MAJOR spoilers from full preview

Jenny and I got to preview a rough cut of the full episode, “The Heart of the Truest Believer.” I’ll actually give away stuff, so you have been warned! But I’ll still mask the major giveaways.

The episode starts eleven years ago with Henry’s birth and Emma’s rejection. It was a tear-jerker, but also has a “magical” moment that I think is just a hint at what may be coming. This scene was never referenced or connected to anything else in the rest of the episode. It’s kind of like the first Neal scene of season two. But that tiny, strange detail will inspire more questions than Neal’s introduction in “Broken.”

Most of the theories about the “home office” will be momentarily crushed, and then rewarded. Pan and the lost boys are the Home Office and they call themselves that.

Pan is in this episode! I was surprised to meet him so soon in the series. He does get Henry and says he wants his heart—”The Heart of the Truest Believer”—but we don’t learn why.

Welcome the mermaids, but there’s no Ariel.

You will be cheering and fist-pumping to see Greg have his shadow ripped away, which appears to make his body die. Then you’ll enjoy seeing Tamara get shot by an arrow and presumably die, but then Rumplestiltskin comes, heals her, and kills her again!

Get ready for yet another version of Rumplestiltskin! He changes his wardrobe back to the Dark One crocodilian attire, but he looks and sounds like Mr. Gold—except without his cane! He seems to be a loner in this episode, content to find Henry in his own way. Pan knows how to make Rumple cry with a simple little doll, probably Baelfire’s, unless this is a hint to a deeper story.

Neal is, obviously, still alive and brings some comedy to scenes with Philip, Aurora, and Mulan. Robin Hood is back, too, and living in Rumple’s castle, which has no magical items left except what Neal finds hidden.

That’s it for now. Feel free to ask questions about this episode.