Eion Bailey’s Pinocchio has been missing in action for long enough – find out when he is returning to Once Upon a Time!

August was last seen in a flashback in the episode “Tallahassee,” when it was revealed that he’d been watching over Emma, and told her boyfriend/babydaddy Neal Cassidy (Michael Raymond-James) to get lost.

EW has now learned that Bailey is back on set; the actor has been seen filming for the episode 2×18 “Selfless, Brave and True,” which based on the title sounds like a Pinocchio-centric episode.

As far as we know, the character is still wooden, but he managed to escape from his room at Granny’s and presumably from Storybrooke – did crossing the town line perhaps return him to his human state?

Perhaps his return is somehow linked to the reappearance of Neal Cassidy and/or Bae, whom Gold, Emma and Henry will be leaving Storybrooke to track down.

What do you think about August’s return? Where do you think he’s been all this time?

Once Upon a Time returns Sunday with the episode “Tiny,” in which Lost star Jorge Garcia guest stars as the Giant, with Smallville‘s Cassidy Freeman playing a female Jack.

Don’t forget to check out Hypable’s Once Upon a Time podcast Onceable!