When is once upon a time repeated

Emma returns to Storybrooke to reunite Lily with Maleficent while Regina and Robin Hood struggle to cope with the implications of Zelena 's pregnancy. When Gold 's health takes a turn for the worse, Isaac looks to a new ally for help procuring the magic ink he needs to re-write history. Cora vows to help her daughter find true love , but Regina remains suspicious of her mother's intentions. The Author proves to be a formidable wild card and forges an alliance with Gold.

Emma , her parents, Hook and Regina scramble to stop them, but when Gold and the Author turn the tables on heroes and villains alike, the prospect of any happy outcome appears worlds away.

Henry discovers he has big shoes to fill as he steps up to save his family before the story's final page is turned. It's a race to the finish, and everything culminates with a shocking twist that will leave the residents of Storybrooke reeling. Immediately after becoming the Dark One , Emma disappears and the heroes must band together to save her, but first they have to find her, which will require the help of an unlikely ally.

Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest , Emma struggles to resist her dark urges as she searches for Merlin in the hope that he can stop her transformation.

Along the way to Camelot , she gets help from the plucky and brave warrior princess Merida , as well as King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. In an effort to protect Emma , Regina steps up in a surprising way that will test her mettle as a force for good. King Arthur and Queen Guinevere throw a royal ball to welcome the heroes to Camelot , but when the celebration takes a deadly turn, David and Robin must leap into action or lose a crucial asset in the fight to save Emma.

Back in Storybrooke , Hook deploys a tried-and-true technique in hopes of bringing Emma back to the light while the heroes discover that some unexpected baggage has followed them home from Camelot. In Camelot , the heroes feverishly work to free Merlin. Determined to help Emma , David embarks on a quest to retrieve a magical relic that Regina could use to communicate with the imprisoned sorcerer, but, when David leaves, Arthur insists on joining him because the dangers ahead are greater than he can imagine.

Meanwhile, Mary Margaret discovers the fate of her old friend Lancelot. Back in Storybrooke, Arthur seeks David's help to catch a thief who threatens the safety of the citizens of Camelot. Across town, Emma reaches out to a conflicted Hook as she sets about her plan to draw Excalibur from the stone. In a Camelot flashback, Guinevere senses that Arthur is losing his way, consumed by his obsession with making Excalibur whole, so she sets out with Lancelot on her own quest into the heart of darkness.

In Storybrooke , Dark Emma unleashes a secret weapon in the next phase of her plan to find the brave soul she needs to draw Excalibur from the stone. In Camelot , as Mary Margaret and David attempt to retrieve the Dark One dagger , Emma uses a Dreamcatcher to look into the past to see how Merlin was transformed into a tree.

Together, Emma and Regina figure out the critical ingredient they must acquire to free Merlin, but it's a race against Arthur , who does not want Merlin released. Meanwhile, with encouragement from his moms, Henry musters up the courage to ask Violet on a date. Back in Storybrooke , the heroes break into Emma's house hoping to locate Gold , but what they find will give them a glimpse of Emma's end game.

Far from prying eyes, Merida sets about the mission Emma has tasked her with and begins molding Gold into the hero they need to draw Excalibur. In a Camelot flashback, a chance encounter with Merlin , David , Hook and Belle gives Merida new hope in her quest to save her brothers from the usurping clans of DunBroch. Unwilling to leave anything up to fate, Merida brings Belle along on a dangerous journey that culminates with an invaluable lesson in bravery.

In Storybrooke , Regina , Mary Margaret and David discover the spell that would allow one of Merlin's chosen to communicate with him, but when Arthur fails to reach the missing sorcerer the heroes grow suspicious. Meanwhile, Emma commands Merida to kill Belle in hopes of forcing Mr. In Camelot , Merlin spearheads a mission to reunite the dagger with Excalibur so he can use the weapon to save Emma from the darkness threatening her soul. Both parties are tested, but one suffers a blow that could derail the entire operation.

In a flashback to long before the Age of Arthur, young Merlin finds purpose after he is blessed with magic and immortality, but when he falls in love with a young refugee named Nimue , everything changes for Merlin, as their romance starts a chain of events that touches every one of our present day heroes.

Refusing to give in, Emma and our heroes face off against Arthur, Merlin and Zelena in an epic battle of magic and will.

Just when the end is in sight, Emma is forced to make a gut-wrenching choice that no one saw coming. Zelena and Arthur journey to DunBroch on a mission to retrieve an enchanted relic that will provide the advantage they need to vanquish Emma and our heroes.

Merida enlists the help of two friends, Mulan and Ruby , but, in order to satisfy the Witch and save DunBroch, she first must discover the identity of the knight who killed her father. In flashbacks, Merida learns about bravery and honor as she trains for combat and rides alongside Fergus into the infamous battle that claims his life. In a Camelot flashback, Hook becomes a Dark One and his lust for revenge against Rumplestiltskin is reignited.

When Emma and Hook disagree about their best course of action, the final pieces of the puzzle are revealed as events in Camelot catch up to the present and we witness a charged confrontation between the forces of light and dark that sends our heroes on a collision course with destiny. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke , Hook's centuries old lust for revenge against Gold puts both of their fates in jeopardy while Emma's love faces the ultimate test as she tries to convince Hook to turn away from the darkness before she, Mary Margaret , David and Regina embark on a new mission as an unsuspected evil is released.

The dark siege of Storybrooke is underway as all of the resurrected Dark Ones target a living soul for sacrifice so that they can return to the realm of the living. With doom imminent, Gold advises Mary Margaret , David and the rest of the heroes to spend their last fleeting moments enjoying the company of their loved ones.

Emma , however, refuses to give up, knowing that she is responsible for righting all the poor choices she made as Dark One - there's only one problem, Dark Hook. When they face-off with the fate of Storybrooke at stake, Hook's actions will devastate Emma in a way no one saw coming.

In a Fairy Tale Land flashback, the Evil Queen tests Hook's mettle by forcing him to confront a demon from his past before contracting him to dispatch one from hers. Emma , Regina , Mary Margaret , David , Robin , Henry and Gold arrive in the Underworld , on a mission to rescue Hook , only to discover that their search will be more difficult than they had anticipated.

The inhabitants of the Underworld—all souls with unfinished business and many with quite personal vendettas—hound our heroes at every turn. Meanwhile, in an Enchanted Forest flashback, a familiar face from the Evil Queen 's past returns to present Regina with the perfect birthday gift.

In the Underworld , an escapee from Hades ' prison informs the heroes that Hook is being held captive. But before the heroes can rescue Hook, they must face a terrifying beast that guards the prison. Mary Margaret searches for an old childhood friend who knows how to defeat the monster. However, once reunited, she discovers that her friend is no longer the hero he once was.

Meanwhile, in an Enchanted Forest flashback, a young Snow White struggles to preserve peace in her kingdom and must learn how to be a true hero if she wants to one day become queen. Hook 's captivity takes a dark turn when Hades threatens to condemn him to the River of Lost Souls after Hook refuses to choose which three of his friends will have to remain in the Underworld.

Meanwhile, Gold is suddenly eager to help Emma , Snow , David , Regina , Robin and Henry find Hook so he can return home to Belle ; but in order to do so, he must find his ex-wife Milah in the Underworld and ask for her help.

In Fairy Tale Land flashbacks, Rumple and Milah face a life-or-death crisis concerning their son, Baelfire , that forces Rumple to make a deal that will haunt him. A surprise visit from Hook's departed brother Liam just might provide the lead they were looking for—others who have tried to overthrow Hades spoke of a book that contained the key to his downfall. Tired of watching from the sidelines, Henry secretly takes matters into his own hands while the others search for the book.

Meanwhile, Hades redoubles his efforts to trap the heroes in the Underworld by playing them against one another. In flashbacks, the bond between the two young Jones brothers is tested and strengthened on a merchant ship heading into a dangerous storm. While Zelena and Regina get into a sibling squabble, Belle is reunited with Rumple only to learn some tremendously shocking news that will change her life forever.

Meanwhile, Snow and David hopelessly attempt to send a message from the Underworld to their son, Neal. In flashbacks, Hades learns about Zelena's very special spell and pays her a visit in Oz with the intention of striking an alliance, but finds himself with more than just a partner in crime. Belle turns to Rumplestiltskin with hope of finding a way to protect their child from Hades. However, they disagree over whether to use dark magic , as Belle forbids Rumplestiltskin from using his powers for evil.

Meanwhile, Hades secretly meets with Gaston in the Underworld and encourages him to seek revenge on Rumplestiltskin. As the heroes try to find a way to defeat Hades, Emma has a terrifying nightmare that she realizes is beginning to come true. And in flashbacks, Belle and Gaston meet for the first time, but their blossoming romance comes to a halt on the eve of the Ogre wars.

In flashbacks, Ruby and Mulan find themselves in Oz , where they meet Dorothy. Meanwhile, Snow and David struggle with not being able to be with their son, Neal , and devise a plan so that one of them can escape the Underworld. Now that Hades and Zelena are reunited, Hades tells Zelena that he wants a future with her outside of the Underworld.

When Regina overhears of this plan, she enlists Cora 's help to find a way to separate Zelena from Hades.

However, Cora reveals a family secret that could change Regina and Zelena's lives forever. Meanwhile, David finally meets James , only to realize that his twin is determined to seek revenge on him for stealing the life he could have had.

Hades turns to the heroes to ask for help with getting Zelena back from Rumplestiltskin and Peter Pan. In return, he offers to take all their names off their tombstones. However, when Hook is still unable to leave, he and Emma must journey into the depths of the Underworld. Meanwhile, Cruella De Vil is determined to keep the heroes trapped in the Underworld. In flashbacks, Emma searches for answers about her family and makes an unexpected friendship.

Emma , David , Regina , Robin and Henry are finally back home in Storybrooke and reunited with Snow , but, unfortunately, they still have to contend with Hades , who continues to deceive Zelena as he lays out his plan to use the all-powerful Olympian Crystal to take over the town.

The heroes desperately search for a way to defeat Hades while Hook does the same in the Underworld , looking for those missing storybook pages. Regina and Robin take a more direct approach, which culminates in an epic showdown that will leave our heroes forever changed. Henry decides he no longer can stand all the pain magic has caused his family, so he goes rogue, with Violet in tow, to destroy magic once and for all. Meanwhile, Zelena , Snow , David and Hook attempt to open a portal that will return Merida and the other Storybrooke guests to their homes, but things go awry, and the group winds up in a deranged new world.

With the possibility of magic being destroyed and the fate of Storybrooke hanging in the balance, it's a race for Emma and Regina to track down Henry before Gold can find him first. Regina continues to struggle with her frustrations over her former evil-self and, elsewhere, Snow , David , Hook and Zelena are imprisoned and must contend with very two very disturbed individuals that may give Gold a run for his money.

As our heroes set out to stop Hyde , Emma develops a mysterious side effect, and Storybrooke becomes a haven for refugees from the Land of Untold Stories. Meanwhile, Regina and Zelena embrace their newfound sisterhood by becoming roommates, while Rumple tries to free Belle from the sleeping Curse with the help of a stranger.

In flashback, Jafar confronts an afflicted Aladdin in Agrabah , and a secret about the Savior is revealed. When a mysterious man from the Land of Untold Stories , who has a past with the Evil Queen , arrives in Storybrooke , David and Snow work together with Regina to neutralize the threat.

The Evil Queen continues to try to win Zelena over to her side, while Emma resumes her therapy sessions with Archie and shares her terrifying vision of the future. As Storybrooke continues to welcome the new arrivals from the Land of Untold Stories , families, friends and even long-lost enemies are reunited once again. When Ashley Cinderella searches for her step-family, intent on settling their unfinished business, Emma , Hook and Henry scramble to help her before it's too late.

Meanwhile, Regina attempts to bribe Mr. Hyde for information about how to defeat the Evil Queen and Snow helps Dr. Jekyll find a suitable laboratory for his work. David makes a deal with Gold and delivers a message to Belle in exchange for new information about his father. In flashback, Cinderella attends a ball and meets her prince. The Evil Queen and Hyde continue on their quest to steal Dr. Meanwhile, back in the past, Rumplestiltskin helps Dr.

In Storybrooke , the Evil Queen tricks Hook and the Charmings and forces Emma to reveal her secret in an effort to divide the family. While the Evil Queen pampers Zelena , elsewhere in town, Regina and our heroes scramble to learn what became of Aladdin. Gold reminds her of his most important lesson. Meanwhile, in the past, Hook finds himself kidnapped by the mysterious Captain Nemo and held captive inside his legendary submarine, the Nautilus.

In a flashback to the Enchanted Forest , Bandit Snow dodges a bounty hunter known as the Woodcutter while shepherd David goes on a fateful journey to sell his family's farm.

In Storybrooke , the Evil Queen threatens to destroy the town and everyone in it unless Snow and David surrender their hearts. As Emma , Hook and Henry prepare to defend Storybrooke, Snow, David and Regina search for a magical sapling created by the first spark of true love. Regina uses Gold 's and the Evil Queen's burgeoning romance against them, and Zelena offers Belle some friendly advice.

Emma and Regina formulate a plan to trap the Evil Queen in a prison of their own making, while Snow and David adjust to life without each other.

As Henry nervously prepares to take Violet to the school dance, the Evil Queen impersonates Regina to give him some advice that could lead him down a dark path. Meanwhile, Zelena agrees to help Belle , and together they enlist Aladdin to steal a magical object from Mr.

Gold that could protect Belle and her unborn child from him forever. Back in Storybrooke , Gold tells the Evil Queen that she must kill Zelena , and the EQ makes a decision that will change her relationship with her sister forever.

Meanwhile, Jasmine finds a genie-less lamp that she hopes to use to save Agrabah , and Aladdin finds a way to be her hero. Meanwhile, Gold and Belle face a surprising danger to their newborn son. Gideon makes a startling confession to Belle and Gold about his whereabouts while he was missing. Meanwhile, Regina struggles with the realization that everyone, perhaps even Robin , is better off in the alternate world where the Evil Queen was defeated.

And when Emma inspires a familiar face to help her and Regina return home, she discovers the power to change her fate. Before Hook takes the next step in his relationship with Emma , he wants to make sure David sees him as more than just a pirate.

Meanwhile, Regina works to acclimate Robin to life in Storybrooke , but soon discovers he has a dark side that makes the task much more complicated than she anticipated.

When Gideon resumes his mission to kill Emma and become the Savior , Mr. Gold steps in to ensure that the use of dark magic does not poison his son.

Meanwhile, Robin proves willing to ally himself with anyone offering the possibility of escape from Regina and Storybrooke. Hook gathers the courage to come clean to Emma, but not before she discovers he's been keeping a secret. And in a flashback to Fairy Tale Land , the legendary folk hero Beowulf sets his sights on Rumplestiltskin after the Dark One uses his powers to defeat the ogres and win the war for humanity.

Believing there isn't room in Storybrooke for both her and Regina , the Evil Queen sets out to eliminate her other half using Robin to bait the trap. Hook , determined to make things work with Emma , turns to his old friend Capt. Nemo for advice, but Gideon torpedoes his plan before he's able to set things right.

In a flashback to the Enchanted Forest , the Evil Queen learns a surprising lesson about the true source of her misery. When Hook finds himself trapped in another realm along with the Nautilus and her crew, he races to return to Emma before Gideon can execute the rest of his plan. And in a flashback to Agrabah , Jasmine befriends Ariel , and together they set out to locate Prince Eric as the threat from Jafar intensifies.

Gold and Belle convince Emma to help Gideon , explaining that together they can stop the Black Fairy. Henry experiences a disorienting shift in his powers that forces Regina to seek counsel from the previous Author. Meanwhile, in Fairy Tale Land , Hook attempts to win the assistance of an old adversary by betting his most prized possession on a game of cards. And, in a flashback, the Black Fairy tortures young Gideon in hopes of molding him into the perfect apprentice.

Still trapped in Neverland , Hook aligns himself with Tiger Lily , hoping to find a way back to Emma. Back in Storybrooke , Regina works to break the sleeping curse that David and Snow are under, and Gold denies The Black Fairy , which brings the two of them to a fearsome impasse. In flashbacks, we learn what Snow and Charming sacrificed in order for Emma to fulfill her destiny as the Savior.

In flashback, Zelena befriends a young woodcutter who has been cursed and turns to her for help finding a new heart. Zelena is forced to choose between keeping her powers and her friendship with him. In flashback, after Rumple 's mother, Fiona , learns from his fairy godmother that his destiny is prophesized, she does everything in her power to keep it from happening. Ultimately, Fiona will have to make a decision that will change the course of both their lives forever. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke , Rumple faces a similar dilemma.

In flashback, Snow and Charming make a special wish that Emma will be protected. The result of their wish has the whole kingdom bursting into song which infuriates the Evil Queen.

Meanwhile, in Storybrooke , the Black Fairy announces her plans to unleash another curse on the town while Emma and Hook prepare for their wedding. Henry awakens to a cursed Storybrooke and discovers Emma has been in the mental hospital , and the Black Fairy is the new mayor.

Henry attempts to help Emma regain her memory while Gold tries to find out what has really happened to Belle. Henry leaves Storybrooke in search of his own story. Years later in another realm , he encounters a troubled Cinderella , changing the trajectory of his quest forever. When Cinderella's evil step-mother, Lady Tremaine , poses a threat, Henry discovers that following his heart will require him to make more difficult choices than he ever could have imagined. Years later, a young Lucy finds a disillusioned Henry at his home in Seattle , determined to make him remember his true self in order to defeat the curse afflicting the fairytale characters of "Hyperion Heights.

When Henry finds himself in trouble, he calls upon his Storybrooke family for help, and together they set off on a mission to find Cinderella. Along the way, Hook is confronted by an unexpected foe who threatens the group's success. In Hyperion Heights , Jacinda searches for a way to see Lucy with some unwelcome assistance from Henry, while Victoria Belfrey enlists the help of Gold and Weaver to push Henry out of the neighborhood.

When Cinderella finds herself staring danger in the eye, she receives help from an unlikely source. Her rescue leads to an alliance that could aid in the defeat of Lady Tremaine 's rule and reveals a dark secret from Cinderella's past. In Hyperion Heights , Jacinda goes to extreme measures to stop Victoria Belfrey from destroying Lucy 's beloved community garden , while Lucy tries to convince Henry that Victoria is after more than just a plot of land.

Meanwhile, Victoria makes a discovery that could alter everyone's fate. Meanwhile, Tilly appears to be waking up from the curse and is intent on leading Weaver to the truth — but not if Victoria can help it. In a flashback, Rumple and Belle seek the answer to a prophecy that could cement their happy ending. Tiana seeks help from a traveling soothsayer, the iconic Dr. Facilier , in an attempt to save her kingdom. But when it's revealed that he has an ulterior motive she's forced to take matters into her own hands.

In Hyperion Heights , Sabine and Jacinda take on a risky business venture, but the strength of their friendship is tested when Victoria interferes with their plans. Meanwhile, Ivy recruits Henry to investigate Victoria, and Roni makes a discovery that could change her relationship with Henry forever.

Rogers uncovers a crucial clue in his search for Eloise Gardener. Feeling like a third wheel as Henry and Cinderella 's relationship strengthens, Regina is surprised to find herself needed by Drizella , who is searching for magic. But when a brutal truth is revealed, it could lead Drizella down a dangerous path.

In pursuit of revenge, Hook seeks a dark and powerful magic , but an encounter with Rapunzel could alter his fate forever. Meanwhile, in Hyperion Heights , Ivy 's plot to take down Victoria intensifies and has unexpected consequences for Jacinda and Lucy.

Rogers enlists Henry and Tilly 's help in his ongoing quest to find the missing Eloise Gardener , but what he discovers isn't what meets the eye. In an attempt to prevent a distressed Alice from running away, Henry and Ella follow her into Wonderland. Once there, Henry realizes that Ella has a surprising connection to this strange world.

In Hyperion Heights , Jacinda reconnects with an old friend in a last ditch effort to regain custody of Lucy , but her decision to enlist outside help could put a strain on her burgeoning relationship with Henry. Victoria strikes a deal with Weaver in an attempt to free herself from jail and wake Anastasia , but the cost of saving one life could mean the loss of another. In a flashback, we learn Lady Tremaine 's surprising connection to another classic fairytale when Mother Gothel offers to help her family.

Meanwhile, Jacinda and Nick share an exchange that could alter her future with Henry. When Drizella threatens the realm with a dark curse , Henry and Ella take extreme actions to protect Lucy and the others; and Regina is forced into making an unimaginable choice. In Hyperion Heights , Roni recruits Henry to travel to San Francisco to search for her sister , but when he learns Lucy has fallen unconscious, Henry rushes to be by her side.

Meanwhile, Gothel earns the trust of Anastasia and the consequences of their budding relationship could prove to be fatal. Eager to harness her burgeoning magical skills, Robin engages in a risky relationship with Mother Gothel. Meanwhile, in Hyperion Heights , Roni and Kelly strike a deal with Eloise , desperate to save Lucy from her mysterious illness. But nothing comes without a price.

As things finally come to a head between Victoria and Ivy , someone may have to pay with their life. On the day of Tiana 's coronation, a confrontation with Dr. Facilier compels her to take a trip through the Bayou, where a surprising encounter changes her life and the hunt for an alligator takes a dark turn.

In Hyperion Heights , Sabine reconnects with an old friend whose plans could jeopardize her culinary dreams. Meanwhile, Rogers and Weaver investigate a Blind Witch , leading them to a shocking discovery about the Coven. Meanwhile, in a faraway realm , Hook confronts Captain Ahab over a legendary magical talisman which can free Alice , only to learn that his quest may have unintended consequences. Rogers works to prove Tilly 's innocence in the case of the Blind Baker 's death, while Ivy attempts to make amends with Anastasia , and Samdi makes a revealing confession to Roni.

For seven seasons, Once Upon A Time chronicled the lives of all of our favorite fairy tale characters, both in the real world and in the world of the Enchanted Forest that they're native to. The series had plenty of ups and downs, with characters who developed and progressed and characters who stubbornly regressed time and again no matter what opportunities they were given to grow.

Couples came together and fell apart at an honestly absurd rate, especially for a series that so readily promoted the concept of True Love as the greatest of all goods. Lies and deception were revealed to be second nature for characters who were the pinnacle of goodness, like Snow White and Cinderella and all of their princess friends. Over time, the series began to add way too many plots and characters into the mix, making it both almost impossible to keep up with what was going on, but also inevitable that characters who viewers did actually care about were given short shrift in the plotting department.

Adding insult to injury was the fact that these characters who were often short changed usually wound up with storylines that the series would have been better off avoiding altogether - or storylines that the series eventually wound up ignoring. Surely there was no way that the show would get rid of one of their male leads before the first season was even half over… right?

So what does she do? Crushes his heart into dust and gets off scot free for taking his life, with hardly any second thought paid to his character after that. Another truly disturbing storyline relating to Regina Mills that Once Upon A Time dropped without a trace of forgiveness or admittance of guilt was the repeated displays of the ways in which she physically and mentally abused her adopted son, Henry.

One of the more troubling storylines that the series not only overlooked, but returned to on multiple occasions as a plot device or motif is its repeated use of women assaulting men. In season one, Regina keeps Graham enslaved against his will for nearly three decades, referring to him as her pet.

In season four, Zelena uses magic to pose as Maid Marian, becoming impregnated by Robin Hood in the process. Finally, in season seven, the same ugly narrative rears its head when Wish Hook impregnates Mother Gothel disguised as Rapunzel. Maybe it was once an intriguing idea to see how outsiders would respond to the world of Storybrooke, should they happen upon it.

Emma Swan has had a pretty rough life. As a result of the curse that banished the residents of the Enchanted Forest to Storybrooke, she was separated from her family as an infant. For the next 28 years, she bounced from abusive foster home to loveless relationship to prison to isolation. In seasons two and three, Neal is allowed to be a genuinely viable romantic interest, no matter his abusive behavior toward her.

Both men get off scot free for the fact that it was their scheming together that put a sixteen-year-old Emma down a path from which it would take her a long time to recover. Whether you loved it for its cheesy warmth or hated it since it represented yet another instance of the Disneyfication of the series, the fact of the matter remains: as soon as the story was over, Once Upon A Time forgot that the Frozen characters ever existed.

For some of the characters, this may have been a good thing: neither Hans nor Kristoff never contributed anything meaningful to the series, and as good as he was at mugging for the camera, Sven was never going to fit in Storybrooke. However, for other characters, it represented a real sign of poor thinking. Charming and Anna were revealed to have an adorable history together, an unlikely friendship that was mutually beneficial in many ways. After successfully retrieving Henry, the characters returned to Storybrooke, only to be returned to their original worlds following Pan's new Curse, leaving Emma Swan and Henry to escape to New York City.

The second plot followed the characters' past journey in the Enchanted Forest and how they were brought back to Storybrooke by the Wicked Witch of the West, while also documenting Emma's mission to break the new Curse and save her family.

On May 13 , , it was revealed that the season would be split into two parts, the first half airing during , and the second half during It premiered September 28 , The final minutes of the third season finale revealed that Elsa would appear in some capacity.

Kristoff and Anna from the film Frozen would also be introduced in Season 4, along with a new main antagonist called Ingrid, portrayed by Elizabeth Mitchell. Ingrid is Anna and Elsa's aunt, long forgotten years ago. The second half of the season includes three female villains, Ursula, Maleficent, and Cruella De Vil. They have teamed up to get their own happy endings. The first half of the season follows Emma being taken over by a powerful supernatural force known as the Darkness, it is up the main characters, heroes, and villains alike, to bring her back to the light of goodness.

Their quest leads them to find the supremely powerful sorcerer Merlin and join up with the feisty Scottish princess Merida ; a highly skilled archer to rescue Emma and defeat the Darkness once and for all before it destroys everything and everyone.

The second half of season five followed the main characters journey to the Underworld to resurrect Captain Hook after he was killed by Emma. They must defeat Hades and find a way to return to Storybrooke.

Season 6 premiered on September 25 , and follow the events set up in the Season Five finale. The group must face the return of the Evil Queen, whom they believe to be dead, as well as new arrivals to Storybrooke led by the villainous Mr. Season 6 did not follow the split season method of previous seasons, returning to a singular arc akin to that of season one.

After six seasons, the residents of the Enchanted Forest face their greatest challenge yet as The Evil Queen, Captain Hook, and Rumplestiltskin join forces with a grown up Henry Mills and his daughter Lucy on an epic quest to once again bring hope to their world and ours.

Along the way, new fairy tale characters and old search for true love, find adventure and once again take sides in the struggle of good against evil, as classic tales are once more twisted and reimagined.

Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis conceived the show in , prior to joining the writing staff of Lost , but wanted to wait until that series was over to focus on this project. Eight years previous to the Once Upon a Time pilot the two had just completed their work on Felicity , in , Kitsis and Horowitz became inspired to write fairy tales out of a love of "mystery and excitement of exploring lots of different worlds.

The two learned from their time on Lost to look at the story in a different way, that "character has to trump mythology"; they expanded, "as people, you've got to see what the void in their heart or in their lives is to care about them Despite the comparisons and similarities to Lost , the writers intend them to be very different shows. To them, Lost concerned itself with redemption, while Once Upon a Time is about "hope". Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof aids in the development of the series as a consultant, but has no official credit on the show.

Kitsis and Horowitz have called him a "godfather" to the series. To differentiate the storytelling from what the audience already knew, the writing staff decided to begin the pilot with the end of the typical Snow White fairy tale. Themes concerning family and motherhood were emphasized, in contrast to the focus on fatherhood in Lost.

Kitsis and Horowitz sought to write strong female characters, rather than the classic damsel in distress. Horowitz stated their desire to approach each character the same way, asking themselves, "How do we make these icons real, make them relatable?

The pilot is meant to be the "template of the series". Kitsis confirmed that every week will contain flashbacks between both worlds, as they "love the idea of going back and forth and informing what the character is missing in their life.

Horowitz elaborated, "One of the fun things for us coming up with these stories is thinking of ways these different characters can interact in ways they never have before. The general premise, importing the Snow White core characters into the "real world", was previously seen on ABC television in the short-lived s comedy The Charmings.

The show has a similar premise to Bill Willingham's ten-year-old comic series Fables , to which ABC bought the rights in but never made it past planning stages. After Fables fans raised controversy over possible appropriation, the show writers initially denied a link, but later said they may have "read a couple issues" of the comic book but while the two concepts are "in the same playground", they are "telling a different story.

Horowitz stated that everyone they initially wanted cast in the series accepted their offered role after being sent a script. Ginnifer Goodwin was cast as Snow White, who appreciated that she would be playing a strong character that was fleshed out for the audience. The actress had just completed her work on the series Big Love , and was looking for a new project; she turned to television after film scripts failed to interest her.

Having said previously in interviews that she would love to play Snow White, Goodwin called her acceptance of the Snow White role "a no-brainer. Joshua Dallas, who plays Prince Charming, was pleased the writers took "some dramatic license" with his character, believing the prince had become more real. He explained, "Prince Charming just happens to be a name. He's still a man with the same emotions as any other man.

He's a Prince, but he's a Prince of the people. He gets his hands dirty. He's got a kingdom to run. He has a family to protect. He has an epic, epic love for Snow White. He's like everybody else.

He's human. Jennifer Morrison was hired for the part of Emma Swan. The actress explained her character as someone who "help[s] her son Henry whom she abandoned when he was a baby and who seems like he's a little bit emotionally dysfunctional", but noted that Emma does not yet believe there is a fairy tale universe. She explained the character, "There's always two stories being told when playing Regina. There's the threat of her knowing she's an evil queen and then there's just the pure simple fact that the biological mother has stepped into her world and the threat of losing her son is just enormous.

That's a fear that I think any adopted mother would have. I think that's going to really help the audience relate to Regina in some level. The role of Rumplestiltskin was given to Robert Carlyle; it was written with Carlyle in mind, though the writers initially thought he would never accept the part. Horowitz recalled Carlyle's prison sequence, which was the actor's first day on the set as "mind-blowing You could see Ginny actually jump, the first time he did that character.

It was fantastic! On October 3 , it was announced that O'Donoghue would be billed as a series regular beginning with the second-half of the second season.