True Love, and its action True Love's Kiss, is a type of magic featured on ABC's Once Upon a Time and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. It first appears in the first episode of the first season of Once Upon a Time.
True love is based on the Prince's kiss from the Brothers Grimm's version of "Sleeping Beauty," and Love's First Kiss[nb 1] from the Disney films Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Sleeping Beauty.
Uses
True love magic is one of the main aspects of light magic. It is the most powerful and simple form of magic with capabilities of breaking curses through the act of true love's kiss. It is so powerful, that sometimes it can break not one, but two curses simultaneously. It is also able to reverse effects of any potion. ("Skin Deep," "Heart of Darkness," "A Land Without Magic," "Kansas")
In his endeavor to capture the elusive and rare physical form of true love, Rumplestiltskin sought out to make deals with both Snow White and Prince Charming. On both occasions, he took a strand of each person's hair as payment. Combining both hairs in a bottle, he successfully created a true love potion, which he uses to bring magic to Storybrooke ("7:15 A.M.," "Heart of Darkness," "Land Without Magic")
Numerous times, true love's kiss has been used to bring someone out of a sleeping curse. Emma's, and later Regina's, success in using true love's kiss on Henry proves that true love can exist in not only romantic relationships but also parental relationships. It can also occur within friendship bonds and even through loyalty; such as Felix's loyalty to Pan. ("Pilot," "A Land Without Magic," "Into the Deep," "Going Home")
True love's kiss will not break a Dark One's curse if the dark one does not want to give up the power.[1] When the afflicted wants it, it is no longer a curse. Nor will true love's kiss work if both people involved are Dark Ones.[2] ("Skin Deep," "The Price")
As some practitioners of witchcraft can rip out another person's heart, those born as a product of true love, such as Emma, have the power to resist such magic. However, Aurora, who is also a product of true love, had her heart ripped out, meaning it is still possible to accomplish. ("Queen of Hearts," "Enter the Dragon," "Into the Deep")
In special situations, when the love is extremely true and pure, then the pair sharing true love can survive with having one heart between the two (both metaphorically and literally); such as Snow White and Prince Charming sharing two halves of one heart. They can also feel the pain of one another if one of them is harmed in some way. ("An Apple Red as Blood," "To Catch a Thief," "A Curious Thing," "The Final Battle Part 2")
According to Elsa, the only way to cure a freezing spell is an act of true love. Regina takes this to be a true love's kiss. ("Rocky Road")
Simple-looking objects, such as Ingrid and her sisters' ribbons, can be infused with true love, which causes them to have some magical abilities. ("The Snow Queen")
The first spark of two people's True Love can very rarely create a powerful sprout made of True love. ("Heartless")
A pixie dust flower has the ability to unite anyone who shares true love, and can return lost memories, awaken someone from a coma and even create magic doors. ("Awake")
In order for true love's kiss to work, both parties involved must believe in magic and true love. Henry failed to wake up his daughter Lucy from her coma because she had lost her belief. Similarly, Henry and Jacinda's kiss did not break the Dark Curse because Henry stopped believing in it. ("The Eighth Witch," "Flower Child," "Is This Henry Mills?")
Known Practitioners
List of True Love's Kisses
S | Ep | Image | Kisser | Kissed | Broken spell/curse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Prince Charming | Snow White | Sleeping Curse | |
22 | |||||
3 | 2 | ||||
1 | 12 | Belle | Rumplestiltskin | Dark One Curse | |
1 | 22 | Emma Swan | Henry Mills | Sleeping Curse and the Dark Curse | |
2 | 1 | Prince Phillip | Aurora | Sleeping Curse | |
2 | 9 | Mary Margaret Blanchard | David Nolan | Sleeping Curse | |
3 | 19 | Regina Mills | Henry Mills | The Dark Curse | |
4 | 14[nb 2] | King Stefan | Briar Rose | Sleeping Curse | |
5 | 11[nb 2] | Brennan's nurse | Brennan Jones | Sleeping Curse | |
5 | 18 | Ruby | Dorothy Gale | Sleeping Curse | |
5 | 20 | Zelena | Hades | Heart-stopping curse | |
6 | 1 | Gideon | Belle | Sleeping Curse | |
6 | 7 | David Nolan | Snow | Sleeping Curse | |
6 | 15 | Aladdin | Jasmine | The curse for the trapment of Agrabah | |
6 | 22 | Snow White | Prince Charming | Blackout | |
Henry Mills | Emma Swan | Death | |||
7 | 5 | Robert's true love | Robert | Shapeshifting curse | |
7 | 20 | Henry Mills | Roni | Blackout and the Dark Curse | |
7 | 21 | Handsome Prince | Princess | Sleeping Curse | |
W | 13 | Will Scarlet | Red Queen | Love manipulation via the Spell of the Three Genies | |
C | SOTQ |
Trivia
Props Notes
- The inscription on the true love scale reads "ΜΟΝΟ ΜΙΑ ΚΑΡΔΙΑ ΓΕΜΑΤΗ ΜΕ ΑΛΗΘΙΝE [sic] ΑΓΑΠE ΜΠΟΡΕΙ,"[3] which is Greek for "only a heart full of true love can pass." (Note that "αληθινe" is a misspelling of "αληθινη," the Greek word for "true.") ("Firebird")
Other Notes
- There is no kiss in the "Snow White" fairytale. In the first edition from 1812, the apple is dislodged from Snow White's throat when one of the prince's servants, angry for having to carry the dead Snow White's coffin wherever the prince goes, strikes the sleeping princess. Beginning with the second edition from 1819, the apple dislodges when a servant accidentally stumbles while carrying the coffin to the prince's castle.[4] Snow White being awakened by the prince's kiss is an element which was added for the Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
- In Charles Perrault's version of "Sleeping Beauty," the prince finds the sleeping princess and, finding himself infatuated with her, falls to his knees, just as the curse breaks.[5] In the Brothers Grimm's version, the prince does not fall to his knees; instead, he stoops down and gives her a kiss just as the curse breaks.[6] This was modified for the Disney film Sleeping Beauty, where the prince actually awakens the princess with a kiss, which breaks the spell and wakes everyone in the palace.
Appearances
Once Upon a Time: Season One | ||||||||||
"Pilot": | "The Thing You Love Most": | "Snow Falls": | "The Price of Gold": | "That Still Small Voice": | "The Shepherd": | "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter": | "Desperate Souls": | "True North": | "7:15 A.M.": | "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree": |
Appears | Mentioned | Mentioned | Mentioned | Absent | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Mentioned |
"Skin Deep": | "What Happened to Frederick": | "Dreamy": | "Red-Handed": | "Heart of Darkness": | "Hat Trick": | "The Stable Boy": | "The Return": | "The Stranger": | "An Apple Red as Blood": | "A Land Without Magic": |
Appears | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Appears | Absent | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Appears |
Once Upon a Time: Season Two | ||||||||||
"Broken": | "We Are Both": | "Lady of the Lake": | "The Crocodile": | "The Doctor": | "Tallahassee": | "Child of the Moon": | "Into the Deep": | "Queen of Hearts": | "The Cricket Game": | "The Outsider": |
Appears | Absent | Mentioned | Mentioned | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Appears | Mentioned | Mentioned |
"In the Name of the Brother": | "Tiny": | "Manhattan": | "The Queen Is Dead": | "The Miller's Daughter": | "Welcome to Storybrooke": | "Selfless, Brave and True": | "Lacey": | "The Evil Queen": | "Second Star to the Right": | "And Straight On 'Til Morning": |
Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Mentioned | Absent | Absent |
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 | Archive | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | 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 | Mentioned | Absent | Mentioned | Absent | Appears | Mentioned | Mentioned | Mentioned |
Once Upon a Time: Season Four | ||||||||||
"A Tale of Two Sisters": |
"White Out": |
"Rocky Road": |
"The Apprentice": |
"Breaking Glass": |
"Family Business": | "The Snow Queen": |
"Smash the Mirror": |
"Fall": | "Shattered Sight": |
"Heroes and Villains": |
Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Mentioned | Mentioned | Mentioned | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Absent |
"Darkness on the Edge of Town": |
"Unforgiven": | "Enter the Dragon": | "Poor Unfortunate Soul": |
"Best Laid Plans": | "Heart of Gold": | "Sympathy for the De Vil": |
"Lily": | "Mother": | "Operation Mongoose Part 1": |
"Operation Mongoose Part 2": |
Absent | Mentioned | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | 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": | |
Absent | Mentioned | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Mentioned | |
"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 | Mentioned | Absent | Appears | Mentioned | Appears | Mentioned | 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": |
Appears | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Appears | Appears | 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 | Appears | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Appears |
Once Upon a Time: Season Seven | ||||||||||
"Hyperion Heights": | "A Pirate's Life": | "The Garden of Forking Paths": | "Beauty": | "Greenbacks": | "Wake Up Call": | "Eloise Gardener": | "Pretty in Blue": | "One Little Tear": | "The Eighth Witch": | "Secret Garden": |
Mentioned | Mentioned | Mentioned | Absent | Appears | Mentioned | Absent | Mentioned | Absent | Mentioned | Absent |
"A Taste of the Heights": | "Knightfall": | "The Girl in the Tower": | "Sisterhood": | "Breadcrumbs": | "Chosen": | "The Guardian": | "Flower Child": | "Is This Henry Mills?": | "Homecoming": | "Leaving Storybrooke": |
Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Appears | Appears | Archive |
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland | ||||||||||
"Down the Rabbit Hole": | "Trust Me": | "Forget Me Not": | "The Serpent": | "Heart of Stone": | "Who's Alice": | "Bad Blood": | ||||
Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Mentioned | Absent | ||||
"Home": | "Nothing to Fear": | "Dirty Little Secrets": | "Heart of the Matter": | "To Catch a Thief": | "And They Lived...": | |||||
Mentioned | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Appears |
Once Upon a Time: Comics | |||||||||||||||||||
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Once Upon a Time: Novels | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Once Upon a Time: Specials | ||||||||||
"Magic is Coming": |
"The Price of Magic": | "Journey to Neverland": | "Wicked is Coming": | "Storybrooke Has Frozen Over": | ||||||
Archive | Archive | Archive | Archive | Archive | ||||||
"Secrets of Storybrooke": | "Dark Swan Rises": | "Evil Reigns Once More": | "The Final Battle Begins": | |||||||
Archive | Archive | Archive | Archive |
Other Appearances | ||||||||||
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Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.
See also
Types of Magic | |||
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References
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Notes
- ↑ Spelled with capital letters, as seen in this screenshot from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mentioned only