Between the fairy tale world and Storybrooke, Once Upon A Time is developing an ever-expanding list of characters. To help fans of the show keep track of the characters and their doubles, we’ve compiled the Once Upon A Time Comprehensive Season 1 Character Guide.
THE COMPREHENSIVE ONCE UPON A TIME SEASON 1 CHARACTER GUIDE
We’ve split the guide into three sections. In the first section we cover the characters represented in both the fairy tale and Storybrooke worlds. Then we get into those characters only featured in the fairy tale world, followed by a section for characters only in the ‘real world’ story.
Naturally, as the story continues more characters will enter and/or gain doubles. Fear not, this is an ongoing guide, we’ll update within a day of each new episode airing on ABC. This guide took a while to put together so please do not copy/paste to other sites, but feel free to link or bookmark this page if you find it useful.
You can drill down to a specific section using the following links (updated to Episode 13).
- Fairy Tale World & Storybrooke (this page)
- Fairytale World
- Storybrooke
FAIRY TALE & STORYBROOKE CHARACTERS
The Evil Queen — Regina Mills
Fairytale Land: The Evil Queen casts a powerful curse on fairytale land because she blames her stepdaughter Snow White for failing to keep a secret and for ruining her life. The spell (which requires the heart of the thing she loves most, her father) transports them to Storybrooke where no-one remembers their fairytale past, except for her (and Rumples).
The EQ is also responsible for the passing of her husband, King Leopold, who was also Snow’s father. She hires The Huntsman to murder Snow, but when he defies her orders she removes his heart, making him her “pet”.
Real World: The Evil Queen becomes the town mayor, Regina Mills, and adopts Emma’s son, Henry, who she names after her father. Regina is one of the few Storybrooke residents who is aware of the curse. She kills Sheriff Graham by crushing his fairytale heart after he begins to remember who he is.
- Episode 8 — “Desperate Souls“: Regina loses her bid to have Sidney installed as the new town sheriff over Emma.
- Episode 9 — “True North”: EQ enlists Hansel and Gretel to steal an important artifact from the Blind Witch.
- Episode 10 — “7:15 am”: Regina is suspicious of the new stranger in town.
- Episode 11 — “Fruit Of The Poisonous Tree”: Regina tricks Emma into trusting Sidney. The Evil Queen tricks the genie into murdering her husband, King Leopold.
- Episode 12. — “Skin Deep”: EQ tries to break Rumplestiltskin’s power by manipulating Belle. Regina secretly has Belle locked in a cell underneath Storybrooke General Hospital.
- Episode 13 — “What Happened To Frederick”: Regina burns Kathryn’s goodbye note to David, preventing her from leaving town.
Snow White — Mary Margaret
Fairytale: Snow White is the Evil Queen’s step daughter, the wife of Prince Charming, the biological mother of Emma Swan and the grandmother of Henry Mills. The Evil Queen hires a Huntsman to kill Snow after she failed to keep a secret — the Huntsman, however, spares her life. Years later, the EQ threatens her with a curse. A pregnant Snow gives birth to Emma Swan just in time for her to escape the curse.
Real World: Snow is Mary Margaret Blanchard in Storybrooke, where she’s Henry’s elementary school teacher. She currently resides with Emma Swan and shares a strong connection with David Nolan.
Episode 10 – “7:15 AM”:
- Snow White meets Rumples for the first time. She trades a strand of her hair in exchange for a cure for a broken heart.
- She meets Grumpy for the first time and saves his life.
- King George threatens to kill James unless she tells him that she doesn’t love him. She agrees.
- She later meets the other Dwarfs (as also seen in Ep. 9). Grumpy prevents her from drinking the love-erasing potion.
- However, on the day of the royal wedding, she drinks it and doesn’t remember James.
- In Storybrooke, Mary and David kiss.
Prince (James) Charming — David Nolan
Fairytale: Prince Charming is Snow White’s husband and the biological father of Emma Swan. His ‘real name’ is James (Ep. 3). He became King George’s son after a deal was struck with Rumples.
Real World: Charming is David Nolan in the Storybrooke, a former comatose patient who is married to Kathryn. He has unfathomable feelings for Mary Margaret.
- Episode 10 — “7:15 AM”: With his marriage to Midas’ daughter two days away, James confesses his love for Snow White to King George and asks Snow to run away with him. She tells him that she doesn’t love him. Undeterred, he breaks off the wedding and vows to find her. In Storybrooke, David and Mary kiss.
- Episode 13 — “What Happened To Frederick”: He helps reunite Abigail with her true love by retrieving water from Lake Nostos. David breaks up with Kathryn.
Rumplestiltskin — Mr. Gold
Fairytale: Rumplestiltskin helped the Evil Queen cast the spell that trapped the fairy tale residents in Storybrooke, in return for the EQ granting him favors in the alternate world whenever he says “please”.
Real World: Mr. Gold owns the town of Storybrooke. He also brought Henry to Regina when Henry was a baby and used this to initiate Emma’s arrival. He is aware of the curse.
- Episode 8 — “Desperate Souls“: Rumplestiltskin was known as “the man who ran” after he fled the Ogre war. His wife wasn’t fond of his cowardice and left him. Rumpels tells his son, Baelfire, that his mother is dead. Threatened with losing Baelfire to the Ogre war, a desperate Rumplestiltskin is tricked into killing “The Dark One” with the mystical blade, assuming his power and transforming him into the Rumples we know. Before he dies, Zoso warns Rumples that magic always comes with a price and implies that Baelfire isn’t really his son.
- Episode 10 — “7:15 AM”: Rumples meets Snow for the first time. He trades her a love-erasing potion for a strand of her hair.
- Episode 12 — “Skin Deep”: Rumples falls for Belle but chooses power over love. Mr. Gold gets retribution against Moe French for stealing an important item from his past. He confesses to Regina that he’s aware of the curse.
Belle
Belle agreed to become Rumplestiltskin’s “caretaker” in exchange for the safety of her family. She fell in love with Rumple but couldn’t convince him to choose love over power. She is said to have died following cruelty from her father. In the present day, Belle is locked in a cell underneath Storybrooke General Hospital.
Sir Maurice — Moe French
Sir Maurice is Belle’s father. Facing defeat in the Ogre war, he calls for Rumplestiltskin who agrees to help in exchange for Belle. He is said to have shunned Belle upon her return, locking her in a tower where she supposedly leapt to her death. In Storybrooke, Moe French steals Mr. Gold’s cherished item at the behest of Regina. Gold beats him to a pulp, blaming him for Belle’s death.
The Huntsman — Sheriff Graham Humbert (RIP)
Fairytale: The Huntsman was abandoned by his parents and raised by wolves, who he believes to be more honorable than people. He was hired by the Evil Queen to kill Snow White because of his lack of compassion for humans — however, he spares her life and brings the EQ a stag’s heart instead. Not falling for his ruse, she removes his heart, keeping him as her pet (Ep. 7).
Real World: Graham Humbert is Storybrooke’s Sheriff. While searching for David Nolan (Ep. 3), he refers to the woods as “my world” and successfully tracks David. Several hints later, it is confirmed that he is the Huntsman when he begins to remember his fairytale past after kissing Emma. He is then killed by Regina to prevent him from remembering; she squishes his fairytale heart that she had locked away in her vault (Ep. 7).
The Huntsman’s Wolf
The Huntsman’s best friend is a wolf with one red eye and one black eye. In Storybrooke, he causes Emma to crash her car, preventing her from leaving town (pilot). Later, he appears to the Huntsman’s counterpart, Graham, when he starts remembering his fairytale past. Although there are supposedly no wolves in Storybrooke (ref: Rumpelstiltskin), the wolf leads Graham to Regina’s secret vault where the fairytale version of his heart is stashed.
The Mirror/The Genie — Sidney Glass
In fairytale land, The Mirror is the Evil Queen’s reflective admirer and confidant. In Storybrooke he’s Sidney Glass, the crawling editor at The Daily Mirror.
Episode 11 — “Fruit Of The Poisonous Tree”
: Before he was the Mirror, he was the Genie. After being freed by King Leopold, he fell in love with his wife, the Evil Queen, who manipulated him into murdering Leopold, so that she could herself be free. He unwittingly transforms himself into The Mirror by using his final wish to always see her face.
Jiminy Cricket — Archie Hopper
Jiminy Cricket is a member of the War Council. He began life as a thief at the behest of his parents. His wish to be free from their crooked influence was granted by the Blue Fairy, who turned him into his creature of choice – a cricket. As part of the deal, he became best friends with Geppetto, whose parents were turned into puppets by Jiminy’s parents.
In the ‘real world’, he’s Archie Hopper, Storybrooke’s resident psychiatrist and best friend of Marco.
Red Riding Hood & Grandma — Ruby & Granny
Red Riding Hood is a member of the War Council and becomes Ruby in the real world, a young woman who longs to leave town. Grandma is Granny, also a member of the War Council, who becomes Granny in Storybrooke, the owner of Granny’s Inn.
- Episode 10 – “7:15 AM”: Red helps protect Snow from the Evil Queen by keeping her hidden and bringing her food. Because Snow White once helped her “when no-one else would,” Red Riding Hood helps Snow forget her love for Prince James by directing her to someone who can – Rumples.
Geppetto & Pinocchio — Marco
In the fairy tale world, young Geppetto‘s parents were turned into puppets by Jiminy’s parents. Jiminy became his best friend and guide. He grew up to become a woodcarver and member of the war council. He carved the wardrobe that transported baby Emma to the real world before the Evil Queen could cast her spell. His son is Pinocchio.
In Storybrooke Geppetto is Marco, a handyman who longs for a son.
Doc – Doctor
Doc is the leader of the 7 Dwarfs and Snow White’s personal physician. He’s also a member of the war council. In the real world he’s a doctor at Storybrooke General Hospital.
Grumpy — Leroy
Grumpy is one of Snow White’s 7 dwarfs in the fairy tale realm. His mirror character in the real world is Leroy, the town’s resident troublemaker.
- Episode 10 – “7:15 AM”: Grumpy and Snow White meet for the first time in King George’s jail. Grumpy wound up there because of love. She was as “beautiful as a fairy”. He traded all of his wages from the Diamond Mines with the foreman so that he could buy her a ring, but he got swindled with a stolen rock and took the blame. Grumpy helps Snow escape. She returns the favor by saving his life. He invites her home with his fellow dwarfs.
Stealthy (RIP)
Introduced in “7:15 AM,” Stealthy is one of the lesser known Dwarfs from FTL. He breaks Grumpy out of King George’s jail but he is killed when trying to escape.
Unnamed Dwarf — Garden Gnome
This unnamed dwarf was transformed into stone by the Evil Queen because he mocked her failed attempt at casting the curse to end all curses. In the real world he becomes a garden gnome.
Sleepy — Walter
Sleepy is one of Snow White’s seven dwarfs in the fairy tale. In Storybrooke he’s Walter, a security guard at the hospital who is prone to falling asleep. His real-world character is confirmed in Episode 3, “Snow Falls”.
Sneezy — Mr. Clark
Sneezy is one of Snow White’s seven dwarfs in FTL. In Storybrooke, he’s Mr. Clark, the town pharmacist.
Abigail — Kathryn
Abigail is King Midas’ spoiled daughter and was Prince Charming’s fiance before he met Snow White. In the real world she’s Kathryn, David’s wife.
- 1.13 “What Happened To Frederick”: With the help of Prince Charming, Abigail frees her true love Frederick from his golden state. Following her split from David, Kathryn tries to leave town but her car is found crashed and abandoned at the edge of town.
Frederick
Frederick is Abigail’s true love. He was inadvertently transformed into gold when defending King Midas from ambushers. He was released from his metallic state with water from Lake Nostos. In Storybrooke, he’s a gym teacher at the school. He discovers Kathryn’s abandoned car on the edge of town.
Cinderella — Ashley Boyd
Cinderella unwittingly agrees to give her first-born to Rumpelstiltskin in exchange for a new life. Her Storybrooke counterpart is Ashley, a pregnant woman who is dumped by her boyfriend, Sean. An agreement has been made to give her baby to Mr. Gold. Emma helps Ashley to keep her baby. Sean proposes to her.
Prince Thomas — Sean
Prince Thomas is Cinderella’s husband in the fairy tale world. In Storybrooke, he’s Sean, Ashley’s boyfriend and the father of her child. He proposes to Ashley.
The King — Sean’s Father
The King is Prince Thomas’ father in the fairy tale world. In Storybrooke, he’s Sean’s father. He arranges for Ashley to sell her baby to Mr. Gold.
Geppetto’s Parents (RIP)
Geppetto’s parents were transformed into puppets by Jiminy’s parents, who tricked them with “elf tonic” from Rumpelstiltskin. In Storybrooke, Mr. Gold has Geppetto’s parent-puppets in his shop.
Ogre
The Ogre (possibly Giant) offers a lock of his hair to help the Evil Queen’s curse (Ep. 1). In “Desperate Souls” it is revealed that the Ogres were winning the Ogre Wars at one point. In Storybrooke, there’s a man who resembles the Ogre at Regina’s press conference.
Blind Witch — Miss Ginger
The Blind Witch contributes a lock of hair to facilitate the Evil Queen’s first attempt at the curse. It’s unlikely that this is an older version of Emma Caulfield‘s Blind Witch who appears in Episode 9, as she seemingly perishes.
In Storybrooke she’s Miss Ginger — a woman with thick glasses who attends Regina’s press conference in Episode 8.
Nicholas & Ava Zimmer — Hansel & Gretel
Hansel and Gretel are separated from their father by the Evil Queen, who enlists them to steal an important artifact from the Blind Witch. After successfully retrieving the artifact, Hansel and Gretel refuse to live with the Evil Queen so she transports them to a forest, separating them from their father.
This separation carries over to Storybrooke, where Ava and Nicholas are parent-less twins. Their mother, Dory, died a few years ago, but no-one remembers her (she died prior to the curse in FTL). Emma Swan identifies with their situation and helps reunite them with their biological father, Michael Tillman.
The Woodcutter — Michael Tillman
The Woodcutter is the father of Hansel and Gretel. He was separated from them by the Evil Queen. In Storybrooke, he’s Michael Tillman — the unwitting father of Ava and Nicholas Zimmerman.
FRINGE OBSERVATIONS: 4.13 A Better Human Being
ALCATRAZ OBSERVATIONS 1.06 Paxton Petty
ONCE UPON A TIME OBSERVATIONS: 1.12 Skin Deep
FRINGE OBSERVATIONS: 4.12 Welcome To Westfield
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{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
If you created this page on Nov. 3., how did you know John Doe’s first name was David?
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It was confirmed by the actor.
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We’ve now bumped this thread up for visibility following the new updates from last night’s episode.
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Hi Roco,
I absolutely love this character guide. I have an addition that you could add to the this guide. If you remember from the Cinderella episode, Ruby briefly spoke to a mechanic named Billy or something. She was afraid he was going to break her glass wolf.
Think it could be someone important.
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Cheers Tim,
Good catch. Looks like another pointer to her Red Riding Hood fairy tale world status. I’ll make a note of the reference in the next update.
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Saw Billy the Mechanic at the sinkhole site in this latest episode. Wonder when he will become a more prominent character? You should totally add him to the character guide.
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Good shout, J. We’ve now added Billy to the guide. There’s not much to go on at the moment, but we’ll probably find out more about him eventually. Cheers.
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Billy Goat Gruff perhaps? He is a mechanic, so perhaps financially he isn’t on the “greener side” of things. Plus, the show’s already featured trolls living under a bridge.
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Good shout, Will. I think you might be onto something. Cheers.
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I’m goingwith Reds Woodsman
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I think Red’s Woodsman is Hansel and Gretel’s father
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Does anyone know who the sheriff is???
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His alt-world character hasn’t been revealed yet, although popular theories include ‘The Huntsman’ or ‘The Big Bad Wolf’.
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I’m surprised this isn’t added to Gepetto’s parent’s profile, but they are clearly Gideon the cat and the Fox from Pinocchio.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e4/Foulfellow_and_Gideon.jpg
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what about Doc (seven dwarf) that is the doctor that delivers Emma’s birth
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Not really a cast “character,” but definitely seen in both worlds, is Emma’s baby blanket. It was knitted by Granny in FT, white with purple ribbons, and Emma’s name was embroidered on it – which explains how Emma is the ONLY one to retain her name. She was wrapped in it when she was placed in the enchanted cupboard so, of course, also when found by the side of a road in Reality. It was laid over the back of a chair in Emma’s Boston apartment (Pilot episode); and is among the items Emma had sent to her in Storybrooke. You can see it on a chair in Mary Margaret’s flat as Emma is unpacking the box (Cinderella episode). I think the blanket is an important key, perhaps even helping someone remember who they were in FT land.
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Very nice catch, Sher. Thanks for sharing.
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Anyone notice the MacCutcheon 60 year scotch that Emma and Margaret drink? It’s the same scotch from Lost. I have a feeling there will be more Lost references throughout the show. Something fun to look for!
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Definitely. We’ve got a OUAT LOST Easter Egg article here.
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Oh, and I think the sheriff is the black night!
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What about the possibility of Dr. Whale being Pinocchio? He’s the only fairy-tale character I can think of that was swallowed by a whale. (Jonah was swallowed by a whale too, but that’s a Biblical story, so my bet is that the Dr. is Pinocchio.)
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Rachel, he might be a bit too old to be Pinocchio, but that’s certainly an interesting possibility.
I know that some folks think he could be the actual whale (in human form, of course), which might be the best bet at this stage.
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Another popular theory about Dr. Whale is that he could be the Big Bad Wolf. If you notice in ep. 3 when he’s on his date with Mary Margaret, he can’t stop staring at Ruby. He might be the wolf and his natural instincts draw him to Red Riding Hood because he wants to eat her or something (of course in the real world eating her means something completely different but you get the idea)
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Good shout, Tim. Definitely food for thought, so to speak.
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Love the show and love this recap- thank Goodness there’s a show on that revives the characters and tales we grew up with (and does interesting things by combining them into one giant world)! Maybe I’m old fashioned, but today’s culture seems devoid of anything remotely hope giving. As a culture, we need our Fairy Tales now more than ever… <3
Brooke
POP INC
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Here is something I was thinking about after the last episode.. Emma had a star on her birthday cupcake she blew out the candle Henry appeared. Emma was given a star badge the rumble happened. Emma was holding a silver star keychain *don’t remember what was happening then. OK now , then Emma has lost her shirt twice one time she took one from the laundry the other time she had one given her by Henry. Think about this cause in the real world she has no parents. Have you heard the Grimm tale called “The Money Star” ? What are your thoughts??
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@ first I thought Emma stood for Emerald City and she maybe could be the good witch Glenda and Henry could be the wizard. LOL all because those stars throw me off thinking…
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Just so you see it isn’t so far fetched either I submit from the book “Glinda of Oz”
“Ozma and Dorothy summon Glinda, who, with help from several magicians and magical assistants, must find a way to raise the island and liberate its trapped inhabitants.”
**last 5 words
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It drove me “crazy” trying to figure out where I have seem these actors! Had to contact our local tv columnist to get name and originof Midas dau.Boy she looks different.The girl from House has changed too,This is such a fun show.It is a little tough to follow now and then but enjoyable It is clean –big plus.Thanks p.s. The columnist gave me this web site
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I am obsessed with finding the clue to the characters identity by their name. Nolan (Prince Charming-David Nolan) means “champion” in Gaelic. I think the theory that Dr. Whale is Pinnochio is great. I kept thinking Jonah, but forgot that Pinnochio was swallowed by the whale. We will see. Love the show.
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I am completely fixated on the names, too!
Here’s what I have so far:
Mary Margaret Blanchard: Blanchard = White
Regina Mills: Regina = Queen
Ashley: Ash(ley) = Cinder(ella)
Ruby: Ruby = Red
Mr. Gold: Rumplestilskin spun wool into gold
Archie Hopper: Crickets “hop”
Sidney Glass: Mirrors are made of glass
This is my favourite aspect of the show!
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I think Dr. Whale was a man in the Fairy Tale world, who was turned into the whale that later swallowed Pinocchio. Just as Archie Hopper in the Fairy Tale world was once a man who was turned into a cricket (Jiminy).
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I believe the “blind witch” we see in the (failed) curse scene is in fact a Stygian Witch from Greek mythology. It’s clear throughout the series thus far that they aren’t limiting themselves to any single canon of tales.
Anyway, the 3 Stygian Witches shared a single eye and tooth… go look up the Perseus/Medusa stories if you’re interested.
BUUUUT lesser-known is that the witches were also known as “Graeae” (or “gray” for those of us who are keeping track of colors in OUaT), and that these witches were most often symbolized by… A SWAN!
ooooooh. neat.
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Well, the blind witch from episode 2 had multiple teeth, Heather.
It does intrigue me who se is, though, I hope we’ll see her again, I liked the creepiness.
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Mr K? Belles father?
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Billy is possibly The Beast as he is in the Beauty and the Beast episode “Skin Deep” and it was revealed that The Beast’s StoryBrooke counterpart was already revealed.
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Thinking the stranger could be Grimm or a Hans Christian Anderson type character. Open up a lot of possibilities….
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The woman standing behind the ogre at the press conference in desperate souls is the same woman that plays the witch in episode 2. She is listed on IMDB as “Blind Witch/Miss Ginger”
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I second that…I really do think it is the Blind Witch from the second episode. I watched the scene again, and the old woman with the glasses seems like the same person. Not positive, but pretty sure and the actress is billed as appearing in the episode and that seems like the only logical place.
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It definetely is her, I don’t think we see the old witch again. If the real life name of that witch was Ms. Ginger (Gingerbread house, got it?) then it stands to reason she was intended to be the blind witch from Hansel and Gretel but got replaced…
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However, if they replaced her role she would not have been shown in the real world since the younger blind witch dies in true north, maybe the writers will tie the two witches together. Or maybe they have no relation at all, the older one in the second episode wasn’t blind her eyes were just sown shut. I think with them showing her and the Ogre in the real world already they will eventually show their stories along with the other villains around the fire in episode two. The season keeps getting better though, and just like they did in lost I think they will be dropping some more shockers soon.
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Thanks to all who sent in the ‘Miss Ginger’ tip — we’ve now updated the character guide.
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Gaston wasn’t married to Belle. They were engaged.
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Good catch — corrected above.
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you should add the nurse that Regina gave the rose to at the end of the episode…I have a feeling she might be revealed as a villain of some sort
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@TP – Yeah, she’s worth inclusion. I make sure she’s in the next update. Thanks for the tip.
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I think that Dr. Whale could be Monstro. The giant whale from Pinocchio. He seems kind of heartless. I can’t really think of any other whales that are in children’s stories.
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