History Recap / OnceUponATimeS5E7Nimue

** We see the Apprentice when he was young and dressed in red, matching Mickey's iconic outfit in ''Disney/{{Fantasia}}''.

At the Camelot of six weeks ago, one team tries to recover Excalibur, while another goes on a quest after the spark Merlin can use to reforge it, one which requires Emma to confront the darkness within her. Meanwhile in the distant past, Merlin falls in love with a refugee named [[Myth/TheLadyOfTheLake Nimue]], and the true story of the first Dark One's creation is revealed.

At the Camelot of six weeks ago, one team tries to recover Excalibur, while another goes on a quest after the spark Merlin can use to reforge it, one which requires Emma to confront the darkness within her. Meanwhile in the distant past, Merlin falls in love with a refugee named Characters/{{Nimue}}, and the true story of the first Dark One's creation is revealed.

* {{Irony}}: The middlemist flowers that Arthur first gave Guinevere to declare their love were brought to that region as seeds by Nimue, she who would engender the very Darkness Arthur wants so badly to destroy. Even better, she brought them as a form of revenge against Vortigan (of "the best revenge is to live life well and happily" sort), only to later fall prey to the usual kind of revenge.

* IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight: Merlin pleading with Arthur not to give in to the darkness, to let him reforge Excalibur, destroy the Dark One, and save Emma, Camelot, and himself, is very much this. Unfortunately Arthur is too bitter, resentful, and power-mad to listen.

* WasItReallyWorthIt: After Nimue's fall, as Merlin is creating the Dark One's dagger, the Apprentice suggests that, since he was unable to see her future and thus know what was coming, it might have been better had they never met. Merlin insists in anguish that no, even knowing what was to happen, he would do it all again if he could because [[ArcWords life is full of moments]] and [[TearJerker she had given him his happiest]].

* {{Irony}}: The flowers that Arthur first gave Guinevere to declare their love were brought to that region as seeds by Nimue, she who would engender the very Darkness Arthur wants so badly to destroy. Even better, she brought them as a form of revenge against Vortigan (of "the best revenge is to live life well and happily" sort), only to later fall prey to the usual kind of revenge.

!Tropes

At the Camelot of six weeks ago, one team tries to recover Excalibur, while another goes on a quest after the spark Merlin can use to reforge it, one which requires Emma to confront the darkness within her. Meanwhile in the distant past, Merlin falls in love with a refugee named Nimue, and the true story of the first Dark One's creation is revealed.

* EvilIsHammy: Once Nimue becomes the Dark One, Caroline Ford ''really'' cranks it up. And it's still scary.

The backstory of Merlin and the creation of the first Dark One is revealed, while Merlin and Emma go on a quest in the present to repair Excalibur and confront the darkness.

* TheDogBitesBack: After being mocked and threatened by Regina all season long, Zelena unsurprisingly throws her lot in with Arthur who takes off the magic restraining bracelet that Regina put on her and gladly takes her revenge on Team Storybrooke,
* EvilCounterpart: The Dark One is this to Merlin. Both received their powers and immortality by drinking from a magical chalice. Both had the potential to be good or evil and while Merlin stayed on a path of goodness, Nimue chose vengeance as her first magical act and the magic she gained became corrupted and evil. And now, Merlin is bound to Excalibur in the same way the Dark One is to the dagger ("in the same way" meaning it's litterally used the same spell).

* TheDogBitesBack: After being mocked and threatened by Regina all season long, Zelena unsurprisingly throws her lot in with Arthur who takes off the magic restraining bracelet that Regina put on her and glad takes her revenge on the others.