Queen of Hearts (Episode)/Transcript

''SCENE: The Enchanted Forest. Past. The Dark Palace. A stranger covered with a dark cloak approaches to the guards, among them Claude, who protect Belle's cellblock entrance. ''

Claude: Halt.

Stranger: Food for the prisoner (he shows a pail with some food).

Claude: It's not eating time. Who are you?! Identify yourself, slave!

(Another Guard appears. The Stranger is revealed to be Hook as he kills the Guards with his hook)

Hook: "Slave"... I prefer the term "Captain". (He steals the guard's keys, and enters Belle's cell) Hi. You must be Belle.

Belle: The Queen sent you, didn't she? She wants you to kill me.

Hook: I'm not here to kill you, love. I'm here to rescue you.

Belle: Rescue me? Who are you?

Hook: A friend. We haven't much time. Your father's life is in danger. He's being attacked by the very same monster who stole you away from your family in the first place.

Belle: (chuckles) Rumplestiltskin?

Hook: The Dark One. He must be stopped. You've spent more time with him than anyone. There are rumors of a magical weapon that has the power to kill him.

Belle: No. No. No. Let... let me talk to him. He's not a monster.

Hook: Belle, your father's life hangs in the balance. I need to know what that weapon is and where to find it.

Belle: I don't know what you're talking about and I have no idea how to... kill Rumplestiltskin.

Hook: You don't?

Belle: No! And... nor would I.

Hook: Hmm. Then I'm afraid I'm not here to rescue you. (Slaps Belle, knocking her unconscious) So pretty... yet so useless. (Raises his hook to kill her, but it suddenly disappears)

Evil Queen: No. Not useless. She's a valuable chess piece.

Hook: Do I look like I'm playing a game of chess? My hook, if you please?

Evil Queen: No.

Hook: The asking was me being a gentleman.

Evil Queen: Is that any way to address a queen? Even a pirate should have better manners than that. Yes. I know who you are... Captain. I know why you came here from Neverland, and I know all about the crocodile you wish to skin.

Hook: Then you also know that I'll stop at nothing.

Evil Queen: So dedicated and resourceful. No one has been able to fight their way past my defenses before. She can't help you kill Rumplestiltskin, Hook. But I can, If you do something for me. Care to join me for a drink?

(Scene transitions to another part of the Dark Palace)

Evil Queen: Things are about to change in this world. Radically. I have plans to enact a curse that will take everyone to a far off land.

Hook: How will that help me?

Evil Queen: This new realm? It's a land without magic, where the Dark One will be stripped of his powers. There you won't need any magical weapon to kill him. You can do it with a mere flick of your wrist.

Hook: Tell me what I have to do.

Evil Queen: There's one person I don't want following me to this new land. You're to see to it that doesn't happen.

Hook: An assassination. Who is it you want me to dispose of?

Evil Queen: My mother.

''SCENE: Storybrooke. Present Day. Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop. Regina checks in on David who is still under the sleeping curse.''

Mr. Gold: Any change?

Regina: No. He's not improving. He needs true love's kiss. He won't wake up until Mary Margaret comes back.

Mr. Gold: Until? Well, that's rather optimistic, isn't it?

Regina: What are you talking about?

Mr. Gold: They're up against your mother. The only chance Snow and Emma have of defeating her, is with the squid ink.

Regina: Which is why you sent the message through David.

Mr. Gold: Which would be beneficial, if we knew that message were delivered. But alas, given the Prince's condition, we don't know. As such, it's important we take precautions. We have to consider the possibility that, when that portal opens, it won't be his family that comes through. It'll be Cora.

Regina: And neither one of us wants that.

Mr. Gold: We have to find where they're coming through, and destroy that portal.

Regina: But whoever came through would die.

Mr. Gold: Exactly. But, I'm confident between the two of us, we can summon up enough magic to complete the task.

Regina: Well, what if we're wrong? What if that portal opens up, and it's not my mother? What if Mary Margaret and Emma do defeat Cora, and go through it?

Mr. Gold: Well, I believe in this world, they call that a win-win.

Regina: How exactly is that?

Mr. Gold: If we stop Cora, you are protected from your mother's wrath. If, on the other hand, we stop Snow and Emma, well… you become the only mother in your son's life, now don't you? Look, magic is unpredictable in this world. If something unfortunate were to happen while you were attempting to help… (scoffs) Henry could hardly blame you for that, could he?

Regina: No. I can't lie to him. I am trying to be a better mother.

Mr. Gold: You won't be able to be a better anything if Cora comes through. And if she does, she will be a threat to everyone, including your son. So, if you truly want to be a good mother to Henry, to protect him, if you want to be better, prove it.

''SCENE: The Enchanted Forest. Present. Rumplestiltskin's cell.''

Mary Margaret: Huh. Rumplestiltskin's cell. I haven't been here since before Regina's curse. This is where he told us you were going to be the savior.

Emma: He knew?

Mary Margaret: Oh, it was prophesized. Come on.

Aurora: The squid ink... it's not here.

Mary Margaret: Gold said we would find it.

Mulan: Well, was there anyone else in here with him? Could they have taken the ink?

Mary Margaret: No, he was kept alone. Visitors were forbidden. He was too dangerous to allow any human contact.

Emma: How'd he keep from going crazy?

Aurora: He didn't. (Holding an item)

Mary Margaret: What is it?

Emma: Is that a message?

Aurora: Yes. And I think it's for you.

Emma: Why would you think... that? (Aurora holds out a scroll with Emma's name written on it. Over and over again)

''SCENE: Storybrooke. Present. Mr.Gold's Pawn shop.''

Henry: (reading from his book) "With one kiss, true love's power made everything right again. But this was not the end of their story. It was just the beginning."

Regina: I think this time, it'll happen the other way around.

Henry: You think so?

Regina: I do. Which is why I need you to stay here and watch David for a little while.

Henry: Where are you going?

Regina: Mr. Gold and I need to prepare for Emma and Mary Margaret's return. Coming through the portal won't be easy. We need to make sure everything's in place.

Henry: Really? You're really going to help them?

Regina: I promised you I was going to do better, to be better. So, yes, I'm going to do everything in my power to see to it they come home safely.

Henry: Wow. You really have changed.

Regina: Be back as soon as I can.

''SCENE: Storybrooke. Present. Storybrooke Mines.''

Mr. Gold: I'm really glad you, uh, came to your senses.

Regina: Let's just get this over with.

Mr. Gold: It's right through here. Ah, yes. Should suit our purposes, no?

Regina: How much do we need?

Mr. Gold: (scoffs) All of it.

Regina: How are we going to do that?

Mr. Gold: With a little help from a fairy. Dead one. Believe me, no one mourns her.

''SCENE: The Enchanted Forest. Past. The Dark Palace.''

Evil Queen: It's now… enchanted. It will enable you to rip out her heart. I believe you've seen it done before.

Hook: Yes.

Evil Queen: The enchantment will only allow you to rip out one heart, so make sure you do it right.

Hook: What could she have possibly done to warrant such brutality?

Evil Queen: That's my business. Yours is to kill her, and bring her body back to me.

Hook: Easy enough. When will I set forth on this murderous journey?

Evil Queen: Immediately. But you won't be going alone. You remember Claude?

Hook: Can't say that I do.

Evil Queen: You killed him in the cell block.

Hook: Ah, yes. I didn't recognize him without my hook in his neck. Forgive me, but isn't he a bit of dead weight?

Evil Queen: I banished my mother to a far-off land some time ago. You're going to need a portal to get to her. The rules are simple. One goes in, one comes back. Or in this case, two in, two back. You'll arrive with Claude, and you'll return with my mother.

Hook: Now tell me... which far-off land do I have the pleasure of visiting today?

Evil Queen: Wonderland.

Hook: Happily named, I'm sure. How will I find her?

Evil Queen: Oh, don't worry. She'll find you.

''SCENE: Wonderland. Past.''

Knave of Hearts: Kneel, before the Queen of Hearts.

Hook: Appreciate the warm welcome.

Knave of Hearts: The Queen wants to know why you've come to Wonderland.

Hook: I'm in search of someone. In her native land, she goes by Cora.

Cora: In this land, she goes by Your Majesty. Leave us. (the crowd leaves) Your name, pirate?

Hook: Hook.

Cora: What a clever nickname.

Hook: I come bearing gifts, if you allow me.

Cora: This hat, your portal... If I understand correctly, the same number who travels through, must also return. You arrived with him, but who shall you return with?

Hook: You. (tries to rip her heart out but cannot) What?

Cora: I'm the Queen of Hearts. Do you really think I'd be so careless, as to keep my heart where everyone else does? This... (sticks her hand into his chest) is how it's done. Tell me, who did this? Who sent you here to kill me? Who?

Hook: Your daughter.

Cora: Regina? She...wants me dead? You're now going to tell me everything, and do exactly what I want. Because when you hold a heart, you control it. You have the power.

''SCENE: The Enchanted Forest. Present. Rumplestiltskin's cell. Emma is staring at the parchment with her name on it.''

Emma: What does this even mean?

Mary Margaret: He was obsessed with you, Emma. You were the key to breaking the curse.

Aurora: We've looked everywhere. There's no ink in this cell.

Mary Margaret: Well, it has to be. He told David.

Emma: You were in a Netherworld. Maybe something got lost in translation.

Mulan: No. She heard right.

Mary Margaret: You found it?

Mulan: In a manner of speaking. There was ink in the cell.

Emma: Son of a bitch ... Aurora, what are you doing?! (Cora and Hook arrive.)

Cora: Helping me. (collects the compass magically)

Emma: No!

Cora: No. Don't waste your energy, dear. Rumplestiltskin himself couldn't escape from this cell. Thank you, Aurora. We couldn't have done it without you.

Emma: Why would you do this?

Mary Margaret: How could you?

Cora: (chuckles) Don't blame her. She was only doing what she was told. (pulls out Aurora's heart)

Emma: You took her heart?

Hook: Actually, I did. It was a gift.

Cora: Forgive us. We'd love to stay, but Storybrooke awaits.

Emma: Hook. Wait. Please don't do this. My son is in Storybrooke. He needs me.

Hook: Perhaps you should've considered that, before you abandoned me on that beanstalk.

Emma: You would've done the same.

Hook: Actually, no. Do you know what this is, Emma?

Emma: The bean that the giant kept.

Hook: Yes, indeed. A pirate always keeps a souvenir of his conquest, but this...well, this is much more than a mere trinket. This is a symbol...something that was once magical, full of hope, possibility. Mm. Now look at it. Dried up, dead, useless. Much like you. The time for making deals is done, just as I'm done...with you.

''SCENE: Storybrooke. Present Day. Storybrooke Mines.''

Ruby: Leroy! What is it? What's the emergency? Leroy.

Leroy: They're gone. They're all gone. (Ruby looks up, only to see that all of the diamonds are missing.)

''SCENE: Mr.Gold's Pawn shop. Henry is reading to a sleeping David when Ruby, Leroy, Doc, and Happy come in.''

Henry: (reading from his book) "And yes, she was beyond hope, beyond saving. (doorbell jingles) This was her end." (Ruby enters with the dwarves)

Ruby: Where are they? Regina and Gold.

Henry: What's going on?

Ruby: All the magic has been drained from the mines.

Henry: They stole it?

Leroy: They snuck in after our shift and took everything. Nobody steals from a dwarf!'''  Doc:''' Except the Queen.

Happy: And Rumplestiltskin.

Henry: If they're not helping Emma and Mary Margaret that… that means my mom lied to me.

Ruby: I'm sorry, Henry.

Henry: We need to find her. We need to stop them. We need to help Emma and Mary Margaret.

''SCENE: The Enchanted Forest. Present. Rumplestiltskin's cell. Emma tries to break down the cell bars with her sword.''

Mary Margaret: We aren't going to break it down, Emma. It was enchanted to hold Rumplestiltskin. We don't have a chance.

Aurora: This is my fault.

Mulan: No, it's mine. Cora stole your heart because I failed to protect you.

Emma: That's very sweet, but I believe it's my fault. I'm the savior, and I'm not doing much saving, am I?

Mary Margaret: (sitting down next to Emma) We're going to win this fight, you know. Good always defeats evil.

Emma: You sound like Henry.

Mary Margaret: Guess optimism runs in the family.

Emma: I think it skipped a generation.

Mary Margaret: You should know better than anybody. You broke the curse.

Emma: What have I done since then? I got us stranded over here, burned down the wardrobe, let Cora get the ash, and now, the compass. The only reason I ever broke the curse, was because it was exactly what Gold wanted me to do. I had nothing to do with it.

Mary Margaret: What are you talking about?

Emma: He told you I was the savior. It was his plan. Once I fulfilled that role, maybe that's all I was ever meant to do. Everything I've ever done… He had it all mapped out before I was even born. I'm not powerful. I'm… I'm not… A savior. I'm a name on a piece of paper. (shows Mary Margret the last lines of the scroll) I'm a pawn, and that's exactly why we are in here. And Cora's on her way to Storybrooke.

''SCENE: The Enchanted Forest. Present.''

Hook: Where are we going?

Cora: Lake Nostos. The legend says its waters hold the power to restore what was once lost. It'll return magic to what remains of this wardrobe. And then we'll be able to cross worlds(She and Hook approach the dry bed of the lake.)

Hook:  I may be a simple pirate but, I know one thing...lakes have water.

(Cora moves her hand and digs a big hole in the lake. A geyser is born and water flows from it)

Cora: After everything we've been through, why do you still doubt me?

''SCENE: Wonderland. Past. Cora still has her hand inside Hook's chest.''

Hook: I've told you all I know, now have some honor and kill me.

Cora: (Chuckles) Honor? For the pirate who snuck into my palace to assassinate me?

Hook: At your daughter's behest.

Cora: She should've come. She should've killed me herself. (Cora squeezes Hook's heart in his chest but then lets it go and Hook falls down. Cora sits back down in her chair.)

Hook: (Gasping for breath) Mercy seems a bit out of character.

Cora: Oh not mercy Hook, you're going to help me. Regina knows my methods better than anyone, if I was controlling you she'd know. This has to be your choice.

Hook: Why should I?

Cora: Cause my dear, I'm the only one who can give you what you want.

Hook: (Grins) Is that so?

Cora: This curse my daughter plans to enact, this new land she's taking everyone to, you won't remember who you are. So tell me Capitan, how do you expect to kill someone when you can't even remember him. But if you do what I say, I'll make sure you not only kill him, but remember single moment.

Hook: Well, what shall you have me do?

Cora: Get me close to my daughter. And then I'll rip her heart out.

''SCENE: The Enchanted Forest. Past. Cora's body lies in coffin.'' Hook: (to the Evil Queen) Satisfied?

Evil Queen: Did she put up a fight?

Nothing I couldn't handle.

Evil Queen: Thank you. Now leave us. I would like a moment alone to say goodbye. (Hook exits.) I'm sorry mother. Without you I would've never become the person I am now. But I had no choice. I had to do this. After you killed Daniel, you told me something I've never forgotten, "Love is weakness". Oh, mother, you are my weakness because I love you. That's why I couldn't risk taking you to the new land with me. Your grip on my heart is just too strong. And for what I need to do, I can't have any weakness. (She places a rose upon her mother.) Goodbye, mother. (The Evil Queen exits. Cora holds the rose tight. Hook enters again.)

Hook: What happened? You didn't kill her. (Hook helps Cora up.)

Cora: There has been a change in plans.

Hook: What would that be?

Cora: My daughter's curse is coming. We have to protect ourselves.

''SCENE: The Enchanted Forest. Past. The Curse begins to spread over the land. Cora and Hook watches as it approaches. Then Cora hits the ground with her staff causing a magical barrier to appear over them covering a portion of the land.''

Hook: Wouldn't have been easier to have reconciled with her before she destroys the land. Cora: Regina doesn't need me – not now. Not when she thinks she's about to win. But I still have a place in her heart. And the curse won't last forever. It will end. In twenty-eight years, there'll be a savior. And she'll break it. Hook: 28 years! Cora: You won't even notice. You'll be frozen, like all those in this corner of the land. But, when the curse ends, our quest will resume. And, when it does, Regina will truly have lost everything, and then she'll need me. That's when we'll go to this new land. You'll get your revenge. And me, I'll…help her pick up the pieces.

''SCENE: Storybrooke. Present. Regina and Mr. Gold are walking in the woods.''

Regina: You are certain the portal is going to open up all the way out here. Mr. Gold: (Mr. Gold points.) There. This is where things once lost return to us. This is where Cora's going to come through. (They reach the Storybrooke Wishing Well.)

Regina: Unless it's Mary Margaret and Emma. Mr. Gold: I highly doubt it.

''SCENE: The Enchanted Forest. Present. The Dark Dungeon.'' Mary Margaret: We are going to get out of here. Emma: How? We've been staring at that scroll. It's not like its going to magically open a door for us. Mary Margaret: Yes it is. Emma: What?

Mary Margaret: When I was little girl I used to sneak into Cora's chamber and watch her practice magic. She had a spell book. Emma, the spells were in the book. Yeah, is that what a spell book is. A book that has spells in it. Mary Margaret: Watch. (Mary Margaret blows on the scroll. The ink slides off into a mist.) Emma: Woah. Squid Ink! Gold wrote the scroll in squid ink. (The ink spreads onto the cells bars and then disintegrate. Emma laughs. )''

Mary Margaret: Told ya. Good always wins. (They begin to leave.)

Aurora: Wait! I can't go. You have to tie me up.

Mulan: No. I'm not leaving with you.

Aurora: I can't be trusted. Not as long as Cora has my heart.

Mulan: Then I will get it back for you.

Aurora: Oh, Mulan. Mulan: I will.

Emma: Mulan? We got to go. Aurora: Do it. (Mulan ties Aurora up.) Good luck. Mary Margaret: Thank you. Good luck to you.

''SCENE: The Enchanted Forest. Present. Lake Nostos.'' Cora: And now the ashes.

__NOWYSIWYG__