Tonight we learn about the circumstances that created the rift between Arthur and Lancelot, and Guinevere’s involvement. In the present, Emma gets to work making Rumple a hero. Watch a sneak peek of tonight’s Once Upon a Time, airing at 8:00pm ET|PT.
In last week’s Once Upon a Time, both the past and present storylines revealed that King Arthur had intentions towards our heroes.
“Siege Perilous” took us back to Camelot where Snow, Regina, and Belle tried to figure out how to free Merlin from the tree without using Emma’s dark magic. The decided they needed a toadstool that would help them communicate with Merlin. Then he’d be able to tell them hoe to free him. The crimson crown grew in the forest of eternal night surrounded by powerful magic. In the interest of being useful, Charming decided to track the toadstool down, and Arthur decided to join the quest.
Before they left, Arthur showed David the roundtable, focussing on Siege Perilous, the seat reserved for the knight with the purest heart. It was Lancelot’s seat, but after his betrayal with Guinevere (and his death), Arthur didn’t think anyone else could fill the seat. Arthur also showed Charming Camelot’s reliquary, a chest of the magical relics collected by the Knights of the Roundtable. They would use the unquenchable flame to guide them to the forest of eternal night.
As they quested, Charming and Arthur bonded over their humble beginnings, the loved of their wives, and good drink. When they came across the toadstool, they had to cross a moat to teach it. Charming volunteered to cross the bridge, and he got the crimson crown. But on his way back he was attacked by magical soldiers living in the water. Charming fought, but was pulled under. Arthur eventually came to help (he took too long, in my opinion), and though Charming was saved, they lost the crimson crown.
Back at Camelot, Arthur invited Charming to become a Knight of the Round Table. He was even given the honor of sitting at Siege Perilous. During the ceremony, Snow took baby Neal outside to comfort him and was met by none other than Lancelot! He wasn’t dead and warned Snow that there was a terrible villain in Camelot, worse than the Dark One. That person was Arthur! (We got a glimpse of this when we saw that Arthur had the missing toadstool.)
In present-day Storybrooke, Emma tried to figure out how to free Exclaibur. She even went as far as to steal Happy’s pick-axe while the dwarves were working. The dwarves were livid and complained to Snow and Charming. Something had to be done and the dwarves were thinking of taking matters into their own hands.
Charming promised to try and get the axe back, but ultimately he felt powerless about how to save Emma. Snow tried to reassure him (“In any world, you are my hero. *FEELS*), but Charming was still despondent. Afterwards, Arthur came by for help. Camelot’s reliquary had been robbed. In particular, there was a magical bean that could transport the people of Camelot back home. Charming offered to help Arthur located it. Thus, in past and present, the two quested together.
Charming and Arthur went to Belle to see if anyone had come by the shop to pawn any items in the reliquary. But Charming came up with another idea. He took a cup Belle had left over from Doc’s birthday party (Doctoberfest, FTW!), and told the people from Camelot that it was a magical chalice of vengeance. They would all drink from the cup and it would reveal the real thief. Things didn’t have to go that far before Arthur’s squire, Grif, took off running. In a very interesting modern-day joust (horse vs. truck), Charming was able stop Grif. He admitted to taking the reliquary to get back at Arthur for poor treatment. A magic bean wasn’t in the chest, but a toadstool was! Charming recognized it and took it to Regina and Snow (who recognized it from the book). They figured that they must have been trying to communicate with Merlin back in Camelot. They could use it now to figure out how to help Emma.
Elsewhere, Emma tried to use the axe to remove Excalibur, but it just broke against the stone. Fairy Rumple reminded her that they needed a hero to pull the sword out…and they both seemed to have an idea who they could use. She had Killian meet her at the Jolly Roger and then recreated their first date (*SWOON*). But heartache followed…Killian said that he loved Emma (past-tense, *CRIES*), but couldn’t be with her as the Dark One (what was behind the locked door at her house???). Emma disappeared in a puff of smoke.
However, it turned out the entire encounter was a ruse. To revive Rumple, Emma needed an object that touched him before he became the Dark One… that object was Killian’s cutlass that he’d used to threaten Rumple. Now that Rumple was awake, Emma planned to mold him into the purest hero who would then pull Excalibur from the stone (a very interesting twist on Rumple’s attempt last season to corrupt the Savior!).
Later, we also learned that Arthur told Grif to pretend to steal the reliquary. This was a first step in reclaiming Storybrooke as his kingdom. Arthur asked Grif to drink a poison and kill himself, preventing him from being compelled to tell the truth about Arthur’s plan. Dying in service of Camelot was enough of an enticement for Grif. (CRAZINESS!)
In tonight’s episode “The Broken Kingdom”, written by David H. Goodman & Jerome Schwartz, directed by Alrick Riley, and with Sinqua Walls (Lancelot), Amy Manson (Merida), and Liam Garrigan (King Arthur) returning as guest stars:
WHEN SHE LEARNS KING ARTHUR MAY BE HIDING HIS TRUE INTENTIONS, MARY MARGARET MUST CONVINCE DAVID AND THE HEROES OF HER SUSPICION BEFORE THEY JEOPARDIZE EMMA’S SAFETY—After receiving a cryptic warning from Lancelot about Arthur’s intentions, Mary Margaret realizes Arthur may be the heroes’ biggest threat, but when she is unable to convince David of the danger, she takes matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, Hook’s unwavering love for Emma provides a glimmer of hope in her struggle against the unrelenting voice of Rumplestiltskin. In a Camelot flashback, Guinevere senses that Arthur is losing his way, consumed by his obsession with making Excalibur whole, so she sets out with Lancelot on her own quest into the heart of darkness. In Storybrooke, Dark Emma unleashes a secret weapon in the next phase of her plan to find the brave soul she needs to draw Excalibur from the stone. (via ABC)
There is SO much going on! From the beginning, we’ve had the feeling that Arthur is suspect. That feeling has been confirmed by Lancelot. But now I wonder if Arthur has anything to do with Emma going fully dark back in Camelot. And in the present, I’m super curious to see how Emma plans to make Rumple into a hero.
Below, you can Watch two clips from the upcoming show. In the first video, Fairy Dark Rumple guides Emma to Regina’s room to find the dagger. When Rumple’s voice continuously taunts Emma, she blasts him away, almost hurting Killian.
In the second clip, Charming tries to convince Snow to give Arthur Emma’s dagger and the two get into an argument. When he questions her about Lancelot, Snow loses her cool and attacks Charming’s motives for becoming a knight of the Round Table:
“He’s here…he’s always here.” POOR EMMA! This might be inappropriate, but I love how Killian is always there to offer her comfort 🙂
Also, I’m totally on Snow’s side. Charming has been sipping way too much of Arthur’s kool-aid and it’s poisoned his mind. Arthur clearly can’t be trusted and Charming better remember where his true loyalties lie.
What do you think?
Check out these images from “The Broken Kingdom” and make sure to tune in to ABC at 8:00pm ET|PT for the episode. Remember to join me over on twitter to live tweet the show!
