Once Upon A Time extended episode recap: 4x12 "Darkness on the Edge of Town"

"Darkness on the Edge of Town"

Our return to the Enchanted Forest begins with a trip to the Forbidden Fortress. An unsuspecting guard stands at his post until he is swept aside by the tentacles of Ursula, doing her best runway walk down the hall. As she approaches the chamber she is stopped by the voice of Maleficent asking who she is; Ursula spins, launching her tentacles at the Mistress of All Evil, but is blocked by Maleficent’s staff. Ursula replies that she may be referred to as “Your Majesty,” hinting at a sure-to-be-revealed-in-flashback royal lineage. Ursula asks who Maleficent is before revealing that she was invited to the Fortress. Maleficent tells her that this is her home, and that she did not send for Ursula. The sound of barking dogs interrupts their argument as they turn to see two Rottweilers on the attack, and Maleficent prepares her staff for a magical blast. The dogs stop just short of the villainesses and we are treated to the sight of Cruella de Vil sauntering towards them. She advises that she wouldn’t use magic if she were them, assuring the other two that they don’t eat fish or dragon...unless she tells them to. She crouches to the ground, blowing green magic at the dogs which fells them silent before asking what she’s doing there. Maleficent reiterates that this is her home and she didn’t ask for visitors; the other two declare that they received instructions but Maleficent refutes them, saying they’re trespassing.The three of them are interrupted by Rumplestiltskin, who reveals that it was he who gathered them together. His reason: they’re villains, and it’s time for the villains to get their happy endings.

In Storybrooke, the clock tower’s minute hand moves from 8:15 to 8:16, and we see the town is at peace and back to normal: Regina drops Henry at the school bus outside Granny’s then destroys Snow’s bird painting in the mayor’s office with a fireball as she unpacks items to reclaim the mayor’s office, Snow teaches a class (including Henry) about birds, Granny holds baby Neal while Emma grabs her sheriff’s badge and a dark red jacket before going outside to meet (and kiss) Hook. The two of them walk past the closed pawn shop before greeting Belle outside the library; Hook goes inside with Belle while Emma departs. 

Inside the library, Hook has assembled a board with information about the missing fairies, the hat, and the Apprentice’s house. (A post-it note says that records indicate the Apprentice’s landlord is Yensid, known to Disney fans as the Sorcerer from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice in Fantasia.) Frustrated, the dear Captain knocks the board down before exclaiming that it’s been six weeks and the fairies are still trapped in the hat. Belle assures them that they will find a way to release them and that she’s reached out to some of the finest linguists in the world to help them translate runes. Hook says that it’s all because he was tricked by the Crocodile, to which Belle replies that they both were, and that she should have seen through Rumplestiltskin. Hook tells her that she was blinded by love but he has no excuse; Belle tells him that he was blinded by love too, but for someone else, and Hook says that love is a weapon as dangerous and persuasive as magic. Belle agrees, saying that Rumple had both of their hearts, but Hook tells her that Rumple loved her. Belle expresses hope that he has found whatever he was looking for.

In Manhattan, Rumple stands in front of a microwave in an apartment covered in wallpaper which matches the hanging tendrils of Ursula’s lair in the animated Little Mermaid film; the front door opens and Ursula enters, home from her shift at the aquarium. The two of them squabble over food as she reminds him that it is she who has been taking care of him while he’s been there sleeping on her couch and eating her food. He tells her that she complains because her life is crap. He retorts that offering him reheatable noodles in what could charitably be called shelter is no great gift. An email interrupts their conversation, and he tells her that the time has come for the end of their misery. The two of them travel to a large, upscale house in Great Neck, Long Island (Easter egg: Ursula wears purple under a black and purple coat, a nod to her animated counterpart) and find one of the residents is being arrested; his wife is none other than Cruella de Vil, asking one of the arresting officers if they really need these theatrics. She moves to a coat rack and removes a black and white fur; an officer tries to stop her but she firmly (and frighteningly) states that it was hers before. 

She dons her coat and pauses when she hears Rumple say her Enchanted name; she says no one calls her that here before turning to face him, and he says that Cruella Feinberg doesn’t have quite the same ring. He tells her that they’ve arrived to reclaim their former glory, offering a mea culpa now that they’ve all lost what they have. She says “Not everything” and opens the garage door, revealing the infamous de Vil car, complete with personalized license plate. He questions where she’s going with her paltry material possessions and she replies that she’s going to get herself some less-paltry material possessions. He tells her that she’ll end up back where she started and she coldly replies that she will never go back to where she started, a hint at a soon-to-be-revealed backstory. He says that he can help her get back everything she’s lost, but she is skeptical, asking if he can deliver in a world without magic where walking is a challenge. He tells her that there is magic in this world if you know where to look, and asks if she’s tired of feeling ordinary; she tells him to get in and asks where they’re going. The answer: Storybrooke.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, the four villains sit in Maleficent’s fortress. Cruella questions whether Rumple is truly powerful enough to offer their happy endings, and Maleficent and Ursula both declare that no one is that powerful. Cruella asks what exactly he’s offering (and calls him Short Stuff) and he says the answer to all their prayers. She gets in his face telling him she does not appreciate being dragged around on false promises, and he replies that he knows exactly what each of them wants, but doesn’t reveal anything. Maleficent retorts that no spell known to man or woman can do what he’s offering, and he agrees, but states that they’re not looking for a spell: they’re looking for a dark curse, one which will give them all their happy endings.

Returning to the present, we see Cruella, Ursula and Rumple inside Cruella’s car, apparently caught in traffic. Cruella asks why she should think this new plan will work when the others have failed, and Rumple replies that the odds were stacked against them before, but now they’re going to change the odds. Ursula mentions the Author, and Rumple elaborates that the book wields a great power unlike anything they’ve ever encountered. The Author gives the villains and heroes what they deserve, and that their collective frustrations are because of his will, not their missteps. Cruella says that it’s better than blaming bad judgment and gin, and pulls the car forward: they aren’t stuck in traffic, they’re in line at the drive-thru for Mr. Cluck’s, and Cruella orders “One Double Cluck Combo.” Ursula seconds the motion, and Gold declines with a statement of wanting to survive to get his happy ending. He tells them that the Author is in Storybrooke, and they need to make it to Storybrooke before the heroes find him.

In the Mayor’s office, Regina looks over Henry’s book as Emma arrives with kale salad and two root beers. Regina tells her that she eats like a child and Emma says she brought snacks as a break; Regina replies that the book is a dead end, and the Author/Sorcerer doesn’t want to be found. Emma says it’s only been a few weeks and Regina replies that she’s conquered entire realms in less time. Emma asks her to conquer the bottle tops (she thought they were twist-off). Regina asks if she looks like she can pry them off with her teeth and says she’s a queen, and a bit more refined. Emma looks through drawers for her mother’s bottle opener and comes across the storybook page that Robin Hood found in the library. She questions Regina about it and Regina says that Robin thought it was hope and a sign that things would work out for her, but that it was a cruel joke, and that she hasn’t heard from Robin. Belle and Hook arrive with news that a professor of linguistics at Oxford has emailed her back with a translation of a page she found written in a language she’s never seen before: a magical ceremony can release the fairies if Regina enacts it. 

The group travels to the forest, where they are joined by Snow, and Regina places the hat box on a stone while holding the dagger. She performs a short series of movements and suddenly the box glows with a golden light, and they turn to see the fairies huddled around the stone. Mother Blueperior is there, looking very troubled, and replies that she’s not OK but she’ll live, and thanks Emma for her release. Emma replies that she should thank Regina, which Blue does so, albeit begrudgingly. The fairies gather for a hug as the hat box sits on the stone behind them; black smoke pours out, forming an indistinct shape which flies away like a bat. 

Back in the past, Rumple leads the Queens of Darkness through Bald Mountain (of Fantasia fame), revealing that the Dark Curse resides within and is protected by magical obstacles suited to the three villainesses. They first encounter blood scarabs, with strong venom and blood lust, but they fall victim to Cruella’s powers of persuasion (“That’s how it’s done, darling”) and scatter to reveal a door. Once inside the next chamber, they come upon fire formed from the breath of dragons; Rumple calls Maleficent forth and she wraps the fire around herself as her magical dragon staff inhales it. Ursula uses her tentacles to reach out and grab the curse, giving it to Rumple. The cavern begins to shake as Rumple explains that the curse is guarded by the Chernabog, a dark creature which seeks out the heart with the darkest potential and devours it; in true Rumple form, he leaves the three of them to face the monster alone.

Back in the future, er, present, Cruella’s car swerves as it drives down the road; Rumple sees something outside and tells her to stop. He makes his way to a tree on the side of the road where a tie hangs from a branch, the same one he was wearing the night of his banishment, and Ursula asks where Storybrooke is. He admits that things are not quite as he said, and Cruella replies that for someone preaching about trust, he’s getting off on the wrong foot. He says that if he was completely untrustworthy he wouldn’t be telling the truth now, and that the town is 100 yards down the road but is cloaked by a protection spell which makes it impossible for them to see or enter Storybrooke. He reveals that he tied his tie to the tree so he could find his way home, and as Ursula reacts with skepticism, Cruella produces a gun (complete with red jewels on the side; a villainess can’t have a boring gun, after all). She tells him that they’re finished with hazy instructions and empty promises, and Ursula kicks his cane away, causing him to fall to the ground. Cruella tells him that if they’re about to walk into a trap, he should tell them now, because out here he’s nothing more than a coward, a cripple, with a real-world ability to die. They question why he was banished and by who, and he says he’s there for the same reason that they are: a happy ending, and whatever it entails is his business. He says that if they listen to him, they’ll not only get into Storybrooke, they’ll be invited. They remain skeptical, and he admits that he won’t be with them when they enter. They agree to listen to what he has to say.

At Granny’s, Emma greets a brooding and thinking Hook, wracked with guilt over his role in imprisoning the fairies. Emma tells him that he has a mark in the hero column and they join the party in the dining room. Mother Blueperior sits alone at a table and is approached by Regina (carrying a blank storybook) and Henry. Regina asks if she knows what the book is, and an astonished Blue asks where she got it. Emma says that Henry found dozens of blank books in the Sorcerer’s mansion, and Blue asks if the Sorcerer is in Storybrooke. Henry tells her that his house is there, but they haven’t found him yet. Blue asks if they’re looking for him, and Regina replies that she was hoping he would write her a happy ending, and that the book seems to have great power. Blue says that it does, and Regina responds that she knows it’s probably crazy, but Blue surprises her and says it’s not crazy at all, and that they’re looking for the wrong person: they should be looking for the Author, not the Sorcerer. Regina questions why the Sorcerer would have the Author’s books, and Blue replies that it is a perplexing question but she doesn’t know the answer, but she knows that they are two very different people. Regina probes further, asking if she knows who the Author is, but Blue responds in the negative: she knows only that he exists, if it is a he, and that no one has seen the Author for many years. Emma asks if Blue knows why the Author disappeared, and she says no, but that there are whispers that he left clues in his works (like Henry’s book; hidden Mickey, anyone?). They are suddenly interrupted by a loud roar from outside, and the diner begins to shake. It stops and Regina declares that they should go outside and find out what’s killing property values this time. Emma, Regina, Snow, Hook and Belle go outside to find the Chernabog sitting atop the clock tower, roaring with all its might.

Meanwhile, back at Bald Mountain, the three Queens of Darkness hide behind pillars of rock in an effort to escape the Chernabog. Maleficent devises a plan to have one of them stay behind to distract the hellbat while the other two get to safety through a hole in the rocks above and save the one left behind. The three of them play the game of heart roulette and emerge from their hiding places to face the Chernabog, which is momentarily confused as to which villainess to attack; he finally decides on Maleficent, who prepares her staff for the fight.

Maleficent isn’t the only one Chernabog has chosen to attack: it swoops off the Storybrooke clock tower heading right for Emma, Regina, et al. They avoid his grasp and hide around the corner, where Regina confronts Belle about the spell she cast: it was supposed to release only the fairies. Snow opines that it may be a fairy. Belle reveals that once someone/something has been released from the hat, it cannot be trapped again, meaning they cannot use the hat to imprison the Chernabog. Emma compares the hat to chicken pox while Hook questions why the Evil Queen and the Savior can’t destroy Chernabog; Regina requests that they drop the “E-word” already. Emma and Regina make their way to the street and blast the hellbat with magic, which flies away. Emma expresses surprise that they won so easily, but Regina counters that their blast should have destroyed it. Emma turns to Belle to give instructions but Belle is ready: she’ll research the creature and try to find a solution. Emma looks at Snow, who says she’ll get everyone to safety; Emma says they’ve really got this down, and Hook replies that this isn’t their first monster bash. Regina says they should find a way to clip the bat’s wings before it comes back.

 

Outside the town line, Rumple gives his cell phone to Ursula, telling her that it’s queued up and she just needs to dial. Ursula retorts that she knows how to use a phone, she just doesn’t know if she can trust him. He replies that they’ll have his phone and his entire plan, and he wouldn’t blame them for abandoning him, but that’s why this time is different: they must trust each other. He asks if they’re in it together and Ursula smugly replies that he’ll find out tonight, and hits send: she’s calling Regina, who answers and tells Emma that it’s “the Sea Bitch.” Ursula tells her she’s missed her too, and asks how she’s doing; Regina admits that she’s curious how an undercooked plate of calamari ended up with the Dark One’s cell phone. Ursula tells her that she stole it from Rumple; Regina puts the phone on speaker so Emma can hear the conversation and asks where Rumple is. Ursula claims she and Cruella beat him and left him outside a shady bar after finding them and telling them he was living in a quaint town until he ruined everything. She goes on to say that Rumple said that the town was a place where villains could find redemption, and that Rumple told them how Regina has changed. She claims that they’ve changed too and want a chance to prove it, then asks for entry. Regina refuses on the grounds that they have enough problems without them, but is interrupted by the roar of the Chernabog; Ursula asks if one of the problems is a helbat with wings and horns. Regina questions how she knows that, and Ursula tells her that it made the same sound before it tried to kill her; Regina asks if she’s faced it before and Ursula responds in the affirmative, clarifying that she knows exactly what it wants. Emma whispers a question about how they’ve been living in a land without magic, and realizes there’s a connection to the hat. Regina tells Ursula that she can’t let her in anyway, and Emma remembers that the Snow Queen’s scroll let her into Storybrooke; perhaps it will work for Ursula and Cruella as well. Regina agrees to let them in, but only if their information is correct. 

In Bald Mountain, Maleficent blasts the Chernabog with magic but it continues advancing towards her; she finally drops her arms in defeat and murmurs a desire for the creature to choke on her bones. Suddenly Ursula’s tentacles wrap around her and lift her up, and Maleficent expresses disgust at not being able to get the fish smell out of her dress; Ursula tells her she’s welcome for the rescue. The three of them gaze down at the hellbat below.

In the Mayor’s office, Emma is doubting that the Chernabog is after Regina, but Regina counters that it seeks out the heart with the darkest potential, so who else could it be? Is there a dwarf named Evilly? Emma says “That thing’s magical, right?” and Regina replies that magical is a pretty good guess. Emma realizes that if they lead it to the town line and send it over, the Chernabog will vanish: no magic, no beast. Regina is doubtful but Emma implores her to have trust. We then join Snow and Charming in their apartment; Snow is on the phone. She hangs up and tells David that they found a way to stop the beast, but that Cruella and Ursula have arrived. They share a dark, concerned look.

Emma’s bug roars down the street towards the town line with the hellbat in hot pursuit. Regina asks why Emma chose yellow for her car and says it’s a bold choice. Emma says that she likes yellow and stole the car, and asks if this is really the time to question her taste. The Chernabog lands on the bug and smashes its hand through the windshield; Regina thanks Miss Swan for trying and poofs herself out of the car. Emma races towards the town line and we see Regina ahead, waiting as bait, while just beyond are Cruella and Ursula. Emma slams on the brakes, Regina ducks, and the Chernabog disappears in a puff of smoke as it tumbles through the protection spell. Charming and Snow arrive in the sheriff’s car and tell Emma not to let Cruella or Ursula in; they are clearly concerned about them entering town, though it’s not said why. Emma tells her mother that she always sees the best in everyone, but Snow stands firm while Charming agrees with her. Snow says they don’t know anything about these two and David insists things were just getting back to normal in Storybrooke. Emma, confused, says they just helped them defeat the Chernabog and they made a deal, but Snow says it doesn’t matter, it’s still a bad idea. Regina agrees that they are horrible, but not as horrible as she once was, and if she deserves a second chance so do they. Emma agrees to let them in and hands Ingrid’s scroll to Regina, who tosses it over the town line. Cruella picks it up and she and Ursula get in the car; they unfurl the scroll and finally see the group standing there. They drive forward and Cruella thanks Regina for letting them in, assuring her that she won’t regret it. Regina says she’d better not.

A few hours later, night has fallen, and Rumple stands alone in the road looking at the moon. He turns away in defeat, thinking he was abandoned, but the scroll appears and he picks it up, seeing the two villainesses before him. He crosses the town line and immediately loses his limp; the trio arrives in Storybrooke and he tells them that he’ll work behind-the-scenes to get things done. He goes on to reveal that he is the Oxford professor who translated the spell for Belle and unleashed the Chernabog. He tells them it’s time to reunite the band, and Ursula realizes he means Maleficent, but Cruella says she’s dead. Rumple says “not entirely,” and Cruella questions him, but he says they need a plan. Ursula says that no matter what they do, they have to face Regina, and her dark heart is far worse than anything, but Rumple counters that it’s not Regina they have to worry about, nor was it Regina who the Chernabog was after: it was Emma Swan.

Emma and Hook sit in Granny’s watching Henry pore over the storybook looking for clues, while Snow and Charming pull their truck up on a lone road in the rain. Cruella’s car headlights illuminate them, and she and Ursula approach the charming couple. She tells them it’s been a long time, and tells them to talk. Snow says that this is their town, and if they’re being genuine in their efforts to change then they can stay, but on one condition: no one must ever know what happened between them in the Enchanted Forest, and if they say anything to anyone (especially Emma), she’ll rip out their hearts herself.

 (Images property of ABC Studios)