Alice (Down the Rabbit Hole)

Alice is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. She débuts in the first episode of the first season and is portrayed by starring cast member Sophie Lowe.

Alice is based on the titular character from Lewis Carroll's novels "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There".

History
In England, presumably through a portal (possibly the Rabbit Hole) located in her garden outside her home, Alice visits Wonderland as a young girl. After returning home from Wonderland, she runs to inform her father of these adventures. Instead, Alice is met with alarm and shock from him. Her long absence has proved to be a trying time for her father, who believed Alice had died. From outside her father's study, Alice overhears him speaking to a doctor about the things in Wonderland she told him about. Her father is convinced by the doctor that Alice must be lying about where she's been this entire time. His doubt in her prompts Alice's determination to prove Wonderland is real.

On one such adventure, she steals pieces of mushroom from the Caterpillar and captures the White Rabbit. While being chased by guards, Alice enters a maze belonging to the Queen of Hearts, takes a bite of the mushroom to shrink herself, and hides. Seeking a place to lay low, she notices a bottle lying nearby. Uncapping the top, Alice slides in and unexpectedly meets a genie residing inside. At first, she is on her guard, believing him to be untrustworthy, and threatens to use the mushroom to return to her normal size, shattering his beloved bottle in the process. The genie quickly proves to be an ally; introducing himself as Cyrus and welcoming her into his home.

She learns the genie is originally from Agrabah, and is fascinated by how beautiful the land sounds. Alice states her reason for being in Wonderland is to gather proof that it is real; demonstrating by untying her bag to show the White Rabbit inside, who she plans to use as evidence. Cyrus asks who the proof is for, to which she says it's for her father. He thinks it's sad she is risking her life for someone who doesn't believe in her, and offers words of wisdom: Cyrus believes when you really love someone, proof is not necessary, and it's all about trusting in one's own belief. Sadly, Alice knows that isn't how love works in her world, but Cyrus cheers her up by pointing out that since she opened his bottle, anything is possible. Thus, he offers to grant her three wishes.

Later, Alice and Cyrus arrive on another world after many adventures together, and admire the scenery at the cliff of the Boiling Sea. In her distraction, Alice nearly slips, but he catches her in time. Both express happiness at having met the other, to which Cyrus uses the moment to talk about the thousands of years spent granting the wishes of humans, and his only wish was for freedom, but now he has another. Then, he bends down to one knee to propose to Alice, but in her delight, she says yes immediately, even though Cyrus protests that he had a whole speech planned. Happily, she pulls him up into a romantic kiss. As they part, Cyrus shows Alice his necklace, which pulsates a bright red, emanating glow. He states it glows to show their hearts are entwined and allows both of them to know when the other is near. Suddenly, they are interrupted by the untimely appearance of the Red Queen and her guards. Alice and Cyrus are forced to battle them. Eventually, two guards grab hold of Alice while several others attempt to drag Cyrus away, but he breaks free of their hold on him to rescue her. However, before they can escape together, the Red Queen uses magic to push Cyrus off the cliff to his death while a horrified Alice watches helplessly.

After returning to her world, Alice is left despondent at Cyrus's death. Unable to snap Alice out of the delusions, her father decides to commit her to an asylum, where she spends an unknown amount of time. Three doctors attempt to coax Alice into admitting all her tales of Wonderland and her love for Cyrus are lies. Alice insists they are, but the doctors do not believe her. One of the doctors, Dr. Lydgate, offers to help her forget with a special procedure, but only if she signs a piece of paper to verify her own consent. In tears, Alice signs the paper and is escorted back to her cell, where she tries to get some rest while the doctor prepares tools for her lobotomy.

Some time passes, and Alice awakens to see someone in the distance. Thinking it's nothing, she lays back down on her cot and hears her cell door being unlocked. Assuming the procedure is ready to take place, Alice begins to protest that she needs time to get dressed, but is silenced upon seeing the Will Scarlet, Knave of Hearts, enter her cell. He insists they must go now, but Alice is frightened and believes she is seeing nothing but a delusion. She continues to resist leaving with Will until some asylum guards approach to drag him away. Will struggles to get through to Alice, who doesn't want to remember and would rather forget her time in Wonderland. However, she is shocked to hear from him that Cyrus is alive and promptly changes her mind about forgetting by attacking the guards until all are beaten unconscious. In the hallway, Alice and Will meet up with the White Rabbit, who remarks they are late. While they escape, Dr. Lydgate stops Alice and promises he can help her get better, but he is stunned to see a walking and talking White Rabbit. The trio make a run into the city as the police chase after them. At a dead-end alley, Alice hastens the White Rabbit to get them out of trouble. After a portal is opened, the White Rabbit jumps in as Alice prepares to follow, but she stops shortly upon seeing that Will is not budging from his spot. He grimly reminds her that he did not leave Wonderland on good terms, but Alice emphasizes she once helped get his heart back, so he should do the same in return.

Landing in the Mellow Marsh, Will and Alice stand on top of the swamp's surface while conversing with the White Rabbit. Alice wants to know where the White Rabbit saw Cyrus, though he admits that isn't the case. Will insists that's what he said earlier on, but the White Rabbit claims it was a figure of speech and the Dormouse, during a tea party, was the one who said Cyrus is alive. Annoyed, the Knave calls out the legitimacy of the narcoleptic Dormouse, but the White Rabbit goes on to say he was told Cyrus is now at the Mad Hatter's abandoned house. Suddenly, Will notices the White Rabbit is now taller than before; drawing attention to the marsh's sticky effects of sinking himself and Alice like quicksand. After Alice learns that the Mad Hatter's house is in the Tulgey Woods, she and the Knave find themselves immobile, so the White Rabbit runs off to find help. At will's mention that their deaths will be like "smores" and further elaboration of what exactly they are, Alice gets an idea to use a dragonfly to toast the marsh, effectively hardening it's surface. From this, they are able to free themselves and clean up.

Near sunset, Will expresses interest in leaving as he doubts Cyrus is even alive and also reminisces about all the bad things he's done, which, justifiably, people in Wonderland want him to pay for. Therefore, he would rather not take the risk and instead return to Storybrook, but Alice perks his interest by offering him one of three wishes Cyrus once gave her. He accepts the deal, and they set off for the Tulgey Woods.

Once there, Alice and the Knave see a wanted poster for him. Alice inquires as to what he did that made him such an enemy of the murderous Red Queen, to which the Knave replies a lot of things. Alice sees a giant tree nearby and decides to climb to the top as she will be able to have a much better view of the surrounding land. She leaves her shoes on the ground with the wishes inside. On the tree, Alice spots the Mad Hatter's house in the distance and calls to the Knave, but receives no response. Instead, she faces the Cheshire Cat, who is bigger than the last time they met, carnivorous, and hungry. Alice is forced to dodge repeatedly as he tries to make a meal out of her. She ends up pinned down on the ground and ready to be eaten until Will attracts Cheshire's attention by stepping on his tail. As he is being lunged at by the gigantic feline, the Knave throws a piece of mushroom into the Cheshire Cat's mouth, shrinking him down to a smaller, less threatening size. Alice angrily chastises him for both leaving and stealing the three wishes, but the Knave finds it redeemable that he came back to save her.

Continuing on, Alice and the Knave eventually meet up again with the Rabbit and head to the Mad Hatter's house, with the Knave mentioning the Mad Hatter escaped a long time ago and has not lived here for quite some time. The three break in and do not find Cyrus inside. However, upon exiting the house, Alice finds Cyrus' glowing necklace in the front yard, indicating he is alive. The Knave asks how can she be sure Cyrus is alive, and Alice professes that when you truly love someone, you do not need proof. She asks if the Knave will continue to help her, to which he reluctantly agrees. Through a path winding down Wonderland, the trio continue their journey to find Cyrus.

Trivia

 * The casting call describes her as: "Alice, a British twentysomething, is young but has already had a hard life and carries some emotional scars. Though she tries to hide it, she has a generous heart."
 * The casting for her younger self is "12-year-old Caucasian girl with a British accent who is feisty and adventurous."