“Once Upon A Time” Season 4 is not airing a new episode this week. The next new episode airs Apr. 12 on ABC. Episode 17 (OUAT 4x17), which aired Mar. 29, shows Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) is honing her magic. She and Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) meet the Author (Patrick Fischler), but he manages to flee.

Spoiler alert: This update contains “Once Upon A Time” Season 4 spoilers. Read on at your own risk.

“Once Upon A Time” Season 4 is approaching its end. Roots to character motivations are being explained, and answers to burning questions are coming out. For instance, the audience has finally met the Author in OUAT 4x17. The history behind Maleficent’s (Kristin Bauer van Straten) revenge has also been revealed.

August (Eion Bailey), the old man form of Pinocchio, says in one episode that Emma has gone a long way from being a skeptic (as in “Once Upon A Time” Season 1) to being a well-versed practitioner of magic. In OUAT 4x17, Emma conjures a fake page of Henry’s book.

Emma says she has been honing her magic in the latest episode. In the same OUAT installment, she learns about the old prophecy that says she is capable of great darkness. Emma finds it upsetting that her parents didn’t think she deserved to know everything about her history.

The episode synopsis of OUAT 4x18 indicates Emma will be going after the Author. She knows she is up against Gold aka Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), and she has to get to the Author first. Episode 18 of “Once Upon A Time” Season 4 is titled “Heart of Gold.”

The Author, it turns out, has taken it upon himself to control the choices of the Enchanted Forest characters. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice locked him up inside the book to keep him from doing him more harm. It’s also revealed in OUAT 4x17 that the Author has tricked Snow White and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas) in the past.

Among the Author’s darkest manipulations is having the Apprentice force Snow White and Prince Charming to send Lily, Maleficent’s baby, into another realm. Episode 18 is expected to reveal Lily’s whereabouts in the present timeline.

The next new episode of “Once Upon A Time” Season 4 airs on Apr. 12 on ABC.

Let us know your thoughts on “Once Upon A Time” Season 4. For questions/comments regarding the article, you may email the writer at a.paredes@ibtimes.com.au. Any opinion expressed in this article belongs solely to the writer, and its publication is not an endorsement by IBT media.

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