The Snow Queen (Episode)

"The Snow Queen" is the seventh episode of Season Four of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and directed by Billy Gierhart. It is the seventy-third episode of the series overall, and premiered on November 9, 2014.

Synopsis
Emma captures the Snow Queen and interrogates her at the sheriff’s station. But the Snow Queen uses her prior knowledge of Emma to try to persuade her into thinking that they are more alike than she could possibly imagine. Regina and Robin Hood’s relationship grows increasingly complex as they struggle to find a way to save his dying wife, Emma begins to see what she missed out on by not growing up and being a family with Snow and Charming when she sees how involved Mary Margaret is in baby Neal’s life, and Henry begins his after school job in Gold’s shop while trying to help Regina find a clue to the identity of the author of the storybook. Meanwhile, in Arendelle of the past, we learn about the origin of the Snow Queen and her familial connection to Elsa and Anna as we see her discover her spectacular yet deadly ice powers.

Starring

 * Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret Blanchard
 * Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
 * Lana Parrilla as Regina Mills
 * Josh Dallas as David Nolan
 * Emilie de Ravin as Belle
 * Colin O'Donoghue as Hook
 * Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills
 * Michael Socha as Will Scarlet
 * Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold

Guest Starring

 * Sarah Bolger as Aurora
 * Georgina Haig as Elsa
 * Sean Maguire as Robin Hood
 * Elizabeth Mitchell as Snow Queen
 * Sally Pressman as Helga
 * Jessy Schram as Ashley Boyd
 * Pascale Hutton as Gerda
 * John Rhys-Davies as Grand Pabbie (Voice)
 * Jonathan Runyon as Duke
 * Brighton Sharbino as young Ingrid

Co-Starring

 * Ryan Booth as man
 * Bailey Herbert as young Helga
 * Ava Marie Telek as young Gerda
 * Greg Webb as King

Uncredited

 * Unknown baby as Neal Nolan

Production Notes

 * The title card features the Arendelle princesses' kite.
 * In Rumplestiltskin's castle, the runic symbols Fehu and Eihwaz are engraved on a hammer which resembles Thor's Mjölnir.

Event Chronology

 * The Arendelle events take place before "A Tale of Two Sisters".
 * The Enchanted Forest events take place several years before Anna visits the Enchanted Forest in "White Out".
 * The Storybrooke events take place after "Family Business".

Disney

 * This episode features Elsa, the queen and the Duke of Weselton from Frozen, as well as their homeland Arendelle.
 * Young Ingrid freezes their would be kidnapper similar to how eight year old Elsa freezes five year old Anna in the movie.
 * Ingrid freezes Helga similar to the way Elsa froze Anna in Frozen.
 * The Duke's dancing is similar to the way he danced in the movie.
 * Helga pronounces his name "Weasletown" instead of Weselton, and intends to stop the trading business between their kingdoms.

Fairytales and Folklore

 * This episode is a rendition of the Snow Queen fairytale, focusing on the Snow Queen and Gerda. Also featured is Rumplestiltskin from the fairytale of the same name and Captain Hook from the Peter Pan story.
 * According to Emma, the language which Belle translated for her is Elvish, a fictional language invented by J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

Popular Culture

 * Emma remarks that she hasn't seen The Lord of the Rings movies - which also features Once Upon a Time actors John Rhys-Davies as Gimli, and Brad Dourif as Grima Wormtongue.