Tonight on ABC their new fantastical, epic adventure ONCE UPON A TIME continues with a new episode called, “Dark Hollow.” On tonight’s show Ariel travels to Storybrooke to contact Belle and find a hidden artifact that can help take down Pan, and Emma, Neal and Hook attempt to locate Dark Hollow – where Peter Pan’s shadow dwells – in order to capture it. Did you watch last week’s episode? We did and we recapped it right here for you.
On last week’s show back in the Fairy Tale Land that was, when Ariel (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) saves Snow White from drowning in the ocean’s depths, Snow returned the favor by helping her new friend get acquainted with Prince Eric, with whom she had fallen madly in love with. Meanwhile, Emma, Mary Margaret, David and Hook attempted to save Neal, who was imprisoned in one of Pan’s encampments, and Regina and Mr. Gold begrudgingly teamed up to find a way to take down Pan.
On tonight’s show Mr. Gold and Regina send Ariel back to Storybrooke with an item that will allow Belle to locate a hidden artifact that could help take down Pan. But unbeknownst to them, two men have broken into the town with the intent to stop them – at all costs. Meanwhile, Emma, Neal and Hook attempt to find Dark Hollow, where Peter Pan’s shadow dwells, in order to capture it, and Mary Margaret is upset with David for keeping his poisoning a secret from her.
Tonight’s new episode is going to be exciting, and you won’t want to miss it. So be sure to tune in for our live coverage of the season 3 Episode 7 of Once Upon A Time — tonight at 8PM EST! While you wait for our recap, hit the comments and let us know how your excited you are about Once Upon A Time being back! Check out a sneak peek of tonight’s episode below.
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page for Updates
Flashback:
Before they left for Neverland, Gold and Belle argue because she wants to go with him. He refuses and gives Belle a magical device to cloak Storybrooke. She asks how he’ll find it on his return and realizes he doesn’t think he’s coming back. He reminds her that the prophecy says that him saving Henry will be his destruction. She says things don’t always go the way you think and that she’ll see him again. The others sail away and Belle watches in tears. The townfolk rush up and ask if they’re safe and she tells them the destruct device was turned off but there are others that might come. She shows Blue Fairy the cloaking spell and says that Gold said others will be coming.
The folk all head into the mines to enact the spell. Meanwhile a red car is speeding toward it with two men in it. The dwarves get to swinging because they need to unearth a mineral vein so the spell will spread all over town to hide them all. They get it done and Belle hesitates because she’s never cast a spell before. Blue Fairy has but tells her that Gold gave it to her so she needs to be the one to do it. She tells her to believe in herself. Nothing happens and Grumpy says to believe a little harder. Gold shoots out of the mine and into the streets.
The two men see the spell coming down around Storybrooke and speed up. They barely make it in – the back of their car is chopped off as they come into the town!
Now:
Ariel looks to Storybrooke and says it’s far but she can get there. Gold says it has a cloaking spell around it so she needs to come in close to get under it. He tells her she’s after an object that will help them get away. He magicks a sand dollar and tells her to give it to Belle. He doesn’t want to tell her what the object is because Pan hears everything on the island. Ariel asks where to find Eric and Regina tells her that she will give her that information on her return so she has incentive to do as they asked.
Pan gets a sensation and tells his henchman Felix that someone is leaving Neverland. He tells Felix not to worry and says they just need to get word to their people in Storybrooke and that they need to move up the timetable. Pan also says he needs to talk to their friend in the other cage.
Neal is telling them that Pan’s shadow is their way off the island. It’s separate from him and rarely with him so they can get it without encountering Pan. Emma, Hook and Neal head off on a shadow quest.
The dwarves sit at the beach eating lunch. Happy tells Grumpy that it’s been peaceful in Storybrooke since Snow and Charming left. They are enjoying the normalcy when suddenly there’s a splash and Ariel is there. She sprouts legs and walks up on shore. She asks Grumpy where she can find Belle. The two dudes stare at her through binoculars and discuss that their orders are to find out why she’s there and to make sure she never leaves town again.
Belle stares at her lunch and Granny asks what’s wrong. She says she’s not hungry. Doc Hopper comes up and asks why she’s not eating and how he can help. Belle tells him that Gold told her he was going off to his death. She says she wants to help him save Henry. Hopper tells her she did by activating the spell to keep the bad guys out. Belle says there are no bad guys. She says no one is coming here and that Gold doesn’t need her.
Grumpy comes in and says he begs to differ. He says this lady is there looking for her. Ariel tells her that Rumple sent her from Neverland. Belle is thrilled to know he’s alive. Ariel hands her the sand dollar and she takes it into Gold’s shop. Belle isn’t sure what to do but then holds one of his objects near it and there’s an image of Gold telling her there are people on the way to Storybrooke to harm them. He tells her he found a way to defeat Pan and live. He says there is a hidden item in the shop he needs but that she can find it through the strength of their love. Belle is excited that she gets to help save Henry and the town.
Emma tells her mother she needs to talk to David but Mary isn’t swayed. Mary tells her to be careful with Hook and Neal because they both have feelings for her. Emma says all she cares about is Henry and the rest doesn’t matter.
Pan tells Henry to come see something and Henry tells him to go away and that he’s lying. He says he believes his family is there in Neverland. Pan says if they are there why haven’t they come for him. Pan says he isn’t keeping anyone from him. Henry asks why Pan keeps disappearing into the jungle. He says he doesn’t trust Pan and is going to find what he’s hiding from him. He stomps away. Felix comes over and tells Pan they’re losing Henry. Pan says he just needs to put some more effort in. Felix asks if he should bring the cage and Pan says he has another idea.
In Neal’s old hideout, he’s looking for his coconut star map. Emma says they hid it and goes to retrieve it. Alone with Neal, Hook thanks him for being so understanding and of course Neal asks about what and Hook says for his “dalliance” with Emma. Hook says – you don’t know – and says it’s awkward. He tells him they kissed and he thought she told Neal. Neal says it likely slipped her mind since they’re focused on finding their son. Neal says the coconut isn’t a star map but is a trap for the shadow. They have to go to Dark Hollow to get the shadow and Emma asks why nothing there is named sunshine something.
Belle is going through the shop looking for the mystery object and Ariel looks through things too. She finds a naval military button and tells Belle it reminds her of Eric’s old uniform and how she rescued him. Belle plays over Gold’s words – the strength of their love – and goes to the chipped teacup from their former lives. She sets it in its saucer in the cabinet and it unleashes a spell that reveals a hatch in the floor.
Belle opens it and she says it’s Pandora’s Box and holds the world’s darkest evil. Ariel asks what’s inside of it and Belle says she doesn’t know but it will defeat Pan. They hear guns cocking and turn to find the two strangers. The girls ask who they are and they tell them they are the ones they tried to keep out of Storybrooke! They are appalled they came all that way for a box…
The guys tie up Belle and Ariel and tell them to stay still. Ariel asks why they’re listening to them and Belle says because they have guns. Ariel asks what a gun is and one of the guys says you don’t want to find out. One holds the gun on Ariel and asks what Gold told them about the box. Ariel says she’s not scared of him and refuses to participate.
Belle says they don’t even know who they’re working for. They surprise her by telling them they work for Peter Pan. He says that Tamara and Greg didn’t know because they were patsies but says they know exactly what’s going on and reveal that their mission is to make sure the magical object doesn’t make it back to Neverland and into Gold’s hands.
Pan tells Felix to deliver the supplies to the other side of the island. He tells Felix to be certain not to let Henry find out what he’s up to. Henry peeks out from behind a tree and follows Felix – as Pan planned, I’m sure.
Mary and David walk through the jungle and he tells her he was just trying to protect her by not telling her he was poisoned. Mary focuses on finding Tinkerbell’s and won’t engage on the topic.
In the jungle, Neal says they need to cut their way through and Emma hands him his cutlass. Neal says he’s surprised that Hook was so sentimental. Hook says he thought it would remind Emma of him. Neal says she doesn’t need a reminder anymore since she has him back. Neal gets testy and Emma asks what’s up as Neal cuts into the jungle.
Hook tells her that he inadvertently revealed to Neal that they shared a kiss. He thought Neal had overheard it in the cave. He tells her that he cares about her and that he will win her from Neal. He says that she will have to choose and that she will choose him because he will work hard to win her heart. She says her only goal is to get her son back. Hook tells her that she’ll succeed because he’s never seen her fail at anything. He’s looking lovey dovey and you can tell she’s intrigues by his hot pirate-ness. Neal comes back and tells them he’s found it.
Dark Hollow is where the victim of Pan’s shadows dwell for eternity. They agree they don’t want to join them and be stuck there…
Ariel and Belle struggle with their ropes and Ariel says they’ll find a way out. Belle is a pessimist but Ariel says she’ll find Eric. Belle has an idea and tells her to pull the bracelet off. Belle helps her get it off and Ariel sprouts fins and it breaks the ropes. She pops the bracelet back on to get her legs back on. They try to figure out what the guys are doing – they can’t leave because of the cloaking spell – and decide they’ll likely try to destroy it. The only thing in Storybrooke that might work to destroy the box is one of the dwarves’ pickaxes.
Mary and David continue through the jungle and he tells her it’s a nice place for a hut or a lovely tree house. He demands she talk to him and she finally blows up. He says he was hoping for a cure and she demands to know why he didn’t tell her after he was cured. He admits he was scared. She asks didn’t he think she would stay there with him. He says he doesn’t want that life for her. Mary says she would spend the rest of her life in a tree house dodging Lost Boys’ poison arrows as long as she was with him. He apologizes and they hold each other close. She says she needs to believe in them.
In Dark Hollow, the trio step through gingerly and Emma asks if they just have to wait for the shadow. Neal says they light the candle in the shell and the shadow will be attracted and when he comes, they slam the lid and they have him. Hook asks how they can light it when their lanterns are out and Neal holds out a lighter and says welcome to the 21st century. The two rivals argue over who will light it when Pan’s shadow and a couple of others show up and they have to fight for their lives.
Neal is under attack and he yells for Emma to go. She lights the candle with her magic and suddenly the shadow is sucked into the shell. She slams the lid and everything goes quiet. Neal asks how she did it and Emma tells him Regina has been teaching her magic. They’ve got their ticket off the island!
Henry sneaks along after Felix but steps on a twig. Felix turns but Henry hides and he doesn’t seem to see him.
The girls head into the mines and find the two men. Belle begs them not to destroy it – she says people they love will die. The guys tell them that someone they love will die if they don’t. Belle throws the switch and the mine car rolls at the guys knocking them out of the way. The girls grab the box and kick their guns away.
The men try to explain that they have to save their sister and they don’t care about destroying magic. They tell her that Pan has had their sister for over a century and she says they would be long dead. Oooh – are those Wendy’s brothers??? Belle says it’s impossible and the boys tell her that Pan has kept them alive to do his bidding. Belle says if they defeat Pan their sister will be set free. They tell her that their failure to stop Pan was the reason their sister was taken anyway…
Belle says they can really stop Pan and save their sister. Ariel asks who their sister is and they tell her Wendy Darling. They tell Ariel to tell her – if she sees her – that John and Michael are waiting for her. Back on the island, Pan unlocks the other cage and releases Wendy. She asks if she’s free and he says she’s not but that doesn’t mean she can’t come out to play.
Belle wishes Ariel safe travels and she promises to deliver Belle’s message to Gold. Ariel slides the bracelet off, gets her finds back and swims away.
Henry watches as Felix walks by. He drops a bag on the trail and Henry goes to it. He picks it up and heads toward a ladder where he hears someone coughing. At the top of the ladder he sees a girl in bed. She says he’s not supposed to be here. He asks why she’s there and she says she’s sick so he keeps her far away from camp. She says her name is Wendy and he asks – Wendy Darling. She tells him the power of the island is fading and that’s making her sick.
Wendy tells him that he looks like his father and that he rescued her and her brothers. She coughs again and tells him to go so he doesn’t get sick. She says Pan is doing everything he can for her. Henry tells her that he’ll come back for her. He leaves and heads into the jungle.
Pan comes out and tells Wendy – well done – and says he couldn’t have done it better himself. Wendy says she doesn’t like lying to him and Pan says to think about it as providing motivation. Pan says he needs Henry to believe and she asks in what and he says him. Pan tells her it’s time to go back to her cage.
At the beach, Regina asks Gold if he really thinks Belle will succeed and he says he does. She’s snippy and he asks if she’s jealous. She says of Belle and he says – no – of me having someone. Ariel pops up and tells her they had some complications. She hands over the box and Regina tells her that she did well. Regina magicks the bracelet and tells Ariel now she can control when she has legs or fins. Ariel says that Belle sent a message that he should try to save Wendy as well.
Regina says that their focus is Henry but Gold says they can try. He tells Ariel to tell Belle that he loves her and that she was right.
Emma chews out the guys for fighting over the lighter. Hook says they weren’t fighting over just the lighter. She tells them if she had to choose someone she would choose Henry – that he’s the only love she has room for in her life.
TinkerBell comes into the clearing to find Mary and David and says she wondered when she would be seeing them again. She says she won’t help them until they have a way off the island. David says they are about to and she’s not impressed. He tells her they’re going to use Pan’s shadow. She scoffs but then Emma, Neal and Hook stumble upon them and tell them they have it. Neal tells Tink hi and she sys Bae! She’s happy to see him and he tells her to call him Neal. She agrees to do her part. As they head out, Neal stops Emma and tells her that she’s right that they focus only on Henry now and she says – let’s go get our son back.
Henry is headed back to camp when Pan asks him why he’s so glum. Henry tells him that he lied and that he found Wendy. Pan puts on a show and tells him she’s dying because of the loss of magic. Pan tells him he kept it secret because he didn’t want that weight on his shoulders. Henry asks if he’s the only one who can save magic and Pan says he is. Henry asks how and Pan tells him it’s a matter of where not how.
Pan shows him Skull Rock. He says only the heart of the truest believer can save them and that it will require heroism and sacrifice. He asks if Henry is up to it and Henry says yes. Uh-oh. I think Henry is literally going to have to give his heart!
