History Recap / OnceUponATimeS6E19TheBlackFairy

* {{Retcon}}: Prior to this the Black Fairy had claimed to be the source of all darkness, something which, unless she had lived for millennia before having Rumple or had lived a ''very'' long time ago, was both manifestly impossible and contradicted the origin of the Darkness as seen with Nimue in the time of Merlin. This episode corrects both the origin and timeline (she was once human, became a fairy and then evil, and lived in the time of Malcolm and Rumple) but does not explain her claim of being the UltimateEvil. The options are a) typical EvilGloating to make Emma and the others fear her b) lying as part of her plan to make Rumple hate her or c) BelievingTheirOwnLies thanks to how long she was exiled in the Dark Realm.

* UltimateEvil: Subverted--the prophecy revealed in this episode spoke of ''a'' great evil which would be born, not ''the'' greatest evil, and Rumple was meant to be one in only a long line of Saviors, with nothing Blue or Tiger Lily said indicating he was meant to face the source of all darkness. However, it is possible that her long time in the Dark Realm or some of the acts she has committed since her exile have caused the Black Fairy to become this over time, making this a Double Subversion - she does seem to easily be superior to Gold, who has all the powers of the Darkness (which is ''supposed'' to be the UltimateEvil) at his disposal.

* OutOfCharacterMoment: While it's understandable after her role in the events, it's hard to believe Tiger Lily punished ''herself'' by stripping her wings when this sort of thing is more the Blue Fairy's stock in trade...and considering what she did (showing secret texts of fairy lore, prophecy, and magic to a human that allowed her to become a fairy herself; letting her into the fairies' secret vault and helping her make a new spell, which is expressly forbidden and turns out to be the Dark Curse; helping create one of the greatest forces of evil in the realm; allowing a Savior meant to stop it to have his destiny severed by the Shears so that he becomes weak and cowardly and so prone to the lure of the Dark One's dagger), there's actually far more justification in stripping Tiger Lily than there ever was for Tinker Bell. Whether this is UnreliableExpositor on Tiger Lily's part or it was her actions that caused Blue to be so much harsher with Tink and Nova later remains unknown.

* NotSoDifferent: Emma points out that, for once, she understands Gold, having grown up without parents. Subverted by Gold snapping on how his mother never even gave him a name and had much different reasons for giving him up.
** Fiona's rant in the past about refusing to give up her dark magic to save Gold is just like speeches Gold himself has given on how much he needs his magic.

* UsedToBeASweetKid: Believe it or not, Malcolm used to be a very decent human being and doting father... until Fiona got banished, but the fairies made it seem like she was killed trying to save her son. Then he began to resent his son for taking his wife from him and became the PsychoticManChild that would become Peter Pan.

** The Blue Fairy banishing Fiona, leaving her to stew in the Dark Realm and Rumple to be raised by Malcolm alone, was probably the worst thing she could've done; instead of you know just taking away her power. Although there is no actual evidence she do this; the show has made it clear all along that fairy magic, at least the good kind, is often fairly limited.

* OutOfCharacterMoment: While it's understandable after her role in the events, it's hard to believe Tiger Lily punished ''herself'' by stripping her wings when this sort of thing is more the Blue Fairy's stock in trade...and considering what she did (showing secret texts of fairy lore, prophecy, and magic to a human that allowed her to become a fairy herself; letting her into the fairies' secret vault and helping her make a new spell, which is expressly forbidden and turns out to be the Dark Curse; helping create one of the greatest forces of evil in the realm; allowing a Savior meant to stop it to have his destiny severed by the Shears so that he becomes weak and cowardly and so prone to the lure of the Dark One's dagger), there's actually far more justification in stripping Tiger Lily than there ever was for Tinker Bell. Whether this is UnreliableNarrator on Tiger Lily's part or it was her actions that caused Blue to be so much harsher with Tink and Nova later remains unknown.

** The Blue Fairy banishing Fiona, leaving her to stew in the Dark Realm and Rumple to be raised by Malcolm alone, was probably the worst thing she could've done; instead of you know just taking away her power.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Despite her protestation in "The Return" that fairies don't lie, this episode shows that Blue lied to Malcolm that Fiona died, and that she lied to Belle in "Changelings" when she said that she didn't know why the Black Fairy turned dark. (She also lied to Snow and Charming in "The Stranger", but that was under duress from Geppetto, who wouldn't build the magic wardrobe otherwise.)

* OutOfCharacterMoment: While it's understandable after her role in the events, it's hard to believe Tiger Lily punished ''herself'' by stripping her wings when this sort of thing is more the Blue Fairy's stock in trade...and considering what she did (showing secret texts of fairy lore, prophecy, and magic to a human that allowed her to become a fairy herself; letting her into the fairies' secret vault and helping her make a new spell, which is expressly forbidden and turns out to be the Dark Curse; helping create one of the greatest forces of evil in the realm; allowing a Savior meant to stop it to have his destiny severed by the Shears so that he becomes weak and cowardly and so prone to the lure of the Dark One's dagger), there's actually far more justification in stripping Tiger Lily than there ever was for Tinkerbell. Whether this is UnreliableNarrator on Tiger Lily's part or it was her actions that caused Blue to be so much harsher with Tink and Nova later remains unknown.

* ContinuityNod: Back in Season One's "The Return", the Blue Fairy was given the name Reul Ghorm, a Gaelic phrase. In this episode it is also Gaelic which is employed by Fiona to transform herself into a fairy, thus establishing Gaelic as the fairy language (or at least their LanguageOfMagic).

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* ContinuityNod: Back in Season One's "The Return", the Blue Fairy was given the name Reul Ghorm which is Gaelic. In this episode it is also Gaelic which is employed by Fiona to transform herself into a fairy, thus establishing Gaelic as the fairy language (or at least their LanguageOfMagic).

* OutOfCharacterMoment: While it's understandable after her role in the events, it's hard to believe Tiger Lily punished ''herself'' by stripping her wings when this sort of thing is more the Blue Fairy's stock in trade...and considering what she did (showing secret texts of fairy lore, prophecy, and magic to a human that allowed her to become a fairy herself; letting her into the fairies' secret vault and helping her make a new spell, which is expressly forbidden and turns out to be the Dark Curse; helping create one of the greatest forces of evil in the realm; allowing a Savior meant to stop it to have his destiny severed by the Shears so that he becomes weak and cowardly and so prone to the lure of the Dark One's dagger), there's actually far more justification in stripping Tiger Lily than there ever was for Tinkerbell. Whether this is UnreliableNarrator on Tiger Lily's part or it was her actions that caused Blue to be so much harsher with Tink and Nova later remains to be seen.
* ThePromise: Regina tells Zelena that if they lose to the Black Fairy, or if she comes to harm during the Final Battle, she wants her sister to take Henry to New York with Robin and protect him.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: All of Fiona's terrible actions in her backstory was to protect Rumpelstiltskin from the dying fate that comes with being savior. Nowadays, we can clearly see that she's gotten much, ''much'' worse and clearly enjoys it.

* LikeFatherLikeSon: More like "like ''mother'' like son." (Although Rumple does share several traits with his father as well.) Fiona's desire to save her offspring caused her to turn to magic, then to dark powers and become fully evil, all to save her son from his dark fate. Sound familiar?

* ChronicVillainy: Gold ''again'', since despite the commonality he has with Emma, the love and desire he has for a family, the fact he doesn't care for anyone else in Storybrooke (even Henry, Baelfire's son!), and Gideon and Belle being put safely to sleep so the Final Battle will not harm them, causes him to forgive his mother and join forces with her. Of course it may still be a bluff.

* RealDreamsAreWeirder: When Emma and Gold are in the dream realm, Emma wonders why there aren't "flying pigs and talking donuts" (a CallBack to Neal). Gold dryly suggests she stay behind if she isn't impressed, but they do end up finding some weirdness since it turns out they are in Gold's subconscious, leading to them discovering the cottage he was born in (constantly filled by the sound of his mother singing a lullaby) and his blanket and bassinet in the snow.

* RealDreamsAreWeirder: When Emma and Gold are in the dream realm, Emma wonders why there aren't "flying pigs and talking donuts." Gold dryly suggests she stay behind if she isn't impressed, but they do end up finding some weirdness since it turns out they are in Gold's subconscious, leading to them discovering the cottage he was born in (constantly filled by the sound of his mother singing a lullaby) and his blanket and bassinet in the snow.

** Another bit of {{Foreshadowing}} from way back when, relevant to this episode: in Season One's "The Return", Blue told Baelfire that "his [Rumple's] powers do not belong here." Because they're an aberration, something never meant to occur until the Shears severed Rumple's fate as a Savior with light magic?

* FaceHeelTurn: Gold ends up siding with the Black Fairy, ''desperate'' to have any semblance to the family he never had as child.

* MamaBear: {{Deconstructed}} Fiona's desire to protect her son from the Darkness ended up turning ''both'' of them evil, as well as her husband, all of whom embraced dark magic and used it to their advantage.

As the Black Fairy begins her final attack, Gold discovers the true reason why his mother abandoned him.

** How did Blue end up with the Black Fairy's wand, to give to Rumple in Season 3A? When she arrived at the sacred vault, conjured Tiger Lily's heart back, and exiled Fiona, the wand was dropped and easily confiscated by her afterward. ([[PlotHole Though it doesn't explain how he had it in the past, during Hook and Emma's TimeTravel episode at the end of 3B]]...)

* MacGuffin: Despite how important Tiger Lily said it was in stopping the Black Fairy (because as her own former possession, it was the only thing that could banish her back to the Dark Realm), the wand this and the previous episodes revolved around ends up not being important after all--Regina restores it and Gold takes it with him to face Fiona, but after choosing to join her instead, it's never shown what happens to it. Nor is it involved in anything Gold or Emma does in the finale.

** How did Blue end up with the Black Fairy's wand, to give to Rumple in Season 3A? When she arrived at the sacred vault, conjured Tiger Lily's heart back, and exiled Fiona, the wand was dropped and easily confiscated by her afterward.