Cyclones, also known as Tornados, are portals featured on ABC's Once Upon a Time. They first appear in the sixteenth episode of the third season.
Cyclones are based on the magic of the same name from the novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
History
After being exposed for her affairs with a gardener, Jonathan, Cora abandons baby Zelena in a basket, allowing a cyclone to whisk her away to Oz. Cora did this to allow herself admittance into some form of royalty, later on in her life. Zelena is sent to Oz, where she is found by a Woodcutter and his wife. They adopt her. ("It's Not Easy Being Green") ("Bleeding Through")
Several years later, Zelena has now assumed power over all of Oz, and Glinda has began attempting to reform her from her wicked ways. Suddenly, Dorothy Gale's house comes flying through a cyclone, coming from Kansas. Dorothy's house lands in the middle of Oz due to this cyclone. ("Kansas")
Needing to find Emma after she'd become the Dark One, Regina enlists Zelena's help to create a cyclone which could take them to the Enchanted Forest. By using the Apprentice's Wand, Zelena is successful in opening a portal to Oz, with intentions of leaving Storybrooke forever, but Regina manages to cuff her, removing her magic. Later in the diner, Regina harnesses the wand, redirecting the cyclone to take them to whichever realm that Emma is in. ("The Dark Swan")
Not wanting to risk Zelena taking Robin Hood, Regina uses the Apprentice's wand to conjure a cyclone, which whisks Zelena back to Oz. ("Swan Song")
When the same cyclone manifests in Oz, Ruby, Mulan and Dorothy go to investigate and come across Zelena. ("Ruby Slippers")
Much later, Ruby arrives from Oz to the Underworld by cyclone, in search of Dorothy, whose disappearance she suspects Zelena is responsible for. ("Her Handsome Hero")
After being given a dark crystal by Regina in Storybrooke, Zelena takes her infant daughter with her and summons a cyclone to go back to Oz. However, instead she takes the Crimson Heart from there and returns to Storybrooke to assist her sister. ("Where Bluebirds Fly")
Trivia
Appearances
Once Upon a Time: Season Three | ||||||||||
"The Heart of the Truest Believer": | "Lost Girl": | "Quite a Common Fairy": | "Nasty Habits": | "Good Form": | "Ariel": | "Dark Hollow": | "Think Lovely Thoughts": | "Save Henry": | "The New Neverland": | "Going Home": |
Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
"New York City Serenade": | "Witch Hunt": | "The Tower": | "Quiet Minds": | "It's Not Easy Being Green": | "The Jolly Roger": | "Bleeding Through": | "A Curious Thing": | "Kansas": | "Snow Drifts": | "There's No Place Like Home": |
Absent | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Appears | Absent | Appears | Absent | Appears | Absent | Absent |
Once Upon a Time: Season Five | |||||||||||
"The Dark Swan": | "The Price": | "Siege Perilous": | "The Broken Kingdom": | "Dreamcatcher": | "The Bear and the Bow": | "Nimue": | "Birth": | "The Bear King": | "Broken Heart": | "Swan Song": | |
Appears | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Appears | |
"Souls of the Departed": | "Labor of Love": | "Devil's Due": | "The Brothers Jones": | "Our Decay": | "Her Handsome Hero": | "Ruby Slippers": | "Sisters": | "Firebird": | "Last Rites": | "Only You": | "An Untold Story": |
Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Appears | Appears | Absent | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Absent |
Once Upon a Time: Season Six | ||||||||||
"The Savior": | "A Bitter Draught": | "The Other Shoe": | "Strange Case": | "Street Rats": | "Dark Waters": | "Heartless": | "I'll Be Your Mirror": | "Changelings": | "Wish You Were Here": | "Tougher Than the Rest": |
Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
"Murder Most Foul": | "Ill-Boding Patterns": | "Page 23": | "A Wondrous Place": | "Mother's Little Helper": | "Awake": | "Where Bluebirds Fly": | "The Black Fairy": | "The Song in Your Heart": | "The Final Battle Part 1": | "The Final Battle Part 2": |
Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Appears | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Once Upon a Time: Specials | ||||||||||
"Magic is Coming": |
"The Price of Magic": | "Journey to Neverland": | "Wicked is Coming": | "Storybrooke Has Frozen Over": | ||||||
Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | ||||||
"Secrets of Storybrooke": | "Dark Swan Rises": | "Evil Reigns Once More": | "The Final Battle Begins": | |||||||
Absent | Absent | Archive | Archive |
Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.