Storybrooke Free Public Library

The Clock Tower is a location on ABC's Once Upon a Time. It first appears in the first episode of the first season.

The tower is located in the middle of Storybrooke, and when Emma Swan arrives and stays, the clock begins to move (signifying time is going forward). It also doubles as Storybrooke's library. It was the home to Maleficent's Dragon Form before Emma defeated her.

During the Curse
When the Evil Queen cast the curse she imprisoned Maleficent in her dragon form, deep below the surface in a cave, as punishment. When Emma Swan's son Henry Mills comes back to Storybrooke with her, they stop outside the library and when Emma looks up to see what time it was, she notices the clock is frozen. Henry quickly explains to her how, in his whole life, that clock had never moved, because of the curse.

Thus, everyone in Storybrooke is trapped, unable to move forward in time. While outside the library, Henry's therapist, Archie Hopper stops to talk to the two and asks if everyone is alright. Archie reveals to Emma that the mayor, Regina Mills, is Henry's adoptive mother.

When Henry explains that he is with his real mom, Archie asks where he was that day because he missed his session with him. Henry tells him that "he went on a field trip" and Archie advises him that lying - giving into one's dark side - never accomplishes anything. When Archie leaves, Henry explains that everyone trapped within the town does not remember what had happened or their past lives in the Enchanted Forest.

Henry believes that simply bringing Emma back to Storybrooke would make time move forward. However, only when Emma realizes that Henry's adoptive mother, Regina Mills, is trying to keep Henry away from her and decides to stay in the town at Granny's Bed and Breakfast for a week after did the clock move forward. Henry witnesses this event from his bedroom window. He smiles at this, knowing that Emma had decided to stay. Later, when Regina notices the clock had become unfrozen, it shocks her, and she realizes that something has gone awry. She later brings Emma Swan here to retrieve the true love potion Mr. Gold had hidden in Maleficent's belly. Upon Maleficent's death, the clock tower lacks a proper purpose other than what it's supposed to be for.

After the Curse
Later, it is  the place where Belle attempts to get a job before she is kidnapped by William Smee. After Belle is rescued by Mr. Gold, she receives a key which opens the doors to the library. It is revealed that the key has been sent by Mr. Gold. However, Belle says that she will not return to him. After Mr. Gold admits that he wants to retained magic because he wants to find his son, Belle invites him to join her for a snack at Granny's Diner. It is the place that David Nolan transfer Ruby into in order to escape the townspeople's wrath for killing Billy. However, Ruby chains Belle and gets away. It is later reviewed that Ruby has been framed by Albert Spencer. Belle goes in to the library and finds Hook there waiting for her. She recognizes him as the man who broke into her cell at the Queen's palace, and remembers that he wants to kill Rumplestiltskin. He confirms this as the two chase each other around the library. Belle pins Hook underneath a bookcase and hides in the elevator while she calls Mr. Gold. After finding a binary number in Belle's purse, Regina meets Hook and Cora here before they try to find the book in order to find the Dark One's Dagger. After realizing the book is gone, Cora find a map which Hook is able to translate. They soon discover the location of the dagger and are about to leave when Cora flings Hook to the side with her magic and she explains to Regina that they will use the dagger to control Mr. Gold to kill David, Mary Margaret and Emma.

Trivia

 * The top two layers of the clock tower (including the clock) are visual effects.

Appearances
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