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In 2011, ABC debuted the series “Once Upon a Time.” By blending classic Disney and fairy tale characters into contemporary settings, creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis crafted one of the most celebrated franchises from the last decade. The story unfolds in the peaceful town of Storybrooke, Maine, offering viewers a fresh perspective on cherished childhood tales set within modern times.

In its seven-season span, the show Once Upon a Time was recognized by receiving 91 nominations. The series skillfully intertwined the legendary pasts of the main characters with contemporary issues, creating a fascinating juxtaposition. With more than 150 episodes available, viewers have plenty of captivating stories to either rediscover or experience for the first time.

Season 1, Episode 2, “The Thing You Love Most”

In a tale as old as time, the wicked Queen Regina casts a spell upon Enchanted Storybook Realm, causing it to lose its magical essence. Consequently, the residents of this mystical world are compelled to forget their past lives and dwell in the ordinary town of Storybrooke. As they grapple with their amnesia, only Queen Regina and her confederates retain awareness of their original identities.

Written byDirected byAir DateIMDb Rating
Edward KitsisGreg BeemanOctober 30, 20117.9/10

In “The Thing You Love Most,” we witness Regina, who governs Storybrooke, reaching a point where she can finally grasp her ambition for ultimate power. The town’s inhabitants are trapped and oblivious of the world beyond their boundaries. Any attempt to escape results in a tragic fate. This installment reveals the profound malice within Regina and showcases her determination to see her scheme succeed, making her an undeniable antagonist.

Season 2, Episode 9, “Queen of Hearts”

In the story of “Once Upon a Time,” it’s not just Regina who plays the role of an Evil Queen. Her mother, Cora, is equally powerful and malicious, contributing significantly to Regina’s shortcomings. Interestingly, Cora assumes the position of the Queen of Hearts in Wonderland. Before Regina can cast her curse on the land, she needs to address her mother’s situation first.

Written byDirected byAir DateIMDb Rating
Adam HorowitzRalph HemeckerDecember 2, 20128.5/10

In this retelling, Regina enlists Captain Hook’s help in journeying to Wonderland to snatch her mother’s heart. By bewitching his hook, she empowers it to penetrate one’s chest and extract their heart, either controlling or ending their life. Upon arriving in Wonderland, Hook encounters Cora and realizes, unfortunately, that Cora does not store her heart within her body. In the end, Cora reveals Regina’s scheme to the Queen of Hearts. This tale serves as a peek into the tumultuous history between the queenly mother and daughter, offering viewers an understanding of some factors shaping Regina’s personality.

Season 2, Episode 7, “Child of the Moon”

In a different phrasing, The characters in numerous fairy tales, such as Red Riding Hood, are being reinterpreted. However, instead of the traditional role, Red Riding Hood has become the Big Bad Wolf herself. When a resident of Storybrooke is discovered mauled and killed, Ruby (formerly Red Riding Hood) becomes the prime suspect. As a result, she grows cautious and secludes herself during full moons to hide her true identity.

Written byDirected byAir DateIMDb Rating
Ian GoldbergAnthony HemingwayNovember 11, 20127.8/10

Via flashbacks to the Enchanted Forest prior to Regina’s curse, we follow Ruby’s tale. Her crimson cloak shields her from turning into a werewolf. It’s unveiled that Ruby’s grandmother had long been aware of Ruby’s identity as the werewolf haunting the Enchanted Forest, keeping it hidden to ensure Ruby’s safety. When Ruby learns this truth, her grandmother is compelled to share Ruby’s family history with her. “Child of the Moon” subtly explores one of many intriguing stories in this way.

Season 1, Episode 22, “A Land Without Magic”

When Regina casted a spell on Fairy Tale Land, transporting its inhabitants to Storybrooke, one perk she secured for herself was Henry – the son she had always yearned for. During this spell, only Regina and her allies were spared, while Snow White and Prince Charming’s newborn baby remained safe outside of the curse’s reach. This infant was kept in a magical wardrobe, shielding her from the influence of Regina’s enchantment. Over time, this child would grow up to be…

Written byDirected byAir DateIMDb Rating
Adam HorowitzDean WhiteMay 13, 20128.9/10

Emma spends her adulthood beyond Storybooke’s boundaries. At some point, she gave up a child for adoption; this child was none other than Henry, Regina’s own son. As Henry escapes Storybrooke to seek his birth mother, he manages to lure Emma back to town, triggering the sequence of events that restores magic to Storybrooke. To keep Emma from meddling with Henry and her schemes, she concocts a poisoned apple pie, similar to the one used on Snow White. Unfortunately, Henry consumes the enchanted pie instead of Emma, setting off a chain of events where Regina and Emma collaborate to save his life. The episode “A Land Without Magic” illustrates that there remains a glimmer of kindness and empathy within the Evil Queen for her son, if not for others.

Season 2, Episode 15, “The Queen is Dead”

In the tale of the Enchanted Forest, it’s Snow White who becomes Queen following her mother’s untimely demise due to an unknown illness. Before this tragic event, her father subsequently marries Regina, who eventually seizes power over the Fairy Tale Land and develops a deep-seated hatred for Snow White. Before her mother’s passing, young Snow White embarks on a journey to seek out the Blue Fairy in search of magic that could save her mother’s life.

Written byDirected byAir DateIMDb Rating
Daniel T. ThompsenGwyneth Horder-PaytonMarch 3, 20137.8/10

In Storybrooke, it’s uncovered that the Queen, disguised as the Blue Fairy, was actually Cora, who had given poisoned magic to Snow White instead of healing her. This revelation comes during a confrontation with Regina and Cora, where Snow White recognizes the impact Cora’s manipulations have had on her life. In this particular episode of Once Upon a Time, Snow White, for the first time, grapples with questioning her moral compass and contemplating retaliation against Cora and Regina in a manner reminiscent of their own tactics.

Season 3, Episode 3, “Witch Hunt”

In the magical realm known as the Enchanted Forest, a fresh enchantment has befallen the inhabitants, transporting them back to Storybrooke once more. After Regina’s initial spell was broken, the townspeople were sent back to the land of Fairy Tales. However, Henry and Emma, who weren’t originally from that world, couldn’t return with everyone else. A full year has passed since then, and now all have returned, yet none can recall the events of the past year. Suspecting another curse was cast, Emma and Regina are on the hunt for the sorcerer responsible, who remains unidentified.

Written byDirected byAir DateIMDb Rating
Jane EspensonGuy FerlandMarch 16, 20148.4/10

In the small town, numerous residents are accusing Regina for the recent affliction, which has made her resolute about discovering the curse’s source to clear her reputation. In “Once Upon a Time,” Snow White comes across an enigmatic woman named Zelena. This is her debut in Storybrooke, as she wasn’t part of Regina’s initial spell. Zelena turns out to be none other than the Wicked Witch of the West and instigator of the second wave of the curse. The episode “Witch Hunt” delves into the lineage of Regina and Cora, offering viewers an intricate look at Zelena’s past, the tumultuous relationship between the Wicked Witch and the Evil Queen, and unveiling a new adversary in the series.

Season 3, Episode 8, “Think Lovely Thoughts”

One rephrased version could be: “The climax of Regina, Emma, and their companions’ chase for Henry in ‘Once Upon a Time’s’ Neverland storyline is captivatingly intricate. In this narrative, Peter Pan, nearing his end, seeks to save himself by obtaining the heart of someone who deeply believes in magic. Deceiving Henry into believing that his heart will protect Neverland, the cost being that Henry would be bound to Neverland eternally.

Written byDirected byAir DateIMDb Rating
David H. GoodmanDavid SolomonNovember 17, 20038.6/10

In this episode of “Once Upon a Time,” we delve into the childhood years of Mr. Gold, better known as Rumplestiltskin. Through flashbacks, we learn that his father used a magical bean to transport them to Neverland. There, young Rumple witnesses his father transforming into Peter Pan while abandoning him. Mr. Gold tries to convince Henry and the others that Peter Pan is a liar who would go to any length, including leaving his child behind, to save himself. This episode stands out as one of the most insightful in the series, revealing an unexpected relationship between Rumplestiltskin and Peter Pan.

Season 3, Episode 11, “Going Home”

Following Peter Pan’s claim of Henry’s heart, Pan takes over Henry’s physical form. With this newfound power, Pan intends to unleash a deadly curse upon Storybrooke, unlike any before. This time, instead of expelling or erasing memories from the townsfolk, everyone would perish. Unbeknownst to them, the character they know as Henry is actually Pan in disguise, collecting information among the other characters.

Written byDirected byAir DateIMDb Rating
Adam HorowitzRalph HemeckerDecember 15, 20139.1/10

In the end, Mr. Gold, Emma, Regina and their group find out that Pan is inhabiting Henry’s body. They subsequently concoct a strategy to swap bodies. Following the performance of the ritual, Gold finds himself alone with Pan’s body as Pan stirs back to consciousness and assaults him, carrying on his mission to invoke the dark curse upon Storybrooke. Gold reveals to Regina that the only way to halt the dark curse is by destroying the scroll that was used to cast the very first curse, which transported them all to Storybrooke in the first place. “Going Home” marks the climax of several long-standing plotlines from previous seasons, such as the demise of Peter Pan, making it an essential episode to watch.

Season 1, Episode 20, “The Stranger”

August Booth makes an enigmatic appearance in Storybrooke at the start of season one. He and Emma, having been in a foster care together following the initial curse in Fairy Tale Land, share this unique past. Notably, Geppetto, Pinochio’s father, was permitted to create the magical wardrobe that safeguarded Emma from the curse’s influence. Yet, what many others were unaware of was that Pinocchio himself was hidden within the wardrobe, shielding him from Regina’s enchantment as well.

Written byDirected byAir DateIMDb Rating
Andrew ChamblissGwyneth Horder-PaytonApril 29, 20128.3/10

Because Pinocchio had grown up during their journey into the real world, he could recall their past in Fairy Tale Land. Adopting the name August Booth, he has been following Emma and Henry as they traveled towards Storybrooke. August plays a crucial role in “Once Upon a Time”, as it is through him that Emma learns she is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming and possesses the unique ability to thwart the Evil Queen. The character of “The Stranger” signals the start of Emma’s journey towards accepting her destiny and saving Storybrooke.

Season 1, Episode 8, “Desperate Souls”

In Storybrooke, he’s commonly known as Mr. Gold, but across the series, he often plays the role of a villain. However, when audiences learn about his past and transformation into The Dark One, his narrative becomes empathetic and clearer. The accolades showered upon actor Robert Carlyle for his portrayal of Rumple are richly deserved.

Written byDirected byAir DateIMDb Rating
Jane EspensonMichael WaxmanJanuary 8, 20128.2/10

In the series “Desperate Souls,” audiences are given an insightful look at how Rumplestiltskin, later known as The Dark One, was shaped. In a realm reminiscent of fairy tales, Rumplestiltskin is conscripted into the military during the Ogre Wars. He abandons his post and is branded a coward by his village. Determined to find the Dark One’s dagger, a potent artifact, he embarks on this journey with his son. However, once they retrieve the dagger, his son Baelfire experiences an ominous premonition about it. This episode is particularly admired for its portrayal of Rumplestiltskin’s downward spiral into darkness.

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2025-05-31 01:38