Sympathy for the De Vil

"Sympathy for the De Vil" is the eighteenth episode of Season Four of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by David H. Goodman & Jerome Schwartz, and directed by Romeo Tirone. It is the eighty-fourth episode of the series overall, and premiered on April 19, 2015.

Synopsis
In fictional 1920s England, viewers meet a young Cruella, whose oppressive mother uses her Dalmatians to terrorize her daughter. Cruella is confined to her mother's attic until a mysterious stranger arrives and empowers her to challenge her captor. In Storybrooke, Regina gains leverage to keep Gold from interfering with her plan to rescue Robin, but her trip to New York takes the backseat when she and Emma learn that Cruella has kidnapped Henry.

Recap
In the 1920s, a young Cruella tries to run away from home but is pursued by her mother and trained dalmatians. Her mother locks her in the attic until she can behave. Years later, Cruella is listening to the radio when her mother comes in and asks her where she got it. She yells at her for stealing. Cruella expresses her frustration at never being allowed out. Her mother is going to argue when there is a knock at the door. A man is asking for stories but her mother says there are none. He begs to differ. He enters and notices she has portraits on her wall; he asks what they are. She tells him they are husbands. He is surprised and asks if she is widowed or divorced. She is angered by this question and throws him out. Outside, Cruella calls to him from the window and tells him if he wants a good story he'll have to get her out of there. He gets her a key and she escapes. He offers to go somewhere quiet, but because she has spent her entire life in a quiet attic she wants to go somewhere loud. They go to a dance restaurant. The man and Cruella talk all night and dance. She tells him her mother poisoned all her husbands. At the end, he reveals she is in a realm out of time and he is not just a man who writes stories in different places, but in different realms and that he can change that. To prove it, he takes out his magical quill and paper and gives her diamond earrings and a necklace. He then writes that she can control the actions of any animal. He wants to whisk them away somewhere else, but she tells him first she has to confront her mother. They agree to meet at his hotel. He gives her his car to go. Later, he is in his room and hears a knock. He expresses excitement for Cruella's arrival but discovers it's her mother. She tells him that he should stay away because it was Cruella who killed her husbands. He doesn't believe her at first and throws her out but soon discovers his quill is missing. At the house, Cruella's mother calls for her and sends the dalmatians after her. Cruella breathes magic on them and they are aligned with her. She sends them to kill her mother. The author comes later and searches for Cruella, finding her in the attic. Cruella is sowing a coat. The author inquires of her mother and Cruella credites him with her death. He asks about the dogs and she displays the dalmatian coat, telling him they're with her mother. He eyes his quill and runs for it. They both grab the ink, and it spills all over Cruella, turning her hair white and black. She pulls out a gun but he writes something and she cannot pull the trigger. He leaves and tells him it isn't the end.

In Storybrooke,  Cruella is driving on the road when she slams on the brakes to avoid hitting Maleficent, who is standing in the middle of the road. Maleficent demands to know why they lied about her daughter, and Cruella expresses she's a terrible person and they left her to die. Maleficent assures her her death will last for days, and then turns into a dragon. Cruella breathes on her and tells her to take a nap. Cruella drives off. Regina comes into Mary Margaret and David's apartment and tells them that Zelena is masquerading as Marian so she is going to New York to save Robin. They are shocked but understand. Emma asks about Gold since Regina also told them Zelena and Gold are working together. She assures them she's got it taken care of. Regina asks Belle for help. In the cabin, Rumple tells the author about his plan but suddenly stops and tells him to stay there as he has to do something. He disappears and arrives at the well. Him and Belle talk. He reveals he is back in Storybrooke to keep his heart from completely going black. They kiss, and she tells him Will is such a better kisser. He is hurt, and discovers Regina is controlling her heart. She sends Belle away and tells Rumple he won't do anything if he wants Belle to survive. She tells him she's going to New York. Cruella finds the Author and wants him to give her back what he took from her but he refuses. She threatens to send snarling dogs after him, but he tells her even with all her power she can't hurt him. She leaves. Later, Cruella sends Pongo to lure Henry into a trap and she kidnaps him. As Regina prepares to leave Emma gives her a gun. They both receive a video message from Henry. Cruella tells them if they want Henry to live they will kill the author. They develop a plan and Mary Margaret and David want to help but Emma tells them she doesn't trust them. They go to find the Author while Emma, Regina and Hook search for Henry in the woods. Rumple arrives at the cabin and reveals to the Author he knows Cruella is searching for him to kill him and not to reconcile with her mother. He is afraid Rumple will kill him, but Rumple tells him he needs him alive. Cruella is easy to manipulate because she is bent on vengeance. Rumple wants to know what the Author wrote about her and he shows him. Rumple smiles knowingly at it. Henry finds a piece of glass and cuts himself loose from the bands. Cruella sends Pongo after him. He is yelling for help. While Emma, Regina and Hook are in the woods Regina and Hook try to convince Emma to forgive her parents but she says she cannot. They hear Henry crying for help but disagree about where it is coming from. They split up and discover magic sea shells radiating his voice. Cruella finds Henry on a cliff as Emma approaches. Cruella puts a gun to Henry's head and scolds Emma for failing to kill the other. Emma tells her to let him go and that it's her son they're talking about. At the cabin, Mary Margaret and David find the author but assure him he's safe. He shows them the paper he wrote about Cruella and says that the end of the story is the Savior turning dark. They read that he wrote Cruella cannot take the life of another, so they understand Henry is in no danger and that it is all a ploy to get Emma to kill. They run to stop her. At the cliff, Emma raises up her hands and they glow with magic. Cruella tells her she's bluffing because Emma is a hero and heroes don't kill. Emma blasts Cruella off the cliff to her death. Her parents arrive but are too late and find Emma consoling Henry. Emma looks over the cliff and sees the remains of Cruella on the ground.

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
 * Michael Socha (Credit only)
 * Robert Carlyle as Mr. Gold

Guest Starring

 * Kristin Bauer van Straten as Maleficent
 * Patrick Fischler as Isaac
 * Anna Galvin as Madeline
 * Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil

Co-Starring

 * Milli Wilkinson as Young Cruella

Uncredited

 * Cinder as Pongo

Trivia
Production Notes=

Production Notes

 * The title card features dalmatians running in the woods.
 * The episode name is a reference to the The Rolling Stones' song "Sympathy for the Devil".


 * -|Episode Connections=

Events Chronology

 * The Storybrooke events take place after "Heart of Gold".


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Disney

 * The song that Cruella hears on the radio is a jazz instrumental version of "Cruella De Vil", from the 1961 Disney animated movie One Hundred and One Dalmatians.

Fairytales and Folklore

 * This episode is a rendition of the Hundred and One Dalmatians story, with Cruella De Vil and Pongo. Also featured is Captain Hook from the Peter Pan story.