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* The episode opens showing how Merlin became trapped inside of the tree in the first place. He chases down the original Dark One and confronts them over the death of the woman he loved, and when he weeps over her the Dark One seizes the dagger and uses one of Merlin's heartbroken tears to trap him.

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* The episode opens showing how Merlin became trapped inside of the tree in the first place. He chases down the original Dark One and confronts them over the death of the woman he loved, and when he weeps over her the Dark One seizes the dagger and uses one of Merlin's heartbroken tears to trap him. [[spoiler:This becomes even more of a TearJerker after episode 7, when we find out the first Dark One ''was'' Nimue. So he was pleading with her to be the woman he loved again, crying over the tragedy of her awful choice that corrupted her, and then she callously used his tear to trap him despite still loving him, albeit in a "twisted" way.]]

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* Rumple sacrificing his last best chance to be rid of the dagger so that Alice won't be cursed with immortality and outlive her loved ones the way he has. The last flashback shows him, now fully converted back to his imp form, wandering off [[MadnessMantra muttering "spin, spin, spin" over and over]], clearly having lost his sanity in the process. Even Hook look sorry for him.

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* Rumple sacrificing his last best chance to be rid of the dagger so that Alice won't be cursed with immortality and outlive her loved ones the way he has. The last flashback shows him, now fully converted back to his imp form, wandering off [[MadnessMantra muttering "spin, spin, spin" over and over]], clearly having lost his sanity in the process. Even Hook look looks sorry for him.


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[[AC: Episode 20 - Is This Henry Mills?]]
* Everything Henry says to Lucy and Regina as they keep futilely trying to convince him to believe again is painful, particularly when he begs to know why, if everything Regina told him is true, all those heroic friends and family members haven't come to save them--you can hear him come close to tears. Lucy's reaction, to declare she wishes he'd never grown up and slam her bedroom door, is also saddening (as was her initial tearful flight from Roni's bar when the storybook didn't work). But probably the worst is when Regina pours her heart out to Henry, explaining how the events from the day of the curse being cast have led to his very real pain. She holds his face in her hands, stares into his eyes, and declares she believes in him, knows he can save them...and all he does is flatly say, "Bye, Roni," pull away, and leave.
* The moment when it looks like [[spoiler:Regina has been killed by Gothel]] and Henry is kneeling over her, crying and apologizing for not believing and coming too late.
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[[AC: Episode 19 - Flower Child]]
* Gothel forces Tilly to join her cult by threatening to murder Rogers [[InternalReveal after telling them that they're father and daughter]]. Rogers begs her not to, but Tilly tearfully tells him that she can't be responsible for his death.
* Tilly clearly is panicked over Gothel having Margot's blood. She already knows that the cult has Rogers and is willing to kill him, and now the woman she's falling in love with might be in the same (or worse) situation.
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[[AC: Episode 18 - The Guardian]]
* Rumple sacrificing his last best chance to be rid of the dagger so that Alice won't be cursed with immortality and outlive her loved ones the way he has. The last flashback shows him, now fully converted back to his imp form, wandering off [[MadnessMantra muttering "spin, spin, spin" over and over]], clearly having lost his sanity in the process. Even Hook look sorry for him.
* Regina calling out Weaver for going behind her back and ruining her chance to save Henry, and AllForNothing too. She tells him their friendship is over.
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* Twisted as he is, you have to feel a bit for [[spoiler: Nick]] talking of all the great times he and Henry have shared and Henry thinking him a psycho.
* The fact that Henry is given the blood test proving he's Lucy's father...but because it comes from a total psychopath, he doesn't believe it.
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[[AC: Episode 17 - Chosen]]
* Regina telling Zelena to go ahead and marry Chad as she's more than earned her happiness.
-->'''Regina''': You get on that bike, monkey and you fly.
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[[AC: Episode 15 - Breadcrumbs]]
* Seeing Zelena and Margot argue again is quite painful to watch; luckily, they make amends at the end of the episode, [[spoiler:but then it's revealed that Zelena is Nick's next target...]]
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* Drizella's regret over [[spoiler:killing Gretel.]] Gothel then congratulates her and welcomes her into the Coven, but Drizella says that she didn't want to do it.

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* Drizella's regret over [[spoiler:killing Gretel.]] Gretel]]. Gothel then congratulates her and welcomes her into the Coven, but Drizella says that she didn't want to do it.
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* Drizella's regret over [[spoiler:killing Gretel.]] Gothel then congratulates her and welcomes her into the Coven, but Drizella says that she didn't want to do it.
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* Wish!Regina failed to cast the curse; this means that she ''murdered her father for nothing'' and was exiled away to wallow in her own sadness at having failed. And then, of course, this means that Cora didn't die, so she probably spends time pestering her failure of a daughter.
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* The fact that Anastasia and Drizella used to have a great sisterly bond that held them through tough times but the fact that Drizella was made TheUnfavorite by her mother made her hate Anastasia. Luckily, their sisterly bond is eventually restored and they return to the New Enchanted Forest together.

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* The fact that Anastasia and Drizella used to have a great sisterly bond that held them through tough times but the fact that Drizella was made TheUnfavorite by her mother made her hate Anastasia. Luckily, [[spoiler:Luckily, their sisterly bond is eventually restored and they return to the New Enchanted Forest together.]]
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[[AC: Episode 15 - Sisterhood]]
* The fact that Anastasia and Drizella used to have a great sisterly bond that held them through tough times but the fact that Drizella was made TheUnfavorite by her mother made her hate Anastasia. Luckily, their sisterly bond is eventually restored and they return to the New Enchanted Forest together.
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** When Ivy returns Jacinda her stuff, the two have a meaningful conversation and a hug. Jacinda also returns Ivy her old teddy bear; the implication exists that the teddy bear was Ella's gift to Drizella on her birthday in "One Little Tear".
** Ivy's meaningful conversations with Henry and Jacinda convince her to want to make up with Anastasia.

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** When Ivy returns Jacinda her stuff, the two have a meaningful conversation and a hug. Jacinda also returns Ivy her old teddy bear; doll; the implication exists that the teddy bear doll was Ella's gift to Drizella on her birthday in "One Little Tear".
** Ivy's meaningful conversations with Henry and Jacinda convince her to want to make up with Anastasia.Anastasia, whom she believes now hates her.
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[[AC: Episode 13 - Knightfall]]
* You just desperately want to give poor Ivy a hug.
** It's been a week since Victoria's death, and Ivy doesn't even know what to do with her life anymore. She sincerely believes Henry's all she's got, confirming that she doesn't just have a VillainousCrush on him, she's completely in love with him.
** When Ivy returns Jacinda her stuff, the two have a meaningful conversation and a hug. Jacinda also returns Ivy her old teddy bear; the implication exists that the teddy bear was Ella's gift to Drizella on her birthday in "One Little Tear".
** Ivy's meaningful conversations with Henry and Jacinda convince her to want to make up with Anastasia.
* Tilly, too. Neither Rogers nor Weaver believe her about Gothel, and it's implied she hasn't been taking her pills again.
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** Anastasia learns what her mother did. She does not take it well and the look on Victoria's face is a major case of MyGodWhatHaveIDone.
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* [[spoiler:Doubles as [[HeartwarmingMoments Heartwarming]], Victoria sacrificing herself to save Ivy and Lucy (mostly Ivy). ''[[TheUnfavorite Ivy]]''. Just ''try'' to not feel sorry for Victoria and Ivy during that scene. Ivy's still a JerkassWoobie, but for different reasons this time.]]

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* [[spoiler:Doubles as [[HeartwarmingMoments Heartwarming]], Victoria sacrificing herself to save Ivy and Lucy (mostly Ivy). ''[[TheUnfavorite Ivy]]''. Just ''try'' to not feel sorry for Victoria and Ivy during that scene. Ivy's still a JerkassWoobie, {{Woobie}}, but for different reasons this time.]]
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[[AC: Episode 13 - Ill Boding Pattern]]

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[[AC: Episode 13 - Ill Boding Pattern]]Patterns]]



* [[spoiler:Doubles as Heartwarming, Victoria sacrificing herself to save Ivy and Lucy (mostly Ivy). ''[[TheUnfavorite Ivy]]''. Just ''try'' to not feel sorry for Victoria and Ivy during that scene. Ivy's still a JerkassWoobie, but for different reasons this time.]]

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* [[spoiler:Doubles as Heartwarming, [[HeartwarmingMoments Heartwarming]], Victoria sacrificing herself to save Ivy and Lucy (mostly Ivy). ''[[TheUnfavorite Ivy]]''. Just ''try'' to not feel sorry for Victoria and Ivy during that scene. Ivy's still a JerkassWoobie, but for different reasons this time.]]
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* [[spoiler:Doubles as Heartwarming, Victoria sacrificing herself to save Ivy and Lucy (mostly Ivy). ''[[TheUnfavorite Ivy]]''. Just ''try'' to not feel sorry for Victoria and Ivy during that scene. Ivy's still a JerkassWoobie, but for different reasons this time.]]
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[[AC: Episode 11 - Secret Garden]]
* Gothel manipulates Robin's teenage rebellion and comes ''uncomfortably close'' to corrupting her down the same path of darkness that Robin's grandmother, aunt, and mother all fell down. Zelena is at a point of near-panic throughout all of the flashback scenes, terrified that she's lost her daughter for good.
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* Alice talking to Ella about her mother Cecilia helping her fight the Jabberwock along with many others. Alice was the only survivor.

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* Alice talking to Ella about her mother Cecilia Cecelia helping her fight the Jabberwock along with many others. Alice was the only survivor.



** Then Rapunzel meets stepdaughter Ella and upon seeing Cecilia realizes that Marcus remarried thinking she'd never come back. There was also the fact that he loved Cecilia more than her.
** Even when Rapunzel was younger and Drizella was little, they were never properly attached; Drizella learned to become attached to Cecilia while Rapunzel was gone for six years. Rapunzel expresses clear resentment towards Cecilia for this and notes to Marcus that Drizella barely reacted to Rapunzel's gift while she excitedly thanks and hugs her stepmom. [[spoiler: This leads Rapunzel to shatter a mirror and use Gothel's poison mushroom on Cecilia, causing her to run away to Wonderland.]]

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** Then Rapunzel meets stepdaughter Ella and upon seeing Cecilia Cecelia realizes that Marcus remarried thinking she'd never come back. There was also the fact that he loved Cecilia Cecelia more than her.
** Even when Rapunzel was younger and Drizella was little, they were never properly attached; Drizella learned to become attached to Cecilia Cecelia while Rapunzel was gone for six years. Rapunzel expresses clear resentment towards Cecilia Cecelia for this and notes to Marcus that Drizella barely reacted to Rapunzel's gift while she excitedly thanks and hugs her stepmom. [[spoiler: This leads Rapunzel to shatter a mirror and use Gothel's poison mushroom on Cecilia, Cecelia, causing her to run away to Wonderland.]]

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[[AC: Episode 1- Hyperion Heights]]

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[[AC: Episode 1- 1 - Hyperion Heights]]



[[AC: Episode 4- Beauty]]
* [[spoiler:Belle's death from old age.]] Especially painful because [[spoiler:she and Rumple had gone to the Edge of Realms so he could be mortal again and grow old with her, but she eventually realized that ''she'' had to die if Rumple were to ever be free. And she ''didn't tell Rumple this until she was on her deathbed''. The fact that this was all preceded by a heartwarming homage of the famously tearjerky opening to "Up", you just knew something was about to make you cry. That on it's own is sad enough, [[BrokenTears Rumple's reaction]] makes it so much worse.]]

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[[AC: Episode 4- 4 - Beauty]]
* [[spoiler:Belle's death from old age.]] Especially painful because [[spoiler:she and Rumple had gone to the Edge of Realms so he could be mortal again and grow old with her, but she eventually realized that ''she'' had to die if Rumple were to ever be free. And she ''didn't tell Rumple this until she was on her deathbed''. The fact that this was all preceded by a heartwarming homage of the famously tearjerky opening to "Up", you just knew something was about to make you cry. That on it's its own is sad enough, [[BrokenTears Rumple's reaction]] makes it so much worse.]]



[[AC: Episode 5- Greenbacks]]

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[[AC: Episode 5- 5 - Greenbacks]]



[[AC: Episode 6- Wake Up Call]]

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[[AC: Episode 6- 6 - Wake Up Call]]



[[AC: Episode 7- Eloise Gardner]]

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[[AC: Episode 7- 7 - Eloise Gardner]]



[[AC: Episode 8- Pretty in Blue]]

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[[AC: Episode 8- 8 - Pretty in Blue]]



[[AC: Episode 9- One Little Tear]]

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[[AC: Episode 9- 9 - One Little Tear]]



[[AC: Episode 10- The Eighth Witch]]

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[[AC: Episode 10- 10 - The Eighth Witch]]



* [[spoiler:When Gothel betrays Ivy, the latter has a clear look of sadness on her face, especially when she says “You betrayed me”. YankTheDogsChain, indeed.]]

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* [[spoiler:When Gothel betrays Ivy, the latter has a clear look of sadness on her face, especially when she says “You betrayed me”. YankTheDogsChain, indeed. And then she ends up stuck in a well, magicless, with [[ArchEnemy her mother]], who is so disgusted and angry she can't even look at her.]]
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* Alice and [[spoiler: Robin]]'s final conversation before the curse strikes.
* [[spoiler: Gothel betraying Ivy and the latter's heartbreak over it. [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Poor girl can't catch a break.]]]]
* [[spoiler: A bit FridgeHorror, but how will Anastasia react when she finds out about the terrible things her mother and sister did?]]

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* Alice and [[spoiler: Robin]]'s [[spoiler:Robin]]'s final conversation before the curse strikes.
* [[spoiler: [[spoiler:When Gothel betraying Ivy and betrays Ivy, the latter's heartbreak over it. [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Poor girl can't catch latter has a break.]]]]
clear look of sadness on her face, especially when she says “You betrayed me”. YankTheDogsChain, indeed.]]
* [[spoiler: A [[spoiler:A bit FridgeHorror, but how will Anastasia react when she finds out about the terrible things her mother and sister did?]]
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* [[spoiler: A bit FridgeHorror, but how will Anastasia react when she finds out about the terrible things her mother and sister did?.]]

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* [[spoiler: A bit FridgeHorror, but how will Anastasia react when she finds out about the terrible things her mother and sister did?.]]
did?]]
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\n* [[spoiler: A bit FridgeHorror, but how will Anastasia react when she finds out about the terrible things her mother and sister did?.]]
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* Victoria Belfrey telling Jacinda that Lucy will be moving in with her.

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* Victoria Belfrey telling Jacinda that Lucy will be moving in with her.

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* The fact that Henry´s cursed self thinks he lost his wife and daughter in a fire, and how broken he is.
* Lucy´s reaction when she finds out Henry told her step-grandmother where she and Jacinda were.
* Mrs Belfry telling Jacinda that Lucy will be moving in with her.

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* The fact that Henry´s Henry's cursed self thinks he lost his wife and daughter in a fire, and how broken he is.
* Lucy´s Lucy's reaction when she finds out Henry told her step-grandmother where she and Jacinda were.
* Mrs Belfry Victoria Belfrey telling Jacinda that Lucy will be moving in with her.





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\n[[AC: Episode 10- The Eighth Witch]]
* Henry's sadness over being unable to awaken Lucy.
* Alice and [[spoiler: Robin]]'s final conversation before the curse strikes.
* [[spoiler: Gothel betraying Ivy and the latter's heartbreak over it. [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Poor girl can't catch a break.]]]]

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\n* There's an edge of desperation to Weaver as he [[spoiler: tries to find Lucy before Victoria can break her belief]]. After multiple seasons of only caring about Belle and his sons, it looks like Rumplestiltskin's HeelFaceTurn has finally stuck for good... [[spoiler: but he can't save his own great-granddaughter]].

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** Then Rapunzel meets stepdaughter Ella and upon seeing Cecilia realizes that Marcus remarried thinking she'd never come back.

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** Then Rapunzel meets stepdaughter Ella and upon seeing Cecilia realizes that Marcus remarried thinking she'd never come back. There was also the fact that he loved Cecilia more than her.
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** Rapunzel's family is falling ill and she asks Gothel for help; in return for her services, Gothel quite literally builds a tower around the woman.

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** Rapunzel's family is falling ill starving and she asks Gothel for help; food; in return for her services, Gothel quite literally builds a tower around the woman.

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