Regina desires happiness and believes she’s found it in motherhood.

Previously on Once Upon a Time… The Alliance was successful in saving Henry from Peter Pan. This was quite a feat as earlier on Henry had his heart ripped out of his chest in Pan’s quest for immortality. After capturing Pan’s body inside of Pandora’s Box Henry’s and Pan’s souls were switched leaving Henry in Pandora’s Box and Pan in Henry’s body. The question left standing after last week was whether or not their true identities would reveal themselves in time before anything happens in Storybrooke. Reader discretion is advised.

This week on Once Upon a Time two major developments took place both in the present in Storybrooke and in the past at Snow White’s Summer Palace. In Storybrooke, Emma realized what had happened with Peter and Henry, but not in time to stop Pan from laying the groundwork towards defeating everyone in Storybrooke. Meanwhile after Snow and Charming’s wedding, they went on their honeymoon, and by honeymoon I mean battling the all mythical creature Medusa.

After spending years apart, Prince Eric and Ariel share in a warm embrace on the ship docks.

This episode started so tenderly with Ariel being reunited with her Prince Eric after years apart; however, although the tone of the peace turned celebration as the Jolly Roger flew down with the victors aboard, this created a false sense of hope. As everyone celebrated with the fairytale character that were left in Storybrooke it became evident something was wrong with Henry. Over the course of the day, Regina, the Evil Witch, takes Henry aka Peter to her lair and have him stay at her home, which gave Henry the opportunity to kill Mother Superior, aka the Blue Fairy, and steal the curse to end all curses. I’ll give you more insight as to what the gravity of the situation is later in the review.

When Henry first arrived the most evident development that showed Henry to not be himself was his reaction to the presentation of his Once Upon a Time book. This book had been the foundation of helping Henry prove to Emma that she was the savior back in the first season, or if not proving then at least motivating her to stay longer in hopes of protecting Henry. Henry’s lack of passion, excitement, or enthusiasm to see the book put some fear and shock in Emma, and that fear was heightened when he went to Regina’s house to stay. From there Henry, aka Peter Pan, summons his shadow from the mast of the Jolly Roger. With the means in his hand, Henry, could now start to hatch his schemes of chaos that could lead to irreconcilable damage.

Henry, aka PETER PAN, schemes with his lead Lost Boy Felix about the most torture that they can inflict on Storybrooke, and the necessary steps to achieve their end game.

In the past, Snow White searched for a way to make the most of a threatening reality, by going to her Summer Palace with her newly betrothed husband, Prince Charming. Although Prince Charming urged her at her own palace to not seek revenge on the Evil Queen for crashing her wedding. After being pressured by Grumpy to play to her worst demons, Snow decides that she wants to pursue killing Medusa, as a way to kill the Evil Queen.

Although Charming is able to cut her off in time before Snow breaks away from the Summer Palace for good, it doesn’t do any good as Charming longs to protect his wife and share in the fight with her. After arriving at the cave, Charming and Snow begin to battle the all powerful Medusa. What makes Medusa especially terrifying is  that if you look into her eyes you get turned into stone. Sadly in protecting his wife, Prince Charming  is turned into stone, but this allows Snow to hatch a plan to defeat Medusa. Snow rips all of the material off of the metal shield, turns it on Medusa, and is able to turn Medusa into stone, and thereby save her prince. This experience taught Snow and Charming to treasure the good moments and to live those to the fullest, whereas to simply push through the dark times and fully embrace the good in all of the world.

After feeling as though her wedding was ruined by the Evil Queen Regina, Snow will stop at nothing to kill her, even if that means slaying the all powerful Medusa.

After seeing the Alliance pursue Emma’s hunch that Henry wasn’t himself, by bringing Peter Pan at the city limits, the truth was fully revealed. Although Rumple was skeptical about opening Pandora’s box in the first place, yet Emma persisted that they only way that Pan’s shadow could have killed the Blue Fairy was if it was being commanded by Pan himself.  Henry, in Peter Pan’s body, begged Emma for mercy as she had her gun pulled on him right outside the city line. They challenged him based off of knowledge only Henry would know, and eventually Henry proved his valor. After all of the warm embraces, they realized that Pan had to have been doing something to Regina and they were in hot pursuit to save Regina, and end Pan’s schemes.

After Pan gained access to Regina’s lair and knocked her out, Regina was rescued by Rumple, Emma, Snow, and Charming. When they begin to look around at what Henry, aka Pan, took they find that the curse of all curses was gone. What I mean by that is this curse was the one the Evil Queen cast to displace everyone from the Enchanted Forrest and loose their identities. Although many questioned how that could be applied there, Rumple said that there was not a limitation set on how many times it could be cast. As a result, this new world order would give Felix and Peter Pan control over this entire domain with even the most powerful citizens powerless to act against it once the spell is cast. This would again stop time as if it never were, and as the episode concluded Pan, embodied by Henry, stood gazing across Storybrooke feeling compelled to make this his NEW NEVERLAND.

What made this episode both heartwarming and devastating is there were so many unexpected reunions including: Ariel and Eric, the Darling family, the real Henry with Regina and Emma, Belle and Rumple, and the Blue Fairy and Tinkerbell. Sadly not all of their fates were uplifting and joyful. Yes, Eric shared in a passionate kiss with Ariel after years apart on the docks of Storybrooke. Yes, the Darlings had decided that they were going to return home to London. Yes, it was funny seeing Henry in Pan’s body embracing Regina and Emma with such warmth and conviction. Lastly, yes, it was satisfying to here Belle speak to the fact that they never can separate each other again. Tragically though, the Blue Fairy didn’t give Tinkerbell her wings back as she still didn’t fully believe in herself. Tragically for Tinkerbell, and more importantly to the entire community her murder left a gap of leadership and magic as they prepared for battle against Pan.

After spending years apart and being manipulated by Peter Pan, Wendy, Michael, and John Darling are over joyed in seeing each other, and decide to return to London.

With the winter finale just one week away the anticipation and tumultuous nature of the final episode until the spring will be magnanimous. Briefly though I’m going to be interested to see if Michael, John, and Wendy are able to escape to Neverland in time, or maybe they’ll play a role in a negotiation between Pan and the rest of Storybrooke. Or after just having introduced him in this episode will Eric play a role in helping to strategize or take action against Pan and Felix. The only thing they have going for them is their knowledge of magic and their understanding of the ins and outs of the entire city.

Just how will they stop Pan when he seems to have all he needs to defeat all of Storybrooke, which has been his long held desire ever since he sent Tamara and Greg there last season. Yes there is bound to be some twists and turns along the way, considering that in the preview Henry and Peter Pan appeared to have switched their bodies back. Yet with the curse closing in on them from all the sides, will the savior be able to lead her people to survival, or another possible team up between Regina, Emma, and Rumple? Only time will tell.

With it being the midseason break will Pan win the short term battle?

Or will Emma win the long term war against him to gain her son back?

Tune in next week at 8 p.m. to find out on ABC.