Siege Perilous (Once Upon a Time)

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Siege Perilous (Once Upon a Time) — Short recap

Air date: October 11, 2015
Season 5, Episode 3

Plot in two places

- Camelot
- David and King Arthur search for a magical toadstool called the Crimson Crown, which will let them communicate with the imprisoned Merlin.
- The Crown is hidden in the Forest of Eternal Night (Brocéliande). On the quest, phantom knights drag David underwater, but Arthur saves him.
- They discover the Crown is missing from David’s bag. Arthur offers David a seat at the Knights of the Round Table, but it’s actually Lancelot’s seat—the Siege Perilous.
- Mary Margaret meets a very much alive Lancelot, who warns that Arthur may not be honest. Guinevere starts to doubt Arthur as she joins him.
- Arthur uses the Crown to advance his plans and reveals he’s willing to do whatever it takes to control Camelot.

- Storybrooke
- Emma tries to break Excalibur from the stone with Happy’s pickaxe, but the tool breaks.
- Rumplestiltskin returns as the Dark One and tells Emma she needs a true hero to pull Excalibur.
- Grif, Arthur’s squire, is revealed as the thief among the Arthurians. He’s captured after a chase.
- Arthur’s lies about Emma and the magic bean come to light, and he has Grif drink poison to cover up his schemes.
- In the diner and at Emma’s house, Hook and Robin plan to check Emma’s basement; Belle senses Mr. Gold waking as rose petals reappear.
- Emma heals Gold by performing a spell, destroying the blade in Excalibur and leaving his heart as a blank slate. She hints she wants him to pull Excalibur to vanquish the light and become a true hero.
- The episode ends with the reveal that Arthur plans to turn Storybrooke into a New Camelot, and that Grif drank poison to hide Arthur’s role.

Reception and notes

- The episode drew about 5.28 million viewers and a 1.6/5 rating in adults 18–49.
- Critics generally liked it, with many praising Liam Garrigan’s performance as King Arthur and noting the setup for future twists.