Спустя сотни лет после получения магии и бессмертия от Святого Грааля, Колдун Мерлин решает снять эти силы с себя, используя Пламя Прометея, чтобы переплавить Грааль в меч Экскалибур. Вместо этого это непреднамеренно создает первого Темного, Нимуэ, после того, как она пьет из Грааля, чтобы обрести бессмертие и затемнить свое сердце от Вортигана. Затем Мерлин создает кинжал из наконечника меча Экскалибура, чтобы контролировать ее и защищать царство от нее. («Нимуэ»)
С его учеником, Чародей также продолжает выбирать Автора, чья единственная обязанность — свидетельствовать и записывать реальные истории в волшебном сборнике рассказов. («Безупречный план»)
Силы Тёмного передаются различным людям на протяжении многих лет с передачей власти, когда человек убивает Тёмного с помощью кинжала и становится новым Тёмным. («Отчаявшиеся души», «Нимуэ»)
Война с Ограми длится четырнадцать лет, поражает царство, по крайней мере, с одним неназванным королевством, прибегая к набору детей в возрасте тринадцати лет, чтобы стать солдатами на войне. Именно во время этого из-за того, что шерстяной прядильщик, Румпельштильцхен, убивает нынешнего Темного, Зосо, и становится следующим Темным. («Отчаявшиеся души»)
Позднее Румпельштильцхен использует свою недавно обретенную темную силу, чтобы остановить Войну с Ограми. («Предвещающие знаки»)
Вторая Война с Ограми война также происходит, но об этом мало известно, за исключением того, что шесть братьев Вдовы Лукас были ветеранами этой войны. («Пойманный с поличным»)
В королевстве короля Ксавье, его сын Принц Генри женится на дочери мельника, Коре, как только она докажет свою ценность, превратив солому в золото, чтобы помочь пополнить казну королевства. У Коры есть дочь, Реджина, с мужем, которомы она обещает, что однажды она станет Королевой. Она вводит эти планы спустя годы, когда Реджина имеет брачный возраст, отравив королеву Еву, жену короля Леопольда, оставив его вдовцом. Затем Кора подталкивает ситуацию к тому, чтобы Реджина произвела впечатление на Леопольда и приняла его предложение о браке. Реджина, к несчастью, женится на Леопольде и становится мачехой его дочери Белоснежки.
После того, как последний автор, Уолт Дисней, умирает, Чародей и его ученик выбирают Айзека Хеллера для этой работы. («Операция Мангуст. Часть 1»)
Спустя годы, после того, как Белоснежка расцвела в молодую женщину, Реджина манипулирует Джином Аграбы, чтобы он убил Леопольда. Реджина пытается убить свою падчерицу, но она невредима. Снежка становится разыскиваемым беглецом во всем королевстве, когда Реджина утверждает, что она несет ответственность за смерть Леопольда. Реджина предлагает вознаграждение жителям деревни, если они раскроют убежище Снежки, но они отказываются, причем многие из них казнятся за неповиновение. («Сердце — одинокий охотник», «Плод ядовитого дерева», «Конюх», «Королева мертва», «Дочь мельника», «Злая Королева», «Потерянная девочка»)
На землях сэра Мориса, он получает солдат от лорда ЛеГума для борьбы с Ограми, когда его дочь Белль принимает предложение о браке с сыном ЛеГума, Гастоном. Однако даже этого альянса недостаточно, чтобы остановить Огров от вторжения в замок Мориса, в результате чего погибла его жена Колетт. Отчаяние Мориса, чтобы защитить свой народ от огров, приводит его к тому, что он обращается к Румпельштильцхену за помощью. В обмен на то, чтобы оставить Огров, Белль соглашается стать вечной слугой Румпельштильцхена. («Внешность обманчива», «Семейное дело», «Её прекрасный герой»)
Пастух, Дэвид, неожиданно становится принцем, когда он маскарируется, его умершим братом-близнецом Джеймсом, приемным сыном короля Джорджа. Позднее он стал продолжать играть эту роль, обручившись на дочери Короля Мидаса, Эбигейл. («Пастух»)
В другом королевстве в Зачарованном лесу, Золушка заключает сделку с Румпельштильцхеным, чтобы пойти на бал, где она завоевывает сердце принца Томаса и в итоге выходит за него замуж. («Цена золота»)
После проклятия, Снежка пытается сплотить людей, чтобы сражаться вместе с ней, чтобы вернуть королевство. Реджина хочет, чтобы Снежка отказалась от своего права на трон, однако принцесса вместо этого объявляет войну своей мачехе. Реджина объединяет силы с армией короля Джорджа, но когда его солдаты побеждены, Снежка получает помощь от Голубой Феи, чтобы схватить Реджину. Военный совет голосует за то, чтобы Реджина была публично расстреляна за свои преступления, но Белоснежка в последний момент останавливает казнь и решает дать еще один шанс бывшей королеве. Когда Реджина доказывает, что она мстительна, Снежка изгоняет ее из королевства, пообещав убить ее, если она когда-нибудь снова нанесет вред другому человеку. («Потерянная девочка», «Игра в Крикет»)
Поскольку автор Айзек использовал свои способности, чтобы манипулировать людьми, чтобы создавать «лучшие истории», Ученик заточает Айзека в книге сказок. («Безупречный план»)
В день свадьбы Белоснежки и Прекрасного Принца, Королева объявляет о своих намерениях отомстить, отняв их счасливые финалы. Пара получает информацию от Румпельштильцхена о проклятии королевы и что единственный человек, который может остановить ее, — это их еще не родившийся ребенок, который разрушит проклятье через двадцать восемь лет. В тот день, когда проклятье было наложено, Снежка рано слишком рано рожает девочку, Эмму, которую Прекрасный Принц кладет в волшебный шкаф, чтобы убедиться, что она снова найдет их через двадцать восемь лет. Затем проклятие поглощает Зачарованный Лес, за исключением участка земли, который Кора защищает своей магией, которое переносит жителей в другой мир. («Пилотная серия»)
The Enchanted Forest, also known as Misthaven[1], is a Fairy Tale Land realm featured on ABC’s Once Upon a Time and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. It first appears in the first episode of the first season of Once Upon a Time.
The Enchanted Forest is a world inhabited by people of various pedigrees and backgrounds with the land divided into several realms; each one ruled by a different monarch. Of one of commoner named Rumplestiltskin, he is but a young child when his father Malcolm makes a living as a cheat in a rigged game. All of Malcolm’s earnings are stolen when a displeased customer takes all of it. Rumplestiltskin is sent off to a pair of spinsters where he quickly discovers a great talent for wool spinning. He desires to someday grow up and hold a job as a spinner in order to support himself and Malcolm, but the spinsters heed that his father will never change his old ways. They hand him a magic bean to escape to another land by himself, but Rumplestiltskin convinces Malcolm that they can start afresh elsewhere. They jump into the land of Neverland where Rumplestiltskin is ripped apart from his father, who abandons him for youth as a young boy named Peter Pan, and he is returned to the Enchanted Forest to be taken in by the spinsters. («Think Lovely Thoughts«)
Years later, at the bequest of their king, a ship lieutenant named Killian and his brother as well as captain Liam Jones take the crew of the Jewel of the Realm to Neverland in search of a special healing plant called Dreamshade. Only after meeting Pan, the boy claims Dreamshade is poisonous. Killian begins to doubt the intent of their king, and thinks he must want it to massacre their enemies in battle. Liam tries to soothe his brother’s worries by testing a branch of Dreamshade on himself, and passes out from the rapidly spreading venom. Desperately, Killian pleads for help from Pan, who allows him passage to the island’s spring water, but warns that neither of the two brothers should leave Neverland unless they are willing to pay the price. Killian fails to understand the deeper meaning in Pan’s choice of words and quickly retrieves the water to restore Liam to life. They set sail out of the island, intending to unmask their king’s true nature to the whole nation, but suddenly, Liam begins to succumb to death. Though the water did indeed heal him, it also means he can never step foot away from the island without dying. Killian buries his brother at sea. On par with his growing anger towards the king, he reveals their monarch’s true nature to the crewmen and persuades all of them to strip away their former lives and continue on as honorable pirates at sea. Killian becomes pirate captain and renames the ship to the Jolly Roger. («Good Form«)
Rumplestiltskin, now a grown man, is married to Milah. They lead a simple life as wool spinners, though he is constantly subjected to gossip concerning his cowardly father. When drafted into the Ogre War, Rumplestiltskin sees it as the perfect opportunity to show everyone how brave he truly is. Milah gives her blessings, and he ends up stationed in a camp as a soldier-in-training. One night, he is given watch duty over a large, covered-up cage containing something that will help them win the upcoming battle. The prisoner inside is a young seer that tempts him with knowledge of his future. Curious, he gives her water in exchange for the premonition. The seer sees his future as both a joyful and grim one, as Milah is expecting a son, but Rumplestiltskin’s actions on the battlefield tomorrow will leave his child fatherless. Perceiving she means his own life will end in death, he purposely injuries his own leg and is sent home. Milah births a son she names Baelfire as rumors spread about her husband intentionally harming himself to be exempt from the battlefield. When he finally arrives home, she learns all of this is true. Milah angrily accosts him over doing so over a seer’s prophecy, which she has little faith in, and claims had he fought valiantly and died, at least Baelfire would have an honorable mention of a father than an alive and cowardly one. Despite her disappointment, Rumplestiltskin believes he did the right thing and promises to never leave his son. («Manhattan«)
Another few years after, Milah grows dissatisfied with her marriage, though she loves Baelfire, and spends time frequenting the local tavern. Killian and his crewmen stop in and become acquainted with Milah as they drink and gamble. Killian entertains her with stories of all the adventures he has had in various places. The two fall in love. One day, Rumplestiltskin arrives at the tavern pleading for Milah to come home. Killian and his men poke fun at her husband, which she merrily joins in on, until Baelfire enters to ask for his mother. Unable to deny her maternal instinct, she heads home. Milah tries her hardest to tell Rumplestiltskin what she truly desires in a life, but he pays her no mind and wants their marriage to work for their son’s sake. Though she promises to try, Milah slips out during the night to run away onto Killian’s ship. As a cover story, whispers spread that she was kidnapped by Killian. In the morning, Rumplestiltskin frantically goes to the docked ship to beg for his wife’s release. Killian refuses to oblige unless they can have fair sword duel, but Rumplestiltskin is too frightened to fight, and shamefully goes home to tell Baelfire that his mother is dead. («The Crocodile»)
As Baelfire nears fourteen, another Ogre War has broken out as the Duke of the Frontlands’ soldiers come to their village to take away a young girl named Morraine. Per the Duke’s orders, all children who turn fourteen will automatically be enlisted as a soldier in the war. When her parents beseech one of the soldiers, Hordor, for mercy, he wields a dagger to command a being known as the Dark One to magically force them into submission. Rumplestiltskin and his son look on in horror. Even though Baelfire is willing to fight as a soldier when his time comes, Rumplestiltskin simply won’t allow it. They try to escape the village during the night, but are apprehended by Hordor and his soldiers. Rumplestiltskin is humiliated when forced to kiss Hordor’s boot, and then kicked. After the men are gone, an old beggar, Zoso, gains Rumplestiltskin’s sympathy and is offered shelter and food. In truth, Zoso is the Dark One in disguise. As the holder of such dark powers, he is grows tired of following the cruel and violent will of whomever has the power to command him with the dagger. Zoso tricks Rumplestiltskin into believing he can control the Dark One if the dagger is his. Once Rumplestiltskin steals the dagger and uses it to summon Zoso, he flies into a rage when the Dark One insults his son and stabs him. As intended, this is what Zoso had wished to happen, as the Dark One can only be killed if someone else kills him with the dagger, and thus, the powers will transfer to this person. Rumplestiltskin gains the unholy magic of the Dark One, giving him more strength and influence than he ever possessed, and swiftly tests them out by murdering Hordor and his men, which a shocked Baelfire witnesses. («Desperate Souls«)
Using his new-found status, Rumplestiltskin uses his powers to put an end to the Ogre War. More than anything, he wants to be able to protect Baelfire, but becomes overprotective by shutting his son in the house at all times. This causes Baelfire to feel lonely and saddened without freedom or friends. During one evening, he hears the musical sound of a pan flute and follows it. Other children from the town of Hamelin also disappear; leaving their parents flabbergasted. On a different night, Rumplestiltskin hears the pan flute and discovers all the boys are gathered around a bonfire in a dancing frenzy. Soon, the pan flute player is revealed to be Pan, who has been drawing the boys in with his music, which can only be heard by those that feel unloved and lost. He intends to take all of them back to Neverland, but offers Rumplestiltskin a chance to let Baelfire choose, of his own free-will, to stay or leave for Neverland. The Dark One ignores him and whisks his son home. However, Baelfire divulges knowledge about the prior deal with Pan, and had his father asked him, he would have chosen to stay rather than leave. («Nasty Habits«)
The Dark One gains a notable reputation for dealing out severe punishments to those who cross him or Baelfire. His son wants Rumplestiltskin to give up his powers before they corrupt him even more, though there is no way to do that without someone killing him with the dagger. Rumplestiltskin only promises to follow suit if Baelfire can find a method to dispose of the Dark One powers without death prevailing. At Morraine’s suggestion, Baelfire calls the «Rheul Ghorm», who comes to him in the form of a Blue Fairy. She cannot revert Rumplestiltskin to the person he was, but gives the boy the last magic bean in existence to take him and his father to a Land Without Magic. In the woods, Baelfire opens a portal with the bean. Afraid to part with his powers, Rumplestiltskin begins to back out of their deal. In the end, he allows Baelfire to fall into the portal alone. In regret, he summons the Blue Fairy for answers. She accidentally lets it slip that a curse can bring him to his son, but only if he sacrifices the Enchanted Forest, which is a feat he can never achieve. Rumplestiltskin vows, no matter the time or effort, that he will reach his son. («The Return«)
In his quest for a magic bean, Rumplestiltskin meets with a trader, William Smee, who can procure one, but only if he can gain immortality as a reward. Per chance, the Dark One sights Killian and challenges him to a duel. As he moves to rip out the pirate’s heart, Milah stops him. Stunned, Rumplestiltskin finally learns that she ran away with Killian because they fell in love. Milah previously caught Smee trying to steal a magic bean from Killian’s ship, and asks Rumplestiltskin to take what he wants so she and her lover may walk free. The next day, they meet aboard the ship to carry out the terms of the deal. Rumplestiltskin, angered over Milah’s abandonment of Baelfire, questions her about it. Milah admits letting misery cloud her own judgement, and scathingly claims that she never loved Rumplestiltskin. In a fury, he tears out her heart and crushes it as Milah dies in Killian’s arms. Since the pirate refuses to hand over the bean, Rumplestiltskin cuts off Killian’s hand containing it and teleports away. However, the bean is actually in the other hand. Killian takes a hook as a replacement for his severed hand, accepting Smee as one of his crewman and opens a portal to Neverland with the bean. («The Crocodile»)
The grown-up seer meets Rumplestiltskin again and is coerced into telling him how he may find his son again. She has reached her power limit and offers to give him the ability of foresight so he may master it instead. Once he takes her powers, she begins to die. Before succumbing, the seer prophecies one last time, attesting that a young boy will lead him to his son, but will also be his undoing. Rumplestiltskin promises to eliminate the boy. («Manhattan«)
Rumplestiltskin takes on an errand boy named Jiminy, who admits he desires to change his own life, but can’t with his swindling parents, Myrna and Martin, in the way. The Dark One gives him a potion to use to be rid of them. Jiminy is forced to go along with another one of his parents’ schemes by tricking a couple into buying a fake elf tonic. Afterwards, he dumps the potion on his parents, but learns too late that they switched it with the fake elf tonic. The couple turns into a pair of wooden puppets as a result of ingesting the potion, to which their son Geppetto walks in on his parents’ horrifying state. Guilt-ridden, Jiminy wishes on a blue star to bring the boy’s parents back. The Blue Fairy hears his wish, but cannot undo his mistake. Instead, Jiminy agrees to be turned into a talking cricket so he can guide Geppetto as a companion. («That Still Small Voice«)
In the kingdom of King Xavier, a princess of a northern region, Princess Eva, has come to visit. She becomes acquainted with King Xavier’s son, Prince Henry, and uses her status to deliberately trip a miller’s daughter, Cora, and blame the girl in front of everyone. Cora is humiliated by the incident and sneaks into the royal ball to attract Prince Henry. King Xavier berates her for attempting to climb the ranks while Cora, in frustration, boasts she can spin straw into gold. Though she is lying, King Xavier tasks her to spin a whole roomful of gold and win Prince Henry’s hand. If she cannot, death will be her punishment. Stuck in a dilemma, Cora runs out of options until Rumplestiltskin comes to her aid. Unknown to her, he has glimpsed into the future and recognized that Cora’s first-born child will be essential to him. As a trade, Rumplestiltskin will make gold out of straw if she will give him her first-born. Cora tweaks the deal by asking him to teach her how to spin gold, which he obliges by saying she has to channel her anger into magic. They bond over their shared experiences in suffering humiliation. Cora successfully turns straw into gold and accepts a proposal from Prince Henry. The day before her wedding, she realizes that power and wealth are nothing compared to the love Rumplestiltskin has given her. They plan to run away together, and change the deal so any child she has will be his. As a last lesson, Cora learns from her lover how to rip out a person’s heart so she can punish King Xavier in the same manner. When she confronts him, King Xavier gives her a choice to be high rank as Prince Henry’s wife or leave with Rumplestiltskin. He teaches Cora that «love is weakness»; causing her to have doubts. As a result, she rips out her own heart in order to let nothing stand in her way of attaining power and leaves Rumplestiltskin. Months later, she proclaims her new-born daughter, Regina, will be queen one day. («The Miller’s Daughter«)
The inhabitants unaffected by the Evil Queen’s Dark Curse due to Cora’s protection are frozen, unable to age, and build a Safe Haven to protect themselves from the ogres dominating the land. They also take Cora prisoner because she is the Evil Queen’s mother, and thus blame her for the ruin of their world. Cora kills the Safe Haven’s leader, Lancelot, and masquerades as him when necessary. («Broken», «Lady of the Lake»)
Twenty-eight years later, time moves forward once more when the savior breaks the curse. Prince Phillip and Mulan reach an old palace where Princess Aurora rests under a Sleeping Curse. Prince Phillip frees her with true love’s kiss. From Storybrooke, a deadly creature called the Wraith is sent into a vortex through a hat, inevitably pulling in Emma, as Mary Margaret also jumps in to follow after her. The Wraith lands in the Enchanted Forest first, and brands Prince Phillip for death. After his soul is sucked out by the being, Aurora and Mulan return to the palace to place Prince Phillip’s body on a bier. They hear a strange noise and find Emma and Mary Margaret unconscious under the rubble. Believing the two are culprits responsible for Prince Phillip’s death, they take them as prisoners to the Safe Haven. After being thrown into a holding pit, Emma meets Cora, though Mary Margaret warns her against trusting the woman. The Safe Haven leader, Lancelot, recognizes Mary Margaret as his old friend Snow White and sends Mulan with them as they try to find a way back to Storybrooke. Aurora ends up sneaking along, and they arrive at the royal family’s abandoned castle to look for the magic wardrobe that once took Emma, as an infant, to the Land Without Magic. Cora reveals herself as a fake Lancelot. When she tries to go through the wardrobe, Emma sets it on fire. The four women leave empty-handed, though Cora returns to collect the ashes of the wardrobe for later use. She aligns herself with Hook, who desires just as much as her to have safe passage to Storybrooke. («Broken», «Lady of the Lake»)
They return to the Safe Haven to find all the survivors’ hearts ripped out, which is obviously Cora’s work. Hook pretends to be the sole survivor to gain their trust, but under duress, fesses up to who he really is. He shows them to a beanstalk that must be climbed so the compass, necessary for opening a portal, can be retrieved from a giant. Using two enchanted bracelets of Cora’s, he and Emma journey up. They knock out the giant, Anton, with poppy dust, which works temporarily. While Hook is buried some rocks, Emma nearly blacks out from being squeezed in the giant’s fist. She captures Anton under a cage and learns his hatred of humans is due to the massacre of his own family at their hands. Considering Emma has treated him kindly, Anton gives her the compass as gratitude. As a second favor, he agrees to entrap Hook, who she deems untrustworthy, so she can race down the beanstalk without him. («Tallahassee«)
Since awakening from the Sleeping Curse, Aurora has been experiencing a side effect of her spirit travelling to the Netherworld while asleep. In this world, she meets a young boy, Henry, and wakes up to inform Emma and Mary Margaret. («Child of the Moon«)
In the process of escaping down the beanstalk, Hook steals Anton’s withered bean, leaving the giant with only the stalk left. Cora is awaiting him at the bottom. She believes he has betrayed her since Emma now has the compass, and decides to work alone instead of with him. Cora commands the corpses of the Safe Haven survivors to rise and chase down Aurora, Emma, Mary Margaret and Mulan. Via the Netherworld, Aurora receives a message from Henry about an item they can use to defeat Cora, but doesn’t hear him when she is startled awake to flee from the living corpses. In the confusion, she is captured and taken to Cora. Aurora refuses to betray her friends, even though Cora tempts her with the possibility that Prince Phillip’s soul can still be brought back. For her stubbornness, Cora knocks Aurora out. Mary Margaret asks to be placed into a deep sleep with poppy dust so she can breach another line of communication in the Netherworld. On their way to collect the dust, they receive a message from Cora demanding the compass by sundown or risk Aurora’s life. Emma and Mary Margaret convince Mulan to wait until they speak with Henry in the Netherworld before giving the compass to Cora. In the Netherworld, Mary Margaret speaks to David, who is under a Sleeping Curse, and he tells her about the squid ink in Rumplestiltskin’s old cell for paralyzing Cora. While Aurora is alone and unconscious, Hook attempts to get into Cora’s good graces once more by tearing out the girl’s heart. He allows Aurora to leave, but later presents the heart to an ecstatic Cora. Then, she uses it to control Aurora’s movements and speech as well as listen in on the foursome’s next destination to find squid ink. («Into the Deep«)
At the old cell, no squid ink is found. They do, however, come across a parchment containing Emma’s name written repeatedly on it. Aurora is manipulated by Cora into closing the cell door. The compass is snatched away into Cora’s hand and then she and Hook leave for Lake Nostos to begin their departure to Storybrooke. They throw the wardrobe ashes in, which create a portal. Eventually, Mary Margaret discovers that the parchment ink itself is squid ink and uses it to disintegrate the cell bars. Aurora is left behind since Cora still has her heart. Mary Margaret swiftly stops their nemeses from jumping into the portal by shooting the compass into the sand. A battle ensues, to which Mulan leaves once she regains Aurora’s heart. Emma demonstrates a surprising power of blocking Cora’s ability to tear out her heart and renders the woman unconscious. With the compass in hand, the two head home through the portal. Mulan returns the heart to Aurora, and they set out to rescue Prince Phillip’s soul. Though beaten, Hook revives the withered magic bean by placing it in the lake’s water. It opens a passageway, to which he and Cora sail into Storybrooke on the Jolly Roger. Aboard, Cora also brings along the giant she previously captured and shrunk. («Queen of Hearts«, «Tiny»)
Through unknown means, Aurora and Mulan rescue Prince Phillip’s soul. While the trio walks along the Safe Haven‘s beach shore, they discover an unconscious wounded man. They bring him to the palace and tend to his injuries. When he finally awakens, they find out his name is Neal, and he fell through a portal into the Enchanted Forest. Surprisingly, he also reveals himself as Rumplestiltskin’s son as well as Henry’s father. In Rumplestiltskin’s abandoned castle, Mulan and Neal intrude upon a stranger, Robin Hood, who has claimed the place as his own. After looking at a crystal ball, Neal sees Emma in Neverland. After much convincing, a reluctant Robin Hood allows his son Roland to summon the Shadow so Neal can hitch a free ride back to Neverland to rescue his loved ones. Once the mission is a success, Robin Hood offers Mulan a place with his Merry Men, but she has more urgent business to attend to. Mulan hurries to the palace, intending to confess her feelings for Aurora, though the princess excitedly admits she is expecting a baby with Prince Phillip. Crestfallen, Mulan leaves to join the Merry Men. («The Heart of the Truest Believer», «Quite a Common Fairy«)
Sometime before or after, the Wicked Witch of the West, Zelena, begins residing in the Queen’s old palace. Rather than break in, Zelena easily gains access due to the palace’s blood magic lock, since she and the Queen, Regina, are half-sisters. Regina, after taking magical preventive measures to undo Pan’s casting of the Dark Curse, pays the price by returning to the Enchanted Forest along with the other former Storybrooke inhabitants and all revert to their prior personas. However, Emma and Henry stay behind in the Land Without Magic with their memories of Storybrooke erased by Regina. In a group, they manifest in the land of Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip where Regina mentions that her old palace is still standing due to a spell. She reluctantly agrees go there with Snow White so their united forces will put everyone at ease, while Hook ventures back to his life as a pirate. Meanwhile, Aurora, fearing for the safety of her unborn child, convinces Prince Phillip that they must tell the Wicked Witch of the new arrivals in the Enchanted Forest. During the trek to the palace, Regina goes to tear out and bury her own heart since she can’t bear the pain of losing Henry. Snow White convinces her that she must find happiness for Henry’s sake, so Regina reluctantly reinserts the heart. Suddenly, they are attacked by a flying monkey, who was sent by the Wicked Witch, in order to extract some of Regina’s blood. The beast is scared off by the Merry Men, and they join the party heading for the palace. Once there, Regina notices a barrier keeping them out, so the group decides to seek shelter at Sherwood Forest. («New York City Serenade«, «Witch Hunt«)
As the group departs for Sherwood Forest, Regina proposes to Prince Charming and Snow White that she break into the palace by using the underground tunnels, which are not protected by the spell, and afterwards, lower the shield so everyone can lead an army in. The flying monkey attacks again, with Robin Hood’s son, Roland, nearly swooped by the creature, but Regina protects him by turning it into a stuffed animal, which she gifts to the boy. In a group discussion, Belle shares knowledge about the flying monkey’s origins in the land of Oz, so Regina determines the person in the palace is the Wicked Witch. Robin Hood secretly joins her as payment for rescuing his son earlier. After passing through numerous traps Regina sets up to stop thieves, they reach the crypt, bound by blood magic, only to discover it is open, which surprises Regina. At the bedchamber, she mixes ingredients for a Sleeping Curse intending to use it on herself. When Robin Hood tries to stop her, she freezes him. Regina wishes for the curse to be broken by the only true love in her life—Henry—since she wants to live for him. After taking down the shield, Regina apologizes to her son before preparing to prick herself with the curse. The Wicked Witch takes it away, and introduces herself as Zelena. She claims to be Regina’s half-sister, which further explains how the crypt was accessible to her. Zelena, full of bitterness, announces that her true intent is to get what she desires; describing it as «her dreams being realized» while Regina will suffer a «fate worse than death». Motivated by an enemy, Regina decides she’ll live to wreck Zelena’s life. With the barrier down, the other inhabitants quickly assemble into the palace. («Witch Hunt»)
During a night’s rest in the palace, Prince Charming imagines, in a dream, of a life in the Enchanted Forest he wanted for Emma while blaming himself for not being there for her as she grew up in the Land Without Magic. When he awakens, Snow White informs him that they are expecting another child. Terrified of failing this child as he did Emma, Prince Charming, on Robin Hood’s suggestion, seeks out a plant called night root, which is rumored to rid the user of their fears. Upon hearing a woman’s cry for help, he climbs up a tower, using length, braided hair as a scaling rope, to find a princess, Rapunzel, who has been confined for a very long time due to a witch. She, like him, once sought out the night root, but consuming it did not help lessen her fears. The witch arrives to kill Prince Charming for attempting to rescue Rapunzel. Only then, Rapunzel’s captor is unmasked as a manifestation of herself as her greatest fear due to the princess consuming the night root. Overwhelmed with fright, Rapunzel is unable to fight back until receiving encouragement from Prince Charming. Using a sharp weapon, she hacks off her long tresses, which the witch was clinging onto, and vanquishes her own fear. The two arrive to the palace where Rapunzel is happily reunited with her parents. Prince Charming, also owning up to his fears, confesses his anxieties to Snow White about having another child. She assures him that whatever the future may hold, they will figure it out together. («The Tower«)
Since only Emma has the power to defeat the Wicked Witch, Snow White enacts another curse with the help of Regina by sacrificing Prince Charming’s heart, so they can cross realms and return to Storybrooke. Before the curse is complete, the Wicked Witch arrives to add a forgetting potion, which will erase everyone’s recollections of their year in the Enchanted Forest. Desperate, Snow White asks Regina to split her heart in two halves, so she and Prince Charming can remain alive with each half. Once he is revived, the curse overtakes them. («A Curious Thing»)
The Enchanted Forest is divided into kingdoms, much as the Land Without Magic is currently divided into countries. Known kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest are:
Notes:
^: Current inhabitants
*: This inhabitant’s status and/or current whereabouts is unknown
†: Deceased inhabitants
No mark: Taken to Storybrooke via either the first or second Dark Curse
º: In Storybrooke via other means
F:Former inhabitants
Note: «Archive» denotes archive footage.
The Enchanted Forest, also known as Misthaven[1], is a Fairy Tale Land realm featured on ABC’s Once Upon a Time and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. It first appears in the first episode of the first season of Once Upon a Time.
The Enchanted Forest is a world inhabited by people of various pedigrees and backgrounds with the land divided into several realms; each one ruled by a different monarch. Of one of commoner named Rumplestiltskin, he is but a young child when his father Malcolm makes a living as a cheat in a rigged game. All of Malcolm’s earnings are stolen when a displeased customer takes all of it. Rumplestiltskin is sent off to a pair of spinsters where he quickly discovers a great talent for wool spinning. He desires to someday grow up and hold a job as a spinner in order to support himself and Malcolm, but the spinsters heed that his father will never change his old ways. They hand him a magic bean to escape to another land by himself, but Rumplestiltskin convinces Malcolm that they can start afresh elsewhere. They jump into the land of Neverland where Rumplestiltskin is ripped apart from his father, who abandons him for youth as a young boy named Peter Pan, and he is returned to the Enchanted Forest to be taken in by the spinsters. («Think Lovely Thoughts«)
Years later, at the bequest of their king, a ship lieutenant named Killian and his brother as well as captain Liam Jones take the crew of the Jewel of the Realm to Neverland in search of a special healing plant called Dreamshade. Only after meeting Pan, the boy claims Dreamshade is poisonous. Killian begins to doubt the intent of their king, and thinks he must want it to massacre their enemies in battle. Liam tries to soothe his brother’s worries by testing a branch of Dreamshade on himself, and passes out from the rapidly spreading venom. Desperately, Killian pleads for help from Pan, who allows him passage to the island’s spring water, but warns that neither of the two brothers should leave Neverland unless they are willing to pay the price. Killian fails to understand the deeper meaning in Pan’s choice of words and quickly retrieves the water to restore Liam to life. They set sail out of the island, intending to unmask their king’s true nature to the whole nation, but suddenly, Liam begins to succumb to death. Though the water did indeed heal him, it also means he can never step foot away from the island without dying. Killian buries his brother at sea. On par with his growing anger towards the king, he reveals their monarch’s true nature to the crewmen and persuades all of them to strip away their former lives and continue on as honorable pirates at sea. Killian becomes pirate captain and renames the ship to the Jolly Roger. («Good Form«)
Rumplestiltskin, now a grown man, is married to Milah. They lead a simple life as wool spinners, though he is constantly subjected to gossip concerning his cowardly father. When drafted into the Ogre War, Rumplestiltskin sees it as the perfect opportunity to show everyone how brave he truly is. Milah gives her blessings, and he ends up stationed in a camp as a soldier-in-training. One night, he is given watch duty over a large, covered-up cage containing something that will help them win the upcoming battle. The prisoner inside is a young seer that tempts him with knowledge of his future. Curious, he gives her water in exchange for the premonition. The seer sees his future as both a joyful and grim one, as Milah is expecting a son, but Rumplestiltskin’s actions on the battlefield tomorrow will leave his child fatherless. Perceiving she means his own life will end in death, he purposely injuries his own leg and is sent home. Milah births a son she names Baelfire as rumors spread about her husband intentionally harming himself to be exempt from the battlefield. When he finally arrives home, she learns all of this is true. Milah angrily accosts him over doing so over a seer’s prophecy, which she has little faith in, and claims had he fought valiantly and died, at least Baelfire would have an honorable mention of a father than an alive and cowardly one. Despite her disappointment, Rumplestiltskin believes he did the right thing and promises to never leave his son. («Manhattan«)
Another few years after, Milah grows dissatisfied with her marriage, though she loves Baelfire, and spends time frequenting the local tavern. Killian and his crewmen stop in and become acquainted with Milah as they drink and gamble. Killian entertains her with stories of all the adventures he has had in various places. The two fall in love. One day, Rumplestiltskin arrives at the tavern pleading for Milah to come home. Killian and his men poke fun at her husband, which she merrily joins in on, until Baelfire enters to ask for his mother. Unable to deny her maternal instinct, she heads home. Milah tries her hardest to tell Rumplestiltskin what she truly desires in a life, but he pays her no mind and wants their marriage to work for their son’s sake. Though she promises to try, Milah slips out during the night to run away onto Killian’s ship. As a cover story, whispers spread that she was kidnapped by Killian. In the morning, Rumplestiltskin frantically goes to the docked ship to beg for his wife’s release. Killian refuses to oblige unless they can have fair sword duel, but Rumplestiltskin is too frightened to fight, and shamefully goes home to tell Baelfire that his mother is dead. («The Crocodile»)
As Baelfire nears fourteen, another Ogre War has broken out as the Duke of the Frontlands’ soldiers come to their village to take away a young girl named Morraine. Per the Duke’s orders, all children who turn fourteen will automatically be enlisted as a soldier in the war. When her parents beseech one of the soldiers, Hordor, for mercy, he wields a dagger to command a being known as the Dark One to magically force them into submission. Rumplestiltskin and his son look on in horror. Even though Baelfire is willing to fight as a soldier when his time comes, Rumplestiltskin simply won’t allow it. They try to escape the village during the night, but are apprehended by Hordor and his soldiers. Rumplestiltskin is humiliated when forced to kiss Hordor’s boot, and then kicked. After the men are gone, an old beggar, Zoso, gains Rumplestiltskin’s sympathy and is offered shelter and food. In truth, Zoso is the Dark One in disguise. As the holder of such dark powers, he is grows tired of following the cruel and violent will of whomever has the power to command him with the dagger. Zoso tricks Rumplestiltskin into believing he can control the Dark One if the dagger is his. Once Rumplestiltskin steals the dagger and uses it to summon Zoso, he flies into a rage when the Dark One insults his son and stabs him. As intended, this is what Zoso had wished to happen, as the Dark One can only be killed if someone else kills him with the dagger, and thus, the powers will transfer to this person. Rumplestiltskin gains the unholy magic of the Dark One, giving him more strength and influence than he ever possessed, and swiftly tests them out by murdering Hordor and his men, which a shocked Baelfire witnesses. («Desperate Souls«)
Using his new-found status, Rumplestiltskin uses his powers to put an end to the Ogre War. More than anything, he wants to be able to protect Baelfire, but becomes overprotective by shutting his son in the house at all times. This causes Baelfire to feel lonely and saddened without freedom or friends. During one evening, he hears the musical sound of a pan flute and follows it. Other children from the town of Hamelin also disappear; leaving their parents flabbergasted. On a different night, Rumplestiltskin hears the pan flute and discovers all the boys are gathered around a bonfire in a dancing frenzy. Soon, the pan flute player is revealed to be Pan, who has been drawing the boys in with his music, which can only be heard by those that feel unloved and lost. He intends to take all of them back to Neverland, but offers Rumplestiltskin a chance to let Baelfire choose, of his own free-will, to stay or leave for Neverland. The Dark One ignores him and whisks his son home. However, Baelfire divulges knowledge about the prior deal with Pan, and had his father asked him, he would have chosen to stay rather than leave. («Nasty Habits«)
The Dark One gains a notable reputation for dealing out severe punishments to those who cross him or Baelfire. His son wants Rumplestiltskin to give up his powers before they corrupt him even more, though there is no way to do that without someone killing him with the dagger. Rumplestiltskin only promises to follow suit if Baelfire can find a method to dispose of the Dark One powers without death prevailing. At Morraine’s suggestion, Baelfire calls the «Rheul Ghorm», who comes to him in the form of a Blue Fairy. She cannot revert Rumplestiltskin to the person he was, but gives the boy the last magic bean in existence to take him and his father to a Land Without Magic. In the woods, Baelfire opens a portal with the bean. Afraid to part with his powers, Rumplestiltskin begins to back out of their deal. In the end, he allows Baelfire to fall into the portal alone. In regret, he summons the Blue Fairy for answers. She accidentally lets it slip that a curse can bring him to his son, but only if he sacrifices the Enchanted Forest, which is a feat he can never achieve. Rumplestiltskin vows, no matter the time or effort, that he will reach his son. («The Return«)
In his quest for a magic bean, Rumplestiltskin meets with a trader, William Smee, who can procure one, but only if he can gain immortality as a reward. Per chance, the Dark One sights Killian and challenges him to a duel. As he moves to rip out the pirate’s heart, Milah stops him. Stunned, Rumplestiltskin finally learns that she ran away with Killian because they fell in love. Milah previously caught Smee trying to steal a magic bean from Killian’s ship, and asks Rumplestiltskin to take what he wants so she and her lover may walk free. The next day, they meet aboard the ship to carry out the terms of the deal. Rumplestiltskin, angered over Milah’s abandonment of Baelfire, questions her about it. Milah admits letting misery cloud her own judgement, and scathingly claims that she never loved Rumplestiltskin. In a fury, he tears out her heart and crushes it as Milah dies in Killian’s arms. Since the pirate refuses to hand over the bean, Rumplestiltskin cuts off Killian’s hand containing it and teleports away. However, the bean is actually in the other hand. Killian takes a hook as a replacement for his severed hand, accepting Smee as one of his crewman and opens a portal to Neverland with the bean. («The Crocodile»)
The grown-up seer meets Rumplestiltskin again and is coerced into telling him how he may find his son again. She has reached her power limit and offers to give him the ability of foresight so he may master it instead. Once he takes her powers, she begins to die. Before succumbing, the seer prophecies one last time, attesting that a young boy will lead him to his son, but will also be his undoing. Rumplestiltskin promises to eliminate the boy. («Manhattan«)
Rumplestiltskin takes on an errand boy named Jiminy, who admits he desires to change his own life, but can’t with his swindling parents, Myrna and Martin, in the way. The Dark One gives him a potion to use to be rid of them. Jiminy is forced to go along with another one of his parents’ schemes by tricking a couple into buying a fake elf tonic. Afterwards, he dumps the potion on his parents, but learns too late that they switched it with the fake elf tonic. The couple turns into a pair of wooden puppets as a result of ingesting the potion, to which their son Geppetto walks in on his parents’ horrifying state. Guilt-ridden, Jiminy wishes on a blue star to bring the boy’s parents back. The Blue Fairy hears his wish, but cannot undo his mistake. Instead, Jiminy agrees to be turned into a talking cricket so he can guide Geppetto as a companion. («That Still Small Voice«)
In the kingdom of King Xavier, a princess of a northern region, Princess Eva, has come to visit. She becomes acquainted with King Xavier’s son, Prince Henry, and uses her status to deliberately trip a miller’s daughter, Cora, and blame the girl in front of everyone. Cora is humiliated by the incident and sneaks into the royal ball to attract Prince Henry. King Xavier berates her for attempting to climb the ranks while Cora, in frustration, boasts she can spin straw into gold. Though she is lying, King Xavier tasks her to spin a whole roomful of gold and win Prince Henry’s hand. If she cannot, death will be her punishment. Stuck in a dilemma, Cora runs out of options until Rumplestiltskin comes to her aid. Unknown to her, he has glimpsed into the future and recognized that Cora’s first-born child will be essential to him. As a trade, Rumplestiltskin will make gold out of straw if she will give him her first-born. Cora tweaks the deal by asking him to teach her how to spin gold, which he obliges by saying she has to channel her anger into magic. They bond over their shared experiences in suffering humiliation. Cora successfully turns straw into gold and accepts a proposal from Prince Henry. The day before her wedding, she realizes that power and wealth are nothing compared to the love Rumplestiltskin has given her. They plan to run away together, and change the deal so any child she has will be his. As a last lesson, Cora learns from her lover how to rip out a person’s heart so she can punish King Xavier in the same manner. When she confronts him, King Xavier gives her a choice to be high rank as Prince Henry’s wife or leave with Rumplestiltskin. He teaches Cora that «love is weakness»; causing her to have doubts. As a result, she rips out her own heart in order to let nothing stand in her way of attaining power and leaves Rumplestiltskin. Months later, she proclaims her new-born daughter, Regina, will be queen one day. («The Miller’s Daughter«)
The inhabitants unaffected by the Evil Queen’s Dark Curse due to Cora’s protection are frozen, unable to age, and build a Safe Haven to protect themselves from the ogres dominating the land. They also take Cora prisoner because she is the Evil Queen’s mother, and thus blame her for the ruin of their world. Cora kills the Safe Haven’s leader, Lancelot, and masquerades as him when necessary. («Broken», «Lady of the Lake»)
Twenty-eight years later, time moves forward once more when the savior breaks the curse. Prince Phillip and Mulan reach an old palace where Princess Aurora rests under a Sleeping Curse. Prince Phillip frees her with true love’s kiss. From Storybrooke, a deadly creature called the Wraith is sent into a vortex through a hat, inevitably pulling in Emma, as Mary Margaret also jumps in to follow after her. The Wraith lands in the Enchanted Forest first, and brands Prince Phillip for death. After his soul is sucked out by the being, Aurora and Mulan return to the palace to place Prince Phillip’s body on a bier. They hear a strange noise and find Emma and Mary Margaret unconscious under the rubble. Believing the two are culprits responsible for Prince Phillip’s death, they take them as prisoners to the Safe Haven. After being thrown into a holding pit, Emma meets Cora, though Mary Margaret warns her against trusting the woman. The Safe Haven leader, Lancelot, recognizes Mary Margaret as his old friend Snow White and sends Mulan with them as they try to find a way back to Storybrooke. Aurora ends up sneaking along, and they arrive at the royal family’s abandoned castle to look for the magic wardrobe that once took Emma, as an infant, to the Land Without Magic. Cora reveals herself as a fake Lancelot. When she tries to go through the wardrobe, Emma sets it on fire. The four women leave empty-handed, though Cora returns to collect the ashes of the wardrobe for later use. She aligns herself with Hook, who desires just as much as her to have safe passage to Storybrooke. («Broken», «Lady of the Lake»)
They return to the Safe Haven to find all the survivors’ hearts ripped out, which is obviously Cora’s work. Hook pretends to be the sole survivor to gain their trust, but under duress, fesses up to who he really is. He shows them to a beanstalk that must be climbed so the compass, necessary for opening a portal, can be retrieved from a giant. Using two enchanted bracelets of Cora’s, he and Emma journey up. They knock out the giant, Anton, with poppy dust, which works temporarily. While Hook is buried some rocks, Emma nearly blacks out from being squeezed in the giant’s fist. She captures Anton under a cage and learns his hatred of humans is due to the massacre of his own family at their hands. Considering Emma has treated him kindly, Anton gives her the compass as gratitude. As a second favor, he agrees to entrap Hook, who she deems untrustworthy, so she can race down the beanstalk without him. («Tallahassee«)
Since awakening from the Sleeping Curse, Aurora has been experiencing a side effect of her spirit travelling to the Netherworld while asleep. In this world, she meets a young boy, Henry, and wakes up to inform Emma and Mary Margaret. («Child of the Moon«)
In the process of escaping down the beanstalk, Hook steals Anton’s withered bean, leaving the giant with only the stalk left. Cora is awaiting him at the bottom. She believes he has betrayed her since Emma now has the compass, and decides to work alone instead of with him. Cora commands the corpses of the Safe Haven survivors to rise and chase down Aurora, Emma, Mary Margaret and Mulan. Via the Netherworld, Aurora receives a message from Henry about an item they can use to defeat Cora, but doesn’t hear him when she is startled awake to flee from the living corpses. In the confusion, she is captured and taken to Cora. Aurora refuses to betray her friends, even though Cora tempts her with the possibility that Prince Phillip’s soul can still be brought back. For her stubbornness, Cora knocks Aurora out. Mary Margaret asks to be placed into a deep sleep with poppy dust so she can breach another line of communication in the Netherworld. On their way to collect the dust, they receive a message from Cora demanding the compass by sundown or risk Aurora’s life. Emma and Mary Margaret convince Mulan to wait until they speak with Henry in the Netherworld before giving the compass to Cora. In the Netherworld, Mary Margaret speaks to David, who is under a Sleeping Curse, and he tells her about the squid ink in Rumplestiltskin’s old cell for paralyzing Cora. While Aurora is alone and unconscious, Hook attempts to get into Cora’s good graces once more by tearing out the girl’s heart. He allows Aurora to leave, but later presents the heart to an ecstatic Cora. Then, she uses it to control Aurora’s movements and speech as well as listen in on the foursome’s next destination to find squid ink. («Into the Deep«)
At the old cell, no squid ink is found. They do, however, come across a parchment containing Emma’s name written repeatedly on it. Aurora is manipulated by Cora into closing the cell door. The compass is snatched away into Cora’s hand and then she and Hook leave for Lake Nostos to begin their departure to Storybrooke. They throw the wardrobe ashes in, which create a portal. Eventually, Mary Margaret discovers that the parchment ink itself is squid ink and uses it to disintegrate the cell bars. Aurora is left behind since Cora still has her heart. Mary Margaret swiftly stops their nemeses from jumping into the portal by shooting the compass into the sand. A battle ensues, to which Mulan leaves once she regains Aurora’s heart. Emma demonstrates a surprising power of blocking Cora’s ability to tear out her heart and renders the woman unconscious. With the compass in hand, the two head home through the portal. Mulan returns the heart to Aurora, and they set out to rescue Prince Phillip’s soul. Though beaten, Hook revives the withered magic bean by placing it in the lake’s water. It opens a passageway, to which he and Cora sail into Storybrooke on the Jolly Roger. Aboard, Cora also brings along the giant she previously captured and shrunk. («Queen of Hearts«, «Tiny»)
Through unknown means, Aurora and Mulan rescue Prince Phillip’s soul. While the trio walks along the Safe Haven‘s beach shore, they discover an unconscious wounded man. They bring him to the palace and tend to his injuries. When he finally awakens, they find out his name is Neal, and he fell through a portal into the Enchanted Forest. Surprisingly, he also reveals himself as Rumplestiltskin’s son as well as Henry’s father. In Rumplestiltskin’s abandoned castle, Mulan and Neal intrude upon a stranger, Robin Hood, who has claimed the place as his own. After looking at a crystal ball, Neal sees Emma in Neverland. After much convincing, a reluctant Robin Hood allows his son Roland to summon the Shadow so Neal can hitch a free ride back to Neverland to rescue his loved ones. Once the mission is a success, Robin Hood offers Mulan a place with his Merry Men, but she has more urgent business to attend to. Mulan hurries to the palace, intending to confess her feelings for Aurora, though the princess excitedly admits she is expecting a baby with Prince Phillip. Crestfallen, Mulan leaves to join the Merry Men. («The Heart of the Truest Believer», «Quite a Common Fairy«)
Sometime before or after, the Wicked Witch of the West, Zelena, begins residing in the Queen’s old palace. Rather than break in, Zelena easily gains access due to the palace’s blood magic lock, since she and the Queen, Regina, are half-sisters. Regina, after taking magical preventive measures to undo Pan’s casting of the Dark Curse, pays the price by returning to the Enchanted Forest along with the other former Storybrooke inhabitants and all revert to their prior personas. However, Emma and Henry stay behind in the Land Without Magic with their memories of Storybrooke erased by Regina. In a group, they manifest in the land of Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip where Regina mentions that her old palace is still standing due to a spell. She reluctantly agrees go there with Snow White so their united forces will put everyone at ease, while Hook ventures back to his life as a pirate. Meanwhile, Aurora, fearing for the safety of her unborn child, convinces Prince Phillip that they must tell the Wicked Witch of the new arrivals in the Enchanted Forest. During the trek to the palace, Regina goes to tear out and bury her own heart since she can’t bear the pain of losing Henry. Snow White convinces her that she must find happiness for Henry’s sake, so Regina reluctantly reinserts the heart. Suddenly, they are attacked by a flying monkey, who was sent by the Wicked Witch, in order to extract some of Regina’s blood. The beast is scared off by the Merry Men, and they join the party heading for the palace. Once there, Regina notices a barrier keeping them out, so the group decides to seek shelter at Sherwood Forest. («New York City Serenade«, «Witch Hunt«)
As the group departs for Sherwood Forest, Regina proposes to Prince Charming and Snow White that she break into the palace by using the underground tunnels, which are not protected by the spell, and afterwards, lower the shield so everyone can lead an army in. The flying monkey attacks again, with Robin Hood’s son, Roland, nearly swooped by the creature, but Regina protects him by turning it into a stuffed animal, which she gifts to the boy. In a group discussion, Belle shares knowledge about the flying monkey’s origins in the land of Oz, so Regina determines the person in the palace is the Wicked Witch. Robin Hood secretly joins her as payment for rescuing his son earlier. After passing through numerous traps Regina sets up to stop thieves, they reach the crypt, bound by blood magic, only to discover it is open, which surprises Regina. At the bedchamber, she mixes ingredients for a Sleeping Curse intending to use it on herself. When Robin Hood tries to stop her, she freezes him. Regina wishes for the curse to be broken by the only true love in her life—Henry—since she wants to live for him. After taking down the shield, Regina apologizes to her son before preparing to prick herself with the curse. The Wicked Witch takes it away, and introduces herself as Zelena. She claims to be Regina’s half-sister, which further explains how the crypt was accessible to her. Zelena, full of bitterness, announces that her true intent is to get what she desires; describing it as «her dreams being realized» while Regina will suffer a «fate worse than death». Motivated by an enemy, Regina decides she’ll live to wreck Zelena’s life. With the barrier down, the other inhabitants quickly assemble into the palace. («Witch Hunt»)
During a night’s rest in the palace, Prince Charming imagines, in a dream, of a life in the Enchanted Forest he wanted for Emma while blaming himself for not being there for her as she grew up in the Land Without Magic. When he awakens, Snow White informs him that they are expecting another child. Terrified of failing this child as he did Emma, Prince Charming, on Robin Hood’s suggestion, seeks out a plant called night root, which is rumored to rid the user of their fears. Upon hearing a woman’s cry for help, he climbs up a tower, using length, braided hair as a scaling rope, to find a princess, Rapunzel, who has been confined for a very long time due to a witch. She, like him, once sought out the night root, but consuming it did not help lessen her fears. The witch arrives to kill Prince Charming for attempting to rescue Rapunzel. Only then, Rapunzel’s captor is unmasked as a manifestation of herself as her greatest fear due to the princess consuming the night root. Overwhelmed with fright, Rapunzel is unable to fight back until receiving encouragement from Prince Charming. Using a sharp weapon, she hacks off her long tresses, which the witch was clinging onto, and vanquishes her own fear. The two arrive to the palace where Rapunzel is happily reunited with her parents. Prince Charming, also owning up to his fears, confesses his anxieties to Snow White about having another child. She assures him that whatever the future may hold, they will figure it out together. («The Tower«)
Since only Emma has the power to defeat the Wicked Witch, Snow White enacts another curse with the help of Regina by sacrificing Prince Charming’s heart, so they can cross realms and return to Storybrooke. Before the curse is complete, the Wicked Witch arrives to add a forgetting potion, which will erase everyone’s recollections of their year in the Enchanted Forest. Desperate, Snow White asks Regina to split her heart in two halves, so she and Prince Charming can remain alive with each half. Once he is revived, the curse overtakes them. («A Curious Thing»)
The Enchanted Forest is divided into kingdoms, much as the Land Without Magic is currently divided into countries. Known kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest are:
Notes:
^: Current inhabitants
*: This inhabitant’s status and/or current whereabouts is unknown
†: Deceased inhabitants
No mark: Taken to Storybrooke via either the first or second Dark Curse
º: In Storybrooke via other means
F:Former inhabitants
Note: «Archive» denotes archive footage.
В штате Мэн есть город, где все живут словно пленники между двумя мирами. Обитатели этого городка хотят вести нормальную жизнь, ходить на работу и растить детей. Но снова и снова появляется зловещая сила, которая заставляет их бросать все свои дела и прыгать через порталы в другие миры, пренебрегая логикой и здравым смыслом. Имя этой силе — сценаристы.
[alert type=yellow]Внимание! В статье полно спойлеров ко всем сезонам сразу, включая последний.[/alert]
— Мои родители, Крюк и твоя сестра попали в какой-то портал!
— Опять?!
Диалог из финальной серии, который объясняет всё
В мае завершился пятый сезон сериала «Однажды в сказке». Это шоу канала ABC начиналось как история про сказочных персонажей, обречённых жить в нашем мире, не помня, кто они на самом деле, — и начиналось многообещающе. Сценаристы представили, что случилось бы с известными героями в реальности. Белоснежка стала скромной школьной учительницей, Красная шапочка — вызывающе одетой официанткой, Золушка работает в прачечной, Румпельштильцхен владеет ломбардом, а мэр городка — Злая королева. Именно она наслала на сказочных героев проклятие, которое перенесло их в город, где время остановилось. Но стрелки на часах приходят в движение, когда в Сторибрук прибывает Спасительница — повзрослевшая дочь Белоснежки и Прекрасного принца, которой суждено снять проклятие. Правда, новоприбывшая не догадывается о своём происхождении и не верит в сказки — и за тем, как она обретает эту веру, мы наблюдаем весь первый сезон. А заодно узнаём истории множества персонажей, которых занесло сюда из Зачарованного леса.
Есть ощущение, что Белоснежка так и осталась заколдованной: на протяжении всех сезонов она больше напоминает школьную учительницу, чем отважную лучницу. Это вина не только сценаристов, но и художников по костюмам
Герои сказок, живущие в современной Америке… Ничего не напоминает? Многим придут в голову комиксы Fables, где сказочные персонажи были вынуждены поселиться в Нью-Йорке. Но если Fables — мрачная история с оттенком нуара, то «Однажды в сказке» — семейный сериал про вечные ценности в духе диснеевских мультфильмов.
Поскольку канал ABC принадлежит компании Disney, здешние истории основаны скорее на мультфильмах, чем на оригинальных сказках. Однако сценаристы не просто перелицевали известные сюжеты на новый лад. В сериале полно отсылок к мультфильмам, но истории тут рассказаны вполне самостоятельные. Белоснежка превращается в отважную охотницу (вполне в духе последних кинотрендов — но первый сезон вышел в 2011 году, когда это ещё не стало мейнстримом!). Красная шапочка оказывается волком-оборотнем. А один из самых интересных персонажей сериала, Румпельштильцхен, заодно играет роль диснеевского Чудовища. Только это не мохнатый увалень, «на лицо ужасный, добрый внутри», а по-настоящему опасный и жестокий тип, до чьей светлой стороны ещё нужно докопаться.
Когда история с проклятием Злой королевы исчерпала себя, сценаристы стали вводить всё новых и новых персонажей и перебрасывать действие в новые локации. Объединяет их одно — у Disney есть на них права. Так мы побывали в Неверленде (который оказался довольно мрачным), в стране Оз (где тоже всё не слава богу), узнали альтернативную историю Эльзы, Анны и других персонажей «Холодного сердца», познакомились с Круэллой Де Виль из «101 далматинца», а в последнем сезоне попали сначала в Камелот, а потом в царство Аида. Какие-то ходы оказались удачными — например, история Питера Пэна как зловещего похитителя детей. Но, к сожалению, с течением времени таких находок становилось всё меньше и меньше.
Роберт Карлайл (Румпельштильцхен) — самый опытный и именитый актёр в сериале. Его игра — одно из неоспоримых достоинств «Однажды в сказке». Но сейчас создаётся впечатление, что он уже устал от всего этого джаза
Создатели сериала, Эдвард Китсис и Адам Горовиц, прежде всего известны по работе над культовым сериалом «Остаться в живых» (Lost). От «Лоста» сериал унаследовал многое: часть актёрского состава, способ рассказывать историю с помощью флешбэков, манеру обрывать отдельные серии и целые сезоны на клиффхэнгерах. А также опасную тенденцию с каждым новым сезоном повышать градус абсурда. Последний сезон «Остаться в живых» разочаровал многих поклонников. «Однажды в сказке» с каждым годом теряет фанатов. На фоне удачных первых сезонов недавно завершившийся пятый кажется совсем слабым. Давайте разберёмся, что же не так с этим сериалом.
Повторение сюжетных ходов
Если выпивать по рюмке каждый раз, когда герои попадают сквозь портал в другой мир, теряют память, находят потерянного родственника или когда весь город накрывает проклятие, уйдёт не одна бутылка. Вынесенное в эпиграф восклицание Реджины отлично отражает чувства зрителей, когда очередная группа приключенцев (обычно одних и тех же) растерянно озирается, неведомо как оказавшись в Сторибруке, Зачарованном лесу или другой локации. Ещё одна типичная сюжетная коллизия — «Румпельштильцхен взялся за старое, нам срочно нужен план». Мелочи в духе «граница города снова заколдована, через неё нельзя переступить» или «Белль опять не знает, чего хочет» можно даже не упоминать.
Нет развития персонажей
Справедливости ради, это касается не всех. Реджина проходит самую заметную эволюцию, шаг за шагом изживая в себе Злую королеву. Эмма постепенно принимает себя и учится доверию.
Но обычно сценаристы вертят персонажами как хотят, не заботясь о логике их развития. Сейчас Румпель злодей, а сейчас готов жертвовать собой, а сейчас снова злодей, нам же нужен злодей. А вот Белль, что с ней делать — непонятно. Пусть превратится в бесчувственную истеричку, и плевать, что в первым сезоне главным её даром была чуткость. А вот Робин Гуд, пусть он просто походит тут, как говорящее бревно, а потом мы его убьём.
Есть персонажи, эволюция которых происходит в мгновение ока. Злодейка Кора пережила короткий миг единения с семьёй — и вот уже ей уготована дорога в рай (в буквальном смысле — действие последнего эпизода происходит в потустороннем мире). Ведьма Зелина, привыкшая походя распоряжаться чужими жизнями, встретила любовь и пообнималась с родными — и вот она уже не опасная психопатка, а почти героиня.
Бывшая Злая королева в исполнении Ланы Паррии — одно из главных украшений сериала. То, что с ней произошло в финале, одновременно вселяет надежду на следующий сезон и страх за него: а ну как сценаристы опять напортачат?
Вместо того чтобы развивать знакомых персонажей, сценаристы предпочитают вводить новых. Уделить больше внимания отношениям Реджины и Робина, чтобы они казались правдоподобнее? Зачем, ведь ещё столько сказок осталось не охвачено! Пусть в новом сезоне у нас будет Мерида, а в придачу целый Камелот с Граалем и рыцарями! Как обставить встречу живых персонажей с их покойными врагами и друзьями в подземном мире? Мы скомкаем эти сюжетные линии и введём толпу древнегреческих богов и героев. А что, про них ведь тоже есть мультфильм!
Есть и герои, про которых попросту забыли. Кто помнит, что у гнома Ворчуна в первом сезоне была трогательная любовная история, которая так ничем и не завершилась? Да какая разница — сценаристы давно махнули на это рукой.
Масса логических дыр
Главный вопрос, который преследует зрителей с того момента, как нашлось волшебное перо, способное влиять на реальность, — почему нельзя просто написать в волшебной книге, что всё было хорошо? Став обладателем пера, мальчик Генри худо-бедно объясняет, почему не может взять и написать «и жили они долго и счастливо», — но в финале пятого сезона нарушает своё правило, меняя реальность! Спрашивается, зачем ограничиваться полумерами?
С недавних пор Генри владеет волшебным пером и носит гордое звание Автора. Судя по тому, что в последнее время происходит в Сторибруке, он увлёкся написанием посредственного фанфикшена
Герои вообще в упор не видят открывающиеся перед ними возможности. Например, волшебные башмачки, позволяющие перемещаться между реальностями. Почему бы не вытащить из подземного мира на волю тех героев, которые не обречены там оставаться? Но нет, это не позволит доснять ещё несколько драматичных сцен.
Пропала атмосфера сказки
В первом сезоне все персонажи, за редким исключением, были героями классических сказок. В эту толпу каким-то образом затесался доктор Франкенштейн, однако в целом это не разрушало атмосферу. Но что мы увидим, если перенесёмся в настоящее? Подземное царство Аида, которое на верхнем ярусе выглядит как Сторибрук, только слегка потрёпанный и с наложенным оранжевым фильтром, а на нижнем — как готическая версия страны Оз, где на воротах красуется цитата из Данте. И населяют этот мир души умерших, которые исправно ходят на работу и обедают в кафе. Хотя, как нам успели объяснить, в подземном царстве ничто не растёт.
Собачка Тото — лучший новый персонаж пятого сезона
В конце пятого сезона мы ненадолго попадаем в Страну нерасказанных историй, — там смешались в кучу приметы всех мыслимых эпох. В последнее время мир «Однажды в сказке» очень напоминает эту страну. Иногда кажется, что сценаристы вдохновляются фанфиками, авторы которых любят сталкивать лбами героев всех возможных вселенных — просто потому что могут.
У всех героев похожая мотивация
Строго говоря, «Однажды в сказке» — это мыльная опера в сказочном сеттинге. Сериал делает упор не на сюжет, а на отношения персонажей. Семья в этом мире — сверхценность, а поцелуй истинной любви может разрушить даже самые сильные чары. Поэтому основные мотивы, движущие героями, — найти вторую половинку, защитить семью или обрести близких. А все злодеи на поверку оказываются жертвами детских травм. Все это довольно правдоподобно и жизненно — но за пять сезонов хотелось бы какого-то разнообразия. О чём говорить, если даже бог смерти предстаёт влюблённым мальчишкой! Спасибо, что есть Румпельштильцхен с его тягой к власти (хотя и его изначальные цели были связаны с семьёй).
Белль и Румпельштильцхен — местный аналог Красавицы и Чудовища. Но в последних сезонах у них так складываются отношения, что уже трудно разобрать, кто есть кто
При этом сценаристы недостаточно хорошо прописывают отношения между героями. Достаточно сравнить, как рассказана история Белоснежки и принца в первом сезоне — и как топорно и неправдоподобно подана любовь Робина и Реджины, а тем более Руби и Дороти. Да, в сериале есть лесбийская пара, и для семейного шоу это смелый шаг. Но все развитие отношений между героинями укладывается в пять минут экранного времени. В итоге эта история воспринимается как подачка ЛГБТ-сообществу: смотрите, мы тоже прогрессивные!
К истории относятся небрежно
Забыть события прошедшего сезона или сделать вид, что их не было, для сценаристов плёвое дело. А значит, и для героев. Они не держат зла на врагов, даже если те мучили, истязали и убивали их близких. Чего уж говорить о мелочах! В последнем сезоне создатели даже открыто признались, что забыли некоторые детали предыдущих сезонов, когда фанаты попеняли им за логические нестыковки.
Создатели «Однажды в сказке» не раз говорили, что это сериал про надежду. Но последние серии заставляют в этом усомниться
Вводя всё новые и новые флешбэки, авторы постоянно меняют прошлое героев. В начале этот приём был уместен — весь первый сезон строился на контрасте между сказочным прошлым и обыденным настоящим. Флешбэки до сих пор помогают раскрыть мотивы персонажей и выставить их в новом свете. Но временами новая информация едва ли не перечёркивает то, что мы успели узнать о героях.
Многие нововведения обесценивают то, что нам рассказывали ранее. Вспомним, с каким трудом герои перемещались между мирами в начале сериала. История с проклятием, которой был посвящён первый сезон, была сложной многоходовкой Румпельштильцхена, мечтавшего воссоединиться с сыном! И что мы видим теперь? Между мирами не скакал разве что ленивый, для этого придумали дюжину разных способов. Стоило ли огород городить?..
Отдельная песня — магия. На протяжении сериала нам дали столько её определений, что голова идёт кругом. Персонажи твердили как мантру: «У всякой магии своя цена», и это правило было основным источником драмы в первых сезонах. После этого магия успела побывать божьим даром, загадочной субстанцией, которая одновременно может быть и тёмной, и светлой, и обычной способностью, которая просто требует тренировки. Ах да, истинная любовь — это тоже магия. А теперь оказывается, что достаточно просто поверить в чудо — и оно случится. Дорогие персонажи, давайте вы дружно поверите в новых сценаристов?
Актёрская игра Дженнифер Моррисон не всегда позволяет разобрать, правда ли Эмма настолько неэмоциональна или у неё просто такое лицо. Даже в Тёмной ипостаси она мало отличается от себя обычной
Ужасные спецэффекты
Конечно, это не «Игра престолов», тут другие бюджеты и вообще это сериал про отношения (кстати, а ИП не про отношения, что ли?). Но когда видишь луг, полный пластиковых цветов, газовую горелку на голове у Аида или беззастенчиво проступающий сквозь картинку зелёный экран — становится стыдно за мастеров по спецэффектам. В такие моменты сериал напоминает любительскую постановку.
Здешний Мерлин похож на кого угодно, только не на древнего могущественного мага
Двойные стандарты
Это проблема не только «Однажды в сказке», но и массы других фильмов, книг и сериалов. Мы воспринимаем как трагедию смерть значимых для сюжета персонажей, но не обращаем внимания на статистов, даже если те мрут пачками. Кто-нибудь задумывался, сколько охотников королевы убили Белоснежка и принц? Но их сердца остались чистыми (в данном случае это не метафора — в этом сериале действительно можно вырвать сердце из груди, повертеть в руках и засунуть обратно). Отец Злой королевы подменяет сердце Белоснежки на сердце ни в чём не повинного слуги — и радуется, когда дочка растирает его в порошок. Белоснежка не пострадала, а значит, у Реджины ещё есть шанс исправиться! Что, в сказочном мире принято делить людей на два сорта? Может быть, Сторибрук всё-таки более справедливо устроен?
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Рейтинги «Однажды в сказке» продолжают неуклонно падать, но остаются достаточно приличными, чтобы канал ABC, недавно одним махом закрывший полдюжины сериалов, продлил шоу на шестой сезон. Возможно, нас ждут свежие и оригинальные ходы, которые вернут интерес к сериалу. Но, скорее всего, Китсис и Горовиц снова введут пачку новых персонажей, снимут ещё пару флешбэков про Реджину и Белоснежку и отправят очередную партию героев сквозь портал в другой мир. Положа руку на сердце, если канал ABC хочет показывать у себя качественное фэнтези — лучше бы они продлили «Галаванта».
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