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Previously on Once Upon a Time: We Are Both.

This week on Once Upon a Time, Charming continues to look for a way to find Snow and Emma, while Henry starts an “operation” of his own. Meanwhile, Snow and Emma navigate through the dangers of the Enchanted Forest and some difficult emotions. In the pre-curse Enchanted Forest, Snow and Charming learn that the road to saving the kingdom requires some sacrifice.

In pre-curse Enchanted Forest, Snow and Charming have their hands full with fending off King George’s men. During an attack, they split up. Charming heads to his mother’s cabin, but Snow is captured by the disgraced Sir Lancelot (played by Sinqua Walls, who fans of teen shows will know from Teen Wolf, Secret Life of the American Teenager and Friday Night Lights) and brought to King George, who curses her with infertility. His men dump her in the woods. She comes across Lancelot, who left the King’s service after his treatment of Snow, and warns her that men are on the way to Charming and the cabin. They arrive too late – Charming defeats the soldiers but his mother Ruth (played by Gabrielle Rose) is mortally wounded. The only thing that could help her are the magical waters of Lake Nostros. On the journey to the lake, Ruth tries to give Snow an amulet that indicates the gender of her future child, but she admits to Ruth that she’s been cursed. The lake is dry save for one sip – and Snow insists Ruth drink it. Her health doesn’t improve so Snow and Charming grant her dying wish of a wedding, with Lancelot officiating. As they lay Ruth to rest, Snow attempts to break the news of her infertility  to Charming, but the amulet indicates she will have a child, and Snow realizes that Lancelot put the enchanted water in the wedding chalice.

In Storybrooke, Henry wants his grandfather’s help on “Operation Scorpion,” but Charming insists that Jefferson was a dead end and would rather Henry stay far away from magic as possible. Henry seeks out Jefferson on his own, but he has nothing to offer and instead suggests there might be something in Regina’s vault. When Henry notices Jefferson holding a flyer drawn by his daughter, he insists that they should be reunited so she’s not left wondering. Afterwards, Henry tricks Regina into leaving her office so he can steal her skeleton keys and break into her vault. The magical objects down there prove to be dangerous, but Charming arrives just in time to prevent Henry from being hurt. Charming promises Henry that they’ll get Emma and Snow back together. Later, Jefferson tearfully reunites with Grace. Charming offers to train Henry with a wooden practice sword as D.A. Albert Spencer (aka King George) watches ominously from a parked car.

In the Enchanted Forest/Haven, the minute Snow regains consciousness and sees Cora she freaks the hell out. Emma lets slip that she and Regina “share” Henry before Emma and Snow are taken to meet the leader of the camp, Lancelot. Snow asks for permission to go in search of a possible portal, but refuses to elaborate. He sends them off with Mulan, but Aurora is not happy that Philip’s “killers” are walking free. When they stop to make camp Aurora unsuccessfully tries to kill Snow and Emma accidentally draws out an ogre, which Snow defeats. The four women soon arrive at the old palace in hopes of finding the wardrobe that sent Emma to Storybrooke. The wardrobe is intact but powerless, so they decide to take it back to Haven – and Lancelot suspiciously appears to help them to do just that. Turns out that Cora killed the real Lancelot and has been posing as him. They fight, but after Emma torches the wardrobe and Mulan joins the fight, Cora makes a hasty retreat. With Lancelot gone, Mulan dubs Snow the leader of Haven. Emma apologies for destroying the wardrobe to protect Henry, and finally realizes how much Snow gave up to send her away, tearfully admitting, “I’m not used to anyone putting me first.” They hug, and cry, and I cry too (3 for 3 so far this season, damn!). After they leave, Cora reappears to collect some ashes from the wardrobe, which appear to retain some power.

Next episode, Captian Hook appears!

Thoughts/Theories
• I wonder if Cora is the reason that Haven and the surrounding land were spared from the curse? Did her magic nullify Regina’s?
• Once again, I continue to be perplexed by the heart vault and its connection to magic. Did it go dormant when Regina lost her powers? Is back now that she has magic? I’m hoping more will come of it this season.

Nicole N. decided to justify the countless hours she spends watching television by writing about it here. She is currently indulging her addiction to medical dramas by rewatching all of Grey’s Anatomy. Follow her on twitter @nicolemnelson and check our her tumblr.