If there is one thing that I have always wondered about, its what life would be like if characters from fairy tales, folklore and Disney. Well thanks to this very show, we get to find out. But before we go into it, happy endings are limited, people are going to die and there's just so much heart ripping moments (and I mean that in the literal sense) that its not a traditional Disney thing like many would expect it to be, especially as it was made by a Disney owned studio. But who knows maybe there is a happy ending somewhere so let's get to it:
Season 1 - New Beginnings
So like with
Arrow, most episodes are largely consisting of events that happen in the past and in the present with each part being told over the course of the episode in question. And in most instances, past events take place in a different realm to current events. On the eve of her 28th birthday, Emma Swan (played by Jennifer Morrison) is reunited with her long lost son Henry (played by Jared S. Gilmore) who asks her to come with him to a place called Storybrooke as she is the so called Savior and the one to break a curse set upon the town. The curse in question is the work of the mayor Regina Mills (played by Lana Parrilla) who like the inhabitants of the town, was once in a realm where all or most things to do with fairy tales, folklore and Disney once co-existed with one another. But thanks to her curse, she bought herself and a number of people to the real world where she is the only one to get her happy ending as well as being the only one to retain her memories. But with the arrival of Emma Swan, Regina is at first startled but grateful that she bought her adopted son Henry back home. But when Emma discovers that there is more to this town than she realises, she decides to stay much to the annoyance of Regina who wants her out. I think it started out right. Establishing all the characters and the settings and it works I think. Good start, I think I'm going to like this show. 9/10
Season 2 - Like Mother Like Daughter
Following from what happened in season 1, all the inhabitants manage to get their memories restored and struggle with their dual identities. During this time, Emma reconciles with her parents Prince Charming (played by Josh Dallas) whose Storybrooke name is David Nolan and Snow White (played by Ginnifer Goodwin) whose Storybrooke name is Mary Margaret Blanchard. But when Emma and Snow pay a visit to the Enchanted Forest (of which where all the inhabitants of Storybrooke except for Henry), they return home and find themselves taking on new threats in the form of Captain Hook (played by Colin O'Donoghue) and Regina's mother Cora (played by Barbara Hershey) who have a common enemy in one Rumpelstiltskin (played by Robert Carlye) whose Storybrooke name is Mr. Gold and also to settle things out with Regina who begins to slowly redeem herself. Meanwhile forces outside of Storybrooke enter the town with an objective to take away all things magic due to an event that occurred in the past. I think this is a better season as it tackles people with dual identities as well as the consequences that happen when a curse is broken. Plus we also get to meet Henry's real father and some other great stuff too. 9/10
Season 3 - The Wicked Worlds of Neverland and Oz
Season 3 begins a period for the show in which the whole season is split into halves with both halves focusing on a different story while each adapting plots and elements from fairy tales, folklore and Disney. The first halve sees our heroes and a redeemed Regina and Hook journey to Neverland to find and rescue Henry from the Lost Boys and a dark and twisted version of Peter Pan (played by Robbie Kay) who has big plans for our heroes and Storybrooke and of which Rumplestiltskin has a past with. In the second halve following a curse that Peter Pan put onto Storybrooke that sent all the inhabitants home (or so we think), Emma and Henry have settled into a new life in New York, but are soon bought back by Hook when a new enemy known as the Wicked Witch of the West (played by Rebecca Mader) sets off a new curse that brings everyone back to Storybrooke and has plans of her own. Plus she has a secret past with Regina of which neither of them know about. I think I like the new format of the show as it allows itself to make more use of plots and elements from things while keeping the show good and using the main characters and side characters when necessary. Another good action packed season throughout. 9/10
Season 4 - Sisters United and A Villain's Happy Ending
To sum up the first halve of season 4, its basically
Frozen but the
Once Upon a Time version of it that sees Elsa (played by Georgina Haig) arrive from her world into Storybrooke with the hopes of finding her sister Anna (played by Elizabeth Lail) while she and Emma uncover their past with season 4's main antagonist the Snow Queen (played by Elizabeth Mitchell). This of course leads to the banishment of Rumpelstiltskin who teams up with Maleficent (played by Kristin Bauer van Straten), Cruella de Vil (played by Victoria Smurfit) and Ursula (played by Merrin Dungey), otherwise known as the Queens of Darkness who following Regina's previous attempts throughout the first halve to find the author of the Once Upon a Time book that Henry had, decide to pursue him themselves to get their happy ending. This would also lead to Emma making the ultimate sacrifice to secure Regina's happiness as well as the creation of a new reality within the Book realm. Lots going on in this season and I think the first halve was the creators wanting to cash in on the
Frozen craze that was going on and still going today. But as for the rest of it, its nice to see more well known villains taking centre stage though the other villains are great too as well. Action packed once again and it just shows how much one is willing to do to ensure they fulfil their role in the story. 9/10
Season 5 - The New Dark One and The Underworld
So following from season 4, the first halve sees Emma become the new Dark One and the heroes go to Camelot in the hopes to find a cure to destroy the darkness once and for all, leading Emma into conflict with Merida (played by Amy Manson) and others, all leading to Hook becoming a dark one before being sent to the Underworld. The second halve sees our heroes going to the Underworld to find and rescue Hook while all the deceased villains residing there, have plans of their own to get back into the land of the living. All leading our heroes getting into conflict with Hades (played by Greg Germann) and Regina's history with Zelena (aka the Wicked Witch) is finally revealed. To sum up the season, its a pretty dark season in both halves. We see Emma in a whole new light (or more appropriately, darkness) and see how much the heroes will go to save their loved ones. Plus its also good to see more of the Book realm being used in the present day storylines. So yeah another great season. 9/10
Season 6 - The Battle for Storybrooke and Balance Between Light and Darkness
The ending of season 6 could be seen as the ending for the original series and therefore a soft reboot in season 7 would be unnecessary. But I digress. So this season sees Regina freeing herself from her evil counterpart who after being separated, has an evil agenda for Storybrooke. Meanwhile among the refugees from the Land of Untold Stories, Mr Hyde (played by Sam Witwer) also has plans for Storybrooke. But while that is happening, the final battle that was prophesied, finally comes into full view as the Black Fairy (played by Jaime Murray) arrives and unleashes a curse that brings the realms of light and darkness crumbling down with only Henry and Gold being the last hope for Emma who loses her memories as well as the Book realm which everyone returns to following the new curse. As I said, this season I would call the show's original ending because it seemed to have bought everyone we have come to know, together and wrapped up all their stories in a neat bow tie. But that's OK because at least with a soft reboot, the show can start again while keeping fan favourite characters in there too. As for this season, its a good one that ends the original casts' run on a satisfactory note and we can see what awaits in the final season.
Season 7 - A Whole New World
After the final battle, Henry Mills (played by Andrew J. West as an adult while Jared S. Gilmore reprises him in past events) goes to a new realm called the New Enchanted Forest in order to find his own story and gets himself caught in the middle of a conflict between this realm's versions of Lady Tremaine (played by Gabrielle Anwar), Cinderella (played by Dania Ramirez), Drizella (played by Adelaide Kane), a resistance led by Tiana (played by Mekia Cox) and Mother Gothel (played by Emma Booth) and her Coven of the Eight. The conflict culminates in a new curse that sends everyone into an area of Seattle where Henry meets his daughter in a familiar scenario in which he becomes the new Savior and his daughter wants him to believe that and get the inhabitants to remember everything too. Plus Regina, Hook, Zelena and Gold also manage to get themselves into this world. The final season feels very much like the first season but with some obvious changes. Callbacks to Storybrooke are shown and its nice to see an older Henry Mills for a change (though Jared is still awesome of course) and see them in a city more than just a little town. 9/10
So in the end, everybody gets their happy ending, but that's for you all to see. Its a good show that does a good job of answering the question of what life would be like if a character from a fictional world came to exist in our world. Its an interesting concept that is done very well and although there are lots of references and moments to all things Disney, its nice that the show doesn't spend too much time on those things and keeps it largely original, but loosely adapting plots and elements when necessary. A great show overall and I may look at its Wonderland spin-off another time. We shall see. 9/10
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