Rapunzel (The Tower)

This article focuses on the first iteration of Rapunzel and Dame Gothel. For the second iteration of Rapunzel, see Rapunzel Tremaine. For the second iteration of Dame Gothel, see Gothel. For the fairytale, see "Rapunzel (Fairytale)".

Rapunzel
Enchanted Forest Character
Biographical Information
Gender:	Female
Status:	Alive
Home:	Her kingdom Her tower (formerly)
Relatives:	See "Family"
Physical Description
Species:	Human
Hair color:	Black
Eye color:	Brown
Show Information
Portrayed by:	Alexandra Metz
Only appearance:	"The tower"
Relevant Pages

“

I didn't know if I could be queen. And if I didn't know, how could my parents believe in me?

”

—Rapunzel to Prince Charming ^src

Princess Rapunzel is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. She débuts, with her only appearance, in the fourteenth episode of the third season and is portrayed by guest star Alexandra Metz.

Rapunzel is based on the titular character from the fairytale, "Rapunzel". Her fear manifestation is based on Dame Gothel from the same fairytale.

History

Before First Curse

Born as the second child to her parents, the King and Queen of an unnamed kingdom, Rapunzel lives an unworried life knowing that her elder brother, instead of herself, will ascend the throne in the future. Though her parents warn Rapunzel against swimming in the stream, she disobeys them, becoming entrapped in the river, and is later saved by her brother. Tragically, her brother dies as a result, leaving Rapunzel as the next heir to the royal seat. Many years later, Rapunzel, afraid she won't live up to her parents' names as a ruler, digs up and ingest a plant called night root, which is rumored to rid the user of their fears, but it has no effect. Before leaving for home, she is chased up a tower by a cloaked witch, who refuses to allow her to ever leave. Unbeknownst to Rapunzel, the witch is a manifestation of herself as her own greatest fear as a consequence of consuming the night root. ("The Tower")

Before Second Curse

From her tower window, Rapunzel notices a man digging up night root. Since he is the first person she's seen in a long time, the princess calls to him for help. The man, Prince Charming, climbs up the tower using her long, braided hair as a scaling rope. After she tells him of her past, he promises to rescue her. When the cloaked witch climbs up the tower, she is finally unmasked as Rapunzel herself due to the effects of the night root. While Prince Charming pushes Rapunzel to fight this manifestation of her own fear, the witch throws him out of the tower. As he is clinging onto a vine, the witch begins ascending up using Rapunzel's hair. Advised by Prince Charming to fend off the fear or risk dying alone, she severs the length of her hair; causing the witch to fall and dissipate. Prince Charming helps Rapunzel out of the tower, bringing the princess to her parents, who she happily reunites with. ("The Tower")

Family

King

Queen

Brother †

Rapunzel

---

Notes:

• Solid lines denote parent-child blood relationships
• Dashed lines denote marriage, engagement and adoption relationships, and relationships that result in offspring
• † denotes the deceased

Trivia

• Character Notes
• Production Notes
• Set Notes

Character Notes

• Rapunzel is one of only three Enchanted Forest characters who were never featured in a flashback from before the first curse, the others being Lumiere and Roland.

Production Notes

• The casting call describes her as, "a teenage African-American female who comes across as skittish and timid, having had her naturally curious and determined spirit tempered by years of crippling fear. That said, when put to the test, this lass can reach within and summon the strength to be a hero."

Costume Notes

• Rapunzel's dress is the same outfit that Guinevere wears for her birthday celebration in "The Broken Kingdom". ("The Tower")
  • The dress is also worn by an attendee of the ball held at the Camelot castle. ("The Price")

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	Absent	Appears	Absent	Absent	Absent	Absent	Absent	Absent	Absent	Absent

Centric Listing

This list contains all Rapunzel-centric episodes/stories: "The Tower"

See also

• Rapunzel's Tower