First, in the past, Jasmine was tasked with bringing in Aladdin to save her land from Jafar. In the present Storybrooke, the Evil Queen is tasked with being a devious inspiration to her sister Zelena to make her dark side come out. And there is also Emma, who, for the past five seasons of “Once Upon a Time,” has been tasked with saving everything good in the world.
In Agrabah many years ago, Jasmine enlisted Aladdin to steal the “Diamond in the Rough,” a powerful weapon which can prevent the evil vizier Jafar from lording over the capitol.
When they were already in the Cave of Wonders, Jasmine and Aladdin were almost crushed by a cave-in, until Aladdin uses a blast of magic to save them. As Jasmine suspected, Aladdin is a Savior, the real “diamond in the rough” to ward off Jafar.
But after Jasmine leaves, Aladdin gets a visit from Jafar, who uses a red bird named Iago to reveal the thief’s dire fate. Aladdin avoided it, though, by using magical shears to cut away his Savior status.
Over in Storybrooke, Emma led shrink Archie into the woods on a search for the seer, only to find the young woman dead and teacher’s aide Shirin fleeing the scene. Back at the cop shop, Shirin eventually reveals that she is, in fact, Princess Jasmine, and she has been looking for Aladdin, the Savior.