We've gone five episodes without a Belle-napping. That's probably a record.

I don't know if that's Belle in the cage. Just not convinced she goes there, but wouldn't be surprised. That photo on the beach with her and Ariel almost looked they were both getting ready to jump in the water. But it seems like she filmed with the Darling brothers the next episode so wouldn't that mean she's still in SB?

Or maybe Ursula is impersonating Regina? Or just happens to look like Regina? I'm hoping that it wasn't an outright lie that Regina isn't Ursula--LANA playing the role doesn't mean that REGINA is playing the role...necessarily. Probably too much to hope for, at that.



My guess is that it's Eric, and Ariel's trip to SB has something to do with trying to rescue him--possibly performing some task for Pan to do so.

Although, if there's ever a choice between a plot point that requires Belle to be kidnapped, and one that doesn't, the odds are 100 to 1 on kidnapping. but also So maybe that IS Belle in the cage.



The thing is that we have never before seen Rumple's magic just conjure an illusion out of nothingness, and I can't think of a time when we've seen his magic work without his actual will. For example, all those times when he's PHYSICALLY caning/smashing everything in sight--if his magic was even slightly out of his control, you'd think that his meltdowns would be causing explosions, etc.

She has probably been under Pan's control from the start, and Rumple believed in her because he WANTED to see her so much. The only real objection to that would be How did Pan know that much about Belle?



I don't know if Rumple as Gold could recognize fairy tale True Love right off the bat, but he definitely saw something between Neal and Emma. If he hadn't, he would have supported Neal when he was claiming to love Tamara and want a life with her, right?



Yep.



LOL. The chances for that happening outside fanfic are about as good as those of Belle getting through an entire episode without being kidnapped, punched, or otherwise abused.



I haven't seen the ep, but did Pan say that in present day? I have a feeling that Hook had to perform some kind of task for Pan to get out of the NL the first time.

It's true that it's QUITE a coincidence that the adulterous wife that Hook should just happen to fall in love with was Rumple's, considering Pan and Rumple's past (whatever that may be--Stiltskin bros for the win!), but this show does run on coincidence.

It's good to know that Pan is finally messing with Hook. One of the things this version of NL has really lacked, IMO, is any emotional connection between Hook and Pan, who are supposed to be archenemies. The show offloaded Hook's reason for hating Pan onto Rumple, and they also seem to have shifted Pan's hate for Hook onto Rumple, and he's barely noticed Hook until now, preferring to mess with Emma, Henry, Neal, and Rumple. It makes you wonder why they never teamed up: "I have got to get off this bloody island so I can kill Rumplestiltskin!" "Dude, why didn't you say so three hundred years ago? I hate that guy too. Go get 'im, tiger!"

We've gone five episodes without a Belle-napping. That's probably a record.

It would be if she'd actually been in any of those episodes...




I think that Ariel is emerging from the water in the beach scene. She's still in her bikini whereas in the pawnshop scene she's got real clothes. I don't think she'd show up wearing those. Although bless Belle for finding Ariel a blouse that sets off her hair. That's the mark of a true friend.



That Keck guy is an insult to the term "journalist." Although I guess "tv journalist" is an oxymoron in itself.

It's true that it's QUITE a coincidence that the adulterous wife that Hook should just happen to fall in love with was Rumple's, considering Pan and Rumple's past (whatever that may be--Stiltskin bros for the win!), but this show does run on coincidence.

could the person in the cage be Rumple's father?

My guess is that Hook was supposed to kill Milah or something, but then fell in love with her and broke the deal. Which explains Pan's "Remember the last time you didn't take my deal.." warning.
Although I feel like it's too predictable, so I hope that Pan was referring to something else..

I was assuming that the deal that Hook didn't heed was "don't leave the island unless you are prepared to pay the price". It wasn't exactly a deal, but I think that was what he was referring to. He lost his brother.

On a different note - what if the "new neverland" is actually SB? Maybe that is what the spoiler means by bringing some of NVL home with them.

EDIT - Oi...yes, what Belleislove said! I doubt Pan will come to SB. I'm thinking something more like the darkness/whatever is making NVL an evil place might seep into SB.

Josh Dallas says the "island may end up coming home with them" in certain ways.

Shocked about it, but I have to say that my absolute favorite part of the episode was all the Snow/Charming smoochies! I'm not even a shipper of them per say - they're always just kinda "there" for me - but it was unbelievably cute.

The Hook backstory was a big disappointment for me. I thought the leap from "The King is an honorable man!" to "OH EM GEE he is trying to poison ALL THE PEOPLE!!1!" was very abrupt. Perhaps your King was simply misinformed about the flower, ever thought of that? The Naval Officer ---> Pirate leap just wasn't sufficiently done in my opinion. Meeeeh.