Recap / Once Upon a Time S3 E13 "Witch Hunt"

Season 3, Episode 13:

Witch Hunt

With no memories in Storybrooke of the previous year, Emma must set about finding a way to either return everyone's memories or identify who cast the new curse—a plan which suggests a familiar target and requires working with a surprising ally.

Meanwhile in the Enchanted Forest of a year ago, Regina must sneak into her own castle with the aid of Robin Hood to bring down the protective shield and let the others in...and decide whether to face their new adversary or make a decision of a more permanent nature about herself.

Tropes

• Affably Evil: This generally applies to Zelena even when she's confronting Regina, but it especially is true of her Storybrooke persona.
• At Least I Admit It
  Regina: I may have done a lot of bad things in my time, but at least I own it.
• Back from the Dead: The Wicked Witch brought back Rumplestiltskin from the dead (although as it turns out there was a bit more to it than that).
• Batman Gambit: Regina and Emma come up with a great one—first, to stage a public falling-out over her supposedly being the one to cast the curse, and then to pretend Regina is close to creating a memory potion in order to flush their enemy out before they're exposed. Although it doesn't quite go as planned, it does at least help them figure out who the enemy is (the Wicked Witch), although not who she is in Storybrooke.
• Big, Screwed-Up Family: The Wicked Witch is Regina's half-sister through Cora.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Zelena takes on this role in Storybrooke, as a seemingly sweet and harmless midwife, so she can get close to Snow White and her unborn child.
• Comically Missing the Point: When Emma, Charming, and Hook are discussing the Winged Monkeys.
  Hook: And the monster you were going to marry...
  Charming: You were going to marry someone?
  Hook: Did you miss the part where I said monster?
• Couch Gag: The title card features Zelena flying on her broom.
• Decoy Trial: Investigative variation, where Emma pretends to suspect Regina of the curse at the town meeting in order to make the enemy think they are safe and come out of hiding.
• Evil Is Petty: What's almost the first thing Zelena says when she meets Regina? Shows off the dress she stole and comments on how she had to "let in the hips" to wear it.
• Fate Worse than Death: Zelena promises one of these to Regina.
• I'm a Doctor, Not a Placeholder: After Little John turns into a flying monkey in the middle of a hospital.
  David: What the Hell was that thing?
  Dr. Whale: Don't look at me. I'm a doctor, not a vet.
• Insult Backfire:
  Regina: Who knew a thief had honor?
  Robin Hood: Who knew an Evil Queen had a soft spot for children?
• I Owe You my Son's Life: Why Robin Hood decides to go with Regina to protect her.
• Madness Mantra: Rumplestiltskin repeats one after the Wicked Witch leaves the cell where she has him held captive.
  Rumplestiltskin: You feed the madness, and it feeds on you...you feed the madness, and it feeds on you...
• Meaningful Name: Zelena means 'green' in Bosnian, Bulgarian, and several other Slavic languages.
• Mexican Standoff: Briefly, when Robin Hood catches Regina making a Sleeping Curse and pulls an arrow on her: she uses her magic to choke him, but he points out that he will still let the arrow fly as his last act, leading to a Mutual Kill.
• Mythology Gag: Once they realize it's the Wicked Witch they're dealing with, Grumpy asks Regina if it's "East or West" and then specifies to Snow White that this will determine if they need a house or a bucket of water to deal with her. Regina also references the lollipop guild when being snarkily dismissive of the Wicked Witch's defenses.
• Pet the Dog: This exchange between Regina and Emma, after the latter believes the former is telling the truth about not casting the new curse.
  Regina: Even though I can't live without him [Henry]?
  Emma: There you go, telling the truth again.
• Plot Parallel: Both the Storybrooke segments and the ones in the Enchanted Forest involve evidence being found or encountered that points to Oz/the Wicked Witch being to blame; in the former it's Emma and Regina who put it together, while in the latter it's Belle and Regina.
• The Reveal: Rumplestiltskin is alive (and mad) and Zelena is holding him prisoner. Again an example of invokedThe Un-Twist since the promos after the mid-season finale showed images of Robert Carlyle.
• Sarcasm Failure:
  Regina: The person who escaped our trap disappeared in a cloud of green smoke and now there are flying monkeys in this town? I think we know exactly who cursed us.
  Emma: The Wicked Witch of the West?
  * beat*
  Emma: Seriously? She's real too?
• Then Let Me Be Evil: Regina seems to fall into this at the town meeting when she is accused by everyone (but especially Emma) of casting the curse. It's all a fakeout to get the enemy to reveal themselves.
• Transformation Trauma: Turning into a Winged Monkey is this, at least if it comes about due to a bite.
• Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: The first part is made clearer than ever when Robin Hood discovers the real reason Regina sneaked into her castle—to create another Sleeping Curse to cast on herself so she won't have to stay awake and suffer without Henry, and with the only cure being him kissing her awake. As for the second part...after she is confronted by Zelena:
  Regina: I just needed to find something to live for. The one thing I haven't had in a very long time. (cue Slasher Smile) Someone to destroy. (Evil Queen's Leitmotif begins)
• Wouldn't Hurt a Child: Regina now, after Character Development; it in fact leads to a fairly awesome Go Through Me moment where she defends Robin Hood's son from a Winged Monkey (and then turns it into a stuffed toy to give to him).
• Xanatos Gambit: After initially considering such a thing could be why Regina would cast the new curse, Emma rejects it. Later Regina directly mocks and lampshades it ("Maybe this is just an incredibly complicated scheme to get Henry back"), and Emma agrees it's implausible.