Once Upon A Time aired from 2011 to 2018 but its thrilling storylines, character arcs, plot twists, and powerful villains are still awe-inspiring. It is a show where the heroes must take heed of Rumpelstiltskin’s wise words “So long as you live in the past you’ll never find your future” if they are going to have a happy ending.
There is nothing easy about forgetting a love once shared, a bond that had felt so real but was simply a knot of deception or forgiving family for a childhood that was far from ideal. It is difficult to determine just how much the characters have had to sacrifice. So the question must be asked. How many friendships have fallen apart in all seven seasons of Once Upon A Time? And how many have thrived from poisonous roots to blossoming friendships?
Friends to Enemies: Zelena and Regina
Two powerful women who were pitted against each other from the very beginning of their lives. Zelena blaming Regina for her abandoned childhood and Regina fighting against Zelena’s plans to ruin everything she had built. But these sisters were once delighted to know they were related, having realized the truth through a box sealed with blood magic and Cora’s desperation to save a fatally injured Regina with Zelena’s magic.
After confronting their mother with their suspicions and expressing their desire to be a family, Cora removed their memories and separated them once more. None of the sisters remembered each other or the encounter, never remembering that they once loved one another.
Enemies to Friends: Captain Hook and Emma Swan
Two broken characters, some tension, dislike and a journey of redemption. Captain Hook is automatically painted as a villain. But what if Peter Pan was the villain? What if Captain Hook was just a man named Killian Jones who had been wronged one too many times in his life?
The writers of Once Upon A Time have taken these ‘what if’ scenarios and glued them together with sass to give the audience a well and truly loved character. A character who at first did not see eye to eye with heroine Emma Swan, but with patience that crossed seasons, the audience was eventually given one of the most rewarding friendships and relationships the series has seen.
Friends to Enemies: Rumpelstiltskin and Milah
Marriage is a friendship. So when Milah leaves her husband and child for a life of adventure traveling the seas with a handsome Captain, that might just make her relationship land in turbulent waters.
Milah sees Rumpelstiltskin as a coward, a man who runs away and avoids his troubles, while Killian Jones is a brave and charming man. However, she didn’t know that her “village coward” of a husband had become the Dark One while she was traversing realms with pirates. A Dark One who is capable of killing her with spite and hatred fuelled revenge.
Enemies to Friends: Regina Mills and Emma Swan
The Evil Queen and The Saviour. Two titles that lend themselves to the making of a fantastic rivalry. Once Upon a Time took this battle of two strong and powerful women and steadily created a friendship the audience yearned to see, a friendship based around family, love, and forgiveness. Snow White is also given a mention here as she managed to fix her relationship with her stepmother. Regina and Emma’s friendship began as a forced acquaintanceship for the sake of their shared son, but they formed a genuine connection despite their many hardships.
Regina killing Graham, Emma accidentally causing Regina’s love interest’s wife to come back from the dead, Regina tormenting Emma’s family and causing the Curse that separated them for 28 years are just to name a few.
Friends To Enemies: Snow White & Regina
Regina used to be kindhearted and romantic, even saving a young Snow White. But this lovely and lively Regina was soon consumed with anguish as it is discovered in Season 1’s episode “The Stable Boy” that her mother crushed the heart of the man she loved when she learned through Snow White, that he was only a simple stable boy. Regina feels blinding heartache and is soon forced into a betrothal that ruins her life and spirals her further onto the path of evil.
Snow White was a pawn in Regina’s mother’s game and unfortunately for her, this relationship that once had such a promising beginning had now caused the premise for the entire show.
Enemies to Friends: Rumpelstiltskin and Belle
A tale as old as time with capture and servitude in exchange for Belle’s father gaining help from Rumpelstiltskin eventually lead to the very turbulent relationship between Rumpelstiltskin and Belle.
The two lovers had to overcome many obstacles to be together, including Belle’s father’s dislike of Rumpelstiltskin, the constant battle against the Dark One which would often consume Rumpelstiltskin, banishment and the abused naivety of one to the other. After everything these two have been through, we find solace in knowing that they live happily ever after with their son Gideon.
Friends to Enemies: Rumpelstiltskin and Cora
Once Upon A Time spun everyone right around in disbelief during Season 2’s episode “The Miller’s Daughter,” revealing the origin of Cora and Rumpelstiltskin’s relationship. Their story had not always been one of evil, but a romantic love affair turned to dust by the wills of power and position. Throughout the episode’s progression, Cora boasts that she can spin straw to gold, and her reward if she succeeds is marrying into royalty.
Rumpelstiltskin comes to her aid, they fall in love and Cora wants to forsake royalty to be with him. However, her plans are changed when her betrothed’s father confronts her and says that “love is weakness.” This exchange leads to Cora ripping out her heart and marrying into the Royal family, leaving Rumpelstiltskin behind.
Enemies to Friends: Snow White and Prince Charming
One is a dashing prince who is a stable boy in disguise and the other is a princess with a bandit’s reputation. Both came into their roles in circumstances that were not of their own making.
When Prince Charming is robbed of his possessions from a bandit in the forest, he persues the assailant. Snow White attacks him and runs away, only to be captured and blackmailed. The two find themselves in a curious circumstance and must help each other if they are to continue on their pathways. Both find that affection has grown in the time they have known each other and vow to always find each other.
Friends to Enemies: Merlin and Nimue
Merlin was an immortal with great powers. But even immortals can fall in love, and to the dismay of Merlin, his love would be the one to betray him. Merlin’s love for a mortal causes him to seek a way to rid himself of his powers so that he can die with his beloved. Nimue uses Merlin’s love for her to gain immortality and in the process becomes the first of The Dark Ones.
In all seven seasons, Once Upon A Time uses love as a weapon of destruction as well as a weapon for good, and unfortunately for Merlin, his was a love that would never last.
Enemies to Friends: Prince Charming and Captain Hook
Perhaps one of the most heartening and unusual friendships of the show is that of Prince Charming and Captain Hook. Both feel the weight of expectation and need one another as a voice of reason, a comrade. It is in season 3 of Once Upon a Time as they journey through Neverland that we truly see a glimpse of what this relationship has the potential to be.
Hook knowing of Charming’s injuries and Charming knowing about Hook’s feelings for his daughter Emma. Although Charming is rightly protective of his daughter he eventually gives consent for Hook to ask for Emma’s hand in marriage in season 6, as he sees Hook as a part of the family.
