History Recap / OnceUponATimeS5E19Sisters

* HeelRealization: After so long justifying her actions as helping Regina be a strong woman, Cora finally acknowledges that she did this for her own selfish desires and lust for power and how it ruined her daughters' lives and is sorry for it.

* IdiotBall: David [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] how stupid it was for James to try and lock him up in a replica of his own jail.

* RetCon: It's revealed that Regina and Zelena did meet as children, becoming friends and then learning they were sisters but Cora used a magic river's waters to erase their memories of the incident so their bond wouldn't interfere with her plans. Cora reveals this at last to the girls to finally break this cycle of hate.

-> Pan: I hear you're wicked. Well, I'm much worse."

* EvilerThanThou: Pan introduces himself to Zelena, saying "I hear you're wicked. Well, I'm much worse."

* EvilerThanThou: Pan introduces himself to Zelena as, "I hear you're wicked. I'm much worse."

* {{Irony}}: After having consigned Zelena to being raised by a horribly abusive man in Oz, Cora ends up laboring as a miller's daughter in the Underworld...with that same man as her nasty overseer.

!Tropes

* AbusiveParent: We see Zelena's father physically and emotionally to Zelena because he does not approve of her magic, just in time for a sympathetic episode about a slightly less abusive parent, Cora.

* VillainTeamUp: Rumple is so desperate, he's willing to work with Pan.

Regina confronts Zelena about her relationship with Hades and reluctantly turns to Cora to help. Meanwhile, David and James finally have it out over their past issues.

* TheBusCameBack: Pan

** Hook smuggles his hook for Cora to use to cut her magical binding.

** We see that as a young kid, Regina never cared much about power and wealth even if she's raised by a strict mother; much like how Regina was before succumbing to dark magic.

* EvilTwin: James

* FailedASpotCheck: Emma doesn't find it odd "David" doesn't recognize when a photo of himself and Snow was taken, shrugging it off as "all the curses and time jumps" affecting his memory.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: In the sneak peak, we see the interactions of two sets of siblings: Zelena and Regina, and David and James. However, with the title is only Sisters instead of Siblings, which foreshadows James' fate.

** Seeing Regina and Zelena about to kill each other, Cora reveals to them how they had been true sisters long ago, admitting she'd been a fool for thinking love was a weakness. She apologizes to both for all the horrible treatment she gave for her own selfish pursuits to finally earn their forgiveness. This turns out to be the unfinished business she needs to move on.

* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Water from the Lethe river does this. Cora used some once to make Regina and Zelena forget each other as children, and tries to use it again to make Zelena forget Hades, but Zelena figures out the ruse before she can.

* MotiveMisidentification: The talk with Cruella made David believe James was upset because their mother kept David and gave James away. James instead reveals he's outraged as he got killed early and "the shepherd" got to enjoy a life of fame and riches.
* MythologyGag: When meeting Cora, the young Zelena starts to ask "are you a good witch or..."

** Cora mentions how she used to believe love was weakness.

* [[Foreshadowing Foreshadowing]]: In the sneak peak, we see the interactions of two sets of siblings: Zelena and Regina, and David and James. However, with the title is only Sisters instead of Siblings, which foreshadows James' fate.

* VillainBall: If Gold hadn't interfered in Zelena's romantic rendezvous with Hades, she might have been able to convince him to undo all his recent evil, which would include tearing up Gold's contract.

* EvilerThanThou: Pan introduces himself to Zelena as "you're wicked? I'm worse."

* ForeShadowing: The young Zelena and Regina play at attacking each other, unaware they'll be doing it for real decades later.

* BaitAndSwitch: As she crosses the bridge, Cora is briefly covered with flames, indicating she'll still be eternally punished for her sins. But they fade as she is able to walk into the light.

* ArcWords: "I will find you" returns in a flashback.