'Once Upon a Time': Season 2, Episode 21: 'Second Star to the Right' Recap

Baelfire has gone through the portal. He wakes in a forest near Kensington Gardens, in London. Six months later he is still homeless, digging through garbage for food. He sees an open window and runs into a home, eating bread. A St. Bernard and a girl named Wendy discover him, and take pity on him.

Neal is awoken early by Tamara, training for her marathon. Outside he hears a commotion, and interrupts Gold, who is bullying Dr. Whale. Neal yells at him. He hasn’t even met his fiancée yet. Gold says what’s the point when Neal is still carrying a torch for Emma?

Charming, Snow, and Emma bust into Regina’s office, but it is unlocked and empty. The beans are gone. Emma suspects foul play. She wants to blame Tamara but everyone tells her to let it go.

Tamara brings the beans to Greg. They have Regina strapped down, and Greg tortures her for information about his father.

Wendy has been hiding young Bael in a cubby in the wall. Her parents come in and see; Wendy’s mother invites Bael to live with them rather than go back on the streets. At night, Wendy tells Bael that a shadow comes to the window. He tells her magic is dangerous and makes her promise to avoid it.

Emma goes looking for Tamara, but Neal tells her she is running in the forest as usual. Emma finds sand on the closet floor and thinks it is proof Neal is being lied to. They go to the beach to look for her.

Charming and Snow go to see Gold, reminding him that he owes Charming a favor. Gold gives them one of Regina’s tears, which he mixes with one of Snow’s. At home, Charming puts the potion in Snow’s eyes and she is racked by pain, picking up on Regina’s torture.

At the window, Wendy has disobeyed. The creepy shadow takes off with her.

On the beach, no sign of Tamara. Emma admits she was hurt that Neal never came looking for her. Tamara shows up, running, making Emma feel foolish. Neal tells her that he was afraid to come looking for her—he worried she would never forgive him and he tells her he regrets leaving her.

Tamara goes back to the lair, where she and Greg tell Regina they are going to cleanse the land of magic with help from the Home Office.

Snow comes out of her trance but she can’t remember much. Cold, pain, and the smell of sardines. They tell this to Emma on the phone, and she tells them to get to the docks, and runs to the old cannery.

Wendy returns. She tells Bael that the shadow took her to Neverland, where at night the children cry and miss their parents. She says that she was a mistake, that only boys are taken. The shadow will come back for her brothers.

Lacey has overheard the conversation between Gold and Charming, and wants to see magic. Gold makes her a necklace. He tells her he is immortal and she wants to know if he can keep her young too—yes. However, there is a price. He tells her about the prophecy and she suggests he just take out the issue.

Regina gives up and tells Greg his father is dead. She buried him in the campsite where they stayed.

Bael prepares the children to defend themselves from the shadow. When it comes, they run to hide but Michael stays back. Bael offers himself instead. He thanks Wendy for letting him be part of her family.

As Greg is about to kill Regina, Charming storms in, saving her. They radio Emma and Neal that Greg got away, and Neal says it wasn’t Tamara after all. That is until she hits Emma on the head. She shoots Neal when he tries to run after admitting it was all a lie. She is about to kill him when Emma kicks the gun away. Tamara throws a bean,  opening a portal, and escapes.

Neal falls, but Emma saves him. She tells him she loves him. He tells her he loves her too, but she needs to take care of Henry. He lets go and vanishes.

Greg goes and digs, finding his father’s body. Tamara comes  up and says she spoke with the Home Office about the black diamond they took off Regina—and it’s more than they ever anticipated. They are accelerating the plan.

Snow is helping heal Regina. She tells them that Greg and Tamara have the failsafe.

Bael hears the children of Neverland crying. He lights a match, holding it at the shadow, and it drops him into the water. A rope drags him out—and brings him aboard Hook’s ship, the Jolly Roger.