Tweedledee, also known as Tweedle #1,[1] is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. He débuts in the first episode and is portrayed by co-star Matty Finochio.
Tweedledee is based on the character of the same name from the novel Through the Looking-Glass, Tweedle Dee from the animated Disney film Alice in Wonderland, and Tweedledee from the live-action Disney film of the same name.
History
In Wonderland, Tweedledee and his twin, Tweedledum, become servants of Anastasia, who is soon to marry the Red King. While she is settling in at the palace, they introduce themselves to her. When she cheerfully inquires for their names, Tweedledee states that due to their status as servants, they don't have any. During the conversation, Tweedledum notices the Queen of Hearts has come to greet Anastasia. The two Tweedles follow closely behind as the women stroll and casually talk. ("Heart of the Matter")
After Alice's return to Wonderland, the Red Queen rides up in her carriage and stops on the road to greet the White Rabbit. As she steps down, Tweedledee and Tweedledum help her out. One of the guards grabs the White Rabbit to bring him towards the Red Queen, who walks up with the two Tweedles beside her. She thunders about him being late, which he stutters apologies for, causing a smile to peek from her face. ("Down the Rabbit Hole")
In the royal castle, the Red Queen sits on her throne to receive a continuous stream of complaints and pleas for help from the kingdom's peasants as Tweedledee and Tweedledum stoically stand by. After she remarks their problems bore her, the crowd of people react in outrage until Jafar magically freezes everyone in the room except himself and the Red Queen. He confronts her about working towards finding the genie bottle and to free up more time for the search, Jafar turns all the peasants into piles of ash, which unfreezes Tweedledee and Tweedledum in the process. Red Queen looks on in displeasure as Jafar leaves while Tweedledee and Tweedledum begin sweeping up the mess on the floor. Afterwards, the two give the her a skin scrubbing cleanse, which she chides them to work harder at it. They are dismissed when the White Rabbit comes for a visit. ("Trust Me")
While helping to fit the Red Queen into a new outfit, she admires herself in the mirror until noticing Jafar standing nearby. Then, he and Tweedledum are sent away. Following Jafar's demand for the Red Queen to get rid of Knave, she follows through with the request. Through a mirror, Tweedledee notifies him of Knave's capture. Satisfied with the news, Jafar asks for a later reminder to reward him for his services. When Knave is sentenced to a public execution, a crowd gathers outside to await the spectacle, to which Tweedledee spots Alice. To the Red Queen and Jafar, he brings to their attention of Alice's presence. Jafar presses to allow Alice to stay so they can see how far she is willing to go for a friend. Alice heroically rescues Knave and they escape by launching themselves into a maze with a catapult. Led by the Red Queen, Tweedledee and Tweedledum catch up to stop Alice and Knave from getting away. Jafar forces Alice to make her first wish by threatening Knave's life. Next, he exerts physical pain on Alice herself, but she adamantly refuses to make a second wish, so Jafar deals a final damage by transforming Knave into a stone statue. Overcome with rage, Alice slaps the Red Queen for not helping Knave, to which Tweedledee and Tweedledum move to defend her. The Red Queen refuses their help and handles Alice by giving her a glaring lecture. As their Queen turns to leave, Tweedledee and Tweedledum follow behind. ("The Serpent")
On Jafar's command, Tweedledee kidnaps and brings the White Rabbit to him. After dumping the White Rabbit out of a bag, he quickly departs from the room. ("Heart of Stone")
When the Red Queen makes a trip to the lair, Tweedledee follows along, though Jafar is nowhere to be seen and neither is Cyrus. She attempts to use bodily force against the only remaining prisoner for answers, but he tells her nothing. Outside, the Red Queen observes a wall where Cyrus might've climbed down from. Tweedledee frets over the trivial manner of conducting the search while she is not appropriately dressed. For this, he is reprimanded with a slap as the Red Queen accuses him of thinking she doesn't know how to get her hands dirty. ("Who's Alice")
Tweedledee continues to secretly work for Jafar, and goes as far as stealing the bottle from the Red Queen's castle for him. However, his luck runs out when the Red Queen discovers the betrayal and takes off his head for it. Then, he is placed in a box, which Jafar later opens. ("Home")
Following Jafar's takeover of the Red Queen's former castle, Tweedledee is taken out of the box and placed on a pedestal. When queried by Jafar about the whereabouts of the Jabberwocky, Tweedledee is unwilling to give an answer until a new body is procured for him. Once Jafar promises to do so, Tweedledee shares information about the Jabberwocky while begging him not go after the creature, but the sorcerer decides the opportunity is too good not to pass up. Shortly after, Tweedledee's head is reattached to a new body. ("Nothing to Fear")Trivia
Production Notes
- Matty Finochio also plays Marcus Tremaine in the Once Upon a Time episode "One Little Tear."
Popular Culture
- Tweedledee and Tweedledum wear the same facial makeup that David Bowie wears on the cover of his 1973 album Aladdin Sane. ("Down the Rabbit Hole" et al.)
Set Dressing
- The framed prints in the hallway of Jefferson's mansion are John Tenniel's illustrations from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. Among the pictures is an illustration of Alice and Tweedledee and Tweedledum (it's the bottom picture on the left when Emma asks Jefferson why he's been watching her).[2] ("Hat Trick")
Costumes Notes
- The cloaks worn by Tweedledee[3] and Tweedledum[4] are the same cloaks worn by Bo Peep's bodyguards in the Once Upon a Time episode "White Out,"[5] and Jacob in the Once Upon a Time episode "The Other Shoe."[6] ("Down the Rabbit Hole" et al.)
Appearances
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": | ||||
Appears | Appears | Absent | Appears | Appears | Appears | Absent | ||||
"Home": | "Nothing to Fear": | "Dirty Little Secrets": | "Heart of the Matter": | "To Catch a Thief": | "And They Lived...": | |||||
Appears | Appears | Absent | Appears | Absent | Absent |
References
- ↑ LISTINGS: ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND: Air Date: Thursday, November 07, 2013. Time Slot: 8:00 PM-9:00 PM EST on ABC. Episode Title: (#104) "The Serpent". The Futon Critic. “"The Serpent" guest stars include [...] Matty Finochio as Tweedle #1”
- ↑ File:117Why2.png
- ↑ File:W106Annoyance.png
- ↑ File:W108Grapevine.png
- ↑ File:402MessWith.png
File:402Laughing.png - ↑ File:603GoodAfternoon.png