This week’s episode finally gave us some backstory on Emma, and it brought one of my favorite “Lost” actors back to TV: Jorge Garcia. Dare I say this might have been my favorite episode of the season so far? Let’s get into it!

Emma’s past as a vagabond

We start Emma’s flashbacks with her stealing the yellow VW bug she now owns today. Except the car was already stolen and she met the original thief: Neal Cassidy. Neal is also the mystery man we saw in the season premiere – so there’s one question answered!

They end up hitting it off and going on crime sprees together, as many couples are wont to do. They decide to settle down together and a blindfolded Emma points to a map and lands on Tallahassee.  As if no one would choose Florida willingly.  But then we find out Neal is a wanted man for stealing some watches, which are stashed in a locker at the train station and haven’t been found all this time apparently. That fact alone is harder to believe than the fact that “Jack and the Bean Stalk” is referenced later in the episode.

Emma gets the watches and they plan to pawn them to move to Canada so Neal doesn’t have to worry about getting arrested. Before Neal is supposed to meet Emma to leave he’s tackled to the ground – by AUGUST! He basically wants Neal to back off Emma because she has a destiny. Neal isn’t really into the idea of leaving his lady love – until August shows him something mysterious in a box that convinces him. You have to love that MacGuffin plot device.

Neal agrees to stand her up and tip the police off to her thieving ways so she can get all reformed in prison and start making moves on her destiny. It’s in prison where she finds out she’s pregnant, meaning Neal is Henry’s dad!

The last scene of the flashback is Neal meeting with August in Vancouver telling him that if anything changes with the curse or Emma’s destiny to send him a postcard. Another mystery solved from the season premiere!

Fairytale Land of Today

After an explanation about the absence of magic portal-making beans left in Fairytale Land (they were destroyed by giants), Emma and Hook decide to climb the beanstalk in search of a magical compass that is their only chance at getting back to Storybrooke. I’m such a fan of Hook and Emma’s banter during their climb; the chemistry between these two is crazy! Make it happen writers!

They make it up the beanstalk and get the giant’s attention and promptly knock him out with some sleeping powder so they can look for the compass. But during their search the giant awakes and is NOT happy. Eventually Emma’s ingenuity leads to trapping the giant in one of his traps and then gaining his trust (and the compass) by not killing him when she could. In the end he lets her leave but she asks for another favor: keep Hook up there for 10 hours so she can get a head start. I understand she doesn’t trust Hook but I do feel bad for him here, he seemed genuinely upset that she was leaving him behind. I hope he doesn’t cry his eyeliner off.

Back on the ground Snow soothes Aurora after she has a bad dream about a red, windowless room with curtains on fire. She also says that “he” is looking at her in the nightmare.

Storybrooke

Our only peek at Storybrooke this week happens when Aurora’s dream becomes extremely relevant – since Henry has the same exact one. Except he said “she” was looking at him in his nightmare. Hmm…

Questions

What was in that box?!

Why are Aurora and Henry sharing dreams?

Anyone else notice the appearance of the “Apollo” candy bar from LOST?

Alexa Hoyle can be reached at [email protected].