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Robin died... to protect me. That's what true love is. It's sacrifice. It's giving up everything for the person you love.

Regina Mills to Zelena

"Last Rites" is the twenty-first episode of Season Five of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Jerome Schwartz, and directed by Craig Powell. It is the one hundred and ninth episode of the series overall, and premiered on May 8, 2016.

Synopsis

Emma, David, Regina, Robin and Henry are finally back home in Storybrooke and reunited with Snow, but, unfortunately, they still have to contend with Hades, who continues to deceive Zelena as he lays out his plan to use the all-powerful Olympian Crystal to take over the town. The heroes desperately search for a way to defeat Hades while Hook does the same in the Underworld, looking for those missing storybook pages. Regina and Robin take a more direct approach, which culminates in an epic showdown that will leave our heroes forever changed.[2]

Recap

This section is a detailed recap of this episode. There are major spoilers. Click to expand.


In Storybrooke

In the hours after Hades and Zelena return to Storybrooke, Zelena goes off to find the others and leaves the baby with Hades. While she is gone, King Arthur, who just escaped from jail and is being tracked down by Mary Margaret, Merida and the dwarves, stumbles upon Hades, but he kills Arthur as he sees him as a threat. Zelena finds Regina and Robin Hood and tries to convince them that Hades has changed his ways. Emma, David and Henry are reunited with Mary Margaret and Merida and explain the details of Hades' deception but Emma's vengeance against Hades is making her too emotional. Zelena and Hades are talking about the others not believing that he changed. Hades gets a weapon, known as the Olympian Crystal (Zeus' thunderbolt), which can kill anybody, even a god. Zelena also suggests that they should leave but Hades say no, stating that they will find them no matter what. As Emma, Merida and David find Arthur's body, David tries to calm down a furious Emma.

Meanwhile, Mr. Gold goes to Belle's father Moe to see if he can give Belle true love's kiss to wake up Belle from the Sleeping Curse she put herself under, but Moe refuses. Emma then shows up asking Gold for help defeating Hades, but Gold declines to help. Gold later calls Hades to offer him a deal by protecting him in exchange for the Crystal, only to have Hades turn down the offer.

Back at Regina's office, Hades is able to put back together the Crystal with Zelena's help. Zelena then sees Emma trying to break the protection spell that Zelena put on the town hall knowing that Emma wants to kill Hades (after she saw a set of new storybook pages appear in front of her in the library), leading to a confrontation between the women. Back inside the town hall, after they entered through a tunnel, Regina and Robin use Zelena's distraction to take the baby, only to be caught by Hades, who wants to use the crystal to destroy Regina. He explains that the crystal will not allow the person to move on to the Underworld but rather simply destroy their very presence. Robin sacrifices himself as he saves Regina from being destroyed by Hades. Zelena comes in and picks up the crystal as Hades tries to tempt Zelena to kill Regina, only to have Zelena realize that Hades never changed. She then kills Hades with the crystal. Later, Emma, Henry, Mary Margaret, David, Regina, Zelena and others attend Robin's funeral, as Zelena tells Regina that she has named her daughter Robin, in honor of her father. Emma decides to stay for a couple more minutes, and notices a resurrected Hook, who was brought back by Zeus as a reward for helping to defeat Hades, and the two are happily reunited. Meanwhile, Mr. Gold enters Regina's office, and it is revealed that a piece of the Crystal remains, which Mr. Gold collects for a new plan.

In the Underworld

King Arthur comes inside the Underbrooke diner, confused and not knowing that he is dead, until he is reunited with Hook who after a denial and angry conversation tells him he is in the Underworld now, he asks for Arthur's help in stopping Hades. King Arthur agrees to help him after being told he can either be sent to a better place or worse place or be trapped here forever. Later, Hook and King Arthur searched Hades' lair where they look for Hades' story, when Arthur realizes that the only way that Hades keeps his secrets would be inside his throne just like Arthur would do and find the missing storybook pages. Shortly after that, Hook and King Arthur learn from Cruella that the Underworld storybook is near the River of Lost Souls, and when Hook and King Arthur find it there the lost Souls attempt to take it and Arthur but thanks to Hook he saves both Arthur and the book, where they discover the only way to destroy Hades is by using the Olympian Crystal, and Hook uses the book to magically reach the living successfully (which Emma sees). Later, King Arthur decides to stay in the Underworld to repair it, telling Hook that he was prophesied to repair a broken kingdom, thinking it was Camelot when it was really the Underworld. Hook steps into the light of Mount Olympus and he meets Zeus, who then shows Hook the way back to the land of the living.

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Deleted Scenes

Family Reunion

An extended version of the scene where Zelena talks to Robin Hood and Regina by the pond. After returning from the Underworld, Robin reunites with Little John, who has been looking after Roland. While John is standing nearby, Roland runs up to Robin and jumps into his arms. Roland says "Papa!" and Robin answers "Oh Roland" and spins him around and kisses and hugs him. Roland asks his father about his little sister.[3]

"Belle of the Box"

This scene is included on Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season.

Upon entering his shop, Mr. Gold talks to Belle, saying that they are home, and once her father wakes her up from the sleeping curse, no one will ever threaten their child again.

"Two Halves"

This scene is included on Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season.

After Hades hangs up the phone, Zelena asks him what Mr. Gold wants, and Hades answers that he thinks he can threaten them. But he remarks that Gold has no idea what's coming and the sooner he finishes making the Olympian Crystal whole again, the sooner he makes their problems disappear.

Cast[2]

Starring

Guest Starring

Co-Starring

Uncredited

Trivia

Title

Production Notes

Event Chronology

  • There are Christmas trees decorated with Christmas decorations outside the Storybrooke Town Hall,[12] indicating that the episode takes place around Christmas.[nb 1]

Episode Connections

Religious

Disney

  • This episode features Merida from Brave.
  • A lost soul crawls out of the Acheron and tries to drag Arthur into the river, similar to the way the lost souls grab and drag Hades into the river Styx at the end of the Disney film Hercules. The soul has a blue tint, just like the lost souls do when they first grab Hades at the start of the film.

Fairytales and Folklore

  • An excerpt from "Snow-White and Rose-Red" can be seen in the Underworld storybook when Hook flips through it.[24]
  • The same text from both fairytales appears in many episodes; read the trivia section in the article for Henry's storybook for more information and a transcript.

Popular Culture

Props Notes


Hades nodded to himself, impressed with the
leader's magic. The leader was elegantly dressed in
black, which also impressed Hades. Proper fashion was
very important to him. He noticed that much more that
whatever the leader was shouting about. It was a vitri-
olic tirade about some young farm girl who had offended
the great leader. The leader believed that the blue
villagers were hiding the farm girl. But instead of snap-
ing the necks of the villagers for their heinous crimes
the leader merely went down the line of them, transform-
ing
each one into a drooling, screeching beast. This form
of animorphic retribution may have been satisfying to the
leader, but it wouldn't do at all for Hades. He'd have
to somehow convince the leader to go back to plain old
killing. It turned out this leader was one of Hades' larg-
est suppliers of souls, and he couldn't very well having
that supply dry up. He started to think about what kind
of deal he'd offer when the leader tried to turn Hades
into a hairy beast.
Of course this didn't work. The leader had mis-
taken Hades for one of the blue villagers, due to his
outfit. But Hades is a god. Even though he [image ends]
to reside on Mount Olympus, like all the oth[image ends]


  • Another page reads:[22]


welling in his eyes. Only these were not tears of sad-
ness. They smoldered with rage.
"You’re wrong about me, Father. I will make a great
king."
Hades wiped the tears away as he said this, though his
voice was a vacuum of emotion. With cold determina-
tion, he approached a towering pedestal on the far side of
the bed chamber where an ornate filigreed box was left
unattended. Hades face betrayed a slight smile. He
knew this box held the prize he sought, and no one
would stop him from taking it now. He opened the box
and inside was an ancient crystal shaped like a crude
lightning bolt.
"The Olympian Crystal", he said reverently, with more
love than he had ever shown for leathery old Kronos.
"So…" a voice boomed from across the bed chamber.
Hades turned to see Zeus in the room, looking at him in
Judgment while touching the lifeless frame of their father
for one last time. "…your heart really is sickened."
Zeus stepped forward to his brother, in all his chiseled
might. And every inch of his muscle nauseated Hades,
but he maintained an even keel. For now.
"Will you not take a moment to mourn our father?


"Who loved you?"
Zeus felt genuine compassion for his brother. And the
olive branch he offered bore no hidden thorns, only the
promise of reconciliation. That Zeus was capable of such
forgiveness only stoked the flames within Hades further.
"No, Zeus", Hades spat. "He only loved you."
Hades took the crystal into his hands. It was his now,
and no one would take it from him. Not even the
mighty Zeus. The powerful magic within it glowed fora moment.
"That power is not yours to wield," Zeus warned.
"The Olympian Crystal is dangerous. It belongs to the
king."
"I should have been king," Hades said, wielding the
crystal like a scepter. "And once I use this to kill you,
I'll rule any kingdom I desire.
He approached his brother, and for a moment, Zeus
[illegible word] knowing that the crystal was powerful enough
to kill a god, even him. But Zeus bravely, perhaps
[three illegible words] proud. Hades raised the crystal,
had it pointing up at Zeus' chest, looking his
brother in the eye as he prepared to strike him down, by
[illegible word] it right into Zeus' heart, when…

Set Dressing

  • HIDDEN DETAILS: Inside Game of Thorns, there is a poster that says "Parents bowling for kids to fight child abuse" ... "At the Downtown Bowling Hall."[38] A similar poster ("...preventing abuse and neglect before it starts" – "Downtown Bowling Hall") is pinned to a board outside the Storybrooke Town Hall in the Season One episode "Desperate Souls."[39]
  • PAUSE AND READ: A sign next to the Town Hall reads:[41]


"The Storybrooke Improvement Society was founded by the
Storybrooke Women's Institute in order to build the Town Hall.
The architect was David H. Goodman cousin of Storybrooke
entrepreneur Neil Westlake. The Hall was built and continues
to be owned and maintained by members of the Society; men
planted the apple trees on the north and women planted the
apple trees to the south. The Hall has officially been
designated as a Municipal Heritage Site. It serves the
community as the focal and social center of Storybrooke"


  • CREW NAMES ON PROPS: David H. Goodman is an Executive Producer and writer for the show, and Neil Westlake is a graphic designer and production staff member on the show. Neil Westlake's name appears on several props throughout the show:


The Fort Langley Community Improvement Society was
founded by the Fort Langley Women's Institute in 1924 in
order to build the Community Hall. The building was
completed in 1931. The architect was Archibald Campbell
Hope brother of Fort Langley entrepreneur Charles Hope.
The hall was built and continues to be owned and maintained
by society volunteers. The maple trees were planted by
members of the society; men planted the trees on the north
and women planted the trees on the south. The Hall was
officially designated as a Municipal Heritage Site in 1979. It
serves the community as the focal and social center of Fort
Langley and is available for rental for special events.


For information or viewing call 604-888-1223.

Costume Notes

Filming Locations

International Titles


Videos

References

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Notes

  1. Complicating matters is that the Season Six episode "I'll Be Your Mirror" takes place in the autumn (Henry refers to the homecoming dance as "the fall formal," and this tradition usually takes place in late September or early October), but in "I'll be Your Mirror," Belle's pregnancy hasn't even started to show, and Belle became pregnant sometime before her husband and the others left for the Underworld. However, Belle was put under a Sleeping Curse in "Ruby Slippers," which put the pregnancy in stasis, and it was never stated how long she was under it before she was awoken in "The Savior."

    Note that the Christmas decorations can also be seen in "The Savior" (File:601MyLast.png, File:601MyLast2.png), but since they are seen after Belle is awoken, "The Savior" cannot possibly take place at Christmas, since "I'll Be Your Mirror" takes place in the autumn, and Belle's pregnancy hasn't even started to show yet in this episode.

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