Ep 8. Desperate Souls

Once Upon a Time season 1 episode 8, titled "Desperate Souls," begins with Mr. Gold seeking out Emma's help in finding a way to get rid of Mayor Regina's control over the town. The episode then flashes to the past, where viewers see Rumplestiltskin (Mr. Gold's fairytale counterpart) as a poor, cowardly man who just wants to provide for his son. The citizens of the Enchanted Forest are being forced to fight in wars for their king, and Rumplestiltskin is chosen to join the battle. However, he is too afraid to do so and is taunted by the other soldiers. In a moment of desperation, he makes a deal with the dark one (the show's version of the devil) to gain magical powers.

Back in the present, Emma is hesitant to help Mr. Gold because she doesn't want to get involved in his schemes. However, she eventually agrees to listen to his plan to use a pickpocket named Jefferson (who viewers may recognize from episode 17 of season 1) to steal the mayor's prized possession, a magical apple that keeps her in power.

As the plot unfolds, viewers also see Regina's backstory. In a flashback, they see her as a young girl who is constantly overshadowed by her mother, the previous queen. In order to prove herself, she marries a commoner and becomes pregnant with their child. However, her mother disapproves and poisons the father, causing Regina to miscarry. Devastated and feeling powerless, Regina turns to Rumplestiltskin for help.

The tension between Mr. Gold and Regina escalates as their plans start affecting each other, culminating in a final confrontation between the two. Meanwhile, Emma and Jefferson execute their heist and acquire the apple, but their plan goes awry when the Mayor shows up unexpectedly.

The episode ends with a cliffhanger as we see the consequences of Regina's use of the apple and a potential shift in power dynamics in the town of Storybrooke.

Overall, "Desperate Souls" is an episode that showcases the motives and desires of its key players - Mr. Gold's fear of being powerless, Regina's history of neglect and abuse, and Emma's reluctance to get involved in the town's politics. It also sets up future plot points and continues to unravel the mysteries of the enchanted forest and its impact on the present-day characters.