Heroes And Villains

Chapter 18: The Cowardly Lion

Opening Sequence,
A young Zelena riding on a broom through the forest.

Flashback: In Oz, a young Zelena rides her broom as her father watches. However, her mother, Cora, approaches and scolds her. She tells Zelena that she does not want a daughter that disobey and become a coward, just like the rumors of a cowardly Lion. Than Zelena says she's done riding for the day and begins to stomp away only for Cora to drag her back with magic. An angry Zelena tells her to stop using her magic to control her. With that, Zelena promises to be good. Later that evening, Zelena goes to face the cowardly Lion, just to proof that her mother was wrong about her. Than as it was about to attack her, she through a bag of fairy dust at it. Than the lion turns back into a man and he tells her,thanks, as he asks for her name. She says Zelena, and he tells her that he is ,Grayson known as the Powerful Wizard. He once was a powerful wizard that was cursed as a cowardly Lion by his lack of courage,

Later they soon had fallen in love, Grayson tells Zelena to tell her parents about their love. Zelena explains to Grayson that she is afraid of her mother's magic, although Grayson counters that the powerful magic is true love. Meanwhile, King Dominatic of Emerald City comes in and asks Zelena for her hand in marriage as she is the first person to have taken an interest in Oz. Later that night, Zelena asks Grayson for his hand in marriage, explaining her situation in the process, as well as suggesting that the only way out is to run. Suddenly, Dorothy walks into the tower to witness the pair kissing before running away. Zelena tries to catch up to Dorothy. Than Dorothy breaks the news with the her father, At the kingdom Zelena explains that she loves Grayson and not the king and explains that true love is the most powerful magic. The king smiles after the explanation but Zelena makes him promise to keep this secret, to which the king agrees.

The next day, Dorothy Gale is walking in Emerald city, when Cora comes and tells her to be careful. As the two talk, Cora tells Dorothy not to fear her, then asks Dorothy why Zelena has pulled away from her. Dorothy tells her to not make Zelena get married if she wants her to be happy, and that she doesn't love the king. Not wanting Zelena to lose her Mother like she had, Dorothy tells Cora about Grayson.

That night, Zelena runs into the tower where Grayson is ready to go to make their getaway. They embrace just before Cora arrives and locks the tower. Cora says she will not stop her and Zelena hugs her with thanks, then takes Grayson aside and puffs him into the tower and kept him prisoner and can't leave the tower. Zelena falls to cry 😭 and asks her mother why she has done this, to which Cora tells her that it was because it was her happy ending. After Zelena yells and screams of how she loved Grayson, Cora explains that love is weakness. As Zelena is being fitted for her wedding dress,  Dorothy walks in and tells her that she is the fairest of them all. Than Dorothy tells Zelena about how she told her mother about Grayson. As Zelena listens in horror, she turns and Dorothy notices how upset she is and she apologizes. Dorothy asks Zelena if she was mad, but Zelena pretends that she is happy, and than hugs Dorothy. End of Flashback

In Storybrooke, Mr.Weaver and Zelena plot to frame Hope for the crime. While Zelena plays with the ring Grayson gave her while staring out the window, Mr. Weaver asks her for a favor in getting District Attorney Ava Blake, who is really Lily page, to drop the battery charges against her, and in return he offers her an idea on how to inflict pain upon Hope. It also turns out that Mr. Weaver and Zelena know what happens to people when they try to leave town. When Zelena asks how she can trust him, Mr. Weaver truthfully responds that he always honors his agreements. A week later, Elsewhere, Renee Gale comes out of the diner as Elias catches up with her where he tries to apologize for saying that Hope was guilty, but Renee informs him that she needs a miracle. Back in the sheriff's office, Hope is woken by Zelena, who offers her a chance to confess, but Hope stands by her innocence. Zelena tells her that confession or not, she is leaving Storybrooke. Later that morning, Renee, Mr. Weaver, and Hope talk about the upcoming case, where Mr. Weaver suggest using their most valuable asset, Hope herself. Walsh then arrives to say that he can't find anything on Zelena. Hope says she will talk to the district attorney, knowing she has nothing to hide. Unfortunately Zelena shows up with Ava Blake, the DA and Maleficent's duaghter Storybrooke counterpart. She then badgers Hope during questioning, eventually goading Hope into admitting she wanted Lisa gone. Not pleased with Blake's hostility, Mr. Weaver ends the questioning early. Hours later, Renee studies the book as Grace approaches her. Renee explains that she is struggling to prove Hope Herman's innocence, to which she suggests re-looking over what she has already done, causing Renee to re-evaluate the crime scenes. Renee finds a shard of shovel in the ground where the box containing Lisa's heart was found. Grace radios Renee from a walkie-talkie, explaining that Zelena is in the shower and the key is under the mat. Zelena and Weaver search the garage and discover a broken shovel, revealing that Zelena buried the box. Renee later returns with a search warrant to find that the shovel had been replaced. Renee then accuses Weaver of telling Zelena before walking away. Back in the Sheriff's office, Hope cries in her cell when Zelena comes in to gloat causing Hope to apologize for anything she did wrong, however Zelena tells her she deserves this. Renee later talks to Grace, Than the next day, Renee was walking and hears Hope screams out after finding Lisa who is alive.