Once Upon a Time Recap: Ruby Reveal, Underworld Talk, Other Big Moments 

the extra-dark bombshell that came out of this Sunday’s first

episode (of two). But the double-pump serves up a few other big twists and interesting moments — even though the second hour pretty much “Across the Sea‘d” us.

Once Upon a Time Reveals Emma’s Dark, Dark Plan: Were You Surprised?

♦ As we had already seen in a sneak peek, Dark Emma used Excalibur to save (or “save,” all things considered?) Hook — and then shared the morsel that all she had done thus far was for

♦ Asked for help by the man who for years chased him, a meek Rumple counseled Hook to “find out what Emma is atoning for,” as the Dark One.

♦ In Camelot, Emma managed to rescue her family from Arthur, Merlin and Zelena, though Hook suffered a “minor nick” from Arthur’s blade during the scuffle.

♦ There was a very nice scene where Regina sympathized with the former Savior’s hesitation to get rid of the Darkness. “It took a long time, but I

know you, Emma,” Regina avowed. Determined to help her friend with this dilemma, Regina went so far as to grab the dagger and command Emma to reveal why she’s afraid to give up the Darkness.

♦ Having been apprised by Henry that Hook had a plan for when they got back home — to get a house, where he and Emma might live together — Emma had a heart-to-heart with Killian, first touching on the nature of the first “I love you” she sent his way (during the Season 4 finale). She admitted to a certain track record, starting with Neal, of saying those three little words when any actual future seems impossible. “I

want a future with you,” she made clear, to which Hook assured her, “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

♦ When Emma went to forge Excalibur with the dagger, Hook (for some unclear reason) right then started to bleed out, from the “nick” he suffered earlier. Merlin said that Excalibur wounds never heal, and that if Emma proceeds with her impetuous plan to tether Hook to Excalibur, it will “multiply” the Darkness — a situation that can only be undone by the “steepest price” of all, something that would be her “final step” into Darkness.

♦ In Storybrooke, Emma used dark magic to accelerate Zelena’s pregnancy — setting up a hilarious scene between Dr. Whale (played by David Anders and his

hair) and Regina, and introducing the world to Baby Girl… Hood? (But what about Emma needing the “cries of a newborn,” Belle?)

♦ As Hook appreciated the telescope at Dark Emma’s Storybrooke house, she informed him that the house was

idea, for their future. “Everything I’ve done is to keep that future alive,” she asserted… before drugging him.

♦ Emma then revealed her plan to transfer the Darkness into Zelena, and then strike the Wicked Witch down (aka that “steepest price” Merlin had talked about).

♦ Zelena helped Hook get the truth out of a squid ink’d Dark Emma, using a dreamcatcher to reveal how he was turned into a Dark One, else he would die. Having been president of the He-Man Dark One-Haters Club for centuries, Hook is

RELATEDOnce Upon a Time: Greg Germann Cast as Season 5B’s Devilish Mystery Man

♦ The old witch interrupted Merida’s coronation in DunBroch to “collect” payment on the magical helmet she made for King Fergus years ago. To find the enchanted object, Merida recruits Mulan, the warrior who years ago trained her to fight. Only, Mulan seems “different” now. Sadder. Bitter.

♦ After she and Merida had a bit of a tiff, Mulan sought out the old witch, but met her guard wolf instead — who turned out to be Ruby aka Red!

♦ After name-checking a few common friends (and inadvertently rubbing Aurora/Philip salt in Mulan’s wound), Ruby revealed via flashback how she had confided in Snow White that she didn’t “fit in” in Storybrooke, and was going to use a magic bean that she and Tiny farmed to return to the Enchanted Forest and find more of her people.

♦ King Fergus, it turns out, had switched helmets before heading into battle, opting not to use magic to protect his kingdom. (Saw it coming.)

♦ After the umpteenth reference to generic “invaders from the south,” you

to figure that Fergus’ adversaries would turn out to have some sort of “A-ha!” identity. And as it turned out, it was King Arthur leading his knights on a search for Excalibur’s missing piece. Thus, Arthur is the one that killed Fergus. And Merida now vows revenge.

♦ The magic helmet wasn’t actually the old witch’s solution to protecting the future of Fergus’ kingdom — it was a means to empower its future queen, Merida, yada yada.

♦ The witch brought a gift to the coronation: magic ale that allows you to commune with anyone who has passed to…

♦ At episode’s end, Mulan ‘fessed up that she had been soured by a broken heart, having taken too long to tell someone (no pronouns here, folks!) how she really felt. Ruby suggested that Mulan join her on her own “new path,” and perhaps it will lead her to her own….

‘s dark cliffhanger followed by the extended visit to DunBroch?

Okay filler episode, not so craY about Merida’s story but it does probably explain how she got to Storybrooke its also further proof that Arthur is a world class arse. Seems like that same sex couple being teased as it turns out is Mulan and Ruby, no complaints from my end about the wolf and the warrior getting cozy.

Even though the second episode was very disjointed with practically none of the main cast, it was actually a very good standalone story. Reminded me a lot of Season 1.

It was obviously filmed as 2 separate eps. Think they’re canceling the gawd awful 9pm show, and moved what would have been the Thanksgiving ep to be tonight’s 2nd hour. And December will be full of Holiday specials, so we’ll have few new eps until January. But we’re closing in on the end of this arc, I hope.

Actually nothing new until March as the show is once again spilt into two halves. The opener for 5B is going to be probably the 1st Sunday in March of 2016 ( same as last year).

And we’re back to ALL of the tragedy that has befallen our heroes this season can be ascribed to Arthur being a dick! I really DO hate how these writers feel the need to tarnish the legends of Arthur so! But I think we have a new catch phrase to replace “I was cursed;” “It’s all Arthurs fault for being such a scoundrel!”

That being said, personally, I LOVED the 2nd hour. Now I know a lot of folks will be calling the 2nd hour “filler,” but to me, it represented the old, character driven. fun OUAT I used to know and love. The 2nd hour made me realize what the REST of the season has been missing. If we could’ve erased that glimpse of Zelena, which thank goodness was brief, and Z lost, well the 2nd hour would have been the best of the season. Still think it probably is the best so far. Why? Well it was all about those kick ass characters, growing as they face real world challenges. Loved Mulan and Merida, and I’m SO GLAD to see Ruby back, although her reasons for being back in that realm were kind of sketchy. (Guess she couldn’t say “Intelligence. “Nuff said.”) And I LOVED seeing THAT side of Regina make its return. Yes, give me MORE eps like that 2nd hour and I’ll be a happy fan!

Well Artie can’t exactly claim himself as a noble hero anymore now can he? Binding Merlin holding Emma’s family hostage becoming besties with the Wicked Witch all for the sake of people kissin his feet, David’s right he just wants to be important. Agreed about Ruby being back but please don’t mention Intelligence that awful excuse for a show should be forgotten. Still Ruby wanted companionship and Mulan was still bitter about Aurora. I wouldn’t mind seeing a series based on those two, wouldn’t be the first time a spin off with two female companions was made one of which is a sword wielding warrior. For a filler ep it was entertaining.

I hope Mulan and Ruby get more episodes but I highly doubt it since they both are still in the enchanted forest. A 13 episode mini-series would be great for them.

Yeah, maybe the episode itself was good but why am I supposed to care so much about secondary and tertiary characters that I want a whole episode with them? They have so much going on this half of the season that they’re not even able to continue with each in every episode – each episode leaves out part of the story and that is just too much in my opinion. I love the character of Merida but it’s one storyline too many and so far, she hasn’t been *really* relevant for the “greater good”. (Not that the Queens of Darkness were *that* relevant but at least it didn’t seem like they had a million storylines going on at the same time)

If more eps were like that 2nd ep, they wouldn’t NEED so many superfluous characters. ;) And it’s not news to anyone who hangs here that I’m NOT really diggin’ this Arthur fiasco. ONLY good thing about the Camelot arc was the deadhead crest on that knight. :)

I really liked the Merida/Mulan episode though I wish they’d switched the order in which tonight’s episodes aired. Knowing the show runners have been teasing a same-sex couple, I wondered if it might be Merida and Mulan though it now seems pretty obvious it’ll be Ruby and Mulan (Mulan’s face when the wolf turned out to be a beautiful woman was pretty priceless). I’m gals to have Ruby and Mulan back in any capacity, but I wish they were part of the main action; maybe the back half of the season? Speaking of the back half of the season, I’m willing to bet the “gift” the witch have to Merida at the coronation will play an important role, especially given the recent casting news

10 bucks says that if this arc ends where a lot of us think it will, that ale will show up in the finale to confirm someone’s location and set off the 5B arc

As soon as I heard the witch say “Underworld” I knew that ale would be important later on this season. Wonder who will end up in the Underworld though.

The husband asks, “Is he supposed to be King Arthur? I thought King Arthur was a wonderful guy, not a jerk!” and so we begin to watch our Sunday tv favorite.

That was a really decent standalone episode. I say that admittedly not all that crazy about Mirida’s storyline but the episode kept me invested and was much better than I’d ever expect. I would go as far to say that they could’ve had a standalone mini series centered around her, Mulan and Red. This has been a consistently entertaining season so far. Not many OMG moments but great storytelling

That first hour was the best episode of the series to date. #DarkCaptainSwan

The second hour was just okay. OUAT is always best when the story relates closely to the core Storybrooke gang.

It was really annoying that those 2 episodes did not go together at all. I was quite enjoying the first one and looking forward to it continuing and instead I get dumped into DunBroch with the clans. Ugh, left me feeling very disappointed.

Hour 2 was POINTLESS save for the brief Underworld reference. It’s everything I hated about season 1 & 2: random plot about random characters with very little bearing on the main arc(s). Pity that this was the follow-up for the EPIC hour 1. At least it’s over with & we can get back to the main storyline next ep.

“Clan MacGuffin.” Cute. I see what you did there, OUAT.

OUAT didn’t do anything. That’s straight out of the Pixar movie Brave.

In the second hour, they said the word “helm” at least 800 times, right? That seems like a conservative estimate.

I was happy with the first episode, because it gave me some answers but the second episode for me was confusing and I just did not like it. The Merida character I honestly do not know a thing about this character and when they started her appearance on the show I asked the question who is she? I was disappointed that they left me hanging after the first episode and I am more interested in them as a whole.

Once Upon a Time Recap: Ruby Reveal, Underworld Talk, Other Big Moments

The Walking Dead\'s Norman Reedus Squashes Wishful Walkie-Talkie Theory: \'That Voice Is Not Glenn\'

Once Upon a Time Reveals Emma\'s Dark, Dark Plan: Were You Surprised?

Quantico Boss Talks Alex\'s Surrender, Liam\'s Scandal, Simon\'s Switch & More

The Leftovers Shocker: Did They Just Kill Off [Spoiler]?!

2Shonda Rhimes Admits Killing Off a Character Because She Disliked…130

3Should Supergirl Hide Herself Better? Where\'s Scandal\'s Mellie…128

5Once Upon a Time Reveals Emma\'s Dark, Dark Plan: Were You Surprised?81

The Walking Dead\'s Norman Reedus Squashes Wishful…

Once Upon a Time Recap: Ruby Reveal, Underworld…

Quantico Boss Talks Alex\'s Surrender, Liam\'s…

Arrow/The Flash Stars Preview \'Bigger, Crazier\'…

Networks Stick With Mostly Regular Programming in…