In the new story, Rumpelstiltskin is married to Belle and they have a new baby. The Author finds Rumpelstiltskin to warn him that his happiness is in danger because of Henry. He tells Rumpel to kill Regina before she can stop Robin Hood’s wedding to Regina or he loses his happy ending. 

Henry finds the Jolly Roger to take him to where Emma is being held captive but Hook isn’t the Captian. It’s Black Beard. In this world, Hook is a coward. Henry has to get rid of Black Beard so that they can take the ship. 

Emma remembers everything. Isaac couldn’t erase her memory and it almost drove her mad. Her punishment is that she knows the truth but can’t do anything about it. She has no magic. Lily was her guard and when she realizes that Emma is gone, she turns into a dragon and come after them. She takes them down with the canon on the ship. 

Later, Snow finds Emma, Hook and Henry and orders them dead. Hook takes on the fight in order to save Emma and Henry because he knows if she can set things right then he’ll be with her in the other realm. He manages to hold them off but Charming kills Hook as Emma and Henry flee. 

They find Regina and try to stop Robin’s wedding but Rumpel shows up to stop them. Regina gets to the church but she turns back when she sees Rumpel is about to kill Henry and she jumps in the way. Robin runs to her, angering Zelena who begins to turn green. 

As Regina lay dying in Robin’s arms, the Author tells Emma that he can’t change a thing because he’s no longer the Author. When Henry picks up his quill, it glows. He is the next Author but he needs ink. In this realm, the ink comes from Regina’s blood because she is the savior here. Henry rewrites the ending and sends them all back to Storybrooke. 

Back in Storybrooke, Emma fears that Hook didn’t make it back, until she finds him and almost tells him she loves him but only thanks him instead. 

Isaac tries to flee Storybrooke as Charming and Snow stop him. All evidence of him being a best seller is gone. They ask him why they wanted to hurt them. Isaac tells them he wanted his own happy ending so he decided to take it from them. Snow points out he turned into a villain instead. 

Henry considers he new power with the quill to bring back his father. The Sorcerer says he can’t bring back the dead. The best way to show your love for those who are gone is to tell their stories. He must write the truth and resist the temptation to rewrite reality. Henry breaks the quill, believing no one should have that much power. 

Emma offers to help Lily find her father. 

Rumple collapses in his store as Belle arrives. He says at least he got to experience them happy and in love in the other realm. Belle points out that he could have had that in Storybrooke but he says he never believed she could truly love him and pushes her to be happy with Will. Belle tells him he doesn’t love Will. He warns her to get far away before all that’s left is the Dark One. 

Belle gets help. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice tries to pull the dark power from Rumpel and trap it in the hat. Rumpel’s name is taken off the dagger. His heart is left light but Rumpel is still unconscious. But then the darkness explodes from the hat and enters the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Emma tries to save him and the darkness escapes. The Apprentice says that Sorcerer is the only one who can destroy the darkness. They must find Merlin.

Everyone follow the darkness outside where it tries to take over Regina. Emma says that she’s worked too hard for her happy ending. She tells Hook she loves him, then grabs the dagger and let’s the darkness invade her. When it’s done, Emma has disappeared and the Dagger now bares her name.