'Once Upon a Time' Season 3, Episode 6: 'Ariel' Recap

Snow White runs through the forest, Regina's men in hot pursuit. She comes to a cliff over the ocean, trapped. She jumps, sinking into the water.

She is rescued by Ariel, a mermaid.

In the jungle, Regina tries to get Emma to focus on using her magic. She goads Emma until a fire lights.

Hook goes to Charming and Snow, and tells them quietly that Neal is alive. They debate telling Emma, not sure if Pan is lying or not. Snow is not keen on keeping it a secret, but Hook and Charming convince her it's for the best.

Snow and Ariel talk, and Ariel tells her of Eric, her prince. She rescued him from a wreck, but they never spoke. She shows Snow her collections, including a notice for a ball at his castle. Ariel shows Snow that she can turn her tail into legs. It's a gift granted once a year by the sea goddess Ursula. Snow offers to help her.

In the jungle, Snow can't keep a secret. She blurts out that Neal may be alive.

Gold tries to see the future, but Pan appears and tells him that it's impossible in a place where time stands still. Gold says he can kill Pan, but Pan points out the only way to do that would kill Gold too. Pan tells him to go back to Belle in Storybrooke.

Regina thinks the story about Neal is a lie, but Snow points out signs of a scuffle in the jungle, and takes it for a signal that Neal is truly alive. Regina gets tired of waiting around, and goes off to find Henry alone.

Snow and Ariel go to Eric's ball. They see the prince, and Snow encourages Ariel to go speak with him. She trips, and he invites her to dance, which may be easier than walking. He remembers someone saving him in his wreck; he has been seeing her face in his dreams. He tells her, however, that tomorrow he leaves to explore the world. He invites her to come with him. He tells her he'll wait for her in the morning if she decides to come along.

Regina observes the scene in her mirror.

Pan, meanwhile, is watching the group search for Neal. He decides to move Neal to the Echo Caves.

Belle tries to convince Gold to go back to Storybrooke, but suddenly she chokes. Regina has stumbled over them, and she magically forces Belle to show her true form - a shadow.

Emma tells her mother that she kissed Hook. Snow tells her to open herself up to hoping that Neal is alive.

Flashback to Snow and Ariel. Ariel doesn't want to make Eric give up his dream to choose her, as she really is, but Snow encourages her to try to talk to him and be honest. Ariel goes to the sea, talking to the mythical goddess of the sea, Ursula, asking for guidance. Regina, disguised as Ursula, appears.

Regina tells Gold she needs him to help her get Henry. The Evil Queen and the Dark One should join forces. Gold tells her that to kill Pan, he has to die, and he's not willing to do that. She thinks perhaps they can contain him, somehow, rather than kill him. Gold says he has something in his shop that would work... but how do they cross realms?

Fake Ursula declares she will help Ariel. She tells her not to listen to Snow. Ursula will let Ariel keep her legs forever.

Ariel goes back to Snow and tells her that she has been given a gift - she can be with Eric, and Snow can escape the queen. She puts the bracelet given to her by Ursula on Snow. Snow's legs vanish, and she becomes a mermaid. Snow is not thrilled, that as long as the bracelet is on her, Ariel gets her legs. Regina appears to survey her handiwork.

The group comes upon the Echo Caves. Hook tells them that to survive, they have to give the cave their darkest secret. Hook speculates Pan wants them to rescue Neal, so he can get their secrets.

Ariel tries to help Snow, but Snow tells her to go and find Eric. She can't run from Regina forever, anyway. Ariel goes, apologizing. Regina begins to choke Snow, but Ariel rushes back and stabs a fork in Regina. She rips off Snow's bracelet, her tail returning, and pulls Snow into the water.

Hook leads them to the Echo Cave, where, indeed, Neal is trapped. The problem is, he's about a hundred feet away, over a major cravasse. Hook reminds them they have to give up their darket secret. He announces that he kissed Emma. He didn't think he'd ever be able to let go of his first love... until he met Emma.

A small section of bridge appears.

Snow tells Charming that she's not okay with missing Emma's life. She feels cheated. She wants to have another baby.

Charming has to tell her his secret - he can't leave Neverland or he will die.

The bridge is complete. Emma goes across it. She tries to break Neal out of the cage, but he reminds her it's not how that works. She admits that when she heard he was alive, she wasn't happy. She was terrified. She never stopped loving him, but all the pain she had pushed down came back. She loves him and always will, but her secret was that she was hoping he was dead. It would be easier to put him behind her, rather than face all the pain again.

Neal is rescued from the cave. He tells Emma he forgives her, after what he put her through he deserves that, but he has a secret too. He'll never stop fighting for her.

Safe, Snow tells Ariel to go find Eric. She is sure he is waiting for her, and she is right. Ariel tries to call out to him, but her voice has vanished. Eric turns, and goes, not seeing her. Regina is on the dock, and tells Ariel that she took her voice. Now she'll never have a chance at true love.

However when Regina goes home, she has a surprise - an all-gold Ursula pays her a visit in the mirror. She warns Regina she is real, and to never impersonate her again.

Regina and Gold go to the beach, and Regina summons Ariel - mermaids can travel between realms. Gold reminds her that mermaid can't be trusted, but she insists that Ariel can. She gives Ariel back her voice, and promises her legs... and Eric... if she goes to Storybrooke to help them.