The BEST episodes of Once Upon a Time (2011) season 3

Every episode of Once Upon a Time (2011) season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Once Upon a Time (2011) season 3!

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: 10/30/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
There's No Place Like Home
star
8.26
1462 votes

#1 - 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
Going Home
star
8.08
2608 votes

#2 - 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
Kansas
star
8.01
2226 votes

#3 - 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
2152 votes

#4 - 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
New York City Serenade
star
7.94
2468 votes

#5 - 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
Think Lovely Thoughts
star
7.92
2483 votes

#6 - 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
Save Henry
star
7.86
2358 votes

#7 - 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
2139 votes

#8 - 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
Witch Hunt
star
7.86
2303 votes

#9 - Witch Hunt

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/16/2014

Emma arrives in Storybrooke with Henry and reunites with her friends and family, only to discover that no one remembers how they were transported back – or the past year they had spent back in Fairy Tale Land. But Emma is sure that someone in town is responsible for this new curse and teams up with Regina in an attempt to uncover their identity. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was during the past year, Regina, with the aid of Robin Hood, attempts to break into her castle.

Directors: Guy Ferland
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Heart of the Truest Believer
star
7.80
2828 votes

#10 - The Heart of the Truest Believer

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/29/2013

Unfriendly mermaids threaten those searching for Henry in Neverland; Henry and another escapee from Peter Pan's encampment go on the run; a still-recovering Neal travels the enchanted forest with Mulan in search of Emma's and Henry's fates.

Directors: Ralph Hemecker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Bleeding Through
star
7.79
2103 votes

#11 - Bleeding Through

Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/20/2014

After Zelena steals Regina's heart, Regina casts a spell so that she can speak across the realms to her dead mother, Cora, to discover the truth about why she abandoned Zelena, and Belle stumbles across what Zelena's ultimate end game is. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was, young Cora is duped by a man claiming to be a prince and finds herself alone and pregnant. But a chance meeting with a real prince could lead Cora to the royal life she's always craved, but she must keep her pregnancy a secret or risk losing everything.

Directors: Romeo Tirone
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Ariel
star
7.78
2561 votes

#12 - Ariel

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/3/2013

To repay Ariel for saving her life, Snow White helps her get acquainted with Prince Eric; Mr. Gold and Regina begrudgingly agree to work together to take down Pan.

Directors: Ciaran Donnelly
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
It's Not Easy Being Green
star
7.77
2259 votes

#13 - It's Not Easy Being Green

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/6/2014

With Rumplestiltskin as her slave, Zelena challenges Regina to a fight to the death and shocks the Evil queen with the reveal of their familial connection, and the town lays Neal to rest. Meanwhile, back in the past in the land of Oz, a jealous Zelena asks the Wizard to send her to Fairy Tale Land after discovering that she has a sister, Regina, and that Rumplestiltskin is training her to become a powerful force to be reckoned with.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Jolly Roger
star
7.76
2302 votes

#14 - The Jolly Roger

Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/13/2014

Ariel returns to Storybrooke and pleads with Hook to help her find Prince Eric, who never returned to the town when the new curse was invoked. Emma agrees to let Regina teach her how to use magic so that she can help defeat Zelena, and Mary Margaret and David try to prove that they can be just as much fun as Hook is with Henry -- who thinks they are boring. Meanwhile, in Fairy Tale Land during the past year, an angry Ariel confronts Hook over her missing Prince Eric, who she assumes was kidnapped and possibly killed by the swarthy pirate. But when Hook confesses that the Jolly Roger has been stolen and Eric is most likely the thief’s prisoner, Ariel unknowingly provides him with a clue as to who the culprit is, and Hook – with Ariel in tow - goes off in search of his ship.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Quiet Minds
star
7.73
2351 votes

#15 - Quiet Minds

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/30/2014

Neal finds himself back in Storybrooke and yearns for a way to reconnect with his son Henry, whose memories of his father are gone, while also trying to find his own father, Rumplestiltskin, whom he has just learned is alive but missing, and Regina discovers a possible connection with Robin Hood. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was over the past year, agonizing over the death of his father, Neal - with the help of Belle and enchanted candelabra Lumiere - attempts to find a magical solution to bring back Rumplestiltskin from the dead.

Directors: Eagle Egilsson
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Quite a Common Fairy
star
7.73
2609 votes

#16 - Quite a Common Fairy

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/13/2013

Hook suggests finding Tinker Bell and following her to Peter Pan's hideout; Pan tells Henry why he brought him to Neverland; Neal comes up with a plan that could transport him to Emma; Tinker Bell offers to help Regina.

Directors: Alex Zakrzewski
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The New Neverland
star
7.72
2479 votes

#17 - The New Neverland

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/8/2013

The residents of Storybrooke are overjoyed upon the return of Henry and our heroes from Neverland. But unbeknownst to them, a plan is secretly being put into place by a well-hidden Pan that will shake up the very lives of the townspeople. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was, Snow White and Prince Charming’s honeymoon turns out to be anything but romantic when they go in search of a mythical being that could stop Regina cold in her tracks.

Directors: Ron Underwood
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Tower
star
7.70
2322 votes

#18 - The Tower

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/23/2014

While Emma, David, Regina and Hook continue their search for the Wicked Witch, she, in turn, is planning a dark surprise for David, and Zelena’s prisoner is powerless under her watch as she plots her next course of action against the townspeople. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was in the previous year, Prince Charming stumbles upon Rapunzel, who is trapped inside a tower, and must help her confront her fears in order for her to be free.

Directors: Ralph Hemecker
Writer: Robert Hull
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Good Form
star
7.68
2613 votes

#19 - Good Form

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/27/2013

Hook brings ailing David with him to find the sextant that may help them decipher a map that shows the way out of Neverland; Killian Jones and his brother sail off to find a plant in an uncharted land.

Directors: Jon Amiel
Watch Now:Apple TV
Lost Girl
star
7.65
2616 votes

#20 - Lost Girl

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/6/2013

Peter Pan offers Emma a map that will help her find Henry, but she must come to terms with who she is in order to use it; Mr. Gold gets unexpected advice; Charming works to stop Snow from accepting a deal from the Evil Queen.

Directors: Ron Underwood
Watch Now:Apple TV
Nasty Habits
star
7.61
2533 votes

#21 - Nasty Habits

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/20/2013

Mr. Gold decides to confront Pan; one of Pan's most loyal Lost Boys holds Neal captive; David fights against the poison; Rumpelstiltskin searches for Bae.

Directors: David Boyd
Watch Now:Apple TV
Dark Hollow
star
7.59
2404 votes

#22 - Dark Hollow

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/10/2013

Ariel is sent back to Storybrooke with an item that will help Belle find a hidden artifact; Hook, Neal and Emma set out to capture Peter Pan's shadow; Mary Margaret is upset that David concealed his poisoning.

Directors: Guy Ferland
Watch Now:Apple TV