Once Upon a Time may be a show based on fairy tales, but that doesn't mean it sticks to the storybooks. Over the past seven seasons, the show has rocked fans over and over again with its crazy twists and revamping of classic fairy-tale stories. Like, for instance, how Rumpelstiltskin is also the beast from Beauty and the Beast. Or that Neverland's beloved Peter Pan is actually a villain. Ahead of the series finale this week, the show's executive producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis sat down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss some of their favourite twists on the show, and we have to agree with their choices. See which ones they picked ahead.
3. Snow White and Prince Charming's Daughter Goes Through a Magical Portal
After the Evil Queen (aka Regina) casts a dark curse on the Enchanted Forest, Snow White and Prince Charming are forced to put their daughter through a magical portal created by Geppetto. As Rumpel prophesies, she eventually finds them again on her 28th birthday to break the curse.
4. Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, and Ursula the Sea Witch Team Up
The three villains once teamed up to steal a magical orb from Rumpel. As a result, they end up unleashing a demon called a Chernabog from the film Fantasia.
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5. Little Red Riding Hood Is the Big Bad Wolf
While Ruby originally thought her granny was the big bad wolf, she finds out the hard way that it's actually her when she wakes up to find her boyfriend dead. Turns out, her red hood is actually magical and helps her stay in human form.
In an attempt to ensure Emma will be good, Snow White and Prince Charming steal Maleficent's egg so that the Apprentice can transfer their daughter's darkness into Maleficent's child. After the transfer though, they realize the egg actually holds a baby, not a dragon like they originally assumed. Maleficent's daughter eventually grows up to by one of Emma's childhood friends, Lily. Small world.
10. Prince Charming and Anna Defeat Little Bo Peep
Yep, Little Bo Peep from childhood nursery rhymes is actually a villain on OUAT. In an attempt to find her sister, Elsa, Anna teams up with Prince Charming, before he's well, a prince.
13. Captain Hook Travels in the Submarine From 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
After getting banned from Storybrooke, Hook travels alongside Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, and Ariel in the submarine from Jules Verne's 1870 novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
Turns out the Evil Queen and the Wicked Witch are actually related. Before having Regina, Cora gives birth to Zelena. Though, she eventually abandons her to climb the social ladder.
15. Princess Tiana and Princess Cinderella Sell Beignets Together
Princess Tiana and Princess Cinderella are actually best friends on OUAT. In Hyperion Heights, the two start up their own business together by selling beignets out of a food truck.
16. Rumpel Magically Reattaches Dr. Frankenstein’s Arm
Perhaps one of the most interesting twists is that Dr. Whale is actually the famous Dr. Frankenstein. While he believes his work is above magic, he eventually enlists the help of Rumpel to reattach his arm when Regina's former love, Daniel, comes back from the dead and cuts it off.
Not only is Rumpel the legendary Rumpelstiltskin, but he's also the beast from Beauty and the Beast. As Belle says, she is able to "see the man behind the beast" and break his Dark One curse with true love's kiss.
After getting tricked by his former love Nimue, aka the original Dark One, Merlin is turned into a tree. It isn't until Emma becomes the Dark One many years later that he is returned to his human form.
Turns out, Sidney Glass, the man inside Regina's magic mirror, was once a genie. After killing Snow White's father for Regina, he accidentally traps himself in a mirror and unwillingly becomes her right-hand man.
22. Snow White's Wish Upon a Star Makes Everyone Sing
After making a wish upon a star for Emma's safety, Snow White inadvertently casts a spell on the Enchanted Forest, causing everyone to sing their feelings.
23. Mulan and Red Riding Hood Help Merida Avenge Her Father's Death
With the help of Mulan and Red Riding Hood, Merida discovers it was King Arthur who killed her father. After taking back her kingdom, she decides to seek revenge, but is swept away by the dark curse before she can do so.
With all the different dark curses, our favorite characters have had multiple personas over the past few seasons. Not only is Regina the Evil Queen, but she's also known as Roni in Hyperion Heights.
Keeping up with Henry's long list of relatives has arguably been the show's biggest twist of all. His adoptive mother is the Evil Queen, his stepfather is Captain Hook, his maternal grandmother and grandfather are Snow White and Prince Charming, his paternal grandfather is Rumpelstiltskin, and his paternal great-grandfather is Peter Pan. Not to mention his wife is Cinderella.