Johanna

Johanna is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. She débuts in the fifteenth episode of the second season. She is portrayed by Lesley Nicol.

Before the Curse
Johanna is the personal maid of Queen Eva and as such is close to both her and her daughter, Snow White. On Snow White's birthday celebration day, Johanna tries on Snow White's tiara and poses while wearing it in the mirror on top of Eva's bureau. Snow White and Eva walk in on her and Johanna quickly takes the tiara off, apologizing to Eva and Snow White. However, Snow White scolds Johanna for wearing the tiara and says that servants should not wear crowns. Eva then scolds and tells her that she raised Snow White better than that, telling her that it does not matter if someone is a servant or a royal; everyone deserves her love and respect. As Johanna looks on, Snow tries on the tiara. Eva suddenly collapses in a nearby chair, coughing and convulsing. A concerned Johanna and Snow White rush to her side. Later, Johanna looks on helplessly as Eva lies in bed and Snow sits by her side, holding her hand tightly. When Eva starts coughing hard again, the doctor advises Johanna to call for King Leopold to come to his wife's side. At Eva's instruction, Johanna takes Snow White from her mother's room to let her rest. In the hall outside, Johanna comforts a distraught Snow White and informs her of the Blue Fairy as a magical mentor and adviser to Eva, and that if anyone can help Eva, she can. She instructs Snow White on how to find the Blue Fairy and talk to her.

Johanna is present when Snow White returns to Eva's bedside after having seen the Blue Fairy and being offered dark magic as a way to save her. When Snow White reveals she could not do it and Eva dies, Johanna comforts and embraces her. She helps Snow White put on her tiara and prepares to go to her mother's funeral. Johanna is in the audience as Snow White kneels by her mother's side and grieves for her loss, and later takes her away after the service.

It is also shown that Johanna was travelling with Snow White on the day she encountered Regina near her family's estate. For events occurring after the casting of the Dark Curse, see Johanna.

Trivia

 * Her casting call describes her as "50, kind, and serves a wealthy family whose members think of her as one of their own, and to whom she's very loyal."
 * Her code name was "Edith". In Old English "ead", means "riches or blessed", and gyo, which means "war". Her real name is Hebrew meaning "God is gracious", and a feminine form of John.