"Tougher Than the Rest" is the eleventh episode of the sixth season of the American fantasy drama series Once Upon a Time, which aired on March 5, 2017.
The Dark Realm flashbacks take place many years after the Black Fairy kidnapped Gideon in "Wish You Were Here".
In winter 1990 Minnesota, a young Emma has run away from a group home and is living on the streets of Minneapolis.
While there, she asks Robin if he would’ve been better off if she had never pursued him, only to have their conversation be interrupted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, who places them in jail.
At the loft, David, who by now is frustrated and even has Hook worried while looking for their unwanted visitor earlier, explains to Snow (via cellphone as she is still under the shared sleeping curse) that until the threat is over he won't wake her up.
Belle shows up at the loft to tell David about Gideon being the one who'll kill Emma, and she is hoping they can come up with a plan to stop it.
As Emma returns to Storybrooke, the vision is about to be played out, and as expected is suddenly approached by Gideon; the two start their sword fight.
Emma’s family and friends arrive to stop them, but Gideon freezes them, so they can't interfere.