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Unicorns

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This page focuses on the species.
For the decoration items, see unicorn mobile and unicorn mobile (Underworld).

According to legend, all we need to do is touch its horn... and get a glimpse of our child's future.

—Snow White to Prince Charming src

Unicorns are a species featured on ABC's Once Upon a Time. They are native to the Enchanted Forest and first appear in the second episode of the first season.

Unicorns are based on the creature of the same name from worldwide mythology.[1]


Biology and Characteristics

Unicorns carry physical traits of normal horses, except they have long, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from their foreheads. They also make the same sound as horses. They are known to be harmless creatures, and if people wish to interact with them, they may have to track down their location and must approach them slowly. ("The Thing You Love Most," "The Doctor," "Best Laid Plans")

They have the ability of showing the future to a person. However, the person must first get close enough to feed an apple to a unicorn. Once the unicorn has eaten the apple, all the person needs to do is to touch the unicorn's horn. Just like traditional foresight, the future that the person glimpses may or may not happen. ("Best Laid Plans")

They can also become other people's pet animals, as evidenced with Maleficent who had a pet unicorn. According to her, "they can be quite comforting". ("The Thing You Love Most")

History

Before First Curse

During one of her magic training sessions with Rumplestiltskin, Regina successfully freezes a black unicorn. However, when he orders her to tear out the animal's heart, she balks, since doing so only reminds her of what her mother did to the man she loved. Later on, Rumplestiltskin manages to corrupt Regina, who later crushes another witch's heart as proof of her competency. ("The Doctor")

Residing in an isolated castle, Maleficent lives peacefully with a pet unicorn, who she shows much affection for. When the Evil Queen visits, Maleficent remarks that all of Regina's plans to punish Snow White are vain, and that she should focus on finding something to love instead. The fellow witch even suggests that Regina should get a pet, however, the Evil Queen is determined to retrieve the Dark Curse she once gave to Maleficent, but the latter is reluctant to surrender it. Regina then settles for a battling Maleficent for the curse, and upon realizing the unicorn is her weak point, she prepares to kill it. As Maleficent protects her pet, the Evil Queen binds up the witch and steals the curse. ("The Thing You Love Most")

Since learning from Maleficent that their unborn child has the potential to be good or evil, Snow White and Prince Charming track down a white unicorn and both touch its horn in order to glimpse their baby's future. For Prince Charming, he sees his infant daughter in a crib adorned with purple ribbons. He then picks her up and happily holds her. As for Snow White, she sees her teenager daughter dressed in a pink gown. Snow White approaches to state herself as her mother, though the girl replies, "I don't care," before tearing out and crushing her heart. The vision shocks Snow White, and since Prince Charming had a different vision from hers, they are unable to conclude which is an accurate depiction of the future. ("Best Laid Plans")

Trivia

On-Screen Notes

Props Notes

Set Dressing

Appearances

Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.

References

  1. ↑ Unicorn. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved on October 13, 2021. “The unicorn appeared in early Mesopotamian artworks, and it also was referred to in the ancient myths of India and China. (…) As a biblical animal, the unicorn was interpreted allegorically in the early Christian church. One of the earliest such interpretations appears in the ancient Greek bestiary known as the Physiologus, which states that the unicorn is a strong, fierce animal that can be caught only if a virgin maiden is placed before it. The unicorn leaps into the virgin's lap, and she suckles it and leads it to the king's palace. Medieval writers thus likened the unicorn to Christ, who raised up a horn of salvation for mankind and dwelt in the womb of the Virgin Mary. (…) Many fine representations of the hunt of the unicorn survive in medieval art, not only in Europe but also in the Islamic world and in China.”
  2. ↑ File:102Title.png
  3. ↑ File:416Title.png
  4. ↑ Scottish fact of the week: Scotland's official animal, the Unicorn. The Scotsman (October 5, 2012). “In Celtic mythology, the Unicorn of Scotland symbolized innocence and purity, healing powers, joy and even life itself, and was also seen as a symbol of masculinity and power.”
  5. ↑ MYTHICAL BEINGS: Unicorn. Quick Silver Mint. Retrieved on August 13, 2018. “Unicorns were a symbol of purity and innocence in European mythology. As legend had it, only a virgin girl could "capture" a Unicorn, and many Renaissance tapestries and paintings show the Unicorn with its head on the lap of a maiden. As a symbol of purity, Unicorns have been shown with the Virgin Mary, Her protector, and protector and companion of all maidens.”
  6. ↑ File:101TalkToHim.png
    File:311WhatIfItFails.png
  7. ↑ File:104Unicorns.png
    File:106NiceMobile.png
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 File:516SleepWell.png
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 File:514UnicornMobile.png
  10. ↑ File:516LookAtThis.png
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 File:112QueenAboutToLeave.png
  12. ↑ File:101TalkToHim.png
  13. ↑ File:104Unicorns.png
  14. ↑ File:106SeeingMobile.png
  15. ↑ File:108TheCommonGood.png
  16. ↑ File:120InAMoment.png
  17. ↑ File:217BeHappyHere.png
  18. ↑ File:311Prevail.png
  19. ↑ File:314ThisIsntPossible.png
  20. ↑ File:617DavidEntersPawnshop.png
  21. ↑ File:515LookAtYou.png
  22. ↑ File:310Unicorn.png
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