Sisters--5x19

Recap by Leigh Ann (@leigh_ann415)

In this week's episode, we were treated to a bit of sibling rivalry.  Brother vs. brother and sister vs. sister.  And we got a reunion that was a long time coming.  Plus, a Mills family secret was revealed!  We also got two new additions in Ava Acres as Young Regina and Isabella Blake-Thomas as Young Zelena, playing their counterparts spot-on.

We start off with a car tearing down the road.  It is Hades' car, with Zelena as his passenger.  “I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire” is playing.  Hades is taking her on a date, which she wasn't expecting. He shows her the town he made for her saying she deserves more, the real thing.  Hades wants to go to the real Storybrooke and have wants a future with Zelena.  He then goes on to say the Underworld will still exist after he leaves,  and all our heroes will be trapped there.  Everyone's name has a tombstone now.  “It's her or us,” meaning Regina, Hades whispers.  He then drops to one knee, saying, “Will you make chaos with me?”

Zelena arrives back at her farmhouse to find Regina there.  Regina knows that Zelena was out on a date with Hades showing she's been watching through a mirror.  Zelena wants privacy, but Regina won't hear of it.  Regina says that Zelena won't see Hades again.  She's trying to do what's best for her, but Zelena says it's with Hades.  But Regina says he's a villain, and Zelena responds that she can change him, like Robin did with Regina.   Regina wants to know what happens to all of them then.  And Zelena retorts that Regina never wanted a sister.

In a flashback, we see Young Regina playing with a doll.  Cora walks in, and Regina wants her mother to play with her, but Cora can't.  Cora tells Regina that being the Miller's Daughter taught her the only person she could depend on was her.

Cora walks out of the room and Regina sees a drawer with a box inside.  It opens revealing Cora's wand.  She then waves it around happily, pointing it to her doll, saying it can be her sister.  A purple flash knocks Regina down, unconscious.

Cora and Henry rush in, and Henry's furious.  Cora says she locked her wand away to keep it safe from Regina but she forgot the key.  Her magic won't work in reviving Regina when it's the cause of her pain.  They need someone close to her who hasn't harmed her.  Cora knows who that will be.

Back in the loft, Regina tells the group that Zelena is in love with Hades and not thinking rationally.  Hook wants to kill her, but Charming says they have to find a way to keep them apart without killing anyone.  Regina says there's only one person to destroy the love blooming between Zelena and Hades, their mother.

We cut to Gold's shop, and in the quickest Rumbelle scene ever, Gold watches over her as she sleeps and says it's time for him to fix this.  But he can't use light magic.  He doesn't want to let her down, but he has to do things his way now.

We then see Cora, being the Miller's Daughter again.  As she goes over to move more straw, she runs across a hook and cuts free of her cuff.  Her magic has returned, and she knocks down the workers.  She then runs into Hook, who was her fairy godmother.  He says her daughter needs her.

In Oz, we see Cora watching a Young Zelena use magic to get some logs back into place.  Her father comes and is furious that she used magic.  Her father starts to attack her when he freezes.  Zelena doesn't know what happened, when Cora walks up.  She says Zelena didn't do anything; she did.  Zelena asks if she's a good witch, and Cora says she is.  She tells Zelena what she has is a gift.  She says Zelena can help someone dear to her to show her father her magic isn't wicked.

Back in the Underworld, Charming is walking with a bag of supplies when the sheriff's car screeches along, stopping in front of him.  James comes out, and the two brothers are reunited.  Charming is glad to finally see him to talk.  But James says Charming stole his glory, getting everything that was his.  And he's going to pay now.  James rams a piece of wood into Charming saying, “You've had your fun playing prince.  Now let's see what happens when I play shepherd.”

In the loft, Emma is looking at a picture of her parents when James, who she thinks is Charming, walks in.  Emma shows him the picture asking if he remembers when it was taken.  James says it was a birthday when it was really an anniversary.  He then goes on to say that being away from her is hard.  They are planning on meeting Robin in the woods to give him supplies for the baby.  James says when they get back that Emma shouldn't tell Snow he forgot about their anniversary.  Emma says who can blame him between all the curses and the time jumps.

Regina tells Cora she's sorry she didn't come for her sooner.  But Cora can take care of herself.  Cora says she wishes Regina wasn't here.  Regina tells her about the tombstones.  Cora doesn't believe it.  She says Hades can't leave the Underworld for good.  But Regina says he can if he restarts his heart with True Love's Kiss.  Regina says Zelena is in love with Hades.  Cora wants to change Zelena's mind, but Regina already tried.  Cora says Zelena is in more danger than she realizes.  Regina asks how they can stop Zelena from loving Hades.  Cora says they have to make Zelena forget Hades ever existed.

Back in the past, Henry Sr. is talking to Regina, who is still unconscious.  Cora walks in with Zelena.  Henry thinks she has dark magic.  But Cora waves him off.  Zelena then moves her hands over Regina, producing a green glow.  Cora has her back turned, and is surprised she knew what to do.  Zelena wanted to use her magic to help someone for so long.  Regina opens her eyes and is healed.  She and Zelena introduce themselves, thus revealing the secret that they knew each other when they were little.

Cora and Regina are at the River of Forgetfulness.  Regina says she's dabbled in forgetting potion before, and Cora says there was a spring like this one near their house.  Regina asks who did she use it on, but Cora won't answer, saying it isn't important.  They need to get Zelena to drink the potion.  Regina doesn't think Zelena will let her in, but Cora says she will because it's time for her to meet her mother after all these years.

In the woods, James and Emma are looking for Robin, who comes up behind them with the baby.  Emma tells Robin about Zelena and Hades.  Robin starts to go to her, when James stops them both, slapping a cuff on Robin and Emma, and pulling out a gun.  Emma realizes then that James switched places with Charming.  James says Charming is locked up in the sheriff's station.

Cruella's car comes screeching down the road just then.  She gets out, uttering the best line of the night, “Why is everything in the woods with you people?”  Emma tries to get the cuff off while watching James and Cruella's display of affection.  Cruella then says she has to do something, going up and punching Emma in the face!  She says she wants out of the Underworld and has to have another way since Henry won't help her ...  Which would be Hades.  They then try to go after Robin's baby, but Robin shoots an arrow at James, which doesn't work.  James then puts the gun on Robin.

In the farmhouse, there's a knock on the door and Cora is on the other side.  Zelena tries to shut the door, but Cora magically opens it.  She says they both know Zelena's been waiting for this moment her entire life.  Zelena then lets her in, grudgingly.
​
Back in the past, Young Regina and Zelena are playing dress up.  Regina pretends to throw a fireball.  Zelena says they have to stop playing because Cora will probably take her home soon.  But Regina says they can play princesses.  She opens Cora's jewelry drawer, which also has the wand box inside.  Zelena is naturally curious.  She then opens the box with magic.  Regina is surprised, since the box is closed by blood magic.  Regina then wonders if they could be related.  They run off with the box to find Cora, who is listening outside the door.

Regina is standing outside the farmhouse, listening to Cora and Zelena's conversation.  Cora says she's been in Hades' version of a prison.  Zelena realizes that Regina sent Cora to talk her out of loving Hades.  Cora says she's the last person that would stop her because it was her doing that put her in this position.  Cora says Zelena wants to know if she regrets her decision.  Cora says she does, and she's sorry she gave Zelena away.  Zelena tearfully asks why.  Cora says she thought it would be the best for her, for Cora.  But she was wrong.  Cora says both of the sisters are her unfinished business.  Cora takes Zelena into a tearful embrace.

Regina comes in then and watches the scene.  She magics a glass of water for Zelena and puts the forgetting potion into it, but Zelena realizes the water is poisoned.  She knows Regina is there.  Regina tries to calm Zelena down, but Zelena just rants further saying Regina is trying to ruin her life again.  Zelena says Cora and Regina are cut from the same, dark cloth.  They never cared about what happened to her.

Young Regina and Zelena come up to Cora with the box.  Cora is surprised that it was open.  Zelena says she wasn't trying to open it, it was an accident.  Regina asks if that means they're related.  And Cora tells them that they are sisters.  The girls are both happy.  Regina says they should all be a family.  Cora asks if that would make Regina happy, and Regina says it would, more than anything.  Cora says that makes her disappointed, shocking Regina.  Cora then repeats that you can only depend on yourself, which sometimes means you have to make the hard decisions.  Cora calls the guards over and they take Zelena away.  Regina says as Zelena is being taken away that she will find her.  Cora then gets Regina to take the forgetting potion, saying she'll forget this ever happened and Zelena won't remember Regina either.

Back in the farmhouse, Zelena is still in her tantrum, going so far as to producing a green fireball.  Regina produces one too, but Cora stops them both, putting them out.  Cora says if they should hate anyone, it's her.  She says there was a time they both cared about each other, and she then gives them both the memories of the past.  Both sisters are shocked to learn that they cared for each other.  Cora asserts she thought any kind of love was weakness, and she was a fool.  She tells Regina that she is stronger than she ever was, for staying in the Underworld, helping her friends and her father.

Then Cora turns to Zelena. She meant what she said earlier, in that she regrets giving Zelena up.  She didn't want he daughter to make the same mistakes she did.  Zelena asks what if it's too late for her.  But Cora says it's never too late, especially for family.  She takes Regina and Zelena's hands saying, “You never stop being connected.  Right up to the end.  And sometimes, even after.”

James and Cruella are still trying to kill Robin and Emma.  They are trying to throw them into the River of Souls.  Charming comes up then, knocking the gun out of James' hand and him to the ground.  James says killing Charming is his unfinished business.  The two brothers go at it, punching each other around.  Emma tries to help, but Charming won't let her.  And with one more kick and punch, James is tossed over into the river.  Charming watches him disappear, shocked.  Emma comes up and takes his arm, asking if he's ok.  Charming says there had to have been another way.  But Emma says some people just can never move on.  Charming says despite everything, he was his brother.

Back with Cora, Zelena, and Regina, Cora is about to cross the bridge into the next part of her life.  Cora says she deserves whatever her fate is.  And she can face it knowing she brought the two sisters back to each other.  They promise Cora they'll hold on to each other.  Cora goes up to Regina saying in the real Storybrooke, they never got to say goodbye, and tearfully hug.  And to Zelena she says they never got to say hello, and hugs her.  Cora says she loves them both and starts to walk across the bridge.

Regina and Zelena hold hands and watch as flames start to appear, apparently trying to torture Cora.  But they disappear, with the sky opens up.  Cora smiles back at the sisters and disappears.  Zelena starts to cry, saying she's waited her whole life to have a mother, but now she's gone.  Regina embraces her and says it's ok, telling Zelena she has another love to find, Hades.

Zelena walks up to Granny's, where Hades is preparing for their date.  But she's stopped by Gold, He is mad about the curse she gave Belle.  Gold says that he thinks Zelena saw an opportunity and an advantage, like she's doing now with Hades.  Rumple says he has another deal on the table as Pan walks up.  Pan says, “I hear you're wicked.  But I'm not much worse,” and throws a blanket over Zelena, kidnapping her.

From this episode, we see that love endures all boundaries.  The sibling bond is strong, no matter what the circumstance is.  After this episode, we are getting ever closer to the finale and how our heroes will defeat Hades.