Once Upon a Time Detailed Recap – A New Curse? – Season 4 Episode 8 “Smash the Mirror”

Once Upon a Time Detailed Recap - A New Curse? - Season 4 Episode 8 “Smash the Mirror”

Tonight on ABC their fantastical series Once Upon A Time returns with an all new Sunday November 14, season 4 episode 8, called, “Smash the Mirror.” On tonight’s episode and a two-hour special, Emma [Jennifer Morrison] isolates herself from loved ones to protect them as her powers grow uncontrollable, and she seeks help from Mr. Gold. Meanwhile, in the Arendelle of the past, the Snow Queen [Elizabeth Mitchell] struggles to ignite a rivalry between Anna and Elsa.

On the last episode, Emma captured the Snow Queen and interrogated her at the sheriff’s station. But the Snow Queen used her prior knowledge of Emma to try to persuade her into thinking that they were more alike than she could possibly imagine. Regina and Robin Hood’s relationship grew increasingly complex as they struggled to find a way to save his dying wife, Emma began to see what she missed out on by not growing up and being a family with Snow and Charming when she saw how involved Mary Margaret was in baby Neal’s life, and Henry began his after school job in Gold’s shop while trying to help Regina find a clue to the identity of the author of the storybook. Meanwhile, in Arendelle of the past, we learned about the origin of the Snow Queen and her familial connection to Elsa and Anna as we got to see her discover her spectacular yet deadly ice powers. Did you watch the last episode? If you missed it, we have a full and detailed recap right here for you.

On tonight’s episode as per the ABC synopsis, “in Arendelle, when the Snow Queen tries to pit Elsa and Anna against each other and it proves more difficult than she anticipates, she takes drastic measures. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke Emma’s powers are out of control and her fear of hurting loved ones pushes her away from everyone she cares about. In her confusion, Emma turns to Gold for help getting her powers under control. Gold tells her about a way to get rid of her powers altogether and Hook tries to put a stop to it. Meanwhile, Regina struggles with her plan to find the author of the storybook until her quest takes an unexpected turn. Robin Hood recruits Will Scarlet to assist him on a mission and Mary Margaret and David search for Emma in this special, two-hour “Once Upon a Time.”

Tonight’s season 4 episode 8 looks like it is going to be as magical as ever so make sure that you tune in to our live coverage of Once Upon A Time at 8:00 PM EST!

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A long time ago in Arendelle, the snow queen has the magic box that takes away supernatural power. She freezes it closed then hides it under a rock in a cave. In the Enchanted Forest, she then goes to see the guardian of the box. He says he can’t help her and she says she wants the Sorcerer. He says he speaks only through him, the apprentice. She says she wants a deal and has his hat to bargain with.

The apprentice says she doesn’t know what forces she’s playing with. He puts a sword to her neck and demands it. She says it’s hidden far away and unless she gets what she wants, the Sorcerer will never have his hat again. The apprentice asks what she wants and the snow queen says she wants happiness like she had when she and her sisters chased a kite in the field.

She says her sisters wouldn’t accept her because she’s ordinary. She says her niece Elsa has magic and they need one more. The apprentice says it may take time and she says she’s patient enough to wait for a perfect sister.

In the present, we see Emma’s car has stopped. Henry is there and calls out to her. He says they’ve all been looking for but she says everyone needs to stay away because she can’t control her powers. He says pulling away won’t help her and says he can help her. He tries to touch her and she shocks him so bad (unintentionally) that he flies back and hurts his head.

Sarah shows up then and tells her she knows exactly how that feels, seeing fear in the eyes of those she loves. Emma shoots off some energy and Sarah says she can see she’s out of control. She tells Emma that she can’t hurt her and says she has to embrace who she is to end this. Emma says if that means hurting people she loves, no thanks. She hops in her bug and drives away.

Regina dresses after her Robin Hood hookup and ignores a call on her phone. He tells her it was the best sleep he’s had in a long time. He asks her to come back to his camp for breakfast but she says he knows they can’t do that. He says Little John is a bit of a gossip and makes her smile. He tells her he thinks about her smile all the time. They kiss.

She says they should have done this a few decades ago and Robin says he was a drunk in a bar with a tattoo and she was busy with self-loathing. She says she should have listened to the stupid fairy Tink and chose him over evil. He says she’s making up for that now but Regina says she may be digging herself deeper since he’s married. She says it would end badly even without Marian.

Robin says she’s a pessimist but she says he doesn’t know all she’s done. She shows him the book and even her walking away from him at the bar. He asks where it came from and she says it just appeared when Henry needed it most. Robin says the book is about the past but she says the author made it a rule that villains don’t get a happy ending. He says show me the author and I’ll make him change it.

Regina says she has no idea who wrote it and has been searching everywhere. She tells him they can’t spend the night together again and he says he agrees. He says if they don’t leave the room, it still counts as the first time and he kisses her and picks her up and takes her back to bed. Elsa, Hook, David and Mary come back frustrated from their hunt for Emma.

Elsa says as long as Emma keeps up like this, her magic will keep spiraling out of control. Mary wants to go right back out but David says they need to hunt. Henry comes in and says he snuck out and found her. He says when he showed up, it made things worse. He says she’s out in the woods hiding. Mary takes him to clean him up.

Elsa says when you’re out of control, people you love actually make it worse. Elsa says Emma has to realize they people she loves are the ones she needs. Back in Arendelle, we see Elsa getting things ready for Anna. Instead, it’s Ingrid (aka Snow Queen). She tells her that Anna found the item to steal her powers away that their parents had been looking for. Elsa asks why she would lie to her.

Ingrid says she tried to use it on her and called her a monster. She says Anna has made herself very clear on how she feels about their powers. Ingrid tells her that it was her own sister, Elsa’s mother, that trapped her in the urn because of her powers. She says she hoped Anna would be different but says she’s like their mother and can’t accept their powers.

Ingrid says Anna is in the dungeon. Elsa asks to be left alone and Ingrid goes. Back in the now, Gold comes into his shop and sees a bunch of the magical devices madly at work for no reason. He calls out to Emma and says she’s doing a poor job of hiding from him. She says she’s hiding out from everyone else and says she needs his help controlling her powers.

She says she hurt Henry and says Gold is probably the only person that she can’t hurt. She tells him to fix her. He holds out a piece of parchment and says it can take light magic away permanently. He says she would be able to hug Emma. She says to do it but he says taking savior magic will wipe out a city block. She says to take her out in the woods and do it.

He pulls out a map and says to meet him at an abandoned manor. She asks him not to tell her family and he says it will be their little secret. He tosses the useless parchment in the trash. Back in Arendelle, Elsa goes down to the dungeon and demands to see Anna. They take her to Anna’s cell. Anna says Ingrid locked her in there and says she’s lying about everything.

Elsa asks if she lied about what their parents were looking for and Anna admits she did. Elsa sends the guards away so they can talk in private. Elsa whispers that she believes her and Anna is relieved. Elsa unlocks the cell and hugs her. She says she needed the guards to think she sided with Ingrid. Elsa gives her back her snowflake necklace. Anna says she’ll never take it off again.

Anna says she’s worried about Ingrid because she’s scary, powerful and smart. Elsa says she has a plan. She says they are gong to steal back the urn and trap Ingrid inside it. Anna says she can find it since she knows every nook and cranny of the castle. Now, Elsa comes back from checking on Henry and says she wanted him to understand that Emma hurt him because she was trying so hard not to hurt him.

Regina comes in demanding to know if Henry is okay. David says they’ve been calling her all not. She has the locator potion they wanted and demands to see Henry. Mary tells her to button her shirt first and Regina says she got dressed in a hurry. Emma calls and Mary tells her Henry is okay and that they are not afraid of them. Emma says it will be over soon and she has a way to fix everything.

She hangs up and Mary says she told her she’s going to get rid of her magic forever. They ask how that’s possible. Hook asks if she said it’s a spell or an object. Hook says he left his phone in David’s truck and says he wants to see if she called. He steps out and calls her and leaves a message. He says to call him or she’ll never make it home. He hangs up and says a prayer that she didn’t trust he crocodile.

In Arendelle, Elsa, Anna and Kristoff are looking for the urn in the east wing. Anna says their parents told her to stay out of the east wing so naturally she played there often. Kristoff says royals go way out of their way to avoid their issues. Anna sends him to stand guard. Elsa says she wonders about Ingrid and their mother but Elsa is staring at a mirror. Anna opens a cabinet and finds the Duke frozen there.

Elsa says it’s the one good thing Ingrid did since she came back. Now, Gold shows up to see Sarah. She asks why he’s there and says she already told him how to be free of his dagger. She asks if he just likes watching her and he says he doesn’t like watching her twisted mine. She says he betrayed everyone in Storybrooke. She says she has the yellow ribbons and he says she’ll never get to use them on Emma.

He says he has another use from Emma now. He walks a circle around her then she finds out she’s trapped. He asks if she remembers the urn. She says it was destroyed and he says magic like that is never destroyed. He says he visited the barn it was destroyed in and gathered every speck of dust. He’s spread it around her and she’s trapped.

She says when she’s loose, he’ll pay. He says the dust will disappear soon but will keep her trapped long enough for him to betray the two people he needs to – her and Emma. He walks out with a smirk. Will pours from his flask into his coffee while he waits at a booth. Robin takes the cup and says he needs him sober to pick his brain. He says Regina needs their help and shows him the book.

Will says he doesn’t remember Robin as a reader but he says he stole it. Will says that sounds more like him. Robin says the book is magic and they need to find out who wrote it. Will says he has an idea about that but asks for his liquored up coffee back. He tells Robin that the town wasn’t always magic but when it did, it started at the clock tower. Robin asks what that has to do with anything.

Will says the town library is under the clock tower. Mary sits looking at a photo of Emma when David comes in and sits. He says he liked that picture and says Emma has her eyes and she says their daughter has her smile. She says their daughter has saved the town many times. David says she’s tough and will be safe. Mary asks if they should be convincing her to keep her magic.

David says they need to support what she wants and Mary says that’s how she was born. David asks if she remembers the night Emma was born and they put her in the wardrobe to give her her best chance. He says maybe now her best chance is being normal. Elsa hears this and doesn’t like it. Back in Arendelle, Elsa and Anna sneak along with the urn. They hide from some guards.

Elsa stops and asks if their parents really went looking for something to take away her magic. Anna says it is and she should have told her sooner but didn’t know how. Elsa says she doesn’t blame them. Anna says they were only human and made a mistake. She says if they could see her now, they would not want her to give up her magic. Anna tells her that her powers make her special and she wouldn’t want her any other way.

Now, Elsa steals Emma’s scarf and the locator spell and sneaks out to find her. Will is picking the lock at the library but then Robin opens it and points to the sign that shows it’s now open. They head inside. Regina sits with Henry and says she can keep pretending to read about Wolverine or he can talk about Emma. He says no and she asks to look at the wound. He agrees and shows her.

She touches it and he says it hurts a little. She magics the wound away and says it’s all better. He says it must be nice to have magic and be useful. He says he went to help Emma but couldn’t because he’s just ordinary. She says everyone has their own gifts and he has the heart of the truest believer and brought them all together. She says he doesn’t need magic.

She also tells him not to worry about Emma because she’s a hero and heroes always win. Hook comes looking for Emma at Gold’s shop. He tells her that Gold wants to suck her powers into a hat and says the dagger he gave Belle is a fake. He says Gold blackmailed him into playing along and says he wants to be a better man for her, but failed and now might lose her. He says he’s sorry and asks for forgiveness.

He hangs up and sees a circle drawn on the map Gold showed Emma. He takes off. Sarah tries to break out of her trap and checks the circle for weakness again and again all around her. She sees her mirror and uses it to conjure up Emma. She sees her driving in her car and smiles. Emma’s radio goes wonky and then electricity messes with her car. She veers off the road and wrecks because she sees Ingrid standing in the middle of it.

Back in Arendelle, Anna and Elsa sneak up on a sleeping guard and wonder if they need better ones. Elsa has brought Anna back to her cell and says she’ll be fine. Anna is going to keep the urn and Elsa is going to tell Ingrid that she’s banishing Anna and she wants Ingrid to take care of it. Anna says she’ll capture their Aunt in the urn and it will all be fine. Elsa shuts her sister back in the cell.

Anna sits in the cell waiting when handcuffs conjure to trap her. She’s chained to the floor and doesn’t know why. Ingrid is there and asks how it was. Anna tells Ingrid she’ll never turn she and Elsa against each other and Ingrid says never is a strong word. Now, Emma gets out of her wrecked car and Sarah tells her she’s in danger and that whatever Gold promised her will put her in danger.

Emma says the very fact that Sarah doesn’t want her to go means she should. Emma realizes Sarah isn’t really there. She tells her she’d be there if she could and is just trying to protect her. Emma doesn’t believe her and gets back in her car and drives away. It’s almost sundown! She’s right on time to meet Gold and give up her magic.

Regina comes down and Mary asks how Henry is. She says he’s reading comics and putting on a brave face. She thanks Mary for telling her about her blouse and Mary asks about Robin. Mary tells Regina she doesn’t have to be ashamed but she is. David comes in and asks why he’s not out looking for Emma. David tells her Emma is going to get rid of her magic but Regina is horrified.

Mary says it may be the only way for Emma to be able to not hurt anyone. They tell her this is their worst idea since hiring the wicked witch as their nanny. Regina says what she regretted most is not supporting Henry when he knew he was special. She says she was too scared of losing him and tried to convince him he was crazy and that being normal would make thing better.

Regina says thankfully he didn’t listen to her. Mary agrees and says they can’t let Emma take away what’s special about her. They notice the locator potion is gone and then they wonder where Elsa is. Elsa is following Emma’s scarf as it floats through the woods. Back in Arendelle, Anna tells Ingrid that Elsa will save her. Ingrid says she grew up in that castle too. She says she read a lot of books.

Ingrid says her favorite was the Trolden Glass. Anna says a king had a mirror made for his beautiful daughter but she died and the mirror reflected the ugliness of his pain and sorrow. Ingrid says he then spent years harnessing dark magic and made the people of his kingdom only see the worst in each other and then they destroyed each other.

Ingrid says she has the mirror. Anna is horrified that she would cast the spell. Ingrid says it’s the Spell of Shattered Sight and says it would take take a lifetime to gain enough power to cast it over an entire kingdom. She has a shard of the mirror and casts it just on Anna. The power flies out and into Anna’s eyes.

Now, Emma shows up at the manor to meet Gold. Lights flare from her power as she nears the house. She leaves her phone in the car and doesn’t see the call she’s missing. Mary, Henry, David and Regina find the skid marks where Emma spun out then follow on foot. Mary asks Regina about Robin but Regina says it won’t work out, story of her life.

Regina says there is a power working against her happiness but Mary says she and David worked out even when Regina was plotting against them. Mary says they have hope and Regina says they’re heroes and help shows up when they need it. Regina says Mary’s wishes are rewarded and hers are crushed. Mary says she’s slept with a married man too and says Regina can earn grace.

Regina says maybe evil is born and it’s just who she is. Mary reminds her that she saw her grow up and knows how selfish and bratty she could be. Mary says she is not all good and Regina is not all evil and it’s not that simple. Regina says she’s a villain and Mary is a hero, free will be damned. Mary says Regina just made bad choices but now is making good ones and says she’ll get her happiness.

Robin and Will are browsing the library shelves and Will asks if evil queens are his type. Robin says that’s not relevant and Will says he’s the one who told him to follow her heart. Robin says he just wants her to be happy. Will finds a pop-up book and is startled and Robin finds the Cat in the Hat and asks why a cat would want a hat.

Robin finds a page in his backpack. He looks at it and says he needs to reach Regina. He calls her and says he found something she has to see right now. Mary tells her to go and says they’ve got this. Regina says she’ll be right there and takes off. Gold waits in the manor for Emma. He closes the drawing room doors. She comes into the house and calls out to him.

The chandelier sparkles with power as she walks under it. He uses the dagger to conjure up the hat and sets it on the floor ready to suck Emma in. She hears a sound and sees the light from the room. He walks up behind her and says her powers seem to be even more out of control. He tells her he cast the spell inside the room and all she has to do is walk through the door.

She tells him she talked to Sarah, sort of, and says that she told her that he was trying to hurt her. Gold says the villain doesn’t want her to do it, so that seems to be an argument in favor of it. She asks if she’ll be safe and Gold says all magic comes at a cost. He reminds her it was her idea and tells her she won’t hurt anyone else. She asks what he’d do and he says he wouldn’t go in there for anything.

He tells her he’s not like her – he says he makes wrong, selfish decisions all the time. She says he married Belle and sacrificed for Neal. He says Belle knows who he is for better or worse and that he’s a man who always chooses power. Emma says Belle thinks he can change and he says she’s likely very wrong. Gold tells her she always does the right thing. She looks at the door.

He starts to walk away and she thanks him. He tells her of course and says we have no choice. He turns his back and she looks at the door. The hat leaks power all around the room, just waiting to suck her in. Hook shows up at the manor calling for Emma and says he won’t let him use the hat on her. Gold traps him to the fence and then shows he has her phone. He tells Hook he’ll get over Emma like he did with Mila.

Hook reminds him she’s his mother’s grandson. Gold says he needs her and surely he understands that. Elsa makes it to the side door of the manor. It’s locked but she uses her power to get in. Back in Arendelle, Anna comes in with the urn and Elsa asks if went all right. She asks about the table and Elsa says it’s all treats for her. Anna says food and trinkets can’t make up for what she did to her.

Anna says Elsa locked herself up and left her to grow up alone believing it was her fault. Elsa asks what happened and Anna says she came to her senses. She rips off her necklace and throws it in the fire. Ingrid comes in and says Anna will never understand her. Elsa asks what spell she put on her. Ingrid says it was a spell that reveals her deepest darkest feelings.

Anna says – you wouldn’t even talk to me and told me to go away. Ingrid says the only way to stop her is to use her powers on her. Anna starts to take the lid off the urn but Elsa still refuses to fight. She lets Anna suck her into the urn and then Anna screams and asks what she made her do. Ingrid says this is all her fault. She goes to attack Anna but Kristoff is there and Ingrid says she’s tired of seeing people her as a monster.

She says maybe it’s time to be one and freezes Kristoff, Anna and the whole castle. She looks at the urn and says – one day, Elsa you’ll accept who you are and we’ll find our third sister. Emma steps closer to the door and Elsa is there and says she has to stop. Emma says her powers are out of control but Elsa says she won’t give up on her. She says she’s lived in fear of hurting others her whole life.

Elsa says there is another way but Emma says she hurt Henry and this is all she has left. She walks toward the door and Elsa says she was wrong. She says it wasn’t just Anna’s love that saved her. She says she got control over her powers without Anna. Emma asks how. Elsa says what’s important is that we accept and love ourselves – the good and the bad.

She says controlling your power is about embracing them. She tells Emma this is who she is and reaches out her hand to her. Elsa says it’s time to stop being afraid. Emma says it could kill her but Elsa says she’ll take that risk if she will. They touch hands and a gold light spins out from them and Emma’s power balances. Emma has a tear in her eye and laughs.

Outside, Gold sees the explosion of power and then says – no. Hook smiles and says he’s guessing she didn’t go through with it. He says he likes the look of loss on his face. Gold says today won’t be a complete loss. He says he needed power in the hat plus a secret ingredient. He says he needs a heart too. Gold says Hook is going to help him. He says the spell will separate him from the dagger.

He says he need the heart of someone who knew him before he was the Dark One and there’s only one person left that fits that description. He tells Hook he’s his only friend and reaches in and grabs his heart out. Hook tells him to go ahead and kill him but Gold says he’s his puppet now and says he’s going to find a way to fill the hat with the power he needs.

Back in Arendelle, Rumple shows up and says he prefers Anna this way – less mouthy. He says the necklace was much lovelier around Anna’s neck. He says he wants the hat back that Anna stole from him. She says she doesn’t know where it is and he magics the urn away from her. He asks why she took memories from Elsa and she says she wanted them to have a fresh start.

He says that he’ll swap her the urn for the hat. He says to say his name three times when she’s ready to make the trade. Hook runs inside to hug Emma and Elsa says she kept her magic. Hook kisses her passionately and she said she didn’t know he was such a fan of her magic. He says he likes all of her and she says he seems off. He tells Emma to go outside that there are others waiting to see her.

He turns back and goes into the room and picks up the little box the hat sleeps in. He stashes it in his pocket, obviously because he’s been commanded to. At the library, Robin sits with the book and Regina comes in. He asks if she remembers the book and she says it’s the book he stole from her and he says she knew he was a thief when they met.

He shows her the new page he found. She unfolds it and sees the two of them kissing. He says it was them in the pub and she says that wasn’t what happened. It shows the meeting they never had. She asks what is means and he says it means her fate could go any way no matter if she makes a turn she shouldn’t. She asks where he found it and he says it appeared in his satchel. She says it’s like magic.

Robin says it shows possibility and hope – not something that would happen for a villain. She’s all teary and says she owes someone a quarter (she made a bet with Mary about hope and happiness). The spell holding Sarah evaporates and she can leave. She goes to the box of three yellow ribbons and looks at them. She makes a gesture and one is now on her wrist.

Back in Arendelle, Ingrid goes into the cave and retrieves the Sorcerer’s magic box. She says Rumple’s name twice and then the Apprentice asks her why she’s making a deal with Rumple when she made a deal with the Sorcerer. He tells her the Sorcerer found a third magical sister that will be a match but she’s not born yet. He says the Sorcerer knows that if she gives that had to the Dark One, she’ll never have a happy ending.

She asks if she’ll have it if she gives it to him. The Apprentice says she’ll be reunited with the one she lost and a third sister. He magics up a door and says it will take her to a new place where she’ll find her happy ending. She asks why the Sorcerer is willing to make a deal. He says the hat is important to him and sometimes people surprise him. He gives her a scroll he says will lead her to her third sister.

He opens the door and Ingrid walks through. She looks around and then a horn blares ta her. She’s on a busy city street. It’s our world in the year 1982. She looks around in shock. Now, Emma and Elsa walk out and Mary runs up and asks if she did it. She says she didn’t and Mary says she’s glad. They hug her and tell her they want her as she is. Henry is there and hugs her too. She says she’s back in control of it.

She sends up some pretty lights into the night sky that turn into fireworks and everyone smiles watching what she’s done. Henry says it’s cool then notices that she has a yellow ribbon on her wrist and so does Elsa. They can’t take them off and both say it feels like someone is funneling their magic. Emma says she has a pretty good idea where it’s coming from.

Gold shows up and she asks if he’s disappointed. She says the urn dust didn’t last long and says she didn’t save Emma, Elsa did. She says they’re like sisters and he says her strange fixation doesn’t interest him. She says it should. She says the three of them being a perfect match allows them to bond their powers. She makes hers glow and says she wields the magic of all three of them and now she can cast her spell.

She says she can probably also defeat him and decorate her lair with his bones. He tells her not to overestimate her power and she tells him not to underestimate it. She looks at her mirror and throws magic at it. It cracks, then explodes out. Is it a new curse that will take over Storybrooke?

THE END