Once Upon A Time S04E11 Recap: Heroes And Villains

The walls surrounding Storybrooke still stand, but Elsa is ready to take it all down. Using her ice magic, Elsa takes down the line. Anna is ready to go home. Emma warns Anna that the town line is on the other side, and they may not be able to cross the line. Elsa is okay with proceeding with caution, as Arendelle will still be there, and they wouldn't be able to get there by walking anyways. Anna and Kristoff forgot to tell her that Arendelle has been conquered by Hans and his brothers, so it may not be there when they return. Elsa hurries Emma to find them a way home. Hook meanwhile looks queasy.

Rumple is squeezing the hot pirate's heart, everything has been mucked up. If the Snow Queen had succeeded then things would have been easier. Hook tells him that the Arendelle trio are looking for a way home. Rumple wants Anna gone, she knows what he was doing, that he was trying to cleave himself from the dagger. Belle confessed to knowing Anna. Rumple doesn't like the position he's in. Rumple tells Hook to watch Anna, to make sure that she does not come near the shop. When the stars in the sky align with the stars on the hat, he will finally crush Hook's heart. Then Rumple will wake his beautiful wife and give her the life she's always wanted.

Past. Belle looks through items in the library, and Rumple scares her as she pulls a knife from the shelf. He warns her not to cut herself. Her curiosity got the best of her. While he was away, she wanted to look over his things. He's been all over the world, and yet he says nothing. He claims that she's just the help, but she's sure that she's more. She asks about his recent trip to Camelot. It was good for him, bad for them. He brings her a trinket from Camelot to clean, a gauntlet which points out someone's weakness.

Rumple wakes Belle to breakfast in bed, but he has more planned for her. He wants to give her a proper honeymoon. He asks if she would like to see New York. He tells her to pack a suitcase, its time to see the world. Poor naive Belle, she's going to be so heartbroken when she finally opens and realizes what Rumple has done.

The time has come to finally restore Marian, and Robin just doesn't look happy about it. Regina plops Marian's heart back in her unfrozen body and she awakens, throwing herself into Robin's arms. At the dinner, Regina just wants to be alone, but Marian has come to talk. She thanks Regina for saving her life, twice. Regina wants no thanks. Marian can't forget about it because Robin can't forget. For her its only been a short time but for him, its been a lifetime. She thinks that Robin loves Regina, and that she loves him. Regina tells her that Robin is an honorable man and that he'll stay with Marian. But Marian doesn't want him out of obligation, but choice. If his heart leads him to her, she will happily accept him, but it does not as she suspects it won't she'll step out of the way. Regina has a small hope.

The broom walks, and Hook admits that the crocodile may have gotten the best of him in this life, but he'll be waiting in the next. With Rumple's immortality, that may be a long while. Since Hook is resigned to his death, he asks who the house belongs to, and Rumple only admits that it is a powerful sorcerer's. He brought the Snow Queen from Arendelle. He's very powerful, now he only needs to find the portal he used. The portal shows itself in front of Rumple and Hook.

Henry finds Belle trying to stuff her suitcase for her honeymoon trip. He tells her that the spell is still in place, and any who leave will not be able to return. Belle hadn't heard that news, but she's sure that Rumple must have a way around it. Henry looks concerned, and Belle asks what's wrong. He shows her the storybook that has all their stories in it, and tells her that he's concerned about his mother, Regina. She's on a better path though, Belle believes, and there is nothing to worry about. Belle realizes that she needs another suitcase, and sends Henry to help her find one. He climbs on a ladder, telling her about the New York Public library. He finds the suitcase, and drops a pile of items, the gauntlet among them, and that concerns Belle.

Past. Belle realized why Rumple collected so many magical things, because he had a hole in his heart. He tells her what he's missing is clean clothes, and with a snap of his fingers he sends her outside to the laundry line. Belle mutters about being correct in her assumption, and knowing that he can hear her, voices her disdain. The sound of whimpering pulls her from her revelry, and she spots a dalmatian puppy. It runs off, and she chases off it, but it disappears into the trees. Someone grabs her from behind. My money is on Cruella de Vil.

Hook arrives at Granny's. He may not be the savior, but he's saved the day he tells Emma. He shares a drink with Emma, and claims that he's found the portal to Arendelle. Emma doesn't quite believe him, but he goes on that he went to Gold, and he showed him the portal in his mansion. Rumple has turned over a new leaf he says. Dozens of new leafs, but Emma is unsure they can trust him. Talking through Hook using his heart, Rumple has him tell her that he's sure that they can trust Rumple. The portal is the same one that brought the Snow Queen in the first place. They just need to get the Arendelle trio through it and home. Emma is fine with the plan, but when she moves into action Hook makes an excuse as to why he can't go, which raises all sorts of red flags. Emma sees that he's acting strange, and he claims to be fine, giving her a little kiss. He says he'll see her around, but he grabs her before leaving.

Past. Rumple goes looking for Belle, hoping that she hasn't done something so stupid as running away. A bird caws above, dropping a sand dollar down at him. He waves his hand over it, and an image of Belle appears. She's suppose to ask him for the Camelot gauntlet in exchange for her life. There is some wicked laughing as Belle begs for her life. Rumple threatens the bird and its master.

Regina sits on a bench with Robin watching Roland and Marian. Roland looks so happy, and Regina knows that their children come first. Robin tells her that he choses Regina, which Regina finds absurd. She asks what its going to look like to Roland. To Roland it will look messy and complicated, but if he were to go back to Marian he wouldn't be truthful to himself. The best thing he could do for his son is to live truthful. Robin shows her story book page he saved of him kissing Regina. Roland shouts, Marian has fallen. She's succumb to the ice again. There must be some remnant of ice magic on her. Marian's only chance is to leave the town. Robin is ready to take Marian to the world without magic, but Regina warns him that its a one way trip. She tells him that he cannot leave Marian to that world alone, that he and Roland need to go with her. Poor Regina, she's too good for her own well being. Regina sits in the car staring at the city line. Will is outside talking with Robin, Marian and Roland saying their goodbyes. Rumple gets into her car. He's come to say goodbye. He knows that once he leaves he cannot come back, and he's okay there. He wants her to tell Henry goodbye, and before he leaves he wants to know why Henry has been snooping around his shop. She admits that Henry was looking for something, a clue to who the author of his book was. They wanted to find him and make him give Regina a happy ending, since as it stands villains don't get them. In Regina's case that's true, but Rumple think he's different. Regina notices that he and Belle seem content, because he took his happy ending and he thinks that Regina should take hers too. Regina isn't the same person she was before, and she can't sacrifice people like she has. Rumple sounds like his old self, she thought he had changed. He's evolved. He thinks he's above fate, and story books. He tells her that he's about to get what he desires, and he wants the same for her. It's finally time for her to say goodbye to Robin. She's given him a map and money, everything he needs. He thanks her, but Marian is getting worse. She needs to cross and now. Robin pushes Marian towards the line, but he needs one more moment. She and Roland cross the line, and she's instantly restored. On the otherside Marian can no longer see Robin or anyone still in the town. Regina pushes Robin towards his waiting family. He kisses her one last time, and crosses the line, no longer able to see the love of his life. Robin walks with Marian and Roland away. All Regina has left is their storybook page, which she tears apart and leaves it behind.

The crow flies high, and Rumple has brought the gauntlet as he was asked. Belle is brought forward, and Maleficent is ready to trade. Rumple captures her in a spell. She thought that she could steal from the Dark One, but she has another thing coming. Maleficent isn't alone. Ursula wraps Belle up in her tentacles, threatening to crush Belle. Cruella taunts Rumple as well. They seem to have a sorted past. Cruella tells Ursula to crush Belle, and Rumple ponders for just a moment, before handing over the gauntlet. The villainesses have lived too long allowing the heroes to win, and now its time to turn the tides. They can finally find the heroes' weaknesses. Maleficent free, tells them to release the girl, and she makes them all disappear. Belle doesn't know why Rumple would turn over the powerful gauntlet, but he points out that they won't be able to harm her. She asks why he cares, and he claims not to. If anyone is going to crush her heart he claims.

When the stars in the hat align with those in the sky they will begin. Hook points out that he won't begin but end. Rumple is surprise that he's still so spunky in the face of death, he figured he would have crumpled, but Hook has no plans to crumple before a coward. Rumple opens the moon roof to begin.

Henry and the others marvel over the sorcerer's mansion, headed towards the portal. Anna is overjoyed to see the familiarity of the door. Emma offers to open the door, fearful that the magic could be harmful. Anna thanks Emma for taking such good care of her sister, when they return home she plans to knock Hans off the door. Kristoff hopes that he and Anna could be married soon after, which Anna agrees she would like very much. Elsa says her goodbye to Emma, and Emma opens the door of the portal. Elsa takes the lead and heads in, but Anna pauses for a moment, asking about Gold, having never met him. She wishes she had, thinking him to be some sort of fairy godfather. David tells her that Gold was/is Rumpelstiltskin, and Anna knew him well. Emma is shocked as Rumple told her that he knew nothing of Anna. They had many dealings, and Emma realizes that he was playing them the whole time, but not why.

Rumple unleashes the hat as the gears of the clock turn. The hat manifests itself, floating skywards. It disappears, becoming a grand nebula of stars. Rumple is captured in its light, but Snow and Emma stop him. He can't stop. He's too close, and he's waited too long. Emma tries to use her magic, but he freezes

her. Rumple finally has a chance to finish off Hook, but finds that he cannot crush his heart. Belle has his dagger, and she's commanded him not to. She orders him to drop the heart, which he does, and to release everyone. The nebula goes back into the hat, and the hat back into its box. Belle's next order is to the town line, so they can be alone for what comes next. Rumple has no choice but to do as she asks. She backs him towards the line. She's finally faced the truth. She asks him if he remembers the first time that he saved her life. He traded for her, and that was when she thought she saw something good in him, until today. She found the gauntlet, and realized that all the signs she'd been seeing were correct. Rumple never gave up power for her, and he never will. He told her that the gauntlet would lead to the thing that someone loved most. The gauntlet lead her to his real gauntlet. He tells her that he likes the power, and there's nothing wrong with that. They can have it all. All she wanted was him. She chose him. And she wanted him to chose her too. She did everything for him, and she lost her way trying to help him find himself, but no more. He begs her, he can change for her again. It's too late. Once she saw the man behind the beast, and now there is only the beast. She holds the dagger higher, and commands him to leave Storybrooke. Once he leaves he won't be able to come back, and he doesn't want to lose her. She tells him that he already has though as he crosses the line. Belle turns her back on him, shedding tears. He sheds his own, calling for the love he can no longer see.

Anna shows Elsa a painting of her mother, Ingrid and their other aunt that she found in the East Wing. Elsa turns around to see her sister dressed in her wedding dress. She looks picture perfect, except the bruises on her hands from dethroning Hans. Kristoff sounds like he's slightly worse for the wear. Elsa asks her sister why she postponed her wedding to find out the truth. Anna admits that she wanted her sister to be as happy as she was when she walked down the aisle. The sisters both gush about the amazing smell of chocolate, and then hand in hand they head down the aisle, thus ending our frozen chapter.

Emma holds Hook's heart in her hand, literally. He asks her to be gentle, but she shoves it back inside him as she explains she though it would be more like a bandage, and he pulls her in for a steamy kiss. Our sexy Hook is back.

Emma takes a seat next to Regina. She's not in the mood for a rah rah speech of hope, but Emma points out that she isn't her mother, and offers to be Regina's drinking buddy. Regina orders drinks and Emma tells her that she did the right thing today. Regina cuts short the speech, but its a compliment, not a speech. Regina knows she did the right thing since she's miserable, but Emma points out that Gold is miserable now too,which makes her feel a little better. Henry rushes in with something for his mothers to see.

He brings them to the sorcerer's house. After they left he stuck around and found a secret room. It's a library, but Henry points out that it isn't just any library. He pulls from the shelf a book that looks like his, but blank. All of the books are, they're all potential stories, which may mean that they're in the author's house. Regina is overjoyed, hugging her son. Regina fills Emma in on Operation Mongoose, admitting that she was hoping to find the author to have him write her a happier story. Emma jumps onboard as Operation Mongoose's newest member. She intends to help Regina find happiness.

Six Weeks Later. In the city a bus stops. Rumple gets off it, walking with a limp and his cane. In the past he believed that a time would come when the students surpassed the master, but today is not that day he tells Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula. Maleficent points out that they made a deal, and he always keeps his deals. Its more a death wish that they're making. But Rumple leaves with the gauntlet in hand, and the trio with little more than a pout. Rumple limps into what looks like an aquarium. Past. Cruella points out that the villains never win, and asks him to join them. Rumple always wins, and they've seriously underestimated him if they think otherwise. Now, Rumple passes the jellyfish. Ursula is tending the fish, but not happily. She tells them that if they don't like what she has for them, they should eat each other. Rumple tsks her, telling her that that attitude is frowned on at the aquarium. Ursula is a little too joyful taking in Rumple's current fall from grace, but he has a story for her. He finally understands the heroes and villains roles, and how the villains always lose. But more so, he finally sees that the rules do apply to him. Now he plans to find the author, and change his mind. He's gonna need her help and that of her fellow villainesses.

And that my friends is the winter finale. Are you sad for Frozen to be done? For Robin and Rumple to be in the real world? I for one am glad to be done with Frozen, and if Rumple is working on getting back into Storybrooke it means Robin can sneak back in too. Once Upon A Time Returns March 1, 2015.