While Regina boasts that she has it all now, Rumplestiltskin warns her that she will return to him one day, seeking a remedy to fill the hole of emptiness in her heart.
Mayor Regina Mills begins to feel the emptiness in her position of power of controlling the town, and the only way to fill that void is to adopt a child, but she realizes that she'll have to wait a long time due to the possibility of being placed on a waiting list, so she (as predicted in the pre-curse) turns to Mr. Gold for help, but he then cautions her that when she becomes a parent, she should consider that she will be putting a child first.
The only warning the agency offers Regina is that the family has opted for a complete blackout concerning their lives (the sealed documents that Emma signed).
Unable to get any information from his past that she can give Dr. Whale after she takes Henry in for checkup, Regina calls in a few favors to get the identity of the birth mother accomplished through Sidney.
As they return to Pan's camp, Emma tries to talk to the Lost Boys, convincing them that she will bring them all home to families if they cooperate.
The ladies are then berated by Pan, who tells them that Gold is his son and afterwards are captured by a tree that feeds off of regrets (Emma for giving up Henry, Mary Margaret for giving up Emma), but Regina, whose love for her son outweighs any regret for the things she'd done that led to her getting him, manages to break free of the tree and grab Henry’s heart from Pan’s chest and the box holding Rumpelstiltskin.
As everyone makes it on board the Jolly Roger, Regina goes below deck and tucks Henry in, then casts a spell on his heart to protect it.
"[4] Hillary Busis of Entertainment Weekly also gave the episode positive feedback, saying "On this post-Turkey Day weekend, let's all give thanks to "Save Henry" for finally getting us off the dark, dreary island of Never Land, tying up the first half of season 3 with a magical little bow... and then, in true Once fashion, reminding us once more that happy endings are never as uncomplicated as they seem.
"[5] In regard to the episode's cliffhanger, she said "I'm so glad that thanks to this last-minute switcheroo, the awesome Robbie Kay's Once arc hasn't yet drawn to a close.