This was by far the most heartbreaking episode I have seen so far. "Quiet Minds" is an episode all about what true sacrifice means: saving the ones you love. It was beautifully written and portrayed, making us feel every sigh and cry every tear right along with the characters.
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/3/8/27383753/4087907.png?455)
All Magic Comes With a Price
The episode begins with Neal and Belle back in the Enchanted Forest during the forgotten year. They are trying to figure out a way to resurrect Rumple. Neal is surprised at her devotion to his father, and I love when Belle says that she loves all of him, including the dark parts, a thing that Neal has yet to accomplish. The two head up to the library and begin searching when a conveniently placed candle begins to talk. It is none other than Lumiere, a punished prisoner of the Dark One, who neglected to fulfill his end of a deal. I have to say, Lumiere was one of my favorite things about the episode. I thought he was a fun character to bring in, with an interesting story as to how he got that way, not to mention his saving Belle's life. The enchanted candelabra directs them to a book with a key to the vault of the Dark One, a place where the original Dark One was made. Belle and Neal resolve to set off the next morning with Lumiere's help. However, the candle is more than he appears. He is actually under the thumb of the Wicked Witch with commandment to keep up the charade of the Dark One's vault - or else.
The next day Belle and Neal head to the snowy clearing and find the place for the key, when Belle figures out the Lumiere is lying. He claims to have been watching Rumple's dark magic in his library for over 200 years, when actually the library has been there for only 30. The candle tells the truth - that the Wicked Witch wants to resurrect the Dark One to control him with his dagger. Belle urges Neal not to let his father's sacrifice for good be destroyed by letting him be controlled by an evil witch, promising him that they will find another way. But desperate to get his family back, Neal ignores Belle's pleas of caution and forges ahead in a reckless and even selfish attempt. He puts the key into the vault and is marked, much like Prince Phillip and the wraith. Out of the darkness emerges a very much alive Rumplestiltskin, but the vault requires a life to be given in order to resurrect one - something Lumiere failed to mention. Neal collapses, and Rumple rushes to his side, only to be greeted by a victorious Zelena. Refusing to see his son die, Rumple protects him with magic, but the price is steep - the surrender of his dagger. Rumple relinquishes the weapon and takes Neal's body inside his own. Hearing now two sets of thoughts, Rumple becomes like a caged animal, confused by all the jumbled thoughts. Gleefully Zelena orders him to kill Belle, but just in time, Lumiere traps the witch with a ring of fire and tells Belle to run while she can. Sobbing, she rescues the candelabra and escapes, but must leave Rumple and Neal as a captive to the evil one.
The episode begins with Neal and Belle back in the Enchanted Forest during the forgotten year. They are trying to figure out a way to resurrect Rumple. Neal is surprised at her devotion to his father, and I love when Belle says that she loves all of him, including the dark parts, a thing that Neal has yet to accomplish. The two head up to the library and begin searching when a conveniently placed candle begins to talk. It is none other than Lumiere, a punished prisoner of the Dark One, who neglected to fulfill his end of a deal. I have to say, Lumiere was one of my favorite things about the episode. I thought he was a fun character to bring in, with an interesting story as to how he got that way, not to mention his saving Belle's life. The enchanted candelabra directs them to a book with a key to the vault of the Dark One, a place where the original Dark One was made. Belle and Neal resolve to set off the next morning with Lumiere's help. However, the candle is more than he appears. He is actually under the thumb of the Wicked Witch with commandment to keep up the charade of the Dark One's vault - or else.
The next day Belle and Neal head to the snowy clearing and find the place for the key, when Belle figures out the Lumiere is lying. He claims to have been watching Rumple's dark magic in his library for over 200 years, when actually the library has been there for only 30. The candle tells the truth - that the Wicked Witch wants to resurrect the Dark One to control him with his dagger. Belle urges Neal not to let his father's sacrifice for good be destroyed by letting him be controlled by an evil witch, promising him that they will find another way. But desperate to get his family back, Neal ignores Belle's pleas of caution and forges ahead in a reckless and even selfish attempt. He puts the key into the vault and is marked, much like Prince Phillip and the wraith. Out of the darkness emerges a very much alive Rumplestiltskin, but the vault requires a life to be given in order to resurrect one - something Lumiere failed to mention. Neal collapses, and Rumple rushes to his side, only to be greeted by a victorious Zelena. Refusing to see his son die, Rumple protects him with magic, but the price is steep - the surrender of his dagger. Rumple relinquishes the weapon and takes Neal's body inside his own. Hearing now two sets of thoughts, Rumple becomes like a caged animal, confused by all the jumbled thoughts. Gleefully Zelena orders him to kill Belle, but just in time, Lumiere traps the witch with a ring of fire and tells Belle to run while she can. Sobbing, she rescues the candelabra and escapes, but must leave Rumple and Neal as a captive to the evil one.
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/3/8/27383753/5456728.jpg?455)
The Gang is on to Zelena
Switch to Storybrooke, where the wicked witch summons the Dark One with his dagger, but to no avail. Neal has taken over and broken free, unfettered by the dagger's power. She sends a flying monkey to find him, as she realizes he has escaped. Then to Granny's, where the gang decides to split up and see what evidence they can find of the witch. Belle and Hook wait at the shop in case Gold shows up, Regina decides to look for clues at the witch's farmhouse, and Charming and Emma hit the woods to see if they can find Gold. Regina is joined by Robin Hood (after he mistakes her for the witch and nearly shoots her) to see what she can find. While searching, Robin's lion tattoo is shown, and Regina panics. She fears love as much as Emma does, and bolts from the house, leaving a confused Robin Hood in the kitchen. Back at the shop, Belle and Hook are joined by Neal, who breaks through the barricade but collapses in the doorway.
Everyone rushes to the hospital, where a confused Neal is waiting. Like everyone else, he has no memory of the past year. The only clue they have is the mark from the Dark One's vault on his hand. Belle promises to research the mark, and the others leave Neal in Hook's care while they go back to search for Gold. He and Hook have a nice moment, where they put aside their jealousy over Emma and remember back to when Hook took care of a young Baelfire in Neverland. Meanwhile, Emma and David have a heart-to-heart in the woods about whether or not to regain Henry's memories (which of course they have to eventually.) I'm really loving all of this father-daughter time, since Emma spent most of her time with her mother in the first two seasons. But an agonizing cry interrupts their chat, and they run to find a filthy and crazed Gold, holding his head and muttering about too many voices. Before Gold can share the name of the witch, her flying monkey swoops in, and Gold makes a run for it. Emma chases after him while David fights off the monkey, but loses him. Continuing the search, Emma is joined by Neal, who insists on helping her. We're treated to a lighthearted, sweet conversation between the two, where they laugh about their bizarre pasts, and Neal wishes Emma happiness, whether or not it's with him.
Just then Belle calls, having found the source of the mark on Neal's hand. Neal then collapses, and realizes that Emma must separate him and his father if he is to save his family. Only when Gold can quiet the voices can he reveal the name of the witch. The two are separated, but all magic comes with a price, and this time, it's Neal's to pay. The choice to use dark magic returns, and Neal's life is exchanged for his father's. Neal lays in Emma's arms in a beautiful but tragic scene. He makes her promise to be happy, and then thanks his father for his sacrifice, and tells him that he loves him. Again Rumple is faced with the choice of letting his son go, but this time he must release him out of sacrifice, not cowardice. He dies, and Gold and Emma weep over the loss of the thing they love most. And our hearts broke right along with them.
Emma and David run back to Mary Margaret, having learned the identity of her midwife, only to find that she has escaped through an open window. She has in fact gone back to the woods, where a despondent Gold sits by his son's body. The witch waves the dagger around in delight, but her success is incomplete, as her identity is no longer a secret. The witch orders Rumple back to his cage, The next scene I found the most heartbreaking. Gold slowly returns to the dark basement, grieved and completely alone. He sinks to the stool inside and whispers his son's name, and you feel more than ever the terrific weight on his heart. His only son, his most beloved Baelfire, is dead. And he is powerless to do anything about it.
Emma, also heartbroken, sets the record straight with Henry, and tells him that his dad was a hero. She vows to find the woman responsible, no matter what. Go get her, Emma!
Switch to Storybrooke, where the wicked witch summons the Dark One with his dagger, but to no avail. Neal has taken over and broken free, unfettered by the dagger's power. She sends a flying monkey to find him, as she realizes he has escaped. Then to Granny's, where the gang decides to split up and see what evidence they can find of the witch. Belle and Hook wait at the shop in case Gold shows up, Regina decides to look for clues at the witch's farmhouse, and Charming and Emma hit the woods to see if they can find Gold. Regina is joined by Robin Hood (after he mistakes her for the witch and nearly shoots her) to see what she can find. While searching, Robin's lion tattoo is shown, and Regina panics. She fears love as much as Emma does, and bolts from the house, leaving a confused Robin Hood in the kitchen. Back at the shop, Belle and Hook are joined by Neal, who breaks through the barricade but collapses in the doorway.
Everyone rushes to the hospital, where a confused Neal is waiting. Like everyone else, he has no memory of the past year. The only clue they have is the mark from the Dark One's vault on his hand. Belle promises to research the mark, and the others leave Neal in Hook's care while they go back to search for Gold. He and Hook have a nice moment, where they put aside their jealousy over Emma and remember back to when Hook took care of a young Baelfire in Neverland. Meanwhile, Emma and David have a heart-to-heart in the woods about whether or not to regain Henry's memories (which of course they have to eventually.) I'm really loving all of this father-daughter time, since Emma spent most of her time with her mother in the first two seasons. But an agonizing cry interrupts their chat, and they run to find a filthy and crazed Gold, holding his head and muttering about too many voices. Before Gold can share the name of the witch, her flying monkey swoops in, and Gold makes a run for it. Emma chases after him while David fights off the monkey, but loses him. Continuing the search, Emma is joined by Neal, who insists on helping her. We're treated to a lighthearted, sweet conversation between the two, where they laugh about their bizarre pasts, and Neal wishes Emma happiness, whether or not it's with him.
Just then Belle calls, having found the source of the mark on Neal's hand. Neal then collapses, and realizes that Emma must separate him and his father if he is to save his family. Only when Gold can quiet the voices can he reveal the name of the witch. The two are separated, but all magic comes with a price, and this time, it's Neal's to pay. The choice to use dark magic returns, and Neal's life is exchanged for his father's. Neal lays in Emma's arms in a beautiful but tragic scene. He makes her promise to be happy, and then thanks his father for his sacrifice, and tells him that he loves him. Again Rumple is faced with the choice of letting his son go, but this time he must release him out of sacrifice, not cowardice. He dies, and Gold and Emma weep over the loss of the thing they love most. And our hearts broke right along with them.
Emma and David run back to Mary Margaret, having learned the identity of her midwife, only to find that she has escaped through an open window. She has in fact gone back to the woods, where a despondent Gold sits by his son's body. The witch waves the dagger around in delight, but her success is incomplete, as her identity is no longer a secret. The witch orders Rumple back to his cage, The next scene I found the most heartbreaking. Gold slowly returns to the dark basement, grieved and completely alone. He sinks to the stool inside and whispers his son's name, and you feel more than ever the terrific weight on his heart. His only son, his most beloved Baelfire, is dead. And he is powerless to do anything about it.
Emma, also heartbroken, sets the record straight with Henry, and tells him that his dad was a hero. She vows to find the woman responsible, no matter what. Go get her, Emma!