Exiled Lancelot in OUAT's "Lady of the Lake"

Aha! A Knight of the Round Table has a guest-starring role on Once Upon A Time!

In the Season 2 premiere Emma fell through a portal (saving Regina's life) leading her to the Enchanted Forest, and Snow jumped in after her. They find themselves in a realm that is barely recognizable to Snow after the  Curse stripped the land of its people (or most of them as they find out). After being captured by Mulan and Aurora, in the third episode "Lady of the Lake" they are led to the leader of the survivors, Lancelot (formerly of the Round Table).

Friends reunited

The episode follows the usual format of OUAT, with present day scenes (divided between Snow and Emma in the Enchanted Forest looking for a way home, and between Charming and Henry in Storybook looking for a way to bring them home) and flashbacks to when Snow and Charming met Lancelot the first time, while escaping from King George.

Snow drinking from cursed cup at King George's castle

Lancelot's only explanation for how "a knight of the round table became a sword for hire" is a woman. Although he begins as their antagonist, capturing Snow, he regrets King George's dishonorable methods (cursing Snow!) and switches sides to help her and Charming, proving himself to be the noble knight we all know and love. He performs a marriage ceremony for Snow and Charming in the presence of Charming's dying mother.

"Do you...?"

SPOILER!

In the present day Enchanted Forest, it is revealed that Lancelot was killed long ago by Cora (Regina's mom) and replaced by her to lead the group of survivors from Regina's curse. So Snow, Emma and the others have been hanging out with Cora instead! :o(

Elements from Arthurian Legend:

• Lancelot of course! Looking a bit different than we're used to... Cool change!
• Reference to the Round Table and Guinevere (when mentions he became a sword for hire because of a woman)
• Episode title: "Lady of the Lake" - in Arthurian legend the one responsible for Excalibur? Reference to Lancelot's origins when he mentions he grew up by a lake and his mother taught him some things... (sometimes know as "Lancelot du Lac" - of the lake -)