Once Upon a Time has a knack for introducing unexpected twists for popular fairy tale characters. Captain Hook is no exception to this trend as audiences learn the driving force behind Hook’s transformation from honorable lieutenant to pirate of the seas.

Hook, a man of honor. Does that sound right? Once Upon a Time episode 5 “Good Form,” takes audiences back to a time before the Jolly Roger and its fearless captain sailed under the crimson flag.

A Faith Restored: Pan continues on his mission to push Henry further and further away from the life he once knew. When a Lost Boy picks a fight with Henry and the two begin to duel with sticks, Pan interjects to show Henry the power he holds in Neverland. The heart of the truest believer allows Henry to fuel turning imagination into reality. Henry turns a stick into a sword and aggressively goes after the other boy as Pan discovers his plan is moving forward with great success.

In the forest not far away, two worried mothers make a plan to get in touch with their son. Regina, Mary Margaret, and Emma convince the men of the party that capturing a Lost Boy will send a message to Henry that will restore some hope for his rescue. As the girls make a plan to set a trap, Hook and David take a trip of their own. When the trap succeeds in capturing the boy Henry fought, Regina and Emma make the decision to take control of the boy’s body in order to have him cooperate with them. Regina sends the boy back to camp with a mirror that will allow the matriarchs to communicate directly with Henry. After believing the mirror is a trick of Pan’s Henry accepts that his mothers and grandmother, are in fact on the island and coming to his rescue. Mary Margaret protests, until she is able to see her grandson’s face light up with a renewed hope.

Lieutenant Killian Jones: Serving the King’s orders under a trust worthy captain with no room for rum, Hook’s flashback to his time before becoming a pirate seems like the most unrealistic aspect of the show thus far! Under the command of his brother, Liam Jones, Killian upheld honor and good form above all. Liam arrives to announce that the men are sailing to a strange land where the constellations are nothing that they are used to navigating. A special sexton will help them once they take off. That’s right, take off. A sail made from the feathers of the mythological beast Pegasus, will carry their ship to the second star to the right. After making landfall, the two sailors run into Pan.

Liam announces their plans to recover a plant by the name of dream shade and return it to the king. Pan explains the dark power of the plant, but Liam refuses to believe the King would enact such tyranny on unsuspecting enemies. Killian pushes the point further by saying that he will fight for the King, but he will fight fair. Liam insists that Pan is lying to them and cuts himself with the dream shade, instantly collapsing to the ground. Pan arrives and offers his help to Killian who desperately begs for a solution. Behind the bush, atop the Dead Man’s peak, an elixir of life flows through a water fall. Whomever drinks the water will be cured of any ailment, but at a cost. The magic only works in Neverland. Be warned if you choose to sail home.

Back on the ship, Liam and Killian discuss the King’s dark intent for the dream shade, until the crew makes land fall in England. Liam is dead as soon as they make landfall for the magic has vanished.  Killian takes control of the ship and makes an impassioned speech against a ruler who would use a magical plant to wipe out a race and take the life of his brother. He destroys the sail that took them to the cursed land and rallies the troops to join him as pirates of the sea working against the King. Even among thieves, there is honor.

Bro-mountain: David and Hook experience a bit more than a friendly hike up to Dead Man’s Peak. Hook recognizes that the dream shade is incredibly close to killing David. In fact, he will die in a few hours. After a rocky start in Neal’s cave where David accuses Hook of being nothing more than a pirate, Hook decides to convince David that the only way to decode Neal’s map is to retrieve a lost sexton that may be on top of the mountain. David knows that his time is fleeting and decides to say farewell to his family forever. In a gut-retching scene, David hugs Emma tightly and tells her to let Henry know that his grandfather loves him. (Ouch!) When David finally lets Mary Margaret go, he and Hook make their way to the peak.

On the way up the mountain, Hook explains that his brother was once on the island with him, but tragically lost his life. David counters that he also had a brother, a twin, who died before he could get to know him. Hook jokes that he is grateful, for he would not be able to handle two Charmings. Hook goes ahead of David and has a run in with Pan who proposes a deal with Hook. Take David to the top of the mountain, but take his life. “I want to see your hook through his body,” Pan states. Hook seems interested in the deal for the sake of gaining Emma, and the man is going to die anyway, so he considers as David catches up to him. David hears the entire exchange and attacks Hook near a patch of sharp dream shade. Hook knocks him out and upon reawakening gives him a water from a fall that will cure him of any ailment. As the dream shade poison disappears, Hook reminds David that all magic comes with a cost. David questions why Hook would place himself in danger with no reward, but Hook simply adds, “I didn’t do it for you, mate.” (Insert wink here!)

A New Captive:David and Hook return to the camp, without a sexton, but with an invigorated spirit in David’s step. David tells the camp that Hook stepped between a pack of Lost Boys attempting to kill him and saved his life. The trick to put Hook on a pedestal works in his favor, when Emma thanks him for saving her father’s life. When the verbal thank you is not enough, Emma warns Hook that he will not be able to handle a kiss. Luckily, the audience can, and Hook and Emma break all romantic tension in a kiss started by Emma, but certainly finished by Hook. As Emma walks away and says that was a “one time thing,” she asks that Hook not pursue her. His response, “As you wish.” Read into that what you will!

One Final Thing: Hook may have gotten a giant green light from Emma, but Pan decides that he does not like being ignored. Pan mocks Hook for thinking that Emma is finally starting to look beyond the one-handed alcoholic and finally seeing the man of honor he truly is. But what would a man of honor do if he suddenly knew that the man Emma loved and lost was actually alive and on the same island? The information now stews in Hook’s mind as he is faced with how to proceed from here on out.

Next week, we head “Under the Sea” for a new look at the mermaid most familiar to everyone, Ariel. What will Once Upon a Time have in store for audiences with this classical character?

Watch Once Upon a Time season 3, episode 6 “Ariel” Sunday, November 3 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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