Tallahassee

"Tallahassee" is the sixth episode of the second season of the American ABC fantasy/drama television series Once Upon a Time, and the show's twenty-eighth episode overall. It premiered on November 4, 2012.
It was co-written by Christine Boylan and Jane Espenson, while being directed by David M. Barrett.
==Plot==
===In the Fairytale World===
Snow White/Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin), Emma (Jennifer Morrison), Mulan (Jamie Chung), Aurora (Sarah Bolger), and Captain Hook/Killian Jones (Colin O'Donoghue) arrive at the base of the beanstalk. Hook explains that the magic beans were cultivated by a race of giants who used them to plunder other lands until they were defeated by men led by Jack. The giants destroyed the beans in their defeat, and the magic compass is now part of the hoard of the last remaining giant. Hook explains that the beanstalk is enchanted to prevent it from being climbed. However, Cora gave Hook a counter spell that he can share with only one other person, and Emma insists on being the one to go with him. Mulan gives them a sleeping powder made from poppies, and Emma secretly instructs Mulan to chop down the beanstalk if they don't return after 10 hours.
Emma and Hook reach the top of the beanstalk where they are able to knock out the giant (Jorge Garcia) with the magical powder and begin their search in his treasure chamber. They encounter Jack's skeleton and evade a trip wire which would result trapping them in a giant cage. Before they can find the compass, the giant awakens and pursues them. Captain Hook is buried under rubble from the roof that fell due to the pounding of the giant's feet, but Emma manages to trap the giant in the cage. The giant gives Emma the compass and expects her to kill him while he is powerless as that has been his experience with humans. When she leaves him unharmed, he reveals that he has the strength to free himself, but he lets Emma go with the compass in thanks for sparing his life. Emma also convinces him to hold Hook prisoner for 10 hours, whom she handcuffed to a pole in case he planned to betray her.
On the ground, Snow comforts Aurora, who is plagued by nightmares whenever she sleeps; this is a common side effect of the sleeping curse that both she and Snow survived. Aurora describes her dream in which she was trapped in a sealed red room with red curtains. The curtains were on fire, and she realized another person was in the opposite corner of the room from her; he was looking at her through the flames. After 10 hours have passed, Mulan begins to cut down the beanstalk, but Snow fights her even after being told this was Emma's request. Emma returns, and Snow reiterates that they are going to go back to Storybrooke together. The group prepares to get the magical ashes from Cora.
===In the Characters' Pasts===
Eleven years ago (around 2001) in Portland, Oregon, a young Emma steals a yellow Volkswagen Bug which turns out to have already been stolen by a man who was hiding in the back seat. The man introduces himself as Neal Cassidy (Michael Raymond-James) and is revealed to be the man from the opening scene of "Broken". They become a couple, living off petty crimes as they travel from place to place. They eventually decide that they would like to settle down together, and Emma chooses Tallahassee by closing her eyes and pointing at a random location on a map. However, Neal learns he is still wanted for stealing a case of watches in Phoenix and his best bet is to flee to Canada. However, it would be too expensive for them to go together. Emma suggests that she retrieve the watches from where Neal stashed them so they can use the money from selling the watches to go to Canada together, and he agrees. Once she obtains the watches, she agrees to meet Neal after he sells them.
As soon as they part ways, Neal is accosted by Pinocchio (Eion Bailey), already using the pseudonym August W. Booth. August convinces Neal of the existence of magic by showing him the contents of a box (which remain unseen by the viewers), and then explains the curse and Emma's destiny. For her own good, August asks Neal to leave Emma. Later, at the meeting place, Emma is arrested by an officer who tells her that the tip was called in by Neal. Shocked and heartbroken, she complies without resistance. Two months later, August and Neal meet in Vancouver and August reveals that Emma was sentenced to 11 months in a minimum-security prison. Neal asks Booth to give Emma the yellow car and the proceeds of the sale of the watches. August agrees to send Neal a postcard if the curse is broken. In prison, Emma receives a package from Phuket, containing the car keys, but not the money. It is revealed that Emma is pregnant, presumably with Neal's child.
===In Storybrooke===
Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) awakens from a nightmare and is comforted by Prince Charming/David (Josh Dallas). He describes a dream that is identical to Aurora's, in which he could see a woman looking at him from the other side of the burning curtains.
===Opening sequence===
A beanstalk is featured growing in the forest.
==Gallery==
==Production==
"Tallahassee" was co-written by producer Christine Boylan and consulting producer Jane Espenson, while Cold Case veteran David M. Barrett served as episode director.
Although Jorge Garcia had been tapped to play the Giant for only one episode, the producers decided to bring Garcia back in a recurring status after he wrapped up production on this episode: "Yeah, we've talked about it for a while, whenever I'd run into them. We've been talking about them wanting to find a way to get me on. At different times we've talked ... but suddenly, this came up and they pitched the Giant to me and it sounded like an inspired fit, so we went for it".
==Cultural references==
The scenes involving Jack and the Beanstalk borrow some of the elements and characteristics from Mickey and the Beanstalk. Appropriately, Jack is referred to as "Jack the Giant-Killer," a reference to the many stories of a boy named Jack killing various giants throughout Britain.
Mulan gives Emma a bag of magic knock-out gas made from poppies. This may be a reference to the sleeping spell used by the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz when the protagonists are crossing through a poppy field.
Neal Cassady was the real-life model for the character Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's novel On The Road.
The scene when August talks Neal into leaving Emma so she can be happy is parallel to the season one episode "Dreamy", when the Blue Fairy talks Dreamy (who later becomes Grumpy/Leroy) into leaving Nova so she can be happy. Both the Blue Fairy and Pinocchio are also the primary characters in Pinocchio.
This episode features, in great emphasis, at least 6 references/locations to the TV series Lost:
*The keychain stolen by Neal and given to Emma has a swan design very similar to central part the Dharma Initiative logo for The Swan station, more commonly referred to as "The Hatch".
*Not in Portland is the 7th episode of the 3rd season - the character goes from Portland to another location.
*Stranger in a Strange Land is the 9th episode of the 3rd season - a character stays for a period of time in Phuket.
*The Man from Tallahassee is the 13th episode of the 3rd season - a character flees from another.
*Jorge Garcia plays a kind character, who ends up being "in charge" of his "realm" (which appears to be isolated from the rest of the "world").
*Jennifer Morrison's character, Emma Swan is shown collaborating in a theft of Apollo Candy Bars, referencing the chocolate candy that was found in the pantry of the DHARMA Initiative station, the Swan, in the episode Adrift (Lost).
==Trivia==
*Hook references this episode in the season 6 episode "The Final Battle" to David.
*This episode introduces Henry's father, Neal Cassidy. 
*Emma's backstory with Neal, and how she got put in jail is revealed.
==See Also==
*Once Upon a Time episode list
==References==
Category:Once Upon a Time episodes