Top 10 Wasted Opportunities in Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a time has provided us some of the most memorable TV characters! We would've loved to see more of these plot points and character developments but sadly they were cut short! For this list, we're taking a look at plot points and character arcs that had potential on “Once Upon a Time,” but were never fully explored throughout its otherwise enjoyable seven season run.
#10: Characters We Never Got to See
From Snow White, to Captain Hook, to Rumplestiltskin, this series cleverly reimagined some of the most iconic characters from Disney classics and fairytale lore. Yet, there are several fantastic characters who never made so much as a cameo, despite seeming tailor-made for this material. On one hand, we get it. A show can become overstuffed when you try to cram in too many characters and “Once Upon a Time” already had a lot of players to keep track of. On the other hand, the first half of Season 4 was solely dedicated to “Frozen.” We gladly would have traded some of those episodes to see Emma cross paths with Mary Poppins, Christopher Robin, or Moana.
#9: Gideon Not Being Evil
The son of Rumplestiltskin and Belle, Gideon is kidnapped by the Black Fairy as an infant. When Gideon returns to Storybrooke as adult, he plans to free the Black Fairy from the Dark Realm using Emma’s blood. With a backstory like this, Gideon easily could’ve been one of the show’s most complex characters. Here’s the thing, though. Gideon isn’t responsible for any of his actions. The Black Fairy tore his heart out and uses it to control him. So in the grand scheme of things, he’s really nothing more than a puppet. Gideon can’t even really be viewed as a tragic figure, seeing how he’s given a second chance and turns back into a baby.
#8: Mr. Hyde Not Sticking Around Longer
“Once Upon a Time” is largely about the light vs. the dark, something Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Hyde perfectly encompass. With Hank Harris playing the good-natured doctor and Sam Witwer as his sinister alter ego, “Once Upon a Time” seemed to be setting up a major story arc with these two at the center. Then, only a few episodes into Season 6, both Jekyll and Hyde meet their abrupt end. Come on! There was so much more that could’ve been done with these characters. Hyde in particular had the makings of a formidable Big Bad.
#7: Henry’s Love Interest
From Emma and Hook, to Snow and Charming, to Rumple and Belle, “Once” had no shortage of memorable power couples. Alas, the writers kind of dropped the ball when it came to Henry’s romance with Cinderella, aka Jacinda. While not awful by any means, their relationship just felt too safe and boring for a series known for taking chances. What makes this especially disappointing is that Henry arguably had better chemistry with Drizella, aka Ivy. Sure, she’s the evil stepsister, but that’s exactly what made her connection with Henry so interesting. Their romance could’ve put a fresh spin on a familiar tale, but instead we’re left with yet another Cinderella story.
#6: Maleficent’s Relationship with Lily
She might be the Mistress of All Evil, but Maleficent’s character arc could feel underwhelming at times, especially when it came to her relationship with Lily. Introduced in Season 4, Lily Page is Maleficent’s long-lost daughter and she grows up with some serious abandonment issues. With a vendetta against Mary Margaret and David, not to mention the ability to transform into a dragon, Lily was evolving into a truly complex villain. After Maleficent intervenes, though, Lily just abandons her revenge plot and that’s pretty much the last we ever see of her. There was a ton that could’ve done with this mother-daughter dynamic, but we never even find out who Lily’s father is.
#5: Rumplestiltskin Not Staying Dead
In the middle of Season three, Rumplestiltskin’s wicked heart turns to gold as he makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the ones he loves. This would’ve been a fitting conclusion to his character arc, but Rumple returns alive and well only a couple of episodes later. Being a fan favorite character, it’s no wonder he didn’t stay dead long. Resurrecting Rumple greatly took away from the emotional impact his sacrifice left behind. Worst of all, once Rumple returned, the writers could never figure out what to do with his character. He basically just shifted back and forth between being good and evil depending on what the plot required of him.
#4: Characters Not Getting a Proper Send-Off
Remember how we mentioned earlier that this show had a lot of characters to keep track of? Well, apparently even the writers lost track of a few of them. The series introduced several characters who never got a proper ending or were just completely forgotten. In some cases, this might’ve been due to scheduling conflicts or because a performer was in high demand. Just look at Sebastian Stan, who went from playing the Mad Hatter to becoming the Winter Soldier. Still, why bother building up characters like Anton The Giant, Ursula, and Dr. Frankenstein only to immediately forget they ever even existed? Mulan in particular should’ve stuck around longer, but more on her later.
#3: Underutilizing Characters from “Wonderland”
“Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” never quite reached the heights of its parent series and was cancelled after only one season. Despite receiving a mixed response, this spinoff did give us some fun characters, including Sophie Lowe as a plucky Alice, Peter Gadiot as a dreamy genie, and Emma Rigby as a brokenhearted Red Queen. They all would have been welcomed additions to the regular “Once Upon a Time” cast, but most of them never even made a guest appearance. Sure, Michael Socha’s Knave of Hearts popped up in Season 4, but he was basically treated like a pawn. Jafar’s return in Season 6 was also disappointing, especially since a different actor played him.
#2: Mulan, Aurora & Phillip’s Love Triangle
This love triangle stood out from so many others because Mulan wasn’t drawn to Prince Phillip, but Princess Aurora. Openly gay characters have been largely absent from Disney’s fairytale library, making Mulan’s sexual orientation a refreshing and progressive change of pace. The problem is that the writers never went all the way with this subplot. Mulan leaves when Aurora tells her that she’s pregnant with Phillip’s baby. Wouldn’t it have been interesting if these three characters sat down and discussed Mulan’s romantic feelings for Aurora head-on? It would have been even more gripping if Aurora reciprocated Mulan’s affection and was actually torn between her and Phillip. Alas, the Sleeping Warrior ship never happened. #GiveMulanAGirlfriend.
Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
More Time Dedicated to Ruby & Dorothy’s Romance
Bringing More Fairytale Characters to “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland”
Chernabog Should Have Appeared In More Episodes
#1: Emma Swan Being Truly Evil as the Dark One
Part of what made “Once Upon a Time” such an entertaining show is that it played around with the notions of good and evil. It demonstrated that villains can have sympathetic backstories and heroes are sometimes forced to make decisions that aren’t morally sound. So when Emma Swan transitioned from being the Savior to being the Dark One, it opened up a floodgate of potentially fascinating storylines. Unfortunately, Emma never does anything particularly evil as the quote unquote “Dark Swan.” She instead acts like one of those angsty teenagers who just thinks they’re tortured and edgy. Sorry, but changing your hair and makeup doesn’t automatically mean you’ve turned to the dark side.
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