History Recap / OnceUponATimeS4E20Mother

* TheReveal: That dragon shown attacking the Charmings in the previews? Lily, not Maleficent, and the latter was in fact trying to save them and talk her down.

* KickTheDog: Regina does quite a bit gloating over the weak and dying Gold as she takes both the quill and Author from him. She also very much enjoys locking a de-powered Zelena up in Belle's old asylum room.

* IWantGrandkids: Cora has a rather dark form of this in how she wants Regina to bear children to create a dynastic line...one which she'd be only too happy to take control of and rule by proxy if Snow White were to dethrone Regina.

* TheTwist: That dragon shown attacking the Charmings in the previews? Lily, not Maleficent, and the latter was in fact trying to save them and talk her down.

* {{Forgiveness}}: The episode revolves around this--whether Emma, Lily, and Regina can forgive each of their [[TitleDrop mothers]] (although Lily is hiding her resentment at Maleficent behind her hatred of the Charmings). They all do except Regina, who instead resolves to be unlike Cora (and to prove her wrong by finding happiness without power or a bioloical child).

* ComplimentBackfire: When trying to convince Regina he is on her side, the Author claims she was one of his favorite characters to write for...only when he lists her strengths there are several not-so-positive traits among them (being self-destructive, for example), notes her being a CosmicPlaything, and ends by saying she was a great source of drama. Other than the CosmicPlaything bit, though, she doesn't react to any of it, either because she knew it was all true or she didn't care what he said as long as she had him at her mercy.

* RevengeByProxy: Regina drinks a potion to make her unable to bear children so as to deny her the chance to influence the royal line and gain power (because "hurting me hurts you"). In the present, she leaves Zelena alive so that she can be tormented by watching what she can't have.

* OOCAlert: Even though she'd never met Robin Hood, the Sheriff's speech to Regina about giving her manly arms to support her when she wants to be weak (which [[DiggingYourselfDeeper he tries to save]] by [[MenActWomenAre claiming he just meant "feminine"]]) gives away he isn't who he seems to be. As she says to Cora, "I may not have much experience with love, but ''that'' was not a soulmate!"

* HopeSpot: Despite the fact the viewer knows Regina didn't meet Robin Hood until after the first curse ended, the moment where Cora comes to her saying she had found him and putting her back in her beautiful dress is played as if she's really about to meet him...and for a moment it's easy to believe Cora really did learn her lesson, despite what happened in Season 2. But then [[RevealShot the camera pans up from the lion tattoo]]...

Returning to Storybrooke to lock up Zelena and find a way to stop Gold and the Author, Regina must deal with the fallout with Robin and decide just how far she is willing to go to achieve her happy ending. Emma must decide whether she can ever forgive her parents, before it is too late, while Maleficent finds that bonding with a long-lost daughter is not as easy as she thinks. And in the Enchanted Forest of thirty years ago, Cora returns from Wonderland to try and make amends with Regina and with an ulterior motive--though it may not be what her daughter thinks.

* OutfitDecoy: Cora dresses the Sheriff of Nottingham up as Robin Hood, complete with [[DistinguishingMark lion tattoo]], since at this point in the timeline Regina had not yet seen her True Love's face.

* DeathOfPersonality: Apparently, this is the fate of the Dark One's host after his heart was darken completely.
* DivineIntervention: The Author interpreted page 23 appearing to Regina as this. In his word "someone was looking out for her".
* HeHadAName: Regina reacts this way when Cora dismissively refers to Daniel as "the stable boy":
-->'''Regina:''' Daniel! His name was Daniel!

* ImmortalityImmorality: Gold reveals that although the Dark One's host - himself can die, the Dark One ''can't''.
* IronicEcho: Regina mockingly calls Rumpelstiltskin "dearie" just before he collapses.
* ForTheEvulz: When Regina decides against giving Zelena a horrible fate, the Author transports himself back to Mr. Gold since he ''really'' want to screw things up just because he can.
* NotQuiteTheRightThing: Cora comes back from Wonderland to try to talk some sense into her daughter and help her find love. Unfortunely she picks the wrong man (and lies to Regina that it's the man Tink told her about) and admits she just wanted Regina to have a baby.....and Regina doesn't take it well.
* TheReveal: Regina can't have kids (which explains why she adopted Henry). When Cora told Regina needed a child to secure her place as queen, Regina assumed that Cora would have her killed off and then rule as regent. So Regina drank a potion to sterilize herself to spite her mother and assert control over her life.

* VengeanceFeelsEmpty: Both Maleficent and Regina showed shades of this.
* WhamShot: Gold gives the Author a whole new book called ''Heroes and Villains" to write in.

Returning to Storybrooke to lock up Zelena and find a way to stop Gold and the Author, Regina must deal with the fallout with Robin and decide just how far she is willing to go to achieve her happy ending. Emma must decide whether she can ever forgive her parents, before it is too late, while Maleficent finds that bonding with a long-lost daughter is not as easy as she thinks. And in the Enchanted Forest of thirty years ago, Cora returns from Wonderland to try and make amends with Regina and with an ulterior motive--though it may not be what her daughter thinks.

!!Tropes:
* ArtInitiatesLife: When she discovers the lion tattoo Cora placed on the SHeriff of Nottingham is a fake, Regina brings it to life to threaten him until he confesses the truth.
* TheBusCameBack: Cora, in flashback.
* CallBack: Remember that potion George used to make Snow White unable to bear children? Turns out Regina already had some and used it on herself. Considering the alliance she made with George, this rather seems to explain just where he got it from...
* CooldownHug: Maleficent attempts one with Lily once she goes dragon; at first it doesn't work, but on the second time, it does.
* CruelMercy: Rather then making Zelena an {{Unperson}} ([[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim and being no better than Cora]]), Regina chooses to allow her to live, and even gives her genuine advice about not being [[HisOwnWorstEnemy her own worst enemy]]...but also intends to leave her on the outside, watching the world but never part of it, never happy. [[EvilIsPetty And with]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the most strict visitation rights ever]].
* DeathOfPersonality: Apparently, this is the fate of the Dark One's host after his heart darkens completely.
* DivineIntervention: The Author interpreted page 23 appearing to Regina as this. In his words, "someone was looking out for her".
* ForTheEvulz: When Regina decides against giving Zelena a horrible fate, the Author transports himself back to Mr. Gold since he ''really'' want to screw things up just because he can.

* ImmortalityImmorality: Gold reveals that altough the Dark One's host--himself--can die, the Dark One ''can't''.
* IWantGrandkids: Cora has a rather dark form of this in how she wants Regina to bear children to create a dynastic line...one which she'd be only too happy to take control of and rule by proxy if Snow White were to dethrone Regina.
* KickTheDog: Regina does quite a bit gloating over the weak and dying Gold as she takes both the quill and Author from him. She also very much enjoys locking a de-powered Zelena up in Belle's old asylum room.
* LoveIsAWeakness: Regina throws this back in Cora's face when she claims she is still acting out of love for her and wants her to have love in her life. Cora claims she realized she was wrong, but based on what happened [[AnachronicOrder before/after this in Season 2]], it's pretty likely her mother was lying and didn't learn anything until she was dying.
* NeverASelfMadeWoman: Zelena taunts Regina that depending on Robin for her happy ending makes her this; Regina rebuffs her by saying he's just ''one'' part of the happiness that belonging to the world gives her.
* OutfitDecoy: Cora dresses the Sheriff of Nottingham up as Robin Hood, complete with [[DistinguishingMark lion tattoo]], since at this point in the timeline Regina had not yet seen her True Love's face.
* ParentsAsPeople: [[NotSoDifferent Both]] Emma and Lily realize this about the Charmings and Maleficent respectively, with a dose of HumansAreFlawed.
* RevengeByProxy: Regina drinks a potion to make her unable to bear children so as to deny her the chance to influence the royal line and gain power (because "hurting me hurts you"). In the present, she leaves Zelena alive so that she can be tormented by watching what she can't have.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Lily goes into one after Regina taking her blood triggers [[ScaledUp her dormant dragon form]].

* VengeanceFeelsEmpty: Both Maleficent and Regina showed shades of this.
* WhamShot: Gold gives the Author a whole new book called ''Heroes and Villains" to write in.
* WhatYouAreInTheDark: Regina is very tempted to have the Author write Zelena out of existence--and the only witness would be the Author himself, thanks to the way the RetGone power of the ink works. But after being reminded of how much like Cora she is behaving, she changes her mind and takes the good ([[CruelMercy if still rather dark]]) path. Robin Hood shows up before she can finish announcing it, but the decision had already been made, and if she'd still wanted to do it she could have since Robin's memories would have been wiped, so it still counts as no one knowing but her.
* WouldNotHurtAChild: Zelena counts on this to protect her from Regina (or at least when it's ''Robin'''s child). Turns out she miscalculated.

Returning to Storybrooke to lock up Zelena and find a way to stop Gold and the Author, Regina must deal with the fallout with Robin and decide just how far she is willing to go to achieve her happy ending. Emma must decide whether she can ever forgive her parents, before it is too late, while Maleficent finds that bonding with a long-lost daughter is not as easy as she thinks. And in the Enchanted Forest of thirty years ago, Cora returns from Wonderland to try and make amends with Regina and an ulterior motive--though it may not be what her daughter thinks.

* WontHurtAChild: Zelena counts on this to protect her from Regina (or at least when it's ''Robin'''s child). Turns out she miscalculated.

* DeathOfPersonality: Apparently, this is the fate of the Dark One's host after his heart was darken completely.
* DivineIntervention: The Author interpreted page 23 appearing to Regina as this. In his word "someone was looking out for her".
* HeHadAName: Regina reacts this way when Cora dismissively refers to Daniel as "the stable boy":
-->'''Regina:''' Daniel! His name was Daniel!

* ImmortalityImmorality: Gold reveals that although the Dark One's host - himself can die, the Dark One ''can't''.
* IronicEcho: Regina mockingly calls Rumpelstiltskin "dearie" just before he collapses.
* ForTheEvulz: When Regina decides against giving Zelena a horrible fate, the Author transports himself back to Mr. Gold since he ''really'' want to screw things up just because he can.
* NotQuiteTheRightThing: Cora comes back from Wonderland to try to talk some sense into her daughter and help her find love. Unfortunely she picks the wrong man (and lies to Regina that it's the man Tink told her about) and admits she just wanted Regina to have a baby.....and Regina doesn't take it well.

* VengeanceFeelsEmpty: Both Maleficent and Regina showed shades of this.
* WhamShot: Gold gives the Author a whole new book called ''Heroes and Villains" to write in.

* ImmortalityImmorality: Gold reveals that altough the Dark One's host - himself can die, the Dark One ''can't''.

* TakeAThirdOption: a variation. Regina clearly didn't want to turn Emma dark but she needed the dark Savior's blood for her plan. So she took Lily's blood instead, since some of her darkness was Emma's, it qualified as the Savior's blood of darkness.

* DeathOfPersonality: apparently, this is the fate of the dark one's host after his heart was darken completely.
* DevineIntervention: the Author interpreted page 23 appearing to Regina as this. In his word "someone was looking out for her".

* :VengeanceFeelsEmpty: Both Maleficent and Regina showed shades of this.