The WORST episodes of Once Upon a Time (2011)
Every episode of Once Upon a Time (2011) ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst 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...
#1 - An Untold Story
Season 5 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/15/2016
With the possibility of magic being destroyed and the fate of Storybrooke hanging in the balance, it’s a race for Emma and Regina to track down Henry before Gold can find him first. Regina continues to struggle with her frustrations over her former evil-self and, elsewhere, Snow, David, Hook, and Zelena are imprisoned and must contend with two very disturbed individuals that may give Gold a run for his money.
#2 - Knightfall
Season 7 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/16/2018
Rogers strikes a deal with Eloise despite Tilly’s fair warning. Ivy struggles to find herself after Victoria’s death. Hook confronts Captain Ahab over a legendary magical talisman which can free Alice, only to learn that his quest may have unintended consequences.
#3 - Secret Garden
Season 7 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/2/2018
Eager to harness her burgeoning magical skills, Robin engages in a risky relationship with Mother Gothel. Meanwhile in Hyperion Heights, Roni and Kelly strike a deal with Eloise, desperate to save Lucy from her mysterious illness. But nothing comes without a price. As things finally come to a head between Victoria and Ivy, someone may have to pay with their life.
#4 - Selfless, Brave and True
Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/24/2013
While off on her own to deal with what happened with Cora, Mary Margaret comes across an entirely wooden August; Neal invites his fiancee to Storybrooke.
#5 - Greenbacks
Season 7 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/3/2017
Tiana seeks help from a traveling soothsayer, the iconic Dr. Facilier, in an attempt to save her kingdom. But when it's revealed that he has an ulterior motive she's forced to take matters into her own hands. In Hyperion Heights, Sabine and Jacinda take on a risky business venture, but the strength of their friendship is tested when Victoria interferes with their plans. Meanwhile, Ivy recruits Henry to investigate Victoria, and Roni makes a discovery that could change her relationship with Henry forever. Rogers uncovers a crucial clue in his search for Eloise Gardener.
#6 - The Garden of Forking Paths
Season 7 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/20/2017
When Cinderella finds herself staring danger in the eye, she receives help from an unlikely source. Her rescue leads to an alliance that could aid in the defeat of Lady Tremaine’s rule and reveals a dark secret from Cinderella’s past. In Hyperion Heights, Jacinda goes to extreme measures to stop Victoria Belfrey from destroying Lucy’s beloved community garden, while Lucy tries to convince Henry that Victoria is after more than just a plot of land. Meanwhile, Victoria makes a discovery that could alter everyone’s fate.
#7 - 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.
#8 - 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.
#9 - Last Rites
Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/8/2016
Emma, David, Regina, Robin and Henry are finally back home in Storybrooke and reunited with Snow, but, unfortunately, they still have to contend with Hades, who continues to deceive Zelena as he lays out his plan to use the all-powerful Olympian Crystal to take over the town. The heroes desperately search for a way to defeat Hades while Hook does the same in the Underworld, looking for those missing storybook pages. Regina and Robin take a more direct approach, which culminates in an epic showdown that will leave our heroes forever changed.
#10 - The Bear King
Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/15/2015
Zelena and Arthur journey to DunBroch on a mission to retrieve an enchanted relic that will provide the advantage they need to vanquish Emma and our heroes. Their path will cross with Merida's, who is on a journey of her own to pay a debt that her father, King Fergus, owed to the Witch when he died. Merida enlists the help of two friends, Mulan and Ruby, but, in order to satisfy the Witch and save DunBroch, she first must discover the identity of the knight who killed her father. In flashbacks, Merida learns about bravery and honor as she trains for combat and rides alongside Fergus into the infamous battle that claims his life.
#11 - Ruby Slippers
Season 5 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/17/2016
In flashbacks, Ruby and Mulan find themselves in Oz, where they meet Dorothy. After the three witness Zelena’s return to Oz, they look for a way to defeat her once and for all. However, Dorothy mysteriously disappears, and Ruby’s search for her new friend lands her in the Underworld. Reunited with the heroes, Ruby teams up with Emma, Regina and Snow to continue looking for Dorothy. Meanwhile, Snow and David struggle with not being able to be with their son, Neal, and devise a plan so that one of them can escape the Underworld.
#12 - The Shepherd
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/4/2011
David - aka John Doe - must choose between staying with Kathryn or leaving her to be with Mary Margaret, with whom he's fallen deeply, and inexplicably, in love; and Emma catches Sheriff Graham in a lie. Meanwhile, back in the fairytale world that was, Prince Charming is about to encounter a life-changing event that will forever alter his destiny.
#13 - The Price of Gold
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/13/2011
A pregnant woman enlists Emma's help to escape from Storybrooke - and from the enigmatic Mr. Gold - while a secret deal made between Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin is revealed.
#14 - What Happened to Frederick
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/19/2012
With their love for each other growing stronger, David finally agrees to tell Kathryn about his relationship with Mary Margaret and put an end to his loveless marriage. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, while runaway groom Prince Charming searches for Snow White, he agrees to aid Abigail on a dangerous mission to recover something precious that was lost to her.
#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.
#16 - Fruit of the Poisonous Tree
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/29/2012
A dejected Sidney enlists the aid of Emma to help uncover evidence that could expose Mayor Regina as the corrupt person she really is to the townspeople of Storybrooke. Mary Margaret and David continue their secret rendezvous while trying to figure out a way to unleash their forbidden love.
#17 - Dreamy
Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/4/2012
Unlikely allies Mary Margaret and Leroy team together for a good cause to help the Storybrooke nuns sell their candles during the town's Miner's Day festival. But Leroy makes a promise to a nun, Astrid, that he may not be able to keep; and Emma looks into the mysterious disappearance of David's wife, Kathryn. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, Grumpy finds forbidden love with beautiful but clumsy fairy Nova.
#18 - We Are Both
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/7/2012
Regina continues to seek a way to regain her powers; David continues his quest to find Mary Margaret and Emma; the seven dwarves discover what happens when one of the townspeople tries to leave Storybrooke's city limits.
#19 - Tiny
Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/10/2013
Cora brings the giant to Storybrooke, where he unleashes vengeance on the town; Emma and Henry go with Mr. Gold to search for his son; Greg asks Belle what she saw on the night of his accident; Anton the Giant befriends humans.
#20 - Second Star to the Right
Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/5/2013
Mary Margaret, David and Emma embark on a search when Regina and some magic beans go missing; Mr. Gold considers revealing the truth to Lacey; Bae winds up in 19th century London.
#21 - 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.
#22 - 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.
#23 - 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.
#24 - 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.
#25 - Family Business
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/2/2014
The race is on to track down the elusive Snow Queen in order to discover her ultimate end-game. Unaware that she does not possess the real blade that controls The Dark One, Belle attempts to use it to get her reluctant husband to show her where the Snow Queen is hiding. Belle travels to Arendelle and seeks out Grand Pabbie to help her regain her lost memories.