is the seventh episode of the first season of Once Upon a Time, originally airing on December 11, 2011. It serves as a pivotal mid-season finale, revealing that Regina (the Evil Queen) has maintained her memories of the Enchanted Forest and is aware of the curse. Plot Summary
As Emma and Graham share a second, tender kiss at the police station, his memories fully return—he realizes his true identity as the Huntsman and thanks Emma for helping him remember. Simultaneously, Regina enters a secret chamber beneath her father's tomb where she keeps her collection of hearts. She locates Graham's heart and crushes it to dust. Graham immediately collapses and dies in Emma's arms. Key Themes & Trivia [S1E7] The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
The Evil Queen hires a Huntsman to kill Snow White and bring back her heart. Moved by Snow's purity and her letter of forgiveness, he spares her life and presents the Queen with a stag's heart instead. When the Queen discovers the deception, she yanks the Huntsman’s glowing heart from his chest, making him her "pet" who must obey her every command. is the seventh episode of the first season
The episode follows Sheriff Graham as he begins to experience vivid flashes of his past life as the Huntsman after kissing Emma Swan. Simultaneously, Regina enters a secret chamber beneath her
The episode highlights the Huntsman's unique connection to nature, specifically his upbringing by wolves.
The title is a literary allusion to the Carson McCullers novel of the same name, reflecting Graham's emotional isolation and search for a "heart".
