In October 2011 in Phuket, Thailand, August (Eion Bailey) is now discovering that he is turning back into wood (at 8:15, which is when the curse starts to weaken).
As the doctor screams for the orderlies, August escapes into the seedy streets of Hong Kong, where he meets an individual, who tells him of a person who can help him, The Dragon (Tzi Ma).
Later that night, August enters a bar and runs into Tamara, who offers to buy him a beer and explains that she went to see the Dragon because she was diagnosed with cancer.
Tamara later returns to the Dragon's flat, where he begins to figure out her deception that she never had cancer and that she was after the potion, which she noticed contained a substance that wasn't from "this" world.
As August rides off, the two are unaware that Tamara has been watching very closely from a vendor stand, where she had bought a grande size coffee cup and as expected "bumps" into Neal, putting her scheme in motion.
At Granny's Diner, Greg (Ethan Embry) is enjoying apple pie and learns that Regina (Lana Parrilla) had bought it for him as thanks for finding Henry.
Emma races back to the office; August realizes that Tamara killed the Dragon and that her real goal was to come to Storybrooke to take magic and plans to warn the residents.
Henry believes that the warning August was attempting to give Emma was brave and truthful, then asks if the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy) can save him.
As August's actions were indeed brave and truthful, the Blue Fairy uses her wand and brings him back to life as a real young boy, Pinocchio (Jakob Davies).
"Selfless, Brave and True" was co-written by Robert Hull & Kalinda Vazquez, while Ralph Hemecker served as the episode's director.
Disney references in this episode point to Mulan in which the Dragon showcases his ability to draw smoke from his nostrils, Pinocchio in which the Blue Fairy grants August a chance to become a real boy again, The Little Mermaid in which Tamara used a shell-like mirror to see Neal and August talk, and Winnie The Pooh in which a honey neon pub sign called "Winnie's" is featured.
Club gave this episode a "C," noting that Hull and Vazquez "don’t craft a strong enough story to make the viewer believe that these connections are anything but overly convenient plot developments.