4.5 Breaking GlassThis is the one where we meet Lily, which makes it even more boring the second time considering her character never really amounts to anything and the stuff they do to shoehorn her in (like the Charmings dumping her egg into a portal) messes up several characters later on.
In real time - Emma finds a picture of herself talking to the Snow Queen in Storybrook. It's one of Regina's spy pics from season one, so she asks her for help. Regina turns to Sydney who wants to be freed. Regina denies him and makes him help her. Later on when Sydney betrays her to the SQ nearly sending Regina and Emma into an icy grave...it makes sense to me.
Anyway from the SQ makes a fancy mirror from the small one she gets from Regina.
DEATHS - None.
4.6 Family BusinessIn the past Belle has bad dreams about the ogres killing her mom (Collette), a time she does not remember because of...trauma? I guess. She wants to know how her mom died and her father Maurice (whom I have never liked) refuses and basically orders her to stay in her room even though she is like thirty years old here (it has never been clear how old Belle is when she meets Rumple which occurs directly after this story by either days or weeks.).
Belle runs away from home and heads for Arendale to find the rock trolls who can restore memory. She meets Anna along the way and together they get a memory rock from the trolls. Later Belle chooses that memory stone over Anna when both are dangling from a cliff and she manages to save neither of them as the memory stone shatters and Anna... well she doesn't, but she really should've given the height she apparently fell from, but maybe the SQ (did I forget to mention she was the one causing this problem in the first place?) cushioned her fall or something. Anyway...SQ steals the hat box from Anna, who stole it from Rumple and Belle watches them poof away. She feels massive guilt over this. Later when she returns home her father tells her how her mother died (sure now he tells her.) and she died heroically saving Belle and so Belle wants to be a hero too. She and her dad chat about calling in an evil sorcerer named Rumplestiltskin for help (she learned about him from Anna; Maurice already know about him though) thus nicely teeing up Skin Deep from season 1 - aka the best episode of Once ever.
In the present day - Belle is wearing a cute scarf covered in tiny daggers, which may well be the last complimentary thing I say about Belle for the rest of this recap as the gang gets together to discuss stuff and Belle denies knowing Anna or much at all about Arendale...why?! I know she feels guilty, but she doesn't have to admit she chose the rock over Anna. Anna didn't even know that! This was a pointless lie!
Later Rumple and SQ meet in the woods and vaguely threaten each other.
In another nod to the terrible writing in season four...Belle pulls out the dagger and orders Rumple to take her to the SQ.
THIS IS NOT OK ONCE WRITERS! #badidea!
Belle lies to Rumple about knowing Anna. Again...why? In the SQ's cave she meets evil Belle in the mirror who tells her she sucks and Rumple only married her because she's weak and easy to control... Rumple interrupts the spell standing between Belle and the bad mirror to let her know the SQ is coming back (Belle ordered him on watch outside the cave earlier). Belle is still upset over what the bad mirror said so she takes a swing at Rumple with the dagger making a shallow cut on his neck. Rumple grabs her arms and poofs them home (hey she didn't order him not to.) where Belle continues to act badly until she sees the cut on Rumple's neck. She's ashamed about something else now and finally tells him the truth, which is really no big whoop. She says she wanted a hat from the SQ. A hat that can strip magical beings of their powers. Hmmm. Ever hear of such a thing Rumple? lol
The episode ends with Rumple confronting the SQ with the hat open in his hands. WHY DOESN'T HE HAT HER RIGHT HERE?
!!!! PLOT HOLE ALERT! They threaten each other again. They talk about her magical mirror and there's something about the spell of 'shattered sight'. Great. And again I ask...why doesn't he just hat her?
DEATHS - NONE
QUOTESAnna: Careful! Careful.
Belle: Why? W-what's inside?
Anna: A hat which can strip the magic from the most powerful of sorcerers.
Belle: Why do you have such a thing?
Anna: I sort of stole it from an evil sorcerer when I was back in the Enchanted Forest. I went to him to help with my sister, but things didn't exactly go according to plan.
Belle: Why? What... What happened? Who... Who is this person?
Anna: I-I'd really rather not get into it. The less you know, the better. I just pray you never cross paths with that twisted man.
Belle: I... I hurt you. I... I'm so sorry,
Rumple. Mr Gold: It's okay.
Belle: When I f-found that mirror, something came over me, like a... Like a spell. And... And it spoke to me and made me... Made me believe all these horrible things, and it said to me that the dagger you gave me is fake.
Mr Gold: I can assure you that nothing that mirror said is true. It was imbued with the darkest of magic. I-I know you would never wrong me.
Belle: I have wronged you. I've kept a terrible secret from you. I'm the reason... That Anna's missing. I didn't want anyone to know until I could make things right and save Anna. But I couldn't. I failed. And all I managed to do was abuse the dagger and... And take advantage of you, my true love. I-I don't even know if I... If I deserve to be with you anymore.
Mr Gold: No, no, no. You were only doing what you thought was right.
Belle: You... You forgive me?
Mr Gold: Of course I forgive you. Thank you for telling me everything.
Belle: Thank you for understanding. I never should have kept a secret from you, especially 'cause I know that you'd never keep one from me. I love you, Rumple.
Mr Gold: And I love you, too.
Mr Gold: I'm afraid we have a problem, dearie. I caught a glimpse of your mirror today.
The Snow Queen: It's rather impressive, isn't it? I had no idea your bride would be so easy to turn.
Mr Gold: Watch yourself. Now, I don't know exactly when you intend to use this mirror, but you should know this. I won't allow you to hurt those I care about.
The Snow Queen: And I won't allow you to derail my plans because you've suddenly gotten sentimental.
Mr Gold: You only get one warning.
The Snow Queen: Which is more than you get. I can't make any promises over who may or who may not survive.
Mr Gold: You know, you were wrong before.
The Snow Queen: That you needed leverage to get what you want?
Mr Gold: No, that I didn't have it. I do. (Mr Gold shows the Snow Queen the hat.)
The Snow Queen: Where did you get that?
Mr Gold: Oh, that's irrelevant. But now that I know what you're up to, we can have a real talk. You might want to reconsider your position, because I doubt you'd enjoy becoming just another embroidery on this hat. Looks like you've just lost your leverage, dearie.
SEASON FOUR DEATHS (six episodes in)
0
Edited to add a note that Belle's mom died in 4.6, but killed by ogre doesn't count as a point so we're still at zero.