Robert (Once Upon a Time)

Robert is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. The father of Prince Charming and Prince James, he was killed through mysterious means when his sons were children, the means of which were revealed to be by Captain Hook. He first appeared in the episode "Murder Most Foul", portrayed by David Cubitt.
==History==
===Before First Curse===
Robert gets married to Ruth, with whom he has twin sons, named David and James. However, their livelihood on the farm is crushed by poverty. A wizard named Rumplestiltskin offers them a large amount of money for one of their sons, who will be given to a barren king and queen. To save themselves from their destitute situation, Ruth and her husband give up James.
As they raise David, the couple constantly quarrel about Robert's drinking problems. Despite his apparent dependency on alcohol, the man is genuine about changing for the better. He promises that, when he returns from a two week journey to bring supplies onto their farm, his addiction will be gone. As the man leaves for his trip, David wraps a coin as a good-luck charm around his father's wrist. Robert had actually went out to find James, who ran away. He had tracked his young son to Pleasure Island, where he also meet Pinocchio, and despite the place's temptations, Robert was sober. However, he was killed by Captain Hook at King George's behest. On the fourteenth day, Ruth and David receive word that Robert died after "he got drunk at a tavern" and fell into a ravine on his journey home.
Years later, David shares his father's history with his new friend "Joan".
Eventually, James dies and Rumplestiltskin persuades David to replace his twin. Surprised to learn he had a brother, the shepherd is told by his mother that his father regretted giving the baby up immediately after the decision was made and took it to his grave.
===After First Curse===
When David confronts Regina about the fate of Emma Swan and Mary Margaret, his family who just fell through a portal to the Enchanted Forest, the mayor feigns ignorance and mocks David for posing as a prince while he is nothing more than the son of a shepherd. 
===Before Third Curse===
In Camelot, David confides in King Arthur his old dreams of changing the world, to which he was led by the will of being different from his father, who drank his life away, and brother, who accomplished nothing but evil.
===After Third Curse===
Having retrieved from Rumplestiltskin the coin David once had given his father, the Evil Queen meets with David about it. David claims he's made peace with his father's death. But Regina's evil half suggests that what happened might have not been an accident. Making a deal with Mr. Gold, Rumplestiltskin's cursed persona, David delivers a tape to Belle and gains information about the true nature of his father's death. He later shares this revelation with Snow White. The man did not die in an accident, but, rather, was stabbed by an unknown person. He contemplates that the killer is out there somewhere, but Snow encourages her husband to leave the past behind by accepting that his father at least kept his vow to not drink again. David agrees not to seek vengeance, but he ultimately changes his mind and keeps the information, unbeknownst to Snow.
Celebrating Emma surviving her battle with Gideon, David is haunted by his father's ghost who urges that he must know the truth. With Hook and August's help, David delves into what really happened all those years ago and discovers his father was never on a supply run. Suspecting his father's killer's identity and knowing his location, David heads to the hospital after restraining Hook, who tries to dissuade him from vengeance. At hospital's asylum, he confronts Albert Spencer, the cursed and incarcerated counterpart of King George. Spencer admits Robert had been offered "temptation" for finding James, but he refused and was sentenced to death while making it look like an accident. He smugly implies the bright future Robert had for his family if he succeeded, only to believed to have died a drunken failure. Angered, David tosses a knife at the wretched man's feet and tries to kill him to avenge his father. Fortunately, Hook arrives before he can kill Spencer, re-imprisoning the latter. He eases David's rage and fears of losing his family by reminding him of his father's honorable actions. Finally able to make peace and move on with a newfound respect for his father, David throws the coin into the harbor and Robert's pleased spirit departs.
However, Hook realizes, from the story pages August retrieved, that he really killed Robert. Horrified that he unwittingly tore Emma's family apart long ago, he tries to bury his action. Emma catches him in the act and is hurt, not by his deed but that he tried to hide. At a loss, he thinks about leaving with his old friend, Captain Nemo, but changes his mind after hearing of how the Evil Queen redeemed and got a second chance and happy ending. However, Gideon traps him aboard and makes the Nautilus set sail so he can't help Emma. Eventually making it back to Storybrooke, Hook apologizes to Emma for not admitting his murder of her grandfather sooner. After waking David and Snow, he does the same with the former. David forgives him, knowing Hook was different person back then and has changed since.
==Appearances==
* "The Shepherd" 
* "Broken" 
* "White Out" 
* "Siege Perilous" 
* "A Bitter Draught" 
* "The Other Shoe" 
* "Murder Most Foul" 
==Gallery==
Once Upon a Time - 6x12 - Murder Most Foul - Robert and Ruth.jpg
Once Upon a Time - 6x12 - Murder Most Foul - Robert.jpg
Once Upon a Time - 6x12 - Murder Most Foul - Robert 2.jpg
Once Upon a Time - 6x12 - Murder Most Foul - Robert 3.jpg
Once Upon a Time - 6x12 - Murder Most Foul - Rumplestiltskin and Robert.jpg
Once Upon a Time - 6x12 - Murder Most Foul - Robert Pinocchio Page.jpg|Robert on the storybook page
Category:Parents
Category:Grandparents
Category:Once Upon a Time characters
Category:Adults
Category:Live-action characters
Category:Deceased characters
Category:Farmers
Category:Interdimensional characters