Once upon a Time Rewatch 1.16, "Heart of Darkness"

Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series here.

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1.16, "Heart of Darkness"

Written by Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg
Directed by Dean White

Synopsis

After a restatement of the series's premise and the title card, the episode begins with Charming and Red still being pursued and attacked by the king's men. Red bids Charming flee to find Snow White, remaining behind to assume her lupine form; he does, and melee ensues.

No towering figure, she.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, Mary Margaret is processed into police custody. She and Emma confer about their respective situations; both are constrained by their positions.

In the Enchanted Forest, Snow White tends to the dwarves' cottage. Grumpy invites her to dinner, which she resists; the assembled dwarves introduce Jiminy Cricket to her conducting something of an intervention with her, addressing the changes in her behavior following her taking a memory-erasing potion. It does not proceed as they hope, and Snow White prepares to depart in anger to kill Regina.

In Storybrooke, Emma questions Mary Margaret with Regina present. The questioning goes poorly for Mary Margaret. Her counterpart fares better, waylaying one of the Evil Queen's riders and interrogating him regarding Regina's whereabouts. She despoils the rider and proceeds along her way, despite the dwarves' impassioned pleas. Grumpy proposes to take Rumpelstiltskin to reverse the effects of the potion; she demurs.

Yep, everything seems in order.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Emma checks her shared residence for signs of a break-in following the questioning session. None are forthcoming, and Henry arrives to interrupt her search and notes that Regina has motive to frame Mary Margaret. A strange scratching sound attracts attention, and Emma finds a hidden hunting knife.

August later meets Henry at Granny's, conferring with him about developments. August suggests Henry check his book for answers; Henry attempts to demur, but is persuaded into it. August also explains the difficulty of persuading Emma into belief, and Henry resumes his reading.

In it, Charming continues his pursuit of Snow White, coming across the knight Snow White had despoiled. He reports her actions and direction, to Charming's disbelief.

How does he do it?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Storybrooke, David calls on Regina, pleading with her about Mary Margaret. She presses him about his lack of knowledge of her. He tries to argue that he has done ill during his blackouts. Meanwhile, Emma notes her findings to Mary Margaret and notes that she should hire a lawyer--at which point Gold announces himself and offers his services. Mary Margaret accepts the offer, although Emma is uncertain of Gold's sincerity.

In the Enchanted Forest, Rumpelstiltskin notes there is no return available for Snow White. He offers to assist her in killing Regina, advising her of a better tactic to do so. Grumpy refuses further complicity, and Rumpelstiltskin delights in the prospects.

David calls on the psychologist, Dr. Hopper, asking how to remember the events of his blackouts.

Charming makes to confront Rumpelstiltskin about Snow White. The Dark One notes that true love's kiss can break the potion's effect and offers Snow White's location in exchange for Charming's cloak. Charming rushes off as Snow White makes her assassin's preparations; he confronts her, finding her memory gone and kissing her. It does not work, and she knocks him unconscious.

Well, that'll open some doors for you, kid.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Henry greets Emma outside her residence, brandishing a set of keys that allows access to everything in Storybrooke. Emma is doubtful, but Henry demonstrates the truth of his claim.

Charming rouses to find himself restrained. Snow White rejects his appeals and stalks off to assassinate Regina. David, meanwhile, undergoes hypnotic regression. The memories that emerge conflate his life in Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest, and David departs Hopper's office in haste. Charming is confronted by Jiminy Cricket, and the two proceed to try to interdict Snow White, who is taking up position to assassinate the riding Regina. Charming intercepts the arrow meant for Regina, and the two confer, with Charming pressing Snow White to remember who she is. At that point, they kiss, and she recalls herself and him. George's pursuit continues, and Charming is taken prisoner; she begins to pursue him, in turn.

Mary Margaret continues to languish in lockup, David visiting her. He reports his own findings to her, which revelation staggers her no less than his pained rehearsal of the evidence against her. She rebukes him for his doubts and dismisses him.

Snow White, penitent, returns to the dwarves and apologizes. They accept her back, but she notes that she cannot stay; she must retrieve the imprisoned Charming. The dwarves move to accompany her in her quest and fall in to work.

Mary Margaret finds one of the strange keys in her cell. Trying it on the cell door, she finds it works and that she can walk free; she conceals the knowledge as Emma arrives with breakfast. She reports that the heart is, indeed, Kathryn's and that, with that evidence, legal proceedings will have to begin. They confer about circumstances, and Emma goes off to confer with Gold about how to prove Regina's interference. He offers cryptic encouragement, and his alter-ego prepares more magic. Mary Margaret, meanwhile, makes her escape.

Discussion

The thing that stands out in mind for me in the episode is the permeable nature of imprisonment. While it is the case that concerns of race factor heavily into depictions of jail--it is, and they do, as is true of the reality of imprisonment in the United States--the episode does follow precedent both in focusing on incarceration and in depicting it as both porous and escapable. I am minded of Malory, as is often the case in the work I do for the Society; the "knight-prisoner" author of Le Morte d'Arthur refers repeatedly to his own incarceration in the work, and he focuses on knights' imprisonment several times, as well. Indeed, a section of my dissertation (66-72) concerns itself with such matters; I'll not recapitulate it here, but will simply note that at least one major work of medieval literature presents prison as permeable and escapable (not least because of its author's experiences), so that for Once upon a Time to present it as such reinforces the (pseudo-?) neo/medievalism of its milieu.