Secrets are all the rage tonight on Once Upon a Time. There is a new stranger in town, and all of Storybrooke is in a tizzy wondering just who the mysterious man could be. Madame Mayor and the new Sheriff have their own suspicions. Forbidden love is also in the air as Mary Margaret and David continue to see one another. Perhaps new revelations on the events leading up to Prince Charming’s marriage to Abigail, King Midas’ daughter, will shed some much needed light on things.
Like every fairytale gone awry, a storm blows in with a stranger. Like poor Eeyore, storm cloud over his head and looking for his tail, Storybrooke is at wit’s end. Mary Margaret scurries off to the diner. She fixes her appearance in a spoon’s reflection just before David enters. They share a few giggles before he walks back to the car to hand over his wife’s coffee. It’s sad, really. She knows his whereabouts at every time of the day.
Little Red Riding Hood finally makes her appearance as a friend of Snow White’s. Red is her only link to the world she once knew. She relays news of Prince James’ wedding to King Midas’ daughter, Abigail. If only there was a way to ease poor Snow White’s aching heart! All too easily, Red speaks of “a man that will do whatever you ask.” Snow meets Rumpelstiltskin on a pier in the middle of the night.
She is given a vile of water from the river. Drinking it will rid her memory of ever loving James or even knowing he exists. All Rumepelstiltskin takes in return is a strand of Snow White’s hair.
Mary Margaret bumps into Kathryn in the drug store, literally. Helping to pick up her groceries, she spots the pregnancy test. Regina (who is ALWAYS near Kathryn) asks Mary Margaret to be “discreet.” Like anyone would want to shout from the rooftops that the love of their life is expecting a child with someone else.
Coincidence or not? Prince James sent a carrier pigeon to send a note to Snow White before his marriage. Years later, Mary Margaret stumbles upon a trapped and wounded bird in the forest. If she doesn’t get her back to her flock before the storm blows over, she’ll be lost and alone forever. Oh, the things we do for love. The pigeon reached Snow that day. In the note, James gave her an ultimatum. Come to me before I get married or I’ll move on with my life is basically what he said. So what significance does this wounded bird hold now?
Like most good stories, there are road blocks. This one takes the tactic literally. Mary Margaret must abandon her jeep and set off on foot with the birdcage in hand.
Snow White has made it inside of the castle, seeking her true love. Unfortunately, a guard finds her first and tosses her in the dungeon. From the cell next to hers, a familiar “Hi Ho” tune is being whistled. He introduces himself as Grumpy. Just after telling his tale of love lost and taking the blame for a stolen gem, a friend by the name of Stealthy (Hilarious, right? He’s dressed like a special ops agent, too) sets him free. Apparently a sucker for a pretty face, Grumpy unlocks Snow’s cell.
Back in the woods, Mary Margaret has reached her destination, yet things are strange. The land below the cliff she stands on has been destroyed. And just like that, she loses her footing and holds on for dear life.
Like the hero he is, David appears out of nowhere with, “Grab my hand.” He pulls her to safety and they stand in each other’s arms just before, well, nothing. She runs off for the birdcage again and the heavens open up. The storm begins to unleash its anger. They run off together for shelter.
Grumpy and Stealthy leave Snow White in the maze underneath the castle. They attempt to make a run for it, but the guards find them. Poor Stealthy is killed with an arrow through the heart. Before Grumpy is beheaded, Snow appears. Grumpy flees to safety, but the King keeps the latter for questioning.
David and Mary Margaret find a small cabin and start a fire to keep warm. Her frustrations get the best of her and Mary Margaret gets diarrhea of the mouth. She confesses the only reason why she goes to Granny’s every morning at 7:15am is to see him. Well, that’s ironic because the only reason David goes to Granny’s every morning is to see her. Now they kiss, right? Nope! She blabs that she knows Kathryn’s pregnant. David’s only reply is, “What?” Oops!
What’s the best way to address your suspicions with a mysterious man? Tell him, duh! Emma steps into Granny’s diner and confronts the stranger first hand with, “You’re suspicious.” This buys her more information than she may have been ready for. Emma wants to know what lies inside his suitcase. He says she can either wait to find out or let him buy her a drink and find out now. She agrees to the drink. Now, inside the box is … a typewriter? The stranger is a writer. What could this mean?
Mary Margaret escapes the awkward moment in the cabin and releases the pigeon back to its flock with the storms’ passing. David tries holding her hand, but she says, “It’s too hard.” He spills his feelings for her for perhaps the 10th time this season only to see her walk away again. As she should.
The King drives a hard bargain. It takes a ruthless man to tell cute, little Snow White not to be with his fake son. Not to save her life, but to save his. Yes, the King says he will kill his posing son if she continues this forbidden romance. So Snow finds James in his bedchambers and breaks both their hearts by falsely confessing that she does not and will not love him.
Before David can inquire about Kathryn’s secrets, she makes it known that they have marital problems. She thought she was pregnant, yet was relieved not to be because they have things they need to work on. This morning was the first that he wasn’t at Granny’s diner for coffee to see Mary Margaret.
Snow White left the castle that night with a group of men. They lost one man, making them seven. Snow only wants to take the potion given to her by Rumpelstiltskin, but Grumpy stops her. He explains that she needs pain. Even after losing love, he needs love to make him who he is. “It makes me Grumpy” has to be one of the best lines of the season! Snow keeps the vile for another day.
Prince James rides his horse as fast as he can to Snow White’s cottage. Red tells him he won’t find her there. “I’ll find her. I’ll always find her.” He yells while riding off in the opposite direction.
Snow is now living in the small cabin with the seven men. Grumpy barges into her room exclaiming that the prince has left Abigail. They can be together now! “Who?” asks Snow. The empty vile lies on the counter next to her. It’s too late, or is it?
It is now 7:45am and Mary Margaret is waiting for Ruby to fix her coffee when David appears in the front door. He bolts. She follows. They just cannot help running into each other. He may as well tell her that his wife isn’t pregnant, right? And with this information, they finally kiss right there in the middle of the street, giving Madame Mayor a perfectly good view.
The drama only continues to unfold next week on Once Upon a Time. Since Emma Swan’s first step onto Storybrooke soil, she and Regina have been at odds. Now is the time for her to fight back. With Sidney Glass’ help, she may finally be on The Evil Queen’s vengeful tracks. Tune in next Sunday at 8pm on ABC.
Jilliane Johnson
Contributing Writer
(Image courtesy of ABC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
