"Once Upon a Time" creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz have been teasing season 7 of the fairytale drama since ABC broke the news that the new season would be resetting the series. The first six seasons of the series revolves around the journey of Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), starting when her ten-year-old son Henry Mills (Jared S. Gilmore) shows up on her door telling her that her parents, Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas) need her. When she takes Henry home to Storybrooke, Maine, Emma discovers the town is full of fairytale characters that are cursed by the Evil Queen, Regina (Lana Perrilla).
"Once Upon a Time" has introduced numerous iconic characters, including Captain Hook (Colin O'Donoghue), Red Riding Hood (Meghan Ory), Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), Belle (Emilie De Ravin), The Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader), and Robin Hood (Sean Maguire). Season 6 ends with adult Henry Mills (now played by Andrew J. West) finding his ten-year-old daughter Lucy (Alison Fernandez) at his door, telling him that his family needs him. Horowitz and Kitsis tease that despite the reset for the new season, the series will explore similar stories of hope, family, and love.
New characters and a new curse
Season 6 will be set in the new location of Hyperion Heights, Seattle, which is described as how Brooklyn is to New York and will have a mix of fairytale characters and non-fairytale characters.
Executive Producer David H. Goodman explains that Lady Tremaine is in charge, and has learned where Regina failed, to keep everyone separate. Though, this doesn't mean Lady Tremaine cast the curse, and don't expect to discover why it was cast and who did it in the premiere. Also, Storybrooke will only be seen occasionally, but won't be forgotten.
Kitsis and Horowitz tease that the three returning series regulars will have new identities. As seen in the promo, Regina appears to be a bartender while Hook seems to have become a cop. Meanwhile, Robert Carlyle shares that this new version of Rumple will be very different from Storybrooke counterpart, Mr. Gold.
The reset includes the departure of several fan favorites, Snow White, Prince Charming, Zelena/The Wicked Witch, and Belle.
Jennifer Morrison also chose not to return as a series regular but will be seen again as Emma Swan in an early episode. Horowitz and Kitsis share that along with the reset comes new incarnations of favorite characters; Dania Ramirez as Cinderella (also revealed to be Henry's wife and Lucy's mother), Gabrielle Anwar as Lady Tremaine, Adelaide Kane as Drizella, Rose Reynolds as Alice (a character first introduced in spin-off "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland"), Mekia Cox as Tiana from "The Princess and the Frog," and Emma Booth as a character simply called the Witch.
What about those happy endings?
One of the biggest questions fans have after season 6 is: Will the happy endings stick? Season 6 ends on quite the high note as Snow and Charming move to a farm to raise baby Neal, Belle and Rumple rekindle and will be raising baby Gideon, Zelena and Regina are in a good place, and Emma and Hook get married.
Jennifer Morrison is set to return in episode 2, "A Pirate's Life," which will explain how Hook ended up in Seattle. Setting fans at ease, Horowitz, and Kitsis assure that Hook will currently not have a new love interest and describe Emma as his soulmate. As to whether Hook and Emma have children, the creators remain silent. Horowitz adds that they'll be doing something new with Hook, who hasn't had a cursed persona before.
Emilie de Ravin will return as Belle in episode 4, "Beauty," along with Giles Matthey (who plays the adult version of Gideon), leading to lots of speculation since season 6 shows Gideon returning to being a baby. Episode 4 will follow the course of the relationship between Belle and Rumple, going as far back as the Enchanted Forest, and will explain where Belle is now.
The season premiere is entitled "Hyperion Heights" and will introduce fans to the new place and the new characters while episode 3 is entitled "The Garden of Forking Paths."
"Once Upon a Time" season 7 will premiere October 6 on ABC.
