Alternate Universes: Part 9 – Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a Time

Season 1

For bail bonds collector Emma Swan, life has been anything but a happy ending. But on the night of her twenty-eighth birthday, an encounter with a child claiming to be the son she gave up for adoption ten years earlier leads her to a town shrouded in mystery where fairytales are to be believed.

Regina does everything in her power to force Emma out of Storybrooke and out of her and Henry's lives forever while the events surrounding the completion of the Dark Curse are revealed along with a revelation that forces the Evil Queen to choose between exacting her revenge or protecting the thing she loves most.

Emma gets a bigger reaction than she expected after convincing Mary Margaret to read to a comatose John Doe while the events surrounding the fateful first encounter between Snow White and Prince Charming are revealed along with an enterprising quest that promises to forever change their lives.

Emma tries to help a young woman after learning that her unborn child is caught in the center of a dangerous transaction while a series of events are revealed in which a servant girl turned princess struggles to break an impulsive deal she made after unearthing a sinister ulterior motive.

Emma settles into her new role as Deputy Sheriff only to find herself thrust to the front lines and Henry places his life in danger after his beliefs are shattered while a series of events are revealed in which a young man is presented with a choice that could help him become the person he wants to be, but at a price that promises to haunt him forever.

David struggles with his personal demons as he attempts to balance his strained marriage to Kathryn and his blossoming relationship with Mary Margaret while a series of events are revealed in which a meek shepherd receives a shattering revelation that forces him to choose between living a life of royalty or forging his own destiny.

Graham calls his well-being into question as the lines separating fantasy from reality suddenly start to blur while a series of events are revealed in which the Evil Queen recruits a heartless assassin to execute Snow White and sparks a chain of events that threaten to come with consequences for everyone involved.

Emma makes the decision to run for a coveted Storybrooke public office following a devastating tragedy and Regina engages in dirty politics after Gold makes a bold move while a series of

events are revealed in which a cowardly spinner embarks on a quest to help his son avert the horrors of a meaningless war.

Emma reaches into her scarred past as she helps two homeless children search for their biological father while a series of events are revealed in which two children are coerced into stealing a prized artifact from a witch who is more than she appears to be.

Mary Margaret grapples with her feelings for David and Emma grows increasingly suspicious of the Stranger while the events surrounding Prince Charming's wedding are revealed along with Snow White's struggle to ease her breaking heart and an offer that sets her on a path from which there is no coming back.

Emma finds herself forced to work with Daily Mirror editor Sidney Glass after he offers to help her expose Regina's corruption while a series of events are revealed in which a Genie is freed from the confines of a magic oil lamp and provokes an undeniable passion that threatens to destroy his chance of finding love.

Emma sets out to prevent Gold from seeking vigilante justice after one of his most prized possessions is stolen and Mary Margaret plans a Valentine's Day-themed girls' night out while a series of events are revealed in which a courageous noblewoman makes a fateful deal and forges a personal bond that blossoms into something more.

David faces a difficult decision about his future; Regina sets a plan in motion to keep David and Mary Margaret apart; and Emma becomes more intrigued with the Stranger (who reveals his name to be August Wayne Booth) while the events surrounding Prince Charming's search for Snow White are revealed along with a mission to help his ex-fiancée recover something precious that was lost to her.

Mary Margaret works with resident drunk Leroy to organize the Miner's Day Festival and Emma questions whom she can trust as she looks into Kathryn's disappearance while Grumpy's backstory is revealed along with a forbidden romance that forces him to choose between loyalty or love.

Emma struggles to help resident party girl Ruby discover what she's good at in life and David exhibits behavior that forces him to question whether or not he hurt Kathryn while Red Riding Hood's backstory is revealed along with a series of dangerous events involving her devoted sweetheart, her determined grandmother, and a ferocious wolf on a relentless killing spree.

Emma arrests Mary Margaret for Kathryn's suspected murder after the investigation turns into something infinitely more sinister; David questions everything and everyone he thought he could trust; and Gold convinces Mary Margaret to accept his legal services while the events surrounding Prince Charming's search for Snow White continue to be revealed along with his quest to prevent her from assassinating the Evil Queen.

Emma and Mary Margaret struggle to stay alive when a cartographer with an affinity for hats and a sinister ulterior motive abducts them while a series of events are revealed in which a man of magic is coerced into stealing a prized artifact from the villainous Queen of Hearts.

Emma searches for evidence that will prove Mary Margaret's innocence and Regina initiates the final stage of her vendetta while the events surrounding the fateful first meeting between Snow White and the Evil Queen are revealed along with a devastating betrayal that promises to forever define their relationship.

Gold sets out to learn more about August after unearthing a connection to his past; Emma confronts Regina about her involvement in Kathryn's disappearance; and David tries to reconcile with Mary Margaret while a series of events are revealed in which Rumplestiltskin agrees to help Baelfire find a way to safely give up his powers.

August makes it his mission to help Emma break the curse while a series of events are revealed in which Geppetto agrees to help devise a plan that will protect Snow White and Prince Charming's unborn daughter from the Evil Queen's Dark Curse on the condition that his son be spared as well.

Henry takes drastic measures to prevent Emma from leaving Storybrooke and Regina devises a last-minute scheme while a series of events are revealed in which Snow White spearheads a quest to save her true love and defeat the Evil Queen in one fell swoop.

Emma and Regina forge an alliance in an attempt to save Henry's life; Mary Margaret and David face a difficult decision about their future; and Gold makes a bold move while the events surrounding Prince Charming's search for Snow White reach a dramatic conclusion.

Season 2

Emma tries to help her family maneuver past the consequences of magic in Our World, and Gold's plan to exact vengeance against Regina threatens to jeopardize his standing with Belle. Meanwhile, a series of events are revealed in which a young princess becomes caught in the middle of a dangerous quest that pits her true love and his enigmatic traveling companion against a sinister creature out for blood.

Regina searches for a way to regain her powers, and David struggles to maintain order after learning what happens when someone crosses the town line. Meanwhile, flashbacks show Regina meeting Rumplestiltskin for the first time.

Emma and Mary Margaret, with the help of Mulan, Princess Aurora, and Sir Lancelot, look for the magical wardrobe that sent Emma to Storybrooke, hoping that it has enough magic to do the same for them. In the Enchanted Forest's past, King George curses Snow White on the eve of meeting Prince Charming's mother.

Mr. Gold must change his ways of using magic to destroy people, or face the threat of Belle leaving him. After Belle talks to Ruby, she finds that she could be of some help to the library and sets off to see if she can work there, only to be kidnapped by her father. Mr. Gold, Ruby, and David go on a search for Belle, finding out that her father sent her into the mines so that she would cross the border of Storybrooke underground and because of that forget everything about her life in the Enchanted Forest. In flashbacks, Rumplestiltskin loses his wife to Killian Jones (Captain Hook) and his pirates.

Regina goes to Dr. Hopper to see if he can help her to not use magic anymore, so that she can get Henry back. Later on in the night she sees her old fiance, Daniel, while driving home. She goes to see Dr. Whale only to find him having been attacked, who then says that he brought Daniel back from the dead, but he is a monster. David decides that Henry should learn how to ride a horse, but soon fears for Henry's life when he and Regina find out that Daniel has gone to the stables. After Regina talks to David, Daniel tells her that she needs to let him go, and Regina removes the preservation spell, destroying his body. After returning to the refugee camp, Emma, Snow, Aurora, and Mulan find only one man is left alive, and he turns out to be Captain Hook. After he tells them Cora's plan, they set out to find another way home. In the past, Jefferson brokers a deal between Rumplestiltskin and Victor Frankenstein.

Emma follows Hook up a treacherous beanstalk in the hopes of finding a source of power that could bring both her and Mary Margaret back to Storybrooke. Meanwhile, the events surrounding Emma's teenage years are revealed, along with an unexpected encounter involving a thief who wants to make an honest woman out of her.

Ruby is accused of murdering someone. Spencer is out for revenge. In flashbacks, Red Riding Hood finds a pack of wolves led by she-wolf Anita, who insists she is Red's mother, and that she can help her remember what she does when she turns into a wolf. Spencer convinces the town David is protecting Ruby instead of the town and he forms a mob to go after Ruby. Ruby believes she must have killed her friend and lets herself turn into the wolf but David has found the proof it was Spencer.

After Cora finds Captain Hook, she decides she won't be taking him to Storybrooke when she gets the compass back from Snow White. Mulan begins to worry about Aurora when she finds that Aurora has burns on her hand from the fiery room. Mr. Gold, David, and Regina work to make sure that Henry makes it safe back and forth between the worlds. David decides that he is going to go under the sleeping spell to go to the fiery room because of the danger. Cora kidnaps Aurora in an effort to get the compass. Mulan and Emma then send Snow into the fiery room, finding out the way to defeat Cora is hidden in the room they locked Rumplestiltskin in years ago. Captain Hook sets Aurora free to show Emma that she should have trusted him, only for him to take Aurora's heart to convince Cora to take him to Storybrooke with her. Cora uses Aurora's heart to trick Emma, Snow White, and Mulan into believing that Aurora's fine and to find out where they are going. David gets stuck in the Netherworld when Snow isn't able to kiss him to break the curse.

Regina and Mr. Gold agree that they should destroy anyone who comes through the portal, even if it's Emma and Snow White. Ruby and Leroy get angry when they find that Gold and Regina took the diamonds from the mines, so Henry and Ruby set off to stop them from destroying Emma and Mary Margaret. Cora and Hook face off with Mary Margaret and Emma for the compass, while the events of how Cora and Hook met are revealed.

Cora frames Regina for a murder, while in the past, Snow and Charming decide to kill the queen.

Belle meets Hook, while the events of Belle's capture by the queen are revealed.

Dr. Whale goes missing when he has to save the stranger's life; Cora reunites with Regina; and in the past, Victor Frankenstein resurrects his brother.

The giant shows up in Storybrooke, he thinks David is James who he hates for destroying his home. Mr. Gold, Emma, and Henry go to the airport on a trip to find his son. Ruby brings a book to the hospital for Belle (Emilie de Ravin) at the hospital. Belle tells Ruby that the man who saved her had a ball of fire in his hands and he healed her just by touching her. Belle tells her it is just dreams from the medication. Belle becomes upset and a nurse sedates her, which Greg Mendell (Ethan Embry) observes. Later, he tells Belle that he also saw the man holding a ball of fire.

In the past, the giant meets Charming's brother and Jack.

Emma learns that Neal is Rumplestiltskin's son; Cora, Regina, and Hook look for the dagger; and in the past Rumplestiltskin realizes his destiny.

Mary Margaret learns that Cora and Regina are looking for the dagger; Hook stabs Mr. Gold with his hook; and in the past Snow White's mother dies.

Emma, David, Neal, and Mary Margaret have to protect Mr. Gold from Cora; and in the past Cora meets Rumplestiltskin.

Regina decides to get revenge on Mary Margaret; and in the past Regina meets a little boy and his father. The episode ends revealing Greg Mendell, the outsider, was that boy.

Mary Margaret stumbles upon August who is now a living puppet; Neal invites his fiance to Storybrooke; and in the past August meets Tamara.

Mr. Gold enlists the help of David to help him try to jog Belle's now cursed memories and get her to love him again. Meanwhile, in the Fairytale land that was, Rumplestiltskin forces Belle to accompany him on a hunt to kill a thief.

With the help of Hook, Regina attempts to put a plan in motion that will help transport herself and Henry back to the Enchanted Forest, while Emma's suspicions about Tamara grows. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest that was, the Evil Queen asks Rumplestiltskin to transform her into an unrecognizable peasant in order to kill an unsuspecting Snow White.

Emma, Mary Margaret, and David go in search of Regina when they discover that she, along with some magic beans, has gone missing. But against Neal's protests, Emma still believes that Tamara had something to do with Regina's disappearance. Meanwhile, in the past, young Baelfire finds himself back in 19th century London and is taken in by the Darling family, befriending their daughter Wendy.

Greg and Tamara plan to destroy Storybrooke, so Emma, Regina, Mary Margaret, David, Henry, and Hook have to stop them. Meanwhile, in the past, Hook meets Baelfire.

Season 3

In Neverland, Henry befriends a fugitive boy who guides him around the jungle, informing him of the sinister Peter Pan and his Lost Boys. At the same time, Emma, her parents, Regina, Mr. Gold, and Hook successfully arrive in Neverland, and must face each other's differences to work together and retrieve a missing Henry, though Gold has other plans. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, a wounded Neal attempts to find a way to learn of Emma's whereabouts, with help from Aurora, Phillip, and Mulan.

Emma comes face to face with the evil Peter Pan, who begins his first game with the group to locate Henry that involves Emma facing her true identity. Meanwhile, Mr. Gold gets an unexpected visitor in the dark jungle who helps him with his troubling thoughts about his looming prophecy; Gold also is haunted by a mysterious straw doll that follows him everywhere. Back in the Enchanted Forest that was, the Evil Queen Regina threatens to remove Snow White from her kingdom in order to adhere to the throne herself.

Peter Pan begins to reveal to Henry the real reason why he was brought to Neverland, while his family begin to realize that Pan is tricking them. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, Neal enlists Robin Hood, his son, and Mulan to get to Neverland. In the characters' pasts, Regina begins to grow tired of her loveless marriage, and ends up attracting the attention of a rebellious green fairy named Tinker Bell.

Neal teams up with his father to find a way to retrieve Henry in the jungle, whilst also managing to settle their mistakes. But with Gold's constant struggle with his theories of the prophecy, Neal becomes suspicious of his father's true intentions. Elsewhere in the jungle, Emma and the group find an item of Neal's that could prove useful in finding an escape off of the island. Back in the Enchanted Forest that was, Bae disappears from Rumplestiltskin's strong view, leading him to the town of Hamelin where children are being reported missing by effect of a mysterious tune.

Hook tries to save David when dreamshade poisoning takes a toil. Elsewhere, Snow and Regina work together to capture a lost boy so they can communicate with Henry. In flashbacks, Hook and his big brother go looking for a plant.

Learning that Neal is alive, Emma and the others enter Echo Cave to rescue him. Inside, they are forced to reveal their darkest secrets to one another. Regina separates from the group beforehand and meets up with Gold, saving him from Pan's shadow in disguise as Belle. Together, Regina and Gold devise a plan to defeat Pan and save Henry. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest that was, Snow White is rescued from drowning by a mermaid named Ariel, and then helps Ariel meet her true love, Prince Eric.

Emma, Neal and Hook travel to the darkest part of Neverland to capture Pan's shadow, but the mission is jeopardized by the men fighting over Emma's attention. Elsewhere on the island, Peter Pan steps up his game in manipulating Henry, using a captive Wendy Darling to do so. Meanwhile, Ariel is sent to Storybrooke by Mr. Gold and Regina to help Belle find Pandora's Box, an artifact powerful enough to defeat Pan.

Emma's group reunites with Regina and Mr. Gold, and they learn from Wendy what Pan's true objectives are. If Henry willingly gives him his heart, then Pan will become immortal and Henry will die. Determined to prevent this, the group heads for Skull Rock to save Henry at last. Meanwhile, in the distant past, a young Rumplestiltskin is granted a second chance at a happy life with his wastrel father. But Rumplestiltskin's father has a different idea of a better future for himself…

Henry is dying, and Pan is slowly absorbing Henry's heart into his own. Emma, Mary Margaret, and Regina have no choice but to attack Pan head-on, but this will not be a task easily accomplished. Meanwhile, 11 years ago, Regina finds a way to adopt the infant Henry to be her son in Storybrooke.

The group returns to Storybrooke in triumph, and it looks like they might have a chance at a peaceful life from now on. But things are not as they appear, and soon a great danger makes itself known. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest that was, Prince Charming wants to enjoy a honeymoon with his new wife, but Snow White is too distraught over the Evil Queen's vow of revenge and seeks a way to do something about it.

Pan is in Henry's body, and plans on casting the dark curse once and for all to create a new Neverland, as no one can age under it. Emma and the others try to stop this, but it may come with the ultimate sacrifice on everyone's part. In character's past, however, we learn of the many events that lead up to the unveiling of Emma's destiny.

Emma and Henry have been living in New York for the past year, though they believe it's been ten. All this is changed when Captain Hook comes knocking at their door, telling Emma that she is needed in a town she has forgotten, and a year ago in the Enchanted Forest, the fairy tale characters try to rebuild their home, but find that none other than the Wicked Witch of the West is in charge now.

With her memory restored, Emma and Henry have come back to Storybrooke to help Regina and the others find out who has recast the dark curse. Mary Margaret is also pregnant, and her midwife is none other than the Wicked Witch, Zelena. In the forgotten year, Regina discovers an unexpected connection with the Wicked Witch.

While looking for the identity of the Wicked Witch, Charming finds that he is being pursued by a hooded figure. This may be the same hooded figure he encountered in the forgotten year, when he found a tower in the middle of the forest as the inheritance of the long-haired Rapunzel.

In the forgotten year, Baelfire and Belle find a candlestick holder named Lumiere, who may be the key to helping them restore Rumplestiltskin back to life. In present day Storybrooke, Rumplestiltskin is a slave to Zelena, who has the dark one's dagger. Neal is also found, but something is wrong with him that even he doesn't understand. Also, Regina meets Robin Hood and is startled when she sees his lion tattoo. Emma and David found out Rumplestiltskin who's looking crazy in the forest of Storybrooke. Later, they find out that Rumple has absorbed Neal to save him. Neal sacrificed himself to separate his father from his body, so that his father can tell the savior who the Wicked Witch really is. In sorrow, Rumple told Emma that the Wicked Witch is Zelena. Emma and David go back to Mary Margaret and tell her about Zelena, whom she's thinking would help her when she gives birth to her child. They find her, but didn't find out where she had been. She was in the forest giving orders to Rumple to get back into the cage where she keeps him.

With Zelena's identity as the Wicked Witch of the West revealed, she challenges her half-sister Regina to a duel in the town square. Meanwhile, many years ago, a young Zelena tries to find her place in the world. With advice and some silver slippers from the Wizard of Oz, she goes to the Enchanted Forest, in order to be trained in sorcery by none other than Rumplestiltskin.

Ariel returns to Storybrooke and asks Hook to help her find Prince Eric, who never returned to the town when the new curse was cast. Emma agrees to let Regina teach her how to use magic so that she can help defeat Zelena, and Mary Margaret and David try to prove that they can be just as much fun as Hook is with Henry. Meanwhile, in The Enchanted Forest during the past year, an angry Ariel confronts Hook over her missing Prince Eric, who she assumes was kidnapped and possibly killed by the pirate. But when Hook confesses that the Jolly Roger has been stolen, Ariel unknowingly provides him with a clue as to who the other pirate is, and Hook with Ariel go off in search of his ship.

Zelena steals Regina's heart, so Regina enacts a spell to speak to her dead mother, Cora, to discover the truth about her and Zelena's past. Belle tries to figure out what Zelena's ultimate end game is. Meanwhile, in the Fairytale Land, young Cora is fooled by a man who claims being a prince and finds herself alone and pregnant. A chance meeting with a real prince will lead Cora to the royal life she's always craved, but she must keep her pregnancy a secret or risk losing everything.

Zelena threatens to kill Henry if Hook doesn't kiss Emma, and things begin to heat up between Regina and Robin Hood. Meanwhile, back in the Enchanted Forest, Snow and Charming go in search of Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, to see if she can help them defeat Zelena. It is also revealed who cast the curse that ultimately sent the Fairy Tale characters back to Storybrooke.

All of the residents of Storybrooke try to prevent Zelena from getting Snow's newborn baby, which is very close to arriving, because Zelena plans to use the baby to travel back in time and rewrite her destiny, while obliterating Regina and Snow White's family from existence. In the past of the land of Oz, Glinda tries to convince Zelena to fight the evil within her, and to join her and her sisters, the other good witches who protect Oz. Additionally, a young girl from Kansas is introduced who threatens to be Zelena's undoing, and ultimately factors into Zelena's final decision.

Everyone in Storybrooke joins Mary Margaret and David as they prepare to crown their newborn son, while the time-travel portal that Zelena created before her apparent demise comes to life, and takes Emma and Hook back to the Enchanted Forest, before the events of the original curse. Emma and Hook must find a way to return to Storybrooke. But in their quest to return, they accidentally ruin Snow and Charming's first meeting, and they must repair the timeline with Rumplestiltskin's help, before it is too late to undo the damage.

Emma's and Hook's plan takes a turn for the worse when Regina captures Emma for "aiding" Snow White, and when it turns out that Snow White had been unable to steal Prince Charming's true marriage ring, which was the catalyst for the two of them falling in love. After a daring rescue involving the enlistment of one of Snow's friends, Snow White finds herself in a pinch, in which death seems inevitable. However, she barely manages to escape, and Emma and Hook eventually manage to get her parents back together, repairing the timeline. After some issues with the time portal, Emma is able to regain her magic and reopen it, bringing Maid Marian to Storybrooke in the process. Unknown to the residents of Storybrooke, however, Emma and Hook have unknowingly brought back someone who could forever alter the course of Storybrooke's future, and portending the rise of a new threat, the magic of whom even Rumplestiltskin fears.

Season 4

Elsa finds herself in Storybrooke, and fearful of the intentions of its residents, creates a snow monster for protection. With Robin Hood's wife, Marian, back in the picture, Regina wonders if her 'happily ever after' with the former thief has completely quashed; while on their honeymoon, Gold finds an intriguing box that makes him question whether or not he should give Belle possession of the Dagger. Meanwhile, in Arendelle of the past, as Elsa's sister Anna's wedding to Kristoff nears, Anna discovers that their parents, who died in a shipwreck during a violent storm, were heading to a mysterious destination in a quest that may have held the secret to containing Elsa's out-of-control ice powers.

Elsa feels threatened by Charming and accidentally traps Emma with her inside an ice cave, with the frozen temperature placing Emma's life in peril. Regina, depressed over her break-up with Robin Hood, secludes herself from the town and Henry. With the townspeople considering Mary Margaret their leader, she faces her first leadership task in trying to re-start a generator and restore the town's electricity after Elsa unwittingly damages the power lines. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest of the past, Anna tries to teach a meek David to fight Bo Peep, a warlord threatening to take David's home.

In Storybrooke, the mysterious Snow Queen—whose public identity is that of the owner of an ice cream shop—frame Elsa for putting a freezing spell on Marian to have the Storybrooke residents cast doubts on her. When David and Emma encounter Will Scarlet, they find out about the Snow Queen, only to discover that the Snow Queen knows Emma from a past encounter that Emma doesn't remember, though Mr. Gold does. Henry helps Regina track down the author of the Once Upon a Time book, and Hook believes Gold is still in possession of the real Dagger. Back in Arendelle of the past, Elsa and Kristoff must fend off Hans, who is plotting another attempt to take over Arendelle, only to unwittingly unleash the Snow Queen, who freezes him. She reveals herself as Elsa's aunt.

Hook prepares for his first real date with Emma by making a deal with Gold to restore his missing hand in exchange for keeping Gold's secret about the Dagger that he gave Belle being fake. Hook discovers his restored hand brings out his dark side, and is forced into doing a favor for Gold to rid himself of the hand. Gold traps the Apprentice inside the Sorcerer's hat, and makes Hook responsible to ensure he won't tell Belle. Will tries to steal a book that features someone from his past and gets caught, while the Snow Queen's Storybrooke alias is revealed to be Sarah Fisher. Henry takes a job at Gold's pawn shop to find out who wrote the story book. In the past, Anna makes a deal with Rumplestiltskin in exchange for information on why her parents had traveled to the Enchanted Forest.

Emma and Regina are forced to team up when Ingrid, the Snow Queen, leads them and Elsa into a trap. Ingrid conjures up an ice warrior to stop Regina and Emma, and uses an illusion of Anna to lure Elsa into chains, keeping her out of the way. The three ladies fight back, with Elsa overcoming her fear and destroying the chains, and Emma and Regina combining their powers to destroy the ice warrior. Ingrid acquires the services of Sidney and takes possession of the magic mirror. Meanwhile, Mary Margaret leaves Neal with Belle as she and David spend time together, only to be interrupted by Will escaping jail, who Mary Margaret later pardons. Emma has flashbacks of running away as a teenager, and finds videotape evidence that Ingrid is her foster mother.

As everyone attempts to track down Ingrid, Emma discovers that there is more to her connection than she expected, while Belle begins to recall her past encounter with Anna and forces Gold into leading her to Ingrid's lair. After Belle sees the mirror, Gold warns Ingrid that he will stop her from harming anyone close to him, and shows her the Sorcerer's Hat as proof. Belle reveals that Ingrid is planning to destroy everyone around Storybrooke by using a mirror in order to bring the only family into her world: her, Elsa, and Emma, who discovered a prophecy scroll that she is the savior that will become Ingrid's sister. In the Enchanted Forest and Arendelle of the past, Belle seeks out help in finding out a way to remember her mother's death with the help of Anna, who is trying to keep Elsa from finding out the truth about her trip, until she becomes suspicious of Ingrid's presence. Anna discovers that Ingrid is hiding the truth about having another sister, causing Ingrid to imprison her and steal the box that contains the Sorcerer's hat.

Ingrid's origins in Arendelle is revealed, where her close relationship with her sisters Helga and Gerda take a tragic turn after they seek out Rumplestiltskin's help to control her magic, leading to Ingrid accidentally killing Helga, and Gerda in turn trapping Ingrid in the urn. Gerda visits Grand Pabbie and asks him to make Arendelle forget about the existence of Ingrid and Helga. In the present, Ingrid allows Emma to capture her, but uses a ploy to make Emma's magic go awry, causing Emma to run away for fear of hurting her loved ones. Later, Regina continues to reject Robin Hood's offer to restart their romance, but ends up giving in to her desire. Meanwhile, Ingrid makes a deal with Gold to return her ribbons, in exchange for the secret to the missing ingredient that Gold needs to free himself from the dagger.

Emma's powers become uncontrollable, so she seeks help from Gold. Mary Margaret and David believe it might be better if Emma became "normal". Elsa steals a locator potion to find Emma. When the Snow Queen threatens Gold not to hurt Emma, he uses magical dust made from the urn's remnants to temporarily trap her. Back in Arendelle, Ingrid tries to convince Elsa that Anna was planning to remove her magic, but fails. Elsa and Anna obtain the urn and plan to use it on Ingrid. Elsa learns of the reason their parents left for the Enchanted Forest, and makes peace with it, as she sends Anna back into the prison to set up their trap for Ingrid. Regina convinces Mary and David that Emma's powers made her special. Robin Hood decides to help Regina find the author of the fairytale book and discovers a missing page. Elsa convinces Emma to accept herself, allowing Emma to control her powers. Gold takes Hook's heart to sever himself from the Dagger, enslaving Hook in the process. The Snow Queen places ribbons on Elsa and Emma to harness their power and shatter her mirror, casting the Spell of Shattered Sight over Storybrooke. In Arendelle's past, Ingrid uncovers the sisters' plot, and plans to turn Elsa against Anna, only for a cursed Anna to place Elsa in the urn. Ingrid then freezes Anna, Kristoff, and all of Arendelle. Rumplestiltskin comes to take Anna's necklace and the urn in exchange for the Sorcerer's hat but Ingrid turns over the box to the Apprentice instead, who leads her to 1982 Boston, prior to baby Emma's arrival.

Elsa goes through a portal in the mines of Storybrooke where she eventually finds Anna and Kristoff on a beach. It is revealed that after being frozen by Ingrid, Anna and Kristoff were unfrozen after 30 years and were sent to Storybrooke after Elsa used a Wishing Star, later revealed to be Anna's necklace, to wish for her. Meanwhile, Ingrid directs the Spell of Shattered Sight towards Storybrooke, and allows Gold, Belle, and Henry safe passage out of town. As the Spell of Shattered Sight approaches, Regina seals Henry in the mayor's office and herself in her

vault. Snow and David lock themselves in the jail at the sheriff's station, while Kristoff is cuffed to the desk. Emma is put in charge of baby Neal.

Anna informs Emma and Elsa that killing Ingrid is the only way to break the Spell of Shattered Sight. The ribbons Ingrid shares with Emma and Elsa keeps them from hurting her and can only be destroyed by hatred. Emma provokes Regina into shooting a fireball in hatred at them, dissolving the ribbons. Anna finds the letter from mother, which Ingrid reads. Regretting her actions, Ingrid sacrifices herself to break the spell and reunite with her sisters. Rumple blackmails Hook into getting him, Belle and Henry out of Storybrooke before the spell takes over but Hook is unsuccessful in acquiring Henry. Once the spell is broken, Gold makes final preparations to leave town with Belle. Back in the Land Without Magic, Emma is fostered by Ingrid. They grow close until Ingrid tries to get Emma to utilize her magic. Emma runs away and Ingrid moves to Storybrooke. In November 2011, during Emma's initial stay in Storybrooke, Ingrid takes Emma's memories of her.

In the Enchanted Forest of the past, Belle is kidnapped by Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella de Vil as ransom in exchange for a gauntlet from Camelot that can reveal anyone's greatest weakness. Rumplestiltskin pays the ransom and leaves with Belle, but later returns to reclaim the gauntlet. In the present day, residues of Ingrid's spell prevent anyone who crosses the town line from returning. Rumple sends Hook out to find a portal door to Arendelle at the Sorcerer's Mansion to send Anna, Elsa and Kristoff back. Before she departs, however, Anna discloses Rumple's secret. Ingrid's freezing curse still lingers on Marian, so Regina breaks up with Robin so he can save Marian by taking her and Roland outside Storybrooke, thus cutting off the curse's magic. While the others rush to save Hook from Rumple, Belle finds the Camelot gauntlet. Realizing Rumple still loves power more, she uses the gauntlet to locate the real dagger, using it to save Hook and force Rumple to leave Storybrooke. Henry, Emma and Regina find a library in the mansion filled with blank story books, and together they set out to locate the Author. Six weeks later, in New York City, a powerless Rumple visits Ursula. They agree to team up to get their happy endings.

As the Storybrooke residents attempt to move on from Gold, Emma, Regina, Belle, and Hook help free the fairies from the hat, unwittingly releasing the demon Chernabog in the process. Meanwhile, Gold and Ursula track down Cruella de Vil, and together they travel to Storybrooke's outskirts. Ursula and Cruella convince Regina and Emma to allow them to enter the town, in exchange for information on how to vanquish Chernabog. After the two secretly allows Gold re-entrance into Storybrooke, Gold reveals that he anonymously gave Belle information on how to free the fairies, and that the Chernabog was hunting the one with the greatest potential for darkness, who is revealed to be Emma. Later, David and Mary Margaret warn Ursula and Cruella to not disclose anything about a past meeting of theirs. Back in the Enchanted Forest of the past, Rumplestiltskin gathers Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula in order to retrieve of the Dark Curse, facing Chernabog in the process.

In the past of the Enchanted Forest, before the first curse, Snow White and Prince Charming are asked by the Queens of Darkness to find the Tree of Wisdom, for answers on stopping the

Evil Queen's Curse. Maleficent later reveals to Snow White that she will also be a mother as well, and asks for help in stopping the Curse to protect both of their children. But she refuses to help a villain. In present-day Storybrooke, Emma is unaware that Mary Margaret, David, and Hook are keeping secrets from her. Cruella, Ursula, and Gold bring Maleficent back to life, whose return could wreck Emma's relationship with her parents, while Hook's past with Ursula could affect his relationship with Emma. Regina attempts to find out if Pinocchio knew about the Author when he was August Booth, but a riff prompts Marco to keep him away from Regina; She later apologizes to Marco, who then gives her a bag that may hold the answer to the Author's whereabouts. Gold appears in Storybrooke undetected, and is stunned to see Belle and Will kiss. Mary Margaret tells Regina a secret they can't tell Emma: she was born with a potential for darkness, and Mary Margaret and David caused the loss of Maleficent's baby.

Regina goes undercover to learn of the Queens' plan to reverse the stories that was ever written about the heroes, with Emma keeping tabs on Regina and the Queens. When Maleficent reveals that they're after Pinocchio and wants Regina to kidnap him, the plans take a different turn after Regina succeeds. At the same time, Mr. Gold, masquerading as Hook, informs Belle that the Queens are after the dagger and agree to hide it, only to have Belle end up being fooled by Gold, who needed the dagger to transform Pinocchio back into August Booth, surprising Regina, who has now "joined" the Queens after being accepted by them. Back in the Enchanted Forest of the past, Regina decides to help Maleficent regain her spirits, before the latter casts the sleeping curse on Aurora prior to her wedding to Prince Phillip.

As the heroes attempt to rescue August from Gold and the Queens of Darkness in their quest to track down the Author, Hook finds a way to make a deal with Ursula to get the information he needs to help the heroes as a way to make up for what he did back in the past, in which Hook made a deal with Ursula's father Poseidon that led to unfortunate consequences for both Hook and a young Ursula.

As Gold and the Queens of Darkness seek out the Author, Maleficent uses a sleeping spell on Storybrooke so they can find the page containing the Author and uses it as a deal with Gold to find her daughter. At the same time Mary Margaret and David must find a way to stop them in order to keep Emma from finding out about her fate. Henry, who has the page, finds the key to unlock the Author's door. He gives the duplicate to Regina, but Regina is quickly found out to be a double agent by the villains. David and Mary Margaret tell Emma the truth about their mistake and August reveals to Emma and Hook that there is more than one Author. When the Author is set free by the heroes, he escapes. Gold tells Maleficent that her daughter is alive, revealing that she was sent to the modern world, and named Lily. Back in the Enchanted Forest of the past, Snow White and Prince Charming encounter the Peddler, who leads them to the Apprentice in an effort to rid any potential darkness from their unborn child. The task becomes one of regret when the Sorcerer and the Apprentice send Maleficent's unborn daughter, as well as Cruella and Ursula, into the modern world.

Emma, still upset upon learning the truth from her parents, searches for the Author, who is later found by Gold. Nine weeks earlier, while in New York City, Gold confronts Robin Hood, who is

about to move into Neal's apartment with Marian and Roland. When Gold experiences a heart attack, he enlists Robin to steal an elixir to save him, in exchange for letting Robin stay in the apartment, but after Robin completes the task, Gold discovers that the elixir was switched by Zelena. Following her apparent death, Zelena had traveled back in time (along with Emma and Hook, via her spirited soul) and killed Marian, before using the Six-Leaf Clover of Oz to take on her current form. She then returned and has been posing as Marian, to steal Robin from Regina and to make Gold suffer. She wants in on Gold's quest to find the Author and have him give her a happy ending, in exchange for the real elixir. In the present day, Zelena reveals to Regina on phone that she is alive, who is left with no choice but to have Emma become dark in order to save Robin. Back in the past in Sherwood Forest, Rumplestiltskin enlists Robin Hood to travel to Oz to steal the same elixir from Zelena.

Cruella is determined to seek revenge on the Author, Isaac, by kidnapping Henry and forcing Emma and Regina to kill him, but it is later revealed that Gold is aware of his past with Cruella, and explains that this encounter will lead to Emma's descent into darkness. When Isaac is confronted by David and Mary Margaret, he tells them that Cruella will cause Emma's transformation; however, Emma kills Cruella while saving Henry. Back in the 1920s in London, Cruella, who was kept prisoner by her mother, meets Isaac, who vows to take her away from her mother. But when her mother reveals the truth about Cruella to Isaac, the consequences take a toll on both Isaac and Cruella for the rest of their lives.

Upon learning her former childhood friend Lily is Maleficent's daughter, Emma embarks on a trip to find her along with Regina, who wants to warn Robin Hood about Zelena. Emma locates a now-adult Lily but discovers Lily has been plotting revenge on Mary Margaret and David. Regina talks Emma down from going dark. They travel to New York to warn Robin Hood, only to find that Zelena is now pregnant with Robin Hood's child. Meanwhile, back in Storybrooke, Gold enlists Will to steal Belle's heart. After completing the task, Gold reveals that if his heart continues to darken, he will eventually die. He gives his blessing to Will to take care of Belle. Back in 1999 in Minnesota, Emma runs into Lily again. When Lily is revealed as a thief, Emma is thrown out of her foster home, and turns down Lily's offer to remain friends. The Apprentice appears to tell Lily about her magical past, and the Sorcerer reveals that Lily and Emma's fates are intertwined.

Lily is reunited with Maleficent in Storybrooke. Despite Maleficent deciding to forgive Mary Margaret and David, Lily still wants vengeance. Isaac informs Gold that he needs Emma's darkness for the ink to write the stories. Regina agrees to obtain the darkness-infused blood in exchange for Isaac's services. Gold passes out, due to his dying heart. Regina plots to do away with Zelena and slices Lily for her blood, leading to Lily transforming into a dragon and confronting Mary Margaret. Wanting to make up for lost time, Maleficent intervenes and Lily agrees to stay in Storybrooke for one week with her mother, while Emma forgives her parents, and Regina decides to spare Zelena. Gold orders Isaac to write a new story in which the villains will win. Back in the Enchanted Forest, before the first Curse, Cora returns to help Regina seek love, but her interference to ensure that Regina will have an heir to the kingdom results in Regina taking a potion which makes her infertile.

Isaac completes the Heroes Villains book and sends everyone to an alternate universe, with the exception Henry. Henry tracks down Isaac and discovers that Isaac has become a best-selling author. When Isaac refuses to undo everything (and since he no longer is the Author, having violated the Author's code), Henry uses a key that sends him and Isaac into the alternate universe. There, in order to undo Isaac's work, Henry has to convince a "Snow White" version of Regina to stop Robin Hood from marrying Zelena, while trying to rescue Emma, who is held captive in the tower by an "Evil Queen" version of Snow White. Henry and Hook help Emma escape the tower and the three race off to ensure that Robin doesn't marry Zelena. Isaac blackmails a "heroic" Rumplestiltskin into stopping Emma, but Regina later sacrifices herself. Since Isaac has lost his authority as an Author, the power now transfers to Henry, who picks up the pen at its call. Using Regina's blood, he reverts Isaac's work and sends everyone back to Storybrooke. The Apprentice offers Henry to become the Author, but he turns it down, snapping the pen. The Apprentice also frees an unconscious Gold from the Darkness in his heart by sending it into the Sorcerer's Hat, purifying Gold's heart and severing his link to the Dagger in the process. However, the Darkness escapes and attacks the Apprentice. Emma repels the Darkness out to the streets, but the Apprentice is wounded, and warns them that only the Sorcerer, Merlin, can stop the Darkness from destroying everything. The Darkness eventually reappears and attacks Regina, but Emma sacrifices herself, tethers her soul to the Darkness and vanishes, leaving behind the dagger with her name on it.

Season 5

The event of Emma being taken by the Darkness has the Storybrooke residents seeking a way to bring her back, and the only way to make it happen is to turn to an unlikely person: Zelena. However, the wicked witch has other plans in mind, only to be thwarted by Regina, who uses Zelena's magic to activate the Apprentice's wand, which creates a portal that brings everyone to the Enchanted Forest. They find a bewildered Emma, who is trying to track down Merlin, and along the way befriends Merida, while being guided by a dark apparition of Rumplestiltskin, who wants Emma to embrace the Darkness. After they meet up with King Arthur in their quest in Camelot, the residents return to Storybrooke six weeks later, with no memories of what happened in Camelot, while wearing completely different attires. Emma then shows up, now a fully-fledged Dark One, and vows vengeance on her loved ones.

The Storybrooke residents try to keep Arthur and the rest of Camelot from revealing their identities and prevent Emma from going dark as they search for Merlin, so Regina pretends to be the Savior in order to spare Emma the trouble. As the Storybrooke arrivals are feted at a ball in their honor, Percival catches on to the deception, attempts to avenge himself on Regina. In the ensuing fight, Robin is stabbed with Percival's enchanted sword, but David kills Percival. Regina begs Emma to save Robin, but despite Hook's plea not to, Emma does so, and results in Regina eventually paying the price. In Storybrooke, the residents, and the now-transplanted Arthurians, are becoming fearful of Emma as the Dark One, and Regina must step up when a demon called the Fury attempts to take Robin's soul as payment, due to Emma having saved him on Regina's behalf. Meanwhile, Hook is feeling that Emma's good side is no longer there, while Henry meets a girl named Violet. It is revealed that Emma brought the Excalibur sword with the stone to Storybrooke, but she can't pull out Excalibur to make it whole unless she pays a price.

In Camelot, the quest to free Merlin continues when Arthur and David head to Brocéliande, the Forest of Eternal Night, and fight to obtain a toadstool called the Crimson Crown, which can allow them to communicate with Merlin. In the present, Emma manipulates Hook in order to gain Hook's sword. In the end, Emma brings Mr. Gold out of his coma by using Hook's sword, which had touched him prior to him becoming the Dark One. She informs the newly awakened Gold that she is going to mold him into a hero who can remove Excalibur from its stone. King Arthur's true intentions are revealed in Camelot and start to emerge in Storybrooke when uses his squire, Grif, to deceive David into believing that Grif had stolen key items, all as part of a plan to turn Storybrooke into a "New Camelot".

In Camelot's past, Arthur's obsession with Excalibur has taken a toll on Guinevere and leads to a betrayal of trust by Lancelot, as the two seek out the dagger. This leads to a confrontation with Rumplestiltskin, who offers a deal that Guinevere takes and ends up paying the price for at the hands of Arthur. This scenario comes full circle five years later, when Arthur learns of Emma being the Dark One from David after Mary Margaret confides that Lancelot is alive. Unfortunately, David and Mary Margaret's plan to save Emma and help Lancelot is foiled with Arthur arresting Lancelot and using Guinevere to brainwash David and Mary Margaret into doing his bidding. Lancelot discovers that he is not alone in trying to stop Arthur, as he is joined by another cellmate, Merida. Meanwhile, Hook, with the help of Henry, tries to keep Emma from giving in to Rumplestiltskin's manifestations by spending a romantic day with her. In present-day Storybrooke, Emma tells a reluctant Gold that she has plans to make him a hero and has found the perfect person to help her do the job: Merida.

In Camelot, Emma discovers how Merlin became a tree, so she and Regina race against time to find a tear of lost first love to release him, before Arthur stops them. At the same time Henry tries to prove to Violet that he can be heroic after confronting her father Sir Morgan, but a dinner date turns into a heartbreaker for Henry, which leads to his tear being used to free Merlin. Even as Arthur vows to get even, Merlin agrees to help Emma free her from the darkness. In Storybrooke, Emma sends Gold and Merida into the woods so Gold can become the hero, but after seeing how cowardly he is, Merida takes the chipped cup and uses it to bring out his bravery. As Henry convinced Emma to help Violet look for her horse, Regina, Hook, Robin, and Belle sneak into Emma's home and discover not just Excalibur, but the dreamcatcher, where Regina discovers Violet's memories, in which Emma used her to break Henry's heart back in Camelot in order to obtain Henry's teardrop. Regina and Henry both feel betrayed by Emma and shut her out of their life.

In Camelot, Merida enlists Belle on a mission to save her brothers from the United Clans by using a spell to battle the clans, but Belle believes that her faith in fate should be enough to make Merida brave. In Storybrooke, Emma tries to force Merida to kill Belle so she can make Gold heroic. When Gold finally realizes that Belle sees him as a coward, Gold brings out his bravery by defeating Merida after the archer turns into a bear. Gold then releases Excalibur and places it at Emma's feet but tells her that he is the hero now. At the same time Emma offers Zelena a deal while the residents discovers Arthur's deception, as well as discovering a message from Merlin with help from Henry.

In flashbacks taking place 1,033 years prior, Merlin drank from the Holy Grail, begetting his transformation into a wizard who is able to heal the forlorn of his village, thus becoming a Christ-like figure. He meets a distraught woman by the name of Nimue, whose village and family were slaughtered by a mongol named Vortigan. Over time the two fall in love, but Merlin's immortality is an obstacle. They set out on a journey to forge the grail into a sword, that will cut away his immortality. Using the Promethean Flame, Merlin conjures Excalibur, but Vortigan attacks them, apparently killing Nimue. However, Nimue had also drunk from the grail. Citing her newfound ability to take vengeance, she kills Vortigan, becoming the first Dark One, and breaks the sword into two pieces. Meanwhile, in Camelot, Merlin and Emma set out on a journey to speak with the first Dark One and claim the Promethean Spark; while Zelena double-crosses the heroes and joins forces with Arthur. Zelena imbues Merlin's name to the broken Excalibur, and Arthur uses it to command the suddenly enslaved Merlin to do his bidding.

In Camelot, after saving her family and friends from Arthur and Zelena, Emma struggles to rid herself of dark magic. She's holding herself back due to fear of commitment with Hook. She works through the fear and attempts to meld Excalibur, but Hook falls to the floor. Facing his death, Emma conjures the dark magic from the sword and instills it in Hook, causing him to be reborn as a Dark One. In Storybrooke, our heroes confront the treacherous Arthur. He gets the drop on Hook, but Emma swiftly subdues him. She claims that all she's done has been for Hook, then disappears. While Hook is in search of answers and a way to get Emma's attention, Zelena's pregnancy is suddenly expedited, causing her to give birth shortly after. Believing Emma wants the baby, Regina and Robin rally defenses, but she takes Zelena instead. Emma reveals her plan to transfer all dark magic to a vessel, Zelena, to rid the world of it forever. While she is away, Hook and Zelena escape. Zelena reveals to Hook one of Emma's dreamcatchers, enlightening him to his dark predicament.

Back in Camelot, Arthur is desperate for aid in his quest to unite Excalibur, leading him and Zelena to Dunbroch to find an enchanted helm. In flashbacks, King Fergus visits the wood-carving witch in the woods, asking for something that would ensure the longevity of his kingdom. She in turn gives him the helm. In Dunbroch, Merida's coronation day commences. Just as she's about to be crowned, the witch appears and demands the helm be returned to her or she'll cast a bear spell on the entire kingdom. On her journey, Merida recruits the aid of Mulan and Red, the former battle instructor for the princess. When they reach the helm, they are met with opposition from Arthur and Zelena, whom they and members of the clans overpower. Back at the castle, Merida declares she will destroy the helm instead of returning it to the witch. The witch explains that the journey was all a test to ensure that she had the necessary skills to lead the kingdom. The clans unite and Merida is crowned queen. Later, after speaking with the spirit of her father, Merida vows revenge on Arthur, who is revealed to have slayed Fergus.

In Camelot, Hook embraces another path of revenge on the man he holds responsible for his life-long pain, Rumplestiltskin. Emma attempts to put a stop to his vengeance, but fails. She is then forced to take desperate measures. In Storybrooke, Henry and Emma team up to put a stop to Hook's Dark One misdeeds, while he is preoccupied with Rumplestiltskin. Meanwhile, Rumple and Belle experience relationship tribulations and Zelena adapts to skewed motherhood.

Back in the Enchanted Forest, Hook's feelings about his father abandoning him as a young boy lead to Hook killing him when Regina recruits him to kill Cora. In Storybrooke, as Hook and Nimue prepare to send Emma's family and friends to the Underworld to allow the resurrected Dark Ones to stay, his memories remind him of the man he wants to be. When he realizes what will happen if he goes through with it, Hook turns Excalibur on the previous Dark Ones and asks Emma to sacrifice him with Excalibur, saving everyone and returning Emma to normal. Emma discovers Gold used the situation to tether the darkness back into himself, leading Emma to blackmail Gold into helping her bring Hook back from the Underworld. Meanwhile, Regina sends Zelena back to Oz, after Zelena attempted to get sole custody of her daughter.

The heroes arrive in the Underworld, which bears a striking resemblance to Storybrooke. Here, souls with unfinished business live, including Peter Pan and Cora. Cora offers Regina a way out, telling her she has one hour to leave on the ferry with Henry and Robin. Regina finds the soul of her father, whom Cora has threatened to send to a deeper layer of hell if she does not leave soon. When Regina's father tells her she has come too far to betray her friends now, Cora attempts to banish him. However, as Regina has chosen to stay, Cora's attempts are ineffective, as seeing his daughter choose to stay a hero resolved his unfinished business. With his soul at peace, he is accepted into "a better place" and departs the Underworld after saying goodbye to Regina and Henry. The heroes realize they could potentially rescue all the souls here and continue their quest to find Hook with this in mind. Cora meets with the ruler of the Underworld, Hades, who wishes the heroes gone. He punishes Cora for her failure with an eternity as a miller's daughter once again. Flashbacks show Regina celebrating her birthday with a surprising visit from her mother, Cora.

After a prisoner is sent by Hook to tell Emma that he is alive, a creature known as Cerberus begins pursuing the outsiders. This prompts Mary Margaret to turn to the only person who can defeat the creature, Hercules, as she learns that he has unfinished business and is therefore in the Underworld. Back in the Enchanted Forest, he was responsible for giving her the courage to fight back against the Evil Queen's bandits. When the outsiders learn that he has lost that confidence, Mary Margaret decides it's time for him to restore it as they square off against Cerberus and, with the help of the prisoner, kill the creature, giving Hercules and the prisoner, revealed to be Megara, their tickets out. In the process, Regina convinces Mary Margaret to again become Snow White, the woman who took risks before the original curse. A furious Hades vows to make the outsiders pay by forcing Hook to choose which living souls will stay behind as recompense for the souls they've redeemed. Meanwhile, Henry encounters Cruella, who wants him, in his role as The Author, to resurrect and return her to the world of the living, so that Emma's soul will no longer be branded a murderer's, but he keeps this offer to himself.

In the past, Rumplestiltskin is forced to promise his second child to a healer when Baelfire falls ill from a snakebite; however, after becoming the Dark One, he kills the healer to void the deal. In the present, Hades grows frustrated with Hook's refusal to chisel three names down onto the headstones, signifying those who will remain in the Underworld to replace Prince Henry Mills, Hercules, and Megara. He threatens to drop Hook into the River of Lost Souls. Mr. Gold finds Milah, the ex-wife he killed, convincing her to help him and Emma find Hook. However, while Emma rescues Hook, Hades offers Gold the chance to leave in exchange for destroying the boat; Gold blasts Milah out into the River of Lost Souls, hoping to keep the deal secret. Later, when Regina attempts to split Emma's heart in two to revive Hook, she finds a protection spell stopping her. It turns out Hades has chosen Emma Swan, Regina Mills, and Snow White to replace the souls they freed. Also, Hades reveals that he's taken on the debt Gold owes the healer; it turns out Belle is now pregnant. Now, Rumplestiltskin must now work for Hades; otherwise, Hades will take his unborn child.

In the past, Liam promises that he and Killian will find a way to get out of Captain Silver's servitude. However, he eventually gives in to Hades' offer of the "Eye of the Storm" jewel to buy their freedom, in exchange for selling out the souls of the entire crew during a dangerous mission for the same jewel. In the Underworld, Liam is reunited with Hook and joins the others in searching for the Underworld version of the "Once Upon a Time" book, only to be blackmailed by Hades who wants pages containing him removed. When Emma catches on to Liam's deception, Hook learns the truth after Captain Silver and his crew reveal what Liam did in the past, which leads to Liam sacrificing himself to save Hook, allowing he and the ship's crew to move on. It is later revealed that the pages Hades wanted have something to do with Zelena. Meanwhile, Henry discovers that the Apprentice is in the Underworld to help guide him in finding the quill, hoping he will make the right decision in lieu of helping Cruella. Later, Cruella makes a move on David while he is impersonating James, only to realize the deception, and she tells David about James' resentment toward him, about being raised by their mother Ruth.

In the past in Oz, Zelena's plot to create a time travel portal is derailed by the return of Dorothy Gale. When Hades arrives to help Zelena with her plan to steal the Scarecrow's brain, the two find romantic feelings for each other but, after they succeed, Zelena turns on Hades, believing that he is using her in order to get even with Zeus. In the Underworld, Hades forces Gold to create a portal that brings Zelena, Belle, and Zelena's baby to the Underworld. Unfortunately, when they arrive, Zelena discovers that Hades is behind the plot and that her magic is too weak to protect her child, while Belle learns the truth from Gold about his reclaiming his powers and her pregnancy, as well as the contract now with Hades. Zelena gives up her daughter to those who can better protect her, determined to keep Hades from using her to enact the time-travel portal, only to discover his love for her is unchanged. Meanwhile, Snow and David find a way to contact their son, and Henry starts to write stories in his sleep.

In the past, Belle meets Gaston, and they come upon a young ogre in the forest. Gaston wants to use violence to get information from him, but Belle believes there's a more compassionate way. In the Underworld, Hades enlists Gaston to seek revenge on Gold, leading Belle to find out his unfinished business, only to have Hades make a deal with Belle that could determine the fate of her unborn child. Emma has a dream vision that comes true as she, Hook, and Snow attempt to reverse the graveyard spell. When Hook senses a storm brewing, he, Emma, Snow, and Regina go to the woods, where Emma uses her magic to take out the creature borne from the storm. The creature turns out to be a werewolf, who Snow discovers is Ruby/Red Riding Hood, having somehow ended up in the Underworld.

In the past, after teaming up in Camelot, Ruby and Mulan have made their way to Oz in search of the wolf pack. They meet Dorothy just as Zelena returns to Oz after being banished by Regina. Ruby and Dorothy form a bond as they work on a plan to defeat Zelena and get Toto back. In the present, Ruby finds herself in the Underworld after using a tracking spell to lead her to Zelena. Zelena reveals that she put Dorothy under a sleeping curse which can only be broken by true love's kiss. The heroes believe that a kiss from Dorothy's deceased Auntie Em is the solution but, after Hades ruins their plans, Snow suggests to Ruby that her feelings for Dorothy might allow her to break the curse. Meanwhile, David and Snow get antsy after the phonebooth is removed and they have no way to check up on their son. After Hook is able to change the name on Snow's headstone to "David Nolan," Snow is able to leave the Underworld with Ruby and the two head over to Oz, where Ruby is able to free Dorothy.

Hades offers Zelena the chance for them to be a family, but at the cost of leaving the "outsiders" in the Underworld. Regina finds out about this and turns to Cora for help, leading to a bittersweet reunion and the possibility of closure. Meanwhile, David finally meets his deceased evil twin, James, who jealously decides to get rid of Emma and Robin with Cruella's help, using Zelena's child as leverage with Hades, but an attempt by David to everyone ends tragically. Gold finds a loophole in his attempt to save Belle and kidnaps Zelena with help from Peter Pan. In the Enchanted Forest in the past, Cora brings Zelena from Oz to save Regina, only to have Cora end their reunion when they discover that they're related, because Cora fears Zelena's presence will derail Regina's future as the next queen.

In 2009 Maine, Emma buys food at Chantley's Lobster House while seeking her birth family. A bondswoman named Cleo Fox is after Emma for skipping town in Phoenix. At a nearby courthouse, Emma Cleo are waiting for records from Emma's discovery as a baby, but find little of use. A year later in Boston, Emma is now a bondswoman seeking Cleo's biological daughter, Tasha, on behalf of her unexpected fallen friend. In the Underworld, Hades, Zelena, her daughter, and the Storybrooke residents return home from the Underworld through a portal made by the fallen clock tower near the Underworld graveyard. The heroes all go through the portal except for Hook, who could not be saved in the end. With Hades' departure, Cruella announces herself as the new ruler of the Underworld.

As everyone returns to Storybrooke, they plan to stop Hades, who wants to unleash the Olympian Crystal on those whom he sees as a threat. When Zelena's feelings blind her to the truth, Emma, Regina, and Robin have to find a way to prove Hades' deception, leading to Robin sacrificing his life for Regina and Zelena using the Crystal to destroy Hades. In the Underworld, a deceased Arthur, killed by Hades in Storybrooke, is joined by Hook to find the missing element

in killing Hades. After he succeeds in reaching Emma, Hook is allowed to move on, only to be rewarded by Zeus with a return to Storybrooke. Arthur stays in the Underworld to fulfill his destiny of repairing a "broken kingdom". Zelena names her daughter Robin in honor of her father during his funeral. Meanwhile, after Moe refused to help bring Belle back from her sleeping curse and Hades chose not to make a deal, Gold takes advantage of the situation by acquiring a piece of the Crystal for a new plan.

Regina is mourning Robin Hood when Mr. Gold tethers all of Storybrooke's magic to the Olympian Crystal fragment in a scheme to awaken Belle. Because of all the pain magic has caused his family, Henry uses his Author powers to take the Crystal, intending to destroy magic; Violet teams up with him. Zelena opens a portal, allowing Merida, the Merry Men, King Arthur's court and the Camelot residents to return to the Enchanted Forest; however, she, David, Hook, and Snow are then sucked into the portal to the Land of Untold Stories, a place where those who hated their lives chose to flee, where they are held captive by Mr. Hyde. Meanwhile, Regina and Emma track Henry down to New York City, who is followed by Mr. Gold.

Henry finds a second, black-colored Holy Grail in the New York library, and uses it to banish magic during a fight between Emma, Regina, and Mr. Gold. He then learns, to his horror, that he has trapped the rest of his family in the Land of Untold Stories. In the Land of Untold Stories, Dr. Jekyll succeeds in separating himself from Mr. Hyde, wishing to join the heroes in Storybrooke. After a pep talk from Emma, Henry gives a passionate speech to the people of New York about believing in magic, as their belief will bring it back; he convinces them to use magic wishes in the park fountain to help bring back his family. This opens a portal, bringing the heroes home and proving magic exists. Jekyll gives Snow some of his red serum for Regina, allowing her to separate from the Evil Queen and crush her heart. In the meantime, Gold has met with Mr. Hyde, who promises him information on how to wake Belle in exchange for Storybrooke. Hyde arrives in Storybrooke, along with some of his "friends," threatening the town. Back in New York, The Dragon is confronted by the manifestation of The Evil Queen, who takes his heart and declares war.

Season 6

In the past, Aladdin, a "Savior", is taunted by Jafar over the inevitable downfall of all Saviors. In Storybrooke, refugees arrive from the Land of Untold Stories. Emma experiences tremors and visions; an arrested Hyde helps her receive an oracle's vision of a hooded figure killing her. Guided by Morpheus, Gold enters Belle's dreams to lift the sleeping curse; he tries to renew their love, but she rejects him. "Morpheus" reveals he is really their unborn son, and desired this outcome. Belle wakes and leaves Gold. Henry convinces Regina that Hades may have lied about Robin Hood's soul having been destroyed. Zelena moves in with Regina but, after learning her sister blames her for Robin Hood's death, moves out and is approached by the Evil Queen.

In the past in the Enchanted Forest, the Evil Queen offers to aid the revenge plot of Edmond Dantes, The Count of Monte Cristo, if he kills Snow and David. When he falls in love with Snow's handmaiden, he reneges and flees with her to the Land of Untold Stories to save her from poison. In Storybrooke, the Evil Queen recruits Zelena and uses Edmond's heart to set him against Snow and David; Regina kills Edmond to save the others, and realizes she retains the capacity for darkness. The Evil Queen declares that the undesirable "untold stories" will be played out. She gives David evidence that his father's death was not accidental. Belle lives on Hook's ship; in a deal with Gold, the Evil Queen will not harm her or the baby. Emma tells Archie about her visions and notes that Regina isn't present in them and could be the hooded figure.

In the past in the Enchanted Forest, Cinderella meets Prince Thomas at the ball, but flees when she believes he loves her stepsister Clorinda; Clorinda actually plans to elope with Thomas' footman, Jacob, but her mother, Lady Tremaine, abducts her to the Land of Untold Stories after forcing Cinderella to betray Clorinda's location. In Storybrooke, Ashley hopes to reconcile with Clorinda. Aided by the Evil Queen, Tremaine lures Ashley into a trap for her and Jacob. Ashley protects Jacob; Clorinda reunites with him and forgives Cinderella, while Tremaine is arrested. Emma struggles to control her magic. Whale helps Jekyll recreate his serum, while the Evil Queen and Hyde form an alliance and she releases him. Snow White wants normality, but David secretly investigates his father's death; Gold provides information in exchange for David delivering a message to Belle.

In the past in Victorian England, Jekyll petitions the Academy of Science for membership but Dr. Lydgate rejects him. Rumplestiltskin arrives and magically perfects Jekyll's serum; Jekyll transforms into Hyde, who blackmails Lydgate for Jekyll's membership. Mary is Lydgate's daughter and Jekyll's unrequited love; she and Hyde fall in love. Jekyll accidentally fatally defenestrates Mary; he frames Hyde. In Storybrooke, Gold imprisons Belle on the ship to protect her from Hyde; but it is Jekyll who tries to kill Belle in revenge for Rumplestiltskin's role in Mary's death. Hook saves Belle by killing Jekyll, and Hyde dies of identical wounds; Regina asks Emma to kill her if necessary to stop the Evil Queen. Gold warns Belle that their child will need his protection. Mary Margaret resumes teaching, and her assistant Shirin inspires her to draw on her life as Snow. Shirin is secretly Princess Jasmine, working with the Oracle to search for Aladdin.

In the past in Agrabah, Aladdin seeks a magical weapon for Jasmine, to save the kingdom from Jafar; he is the weapon and a Savior. Jafar tempts Aladdin with magical shears that can sever him from his fate as the Savior and from his resulting death. Aladdin rejects Jafar and saves Jasmine. In Storybrooke, the Oracle is murdered. Emma helps Jasmine, hoping Aladdin's survival ensures her own. Having faked his death, Aladdin reveals himself to Emma and confesses that he doomed Agrabah by using the shears, which he gives to her; she asks Hook to dispose of them, but he secretly keeps them. The Evil Queen impersonates Archie to learn of Emma's visions, and convinces Zelena to turn Archie back into a cricket.

During the Dark Curse, Captain Nemo abducts Hook and invites him to join the crew "family" of his submarine, Nautilus, in their quest for the "Mysterious Island", which is the Land of Untold Stories. Hook discovers the first mate is his half-brother, Liam, and decides to leave to avoid confrontation; but Liam attacks him, instead mortally wounding Nemo, who steps in. In the

present, Archie is freed. Henry confronts Hook over lying about the shears, and Liam imprisons them on Nautilus. Hook opens up and Henry accepts him as family; they save each other and dispose of the shears. Modern medicine saves Nemo; he, Liam, and Hook make amends. Emma and Aladdin discuss being a Savior. Jasmine reveals that Agrabah vanished. Snow supports Belle at her ultrasound. The Evil Queen seduces Gold and offers the retrieved shears in exchange for help taking Snow's heart.

In the past, fugitive Snow and shepherd David separately travel to Longbourn; she to flee the kingdom and he to sell his struggling farm. Without ever seeing each other's faces, David saves Snow from a bounty hunter and she repays him with money to save the farm, deciding not to flee. Their hands touch and a magical sapling is created. In the present, the Evil Queen threatens to destroy Storybrooke with River of Lost Souls water unless Snow and David hand over their hearts. They learn the sapling could stop the Queen, who destroys it just after they find it. But it has shown them their previous meeting, and they conclude that their love can endure anything; they surrender themselves. The Queen casts a sleeping curse on their hearts; because they share Snow's heart, the curse affects them both; each can wake the other but immediately succumbs to the curse, so they can never be awake together. Regina uses Gold's relationship with the Queen to separate the latter from Zelena, who earns Gold's enmity by exposing his schemes to Belle.

Regina and Emma try to magically trap the Evil Queen in the World Behind the Mirror, but she traps them there, where the Dragon is already imprisoned. Henry prepares for a date with Violet; the Queen impersonates Regina and tries to manipulate him but he recognizes her. Emma and Regina discover Sidney was building a mirror portal out of the world and try and finish it, but the Evil Queen forces the Dragon to attack Emma and Regina, using his heart, and tries to make Henry kill the Dragon with the Hammer of Hephaestus; he instead uses it to free his mothers. Mary Margaret and David adjust to living in shifts. Belle asks Zelena to help her escape Storybrooke via magical portal, and they form an alliance with Aladdin and Jasmine. Aladdin steals the Genie's lamp and the Sorcerer's wand from Gold's shop, but Gold takes the wand back from Zelena and puts a magical tracking device on Belle. He asks the Queen to kill Zelena, as the connection between his and Zelena's hearts protects her from him.

In the Enchanted Forest, while served by Belle, Rumplestiltskin abducts a baby to use as bait for the Black Fairy, the mother who abandoned him; she escapes without answering his questions. In the present, Belle receives advice from her unborn child while Gold becomes increasingly unhinged. Resenting Gold's order to attack Zelena, the Evil Queen accelerates Belle's pregnancy; Mother Superior delivers Belle's son, Gideon, and sends him into hiding; Gold vows to find him. As the Genie has been freed, Aladdin takes his place. Zelena and Regina continue to feud. Emma obtains the sword from her vision.

The Black Fairy abducts Gideon. Emma discovers the sword can kill the Evil Queen without hurting Regina. The Queen steals the lamp and wishes Emma to an alternate reality where she was never the Savior; Regina follows her. David and his allies take the lamp from the Queen, who is turned into a serpent by the hooded figure, revealed to be the adult Gideon. Jasmine wishes herself and Aladdin to Agrabah. In the "wish realm", Emma lives as a princess until Regina traumatically restores her memory. Regina frees Rumplestiltskin in exchange for a magic bean, but the portal to Storybrooke closes while Regina is distracted by the appearance of Robin Hood.

In 1990 Minnesota, a young Emma is told by a teenager that she has the power to change her fate. In present day, after they miss their way out of the Wish realm, Emma and Regina find another option for escape when they come across August, who agrees to help create a new portal. Regina goes to find Robin Hood to see if he would've been better off without her. After Regina finds Robin, they're caught by the Sheriff of Nottingham and later by the Wish realm Rumple. Robin believes Regina when she tells him about their being in an alternate reality. Emma discovers that August was the teenager she met back in Minnesota and inspires him to complete the portal. Emma, Regina, and Robin return to Storybrooke, where Gideon explains to Gold and Belle his intention to kill Emma so that he can acquire her savior powers and kill the Black Fairy, a move that has David furious and Belle concerned. Emma and Gideon finally meet for the battle, but Emma survives, choosing her own fate. Gideon retreats, proclaiming this far from over. Gold and Belle decide to work together for the good of their son.

The events of how Robert, the father of David and James, was murdered are detailed in a flashback, in which Robert learns what happened to James after he ran away from King George. With help from Rumple, he tracks him to Pleasure Island, but their reunion is cut short by King George, who orders Robert's execution. His death affects David in the present day after he sees visions of Robert and asks Hook to help him, despite his being reformed. When Hook becomes concerned that David is taking this investigation too far by going after Albert, he intervenes and brings David back to sanity. Hook is also worried about whether David will give him his blessing to marry Emma, but David does. Meanwhile, Regina tries to get the Wish Realm Robin assimilated into Storybrooke, but soon questions why he agreed to follow her, as it turns out that he had something else planned after he steals a chest from the vault. The truth as to who really murdered Robert is revealed when August gives Hook missing pages he took from Henry's book. When Hook sees an illustration of David's dad, he recognizes him and recalls murdering him during a robbery in the Enchanted Forest so that there was no witness to his crime.

During the First Ogres War, Beowulf leads a fearsome charge on the battlefield in the Enchanted Forest of old. After every last soldier had been slain, Beowulf surrenders to death just as Rumplestiltskin intervenes, killing all the ogres. Hailed as a hero in the village, Beowulf is irked by Rumple's new title. He creates a ruse to lead Rumple to his demise. Fearing he would not be able to follow through on protecting the villagers without Dark Magic, Rumple bestows his dagger upon Baelfire as an insurance policy. Following a turbulent exchange and threat to frame Rumplestiltskin as a murderer, Beowulf retreats. Feeling the pressure of his threat, Bae commands his father to kill him. Rumple later doses Bae with a memory potion to erase the ordeal from his mind and restore his innocence. In Storybrooke, Rumple recognizes a familiar pattern in Gideon, who makes strides in his quest to kill Emma Swan at the cost of The Blue Fairy's vitality. Hook worries about the repercussions of telling Emma his newly unveiled secret.

Meanwhile, Emma unknowingly forces a proposal after happening upon Hook's engagement ring. Robin of Locksley attempts to flee the town, but to no avail. The Evil Queen escapes her reptilian confinement and indoctrinates Robin.

In the Enchanted Forest, The Evil Queen is in search of a spell that will help her end Snow White for good, but her father has love in mind for his daughter and leads her on a quest to Cupid's Arrow. However, The Evil Queen rebrands the arrow to follow hatred and discovers that the person she despises the most is herself. In Storybrooke, The Evil Queen and Regina face off in a final confrontation. Just when Regina wins the upper hand, she remembers the Evil Queen's self-loathing and evenly splits the light and the darkness in their hearts, to share their love and hate and allow the Evil Queen to reform. After Emma calls off the engagement, Hook decides to board the Nautilus with Captain Nemo. Hook later changes his mind following a conversation with Snow but, before he can return, Gideon hijacks the vessel and sends it out of Storybrooke.

At a loss for hope, Regina suggests a "girls' night out" for Emma with her and Snow. While at the bar, she confides in the mixologist and sheds a tear. Meanwhile, the Nautilus is transported to the Enchanted Forest, where Aladdin and Jasmine board. They have yet to locate Agrabah and are growing weary. After Hook and Jasmine confide in one another, the vessel is irrevocably damaged and Jasmine uses a genie wish to relocate the group to the island where Jafar is located. They discover a cabana belonging to Ariel and Prince Eric. Ariel has collected a genie lamp that houses Jafar. Jasmine is able to sway him into divulging the location of the hidden Agrabah before defeating him with magic dust. Through true love's kiss, Aladdin and Jasmine, along with Hook and Ariel, are transported to the restored city and Aladdin's genie curse is broken. Ariel supplies Hook with a means to reach Emma. Emma receives the message and Gideon, no longer masquerading as the mixologist, threatens that he will use her tears to keep Hook from returning to Storybrooke unless she helps him kill the Black Fairy. Flashbacks to Ariel and Jasmine's first meeting show the princess falter under Jafar's trickery.

In Storybrooke, Gold reveals to Emma and Snow that the Black Fairy is his mother and that the Dark Curse Regina cast was created by the Black Fairy. Emma agrees to help Gideon kill the Black Fairy, but is double-crossed by Gideon and left to die at the hands of a giant spider. Gideon opens a portal with the sword, allowing the Black Fairy to slip through into Storybrooke. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, Hook wagers the Jolly Roger for a magic bean in a game of cards with Blackbeard. As Blackbeard and Hook go through the portal, it malfunctions thanks to Gideon and the duo ends up in Neverland, on the run from the remnants of Peter Pan's Lost Boys. Back in Storybrooke, Henry experiences a disorienting shift in his Author powers, so he and Regina seek help from the only person who can aid them: the previous Author, Isaac. Isaac reveals to Regina and Henry that they are nearing the end of the story in which the savior must fight the Final Battle. Flashbacks reveal the abuses the Black Fairy inflicted on Gideon and that the Black Fairy ripped out Gideon's heart and is controlling him to kill Emma.

Regina works feverishly to wake Snow and Charming from the Sleeping Curse. Gold comes face to face with the Black Fairy, the powerful enemy Emma must fight in the Final Battle. Hook, still in Neverland, meets up with Tiger Lily, who gives him a piece of an ancient fairy wand to aid Emma in defeating the Black Fairy. Gold confronts the Black Fairy over her manipulating Gideon with his heart and she maintains that Storybrooke would be destroyed if the two of them fought. A pixie flower allows Emma to open a doorway to Neverland and rescue Hook, who then proposes again properly. The townsfolk gather around Emma's sleeping parents and each take small amounts of the Sleeping Curse unto themselves, diluting it and allowing Snow and David to finally reunite. In 1993, a pixie flower awakens Snow and Charming from their cursed selves, but an awakened Rumplestiltskin tells them they must make a difficult decision to ensure that Emma fulfills her destiny as the Savior.

In Zelena's past, her childhood friend Stanum asks for her help in finding the Crimson Heart, a magical artifact that would be able to restore his human form after having been cursed by the Wicked Witch of the North to slowly turn into tin. Zelena's refusal to give up her magic leads to her betraying Stanum, as she keeps the Heart and leaves him to become the Tin Man. In the Present, The Black Fairy tempts Zelena with an offer to join her, only to have Zelena oppose her instead. Regina is brought into the chaos by trying to stop her sister and they find the Black Fairy and Gideon in the crystal mines, with the Black Fairy tricking Zelena into utilizing her unstable Dark Magic to strengthen her for the Final Battle. Realizing that there is nothing left for her back in Oz, Zelena decides to help the residents fight back against the Black Fairy by using the Crimson Heart to give up her magic, thereby undoing the mess she made in the mines. Emma then uses her magic and one of the crystals to bring Mother Superior out of her coma with some help from Regina and Zelena.

The origin of Rumplestiltskin's true destiny is revealed, as his mother Fiona learns from the Blue Fairy and Tiger Lily that he was destined to become The Savior. When Fiona fears for her son and chooses power over protecting Rumple, it results in her becoming the Black Fairy, and the Blue Fairy banishing her to the Dark Realm. In the Present, as everyone looks for the missing wand, Gold brings Gideon and Emma into the Dream World to search for Gideon's heart, where the events of the flashbacks unfold. Gold then confronts Fiona, but she reveals the real reason behind why he was abandoned. Gold later retrieves Gideon's heart and tells everyone that the Black Fairy is dead, paving the way for Emma and Hook's wedding. However, Gold and Fiona make a deal that will see the Final Battle go forward, with Emma being the Savior that will fight in it. Meanwhile, Regina helps Zelena adjust to life without her powers.

In the past, Snow makes a wish that grants the entire Enchanted Forest the ability to use the gift of song as a strength, which also spreads to Oz as well. When Regina becomes affected by the wish, she finds a way to end it before the first curse takes place, but the Blue Fairy, who granted Snow the wish, tells Snow and David that the wish will be part of Emma's destiny. In Emma's past, her chance to make use of her talent is held back by being told she'll be alone. This would come back to haunt Emma in the present day, as Fiona returns to use that weakness to take Emma's heart before unleashing a new curse on her wedding day, with help from Gold by freezing her family. When Henry discovers the page in the book that reveals the song in Emma's heart will make her stronger, not only does it embolden Emma, it stops Fiona from crushing her heart, but Fiona still tells Emma that the battle will continue. On their wedding day, Emma and Hook finally marry, just in time for the dark clouds of the Black Fairy's curse to erupt from the clock tower and engulf them at 6:00 PM, setting up the final battle.

Fiona's curse alters Storybrooke, institutionalizing Emma and leaving only Henry and Gold "awake," while sending Emma's other allies to their home realms. The Final Battle begins over Emma's belief; if she stops believing in the realms of story, they will be consumed by Fiona's curse and cease to exist, while Fiona would gain unchecked powers and be able to break the Laws of Magic at will. In the Enchanted Forest, the banished characters gather at Regina's castle; David and Hook obtain a magic bean and the Evil Queen sacrifices herself, holding off the curse's storm to delay the group's destruction. Fiona convinces Emma to destroy the book, but Henry hand-draws one that restores her belief in time to save everyone in the castle. Gold kills Fiona, who had hidden Belle and turned her into a coward; this breaks the curse, which restores everyone's memories and reunites them in Storybrooke. However, Gideon is still under orders to kill Emma. Gold attempts to free Gideon's heart; however, a spell cast by Fiona prior prevents him from doing so. Emma lays down her sword, allowing Gideon to impale her; this releases Emma's light magic and ends the battle. With both Gold and Emma having chosen good, Gideon is returned to infancy and the realms are restored, and those who perished in the crisis are restored. The characters all embark on their "happy beginnings". Many years later, an adult Henry vanishes while defending his daughter Lucy from an unidentified entity. Guided by Tiger Lily, Lucy travels to Seattle, where Henry no longer remembers her.

Season 7

In a flashback, an 18-year-old Henry says goodbye to Regina as he departs Storybrooke on a trip to new realms, in hopes of finding his own story. Many years later, Henry runs into Cinderella's carriage in the New Enchanted Forest and, after a string of events that almost get them captured at a ball, he offers her the chance at a new start back in Storybrooke, as he is due to return through a portal that evening. When Henry finds a glass slipper left for him at their meeting spot, he decides to stay behind. In present-day Seattle, an older Henry is reunited with his daughter Lucy, whom he does not remember because of a curse. In hopes of breaking it, Lucy leads him to her neighborhood of Hyperion Heights, home to many other cursed fairytale characters including Jacinda, Lucy's down-on-her-luck single mother who is in a contentious relationship with her powerful stepmother Victoria. Others include Roni (Regina Mills), a bar owner who is struggling with having to sell her establishment to Victoria, and Rogers (Wish Realm Hook), a cop who gets promoted to detective and is introduced to his new partner, Weaver (Rumplestiltskin).

In a flashback to Storybrooke, Hook is training an 18-year-old Henry as Emma watches. She confesses to Hook that she worries that Henry is about to leave on his own. In order to comfort her, Hook shows her a bottle Henry can use to call on them if he gets into trouble. Many years later, as Henry is about to be captured by Lady Tremaine, he uses the bottle to call on Emma, Hook, and Regina for help, unwittingly calling in Wish Realm Hook as well. In the present, Victoria hires Rogers and Weaver to drive Henry out of the neighborhood. Rogers does not agree with Weaver's methods and helps Henry, instead. Rogers, Henry, and Roni end up forming an alliance against Victoria. Meanwhile, Jacinda has to find another way to be at Lucy's ballet recital after Victoria makes things difficult for her.

In a flashback, Cinderella arrives at the spot in the forest where she is supposed to meet Henry, but does not find him there. She then meets Princess Tiana, who recruits her to be part of the resistance against Lady Tremaine. She leaves one of her glass slippers behind for Henry to find. A short while later, Henry, Regina, and Hook arrive at their campsite and join the efforts. Later, Cinderella sneaks into Tremaine's castle alone, where Tremaine reveals that she has kept her almost-deceased daughter Anastasia preserved since her "death" at age 14 and needs a pure heart to revive her. She tasks Cinderella with stealing Henry's, since he has the heart of the truest believer. In the present day, Jacinda tries to save Lucy's beloved community garden from Victoria, while Lucy takes a skeptical Henry on a trip under the garden lot in hopes of finding proof of everyone's fairytale pasts. Meanwhile, Henry, Roni, and Rogers find their first lead against Victoria. Rogers captures the man working with her, but is irritated to find Weaver setting the man free to use him as a future connection. It is then revealed that Victoria is not cursed and has been keeping a witch as her prisoner at the top of Belfrey Towers.

In a flashback to Gideon's first birthday, Rumple and Belle decide to leave Storybrooke to travel the world. Years later, Rumple tells Belle that he wants to stop being the Dark One, so he can be mortal again and live out his life with her. Over the years, they search for ways to get rid of his Darkness. When Gideon is 18, Belle comes across a prophecy that leads them to the Edge of Realms, where they must wait for the sun's brightest set before they can be guided to the path Rumple must take to get rid of the Darkness. They build a home there as they wait for the event to occur. However, an aging Belle eventually admits that the "sun" of which the prophecy spoke was actually herself and that her death will mark the start of his journey. When Belle dies, Rumple sets off to search for a Guardian who will be able to take the Darkness from him, so that he can ultimately be reunited with Belle. In the present day, Tilly, who is actually Alice, begins to wake up from the curse after she stops taking pills given to her by Victoria and, after several attempts, manages to get Weaver to remember his true identity.

In flashbacks, Tiana seeks a prince to help save her kingdom and is guided by Dr. Facilier to a man named Robert. She soon realizes that Facilier had enlisted Robert to steal a magical ruby from her in exchange for reuniting him with his lover, who had been turned into a frog. In the present day, Sabine decides to run a pop-up beignet shop out of Mr. Cluck's with Jacinda's help. Victoria sends someone to burn the place down, which then causes friction between the two roommates. Rogers comes across a detainee at the police station who he thinks is connected to Eloise Gardener, the missing girl he's been trying to find. Meanwhile, Roni decides to investigate Ivy's interest in helping Henry. Ivy takes her to the top of the towers and Roni finds a photo of herself and a young Henry taken in Storybrooke. However, it is later revealed that Ivy hasn't been cursed either and has her own dealings with the witch, of which her mother is unaware.

In a flashback, Regina comes across Drizella, who is looking for magic to escape from her mother. When she reveals that she was actually born with magic, Regina begins to train her. However, after Regina runs into Rumple, who tells her that Lady Tremaine must have been aware of the magic lessons, the two women realize that Lady Tremaine was counting on using Drizella's heart to revive Anastasia. Drizella ends up blackening her own heart by killing the prince, making it unusable for revival, and vows to cast a curse like Regina's to make her mother suffer. In the present day, Roni struggles with what to believe about the mysterious photo, which is complicated by newly discovered information about "Regina Mills" into which Lucy encouraged her to look. Drizella gathers the ingredients for a plant that the witch then cultivates and, when she serves its essence to Roni, she wakes up and remembers her life as Regina. Drizella then reveals that she cast the curse and blackmails Regina into keeping Henry and Jacinda apart, reminding her of a special contingency that was put into the curse that would hurt her family if she didn't comply.

In a flashback in the Wish Realm, shortly after the Charmings stopped Regina from casting her curse, Hook agrees to grant her passage on the Jolly Roger in exchange for leading him to powerful magic guarded by a witch. When he arrives at the witch's tower, he finds Rapunzel instead. She instructs him to retrieve a golden flower from the witch's garden. When he returns with it to help her, they spend the night together. The next morning, it is revealed that Rapunzel is actually Gothel and their night together produced a baby, whom Gothel leaves behind so she can escape the tower. Hook gives the Jolly Roger to Smee and decides to stay with his daughter, who is unable to leave due to the tower's spell. He names her Alice after his own mother. In the present day, Rogers is on a mad hunt for Eloise with help from Henry and Tilly. Tilly later informs him that Eloise has died, but it turns out that the news was planted by Weaver to throw him off the case. When Rogers finds Gothel, he believes that she is Eloise and frees her from Victoria, who gets locked up for kidnapping.

In flashbacks, Hook is reunited with Alice, who claims that they have been cured of their curse. However, when they try to embrace, Hook gets hurt and Alice runs away in fear. Henry and Cinderella chase her to Wonderland. Cinderella finds Alice, who tells her that she met Cinderella's mother before and that she was also afflicted with the Curse of the Poisoned Heart. Drizella appears in Wonderland to curse Henry, but Alice and Cinderella save him. Henry and Cinderella then share their first kiss. In the present day, Jacinda contacts Nick, a lawyer whom she has been cursed to believe is Lucy's father. He agrees to help her regain custody of Lucy, to Henry's dismay, and Lucy encourages Henry to fight for Jacinda. Drizella and Gothel plan to revive Anastasia but find her body is missing from her coffin. After Regina confronts Weaver, who refuses to confirm that he has woken up from the curse, she tells Henry she's heading to San Francisco to meet with someone who was pushed out of town by Victoria. He agrees to join her on the trip.

Victoria strikes a deal with Weaver in an attempt to free herself from jail and wake Anastasia. In flashbacks, Rapunzel steals from Mother Gothel's garden to save her family, and is trapped in a tower in exchange. After six years of captivity, Rapunzel escapes using her hair, but finds her husband Marcus has married Cecilia, gaining a stepdaughter, Ella. Gothel tempts Rapunzel with a Wonderland mushroom, which she uses to poison Cecilia's heart, leading to Cecilia running away. One day, Anastasia and Ella fall through thin ice but, to Rapunzel's disbelief, Marcus only manages to save Ella. Rapunzel seeks Gothel's help, who magically seals Anastasia's last breath with the price of keeping Anastasia in the tower. However, Rapunzel tricks Gothel, who becomes trapped in her own tower until someone in her bloodline takes her place. In the present, Victoria strangely gives full custody of Lucy to Jacinda, claiming to be a changed person. Victoria retrieves the Once Upon a Time book and shows Lucy her unfortunate life story as Rapunzel, convincing Lucy to give up her belief in happy endings. As Lucy sheds a tear, Victoria uses it to awaken Anastasia while Lucy collapses into unconsciousness.

In a flashback, baby Lucy is born just as Drizella appears to deliver a prophecy about a curse. The heroes are able to turn Drizella to stone. Eight years later, everyone is celebrating Lucy's birthday when Gothel appears with her coven of witches, recruiting Drizella to join them as she is finally freed. With the curse looming, Regina heads off to get help from Zelena. Later, when the heroes confront the witches, Gothel reveals that they have poisoned Henry and Regina is forced to cast Drizella's curse in order to save his life. In the present day, Regina has located a cursed Zelena in San Francisco, who is now known as Kelly. Regina is able to give Zelena her memories back and the two head back to Seattle, knowing that breaking the curse to help Lucy will hurt Henry. Rumple tests Anastasia to see if she is the Guardian. However, Gothel also wants Anastasia and severs her alliance with Drizella after the girl is brought to her, deeming Anastasia to be more useful in her coven. Gothel tells her that they need to find their fellow witches.

In a flashback, an 18-year-old Robin has been secretly dabbling in magic against her mother's wishes. After attempting a spell that leads her to Gothel, Robin disappears from Storybrooke and Zelena arrives in the New Enchanted Forest looking for her. Robin is excited to apprentice under the powerful witch, but soon finds out that Gothel only wants her to be the sacrifice needed for a resurrection amulet to bring Madame Leota back to the land of the living. In the present day, Regina and Zelena seek the resurrection amulet in hopes of using it to save Lucy, however, Tremaine gets a hold of the amulet and hands it over to Gothel, not realizing that Gothel intends to use Drizella as the sacrifice. As the amulet's magic begins to take Drizella's life, Tremaine decides to sacrifice herself to save her daughter and dies as Lucy begins to awaken. Elsewhere, it is revealed that there is a killer on the loose in Hyperion Heights, as a doctor who finds out about Lucy's true paternity is poisoned to death by a mysterious figure.

In a flashback to the day of Tiana's coronation, Facilier appears to warn her of a danger to her kingdom, which ends up sending her on a hunt for a giant alligator. She meets Prince Naveen at the wreckage site and, while the two don't get along, they agree to search for it together. When the alligator attacks them on a lake, Tiana is able to kill it, but Naveen is left gravely injured. When Facilier reappears to claim a necklace from inside of the beast, Tiana gets him to revive Naveen, but on a previously undisclosed condition that the prince is to be enslaved to him until further notice. In the present day, Sabine is excited to be in a food truck festival until an anonymous tip to the cops leaves her unable to participate. She accuses Drew, a former classmate-turned-food truck rival, of sabotage. However, it is revealed that Drew is under orders from Samdi, a mysterious investor, to get close to her for his own purposes. Regina figures out that Facilier isn't really cursed and it is revealed that they have a history tracing back to the Enchanted Forest. Meanwhile, Lucy discovers upsetting information about the current curse, while Rogers and Weaver discover that the neighborhood killer is going after witches in particular.

In flashbacks, after a young Alice has been receiving frightening visions of Gothel attacking her and Hook in the tower, Hook vows to help her escape and seeks help from the Rumplestiltskin in the Wish Realm. Rumple tells him to procure a magical fish hook from Captain Ahab. He wins it from Ahab over a die roll but, when Ahab comes back to taunt him about his former pirate status, Hook agrees to a pistol duel. When he returns to the tower, Hook and Alice find themselves branded and cursed by Gothel, who poisoned the bullet that hit him. In the present day, Rogers and Weaver interrogate Eloise about her cult, though she is only interested in playing mind games with Rogers. Tilly, who is experiencing a manic episode, desperately tries to convince the detectives to see Eloise for who she really is. When they deduce that Eloise was trying to mislead them about the case, they check up on Hilda in the hospital, only to find her dead, with Tilly holding a scalpel in the room.

In a flashback, Alice makes a birthday wish to get out of the tower and, shortly after, a troll appears and helps her escape. Years later, Alice is caught spying on the resistance group by Robin, who had just recently arrived to the New Enchanted Forest. Robin intends to honor her father's legacy by hunting down Alice's troll, who has since been destroying villages, but Alice goes after her to protect it. In the present day, Rogers, Henry, and Tilly are looking for evidence of Tilly being elsewhere during the time of the baker's murder to clear her name. As she retraces her steps, Tilly grows frustrated when she finds that no one can remember seeing her at the places she visited. Meanwhile, Regina asks Facilier out on a date so that Lucy can break into his suite to look for clues as to what he seeks in Hyperion Heights.

In a flashback, Gothel recruits Drizella to compete for one of two spots in her coven. Drizella strikes a partnership with Gretel and they agree to help each other out on the course, but it turns out the real test was that one would have to kill the other to win. In the present day, Drizella is attacked by the neighborhood "Candy Killer". Facilier offers her a way to escape to her home realm, though it would be at the expense of Anastasia's life. Initially, Drizella lures Anastasia in under the guise of wanting to rekindle their sisterhood and brings her to Facilier to perform the ritual. When Anastasia unexpectedly awakens, she must choose between Drizella or Gothel and ultimately chooses her sister. The two then leave Hyperion Heights and return to the New Enchanted Forest to start over together. Meanwhile, Lucy organizes a boys' night out for Henry, Rogers, and Nick, which ends with the revelation that Nick is the Candy Killer.

In a flashback, Henry expresses his desire to find his own story, as he feels unworthy of Ella. When he mentions to Hook that he wants to propose with a special ring like his grandparents', Hook suggests that they retrieve one from Davy Jones' locker and the two sneak aboard the Jolly Roger to overtake it from Blackbeard. However, it is revealed that it was all a set-up by Hook so that Henry could feel like he partook in an epic adventure. A little while later, Henry ends up proposing to Ella anyway. In the present day, Henry lands a job interview in New York, but before he can leave, Weaver finds his novel at the crime scene and insists that he help the police identify the Candy Killer, whom they conclude is a man who believes he is the "Hansel" of

the story. When Henry gets a flat tire driving to the airport, Nick offers him a ride, which ends with Henry getting kidnapped by Nick, who confirms the former's suspicions of him being Hansel and the Candy Killer. Zelena finds herself to be the killer's next target.

In a flashback, a Blind Witch, who is in possession of Hansel and Gretel, has settled in Oz, to Zelena's disdain. After Zelena refuses to help the kids, she is magically weakened by the witch and faints in the forest. She is taken in by a blind man named Ivo, who happens to be Hansel and Gretel's father. When Zelena decides to go back for the children, she finds that they have already escaped and told their father about their encounter with her. When the family refuses to give her a second chance, Zelena angrily burns Hansel. In the present day, Jack tells Henry everything about their fairytale past, but Henry still refuses to believe. Jack kidnaps Chad to lure in Zelena so he can get his revenge, though he is rendered unconscious by Zelena. Zelena ends up having to tell Chad her real name and hints at her wicked past, though he recommits his engagement to Zelena and the two decide to move back to San Francisco together. Meanwhile, Facilier uses Naveen, who is actually not cursed, to get magic for a voodoo doll that he uses to kill a detained Jack and eliminate his competition.

In the past, Mr. Gold, still dealing with the loss of Belle, is challenged by Facilier to rid himself of the Dagger by seeking out the Guardian. When Gold finds Alice and believes her to be the person he seeks, he tests out the theory on Facilier by pulling his heart out, but Rumple has a change of heart, withholding his transfer of power to Alice so she can be happy with Robin, not dealing with the burden he carries. In the present, Nick's death has Weaver suspecting Samdi of stealing the dagger, but Samdi says he had no involvement with taking it. Weaver betrays Roni by using the magic needed to save Henry in order to track down the dagger, which leads to Tilly, whose first date with Margot is distracted by the voices from the dagger itself. Henry discovers that Nick was telling him the truth about the blood test results that confirmed him as Lucy's father and shares the results with a stunned Jacinda.

In a flashback, young tree nymph Gothel yearns for interaction with humans. Though warned against it by her nymph family, she explores a house and meets a group of ladies who appear accepting of her magic and invite her to a ball. It turns out that the girls only sought to humiliate her, stealing her key to enter the nymphs' grove and destroy everything and everyone in it. Avenging the death of her kind, Gothel goes on a destructive rampage and turned her home realm into what is known as the Land Without Magic. In the present day, Gothel tells Tilly that she is her mother and Tilly goes to Rogers with this information. The two of them go to Henry, who has already begun to seriously consider that the stories in his book are actually real. Lucy and Facilier manage to cure Henry of his pre-curse ailments but, when her parents finally share a kiss, the curse doesn't break. Meanwhile, Rogers and Tilly's stakeout on Eloise ends with Tilly being blackmailed into becoming the final member of Gothel's revived coven. The sisterhood then releases their magic back into the land.

In flashbacks to Henry's senior year of high school, Henry ponders over his next step and tells Regina that he wants to explore colleges outside of Storybrooke. He ends up being accepted to every college he applied to, but having to lie about his life experiences has him doubting about leaving town. In the present day, Regina and Lucy try to thwart Gothel's plot to wipe out mankind. After multiple failed attempts to wake Henry, Regina reveals that the curse took them back in time. When a disbelieving Henry decides to call a phone number listed on his adoption papers, a young Henry picks up on the other line and it is revealed that the curse took them back to the same time period shown in the flashbacks; it is currently Henry's graduation night. The adult Henry gives his younger self some advice, which gives him the push he needs to be okay with leaving home. When Henry finds Regina hurt by Gothel, he gives her true love's kiss, which breaks the curse over the entire neighborhood. Alice finds the strength to defeat Gothel, with her father and Robin by her side. Weaver pays a visit to Facilier's office and their standoff halts when his Wish Realm counterpart suddenly appears and kills Facilier.

Celebrations over the breaking of the curse are cut short when Wish Realm Rumplestiltskin sends Jacinda and Lucy to the Wish Realm and attempts to blackmail Henry into obtaining the Dark One's dagger for him. Henry, Roni, Weaver, and Rogers enter a portal to the Wish Realm to find Jacinda and Lucy. Once on the other side, the group is split, with Henry and Roni sent to the Dark Castle while Weaver and Rogers are sent to Rumple's old hovel. Wish Rumple reveals that he has trapped Jacinda and Lucy in a snowglobe. A desperate Henry obtains the Wish Realm's version of the Author's pen in the hopes of freeing them, but Wish Rumple reveals that he was after the pen all along, not the dagger. He then presents it to Wish Henry, who is willing to help him rewrite some stories after losing his mother and grandparents. He ends up erasing the Guardian's powers. Wish Rumple then sends Henry, Weaver, and Rogers into the snowglobe. Roni is left behind, as Wish Henry desires revenge after their last encounter. Meanwhile, Tilly feels that her family is in danger, and Sabine helps her and Margot obtain a magic bean after regaining her confidence as queen of her people. The two then reveal that they're making a pit stop to find help before heading to the Wish Realm, driving through the portal into Storybrooke.

Alice and Robin arrive in Storybrooke and come across the past version of Zelena. Robin reveals that she's her daughter from the future and tells her that their family needs help. In the snowglobe, Rumple reveals to Hook that his Wish Realm counterpart stripped him of his powers and immortality. Everyone is able to break free when Alice magically delivers Maui's fish hook. Meanwhile, Wish Henry has Regina captured and sets up a duel for them the next day. Wish Rumple then visits Wish Henry and reveals his plan to trap all of the other characters inside storybooks where they are destined for unhappy endings. While she's locked up, Regina experiences a vision of Robin Hood. When Henry comes to her rescue, he's attacked by black knights, but Snow and David show up and save them both. As Wish Henry and Regina comes face-to-face and fights, the others begin to get sucked into the portals. Ultimately, Regina is able to reason with him and he forfeits, closing the portals off. Hook had grabbed Alice to save her, but their contact leaves his heart in a dire state. Rumple then decides to sacrifice himself by removing his own heart and giving it to Hook, destroying Wish Rumple and the Darkness in the process. He is then reunited with Belle in the afterlife. Regina then decides to merge all the realms using a new curse which brings the entire magical universe inside the Storybrooke town limits. Some time later, the citizens decide to crown Regina as the Good Queen of the United Realms.