Pilot

**"Pilot"** is the first episode of Season One of ABC's *Once Upon a Time*. It was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and directed by Mark Mylod. It is the first episode of the series overall, and premiered on October 9, 2011.

## Synopsis

Sick of never winning their own stories, the Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine, Gaston, Maleficent, Jafar, Dr. Facillier, and Ursula cast a powerful curse over the Fairytale Land that sent all of the heroes and themselves to the real world with fake memories and identities, without their real ones. However, Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter, Emma, was sent to the real world just before the curse where she was taken into foster care. 28 years later, Emma Swan finds her way to Fairytrails, the town in which these characters were sent to and, being inspired by the Evil Queen's son, decides to stay in town to find out what is really going on in the town.

## Plot

In the Fairytale World, Snow White is awakened by Prince Charming from the dead. The two ride off to the castle on the former's horse. Cinderella is at her home where Prince James puts the glass slipper on her foot, which fits perfectly. Beast transforms into a handsome prince, to the enjoyment of Belle, Aurora is awakened from her slumber by Phillip, Jasmine and Aladdin defeat Jafar by trapping him in the Genie Lamp, Tiana and Naveen kiss to be restored to human form, and Ariel and Eric defeat Ursula, who sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

The Evil Queen escapes her castle before she can be caught by Snow and Charming and finds Lady Tremaine, Gaston, Maleficent, and Ursula. The five decide to join together to stop the heroes from winning. They open a portal to the Underworld, where they collect Dr. Facillier and then find the Genie Lamp and strip Jafar of his limited powers, restoring him to human form. The seven villains find a powerful curse that they decide to cast to rid the heroes of their happy endings.

In present day Seattle, Emma Swan, a police officer, is on patrol when she sees a suspicious man driving away in a car. Emma follows him but when he sees her he drives away fast and Emma chases him down until he turns a corner and he is gone. Emma sees the town line for a small town called Fairytrails. Emma enters the town where she finds a young boy walking. She asks him where the police station is and he introduces himself as Daniel Adrianne and that the police station is two rights from there. Emma thanks the boy and he asks her what her name is. She says Emma and Daniel smiles as he runs back home.

At Snow White's palace, she and Charming have a meeting with Cinderella, James, Red Riding Hood, Belle, the Beast, Ariel, Eric, Tiana, Naveen, Jasmine, Aladdin, Aurora, and Phillip. They talk about the curse that is coming soon and they decide to ask *him*if there is a way to stop the curse. Red says that they cannot consult with him but they ask her to help them. She hesitantly agrees. Red, Snow, and Charming make their way down to the dungeon where the Wolf is in a cell. He tells them he will give them information on a way to break the curse if he can have a minute alone with Red. Red agrees. He reveals that when Snow's child comes of a certain age, which will be far from now, it will break the curse. Snow asks him if there is anyway to break the curse now, but the Wolf says that they will be reunited one day with their child. Red is alone with the Wolf as he tells her he is sorry for what he did to her but she denies his efforts and leaves.

In Fairytrails, Daniel arrives home to Raina Adrianne, the Evil Queen, and finds his storybook with fairytales in it. He finds a certain page of Snow and Charming with their baby and smiles. He says that it is finally happening. Emma finds the police station where she sees the Sheriff, Graham Aldene, drinking. She asks if any strangers have come into town recently. Graham asks if she means herself. Emma says a man about 27 or 28. Graham tells her they have not had strangers ever. Emma is suspicious and leaves the station. Graham calls Raina and tells her a woman named Emma is in town. Raina clenches her teeth and goes to City Hall where she meets with the other important figures of the town, Chase Cullen, Gaston, Dwayne Emmett, Jafar, Victoria Belfrey, Lady Tremaine, Blake Long, Maleficent, Carly Dover, Ursula, and Aiden Elymas, Dr. Facillier. The seven discuss the stranger and decide they do not want anybody disrupting the way they own the town.

Snow realizes the baby is coming and goes into labor. With Charming at her side, the baby arrives and the two realize the curse is coming. Daniel finds Emma and tells her she needs to break the curse. Emma asks what he means and he tells her that everyone in the town is a fairytale character and they don't have their memories. Emma asks why she can break the curse. Snow decides to name the baby and Charming tells her it is a beautiful girl. Daniel tells her she is the only one that can reunite everyone in town with their loved ones. Snow names the girl Emma as the Queen arrives and takes the baby. Snow cannot get up but Charming races after her.

Daniel reveals to Emma that she is the daughter of Snow and Charming that can break the curse. Emma tells Daniel he is crazy but he tells her to come home with him to see that his mom is the Evil Queen. Emma reluctantly agrees in pity that the boy is so out of his mind. At their home, Raina offers Emma an apple, who denies it. Raina tells Emma that they have not had a stranger in town since she can remember. Emma tells her she is chasing a guy who drove into town. Raina tells her no man has been in town today and to leave. Emma tells her that she is gonna stay in town until she finds the man. Raina tells her to leave tonight or she will make her leave. Emma leaves the house and Daniel follows her. Daniel asks Emma if she will stay to break the curse. Emma says she will stay in town but only to find the guy and to spite his mother. Daniel thanks her.

Charming finds the Queen and gets his daughter back. She battles him but he bests her and the Queen reveals that if the baby is brought in by the curse she will stay a baby forever as time will not pass in their world. Charming reveals this to Snow and they get the help of Cinderella's Fairy Godmother who creates a spell large enough to send one person to the real world. Emma is sent as the curse envelops the entire castle.

Daniel goes to school the next day as his teacher Caitlin Gunn, Snow White, dismisses them to recess. Raina visits Ms. Gunn and asks her about a storybook Daniel has. Caitlin reveals she gave it to Daniel due to him being so lonely and special. Raina tells her to stop encouraging him. Caitlin asks if this is about his problem where he thinks everyone is a fairytale character. Raina tells her to leave her son alone and leaves. Caitlin is then visited by Emma, who asks Caitlin the same question. Caitlin reveals that Raina rules the town with an iron fist and everyone is afraid of her.

Emma takes Daniel to eat at Conan's, a diner run by Ms. Conan, Red's grandmother. Scarlet Collin, Red, is a waitress who serves them. Mr. Grey, the Wolf, is also there as he watches the two eat. He leaves as he hears Emma repeat her name to Scarlet and his frown turns into a smile as he walks out the door, with his memories intact. Caitlin and another teacher Ashley Boyd, Cinderella, show Emma to a bed and breakfast run by Sabine Tale and her friend, Tilly, Tiana and Alice. Ashley then returns home to her boyfriend Alan Brendon, Charming.

## Cast

### Starring

* Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Caitlin Gunn
* Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
* Dania Ramirez as Cinderella/Ashley Boyd
* Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/Alan Brendon
* Andrew J. West as Prince James
* Lana Parilla as The Evil Queen/Raina Adrianne
* Jared S. Gilmore as Daniel Adrianne
* Jamie Dornan as Graham Aldene
* Meghan Ory as Red Riding Hood/Scarlet Collin
* Emilie de Ravin as Belle
* Wes Brown as Gaston/Chase Cullen
* Robert Carlyle as The Wolf/Mr. Grey

### Guest Starring

* Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin
* Naveen Andrews as Jafar/Dwayne Emmett
* Gabrielle Anwar as Lady Tremaine/Victoria Belfry
* Kristen Bauer van Straten as Maleficent/Blake Long
* Sarah Bolger as Aurora
* Mekia Cox as Tiana/Sabine Tale
* Karen David as Jasmine
* Merrin Dungey as Ursula/Carly Dover
* Beverley Elliot as Mrs. Conan
* Jillian Fargey as the Fairy Godmother
* JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Ariel
* Matt Letscher as Beast
* Gil McKinney as Prince Eric
* Julian Morris as Prince Phillip
* Rose Reynolds as Tilly
* Vladimir Ruzich as Prince Naveen
* Andrew Stewart-Jones as Dr. Facillier/Aiden Elymas