The essential question surrounding Once has always been, "How will Emma break the Curse?" Her mere arrival in Storybrooke was, of course, the turning point that set time back into motion, but that alone was not enough. Neither was the kiss she later shared with Sheriff Graham which, though it did restore his memories, was also rendered ineffective by Graham's immediate death at the (literal) hands of Regina.
So what exactly does Emma have to do to break the Curse?
Through a Mirror Darkly
It's important to recognize the basic structure of the show itself, which is showing the fairy tale past as a mirror to the Storybrooke present. At times it seems as though the Counterparts are actually re-living their fairy tale pasts through their experiences in our world, a prime example of which is the Grumpy-centered episode Dreamy, with its candles-for-coal/diamonds-for-dust parallel. Whether this is a storytelling device employed by the writers or an effect of the Curse within the show's universe remains to be seen, but given Regina's propensity for mirrors, it's possible that it's an effect of the Curse. Either way, at this point it's fair to say that the mirroring device is on display.
***SPOILER ALERT: Do not read further if you don't want to be spoiled!!!!!***
OK, YOU WERE WARNED. Here we go!
The overarching FTL storyline of Once's first season has been that of Snow White, beginning with the kiss and the wedding in the pilot, and the show has been working backwards to fill in the blanks since then. It hasn't always been in chronological order, but with Episode 18 "The Stable Boy" we now have a more complete picture from beginning to end of the Once version of the Snow White story. The pieces of story that we have been given would indicate that this season will end with Snow White biting the apple and going to sleep, particularly with Regina stealing the apple from the Blind Witch in Episode 9 "True North." Episode 21 is titled "An Apple Red as Blood;" I consider this more proof that the end of the season is heading for Snow White's snack time.
However, we have already seen the end of the Snow White story in the pilot: Prince Charming rides a narrow road across a lake, finds Snow with the dwarves, and kisses her. As he does so, an energy field erupts from their kiss, spreads throughout the forest. There's even a shot of the forest becoming brighter and more colorful as a result. The apple's Curse is broken, and Snow White wakes up.
Color in Storybrooke
The production team of Once has noted that all flowers and bright colors are removed from the Storybrooke set in order to emphasize the effects of the Curse and the unhappy atmosphere. The logical conclusion to this statement is that bright colors will return to Storybrooke when the Curse is finally broken. (The jury is still out on whether the residents of Storybrooke will return to FTL or be stuck in Our World when that finally happens.)
Back to the Mirror
1) If the first season finale is heading towards the end of the Snow White story, as it seems to be, and the apple's Curse is broken as the forest becomes more colorful; and
2) if Storybrooke is a mirrored present for FTL's past, as it seems to be, and the bright colors of Storybrooke have been taken away,
3) then the first season finale will end with the breaking of the Storybrooke Curse, mirrored in FTL as the apple's Curse is broken also. The bright colors will return to Storybrooke.
How It Will Happen
Towards the end of Episode 17 "Hat Trick," Emma is untying Mary Margaret when Jefferson tackles her. After a struggle, they both stand up, and he shows her the scar on his neck as he says, "Off with his head." Emma is obviously stunned, and in that moment, something very specific happens: Mary Margaret suddenly grabs a croquet mallet, hits Jefferson with it, and kicks him out the window. The dialogue between Emma and Mary Margaret immediately afterwards is quite revealing:
Emma: "Have you been kickboxing and not telling me?"
Mary Margaret: "I don't know where that came from."
Mary Margaret is shocked at her own behavior, unsure where such strength suddenly came from.
When they check for Jefferson outside, he had disappeared, and only the hat (made by Emma) was there, sitting on its top. The implication from Jefferson's earlier dialogue (i.e. demanding Emma make a new magic hat so he could go home) is that Jefferson disappeared into that same hat, and went home.
But why would the hat suddenly work then, and not before?
Because Emma believed in magic.
Think about it. Emma sees the scar on Jefferson's neck, and for a few seconds, believes in the Curse. That's exactly the moment that Mary Margaret was suddenly empowered with Snow White-like abilities and kicked Jefferson out the window, followed by Jefferson disappearing.
Still have doubts? Recall this conversation between Emma and Henry in Episode 1 "Pilot":
Emma: "Just because you believe something doesn't make it true."
Henry: "That's exactly what makes it true. You should know more than anyone."
The answer has been in front of us from the beginning.
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