Once Upon A Time: Enter the Dragon Recap

Rating: ★★★☆☆

We return to Storybrooke with Regina busting in on the Evil Trio’s dinner meeting at Granny’s. She invites Maleficent to go ahead and kill her, but Maleficent lets her know that there are bigger fish to fry. Regina spins a tale of how she had to play nice just to survive in Storybrooke, and now wants in on their scheme. After taking a shot to prove that she’s the baddest kid in town, they let her in for now.

Flashback to the Enchanted Forest and Regina is having a fit because Snow has won a few riding ribbons. Rumple shows up to find out that Regina has been reading Maleficent’s spell book to find a way to get her revenge. She starts on Rumple, telling him that his lessons have been taking her nowhere. He makes her look into the mirror to show what Maleficent did to a once beautiful forest. To that day, there was still a tree on fire, and while that’s impressive to Regina, it’s not as great as getting her revenge now. So Rumple does what he does best and sends her off to Maleficent’s domain.

Present-day-Emma is shocked by the Charmings’ decision to have Regina go undercover. Obviously, Emma isn’t thrilled about this and even less thrilled to find that Regina hasn’t checked back in. While the Charmings are panicking, the Evil Trio has taken Regina to the train tracks to play a very uncool version of chicken. The first to poof them off the tracks is the first to lose. Regina naturally ends up poofing them off the tracks (mostly to save herself, let’s be real about that) so Cruella wins a bet.

Maleficent sticks up for her saying she’s just rusty, not good. Regina proves her point by saying they should go find some real fun.Hook meets Emma and she’s in a tizzy worrying about Regina and if she’s still alive, dead, or evil. The Charmings are out driving when they come across one of their sheriff cars trashed and burned. Regina comes out of the woods to apologize about the destruction in town, and the car. She lets them know that  she’s in, but not all the way privy to their secrets. Regina tells them that the Evil Trio is hiding something big, she just doesn’t know what yet.

Back at Maleficent’s castle, a young and timid Regina, is asking Maleficent for help. She’s asked to show what she’s learned by lighting the fireplace. Maleficent comes out of the corner to show herself to not be as grand and wonderful as she once was. Now she’s bitter about Briar Rose coming back to the living, and slightly drunk. Regina tells her she just needs to buck up and become the grand villain she once was, but she doesn’t like that too much and dismisses Regina.

A sad Regina is walking alone when a carriage pulls up and a strange old man offers to take her to the next kingdom and to the wedding of Aurora, Briar Rose’s daughter. Regina hightails it back to Maleficent and tells her that if she can’t get her revenge, Regina never will. Maleficent’s great advice is to “Give up. Find another hobby.” Regina presses on and finds out that Maleficent can’t turn into a dragon anymore because she’s lost the fire. Never say never, Regina says they are going to find her fire.

Present-day-Regina is being visited by Maleficent, who offers aspirin to ease her hangover. Maleficent gives her a bit of the plan, revealing that they are here for the same reason, to find the author. She tells Regina about the new leads they have uncovered, and gives her a little job before she can reveal the rest. Later, Regina meets all the Charmings and their trusty pirate. Regina tells them that the Evil Trio is after the author too, and they want to change everything by making the heroes lose and villains win. Tonight they are going to get their new lead, and they just have to wait. Emma has determined that she’s going to be Regina’s backup and watch her back in case anything goes wrong.

Back at Granny’s, Belle is trying to convince Will to try some cake when Hook crashes their party. Hook lets Will know that he’s not there for him, but for Belle. He takes her aside and tells her about the Evil Trio and their plan. They figure that the Trio is there for the dagger and they must move it as soon as they can so no one finds it to use for the worse. Hook plans to hide it the only way a pirate can, for good and forever. Past-Regina tells Maleficent that they have to go to the tree that is still on fire to find her spark again. After a wardrobe change, they head down there to find her fire.

After a couple attempts, Maleficent calls the fire inside her and while they are unsure if it worked, they are going to find out shortly. Stephen is there to make sure she doesn’t do anything to destroy Aurora’s happiness. She tries to turn into a dragon, but fails and is trapped by the king’s men. Present-Regina goes into the woodcarver’s shop, and causes the guys to fall asleep. Emma sneaks in and tells her it’s a terrible idea to kidnap a child. While they are bickering about what to do, Regina points out that they have to play by the villains’ rules now and break some of their own. Emma lets her know that if anything goes on that she doesn’t like, she’ll come in blazing.

Past-Maleficent is trapped by the guards and Stephen. While Maleficent is content to be led to the dungeon, Regina has been burning through her ropes to try to defeat them. While Regina lobs a few fireballs, Maleficent finds her fire and turns into a dragon to defeat all of the guardsmen. The pair heads off to the castle where Maleficent confronts Aurora. Aurora tries to run, but doesn’t get far before Maleficent catches her and puts her under a sleeping spell. Regina is inspired by Maleficent’s cruelness, and Maleficent thanks her for reminding her who she truly is.

Hook and Belle have dug up the dagger to hide it again. Belle confesses she doesn’t know what she would do if Rumple came back. She tells him that she has a terrible feeling that he is here in town, and fears what he would do. Hook says that there is only one thing to do and commands him to show up. If he’s really there, he’ll have to be summoned, as per his curse. When Rumple doesn’t show, Belle passes the dagger to Hook and drives off.

But wait!

Hook wasn’t Hook at all, but Rumple all along. Rumple!Hook goes into Gold’s shop to meet Belle to swear a pirates’ oath. They must swear to never tell anyone, nor talk about it to anyone. He sees a rose that Will has given her and asks about their relationship. Belle confesses that it is nice to spend time with someone that is nothing more than who they say they are. Rumple!Hook leaves the shop, sad and possibly bent on getting revenge on Will for stealing his girl.

Maleficent takes Regina back to the cabin where Regina has an epiphany that their dark magic isn’t just magic, but Rumple. He shows up to tell her that he’s learned a lot on his little trip. Cruella comes in with Pinocchio, and Rumple does what he does best and makes August come back so they can gather information about the Author from him. This really can only go one way, and that’s bad.

That’s where we leave off for this week’s OUAT. What did you guys think of it? Love it? Hate it? Tell us your thoughts below!