This episode follows Mr. Gold's (Robert Carlyle) vow to redeem himself as he and Neal (Michael Raymond-James) are reunited in Neverland to search for Henry (Jared S. Gilmore), but Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) has a secret that could unravel the union, which dates back to their first encounter in The Enchanted Forest, while Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) encounters a clue from Neal's past that could give everyone involved a possible escape plan, but her feelings about losing Neal are affecting her emotionally.
The episode — written by David H. Goodman and Robert Hull and first broadcast on October 20, 2013 — was given mixed to positive reviews from critics, who commented on the angle involving the relationship between Rumplestiltskin and Neal/Baelfire; and was watched by 7.05 million American viewers.
This gives Rumplestiltskin a plan to confront the individual as he waits in the night until he hears the piper's call and moments later witnesses children climbing out windows and following the music.
He then tries to find Baelfire amongst the children, and confronts the Pied Piper, who is revealed to be Peter Pan, an old acquaintance of Rumplestiltskin's.
Around the same time at another location, Gold continues to work his magic, when the image of Belle appears to him again, but to warn him that if he is planning to save Henry, it will mean his death.
Hook leads them to a secret cave, which has writing on the wall that Emma Swan immediately recognizes as Neal's childhood home.
These series of events is also affecting Mary Margaret, who is upset that she can't comfort her own daughter, because if David were to die, she wouldn't know how to survive, but David tries to tell Mary Margaret that she would have to be strong and move on but she insists nothing will ever happen to him while she's around.
Other allusions included elements of the Darling Family from "Peter Pan", which can be found in the drawing in Neal's cave, along with a nod to Aladdin which hints to how Neal managed to escape Neverland and in The Little Mermaid when Neal used a sea shell to lure a large squid, while a pair of Lost allusions has Tinkerbell holding up a watch that stopped at 8:15 and Rumplestiltskin yelling out for Baelfire, echoing Michael's crying out for his son on the aforementioned series.
[1] "Nasty Habits" received positive reviews from critics, who were impressed with the angle involving the relationship between Rumplestiltskin and Neal/Baelfire.
In a review from Entertainment Weekly, Hillary Busis quotes, "Although tonight's Once featured plenty of thumping music, rowdy dancing, and barbaric yawps, the episode's plot wasn't nearly as driving and insistent as the Lost Boys' delirious bacchanals.
Instead, "Nasty Habits" focused more on character than incident—namely, Rumpelstiltskin's ongoing struggle to redeem himself, and his continually fraught relationship with his own lost-and-found son.
"[2] Amy Ratcliffe of IGN was impressed with the Neal/Rumplestiltskin storyline, adding that "Michael Raymond-James has taken Neal in an interesting direction over the past season, and any time he gets to be on screen with Robert Carlyle it's good for everyone.
"[3] Amy Scales of Entertainment Outlook gave it 5 stars: "Once Upon a Time was on fire tonight and the show is as good now as it has ever been.
Squids, magic flutes, long overdue confrontations and the complete knowledge that this is most certainly a game and Pan is most certainly the one in charge.