Lost Girl

"Lost Girl" is the second episode of Season Three of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Andrew Chambliss & Kalinda Vazquez and directed by Ron Underwood. It is the forty-sixth episode of the series overall, and premiered on October 6, 2013.

Synopsis
While Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Regina and Hook continue their search for Henry in Neverland, Peter Pan appears before a startled Emma and offers her a map that will reveal her son’s whereabouts. But the only way to make the map appear is for Emma to stop denying who she really is and come to grips with her true feelings about her identity – and Mr. Gold receives some unexpected advice from a friend that could lead him to understand his life’s journey while in Neverland. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was, when the Evil Queen presents Snow White with an offer to live her life with Charming in peace – with the caveat that she give up her claim to the throne – Charming makes it his mission to ensure that Snow doesn’t take the offer.

Recap
In Neverland, Mr. Gold uses a fireball to start a fire. He freezes his shadow on a large rock. Using his dagger, he cuts his shadow from his feet, detaching it. He gives the dagger to his shadow, instructing it to hide the knife where not even Gold himself can find it.

Elsewhere on the island, Emma Swan, Captain Hook, David Nolan, Mary Margaret Blanchard and Regina Mills trek through the jungle, heading toward a ridge to gain a better view. Regina suggests that she could have just magically transported the group to the top of the ridge, and Hook responds by reminding her that there are dangers she doesn't know about in Neverland, and only he can guide the group. Emma agrees. David, using a sword to clear to clear a path, takes aim at a bunch of thorns. Hook stops him, explaining that the thorns carry a poison called Dreamshade. He further explains that Dreamshade was the source of the poison he used on Mr. Gold, in a concentrated form, and that, in its natural form, death by Dreamshade is very painful and very slow. Hook then suggests the party take a slightly different direction, and David suggests the other way. The group follows David. Falling behind the group, Hook asides to Emma that her father is distrustful. Emma responds that he's just not used working with the "bad guys". Hook assures that, on Neverland, he is not the bad guy. When Emma responds that, according to the stories she heard as a child, Peter Pan is not a villain either, Hook responds that Pan is the "most treacherous" villain he's ever faced.

David calls to the pair from the top of the ridge. The group looks out over the overgrown Dark Jungle. Hook, unable to easily spot Pan's lair as he anticipated, explains that the jungle has grown since he left the island. David remarks that they're in a good position to comb the jungle, but Hook disagrees, telling the group that the Dark Jungle is treacherous, and they should go around. He suggests they make camp for the night. Regina objects, but follows. Emma lingers, looking forlorn, and Mary Margaret comforts her, saying "it's never too late."

In the former Enchanted Forest, Prince Charming awakens Snow White from the Sleeping Curse. Meanwhile, at the Dark Palace, a guard rushes through the palace, carrying a mirror channeling the Magic Mirror. The guard carries the mirror out to the garden, where the Evil Queen is picking an apple from her apple tree. The Mirror shows the Queen images of Prince Charming proposing to Snow White. The Queen is enraged.

Elsewhere in the Enchanted Forest, Snow White, Prince Charming, and the dwarves attempt to rally a group of commoners. Snow White gives a harrowing account of the Evil Queen's tyranny, claiming the kingdom belongs not to the Queen, but to the people. She asks those assembled who will fight with her, but no one responds. Instead, the Evil Queen appears, poking fun at the frightened townspeople. The assembled commoners run off, and Snow White remarks that the townspeople may be afraid of Regina, but they are not. Regina makes a snide remark regarding Charming's former identity as a shepherd, and both Charming and Snow White draw their swords on the Queen. Regina responds by magically binding Charming with rope.

Regina offers Snow White a deal; if the Princess will declare Regina the rightful ruler of the kingdom, the Queen will allow her, Charming, and the dwarves to live peacefully on Charming's former farm. Snow White equates the "deal" to exile. Regina responds by reasoning that, instead of trying to kill Snow White, her focus should be taking everything that was once supposed to be Snow White's. Charming reacts to this statement, fighting against his bonds. Regina tells Snow White to get down on her knees and swear on her father's grave that the kingdom belongs to Regina. When Snow White asks what will happen if she doesn't, the Queen responds by saying "then someone will pay the price." She uses her magic to lift up one of the female villagers, choking her. Snow White, sword in hand, charges at the Queen, who disappears in a cloud of smoke at the last moment, dropping the village girl. Charming breaks out of his binds, aiding the villager. Regina reappears, telling Snow White that she has "until sundown tomorrow to give up the throne", and that, for every day Snow White defies her, she will kill one of Snow White's subjects. Regina further taunts the Princess by claiming that she will "never be a Queen".

In Neverland, the sound of crying children wakes Emma from her slumber. Drawing her sword and unable to wake Mary Margaret and David, Emma treks into the jungle alone, following the sound. Peter Pan appears behind Emma, wondering "why they can't hear the crying". When he gives his name to Emma, she pins him against a tree, her sword at his throat. She demands to know where Henry is, and Pan assures her that the boy is still alive. When Emma demands to know what Pan wants with Henry, Pan dodges the question by remarking that he came to see who he was up against, and that he is not disappointed. He gives the skeptical Emma a map he claims will lead her to Henry. When Emma asks why, Pan explains that it is not about Emma finding Henry, but how she finds Henry. He further claims that Emma is the only one who can find him. Taking the parchment from the boy, Emma opens it to reveal a blank map. Pan informs her that the only way to read the map is for Emma to stop denying who she is. Pan then disappears.

Starring

 * Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret Blanchard
 * Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
 * Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen/Regina Mills
 * Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David Nolan
 * Emilie de Ravin as Belle
 * Colin O'Donoghue as Hook
 * Michael Raymond-James (Credit only)
 * Jared S. Gilmore (Credit only)
 * Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold

Guest Starring

 * Lee Arenberg as Grumpy
 * Giancarlo Esposito as Magic Mirror
 * Robbie Kay as Peter Pan

Co-Starring

 * Michael Coleman as Happy
 * Parker Croft as Felix
 * Faustino Di Bauda as Sleepy
 * David-Paul Grove as Doc
 * Jeffrey Kaiser as Dopey
 * Gabe Khouth as Sneezy
 * Paul Lazenby as Mirror Carrying Knight
 * Mig Macario as Bashful
 * Robert Mann as Peasant #1
 * Cainan Wiebe as Hooded Lost Boy

Quotes
Snow White: She has a point. I'm no queen. I'm no leader. I'm just a girl who lost her parents, ran away into the woods and became a bandit.

Prince Charming: You're Snow White!

Snow White: Yes. And the truth is... I don't even know who that is.

Emma: That look in his eyes, the despair. I had it. Back when I was in the foster system. Just a lost little girl who didn't matter and didn't think she ever would. A little girl who cried herself to sleep at night 'cause she wanted her parents so bad and could never understand why they gave her up.

Mary Margaret: And then you found us, and it was too late.

Emma: It's just.. on this island, I don't feel like... like a hero or a savior. I just feel like what I've always been: an orphan.

Production Notes

 * The title card features a sword resting in a stone.
 * This is the first episode of the third season in which the Land Without Magic does not appear.

Event Chronology

 * The Neverland events take place after "The Heart of the Truest Believer".
 * The Enchanted Forest events occur after "A Land Without Magic" and before "Lady of the Lake".

Episode Connections

 * Mary Margaret recalls Emma calling her "mom", which happened in "And Straight On 'Til Morning for the first time.
 * Hook mentions poisoning Mr. Gold in "The Queen Is Dead".
 * Regina references the sheriff election in "Desperate Souls".

Disney

 * Emma references Hook's unsavory physical appearance in Disney's 1953 film Peter Pan donning a "waxed mustache and a perm".

Fairytales and Folklore

 * This episode is a rendition of the Snow White fairyale, focusing on Snow White's awakening from the Sleeping Curse, the King Arthur legend, focusing on the Excalibur sword of Camelot as well as the Peter Pan story, focusing on the appearance of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys.
 * Also included are the Evil Queen, Prince Charming, the Magic Mirror and Seven Dwarves from the Snow White fairytale as well as Captain Hook from the Peter Pan story.
 * This episode features Rumplestiltskin from the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale.
 * Emma talks about growing up with the childhood fictional tale of a heroic Peter Pan.

Pop Culture

 * Hook mentions Rufio from the 1991 film Hook.