History Recap / OnceUponATimeS4E8SmashTheMirror

* NotSoDifferent: While Elsa and Emma have been feeling this about each other ever since they met, it's in this episode where it comes to a head, since it compels Elsa to steal the locator potion and go after Emma so as to implore her not to give up her powers...and in the end the similarities between them are how she's able to get through to Emma and get her powers under control again.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: The way so many people in this episode speak of Emma's magic and its specialness, how it's part of who she is and she (and those who love her) need to accept it and embrace it, comes across a lot like someone talking about their sexuality--especially during Elsa's final pleading with Emma at the mansion. Considering how many fans of ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'' interpreted Elsa and her powers this way, the carryover is apt.

** Killian pleads with Rumplestiltskin to avoid a FaceHeelTurn (namely, in not harming Emma since she's the mother of his grandson), while Emma (in a separate scene) reminds him that he worked for centuries to find Baelfire out of love, sacrificed himself to save the town, and loves and is loved by Belle. Rumple counters her that despite all his efforts to be good, they have achieved nothing: Bae is still gone forever, the town is still in peril, and Belle's faith that he is a good man is misplaced. Rumple says he is choosing power for its own sake as he has always done--and thus also tells Killian that while he wishes he didn't have to, putting Emma in the Hat is the only way for him to get the power he needs to break free of the dagger.

** When trapping Ingrid in her cave, Gold makes use of ashes collected from the urn, which Elsa destroyed in Zelena's barn after escaping it in the very first episode of the season.

** When trapping Ingrid in her cave, Gold makes use of ashes collected from the urn, with Elsa destroyed in Zelena's barn after escaping it in the very first episode of the season.

** Killian pleads with Rumplestiltskin to avoid a FaceHeelTurn, while Emma (in a separate scene) reminds him that he worked for centuries to find Baelfire out of love, sacrificed himself to save the town, and loves and is loved by Belle. Rumple counters her that despite all his efforts to be good, they have achieved nothing: Bae is still gone forever, the town is still in peril, and Belle's faith that he is a good man is misplaced. Rumple says he is choosing power for its own sake as he has always done.

** The sister's ribbons followed this trope more closely: when they first appeared, they were just regular ribbons made from a broken kite. Then when the three sisters meet Rumplestiltskin, he said they were imbued with their love and were now magical. And then in this episode, apparently one can transfer magical power from those who wore the others to the one who cast the spell on it. Since the power of the ribbons was based on a bond of love, it does however make sense that this could allow power to be drawn between them.

* EvilVersusEvil: This episode cements Rumplestiltskin and the Snow Queen squarely at cross-purposes.

** Killian pleads with Rumplestiltskin to avoid a FaceHeelTurn by reminding him that he worked for centuries to find Baelfire out of love, sacrificed himself to save the town, and loves and is loved by Belle. Rumple counters (in a separate scene with Emma) that despite all his efforts to be good, they have achieved nothing: Bae is still gone forever, the town is still in peril, and Belle's faith that he is a good man is misplaced. Rumple says he is choosing power for its own sake as he has always done.

** Courtesy of Regina - "this may be the worst idea you've ever had - and ''you'' hired the Wicked Witch as your nanny."

* BeYourself[=/=]IAmWhatIAm: A cross between these tropes is what Elsa advocates as to how to control her and Emma's powers--that having others who love and support you is both good and necessary, but you also have to love and accept yourself.
* ContinuityNod: Courtesy of Regina - "this may be the worst idea you've ever had - and ''you'' hired the Wicked Witch as your nanny."

* MouthOfSauron: The Apprentice speaks for the Sorcerer in almost all matters, even one as important as the deal he is making with Ingrid.

* ScrewDestiny: A non-combative version of this (it is Snow White giving it) is used to inspire hope in Regina for her getting a happy ending. The alternate page from the storybook that Robin Hood finds also implies the trope is possible by making other choices.

* FantasyFprbiddingMother: Regina regrets being this to Henry more than anything else.

* YouCantThwartStageOne: Despite Emma almost giving up her powers (and thus giving Gold the power he needs to free himself of the dagger ''and'' eliminate the greatest good-aligned threat to his plans), a bit of judicious AstralProjection by Ingrid to plant seeds of doubt, plus Elsa's impassioned pleas, convinces her to keep them. And this, thanks to the ribbons, allows her to have the power to use her mirror and cast the Spell of Shattered Sight.

* TitleDrop: We get a literal (and visual) one at the end of the episode when Ingrid casts her Spell of Shattered Sight, although it could also be taken more metaphorically in the number of characters whose image of either themselves or others gets shattered in this episode: Hook, Gold, Emma, Elsa, Ingrid...

* TitleDrop: We get a literal (and visual) one at the end of the episode when Ingrid casts her Spell of Shattered Sight, although it could also be taken more metaphorically in the number of characters whose image of either themselves or others gets shattered in this episode: Hook, Gold, Emma, Ingrid...

* TitleDrop: We get a literal one at the end of the episode when Ingrid casts her spell of shattered sight.

!Tropes