Once Upon a Time drops a major plot twist in “Think Lovely Thoughts.” Will the additonal family drama soil the plans to get Henry out of Pan’s grasp and away from Neverland? Read our full recap below!
In Neverland, you may be able to have your cake, but you most certainly will not be able to eat it. This week’s Once Upon a Time twists the family tree of the fairy tale past and present even further with one major reveal! As the crew reunites and splits up one last time, the final secret of the island may prove to be too much for Operation Cobra to succeed.
Tricks and Spinsters: A long time ago, Rumpelstiltskin’s childhood is a series of tricks turned by his father on the streets. A cheat on the surface and an irresponsible child at heart, Rumpel’s father is not cut out to have a son. He goes on to prove this by entrusting Rumpel to a pair of women who spin string for a living. As he leaves the young boy to go find a better job, he leaves him with a doll. Though not a suitable replacement for a father, daddy Stiltskin tells Rumpel to give the doll a name. That always makes things more real.
The women of the shop take pity on the boy, who turns out to be a natural behind the spinning wheel. What Rumpel needs is a fresh start, far away from the haunting presence of his father’s name. They offer him a magical bean that will transport him to anywhere he wants to go. Rumpel is not the selfish man that is father is and goes to find him dealing on the streets. He offers his father the bean and requests that they leave in search of a new place where they can start over together. Rumpel’s father knows just the place: Neverland.
Once on the island, Rumpel tests the power of the land by imagining he has a piece of cake. When it appears, the boy begins to believe that the island is truly the magical landscape that his father remembers it being. The only downfall for Stiltskin senior is that he is no longer a boy. He has responsibilities, he grew up. When he attempts to fly, in a scene very familiar to that of Robin Williams’ leap of faith in Hook, he falls flat to the ground. Perhaps a bit of pixie dust will do the trick; however, another island dweller has a different idea for his fate.
Whose Side Are You On: Present day Rumpel has a few more secrets he needs to let the rest of the party in on. As he and Regina make it back to the crew, Rumpel reveals that Neal is alive and that the two went their separate ways after Rumpel admitted that killing Henry is the only way to keep himself alive. Regina and the remaining members of the party are less inclined to let Rumpel on their trusting side when he confesses that while that was his original plan, the tides have changed.
Stripped of his magic and Pandora’s box, the crew allows Rumpel to remain with them. Perhaps he knows a bit more about Pan’s intentions than the rest of them. Tinker Bell leads them to the outskirts of Pan’s camp where Regina puts the entire gaggle of Lost Boys to sleep. The plan to grab Henry and get off the island is not easy accomplished since Henry and Pan are not present in the camp.
A cry for help startles the group. Wendy Darling is discovered in her cage and reunites with Baelfire. He is shocked to discover that Wendy became a prisoner of the land when she returned to rescue him. “Everyone deserves to have a family.” That hits like salt to an open wound for Rumpel who stands behind Neal watching the scene play out. Wendy reveals Pan’s plan for Henry and takes comfort in the news that John and Michael are safe in Storybrooke.
Taking a moment to regroup, the team splits up into the following factions: The Charmings will return to Dead Man’s Peak to retrieve water to keep David alive, Tink and Hook will return to the Jolly Roger and prepare to leave, and the remaining members will set out after Pan across the island. Rumpel, Regina, Emma, and Neal arrive to discover that Pan has taken Henry into the center of Skull Rock. Only those without a shadow can enter the depths of the cave.
Pan planned this special trick for one person in particular. Recall that Rumpel removes his shadow upon entering Neverland at the outset of this season. Neal hands over Pandora’s Box to Rumpel as Regina and Emma work on a way around getting through the enchantment. The solution involves blocking the moon in order to remove their shadows.
What’s in a Name? Do you recall this scene from a few weeks ago?
Well, it is about to hurt 100 times more! As the elder Stiltskin realizes he can no longer enjoy the benefits of Neverland with the addition of a son, he takes the shadow of the island up on an offer. Rumpel sits below the trees and clings his doll close when his father disappears into the trees with the shadow. No longer believed to be the shadow of Pan, the shadow is its own entity and has been on the island forever. The shadow transforms Malcolm, Rumpel’s dad, into a teenage boy once more, stripping him of his duties as father and adult.
Malcolm takes on a name that will associate him with the son he left behind by stripping the innocence of the doll right from his grasps. Rumpel named the doll Peter Pan. A name which now, forever changes the course of his life. Choosing the island over one’s family is something he is determined to never allow in his life again.
Pan, however, is aware that there is a limit on his fun. Inside of Skull Rock, there is an ominous hourglass that counts down the remaining minutes of Pan’s life. That is, unless he takes the heart of the truest believer and becomes immortal.
The Family Reunion: Rumpel approaches Pan and stands strong behind his plan to trap him inside of the box. However, even the most powerful magician is no match for the power of a boy on an island with unlimited imaginative power. As Rumpel turns on his father, he discovers that Pan has replaced Pandora’s Box with a replica and uses the mythological box for himself, trapping his son. Henry, misses the plot twist of this scene and returns to the group as his mothers and father arrive. All the begging in the world will not take the gullible nature away from Henry’s mind. Sometimes there is such a thing as too much innocence. Henry hands over his heart to Pan.
NOW WE MUST WAIT TWO WEEKS! Unfortunately, next week’s episode is trumped by the American Music Awards, but never fear, there is still one final battle with Pan to be had. The shadow is still lingering in the crews back pocket. But what of David’s fate? With Rumpel trapped, is a cure for his dream shade even a possibility once they make their way back to Storybrooke? All the things are happening!
Watch Once Upon a Time season 3, episode 9 “Save Henry” Sunday, December 1 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC
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