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List of references in Once Upon a Time

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This is a list of references and allusions in Once Upon a Time.

With ABC Studios being a division of the Disney-ABC Television Group, the producers of Once Upon a Time had exclusive permission to use and reinterpret Disney properties.

References to Disney[]

Disney Animated Films Featured[]

Disney Cartoons Featured[]

Disney Live-Action Films Featured[]

Disney Allusions[]

Mickey Mouse & Friends[]

  • There is a plush of Minnie Mouse in Emma Swan's baby room at the castle.(Pilot,The Stranger,Going Home)
  • There is a Minnie Mouse figurine and a Mickey Mouse telephone in the Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer. ("The Price of Gold," "The Shepherd" et al.)
  • One of the babies, during the 'Mommy and Me' class, is wearing a Mickey Mouse outfit.(The Snow Queen)
  • A plush of Mickey Mouse was given to an adopted little girl when a teen Emma was at a foster home.
  • Mickey Mouse appears on the watches Tilly is selling.(Eloise Gardener)
  • A Mickey Mouse telephone is lying in the grass during Alice's tea party.(Pretty in blue)
  • The family in the backseat of Henry's car are all wearing Mickey Mouse hats, while a Mickey Mouse backpack is lying on the hat shelf behind them.(Hyperion Heights)

Silly Symphony[]

  • When secretly visiting Red, Peter cites 'I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow the...' like the Big Bad Wolf. Regina did the same thing while she and the Charmings go rescue Jiminy Cricket from the Serum Queen and Zelena.
  • Red Riding Hood's grandmother wears glasses, just like her counterpart in Disney's Silly Symphonies. She also wears a shawl around her shoulders, and sleeves with white ruffles, like her Disney counterpart.
  • Red Riding Hood's grandmother is wearing a dark grayish-purple shawl and sleeves with white ruffles, and is knitting; just her counterpart in Disney's Silly Symphonies.(Pilot)
  • Red Riding Hood is wearing a plain, unadorned version of her cloak, just like her counterpart in Silly Symphonies.(Pilot)
  • The Grasshopper and the Ants: When Emma drink a glass at the bar Aesop's Tables, the story's tittle was used like the name for an cocktail.
  • Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother knits.(The Cricket Game)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves[]

  • The seven dwarves, Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy and Sneezy, are all named after their Disney counterparts (in the original fairy tale, the dwarves were unnamed).
  • Doc and his cursed persona wears glasses, just like his Disney counterpart.
  • Dopey and his Storybrooke counterpart wear a purple hat, just like his Disney counterpart. He is also the only dwarf without a beard, just like in the Disney film.
  • The dwarves have traits similar to their Disney counterparts: Bashful is coy, Doc is kind and fatherly, Dopey never speaks, Grumpy has a sour disposition, Happy is bubbly and bright, Sleepy is drowsy and struggles to stay awake, and Sneezy frequently sneezes.
  • Snow White is awakened by a kiss from Prince Charming.(Pilot)
  • Mary Margaret is making bird houses with her students at school, a reference to the Disney film, where the character has a close relationship with birds.(Pilot)
  • Mary Margaret holds a blue bird in her hands, mirroring the scene where Snow White holds a bluebird in her hands in the animated film.(Pilot)
  • Snow White attracts a blue bird that flies onto her hand, a reference the bluebirds that fly onto Snow White's hand in the Disney film.(Pilot)
  • Leroy whistles "Whistle While You Work" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs when he sees Emma in jail. (Pilot)
  • Grumpy whistles or makes references to the song "Heigh-Ho" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs many times throughout the show:
    • Leroy whistles the song when he enters the volunteer center on Miner's Day. ("Dreamy")
    • While on his way to the Storybrooke mines with the other dwarves, Leroy says, "It's off to work we go," from "Heigh-Ho." ("We Are Both")
    • As he and the dwarves are about to open up a vein of fairy dust, Leroy says, "No time for whistling, boys," alluding to the same song. ("Dark Hollow")
    • As they're working on the bean fields, Leroy and the other dwarves whistle the melody of "Heigh-Ho." ("Tiny")
    • When Isaac is taken prisoner in the alternate reality, the dwarves whistle an altered version of "Heigh-Ho," and Grumpy says, "Heigh-ho" and "off to work we go"; a reference to the song. ("Operation Mongoose Part 1")
    • When Emma shows up in the mines to steal Happy's pick ax, the dwarves are whistling "Heigh-Ho." ("Siege Perilous")
    • In the Wish Realm, the dwarves can be heard whistling "Heigh-Ho" as they walk down the road. ("Wish You Were Here")
    • The lyrics "With a heigh heigh heigh / And a ho ho ho" sung by Grumpy are a reference to the song. ("The Song in Your Heart")
    • Leroy whistles "Heigh-Ho" while walking to Granny's Diner with Walter and Doc. ("Leaving Storybrooke")
  • Sleeping curses, and other curses, can be broken with true love's kiss, a reference to the way the Sleeping Death curse can be broken with love's first kiss in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
  • Prince James, as a boy, was wearing a kid sized prince clothing replica from the animated film, while in Pleasure Island.

Pinocchio[]

  • The talking Cricket is named after Jiminy Cricket from the film.
  • Jiminy Cricket and his Storybrooke counterpart both carry an umbrella, just like the Disney version of the character.
  • Jiminy Cricket's outfit, with the white collar, the coat and the top hat, is similar to the Disney version of the character.
  • The Fairy with turquoise hair is called the Blue Fairy like in the film.
  • The Blue Fairy wears a blue dress, just like in the Disney film.
  • Pinocchio's outfit, with the red breeches, the hat with the red feather, and the bow tie, is similar to the one worn in the Disney film.
  • Archie working as a psychiatrist is a reference to Disney's Pinocchio, where his counterpart Jiminy Cricket serves as a conscience who leads Pinocchio down the right path; similar to the way a psychiatrist sits down with their clients and tries to help them find the right path.In addition, Archie/Jiminy often acts as as a voice of conscience who helps people make moral choices.
  • On her birthday, Emma wishes on a candle shaped like a blue star, an allusion to the scene in Pinocchio, in which Geppetto wishes on a blue star and his wish is granted by the Blue Fairy. ("Pilot," "Wish You Were Here")
  • Archie is heard whistling the song "Give a Little Whistle" as he walks away from Emma and Henry.(Pilot)

Fantasia[]

  • In the castle, there is a hat which resembles that of Master Yen Sid, in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" scene.

Bambi[]

  • A small Bambi statue is seen in Mary Margaret's apartment.
  • In "Devil's Due", Cruella wears a doe fur. She jokes that it is Bambi's mother, but she neither confirms nor denies if it really is.

Song of the South[]

Cinderella[]

  • When Madeline locking her daughter Cruella in the attic like her new bedroom (for good intentions), it is an allusion to Lady Tremaine and Cinderella. Similarly, Isaac acted like the Grand Duke.
  • references in "The Other Shoe"
    • The evil stepmother is named Lady Tremaine, just like in the Disney film
    • Tremaine's hairstyle is similar to the one from the animated film.
    • Lady Tremaine's deep, commanding voice is similar to her Disney counterpart.
    • Lady Tremaine carries a cane, just like in the animated movie.
    • Cinderella's father is dead and her stepfamily is having financial difficulties, just like in the Disney film.
    • Clorinda wears a green and blue dress before the ball, and also pulls her hair back with a bow, just like Drizella does in the animated Disney film.
    • Tisbe wears a yellow dress like Drizella does, though has her hair styled similarly to Anastasia.
    • Jacob delivers a ball invitation to the Tremaine household, just like the royal courier does in the Disney film.
    • Cinderella asks her stepmother if she can attend the royal ball, but Clorinda sarcastically asks what she would wear. This is a reference to the animated film, where Cinderella asks her stepmother if she can attend the ball and the stepmother says she can go if she finishes her chores and has something to wear.
    • Cinderella takes her mother's old dress out of a chest in the attic and plans to wear it to the royal ball, just like in the animated film.
    • The segment where Cinderella holds her mother's gown mirrors a scene in the animated film.
    • The pink dress that belonged to Cinderella's mother is similar to the one Cinderella planned to wear in the Disney film.
    • The dress that Cinderella plans to wear to the royal ball is destroyed when Tremaine gives the dress to Clorinda, who puts the gown into the furnace, as Tisbe holds back Ella. This is similar to the animated film, where the stepsisters tear the dress apart after being goaded by their mother.
    • Like Disney's Anastasia, Tisbe wears a pink dress during the ball and has her hair styled similarly. Clorinda wears a gold and blue dress, somewhat similar to the green/yellowish and blue dress Drizella wears in the Disney film.
    • The blue dress and opera gloves worn by Cinderella for the ball is similar to her outfit in the Disney film, and her hair is styled similarly.
    • Lady Tremaine mentions her cat, a reference to Lucifer from the animated Disney film.
    • Cinderella is locked inside a room by Lady Tremaine.
    • Gus helps Cinderella out of her room by slipping under her door and informing Snow White. In the animated film, he helps her by slipping a key under the door.
    • In order to ruin Cinderella's evidence, Lady Tremaine picks up one of her Glass Slippers (the one she didn't lose at the ball) with her cane and drops it, making the slipper shatter into pieces.
  • Jacinda's wardrobe often includes the color blue, which is a nod to Disney's Cinderella, who wears a signature blue ball gown.

Alice in Wonderland[]

  • An illustration from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in Henry's storybook, shows Alice wearing a white and blue dress, similar to the signature blue dress and white pinafore she wears in the animated Disney film.(Pilot)
  • A woman in Seattle is dressed up like Disney's Alice for Halloween.("Beauty")
  • Young Alice wears a dress similar to the same outfit in the 1951 Disney film, Alice in Wonderland.("Down the Rabbit Hole," "Heart of Stone")


Peter Pan[]

  • A garden pinwheel of Disney's Tinker Bell appears on a house lawn in Storybrooke.(Pilot,Operation Mongoose Part 1,The Price,Leaving Storybrooke)

Lady and the Tramp[]

  • Tony's is a restaurant in Storybrooke and the waiters are dressed similarly to the waiter in the movie. A man and woman are seen eating spaghetti and leaning forward for a kiss, similar to the iconic scene from the movie. ("The Apprentice")
  • The candle in a bottle sitting in Belle's quarters looks like the one sitting on the titular characters' dinner table in Lady and the Tramp.(The other shoe)
  • Bella Notte, a song from the movie, is a pizza restaurant in Seattle, with stray dogs in the alley. ("Wake Up Call," "The Girl in the Tower")


The Shaggy Dog[]

  • In his flashbacks and in the present day in the s6 finale, Charming has a pet dog named Wilby.

Sleeping Beauty[]

  • Sleeping curses, and other curses, can be broken with true love's kiss,this is also a reference to the way Prince Phillip wakes Aurora from the sleeping curse.
  • The Forbidden Fortress resembles the one in Sleeping Beauty, where Maleficent's domain is called the Forbidden Mountain.
  • Maleficent is named after the character from Disney's Sleeping Beauty (in the fairy tale, the character is unnamed).
  • Maleficent's staff is based on the item of the same name from Disney's Sleeping Beauty. The staff is topped by a dragon, a reference to the animated film, where Maleficent transforms into a fire-breathing dragon.
  • Maleficent is wearing a purple dress. In the animated film, her outfit is black and purple. Her hair ornament is reminiscent of the black horns on her headgear in the animated film.(The Thing You Love Most)
  • Maleficent has a pet unicorn which she genuinely cares about and affectionately strokes, mirroring her relationship with her pet raven Diablo in the Disney film.(The Thing You Love Most)
  • When her unicorn is endangered, Maleficent screams "Nooo!," echoing her reaction when she finds Diablo turned to stone in the Disney film and the character exclaims, "No!".(The Thing You Love Most)

The Sword in the Stone[]

  • The design of Prince Charming's swords looks very similar to the Disney version of Excalibur from the animated film The Sword in the Stone.
  • The Empire Strikes Back: Henry mentioned this movie as one of best sequels.

The Haunted Mansion[]

  • Madame Leota is a witch and a member of the Coven of the Eight.
  • Several of Leota's lines are taken directly from her The Haunted Mansion counterpart's lines or the Ghost Host's lines in the attractions.

Tron[]

  • Regina gives Henry "Space Paranoids"; a game created by Kevin Flynn, the protagonist of the film. Emma eludes to Flynn by quoting his advice to Henry while he is playing the game; "It's all in the wrists". Henry has a Tron lunchbox. Kurt and Greg Mendell/Owen's last name is Flynn.
  • An advertisement for computers with the ENCOM logo from the movie Tron appears outside the Marine Garage in 1983.[178] ("Welcome to Storybrooke")

The Black Cauldron[]

  • A Gnome who appeared as The Evil Queen's ally before she instantly turns him into a stone statue after he finds amusement in the fact the curse did not work, has a similar characteristic and behavior to Creeper.(The Thing You Love Most)
  • Splash: Grumpy mentions this movie when fearing that normal humans who come to Storybrooke made experiments on Fairy tale characters. Ariel walks into Storybrooke from the bay like Madison.
  • The Little Mermaid: When Zelena disguised like Marian, amused to destruct Regina's happiness with Robin, smile at a mirror, it is a reference to Ursula disguised like Vanessa.
  • The Rescuers Down Under: The hole trap, prepared by Regina, where Snow falls before to be rescued by Hercules, is similar to the scene where Cody is captured by McLeach.

Beauty and the Beast[]

  • When Rumplestiltskin arrives at Maurice's castle, Belle is holding a blue book,just like she does in the Disney. ("Skin Deep")
  • The clothes Belle wears while she is Rumplestiltskin's maid are similar to the ones she wears in the Disney film. ("Skin Deep" et al.)
  • During her stay at the hospital from "In the Name of the Brother" to "Lacey," Belle is wearing a yellow hospital gown in reference to her ball dress from the Disney film.
  • During their honeymoon, Belle and Mr. Gold dress in similar clothes as their counterparts in the dance scene from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. They also dance to an instrumental version of the title song. ("A Tale of Two Sisters")
  • Once Upon a Time contains many references to the scene where Belle is served tea by Chip, Mrs. Potts and the rest of the living teaset in Beauty and the Beast:
    • When David comes by the pawnshop while on his way to meet Mary Margaret by the Toll Bridge, a tea set with a rose design is seen under the counter.This is also a reference to the magical rose from the same movie. ("The Shepherd")
    • When Belle is Rumplestiltskin's maid, she serves him tea in several episodes. ("Skin Deep," "Heroes and Villains," "The Savior")
    • When the Evil Queen visits Rumplestiltskin, he has a tea set laid out on the table.("Skin Deep")
    • When Emma and her parents pay Mr. Gold a visit, he is brewing tea for himself and Belle. ("Broken")
    • Belle enjoys drinking iced tea at Granny's Diner and says that she's never had it iced before. ("The Crocodile")
    • When Regina comes to Granny's Diner to warn Mr. Gold about Cora, Belle has a glass of iced tea in front of her.("Into the Deep")
    • Mr. Gold orders iced tea for himself and Lacey at Granny's Diner. ("Lacey")
    • In order to help her remember, Grand Pabbie tells Belle to brew a tea with the memory crystal he made for her. ("Family Business")
    • When Hook is being controlled by Mr. Gold, he pours some rum into two teacups in Granny's Diner. ("Heroes and Villains")
    • In Isaac's alternate reality, Belle drinks a cup of tea and offers Rumplestiltskin one. ("Operation Mongoose Part 2")
    • When Belle asks and Mr. Gold research spell books in the Underbrooke pawnshop, Belle says that there must be something in the books that can help, to which Mr. Gold remarks that it would if they were just trying to boil a pot of tea. ("Her Handsome Hero")
    • Belle serves Dr. Jekyll tea aboard the Jolly Roger. ("Strange Case")
    • Granny brings Belle some chamomile tea at the diner. ("Changelings")
    • In an attempt to erase his son Gideon's pain, Mr. Gold gives him a cup of tea which Mr. Gold spiked with a forgetting potion. ("Ill-Boding Patterns")
  • The tea set in Rumplestiltskin's castle, with the cups, teapot, creamer and sugar bowl[16] mirror the scene in the movie, where Chip and Mrs. Potts are accompanied by a living sugar bowl and a living creamer. ("Skin Deep," "Heroes and Villains," "The Savior")
  • The chipped cup is a reference to Chip, while the teapot sitting on the tray in Rumplestiltskin's castle is a reference to Chip's mother, Mrs. Potts. ("Skin Deep" et al., "Heroes and Villains," "The Savior")

The Lion King[]

  • The segment where Cora holds out her newborn daughter Regina in front of the court is a reference to scene where Simba is presented to the kingdom as the future king in The Lion King.(The Miller's Daughter)
  • In Mr. Gold's shop there is an African mask, alluding to the film. Emma mentioned this movie when her father prepared commemoration for his newborn son.

Mulan[]

  • Mulan tells Emma and Mary Margaret, "Follow my lead, step where I step, do exactly as I say, and we might survive," a reference to the song "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from Disney's Mulan. It goes "Time is racing toward us, till the Huns arrive / Heed my every order, and you might survive." ("Lady of the Lake")
  • Mulan tells Belle about how she served in the emperor's army.(The Outsider)
  • Mulan lives in a Chinese village, just like in the Disney film.("The Outsider")
  • Mulan tells Belle, "Once I found something worth fighting for, I fought for it with everything I had," a reference to the song "A Girl Worth Fighting For".("The Outsider")
  • Neal references Mulan to the Disney film of the same name, saying "They made a movie about you. It's actually pretty good." ("The Heart of the Truest Believer")


Treasure Planet[]

  • In her flashbacks, Snow tell to Blue that she wants to go in Longbourne, a marine port, for to to escape to the Evil Queen. Longbourne is also the name of one of the alien pirates working for John Silver.

Cinderella II: Dreams Come True[]

  • Just like Disney's Anastasia, Clorinda falls in love with a low-class man, but Lady Tremaine, her mother refuses to let her daughter marry a commoner, thinking that low-class people are beneath them. Eventually, she is helped by Cinderella, before standing up to her mother and being reunited with her lover. ("The Other Shoe")
  • The Red Queen, who is based on the evil stepsisters from the "Cinderella" fairy tale, falls in love with a lower-class man her mother does not approve of, just like Disney's Anastasia. ("Heart of Stone")


Disney Fairies[]

  • Silvermist the fairy works as a ferrywoman in Wonderland.(Trust Me)


Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest[]

  • Ursula is similar to Tia Dalma, in her cross stories with Hook. The two women are also established like sea witch goddess.

Cinderella III: A Twist in Time[]

  • In order to ruin Cinderella's evidence, Lady Tremaine picks up one of her Glass Slippers (the one she didn't lose at the ball) with her cane and drops it, making the slipper shatter into pieces. This mirrors a scene from the movie, which is the result of the Disney version of Lady Tremaine using a wand to reverse time and undo Cinderella's happy ending. ("The Other Shoe")
  • The plot revolving around the Fairy Godmother's wand is similar to the one from the film. The wand is used against the Fairy Godmother to neutralize her and is stolen by the second iteration of Lady Tremaine to commit her wrongdoing. ("Hyperion Heights")

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning[]

  • Ursula's mother was killed by pirates, just like Ariel's mother was in the film.
  • Ursula's story is based on Ariel's story from The Little Mermaid and its prequel. She loves singing/music due to her mother's influence, and because she loves singing, she goes against her father's orders, just like Ariel does in the film.
  • Poseidon, Ursula's father, is based on King Triton from The Little Mermaid and its prequel. He has a problem with singing/music because it reminds him of his wife's death, just like Ariel's father does in the film. Like Ariel's father, he realizes he was wrong and decides to accept singing/music in their lives.(Poor Unfortunate Soul)


Big Hero 6[]

  • The Lucky Cat Cafe is a Seattle location. Ivy shows up at Henry's door with a box of mochi (an indirect reference to Mochi, a minor character from the film) that she bought for him at the cafe, to thank him for some advice he gave her. According to Henry, they're the city's best mochi. There is an illustration of a beckoning cat on the package, the same symbol which was used on the cafe in the movie.(Knightfall)

Cinderella (2015)[]

  • The way Lady Tremaine and her daughters name Ella "Cinderella" ("Cinders on Ella. Cinderella.") is similar to the live-action film ("She looks so dirty. Oh, dirty Ella! Cinderella! That's what we'll call you.").
  • After the ball, Lady Tremaine finds one of Cinderella's Glass Slippers (the one she didn't lose at the ball) and breaks it, much like the character does in the live action film.


e way Lady Tremaine and her daughters name Ella "Cinderella" ("Cinders on Ella. Cinderella.") is similar to the live-action film ("She looks so dirty. Oh, dirty Ella! Cinderella! That's what we'll call you.").

Princess of Thieves[]

  • Like Gwyn, Robin becomes an archer and Merry Man like her father. Maid Marian did die in the movie too, but not by murder.

Wreck-it Ralph[]

  • When Victoria Belfrey finds out about Jacinda and Sabine's pop-up beignet shop, she calls Wreck-It Ralph on the phone and tells him to "wreck it." Ralph proceeds to set Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack on fire off-screen.(Greenbacks)


The BFG[]

  • The story of Alice and the Troll was inspired by the story of Sophie and the BFG.(The Girl in the Tower)

Moana[]

  • Wish Hook seeks Maui's fish hook (an item originating in Polynesian mythology), which has the same design as the one in the movie.(Knightfall)

Pixar Allusions[]

A Bug's Life[]

  • Archie Hopper's name is a reference to Hopper.

The Incredibles[]

  • The family at Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack are dressed up as The Incredibles.(Beauty)

Ratatouille[]

  • Remy, a former chef, is human and works as a caterer/bartender in Seattle.
  • The film Ratatouille is listed on Henry's board, under Remy's name.(Flower Child)
  • Remy mentions an incidence from before the Dark Curse, where he was preparing a cassoulet (a French casserole), a reference to the rat protagonist from Ratatouille, who works as a chef in France.(Homecoming)

Up[]

  • The flashback of "Beauty" is based the Disney/Pixar animated movie Up. Belle and Mr. Gold take the place of Ellie and Carl Fredricksen from the movie.Belle and Mr. Gold create a home and live their life together until Belle's death, while seeing the world and visiting new places, which is all based on the story from Up.
    • The Edge of Realms bears a striking similarity to Paradise Falls from Up. Belle and Mr. Gold's stay there is a reference to Carl and Ellie Fredricksen's dreams of traveling to Paradise Falls, with Carl eventually making the journey after Ellie's death.
    • Belle and Gold build a house, similar to the way Carl and Ellie refurbish an abandoned house.
    • Belle and Gold's house is near identical to Carl and Ellie's house.
    • Belle and Gold share a dance inside their home, just like Carl and Ellie.
  • Belle and Gold's travel book is based on Ellie's adventure book from Up.
  • There is a postcard promoting balloon trips in Belle and Mr. Gold's travel book.(Is This Henry Mills?)

Brave[]

  • The events on Once Upon a Time's fifth season take place approximately 10 years after the events of the film.

Coco[]

  • An ofrenda altar similar to the one from Coco is sitting in the Cave of the Departed, a place where people come to speak with others who have already passed on to the afterlife. The altar and the cave is filled with skulls and orange flowers, a reference to the sugar skulls and orange marigold flowers from the movie.(The Guardian)

Lucasfilm Allusions[]

Star Wars[]

  • The ringtone on Greg's mobile phone is the Star Wars theme.(In the Name of the Brother)
  • In the opening scene of the 1983 flashback, Owen has a Return of the Jedi sleeping bag.[30] While making a lanyard keychain, he says, "Green and red, like Luke and Darth's lightsabers".(Welcome to Storybrooke)
  • When Henry lists "the best sequels ever," he mentions The Empire Strikes Back.(A Bitter Draught)
  • Henry tells the serum queen that she "can't Darth Vader him" and adds, "I'll never join you."(I'll Be Your Mirror)
    • The queen answers that they "watched those movies enough to know that Darth Vader wasn't so black and white"
  • The sarlacc is a Wonderland creature and is one of the creatures the Red Queen names from Jafar's creature book. Like its Star Wars counterpart, it is a beast capable of digesting its victim over a millennium. ("Forget Me Not")
  • The Caterpillar and Underland have many aspects in common with Jabba the Hutt and his palace from Star Wars:
    • The Caterpillar put a bounty on Will Scarlet's head for failing to pay back the money he owed him, just like Jabba did to Han Solo. ("Forget Me Not")
    • Both are sluglike, hookah-smoking crime bosses who sit on a dais. ("Forget Me Not," "Home," "Heart of the Matter")
    • Both of them have a team of bounty hunters who work for them. ("Forget Me Not" et al.)
    • Both run a place of ill repute, which is a meeting point for bounty hunters and feature musicians and dancers. ("Forget Me Not," "Home," "Heart of the Matter")
    • Will offers to pay the Caterpillar back double, similar to the way Han Solo offers to pay Jabba back triple. ("Forget Me Not")
    • The Caterpillar uses a severed but still living human head as a desk ornament and threatens to do the same to Will if he fails him; similar to the way Jabba keeps the carbonite-frozen Han Solo as a wall decoration. ("Forget Me Not")
    • The scene where Cyrus walks through Underland, which is filled with guests that are sleeping in all sorts of places after a wild party, is similar to the scene where Princess Leia walks through Jabba's Palace in the film. ("Home")
    • The scene where the Caterpillar's advisor speaks into his ear while the Caterpillar sits on his dais, mirrors Jabba's relationship with Bib Fortuna in the movie. ("Heart of the Matter")

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom[]

  • When Henry lists his favorite sequels, he also mentions "Temple of Doom," a reference to the 1984 film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.(A Bitter Draught)


Others Stories featured:[]

  • A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court
  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
  • Arthurian Legend
  • Aesop's Fables
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Beowulf
  • Celtic Mythology
  • Cinderella
  • David and Goliath (referenced when David Nolan fights the giant Anton)
  • Don Quixote
  • Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus
  • Frederick and Catherine (referenced to Abigail & Frederick)
  • Germanic Mythology
  • Goldilocks and the Three Bears
  • Gulliver's Island
  • Greek Mythology
  • Hansel and Gretel
  • Jack and the Beanstalk
  • Little Red Riding Hood
  • Moby Dick
  • Nursury Rhymes
  • One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (referenced with Nurse Ratched)
  • One Thousand and One Nights/Aladdin
  • Paul Bunyan
  • Peter and the Wolf
  • Peter and Wendy
  • Polynesian Mythology
  • Pride and Prejudice (Once Upon a Time in Wonderland only)
  • Rapunzel
  • Rip Van Winkle (mentioned)
  • Robin Hood
  • Roman Mythology
  • Rumpelstiltskin or The Miller's Daughter
  • Sleeping Beauty
  • Snow-White and Rose-Red (referenced with Snow White and Ruby's friendship)
  • Snow White
  • Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
  • Swan Lake (referenced to Dark Swan)
  • The Adventures of Pinocchio
  • The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
  • The BFG
  • The Count of Monte Cristo
  • The Curse of Capistrano
  • The Emerald City of Oz
  • The Frog Prince
  • The Hound of Florence (referenced to Wilby the Dog)
  • The Hundred and One Dalmatians
  • The Legend of Mulan
  • The Little Mermaid
  • The Marvelous Land of Oz
  • The Pied Piper of Hamelin
  • The Prince and the Pauper
  • The Scarlet Letter
  • The Snow Queen
  • The Sorcerer's Apprentice
  • The Three Musketeers
  • The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (referenced with David, his father, Robert, King George, and Hook as the murderer)
  • The Ugly Duckling
  • The Water Babies
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  • Three Billy Goats Gruff (referenced when Snow White and Prince Charming encounter trolls)
  • Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There
  • Treasure Island
  • Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Allusions[]

  • Rumplestiltskin assumes the role of the Beast, leading to many connections with Beauty and the Beast, including his mentioning of Belle's "little town" from the lyrics of "Belle", and the transformation of Gaston into a red rose, who Rumplestiltskin later refers to as "just an old woman selling flowers," referencing the Enchantress.
  • Several references exist in Rumplestiltskin's castle, including Yen Sid's hat from Fantasia, the lamp from Aladdin, the hammer from Thor and a candelabra, clock, teapot, and chipped teacup representing Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and Chip from Beauty and the Beast respectively.
  • A spinning fairy ornament resembling Tinker Bell from Peter Pan is seen in a front garden.
  • Henry Mills owns a Tron lunchbox. Later, he receives a handheld edition of Space Paranoids.
  • Snow White's collapse after biting a poisoned apple is a visual reenactment of the scene from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
  • Emma Swan slays the dragon Maleficent with an overhead sword throw, the same method used by Prince Phillip in Sleeping Beauty. Earlier, the Prince attempts to kill the Evil Queen in the same manner.
  • The Ugly Duckling is alluded by Emma Swan's name and her dramatic teenage past when searching desperately a family who wants her.
  • In "The Brothers Jones", there is a room with lots of toys. Amongst these toys is a stuffed bear and tiger next to each other.
  • In "Wish You Were Here", Charming was the one who fights and gets the lamp back from the Serum Queen and Calls her a snake, just like what Aladdin did to Jafar in Aladdin.
  • Jafar was a genie like in Aladdin.

Non-Disney allusions[]

  • Dracula: Henry mention him when searching Edmond Dantès' real identity.
  • The Invisible Man: Henry mention him when searching Edmond Dantès' real identity.
  • The Great Gatsby: When residing in Mr. Gold's cabane, Isaac read the novel, written by Francis Scott Fitzgerald.
  • Errol Flynn: Emma compare Edmond Dantès to the actor Errol Flynn.
  • Colours: The song performed by Donovan is the romantic theme between Snow and Charming when trying to support the new sleep curse caused by the Evil Regina.
  • Sympathy for the Devil: The song performed by the Rolling Stones is used as tittle for Cruella's centered episode.
  • I'll Be Your Mirror: The song performed by the Velvet Underground is used as tittle for an episode.
  • The Cat in the Hat: Robin Hood find this book in Belle's library.
  • Harold and Maud: Henri mentions this movie when sharing a romantic dinner with Violet.
  • David Bowie: Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum's make-up is a reference to Ziggy Stardust.
  • Annie Hall: Lily mentions this movie when comparing her mother, Maleficent's modern dress style, similar to Diane Keaton, at Storybrooke.
  • The Godfather Part II: Henry mention this film as one of best sequels.
  • E.T.: Grumpy mentions this movie when fearing that normal humans who come to Storybrooke made experiments on Fairy tale characters.
  • Only You: The song performed by Yazoo is the romantic theme to Emma and Neal.
  • Sixteen Candles: Henry mentions this movie when trying to invite Violet at cinema.
  • The Breakfast Club: Henry mentions this movie when trying to invite Violet at cinema.
  • Commando: Henri mentions this movie when sharing a romantic dinner with Violet.
  • Back to the Future: Emma mentions this movie to Hook when they travel in the Enchanted Forest's past.
  • Hook: During a fight with Peter Pan and the lost boys Captain Hook mentions the character Rufio.
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The scythe from Season 7 appeared in a episode at Mr. Gold's shop.
  • Harry Potter: In her teenage flashback, Emma mentioned the novel when Ingrid tried to persuade her that she had magical powers.
  • Wicked: In the episode "Our Decay", Zelena turns a munchkin name Boq into ash. The character is a reference to a munchkin of the same name in the Broadway musical "Wicked".
  • My Dreams: The song performed by Ruth B. Is the romantic theme to Henry and Violet when dancing at the diner.
  • Interestingly, the fairy tale "Jack and the Beanstalk" that is already adapted in the show, was at one point going to be adapted as an animated movie called Gigantic.
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