"Once Upon a Time" Recap: "Dreamcatcher"

Written by Shae

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

As it turns out, a dream catcher can be used for both good and evil. When infused with powerful magic, a dream catcher can take away memories and hide them. The person is none-the wiser to what happened. This might actually explain how everyone who went to Camelot lost their memories. So what happened back there? First, lets travel back in time to find out what really happened to Merlin.
 
The greatest magician of them all was trapped away in a tree, but how, by what? We’ve been dying to know since we learned of his existence, and now we have a glimpse into the past. It was the loss of his first love. Merlin had the dagger of the Dark One, ready to kill said being, when he couldn’t do it. The Dark One took the dagger, used the tear he shed, the tear of a first lost love, and trapped him inside the tree. The Dark One had taken his first love….is it possible the Dark One was his first love? How on earth did she become that? How was the dagger split from Excalibur? So many more questions!
 
Back to the past, but more forward in time, we have David and Snow wanting the dagger, and Regina is still unsure if this is the smartest thing to do. Instead, she goes and fetches the blade for them, but doesn’t hand it over. Emma stops them just before they grab it from Regina. She explains the Dreamcatcher and what she saw of Merlin and of what happened with her parents. The spell to free Merlin requires the same tear. Regina volunteers…she watches as her love is killed in front of her again by her mother. The spell doesn’t work however, because Regina has moved on…the tear isn’t fresh. The hurt isn’t strong enough. What could be stronger?
 
Well, Henry is busy trying to make headway with Violet. He sets up Granny’s diner and makes it romantic. Only, when Violet says she isn’t interested, that she thought they were just friends…he leaves to find Emma and Regina in the midst of a failed spell. His tear is useful, is fresh, and is over the heartbreak of first love. It’s powerful enough to work. The spell comes to life just as Arthur and his Knights arrive to stop them. It’s too late once Emma casts the spell. The light and dark come together to free Merlin. He’s happy to see them, and he’s been waiting a long time for Emma. Merlin is able to free Snow and Charming from the spell Gwen cast upon them, and he’s evil able to free Emma from the Darkness. But, the question is, is she ready to give it up?

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In our modern present day, the town is a twitter with the loss of the missing squire from prison. Arthur explains it away and they all move on. Henry and Snow decide to throw a dance/ball/carnival in hopes of making their new guests feel more welcome. Violet, sadly, isn’t in the mood for such a thing. Her horse has run off! Henry knows just the person to help him bring the horse back. He goes to Emma and asks for her help, and without hesitation she goes with. With the horse found in a pumpkin patch outside of town, Henry has the chance to ride the stead into the fair and give it back to the fair Violet. All is well?

Or is it. Emma also has Merida off training Rumple how to be brave and fight. Our clever lass has determined that The old Dark One needs something to fight for, instead of himself. She taught the chipped tea cup that Belle had broken so long ago, and Rumple is up and fighting in no time. This isn’t the only secret Emma is hiding from the others. Regina, Robin, Hook, and Snow and David, break into her house, find the sword in the stone, and on their way out Hook finds a dreamcatcher. A memory from the past is revealed….Regina and Robin watch it, see that Emma had visited Violet before her date with Henry, had taken her heart, and asked her to break Henry’s. All for the sake of a fresh tear and to break the spell that held Merlin. The ball and finding the horse tonight had been Emma’s way of making it up to Henry, who had witnessed the memory on accident...
 
My theory still stands that Emma is far more clever than we all think, and I don’t believe she’s all evil. In the meantime, we have to wait for the next episode….which is terrible! I want it now!

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