History Recap / OnceUponATimeS7E3TheGardenOfForkingPaths

** When they first meet, Ella asks if Wish Hook is Henry's father, to which Wish Hook says, "Not quite," since he actually is an AlternateSelf of the original Hook, who is Henry's stepfather from marrying Emma.

* SupernaturallyYouthfulParent: When Henry introduces Regina to Ella as his mother, she's clearly surprised that the apparent age difference between him and his mother is not as great as one would expect (due to things like spending time in realms where it passes differently), which prompts her to ask if the similarly young-looking Hook is Henry's father (and in fact, Hook's original counterpart, who looks the same age as this Hook, ''is'' Henry's stepfather).

* CompositeCharacter: An evil stepmother that hates her stepdaughter because she blames her for the death of someone that she loved = Regina. Tricking a mother into saying/doing something that turns their child against them = Regina. A parent that is willing to cast the Dark Curse and punish everyone to get their child back = Rumple. Keeping a prisoner locked away until they give them what they want even though that person has no intention of doing so = Jafar. All equal Tremaine/Victoria.

* FreudianExcuse: While the original Lady Tremaine and the previous counterpart in the show were simply sadistic, selfish jerkasses who tormented Ella out of petty cruelty and cared for no-one but themselves, this one genuinely loved her daughter Anastasia, is willing to do whatever it takes to bring her back, and torments Ella believing that she is the cause.

** Lucy brings up how Regina tried to hide Snow White's coffin in the mines of Storybrooke and thus Victoria has some reason to want to dig up the Garden.

** The Heart of the Truest Believer gets brought up again, this time in relation to why Henry is so vital to Tremaine.

* AdaptationalHeroism: Only by comparison, however. While the original Lady Tremaine and the previous counterpart in the show were simply sadistic, selfish jerkasses who tormented Ella out of petty cruelty and cared for no-one but themselves, this one genuinely loved her daughter Anastasia, is willing to do whatever it takes to bring her back, and torments Ella believing that she is the cause.
* CallBack:

* CharacterDevelopment: It may have taken over three decades, but Regina has ''finally'' learned that taking the hearts of people is ''not'' a good thing and makes sure that Cinderella does ''not'' fall down the same dark, slippery slope that she originally did.
* CompositeCharacter: An evil stepmother that hates her stepdaughter because she blames her for the death of someone that she loved = Regina. Tricking a mother into saying/doing something that turns their child against them = Regina. A parent that is willing to cast the Dark Curse and punish everyone to get their child back = Rumple. Keeping a prisoner locked away until they give them what they want even though that person has no intention of doing so = Jafar. All equal Tremaine/Victoria.
* ContinuityNod:
** Lucy brings up how Regina tried to hide Snow White's coffin in the mines of Storybrooke and thus Victoria has some reason to want to dig up the Garden.
** The Heart of the Truest Believer gets brought up again, this time in relation to why Henry is so vital to Tremaine.

* FireForgedFriendship: Cinderella and Tiana quickly bond over their dual wishes to bring down Tremaine. That friendship carries over to their cursed forms of Jacinda and Sabine.

** Variation. After joining the resistance, Cinderella ''drops'' the mocking name she was given as a servant and [[MeaningfulRename returns to being]] just "Ella."

* TheReveal: Tremaine originally wanted Henry's heart to resurrect her daughter. In Hyperion Heights (since Henry and his family have protection spells on their hearts), Tremaine's new goal is to crush Lucy's spirit by taking away everything she holds dear to revive her. Hence her actions in the main story.

* RightBehindMe: Jacinda accepts Victoria's deal to live in her condo with Lucy, if she will only let her raze the garden by destroying her petition...[[RuleOfDrama right as Lucy comes down the sidewalk behind her and sees her burning it]].
* ShownTheirWork: Henry references the real life history of the Seattle Underground and how the city had to be rebuilt after the Great Seattle Fire.

* RightBehindMe: Jacinda accepts Victoria's deal to live in her condo with Lucy, if she will only let her raze the garden by destroying her petition...[[RuleOfDrama right as Lucy comes down the sidewalk behind her and sees her burning it]].

!Tropes
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** The episode title. The "forking paths" refers literally to how Cinderella takes a different path after encountering Tiana, thus explaining why she wasn't there to meet Henry, but also figuratively to how she chooses not to take Henry's heart (or Jeremiah's), and to stay with the resistance instead of fleeing to protect it; it also refers to her choice in Hyperion Heights to stand up to Victoria rather than accept her poisonous deal. Meanwhile the garden literally refers to the community garden they're trying to save, although Jacinda's refusal of the deal and Lucy daring to explore the hidden tunnels also revolve around the garden.

** Lady Tremaine makes one to Cinderella: take Henry's heart so as to restore her daughter Anastasia, or she will kill all of her friends in the resistance.

* ActionGirl: All the pieces are in place to set up Tiana as one of these. RebelLeader of LaResistance? Check. HellbentForLeather? Check. First appearance in the episode involves rescuing Cinderella by knocking out Tremaine's guards? Check. Also good with weapons and implied to be both a intelligent spymaster and strategist? Check.

* CallBack: Tremaine's relationship with the Witch mirrors Jafar's with the Old Prisoner, to the point of the witch saying that Tremaine is locked up as well.

* ContinuityNod: The Heart of the Truest Believer gets brought up again, this time in relation to why Henry is so vital to Tremaine.

* ContinuityNod: Lucy brings up how Regina tried to hide Snow White's coffin in the mines of Storybrooke and thus Victoria has some reason to want to dig up the Garden.

** Also, it's confirmed that Sabine is the cursed version of Tiana.

* TheReveal: Tremaine originally wanted Henry's heart to resurrect her daughter. In Hyperion Heights (since Henry and his family have protection spells on their hearts), Tremaine's new goal is to crush Lucy's spirit by taking away everything she holds dear to revive her. Hence her actions in the main story.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: An evil stepmother that hates her stepdaughter because she blames her for the death of someone that she loved = Regina. Tricking a mother into saying/doing something that turns their child against them = Regina. A parent that is willing to cast the Dark Curse and punish everyone to get their child back = Rumple. Keeping a prisoner locked away until they give them what they want even though that person has no intention of doing so = Jafar. All equal Tremaine/Victoria.

* CallBack: Tremaine's relationship with the witch mirrors Jafar's with the Old Prisoner, to the point of the witch saying that Tremaine is locked up as well.

* AdaptationalHeroism: Only by comparison however. While the original Lady Tremaine and the previous counterpart in the show were simply sadistic, selfish jerkass's who tormented Ella out of petty cruelty and cared for no-one but herself. This one genuinely loved her daughter Anastasia, is willing t do whatever it takes to bring her back and torments Ella believing that she is the cause.
* CallBack: Tremaine relationship with the witch mirrors Jafar's with the Old Prisoner. To the point of the witch saying that Tremaine is locked up as well/
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: An evil step mother that hates her stepdaughter because she blames her for the death of someone that she loved=Regina. Tricking a mother into saying/doing something that turns their child against them=Regina. A parent that is willing to cast the Dark Curse and punish everyone to get their child back=Rumple. Keeping a prisoner locked away until they give them what they want even though that person has no intention of doing so=Jafar. All equal Tremaine/Victoria.

* TheReveal: Tremaine originally wanted Henry's heart to resurrect her daughter. In Hyperion Heights (since Henry and his family have protection spells o their hearts) Tremaine's new goal is to crush Lucy's spirit by taking everything she holds dear to revive her. Hence her actions in the main story.

* "AdaptationalHeroism": Only by comparison however. While the original Lady Tremaine and the previous counterpart in the show were simply sadistic, selfish jerkass's who tormented Ella out of petty cruelty and cared for no-one but herself. This one genuinely loved her daughter Anastasia, is willing t do whatever it takes to bring her back and torments Ella believing that she is the cause.
* "DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything?": An evil step mother that hates her stepdaughter because she blames her for the death of someone that she loved=Regina. A parent that is willing to cast the Dark Curse and punish everyone to get their child back=Rumple. All equal Tremaine/Victria.
* "DeathByAdaptation": Lady Tremaine's second daughter Anastasia is dead. But she keeps her body alive with hopes of bringing her back.
* "EvenEvilHasLovedOnes": In contrast to previous interpretations, this Lady Tremaine genuinely loves her daughter Anastasia and was distraught by her death.
* "TheReveal": Tremaine originally wanted Henry's heart to resurrect her daughter. In Hyperion Heights (since Henry and his family have protection spells o their hearts) Tremaine's new goal is to crush Lucy's spirit by taking everything she holds dear to revive her. Hence her actions in the main story.