Snow White


 * This page focuses on the character Snow White. For the fairytale, see Snow White (Fairytale).

"We have to believe that she'll come back for us. We have to give her her best chance."

- Snow White to Prince Charming about Emma

Princess Snow White is a main character on Once Upon a Time. She débuts in the first episode of the first season. She is portrayed by starring cast member Ginnifer Goodwin (with guest star Bailee Madison as her childhood self) and is the fairytale counterpart of Mary Margaret Blanchard.

Snow White is based on the main character from the fairytale, "Snow White".

History
Snow White was born in the realm of Fairytale Land to her father, King Leopold, and her mother, the Queen, whose name has not yet been revealed. Her mother died when she was very young.

Early in Snow White's life, Snow White attempted to ride a horse only for it to go out of control. Luckily, Snow White was saved by a woman named Regina. Snow White told her father Regina saved her, so her father went over to Regina's house and proposed to her.

Later during the evening, when Snow White tried to ride a horse again, she caught Regina kissing the Stable Boy, Daniel. Snow White ran away to tell her father, but Regina caught her and explained how she didn't love him and how Cora made her accept the proposal. Snow White promised not to tell Cora, saying that Regina belonged with Daniel, but eventually broke that promise when Cora tricked her into telling her by saying that she didn't want to lose Regina.

While Regina was getting fitted for the wedding, Snow White admitted to telling Cora about her affair with Daniel and how she didn't want her to lose her mother like she did. Regina told Snow White she wasn't mad, even though she was, and told Snow White that she was going to be her stepmother and that she couldn't be happier. Snow White left feeling happy, unknowing that Regina believed she should've left Snow White to die on the wild horse and thus, starting their conflict. ("The Stable Boy")

When Snow White was older, she met her father's new friend, whom he found on a walk by a river. This new friend, the Genie of Agrabah, became close to Leopold for the short time he was at the castle. During Leopold's birthday celebration, he spoke to everyone who was in the banquet hall about how happy he was to have his daughter as she reminds him of his first wife, being the fairest of them all.

A few days after the celebration, King Leopold was found murdered in his bed. After a search of his room and the castle, the royal guards found an Agrabahn viper, native to the land the Genie came from, though the Genie himself was never found. ("Fruit of the Poisonous Tree") After the death of King Leopold by the poisonous viper, Snow White wept over her father's casket while her stepmother Regina began to look for someone to kill Snow White, as she was very popular with the kingdom and thus she could not do it herself.

During an outing in the woods, Snow White walked with a knight who was uncomfortable in his armor. He had been sent by Regina to watch over her. Snow White knew he wasn't a knight because he didn't give his condolences once he met her, like all the other knights did. She hit the Huntsman with a bag of apples and escaped, but she was found again later in the day, and he told her that he was sent by the Queen to kill her and take her heart.

The Huntsman found Snow White, she was writing a letter to the Evil Queen hoping her death would end her suffering, and she would rule the subjects of the kingdom justly. When the Huntsman read it, he took pity on her and let her escape. He also made her a whistle, instructing her to use it to call for help if she ever found herself in trouble.

The Huntsman uses the heart of a deer as Snow's heart, which he brings back to show his job was done, as instructed by the Evil Queen. He also hands her Snow White's letter, who is on the run and hiding in the woods of her father's kingdom. While the Evil Queen rules from King Leopold's palace, she has wanted posters of Snow White posted throughout the kingdom, offering a reward for her capture. ("The Heart is a Lonely Hunter")

Not long after running from the huntsman, she wanders to a town though, she hears howling during the night, and she takes shelter in a nearby chicken coup where she trys to steal a couple of eggs only to be caught by Red Riding Hood the next morning.

The young woman is surprisingly not upset but concerned for her, when asked her name Snow gives the aliases of Frosty and Margaret before settling on Mary. She explains that she would rather not say what her true name is because someone is looking for her. Red understands and offers that she can stay with her and Granny. And it was Snow who found who noticed the bodies of the hunting party after which she is informed about the wolf.

Later after the town meeting when discussing the relationship between Red and Peter, Snow comments it sad that the wolf stands between the relationship to which Red says they should kill it. Snow objects but eventually accompanies her, they are successful and find tracks but they lead to Red's window.

Snow later uses Red's cloak to cover for her at night (since they believe Peter to be the wolf) but is discovered by Granny and they have to go rescue Peter and Snow learns the truth about Red from Granny. After they arrive too late to help Peter, It is Snow who helps the reluctant and disoriented Red escape the approaching hunting party. ("Red Handed") Snow White later becomes a thief, stealing valuables from the carriages of the Evil Queen, saving enough to leave the kingdom behind and start a new life somewhere she wouldn't have to worry about the Queen's wrath. Upon stealing from a carriage as a woman screams, Snow White finds herself being chased by a man whose valuables she had stolen. As the man throws her from her horse, he is surprised to discover the thief to be a woman. With that moment of surprise, Snow White escapes, looking back at the man and smirking as he swears he will find her.

After some time, the man indeed finds her again and catches her with a trap, right outside her makeshift home—a large tree stump in the woods. He introduces himself as Prince James, though Snow White says he looks more like a Prince Charming to her. The prince knows that she is Snow White, who is wanted by the Evil Queen.

James says he won't take her in if she gives back a ring she stole, as it sentimental to him. She tells him that she sold it to some Trolls, but she agrees to help. Snow White assists him until they stop by a stream, where she hits the prince with a rock and runs right into the Evil Queen's knights. Once captured, they are about to kill her until Prince Charming saves her by killing the knights who held her captive.

Since James saved Snow White from a horrible death, she decides to take him to the trolls' campsite, under the Troll Bridge. While they walk, he asks about the powder she wears around her neck. She tells the prince that the powder is a fairy dust which when used would bring a terrible fate.

She also explains that she is wanted by the Evil Queen because of something she did to her when she was younger, unknowingly destroying the Queen's happiness. Before they arrive at the bridge, Snow White instructs James not to say anything about being of royalty, or the Trolls would use his position for their gain.

Once at the bridge, Snow White and Prince Charming try to bargain with the Trolls to get his ring back, but the Trolls find it curious that she would pay for a ring she sold earlier. Finding Snow White's poster in her bag, the Trolls figure that the prince is of royalty and attack. James blocks the Trolls as they try to apprehend Snow White and tells her to leave.

Looking back at the struggle, Snow White runs back to save the prince, throwing the fairy dust at the trolls and consequently turning them into bugs. After she hands him back his ring, Snow White and Prince Charming part ways. ("Snow Falls") During the month since Snow White's adventure with Prince Charming, she cannot stop thinking about him, realizing that a month has passed already when her friend Red Riding Hood, Red for short, comes to give her food. Snow White asks Red if the wedding of Prince Charming and Abigail is still on, which Red confirms. Snow White says she wishes she could find a way to forget about the prince she has fallen for.

Upon hearing this, Red says nothing, but Snow White can tell by the look on her friend's face that she knows something. Red tells her that there is a man who can help her for a price - Rumpelstiltskin. After traveling through a dark swamp as she ties up her boat, Snow White meets Rumpelstiltskin for the first time, telling him of a love she cannot forget. He gives her a potion to forget about the prince, wanting only a lock of her hair for payment.

As Snow White is about to drink the potion, a bird arrives with a letter. It is from Prince Charming, asking her to see him before the day of his wedding. If she sees him and feels the same way, he will run away with her as he does not love the woman he is going to marry. Traveling to The Castle, she easily enters without notice until she is caught after seeing the prince walk by. The guards take her down into the dungeon where she is placed in a cell next to a dwarf, who introduces himself as Grumpy. He too has a love story that brought him into the dungeon.

After a few minutes, Stealthy, one of Grumpy's friends, arrives to unlock the cell and releases him. As Snow White bids him farewell with the hope that he finds his love again, Grumpy unlocks her cell. As the three work their way out of the dungeon, Snow White tries to tell them to use another exit, but Grumpy goes his own way and gets caught again.

The guards kill Stealthy, and Grumpy is saved by Snow White when she threatens King George that she will burn down the castle if he doesn't let him go. She is taken to a private chamber where King George demands that she tells the prince she doesn't love him, or the king will kill him without a second thought.

Going to the prince's private chamber, Snow White tells him that she doesn't love him, and he should marry King Midas' daughter Abigail. Leaving the castle in tears, she meets Grumpy and six Dwarves in the forest. Grumpy takes pity on her and asks if she would like to stay with them until she is ready to go off on her own again.

Broken-hearted, Snow White begins to open the potion bottle Rumpelstiltskin gave her, but Grumpy stops her, reasoning that heartache is what makes us who we are. Later, Grumpy finds out through Red Riding Hood that Prince Charming called off the wedding and is searching for her, only to find that she has taken the potion and forgotten all about her true love. ("7:15 A.M.")

Snow White's behavior changes after taking the potion. Now a hateful person, she has forgotten about love. Her friends stage an intervention with the help of Jiminy Cricket, but Snow decides to kill the Queen. While visiting Rumpelstiltskin, he gives her a bow and arrow to do just that. Along with a map to find the right place to kill the queen.

James finds her and kisses her, which has no effect as she does not remember him or her feelings for him. Snow knocks out James, ties him up, and leaves to continue her mission; however, James escapes and jumps in front of Snow's arrow, striking him in the shoulder. He declares that he would rather die than see her become evil.

Touched, Snow kisses him, this time causing the potion's effects to wear off. She regains her memory just as King George's men arrive. She tries to help James and is nearly killed for it. The soldiers take James away and Snow yells after him, "I will find you, I will always find you." Repeating the phrase coined by Charming himself. She returns to the cottage to apologize to the dwarves and announces that James has been taken by King George's guards. They offer to go with her to rescue him. ("Heart of Darkness")

In an effort to rescue Prince Charming, Snow White, Red, Granny, the dwarves, and numerous fairies stage an attack on King George's castle. The attack is successful, but when Snow arrives in the castle dungeon, she discovers King George traded Prince Charming to the Evil Queen. Snow is able to speak to Charming and Regina through a magic mirror of the Queen. The Queen tells Snow to meet her alone and unarmed, and Snow agrees.

Snow meets with the Evil Queen, and the Queen tells her that if she willingly eats an apple enspelled by the Sleeping Curse, Prince Charming will not be harmed. Snow White take a bite of the apple and almost immediately loses consciousness. Her friends discover Snow White in a death-like state. ("An Apple Red as Blood") Snow is placed in a glass coffin. Prince Charming later arrives and breaks the spell with true love's kiss. ("Pilot") ("A Land Without Magic")

During their engagement, they are invited to Cinderella's and Thomas' wedding. However, Cinderella made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin that if he granted her the life of royalty she would have to give up her firstborn baby.

Charming, Thomas, Snow White, Grumpy and Cinderella plot to imprison Rumpelstiltskin. Snow White sends a bluebird to Rumpelstiltskin saying that Cinderella wants to meet him. During their meeting, Cinderella tricks him and makes him sign a paper with a quill fashioned by the Blue Fairy. The quill makes Rumpelstiltskin freeze and he is taken to the Dwarfs mine as a prison. ("The Price of Gold") At the wedding of Snow White and Prince James, during their vows, the Evil Queen crashes the wedding. As she walks up to the couple, Snow White shows no fear as she takes her prince's sword and threatens the Queen. She watches as the Evil Queen smirks at her and vows that she will have her revenge both on the couple and everyone else at the wedding who has had a happily ever after. ("Pilot") While Snow White is pregnant with Emma, she shares her fears of the Evil Queen's revenge with James. Willing to do anything to ease her mind, he agrees to let her meet with Rumpelstiltskin. Snow White then makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin for information on the Queen's revenge in return for her unborn daughter's name.

After Emma is born, she tells James to place Emma in the magical wardrobe. She later finds him lying on the ground, severely injured, next to the wardrobe. She has a brief encounter with her stepmother as the Dark Curse envelops them. ("Pilot")

For events involving this character after the breaking of the Dark Curse, see Mary Margaret's page.

Trivia
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 * When Snow White first meets Red Riding Hood, she asks her to call her Margaret, then Mary. Mary Margaret is her counterpart's name in Storybrooke.
 * Her looks are noted to be uncannily close to her dead mother, as said by her father - "[her mother] was the fairest in all of the land."
 * Snow White is similar to her daughter Emma. Both have given up their only child. Snow gave up Emma at birth, and Emma gave Henry up for adoption with the intention of wanting their children to have "their best chance." Both had become outlaws—Snow became a thief while Emma had trouble with the law before becoming a bail bonds person.
 * Snow White has shared similar experiences with her daughter, Emma. Both have run-ins with the Huntsman. Snow, in Fairytale Land, after he spared her life, and Emma in Storybrooke with Sheriff Graham, who always tried to help. Both also met Grumpy/Leroy in a similar situation of being thrown in jail. The first words Fairytale Land Grumpy said to Snow were, "What are you looking at, sister?" in King George's dungeon. Leroy says the same thing to Emma the first time he sees her in the holding cell. Grumpy/Leroy whistles the tune, "Whistle While You Work" in both encounters.
 * Snow White is one of only three characters so far with flashbacks to both her childhood and her adulthood that takes place in Fairytale Land. The other two are Geppetto and Jiminy Cricket.
 * Snow White is the first Disney PrincessTM to appear on the show.
 * Snow White hummed "With A Smile and A Song." ("Heart of Darkness")
 * Snow White was the one to give Prince Charming his nickname. ("Snow Falls")