‘Once Upon A Time’ Pilot – Recap

We’ve seen the promotions everywhere. All over New York City there were posters, and New York Comic Con even had special screenings. Yes, I’m talking about ‘Once Upon a Time’, the newest show from the writers of ‘Lost’. The show takes place in two different times, one in Story Time, the other in Real Time. The two do intertwine, and it’s interesting to see how it is all weaved to do so.

The series begins with black cards with white writing, saying:

“Once Upon a Time

There was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters we know.
Or think we know.

One day they found themselves trapped in a place where all their happy endings were stolen.
Our World.

This is how it happened…”

Story Time

The Seven Dwarfs are surrounding Snow White’s glass casket when Prince Charming rides in. He asks for them to open the casket so that he may say goodbye, and when he kisses her she awakens. He promises that he will always find her. They are wed right away, but they are interrupted by the Evil Queen, who says her gift to them is their happiness this day, because she promises to bring a curse with no more happy endings.

Later on, Snow White is pregnant and fretting over what the Evil Queen has said. She convinces the Prince to see Rumplestiltskin because he can see the future, and she wants to guarantee the safety of her unborn child. They go to the dungeons to see Rumplestiltskin, who tells them there is an evil curse on the way, one more evil then they can imagine. They can survive if the baby is brought to safety, and on her 28th birthday the child will return to fight the final battle. He asks what her name is, and the Prince protests, saying that it is a boy, but Snow White quietly says her name is Emma.

There is a meeting gathered about Rumplestiltskins predictions. A fairy appears with an enchanted tree that can block the curse. The problem is that only one can be spared.  It is decided that Snow White will be the one to go, as she is pregnant with Emma.

The curse is cast, and dark knights fall upon the kingdom. Snow White goes into labor, giving birth to Emma, ruining the plan to have her be spared. It is quickly decided that Emma alone will go, and the Prince takes her. Snow White cries in bed, as the Prince fights off the dark knights. He takes a blow to the shoulder, hindering him as he puts Emma in the tree. The dark knights again fall upon him, and successfully stab him, causing him to go unconscious, but before he falls under he sees Emma has been teleported to safety, since she is no longer in the tree. Snow White limps to the Prince’s side as the Evil Queen appears, who tells them that this is her happy ending, that they are being transported to someplace horrible, and the curse takes over.

Real Time

We are introduced to Emma Swan who is out on an internet date. It’s her birthday, and she has no family and is mainly a loner. We soon realize that Emma isn’t there to date the fellow, but she is a bail bondsman (“bondsperson”) there to bring her date in. When she gets home, she has bought herself a cupcake and a candle, and makes a wish. There is a knock at her door, and a young boy stands in front of her. He says his name is Henry, and he is her son. After taking a moment to compose herself, Emma goes to talk to Henry. He tells her that he lives in Storybrooke, Maine. He wants her to come home with him. On the ride home, he tells her about the book he is reading, that the book of fairytales is true, and that Emma is in the book.

Emma takes Henry home to Storybrooke, where we find out he has been adopted by the Mayor, Regina, or the Evil Queen. Henry says Regina doesn’t love him, she just puts on a face, but she acts genuinely concerned when Henry comes home. She invites Emma in for apple cider, and there are apples seen around the house. Emma had given Henry up with a closed adoption and wanted no contact with the child, and Regina plans to keep things that way. Emma leaves, and while driving she sees a wolf in the road and swerves into the Storybrooke sign.

The next morning Emma wakes up in a jail cell. The sheriff says she was drunk, but Emma begs to differ. Regina comes in to talk to the sheriff because Henry has gone missing again. Emma offers to help as long as she gets out of jail. After researching Henry’s computer, they find that he has been using Mary Margaret Blanchard’s credit card. It turns out that she is his teacher and Snow White, and when confronted about the situation it is discovered she knew nothing of it. She had given Henry the book because he is special, and lonely. After a tense conversation with Regina, Mary accidentally passes judgement on Emma for giving up Henry. Mary tells Emma to look for Henry in his castle. Mary is later seen as a hospital volunteer, leaving flowers for comatose patients, one being a John Doe, who is Prince Charming.

Emma finds Henry in his castle, and they have a tense discussion about the book and why Emma gave him up. Emma wanted to give him his best chance, which he understands. He says his life sucks, and it is revealed that Emma was a child of the foster system after her parents left her on the side of the road as a newborn. He tries to convince her that is just where the enchantment left her, but she doesn’t want to hear it. He begs for her to stay with him for a week, but she decides he just needs to go home.

Regina is less than grateful towards Emma for bringing Henry home again. She says that she will destroy Emma if she tries to get any closer to Henry. Suspicious of things, Emma rents a room at Granny’s Bed and Breakfast, where she meets Mr. Gold, or Rumplestiltskin, Granny and Ruby, also known as Red Riding Hood. Emma rents the room for a week.

I actually really enjoyed this. I know that there is a lot of hype around it, but I think this time it is actually justified. I’m excited to see where the story will take us, and how the Evil Queen and Emma battle it out. I know that there is the show called Grimm coming on that people are putting it up against, but I think while the Fairytale concept is there I don’t think they are going to be similar at all. I’m still curious to see how that will go as well.

So what did you think of the series premiere? What do you think of the colliding stories? Do you think the Lost writers have another hit on their hands?

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