Catch up on tonight’s Once Upon a Time with our full recap. Take a closer look at Storybrooke’s hidden villain, Zelena, on tonight’s all new episode, “Witch Hunt.”
Once Upon a Time returns tonight and the ultimate wager of war is on in both the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke. Find out who made it back and if someone is really in Kansas in our recap of “Witch Hunt.”
One Year Ago:The Wicked Witch is making herself right at home in Regina’s new digs. Outside of the protection spell, Regina decides to test the underground tunnel that runs into the palace to lower the shield from the inside. The Wicked Witch, yes the West one, from the very real place of Oz, sends another monkey for Regina. When the monkey tries to grab Robin’s boy, Regina turns it into a stuffed animal.
Today: As Hook points out, it is usually not a great sign when you wake up and do not remember a single thing. Emma tries to get some information from her cursed parents, but only Hook remembers anything from the year that was. He was out at sea and received a message via bird to retrieve Emma. Assuming that Snow sent the bird, as it is kind of her thing, he followed the instructions. Grumpy interrupts to inform them that the seven dwarves are now down to two. Not only are people blanking on a year, people are starting to disappear.
In all of the confusion it is hard to keep tabs on everyone, but one person has yet to show up. Neal may not be among them, but Hook points out, “He always shows up.”
The next morning at breakfast, Henry meets Mary Margaret and David, the former of which says she once shared a cell with Emma for banditry. When Regina walks in and Henry stares right through her, Emma seizes the opportunity to explain why she has returned. Regina explains that she did not cast the curse. Even if her reputation points in that direction, why would she cast a curse that hurt her?
Off on the edge of the forest, Robin and his merry men are exploring the modern gadgets of hunting when Little John approaches the town limit. Suddenly, there is an explanation for the disappearances. Monkeys.
Emma decides the best way to hear everyone out is by holding a town meeting. As the town is quick to turn on Regina, Emma adds her support, tempting Regina to take up the ways of the Evil Queen. All of this is part of the duo’s larger plan to work together to replicate the memory potion and find out who the real evil doer is.
When the potion fails, Emma uses her con experience to set a plan in motion: Send Grumpy into the diner to announce Regina’s plan to restore everyone’s memory and clear her name. Whoever flees to Regina’s office is the culprit. Before the night is over, someone gets through the blood spell protecting the door and disappears before Emma and Regina can detain her.
One Year Ago, Underground: Robin takes up pace behind Regina and explains that he is going with her as a way to pay off his debt to Regina. (And drive viewers crazy.) Regina reminds him, yet again, that she needs help from nobody, but if he must tag along he can stay out her way. After a few jibes at Robin’s choice of profession, she admits that the difference between them is that Regina is willing to own up to her acts of deceit.
They come upon a wide open door to Regina’s crypt. Odder than finding a crypt in your basement is finding a door open that has been sealed by blood magic. The witch they are up against may be powerful, but that is the least of Regina’s concerns. Still set on allowing Snow and Charming the chance to take back the castle, Regina confides to Robin that a life without her son is no life at all. She heads straight for her potions to mix up a sleeping spell that she intends to prick herself with in the style of Maleficent.
Robin tries to convince her that happiness can be hers once again if she opens her eyes and looks. Regina would rather greet the future with hers closed.
Present Midwife: At the diner, Mary Margaret is beginning to worry about every little thing that can go wrong when her baby arrives. Leave it to Zelena, a humble midwife from the other side, to comfort her. Meanwhile, Hook, Neal, and Robin find Little John gravely injured. At the hospital, his wounds prove to be beyond normal medical training. After a fit, Little John turns into a monkey. Not unlike the monster that Emma almost married…
Regina lowers the spell and signals the troops to move in. She sits on the edge of the wall about to prick her finger and fall into a deep slumber, but the Wicked Witch has other plans for her. When her appearance is not enough to jog her memory, Zelena explains that Cora had another daughter, one she sent away before deciding to keep Regina. (Hello, blood spell explanation!) Trying to run Regina on a sisterly guilt trip, Regina admits that while Oz may not have been kind to Zelena, life under Cora was no picnic either.
Cora is not the only person they share in common. Rumpelstiltskin taught Zelena in the same capacity. Regina informs her that whatever plan she has up her sleeve to prove to the both of them will go unnoticed since they are both dead. Taking a brief moment to mull that over, she decides that forcing Regina to suffer will be much more fun anyway. Off on her broom she flies, and the battle has begun.
It’s On: Regina finds Robin and explains the sleeping curse is not the answer since she found something to live for. It is one thing she has not had in a very long time: someone to destroy.
Regina in the present puts the green smoke and monkeys together and settles on the Wicked Witch as the prime suspect. But they aren’t in Kansas, so what beef could she have with a town in Maine?
Speaking of Kansas… Off in a storm cellar, the madness settles in around Rumpelstiltskin!!! (!!!) “Feed the madness and it feeds on you…”
Watch Once Upon a Time season 3, episode 14, “The Tower,” Sunday, March 23 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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