Ep 19. Lacey

In Once Upon a Time season 2 episode 19, titled "Lacey," we see a shift in focus as the story revolves around Belle and her alternate persona, Lacey. The episode opens with Mr. Gold attempting to separate the two personalities in Belle, but his attempts prove to be unsuccessful. As Lacey takes over, she becomes interested in a new side of Storybrooke, one that involves the dark and seedy underbelly of the town.

Lacey becomes infatuated with the bad boy, Mr. Gold's alter-ego, Rumplestiltskin. She finds his dark and brooding persona alluring and is drawn to him. However, Mr. Gold is wary of Lacey, as he knows that she is not truly Belle and doesn't remember their previous relationship. He also wants to protect her from the dangers of the town and ensure that she doesn't fall into the wrong crowd.

Meanwhile, we see Regina attempting to get rid of her feelings for Dr. Whale, who she had a brief fling with in the previous episode. She enlists the help of David, who advises her to distract herself and focus on something else. Regina decides to take up archery and becomes surprisingly good at it. However, she begins to obsess over it and uses it as a way to release her pent-up frustrations.

As the episode progresses, we see Lacey becoming more involved in the town's criminal activities, which puts her in danger. She discovers that Mr. Gold is trying to protect her and becomes upset, feeling that he is treating her like a child. She decides to take matters into her own hands and goes to meet up with some of the town's most dangerous criminals.

Meanwhile, Belle's father, Maurice, arrives in town in search of his daughter. He is shocked to discover that Belle has a split personality and is now Lacey. He pleads with Mr. Gold to help Belle, but Mr. Gold is hesitant as he doesn't want to lose Lacey. After much convincing, Mr. Gold agrees to help and tries once more to separate the two personalities.

Finally, towards the end of the episode, we see a confrontation between Lacey and Mr. Gold. Lacey is angry that Mr. Gold has been trying to control her and decides to leave him. As she walks out of his shop, she is grabbed by one of the town's criminals and taken captive.

The final scene shows Mr. Gold going to great lengths to rescue Lacey, proving his love for her. He manages to save her just in time and the two share a tender moment. However, as they embrace, we see a shift in Lacey's personality, suggesting that Belle may be returning.

Overall, "Lacey" is a strong episode that focuses on the relationship between Mr. Gold and Belle/Lacey. We see a different side of Storybrooke and the danger that lurks in the shadows. The episode is well-paced and keeps the viewer engaged, while also leaving room for future development in the series.