Nimue Is Storybrooke's Only Hope

Things are still all messed up in Storybrooke, and with each passing episode of Once Upon A Time everything seems to get worse and worse. Now Emma's got the sword out of the stone, and no one is any bit closer to stopping her and her evil Dark One plan. The only one who can help Charming, Snow, Regina, and Henry out in this situation is Merlin, but he's completely MIA. After spending all episode trying to contact him, Merlin finally tells the group that they've got to find, "Nimue," because she can help them. So just who is this person Merlin tells them to find, and can she really save the day?

As we've learned over the past handful of OUAT episodes, something BAD happened in Camelot, and Emma erased everyone's memory. Now back in Storybrooke, they're trying to figure out what happened, and stop Emma from whatever evil thing she's up to. The gang figures out a spell to contact Merlin, wherever he is, but Arthur messes that whole thing up. But don't worry! Henry comes swooping in to save the day, and manages to contact Merlin — except, it's "Merlin's voicemail" as Regina so nicely points out.

Know how Princess Leia recorded a message for Ben Kenobi and was basically like, "you're are only hope?" Merlin's done the same exact thing here. He's recorded a message for our group, and tells them to find a woman named "Nimue" because she's the only one who can help them now. Before he has any more time to explain further, the Dark One shows up and he darts away, ending his recorded message.

OK, so, what? This is a brand new name for OUAT, so don't worry if you don't know it off the top of your head. Nimue has roots in Camelot, but she's not a character we've come across yet. Nimue is more commonly known as the Lady of the Lake, and the only reason I even know that name is because I've listened to the Spamalot Broadway Cast Recording far too many times. That's not the story that's going to happen here on OUAT, though. The actual legend of the Lady of the Lake is that she's the one that trapped Merlin in the tree.

From last week's episode, we know that's not the case here on OUAT. The Dark One trapped Merlin in the tree, BUT, remember he shed a tear for some great love of his. Nimue/Lady of the Lake could be that great love, and the one Merlin knows can set everything right in the end.

Now everyone's just got to find her.

Image: Jack Rowand/ABC