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An article discussing how strong the female characters are.

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Media critic's opinion on who are the 13 strongest/12 weakest characters.

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Once Upon a Time rapidly evolved into the darling of the ABC Network as both nostalgic adults and fantasy-enamored youth flocked to the re-imagined fairy tales in the modern world. Part of the show's allure stemmed from the familiar stories and the need to find out just how every tale might pan out each week, but an even larger aspect that quickly grew the fan base was simply the characters themselves.

Inspiring, cunning, brave, and highly flawed, the characters of Once Upon a Time were a times more of a trainwreck none of us could turn away from, even when seasons became cringe-worthy and more commercialized than clever. The hardest heart could be kind and the most innocent and loving could be cruel. Fans never knew if their favorite character might be a hero or a villain any given week.

Much of the show's character development rested upon each character's strengths and weaknesses. Characters who demonstrated phenomenal, even supernatural strength, might be the weakest of all when it came to their emotions. Meanwhile, those who appeared meek surprised us all as they turned a corner in the name of love or justice. While many fans mourn the show, they will always hold onto the incredible stories and the characters, both weak and strong, who made them so unforgettable.

From the bravest heroes who turned bad to the villains who gave it up and surprised us all, here are the 13 Strongest (And 12 Weakest) Once Upon A Time Characters, Ranked.

25 Strongest: Rumplestiltskin

He is the original bad boy of the series and his power has never been doubted.

Mr. Gold, also known as Rumplestiltskin, walked a long gray line between good and evil, constantly causing everyone to guess where his alliances truly lay throughout the entire span of the series.

Robert Carlyle portrayed this character so masterfully that the Beast simply couldn't be written off, with rumors of his demise routinely being greatly exaggerated.

The one thing that keeps Gold from being a stronger character? His own greed and fear. Rumple is his own worst enemy.

24 Weakest: Prince Philip

As far as prince stories go, the tale of Prince Philip is a little unorthodox. Sure, he awakens Aurora with a kiss, but not only is he frozen in time but he also ends up being the Yaoguai, a terrible beast.
Twice he's been bested by evil witches and both times he had to be rescued by someone else.
While many fans enjoyed this reversal of the woman in the refrigerator trope, it did paint a less heroic version of Philip than the Disney one would have us believe.

Then again, in the original telling of Sleeping Beauty, the prince is a creep, so perhaps it's still an improvement.

23 Strongest: Baelfire

It's difficult to leave a parent, particularly one who is dependent on you, lies to you daily and enforces the belief that your own mother abandoned you.

Baelfire, who grew up to be Henry's father, managed to do just that, leaving behind a world of magic when his own father refused to do so. Once he landed in our world, Bae adhered to a less stringent moral code, adapting to life as a thief, but it wasn't as if he had a lot of choice without any parents or a job.

While Bae's physical strength is average, his strong ethical compass is what gains him a spot on the list of strongest characters.

22 Weakest: Jiminy Cricket

A man who should have been listed among the strongest characters when it comes to ethics is actually one of the weakest people in Storybrooke.
He has no magic or physical strength.
Not only is Jiminy responsible for attempting to poison his own parents, no matter how wretched they were, and inadvertently transforming an innocent couple into wooden dolls, but he was also complicit in some pretty dark plots. He gave poor counsel to Henry just because his mother ordered him to do so.

For someone who is meant to be a conscience, Jiminy isn't as strong as he should be.

21 Strongest: Blue Fairy

Time and time again, the Blue Fairy proved to be one of the strongest people in the history of the show.

Though she's supposedly the most powerful creature in all the land, she is not without limitations-- or mistakes as it was she who ultimately instilled the idea of the Storybrooke curse.

She also translates the spell to summon the Black Fairy without meaning to do so, prompting viewers to wonder how someone nearly omnipotent could not only make so many mistakes but could also be so hard on other fairies. Still, she does come to the rescue often and her powers are nearly unrivaled.

20 Weakest: Cinderella

Although Cinderella has a kind heart and usually has a positive attitude, she's easily one of the most boring and helpless characters on the show.
Indebted to Rumpelstiltskin with her baby, she doesn't seem to be able to do much for herself at all.
While other princesses turn into strong fighters for justice or at least their own families, Cinderella just isn't very impressive.

It's not that she's a terrible person, but the odds are stacked against her if she's going to be this milquetoast. She's one of the fairy tale characters whose story the show didn't mess with much.

19 Strongest: Ursula

The sea witch of Little Mermaid fame always got a bad rap when she was the most powerful thing in the ocean. With all of that power and charisma, Ursula should have been an incredible plus-sized force to be reckoned with. Many authors have re-imagined her tale with these twists.

Once Upon a Time did, not only making her one of few people of color on the show but also a villain with a tragic backstory who betters herself and those around her.

Her defiance of the darkness that other villains could not fight makes her one of the strongest characters.

18 Weakest: Sheriff Graham

Easily taken out by Regina the moment he started regaining his memories, Graham did her bidding in Storybrooke.
Regina holds his heart hostage, making him a victim of her control and assault.
Though he was stronger as the Huntsman who afforded Snow White her freedom, Graham's ineptitude as sheriff is magnified as we witness other similarly non-powered characters manage to evade Regina for years.

After Hook gets his heart back, fans especially wondered how Graham couldn't have received a better conclusion to his story.

17 Strongest: Granny

Always there with a crossbow and some major attitude, Granny is one of the most steadfast characters in Storybrooke.

When it's revealed that Widow Lucas is also the fierce protector of her granddaughter Ruby, who happens to be a werewolf, she transforms the old kindly grandmother fairy tale trope into something new and exciting on the show.

Although Granny often butts heads with her headstrong granddaughter, as guardians often do, her heart is almost always in the right place. She's someone everyone would want on their team.

It's just too bad that her character didn't get any deeper episodes following that initial revelation.

16 Weakest: Magic Mirror

We can't help but pity Sidney, the Genie of Agrabah, who fell in love with the Evil Queen and did her bidding with the hopes of winning her heart.
We also despise him for taking out the person who granted him his freedom in the process: King Leopold.
Sidney Glass never learns his lesson, going as far as to punish them both by vowing to never leave her side, causing him to become the Magic Mirror.

It's one of the cleverest spins on a fairy tale in the series but it's also the complete desecration of the beloved Robin Williams Genie everyone knew and loved.

15 Strongest: Ruby

When you realize that you're both a beauty and a beast, it can have some traumatic effects. When Ruby discovered she was a werewolf after destroying her boyfriend, a lot of terrible things could have happened. Luckily, with her Granny's help, she grew from the tragedy and learned to use her abilities to her own advantage.

Ruby is also the character who gave Snow shelter, and she frequently comes to the rescue in her wolf form.

When Ruby fought alongside Dorothy and later saved her life, she further proved how strong she was.

14 Weakest: King George

Fairy tale kings are often benevolent and kind, but a few can be cruel-- and King George is a prime example. His desire for power and any heir at any cost in order to save his own disgraced kingdom from bankruptcy proved that his selfishness outweighed any responsibility he felt as the king.
George proved to be a cunning but weak character over and over again.
He poisoned Snow to render her infertile, framed Ruby for atrocious crimes, and carried out other vengeful plots.

King George never displays a drop of remorse and follows a two eyes for an eye philosophy, making him one of the weakest people in town.

13 Strongest: Henry Mills

Throughout the saga of Storybrooke, Henry Mills has demonstrated almost completely unwavering faith in goodness prevailing and in the trustworthiness of others.

Not only has he (mostly) avoided the temptation of evil, but he's also rooted for those whom others abandoned as hopeless cases. He is the reason why the curse ultimately broke, even if his mother was the vessel through which it did, because he brought her there through his own faith and determination.

Henry has also demonstrated other powerful abilities as the author and an adult, but it was Henry's childhood that really shone.

12 Weakest: Pinocchio

Who didn't love August, the wooden man who really believed what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?

While Pinocchio's father expected him to take care of Emma, it's a high burden to ask a child to carry. Even if Pinocchio eventually found his way to Emma to help encourage her along, he still represents one of the weakest characters.
He lies, pursues pleasure over responsibility and turns into wood as a result of his weaknesses.
Pinocchio becoming a real boy again was also a weird, if not weak, moment.

11 Strongest: Mulan

She's as brave, selfless and true as they come, even when it comes at great personal cost. Mulan has rescued several characters, some multiple times, and proves to be the most honorable of them all, keeping her word even at great difficulty.

Mulan is a fierce opponent in battle, besting most people she comes across, and the fact that she gave up Aurora without attempting to infringe upon her happiness, even after helping the princess become a better person, proves that she's one of the strongest characters on the show.

She is one of the many characters fans wished to see more of in the show.

10 Weakest: Dopey

Dopey is a tree. Okay, he may not always be a tree, but when you are a tree you are pretty much the weakest character in a show.
Dopey is almost a complete background character without any real power.
Although we pity him because he's often berated by his fellow dwarves for his ineffectiveness, the fact remains that he's one of the weakest characters in Storybrooke.

Dopey doesn't have a very strong story line or any major important roles, which is really too bad since the Once Upon a Time team is known for spinning tales upside-down.

9 Strongest: Belle

All jokes about Stockholm Syndrome aside, Belle is one of the strongest characters in Storybrooke. Not only did she take on a monster without any special powers of her own, but she managed to love and forgive Rumpelstiltskin over and over again. Some might call this stupidity, and even if they are right, it reveals more about the contents and character of Belle's heart more than it does about Gold's scheming.

Belle is positive, adventurous and loving-- a devoted mother and friend. It's a rare moment when she can't be counted on.

Even though Belle doesn't have much physical or magical ability, she's proven that her mind and mettle are enough.

8 Weakest: Anastasia

Although she eventually repents for her wrongdoing, Anastasia is still the Red Queen whose power-hungry ways destroyed lives.
Anastasia's story mirrors Cora's in how she escapes poverty and rejects her true love in favor of wealth and power.
From dabbling with magic to tossing Cyrus into the sea and other dastardly deeds, Anastasia's willingness to work with Jafar all throughout Once Upon a Time in Wonderland made her undeserving of the White Queen title she eventually took beside Will, her White King, even if she did save his life.

7 Strongest: Peter Pan

Some villains do anything to protect their children while others, like Peter Pan, abandon them at any cost. That alone should land him a spot among the weakest characters, but his sheer invulnerability is what makes Peter Pan one of the strongest characters on Once Upon a Time.

Not only can none of the most powerful characters, from Regina and Emma to Gold, defeat him, but he is also one of the most terrifying foes they've ever faced in the series.

Pan is also one of the strongest adaptations of the show, rendering a beloved impetuous boy who never wanted to grow up into one of the evilest villains of all time.

6 Weakest: Owen Flynn

Owen Flynn, also known as Greg Mendell, is an obvious choice for a weak character since he possessed no magic on his own.
The loss of his father could have helped him develop into a true warrior for justice, instead of the vengeful and cruel man.
The show often depicts characters in painful situations but the complicated and most compelling part happens after the trauma when each character chooses who he or she will be.

Flynn, who put his trust in a madman and his bunch of Lost Boys, chose poorly.

5 Strongest: Cora Mills

In some ways, one could argue that Cora Mills is the weakest character, given how threatened she felt by a mere stable boy. But this is a woman who removed her own heart, not just obtain the power she'd never had but to give her own child a better life than she'd had.

One of the cleverest people in the entire series, Cora is always a step ahead and carries powerful magic that rivals Rumplestiltskin's, the teacher and true love she gave up for the power she craved.

Rose McGowan's portrayal of Cora was also one of the strongest on the show.

4 Weakest: Cruella De Vil

There is really no argument against Cruella De Vil as one of the weakest characters in the history of Once Upon a Time. Her willingness to destroy others for her own personal gain, without any growth or atonement, renders her a very one-dimensional character.
Her puppy persuasion powers are definitely underwhelming.
When viewers tuned in for the villain's backstory, many expected some kind of "good gone bad" twist due to trauma, like many others displayed but alas, Cruella had always been a psychopathic devil.

3 Strongest: Regina Mills

Regina Mills is one of the most complicated characters ever written for a TV show. The evil queen we all loved to hate once upon a time, she was also a desperate infatuated youth who lost her love, and a fiercely protective mother.

Her evolution into someone who could truly turn over a new leaf for the side of good became one of the strongest themes of the show.

Soon her magical strength was surpassed by her own strength of heart-- even if there are many fans who feel she never truly atoned for her crimes, leaving her many victims without justice.

2 Weakest: Dr. Frankenstein

While it's understandable that Dr. Frankenstein desperately desired the love and approval his own father refused to give him, the methods to his madness are simply inexcusable.
Imagine if he'd been able to utilize that brainpower for something good, instead of succumbing to the darkness that his father instilled in him.
The proof of his weakness resides in Dr. Whale as well, his morally bankrupt Storybrooke counterpart who never shies from an opportunity to be selfish or even just gross.

1 Strongest: Emma Swan

It may be an obvious choice but Emma Swan is definitely the strongest character in Once Upon a Time. Not only does she have a sharp mind, decent fighting skills, and her own unique brand of magic, but Emma is so strong that she even barely transformed into a Dark One when the curse befell her.

Not only did she do her best to protect those she loved, but she sacrificed herself to do so.

Swan's self-sacrifice and constant work for the side of good make her the strongest character on Once Upon a Time.

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Who's your favorite Once Upon a Time character? Let us know in the comments!

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13 Strongest (And 12 Weakest) Once Upon A Time Characters, Ranked

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Once Upon a Time rapidly evolved into the darling of the ABC Network as both nostalgic adults and fantasy-enamored youth flocked to the re-imagined fairy tales in the modern world.

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How fairy tales were made to entertain and educate at the same time, and how OUTA is changing the stories.

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Once Upon a Time (TV Series 2011-2018) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.

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A quick introduction to the world of Once Upon a Time.

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Once Upon A Time - Season 1 - USA Premiere Promo #1 (No More Happy Endings)

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If you love the Once Upon A Time TV series, please feel free to join my group on Facebook located here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/oncers/

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The characters discovering the sorcerers secret library in his mansion.

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Belle's first appearance in the psychiatric ward, where she was hidden.

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Ruby behaving as her actual character, Little Red Riding Hood, by appearing with a basket full of bakery items.

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Emma battling the dragon in the "cave" under the clock tower/library.

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The book that contains all the characters stories.

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(1) "Pilot" (S1, E1) Summary and Synopsis

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(1) "Pilot" (S1, E1) Summary and Synopsis

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The beginning of the series, going into details.

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"Pilot"

Once Upon A Time, there was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters we know. Or think we know.
One day they found themselves trapped in a place where all their happy endings were stolen. Our World.
This is how it happened...

"Pilot" is the first episode of Season One of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and directed by Mark Mylod. It is the first episode of the series overall, and premiered on October 23, 2011.

Synopsis

And they lived happily ever after...or so everyone was led to believe. Emma Swan knows how to take care of herself. She's a 28-year-old bail bondsperson who's been on her own ever since she was abandoned as a baby. But when Henry-the son she gave up years ago-finds her, everything changes. Henry is now 10 years old and in desperate need of Emma's help. He believes that Emma actually comes from an alternate world and is Snow White and Prince Charming's missing daughter. According to his book of fairytales, they sent her away to protect her from the Evil Queen's curse, which trapped the characters of fairytale world forever, frozen in time, and brought them into our modern world.

Not believing a word of Henry's story, Emma brings him back to Storybrooke, but finds herself drawn to this unusual boy and his strange New England town. Concerned for him, she decides to stay for a while, but soon comes to suspect that Storybrooke is more than it seems. It's a place where magic has been forgotten, but is still powerfully close...where fairytale characters are alive, even though they don't remember who they once were, and where the Evil Queen, known as Regina, is now Henry's foster mother. The epic battle for the future of all worlds is beginning, and for good to win, Emma will have to accept her destiny and fight like hell.[1]

Recap

This section is a detailed recap of this episode. There are major spoilers. Click to expand.

In the Enchanted Forest, Prince Charming races his horse along a road and into a forest. As it begins to snow, he meets with the Seven Dwarves. They tell him that he is too late as he looks to the sleeping woman that they have placed in a glass casket. He tells them to open it, but is reminded she is gone. When the Prince asks for the chance to say goodbye to his love, they open the casket and he kisses her. A wave of energy sweeps outward and the woman awakens. The Prince promises that he will always find her and kisses her.

Snow White and the Prince marry in front of their kingdoms as everyone applauds. The Evil Queen comes in and casts aside the guards who try to stop her. Snow White grabs Prince Charming's sword, telling her that she is no longer Queen. Prince Charming reminds her that she has already lost and that he will not let her ruin their happy wedding. The Queen informs them both she has a gift for them and she makes a vow of her own. Soon everything that everyone in their world loves will be ripped away from them, and her victory will arise from their suffering. She promises to destroy their happiness if it is the last thing she does. Before she makes her final exit Prince Charming throws his sword at her but she dissolves into a cloud black and purple smoke and disappears.

In the "real" world, Henry Mills is reading a fairy tale book as he rides the bus to Boston. When he arrives, he hails a cab and pays for it with a credit card.

A man named Ryan sits down at a table with a blond woman and they begin to talk. They are both on a blind date, happy to find the other person is who they say they are. Emma tells Ryan it is her birthday and she has no family to spend it with, so decided to go out with him that night. She then tells Ryan that she knows he embezzled money from his employer and abandoned his wife and children. He realizes that she is a bail bondsman and makes a mad dash for it, but discovers that she has booted his car. When Emma suggests that Ryan should give what money he has to his family, he asks her what she knows about family. Emma knocks him out and says "nothing." She then goes home and lights a cupcake for her birthday. The doorbell rings and Emma finds Henry at her doorstep. She has no idea who he is, but Henry knows her by name. He introduces himself and says that he is her son.

Henry enters the apartment and explains that he is the baby she gave up for adoption ten years ago. Emma asks him to give her a minute and retreats to the bathroom. When she calms down and comes out, Henry asks her to come home with him. When she threatens to call the police, Henry says that he will claim that she kidnapped him. Emma says that she can tell when people are lying and starts to make the call, but Henry says that he needs her to come with him to Storybrooke, Maine. Emma reluctantly agrees.

In the Enchanted Forest, a pregnant Snow White contemplates the Queen's threat. Prince Charming tells her that they were only words. Snow White reminds him that she poisoned her, all because she thought Snow White was prettier than her. Prince Charming asks what he can do to reassure her, Snow White asks to talk to the prisoner who can see the future. The Prince hesitates, but Snow White insists that he can assure that their child will be safe. The Prince reluctantly agrees.

As they drive to Maine, Henry asks to stop for food but Emma refuses, saying they are not on a road trip. He starts reading from his storybook of fairy tales and insists that they are all true. When Emma says they are not, Henry dares her to tell if he is telling the truth. Emma does but points out that just because someone believes something does not make it real. Henry says that is what makes things real, and that he has problems that she's going to fix for him.

The jailer takes Snow White and Prince Charming to see Rumplestiltskin, warning her not to reveal her name. When they arrive at the cell, Rumplestiltskin knows immediately who they are, and the cloaks are pointless. He says that he can reassure them but it will cost them something in return.

Prince Charming refuses, but Snow White insists and asks what he wants. Rumplestiltskin asks for the name of their child and Snow White agrees, and he tells them that they will all soon be imprisoned when time stops, imprisoned somewhere horrible where everything they love will be ripped from them.

When Snow White asks what can stop it, Rumplestiltskin says that her child is their only hope and they should get her to safety. On the child's 28th birthday, she will find them and the final battle will begin. Snow White and Prince Charming walk away and Rumplestiltskin demands the name of the child, saying that it is a girl. Prince Charming insists that it is a boy, but Rumplestiltskin says that Snow White knows the truth. She turns and tells Rumplestiltskin that the child's name is Emma.

Emma and Henry arrive at Storybrooke. He refuses to give her an address and Emma pulls over. She notices that the town clock is frozen and Henry explains that the Evil Queen sent everyone there and trapped them, frozen in time. When Emma asks why they don't leave, Henry warns that bad things happen when they try. A man, Archie Hopper, comes over, and Henry greets him.

He tells Emma that Henry is the mayor's son and gives Emma the address. When Henry claims he was on a field trip, Archie tells him not to lie because it means giving in to the dark side. As Archie leaves, Henry explains that Archie is actually Jiminy Cricket, but he does not know it and that none of the townspeople remember who they really are. They have all been frozen in time, and nothing ever changes.

Prince Charming meets with the council and insists that they need to fight. Jiminy Cricket warns that fighting means giving into one's dark side. Snow White says that there is nothing they can do because the future is ordained, but Prince Charming says that if Rumplestiltskin says the truth, then their child will be their savior.

The Blue Fairy arrives with a squad of soldiers bearing a mystic tree and says that the wood can be used to ward off any curse. She asks Geppetto if he can make the enchantment they need. He agrees, but the Blue Fairy warns that the tree can only protect one.

Henry asks Emma not to take him back to the mayor, explaining that his adopted mother is evil and only pretends to love him. The mayor, Regina Mills (the Evil Queen), runs out and embraces him, but he insists that he has found his real mother and runs inside. Sheriff Graham is with her and goes inside to check on Henry, Regina invites Emma in for a glass of apple cider. She explains that she didn't know who Henry's parents were and that the records of the parents were sealed.

Emma assures Regina that she has nothing to worry about, and that the father does not even know that Henry exists. The mayor explains that she is strict with Henry but she wants him to excel in life. When Emma comments on Henry's claims about fairy tales, Regina says that she has no idea what she is talking about. She invites Emma to leave and the bail bondsman goes out to her car.

As she turns back, she sees Henry in his bedroom window, watching her. As Emma drives out of town, she realizes that Henry left his book on the car seat. She looks up and sees a wolf on the road ahead of her. She swerves to avoid it and hits the town marker, knocking Emma unconscious. The book opens to the pages of Geppetto at work.

Geppetto and his son Pinocchio are hard at work carving the enchanted tree into a magic wardrobe. In her chambers, Snow White insists that she cannot leave Prince Charming, but he insists that she has to be safe from the curse. As they embrace, Snow White realizes that the baby is coming. On the battlements, the dwarves stand guard and see a vast evil cloud approaching. Grumpy sounds the alarm as the curse approaches.

Emma wakes up and finds herself in a cell. Leroy is locked up in the cell next to her, and the handyman, Marco, tells him not to give Emma grief. Marco comments that he does not have any children. Sheriff Graham releases Leroy and suggests that Emma was drunk on the mayor's cider.

Regina arrives and is surprised to see Emma in the jail cell, and tells Graham that Henry has run away again. Emma offers to help and they take her to Henry's bedroom. She checks the computer and confirms that he made a credit card payment to a birth-mother tracking site using a credit card belonging to Mary Margaret Blanchard, his teacher. Mary Margaret is just dismissing her class when Regina and Emma arrive.

The teacher insists that she knew nothing about Henry's actions and claims that he stole her credit card. Angry, Regina realizes that Mary Margaret gave Henry the fairy tale book, and the teacher defends herself, saying that he is a special child. The mayor storms off and Emma talks to Mary Margaret, who says that Henry needed the book so that he could have hope of a happy ending. Emma realizes that the teacher knows where Henry is, and Mary Margaret suggests that she check Henry's castle.

As Snow White is in labor, Prince Charming assures her that the wardrobe is almost finished. Geppetto enters and says that it is finished, but Doc the dwarf warns that they cannot move Snow White because it is too close to the baby's delivery.

In the forest, the Evil Queen and her retinue of black knights ride toward the castle.

Snow White gives birth to her daughter and remembers that the wardrobe will only work for one person. The Prince realizes that their plan has failed and hears the invading force attacking the castle. Snow White tells him to take the baby to the wardrobe and hopes that Emma will come back for them. She says goodbye to her daughter, and the Prince takes her and a sword with him. He fights his way past two of the black knights but is wounded in the process. Finally, he gets to the wardrobe and places Emma inside. As he seals the door, more knights arrive and wound him severely. They open the wardrobe doors, but discover that the baby is gone. Badly wounded, the Prince sees that his daughter escaped to safety.

Emma tracks Henry to a playground castle structure and returns his book to him. He admits that he hoped that when he brought Emma there, things would change and the final battle would begin. Henry figures that she is pushing him away because she feels guilty, and that he knows Emma gave him away to give him his best chance.

Emma insists that she is a real person and no savior, but admits that she wanted him to have his best chance. Henry asks her to stay for one week to prove that he is not crazy, saying that his life sucks with Regina. Emma tells him that his life is nothing compared to hers, and her parents abandoned her on a freeway and her foster family sent her back when she was 3. Henry insists that she went through the wardrobe and appeared on the freeway, and her real parents tried to save her from the curse, but Emma does not believe him.

Snow White finds Prince Charming and pleads with him to come back to her. She kisses him but he does not move. The Evil Queen enters and says that in a few minutes, Snow White will remember nothing and that it is her personal happy ending.

The Queen's knights tell her that the baby is gone and Snow White smiles, saying that the Evil Queen will lose and good will always win. The Evil Queen laughs as the roof shatters as a vast vortex sucks everything up, and says that they are going to somewhere absolutely horrible, where the only happy ending will be hers.

In Storybrooke, Emma brings Henry back to Regina and he runs inside. The mayor thanks her and notes that Henry seems to like Emma. Emma admits that when she blew out the candle on her birthday cupcake, she made a wish that she would not be alone on her birthday.

Regina says that Emma should not try to come back into Henry's life, because she has raised the boy and he is her son now. She says that Emma has no legal right to Henry because she insisted on a closed adoption, and tells her to leave town or she will destroy her.

As Regina turns to go, Emma asks if she loves Henry. Regina says that she does and closes the door, and then goes to see Henry in his room. She takes his fairy tale book with her and goes to a mirror, studying it intently.

Mary Margaret is serving at the hospital as a volunteer, and goes to see a male patient, a John Doe. She places flowers at his bed side and leaves the man to slumber in his enclosed room of glass.

Henry looks out his window toward the town clock.

Emma goes to a bed and breakfast run by Granny. She is complaining to her granddaughter, but is surprised when Emma wants to take a room. Granny eagerly agrees to give her a room. As Emma gives her name for the register, Mr. Gold comes in and comments on her lovely name. He takes a money vial from Granny and wishes Emma a lovely stay, and then leaves. Granny and her granddaughter explain that Mr. Gold owns the entire town, and then Granny gives Emma her key.

As Henry watches the clock, the hands move for the first time; meaning that Emma's arrival has started to weaken the curse.

Deleted Scenes

These scenes are included on Once Upon a Time: The Complete First Season.

"Meet Rumplestiltskin" (Scene 1)

This was the original opening scene of the episode.[3]

A guard enters the mines with a tray of food. In the distance, laughter can be heard. The guard walks forward and is stopped by another guard who pulls a small twig out of the food; warning him what "he" could do with it. The laughter continues making the guard curious the other one tells him he has been doing it for two days. The guard places the food in the cell and before he leaves, Rumplestiltskin grabs him and tells him, "It has begun."

"Cradle" (Scene 9)

An extended version of the scene where Snow White and Prince Charming talk about Rumplestiltskin. Grumpy and Dopey are arguing in Emma's nursery. Prince Charming enters and asks them to leave so he can be with Snow White. As he approaches her, the scene proceeds as it does in the actual episode, with a blue bird flying from her hand, and him asking her what is wrong, but she replies, "Nothing."

"Regina's Sheriff" (Scene 22)

Emma leaves Regina's house and is surprised to see Sheriff Graham outside leaning on her car. Graham thinks she should stay at Granny's for the night due to Regina's drinks being strong. Emma disagrees and believes she is fine to drive and would pass a breathalyzer test. He agrees to let her go and she drives off.

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"Pilot" is the first episode of Season One of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Edward Kitsis& Adam Horowitz and directed by Mark Mylod. It is the first episode of the series overall, and premiered on October 23, 2011. And they lived happily ever after...or so everyone was led to believe.

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How/why the characters ended up in NYC.

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"New York City Serenade"

"New York City Serenade" is the twelfth episode of Season Three of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz, and directed by Billy Gierhart. It is the fifty-sixth episode of the series overall, and premiered on March 9, 2014.

Synopsis

After Rumplestiltskin sacrificed his life to stop Pan from enacting another curse, Regina obliterated her original curse, which erased Storybrooke from existence and whisked its residents back to Fairy Tale Land - leaving Emma and Henry back in our world with no memories of Storybrooke. But all is not well back in the Enchanted Forest when Hook comes calling on Emma in New York City in an attempt to jog her memory so that she can once again help her fairy tale family and friends out of a desperate situation.[2]

Recap

This section is a detailed recap of this episode. There are major spoilers. Click to expand.

In the Enchanted Forest, Prince Phillip rides on horseback to a pavilion where Aurora is waiting for him. She has prepared a lunch for them both. She playfully complains that he is late. Stating that she is hungry and has missed him, she adds humorously that she is cranky due to her pregnancy. Their tender moment is interrupted by the ominous sound of thunder. They turn to see a purple cloud of smoke rolling towards them. They attempt to outrun the oncoming tempest, but it passes through them. Phillip and Aurora are unharmed and see that a number of former Enchanted Forest inhabitants have appeared before them, consisting of Snow White, Prince Charming and others. Aurora is shocked to see Snow, and asks her what has happened. Snow simply replies, "We're back."

In a flash forward of one year, Emma is in New York City. She enters an up-scale restaurant to have dinner with Walsh, who is revealed to be her current boyfriend. Walsh asks about Henry's recent science project, which Emma recounts went well, partly due to Walsh's help. After their meal, Walsh excuses himself and mentions, somewhat cryptically, that he'll be back. During Walsh's absence, Hook sits in his vacant chair, startling Emma. Emma, still having no memory of Hook, insists that he leave. But Hook is persistent, telling her that her current life is a sham and warning her that her parents are in danger. Hook says he has proof of this and hands her a paper with an address on it, claiming that the truth of who Emma is and where her parents are can be found there. Emma rebuffs him, to which Hook then states that they've met before a year ago. Emma denies this, claiming that a year ago she was in Boston where her apartment had caught fire, prompting her to move to New York. Hook muses that Regina's curse is the cause of these false memories. Once again, Hook implores Emma to go the address he has given her and that he'll be waiting to hear from her at Central Park. When he leaves, Emma is left confused.

In a flashback, in the Enchanted Forest, Snow White, Prince Charming, Hook and Regina are catching up on what has happened during their absence. Aurora reports that the ogres have since been defeated and that they are in the process of restoring their kingdom. Snow White also notes that Aurora is pregnant. Prince Philip says that they have much to celebrate and offers them all refuge within their kingdom. This earns a troubled look from Aurora. Prince Charming is grateful but says that they have their own castle to go to. Snow White reminds him that their castle was decimated by the curse. Aurora says that Regina's former castle still stands, however, as Regina had protected it. Prince Charming and Regina bicker over who is the castle's rightful owner: Snow White or Regina. Snow says that they are going to reclaim it and that Regina is going to go with them. Regina finds the idea laughable, but Snow White insists, arguing that being united will give their people the hope they need at this troubled time. They then bid their farewells. Now alone with Prince Philip, Aurora gives voice to her worries: that they must tell "her" that the people of the Enchanted Forest have returned. Philip is loathed to do so, being fearful of that this unnamed woman will do to them. But Aurora is more worried what "she" will do if they fail to inform her of their return, reasoning that she may harm their yet unborn child. Aurora says they just have to hope the Enchanted Forest folks can look after themselves.

Back in New York City, Walsh re-enters to a confused Emma. He asks her what the paper (which Hook gave her) is and she replies that it's nothing. She is then given a dish with a dessert on it, and says that she's full. He tells her to look at it, in which he turns the dish over to reveal a ring surrounded by a circle of chocolate, and afterward tells her he couldn't wait any longer and that he loves her and Henry. She is left speechless as he proposes to her.

She is then seen walking out of the restaurant, and Walsh catches up to her. She tells him that it's too fast and that they've been together for only eight months. After a brief conversation, he tells her that she could take as much time as she wants.

Afterward, Henry is seen playing a video game after Emma walks in. He asks her what she said, and she tells that she didn't say "no". After she says she needs more time, Henry points out that Walsh is not like his father because he isn't going to abandon them.

A year earlier, in the Enchanted Forest, everyone is making preparations for the Queen's castle. As the dwarves celebrate how handsome they look, Jiminy lands on Grumpy's shoulder and informs him that 50 more people from Storybrooke have arrived. After Prince Charming hears this, he find Hook loading up his horse. He tells Hook that he doesn't need to pack that much, as the Dark Palace in less than a day away, but Hook tells him that he is going to find the Jolly Roger. Neal then comes up to Snow and Charming, asking if he can revive his father, so he can bring him to Emma and Henry. They tell him that his desired task is impossible and he should leave it alone to give them their best chance.

As Henry is getting ready to go to school, he accuses Emma of worrying. She tells him that she is thinking and when he asks if it is about Walsh, she responds with a yes. After Henry leaves, Emma looks at the address Hook gave her and she goes there. She unlocks the door and when she sees a dreamcatcher, she realizes that she is in Neal's apartment. After looking around, she finds a camera with Henry's name on it.

Emma immediately meets Hook at Central Park to discuss with him. She asks him about the camera and if Neal is trying to get into Henry's life, but Hook insists that Henry left his camera there when he last went to Neal's apartment. When Emma asks for real proof, Hook tells her to drink the potion, she then handcuffs him to a bench and has him arrested for assault.

As everyone is making the journey to the Dark Palace one year ago, Neal meets up with Belle and she assures him that they will find a way to revive Rumplestiltskin. Snow White tells Prince Charming that she never imagined to return to Regina's castle with her. As she says this, Grumpy informs her that Regina is no where to be found. When she finds her in the woods burying her heart, Snow White manages to persuade her to put her heart back in her chest. As they are leaving, they are attacked by a flying monkey. Luckily, Robin Hood and his Merry Men are able to shoot the monkey down.

As Emma and Henry walk home, she tells him that she is thinking about marrying Walsh. He tells her that her arranged a date with her and Walsh. When they finally reach home, Emma tells Henry she forgot something and tells him to go. Emma takes a look at the photos she was carrying and is shocked with what she sees. At this, she bails Hook out of jail and asks her about the photos. He tells her it will only make sense if she drinks the potion. When Emma drinks it, she remembers everything that was wiped away.

Robin Hood, Regina, and Snow White rejoin the group and Robin Hood reunites with Neal and Belle. The group soon reaches the castle and realize that there is a protection spell surrounding the castle.

Emma and Hook have a drink and discuss the current situation back in her apartment. When he tells her there is a new curse, she asks what could've happened, but Hook doesn't know. She then asks him what he should tell Henry. As soon as she says this, the doorbell rings and it is revealed to be Walsh. Emma takes him outside and tells him they can't get married because she has to face her past. He tells her he wished she never drank the potion and tries to attack her. She fights back and eventually throws him off a cliff, killing him. When Hook finds her, she says that they will leave for Storybooke in the morning.

The next morning, Emma is making breakfast when Henry asks about Walsh. She tells him that she just wants it to be the two of them. After Henry takes a bite of breakfast, he tells her he has to run to school, but Emma says he is not going to school because she has a "case" in Maine. He agrees to the trip and when Killian comes knocking on the door, they get ready to leave for Storybooke.

When they arrive in Storybooke, night has fallen and Henry is asleep. Emma tells Hook to wait with Henry while she talks to her parents. Emma goes to the Blanchard loft and finds David on the other side of the door. Him and Mary Margaret tell Emma that they do not remember the last year or who cast the curse.

A year ago, Zelena walks down a hall in Regina's castle and asks a flying monkey if it has Regina's blood. It drops the blood into a potion and it glows. Zelena gloats, saying that since she's wicked and Regina is evil, she'll win.

Note:
*: Only in archive footage

Trivia

Title

Production Notes

Concept art for an interior scene in Aurora's palace was created for the episode, but this idea did not make it onto the screen.[7]

When the residents of Storybrooke reappear in the Enchanted Forest, there are some notable changes. The Blue Fairy and Tinker Bell are nowhere to be seen, but it is possible they are in the second group of fifty inhabitants, who landed in the Enchanted Forest two miles away, as mentioned by Jiminy to Grumpy. Red Riding Hood is also added to the group despite not being with them originally.[8]

Emma and Walsh have dinner at a restaurant called Ostria.[9] Graphic arts designer Neil Westlake named the restaurant after the Ostro, a southerly wind in the Mediterranean Sea.[10]

Walsh has a scar on the left side of his neck,[11] which he does not have when Zelena transforms him into a flying monkey in "It's Not Easy Being Green".[12] The flying monkey that attacks Regina and Snow White is hit by an arrow in exactly the same spot.[13]

Henry reaches level twenty-three while playing a video game. This is a nod to the official Disney fan club D23.[14]

When Prince Charming asks Robin Hood if they are armed with weapons, he responds by saying, "We're lousy with them." The commonly used meaning for "lousy" is "of poor quality", but in this case, Robin Hood is using a different definition of the word, which means "amply supplied."[15]

Originally, Regina and the others were going to be attacked by gargoyles, but according to concept artist John Gallagher, they "went with flying monkeys instead."[16]

A hug between Emma and Hook,[17] after she bails him out of jail in New York, was cut from the episode. According to Adam Horowitz, the hug was not scripted.[18]
A moment where Walsh kisses Emma's forehead after the two leave the restaurant was also cut.[19]

The city view from the top of Emma's apartment building[20] is the same as the view seen from the top of Neal's apartment building in the Season Five finale "An Untold Story",[21] indicating that the two buildings are located in the same neighborhood.

Ginnifer Goodwin's real-life pregnancy was written into the show's storyline, although Mary Margaret's pregnancy had already been planned for a long time. According to Ginnifer, the series creators knew that she and Josh Dallas (who are married in real life) wanted to start a family, and everyone was hoping that the timing would overlap. The writers had given themselves some wiggle room, "so once we became pregnant in real life, they could say, "All right, here we go.""[22]
During the filming of the Enchanted Forest flashback scenes, Josh Dallas gathered the crew in the middle of the woods and told them all that Ginnifer was pregnant.[23]

It was never explained on the show why Zelena stole some of Regina's blood in this episode. In an interview with TV Guide from May 2014, Edward Kitsis stated that he believed it was to deal with the blood lock on Regina's palace and to prove that Regina is her sister, while Adam Horowitz added, "That may be a case of something that we answered, but we didn't answer it clearly enough for people to get."[24]

This is the second episode to end on a flashback. The others are "The Doctor" and "It's Not Easy Being Green".

Event Chronology

Episode Connections

Aurora's pregnancy was first revealed in "Quite a Common Fairy."

The citizens of Storybrooke were transported to the Enchanted Forest in "Going Home."

Emma threatens to punch Hook in the face. She did the same thing with Mr. Gold in "Broken."

Hook mentions Emma and Henry's last visit to New York City in "Manhattan" and "The Queen Is Dead."

Hook learned about Emma's "superpower" in "The Doctor."

Hook asks Emma to use her "superpower" on him and she responds that just because he believes something is true it doesn't make it true. The same thing happened between Emma and Henry in "Pilot."

What Philip and Aurora are hiding from Snow White and Prince Charming is revealed in "A Curious Thing."

The dream catcher in Neal's apartment first appeared in "Broken". Its backstory is told in "Tallahassee."

Emma refers to the dreamcatcher as "flypaper for nightmares," which is how Neal referred to it in "Tallahassee."

Emma finds a blood-stained rag in Neal's apartment from when Mr. Gold was stabbed by Hook in "The Queen Is Dead".

The camera that Emma finds, was mentioned during their stay in New York in "The Queen Is Dead", where Henry talks about going back to the apartment and get his camera.

After saving the Evil Queen and Snow White from a flying monkey, Robin Hood tells the Evil Queen that "a simple thank you would suffice." He repeats the same thing to her in "A Curious Thing" and "Operation Mongoose Part 1".

What happened to Hook after he left the others, and how he found his ship, is revealed in "The Jolly Roger."

Robin Hood mentions Belle rescuing him in "Lacey."

This is not the first time Hook has been chained up by Emma; she also did this in "Tallahassee" and "In the Name of the Brother." She chains him up again in "Birth."

When Emma regains her memories, clips from "Pilot," "A Land Without Magic," "Broken," "Manhattan," "Second Star to the Right," "Ariel," and "Going Home" appear.

Who cast the new curse, and who sent the message to Hook, is revealed in "A Curious Thing."

Walsh's reason for getting close to Emma is revealed in "The Jolly Roger."

Emma's lingering question about Walsh's origins is answered in "It's Not Easy Being Green," which also explains how he became a flying monkey.

Emma calls Hook by his real name, Killian, which was a name first revealed in "The Crocodile." This is the first time it has been used in Emma's presence since Hook first introduced himself to her in "The Doctor."

Storybrooke's destruction occurred in "Going Home."

The new curse is broken in "A Curious Thing."

Disney

Lost

Fairytales and Folklore

This episode features the prince and princess from the "Sleeping Beauty" fairytale, the evil queen, the prince, the seven dwarves and Snow White from the "Snow White" fairytale, Beauty from the "Beauty and the Beast" fairytale, Red Riding Hood and her grandmother from the "Little Red Riding Hood" fairytale, Captain Hook from the Peter Pan story, the ugly duckling from the titular fairytale, the talking cricket from The Adventures of Pinocchio, Friar Tuck, Little John and Robin Hood from the Robin Hood ballad, and the Wicked Witch of the West and a Winged Monkey from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz story.

The line spoken by Regina, "Nobody eats my porridge and nobody sits in my chair", is a reference to "Goldilocks and the Three Bears".

Popular Culture

Props Notes

ORIGINAL VERSION

SHOW VERSION
(note that the dishes are in a slightly different order in the show version; this table follows the order from the original version)

Small Plates

Small Plates

Buffalo Mozzarella Salad 13
Seasonal fresh tomato, peppergreens, pesto vinaigrette

BUFFALO MOZZARELLA SALAD 13
Seasonal fresh tomato, peppergreens, pesto vinaigrette

Beet & Goat's Cheese Salad 12
Pickled red beets, pemberton's goat's cheese, hazelnuts, yellow beet confiture, lemon-vanilla vinaigrette

/

Dungeness Crab Cake 14
Sauice roille, bread and butter pickled fennel

DUNGENESS CRAB CAKE 14

Seared Sea Scallops 14
Caramelized cauliflower puree, miso butter corn & edame, prosciuotto crisp

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS 14
[four illegible words] pancettaa & [illegible word], micro greens

48 Hour Beef Shortribs 14
Seared old-fashioned peach, pickled local rhubarb and radish salad

OKANAGAN APPLE & PEAR SLAW 141
[three illegible words] yogurt

1Okanagan, also known as Okanagan Valley, is a four hour drive from Vancouver,[44] where Once Upon a Time is filmed.

Fresh Mussels 13
House made bacon, cherry tomatoes, white wine garlic broth, fresh herbs, chili maple toast

FRESH MUSSELS 13
House made bacon, cherry tomatoes, white wine garlic broth, fresh herbs, chili maple toast

Duck Pâté 13
Gherkins, grainy mustard, grilled toast points

DUCK PÄTÉ 13

/

PICKLED BEET SALAD 121
[illegible, excerpt from the words "red beet"]

1Pickled beet salad also used to be on the menu of Brick & Mortar.[45]

Main Courses

MAIN COURSES

Ling Cod 21
Fresh herb polenta, sautéeted local Swiss chard, tomato cider reduction
Wine recommendation: Sauvignon Blanc, Alsatian White

/

Summer Squash Risotto 19
Varietal squash, black garlic, maple sugar, pemberton farms goat's cheese, braised carrot salad
Wine recommendation: Sauvignon Blanc, Alsatian White

/

Cornish Game Hen 22
Mixed baby potato sauté, hou[obscured] pan jus & sage salt
Wine recommendation: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

CORNISH GAME HEN 23
Mixed baby potato sauté, house made bacon, corn and local kale, pan jus & sage salt
Wine recommendation: Chard[obscured]

Smoked Sablefish Gnocchi 23
Green peas, shallots, white wine cream, local micro greens
Wine recommendation: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris

SMOKED SABL[obscured]
Green peas, shall[obscured]
Wine recomm[obscured]

Duck Breast 26
Star anise honey glaze, carrot ginger purée, miso aubergine, toasted sesame seeds
Wine recommendation: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

DUCK BREAST 26
Star anise honey glaze, carrot ginger purée [obscured]
Wine recommendation: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Beef Tenderloin 6 oz 29
Seasonal vegetable sauté, potato rosti, roasted bone marrow & herb butter
Wine recommendation: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/ Shiraz

BEEF TENDERLOIN 7OZ 34
Pommes Anna, caramelized shallot sauce sobise, bone marrow [image ends]
Wine recommendation: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/Shiraz

/

BEE[obscured]

The book that Henry is putting into his schoolbag in the morning,[46] is the same book prop that was used for Mary Margaret's copy of The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne in the Season One episodes "7:15 A.M."[47] and "Skin Deep",[48] and the scene where Ruby gives Belle a copy of the same title in the Season Two episode "Tiny".[49] However, Henry's book is too far away to make out the title.

There are two Grundtal wall shelves in stainless steel from IKEA[50] over Emma's kitchen counter[51] (the exact size is no longer available).
The hooks hanging from the shelves[51] are Kungfors stainless steel s-hooks from IKEA[52] (the exact model is no longer available).

According to the note, the written address for Neal's apartment is 89 Wooster Street, New York, NY, 10012.[53]

One of the letters addressed to Neal is from a Ms. C. Marion.[54]

The name tag on Henry's camera carries the Honeywell logo.[55]

An edited version of the photograph that Emma shows to Hook[56] was used for the Polaroid of Emma and Henry in the Season Six episode "The Song in Your Heart".[57] The cups and the way they hold them are the same, as is the table, the background and Henry's clothes; however, the food in front of them, and Henry's face, were replaced for the musical episode, and a different version of Emma was been edited in.

According to the label, the bottle that Hook and Emma are drinking from contains Jamaican Dark Rum from "Santa Christ[obscured]".[58]

Set Dressing

Costume Notes

When the residents of Storybrooke reappear in the Enchanted Forest, most of them return to their original clothes. However, Snow White, Belle, Neal and Hook are notable exceptions: Snow White is wearing a cloak (to hide Ginnifer Goodwin's real-life pregnancy on-screen), Belle is wearing her signature yellow dress and not prison attire, Neal was not in the Enchanted Forest when the curse originally hit yet he still has Enchanted Forest attire, and Hook's vest is changed from black to red despite that he was never cursed.[8]

Belle's attire does not remain consistent in the episode. When she reappears in the Enchanted Forest with the main group, she is wearing her signature yellow dress with a light brown cloak,[8] however, when she is speaking with Neal and Robin Hood, she is wearing a new purple dress with a red cloak.[94]

The doublet Prince Charming is wearing[95] is the same one worn by Henry Mills in the Season Seven episode "The Eighth Witch".[96] Prince Charming continues to wear the garment in "Witch Hunt",[97] "The Tower"[98] and "A Curious Thing".[99]

The shoes worn by Emma on her date with Walsh[100] are Giuseppe Zanotti Black 150mm Suede Pumps[101] (no longer available).

The next day, Emma wears[102] a Soia & Kyo Hooded Funnel Coat,[103] a pair of Topshop Red Check Trousers[104] and a pair of Vince Luisa High Heel Booties[105] (all three are no longer available).

When Emma and Henry leave with Hook, Emma is wearing[110] an alternate Etoile Isabel Marant Tucson Check Shirt[111] (no longer available). Emma continues to wear it at Granny's Bed and Breakfast in "Witch Hunt".[112]

Goofs

The residents of Storybrooke are returned to their original, pre-curse clothes when they reappear in the Enchanted Forest. However, there are some inconsistencies.[114]

Snow White is wearing a cloak over her night gown. This was to hide Ginnifer Goodwin's real-life pregnancy on-screen.

Belle is wearing her signature yellow dress instead of prison attire from her time imprisoned by the Evil Queen.

Neal is given Enchanted Forest attire despite the fact that he was never cursed nor was he wearing such attire when the curse hit.

Hook's vest changes from black leather[115] to his pre-curse red vest despite the fact that he was never cursed.

The Wicked Witch of the West's protection spell surrounding the Evil Queen's palace changes in size. When the spell is first discovered by the Evil Queen, it's located by scorch marks on the surrounding ground and shrubbery.[116][117] However, when the spell is lowered in "Witch Hunt", it is located significantly closer to the palace with the scorched trees appearing in the foreground.[118]

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"New York City Serenade" is the twelfth episode of Season Three of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Edward Kitsis& Adam Horowitz, and directed by Billy Gierhart. It is the fifty-sixth episode of the series overall, and premiered on March 9, 2014.

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Explains how different fair tales are modernized and why they attract consumers.

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'Happily Ever After'?: Modernizing Fairy Tales for a New Generation

By: Heather Ewert

Recently, my boyfriend and I started watching Once Upon a Time. Other than the brief plot synopsis I'd read online, neither of us knew much about it. But we are both products of the '80s and '90s, so we were familiarized with storylines within the series, because hey - we'd seen Disney movies. This sort of sugar-coated narrative was how most kids of that generation generally became acquainted with the fairy tales, and in terms of popular media consumption, Disney had a monopoly on the production of fairy tales for many years.

So, with that in mind, we sat down to a surprisingly nuanced and dark story. In this tale, almost the entire cast of characters doesn't realize that they hail from a fantasy realm, because a dark queen has cast a curse on them, banishing them to live in a prison (which is the small town of Storybrooke, Maine), all the while oblivious to their former lives.

One little boy is convinced that he knows their true identities, and embarks on a quest to get his birth mother to help him break the spell. The only catch? His adoptive mother is the evil queen (or, in her present incarnation, the mayor of Storybrooke), and she doesn't take too kindly to anyone foiling her plans.

And I'm hooked - it's modern, weaves together familiar tales in such a way to be comforting, and then retells them in a contemporary, action-packed manner that you won't soon forget.

So watching Once Upon a Time brought up some memories for me, and it made me think about the history of fairy tales - and the joy we get from retelling them time and again, each generation putting its own twist on them.

Considered by many to be the godfathers of modern fairy tale lore, the Grimm brothers collected a wealth of German folklore and published the stories in an anthology. Many of the stories were exceedingly dark and violent, but kids read them anyway. The books retained their popularity surprisingly well, and in the 20th century, a large portion of the tales was thought to be too dark and violent for children. So, when Disney pulled inspiration and storylines from the Grimm's tales, they deliberately chose to overlook the allusions to sexuality, as well as the descriptions overt violence and cruelty that were present in so many of the fables. This left us with the sanitized, moralistic good-triumphs-over-evil stories that we know so well today.

But the kids who once dreamt of the Disney versions of fairy tales have grown up now. Today, they are the story weavers, working on blockbuster movies and writing the hit television shows like Once Upon a Time. And so we are seeing the retelling of old German folktales in shows like Grimm, a story that features the Grimm brothers as cops, fighting modern, real-life versions of familiar fairytale creatures. Jack and the Beanstalk turned into Jack the Giant Killer, an updated story of the bravery and heroism of an unlikely "giant killer." Snow White's soft-spoken, naïve demeanor has vanished in favor of the valiant warrior we see Snow White and the Huntsman, Hansel and Gretel are now cunning Witch Hunters rather than helpless, abandoned children, and even the Rise of the Guardians chronicles popular contemporary fairy tale characters like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, who just so happen to possess some previously-unknown superhero powers - though it's still child-friendly, of course.

So what is it that drives us to modernize these tales? Many times, we choose to reimagine characters like meek, fragile Snow White or little, gullible Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk as characters who are now powerfully in control of their destinies - presently, they are unlikely heroes at worst and completely bad-ass action heroes at best. In some of the new stories the women, who were formerly relegated to droll, feminine passivity, have advanced to meet their male counterparts as equals in battle: Snow White adorns herself in a warrior's armor and fights alongside her male friends, and eventually squares off woman-to-woman to win back a kingdom. In Once Upon a Time, the female characters actually drive the story with their own set of decidedly un-princess-like desires.

Yes, it seems that modernizing these fairy-tale brands is a full-blown trend that has everyone's attention. Today, people who grew up with the same old narrative of prince-meets-princess-and-they-live-happily-ever-after are creating worlds where our childhood heroes can be as powerful, flawed, and as nuanced as we always wanted them to be. And the whole point of fairy tales is to pass on these timeless stories to the next generation, even if it's in an updated format, isn't it?

So which tales would you like to see redone? I've personally always liked Little Red Riding Hood and Bluebeard - strangely enough though, both of those tales are from the French author Charles Perrault rather than the Brothers Grimm!

Heather Ewert is a content writer for an internet marketing company. She enjoys creative writing as well and blogs in her personal time at http://infernoofcool.wordpress.com/. She lives in sunny Southern California with her boyfriend, Snowshoe kitty, and her collection of Warcraft novels.

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\'Happily Ever After\'?: Modernizing Fairy Tales for a New Generation

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'Happily Ever After'?: Modernizing Fairy Tales for a New Generation By: Heather Ewert Recently, my boyfriend and I started watching Once Upon a Time. Other than the brief plot synopsis I'd read online, neither of us knew much about it.

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An explanation of how the show appeals to audiences.

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Quick Answer: ABC's Once Upon a Time is the underdog of television shows; expected to last one season, it was recently renewed for a sixth. So what is the show's appeal? Simply put: the characters. Once Upon a Time takes preexisting, beloved fairy tale characters and subverts the viewers expectations. Heroes become sinister, villains become kindhearted, and all grapple with potential inner darkness. The result is a bevy of newly imagined, more complex characters. Meanwhile the show's central interest in redemption reminds us that the halcyon days of good vs. evil no longer exist. Each character has the potential for good and evil and is ultimately defined by his or her choices.

ABC's Once Upon a Time (2011 - ) is the underdog of television shows. Many were convinced that it would last only for one season, if it was lucky. But thanks to a loyal and bigger fan base than anyone could have imagined, it recently completed its fifth season and will return for a sixth in October. So what is its appeal? Simply put: the characters.

Once Upon a Time takes preexisting, beloved fairy tale characters and subverts the viewers expectations. Heroes become sinister, villains become kindhearted, and everyone is susceptible to releasing their inner darkness. The result is a bevy of newly imagined, much more complex characters. The halcyon days of black-and-white good vs. evil no longer exist. Each character has the potential for good or evil and is ultimately defined by his or her choices and potential to change.

Robbie Kay in Once Upon a Time

If Once Upon a Time's success comes from its deep, emotionally relatable characters, they in turn come from the show's creators, Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis. The pair wrote over 20 episodes on (2004 - 2010), a show that is also overflowing with well-developed characters. On Once Upon a Time, the pair takes on the challenging task of reworking well-known characters into something different from our expectations. Horowitz, Kitsis and the rest of the OUAT team take these characters and stories of our childhoods and twist and intertwine them in ways we've never seen before. A perfect example is their twist on J. M. Barrie's classic Peter Pan. In the show, Pan (Robbie Kay) is one of the worst villains, his demonic nature bordering on psychotic. Conversely, Captain Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) starts off as a villain and grows into a hero. This development exemplifies one of the show's most endearing qualities: its message about redemption.

In addition to Captain Hook, there are many other characters who have done awful things. Intead of letting the past define them, these characters work tirelessly to right their wrongs. Regina (Lana Parrilla), the Evil Queen, is perhaps the best example of an evil character who resolves to be a better person. She is without a doubt the biggest villain of the first season, killing numerous people for looking at her the wrong way. Her vendetta against Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) is particularly strong; the queen has attempted to kill the youngster countless times. And did I mention she murdered her own father? This sort of behavior seems pretty irredeemable. Once we learn about Regina's roots, however, she grows into a much more empathetic character. It's clear that she comes to hate her murderous behavior. She works harder than any other character to become good again, teaming up with all of the heroes in town. Regina becomes a heroic force on the show, saving lives and earning the trust and affection of her peers.

Lana Parrilla in Once Upon a Time

Not everyone can become a hero, however, and this truth speaks to the complexity of the show. This season Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), the Savior, turns into the Dark One, or The Dark Swan, proving that everyone is susceptible to darkness. In Once Upon a Time, people aren't inherently good or evil; everyone has the potential for both within. Our choices and actions determine who is a hero or villain. Similarly, everyone has the capacity for change. It's comforting to see people, even fictional characters, achieve self-improvement. It gives us hope that, if our childhood heroes can be redeemed, so can we.

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What makes "Once Upon a Time" so appealing? The Characters. | ScreenPrism

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ScreenPrism is the hub for film and TV analysis. Currently, we are building the largest digital library of film and television inquiry and related content by producing original articles, curating content from other esteemed sources and facilitating user generated comment and discussion.

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Jennifer Morrison and Colin O'Donoghue won a Teen Choice Award for "Choice TV: Lip-lock."

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Jennifer Morrison holds up a pair of sneakers on the set of Once Upon a Time on Wednesday (August 3) in Vancouver, Canada.

The 37-year-old star of the show took to Instagram to react to winning Choice TV: Liplock with Colin O'Donoghue at the 2016 Teen Choice Awards.

"#ONCERS you are the best! So fun! Thanks for the teen choice best lip lock award! Thank you to all the fans who voted for #teenchoiceawards - The show - The #liplocks - The Parrilla. We are all so grateful that you enjoy #onceuponatime thank you for being truly the #bestfansintheworld" Jennifer wrote.

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Jennifer Morrison Reacts to Teen Choice Awards 2016 Win!

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Jennifer Morrison holds up a pair of sneakers on the set of Once Upon a Time on Wednesday (August 3) in Vancouver, Canada. The 37-year-old star of the show took to Instagram to react to winning Choice TV: Liplock with Colin O'Donoghue at the 2016 Teen Choice Awards .

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(2) Once Upon a Time Counterparts (VIDEO)

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(2) Once Upon a Time Counterparts (VIDEO)

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How OUAT modernizes classical fairy tale characters. It shows the parallels between the show and the Disney characters.