Recap / Once Upon a Time S1 E19 "The Return"

Season 1, Episode 19:

The Return

Centric Characters: Rumplestiltskin

Previous: The Stable Boy | Next: The Stranger

Rumpelstiltskin: Even mutes can draw a picture.

Mr. Gold: I broke one deal in my life, dear, and it sadly wasn't this one.

---

At the inn, August struggles to get out of bed and move around because of something wrong with his legs. He makes his way to the phone and calls someone.

August: Hey, you there? Good. This is taking too long, we need to accelerate the plan.

August meets up with Henry and sends him into Mr. Gold's pawnshop. Henry asks Gold for help finding a suitable gift for Mary Margaret to celebrate her absolution of Kathryn's murder. While Gold is preoccupied, August sneaks in through the back entrance and quietly peruses the storeroom, but Gold quickly catches him. August claims that he thought he used the main entrance and is looking for some maps. Dubious, Gold sends him to the shop proper.

Emma visits Kathryn in the hospital to ask her questions about her abduction, but Kathryn never saw her captor and was drugged while being transported. Kathryn is disturbed to hear that she was thought to be murdered during her disappearance, and when Emma tells her her theory that someone was trying to frame Mary Margaret, Kathryn wonders who could have done that.

Regina gets mad at Gold, stating that he broke their deal by not killing Kathryn, but he cites the Exact Words used in their deal to prove he didn't. Regina realizes that Gold deliberately set things up so that when Kathryn returned, all the evidence would point back to Regina. Regina asks why Gold would backstab her when they had worked together to cast the Dark Curse and had supposedly been allies until this point.

Gold: Well, you're a smart woman, your Majesty. Figure it out.

---

FLASHBACK! In a village, a group of children play around when one of them runs into the path of a merchants cart and is knocked down. The merchant gets mad until he recognizes the boy as Baelfire, the son of the merciless sorcerer Rumplestiltskin. The merchant backpedals hard but Rumplestiltskin himself soon arrives on the scene and notices a cut on Baelfire's leg. Despite both Baelfire and the merchant pleading with Rumplestiltskin that it's not a big deal, Rumplestiltskin transforms the merchant into a snail and crushes him underfoot to the horror of the watching villagers.

---

David visits Kathryn and apologizes to her, and she forgives him since she knew their relationship wasn't going to work either way, allowing them to part with no hard feelings.

At Mary Margaret's apartment, a party is held to celebrate her innocence of the crime and release from prison. Henry talks with August about their plan, and August says that although he didn't find what he was looking for, he hasn't given up hope. Henry gives his gift to Mary Margaret before Emma leaves with him to get him back home. They meet David at the door, but at Mary Margaret's signal Emma doesn't let him in and pawns off Henry to him in order to get him to leave. Gold casually starts a conversation with Emma but she's suspicious that he had something to do with Kathryn's reappearance. Gold asks if Emma's suggesting that he was in league with Regina all along, and she guesses that he could have been Playing Both Sides. Gold inquires about August, but all Emma knows is his name (which they agree is probably a pseudonym) and his occupation as a writer.

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FLASHBACK! Baelfire refuses to let Rumplestiltskin heal his cut with magic, and expresses resentment for his father's powers as they've transformed him into a cruel man who constantly hurts those around him. Rumplestiltskin tries to reason that he stopped the Ogre War and saved the drafted children, and that he always needs to seek more power to keep Baelfire safe, but Baelfire shoots back that being the son of a cruel sorcerer puts him in more danger than he would be in otherwise. When Baelfire asks if Rumplestiltskin has tried to give up his power, Rumplestiltskin shows him the dagger of the Dark One and explains that the only way to pass on his power to another is if he were killed with the blade. At that moment, the maid enters and sees the dagger, prompting Rumplestiltskin to hastily put it away. Baelfire insists that there has to be another way and gets Rumplestiltskin to say that if Baelfire finds such a way, Rumplestiltskin will go through with it for his son's sake.

---

Mr. Gold picks the lock to August's inn room and inspects the items on his desk, finding a drawing of the dagger emblazoned with Rumplestiltskin's name.

Emma meets Sidney at the diner, showing him the bug and telling him that sooner or later, Regina's going down and he needs to decide whether or not he's going down with her.

Mr. Gold watches August ride off on his motorcycles, and drives after him.

---

FLASHBACK! Rumplestiltskin sends Baelfire to play with some other children while he tends to some business, but the other children run away from him. Baelfire is soon met by Morraine, the girl who was drafted shortly before Rumplestiltskin became the Dark One. Baelfire explains his problems to her and she tells him about Reul Ghorm, an ancient being who rules the night sky with greater power than Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin returns and Baelfire sees a bloodstain on his boot. He reveals to Baelfire's horror that he has just murdered their maid to prevent her passing on information about the dagger.

---

Mr. Gold watches August talk with Mother Superior, who Gold subsequently threatens into telling him about the conversation. Apparently August came to town in search of his estranged father and has found him, though hasn't made himself known yet as they had a "difficult parting".

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FLASHBACK! In the night, Baelfire calls out to Reul Ghorm and she appears to him, being the Blue Fairy. She gifts him with the last magic bean known to the fairies, and tells him that he can use it to take his father to another world, one without magic.

---

David catches Mary Margaret on the street to apologize but she is not over him thinking she could have killed Kathryn, and won't get back together with him.

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FLASHBACK! Baelfire tells Rumplestiltskin that he was successful in finding a way to remove Rumplestiltskin's power. Rumplestiltskin is displeased that the solution came from a fairy and tries to weasel his way out of it, but Baelfire reminds him of their deal.

---

Mr. Gold decides to talk with Dr. Hopper, revealing that he thinks he has found his long lost son, but neither is making it known to the other because of bad blood.

Hopper: Anger between a parent and a child is the most natural thing in the world.
Gold: I think he might be here to try to kill me.
Hopper: Ah. Right, that's- that's not.

Gold explains that he's been trying to repair their relationship ever since they separated, but now that his son has returned he doesn't know how to proceed. Hopper suggests that he be honest with his son.

Gold finds August at his woodland cabin.

Gold: I know who you are. And I know what you're looking for.
August: Well then. I guess all the lying can stop. Papa.

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FLASHBACK! Baelfire takes Rumplestiltskin out into the forest and tosses the magic bean onto the ground, and it becomes a whirling green vortex portal. Terrified, Rumplestiltskin tries to dissuade Baelfire but he's resolute and pulls his father towards the portal. Halfway in, Rumplestiltskin sinks his dagger into the ground and tells Baelfire he can't go, and Baelfire screams in rage that Rumplestiltskin is a coward and broke his promise. Their hands separate and Baelfire falls into the portal which closes soon thereafter. Rumplestiltskin is instantly regretful and digs in the ground where the portal was, begging in vain to go with Baelfire.

---

Gold: You were right, Bae. You were always right. I was a coward. And I never should have let you go. I know it's little consolation, but… I just want you to know that ever since you left, ever since you crossed the barriers of time and space, in every waking moment… I've been looking for you. And now that I've finally found you and… I know I can't make up for the… the past. The lost time. All I can do is to ask you to do what you've always done. And that's to be the bigger man. Forgive me. I'm so sorry, son. I'm so sorry, Bae.

Both in tears, the two men embrace and August forgives Gold. August reveals that he wanted to know if Gold still had the dagger so he could tell if he had changed or not, and Gold decides to take him to where he hid it.

They go to a place in the forest where Gold buried the dagger shortly after Emma arrived, in case Regina got any ideas. Unearthing it, Gold hands the dagger to August and asks him to destroy it, stating that he doesn't need it any longer now that he has his son back. But August instead holds up the dagger and commands the Dark One to obey him, and Gold realizes that he's been had and August is not Baelfire. Gold takes back the dagger and demands answers from August, deducing that since he knows all about the curse that he too is from the Enchanted Forest. August reveals that he wasn't afraid to try to con Rumplestiltskin because he's already dying and needs magic to heal, and decided to try to control the Dark One into doing it for him because he wasn't getting anywhere with Emma and breaking the Dark Curse.

Gold: She trusts you. It might be enough. Try again.
August: You're gonna let me live?
Gold: You're gonna die either way. This way… at least I might get something out of it.

---

FLASHBACK! Rumplestiltskin summons Reul Ghorm to find another way to follow his son.

Blue Fairy: You will never make it to that world.
Rumplestiltskin: Oh, I'll find a way. There must be other paths. A realm jumper.
Blue Fairy: No.
Rumplestiltskin: A time turner.
Blue Fairy: No.
Rumplestiltskin: A mage.
Blue Fairy: No. There is no-
Rumplestiltskin: A curse!
<Beat>
Blue Fairy: No.
Rumplestiltskin: AH! So it is a curse.
Blue Fairy: Of course you would think of a curse instead of a blessing. Your magic is limited by its own rotten core, Rumplestiltskin. Anyway, it can't be done. Not without a great price.
Rumplestiltskin: I've already paid a great price.
Blue Fairy: So you'd be willing to sacrifice this world for the next? Because that's how great the price is.
Rumplestiltskin: Well, what do you think?
Blue Fairy: Well then I'll comfort myself knowing that such a curse is beyond your abilities.
Rumplestiltskin: Oh, for now. But I've got all the time in the world. I will do nothing else, I will love nothing else. I will find a way. You took my son, but I will get him back.
Blue Fairy: I didn't take your son.
Rumplestiltskin: You took my son, but I will get him back!
Blue Fairy: You drove him away.

At this, Rumplestiltskin attacks the Fairy but she escapes.

---

Emma goes to the police office and finds Regina there, who tells Emma that there's been a break in the case and Sidney has confessed to the abduction. Sidney comes in and says as much, claiming that his motive was to make himself look good by saving her so he could get his job back and be famous. Emma doesn't buy it for a second and tells Regina that she's going down and that Emma is going to take Henry back from her.

Tropes

• Answer Cut: After she learns of the doctored DNA on the heart and the Frameup of Mary Margaret, Kathryn asks, "Who would do such a thing?" Instant cut to Regina grilling Gold.
• Bilingual Bonus: The name Morraine gives to the Blue Fairy, Reul Ghorm, is translated by Rumple as "Blue Star". It is actually Gaelic for "sixpence blue" and may be a reference to the old wedding phrase "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" which (as detailed on the trope page) actually ends with the forgotten line "and a silver sixpence in her shoe", implying a charm for good luck. Note also that The Fair Folk in Irish mythology are usually not good, and the way Reul Ghorm is described as "an ancient being that rules the night" and "more powerful than anything including the Dark One" doesn't exactly sound good either.
• Black Comedy: Baelfire notices Rumple is washing blood off his hand and is horrified to learn he just killed their mute maid. Rumple is indignant and defends the murder as if he forgot to wash the dishes.
• Call-Forward: At least to the viewer, to him it's a Call-Back—but when speaking to Regina of the difficulty in making someone die in a world without magic, Gold refers to it not being like "turning someone into a snail and then stepping on them"...which, of course, is soon revealed to be what he himself did to the merchant who skinned Baelfire's knee.
• Character Development: This episode shows that Rumple is not just a crazy evil madman. He does have some things that he cares about.
• Child Soldier: In the flashbacks, the character of Morraine reappears, now a teenage veteran of the Ogres' War. She's one of the few children drafted to survive and her experiences in the war mean she's willing to talk to Baelfire, the son of the dark wizard who's currently terrorizing the countryside after ending the war to stop his son from being drafted.
• Couch Gag: The title card features August on his motorcycle.
• Cryptic Background Reference:
  • Gold makes mention of only breaking one deal in his life. While this would seem to refer to him not following through on his promise to his son (since Bae calls it a deal), it isn't until Season 2's "The Miller's Daughter" that we find out what this deal as the Dark One actually was, and just how significant.
  • Also, during this same scene he seems to be idly playing randomly with an old, handmade ball, but this is soon revealed to have belonged to Baelfire (and in fact what he was playing with when he got knocked down by the merchant's wagon).
• Disproportionate Retribution: A merchant skins his son's knee, so Rumpelstiltskin turns the merchant into a snail and squishes him.
• Exact Words: Regina complains that she wanted Gold to make something tragic to happen to Kathryn. Unfortunately for Regina, Gold thinks abduction is tragic. Plus, he's not really on her side anyway...
• Fair-Weather Friend: Mary Margaret seems to think this of most of the guests at her party, since they had been against her while she was suspected of murder.
• Fall Guy: Regina realizes after Kathryn's return that despite her lacking any memory or knowledge of her abductor, all the evidence will eventually lead to her. So she convinces the still love-besotted Sidney to confess to the crime as part of a misguided attempt to heroically "rescue" her, get a huge scoop, and get his job at the newspaper back. Subverted however when the obviousness of the set-up not only doesn't convince Emma, it backfires into her swearing to take Henry from Regina as payback for the Frameup.
• He Knows Too Much: Rumple kills his mute maid because he suspects she might have heard them mention his dagger. He justifies it with "Even a mute can draw a picture!"
• Hypocrite: Regina scolds Gold for his use of Exact Words in their deal by stating that when it came to the obviousness of what she wanted (Kathryn dead and Mary Margaret blamed for it) "intent is everything"...when the viewer already knows from "The Stable Boy" that she blames Snow White for ruining her life despite the girl's innocent intent being only to let her be with Daniel without losing Cora.
• Innocuously Important Episode: Not only does this episode finally establish both what happened to Baelfire and why Gold wanted the Dark Curse cast so badly (and thus the key event that lies behind almost every other plot development and character interaction in the series), what seems like a diversion from the main story (lampshaded by Henry asking why August wanted his help with breaking into the pawn shop when it had nothing to do with helping Emma believe and break the curse) actually makes sense once August confesses to Gold. Namely, that because Emma is so stubborn, he doesn't believe he can get her to do what needs to be done before he dies of his condition, hence why he pretended to be Baelfire so as to obtain Gold's magical help. It also sets up that he knows Baelfire/Neal, and gives plenty of clues about August's real identity (from obvious things like the lying and the connection to the Blue Fairy to the subtle detail of the donkey carving in his room referencing Pleasure Island). And not only does it set up for the next episode's reveals, it sets up for plots in the next two seasons (Marco and Tamara, respectively) and explains why Gold would have resentment toward him which he acts upon in Season 4B.
• Magnificent Bastard: invoked If Rumple hadn't already cemented it, then this episode is the one that staples the sign saying "Magnificent Bastard" to his forehead in flashing neon letters. By the end of the Episode he has Emma working with him, Regina under his thumb and August in a tentative servitude. This takes place, in the episode, over two days. Two days of this man plotting and all the main chess pieces are on his side of the board.
• Manly Tears: Mr. Gold, that mean old bastard, breaks down terribly when he's apologizing to the man he thinks is his grown son: "I'm so sorry, Bae." It's also quite noticeable that August has teared up as well—because while he isn't actually Baelfire, Gold's words are still just as meaningful to him since he is cut off from his real father and desperately yearns for a reunion and forgiveness.
• Morality Pet: Bae acts as this to Rumple once he becomes the Dark One, helping to keep his dark powers under control so he can retain some sense of goodness.
• Oh, Crap!: Regina has this when she realizes that she's been played from the beginning. She barely manages to get out of it though.
• Only Friend: Morraine to Baelfire. She's the only child willing to talk to him after his father becomes the Dark One.
• Out-of-Character Alert: After convincing Mr. Gold that he's Baelfire, August uncovers the dagger and tries to use it to control him as The Dark One. Mr. Gold instantly knows he's been fooled, since Baelfire intentionally came to our world because it contained no magic, and therefore would know the dagger would be powerless.
• Put on a Bus: Thanks to being forced to confess to abducting Kathryn, Sidney is locked up in the asylum and stays there, not appearing again in the present until Regina needs him in Season 4A.
• Red Herring:
  • It's revealed that August is Rumpelstiltskin's son...and then revealed that he actually isn't.
  • The scene where August was talking with the Mother Superior is a specific form of this as well—Gold, watching this, has every reason to think this is another indicator of him being Baelfire due to his son's interaction with Reul Ghorm, and the story she tells him of wishing a reunion with a father he'd lost only furthers the deception. Of course, once August's real identity is known both this story and his reaching out to the Blue Fairy makes perfect sense.
• We Hardly Knew Ye: Honora, the mute maid, is barely in half the episode she is introduced in and had no background given.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: Morraine's time as a soldier seems to have matured her very quickly, allowing her to offer some wisdom to Rumplestiltskin's son.