Talk:Emma Swan/@comment-25871012-20141214234338/@comment-1894786-20150712034054

She's based off of the Ugly Duckling who became a beautiful Swan. It's also an easter egg because OUAT's creators also worked on Lost, where there was a building named The Swan. In-universe, Emma got the surname Swan from a family who adopted her when she was young. However, they returned her to the foster care system when she was three years old when they had their own child.

Being an orphan with no name, Emma took on the first surname she received. Swan. Though now that she's become the Dark Swan, there's also a bit of Swan Lake and the Swan Princess in her story. ;)