ABC’s hit fantasy drama ONCE UPON A TIME returns tonight with a brand new episode called, “The Queen is Dead.” On tonight’s show Mary Margaret vows to keep Rumplstiltskin’s dagger away from Cora and Regina, and the Blue Fairy offers Snow White an unconventional spell that could help saver her dying mother, The Queen. Did you watch the last episode? We did and we recapped it here for you!
On last week’s episode while Mr. Gold, Emma and Henry went in search of Gold’s son Bae in New York, Cora, Regina and Hook attempted to track down one of Rumpelstiltskin’s most treasured possessions. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, Rumpelstiltskin realized his destiny while fighting in the Ogres War.
On tonight’s show upon discovering Cora and Regina’s plan to find and take possession of Rumplestiltskin’s dagger, Mary Margaret, with the aid of David and Mother Superior, makes it her mission to find it first; and while Mr. Gold continues his quest in New York to reunite with son Bae, Hook devises a plan to rid himself of a crocodile. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, the Blue Fairy offers Snow White an unconventional enchantment that could help save her dying mother, Queen Eva.
Guest starring tonight, Barbara Hershey as Cora, Keegan Connor Tracy as Mother Superior/Blue Fairy, Michael Raymond-James as Neal Cassidy, Bailee Madison as young Snow White, Lesley Nicol as Johanna, Rena Sofer as Eva, Duncan Ollerenshaw as royal doctor and Sonequa Martin-Green as Tamara.
Tonight’s episode 15 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 2 episode 15 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!
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Flashbook to Snow as a child dressed up in a beautiful pink gown for her birthday ball. Her mother gives her a gift that’s been passed down through the generations. It’s a tiara but the Queen and Snow walk in and catch a maid trying it on. Snow chastises the servant and tells her she’s not worthy to wear it. The Queen calls her daughter down for treating her badly. Snow insists that they’re royals. The Queen says that doesn’t matter and tells Snow that the ball is not for her, but about her – to show the people that she can be a kind and good leader. The Queen collapses and the servant runs for the doctor!
In the now, Snow stares at herself in the mirror while Charming makes breakfast. He’s hoping she’s changed her mind now that the curse has broken, but she hasn’t. Snow finds a birthday gift that was left on their front porch. It’s the tiara! Snow tears up. Charming says he thought it was lost when the curse hit and so did Snow. The card is from Johanna (the serving woman) and says “Thinking of you.” Neither of them knew she was in Storybrook. Snow runs out with the card while Charming says he wishes this day made her happier.
At the Sheriff’s office, Charming is attacked by Hook! He knocks him out and takes his keys to search th drawers. He finds his hook and latches it back on and he’s off…
Snow finds Johanna gardening. They embrace. Johanna tells Snow she found the tiara in Gold’s shop and said it had to be hers once again. Johanna tells Snow she’s keeping her garden in memory of Snow’s mother. They hear a noise in the trees and Snow goes to investigate. She traipses deeper into the foggy woods, following the noise.
She sees Regina and Cora digging in the woods in a place Hook told them to and that Gold marked on the map. Cora says they don’t need Gold – that she can translate the map and once they have the dagger, they can force the Dark One (aka Gold to kill anyone they like.
Snow finds David knocked out in the Sheriff’s Department. Snow tells him what she saw in the woods. They realize if Cora gets the dagger she can take over Gold and make him do her bidding or become the Dark One herself. Snow says they should tell Regina what her mother’s really up to. David doesn’t think Regina will trust Snow and Regina says she only needs to get her to listen.
In the city, Henry, Emma, Gold and Henry’s dad go out for a slice. Gold and Emma both discuss that they hope their sons will forgive them. They discuss how to get Neal to come back to Storybrooke.
Regina and Snow meet at Granny’s – Snow lured her there with a message about Henry. Snow tells her she knows she’s been with Cora and that they’re looking for the dagger. Regina says that’s her business. Snow tells her there’s a war coming and she’s going to give her one last chance to be on the side of good. Regina asks if she ever considered that she is good and that it’s only Snow who’s made her out to be bad.
Regina says the townsfolk are hypocrites who will never forgive her. Regina tells Snow to stay out of her way. Snow tells her that Cora only wants power and doesn’t care about Henry or her. Regina asks her what she would know about mothers.
Flashback to Snow at her mother’s sick bed. They don’t know what’s wrong with the Queen. They physician says to send for the King – that he needs to be there. Snow says they should cancel the bill, but the Queen insists she’ll be better by then and she wants to see Snow in her tiara. Snow says she doesn’t care about that and her mother dissolves into a horrible coughing fit.
Snow asks Johanna if her mother is going to die and she tells her she hopes not. Snow says there has to be something that can save her. Johanna says maybe there is. She says if medicine won’t work, perhaps magic can. Johanna tells her that the Queen has a confidante – someone schooled in magic – a benevolent fairy. Snow asks where she can find her and Johanna tells her to go into the woods and wish upon the blue star and the fairy will appear.
Henry asks Gold if he can call him Grandpa. Gold seems less than thrilled, but tells him he can call him whatever he likes. Emma tells Neal they have to leave soon and he’s dismayed because he’s just getting to know Henry. Emma says he can come back with them, but Neal says it’s complicated. Hook shows up and stabs Gold!
Hook tells him he is taking his life because Gold took his happiness. But Emma knocks out Hook. Neal wants to know what happened and Emma said it’s one of his dad’s enemies. Neal says “Hook” and they’re surprised he knows him. They look Hook in a closet and tend to Gold’s wounds. Henry tries to help Gold and he tells Henry it’s all his fault. Gold tells them it’s poison and he needs to get back to Storybrook. They realize the fastest way back to Storybrook is the Jolly Rodger and Neal reveals that he can sail it.
Snow and David find the blue fairy (aka the nun) and tell her they need her help to stop Cora and Regina from finding and using the dagger.
Flashback to Snow in the winds calling for the Blue Fairy. She appears and tells her that using fairy magic to cheat death would not be right – that it can’t be used for dark purposes. Snow begs her for help. The Blue Fairy says she may be able to conjure a remedy, but it must remain a secret that she did it. The Blue Fairy conjures a candle that will save her mother’s life.
She tells her that if she uses it – in order for one to live, another must die. She says that there must be balance and a life must still be snuffed out. She tells Snow to hold the candle over the heart of the sacrifice and whisper their name and that when she lights the candle, they will die and her mother will live. Snow cries and says she can’t do that because her mother wanted her to always be good.
Neal calls for a ride to get them to the boat. Henry shows Emma a text from Snow and David. Emma reads it and asks Gold about the dagger. Gold says they can look for it all they want – it’s never left his possession in centuries. Emma tells him he’s dying and they are his best hope and he needs to trust them because they’re family.
The Blue Fairy tries to conjure her way into Gold’s shop with her wand, but it won’t work because he’s used a protective spell. David said they should try dark magic just this once. Snow tells her she kept the fairy’s dark magic secret all these years, but the fairy seems confused and not sure what she’s referring to.
Flashback, Snow tells her mother that she went to the Blue Fairy for help and she gave her a black magic remedy. She tells her mother it’s the only way, but she couldn’t do it. The Queen tells her she did the right thing by resisting the urge to use darkness. She tells Snow she may not be meant to get better, but that when she grows up she will be a great Queen. Snow begs her not to leave her and the Queen tells her that as long as she holds goodness in heart, she’ll be with her. And then she breathes her last as Snow cries. Johanna pulls the crying child away and hugs her.
In the now, David and Snow rush up into the clock tower and find the dagger where Gold told them it was hidden. Regina and Cora appear in a cloud of purple magic. Cora conjures up Johanna and Regina reaches into her chest and rips out her heart. She offers Snow the choice of Johanna’s heart for the dagger!
Flashback to Snow dressed in a black gown and Johanna telling her the kingdom is relying on her. Johanna gives her the tiara and Snow puts it on her head. She tells the servant that her mother was right, the crown is heavy. Snow walks to the front of the chapel where her mother lies in state. She whispers “I miss you so much.” She lays a single flower on her bosom and turns to face the assembled room. She bows before her mother and the crowd follows suit. There’s a hand on her shoulder and it’s Johanna. The room is cleared and everyone is gone except Snow watching her mother. Johanna says it’s time to let her go.
The “Blue Fairy” flies in and dissolves in a purple haze – it’s Cora! She confesses to poisoning her and tells the dead Queen that her daughter loves her more than her daughter loves her. She tells her that she will Snow White’s soul as black as coal and that will be her legacy.
In the now, Snow begs for Johanna’s life. Johanna tells her not to turn it over. Cora says she knows Snow will follow her mother’s example. Snow realizes it was Cora masquerading as the Blue Fairy and that she killed her mother. Snow wants to know why she did it and she says she won’t give her the dagger. Johanna tells Snow to let her go, that it will be fine. At the last moment, Snow tosses the dagger over and Regina returns Johann’s heart. But then Cora flings Johanna out the clock tower window to die on the pavement far below. Regina says to Snow – you see where good gets you? The two evil women disappear in a purple puff.
Regina and Cora come back to Regina’s office and Cora takes Regina’s seat behind her desk. Regina wants to know why Cora never told her about poisoning Snow’s mother so that she could be queen. She asks Cora if she set up the “accident” where Regina saved Snow’s life that brought her to the King’s attention. There’s a flashback to exactly how the “accident” played out perfectly according to Cora’s plan. Cora asks her what’s the point and Regina said that she is Queen, so why does Cora need the dagger. Regina wants Henry but knows if they use Gold to kill Emma and her parents, Henry will hate her. Cora says it will all work out.
Neal and Emma rush through the city streets to get the car. Neal tells her there’s something she needs to know before they get on the ship. Before he can say anything, a woman rushes up and hugs him – it’s his fiancée.
David and Snow are at Johanna’s grave after her funeral. She’s distraught because Johanna was an innocent. She is furious that Regina and Cora got away with murder again. Snow said she made the right decision saving Regina all those years ago. She made the right decision sending Emma into the wardrobe and when she let her mother die. Snow has had enough. She says she wants her happy ending, but no more lives lost and hearts broken. Snow says she needs to change. David says change how and Snow says she’s going to kill Cora!
