Daniel Colter

Daniel is a minor character on Once Upon a Time. He appears in the eighteenth episode of the first season only. He is played by guest star Noah Bean and does not have a Storybrooke counterpart.

History
Daniel and Regina fell deeply in love with each other, but were forced to keep it a secret due to their difference in social rank. Regina knew their relationship would displease her mother, Cora, in knowing her only daughter was in love with a stable boy and not someone who was of higher rank. Daniel is in disbelief Cora would care so much about status difference when she, too, had humble beginnings as a miller's daughter before marrying Regina's father, Henry.

Cora sought an opportunity to have her daughter noticed by a king of a neighboring country that was passing through their lands. So, she came up with a plan in suggesting the king's daughter, Snow White take a ride on one of their stable horses. Cora ended up startling the horse purposely and sending the animal running amok with a terrified Snow White helpless to do anything. She was aware Regina would hear Snow White's cries for help and save the young girl.

Thus, Snow White's father, King Leopold heard of Regina's heroic deed in rescuing his precious daughter, and came the next day to formally propose to her in the hopes of Regina becoming Snow White's stepmother. Regina is flabbergasted, and looks to her father for help, but he says nothing, and Cora accepts the proposal for her.

Horrified, she runs to Daniel and is in tears over the arranged marriage. Regina begs Daniel to run away with her and get married. He accepts, and gives her a ring to symbolize their future marriage. During a passionate embrace, they are interrupted by Snow White, who, in her confusion and hurt, runs away. Regina catches up with her, and tries to reason with Snow White why she can't marry her father. She explains that what she and Daniel have is true love, and that he makes her very happy. Snow White promises to keep Regina's secret after prompted by her.

However, Snow White is moved by Cora, who says she would do anything to make Regina happy, and is manipulated by her into believing it is alright to talk about Regina's love for Daniel.

The night Regina and Daniel plan to run away together, Cora is waiting outside the barn for them. She traps them in, and is enraged that Regina would give up everything for a stable boy.

After some tension and Regina's adamant reasoning with her mother, Cora appears to relent in her stubbornness. They make up by hugging, and Cora walks over to Daniel. He exchanges kind and understanding words with her in which he is sympathetic to her role as Regina's mother, and how she only ever wanted what was best for Regina. Cora agrees, and makes a sudden move at Daniel by ripping his heart out of his chest. She is completely unmoved by daughter's sobs as Regina holds an unresponsive Daniel in her arms, and he dies the moment she crushes the heart to dust.

The death of Daniel changes Regina's personality completely, especially when she learns Snow White told Cora about Daniel. Snow White guilty admits she couldn't withhold the information because she was worried about Regina losing her mother. And Regina appears be understanding, but it is only a mask of emotions to hide the anger she is feeling underneath.

Afterwards, Regina asks her mother if she had purposely caused the horse Snow White was on to go wild in order for her to save the girl, thereby getting Regina the marriage proposal from the king. Though Cora denies having anything to do with it, Regina fits the pieces together. It was entirely her mother's manipulations that caused Daniel's death, but Regina's fury misdirects itself at Snow White, and the hatred between the two begins to fester. ("The Stable Boy")

After Regina becomes Leopold's queen, she buries Daniel on the hilltop near her former home. ("An Apple Red as Blood")

Trivia

 * It appears Snow White did not know the entire truth of the circumstances surrounding Regina's deep seated hatred for her. In "Snow Falls" and "Pilot", Snow White bitterly tells Prince Charming that the Queen wants her dead over a trival matter--because she's prettier. But in "The Stable Boy", Regina tells the young Snow White that Daniel ran away from her, and puts on the facade she is happy about becoming Snow White's stepmother. Thus, Snow White was led to believe Daniel left Regina; not that he died. However, this is revealed to Snow White before she makes the statement in " Pilot" (chronologically), meaning that particular statement may have been retconned.
 * Regina still has the ring he gave her. Daniel's face can be seen inside the ring in "An Apple Red as Blood".