Once Upon A Time Season 4 Episode 20 Recap With Spoilers: Lily

The twentieth episode of this season opens on the Apprentice (Timothy Webber) consulting the Sorcerer himself, who demands that the Author can never be allowed to change fate again, after what he did to Maleficent's child. 

In the present, the Author (Patrick Fischler) and Gold (Robert Carlyle) mourn Cruella, but Gold is quick to point out that it's time for them to get scheming. Emma (Jennifer Morrison) elsewhere wonders how they will stop them – when Maleficent (Kristin Bauer van Straten) shows up, offering her help. They now all have a common enemy, and Maleficent tells them about her daughter, who is alive and named Lily.

Emma immediately does some research and uncovers the truth that her childhood "friend" Lily was Maleficent's daughter, and that fate has controlled her life down to the finest detail – even influencing the one friend she ever had. Regina (Lana Parrilla) suggests it's time that they turn the tables on fate. She and Emma decide to go to New York together, where Regina will save Robin from Zelena, and Emma will find Lily to redeem her parents.

Before they hit the road, the duo say their goodbyes to everyone, though Emma doesn't have much to say to her parents, whom she's still mad at for lying to her. They arrive at Lily's most recent place of residence on record, but a man from the building says she died in a car crash. He adds that no one really misses her, adding insult to injury, causing Emma to snap. Regina barely holds her back from attacking the man.

Emma and Regina practically crash their car soon after, when a wolf appears in the road. Emma is convinced that the same thing has happened before, but Regina tells her that she's putting too much faith in fate. They go to a diner nearby, and Emma identifies Lily as the waitress.

Back in town, Gold finds Will (Michael Socha) after one of his dates with Belle, and tells him that Belle has no heart, since it was literally taken by Regina. He threatens Will, demanding that he help him by stealing the heart back from Regina's office. 

Meanwhile in a 1999 flashback, young Emma (Abby Ross) is grabbing a sleeping bag from the garage for a camping trip, when she finds young Lily (Nicole Muñoz) hiding. Lily says she's in big trouble and pulls the "friends forever" clause to get Emma's help. Before she can decline or accept, Emma's adopted father appears and invites Lily to stay.

When the subject of how the two met comes up at dinner, Lily immediately says they met through foster care, as opposed to revealing the truth: She caught Emma shoplifting, and decided to help her out. Emma pulls her aside and says that she doesn't want to lie to her new parents, but suddenly they see a news report video about some shoplifters – one who is clearly Lily.

Emma is furious and wants her to leave immediately. Lily says that she just can't help it. She always does "bad" things. Lily begs Emma for help with just one more thing, retrieving a special necklace. That night, while Emma is getting the necklace, Lily steals Emma's parents' money and runs away. The parents call Emma's social worker, discover that Lily is a known criminal, and are upset with Emma for not telling them and allowing such a person into their home. They even kick her out of the house.

Later that night, Lily finds Emma, who is furious with her. Lily claims that no matter what she does, everything goes wrong. It's as if her "whole life is darkness," but when Emma is around it gets brighter. She begs Emma to stay in her life, but Emma leaves, saying she is better off alone.

In the present again, Emma confronts Lily (Agnes Bruckner) outside of the diner, who's been going by a different name. Emma points out Lily's distinctive birthmark as proof, and Lily is shocked that anyone was able to track her down. Emma tries to explain that there's a higher force at power here that has kept them in each other's lives and forced Lily's many bad decisions.

Lily doesn't believe her, and retorts by saying that she doesn't need anyone's help; her life is just fine and she even has a daughter. She walks over to a school bus and talks to a little girl she knows from the diner. She asks her to hold her hand and smile, pretending to be her daughter, in exchange for a week's worth of free burgers.

They track Lily back to her home, where after some snooping, they find a wall of newspaper clippings and clues leading to Storybrooke and more, indicating that Lily knows everything – and she wants revenge. Suddenly, a car screeches away outside, presumably with Lily inside. Not to be outdone – Emma takes a baseball bat to another car's windshield to break-in and steal it.

Regina and Emma end up in a flat-out car chase with Lily, until they corner her. When Lily threatens Emma, they begin to fight, with Emma ultimately pointing a gun at her. Lily tells her to just shoot; all she ever does is ruin things anyway. Bad decisions are inherently part of her. Regina tells her to lower the gun. Shooting Lily would be a major line crossed into darkness. Emma lowers the gun.

Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) and David (Josh Dallas) visit Maleficent back in Storybrooke, asking for her forgiveness. She responds that the real person they need to seek forgiveness from is her daughter, and that no, of course, she does not forgive them. Gold seeks out Maleficent next in pursuit of Emma's heart, distracting her while Will sneaks in through a window and snatches the heart.

Back in the flashback, Lily unknowingly sits next to the Apprentice on the bus. He starts to explain that he knows everything about her and can explain why her life is so miserable. He believes he owes the truth to her. 

Will brings Belle (Emilie de Ravin) her heart back, and once he's got her attention, Gold enters the room. Gold knows that he must stop hurting her, because his black heart will die faster if he does not stop. He puts her heart back in, essentially gives Will his blessing, and leaves.

Lily joins Emma and Regina on their trip to Robin Hood – which is now much more rushed, as Regina has learned that Gold got Belle's heart back. With her leverage gone, Robin is more trouble than ever.

They get to Robin's apartment and Regina explains everything to him. He initially doesn't believe her, but then "Marian" appears and uses her magic to turn back into Zelena. Robin is shocked, but he's still unwilling to leave her – as she is pregnant with his child.