Where Bluebirds Fly

"Despite what you may think, there's nothing for me in Oz. Anyone who ever cared for me there now hates me. Look, I know you and I aren't exactly the sisters that our mother wanted us to be, but... you're all I've got, Regina."

- Zelena to Regina

"Where Bluebirds Fly" is the eighteenth episode of Season Six of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by David H. Goodman & Brigitte Hales, and directed by Michael Schultz. It os the one hundredth and twenty-ninth episode of the series overall, and premiered on April 23, 2017.

Synopsis
In flashback, Zelena befriends a young woodcutter who has been cursed and turns to her for help finding a new heart. Zelena is forced to choose between keeping her powers and her friendship with him. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke, Zelena decides to take on the Black Fairy and put a stop to her, once and for all, against Regina’s wishes, and the Charmings disagree over Emma and Hook’s wedding plans.

Starring

 * Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret Blanchard
 * Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
 * Lana Parrilla as Regina Mills
 * Josh Dallas as David Nolan
 * Emilie de Ravin as Belle French
 * Colin O'Donoghue as Hook
 * Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills
 * Rebecca Mader as Zelena
 * Robert Carlyle as Mr. Gold

Guest Starring

 * Beverley Elliott (Press release only)
 * Giles Matthey as Gideon
 * Jaime Murray as Black Fairy
 * Keegan Connor Tracy as Mother Superior
 * Isabella Blake-Thomas as Young Zelena
 * Alex Désert as Stanum

Co-Starring

 * Jorden Birch as Guard #1/Second Guard
 * Austin Obiajunwa as Young Stanum/Young Woodcutter
 * Dylan Sloane as Bully

Uncredited

 * Unknown baby as Robin

Trivia

 * -|Production Notes=

Production Notes

 * The title card features the Emerald City.
 * The title of this episode was revealed by Adam Horowitz via his Twitter account on February 3, 2017.
 * The title of this episode is an allusion to "Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly", a lyric from Judy Garland's song "Over the Rainbow" in The Wizard of Oz.
 * The press release misspells Isabella Blake-Thomas's name as Isabella Black-Thomas.
 * When Emma is making pancakes, Hook comes over and says, "Something smells delicious." In the episode script, he simply says, "Mmm.... delicious."
 * In the episode script, Regina says, "Emma? "What are you thinking?", and Emma answers, "Maybe we can." This exchange is not in the final episode.
 * When Belle and Mr. Gold are talking about their son, Belle says, "You know, this means he can be saved." In the episode script, Mr. Gold answers, "Yes. But that's not all it means." This line is not in the final episode.


 * -|Episode Connections=

Event Chronology

 * The Storybrooke events take place after "Awake" and before "The Black Fairy".
 * The first Oz flashbacks take place after "Sisters", and before "It's Not Easy Being Green".
 * The rest of Oz events take place sometimes after "Our Decay".

Episode Connections

 * Hook and Emma got engaged in "Awake".
 * David mentions Mary Margaret's first date with Dr. Whale, an event that took place in "Snow Falls".
 * David talks about how the Evil Queen crashed his and Snow White's wedding, which was shown in "Pilot", "The Thing You Love Most" and "The New Neverland".
 * Mr. Gold took Mother Superior's magic to save Gideon's soul in "Ill-Boding Patterns".
 * Zelena mentions how she killed Hades to save Regina in "Last Rites".
 * Zelena talks about how she banished Walsh by turning him into a Flying Monkey, referring to events in "It's Not Easy Being Green".
 * Zelena briefly mentions Dorothy return to Oz. which took place in "Our Decay"
 * When Zelena attacks the Black Fairy, she says, "Wicked always wins", just like she said in the final scene of "New York City Serenade".


 * -|Cultural References=

Fairytales and Folklore

 * This episode is rendition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz story with the Wicked Witch of the West, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion.
 * This episode also features Captain Hook from the Peter Pan story.
 * The Wicked Witch of the North from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ' s sequel, The Marvelous Land of Oz, is mentioned as being the one who cursed the Tin Man.
 * -|Set Notes=

Costume Notes

 * Emma is wearing a Zara Coat with Embroidered Yoke (no longer available).
 * The coat was also worn by the character Mandy Baxter on the Last Man Standing episode "The Force".
 * Belle is wearing a Lace Trim Floral Print Silk Shirt by The Kooples (no longer available).