Skin Deep

"Skin Deep" is the twelfth episode of Season One of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Jane Espenson and directed by Milan Cheylov. It is the twelfth episode of the series overall, and premiered on February 12, 2012.

Synopsis
Emma suspects Mr. Gold is planning to seek vigilante justice when someone breaks into his opulent house and Mary Margaret plans a special girls' night out on Valentine's Day while a fateful deal made between Rumplestiltskin and Belle is revealed along with a sudden romance and a chance encounter with the Queen that may have fatal consequences.

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, who is engaged to Belle, and Sir 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 Blanchard are talking when Emma Swan arrives to ask about Henry. Ashley Boyd arrives, 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 surprise. 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 threatens 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 favor. Regina shows up and allows Henry to go with Emma. Gold invites Regina to sit, using the word, "please". She wants to talk to Mr. Gold who asks her if she has what he wants, when she says, "Yes." Gold realizes Regina put Moe up to breaking into his house. She says she just wants him to answer one simple question: What`s his name? When he replies, "Mr. Gold," she asks him what his name is elsewhere. He tells her his name is Rumplestiltskin and addresses Regina as "Your Majesty" confirming that both are aware of their alternate identities. She returns the chipped tea cup and he tells her 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.

Starring

 * Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret Blanchard
 * Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
 * Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen / Regina Mills
 * Josh Dallas as David Nolan
 * Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills
 * Raphael Sbarge as (Credit only)
 * Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin / Mr. Gold

Guest Starring

 * Emilie de Ravin as Belle / Belle (Storybrooke)
 * Tim Phillipps as Sean Herman
 * Jessy Schram as Ashley Boyd
 * Beverley Elliott as Granny
 * Eric Keenleyside as Sir Maurice / Moe French
 * Meghan Ory as Ruby

Co-Starring

 * Sage Brocklebank as Gaston
 * John DeSantis as The Dove
 * Gabe Khouth as Mr. Clark
 * Chris Shields as Military Advisor
 * Ingrid Torrance as Severe Nurse

Quotes
Belle: Honestly, I never really cared much for Gaston. To me love is—love is layered. Love is a mystery to be uncovered. I could never truly give my heart to someone as superficial as he.

Belle: Town? You trust me to come back? Rumplestiltskin: Oh, no. I expect I’ll never see you again.

Evil Queen: True love's kiss will break any curse.

Belle: Now you've made your choice, and you're going to regret it... forever. All you'll have is an empty heart... and a chipped cup.

Mr. Gold: When two people both want something the other has, a deal can always be struck.

Mr. Gold: So, now that we’re being honest with each other, let’s remember how things used to be, shall we? And don’t let these bars fool you, dear; I’m the one with the power around here. I’m gonna be out of here in no time, and nothing between us will change. Regina: We shall see.

Evil Queen: Are you angry with me? What is it this time? Rumplestiltskin: Your little deception failed. You’ll never be more powerful than me. You can keep trying, dearie, but you’re never gonna beat me.

Trivia

 * The opening title card features Rumplestiltskin's spinning wheel. The same image used for "That Still Small Voice".
 * Rumplestiltskin fills in the role of the Beast from "Beauty and the Beast".
 * David is seen reading "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy, seemingly on Mary Margaret's recommendation. This novel is a tragic story of a Russian woman who leaves her husband for another man. She is shunned, eventually becoming paranoid and extremely possessive of her lover, and ends up committing suicide.
 * When visiting Rumplestiltskin the Queen mentions a mermaid, probably a reference to The Little Mermaid, a classic story.
 * The fact Mr. Gold is aware of his former identity is confirmed in this episode.
 * The outfits worn by Belle resemble those from the Disney movie.
 * The rose Rumplestiltskin turns Gaston into is a reference to the Enchanted Rose from the Beauty and the Beast story.
 * A few references are made to the servant staff from Walt 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 straw into gold.
 * Geppetto's mother and father in puppet form.
 * The Golden Fleece from Greek Mythology.
 * A sword, possibly Prince Charming's twin brother's
 * His old walking stick.
 * A gold 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.
 * A hat resembling the one that Mickey Mouse used without permission from his magic teacher Yen Sid in Walt Disney's Fantasia.
 * 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.
 * An animal head of some sort.
 * A scene between Archie and David in the bar was cut because the episode was too long. Its content is unknown.
 * When Belle says "Any curse can be broken," after kissing Rumplestiltskin, he rushes over to the mirror, uncovers it and starts yelling at the Evil Queen. This is because she can spy through all mirrors, no matter what kind. This is why, as mentioned by Belle, Rumplestiltskin has all the mirrors covered.
 * An analogy is made when Rumplestiltskin is yelling at the mirror. He says he is speaking with the Queen, saying that it's "Your fault!" But he is also yelling at his reflection, therefore himself.
 * The card David buys for Mary Margaret has a prince and princess on it.
 * A rose company in town is named "Game of Thorns," as seen on the side of a delivery van near the beginning of the episode.
 * Despite the fact Jane Espenson wrote the episode, it was Edward Kitsis who wrote Belle's line "All you'll have is an empty heart and a chipped cup."
 * The two rivers shown on the map in the opening scene of the episode are called "Tigelaar River" and "Kitsis River".
 * This episode premiered on June 17, 2012 in the UK.