Once Upon A Time

Once Upon a Time is an American fairy tale drama television series that premiered on Sunday October 23, 2011, on ABC. The story is set in the fictional small town of Storybrooke, Maine. The town is populated by characters from fairy tales, who have been exiled to the real world due to a curse cast by the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla) as part of a revenge plot against Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas). Because of the curse, most of the inhabitants of Storybrooke have no memory of their true identities and have been stuck (almost) timelessly in Storybrooke for years.

This changes when Henry (Jared S. Gilmore), the adopted son of Storybrooke's Mayor Regina Mills (also Lana Parrilla), seeks out his birth mother, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), a bounty hunter living in Boston and coerces her to come to Storybrooke. Henry, who knows about the curse from a book given to him by his teacher Mary Margaret Blanchard (also Ginnifer Goodwin), informs Emma that she is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming and that she is destined to break the curse holding everyone in Storybrooke. Skeptical, Emma decides to stay in Storybrooke after seeing how lonely Henry is and how he is emotionally neglected by his mother. In staying, Emma continues to run afoul of Mayor Mills. This conflict only increases when Emma becomes the town Sheriff.

Each episode usually focuses on one main character who is experiencing some sort of conflict in Storybrooke. Flashbacks also show what their character's story was in the fairy tale world of the Enchanted Forest.

Snow White and Prince 'James' Charming

James and Snow first meet when a thief steals a pouch full of jewels from James' carriage. James chases and captures the thief, pulling back the hood to reveal the robber is actually a woman. It is then later revealed the woman is Snow White. Snow hits James with a rock and escapes, and he shouts 'I will find you'. Later Snow is trapped in a large net. James walks up holding her wanted poster and threatens to hand her over to the Evil Queen if she doesn't tell him what happened to the pouch of jewels. Snow consents and he sets her free. Snow takes James to the Troll Bridge, having traded his jewels for coins. They struggle with the trolls who refuse to give the pouch back. Snow saves James' life using fairy dust and returns the pouch to him. They then go their separate ways.

A few days after their encouter James writes a letter to Snow requesting she meet him at the castle as he cannot stop thinking about her. When Snow arrives at the castle she is captured by King George who threatens to kill James if she doesn't comply with his demands. Snow does so, telling James that she doesn't love him and that he should marry Abigail, the daughter of King Midas. James flees the castle but is kidnapped by Abigail's henchmen. Abigail reveals she does not want to marry James and that she is in love with a soldier who her father cursed. James helps Abigail to reverse the curse on Frederick, her love, and in turn she provides James with a horse he can use to go after Snow.

James arrives at Snow's newest hideout only to find Red Riding Hood, who tells him that Snow is living with the dwarves. It is revealed that James' marriage to Abigail is off, but Snow does not remember James due to a potion Rumplestiltskin gave her to cure her broken heart. An unknown amount of time passes when James returns, riding a horse to the Enchanted Forrest. Snow is in her glass coffin after eating a cursed apple given to her by the Evil Queen. James kisses her to say goodbye, however the kiss breaks the curse and Snow awakens.

James and Snow marry, but their wedding is crashed by the Evil Queen. She vows to destroy Snow White's happiness with a curse that will make sure the only happy ending is hers. Snow becomes pregnant and they discover from Rumplestiltskin that their child will be their savior from the Evil Queen's curse. Snow goes into labour as the curse approaches. After the birth James takes their newborn Emma and places her in a magical wardrobe which is protected from the curse. He is stabbed immediately after. Snow finds him and kisses him, but he stays unconscious while the curse evelopes everyone.

Mary Margaret Blanchard and David Nolan

Mary volunteers at the local hospital, placing flowers beside each patients' bedside including John Doe. He has been in a coma for as long as anyone in Storybrooke can remember. The next day Mary encounters Henry and Emma. Emma reveals to Mary that Henry believes they are all fairytale characters. and that in his mind Mary is Snow White. Later, Mary notices Henry sitting with John Doe. He askes what is wrong with him, and Mary explains that he has been in a coma for as long as she has been volunteering. Henry asks if she is sure she doesn't know who he is, and Mary says she doesn't.

Henry believes that the curse is keeping John Doe and Mary apart by keeping him in a coma. Henry insists that Mary needs to read the story to the patient and that he will wake up. Mary starts reading the book to John Doe, telling the story of how Prince Charming and Snow White fell in love. As she comes to the end of the story John Doe suddenly grabs her hand. John Doe then escapes the hospital and the Sheriff starts a search party. He, Emma and Mary follow the patients trail. Henry tells Mary that John Doe is Prince Charming and that he will be at the Toll Bridge looking for her. She doesn't believe him however the trail leads directly to the bridge and they find John Doe unconcious. After he is returned to the hospital a woman named Kathryn shows up and declares he is David Nolan, her husband.

One day when Mary is ready to leave the hospital David approaches her, asking her to escort him on his physical therapy walk. David admits that nothing about this world feels right to him except her. After David is discharged from the hospital he leaves his welcome-home party and confronts Mary. She points out that he is married but he counters with the fact he chooses her, not his wife. David asks her to meet at the Toll Bridge. However when he shows up he tells her he remembers everything about his former life with Kathryn and he wants to stay with her.

Mary becomes obsessed with David's schedule, purposefully going to a diner each day just to catch a glimpse of him and his wife. Mary runs in Kathryn shopping, and notices she is purchasing a pregnancy test. Heartbroken she stumbles into the woods. She finds a trapped dove and takes it to the animal shelter where David is working. The vetenarian says the bird is fine and it needs to be left free to catch up with its flock. As Mary prepares to let it go David warns her of an upcoming storm. Mary brushes of his warning and leaves. When in the forrest again, Mary slips and almost falls over an edge. David saves her before she falls off and the storm begins. They seek shelter in an abandoned cabin, having a conversationa bout their feelings and they confess the real reason why they both go to the diner - to see each other.

Just as they are about to kiss Mary asks David how he could do this to his pregnant wife. David is confused by her question, but before he can answer the storm stops and Mary leaves. David chases after her and admits that his life with Kathryn seems fake but the life with Mary seems real. The next morning David walks into the diner and sees her. He then turns around and walks away, prompting her to chase after him. They agree that neither of them can avoid the other and they kiss. Later, Mary and David decide to take a walk. David tells her about Kathryn's plans to move to Boston and Mary convinces David to tell Kathryn about their relationship. However Kathryn learns about the affair from Regina and is furious with Mary and David. The whole town shuns Mary over the affair and after deciding their relationship is destructive she breaks up with him.