Master storytellers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz ("Lost," "Tron: Legacy") invite everyone to join Emma Swan, Snow White, Prince Charming, The Evil Queen, Hook and all the other resident fairytale characters as they prepare to defend themselves against a magical force from the past that's too unpredictable even for Rumplestiltskin - Elsa, the Ice Queen from Arendelle.
Welcome to Storybrooke, Maine, a small town that probably won't show up on your GPS, but it's a magical place to visit. Reality and myth merged after Emma broke Regina's curse, which had deprived the fairy tale characters of their memories and trapped them in our modern world. When they finally regained their identities, our heroes were dismayed to discover that they weren't transported back to Fairy Tale Land. To make matters worse, Rumplestiltskin - aka Mr. Gold - decided to escalate his power struggle with Regina by introducing magic into the town. But this is our world, and magic always has a tendency to yield unfathomable consequences.
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You never give up on the people you love...
The Storybrooke residents do not know what Elsa has in store for them. Back in the past, in Elsa's kingdom of Arendelle, we will discover what happened to her, her sister Anna and Kristoff, and how and why Elsa became a prisoner of Rumplestiltskin. And now that Emma has brought back Robin Hood's wife, Marian, and possibly sparked the end of Regina's relationship with him, will she return to her old, evil ways and do everything in her power to get even? And newlyweds Belle and Rumplestiltskin continue to be deeply in love with each other. But Rumple is hiding a secret from Belle -- one that, if found out, could destroy their happiness - he continues to be the master of the dagger that calls upon him to be the Dark One. Can Emma and Hook commit to one another, and can these two damaged people take their love to the next level? Mary Margaret and David have a new baby, Prince Neal, and are looking forward to raising him into a proud, brave and loving adult. But they are still sad that they were not able to do this with Emma, instead helping her escape the curse when she was first born and not meeting her again until she was 28 years old. Henry is very happy to have both of his mothers back in Storybrooke. But with biological mom Emma and paternal grandfather Rumplestiltskin's blood running through his veins, he will be tested by both the light and the darkness. Finally, Will Scarlet (Michael Socha, "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland"), a former member of Robin Hood's band of Merry Men, has traveled across many lands to make his way to Storybrooke. He finds himself intertwined in the goings-on in town for the first time as his mysterious past pushes him to an unknown future.
As the season continues, new fairy tale characters will be revealed and old acquaintances will be revisited. But not everyone can be trusted.
"Once Upon a Time" stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David Nolan, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O'Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry, Michael Socha as Will Scarlet and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold ABC Lead 8/13/2014
Once Upon a Time (ABC)
Premieres: Sunday, Sept. at 8/7c
Where We Left Off: After going back in time to see her parents Snow White and Prince Charming meet and fall in love, Emma realized that Storybrooke was where she and Henry truly belong. But the time portal they used to return to town brought along two familiar faces: Frozen's Elsa, who was locked up in Rumple's vault, and the long-dead Maid Marion, whose arrival will surely mess up Robin Hood and Regina's future.
What's Next: Elsa won't be the only Frozen character coming to Once. We'll also meet Anna and Kristoff, whose wedding is upon us, as well as Pabbie and Hans. Elsewhere in Storybrooke, Emma will be dealing with having a stable relationship for once, Belle may uncover the truth about Rumple changing the dagger, Regina will set her sights on destroying those standing in the way of her happy ending with the help of Sidney (Giancarlo Esposito), Henry will go into the family business working with Mr. Gold at the pawn shop, and Snow and Charming will be figuring out parenthood.
In the season premiere episode, “A Tale of Two Sisters,” a scared and confused Elsa finds herself in Storybrooke and, fearful of the intentions of its residents, creates a powerful 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 been completely quashed; while on their honeymoon, Mr. Gold finds an intriguing object that makes him question whether or not he should officially give Belle control over the dagger that makes him The Dark One, and Hook is dismayed to discover that Emma seems to be avoiding him while she tries to help comfort Regina after being the one responsible for bringing Marian back from the past and into Storybrooke. Meanwhile, in Arendelle of the past, as Elsa’s sister Anna’s wedding to Kristoff nears, Anna discovers that their parents – who died on-ship 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. And against Elsa’s wishes, Anna wants to finish their journey to find out what they were looking for,
on “Once Upon a Time,” SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET)
Red Carpet Premiere in LA: tumblr blogger present and posted spoiler from the episode lucky, lovely viewer.
| Lest you think that the introduction of Queen Elsa (Fringe's Georgina Haig), Anna et al is mere Disney/ABC synergy, series cocreator Adam Horowitz makes clear that where Emma and her fellow Storybrookers “found themselves coming out of Season 3 is incredibly relevant to what the Frozen story is. There are things about Anna and Elsa that resonate within our own characters.” (But wait, wasn't almost everyone happy when last we tuned in? “That's what the premiere is for,” taunts Eddy Kitsis.) All told, Season 4's theme is “Never give up on the people you love” — a notion that perhaps has particular significance for Regina, whose nascent romance with Robin Hood is detoured by Marian's “resurrection.” Says Kitsis, “It's going to be complicated and messy, but we hope it's a hot mess.” Elsewhere, “past history” will test Emma and Hook's own new relationship, an early episode delves into Belle's pre-Rumple life and mild-mannered Mary Margaret is going to be presented with “much more responsibility” than just new motherhood. BONUS SPOILER | Speaking of the Frozen contingent, Kitsis teases, “Somebody [in Storybrooke] will be unhappy to see them, and somebody will be thrilled to see them.” Source: TVLine
'Once Upon a Time' showrunners spill 'Frozen' secrets (no Olaf!) EW: I’ve avoided asking you specific plot questions because I know that’s the area you don’t want to get into. But is there anything you’re comfortable to tease overall about how the Frozen storyline works into the rest of the show? Kitsis: Thematically we can say the first half of the season is about how you never give up on the people you love.
Elizabeth Mitchell joins 'Once Upon a Time' in mysterious 'Frozen' role: might be villainous character, isn’t being revealed yet, but “possibly malevolent” with ties to royal Frozen sisters Anna and Elsa as well as to SB and Arendell. The events expected to take place after the events in last year’s animated Disney hit. Adam
Georgina Haig, Season 4 role of Queen Elsa of Arendelle | Source | Adam | EW | EOL | THR | tweet
Is there anything you can tell us about Hook’s arc for this season of OUAT that we haven’t heard yet? Anything on his childhood/parents? –Ana Series cocreator Adam Horowitz would only say that when it comes to the good (?) pirate, “There is more delving into his past to come” – though the burning question of whom he traded the Jolly Roger to, in the name of finding Emma, won’t be revealed until “somewhere down the road.” | MattM/TVLine
Any scoop on Emma from Once Upon a Time? I’d like to know if we’ll get any flashbacks on her past? — Alex We will! In fact, we’re going to get a lot more information about her childhood. “In the first half of the season, we’re going to see more of Emma’s past than I think we’ve seen in all the other previous seasons combined,” executive producer Adam Horowitz tells me. | NatAbrams/EW
Just two more weeks until Once Upon a Time! Anything to tide us over? –Jo Did you see how cocreator Adam Horowitz tweeted the title for Episode 7? Well, take that and add in the fact that for that episode they’re guest-casting the “strong, intelligent and beautiful” middle sister of three, a blue-eyed blonde in her late 20s/early 30s who “always puts her sisters first.” Oh, and the three of ‘em are off to a fancy ball…. | MattM/TVLine
Will Henry be there for Regina after what happened in the season finale on Once Upon a Time? Any story coming up for them in season 4? Henry may be the one thing that actually keeps Regina from slipping to the dark side again after Robin Hood’s long-dead wife, Marian, resurfaced in the present. “We’re going to see Henry on a mission with Regina this year,” executive producer Edward Kitsis says. “And maybe some of his light side will rub off on her.” NatAbrams/EW
Can you give us any scoop on Once Upon a Time’s Regina, please? We need something to cheer us up! –Ana Well, when I asked The Boys about the Regina/Robin Hood/Marian love triangle presumably on tap for Season 4, Adam Horowitz was quick to retort, “Who says we’re doing a love triangle?” He then explained, “Hopefully it becomes less about the relationship itself and more about Regina [and] open[s] the door to who she is and what she’s going to become.”
Do you have any info on Belle’s mom on Once Upon a Time? –Natalie Debuting in an Episode 6 flashback, Ma Belle Belle’s ma is described as “a strong-willed, spirited woman” who carries herself with grace and aplomb – even under the most trying circumstances. She’ll also boast a natural European accent, if casting has their druthers. | MattM/TVLine
As excited as I am for Once Upon a Time‘s Frozen storyline, I’m curious as to how The Knave (played by Michael Socha) is going to fit in in Storybrooke. Know anything about that? – Sarah Do I! Just seconds before publishing this week’s Inside Line, I got off the horn with Once creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis, the former of which said that The Knave’s “background as Will Scarlett, who was one of the Merry Men and a thief, comes into play very early.” Kitsis then added that for Wonderland fans, “We will be explaining why he’s in town. I can also say that he fits rather nicely into Storybrooke, and his introduction is a really fun one.”
Will Once Upon a Time’s Emma go house hunting or will she be living in that loft with Charming and Snow and a crying baby forever? –Shen
“Emma needs her own place, and we’d love for her to see it this year,” Eddy Kitsis agrees. And perhaps to that end, Adam Horowitz notes, “The domestic situation of the Charmings and Emma and Henry and Regina does fit into the early episodes” of Season 4, premiering Sept. 28. | MattM/TVLine
Do you have any scoop about Once Upon a Time’s Belle that doesn’t involve Rumplestiltskin’s dagger? –Natalie What if I told you that we just may get to see some of Belle’s life before she met Rumplestiltskin. That would fit the Belle, er bill, yes? | MattM/TVLine
I’m loving the Hook/Swan thing on OUaT, but (...): How long will Emma put up with his choice of clothing? Come on, they’re not in FTL anymore and no one else is dressed as such. A shower and some nice clothes just might move Emma in the right direction. —Linda Aye, we may just find out if (new) clothes indeed make the man. I can exclusively report that there are plans to get Hook out of his pirate gear and into clothes befitting our world — and that his new look will be debuted in the early part of Season 4. Fun fact: After Colin O’Donoghue and I took this pic during my last set visit, I tried on Killian’s coat, and that slab o’leather weighs 50 lbs. if it weighs an ounce! | MattM/TVLine
Now that OUATs Emma and Hook kissed, and she let go of her walls and fears, is a CaptainSwan relationship possible, or is it too soon? –freak91 Just because old issues have been put to rest, you can count on new ones arising. “There will be some challenges for them,” cocreator Adam Horowitz teases. Eddy Kitsis elaborates, saying, “The very first obstacle is Emma’s guilt over the fact that she just destroyed Regina’s relationship [with Robin Hood],” by transporting Marian to our world. “So there’s a part of her that feels guilt in starting a new romance of her own.”| MattM/TVLine
I am loving that Hook and Emma finally kissed in the Once Upon a Time finale! Any hints about how Emma now views him/their relationship? –Liz I can’t speak for the fictional character of Emma, but Jennifer Morrison, the actress tells TVLine. “They’ve both been through similar things, they’re both survivors and they’ve both had to fight in order to literally just live. There’s also something in them where they’ll both go to great lengths to protect the people they care about — and sometimes they’ll do really bad things to do that, but they both have really good hearts, so I think they see a lot of themselves in each other.” Emma is also seeing impressive changes in the pirate. “This season in particular, because Hook has really fought for Emma to be true to herself and be the most powerful version of herself, he’s earned a tremendous amount of trust from her, and that’s what really makes it organic for Emma to feel vulnerable with him,” Morrison notes. “I know that in my own life, I have a strong reaction to people who empower me and say, ‘You should be yourself, even if it means making some mistakes.’ So the fact that he does that, and isn’t at all put off by that, makes it a good place to start a relationship.” | MattM/TVLine
I need more Once Upon a Time scoop! — Karen Now that Rumple has pledged his life to Belle, he's going to have a tough time lying to her about his role in Zelena's death. Could this be the first crack in his seemingly unbreakable façade? "It's probably not going to be easy for him," executive producer Adam Horowitz tells me. "Those were genuine vows and he loves Belle, but he's got his own weaknesses that he has to fight." It's like they always say: The best marriages are the ones built on lies! (What? No one says that?) |NatAbrams/TVGuide
Is there now going to be tension again between Once Upon a Time’s Emma and Regina? They developed so well this season! –Tass While Jennifer Morrison concurs that it was “cool and interesting” to explore “this idea of these adversaries finding common ground to save Henry,” she also says, “It makes sense that we’re going back to a place where these two women are going to be adversaries.” Surveying Emma’s bit of time travel tampering, she adds, “Emma definitely wants Regina to be with Robin, and she never would have intentionally done anything to hurt that. But she’d also never let someone die in the circumstance that [Marian] was in. So it’s one of those situations where doing the right thing is going to have terrible repercussions. But I think it’s good for the show. We should have conflict between Regina and Emma, because that’s where the show got its feet in the first place,” | MattM/TVLine
Adam Horowitz, executive producer and writer | twitter
Andrew Chambliss, writer | twitter
Jane Espenson, writer | twitter
David H. Goodman, writer
Robert Hull, writer
Daniel T. Thomsen, writer
Kalinda Vazquez, writer | twitter
Helga Ungurait, production | twitter
future thread titles
"Not a day will go by I won't think of you." - Hook
"A man unwilling to fight for what he wants...deserves what he gets."
"I thought you said you could outrun a storm. This isn't a storm. It's bloody damnation!"
"Conjuring magic is not an intellectual endeavor. It's emotion"
"Magic is about emotion. Summon up that moment that made you so angry you would've killed if you could."
"Magic is power. Until you take power, you're not learning anything."
"It's time for us to believe. Not in magic, but in each other."
"No death is the best option."
“It sort of brings people back to their childhood, but not in a child-like way.”
— Colin O’Donoghue on why people love OUAT
"With these characters, anything is possible;bad can become good, and good isn't all that it seems to be."
"And that all of people in our world are deserving of a happy ending, no matter what they've been through or what they've done." ~ Ginnifer Goodwin
"Right now, I have better things to do then gossip about boys!" ~ Regina
"We're not making tapas. We're making magic." ~ Regina
Emma: I wouldn't eat the apples in this house
"What do you have here? ~Regina "What do I have here? Self respect." ~Belle
Now we can focus on our impending lack of a future. - Regina
Sooner or later, your heart will find its way to happiness. - Snow
Hook: "We're in Storybrooke. Never heard of the telephone?"
Regina: “What do you see in me?” Robin:“A second chance, and quite good kisser.” Regina: “Just wait until have my heart back.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Haagen Dazs was smitten with your stomach.”
“Where you come from, people bathe in the river and use pine cones for money.” ~Regina
"Evil is isn't born, it's made and so is good." ~Regina
Belle: "I knew you'd be back. Rumple: "Your unwavering faith constantly astounds me."
"I accept you as you, and I want you to be the best version of you. He's doing that for her." -Jennifer Morrison
Archie: "Have you spoken to Emma about staying in Storybrooke? Henry: "What's to talk about? We're...home."
"Because Eddy said that Rumple's bachelor party would be in Atlantic City"
Rumplestiltskin: I don't know who you are, dearie, but why don't you run off and let me enjoy my killing in peace..?
Charming: We are gonna take back the kingdom, Snow. And we are gonna do it as a family.
"I don't need a congressional honor. I don't need Agent Thompson's approval or the President's. I know my value, anyone else's opinion doesn't really matter." - Agent Peggy Carter
RumplestiltskinBelle. "Love only brought me pain. My walls were up. But you brought them down. You brought me home. You brought light into my life and chased away all the darkness" ~ Rumplestiltskin
Didn't journalists last year get sneak peeks at the first two episodes (and drop numerous hints about them?) How far in advance did that happen? Any news on whether that will happen again?
Hoping one of our all knowing spoiler gurus might know the answer...
x
Belle. "Love only brought me pain. My walls were up. But you brought them down. You brought me home. You brought light into my life and chased away all the darkness" ~ Rumplestiltskin 
