Dreamcatcher (Episode)

"It's a dreamcatcher. Baelfire gave her one similar to this a long time ago. But this... it's different."

- Hook to Regina Mills

"Dreamcatcher" is the fifth episode of Season Five of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz, and directed by Romeo Tirone. It is the ninety-third episode of the series overall, and premiered on October 25, 2015.

Synopsis
In Camelot, as Mary Margaret and David attempt to retrieve the Dark One dagger, Emma uses a Dreamcatcher to look into the past to see how Merlin was transformed into a tree. Together, Emma and Regina figure out the critical ingredient they must acquire to free Merlin, but it's a race against Arthur, who does not want Merlin released. Meanwhile, with encouragement from his moms, Henry musters up the courage to ask Violet on a date. Back in Storybrooke, the heroes break into Emma's house hoping to locate Gold, but what they find will give them a glimpse of Emma's end game. Far from prying eyes, Merida sets about the mission Emma has tasked her with and begins molding Gold into the hero they need to draw Excalibur.

Recap
The episode starts off in a flashback, a distraught Merlin seems to be confronting the Dark One. Merlin exclaims that the Dark One has killed his true love, and in this moment of vulnerability, Merlin drops the Dark One's Dagger and falls to his knees. The Dark One quickly steals the dagger and uses Merlin's tear in an effort to transform him into a tree, and traps him temporarly. These events are seen by Emma Swan through what looks like a dreamcatcher.

Starring

 * Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret Blanchard
 * Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
 * Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen*/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 (Credit only)
 * Sean Maguire as Robin Hood
 * Robert Carlyle as Mr. Gold

Guest Starring

 * Liam Garrigan as King Arthur
 * Elliot Knight as Merlin
 * Amy Manson as Merida
 * Joana Metrass as Guinevere
 * Ryan Robbins as Sir Morgan
 * Olivia Steele Falconer as Violet

Co-Starring

 * Guy Fauchon as Vortigan1
 * David-Paul Grove as Doc
 * Mig Macario as Bashful

Uncredited

 * Noah Bean as Daniel*
 * Barbara Hershey as Cora*

Trivia

 * -|Production Notes=

Production Notes

 * The title card features a pumpkin.
 * Writer Brigitte Hales described this episode as "a heartbreaker".
 * -|Episode Connections=

Event Chronology

 * The Storybrooke events take place after "The Broken Kingdom" and before "The Bear and the Bow".
 * The Camelot opening scene takes place after "Nimue".
 * The rest of Camelot events take place after "The Broken Kingdom" and before "The Bear and the Bow".
 * The Enchanted Forest scenes at Granny's Diner take place after "The Broken Kingdom" and before "The Bear and the Bow".

Episode Connections

 * Tears were last used to empower the Dark One's Dagger in "The Apprentice".
 * Emma first used a Dreamcatcher to capture memories in "The Cricket Game".
 * Merida succeeds in turning Mr. Gold into a hero in "The Bear and the Bow".
 * The location where Merida is sparring with Mr. Gold is the same location where Lily transforms back into a human and reconciles with her mother in "Mother".
 * Regina mentions David's life as a shepherd, which was seen in "The Shepherd" and "White Out".
 * The last time one of Regina's tears was used for a spell, was in "Second Star to the Right".
 * Daniel was killed by Cora in "The Stable Boy".
 * Mary Margaret and David came under the affects of the Sands of Avalon in "The Broken Kingdom".
 * Henry plays "Only You" again for Violet. He first did this in "The Price".
 * Hook mentions the dreamcatcher that Neal "gave" to Emma (it was actually the other way around) in "Tallahassee".
 * Regina says "Goodbye, Miss Swan." right in front her house and closes the door. She said and did the exact same thing in "Pilot".
 * Emma looks up at Henry through his window is reminiscent of the same scene in "Pilot".
 * -|Cultural References=

Disney

 * This episode features Merida from the movie Brave.
 * Just before Merida is about to look through Henry's storybook, an advertisement for computers with the Encom logo from the movie Tron can be seen on the street.

Fairytales and Folklore

 * This episode features King Arthur, Merlin, Nimue and Guinevere from the Arthurian Legend, Captain Hook from the Peter Pan story, the Miller's Daughter from the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale, and Robin Hood from the ballad.
 * The pumpkin stand where Emma and Henry find Violet's horse is called Peter Peter's. This is a reference to the nursery rhyme "Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater".

Popular Culture

 * The music played by Henry in Granny's Diner is "Only You" by Yazoo.
 * Henry has the movies Commando and Harold and Maude on his phone.
 * -|Props Notes=

Props Notes

 * The pink dress Violet wears for her date with Henry is the same one worn by Emma in Snow White's vision of the Jungle Dimension in "Best Laid Plans"; but with shorter sleeves.