Something Wicked comes to Storybrooke!! Once Upon a Time S3 Ep.12 Recap!!

WARNING: BE WARY OF SPOILERS, DEARIE!!

A year has passed since the residents of Storybrooke returned to the Enchanted Forest. During that time, Emma has been enjoying her life as a single mom. Hook crashes the date that she is on where he tries to convince her of her past. In the Enchanted Forest, Snow White and Prince Charming look for a way to restore their kingdom. Unbeknownst to them, something is not right in their homeland. Emma turns down the proposal of her boyfriend Walsh and heads home to Henry. Hook leaves on his own while everyone else heads to Regina’s castle. Baelfire wishes to visit his father’s place to search for a way back to Emma. Charming tells him that wouldn’t be possible. Meanwhile, Emma discovers the impossible when she goes to the address Hook gave which turns out to be Neal’s apartment. She meets up with Hook in the park where she has him arrested. After learning that Regina is missing, Snow White finds her burying her heart in the woods. Snow convinces Regina, who is saddened for leaving Henry, to move on without him. As they head back to the rest of the group, they are attacked by a flying monkey. It tries to carry Regina off when she is rescued by Robin Hood. Emma gets the shock of her life when she develops the film found in Neal’s camera. She bails Hook out of jail where he hands her a vial of liquid. Emma drinks the vial and her memories of the time she spent in Storybrooke return. Hook tells Emma everything that has happened back in the Enchanted Forest. Walsh arrives at her apartment where he reveals himself to be a flying monkey. Emma defeats him before Hook arrives to investigate the commotion. Emma and Hook leave in the morning to save everyone in the Enchanted Forest from a threat more dangerous than the Evil Queen—the Wicked Witch of the West.

Emma has spent the past year living the good life as a single mom to a now teenage Henry. But something has lingered in the back of her mind that something was off. Seeing Hook again made her realize the possibility that perhaps her life isn’t what it is supposed to be. She drinks a potion that restores her memories and brings her to the conclusion she thought of before—as long as she is the Savior, she cannot have a happy ending. This fact is furthered when her current boyfriend of eight months Walsh turns out to be a flying creature obviously not of this world but from a world where magic reigns. With Hook’s story and the discovery of a restored Storybrooke, Emma sets off to find answers to what is happening and what new threat is befalling her family and friends. Her first major hurdle is explaining all this to Henry who doesn’t remember any of it.

I’ve said it before, I love it when a new character is introduced on “Once Upon a Time” and I am excited for the inclusion of the cruelest fairytale characters ever, the Wicked Witch from the “Wizard of Oz.” She is evil in ways no one can even begin to imagine. Her cruelty trumps anything Regina could ever muster. While Regina was away, the Wicked Witch staked her claim on the kingdom and has everyone so frightened of her that the mere mention of her name is enough to invoke fear. She has taken over Regina’s castle with her army of flying monkeys. Don’t expect these aerial apes to be sporting clothing. They’re going full primal as they are clearly modeled after their incarnation in Disney’s 2013 film “Oz: The Great and Powerful”. Unlike Regina, the Witch’s powers are not limited to the Enchanted Forest. She has the ability to crossover into the real world as well. She had one of her skyward simians disguised as Emma’s boyfriend Walsh. Emma discovers his identity after drinking the potion Hook gave her and her memories were restored. Her abilities surpass Regina as she has erected another curse that restores Storybrooke and all the residents. Emma finds her parents in their apartment along with another surprise—she’s going to be a sister. Yup, Snow White/Mary Margaret is pregnant. Since Ginnifer Goodwin is actually pregnant herself, it made sense to have her character be with child as well. Unlike her real life, Mary Margaret, with David Nolan/Prince Charming, has to protect her new child from the wrath of the Wicked Witch.

With the inclusion of the Wicked Witch and her flying monkeys, expect to be introduced to other denizens from the Land of Imagination. It would be interesting to see how the Witch’s and Regina’s stories intertwine and how the stories of familiar “Oz” characters such as the Scarecrow, Tinman, Cowardly Lion and, of course, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz himself, are incorporated into the “Once upon a Time” world. I see the backstory of the Wicked Witch not only crossing with Regina but also with her mother Cora which may, in some way, crossover with “Wonderland” since Cora was the Queen of Hearts at one time. The residents of Storybrooke are faced with an enemy far more dangerous than Regina or her mother Cora. The Queen may be evil but the Witch is wicked.