‘Once Upon a Time’: ‘The Evil Queen’ embraces the dark side

The Evil Queen usually denies the “evil” moniker put in front of her regal title on “Once Upon a Time.” Regina takes full possession of the name in “The Evil Queen” episode, and the mysterious duo of Tamara and Owen finally make their play, with some aid by Hook.

Hook, kidnapped after thinking that his life’s goal of killing Rumpelstiltskin had been achieved, is offered another killing deal by Tamara and Greg. They say that they can kill magical creatures and need Hook’s help.

Evil Queen, hot on the trail of Snow White in the past, orders a whole village be killed after none of them will provide any information about the escaped Snow White. In the present, Regina, seemingly trying to be a “hero,” inexplicably tells Henry that she’s going to basically kill everyone in town and return with Henry to the Enchanted Forest. Henry’s response (and ours): “Why would you even tell me this?” Not sure if we’ll ever know, and Regina tried to make sure Henry would never know by erasing his memory.

TIMELINE: Snow White through the years

Again, in the past, Regina decides to go undercover to find Snow White, having Rumpelstiltskin make her as un-regal as we’ve ever seen her, with a different look and different clothing. By killing Snow White, the Queen believes that she’ll have the kingdom “singing my praises over her smoldering villainous remains.” That’s not very benevolent.

Regina tells Henry of her plan, a fail-safe built into the curse that can turn it off but that would kill everyone in Storybrooke. Henry says no and that she’s a villain. She’s really deluded now but still smart. She erases Henry’s memory, and they continue on. Not sure what the whole interlude was for. Did she want to gauge Henry’s reaction? Grab his memory for a reason?

So Hook tells Regina that he was told to join her and double-cross her but that they should double-cross Tamara and Owen. Yeah, that sounds fishy even for a pirate. Not sure which one will turn on the other fastest, but despite the word of support, neither is trustworthy.

Emma and Tamara have a quick chat, and Emma now knows that she’s lying and probably the trouble that Pinocchio warned them about before he lost his memory and became a “real little boy.” Snow White wants Emma to get more proof of this before accusing Henry’s future stepmom of being bad.

Speaking of bad, seems Regina was the first to turn. She takes Hook down to the chamber of Maleficent, she who was once a dragon, and throws the pirate down a hole to face the new Maleficent. She’s now some kind of creature made of many pieces. While he fought her off, Regina retrieved some powerful magic.

PHOTOS: Movie princesses through the years

After saving a disguised Evil Queen, Snow White dresses her wounds and tells her a story about how she first met the Evil Queen, and how nice she was at first. The disguised Evil Queen seems softened by Snow’s show of affection for the old her.

Emma and Henry stake out Neal’s apartment to find out more about Tamara and Neal. Henry suddenly figures out that there’s a way to get back to the Enchanted Forest: The Giant brought back beans that can transport them back. That kid’s way too smart. Anyway, they break into Neal’s place, but he discovers them. Emma lays it all on the table about Tamara, and Neal doesn’t believe that his fiancee is evil. No proof, no convincing.

Snow White and the disguised queen bond a bit, with Snow telling the queen that she believes that the queen can be redeemed. A charming talk, until Snow stumbles upon the scene of a pile of dead villagers, people who’d helped her and were executed on the queen’s orders. Snow renounces her claims that Regina can be saved or has any good in her. A quick slip of the tongue, and the jig is up. Snow sees past Regina’s disguise but lets her escape.

Regina, powerless due to her transformation, goes back to Rumpelstiltskin and is brought back to her powerful self, and, for the first time, acknowledges herself as the Evil Queen. But back in the present, the scenario switches, as the powerful queen is rendered powerless. Tamara and Greg and Hook have taken her powers away using science. Nope, it’s not yet explained; just that a bracelet she took from Hook, which was her mother’s, has some kind of technology in it prohibiting her from using magic.

<< Previous: ‘Lacey’ | Next recap: ‘Second Star to the Right’ >

ALSO:

‘Once Upon a Time’: Regina is drawn into ‘The Cricket Game’

‘Once Upon a Time’ recap: Snow White and a mother’s sacrifice

‘Once Upon a Time’: Charming in charge and Regina’s redemption