With most people being so well-versed in fairy tale lore, Once Upon a Time had a tough task in reinventing the famous stories of iconic characters. Still, it managed to do that immediately with the likes of Snow White, Belle, Rumpelstiltskin, Pinocchio, and several others.
As the show progressed, it got bolder and expanded the universe. Following season 1, the series introduced more characters from fairy tales but added some from recent Disney properties, fantasy tales, and more. They were all given some kind of unique spin and the end result was some of the best characters in the history of the show.
Cruella De Vil
The best villains on the show were often the ones who debuted in season 1 like Rumplestiltskin, Regina, and Cora. One of the highlights of later seasons on the bad side was Cruella De Vil (Victoria Smurfit), who arrived in season 4 alongside some other iconic villains.
Ursula reconciled with her father quickly and Maleficent was redeemed but Cruella remained evil throughout, which the show needed. She was wicked at every turn and her death helped lead Emma down her path to becoming The Dark One. Cruella even continued to torment the heroes in the Underworld.
Queen Tiana/Sabine
Fans have certainly made their feelings on the final season of Once Upon a Time known. Without Emma, Charming, or Snow, the cast was different, and the time jump also made it feel like a totally different series. However, a bright spot came in the form of Sabine (Mekia Cox).
Also known as Queen Tiana of The Princess and the Frog fame, Sabine was very likable. She was a great friend to Ella and a wonderful aunt to Lucy. Her efforts to start a food truck were applauded and she always did the right thing. As Tiana, she also proved to be among the toughest characters on the show.
Drizella/Ivy Belfrey
Another season 7 standout was Ivy Belfrey/Drizella (Adelaide Kane). When she first appeared, she came off as unlikable due to how mean she was to Ella and Lucy, while also following the orders of her evil mother. Over time though, Drizella began to show a softer side.
She bonded with Henry and it helped her plot against her mother, all in the name of saving her sister. Her turnaround led her to save Anastasia and return to the Enchanted Forest with her in a happy ending. The things she went through in life and her changes made her one of the show's most complex characters.
Queen Elsa
The first time that Once Upon a Time played around with the idea of using a recent property was right at the end of season 3. The final shot revealed that Queen Elsa (Georgina Haig) had arrived in Storybrooke, capitalizing on the popularity of Disney's Frozen.
Elsa and her sister Anna (Elizabeth Lail) were a huge part of season 4 as they attempted to get back to Arendelle while dealing with the villainous Snow Queen (Elizabeth Mitchell). Her "fish out of water" story worked well, as did the way she bonded with characters like Emma.
Peter Pan
Season 3 began with what could be known as the "Peter Pan arc." The heroes were taken to Neverland to deal with Peter Pan (Robbie Kay), who was one of the series' top antagonists. He proved to be next to impossible to overcome and always had a trick up his sleeve.
The caveat that Pan was Rumplestiltskin's father only added to the emotional impact of everything he did and his return in the Underworld after death furthered his story with his son. Pan was one of those villains who captivated audiences whenever he was on screen.
Mulan
The premiere episode of season 2 put a lot of focus on Aurora, Philip, and Mulan (Jamie Chung), which felt out of place given the rest of the story. Their debuts turned out to be important since Emma and Snow ended up in the Enchanted Forest with them.
Mulan was true to her origins as a tough warrior who everyone wanted to root for. She was noble and protected those around her at every cost. Mulan was also one of the show's few LGBTQ+ characters, harboring romantic love for Aurora. She was popular enough to show up in later seasons to assist Merida and Ruby.
Alice/Tilly
Another scene-stealer of season 7, Alice/Tilly (Rose Reynolds) had one of the more complicated histories of any character. Her mother Gothel used her to escape her tower and left her to be the new prisoner. Thankfully, her father Killian (wish realm Hook) stuck around to take care of her.
In Hyperion Heights, Tilly was the odd girl who nobody ever believed despite her meaning well. She turned out to be pretty powerful, and her relationships with her dad and her girlfriend Robin were endearing to watch. If anything, she was the emotional core of the final season more than Henry's storyline.
Zelena
The back half of season 3 took on a Wizard of Oz vibe thanks to the arrival of the Wicked Witch of the West to Storybrooke. Like Pan, Zelena (Rebecca Mader) had a connection to a main character, being Regina's sister who was abandoned by Cora, causing her envy.
As a foe, Zelena was another one of the best but she stuck around long enough to get redemption. She did some truly horrific things, including tricking Robin into impregnating her but becoming a mother changed her. Zelena loved her child enough to give up her magic, repaired her relationship with Regina, and became a hero.
Robin Hood
As the series progressed and Regina cemented herself as a hero, it became clear that she was still struggling in the romance department. Everyone else was finding their happiness but Regina didn't get hers romantically until Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) came into her life.
The concept of Robin Hood automatically made fans like him since he helps those in need. His honor code meant that he did what he thought was right (even if that meant staying with Marian and Zelena). Robin was a different kind of hero and most importantly, he was a good man.
Hook
The inclusion of Killian Jones/Captain Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) was seemingly just another one-off appearance of a famed character. It turned out to be so much more as Hook might be the most popular character in series history because fans quickly gravitated towards his bad boy charm.
His flirtatious scenes with Emma and their electric chemistry led to them being an endgame couple. Hook turned from a typical villain into a hero and someone who never gave up on Emma. It cost him his life at one point but he always stayed true. Even his wish realm counterpart proved to be great as a father to Alice/Tilly.