The BEST episodes of Once Upon a Time (2011)

Every episode of Once Upon a Time (2011) ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Once Upon a Time (2011)!

Emma Swan, a 28-year-old bail bonds collector, has always been a fiercely independent person since being abandoned as a baby. Her son Henry, who she gave up for adoption years ago, finds and tries to convince Emma that she is Snow White's missing daughter. Henry shows Emma that in the fairytale, Prince Charming and Snow White sent her away to protect her. Emma doesn't believe him and takes Henry back to Storybrooke...

Last Updated: 2/3/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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Operation Mongoose (2)
star
8.35
978 votes

#1 - Operation Mongoose (2)

Season 4 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/10/2015

As Emma, her parents, Hook and Regina scramble to stop them, the Author and Gold raise the stakes by turning the tables on heroes and villains alike.

Directors: Ralph Hemecker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
There's No Place Like Home
star
8.26
1449 votes

#2 - There's No Place Like Home

Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/11/2014

In the conclusion of two-part episode that serves as the season three finale, Emma and Hook must find a way to return to Storybrooke, but in their quest to return, they have to find a way not to interfere or tamper with the events that lead up to the first curse, or else they risk altering the entire timeline, and could end up warping the future existence of everyone involved, including Emma, Hook, as well as Emma's family back in present-day Storybrooke.

Directors: Ralph Hemecker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Leaving Storybrooke
star
8.21
721 votes

#3 - Leaving Storybrooke

Season 7 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/18/2018

Wish Rumple’s evil plan is revealed and Regina realizes the only hope to stop him is by turning Wish Henry from his path for vengeance. Meanwhile, Tilly and Margot try to get help in Storybrooke. With his hope of ever being reunited with Belle fading, Weaver struggles to find a way to defeat his evil alter ego; and when Rogers’ life is threatened, he is faced with the ultimate sacrifice. Series Finale.

Directors: Ralph Hemecker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Land Without Magic
star
8.20
4092 votes

#4 - A Land Without Magic

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/13/2012

Emma and Regina team together in order to find a way to save Henry's life. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, Prince Charming attempts to escape from the Evil Queen's clutches in order to reunite with Snow White who, unbeknownst to him, has already taken a bite of the Queen's poison apple.

Directors: Dean White
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Final Battle (2)
star
8.15
901 votes

#5 - The Final Battle (2)

Season 6 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/14/2017

With Fairy Tale Land crumbling around them, the characters race to save their stories, and Gold and Fiona face off in a fateful confrontation.

Directors: Ralph Hemecker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Going Home
star
8.09
2592 votes

#6 - Going Home

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/15/2013

The race is on to stop Pan from enacting another curse on the residents of Storybrooke, which could kill every living soul in town.

Directors: Ralph Hemecker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Final Battle (1)
star
8.08
1560 votes

#7 - The Final Battle (1)

Season 6 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/14/2017

In the wake of the Black Fairy's curse, the town of Storybrooke is forever changed... and the Final Battle begins to take shape.

Directors: Steve Pearlman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
And Straight on 'Til Morning
star
8.07
2624 votes

#8 - And Straight on 'Til Morning

Season 2 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/12/2013

Storybrooke's inhabitants brace themselves as Greg and Tamara activate the trigger within the curse; Mr. Gold mourns; Hook rescues Bae, who is being pursued by the Lost Boys.

Directors: Dean White
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Kansas
star
8.01
2212 votes

#9 - Kansas

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/4/2014

With Mary Margaret in labor and due to give birth at any moment, the residents of Storybrooke go on high alert in an attempt to ensure that Zelena doesn't try to steal her newborn baby for use in her ultimate game plan to turn back time and change her destiny -- while obliterating Regina's existence. Meanwhile, in the land of Oz of the past, Glinda tries to convince Zelena to fight her evil tendencies and join her and her sister witches as a protector of Oz. But the appearance of a young girl from Kansas could turn out to be her undoing.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Snow Drifts
star
8.01
2138 votes

#10 - Snow Drifts

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/11/2014

While Mary Margaret and David celebrate the naming of their son at a coronation in Granny's Diner, Emma and Hook are pulled into Zelena's time portal and find themselves in the Enchanted Forest of the past. But in their quest to discover a way back, they must be careful not to change anything or risk altering the lives of their friends and family - as well as their very own existence.

Directors: Ron Underwood
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Is This Henry Mills?
star
8.01
663 votes

#11 - Is This Henry Mills?

Season 7 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/4/2018

Roni enlists Lucy's help to wake Henry, but things don't go as planned. Meanwhile, Rogers and Weaver go to Margot in hopes of getting through to Tilly. In a flashback, Young Henry struggles to decide what path to follow until a mysterious phone call helps put him on track.

Directors: Ron Underwood
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Operation Mongoose (1)
star
8.00
1448 votes

#12 - Operation Mongoose (1)

Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/10/2015

The Author proves to be a formidable wild card, and as Emma, her parents, Hook and Regina try to thwart him, he forges an alliance with Gold.

Directors: Romeo Tirone
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Wish You Were Here
star
7.99
1831 votes

#13 - Wish You Were Here

Season 6 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/4/2016

When she learns that our heroes possess a weapon capable of defeating her, the Evil Queen steals Aladdin’s magic lamp from Jasmine and makes a wish that could sideline the Savior forever. Unwilling to wake Snow while Emma is missing, David works with Hook and Henry to hold the Evil Queen at bay in Storybrooke, as Regina goes on a rogue rescue mission. Meanwhile, Gold and Belle face a surprising danger to their newborn son.

Directors: Ron Underwood
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
An Apple Red As Blood
star
7.98
4231 votes

#14 - An Apple Red As Blood

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/6/2012

Henry pleads with Emma to stay in Storybrooke and continue her quest as the savior of the fairytale dwellers, and Regina concocts a plan that could rid her of Emma forever. Meanwhile, back in the fairytale land that was, Snow White enlists the aid of her fellow fairytale cohorts to attack the Evil Queen and save Prince Charming's life.

Directors: Milan Cheylov
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Manhattan
star
7.98
2823 votes

#15 - Manhattan

Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/17/2013

Emma, Henry and Mr. Gold search for Gold's son in New York; Hook, Cora and Regina look for one of Rumplestiltskin's most precious possessions.

Directors: Dean White
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
New York City Serenade
star
7.94
2453 votes

#16 - New York City Serenade

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/9/2014

After Rumplestiltskin sacrificed his life to stop Pan from enacting another curse, Regina obliterated her original curse, which erased Storybrooke from existence and whisked its residents back to Fairy Tale Land – leaving Emma and Henry back in our world with no memories of Storybrooke. But all is not well back in the Enchanted Forest when Hook comes calling on Emma in New York City in an attempt to jog her memory so that she can once again help her fairy tale family and friends out of a desperate situation.

Directors: Billy Gierhart
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Queen of Hearts
star
7.92
3119 votes

#17 - Queen of Hearts

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/2/2012

Hook and Cora face off with Emma and Mary Margaret in a race for the compass; Mr. Gold and Regina plan to kill anyone who enters the portal.

Directors: Ralph Hemecker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Think Lovely Thoughts
star
7.92
2469 votes

#18 - Think Lovely Thoughts

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/2013

Pan tries to convince Henry that he can save magic and Neverland; a young Rumplestiltskin receives a magical item that could give him a fresh start with his father.

Directors: David Solomon
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Skin Deep
star
7.91
4805 votes

#19 - Skin Deep

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/12/2012

After Mr. Gold's house is robbed, Emma keeps a close eye on him when it looks like he wants to track down the criminal and dole out some vigilante justice as payback, and Valentine's Day finds Mary Margaret, Ruby and Ashley having a girls' night out. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, Belle agrees to a fateful deal to give up her freedom in order to save her town from the horrors of the Ogre war.

Directors: Milan Cheylov
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Miller's Daughter
star
7.89
2681 votes

#20 - The Miller's Daughter

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/10/2013

Cora and Regina try to overpower Mr. Gold; dark magic tempts Mary Margaret; Rumplestiltskin offers his services to Cora.

Directors: Ralph Hemecker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Crocodile
star
7.89
3711 votes

#21 - The Crocodile

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/21/2012

Belle threatens to leave Mr. Gold if he doesn't change his ways; the dwarves try to find fairy dust in the Storybrooke mine; Rumplestilskin tries to save his wife from a band of pirates.

Directors: David Solomon
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Birth
star
7.88
1819 votes

#22 - Birth

Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/15/2015

Tensions in Camelot come to a head when Merlin, now under Arthur's control, delivers an ultimatum to Emma: hand over the Dark One dagger and the Promethean spark or he will kill her entire family. Refusing to give in, Emma and our heroes face off against Arthur, Merlin and Zelena in an epic battle of magic and will. Just when the end is in sight, Emma is forced to make a gut-wrenching choice that no one saw coming. Back in Storybrooke, Zelena's pregnancy mysteriously accelerates and Hook goes to new and desperate lengths to get answers from the Dark Swan.

Directors: Eagle Egilsson
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Black Fairy
star
7.87
1565 votes

#23 - The Black Fairy

Season 6 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/30/2017

In flashback, after Rumple’s mother, Fiona, learns from his fairy godmother that his destiny is prophesized, she does everything in her power to keep it from happening. Ultimately, Fiona will have to make a decision that will change the course of both their lives forever. Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Rumple faces a similar dilemma.

Directors: Alrick Riley
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Save Henry
star
7.86
2345 votes

#24 - Save Henry

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/1/2013

While Henry's life hangs in the balance, the race is on to stop Pan from gaining full magical powers from the heart of the truest believer. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke of the past, Regina decides to fill a void in her life and, with Mr. Gold's help, sets out to adopt a baby.

Directors: Andy Goddard
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Curious Thing
star
7.86
2127 votes

#25 - A Curious Thing

Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/27/2014

Zelena threatens to kill Henry if Hook - whose lips have been cursed by the Wicked Witch -- doesn't proceed with kissing Emma, which will drain all of her magical powers away, and things begin to heat up between Regina and Robin Hood. Meanwhile, back in the Fairy Tale Land that was during the past year, Snow and Charming go in search of Glinda, The Good Witch of the South, to see if she can help them defeat Zelena, and the curse that will ultimately send the Fairy Tale characters back to Storybrooke is cast -- but from an unlikely source.

Directors: Ralph Hemecker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV