Ep 2. The Thing You Love Most

When Emma Swan arrives in Storybrooke, she finds that the quaint town has its own secrets that are deeply rooted in its past. In this second episode of the first season, titled "The Thing You Love Most", we are presented with a glimpse into the past of the town's evil mayor, Regina Mills.

We start with Regina waking up in the middle of the night to a fire in her house. She looks for her son, Henry, but he is nowhere to be found. In desperation, she runs outside to find him, but instead, she finds the townspeople staring at her with contempt. They all seem to blame her for the fire, and this is when we learn that Regina has a complicated history in Storybrooke.

We then flash forward to the present day, and we see that Emma is settling into life in the small town. She is staying with Mary Margaret, who is the town's schoolteacher and has taken a liking to Emma, albeit in a platonic way. When Regina comes to visit Emma, she makes it clear that she doesn't want her in town, and that she will do everything in her power to get rid of her. Emma, ever the independent woman, is undaunted by Regina's threats.

As Emma starts to delve deeper into the mysteries of the town, she begins to realize that everyone in Storybrooke seems to be living out a fairy tale. But these fairy tales have a dark side, and Emma is determined to figure out what is going on. She is suspicious of Regina and starts to investigate her past, which leads her to discover that Regina has a thing for someone that she loves more than anything else in the world.

Meanwhile, we see Regina working on her own mission. She visits Mr. Gold, who runs the town's pawn shop, to ask for his help. It is clear that these two have a complicated history, and we learn that Mr. Gold is not to be trifled with. Regina needs his help to get rid of Emma, and it is not immediately clear what sort of deal the two make.

As the episode progresses, we see that both Emma and Regina have a deep connection to the town of Storybrooke. For Regina, it is clear that she will stop at nothing to keep her secret safe, and that she is willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of anyone who poses a threat to it. For Emma, it is clear that she is just as determined to figure out what is going on and to stop anyone who might be causing harm.

The Thing You Love Most is a great follow-up to the pilot episode and builds on the intriguing premise established in the first episode. We are introduced to the town's complex history and main characters, which sets up a lot of anticipation for the rest of the season. This episode also sets up a lot of interesting plot threads, particularly around Regina and Mr. Gold, and introduces new characters in a way that doesn't feel forced. It's a great continuation of the show's overall narrative and leaves you wanting more.