The Price of Gold

The Price of Gold is the fourth episode of Season One of Once Upon a Time. It is the fourth episode of the series overall.

Synopsis
A pregnant woman enlists Emma Swan's help to escape from Storybrooke - and from the enigmatic Mr. Gold - while a secret deal made between Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin is revealed.

Recap
The episode opens up with Cinderella’s stepsisters going to the ball. The Fairy Godmother appears to Cinderella and tells her although her step-mother said she cannot go, she is going to go anyway. However, immdiately after, the Fairy Godmother explodes in an horrendous, yet amazing display of fire.

She is swiftly incinerated, and Rumpelstiltskin appears and grabs the wand. Cinderella shouts in despair, saying he just killed her Fairy Godmother, and that the wand is pure magic. He replies that the wand is pure evil and that he just saved her. Cinderella asks if he knows her how to use it.

He tells her all magic comes with a price. She tells Rumpelstiltskin she will do anything to have her life change for the better. He tells her if she can shoulder the consequences he will give her what she wants. He tells her he wants a favor. Cinderella tells him she will give him anything if he can get her out of her present life of misery. He agrees to do this, for a price: she must give him something of hers, to be decided upon by him at a later date and taken by him sometime in the future. He makes her sign a contact agreeing to his terms. After this, he waves the wand and she has a beautiful ball gown and glass slippers and wishes her to have a good time but to watch the clock.

Back in Storybrooke, Henry and Emma are walking down the streets of Storybrooke. Emma drops Henry off at his school bus and the sheriff shows up, siren blazing. The sheriff tells Emma he is thanking her for helping to find David Nolan and offers her a job as a deputy. He asks her to think about it.

Emma heads to the diner for hot chocolate and meets with Regina who wants to know how her walk with Henry went. Regina tells Emma she no longer worries her, because Emma does not stay anywhere very long. Regina knows that Emma is living with Mary Margaret and believes that Emma won’t change because she lives a transient life.

After Regina leaves, Emma drops the hot chocolate all over herself. She heads to the laundry room in the restaurant to wash her clothes. She meets a pregnant girl (Cinderella from the storyverse). The girl tells Emma her baby could come any day. She tells Emma no one thinks she can take care of the baby because she is only 19. Emma tells her the choice is hers because she decides what she wants.

The scene changes to Mr. Gold is leaving his pawnbroker shop. After he is seen leaving, the girl from the laundry room (Ashley) puts a brick through the window of his shop. She finds a wall safe and Mr. Gold walks in and asks him what he is doing. She tells him she is changing his life and sprays pepper spray in his eyes and takes the key for the safe from his belt.

Regina is telling Henry she does not enjoy council meetings. Regina tells Henry under no circumstances does he leave the house and he of course leaves anyway.

Henry watches her leave, gets his bag and he is not listening to her because he is clearly leaving the house.

Margaret Mary and Emma are eating and someone comes to the door it is Mr. Gold to see Emma. He tells Emma he has a proposition for her as he is looking for someone. Mary Margaret leaves and Mr. Gold gives Emma a picture and it is Ashley Boyd. Emma asks why he does not go to the police and he says he does not want to ruin her life. He just wants something back she has of his. Mr. Gold begs her to help him because he does not want to see Ashley’s baby born in jail.

Henry bursts in the door and sees Mr. Gold. Mr. Gold wishes Emma good luck as he leaves. Henry asks Emma if she knows who that was and says that he is still trying to figure it out.

Emma tells Henry that Ashley is pregnant and desperate and she has to find her. Henry wants to help her look because he wants to spend time with Emma.

Back in Fairytale Land, Cinderella is watching fireworks with Prince Thomas. The fireworks are to celebrate their wedding. Snow White and Prince Charming are at the wedding and Snow White compliments Cinderella because she showed that anyone can change their life.

Rumpelstiltskin shows up and tells Cinderella he is proud of her too. He asks if she got everything she desired and right away Cinderella asks what his price is. He tells her it is something she does not posses yet but it is something that is coming, her first born. Yikes – this Rumpel has a thing for babies – first born babies.

Cinderella is in her room and she is packing a bag, her husband, the prince, comes in and asks where she is going. Cinderella tells him she is pregnant and he wonders why she is upset. Cinderella tells him she made a deal with Rumpestilskin that she would give him her first born child. She tells her husband she is going to lose everything, Rumpelstilskin is too powerful. Her husband the Prince tells her they will make another deal.

Emma is questioning Ruby about Ashley and Ruby tells Emma she has a step-mother and two step-sisters. Ruby tells Emma, Ashley is really trying to put her life back together. Emma heads over to Sean, Ashley’s ex and the Prince's real world counterpart. Sean’s father comes out and tells Emma that he is not going to let his son ruin his life. Sean's father tells Emma that he made a deal that Ashley would give up her child. He tells Emma that he found someone who will pay her very well for the baby. Emma realizes it is Mr. Gold who has bought the baby.

Henry is telling Emma that she cannot make Ashley break a deal with Mr. Gold. Emma and Henry head to the restaurant to see Ruby and Emma is upset because Ruby did not tell her that Ashley sold the baby. Emma realizes that Ruby gave Ashley her car. Emma asks Ruby to tell her where Ashley is so she does not have to deal with Mr. Gold alone.

Ruby tells her Ashley left ½ hour ago for Boston because she believe she can disappear there.

Back to the fairy tale Cinderella and the Prince and the dwarves are in a cave where they have a prison in which they are going to trap Rumpelstiltskin. They have a plan, they sent a message to Rumpelstiltskin telling him the doctor heard two heartbeats and there has to be a new deal twins. They show her a red feather quill and a spell has been put on it and anyone who signs with it will be frozen in time.

Back to current time Emma and Henry are driving and they see Ruby’s car crashed and deserted at the town line – and then they hear screaming and they see Ashley on the side or the road her baby is coming.

Emma and Henry have Ashley in the car and they are driving back to the hospital. Ashley is distressed she is frightened that Mr. Gold is going to take her child. Emma tells her if she wants her baby she must grow up.

Back to the fairytale Cinderella is meeting Rumpelstiltskin and tells him she wants to alter the bargain. He tells her that is not what he does, she lies and tells him she's having twins. He asks her if she wants to give up both. She tells him her husband is having problems – the lands are poor and they cannot feed their people. She tells him she can have more children but she cannot make her land fertile. She tells Rumpelstiltskin that if he signs on the dotted line and makes their land fertile he can have both children.

Rumpelstiltskin takes the red quill and tells him the only way to stop him is with magic. He tells her remember all magic comes with a cost. He tells her if she imprisons him she will be even more in dept to her. He takes the quill and signs the contract and he is frozen. He tells her no one breaks deals with him and assures him no matter where she goes he will have her baby one day.

Back to current time Henry tells Emma she is different because she is the only one that can leave Storybrooke. Henry tells her she is the savior she can do anything she wants. The nurse comes to tell Emma the baby is born and the new baby girl and mother are doing fine. Mr. Gold shows up and thanks Emma for finding his baby.

Back to the story book Cinderella tells the Prince she is so happy because she thought she would have to go back to her old life. The Prince tells Cinderella that as long as he is alive nothing will happen to her. Cinderella starts to get sick and the Prince runs for water for her. She calls the Prince to come back she is better and finds his cape but her husband has gone. Cinderella runs to the cage that has Rumpelstiltskin and demands to know where her husband is. He tells her that he told her all magic comes with a price. He tells her she will not find her husband until the price is paid and he has her baby.

Mr. Gold is speaking to Emma and she wants to know why he called a baby his merchandise. He tells her if anyone could understand why someone would give up a baby she should.Emma tells him he is not getting the baby and he tells her yes he is and if he does not he will call the police and the baby will end up in the system.

Emma tells Mr. Gold she is willing to go to court and test if the contract will hold up in court – Mr. Gold realizes that he can’t bluff Emma. Emma asks him to tear the contract up. He tells her it is not what he does. Mr. Gold asks her if he lets Ashley have the baby is she willing to give him a favour in the future. Emma agrees! Mr. Gold is the only one beside Henry who seems to understand that Emma is very special – the daughter of Snow White!

Emma goes to visit Ashley and Ashley tells her the baby’s name is Alexandra. Emma tells her that she took care of Mr. Gold,as she made a deal with him.

Emma sees it is almost 5PM and she has to get Henry home because his mother is expecting him. Emma tells Henry she has decided her code name is Pumpkin in honor of Cinderella. Henry tells her he has a better one ,but is not sure she is ready to hear it yet.

She lets Henry off and he runs up the stairs just as his mom gets home. Regina storms up the stairs and tells him not to leave his shoes lying on the stairs someone could get hurt.

Sean shows up at the hospital to see Ashley and the baby and tells her he is back. He brought a present for the baby, a pair of slippers and Ashely tells him "they're perfect".

Emma calls the Sheriff and asks if the deputy job is still open she thinks it is time to set roots. She asks if Regina is going to be happy. Meanwhile we learn that the person Regina was sleeping with is the Sheriff…

Appearances

 * Emma Swan
 * Henry
 * Cinderella
 * Ruby
 * Sean Herman
 * Alexandra Boyd
 * Ashley Boyd
 * Mr. Gold
 * Regina
 * Snow White
 * Prince Thomas Charming
 * Prince James Charming
 * Rumpelstiltskin
 * the Fairy Godmother

Quotes
Cinderella: What? What did you do? Rumplestiltskin: Now, now, I got what I wanted. There's no need to be frightened. Cinderella: No need? You just killed my fairy godmother. She was trying to help me. Rumplestiltskin: Was she? Do you know what this is? Cinderella: Pure magic. Rumplestiltskin: Pure evil. Trust me, I've done you a favor. All magic comes with a price.
 * Fairy godmother: This wand has the power to take you to the ball, to your prince, and to a life... [she explodes]


 * Cinderella: (seeing her slippers) Glass?


 * Rumpelstiltskin: Every story needs a memorable detail.


 * Regina: People don't change. They only fool themselves into believing they can.


 * Emma: People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. You just got to punch back and say, "no, this is who I am." You want people to look at you differently? Make them. You want to change things? You're going to have to go out there and change them yourself, because there are no fairy godmothers in this world.


 * Prince Thomas: Magic may have brought us together, but it didn't create this love.

Cinderella: But how will we get him here? He's alluded all forever. Grumpy: His strength is also his weakness: his deals. He can't resist making them, and when already know who he wants to deal with next: you.
 * Prince James: Rumplstiltskin is the most dangerous man in all the realms. He needs his own special prison, so we converted the mines to hold him.


 * Henry: (to Emma) You're the savior. You can do whatever you want.

Mr. Gold: I like you, Miss Swan. You're not afraid of me, and that either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you on my side.
 * Emma: You know, no jury will put a woman in jail whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child. I'm willing to roll the dice that contract stands up. Are you? Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow I suspect that there's more to you than a simple pawnbroker. You really want to start that fight?

Emma: What do you want? Mr. Gold: Oh, I don't know just yet. You'll owe me a favor. Emma: Deal.
 * Mr. Gold: So, I put it to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?

Trivia

 * Henry hasn't figured out Mr. Gold is Rumpelstilskin as of yet.
 * Behind the opening title, Cinderella's fairy godmother can be seen.

1x04 The Price of Gold