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"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-third 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.[2]
Recap
Many years ago, Robin Hood is at his bar, when the Sheriff of Nottingham shows up and threatens his nemesis over taxes and gives him just two days to get his money in order. That night after closing, Rumplestiltskin appears with a proposition: Rumplestiltskin will solve Robin's monetary issues, if Robin will steal something for him in return. Rumplestiltskin informs Robin that they'll have to go to a realm called the Land of Oz to acquire a potion called the elixir of the wounded heart, which can cure hearts both physically and emotionally. Robin goes through a portal into Oz, where after the portal lands on a guard after he steps out, Robin runs into Will Scarlet, who was just captured by the aforementioned guard, and frees him. The two then agree to work together, though Will wants some of the elixir for himself.
Robin then takes the guard's clothing as a disguise and uses it to break into the Wicked Witch of the West's palace, where he bottles some of the elixir, only to have Zelena catch him, immediately assuming he is there on Rumplestiltskin's behalf. He narrowly escapes but lies to Will, telling him that he didn't get to gather any of the elixir. Before Robin leaves to return to Sherwood Forest, Will tells him that he is trying to mend his own broken heart, which has been crushed since his sister died. As Robin leaves to return to his realm, Will notices that a vial of the elixir has been sneakily placed in his pocket by Robin, whose tender heart was moved by Will's tale.
Back in the Sherwood Forest, Robin is in his bar all alone when the Sheriff shows up looking for his money and is ready to cuff Robin, when The Merry Men led by Little John appear with arrows ready on aim; they then steal the Sheriff's money and distribute it to the poor townspeople. As Robin and Marian make plans to stay together on the run, he gives her the six-leaf clover of Oz, which would later be the catalyst for Marian's demise by Zelena during Emma Swan and Captain Hook's stint in the Enchanted Forest.
Nine weeks earlier, after Robin kissed Regina before stepping over the magical boundary of Storybrooke (and nine weeks before the aforementioned phone call that Regina made) to leave with Marian and Roland, they have entered New York City, where Robin tells Marian that Regina gave her the keys to Neal/Baelfire's apartment, but as they check for directions, a man on a bike snatches Marian's purse and Robin tries to give chase, then steals a horse and goes after the thief; he runs the guy down and tackles him then stops himself, saying a thief who steals from those in need has no honor. Unfortunately, as they have now settled in the apartment, Marian is already not happy about living in New York City, despite her feelings about Robin Hood and Regina. They then hear someone knocking on the door, and they see Gold there; he wants Robin and his family out of his son's apartment, saying that Regina told him about the Author and what will happen to her if her happy endings do not come true, but even as Robin refuses to give up the place Gold starts suffering chest pains and is taken to the hospital, where he is told that he had a heart attack. Gold explains to Robin the only thing that can cure him now is the elixir of the wounded heart, which is actually being kept safe nearby at a place called "The Wizard of Oak." Gold tells Robin where to find it, and Robin breaks in to steal it just in time to escape the police, upsetting Marian in the process.
Robin then brings the elixir to Gold in the hospital, then makes a deal that in exchange for the elixir that Gold allows Robin and his family to keep the house. As Gold drinks it, he realizes it doesn't work, when out of nowhere, Marian enters the room with the real elixir, having swapped the real bottle; it turns out Marian was actually Zelena, who Gold discovers had been alive all along and not dead. Zelena's soul had actually travelled back in time, where she killed the real Marian back in the Enchanted Forest, by using the six-leaf clover of Oz to make Marian vanish and to transform herself into Marian. This was part of her plan to ruin Regina's happiness, and to add the misery it's now causing to Gold, which is certainly making Zelena happy too. Gold briefly flatlines, then comes to afterwards with Zelena telling him that she wanted to make Robin fall in love with her, but he just couldn't, making her realize that she needed the Author to change her story, and since Gold is the one that can find him, she proposes that in exchange for the only elixir that could save him, he agrees to the deal to find the Author.
As Gold is finally released from the hospital, Robin give him some possessions that were left in the house while they discuss about Marian and how Robin doesn't feel anything for her anymore, although Gold, neglecting to tell Robin the truth about what happened to his actual wife, tells Robin to pursue his happiness with whoever that may be. Robin then goes home and tells "Marian" that he wants to stay with her, no matter what they have to go through, and to prove it he deletes Regina's phone number from his cell phone in front of "Marian." As Robin starts kissing his "wife," he is unaware that from what viewers see in the mirror's reflection, it's Zelena kissing Robin instead. This would eventually later lead to the phone call that Regina made later on as alluded by Gold in Storybrooke nine weeks later.
As Emma and her parents search the woods for The Author, Mary Margaret tells Emma that they met him before, and David adds that he was the one responsible for placing them on the path to destroy Maleficent's child. David explains that they didn't understand what they did out of fear, but Emma snaps and says they've been lying to her and adds that she became the anointed savior because they destroyed someone else's soul. Meanwhile, the Author is ahead of them, trying to make a magic quill when Gold shows up and says there are no enchanted trees in Storybrooke. Gold produces a magic quill, thereby convincing the Author to come with him, and they disappear in a magic cloud.
Back in Regina's crypt, Regina wakes up and discovers her hands are tied and sees Gold standing there, as he tells her that he has the author, but says he can't let her find her happiness at his expense, adding that he lost everything and she will too if she doesn't obey. Regina then panics after she sees Gold with the phone number for Robin Hood that she had in her pocket, but then uses his magic to free her so she can call him.
It's nine weeks later after the events of the outside world, when Regina called Robin, only to be in shock to have her half-sister Zelena answer, explaining her domestic life with Robin, and tells Regina that they will be seeing each other very soon. After the phone call, Gold tells Regina that if she doesn't help him turn Emma's heart dark, he'll order Zelena on the phone to kill Robin. However Regina refuses to work for Gold and tells him, she won't let him turn Emma into a monster, the same way he did to her.
Deleted Scenes
Robin Returns Empty-Handed
Footage of this scene being filmed can be found in "Secrets of Storybrooke." According to Adam Horowitz, the scene is not canon:[3]
Robin Hood goes to Rumplestiltskin's castle after he returns from Oz. He sees Rumplestiltskin place a wand on a pedestal; the same wand that Robin steals in "Lacey." Robin remarks that Fairies can get quite nasty when they are stripped of their wands, but Rumplestiltskin says, "Only if they're still breathing after you've taken it"; implying that the wand that he stole from the Fairy Godmother in "The Price of Gold." Rumplestiltskin asks for the potion, but Robin says that the Wicked Witch proved too powerful, and he does not have it. Rumplestiltskin calls him foolish and says that no potion means no gold, which means no tavern, and debtors' prison. The Dark One tells him to get out of the castle and warns him that if he ever sees him there again, he will kill him.
Cast[2]
Starring
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Guest Starring
Co-Starring
Uncredited
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*Only in archive footage.
Trivia
Title
- The title card features the Emerald City.[4]
- The title of this episode was announced by Adam Horowitz via his Twitter account on January 27, 2015.[5]
Production Notes
- The episode was discussed during the summer of 2014, conceived in November 2014, outlined in December 2014, and written in January 2015.[6]
- During a concept meeting, the production team was described as "aflutter" because of something "outrageous" in the script.[7]
- ABANDONED IDEAS: Concept artist Keith Lau crated concept art for a pair of six-leaf clover earrings in addition to the necklace,[8] but only the necklace was used in the episode.
- Zelena's Marian disguise had been planned for a long time.[9] The show creators came up with the twist when "Marian" was brought back in Season Three.[10]
- Sean Maguire did not know Marian was going to be revealed as Zelena until the show runners told him.[11]
- Also, before the episode "Snow Drifts" aired, when the showrunners were asked in an interview whether if Zelena would be back in Season Four, they strongly replied, "Yes."[12]
- HIDDEN DETAILS: The name "London" appears on a spa outside The Wizard of Oak furniture shop.[13]
Event Chronology
- The Enchanted Forest flashbacks take place after "Quite a Common Fairy," and before "Forget Me Not."
- They also occur years before "Lacey," and "Mother." (For more details, see the Enchanted Forest timeline)
- The Oz flashbacks take place after "Kansas" and years before "The Song in Your Heart."[14] (For more details, see the Oz timeline)
- The Enchanted Forest quick-scene where Zelena steals Marian's identity, takes place between scenes in "There's No Place Like Home."
- The past Land Without Magic events take place shortly after Robin Hood and his family leaves Storybrooke in "Heroes and Villains" and before the epilogue where Mr. Gold recruits Ursula. (For more details, see the Land Without Magic timeline)
- 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."
- HIDDEN DETAILS: The name on the bus that Robin Hood and his family takes from Maine to New York, is Polar Star Coach Lines,[15] a fictional bus company. The same company name appears on the sign at the bus stop where young Emma meets Lily in "Lily."[16] The same name appears on the bus that travels from Maine to Boston in "Only You,"[17] and the one that brings Henry and Violet from Maine to New York in the same episode.[18]
- 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."
- Robin Hood's tavern[19] is the same tavern that Cora visits later to gather intel on Regina's soulmate in "Mother."[20]
- ♫ MUSIC: The flute music playing in Robin's tavern is also heard in the pub that Anton visits in "Tiny," the tavern where Hook and his crew celebrate in "The Jolly Roger," the tavern where Cora works in "Bleeding Through," the tavern where Emma meets past Hook in "Snow Drifts," the Wish Realm tavern where Wish Hook meets Captain Ahab in "Knightfall" and the Fish & Bird tavern in the New Enchanted Forest in "Breadcrumbs." It can also be heard in the tent camp that Snow White visits in "Heartless."
- 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."
- 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 "Heart of Gold."
- Neal died in "Quiet Minds."
- Will's aversion towards water was previously touched upon again in the Once Upon a Time in Wonderland episodes "Trust Me," "Heart of the Matter" and "To Catch a Thief."
- Will's sister was previously mentioned in the Once Upon a Time in Wonderland episode "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."
Biblical
- There is a cross on the Our Lady Providence Medical Center sign.[21]
Disney
- In The Wizard of Oak furniture shop, there is a set of Mickey Mouse ears cast in steel inside a drawer.[22]
- This episode contains a number of other references to Disney works. See the list of Disney references for more.
Fairy Tales and Folklore
- This episode is a rendition of the Robin Hood ballads, with Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Will Scarlet, Little John, and the Sheriff.
- Also featured is the ugly duckling from the titular fairy tale, Rumplestiltskin from the "Rumpelstiltskin" fairy tale, and one of the Royal Palace Guards and the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz story.
- The plot about Mr. Gold's heart being poisoned and the chase for a cure in the form of the Elixir of the Wounded Heart, paired with a flashback story in Oz, is an indirect reference to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, where the Tin Man longs for a heart and travels with Dorothy to the Emerald City to get one from the Wizard of Oz.
- The Wizard of Oak furniture shop is a reference to the Wizard of Oz, the titular character from the novel.
- When Robin enters Oz, the magic portal lands on the guard and the guard's feet are sticking out,[23] just like the Wicked Witch of the East from the novel.[24]
- The six-leaf clover is from L. Frank Baum's children's novel The Patchwork Girl of Oz.
- HIDDEN DETAILS: The enchanted bow painting says "The Omaha Circus and Freak Show."[25] In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz novel, Omaha was the Wizard's birthplace.
- HIDDEN DETAILS: When Robin and Will hug, there is an overhead shot where a tin man appears lying on the side of the Yellow Brick Road.[26]
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.[27]
- The chase scene between Robin Hood and the purse snatcher is a possible reference to the 2001 television film Prince Charming, where the titular character chases down a bike thief. Robin Hood and Prince Charming are both played by Sean Maguire.[28]
- ARTWORKS: In Neal's apartment, there is a poster[29] promoting a "mint night" concert at The Brickyard (a former bar in Vancouver[30]) on October 17, 2003.[31] The performers listed are the Canadian indie rock band The Buttless Chaps, the rock band The Ramblin' Ambassadors from Calgary, Alberta, and the Canadian indie pop band[32] The Gay.
- Next to it,[33] there is a promo poster for the 2005 album Brigadoon by the Canadian indie pop band P:ano.
- Above this poster,[33] there is a promo poster for the Canadian alternative country singer Carolyn Mark and the Canadian alternative country and bluegrass band Luther Wright and the Wrongs, and their Owner Operator Tour from 2012.[34]
- When Robin enters Oz, the magic portal lands on the guard and the guard's feet are sticking out, just like the Wicked Witch of the East's death scene from the film The Wizard of Oz[35] (itself based on a scene from the novel,[24] as mentioned under "Fairy Tales and Folklore").
- The scene where Mr. Gold's heart stops and Zelena says "What a beautiful echo" is a reference to The Wizard of Oz scene where Dorothy bangs on the Tin Woodman's chest and the Scarecrow says, "Beautiful! What an echo."
Props Notes
- HIDDEN DETAILS: The handcuffs used to neutralize Regina's powers have the same design as the handcuffs used to neutralize Ingrid's Ice Magic in "The Snow Queen."[36]
- ON-SCREEN NUMBERS: According to Regina's note, Robin Hood's phone number in New York City is 232-555-5152.[37]
- HIDDEN DETAILS: The container with the Elixir of the Wounded Heart is engraved with the words "cor aut mors,"[38] Latin for "heart or death."
Set Dressing
- HIDDEN DETAILS: According to the sign, Walsh's furniture shop, The Wizard of Oak, is located in Brooklyn.[39]
- HIDDEN DETAILS: Inside The Wizard of Oak, a big wood carving of an O is sitting on a table, while a big wood carving of a Z is sitting on the floor.[40] Together, they form the name "Oz."
- HIDDEN DETAILS: There is a photograph of Emma Swan on Walsh's work desk.[41]
- REUSED PROPS: A set of Mickey Mouse ears cast in steel inside a drawer at The Wizard of Oak,[22] previously appeared in a box on the counter of Mr. Gold's pawnshop in "The Snow Queen."[42]
Costume Notes
- BRAND INFO: Robin's jacket[43] is a Belstaff H Racer Jacket[44] in green (the exact color is no longer available).
- USE IT AGAIN: He continues to wear the jacket in "Mother,"[45] "Operation Mongoose Part 1"[46] and "Operation Mongoose Part 2,"[47] and almost every episode of Season Five. Robin's Wish Realm counterpart, Robin of Locksley, wears the same jacket in the Season Six episodes "Murder Most Foul,"[48] "Ill-Boding Patterns"[49] and "Page 23."[50]
- HIDDEN DETAILS: David wears a black version of this jacket in the Season Five episodes "Sisters,"[51] "Firebird,"[52] "Last Rites,[53] "Only You"[54] and "An Untold Story,"[55] and the Season Six premiere "The Savior."[56] David's twin brother James wore the same black jacket in "Sisters."[57]
- SECONDHAND CLOTHING: Marian's blouse[58] is the same garment worn by Alice in the Season Seven episodes "Beauty,"[59] "Pretty in Blue,"[60] "The Eighth Witch"[61] and "The Girl in the Tower."[62]
- BRAND INFO: The shirt Robin is wearing[63] when he arrives at Neal's apartment is a J.Crew Homespun Knitwear Coalminer Contrast Henley.[64]
- The same shirt was worn by the character Thomas during the 2014 dystopian film The Maze Runner[65] and its 2015 sequel, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials.[66]
- SECONDHAND CLOTHING: Robin's vest[67] is the same garment worn by Jack in the Season Seven episodes "Pretty in Blue"[68] and "The Eighth Witch."[69]
- SECONDHAND CLOTHING: When Robin is masquerading as an Oz Guard, the epaulettes on his shoulders[70] are the same design worn by Gerhardt[71] and Alphonse Frankenstein[72] in the Season Two episode "In the Name of the Brother," the General in the Season Four episode "Rocky Road,"[73] the Duke of Weselton[74] and King Harald[75] in the Season Four episode "The Snow Queen" and by Captain Nemo in the Season Six episodes "Dark Waters,"[76] "Page 23"[77] and "A Wondrous Place."[78] The same epaulettes are worn by the Oz Guard that Zelena kills in the Season Five episode "Our Decay"[79] and the guards that announce Stanum's arrival in the Season Six episode "Where Bluebirds Fly."[80]
- The guard uniform Robin Hood is wearing is inspired by the design created by Adrian Greenburg for the winkie guards in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.[81]
Filming Locations
- Burnaby's Central Park doubles as the Storybrooke forest for the opening scene where Emma and her family are searching for the author. The same location doubles as the Enchanted Forest for the flashback scene where Zelena kills Marian.[82]
- The exterior scenes in New York City were filmed in Vancouver, where production for Once Upon a Time was based:
- The segment with Robin and his family navigating the streets looking for Neal's old apartment was filmed in Gastown.[83]
- The segment where Robin chases down the thief was filmed on West Hasting Street.[84]
- The segment where Robin tackles the thief and takes back the stolen item was filmed in Victory Square park.[84]
- Vancouver Community College doubles as Our Lady Providence Medical Center for exterior shots.[85]
- The empty Pappas Furs building on the west side of Victory Square doubles as The Wizard of Oak furniture shop.[86]
- The scenes by the magic door in Oz were filmed on a blue-screen set built at The Bridge Studios.[87] While the set was dressed to look like a forest, the background and the Yellow Brick Road were added digitally in post-production.
- The final scene with Robin Hood and Marian in the Enchanted Forest, was filmed in East Burnaby's Robert Burnaby Park.[88]
Goofs
- According to the heart monitor screen over his hospital bed, Mr. Gold's heart gives out at 14:33.[89] The date, however, is wrong: It says 25 Dec 14, but since there was a one-year time jump in "Going Home," which takes place in 2012, the flashback story in "Heart of Gold" should take place in 2013. Nor could the flashback take place in December 2013, because the episode clearly states that both the flashback scene where Robin Hood an his family leave Storybrooke, and the New York City flashback, take place nine weeks before the frame story, meaning that there is no gap between the two flashbacks. However, "Heroes and Villains" establish that Robin left town shortly after Mother Superior's disappearance in "Fall," and according to the missing person form in "Darkness on the Edge of Town," Mother Superior was reported missing on November 6.[90]
International Titles
| International Titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Title | Translation |
| Finnish | "Sydän karrella" | "Heartburn" |
| French | "Un Cœur en Or" | "A Heart of Gold" |
| German | "Spiegelfechterei" | "Sham" |
| Italian | "Cuore di Gold" | "Heart of Gold" |
| Polish | "Złote serce" | "Golden Heart" |
| Portuguese | "O coração de Gold" | "Gold's heart" |
| Spanish | "Corazón de Oro" | "Heart of Gold" |
Videos
