Once Upon A Time S04E01 Recap: A Tale of Two Sisters
Long Ago, a storm rocked a ship. Onboard a Queen searched for a pen. She had to finish writing her note, a truth that Anna and Elsa had to know to save them. Her husband urged her hurry, they needed to abandon ship, but she insisted on finishing. She wrote her note, and her husband tossed the bottle that enclosed it into the sea as the ship was hit by another large wave.
Five years later, Arendelle. The girls lay tulips on their parents graves. Elsa thinks her parents would be so proud of Anna, but Anna assures her that they'd be proud of both of them. Elsa has a surprise for Anna for her wedding.
Our world.Elsa walks from the barn towards fog. She spots the Stroybrooke sign, freezing it over.
Regina is rocked by the sudden appearance of Marian. Emma apologizes, when she brought Marian back she had no clue who she was. No matter what Regina does, she always feels like the villain. Emma asks what she should have done, she couldn't let the woman just die, she didn't know who she was, she didn't intend to cause her pain. Regina thinks that she should have left well enough alone. Regina worked really hard to be the person who she is now, and now its all gone. The more Emma tries to help the more pain she causes Regina. Robin tries to convince Marian that Regina has changed, and introduces her to Regina. He wants to talk to the ladies about the situation, trying to convince her that she isn't evil and Marian cannot believe that he could be with Regina, let her near their son. David and Snow hear the commotion and come to check on Regina, that sends Marian further over the edge. Marian calls her a monster, and Regina leaves. Hook stops Emma from going after her, and Henry worries that Regina may turn to the darkside.
Walter and Leroy transport some cargo, when he falls asleep behind the wheel. Leroy struggles to awaken Walter as their car go hurdling towards Elsa. Leroy honks his horn, but Elsa doesn't move. Frightened, she freezes the car in its tracks.
Leaving an icy path, Elsa walks down the city center. A motorcycle rumbles past, startling her, and Elsa struggles to keep her powers in check. She spies a wedding dress in the window of a shop, which calms her.
Elsa leads Anna up the steps as she tries to figure out what the surprise is. She makes guesses all wrong, until Elsa opens up the wardrobe and shows her their mother's wedding dress. Anna babbles on, not nearly as endearingly as the character does in the movie Frozen, about how clumsy she is. Anna can't believe that her sister wants her to wear the heirloom. Elsa notes that something is missing, and gifts her a snowflake. Anna tries on the dress as the girls chat about the wedding and Sven possibly being the best man. Sven is a lesser worry, then Kristoff is. Elsa reads a book that brings about Flurries as Anna finishes. In their mother's diary something is written that makes Elsa believe their deaths are her fault.
Belle encourages Rumple to visit his son's grave. Rumple tells his son how proud he was to be able to raise him, until the hunger for power overwhelmed him all because of the dagger. He lost out on so much because of it, but now he has love again, and the dagger allowed him to get revenge for Neal's death. He promises to be the man that Neal died for, he will somehow become that.
Robin pays Regina a visit, surprising her, he wants to chat. He apologizes to her, but she insists that Marian is right, she is a monster. Robin knows different though, her past, like his is in the past. She's not the person she was, and his feelings for her are real, but Marian is his wife and he made a vow. He may be a thief but he has a code that he has to live by if it breaks both of their hearts. He leaves, and Regina is filled with anger. A mirror shatters behind her, and as she looks at one of the shards a not so nice plan formulates. Regina goes to the hospital, to the insane asylum. She pays a visit to Mr. Glass, telling him that someone is standing in the way of her happiness.
Belle takes Rumple to a new home, one that appeared after the last curse, that had yet to be claimed. The ocean can be scene from every room. Rumple freezes Belle, and switches out Belle's fake knife for the real one. Belle is overly excited to show Rumple around, but he hesitates. She happily pulls him around, and in library he recreates an iconic moment her donning the yellow ball gown, and him the blue suit as he asks her to dance, whisking her about.
David and Snow ponder if they should have gone with a different name for the baby, and Henry and Emma worry over Regina. Henry tries to call Regina, and Snow hopes that Regina doesn't lash out. Henry really needs one stable mom, and Emma is still torn about Hook. Speaking of the dashing pirate, he checks in with the ladies. Emma takes him aside, she doesn't think that she's been avoiding him, but the whole curs business was priority. Hook points out that there's always a curse or danger on the horizon, but that can't stop you from living life, or you'll miss everything. Leroy comes running about the newest attack, how something blasted them with magic. Emma notices the frost trail.
Anna chases Elsa into the forest. A light snow flurry still surrounds her. Their parents didn't go out to visit another kingdom, it was just a cover. They were terrified of Elsa and she had to be stopped. Anna refuses to believe. It doesn't say where they were going, or what they were doing, and Anna doesn't see her sister as a monster. She is sure that their parents didn't see her ass one either. Anna knows in her heart there are answers somewhere, they just have to find them, and she thinks the trolls may have it.
Emma and Hook follow the ice trail, chasing after Elsa, who hides in fear. As her fear grows so does the ice, until she's trapped and a snow monster monster form. That's a new one, even for Storybrooke.
Anna and Elsa head over to see the trolls. Elsa thinks that Anna should be focusing on the wedding, but the wedding is just a day away, and it's all set. Anna calls to Grand Pabbie. He doesn't know what their parents were doing, but he does know where they were going. They were not going to Mist Haven. They did not say why, keeping their secrets. Anna is excited, they have more questions. Elsa can't go as Queen, but Anna asks her to let her go, Mist Haven isn't far. Elsa reminds her that Hans and his angry brothers may be nearby, but Anna thinks that she can make it, that she wouldn't be gone long, saying just what their parents said before they were gone forever.
The snow monster gives chase, and Hook and Emma run. But it doesn't hurt them, only scare them.
Regina shows Mr. Glass who her target is, Marian. She tells him that she is back, that she is the one ruining her happy ending. The book has written Marian back in, its strong, but Regina thinks she is stronger. She wants Marian removed. Glass knew Regina would come back for him, to use his services again. She can't just kill Marian, she would be noticed missing or dead. Regina needs to go back in time, and kill her before Emma has a chance to save her. Glass points out that in this time and place he has no power. Regina uses magic to place him back into the mirror, trapping him there to do her bidding. She tells him its just temporary, and he shows her the past.
Regina questions Marian under guard, asking for Snow White's location. Marian refuses to speak, and Regina sentences her to death the following day. Marian tells her that she feels sorry for her, that if she had love or a family she wouldn't be so cruel. Regina has what she wants she tells her, and right now what she wants is her head on a spike. It's exactly the moment that she was looking for.
The snow monster has put the town in full panic mode. Elsa spots Gold's store.
Elsa goes in search of Kristof to see if he knows where Anna is. He's in the barn with Sven, and lies badly about Anna going to get frosting. Elsa doesn't buy it. She presses Kristof, and he reveals that she went to Mist Haven. Elsa hurries out, and Kristof goes after her..
Emma, Hook and David run to the Merry men withe the Snow monster after them. Their arrows are no match for it. Emma tries to use her magic against it, but it just pisses it off and he grows spikes and knocks them all out. Marian attempts a rescue, but her arrow does nothing, and the monster knocks her down. Regina appears from behind a tree, but she goes up in smoke rather than helping. Before the monster can stomp Marian, Regina blasts it from behind with fire, melting it. Marian is surprised by Regina's actions, and she tells her she isn't the person she was, welcoming her to Storybrooke. Emma tries to talk to Regina, but she goes up in smoke.
In the forest, Emma throws a snowball. Hook tells her to enjoy the quiet moments, but Emma has to do something. Hook knows that she's avoiding him, and she is. She feels guilty, about Regina. Emma kisses Hook asking for his patience. He has all the time in the world unless a monster kills him.
Emma heads over to Regina's. She knows she's in her office. Regina sits on the otherside of the door, head in her lap. Emma confesses that she only brought Marian back to bring back happy endings, and her job isn't done until Regina is happy. She walks away without even asking if she wants to build a snowman. That gives Regina an idea. She wants to change fate. The villains never get a happy ending. She wants to find the author, and have him give her the ending she desires.
Belle sleeps, but Rumple is troubled. He's torn about something. He uses the power of his dagger.
Elsa breaks into Gold's shop. Rumple is not going to be pleased. She's looking for the necklace in the ad, the one she gave Anna.
The ship is already gone. Kristof tells her that its too late. Elsa doesn't like being told no. She thinks that she should have gone with Anna, or Kristof. But Anna wanted Kristof to stay so Elsa wouldn't be alone. Kristof has faith in Anna, and he tells her that she should have faith in her too. Elsa just worries that sometimes Anna doesn't think things through, and she isn't familiar with the Mist Haven. Kristof tells her the other name: The Enchanted Forest.
Elsa vows that she will find Anna.
Once Upon A Time airs Sundays at 8PM PT/ 7PM CT on ABC
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