Fairies

"As fairies, we get to spend very little time in your world."

- Nova to Dreamy

Fairies are a humanoid creature species featured on ABC's Once Upon a Time and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. They are native to Fairy Tale Land and Wonderland, and first appear in the first episode of the first season of Once Upon a Time.

The most prominent fairy, the Blue Fairy, is based on the "Fairy with Turquoise Hair" from The Adventures of Pinocchio. Another prominent fairy, Tinker Bell, is based on the character of the same name from Peter Pan.

Biology
Fairies are human in appearance, but with a few of noticeable differences. Normally, they are quite small in size, although they have the ability to enlarge themselves to the size of a human. Two insect-like wings protrude from their back, which disappear when they are not flying, and re-appear as they get ready for take-off. When they fly or change shape, their bodies emit a sparkling glow.

Only female fairies have appeared so far, and it is not known whether there are any male fairies in existence. However, unlike dwarves, fairies are capable of falling in love, and have been known to enter into relationships with humans. They are also able to have children with humans, although the offspring does not seem to possess any fairy traits.

Fairies have their own special form of magic called Fairy Magic. If a fairy strays too far from their chosen path, their leader may stop believing in them, and they will lose their wings, along with their powers, and will no longer be a fairy. However, it is possible for a fairy to regain their powers if their leader and the fairy herself starts believing in her again.

There is an unknown, likely large number of fairies, as seen when a horde of them attacks King George’s castle.

Fairies appear to be a long-lived species. During the time where Rumplestiltskin (who was more than a hundred years old by the time the Dark Curse was cast) became the Dark One, the Blue Fairy was already a legend in the Enchanted Forest, and was described as an ancient being. The Black Fairy, who is Rumplestiltskin's mother, still looked young when she was reunited with her son more than a hundred years after she gave birth to him.

Culture
Fairies generally spend little time outside their own realm. They go through a training program with other, more experienced fairies, until they are able to work on their own. Fairies dedicate themselves to helping others and doing good. The more experienced fairies often become protectors of children and other people in need, and become their "fairy godmothers".

Fairies have to respect some rules, including a curfew, dust discipline and not taking on human size for no reason. If a fairy stops being good, she may be exiled.

According to the Blue Fairy, fairies don't lie. However, the Blue Fairy has lied on at least one occasion, such as when she told Snow White and Prince Charming, at Geppetto's insistence, that the magic tree could only protect one person from the Dark Curse, when, in actuality, it could save two.

Fairies have their own written language, which some humans can read as well.

Known Fairies

 * Black Fairy
 * Blue Fairy/Mother Superior
 * Fairy Godmother †
 * Nova
 * Silvermist
 * Tinker Bell

Trivia

 * -|On-Screen Notes=

On-Screen Notes

 * Fairies are featured in the title card for "The Price of Gold", "Quite a Common Fairy" and "Trust Me".
 * Fairies losing their wings because their leader stops believing in them, is a reference to the play version of Peter Pan, in which Tinker Bell is close to death and is revived by the live audience expressing their belief in fairies through clapping.
 * According to one of Merlin's books, fairies go to fairy rings (a naturally occurring ring or arc of mushrooms) to dance and cavort after a rainstorm. However, like many other locations associated with fairies, humans who dare to enter such a ring "may find themselves asleep for a hundred years", or "whisked off to the land of the little folk, never to return".
 * This is a direct reference to British fairy lore.
 * An old fairy saying is: "If someone believes in you, you are never alone".
 * Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold greatly dislikes fairies, as he does their counterparts, nuns. According to Mr. Gold, "Wherever there's injustice in the world, there's always a fairy.".


 * -|Production Notes=

Production Notes

 * The Blue Fairy's wings are inspired by dragonflies.

Appearances
Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.