The Golden Stair

"The Golden Stair" is the fourth episode of Season One of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by David H. Goodman and directed by David Solomon. It is the fourth episode of the series overall, and premiered on October 30, 2011.

Synopsis
Caitlin, Emma, and Daniel plan out how they are going to turn the town against Raina. Ashley and Thomas continue their newfound relationship while Graham attempts to hook up with Emma. In flashbacks, Flynn Rider discovers a young girl trapped in a tower.

Plot
Emma and Caitlin have breakfast in the latter's house when Daniel comes by. Emma asks where his mom is. Daniel says she is meeting with one of the city council members, Dwayne Emmett, who is actually Jafar. Caitlin tells the two that Raina has been mayor since she can remember. Emma says that if they can just convince the town to stop the way they are treated, they can get another mayor appointed. Caitlin asks who would be up for the job. Emma smiles and says she thinks she has an idea. Emma leaves the house. She asks Graham to run for mayor, but he immediately denies it.

Years before in the Fairytale Land, Rapunzel sits in her tower, practicing her voice. She hears Mothel Gothel say, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair" and she lets down her long hair for Gothel to climb up the tower on. Once there, Gothel reunites with her daughter and sets down her basket of food. Outside the tower, Flynn Rider, a thief sees this and smiles.

Raina and Dwayne awaken awaken in the latter's bed. Raina tells him she has to get home to Daniel so Dwayne unwillingly lets her go. Raina gets dressed and kisses him goodbye. Raina gets home and finds Daniel reading his book. She sees him reading Rapunzel and decides to try to bond with him. She asks him who he thinks Rapunzel is. Daniel tells her she should know since she is the Evil Queen. Raina tells him she is not evil. Daniel tells her she has shut him inside besides school and he has no friends. Raina does not fight back and he goes to his room. Emma continues to try to pressure Graham into running for mayor but he does not budge. Emma asks him why everyone seems to be the same age in the town but everyone does not remember who was mayor before Raina. Graham does not have an answer and agrees to run.

Rapunzel eats while Gothel is away and hears a voice repeat the same thing Gothel says to get up the tower and lets down her hair. However, Flynn climbs up the hair and Rapunzel threatens to kick him out. Flynn asks why she has been in the tower the whole time. Rapunzel tells him her mother has kept her there. Flynn asks why she cannot leave. Rapunzel does not know and asks him what the outside world is like. Flynn asks how old she is and she tells him she is twenty and Flynn tells her a newborn princess was born to the kingdom twenty years ago before she was kidnapped by a woman and was never seen again. Rapunzel refuses to believe his claims but he asks to hide in the tower to see Gothel. Rapunzel hides him under her bed.

Graham announces he is running for mayor and Raina confronts him. He tells her that someone needs to take the town from her. Scarlet asks Graham how he thinks he can win. Graham says that if people don't vote for Raina they think she'll have them arrested or something, but she cannot do that if she is not mayor. Scarlet agrees with him and tells him he has her vote. Emma and Caitlin are happy Raina is finally being taken out from under. Lilyana and Ashley decide to double date with Thomas and Chase. However, on the double date, Raina stops by and announces that if she loses the mayor race, she'll use her remaining forces to burn the entire block to the ground. The entire bar is scared into voting for her.

Gothel stops by the tower and Flynn realizes she is old enough to be Rapunzel's mother. Once she leaves Rapunzel reveals to Flynn that Gothel has looked the exact same since she was a baby. Flynn takes Rapunzel to a garden nearby the castle where they find a plant that the Queen was addicted to while having her baby, a plan that could apparentally retain the youth and body of any person that comes in contact with it. When she goes near it, Rapunzel's hair glows and Flynn realizes she has to be the royal baby.

Lilyana tells Chase that she really wants a kid. Chase agrees and the two decide to start trying. Caitlin goes to school the next day and bumps into Alan. He asks her if Ashley has been heartbroken. Caitlin, knowing Ashley quickly moved on, tells him she hasn't really said anything. Alan finds Ashley with Thomas and leaves the school. Caitlin goes after him and the two realize they have feelings for each other. Alan kisses her and she tells him they can continue once school is over. The mayoral race comes and Emma tells Graham he is totally gonna win. Graham kisses her but she cannot react before he has to go out. Raina wins by a landslide, shocking Graham, Caitlin, Emma, Daniel, and Scarlet.

Raina meets with Mr. Grey and thanks him for buying the town's votes. He agrees and asks her for his payment. She tells him she does not know what he wants with these but hands him photos. Grey smiles at the pictures of a young man walking through Los Angeles. Gothel returns to the tower and Rapunzel and Flynn confront her over why she stole Rapunzel. Gothel apologizes, but says it was part of an agreement made by her and the King. Rapunzel refuses to believe this but Gothel stabs Flynn. Rapunzel tries to use her hair to heal him but Flynn knows Gothel needs the hair so he chops it off. Gothel shrivels to a pile of dust and Rapunzel cries over the loss of Flynn. Her tears heal him and they kiss. They decide to meet Rapunzel's parents and find out why she was taken.

Emma returns home where Caitlin realizes Raina now has the town in her pocket for at least the next four years until the next election. Emma reveals that if they can find out a crime that Raina has done or will do, they can get her impeached. Caitlin decides that will be their next mission. Graham visits the house and kisses Emma again. She tells him that she cannot be dating right now and leaves him outside.

Starring

 * Ginnifer Goodwin as Caitlin Gunn
 * Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
 * Dania Ramirez as Ashley Boyd
 * Josh Dallas as Alan Brendon
 * Andrew J. West as Thomas Prince
 * Lana Parilla as Raina Adrianne
 * Jared S. Gilmore as Daniel Adrianne
 * Jamie Dornan as Graham Aldene
 * Meghan Ory as Scarlet Collin
 * Emilie de Ravin as Lilyana Rose
 * Wes Brown as Chase Cullen
 * Robert Carlyle as Mr. Grey

Guest Starring

 * Naveen Andrews as Dwayne Emmett
 * Lisa Banes as Mother Gothel
 * Lea Michele as Rapunzel
 * Kevin Ryan as Flynn Rider

Trivia

 * This is the first episode to not have any flashback characters appear in present day storylines, along with the first episode to not have any starring cast members appear in flashbacks.