Recap / Once Upon a Time S7 E14 The Girl in the Tower

Season 7, Episode 14:

The Girl in the Tower

Rogers works to prove Tilly’s innocence in the case of the Blind Baker’s death, while Ivy attempts to make amends with Anastasia, and Samdi makes a revealing confession to Roni. Meanwhile, in a faraway realm, Alice forms an unbreakable bond.

Tropes

• Almost Kiss: Alice and Robin get a moment like this, as might be expected.
• Alpha Bitch: Robin confesses to having been one back in Storybrooke (calling it a "mean girl"), because she thought it was what she had to do to become popular — but she hated every moment of it.
• Arc Words: "The best people are the ones who are mad, they challenge you."
• The Atoner: Ivy is truly revealed to be this this episode — she genuinely apologizes to Henry, is nearly in tears as she regrets her choices and how things between him and her could have been different, asks for his forgiveness, and swears she will make things right between her and Anastasia. It seems learning her mother really did love her before dying, plus being betrayed by Gothel, has changed her for the better.
• Blatant Lies: When Zelena finds out Regina and Lucy are hiding something from her, Regina responds that she's "thinking of putting on a kid's menu". In a bar.
• Broken Bird: Alice/Tilly. She's better about hiding it in the Enchanted Forest than in Hyperion Heights, except for her moment of despair by the ruined tower, but it's clear that her inability to cure Hook's heart, her years as a prisoner, her wanderings, and her isolation from those who reject her for her "mad" way of looking at the world have all taken their toll on her. Unquestionably her Tilly persona is the epitome of the trope since, for all her brashness and independence, she is totally alone and unloved, and is forced to face how no one truly sees or cares about her (except, thankfully, Rogers and now Henry). Her loneliness is genuinely heartbreaking.
  Alice: I hate that all I want to do is come back here [to the tower] and stay. At least when I was here, I could still have hope that one day I could escape. But I'm never going to be free, am I?
• Call-Back: Emma's yellow VW appears again, or at least a magically created version of it. The reason for this is because Robin told Alice the story of how she once broke into it and tried to steal it to run away — which is the same thing both Neal and Emma herself did with it, years ago.
• Chekhov's Gun:
  • The troll statue under the bridge at the edge of Hyperion Heights. Not only is it the very statue the troll turned into back in the Enchanted Forest, after Alice reassured him she would be fine and didn't need him to help her any more, but the police happened to install a security camera behind one of its eyes (to catch graffiti taggers), and this provides the proof of Tilly's innocence.
  • When Regina and Lucy first turn on the walkie-talkies, there's a burst of static; as a result, Lucy rejects them and instead suggests they communicate by text message. But later, when Regina needs to warn Lucy that Samdi is returning to his apartment, she doesn't notice or hear the phone (it seemed to have been set to silent, only appropriate for her mission), leading her to almost get caught. When told of this, Zelena lampshades that they should have used the walkie-talkies since Lucy would have noticed its noise sooner.
• Clear Their Name: Almost the entire episode in Hyperion Heights is spent with Rogers (with some assistance from Henry) doing this for Tilly, and Tilly herself eventually joining in thanks to a "Eureka!" Moment or two. After some dead-ends and the grim possibility she really might be guilty after all and simply not remember it due to her being off her meds, they finally find an alibi for her.
• Cloudcuckoolander: In the tradition of more recent adaptations/sequels (but not the original novels), Alice is shown here to be quite odd and not fully right in the head, even before becoming the cursed and medicated Tilly. To be fair however, living completely by herself for the years after Hook was banished by his poisoned heart, with no-one at all to talk to or interact with, is not the most conducive situation to staying sane. Heartwarmingly however, her strange nature is something that Robin ends up enjoying and even admiring, planting the seeds for their love, and last episode, Hook referred to her unique way of seeing the world in a positive light, too.
• Continuity Nod: Emma's One-Person Birthday Party from the pilot returns again, this time with Alice, all alone in her tower, at a tea party with her stuffed animals and other toys.
• Couch Gag: The title card features the troll statue.
• Culture Clash: Amusingly averted for the most part. Although Robin grew up in Storybrooke before coming to the Enchanted Forest and thus not only uses modern slang and pop-culture references on occasion, but even has her smartphone with her, Alice is able to accept and even marvel at all of this with unique and often insightful commentary because of her "mad" way of looking at the world.
• Dramatic Irony: There are plenty of examples, past and present, with both Robin and Alice as well as Rogers and Tilly, but the biggest is probably the fact that Robin, coming back from Tibet to meet her estranged mother and aunt, just so happens to grab Tilly and pull her out of traffic before she can get hit by a car... then proceeds to give her a much-needed pep talk, and even indirectly inspires her to find out about the security camera with her admonition to "look up" to find the answer to her problems... and all this without either of them remembering who they or the other is. To underscore this, the "favorite book" Margot/Robin happens to be carrying with her is Alice in Wonderland, similar to how Tilly happened to find and read a copy of a Robin Hood collection back at Henry's apartment.
• Deus ex Machina: Robin and Alice are surrounded by a group of angry troll-hunters with no way to escape, when suddenly the yellow VW Bug that Robin stole drives up, making for a speedy getaway.
• Expecting Someone Taller: The leader of the band of troll-hunting villagers reacts this way, with mocking snideness, when Robin introduces herself — not just by invoking the trope name but also noting Robin's gender.
• Frame-Up: Even more so than the last episode, it's revealed how this has been done to Tilly. While the symbol of the Coven of the Eight has yet to be explained (though it was likely planted), and the blind baker's time of death vs. when Weaver and Rogers found Tilly in her room don't match up, there's no alibi to prove she couldn't have done the deed a half hour earlier. No-one can vouch for her (because of the trope below, something Gothel surely counted on); she can't remember anything she might have done due to her muddled memories (which, thanks to her comment about this starting "as soon as I laid eyes on that Eloise", is surely something Gothel magically induced when she taunted her); and when her backpack is found in the Dumpster, the locks of hair from the victims have been planted inside. It takes video footage with a timestamp (from the troll statue at the underpass) to exonerate her.
• Friendless Background: Alice/Tilly. While the only clear examples given for Alice onscreen are the villagers, who have every right to be angry at her defending the creature attacking them and their families, she certainly implies that even after escaping the tower, she never got close to or connected with anyone in her travels. Tilly is this with a vengeance though, since while she knows just about everyone in Hyperion Heights from constant watching and interaction, to them she's just another homeless girl/one of many customers, with everyone looking right through her. It's no wonder she's crushed nearly to a Despair Event Horizon, and almost inadvertently gets herself run over by a car.
• Happy Ending: This is one of the few episodes so far this season with an unequivocal sweet and reassuring ending — even though it has not yet been proven who is killing the cultists (and Tilly is still in danger from them), and even though neither of them remember their true relationship, the episode ends with Tilly agreeing to stay at Rogers's place so that finally, after all this time, her birthday wish to be with her father has come true. Even the Enchanted Forest portion ended happily, with Alice standing up for her inner strength and worthiness, sending the troll away as not needed to protect her any more, and then going off with Robin while saying goodbye forever to her "Tower Girl" persona.
• History Repeats:
  • Aside from the bit mentioned above about the stolen VW, there's Robin's relationship with Alice. Even though she's only indirectly related to the Charmings (via her aunt's adoption of Henry and former marriage to Leopold), Robin still continues the family tradition of catching her future true love in a trap (a cage this time, not a net). Alice, meanwhile, persists in using a nickname her true love greatly resents. And also like Charming with Snow, Robin starts off as working against her true love if not actively disliking and thinking the worst of her, before eventually coming to her defense and fighting by her side. There's even still a troll involved, albeit in very different circumstances and personality in the end.
  • When Margot appears at Roni's bar, still unaware who she, her mother, or her aunt actually are, Zelena bemoans how hard it is to lie to her own child about all this. Regina merely quips, "Welcome to my world" since she'd had to do the same thing with Henry not only in this season, but way back in Season Three under the second Dark Curse — which, ironically, came about thanks to Zelena herself.
• Instant Expert: Alice manages to pick the lock on her shackles without any prior experience. All she needed was to know that Robin could do it with a hairpin.
• Internal Reveal: Zelena finds out that Regina is involved with Facilier, and also that he is awake and knows who they are, and vice versa.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Robin is as brash and snarky as both of her parents and is desperate to prove herself, and when faced with what's basically a What You Are in the Dark choice, she fails for the sake of pursuing her own goal. But when it comes down to the choice of going along with the mob or protecting Alice, she ultimately chooses Alice.
• Legacy Character: Robin Hood, with his daughter now eager to prove herself worthy of his mantle after deciding to turn away from her magical heritage. She's under a lot of pressure to measure up, mostly self-inflicted, but the reaction of the villagers suggests she's also encountered plenty of people who, because of her gender or her youth, have told her in one way or another that they find her lacking.
• Like Father, Like Son: Once again, Robin and her father. Not only do we get several great demonstrations of her archery prowess, she proves to be a great pickpocket in the present (taking Alice's bobby pin while in close quarters and picking her manacles, rather like Robin slipping the Elixir of the Wounded Heart in Will Scarlet's pocket when embracing him) and also succeeded in breaking into and stealing Emma's VW in the past. She also displays her father's heart and heroism when she defends Alice from the villagers, and eventually helps her conquer her fears and insecurities to banish the troll.
• Meet Cute: Alice and Robin get to have this twice, albeit in slightly dark contexts both times. In the Enchanted Forest, they meet when Robin catches Alice watching Hook from afar (because of the curse), assumes she's a spy, chases her, and eventually catches her in a cage trap. In Hyperion Heights, she literally saves her life by pulling Tilly out of traffic, then gives her some much-needed wise advice that helps improve both her outlook and the situation.
• Mythology Gag:
  • When Alice's wish brings the yellow VW to rescue her and Robin, she explains how she did it (something Robin rightly calls impossible) by noting she "thinks of at least six impossible things before breakfast every day", a near-quote of a famous line from the Lewis Carroll novel.
  • At her tea party birthday, she sings a snatch of "A Very Merry Unbirthday" from Alice in Wonderland.
  • She also mentions to Robin (and it's shown onscreen at the tea party) that she spent time "talking to a hat", though whether she has also met her Wonderland's version of the Hatter has not been revealed.
  • While Alice isn't Rapunzel herself, she takes on elements of the story, particularly as the daughter and prisoner of Mother Gothel. In the original Rapunzel story, Rapunzel's prince ends up being blinded when the witch discovers their meetings. When we meet the cursed form of Robin, she's wearing something the original didn't: glasses.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Zelena, suspicious because of the odd exchange she partly overheard between Lucy and Regina, and not accepting Regina's rather ridiculous explanation, follows her to the waterfront and interrupts her date with Samdi. This, and the argument which ensues about Facilier being awake and Regina involved with him, allows him to go back to his apartment and almost discover Lucy there. But if Regina had just come clean to Zelena in the first place, none of this would have happened. Regina even acknowledges this when apologizing and promising to be honest from now on.
• The Reveal
  • How did Alice escape the tower? A troll appeared on her birthday and ripped the roof off, then carried her away and became her friend. This, and his later return and further smashing of the structure, explains why it was collapsed when Drizella and Regina visited it in "Wake Up Call".
  • Following from the above, it's revealed that Alice has magic of her own.^note Which neatly explains a Plot Hole: a regular troll probably couldn't rip the roof off a magical building, and even if it could, the barrier should still have kept Alice inside. But a magical one could do so, and pull her through the barrier. Considering who her mother is and the circumstances of her conception, this only makes sense. No wonder Gothel, through Drizella and Victoria, made certain to keep Alice drugged and out of her mind as well as cursed.
  • What is it Samdi wants in Hyperion Heights? The Dark One's dagger.
• Shout-Out: Alice and Robin are saved by a car unexpectedly driving itself out of the forest, just like how Harry and Ron escape the spiders in Harry Potter
• Tarot Motifs: Samdi continues to make use of this.
  • In his apartment he has his deck laid out for a reading when Lucy sneaks in, and she takes a picture with her phone to show Regina later. The only card specifically called out is, of course, the Death card, but following from the last reveal above, this doesn't seem to just mean physical death but great change (in the balance of power, if Facilier gets the dagger).
  • He also shows three cards to Regina to read her past, present, and future: the Three of Swords (love triangles^note Regina, Graham, Emma; Regina, Leopold, the Genie; Regina, Zelena/Marian, Robin, betrayal, breakdown in a relationship that was once pleasant or passionate^note Snow White for both, deception, adultery, emotional stress and pain); the Empress (Team Mom; authoritative, comforting and prosperous, symbolism related to The Three Faces of Eve), and the Lovers (having to choose between two lovers, but also symbolizing the crossroads and the need to make a choice in general, as well as the danger of temptation and desire). All of these are clearly highly accurate, but Samdi's reading is (naturally) rather biased toward him—while it may be Regina has to choose between him and Rumple, there may be other choices she has to make such as between Henry and Lucy, herself and Zelena/Robin, or even something bigger. Considering the events of episode 20 as well as the series finale, it seems Facilier was definitely wrong about the choices Regina would face, but not about their critical nature.
  • It should also be noted that Alice/Tilly's role in the episode, as a young person who is very tricky and sly, is thought (even by herself) to be mad but who also holds strange powers (including the prophetic dreams from last episode), and who is on a journey of self-discovery, is very much as The Fool, Gender Flipped.
• Title Drop: Done by Robin with the episode title of "The Girl in the Tower" in her first interaction with Alice.
• Torches and Pitchforks: The villagers who are rightfully eager to hunt down the troll flattening their homes are also very quick to blame Alice for it, as well as to turn on her for being weird and different. Technically she did create the troll, but they still come across as rather trigger-happy and prejudiced.
• *Twang* Hello: Robin is as fond of this as Merida was and, of course, her father before her. Of particular mention is when she shoots an arrow right past the village mob leader's ear... and when he derides her for missing, she coolly and confidently reveals she just wanted to get his attention, so she missed deliberately.
• What You Are in the Dark: After a bit of sleight of hand, Robin is easily able to free herself from the shackles in the jail cell, which will allow her to go after the troll herself - if she leaves Alice behind, despite knowing that the other girl does not want to be locked up again. Given that her father started out as an unrepentant thief and her mother's side of the family is full of formerly-evil witches, it really should come as no surprise that Robin utterly fails, and has to make up for it later.
• You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Robin has to give a speech like this to Alice, crossed with You Are Not Alone—when she realizes that thanks to the nature of her magic, it was actually Alice who saved herself by freeing her from the tower, and when she then tells her she doesn't need the troll to protect her any more because "you've got me."
• Your Mind Makes It Real: Alice's wishing power, essentially. Her desire to be free on her birthday summoned a troll to break her out; it reappears again (and goes back to the tower) because after all she's been through she still wants to go back to the only "home" she's known; and when they need to escape, she thinks hard enough to make Emma's VW appear.

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