'Once Upon a Time' returns with 'The Cricket Games:' Recap

ABC's popular "Once Upon a Time" returned from winter break with a bang on Jan. 6. Previous spoilers teased fans with the death of a beloved character and that Regina was the accused. Emma, the Mayor's arch enemy was shockingly the only person in Storybrooke that believed in the queens innocence. Hook and Cora were sneaking around town causing trouble and there would be a long awaited confrontation between Hook and Mr. Gold aka Rumple.

Here's what happened in tonight's episode, "The Cricket Game"

Hook and Cora arrive in Storybrooke and Cora convinces Hook not to go off "half cocked" after Rumple because Rumple brought magic to Storybrooke and well, he's pretty strong.

Emma faces a bit of embarrassment finding Snow and Charming in bed well into the afternoon. The town celebrates and Emma invites Regina because of Henry. Emma tells the town Regina "is trying" Emma also let's it slip that Archie mentioned that Regina had been to see him which Regina isn't happy about angrily walks off. We then see Hook ask Cora if "she is broken yet?" Regina confronts Archie and later Regina goes to Archie's office and kills him (sad face.) It is then revealed to be Cora not Regina. Regina is arrested and Charming is ready to lynch her but Emma thinks she's telling the truth when she says she is innocent. Regina says if she were going to kill Archie, they'd never know it.

Meanwhile in Fairytale land, the Evil Queen is captured and sentenced to death but at the last moment snow stops it saying that it wasn't right and let's a smirking Queen go. Rumple tells Snow he can give her a test to determine if the Queen can change.

Back in Storybrooke, The file Archie kept on Regina's is empty, making her look guilty. Emma accuses Mr. Gold who says he can prove he didn't do it and says Pongo (Archie's dog) can show them who did (through magic of course) by extracting the dogs memory. Gold also shows Emma how to work the magic. It again looks like Regina is guilty and Emma know longer believes in Regina.

Back in FTL, Snow tells the Queen there was once good in her and tests her. Regina stabs Snow but she failed and Snow tells her she is banished telling her if she tries to hurt anyone in her kingdom again she'd kill her.

Emma confronts Regina, and they have a spat over Henry. Mother Superior (The Blue Fairy) attacks the Mayor Regina, who turns it on Emma. She then disappears when she realizes that she failed Henry by using magic. Emma panics over being a mother and says she was not paren't material in her former life. Emma meats Henry at school to tell him about Regina, while Regina watches from a distance.

Rumple visits Evil Queen and informs her of Snow and Charmings wedding. Rumple gives her the idea of the curse, that she can't harm the Charmings in FTL but can in another Land

Cora shows up and tells Hook that her daughter is sufficiently broken and she gives Hook a gift, Archie! The evil Cora killed some random person, and Archie can give Hook the answers he's looking for.

Next Week..... Hook and Rumple!

Dawn is also an Examiner for Cleveland Child Care and Parma Family Activities. You can find me on my website, facebook, google + , Twitter