Skin Deep

Skin Deep is the twelfth episode of Season One of the hit television series Once Upon a Time. It is the twelfth episode of the series overall.

Synopsis
A fateful deal made between Belle (Emilie de Ravin) and Rumplestiltskin is revealed. Belle agrees to live in Rumplestiltskin's castle in exchange for her town's protection from the horrors of The Ogre Wars.

Emma suspects Mr. Gold is planning to seek vigilante justice when a cat burglar robs his house, stealing something precious. Meanwhile, Mary Margaret Blanchard plans a special girls' night out on Valentine's Day with Ruby and Ashley Boyd.

Recap
The episode begins in the castle of an unknown town where Rumplestiltskin arrives to help with the Ogre War. Rumplestiltskin offers the deal of his protection of the town in exchange for Belle's servitude. Belle agrees to his terms. Gaston (Belle's fiance) and Maurice are against the idea but the deal has already been made. In Storybrooke, Mr. Gold repossesses Moe French's van.

Regina insists on speaking with Mr. Gold immediately, but he requests that she please delay the conversation. At the cafe, David Nolan and Mary Margaret are talking when Emma arrives to ask about Henry. Ashley shows up, and Ruby asks if they would like to go out for a girls' night. Emma receives a message and goes to Mr. Gold's house where he says he has been robbed and is a difficult man to love.

Back in the fairy tale world, Belle is thrown in the dungeon of Rumplestiltskin's castle. He lists all of Belle's tasks, and when he jokes about one of the duties, she accidentally drops a tea cup, which chips it. While cleaning his drapes, Belle questions why he spins straw so much. She tries opening the drapes but falls, and he catches her. He agrees to leave the drapes open.

In Storybrooke, Emma threatens to arrest Mr. Gold if he does not tell her what he knows. He accuses Moe French of robbing his home in which Mr. Gold threatens Moe. Emma recovers the majority of Mr. Gold's items, but there is still something missing which upsets him, and he goes after Moe.

In the fairytale world, Belle asks Rumplestiltskin why he wants her there. She asks him about some clothing she found upstairs, and he tells her of his son. She asks to get to know him, and he calls himself a monster. She tells him he is not a monster. Gaston shows up, and Rumplestiltskin turns him into a rose, which he gives to Belle. He asks her about her choice to come live with him. She tells him she did it to be a hero and be brave. He asks her about Gaston, and she tells him that she never cared for Gaston and that their marriage was arranged. He allows her to go to town although he expects to never seen her again. By now, it seems he has fallen in love with Belle.

While out in Storybrooke, Ruby tries to convince Ashley to go get another guy since Sean Herman is always working. David is out getting two Valentine's Day cards when he runs into Mr. Gold. Mr. Gold kidnaps Moe and ties him up in the back of his van. At an undisclosed location, Mr. Gold takes Moe out of the van at gun point.

In the fairytale world, Belle is walking down the road where she runs into the Evil Queen. They talk and the Queen asks her if she is running from someone. She also asks Belle if she loves Rumplestiltskin. The Queen tells her that any curse can be broken. She suggests she kiss him and tells her that true love's kiss will break any curse (which may explain what happened when Graham kissed Emma). Belle returns to the castle much to his suprise. She makes him hold true to tell her about his son. He asks her why she came back, and the two kiss, taking away the curse. He knows the Queen helped her, and he thinks she is working for her. He says that no one can ever love him and throws her back in the dungeon. He smashes things and picks up the cup with the chip but stops and sets it down.

In a cabin in Storybrooke, Mr. Gold threaten's Moe's life. He strikes Moe with his cane and him and says that she is gone forever, and that he is her father. Emma shows up to stop him from harming him any further. At the bar, Ashley is sitting alone, still feeling down, and tells Mary Margaret that she wants to be with Sean. She considers breaking up with him, and Mary Margaret understands what she is going through. Sean shows up and proposes to Ashley, which she accepts, and they kiss. David finds Mary Margaret outside. He gives her a card and tells her he didn't want her finding anyone else. He accidentally gives her the wrong card, and Mary Margaret tells him he should go home. Back at the cabin, Emma questions Mr. Gold and places him under arrest.

In the fairytale world, Belle is sitting in the dungeon when Rumplestiltskin enters and allows her to go free. He tells her he doesn't want her any more. She tells him that he could have had happiness and calls him a coward. He tells her his power means more to him than she does, which she says isn't true and that he will regret his choice. She tells him that he will have an empty heart and a chipped cup and leaves broken-hearted.

At the sheriff's station in Storybrooke, Emma talks to Mr. Gold, who is behind bars. He tells her he doesn't need a reminder that she owes him a favour. Regina shows up and allows Henry to go with Emma. She wants to talk to Mr. Gold who asks if she has what he wants, and she says, "Yes." Regina says that she put Moe up to breaking into his house. She just wants him to answer one question: What is his name? When he replies, "Mr. Gold," she asks him what his name is elsewhere. He tells her his name is Rumplestiltskin. She gives him the chipped tea cup after he forces her with the "please" enchantment. He says that nothing between them will change.

Back in the fairytale world, The Queen shows up and asks Rumplestiltskin to make a deal with her. She wants to talk about a mermaid. He says that she will never be more powerful than him. She tells him she had nothing to with Belle's death. She reveals that because of her time with Rumplestiltskin, Maurice treated her with cruelty when she returned home and was locked in a tower for an "exorcism," which resulted in her throwing herself off the tower. She mocks him by telling him he should get a new girl because the place is getting dirty. Rumplestiltskin then admires the chipped tea cup and uses it to replace a gold chalice, quietly sobbing afterwards.

Regina is seen going down into what appears to be the psychiatric ward in the basement of the hospital where she gives a nurse a rose, who informs her that no one has come to see "her" that day. She walks down and approaches a door. Inside the room is Belle's counterpart locked up in a cell.

Appearances

 * Emma Swan
 * Mary Margaret Blanchard
 * David Nolan
 * Regina (Evil Queen) / Regina Mills
 * Henry
 * Belle / Rose French
 * Gaston
 * Rumplestiltskin / Mr. Gold
 * Maurice / Moe French
 * Ruby
 * Mr. Clark
 * Sean Herman
 * Ashley Boyd

Quote
"True love's kiss will break any curse."

- Evil Queen to Belle

Trivia

 * Rumplestiltskin is The Beast of "Beauty and the Beast".
 * While visiting Rumplestiltskin the Queen mentions a mermaid, a possible reference to Ariel from "The Little Mermaid".
 * The fact Mr. Gold is aware of his past life is confirmed in this episode.
 * The outfits worn by Belle resemble those from the Disney movie.
 * The story is backwards compared to the Disney story. Belle goes from a princess to a maid opposed to her going from a maid to princess.
 * The rose Rumplestiltskin turns Gaston into is a reference to the Enchanted Rose that kept the original Beast a monster.
 * A few references are made to the servant staff from Disney's Beauty and the Beast:
 * The chipped tea cup is a reference to Chip, the tea pot is also a reference to his mother, Mrs. Potts.
 * A small clock and three pronged candle stick, can be seen on one of the tables, a reference to Cogsworth, and Lumiere.
 * Among the other items in Rumplestiltskin's dining hall are:
 * A spinning wheel with which he turns hay into gold
 * Gepetto's mother and father in puppet form
 * What appears to be the golden fleece
 * A sword, possibly James' twin brother's
 * His old walking stick
 * A chalice, later replaced by the chipped tea cup
 * What appears to be a music box
 * An arrow and small bow
 * A whip
 * A lamp, possibly the Magic Mirror's
 * The hat which appears to be from the Sorcerer's Apprentice.
 * What appears to be a book on magic
 * Suits of armor
 * Assorted artwork
 * An axe resembling the Slayer's Scythe, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
 * A scene between Archie and David was cut. The reason is unknown.
 * Behind the opening title, Rumplestiltskin's spinning wheel can be seen in the forest.
 * When Belle says "Any curse can be broken," after kissing Rumplestiltskin (the Beast), he rushes over to the mirror, uncovers it and starts yelling at the Evil Queen. This is likely because she can spy through all mirrors, no matter what kind. This the reason why, in the beginning of the episode, "The Beast" has all the mirrors covered.

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