Tonight’s Once Upon a Time takes us back to Storybrooke where Pan’s next move to capture the heart of the truest believer is set in motion. Catch up on the new set of problems facing the characters away from Neverland with our full recap!
Land, ho! Tonight’s Once Upon a Time episode 10, “The New Neverland” welcomes the entire crew back to Storybrooke with a heartwarming gathering of the entire town. Ariel finds her Eric, Rumpel his Belle, and Wendy reunites the Darling trio at last. If only the good feeling last beyond a much needed costume change for the town’s heroes! Unfortunately, everyone’s “Happily Ever After” can only happen without Pan in the picture.
The Wedding Gift: Snow White and Prince Charming return to their chambers after their wedding ceremony with a fiery passion to destroy Regina and the threat she cast over the couple’s future happiness. Snow finds it hard to let go so easily, but David wants to begin their lives regardless. Snow and Charming retreat to the summer palace, but Snow sneaks out almost as quickly as they arrive. David, one step ahead of her, gets the real reason why they are in the forest. Snow is there to find Medusa and bring back her head to turn Regina into stone, thereby securing their happiness. Charming, the wonderful husband that he is, will help her out, but they MUST relax after that!
Once they find Medusa’s dwelling place, Snow and Charming attempt to lure Medusa into a trap, but her head turns Snow’s sword to dust at the touch. Trying to shield your eyes and outrun an ancient myth proves to be more difficult than it seems. David accidentally looks into her eyes and freezes instantly. Regina appears in a mirrored surface to mock Snow for destroying her own happiness leaving Regina with time to relax. Snow uses the idea of self destruction to destroy Medusa by forcing the monster to look at her own reflection. As Medusa turns to stone, Charming is set free.
Snow reveals that she wants to start a family, but she does not want to do so in a world where Regina is a threat to her family. But the moment in the cave makes her realize that in order to keep their happiness in spite of Regina is to start a family by finding those good moments in the bad.
Homecoming: Pan, in Henry’s body, has Felix thrown in jail as his first step to gain the trust and protection of the family. Back in the workshop for the first time since the journey, Belle takes a moment to speak with Rumpel about something he never considered before: a future they can forward to. With a threat against his life out of the picture, the pair can begin where they left off. The remaining crew arrives to seal away Pandora’s box under the protection of a spell that only Rumpel will be able to break.
The self-described devilishly handsome pirate watches Emma in the diner, but decides to reign in his efforts to woo Emma. Neal asks Emma to breakfast in an attempt to make progress in their new relationship, even if it is only as friends. Why must everything move so quickly? Hook has to right idea to sit on the sidelines for a while.
Regina takes Henry and his storybook home for his first night back. Pan’s plan for the night involves getting into Regina’s vault to gain some magical assistance. Choosing not to push the arguing too far with his “mother”, Pan summons the Neverland Shadow, still attached to the Jolly Roger’s sail to do his bidding for him.
New Lease on Life: Rumpel shows up to the diner with an elixir for David’s dreamshade poisoning. No payment is required, but with Rumpel a favor is bound to present itself in the future. After drinking the remedy, David jumps right into baby making round two. Slow down there, Charming. Mary Margaret focuses on her first daughter, as she observes Neal waiting for Emma to show up.
David finds Emma pondering her own child drama. Henry did not seem to recognize his own storybook upon their return. Emma’s gut says something is up, but David convinces her that she needs to begin looking for the good moments and not worry about Henry’s readjustment to life in Storybrooke. Speaking of readjustment, on the other side of the diner, Hook tries to drink Emma’s coexistence away and makes a pass at Tink. As Tink rejects his advances, a scream in the town draws the residents to find the Neverland Shadow ripping Blue’s shadow from her body.
With alarms set off that Pan’s control is still at large, Regina takes Henry to her vault for protection. Advantage: Pan.
Trust Me:Convinced that Pan’s magic works through the bounds of the box, the crew drive to the edge of Storybrooke where magic exists on a fine line. They release Pan with the intention to kill. However once Pan’s form is free, he begins to plead his case as Henry. It only takes one key moment in Henry’s life to unlock the truth (and create a few uncomfortable moments for viewers to watch Peter Pan’s form embrace everyone). Meanwhile, Pan in Henry’s form knocks out Regina and sets his next move in motion.
Time ticks away as Rumpel works to access Regina’s vault. Once inside, all the pieces fall together, Pan took the curse. If it is cast on the town again, Pan will be able to control a brainwashed town and create a new Neverland.
Next week marks the winter finale of Once Upon a Time! The residents of Storybrooke will need to band together in order to make one final move and defeat Pan for good.
Watch the winter finale episode of Once Upon a Time on Sunday, December 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC