Once Upon A Time Recap: Emma Swan’s Dark Turn and Cruella De Vil’s Sinister Origin Revealed

Prepare to hold your breath, because the latest episode of Once Upon A Time delivered a whirlwind of revelations and a truly shocking climax that will leave fans reeling. Airing on April 19, this installment meticulously unraveled the dark and twisted history connecting the enigmatic Author (Patrick Fischler) and the notoriously cruel Cruella De Vil (Victoria Smurfit). Simultaneously, viewers witnessed the sinister machinations of Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) take an alarming step forward, and in a heart-stopping final sequence, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) made a choice that irrevocably altered her destiny, extinguishing the life of a popular, albeit villainous, character and plunging herself into a terrifying new path.

A Glimpse into the Black Hearts of Storybrooke

The episode opened with a deceptively innocent scene: a flurry of dalmatians, a sight typically associated with the infamous Cruella. However, this was a younger, seemingly more vulnerable Cruella, trapped within the confines of an oppressive upbringing. It was her mother, a truly monstrous figure, who wielded control over the dogs and, by extension, Cruella’s life, painting a stark contrast to the villain we’ve come to know. This initial glimpse into Cruella’s past immediately twisted our perceptions, begging the question: was she truly born evil, or was she forged by circumstances?

Back in the present day, the tension simmered as Maleficent confronted Cruella, desperately seeking information about her missing daughter, Lily. Cruella, ever the provocateur, reveled in taunting Maleficent, pushing her to the brink until the formidable sorceress unleashed her dragon form. But Cruella, unfazed and brimming with newfound magical prowess, swiftly dispatched the enraged dragon, putting her into an enchanted sleep. Her chilling declaration – that she would achieve her “happy ending” by any means necessary, no matter the cost – underscored the depth of her unwavering ambition and ruthless resolve.

Meanwhile, the heroes were scrambling to cope with their own pressing emergencies. Regina gathered the group, her face etched with concern as she relayed the dire news about Robin Hood’s captivity and the reemergence of the treacherous Zelena. Her determination to rescue Robin from the perilous clutches of the Wicked Witch was palpable, but one insurmountable obstacle stood in her way: Rumplestiltskin. Ever the strategist, Regina believed she knew precisely how to neutralize the Dark One’s influence. As she plotted her next move, Rumple and the Author, whose true name was revealed as Isaac, retreated to Rumple’s clandestine cabin. With the magical quill still firmly in his possession, Rumple held Isaac’s fate and his storytelling abilities completely captive. His ultimate, insidious goal remained singular: to corrupt Emma Swan and turn her heart to darkness. However, his carefully laid plans were momentarily disrupted when Belle’s summons echoed through the realms, compelling him to depart.

Their brief reunion was fraught with unspoken tension. Rumple, in a rare moment of vulnerability, attempted to explain his desperate need for the Author to rewrite his tragic narrative. He confessed that his heart was slowly succumbing to darkness, threatening to completely consume any residual capacity for love he possessed. Isaac, he claimed, was the only one capable of altering this grim prognosis. To Rumple’s utter shock and dismay, Belle responded with scathing contempt, labeling him “pathetic.” The unexpected harshness of her words soon made sense; it wasn’t Belle at all, but Regina, cunningly manipulating Belle’s heart. Regina’s chilling threat was unequivocal: a mere squeeze of Belle’s heart would end her life, a brutal consequence if Rumple dared to inform Zelena of her rescue mission. This dramatic power play solidified Regina’s resolve and showcased her readiness to wield immense power to protect those she loved.

Lana Parilla, as Regina, continued to deliver a fierce and captivating performance, effortlessly navigating the character’s complex layers of vulnerability, strength, and cunning. Her portrayal adds an undeniable intensity to every scene.

A Traveler of Realms and the Unmasking of True Evil

The narrative then shifted back to the cabin, where Cruella discovered the captive Author. Her demands were immediate and absolute: she wanted him to restore what he had taken from her. She attempted to charm and manipulate him with her flirtatious wiles, a tactic that had likely served her well in the past, but Isaac, having firsthand knowledge of her true nature, remained unswayed. Cruella, furious at his resistance, vowed to make him pay for the monstrous creation he had, in her mind, turned her into.

The episode then transported us further into Cruella’s past, revealing her as a fully grown teenager still confined to her mother’s attic, a prisoner in her own home. The Author, initially posing as a humble newspaper writer, arrived, seeking a compelling story about her infamous mother. His journalistic curiosity quickly turned suspicious as he questioned the mysterious deaths of all her mother’s husbands. Cruella, attempting to maintain her facade, abruptly dismissed him. However, as Isaac departed, she called out to him from her window, playing the damsel in distress with theatrical precision. Hooked by her apparent vulnerability, the Author, believing he was rescuing an innocent soul, whisked her away.

Cruella spun a tragic tale, claiming her mother had poisoned her father and was keeping her captive to hide the heinous secret. Isaac, swayed by her story, took this poignant moment to reveal his true identity and extraordinary abilities. He confessed to being the Author, a traveler of realms and a weaver of stories, unbound by the constraints of time or physical boundaries. With his enchanted quill and ink, he possessed the power to reshape destinies and alter lives. Cruella’s initial shock quickly morphed into a predatory fascination with his instruments, particularly the ink. Isaac, sensing her malevolent intent, issued a grave warning: spilling the ink could unleash unforeseen and potentially catastrophic consequences.

In a misguided attempt to protect her from her cruel mother, the Author bestowed upon Cruella a powerful gift: magic. She was granted the ability to control the actions of any and all animals she desired, a power that would later become a hallmark of her villainy. Isaac, having fallen for her deceptive charm, envisioned a life together with Cruella. She feigned agreement, but insisted she had to confront her mother first, a ruse to achieve her true, darker objective.

The truth, however, was far more chilling than Isaac could have imagined. Cruella’s mother, appearing at the hotel, exposed the horrifying reality: Cruella herself had murdered her father, along with her mother’s two subsequent husbands. There was no innocent victim to be found; Cruella was pure, unadulterated evil. Furthermore, she had skillfully manipulated and betrayed the Author, cunningly stealing his coveted quill.

When Cruella’s mother returned home, her daughter was indeed waiting – not for reconciliation, but for murder. The Author, witnessing this horrifying act, discovered Cruella engaged in the ghastly act of fashioning a coat from her mother’s beloved dalmatians. The sight of Cruella’s true, unadulterated wickedness shattered the Author. He spotted his stolen quill and lunged for it. Their violent struggle culminated in Cruella accidentally spilling the magical ink all over herself. With the meager amount of ink he had left, the devastated Author made a fateful, desperate choice, forever altering Cruella’s destiny and sealing her inability to directly take a life.

A Heartbreaking Farewell and Emma’s Descent

Before embarking on her urgent mission to New York, Emma, ever the protector, entrusted Regina with a gun, an essential tool for her perilous journey to rescue Robin. However, Regina barely made it out of Storybrooke before a frantic call from Henry interrupted her, revealing he had been kidnapped. Cruella, the orchestrator of this latest crisis, issued a chilling ultimatum: if Regina and Emma failed to kill the Author, Henry would pay the ultimate price.

Rumple, ever watchful, quickly deduced the profound connection between the Author and Cruella. Cruella’s desire for the Author’s death posed a direct threat to Rumple’s intricate master plan. Yet, his stress quickly dissipated when the Author presented him with a mysterious piece of paper, its contents seemingly validating Rumple’s machinations and perhaps even accelerating his dark agenda.

As Emma and Regina desperately searched for Henry, the tension between them reached a breaking point. Regina, frustrated by Emma’s continued brooding over her parents’ deception, harshly admonished her as a “petulant child.” Both Hook and Regina urged Emma to ease up on Snow and Charming, recognizing the emotional toll the revelations were taking. It was painfully clear that Emma was not herself. Her appearance was visibly deteriorating, her face pale and drawn, truly looking “sick as hell,” a physical manifestation of the internal battle raging within her as she grappled with her parents’ betrayal and the encroaching darkness.

Meanwhile, Cruella, surprisingly relaxed amidst the chaos, passed the time by engrossing herself in a game of Angry Birds. This brief distraction provided Henry with a precious window of opportunity to attempt an escape. Unfortunately, his bid for freedom was short-lived, as Cruella quickly located him, her sinister grin widening as she pointed a gun directly at the boy. Emma arrived on the scene, faced with an impossible choice, the fate of her son hanging precariously in the balance.

Snow and Charming, having tracked down the Author, demanded answers. Isaac, burdened by his past actions, confessed his attempts to protect the world from Cruella’s inherent evil. He revealed the fateful story he had penned, forever binding Cruella and ensuring she could never directly take another life. Henry, therefore, was safe from her direct harm. But this revelation was precisely what Rumple had anticipated, an essential cog in his grand, manipulative scheme. He had meticulously orchestrated events to corner Emma, knowing that if she were to kill Cruella, she would inevitably cross the line into darkness, fulfilling his ultimate desire to corrupt the Savior.

In that pivotal, gut-wrenching moment, confronted with Henry’s perceived peril and Cruella’s unyielding menace, Emma made a decision that would forever scar her soul. Channeling her powerful magic, she pushed Cruella off the cliff, sending the villainess plummeting to her death. The act was swift, brutal, and utterly irreversible.

As the camera zoomed in, a terrifying shift was visible in Emma’s eyes. The light that once defined the Savior had receded, replaced by a haunting shadow, a clear sign that the darkness, Rumple’s ultimate prize, had begun to take root. The implications for Storybrooke, and indeed for Emma’s very identity, are profoundly unsettling, leaving viewers with a chilling sense of dread.

HollywoodLifers, did you truly anticipate that shocking twist regarding Cruella’s origin? And can you fathom the monumental impact of Emma’s decision to take a life? Share your thoughts and fears in the comments below!

— Avery Thompson
Follow @avery__thompson