OUAT Recap: The Snow Queen

This week on Once Upon a Time, we find out exactly how The Snow Queen became a “villain.” The episode opens with Ingrid, Helga and Gerda flying a kite they found. When they find the kite’s owner, he attempts to kidnap them for ransom. This is when Ingrid discovers her power. She unleashes a frigid blast that freezes a nearby tree, causing a branch to break off and fall on their would-be kidnapper. This moment only brings the sisters closer together.

Some years later, Helga and Gerda are getting ready for a royal ball and they want Ingrid too join them. However, Ingrid has learned to keep her distance from crowds. She just likes seeing her sisters happy. She watches them from the corridor, staying hidden from the party. Helga is being courted by the Duke of Weselton (younger than we saw him in Frozen, but no less weaselly) when Ingrid realizes she’s bringing her own flurries with her to the party. Ingrid decides she needs to leave her sisters for their own safety, but they can’t bear to see her go. Gerda tells of a sorcerer she’s heard of who can help Ingrid.

Together, the three go to see Rumpelstiltskin. He offers to teach Ingrid how to use her powers instead of taking them away, but she’s not interested. He doesn’t understand why she needs him, as she’s quite powerful on her own. He gives her a pair of gloves that he says can block her powers and an urn she can use as a fail safe. In return, he wants the three ribbons the sisters have worn around their wrists since they were children. Helga and Gerda would rather take their chances with Ingrid, but she believes she needs what Rumpelstiltskin is offering.

Back at the palace, Ingrid is holding the urn when the Duke of Weselton stops to talk to her. As the oldest sister, Ingrid is next in line to be queen. The Duke is only interested in power and comes on pretty strong. Ingrid resists and sends an arctic blast his way. Naturally, he freaks out and threatens to tell everyone about her dark sorcery. Helga approaches as Ingrid is begging the Duke not to tell anyone. Helga doesn’t believe the Duke when he tells her Ingrid tried to kiss him and she tries to send him packing back to Weasel Town. Scared, Ingrid attempts to blast him, but Helga steps in the way. Ingrid weeps while the frozen Helga breaks apart in her arms. That’s when Gerda comes into the scene. Ingrid tries to explain it was an accident, but Gerda calls her a monster and opens the urn, trapping Ingrid inside. Gerda then goes to see the trolls and asks them for a potion that can make the kingdom forget about Ingrid and Helga. Grandpabbie agrees, but tells her “the truth has a way of coming out.”

Meanwhile, back in Storybrooke Robin Hood just can’t manage to stay away from Regina. She tells him he really needs to forget about her. At the police station, Emma finds a spell she and Elsa can use to neutralize the Snow Queen’s powers, but first Emma has babysitting duty. She crashes the fairytale mommy group and feels like an outsider. As her temper flares, she ends up boiling the milk in the bottle she’s holding. Snow doesn’t seem eager to give Neal over to Emma, which is good since it’s time for Emma and Elsa to go see the Snow Queen. They use the spell to shackle her and take her down to the station.

Elsa is too emotional, so Emma sends her away to talk to the Snow Queen alone. She’s pretty confident that Emma is going to let her go. The Snow Queen tells Emma it’s only a matter of time before her powers start to scare her own family.

Henry gets dressed up to go work with his grandpa, but stops to see how Regina is doing. He can tell she’s upset about Robin Hood, but she says she’s moving on and focusing on Operation Mongoose. At the shop, Gold gives Henry a potion that will make something old new again.

Robin Hood and Will Scarlet have a heart to heart about being outlaws. Will reminds Robin that when you see the good in someone, you don’t give up on them. Robin goes back to see Regina, but this time he doesn’t care about his code of honor and gets right to the smoochies.

The Snow Queen has frozen Emma and herself inside the police station. Emma insists her family loves her, but Ingrid hits a nerve and Emma ends up blasting a hole right through the wall of the police station. The same blast also frees the Snow Queen. Outside the station, Emma can’t control her powers and David gets mildly hurt in the process. Emma sees the look of fear in her parents’ eyes and runs away. The Snow Queen is pleased with the way things are playing out and goes to see Gold at his shop. She tells him she wants her ribbons back, but Gold says there’s nothing he wants from her in return. She tells him she’s figured out his plan and can help. She wants Storybrooke for herself and tells Gold to have the rest of the world. She whispers something in his ear and they have a deal.