Fan Forum
> General Discussion
> Spoilers
> OUAT S&S #253 "What makes a hero and what makes a villain. Does the victor get to write history, or is there good and evil in all of us?" -Eddy Kitsis
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.
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. ABC Lead 8/13/2014
Theme of 4B: As you're looking at the second half of the season, what theme are you most excited to play out?
Kitsis: "I would say that right now, the thing we're excited about is what makes a hero and what makes a villain? And what is a happy ending?" | X
Upon allying with Maleficent (whose "resurrection" will be explained), Ursula and a magical Cruella de Vil, the banished Rumplestiltskin will be on "a collision course" with Regina as they all seek out the mysterious, soon-to-be-ID'd storybook Author for a rewrite. As Season 4B explores its overall theme -- "What makes a hero? What makes a villain?" -- watch for an "interesting connection" to be revealed between the Charmings and the Queens of Darkness, August (in multiple episodes) and Ariel will be seen again, we'll meet Aurora's father King Stefan and Ursula's pop aka Poseidon, and "Emma will continue to explore what her particular heritage really means," says cocreator Adam Horowitz, "as we learn that there are more secrets attached to who she was, is and will be."
'Once Upon a Time': What we know about Season 4b (so far)
The first half of "Once Upon a Time's" Season 4 may have just ended Dec. 14, but the excitement for what's coming to Storybrooke is already mounting. The fall finale left more than one character's fate in question and introduced three new(-ish) villains that will be serving up a lot of trouble when the show returns on March 1.
The new villains: Rumpelstiltskin's (Robert Carlyle) new partners in crime are a trio of fierce Disney lady villains referred to as the "Queens of Darkness": Maleficent (Kristin Bauer van Straten), Ursula (Merrin Dungey) and Cruella de Vil (Victoria Smurfit)
Heroes vs. villains: The theme of the latter half of the season will be "What makes a hero or a villain?," and the core characters will have to make decisions about which team they fight for. Surprisingly, Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Lucas) will have the most trouble figuring out where they stand on the moral spectrum -- and their secret history with the Queens of Darkness will undoubtedly have something to do with that.
Ursula isn't the biggest name of the sea: It was announced on Friday (Dec. 18) that Ernie Hudson has been cast as Ursula's father, Poseidon (Deadline). JoAnna Garcia will also be coming back as Ariel for the Ursula-centric episode.
New villains, new backstories: Yes, Poseidon was Ariel's father in the original Disney movie, but executive producers Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz inform Zap2it that unlike the characters of "Frozen," the new villains will follow "OUAT" mythology rather than their Disney canon.
"Our Cruella may have a different backstory than the one that people may remember from the movie. Maleficent, who has already been introduced in this world, will continue to be from our mythology and not the movie that just came out," Horowitz explains.
Flashbacks will focus on pre-curse Storybrooke: The "OUAT" bosses also say that a lot of the flashbacks will occur in the Enchanted Forest and in Storybrooke during a Season 1 timeframe, before Emma (Jennifer Morrison) came to town and the curse was broken. This means more Evil Queen Regina (Lana Parrilla) and some familiar faces returning.
Prepare for Maleficent and Regina meeting: Maleficent is the villain we're most familiar with, but Season 4b will explain her and Regina's complicated past -- including when the two sorceress queens first met.
Eion Bailey returns as August/Pinocchio: While the details of Bailey's return have been kept under wraps, it has been reported that grown-up Pinocchio will be showing up in episode 14. The last time we saw August, he was returned to his pre-curse state as a 7-year-old boy. He could show up again as part of the flashbacks, or considering August's initial interest in the storybook, he could somehow provide clues for finding the author.
You haven't seen the last of Robin Hood: "We're only halfway through the book!" Kitsis says, which means that Regina's goodbye to Robin (Sean Maguire) in the fall finale doesn't have to be their final one. With the Swans and Charmings agreeing to help her find the author to find her happy ending, Regina could have her true love back sooner than anyone thought. Or he could be coming back in another way...
Yes, there will be more Knave: More likely, Robin Hood will be reappearing in the Knave (Michael Socha) backstories, considering the amount of time the two spent together before the curse and the Knave went off to Wonderland. Kitsis and Horowitz promise that an explanation for why the Knave is in Storybrooke instead of with his wife the Red Queen is coming.
"We will give you more Will Scarlett, more of his background and play a larger part in the story," Horowitz promises.
"For us, we wanted to introduce him in the first half and slowly integrate him into our world so that the audience would start asking these questions and demand to see more of him," Kitsis explains. "He's one of our favorite characters."
Emma and Hook are going to be OK: Smooth relationships aren't really a thing in Storybrooke, but Emma and Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) will have a chance to really grow as a couple in the second half of Season 4b. O'Donoghue explained during a recent Zap2it set visit that Hook will help fill the void left by Elsa (Georgina Haig) going back to Arendelle.
Hook also has a past with the Queens of Darkness: Well, at least one of them. More on that coming Monday (Dec. 22), so stay tuned.
"Once Upon a Time" returns March 1 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
'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.
"Emma will continue to explore what her particular heritage really means," says cocreator Adam Horowitz, "as we learn that there are more secrets attached to who she was, is and will be." TVLine 1/05/2015
Is there any chance for Captain Swan scoop from Once Upon a Time? I miss them dearly! –Sarah Series cocreator Adam Horowitz tells me that when Season 4B arrives on March 1, “The tables are turned” for the Storybrooke lovebirds when “Hook, after having Emma return his heart, will now have to fight to protect Emma’s heart.” From what, I/we can only wonder….- TVLine 1/23/2015
Question: Can I get some more scoop about the most recent Blind Item? Pretty please with Smurfs on top! —Kyle It’s not Scandal. Or any ABC series for that matter. It’s also not Jess on New Girl.TVLine 1/13/2015
Question: I know it’s early yet, but any Once Upon a Time scoop to get us through this hiatus? —Jenny As Season 4 unfolds starting March 1, new flashbacks will highlight the Charmings, Ursula’s origin story, more of Captain Hook’s past and the tale of how Regina first met Maleficent TVLine 12/23
What are three words/things that are mysterious now, but won’t be once Once Upon a Time returns this March? — OnceStorybrooke I took your ingenious question straight to the OUAT bosses and the answer is… interesting. “Voice, Feinberg and eggs” executive producer Edward Kitsis says. “Take that, Once people!”EW-12/19
Are the fairies that got sucked into the hat on Once Upon a Time really gone, or is the show going to delve more into the hat’s powers through the rest of the season? –Kip I for some reason assumed that Blue & Co. had been quietly released during all the winter finale drama, but I was, well, wrong. “They’re still stuck in the hat,” series cocreator Adam Horowitz assured me. “And that issue is dealt with early on in [Season] 4B,”TVLine 12/17
THR: OUAT' Bosses Tease Queens of Darkness' Ties to the 'Core Characters' -12/15 As you're looking at the second half of the season, what theme are you most excited to play out?
Kitsis: I would say that right now, the thing we're excited about is what makes a hero and what makes a villain. And what is a happy ending.
How the heck does Maleficent keep coming back to life on Once Upon a Time? — Dina We’ll get the answer to that very soon. “We did say she had a spell on her that made her be preserved in whatever form she was in, be that ash, be that dragon,” executive producer Edward Kitsis reminds viewers. “So, we know that she was exploded into ash. How she gets brought back will be an entire episode.” EW 12/12
Hello Matt, do you know who is going to die during Once Upon a Time‘s midseason finale? –Marko (...about the role being cast for Episode 15. The ABC series is seeking an African-American actress to guest-star as “Miranda,” a 19- to 22-year-old princess. Described as ” warmhearted and passionate,” this lass wants nothing more than to bring peace and beauty into the world. Yet beneath her gentle exterior, she is headstrong and full of grit – so if you cross her, you may find her more terrifying than even the most powerful kings. Did I mention she has a lovely singing voice, as well?) - TVLine 12/09
I can't wait for Maleficent to get back to Storybrooke! Got any scoop for her arc on Once Upon a Time this season? — Annie You're not the only one! Lana Parrilla, who plays Regina, says that the frenemies will share a "huge" flashback episode that takes place before Maleficent (in dragon form) was defeated by Emma. "Regina and Maleficent have a really interesting history," she says. "You'll see how they met and how they became friends." - TVGuide 12/09
Any scoop on what’s coming up for Once Upon a Time‘s Hook? –Stef I am hearing that, as perhaps hinted by Swan’s conspicuous reaction to last Sunday’s liplock, Hook’s heartlessness will indeed impact Emma – and that Belle will get pulled into his predicament, as things get ever dicier. Bonus Scoop: For Episode 15, Once is casting the possibly recurring role of a king whose crown was hard-won, and the fight to keep it has taken a toll. He is also described as “handsome, though not refined, and highly protective of his family.” TVLine 12/03
Question: On Once Upon a Time, will we find out why Will Scarlett/the Knave left Wonderland? —JJAusiello: “Yes, we should be learning more about his post-Wonderland life as the season progresses,” Once cocreator Adam Horowitz answers. “We will also be exploring more of his past with Robin Hood.” TVLine
Sadly, it won’t be long before Rumple puts Hook to use. “He uses Hook as a hit man to get [other magical beings],” O’Donoghue says. “He really doesn’t want to have to do that, and it’s killing him to have to pretend to Emma that everything is okay. Hook does some things that he really doesn’t want to and wishes that he didn’t have to. He’s remorseful for that, but he has no choice.” - EW 11/17
Question: On Once Upon a Time, is Emma going to help out Henry and Regina with Operation Mongoose? —Dee Probably not until the 12-episode Frozen arc is over, at earliest. As Jennifer Morrison shared during our set visit, “I’m sure we’ll get around to it eventually, but that storyline right now is separate from ours [and] there’s only so much overlap that can happen before there’s just too much going on. But I’m sure that in the second half of the season, we’ll all have some kind of participation in that.”
Any Once Upon a Time scoop about ‘Rumbelle’? —Serena Sunday’s reveal that Rumple is after the Sorcerer’s hat and all the magic it contains certainly doesn’t bode well for the couple’s future. “He definitely loves her and wants to be with her, but the hat existed long before she came along and will probably exist long after she’s gone,” muses Robert Carlyle. “This quest is so massive for him. This addiction is huge. [It] drives Rumplestiltskin more than love.” TVLine-Ausiello 10/21
Before the first half of Once Upon a Time‘s season ends, will we find out who wrote the storybook? —Tom Actually, no. As cocreator Eddy Kitsis revealed to Matt Mitovich at the New York Comic-Con panel this past weekend, Regina and Henry’s “Operation Mongoose is going to be a rather big story for the year. Whereas we are splitting seasons in half, this is a story that will transcend both halves.”
In the premiere, Emma reassured him, “Be patient.” But it’s been a while since the show has had anything close to a love scene. Might Emma and Hook eventually end that dry spell? JMO: I hope so. That’s about all I can say| MattM/TVLine 10/02
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
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
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
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
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
"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."
Emma: I wouldn't eat the apples in this house
Now we can focus on our impending lack of a future. - Regina
Hook: "We're in Storybrooke. Never heard of the telephone?"
"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
Thanks CityGal for getting everything on the OP so fast! You are awesome as always
Some questions I have now ...
Scene with Rumple, Cruella, Maleifcent, Regina:
Is Regina working with them or just trying to get information? Ditto for Rumple? Where did the new book page come from, do they just keep appearing? Regina tore up a page in 4x11 and now another page is getting torn up ... does tearing up a page actually do anything?
Scene with Snow & Charming:
Who is Snow calling? What are they disagreeing about? Where is the baby?
Solo Emma scene:
Why does she look so confused and what visual effects are they adding - she doesn't look scared so much as confused? Is it intentional that she is wearing a very similar coat that Snow is wearing?
Emma/Hook docks scene:
I'm confused, does Emma find him at the docks or does he find her? It looks like she's checking to see if he is okay or if he is actually Hook ... are the pages changing the stories and making people different?
I find it odd...no August, no Will Scarlet and no Henry.
We're told August was going to be in multiple episodes so far no "arriving" scenes. Must be all studio work. The showrunners emphasized the importance of Will, yet, still no scene except the rumored one in 4.13.
The book was suppose to be a big deal for Regina and Henry. Yet no filming.
I find the absence of characters very interesting. Hmmm....
Solo Emma scene:
Why does she look so confused and what visual effects are they adding - she doesn't look scared so much as confused? Is it intentional that she is wearing a very similar coat that Snow is wearing?
Parallel stories perhaps? And I'm hoping for more Mama Snow scenes with Emma.
Quote:
Emma/Hook docks scene:
I'm confused, does Emma find him at the docks or does he find her? It looks like she's checking to see if he is okay or if he is actually Hook ... are the pages changing the stories and making people different?
The scenes was filmed with Emma sitting on the bench alone. Hook walks up to her. They talk. Then hug.
I find it odd...no August, no Will Scarlet and no Henry.
We're told August was going to be in multiple episodes so far no "arriving" scenes. Must be all studio work. The showrunners emphasized the importance of Will, yet, still no scene except the rumored one in 4.13.
The book was suppose to be a big deal for Regina and Henry. Yet no filming.
I find the absence of characters very interesting. Hmmm....
We haven't seen Henry spoilers since 4x12 and nothing on August! Very little on Will ... hmmm ... very intriguing. They have been filming a lot in studio but there seems to be a lot of secrecy to these stories! And we're probably going to have at least 3 more episodes of filming spoilers before March 1 ... this is when it gets really difficult to try and speculate what the heck is going on!
Quote:
Parallel stories perhaps? And I'm hoping for more Mama Snow scenes with Emma.
Me, too.
Quote:
The scenes was filmed with Emma sitting on the bench alone. Hook walks up to her. They talk. Then hug.
Real curious what the "visual effect" could be.
Thanks! I think I read too many jumbled speculation.
Hopefully February will bring some good interviews leading up to the new season. Anyone think they'll do another intro show again? Probably ..
Does anyone else feel like absolutely none of these spoilers make sense? I've been looking through the pictures and the scene descriptions, and I can't make heads or tails of anything. IDK what's going on at all.
__________________
And then her heart changed, or at least she understood it; and the winter passed, and the sun shone upon her.
X
