Mermaids

"Smee: That voice, captain. What was it? Hook: The most dangerous creature in all the seas: a mermaid."

- Hook and William Smee

Mermaids are a humanoid species featured on ABC's Once Upon a Time. They are native to Enchanted Forest and Neverland, and first appear in the first episode of the third season.

Mermaids are based on the species of the same name from the Peter Pan novel and Disney film, but also from the "Little Mermaid" fairytale and Disney film.

Biology and Culture
Mermaids are aquatic creatures with the head and upper body of a human and the tail of a fish. They are able to breathe air while out of water. Mermaids are known for their hypnotic, powerful singing voice, which can lure ships to their death. Hook describes them as "the most dangerous creature in all the seas", and worse than a kraken.

Every year when the high tide rises, the sea goddess Ursula grants merpeople the ability to walk on dry land with human legs, until the next tide occurs. Mermaids have the ability to cross worlds, and to open portals and bring objects from one world to another. In some occasions, they are able to take other people through their portals. They can be summoned by Conch Shells.

Ursula, who was a Mermaid before being transformed into a Cecaelia, is the daughter of Poseidon, who is a Deity; indicating that merpeople can interbreed with Deities.

Little is known about Mermaid culture. According to Hook, mermaids are liars, and can't be trusted.

Known Mermaids

 * Ariel
 * An unknown mermaid
 * Snow White (briefly)
 * Ursula (formerly)

Trivia

 * -|Set Notes=

Set Dressing

 * There is a merman's trident on display in Rumplestiltskin's castle.
 * According to the poster in his Oz workroom, one of the freak show acts in the Wizard's circus is the Feejee mermaid. The Feejee mermaid was an object comprising the torso and head of a juvenile monkey sewn to the back half of a fish. During the 1800s, it was a common feature of sideshows, where it was presented as a version of a mermaid.
 * On Lily's billboard, there is a photograph of a merman's trident.

Costume Notes

 * The crowns worn by the mermaids in Neverland were made by Vancouver-based accessories designer Medicina Designs. The lead mermaid's crown was made with wood pieces hand-carved in Bali and a metal base, scalloped metal discs, real sea-shells, freshwater pearls, real crystals, semi-precious gemstones, and a starfish. Detachable strands of beads dangled from the sides of the crown to accent the mermaid's hair. An identical crown was created for the lead mermaid's stunt double. Three more crowns were created for the rest of the mermaids, but they do not show up on-screen.

Appearances
Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.