I_Love_Siobhan_Magnus

Thanks for the explanation! Actually, I was thinking about it after Stable Boy, but soon I forgot it as I was not a fan of Regina and her story. Now I just wanna know how Henry Sr. was brought to Wonderland and transformed into a puff hidden in a box.

Now, let me bring up my theory of seasonal theme to explain the plot around Emma, starting with a conclusion about the last season, which is interesting, bold and plausible. I've posted it on tumblr, here I share it. In the pilot, after Emma crashes her car into the sign, the wind riffles through Henry’s book, showing the Flying Monkeys and the Caterpillar on a huge mushroom, which were pages of the Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. Despite of Hat Trick, I can tell you that the entire season 1 was an eccentric play of Alice in Wonderland, with Emma as Alice, Henry as the White Rabbit who brought his mom on board, the little town as Wonderland where she started from zero, Mary as the Mad Hatter to Emma instead of Jefferson, and foremost, the battle of Emma slaying Maleficent in shape of dragon as Alice vs. Jabberwocky. Likewise, this season is a special version of Oz! With Emma as Dorothy, Snow as Toto, Mulan as the scarecrow who only follows orders, Aurora as the Tin Man bereft of heart! For now, I’m not 100% sure about other matches, but I will get it. I compared Mary to Toto in regard of companionship. You know, the doggie was Dorothy's one and only mate from home, and the same was true to Mary, who followed Emma into the vortex. In the Doctor, Jefferson mentioned that he can’t find the SLIPPERS, which must be referred to Dorothy’s ruby slippers that would provide her a safe ride to home by three knocks on the heel. That is a hint, and also a proof. Emma and her mom won’t be able to get home until they find that magical pair of shoes.

This is a long, tough journey that makes me doubt if Emma and her mom can go back to SB tonight, or immediately head back to FTL after Snow presses her true love kiss on Charming's lips. On their way to the Emerald City, perhaps the gals have just passed the village of Munchkin and not reached the first brick of the yellow pavement yet. Speaking of which, that "safe haven" was obviously the village wherein the refugees were Munchkins, Cora the Wicked Witch of the East, Lancelot the Good Witch of the North, and the magical wardrobe a safe ride to home. The difference was that Lancelot's blessing was given to Emma's parents in a flashback, while at present time of FTL, the knight had already been killed and replaced by the most wicked witch of all. And the wardrobe? Gone! Burnt into ashes and, unfortunately, collected by Cora.

About the Cowardly Lion, I suppose the ladies haven't met him yet. I used to think that he might be Hook, which seems impossible now. The Captain doesn't even fear death, as if the one and only cause in his life is a bloody revenge against Rumple, and he and Cora are on the same boat now, working together to snatch the compass.

By the progression of this season whereof only one third is done thus far, I'm afraid those are all I've figured out and any further guesses would be presumptuous. Hopefully my theory could enlighten you to see things differently as effective as the secret in August's box.