Pinocchio

"I don't wanna go. I don't wanna leave you!"

- Pinocchio to Geppetto

Pinocchio is a minor character on Once Upon a Time. He debuts in the first episode of the first season. He is the son of Geppetto, and his Storybrooke alias is August Booth. His is played by guest star Jakob Davies.

Pinocchio is based on the titular character from the story, Pinocchio.

Season One
Pinocchio was carved out of a magical tree by an old craftsman, Geppetto, and enchanted by the Blue Fairy to become a living wooden boy. Pinocchio was told that he could become a "real boy" if he was kind, selfless, and honest. At some point, Pinocchio did something to get him and his father onto a raft in the middle of the sea, where the enormous whale Monstro chased after them.

Pinocchio gave Geppetto the only life preserve, claiming that he could float since he was wooden, and dived into the sea. Geppetto later woke up on the shoreline and saw Pinocchio facedown in the water. Because of his bravery, the Blue Fairy turns him into a real boy. Pinocchio is first seen with his father in Pilot, when Prince Charming is discussing how to defeat the Evil Queen's Dark Curse. Just then, the Blue Fairy comes with a magical tree, and announces that it could save someone from the curse - but only one person can go through.

James asks Geppetto if he could fashion a vessel out of the tree before the Curse is cast. Geppetto nods and ruffles Pinocchio's head, making him look up.

The pair are later seen working on carving out a wardrobe from the tree. It is later decided Snow White, while still pregnant, will be the one put into the wardrobe because her baby is not yet born. Rumpelstiltskin prophecized their child would have the power to save everyone from the curse in 28 years' time.

However, she goes into premature labor and gives birth to her daughter, Emma Swan just as Geppetto finishes. The Blue Fairy arrives and pleads with Geppetto to tell Snow and James the truth, so that Snow can go into the wardrobe with her daughter. The Blue Fairy is adamant Emma has someone to guide and look out for her as she grows up. He refuses and places Pinocchio in the wardrobe first. He makes Pinocchio promise to take care of Emma.

Snow and James decide they have to part from their daughter in order for the prophecy to come true in 28 years. James is injured as he battles the Queen's black knights and collapses just after putting Emma into the wardrobe. The curse then engulfs all of Fairytale Land.

Once in the real world, Pinocchio appears inside a tree. Once he gets out, he first sees an airplane only to wince a little, considering he has never seen one before. When he tries to get back inside the tree, he is only blown backwards as he remembers the promise he made to Geppetto. As he gets up, Pinocchio finds Emma in the tree, crying, so he holds her and tries to calm her down while wondering what he was going to do.

Sometime after Pinocchio and Emma came into the real world, they both got put in an orphanage, and Pinocchio, who most likely had already become August, had gotten used to modern day life, and treating Emma like a sister. One day, Pinocchio was trying to fix Emma's cot only to get the tools taken away from the janitor at the orphanage.

Eventually, a boy went over to Pinocchio and told him that he and some other children were able to get enough money to leave the orphanage and wondered if he wanted to come. Pinocchio then remembered the promise he made to Geppetto about taking care of Emma only to end up breaking it and leaving Emma at the orphanage.

Trivia

 * He is sanding a whale in Pilot, a reference to Monstro, the whale that attacked both he and his father.
 * According to the Blue Fairy, Pinocchio will only stay a real boy as long as he remains "brave, truthful and unselfish..." to himself and others. Otherwise, he will return to his marionette form.