The game of good vs. evil in Storybrooke may have had its match point tonight.
Specifically, Emma Swan reached the end of her battle between the light and the darkness, and it wasn't the answer that anyone was hoping for.
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In "Sympathy For the De Vil," Emma had no sympathy for Cruella de Vil when the dog whisperer held Henry hostage, and after a standoff at the edge of the cliff, the villain met her maker at the hands of Emma. That's two down, one to go for the Queens of Darkness.
Dark Emma…. is legit everything on #OnceUponATime right now!!! pic.twitter.com/AvqFr610LT— Monica (@OncersSource) April 20, 2015
Before Cruella said her final words, we learned a lot about her in this flashback-centric hour -- especially when it comes to her twisted history with the Author. You may be surprised how much she has in common with another blond fairy tale character.
Cruella's spotty backstory
Viewers may have felt bad for Cruella at the start of her backstory, but by the end of it, that feeling is erased.
She is first seen as a young girl, running away from two very angry Dalmatians. Moments before they maul her, her seemingly evil mother halts them and brings her back to live in the attic now that her father is "gone." Hey there, Cinderella 2.0.
She is not seen again until she's in her 20s, still trapped in the attic. That is, until she's freed by the Author, who we discover is named Isaac. He had gone to Cruella's home to question her mother about her magical dog training and her three dead husbands. Luckily, Cruella caught his attention before he left.
#btspics #Authella first date #OnceUponATime #OUAT pic.twitter.com/xdokUe8PkM— Patrick Fischler (@PFischler) April 20, 2015
While together, they go dancing and drinking, he tells her about his magical writing, she cries about how her mother poisoned all of her dads, and it seems like both of their tales are leading to a happy ending. He even writes that she will be able to control any and all animals to keep her safe and gets ready to run away with her.
She has other plans and flees with his pen.
In a shocking turn of events, Cruella's mother tells the Author that Cruella killed all of her husbands, and when she gets home, Cruella has the Dalmatians kill mommy dearest and then makes a coat out of their fur. (Yeesh, Once Upon a Time is getting really dark this week.)
Coat of Harms. #Cruella #OnceUponATime pic.twitter.com/61QlAT0E5M— Once Upon A Time (@OnceABC) April 20, 2015
When the Author shows up and discovers the truth, they fight over the magical writing tools and ink spills all over Cruella, creating her signature two-toned hair. But before he goes, he writes something down that changes her life, but we don't find out what that is until later.
A twisted Rumbelle reunion
After the big Zelena reveal last week, Regina is dead-set on saving Robin Hood in New York. She won't accept help from Emma (who ends up giving her a gun for safety in the Land Without Magic), and instead turns to Belle to make sure Rumple won't get in the way.
Rumple is just getting the Author settled in his cabin when he suddenly transports himself to Belle, who is calling for him at their wedding well.
Do you see that little smile Belle has when she first sees Rumple?!?! I'M WEAK! pic.twitter.com/X0CGstG1Oa— аня(dearie) (@AnPmo2) April 20, 2015
In their heart-to-heart, he shows her that his darkened heart could soon lose "any ability to love," explaining that the Author is the only one who can reverse it.
"Sometimes I worry I threw out the chipped teacup too soon," she cries before they have a satisfying reunion kiss, but the moment ends quickly.
"Will is such a better kisser than you. You're pathetic. You coming back to me is like a dog groveling for scraps," she sneers. Regina then emerges from the woods, showing that she was controlling Belle all along.
After some back-and-forth threats, Rumple ultimately agrees to not get in Regina's way, lest she crush Belle's heart for good.
This is why we can't have nice things.
The dog days are over
The flashbacks gave away most of Cruella and the Author's history, but the truth didn't come out until the final moments of the episode.
It turns out that Rumple knew all along that Cruella's happy ending was the Author's death, not reconciling with her mother, and he used that to lure Emma onto a dark path.
After Cruella kidnaps Henry, there's a wild goose chase to find him with Emma, Hook, and Regina searching in the woods and Snow and Charming finding the Author.
Once Snow and Charming find him, he says he was just trying to "protect the world from Cruella," but explains that she's defenseless. The last thing he wrote about her was "Cruella de Vil can no longer take away the life of another," but before The Charmings can warn their daughter, Emma is blasting Cruella off a cliff to her death in order to save Henry from being shot.
Anyone got a flashlight? Because things are going to get a lot darker in Storybrooke.