Recap / Once Upon a Time S1 E18 "The Stable Boy"

Season 1, Episode 18:

The Stable Boy

Centric Characters: Evil Queen, Snow White

Previous: Hat Trick | Next: The Return

Snow White: No...no...Why were you kissing that man in the stable? You're to marry my father. You're to be my mother.
Regina: Snow, please, listen to me. He, your father, King Leopold, he is a kind and fair man, but I don't love him.
Snow White: I don't understand. Why not?
Regina: Love doesn't work that way. Love, true love, is magic. Not just any magic. The most powerful magic of all. It creates happiness.
Snow White: And that man in the stables, you love him?
Regina: With all my heart.

Regina: Having a bad day?
Mary Margaret: What are you doing here?
Regina: I wanted to see you while I can.
Mary Margaret: What does that mean?
Regina: Simply that the trial starts tomorrow and it won't be a long one, and you will be sent out of Storybrooke for good and I will never have to see you again. Oh, I want to enjoy this while I still can.
Mary Margaret: Enjoy what?
Regina: Justice.
Mary Margaret: Justice? Watching an innocent suffer?
Regina: You've always seen yourself that way, haven't you? Innocent.
Mary Margaret: (crying) I am innocent! I don't know what this is about! I don't know what I ever did to you, but whatever it was, Regina, I'm sorry. I truly am.
Regina: Apology not accepted.
Mary Margaret: Please don't do this to me. I don't deserve this. I did not kill Kathryn.
Regina: Oh, I know.
Mary Margaret: (surprised, tries to speak)
Regina: But you do deserve this.

---

FLASHBACK! One week prior to the episode's present events, Mr. Gold visits Regina at her office to offer her a deal: if she uses her position as mayor to help get him out of trouble for assaulting Moe French, then he will assist her in an Evil Plan to separate Mary Margaret and David once and for all.

---

FLASHBACK! Regina rides her horse around a field, jumping some hurdles. After she completes the course, her father gives her praise for her performance but is interrupted by Regina's mother, Cora, who scornfully tells Regina that she needs to be more ladylike so she can get a husband. Regina begins to storm off but Cora stops her with magic, levitating her through the air and tormenting her until she promises to be more obedient to Cora.

Running to the stable, Regina apologizes to Daniel, the stable boy, for snapping at him when he offered her a saddle amidst her mother's criticisms, and they share a kiss.

---

David catches Emma outside Granny's to ask about Mary Margaret since his last conversation with her ended poorly since he hadn't meant to imply that he thought she could be guilty of Kathryn's murder. Emma declines his request to visit Mary Margaret again since she doesn't want visitors.

David: What does she need?
Emma: A miracle.

Regina visits Mary Margaret at the holding cell before Emma arrives to mockingly advise her to just confess already, citing the Orgy of Evidence when Mary Margaret insists that she's innocent.

Regina: Because, confession or not, you're leaving Storybrooke.
Mary Margaret: And you like that. Why? Why do you take such pleasure in this? What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much?

---

FLASHBACK! Regina meets with Daniel again and he asks why she won't reveal their relationship to her parents. Regina clarifies that it's only her mother that she wants to keep the truth from, because despite Cora's own humble beginnings as a miller's daughter she thinks that it's only acceptable to marry those of equal or higher standing (preferably higher). Their conversation is interrupted when they hear the screams of a teenage girl stuck on a runaway horse. Regina mounts her own horse and catches up with the girl and safely gets her off the runaway horse. The girl tells Regina that she doesn't want to ride again but Regina encourages her to face her fears so she can overcome them. The girl thanks Regina for the rescue and advice, introducing herself as Snow White.

---

Mr. Gold advises Mary Margaret and Emma to have a pre-trial interview with the district attorney to try to improve Mary Margaret's image. Sidney arrives to give Emma a status report on his investigation under the guise of dropping off a vase of tulips. Emma is displeased to find out that he's come up empty-handed so far but he promises that he's not going to give up. Emma returns to the previous conversation where Mary Margaret tells her that she's agreed to go with Mr. Gold's plan since she has nothing to hide from the public. Right on cue, Regina arrives with the district attorney, Albert Spencer^* King George.

In the interrogation room, Spencer begins by asking Mary Margaret about the last time she saw Kathryn, when she came to the school to chew her out. Mary Margaret insists that she was sorry for hurting Kathryn and held no ill will towards her, but Spencer deliberately gets her angry by repeatedly asking if she was angry and wanted Kathryn gone, leading to Mary Margaret to have an outburst and sarcastically affirm it, realizing to late that she's been had.

---

FLASHBACK! Regina prepares for a riding lesson with Daniel but Cora arrives to magically change her into a fancy dress as they have an unexpected visitor: King Leopold, who has come to personally deliver his gratitude to Regina for saving his only daughter, Snow. Leopold explains that ever since Snow's mother passed away years ago, he's been looking for another woman suitable to be a mother to her. Leopold believes that he's found that woman in Regina and proposes to her on the spot. Cora takes advantage of Regina's Stunned Silence to accept on her behalf.

After dark, Regina goes to the stable in a panic to meet Daniel and explain the situation. Regina asks Daniel to run away with her. Daniel asks if she's sure she wants to have a simple life with him instead of the luxurious life of a queen, and Regina declares that all that matters to her is to be with her True Love. Daniel takes a plain ring from a saddle and places it on Regina's finger. They are suddenly walked in on by Snow, who has decided to take Regina's advice and get back on the horse but for some reason decided to do it late at night. Regina runs after Snow and explains to Snow about True Love, and why it means that she doesn't want to marry the King. Snow understands and encourages Regina to be with Daniel and wants to explain to the King, but Regina forbids her so that Cora won't find out. Snow promises that she won't tell.

---

Emma peruses the storybook by the docks when she is met by August. She explains that she's not sure what to do in the case next since it feels like she's just hitting dead ends. August suggests that she start from the beginning with the perspective she has now, and investigate the original missing person case as the coverup she now believes it to be. The two go back to the toll bridge to look over the place where Ruby dug up Kathryn's heart. August stumbles a bit on the walk down to the shore, but waves it off as a shin splint and refuses to let Emma look at his leg. After digging around in the hole for less than a second, Emma finds a shard of metal which she deduces must have broken off of a shovel used by the person who buried the heart, meaning that if she can find that shovel then she can find the real criminal.

Late at night, Emma and August sneak into Regina's garage while Henry keeps an eye on Regina for them. After a few minutes of quietly looking around, they find a shovel with a broken-off corner perfectly matching the fragment.

---

FLASHBACK! Cora finds Snow White alone and tells her that she feels Regina distancing herself and wishes she could do something to ensure they don't lose each other. Snow asks Cora to not force Regina to marry her father, revealing that Regina is in love with someone else already. Cora reassures Snow that she won't be losing Regina, then asks who Regina is in love with.

---

The next day, Emma smugly arrives at Regina's house with a search warrant, showing her the shard and claiming to have received an anonymous tip that she had been digging by the toll bridge. Regina complies, but Emma is shocked when she enters the garage and the guilty shovel is missing.

Emma: Mary Margaret is a good person. She doesn't deserve this!
Regina: Miss Blanchard is a liar and a murderer. No matter what accusations you throw my way, that won't change. She's going to pay for what she's done. That woman has destroyed the last life she is ever going to destroy.

Emma confronts August at his inn room, thinking that he was working with Regina and set her up to fail. August denies it, promising that he'd never betray Emma and isn't a liar. Emma doesn't believe him.

Regina comes back to the police office to taunt Mary Margaret some more. Mary Margaret begs Regina to forgive her for whatever she's done to incur her wrath, but Regina rebuffs her and reveals that she knows Mary Margaret didn't kill Kathryn.

---

FLASHBACK! Regina meets Daniel at the stable to run away, but they are intercepted by Cora.

Cora: You could have at least left a note.

Cora throws the two of them back into the stable and seals the exits with her magic.

Regina: Mother, I-
Cora: Don't. You sneak out of my house in the dead of night and think I won't notice, how dare you!
Regina: You're impossible to talk to. Stop with the magic and listen to me. I want to be with Daniel.
Cora: Ugh, you don't know what you want! But I do. I didn't make the sacrifices I did in life to get you to the cusp of greatness so that you could end up the wife of a stable boy!
Regina: It's my life!
Cora: <laughs> You foolish girl. It's mine. After what I had to do. The deals… I had to make to get us out of poverty, to get us this life and you just wanna toss it away?!
Daniel: <whispering> Stay strong. Regina.
Regina: Your magic can't keep us apart. I love him.
Daniel: And I love her.
Cora: And I love her too.
Regina: If you loved me you wouldn't try to keep us apart!
Cora: And if you loved me you wouldn't try to run away.
Regina: I'm sorry but this is my happiness! We're going!
Cora: No. <holds up her hand to show she's still magically sealing the doors> You're not.
Regina: So what's your plan? You're going to… keep us here forever? Because that's what you'll have to do.
<long pause>
Cora: So this is… your decision. This will make you… happy?
Regina: It already has.
Cora: Then who am I to stop you?
<mother and daughter embrace>
Regina: Thank you, Mother.
Cora: Daniel. If you wanna have a life together, a family, then there's one important lesson I can impart on you. It's what it means to be a parent. You always have to do what's best for your children.
Daniel: Thank you. I understand. Because that's what you're doing now.
Cora: Yes. It is.

Cora suddenly plunges her hand into Daniel's chest and he begins to gasp in pain. Cora extracts his heart and he collapses as Regina screams and runs to his side. Cora crushes Daniel's heart to dust, killing him.

Regina: Mother, why have you done this?!
Cora: Because this is your happy ending.
Regina: What?!
Cora: You have to trust me, Regina. I know best. Love is weakness, Regina. It feels real now, at the start it always does. But it's an illusion. It fades. And then you're left with nothing. But power… true power endures. And then you don't have to rely on anyone to get what you want. I've saved you, my love.
Regina: You've ruined everything. I loved him! I LOVED HIM!
Cora: Enough! I've endured this long enough. Now clean yourself up! Wipe away your tears! Because now… you're going to be Queen.

Some time later, Regina is being prepared for the royal wedding when Snow White comes to see her. Somehow Snow thinks that the wedding is for Regina to marry Daniel and not her father, and Snow tells Regina that she knew Cora would let Regina be with Daniel if she knew how happy it would make her. Regina holds back her anger and calmly asks if Snow broke her promise. Snow says that she did so that Regina wouldn't lose her mother the way Snow has. Regina explains to Snow that she's marrying Leopold, and decides to lie and say that she learned that her relationship with Daniel didn't end up being True Love and that he ran away, causing Regina to realize that her relationship with the King is more meaningful. Cora arrives and sends Snow away so she can talk with Regina in private. Cora congratulates Regina, but Regina asks if she orchestrated Snow's horse running off with her in order to get the King to propose to Regina. Cora claims ignorance, so Regina turns to leave.

Regina: I should have let her die on that horse!

---

Regina holds the saddle ring Daniel gave to her.

Regina: We got her, Daniel. We got her.

Mary Margaret is taken from her cell to the trial in handcuffs, and Emma gets mad at Mr. Gold for not ensuring their victory against Regina.

Gold: Look Sheriff, I know this is emotional, but it's also not over. You must have faith. There's still time.
Emma: Time for what?
Gold: For me to work a little magic.

Gold leaves Emma alone in the office, and she angrily throw the vase Sidney left against the filing cabinet which reveals a small device.

Emma meets August outside Granny's to apologize for her previous accusation and shows him the listening device, which proves that Sidney has been working as The Mole for Regina.

August: Don't beat yourself up about it, Emma. Sometimes it's hard to see what's right in front of us. I knew you would.
Emma: I'm trying.

A scream erupts from behind the diner, and the two run to see what it's about and meet Ruby in a panic.

Emma: Ruby! What's going on?!
Ruby: She- She- She's in the alley!
Emma: Who, Ruby?! What happened?!

Ruby breaks down before she can answer, so Emma runs into the alley to see a woman in filthy clothes collapsed on the ground. Emma goes to the woman's side and turns her over, revealing her to be none other than Kathryn Nolan, alive.

Tropes

• Abusive Parents: Cora takes not just the cake, but the icing and candles too! She is, by far, the worst parent we see in the series. It's actually kind of hard to watch any of her scenes.
• Arc Words: "Love is the most powerful magic of all." Ironically, Snow White learned these words from Regina herself, and she in turn received them from Daniel.
• Batman Gambit:
  • Cora runs one on Regina: she spooked Snow's horse with magic, leading Regina to save Snow, whom she told about Daniel; then she gained Snow's trust (by appealing to her sympathy, comparing herself losing Regina to Snow losing Eva^* whom Cora herself had killed, convinced her to tell her about Daniel, then murdered Daniel so that Regina would marry Leopold and bring her the riches and power she coveted. And somehow still Regina doesn't blame Cora.
  • Meanwhile in the real world, Regina and Mr. Gold had arranged one as per Deal with the Devil. Set up Mary Margaret to make it look like she killed Kathryn, then (as seen in the previous episode) provide a key in her jail cell. The two banked on her taking the key and leaving, and even if she didn't, the trial is stacked in Regina's favor. Either way, she's leaving Storybrooke. They just didn't bank on Emma.
• Continuity Nod: At one point, Daniel suggests to Regina that they spend time at Firefly Hill, the romantic location prominently featured in "Dreamy".
• Couch Gag: The title card features teenage Snow White on horseback.
• Cutting the Knot: Played with. Trying to prove Regina is framing Mary Margaret, Emma works with August to find evidence linking the mayor to the stolen jewelry box with the heart, and succeeds—only to have the shovel in question be hidden when Regina is warned by Sidney's bug. Frustration over this causes Emma to throw the vase of flowers, revealing the bug so that she finally knows she can no longer trust Sidney. However by this point knowing means nothing, since she has no other leads to place the blame on Regina. It takes outside intervention (Kathryn being released alive, by Gold it turns out) to fully accomplish the trope.
• Elopement: Regina and Daniel attempt to flee to get married. Unfortunately for them, Snow tells Cora about their plans.
• Evil Gloating: Regina is in rare form throughout the episode with Mary Margaret, but especially during the scene when it appears all is lost, Mary Margaret has crossed the Despair Event Horizon, and Regina is able to relish breaking her, her suffering, and her fate all at once.
• Internal Reveal: Emma finds out that Sidney is The Mole and the reason Regina has always been one step ahead of her.
• Never Found the Body: Kathryn, though the heart was found. It's clear that the DNA results on the heart were tampered with because Kathryn is found alive in this episode.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Snow White told the Evil Queen's mother about her secret affair with the stable boy. The mother ended up killing the stable boy, beginning Regina's Start of Darkness, which indirectly contributed to every evil thing the Queen did. And there are a lot.
• Parental Marriage Veto: Regina's mother does not approve of her marrying someone who works in the stable.
  • Inverted with Regina's Marriage to the King. She doesn't wish it, but her mother is overruling her.
• The Reveal: The reason The Evil Queen hates Snow White so much is finally revealed in this episode.
• Revenge: The curse that gets the plot going (and very nearly everything that happens in the fairy-tale world before that) is part of the Evil Queen's plot to get back at Snow White for telling the then-not-evil Regina's most-decidedly-evil (and manipulative) mother about Regina's affair with the stable boy—which resulted in Regina losing her true love, being forced into a loveless marriage and being precipitated into her Start of Darkness. And Snow is still blissfully unaware that she did anything wrong.
• Saying Too Much: The DA provokes Mary Margaret into this by needling her about Kathryn coming between her and David, in order to incriminate herself.
• Sinister Surveillance: Sidney placed a bug in the flowers he brings to the sheriff's office, which is what allows Regina to know Emma is coming with a search warrant and hide the shovel she used to bury the heart at the toll bridge.
• Spanner in the Works: Multiple times. By talking to August and re-thinking her way around the problem of proving the Frameup, Emma is able to find the piece of the broken shovel and match it to one in Regina's garage. But then thanks to the bug, Sidney is able to be the spanner in turn, warning Regina so she can hide the shovel. And then when it appears all is lost and Mary Margaret will be found guilty, Kathryn turns up alive (thanks to Gold, it's revealed in the next episode), exonerating her.
• Spy Speak: Henry tries to use this with Emma while she and August look for a clue at the Mills residence.
  Henry: The eagle is in the nest and the package is secure.
  Emma: Henry. I left the code book at home.
  Henry: <disappointed sigh> She's getting in the shower and the keys are under the mat.
• Standard Hero Reward: Played for Drama, Inverted, and nastily Deconstructed with Regina. She saves the princess Snow White, so the king decides to marry her. Subverted in that she doesn't want to marry him, as she is in love with a stable boy and the king is quite a bit older than her. Her mother decides marrying the king is right for her, so she murders the man her daughter loves to force the issue.
• Start of Darkness: For Regina. It seems as if you can actually identify the line where she chooses the dark path (accompanied by her Leitmotif).
  Regina: I should have let her die on that horse.
  • Actually, it was just an expression of her regret and her anger. She was seen to be quite friendly to the young girl, and terrified by her own growing wrath towards her, and tried to take control over her life specifically to avoid becoming like her mother, who would have chosen the course of action she takes after a second shock.
• Tragic Keepsake: The engagement ring Daniel gave Regina. To further underscore the connection, said ring was taken from a horse's saddle.
• Virtue Is Weakness: Cora says this almost verbatim.
• Wham Episode: The source of Regina's grudge against Snow White: After Regina saved Snow's life, Snow naively disclosed Regina's relationship with the eponymous stable boy, resulting in said stable boy's murder and Regina's forced marriage to Snow's father. What's more, Kathryn is alive!
• Wham Shot: The district attorney appearing is an Oh, Crap! moment for some people, since for the past few episodes, he was going under the name of King George.