Heart of Gold

"All the dark deeds I've done... they've taken their toll. Poisoned my heart. Thickened the blood."

- Mr. Gold to Robin Hood

"Heart of Gold" is the seventeenth episode of Season Four of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Tze Chun & Scott Nimerfro, and directed by Billy Gierhart. It is the eighty-fourth episode of the series overall, and premiered on April 12, 2015.

Synopsis
Emma is still reeling after learning the truth of her parents' history with Maleficent, but she must focus on finding the Author, who is running loose in Storybrooke, before Gold does. When Gold's quest for his happy ending grows more urgent, he blackmails Regina into helping him. In a Fairy Tale Land flashback, Robin Hood learns what it means to be an honorable thief when he accepts a proposition by Rumplestiltskin to travel to Oz to steal a valuable magic elixir from the Wicked Witch.

Recap
Regina wakes up and discovers Rumple is holding her hostage. He tells her if she wants Robin to stay safe she will do whatever he wants. She asks what happened to Robin, and he hands her a phone telling her to call him herself. Nine weeks ago, Regina says goodbye to Robin and sends them away. Arrving in New York, they are scared and someone steals Marian's purse. Robin steals a horse and rescues it from the thief. He tells Marian they have keys to Rumple's son's apartment. Marian mentions that he was also from the Enchanted Forest and survived there for many years so they can too. They are trying to adjust to life in the city when Rumplestitlskin opens the door to the apartment and asks what they are doing there. After verbally arguing about who really belongs there, Rumple clutches his chest and falls to the ground. At the hospital, Rumple tells Robin that all his dark deeds poisoned his heart. He was able to use magic to protect himself but without it in this land he will die. He tells Robin to retrieve some of the elixir of a wounded heart which he was sent to get in Oz in the past. Robin asks him "and why would I help you?" and Rumple tells him it's because he is an honorable person with a code to live by. Marian tries to convince Robin to let Rumple die but he tells her he cannot and that she is different than who he remembers. She reminds him everything is different now. Robin breaks into Walsh's furniture shop and steals the elixir; he gets away just as the police arrive. He brings it to Rumple and tells him they own the apartment now and he never wants to see him again. Rumple drinks it but says it isn't working. Marian comes in and tells him it's because it isn't real magic but rather a cold and flu medicine. Rumple asks her why she switched it as he caused her no harm. "That's not exactly true," she says. She pulls out a necklace which glows green and reveals it is Zelena. Rumple asks how it is possible since he killed her. She explains that when he stabbed her in the jail cell her life force left her body before it shattered and she went through the portal with Emma and Hook. She killed Marian and assumed her form to come back and steal Regina's happy ending and that no one has been the wiser. She then taunts Rumple in reminding him that because she is still alive he never avenged his son's death. Rumple's heart fails and they resuscitate him. Zelena tells him she will give him the elixir if he finds the author, forces him to write her a happy ending and stops trying to kill her. He reluctantly agrees. Nine weeks later, in Storybrooke, Rumple finds the author, shows him a magic quill and convinces him to come with him. Regina calls Robin's phone and discovers Zelena is alive and acting as Robin's wife. Rumple tells her if she doesn't help him turn Emma dark he will call Zelena and tell her to kill Robin.

In the Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood owns and operates a tavern. Little John wants him to return to thieving with him but he explains that is no longer who he is after marrying Marian. The Sheriff of Nottingham enters and tells him his taxes are overdue. He says he will give Robin Hood two days or he will shut down the tavern and put Robin in jail. The Dark One enters later and tells Robin if he goes to Oz and steals the Elixir of a Wounded Heart, which can cure hearts physically and emotionally, he will take care of his tax problems. Robin enters through a door to Oz and meets Will Scarlet, who is tied up on the road. He releases him and Will tells Robin if he brings back some of the Elixir for him he will keep his mouth shut and not tell the guard. Robin Hood agrees and dresses as an Ozian guard. In the Emerald City, Robin is trying to find the elixir in the vault. He also finds a set of ornaments bearing a six-leaf clover and steals one, then puts some of the elixir in a vial and is finishing filling another vial when he hears a voice say "What are you doing?" He looks in the mirror and sees the Wicked Witch. He tries to hail her but she knows he is not a guard because he spoke to her, and they are not supposed to; Robin then spots a nearby bow with set of arrows and takes them, trying to take the Wicked Witch hostage, only to find that she's cast an illusionary spell and now there's three of them. She asks him why Rumplestiltskin sent him because she knows he is the only one bold enough to steal from her. She throws a fireball at him and he shoots an arrow towards a pillar and smoke hisses out. While she is coughing in the fog, he escapes. Back at the door, he lies and tells Will it was a trap and he got none of the elixir. Will explains he wanted it for him because his sister died and he wanted the hurt to go away. He tells Robin his wife will understand. Robin goes through the door and Will walks away. Will discovers Robin left the vile of the elixir in his pocket. The Sheriff comes to arrest Robin Hood but Robin's men prevent that from happening. Robin explains he understands being a thief with honor is to steal from those who have too much and give to those who have too little and he takes the Sheriff's bag of gold pieces.

Starring

 * Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White*/Mary Margaret Blanchard
 * Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
 * Lana Parrilla as Regina Mills
 * Josh Dallas as David Nolan
 * Emilie de Ravin (Credit only)
 * Colin O'Donoghue as Hook
 * Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills
 * Michael Socha as Will Scarlet
 * Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold

Guest Starring

 * Patrick Fischler as The Author
 * Christie Laing as Maid Marian
 * Rebecca Mader as the Wicked Witch
 * Sean Maguire as Robin Hood
 * Wil Traval as Sheriff of Nottingham

Co-Starring

 * Raphael Alejandro as Roland
 * Jason Burkart as Little John
 * Jennifer Cheon as Nurse
 * Leif Havdale as Purse Snatcher
 * Paul Kloegman as Carriage Driver
 * Tristan Shire as Oz Guard (Press release only)

Uncredited

 * Mik Byskov as Black Knight Archer*

*Only in archive footage.

Quotes
Zelena: Who are you? And why are you stealing from me? Robin Hood: (Making use of his digsuise) Hail the Wicked Witch! Zelena: You're not my guard are you? Robin Hood: Of course I am. Zelena: My guards know better than to talk to me.

Mr. Gold: (To Regina) One call from me, and your beloved dies at the hands of your sister.

Robin Hood: So you stay out here alone? Will Scarlet: Not right to ask someone for their heart, when mine is still in need of mending. Robin Hood: That's a tremendously noble sacrifice.

Regina: You turned me into a monster. I won't let you do the same thing to Emma. Mr. Gold: Is that your final answer? You're choosing the Savior over your beloved Robin Hood?

Trivia
Production Notes=

Production Notes

 * The title card features the Emerald City.
 * The episode was discussed during the summer of 2014, conceived in November 2014, outlined in December 2014, and written in January 2015.
 * During a concept meeting, the production team was described as "aflutter" because of something "outrageous" in the script.
 * The streets of New York City were filmed on West Hasting Street, Victory Square and Gastown in Vancouver, where production for Once Upon a Time is based.
 * Vancouver Community College doubles as the Lady of Providence Medical Center for exterior shots.
 * The empty Pappas Furs building on the west side of Victory Square doubles as The Wizard of Oak furniture shop.
 * Sean Maguire filmed the horse chase scene while riding a mechanical horse.
 * The container with the Elixir of the Wounded Heart is engraved with the words "cor aut mors", Latin for "heart or death".
 * According to the heart monitor screen over his bed, Mr. Gold was admitted to hospital on December 14.
 * In addition, according to the missing person form in "Darkness on the Edge of Town", Mother Superior, who disappeared before Mr. Gold and Robin Hood left Storybrooke, was reported missing on November 6.
 * According to Adam Horowitz, Zelena's Marian disguise had been planned for a long time.
 * Sean Maguire did not know Marian was going to be revealed as Zelena until the show runners told him.
 * When Robin and Will hug, there is an overhead shot where the Tin Man appears lying on the side of the Yellow Brick Road.
 * -|Episode Connections=

Event Chronology

 * The main Enchanted Forest events take place after "Quite a Common Fairy" and before "Lacey", "Forget Me Not", and "Mother".
 * The Enchanted Forest flashback scene where the Wicked Witch of the West steals Maid Marian's identity, takes place between scenes in "There's No Place Like Home".
 * The Oz events take place after "Kansas".
 * The Land Without Magic flashback take place shortly after Robin Hood and his family leaves Storybrooke in "Heroes and Villains" and before the epilogue where Mr. Gold recruits Ursula.
 * The present day Storybrooke events take place after "Best Laid Plans" and before "Sympathy for the De Vil".

Episode Connections

 * Emma freed the Author in "Best Laid Plans".
 * David and Mary Margaret recall their past meeting with the Author in "Best Laid Plans".
 * Emma expresses anger at her parents for making her the savior at the expense of someone else's soul, which happened in "Best Laid Plans".
 * Mr. Gold imprisoned Regina in the vault during "Best Laid Plans".
 * Regina remembers Mr. Gold wanting her to find her happiness; something he told her in "Heroes and Villains".
 * Regina asked Emma to procure Robin Hood's phone number in "Poor Unfortunate Soul".
 * Robin Hood left Storybrooke in "Heroes and Villains".
 * Marian states Baelfire was able to survive in New York City. This was first demonstrated in "Broken".
 * The flute music playing in Robin Hood's tavern, was also heard in the pub that Anton visited in "Tiny", the tavern where Cora worked in "Bleeding Through", and the tavern that Emma and Hook visited in "Snow Drifts".
 * The Sheriff of Nottingham's future fate is explored in "Lacey". Robin Hood and Rumplestiltskin meet again in the same episode.
 * The land of Oz was first explored in "It's Not Easy Being Green".
 * Robin Hood and Will have future dealings in "Forget Me Not".
 * Mr. Gold states Walsh was keeping an eye on Emma for Zelena; an event that occurred in "New York City Serenade".
 * The Wicked Witch ascended to power in Oz during "Kansas".
 * Robin Hood uses the enchanted bow again in "Lacey".
 * Mr. Gold remembers killing Zelena in "Kansas".
 * Emma and Hook traveled through the time portal in "Snow Drifts".
 * Maid Marian was saved from execution in "There's No Place Like Home".
 * Zelena relishes in pretending to be Marian to ruin Regina's happiness, which began "There's No Place Like Home" up to the present episode.
 * Neal died in "Quiet Minds".
 * Will mentions his sister again in "To Catch a Thief".
 * Mr. Gold recalls abandoning Baelfire, an event that occurred in "The Return".
 * Robin Hood's code to only steal from the rich and give to the poor is used again in "Forget Me Not".
 * Robin Hood glamours himself with the Six Leaf Clover in "Lacey".
 * Regina blames Mr. Gold for turning her into a monster, which began during "We Are Both".
 * -|Cultural References=

Disney

 * In The Wizard of Oak furniture shop, there is a set of Mickey Mouse ears cast in steel inside a drawer.

Fairytales and Folklore

 * This episode is a rendition of the Robin Hood ballad, with Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Will Scarlet, Little John, and the Sheriff.
 * Also featured is Rumplestiltskin from the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale, and the Wicked Witch of the West and the Tin Woodsman from the Wonderful Wizard of Oz story.
 * The Wizard of Oak furniture shop is a reference to the titular character from the novel.
 * When Robin enters Oz, the magic portal lands on the guard, and his feet are sticking out, just like the Wicked Witch of the East from the novel.
 * The Six Leaf Clover is from L. Frank Baum's children's novel The Patchwork Girl of Oz.
 * The Enchanted Bow painting says "The Omaha Circus and Freak Show". In the novel, Omaha was the name of the Wizard's birthplace.
 * When Robin and Will hug, there is an overhead shot where you can see the Tin Man from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz lying on the side of the Yellow Brick Road.

Popular Culture

 * As the episode transitions to New York, someone can be heard shouting, "I'm walkin' here, I'm walkin' here!"; an homage to the famous quote from the 1969 drama film Midnight Cowboy.