‘Once Upon A Time’ Recap: Henry Meets His Biological Father

For the better part of the second season, Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) has been working on finding his son Baelfire. After a harrowing experience in last week’s episode, in which he lost his powers and nearly forgot his own name upon leaving Storybrooke, Rumpel finally made it to his destination: Manhattan.

In OUAT’s latest family-centered episode, entitled “Manhattan,” we first see Rumpel in a flashback to Fairytale Land. Before he is known as “The Dark One,” he is a cowardly farmer intent on salvaging his reputation by fighting in the Ogre Wars. His wife, Milah, says that after he returns, they’ll try for a family. Flash-forward to present day in New York City: Rumpel, Emma (Jennifer Morrison), and Henry (Jared Gilmore) arrive to meet and greet Baelfire. Baelfire is none too prepared for the attention. However, after they ring his doorbell, a hooded man flees down the apartment’s fire escape. Emma chases him down through the streets of New York and discovers what fans have been suspecting for a while: Baelfire is Neal (Michael Raymond-James), her ex-boyfriend and Henry’s father. Before Emma can properly freak out, Bae/Neal takes her to a bar to try and explain some things to her. In a brief flashback to an earlier episode, August/Pinocchio (Eion Bailey) shows Neal his typewriter, which reads, “I know you’re Baelfire.” Emma is still embittered by his abandonment ten years ago and withholds Henry’s parentage from Neal. She still has a soft spot for her ex, though, because after he begs her not to deliver him to Rumpel, she lies to protect him. Rumpel, dissatisfied with her answer, breaks into Neal’s apartment to wait for him.

Back in Storybrooke, Regina (Lana Parrilla) and Cora (Barbara Hershey) plot to destroy the town’s do-gooders: Snow, Prince Charming, and Emma, by harnessing Rumpel’s powers. The only thing that will kill Rumpel is an enchanted dagger he hid somewhere in town. With Hook’s (Colin O’Donoghue) help, they locate a map in Belle’s library. At Storybrooke’s hospital, outsider Greg (Ethan Embry) sends a video he took of Regina levitating objects to the “Her” he often calls.

In Neal’s apartment, Emma discovers the dream catcher they shared when they were together, leading Rumpel to believe that she was indeed lying to him. Neal shows up, and in an emotionally charged moment, is introduced to Henry, his biological son. Neal is shocked. Emma told Henry in the first season that his father was a firefighter who died in the line of duty. Henry runs out and Emma goes to apologize. Neal, still angry with Rumpel for not following him into the real world so many years ago, gives his father three minutes to talk. Rumpel is earnest and remorseful, but Neal wants nothing to do with him. In a low blow, Henry likens Emma’s deceit to Regina’s and asks to speak to Neal.

In flashbacks to Fairytale Land, Rumpel mutilates himself after speaking with a Seer, who told him that if he fought in the war, his unborn son would be fatherless. Rumpel will readily accept his coward status if it means being a parent to his child, and he returns home. Milah is disgusted by his decision, saying Rumpel has condemned his son by not dying a hero. Rumpel promises baby Baelfire he will never leave him. Flash-forward to Rumpel post-Dark-One transformation. He meets the Seer again, who prophesies an unhappy father-son reunion in the near future and a young boy who will be Rumpel’s undoing. We realize this boy is Henry, who, in the present, Rumpel watches bond with estranged Neal. Rumpel is envious and none too pleased, and we are left to wonder: would the Dark One really hurt his only grandchild? —Jill Wronski

Check out a preview for “The Queen Is Dead,” which will air in two weeks.