'Once Upon A Time' Season 3 Episode 15 'Quiet Minds' Review

This has to be the saddest episode of Once Upon a time ever. There was another picture I would have rather used than the one above but I couldn't find what I wanted so oh well. I highly recommend that if you haven't watched this episode you don't read past the spoiler section because you will regret it. This was by far the best Wicked witch  arc episode so far. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Enchanted Forest 1 year ago 

The episode begins with Neil and Belle going back to Rumpelstiltskin's castle to find a way to bring Rumple back.  While looking in Rumple's Library they discover a talking candlestick, Lumiere, who tells them he will help them if Rumple frees him from his present state. Speaking of which I loved the visual effects used to create Lumiere it's much better  and looks cooler than the Disney version of the character. Belle asks why she had never seen Lumiere before and he says he is asleep as long as the candle isn't lit. He says Rumple trapped him do Belle says Rumple has changed and would free him. He directs them to a bookcase where they find a thick book and when opening it they find a key to the vault of the Dark One. He then agrees to assist them and guide them there. Belle puts out the candle and they go to prepare for the journey as Zelena appears relighting Lumiere and letting him know he did well fooling them. He begs to be freed but Zelena tells him to watch his tone.

On the way to the vault, they discuss Rumple's sacrifice and Belle says she isn't surprised due to how much effort he put in to trying to find Neil. Neil says he would do the same for Henry. They find a clearing of snow in the forest and light Lumiere. Lumiere tells Neil how to access the vault and he clears the snow and find the keyhole. They ask Lumiere if  he is sure and he says of course because he had been in the candle for over 200 years then Belle knows he was lying because the library has only existed for 30 years. Lumiere admits the Wicked Witch put him up to it so she could control Rumpelstiltskin with the Dark One's dagger. Belle then becomes apprehensive of whether or not they should revive Rumple. Neil says the risks don't matter they should continue. Belle then tells him not to make the same mistake as his father. He does it anyway and puts the key in the vault burning the symbol onto his hand. The vault door opens and black liquid comes out and something comes out as Belle screams "Rumple!".

Neil then collapses and Rumple rushes towards him. Zelena appears and says he should learn from his dad's mistakes. Rumple is furious with Zelena since bringing back Rumple meant Neil would die and his son was tricked. So Rumple has to chose to either hold onto his dagger that controls him or his son. This time he learns from his mistake and picks his son. He drops the dagger and Zelena snatches it. Rumple basically absorbs Neil into himself to keep Neil alive. This is what made him so crazy and explains what all of the voices in his head were. Zelena then orders Rumple to kill Belle and he tries to resist as Lumiere blows flames around Zelena giving Belle time to run. Belle snatches the candle and leaves.    

Storybrooke Present day

Emma runs up to Granny’s and bangs on the door. The group is meeting and try to figure out if Gold is still alive. Hook says that Neil had talked about getting his Dad back when they were in the Enchanted Forest. Emma says they don't even know if Neil is alive. Regina says they have bigger problems like why the Wicked Witch had him. Mary Margaret says they need to talk to Gold. Regina says she’s going to search the farmhouse for clues and Emma tells her to be careful.

Zelena has the dagger and summons the Dark One. She’s upset that it doesn't seem to to be working. She tells her monkeys to find the Dark One. Gold runs through the woods at top speed. Belle asks Emma how it’s possible that Rumple is alive. They ask Belle for a clue in the shop and to keep an eye out for him because he would likely come to her. Hook says he'll stay and help since he’s good at research and can protect her if the witch comes. Belle reminds them he’s tried to kill her before but he says this is his chance to make up for it. Mary wants to help hunt because she’s the best tracker but David says Zelena told her to rest. She agrees.

Belle and Hook work in the shop and she hears someone is banging at the door and she thinks it’s Rumple but it’s Neil. He crumples to the floor unconscious. Meanwhile Emma comes into the apartment with food for Henry. He mocks the bagel and she reminds him they're not in NYC anymore. She asks if he wants to go fishing with Leroy while she works. He tells her she knows something is up with this town with all the old friends she’s never mentioned. Emma makes excuses but he’s not having it. He tells her to come clean or he wants to go back to New York. She gets a call and says she has to go. Emma admits something is up but asks him to trust her for now. Henry agrees and she heads out.

Emma rushes into the hospital as Neil is coming to. It seems like he has also lost the last year. They tell him they think Gold is back and he gets upset. They see a triangle symbol burned into his hand and he has no clue what it is. He asks for a moment with Emma and the others leave. He tells her he’s glad she’s there and can remember him. He asks when he can see Henry and she hesitates then tells him that Henry has no memories of his old life or Neil. She says that all he knows is that his Dad let her go to jail and never came back. Neil wants to get his memories back and Emma says that Henry was really happy and she thinks maybe it’s better that he doesn't get his memories back.

Zelena comes to see Mary and wants her to relax. She pours her orange juice and tells her that babies eat less closer to delivery and she may be closer  to having the baby than she suspects. Zelena tells her she heard about the wicked witch and Mary says she wishes she could help more. Zelena tells her she’s working hard making new life and tells her to drink up and she does. The baby begins moving and Zelena touches her belly and says it works every time. She tells her she won't let her have the baby without her.

Robin meets up with Regina at the farmhouse. He shoots an arrow and she catches it out of the air. He apologizes and says he thought she was the wicked witch and she says she thought he was a flying monkey. He calls her your majesty and begs to keep his head. She says she heard of him and calls him a  thief and he reminds her she was known as the evil queen. Regina says the wicked witch seems to be long gone and he says he will partner her in the search and she tells him to stay out of her way. He agrees and she asks if they met before and he says he wouldn't forget meeting her.

Neil stares at the scar. Hook comes in and brings him some green jello. Neil asks why he got stuck with him and he says Emma didn't want him running loose. He thanks Hook for getting Emma the message to come back.  Neil  thinks he’s done some dark magic to bring his father back. Neil says he’s got to get out there and make things right for his Dad and son. Hook surprises Neil by stepping forward and hugging him tightly. Neil asks what that’s for and Hook says when he looks at him, he often sees the boy that he spent so much time with rather than the man he’s now become. Hook reminds him he looked after him as a child and Neil says he hasn't forgotten. Hook tells him he'll give him 10 minutes head start before he tells the others he’s gone.

David asks Emma about Neil and she tells him she isn't so sure she wants Henry to get his memories back. David asks if she’s planning on going back to NYC after the curse is broken. She admits it’s tempting. They hear someone screaming and they run up and see Gold. He’s holding his head and crying out in pain. He says there are too many voices in his head. A flying monkey swoops down and David attacks it with his sword and then tells Emma to protect Gold who has run off. She pulls out her gun and runs after Gold while David battles the monkey.

Regina and Robin check the farmhouse and she says there’s nothing of use in the bottles they found. She tells him to be patient. Robin tells her he’s heard about evil queen stories and he says she sees more bold and audacious than evil. She tells him the name served her well because fear is an effective tool. He comes closer and asks her if a bottle he found is magical. She tells him it’s a love and strength potion of sorts – she tells him it’s whiskey. He grabs glasses and pours them a drink. He tells her that they've lost a year, survived a curse and more and deserve it. She sees a tattoo on his wrist and recalls it’s the same one that was on the man who Tink said was her happily ever after. She freaks out and leaves the farmhouse.

Neil finds Emma in the woods and she tells him his Dad is roaming the woods alive but crazy. Emma says he seemed like he wanted to tell her about the witch but couldn’t. She agrees to let him hunt with her. Emma tells Neil that Henry has friends at school and she had a boyfriend. He asks if it was serious and she says he proposed then turned into a flying monkey. Neil laughs and she says she almost married a monster from Oz and he tells her he has almost married an evil minion of his grandfather’s Peter Pan. He tells her wants her happy even if it’s not with him. She tells him they were happy once. Belle calls and tells her that the symbol on Neil’s hand is to a key that opens the vault of the Dark One. She thinks Neil resurrected him but if Neil did that he should be dead right now. He collapses to the ground and Emma asks what he did. His face changes and we see Gold. Emma tells Neil that she thinks his Dad is inside him. Neil tells her to use her magic and separate him and his Dad but she’s worried he'll die. He begs her to do it to save her and Henry and she takes his hands. Suddenly Gold is there but Neil is lying on the floor. She holds him in her arms and Neil tells her to tell him who’s the witch. Gold says it’s Zelena and he tells her she wants what she doesn’t have. She asks if Gold can save him and he says it’s too late. She tells him she wants Henry to see him and he tells her to tell him that he was a good father and gives her the necklace he had saved. Emma cries and he tells her he'll watch over them. He tells her to promise they'll both be happy and she holds him as they cry. Gold says he can fix it but Neil says he can’t. He thanks his father for showing what it means to make a true sacrifice. He says it’s about saving the ones you love and says it’s his turn now. He tells his father he loves him and Gold tells him he loves him too and then he’s gone. Gold and Emma are both devastated. Gold kisses his son’s hand and closes his eyes. Emma sits in stunned silence.

Emma and David bust in looking for Zelena. Mary says she’s in the bathroom. David pulls his sword and Emma her gun and they kick the door in. Zelena made an escape and Emma says they have to call Regina to put a protection spell on the apartment. They tells her that Zelena is the wicked witch. She tells her Gold told her and that Neil is gone. Mary holds her and says she’s sorry.

Zelena finds Gold in the woods with Neil’s body and tells him it’s ill-timed. Gold says Neil sacrificed himself so he could tell the savior who she is. He tells her it’s just a matter of time before they come for her. He lunges for her but she has the Dark One’s knife to hold him back. She tells him controlling him is very entertaining and he tells her she'll never be able to get closer to any of them now. Zelena says that no longer matters since she has him and his beautiful brain. She tells him to be a good boy and get back in his cage. He goes back to the farmhouse, back down the stairs and locks himself in the cage. He calls his son’s name.

Regina watches Robin play with his son and is grief stricken again over the loss of Henry. Mary and David come into the shop and Belle hugs Mary as they cry. Emma goes to find Henry and she’s in tears.  She asks how fishing was and he says it’s awesome and they should fish more when they go back home. He sees she’s upset and she sits him down and tells him that she hasn't been honest with him about the case and the town.

She tells him the person that needed help was his father. She says some bad people wanted to hurt his father and she says she was too late to save him and he’s gone. She tells him he was a good man and would have been a great father. She tells him he was a hero and Henry say she wishes he would have known him and she says he did but he says that doesn't make sense. Henry asks what happened to the person that did it and she says they got away but she’s going to find them.

Overview

Overall this episode was one of the best this season and it was heart breaking to see Rumple and Emma watch Neil die. So far my favorite episodes have been Nasty Habits, Good Form, Think Lovely THoughts, Save Henry, and Going Home. I liked these episodes because a majority of them were centered around my favorite characters. I think it was a shame that Neil died before he Henry gained his memories because now Henrry still doesn't know exactly who his father is. I also once again found a WoOz reference/easter egg. in the last episode I theorized that David was the Lion because he lost his courage, in this episode Zelena tells Rumple she needs him for his brains making him the Scarecrow. I'm curious who the tinman will be but we'll see soon. 

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