never get a happy ending. He says he’ll win and will win alone.
Now, Gold is at the aquarium where he finds Ursula working. She’s feeding the sharks. She asks if that’s where a man who wins finds himself. He says he’s learn the rules do apply to him but there’s a way to change them. She asks who this is and he says he’s known as “the author.” He tells her to come along for the quest or stay as a fish feeder. He tells her to get her things so they can go and says they have two more stops to make.
Wow – looks like Gold and the three witches are the next big bad that all the good folks of Storybrooke will face. Can’t wait!!
THE END!
