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"The New Neverland" is the tenth episode of Season Three of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Andrew Chambliss and directed by Ron Underwood. It is the fifty-fourth episode of the series overall, and premiered on December 8, 2013.
Synopsis
The residents of Storybrooke are overjoyed upon the return of Henry and our heroes from Neverland. But unbeknownst to them, a plan is secretly being put into place by a well-hidden Pan that will shake up the very lives of the townspeople. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was, Snow White and Prince Charming’s honeymoon turns out to be anything but romantic when they go in search of a mythical being that could stop Regina cold in her tracks.[2]
Recap
In present-day Storybrooke, Belle walks with Ariel to find Eric. She finds him at a counter cutting fish. When he sees her, he runs to her, and they kiss. Suddenly, Belle sees the Jolly Roger fly into Storybrooke.
Everyone starts cheering as the Jolly Roger lands at the dock. The heroes exit the ship along with Peter Pan in Henry's body, and they all walk down the ramp into the crowd. Everyone starts hugging each other as a reunion. Mr. Gold meets up with Belle and explains that she was sure that they would see each other again. Gold tells her that he will never doubt her again. When Wendy exits the ship, she meets her brothers, Michael and John. She asks them if they remember Baelfire. All of them hug, happy to be reunited. Michael and John ask Wendy if she's ready to go home. Mary Margaret and David display their happiness and tell everyone that they only won because of Regina. Regina shows her surprise as everyone exclaims how proud they are of her.
Back in the Enchanted Forest, the Evil Queen threatens Snow White and Prince Charming at their wedding. Furious, Snow White stomps into the meeting room, not knowing what to do about the Evil Queen. Prince Charming assures her that all Regina made was threats and they should enjoy their honeymoon to show her that her threats don't matter. Snow White suggests they go to the summer palace and he agrees. Grumpy comes in the room and asks her if she agrees with Prince Charming and she says she thinks there is something at the summer palace that might help defeat the Evil Queen.
In Storybrooke, Mr. Gold explains to David that the Shadow can't escape from the sail and they are all safe. Pan, who is in Henry's body walks up to Felix and discusses their plan. Pan/Henry suddenly tells everyone that Felix is still free. Felix asks him what he's doing, and Pan/Henry explains in a low whisper that they need to be able to trust him as Henry. David says they'll lock Felix up in the jail cell. Pan/Henry urges the heroes to hide Pandora's Box, so Henry won't escape.
Mr. Gold takes the box to his shop and locked it up. He explains that only his magic can take the box out. Later, Belle helps fix Mr. Gold's tie and he tells her he wants a future with her.
At the party for getting out of Neverland at Granny's Diner, Emma sits down with Pan/Henry and gives him Henry's book. When Emma notices that he doesn't recognize it, she asks if something is wrong. Neal comes to sit down next to Hook and Hook tells him that he is going to back off and give Neal a shot with Emma. Neal exclaims his thanks, but Hook tells him that he's playing the long game and Neal has already abandoned her once.
When Regina and Tinker Bell walk in, they run into Mother Superior. At first, Mother Superior calls Tinker Bell "Green" but Regina tells her that her name is Tinker Bell. Regina demands Tinker Bell get her wings back. Mother Superior states that she doesn't take orders from Regina and asks Tinker Bell why she should become a fairy again. Regina points out that Tinker Bell got Pixie Dust to work. When Mother Superior asks about this, Tinker Bell says it only worked for a second. Mother Superior then says that's the problem. She wants to know how she's supposed to believe in Tinker Bell if she can't even believe in herself. She does apologize to Tinker Bell stating that she feels now that she was too harsh in her punishment of the pixie all of those years ago.
Neal then comes over to Emma and asks her on a date. She tells him she's unsure and he states that he'll make it easy for her. He'll be in the diner the next day for lunch, and Emma can show up if she wants to. Neal walks away as her parents come up behind her. She tells them that she knows they believe that she owes Neal another chance. However, Mary Margaret states that she owes it to herself to go because she deserves a happy ending.
In the Enchanted Forest, Snow White and Prince Charming arrive at the summer palace. When Prince Charming goes to untie her cape, she pulls back telling him that she has something special planned for that night. Charming says that between all of the turmoil and the dwarves, they haven't had any time to themselves, and he wants them to enjoy the time alone. Charming leaves her alone to go get their bags.
As soon as he leaves, she takes off the robe and sneaks out the Palace. As she is walking, she spots Prince Charming standing in front of her. She asks him how he knew what she was going to do, and he says that she had that look on her face that he knows means she has a plan. Snow White explains that she wants to cut off Medusa's head to turn the Evil Queen into stone. After trying to talk her out of it, he reluctantly agrees as long as he can go with her.
In present-day Storybrooke, Emma tells Pan/Henry that it is bedtime, and they should go. However, when they go to say goodbye to Regina, he says that he wants to spend the night at Regina's house. When he gets home, Pan/Henry opens the book onto a page displaying the curse. When Regina comes to tuck him in to bed, Pan/Henry asks about Regina's vault and if she brought it over. She tells him that he knows she did. Pan/Henry asks if she can take him there, explaining that he wants to be safe, but he really just wants something from it. After Regina leaves, he lets the Shadow out.
Back in the Enchanted Forest, Snow White and Prince Charming discuss what to do with Medusa. He asks her why she is so determined to turn Regina to stone, when she stopped the execution of Regina all those years ago and when Regina has no power to hurt them anymore. Snow tells him that she doesn't know why she needs to do this, she just knows that the Evil Queen threatened the kingdom.
In Storybrooke, while David and Mary Margaret are eating at Granny's, Mr. Gold gives him the elixir to stop the dreamshade poisoning. As David tells Mary Margaret that they should have a baby, she notices that Emma didn't go on the date with Neal. David goes to check on Emma and she tells him that she thinks that Henry is not acting like himself and that something bad is going to happen. He advises her not the think like that and tells her to enjoy the good moments. He then gives her a lift to Granny's.
At Granny's, Hook runs into Tinker Bell as she leaves the restroom. He asks about how she is adjusting to Storybrooke and invites her to share a drink with him. Tinker Bell accuses him of using her to distract himself from Emma. She tells Hook that they are never going to be that way. Suddenly, they hear a woman scream. Hook and Tinker Bell race outside to investigate the noise and run into Emma and David. Emma asks if Tinker Bell and Hook were together at Granny's. Tinker Bell denies this whereas Hook implies that they were.
They discover that the screaming is Mother Superior running from Pan's Shadow. She trips, and the Shadow is able to rip her shadow from her body, killing her. As the group tries to understand why this has happened, Hook tells the group that the Shadow only takes orders from one person, Pan. At Regina's house, Pan/Henry is reading the book of fairytales. Regina rushes in and tells Henry that he must come with her because something has happened.
In the Enchanted Forest, Snow White tells Charming to keep his eyes down as they search for Medusa. He wonders how they will find her but is interrupted by a sudden beast-like screech. They hide behind a stone pillar where they see a snake-like tail slithering away from them. Charming says he will draw Medusa out so that Snow can chop off her head. Charming calls for the Medusa, and as she passes the pillar, Snow swings her sword hitting Medusa's neck. However, the sword disintegrates.
Snow is upset that their plan did not work and wonders if she should have stayed at the palace and honeymooned as Charming had wanted. Charming tells her that it is fine and that they just need to find a way out. He throws a helmet to distract Medusa and they run in the opposite direction toward the exit. Medusa does not fall for the distraction and grabs Snow's ankle with one of her tentacles and pulls Snow toward her. Charming shouts that Snow should not look back and throws a shield at Medusa. Medusa lets go of Snow allowing her to escape, but Medusa grabs Charming, spins him around to face her, and turns him to stone.
In Storybrooke, David and Emma cover Mother Superior's body with a blanket while Mary Margaret cries nearby. Regina appears with Henry asking what has happened. David tells her that Pan's Shadow killed Mother Superior. Regina is confused because she had the Shadow trapped. Neal and Hook head to the Jolly Roger to get the candle that can trap Pan's Shadow. Emma is convinced that Pan is behind the killing which Regina says is impossible because he is trapped in Gold's shop. Pan/Henry asks if he is safe and if Regina will protect him. Regina replies that she will and goes to leave to take him to a safe place.
Emma grabs Regina before she leaves and asks her to keep a close eye on Henry, as she feels he is acting strange. Regina accuses Emma of thinking he is strange because she is jealous that he is spending more time with her. Emma denies this, but Regina states that Emma can't deal with the fact that Henry wants comfort from her rather than Emma. Emma reiterates that she just has a gut feeling. Regina turns back to Henry and tells him that she is taking him to her vault, the one place the shadow cannot reach.
Back in the Enchanted Forest, Snow tells the now stone Charming that she won't leave him. She then hears Regina's voice. Regina speaks to Snow from the shield, asking her if she's enjoying her honeymoon and that she could barely tell the difference between Charming before and after becoming stone. Snow blames Regina for what happened. Regina rejects this and laughs that she didn't realize she could ruin Snow's happiness by just sitting back and letting Snow sabotage herself before disappearing.
Snow realizes what Regina said was true and looks defeated, but then realizes that the shield is a mirror. She tears off the cover and holds it up in front of Medusa, who turns herself into stone. With Medusa dead, the spell on Charming is lifted and he returns to normal. He embraces Snow, asking how she defeated Medusa. Snow replies that she let Medusa defeat herself. She apologizes for letting her determination to fight Regina put Charming in danger. He replies that he has ideas on how she can make it up to him.
Back in Storybrooke, Emma, David, and Mary Margaret run to Gold's shop where he and Belle are closing up for the day. The Charmings demand Pandora's box to see how Pan is controlling the Shadow. Gold refuses saying that it was hard enough to apprehend him the first time. Emma states that she is not looking to apprehend him, but rather get rid of him once and for all. They all drive to the town line where they plan to release him, as there is no magic outside the town.
Henry in Pan's body awakens from the box and tries to tell them that the bodies have been switched. Mr. Gold warns Emma not to fall for Pan's tricks and urges Emma to shoot him. Emma is not convinced that this is a trick and wonders if this is why she's felt something strange about Henry. She asks him to prove he is Henry by telling her something only Henry would know. He starts listing facts, but Emma asks him for something harder to fake. She asks him to tell her about the first moment they connected, not met. He tells her about the time they spoke in his castle when he told her that he knew that she gave him up to give him his best chance. Emma lowers her gun. Everyone convinced, Mr. Gold apologizes for putting Henry in the box, and they all embrace. David wonders where Pan is, if Henry is with them.
In Regina's vault in Storybrooke, Pan/Henry tells Regina that he is lucky to have her protecting him. Regina tells him that when all this is over, she will be the mother he always wanted her to be. As they embrace, Pan/Henry steals a vial from her. She tells him she loves him, and then he opens the vial in Regina's face, causing her to lose consciousness. Pan/Henry replies that her love is what made tricking her so easy.
In the Enchanted Forest, back at the Summer Palace, Charming apologizes that they were unable to find a way to defeat Regina, even if she did not know why she wanted to do it in the first place. Snow tells him that she knew the reason she wanted to turn Regina into stone and that it was because she wanted to start a family without the fear of Regina interfering. Snow realized though that there will always be something opposing them and that having a child now will help bring good into dark moments. They kiss.
Back in Storybrooke, Mr. Gold, Belle, David, Mary Margaret, Tinker Bell, Hook, Neal, and Henry/Pan all gather at Regina's vault. Emma is unable to reach Regina's cellphone. Hook shows the group that they have the candle needed to capture the shadow. Mr. Gold is unable to unlock Regina's vault initially and tells them it will take some time. David and Mary Margaret step aside to speak with Emma who is feeling defeated about not being able to fight Pan, since he is using Henry's body. Her parents assure her that they will save Henry and have a happy life. Emma replies that she will never have happy restful moments as the savior.
Mr. Gold opens the vault, and they find Regina alive, but unconscious on the floor with no sign of Pan. Mr. Gold revives Regina who admonishes herself for falling for his tricks because she wanted so hard to believe that Henry still needed her as his mother. Henry/Pan hugs Regina and tells her that he does still need her. David asks what Pan took. Mr. Gold holds out his hand towards a box and shows alarm. Mr. Gold asks Regina if she keeps "it" in her vault, and Regina asks where else she would keep it.
In the Storybrooke forests, Pan/Henry shows Felix that he has acquired the Dark Curse from Regina.
In the vault, the group wonders why Pan has taken the curse. Mr. Gold tells them that the curse can be cast again and that this time no one would be able to stop it without Snow and Charming's true love woven into the spell.
In the forest, Pan/Henry tells Felix that by casting the spell, all the inhabitants will forget their memories, that time will stand still, and that he and Felix will be in charge. Pan/Henry states they will turn Storybrooke into the New Neverland.Cast[2]
Starring
|
Guest Starring
Co-Starring
Uncredited |
Note:
*:Only in archive footage.
Trivia
Title
- The title card features Medusa.[3]
- The title of this episode was announced by Adam Horowitz via his Twitter account on October 26, 2013.[4]
Production Notes
- RECYCLED CGI SET: The computer-generated imagery set used to portray the interior of the Summer Palace is recycled from the computer generated model used for royal manor in the Season One episode "The Stable Boy," the Season Two episode "The Doctor" and the Season Five episode "Sisters." The same model is re-used for the Royal Castle dining hall in the Season Six episode "A Bitter Draught" and the Tremaine manor in the Season Seven episodes "Hyperion Heights," "The Garden of Forking Paths" and "Wake Up Call." The archways in all four buildings have a very similar design,[5] as do the windows of the royal manor, the Summer Palace and the Royal Castle,[6] even the flowers on the window sill.[6]
- MYSTERIOUS WRITINGS: The ceiling of Regina's father's tomb says "QU[obscured]SSE VIDERIS."[7] "Quam esse videris" is Latin, and translates as "how are you"[8] or "and to be you are seen."[9] Esse quam videri is a Latin phrase meaning "To be, rather than to seem (to be)," which has been used as a motto by a number of different groups.
Event Chronology
- The Enchanted Forest flashbacks occur immediately after the wedding scene in "Pilot" and before "Unforgiven." (For more details, see the Enchanted Forest timeline)
- The Storybrooke events occur after "Dark Hollow" and before "Going Home." (For more details, see the Land Without Magic timeline)
Episode Connections
- Prince Charming mentions how Snow White stopped the Evil Queen's execution in "The Cricket Game."
- Prince Charming references how he and Snow White met and fought trolls in "Snow Falls."
- Snow White and Charming go on a honeymoon in this episode. They return from their honeymoon in "Unforgiven."
- HIDDEN DETAILS: Neal says to Hook that he doesn't think they serve rum at Granny's Diner. Rum has been added to the menu by the time of "Ill-Boding Patterns."
- Granny's special lasagna is also referred to in "Child of the Moon," "Tiny," "Lacey," "It's Not Easy Being Green," "Dreamcatcher" and "An Untold Story."
- Mr. Gold said he could create a dreamshade cure in "Think Lovely Thoughts."
- STORYBOOK CONTENT: When Peter Pan, in Henry's body, flips through Henry's storybook, he looks at illustrations of the gingerbread house from "True North"[10] and the Dark Curse in "Pilot."[11]
- Charming says to Snow, "I fell in love with you on a Troll Bridge after you robbed me and hit me over the head with a rock," referring to events in "Snow Falls."
- The Evil Queen mocks Snow White using her Magic Mirror, which came into her possession in "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree."
- After being freed from stone, Prince Charming says he now knows how Frederick felt in "What Happened to Frederick."
- To prove who he is, Henry mentions his love for hot cocoa with cinnamon which was first established in "The Thing You Love Most," getting stuck in the mines in "That Still Small Voice," trying to blow up the wishing well in "Welcome to Storybrooke" and his and Emma's first bonding moment in "Pilot."
- Mr. Gold enchanted Baelfire's shawl in "The Outsider."
- While on their honeymoon, Snow White and Prince Charming decide to try for a baby. Snow White learns that she's pregnant when they return from their honeymoon in "Unforgiven."
Lost
- At the diner, Dopey wears a Geronimo Jackson shirt,[12] a reference to the fictional band of the same name on the TV series Lost.
Fairytales and Folklore
- This episode is a rendition of the "Perseus" myth with Perseus and Medusa.
- This episode features the ugly duckling from the fairytale of the same name, the evil queen, Snow White, the prince and one of the dwarves from the "Snow White" fairytale, as well as Captain Hook, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, the shadow, Wendy, John and Michael Darling from the Peter Pan story.
- The Jolly Roger is used to fly everyone home to Storybrooke, a reference to the Peter Pan story, where the titular character uses the ship to fly the Darling family back to London.
- Mother Superior refuses to give Tinker Bell her wings back because neither of them believe in her. This is a reference to Peter Pan, where the titular character says to Wendy that every time a child says, "I don't believe in fairies," there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead. Later, Peter saves a dying Tinker Bell by calling on all of the children who believe in fairies to clap their hands.
- STORYBOOK CONTENT: As Pan is looking through Henry's storybook, an excerpt from the fairytale of The Golden Bird can be seen.[13][14]
- The same excerpt appears in dozens of episodes; read the trivia section in the article for Henry's storybook for more information and a transcript.
- Charming says to Snow, "I fell in love with you on a Troll Bridge after you robbed me and hit me over the head with a rock." The concept of trolls living under a bridge originates in the fairytale "Three Billy Goats Gruff."
- HIDDEN DETAILS: Henry's bedside lamp has a shadow figure of a unicorn,[15] a legendary creature from worldwide mythology.[16]
Popular Culture
- ♫ MUSIC: The song A Pebble In My Sand by The Fallen Angels is playing in the background when Tinker Bell is talking to Mother Superior in the diner.
- The boardgames Outburst II and Balderdash are sitting on a shelf in Henry's room.[17]
- MARVEL COMICS: Pan picks up the comic Avengers Assemble #1 in Henry's room.[18] It was released in 2012, the year before the episode premiered. A variant cover edition[19] of Invincible Iron Man #1 from 2008 is lying on the table.[18]
Props Notes
- STORYBOOK CONTENT: As Pan is looking through Henry's storybook, the accompanying images are illustrations by the famous English book illustrator Arthur Rackham:
- "The Paradise of Children,"[13] a watercolor painting from 1922, based on a drawing of the same name from a 1922 edition of Nathaniel Hawthorne's children's book A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys (link to page). It depicts a scene from the story "The Paradise of Children."
- REUSED PROPS: The same excerpt, with the same illustration, is in the Heroes and Villains storybook in part one of the Season Four finale, "Operation Mongoose Part 1";[20] indicating that the same prop was used for the interior of both books.
- "When she got to the wood, she met a Wolf"[14] from the fairytale of "Little Red Riding Hood," from the 1909 fairytale collection The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (note that this illustration, and several others, are missing from the digitized edition due to some pages being missing).
- PAUSE AND READ: Next to an illustration of the heart vault, there is an excerpt from the scene where the Evil Queen interrupts Snow White and Prince Charming's wedding in the Season One episode "Pilot"[21] (note that most of the text is illegible or off-screen, but appears in a photograph from an online prop auction;[22] this text is set in fuchsia):
The Queen paced back and forth,
filling the spectators with fear as
she declared her evil intentions
for the kingdom. "Soon, every-
thing you love, everything all of
you love, will be taken from
you forever. And from your
suffering, will rise my victory."
The Queen then turned to face Charming and Snow. "I
shall destroy your happiness if it is the last thing I do. [sic]
Having made her vows, the Queen turned and began
to walk away. But Charming, unwilling to let the
Queen's threat go unanswered, grabbed his sword and
threw it at the evil woman. Before the sword could hit
her, however, the Queen vanished into a dark puff of
smoke. The sword hit the ground with a clatter, and the
Queen was gone.
- Note that Charming's sword hitting the ground with a clatter is an error, as both "Pilot" and the following episode, "The Thing You Love Most," clearly show that the sword was teleported away along with the Evil Queen.
- Although it is illegible in the episode, the rest of the text consists of an excerpt from "Snow-White and Rose-Red."
- HIDDEN DETAILS: The spell scroll for the Dark Curse[23] is written in cursive characters from the Latin alphabet; however, the writing is flipped, to make it look more exotic.[24] Flipping the image, however, does not reveal anything interesting. The text is gibberish.
Set Dressing
- HERALDRY: Eric's stand at the docks is called Eric's Bait.[25] Its symbol is a hauriant seahorse (in a vertical position with its head up). In heraldry, the seahorse is a hybrid with the fore quarters of a horse with webbed paws, and the hind part of a fish or dolphin. A scalloped fin runs down the neck and back in place of a mane.[26]
- USE IT AGAIN: The same symbol, albeit with a different design, appears as Eric's royal crest back in the Enchanted Forest in "Ariel.[27]
Costume Notes
- BRAND INFO: At the docks, Belle is wearing[28] Ribbon Lace Sweater by RED Valentino,[29] and a Color Block Felted Wool Skirt by Burberry.[30]
- USE IT AGAIN: Belle wears the same skirt and sweater in "Going Home."[31]
- BRAND INFO: The next day, Belle wears[32] a J.Crew Petite Schoolboy Blazer in Houndstooth Tweed (no longer available),[33] a T by Alexander Wang Stretch Leather High Waisted Skirt[34] (also no longer available) and a pair of Saint Laurent Women's Black And Maroon Leather Platform Pumps.[35]
- BRAND INFO: Ariel is wearing[36] a J.Crew Merino Zippered Sweater-Jacket[37] over a Club Monaco Riley Leather Collar Sweater[38] (both are no longer available).
- The character Sarah Tame wore the same sweater on an episode of the drama television series Covert Affairs.[39]
- SECONDHAND CLOTHING: The doublet, west and undershirt worn by Prince Charming at his honeymoon[40] are the same as the ones that adult Henry wears for the royal ball in the Season Seven premiere "Hyperion Heights."[41] Note that the shoulder pieces on Charming's west were shortened for Henry.
- BRAND INFO: Regina's gray coat[42] is a Wool Cashmere Melton Military Coat from Burberry[43] (no longer available).
- USE IT AGAIN: She wears the same coat in "Going Home,"[44] "Quiet Minds,"[45] "Bleeding Through"[46] (note that in this episode, Regina is wearing a scarf over the coat, hiding most of the details) and the Season Six episode "Awake."[47]
- BRAND INFO: Emma is wearing[48] a Lauren by Ralph Lauren Portsmouth Fair Isle Beanie Hat[49] (no longer available).
- USE IT AGAIN: She wore the same headgear in the Season One episodes "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree"[50] and "Skin Deep,"[51] and wears it again the following episode, "Going Home."[52]
- BRAND INFO: Mary Margaret is wearing[53] a pair of Topshop Maddie Eva Sole Suede Brogues (no longer available).[54] Note that the color of the shoes seems to have been altered by the costume department.
- USE IT AGAIN: Mary Margaret wears them again in "Going Home."[55]
Filming Locations
- The scene with Emma and David at the beach, was filmed in Garry Point Park, a large 75 acres waterfront park, located close to Steveston Village. The crew hauled up a huge piece of driftwood so that Jennifer Morrison could sit on it for the scene.[56]
International Titles
| International Titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Title | Translation |
| Finnish | "Uusi Mikä-Mikä-Maa" | "The New Neverland" |
| French | "Le Nouveau Pays Imaginaire" | "The New Neverland" |
| German | "Pans neues Neverland?" | "Pan's New Neverland?" |
| Hungarian | "Az új Sohaország" | "The New Neverland" |
| Italian | "La nuova isola che non c'è" | "The New Neverland" |
| Polish | "Nowa Nibylandia" | "The New Neverland" |
| Portuguese | "A Nova Terra do Nunca" | "The New Neverland" |
| Spanish | "El nuevo Nunca Jamás" | "The New Neverland" |
Videos
