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"The Miller's Daughter" is the 16th episode of the second season of the American ABC fantasy drama television series Once Upon a Time, and the show's 38th episode overall. It aired on March 10, 2013.

It was written by Jane Espenson and directed by Ralph Hemecker.

Plot

Opening sequence

A straw spinning wheel is featured in the forest.

In the Characters' Pasts

A young Cora scolds her father for falling asleep when he was supposed to make a delivery of flour. Cora travels to deliver the flour in his stead. A girl named Princess Eva trips Cora, causing her to spill the flour. King Xavier refuses to pay for the flour and demands Cora apologize. Begrudgingly, Cora falls to her knees and begs for forgiveness through gritted teeth.

That night, Cora sneaks into the masked ball held for King Xavier's son Prince Henry where she unknowingly criticizes the king's actions to the prince as an act of selling off his son Henry to a bride to solve the kingdom's financial problems. They are interrupted by the king, who recognizes Cora despite her disguise. She chastises him for what he's doing, but he reminds her that even though he is suffering financially, he is still of a better social status than her. Out of anger, Cora boasts that she can spin straw into gold, but refuses to because the king insulted her. King Xavier presents her to the ball with her claim. Cora manages to convince the king that it takes time. King Xavier has her locked in a tower full of straw to spin by morning, or be executed.

As Cora considers jumping out the tower window, Rumplestiltskin appears to her. He demonstrates that he can spin straw into gold, and will do it for her if she signs a contract, where she must give up her first-born child in return. Cora instead demands that Rumplestiltskin teach her how to not only spin straw into gold, but also how to do magic. The deal on the contract is changed from Cora giving up her first-born child, to giving Rumplestiltskin his child.

As Cora struggles, Rumplestiltskin teaches her how magic is channeled through emotion rather than thought. That one has to feel so strongly about something, that they would do anything. When Cora asks Rumplestiltskin if he ever wanted something that bad, he reveals to her that he did once. When he was humiliated and forced to kiss a man's boots in front of his son. Cora wants revenge against King Xavier and the rest of the royals for mistreating her. She wants them all to bow before her. As she reveals her desire to Rumplestiltskin, she successfully turns the straw into gold. The two also begin an affair.

Cora presents the gold to the King, who keeps his promise and arranges for Cora to marry Henry.

Cora admires her wedding dress when Rumplestiltskin shows up. She begins to question if she truly has everything she wanted, when she turns to Rumplestiltskin. Even though she's marrying Henry, she would be fifth in line to the throne, a position she is certain would not come without bloodshed. She decides to take King Xavier's heart and run away with Rumplestiltskin. The two agree to meet later that night.

That evening, Cora meets the King. She talks to him of love, which he admits he never cared for, calling it a weakness. He talks to her of the superiority of power over love and gives her a choice: either marry Henry and gain great power, or run away with the imp (revealing he knew of Cora's and Rumplestiltskin's liaisons). Cora returns to her room with a chest, and inside is the first heart she's ever stolen.

Cora meets Rumplestiltskin as planned later that night. He asks if she took King Xavier's heart, and she replies that she could have, but she didn't. She goes on to tell him that she is marrying Prince Henry instead. He begins to question whose heart is in the box, and Cora reveals she ripped her own heart out; she reminds him it was he who told her to eliminate any obstacle in her way, and she believes her heart was an obstacle. Rumplestiltskin grows furious, claiming that she never loved him and that she broke their contract. She brings up that the contract was changed, that she would bring him his child, and any child she has would not be his.

Months later, Cora holds an infant in her hands, a girl. King Xavier asks for the child's name, and Cora answers that her name is Regina. "For one day, she will be queen." Cora raises the infant Regina into the air, and the kingdom fall to their knees bowing to her, giving Cora the satisfaction she sought. She has finally gotten her revenge.

Outside of Storybrooke

Mr. Gold has been fatally stabbed in the heart by Captain Hook. This is no regular stab; Hook had laced his hook with an Enchanted Forest poison for which the Land Without Magic has no remedy. Gold's time is running out, so he is taken back to Storybrooke where magic can heal him. Gold, Emma, Neal, and Henry hijack Hook's ship in order to return to Storybrooke where they are met by Mary Margaret and David. From there, they take Gold back to his shop where he can cast a spell in order to protect them from Cora and Regina.

In Storybrooke

Cora and Regina have the Dark One's dagger, noticing that his name is vanishing from it. If Gold dies before someone can take his curse from him, the Dark One's magic will vanish completely. Out of desperation, Cora decides to work towards making herself the new Dark One to fulfill her promise to Regina and to gain power beyond her own.

Meanwhile, Gold knows that he is not strong enough to cast the spell needed to protect his shop. With his help, Emma uses her inner found magic to summon a barrier that will protect the people in the shop for some time. Mary Margaret finds something that she had not expected to find when Gold requests a warmer blanket; she finds the candle that Cora gave her back in the Enchanted Forest. This candle can be used to save someone's life at the expense of another.

Worrying that he will die, Gold asks to call Belle. Neal is informed by Emma that Belle is his father's girlfriend, something that shocks him; he didn't think his father could love someone again. Despite Belle still not remembering who he is, Gold tells her he loves her, and that she is a hero for loving a monster like him, something which moves her. After the call, Gold and Neal reconcile their differences and Neal admits he always loved his father. Gold is reunited with his son; the deal Cora and Gold made all those years ago.

Cora and Regina eventually catch up with them at the shop and break down the mystical barrier. During the confrontation between Cora, Regina, Emma, Neal, and David, Mary Margaret escapes from the back door where she makes her way to Regina's family mausoleum where Regina keeps all the hearts she has taken. She locates and curses Cora's heart using the candle. David and Emma eventually find out that Mary Margaret has disappeared. David finds out where she went, but he is too late. Regina arrived there before he did. Mary Margaret had already given the heart to Regina claiming that the reason why her mother didn't love her is because Cora did not have her heart with her.

Back at Mr. Gold's shop, Cora makes it to the weakened Mr. Gold and is about to kill him with the dagger when Regina appears and inserts the cursed heart back into Cora. A change comes over Cora with a genuine smile on her face, but this is short-lived. The poison that was from Mr. Gold's wound starts to spread throughout her body and she becomes extremely weak and soon dies in Regina's arms, but not before telling her daughter "You would have been enough." Gold is healed completely due to the candle's spell. Mary Margaret returns to the shop in a rush screaming at Regina to stop, but it is too late. A vengeful Regina glares at Mary Margaret and explicitly blames her for her mother's death.

Gallery

Production

"The Miller's Daughter" was written by consulting producer Jane Espenson, while being directed V alum Ralph Hemecker.

References

WikipediaListLink The Miller's Daughter on Wikipedia

v - e - d
Once Upon A Time Logo
Media
Shows: Once Upon a TimeOnce Upon a Time in Wonderland

Books: Once Upon a Time: Out of the PastOnce Upon a Time: Red's Untold Tale

Characters
Once Upon a Time:
Season One: Emma SwanSnow White/Mary Margaret BlanchardPrince Charming/David NolanRumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold/WeaverEvil Queen/Regina Mills/RoniBelle/Lacey FrenchHenry MillsHappySneezy/Tom ClarkBashfulDocDopeySleepy/WalterJiminy Cricket/Archie HopperStealthyVictor Frankenstein/Dr. WhaleBlue FairyWidow Lucas/GrannyKing George/Albert SpencerGenie/Magic Mirror/Sidney GlassNurse RatchedMad Hatter/JeffersonPrince Henry/The ValetKnave of HeartsSheriff of Nottingham/KeithFairy GodmotherAbigail/Kathryn NolanRed Riding Hood/The Wolf/RubyHuntsman/Sheriff GrahamBaelfire/Neal CassidyPinocchio/August W. BoothFrederick/JimSevere NurseMayor TomkinsHansel and Gretel/Nicholas and Ava ZimmerThe Woodcutter/Michael TillmanMartinMyrnaStephenDonnaPrince JamesBlind WitchPeterSirenPongoGastonThe King/Mitchell HermanKing LeopoldKing MidasZosoPrince Thomas/Sean HermanGraceDaniel ColterNovaBriar RoseGeppetto/MarcoGus/BillyRuthDark One

Season Two: Killian Jones/Hook/RogersAuroraPrince PhillipMulanMilahMaid MarianQuinnAlphonse FrankensteinAnita LucasJackKing XavierAntonWilliam SmeeGreg MendellTamaraThe DragonQueen EvaSeerLancelotRobin HoodWendy DarlingNanaMary DarlingGeorge DarlingJohn DarlingMichael DarlingThe ShadowLost Boys
Season Three: Peter Pan/Malcolm/Pied PiperArielZelena/The Wicked Witch of the WestGlinda/The Good Witch of the SouthWalsh/Wizard of OzElsa the Snow QueenTinker BellBlackbeardLumiereUrsula the Sea GoddessJonathanDorothy GaleThe Witch of the EastRapunzelRapunzel's MotherRapunzel's FatherThe Sheriff of HamelinMedusaPrince EricLiam JonesRoland
Season Four: AnnaKristoffHansGrand PabbieSvenUrsula the Sea WitchMarshmallowLittle Bo PeepThe ApprenticeIngridLily PageColetteOakenKing of ArendelleQueen GerdaCruella De VilPoseidonDuke of WeseltonHans' BrothersChernabogKing StefanIsaac/The AuthorMadelineMerlin/The Sorcerer
Season Five: MeridaQueen EleanorKing FergusHarris, Hubert, and HamishThe WitchLord MacGuffinLord MacintoshLord DingwallKing ArthurSir KayGuinevereGorgon The InvincibleCharonBrennan JonesHadesMegaraHerculesCerberusThe ScarecrowTotoCleo FoxAuntie EmDr. JekyllMr. HydeEvil Queen
Season Six: AladdinGideonCount of Monte CristoAlexandraJasmineRed BirdCaptain NemoLady TremaineClorindaTisbeJacobOracleRoyal GuardsThe SultanBeowulfBlack FairyTiger LilyRobertPrince AchmedStanumCowardly LionLucy
Season Seven: Rapunzel Tremaine/Victoria BelfreyCinderella/Jacinda VidrioTiana/SabineAlice/TillyDrizella/Ivy BelfreyAnastasiaGothel/Eloise GardenerEudoraDr. Facilier/Mr. SamdiHansel/Jack/Nick BransonMarcus TremaineCeceliaCoven of the EightMadame LeotaNaveen/DrewBlind Witch/HildaGretelChadSeraphinaFloraIslaZorro

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: AliceCyrusAnastasia/Red QueenPercy/White RabbitEdwinJabberwockySilvermistThe Sultan/The Old PrisonerTweedle Dee and Tweedle DumMrs. RabbitElizabeth/LizardAmaraBandersnatchMillie
Both series: Will Scarlet/The Knave of HeartsCinderella/Ashley BoydRobin HoodLittle JohnFriar TuckGrumpy/LeroyCora/The Queen of HeartsCaterpillarMaleficentJafarDr. Lydgate

Episodes
Season One: "Pilot" • "The Thing You Love Most" • "Snow Falls" • "The Price of Gold" • "That Still Small Voice" • "The Shepherd" • "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" • "Desperate Souls" • "True North" • "7:15 A.M." • "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree" • "Skin Deep" • "What Happened to Frederick" • "Dreamy" • "Red-Handed" • "Heart of Darkness" • "Hat Trick" • "The Stable Boy" • "The Return" • "The Stranger" • "An Apple Red as Blood" • "A Land Without Magic"

Season Two: "Broken" • "We Are Both" • "Lady of the Lake" • "The Crocodile" • "The Doctor" • "Tallahassee" • "Child of the Moon" • "Into the Deep" • "Queen of Hearts" • "The Cricket Game" • "The Outsider" • "In the Name of the Brother" • "Tiny" • "Manhattan" • "The Queen Is Dead" • "The Miller's Daughter" • "Welcome to Storybrooke" • "Selfless, Brave and True" • "Lacey" • "The Evil Queen" • "Second Star to the Right" • "And Straight On 'Til Morning"
Season Three: "The Heart of the Truest Believer" • "Lost Girl" • "Quite a Common Fairy" • "Nasty Habits" • "Good Form" • "Ariel" • "Dark Hollow" • "Think Lovely Thoughts" • "Save Henry" • "The New Neverland" • "Going Home" • "New York City Serenade" • "Witch Hunt" • "The Tower" • "Quiet Minds" • "It's Not Easy Being Green" • "The Jolly Roger" • "Bleeding Through" • "A Curious Thing" • "Kansas" • "Snow Drifts" • "There's No Place Like Home"
Season Four: "A Tale of Two Sisters" • "White Out" • "Rocky Road" • "The Apprentice" • "Breaking Glass" • "Family Business" • "The Snow Queen" • "Smash the Mirror" • "Fall" • "Shattered Sight" • "Heroes and Villains" • "Darkness on the Edge of Town" • "Unforgiven" • "Enter the Dragon" • "Poor Unfortunate Soul" • "Best Laid Plans" • "Heart of Gold" • "Sympathy for the De Vil" • "Lily" • "Mother" • "Operation Mongoose"
Season Five: "The Dark Swan" • "The Price" • "Siege Perilous" • "The Broken Kingdom" • "Dreamcatcher" • "The Bear and the Bow" • "Nimue" • "Birth" • "The Bear King" • "Broken Heart" • "Swan Song" • "Souls of the Departed" • "Labor of Love" • "Devil's Due" • "The Brothers Jones" • "Our Decay" • "Her Handsome Hero" • "Ruby Slippers" • "Sisters" • "Firebird" • "Last Rites" • "Only You" • "An Untold Story"
Season Six: "The Savior" • "A Bitter Draught" • "The Other Shoe" • "Strange Case" • "Street Rats" • "Dark Waters" • "Heartless" • "I'll Be Your Mirror" • "Changelings" • "Wish You Were Here" • "Tougher Than the Rest" • "Murder Most Foul • "Ill-Boding Patterns" • "Page 23" • "A Wondrous Place" • "Mother's Little Helper" • "Awake" • "Where Bluebirds Fly" • "The Black Fairy" • "The Song in Your Heart" • "The Final Battle"
Season Seven: "Hyperion Heights" • "A Pirate's Life"• "The Garden of Forking Paths" • "Beauty" • "Greenbacks" • "Wake Up Call" • "Eloise Gardener" • "Pretty in Blue" • "One Little Tear" • "The Eighth Witch" • "Secret Garden" • "A Taste of the Heights" • "Knightfall" • "The Girl in the Tower" • "Sisterhood" • "Breadcrumbs" • "Chosen" • "The Guardian" • "Flower Child" • "Is This Henry Mills?" • "Homecoming" • "Leaving Storybrooke"

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: "Down the Rabbit Hole" • "Trust Me" • "Forget Me Not" • "The Serpent" • "Heart of Stone" • "Who's Alice?" • "Bad Blood" • "Home" • "Nothing to Fear" • "Dirty Little Secrets" • "Heart of the Matter" • "To Catch a Thief" • "And They Lived..."

Locations
Once Upon a Time: Royal CastleBostonDark PalaceMaurice's CastleDark Castle/Rumplestiltskin's CastleLibraryKing's CastleTremaine estateMaurice's CastleDwarves' CottageDwarf MinesGeppetto's HomeNew York CityKing Stefan's CastleThe BeanstalkGiant's LairChinese VillageEnglandLondonDarling NurseryNeverlandBig BenSkull RockHamelinMaritime CastleRapunzel's TowerVault of the Dark OneLand of OzYellow Brick RoadEmerald CityArendelleValley of the Living RockArendelle CastleElsa's Ice PalaceWandering Oaken's Trading Post and SaunaBald MountainRing of StonesDunBrochWitch's CottageCastle DunBrochUnderworldMount OlympusPoppy FieldsAuntie's Chicken & WafflesCave of WondersPleasure IslandMagical ForestSeattleHyperion HeightsBelle & Gold's HouseFacilier's LairGothel's GardenTiana's PalaceSan FranciscoMemento MoriMaldoniaFlynn's BarcadeUnited RealmsSnow White's Farm

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: Wonderland CastleThe Mad Hatter's HouseWhite Rabbit's HouseUnderlandTulgey Wood
Both series: StorybrookeMaineEnchanted ForestForbidden FortressWonderlandWonderland MazeAgrabahSherwood ForestThe Sultan's Palace

Objects
Once Upon a Time: Once Upon a Time (Book)Snow White's Glass CoffinRed Riding HoodMaleficent's StaffMagic WandGlass SlipperPoisoned AppleSpinning WheelMagic LampDark One's DaggerChipped CupJefferson's HatMagic BeansCaptain Hook's HooksEnchanted CandlePixie DustDreamshadeSalad ForkPandora's BoxSilver SlippersSorcerer HatEnchanted BroomTridentEnchanted ShellHeroes and Villains (Book)Merida's BowMagical RoseExcaliburOlympian CrystalCinderella's DressGolden Scarab BeetleRapunzel's Frying PanMagical Golden FlowerShrinking PotionFloating LanternsTarot CardsMaui's Fish Hook

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: Vorpal Blade
Both series: Jafar's Snake StaffEnchanted HeartsJafar's Lamp

Songs Featured
"Give a Little Whistle" • "Heigh-Ho" • "With a Smile and a Song" • "Beauty and the Beast" • "Part of Your World" • "Fathoms Below" • "Cruella De Vil • "Some Day My Prince Will Come" • "The Unbirthday Song"

Original Songs: "Powerful Magic" • The Queen SingsLove Doesn't Stand a ChanceRevenge Is Gonna Be MineWicked Always WinsCharmings vs. Evil QueenEmma's ThemeA Happy Beginning

Vehicles
The Jolly RogerMagic CarpetRoyal ShipCruella's carNautilusCinderella's Coach
Species
FairiesUnicornsDragonsBridge TrollsWraithOgresMermaidsKrakenFlying MonkeysRock TrollsWill O' the WispsFuriesMunchkinsTree Nymphs
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