History TearJerker / OnceUponATime

** Tink's comment to Regina]] while reminiscing about their shared past, and how Regina never tried to make up for it:

** Granted he might've had it coming for choosing to keep his power over being with his son, Baelfire [[CallingOutTheOldMan calling Rumplestiltskin a coward]] is [[PartingWordsRegret the last thing he ever told his father]] before he disappeared into the portal. Those words would stay with him for years to come.

* When Rumplestiltskin is trashing his castle and he sees that he's about to destroy the chipped cup. He immediately restrains himself, but the look on his face just ''screams'' "Man, I ''really'' messed this up, didn't I?"
* Rumplestiltskin's small HopeSpot when he hears that Belle has been shunned by her father. His first thought is "so she needs a home, then?", with a sad/scared/hopeful smile creeping across his face, before the Queen tells him she died (a bluff). Props to Robert Carlyle (Rumple's actor) for the subtle but ever growing wide-eyed look of horror as the Queen tells him that she didn't just die... she was tortured to the point of suicide because of him.

* When it seems all hope is not lost, because Leroy is going to sell his boat, a tearjerker in itself because he seems so proud of it. Then, even though he will only get 3,000, Mr. Gold backing out of the deal entirely because for some unknown reason (at the time) he hates nuns.
** And subsequently Astrid's face when she discovers all the candles boxed up under a tarp on the dock.

* Regina is clearly heartbroken when she sees that Emma doesn't remember who she is and is afraid of her. Her desperate plee for Emma to believe her before being forced to teleport away by David doesn't help matters.

* Regina is clearly heartbroken when she sees that Emma doesn't remember who she is and is afraid of her. Her desperate plee for Emma to believe her before being forced to teleport away by David.

* Jiminy not only failing to put a stop to his [[TheSociopath sociopathic]] parents' thievery, but discovering that the BalefulPolymorph potion he'd intended to use on them was replaced and that he had unwittingly sold it to the nice couple they had just swindled. As if that weren't enough, after finding the couple has been turned into wooden puppets, their child returns home to find them in this state. The same child who had earlier been cheerfully eager to see the puppet show Jiminy's family put on.

'''As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff as per policy]]. [[{{Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned}} You Have Been Warned.]]'''

'''As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff as per policy.]] Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.'''

[[AC: Episode 1 - Pilot]]

--> Another banner year.

[[AC: Episode 2 - The Thing You Love Most]]

* Henry overhearing Emma say she doesn’t believe the curse is real, thanks to Regina.

[[AC: Episode 3 - Snow Falls]]

[[AC: Episode 4 - The Price of Gold]]

[[AC: Episode 5 - That Still Small Voice]]

[[AC: Episode 6 - The Shepherd]]

* Emma catching Graham sneaking out of Regina’s house. After slowly letting her walls down in the previous episodes, she immediately becomes guarded again.

[[AC: Episode 7 - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter]]

[[AC: Episode 8 - Desperate Souls]]

-->'''Gold''': Please...they grow up so fast. ... You enjoy these with your boy. Your time together is precious, you know? That's the thing about children...before you know it, you lose them.

[[AC: Episode 9 - True North]]

[[AC: Episode 10 - 7:15AM]]

[[AC: Episode 11 - Fruit of the Poisonous Tree]]
* Henry’s castle being destroyed.

[[AC: Episode 12 - Skin Deep]]

[[AC: Episode 13 - What Happened to Frederick?]]

-->'''Kathryn''': Have you ever been in love ?
-->'''Regina''': Once...
-->'''Kathryn''': Well, I've never was. ''({{Beat}})'' I want someone to look at me like that.

[[AC: Episode 14 - Dreamy]]

[[AC: Episode 15 - Red-Handed]]

[[AC: Episode 16 - Heart of Darkness]]

[[AC: Episode 17 - Hat Trick]]

-->My Grace. She’s waiting for me. I promised her I'd be home for tea.

[[AC: Episode 18 - The Stable Boy]]

[[AC: Episode 19 - The Return]]

* Doubles as heartwarming, Kathryn and David’s reunion.

[[AC: Episode 20 - The Stranger]]

--> '''August''': You're our only hope.
--> '''Emma''': *very sincerely* Then you're all screwed.

--> '''August''': I don't think I became the man he wanted me to be.

--> '''Mary Margaret''': I forgive you. Even if you can't admit what you did, I forgive you anyway. Your life must be filled with such incredible loneliness that your only joy comes from destroying everyone else's happiness. It's so sad, Mayor Mills, because despite what you think, it won't make you happy. It's only going to leave a giant hole in your heart.

[[AC: Episode 21 - An Apple Red as Blood]]

[[AC: Episode 22 - A Land Without Magic]]

-->'''Gold''': You're real? You're alive?

[[AC: Episode 1 - Broken]]

[[AC: Episode 2 - We are Both]]

[[AC: Episode 3 - The Lady of the Lake]]

[[AC: Episode 4 - The Crocodile]]

[[AC: Episode 5 - The Doctor]]

[[AC: Episode 6 - Tallahassee]]

* Aurora’s argument for why she should climb the beanstalk: she has no one left, so if she fails it’ll be no loss.

[[AC: Episode 7 - Child Of The Moon]]

[[AC: Episode 8 - Into The Deep]]

[[AC: Episode 9 - Queen of Hearts]]

[[AC: Episode 10 - The Cricket Game]]

** Regina’s father begging her to show remorse at her execution, in the hopes she’ll be spared. She seems to be considering it but when she’s brought out before Snow, her pride gets the better of her.

[[AC: Episode 11 - The Outsider]]

[[AC: Episode 12 - In The Name Of The Brother]]

[[AC: Episode 13 - Tiny]]

[[AC: Episode 14 - Manhattan]]

[[AC: Episode 15 - The Queen Is Dead]]

-->'''Neal''': "Papa?"

[[AC: Episode 16 - The Miller's Daughter]]

[[AC: Episode 17 - Welcome to Storybrooke]]

[[AC: Episode 18 - Selfless, Brave, and True]]

** Once again, Gepetto’s son dies in his arms.

[[AC: Episode 19 - Lacey]]

[[AC: Episode 20 - The Evil Queen]]

* Hook’s monologue about what will happen if he gets his revenge.
--> You ever wonder if this constant pursuit for revenge is the reason we have no one who cares for us? I mean, when all this is over, and I know the Crocodile is dead, for good and all, I'll have nothing to look forward to. My life will be empty.

[[AC: Episode 21 - Second Star to the Right]]

[[AC: Episode 22 - And Straight On Til Morning]]

[[AC: Deleted Scenes]]

[[AC: Episode 1- The Heart Of The Truest Believer]]

-->'''Regina''': "Henry called me a villain, and villains don't get happy endings. You believe that?"
-->'''Hook''': "I hope not, or we've wasted our lives."

[[AC: Episode 2- Lost Girl]]

* Charming being poisoned with Dreamshade by one of the Lost Boys’ arrows.

[[AC: Episode 3- Quite a Common Fairy]]

--> '''Tink:''' Do you know how selfish that is? ... You didn't just ruin your life. You ruined ''his''.

[[AC: Episode 4 - Nasty Habits]]

--> '''Emma:''' I knew the moment I saw him that I never stopped loving him.

[[AC: Episode 5 - Good Form]]
* Hook’s attempts at bonding with Emma being rejected. Doesn’t help that David tells him he’s “nothing but a pirate”.

[[AC: Episode 6 - Ariel]]

[[AC: Episode 7 - Dark Hollow]]

[[AC: Episode 8 - Think Lovely Thoughts]]

[[AC: Episode 9 - Save Henry]]

[[AC: Episode 10 - The New Neverland]]

[[AC: Episode 11 - Going Home]]

** Once again, Snow and Charming have to say goodbye to their daughter because of an incoming curse. But this time, it’s indefinite.

[[AC: Episode 12 - New York City Serenade]]

[[AC: Episode 13 - Witch Hunt]]

-->'''Regina''': This curse can be broken by the only true love of my life and the only reason I would ever want to wake: my son.

[[AC: Episode 14 - The Tower]]
* David’s nightmare in the opening. He’s already lost one child and now he’s terrified that he’s going to lose the next one.

[[AC: Episode 15 - Quiet Minds]]

--> Go find Tallahassee. Even if it’s without me.
** Just the fact that Neal never got to see Henry again. Even worse, Henry doesn’t remember him.

[[AC: Episode 16 - It's Not Easy Being Green]]

--> '''Regina:''' I've seen that letter a hundred times before. In my darkest moments, I'd go to it for comfort, solace, or a boost when I needed it. Because I... because I always thought it was about ''me''.

[[AC: Episode 17 - The Jolly Roger]]

[[AC: Episode 18 - Bleeding Through]]

[[AC: Episode 19 - A Curious Thing]]

[[AC: Episode 1 - A Tale of Two Sisters]]

[[AC: Episode 2 - White Out]]

* David’s story to Anna that his father often struggled with alcoholism throughout his childhood. He left on a two week journey, promising that he’d be sober when he returned. David eagerly waited until the last day only to find out that on the last night, his father gave in to temptation and drank himself to death. Considering how insecure he usually is at being a father, this scene puts everything into perspective.

[[AC: Episode 3 - Rocky Road]]

[[AC: Episode 4 - The Apprentice]]

[[AC: Episode 5 - Breaking Glass]]

[[AC: Episode 6 - Family Business]]

[[AC: Episode 7 - The Snow Queen]]Much tears were shed this episode.

[[AC: Episode 8 - Smash The Mirror]]

* Elsa learning about the truth of her parents’ trip. She’s completely shocked.

[[AC: Episode 9 - Fall]]

** Anna resigned to drown in the trunk, tearfully starts reciting her wedding vows so she can die as Kristof’s wife. Thankfully, Kristoff (and, unbeknownst to them, Elsa) will have none of that despair.

-->'''Robin Hood''': I'm not afraid of you.
-->'''Regina''': *eyes shiny with tears* ''You really, really should be.''

[[AC: Episode 10 - Shattered Sight]]

--> All I wanted was to have my sister's love, and... Now I have it. Now… I get to join them.

--> '''Emma:''' I should've known the only person willing to adopt me would turn out to be a nut job.

[[AC: Episode 11 - Heroes and Villains]]

---> '''Gold:''' We can have it all.
---> '''Belle:''' I just wanted you.

[[AC: Episode 12 - Darkness on the Edge of Town]]

[[AC: Episode 13 - Unforgiven]]

[[AC: Episode 14 - Enter the Dragon]]

[[AC: Episode 15 - Poor Unfortunate Soul]]

** Hook's genuinely remorseful later, and he tries to return her voice. It looks like it's going to work…[[YankTheDogsChain only for the magic to be sucked back into the seashell]], leaving Ursula to bitterly restate that villains don't get happy endings.

* Poseidon’s FreudianExcuse for why he wants Ursula’s voice: it’s the last reminder he has of his wife.

[[AC: Episode 16 - Best Laid Plans]]

** Snow’s guilt about it afterwards. She truly believes what they’ve done is unforgivable and there’s no way to redeem themselves.
--> I thought we were doing something brave for our child, and we were brave, but we weren’t kind. We were selfish. And I think we’re not heroes anymore.

-->'''Mary Margaret''': I'm your mother.
-->'''Emma''': [[GutPunch I don't care]].

* Gold’s speech to a sleeping Belle.

[[AC: Episode 17 - Heart of Gold]]

** His refusal to take what’s left on Neal’s belongings: it’s too painful of a reminder that he failed his son.

* Will revealing to Robin that he never intended to sell the potion but rather use it on himself because he’s still grieving the loss of his sister.

[[AC: Episode 18 - Sympathy For The De Vil]]

* Rumple finally revealing to Belle why he’s doing all of this. The Darkness is overtaking his heart and he’s slowly losing his humanity. The only hope for him now is some form of divine intervention, like the Author’s power.

[[AC: Episode 19 - Lily]]

* In the flashback, Emma once again having her dreams of being with a family dashed when Lily steals her foster family’s money. The father, in the heat of the moment, chastises her for endangering his children which makes Emma run away.

[[AC: Episode 20 - Mother]]

* Robin’s distraught reaction to Marian actually being Zelena and his worry for Roland losing his mother once again.

* The Apprentice’s quiet grief while telling Isaac the last Author has just passed away. Without being showy at all, Timothy Webber nails with devastating precision what a blow Walt Disney’s death was.
* Hook still feels guilty about trapping the Apprentice in the hat, despite Emma’s assurances.
* Henry manages to find Regina, but she doesn’t remember him. Instead, she thinks he’s a spy sent by Snow White.

** After they’re reunited in the real world, Emma ''still'' can’t bring herself to tell him. The look of disappointment on Hook’s face is pretty sad.

* Merida’s HappyEndingOverride. Her father has died and her three brothers have been kidnapped by the clans because they don’t think she’s fit to rule.
* Emma giving Regina the dagger, because she knows Regina’s the only one who’d be willing to destroy her if they should fail.

[[AC: Episode 2 - The Price]]
* Hook failing to use True Love’s Kiss on Dark!Emma.
* Regina revealing to the Charmings that she doesn’t know how to dance because at the royal balls, Leopold would only dance with Snow.
* Regina begging Emma to save Robin, despite knowing if Emma uses magic, it’ll push her closer to going dark.
* In present day, Regina struggling with the weight of being the town’s “savior”. It’s clear she wants to be the hero but is grappling with past mistakes and a lack of faith from the others.

* Dark!Emma standing outside of Granny’s, watching everyone be together.

[[AC: Episode 3 - Siege Perilous]]

* Hook rejecting Dark!Emma, saying she’s no longer the woman he knows and loves. While he doesn’t mean it, it clearly hurt both of them.
* Arthur cruelly manipulating his squire Grif into taking the fall for the stolen items and committing suicide. The poor boy’s fearful face before he drinks the poison says it all.

[[AC: Episode 4 - The Broken Kingdom]]
* Emma’s SanitySlippage in the beginning of the episode. She keeps being drawn to the dagger but then pushed away, thanks to Regina’s protection spell. Since she can’t sleep anymore, she’s been making dreamcatchers non-stop. The Darkness is constantly needling her until finally she snaps and almost accidentally hits Hook with magic. When her family finds her later, she’s practically catatonic.
* Snow and Charming’s fight is pretty hard to watch, especially when Snow accuses Charming of trusting Arthur because he wants to feel like a hero again.
* Arthur slowly alienating Guinevere in the flashback, becoming more and more obsessed with finding the Dark One’s dagger.

* Lancelot and Guinevere agreeing that they can’t be together, for Arthur’s sake.

[[AC: Episode 5 - Dreamcatcher]]

* Sir Morgan (Violet’s father) harshly rejecting Henry as a possible suitor for Violet.

-->'''Regina''': It was like it was happening all over again.

[[AC: Episode 6 - The Bear and the Bow]]
* Rumple breaking Belle’s teacup so he can use the shards to cut the ropes around his wrist. He even whispers “Forgive me, Belle.” before doing so.
* Merida begging Rumple to stop her from killing Belle. She clearly doesn’t want to but Dark!Emma isn’t giving her a choice.

* Rumple admitting to Belle he didn’t cripple himself in the Ogre Wars to get back to his son, but because he was scared.

[[AC: Episode 7 - Nimue]]
* Merlin’s entire backstory.
** Despite being all-powerful, Merlin hates that he can’t have a future with Nimue because he is immortal and she’ll grow old and die.

** Nimue betraying Merlin by drinking from the Grail and ripping out Vortigan’s heart. Merlin tearfully begs her not to kill him, but Nimue’s thirst for vengeance is stronger than Merlin’s love. She crushes the warlord’s heart and becomes the first Dark One.
* Nimue returning to her destroyed village. It’s such bad disarray, she can’t remember which of the buildings used to be her house.
* During Emma’s test, Merlin actually sees Nimue and it’s heartbreaking for him. He still loves her but she’s no longer the woman he knew.
* Merlin and Arthur’s entire confrontation.

[[AC: Episode 8 - Birth]]

** Hook begging Emma to not turn him into a Dark One. But Emma has lost so many loved ones, she’s can’t bear to lose one more.
-->'''Emma''': But our future together…
-->'''Hook''': I’ll just be happy knowing you have one. (He passes out)
-->'''Emma''': (tearfully) That’s not enough for me!
* The look of anger and betrayal on Hook’s face when he learns Emma made him into a Dark One.

[[AC: Episode 9 - The Bear King]]

* Merida helplessly watching Fergus’ death in the flashback. Mulan has to physically drag her away.
* Zelena [[KickTheDog taking]] Merida’s bow. It’s the last thing of her father’s that she has.
* Elinor begging Merida not to go looking for Fergus’s killer because she can’t bear losing her daughter as well.
* Ruby admitting to Mary Margaret that she doesn’t feel like she fits in in Storybrooke.

[[AC: Episode 10 - Broken Heart]]

-->'''Emma''': Why are you doing this?
-->'''Dark!Hook''': I want to hurt you like you hurt me.

--> When you wake up, you'll be the man you were. The man I love. The man who loves me.
* It’s a brief moment but during Zelena and Regina’s hallway fight, Zelena agrees that she wants to stop fighting with her sister but doesn’t think she can.

[[AC: Episode 11 - Swan Song]]
* Emma deciding that they can’t hold back when fighting against Dark!Hook. When Snow tries to argue that he’s the man she loves, Emma says that man died in Camelot.

** Just before Emma stabs him, he whispers to her “It’s okay” and tries to comfort her afterwards..
* The entire scene of Emma reacting to Hook's body being taken away on a gurney. How devastated she was when being forced to let go of his hand. All she can do is cry into her mother’s chest. There's no dialogue, no background noise, only music but ''damn'' was that a powerful moment.
* Snow asking Emma to look after baby Neal when the Dark Ones come to collect them. That’s right folks. Snow White, the epitome of Hope, is ready to give up.

* The scene where Hook kills his father. After deciding to spare him, he arrives with the travel papers and overhears Brennan saying to his son (named Liam) the same thing when he abandoned Hook and it’s enough to reignite his anger.
* Emma face when she learns Rumple betrayed them and negated Hook’s sacrifice.

[[AC: Episode 12 - Souls of the Departed]]
* Emma’s reunion with Neal.

* While looking for Hook, Henry goes to Granny’s and checks the room Neal stayed in, hoping to find his father. Emma sadly tells him that Neal is not in the Underworld but in a better place.

[[AC: Episode 13 - Labors of Love]]
* Snow walking through the graveyard, looking at all the headstones that belong to her father’s subjects, until she finds Hercules’.

* Snow and Hercules’ reunion. Snow is sad to see how young Hercules looks while Hercules is shocked to learn that Snow is grown up and has children.

[[AC: Episode 14 - Devil's Due]]

** Hook’s reaction when he learns Milah helped Rumple and Emma find him.
* In the Underworld version of Emma’s house, there’s a nursery including her crib and unicorn mobile, covered in cobwebs. It’s a sad reminder of the childhood she never got.

-->'''Regina''': You were my first love. And you'll always have a special place in my heart.

[[AC: Episode 15 - The Brothers Jones]]
* Hook feels so guilty about his actions as the Dark One that he refuses to believe that he’s worth saving and considers moving on instead. Emma is very upset about this since she came to rescue him and tearfully tells him that he has to forgive himself.

-->'''Liam''': I'm sorry, Killian. I just wanted to be a hero to you, set a good example.
-->'''Hook''': All you did was raise the bar so high, I could never measure up.

[[AC: Episode 16 - Our Decay]]

[[AC: Episode 17 - Her Handsome Hero]]

* Losing Hook has affected Emma so badly that she’s afraid of being unable to protect her loved ones. She spends most of the episode worrying about Mary Margaret dying like in her vision.

[[AC: Episode 18 - Ruby Slippers]]

[[AC: Episode 19 - Sisters]]
* Turns out Zelena’s stepfather was also physically abusive in addition to emotionally.

* Charming finally meets his brother James. He wants a chance to start over but James isn’t interested. His twin immediately tries to replace him and harm Emma. The two are forced to fight and it ends with Charming having to throw James into the River of Lost Souls.

[[AC: Episode 20 - Firebird]]

* Hook staying behind so that Emma can get back to Storybrooke. It’s just as heartbreaking as his death scene. Both of them are crying.
** Their final requests to each other: Hook begging Emma not to put her “armor” on when she returns and Emma telling Hook to move on from the Underworld.
** Hook kissing Emma’s hand before the elevator carries her out of reach.
* Gold trying to wake Belle with True Love’s Kiss and failing.

-->'''David''': You did your best for Hook.
-->'''Emma''': I don’t know. Did I? All I know is that I can’t lose anyone else.

[[AC: Episode 21 - Last Rites]]

** Hook returning to life but then learning about Robin’s death.

[[AC: Episode 22 - Only You]]
* The opening shot of Regina sitting in Granny’s, looking completely numb.
* After seeing Regina come so far and change so much, it’s so sad to see her start to slide back into her old personality.

* Henry deciding that to destroy magic because it’s destroying his family. He’s no longer the innocent boy from Season 1. Now he truly believes magic is responsible for his unhappiness.

* Regina’s speech in the apartment. She’s realized that she’s never going to find peace because the Evil Queen is always a part of her. While it’s great that she’s made progress with herself, she now is constantly fighting to make sure she does the right thing.
* When Hyde opens a portal to Gold’s hotel room, Gold decides to grab the crystal, which results in Pandora’s Box (containing Belle) fall through. Once again, Gold chose power over a loved one and it had tragic consequences.

[[AC: Episode 23 - An Untold Story]]
* Hyde and Jekyll’s confrontation especially after watching “Strange Case”. Hyde is actually confronting his love’s murderer.
* * Henry’s horror when he realizes he’s trapped his family in another realm instead of destroying magic.

[[AC: Episode 1 - The Savior]]
* Aladdin, living as recluse, afraid to help anyone. Jafar’s BreakingSpeech to him really hammers just how exhausting it is as a Savior.

** Rumple learning that “Morpheus” is actually his unborn son, who already hates him.

[[AC: Episode 2 - A Bitter Draught]]

** The Count’s [[AndIMustScream face]] while he’s attacking Snow and Charming.

[[AC: Episode 3 - The Other Shoe]]
* Clorinda cruelly burning Ella’s dress (that belonged to her late mother) and giving her the nickname “Cinderella”.

-->'''Emma''': I went and fought for everyone else's happy endings and then... I don't get mine.
** Emma’s magic failing her while trying to stop Ashley from going after her sister. All she can do is apologize to Hook and Henry repeatedly.

[[AC: Episode 4 - Strange Case]]

* Much like in Camelot, Regina asking Emma to promise that she’ll destroy her if she becomes evil again.

[[AC: Episode 5 - Street Rats]]

* Emma finally telling her family the truth about her visions. Hook is so upset he can’t even look at her.
* Henry blaming himself for Emma’s current predicament and wondering if it would’ve been better if he hadn’t brought her Storybrooke.

[[AC: Episode 6 - Dark Waters]]
* Nemo’s backstory: His family was brutally murdered while he was at sea. He spent years searching for the person responsible. When he finally got his vengeance, it left him feeling empty.

* Hook’s face when Henry (in the middle of an argument) says he’s not part of the family.

[[AC: Episode 7 - Heartless]]

[[AC: Episode 8 - I'll Be Your Mirror]]

* Emma and Regina finding Sidney’s “home” in the Land Behind the Mirror. It’s a sad reminder of how trapped he must have felt.

* Regina admitting that she’s afraid to raise Henry alone, because the Evil Queen is a reminder of how horrible a mother she could’ve been.

[[AC: Episode 9 - Changelings]]

--> My Gideon, strong and brave; a hero for all time. Don’t you ever forget that I love you.

** The Black Fairy’s reaction when she realizes Rumple is her child.
** Rumple genuinely asking The Black Fairy why she abandoned him. Her response is to cruelly laugh in his face and say “sometimes, you have to choose power over love”.

* Rumple and Belle’s entire conversation in the elevator. Rumple genuinely believes that no one can love him and by doing this to his son is the only way.

[[AC: Episode 10 - Wish You Were Here]]
* Henry begs Emma not to face the Evil Queen because he’s afraid she might die.
-->'''Emma''': I’m the savior, kid
-->'''Henry''': You’re also my mom.

** Regina’s face afterwards. She clearly didn’t want to do it but had no choice.
* David struggling with his lust for vengeance against the Evil Queen, worrying that he’s becoming just like his brother.
* Belle and Rumple’s conversation in the shop. They both lament how far the relationship has fallen and how their son has paid the price for it.

* Regina’s face when she see Wish!Robin.

[[AC: Episode 11 - Tougher Than the Rest]]

--> I’m not my father. I’m not good enough.
* The abuse Gideon suffered at the hands of the Black Fairy. Even worse, he’s convinced himself that if he kills Emma, he will finally become the hero his mother always talked about.

[[AC: Episode 12 - Murder Most Foul]]
* Turns out James wasn’t given away because he was TheUnfavorite. Both him and David were sick and their father, Robert, couldn’t afford the medicine needed to save them. Rumplestiltskin offered money for the medicine in exchange for one of the babies. Robert ultimately decided who by flipping a coin. This act haunted him for several years and drove to drink for comfort.

** Even worse, Hook had no idea that he killed David’s father. He only realized it when August showed him the page from the storybook.

[[AC: Episode 13 - Ill Boding Patterns]]
* Baelfire comes home, covered in mud. When Rumple asks what happened, he says the baker’s son did it so he’d “look like a monster too”.

* Gideon’s recalling the time the Black Fairy tortured a boy whose cell was across from his and how he wanted to help but was too afraid to do so. Even worse, the Black Fairy purposely left his cell unlocked to test him and see if he could be a hero.
* Hook wrestling with the knowledge that he killed David’s father and if he should tell Emma the truth. When he finally works up the courage to do so, Emma shows him the engagement ring she found. Unable to ruin her happy mood, he proposes to her.
* Wish!Robin tries to leave Storybrooke because he’s constantly reminded of the other Robin and how heroic he was.

[[AC: Episode 14 - Page 23]]

* Emma giving Hook back the ring, after she catches him trying to burn his memories of murdering David’s father. She’s not mad for what he did but that he tried to hide it from her.
* Emma sadly turning off the lights in her house when Hook doesn’t return after their fight.

[[AC: Episode 15 - A Wondrous Place]]
* Hook’s desperation to get back to Emma.
--> Every moment I spend here is killing me.

* Emma spends the entire episode genuinely believing that Hook has run off. After all the growth she’s gone through, it’s so sad to see those walls she’s brought down slowly come back up. Luckily, Hook’s message snaps her out of this.

[[AC: Episode 16 - Mother’s Little Helper]]
* All of Gideon’s childhood.
* Gideon coming face to face with Roderick, the boy he was unable to save from the Black Fairy’s beatings.

[[AC: Episode 17 - Awake]]

--> I didn’t think we’d be saying goodbye again so soon.

[[AC: Episode 18 - Where Bluebirds Fly]]

-->'''Zelena''': I thought you said my magic was what made me special.
-->'''Tin Woodsman''': No. It's the fact you used it for good that made you special.

* David and Snow discussing Emma’s upcoming wedding. David doesn’t want them to rush the wedding because it’s supposed to be the happiest day of Emma’s life, but Snow is worried that there’s a chance that they’ll die before it can happen. Ultimately, Emma agrees with David and decides to postpone the wedding until the Black Fairy is defeated.

-->'''Zelena''': You were wrong. There's nothing back there for me in Oz, only people who hate me. You're all I have left.

[[AC: Episode 19 - The Black Fairy]]

[[AC: Episode 20 - The Song in Your Heart]]
* Hook instantly knowing Emma is going to sacrifice herself to the Black Fairy, despite her assurances that she’ll be there for their wedding, and begging her to let him help.
* Emma’s goodbye to Henry before she goes to surrender herself to the Black Fairy.

[[AC: Episode 21 & 22- The Final Battle]]
* Emma’s state in the Curse. She’s in a mental institution, under the belief that the last few years have all been in her head. Watching her slowly lose her faith throughout the episode until she’s back to guarded, jaded woman she was in Season 1 is heart-wrenching.

* Hook’s speech to Charming at the beanstalk. He’s so desperate to get back to Emma and is more terrified about losing her than his own life.
* Gideon, under the curse, thinks Belle has run off and now views Fiona as his mother figure, much to Rumple’s horror.
* Snow finding Charming’s seemingly dead after the beanstalk collapses. Luckily, he turns out to be alive.

** All of Emma’s loved ones watching her die. Hook tries to run to her at one point, but Charming holds him back.

[[AC: Deleted Scenes]]

[[AC: Episode 1 - Hyperion Heights]]
* Regina saying goodbye to Henry in the opening scene. He only has one magic bean with him and for all she knows, this is the last time she’ll see him.
* Jacinda’s boss giving her a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech. It clearly stings but she refuses to swallow her pride and apologize, so she quits instead, despite needing the job.

[[AC: Episode 2 - A Pirate’s Life]]
* Victoria raising the prices of tickets to Lucy’s ballet recital so that Jacinda can’t attend, just out of spite.
* Wish!Hook’s face when he learns that Emma is pregnant. He knows what it’s like to be separated from your child and he can’t bring himself to put Killian through the same thing.
* After accidentally stabbing himself in their fight, Wish!Hook telling Killian why he tried to trade places with him: he hoped True Love’s Kiss would break the curse on his heart, so that he could finally be with his daughter.
** Him giving Killian his daughter’s rook and asking him to return it to her. Luckily, Emma has no intention of letting him die.
* Emma tearfully saying goodbye to Henry. As much as she wants him to go find his own story, she’s going to miss him.

[[AC: Episode 3 - The Garden of Forking Paths]]

* Lady Tremaine not only murdered Ella’s father but she also blames her stepdaughter for Anastasia’s death.

[[AC: Episode 4 - Beauty]]

** Rumple begging Belle not to leave him because he’s afraid.

* Tilly’s breakdown to Weaver in the car. Anyone who’s struggled with mental illness can completely relate to her.

[[AC: Episode 5 - Greenbacks]]

[[AC: Episode 6 - Wake Up Call]]

** Likewise, Henry’s fake memories of growing up in the system and feeling unwanted.

-->'''Drizella''': Y'know, I've been trying my whole life to win your approval, but now I realize I'm never going to get it... because I'm not her.
-->'''Tremaine''': You're most certainly ''not.''

[[AC: Episode 7 - Eloise Gardner]]

* Rogers telling Tilly that he’s disappointed at her for lying to him. The teary look on her face afterwards says it all.

[[AC: Episode 8 - Pretty in Blue]]
* Wish!Hook learning that Alice’s tower has been destroyed. Luckily, Alice is right there to assure him she’s alive.
* Alice's reaction when her father’s curse activates again as she tries to hug him. She believed that he'd been cured, or at least that Drizella could help cure him. She lied.
* Ella learning that her mother did not abandon them but was cursed and forced to flee to Wonderland. Unfortunately, any hopes of a reunion between the two are dashed when Alice tells her that her mother died saving Alice’s life from the Jabberwocky.
--> '''Alice''': Trust me, if your touch could kill the one you love, you’d want to be lost too.

[[AC: Episode 9 - One Little Tear]]
* Victoria cruelly mocking Ivy’s desire to be loved by her mother.

[[AC: Episode 10 - The Eighth Witch]]

--> Now I get it. I really get it. Because I would do anything to save you, no matter how crazy. So, Lucy, if that means there's some other world where I really am your dad, then... I believe it, Lucy. I believe.
* According to Kelly (Zelena’s cursed self), she and her daughter have had a falling out and are no longer speaking.

* When Gothel betrays Ivy, the latter has a clear look of sadness on her face, especially when she says “You betrayed me”. YankTheDogsChain, indeed. And then she ends up stuck in a well, magicless, with [[ArchEnemy her mother]], who is so disgusted and angry she can't even look at her.

[[AC: Episode 11 - Secret Garden]]

[[AC: Episode 12 - A Taste of the Heights]]

[[AC: Episode 13 - Knightfall]]

* The entire flashback is pretty much a KickTheDog for Wish!Hook. He manages to get Maui’s hook to free Alice from the tower only Gothel surprises him and curses his heart so that he can’t be anywhere near Alice. The look on his face after being thrown out of the tower while his daughter screams for him is heartbreaking.
* Lucy telling her mother she doesn’t believe in magic anymore.

[[AC: Episode 14 - The Girl In The Tower]]

* Tilly slowly realizing that none of the citizens “know” her, despite her having observed them all this time.

* Alice seeing her tower again and admitting to Robin that as much as she hates it, she’s wanted to come back.
--> I’ll never be free of it, will I?

[[AC: Episode 15 - Sisterhood]]

* TheReveal that Nick, Henry’s friend, is the Candy Killer.

[[AC: Episode 16 - Breadcrumbs]]

* One of the notes in Henry’s book says “Remember Gretel.” Despite Gretel previously saying that the two of them had a falling out, Hansel clearly still misses her.

[[AC: Episode 17 - Chosen]]

* After spending time with Ivo, Zelena tries to repay his kindness by rescuing his children and returning his eyesight. Unfortunately, the kids escape before she gets there and by the time she returns, they’ve already told their father who she really is and that she abandoned them to the Witch before, and he wants nothing to do with her.

* The fact that Henry is given the blood test proving he's Lucy's father...but because it comes from a total psychopath, he doesn't believe it. Worst of all, Nick wasn’t trying to be sadistic. He was genuinely trying to show his friend the truth.

[[AC: Episode 18 - The Guardian]]
* The episode opens with Rumple visiting Belle’s shrine, still mourning her death.

[[AC: Episode 19 - Flower Child]]

* True Love’s kiss failing to work between Henry and Jacinda.

[[AC: Episode 20 - Is This Henry Mills?]]

[[AC: Episode 21 - Homecoming]]
* Wish!Henry’s failing to slay the dragon and rescue the princess.

* Regina learning that Facilier is dead. Once again, she’s lost someone she cares about.

[[AC: Episode 22 - Leaving Storybrooke]]

-->'''Regina''': It’s not fair, Robin. Our story was so short.
-->'''Robin Hood''': That doesn’t make it any less epic.

[[AC: Deleted Scenes]]

* Ingrid's youth was much like Elsa's, which means she was a loner, lived in fear of hurting the one she loves. And then she accidentally froze/shattered/killed her sister Helga in a bout of uncontrolled magic triggered by [[BastardBoyfriend the Duke of Weselton]] attempting to woo/rape her. Then her other sister showed up, accused her of being a monster and locked her away in a magical urn indefinitely. TragicVillain at its finest.

* The reveal that the Black Fairy is Rumple's biological mother and she abandoned him when he was young. It's especially sad when you learn that [[ActorSharedBackground Robert Carlyle was actually abandoned by his mother when he was a child as well]].

* The whole scene with Blue. Not only does she genuinely, even tearfully, apologize for not having been able to save Gideon from the Black Fairy, his previous scene with Gold shows he genuinely does care about her, and actually hesitated when finding out it was her blood he'd need to restore the sword...but he did it anyway, because he "has" to. Then Gold shows up, and with true regret drains her blood and all her magic, because he didn't want Gideon to take on that kind of corruption and darkness, and he believes she can be saved once the Black Fairy is killed. Seeing how far Gold has come after all, that even with the darkness of all the Dark Ones in him he was able to regret this, and did it ''only'' to save Gideon rather than out of malice and power, is tear-inducing enough. But amazingly, after all this time, it's actually a TearJerker to see this happen to Blue. Not so much a BitchInSheepsClothing, TheScrappy, or a HateSink anymore.

* Ashley sobbing to Emma that she wants to keep her baby and doesn't want Mr. Gold to take her baby from her as they head back to the hospital in town. [[AdultFear She just sounds so afraid.]]

* According to “Kelly” (Zelena’s cursed self), she and her daughter have had a falling out and are no longer speaking.

* Robin leaving Alice in the cell. It's clear that she hates doing it, especially after hearing Alice talk about how miserable it was to be locked up in the tower, but she's so desperate to prove herself that she doesn't see another option.

* Jiminy not only failing to put a stop to his [[TheSociopath sociopathic]] parents' thievery, but discovering that the BalefulPolymorph potion he'd intended to use on them was replaced, and that he had unwittingly sold it to the nice couple they had just swindled. As if that weren't enough, after finding the couple has been turned into wooden puppets, their child returns home to find them in this state. The same child who had earlier been cheerfully eager to see the puppet show Jiminy's family put on.
** And that same kid turns out to be Geppetto. Jiminy's been taking care of the poor guy this whole time.

* Belle's death from old age. Especially painful because she and Rumple had gone to the Edge of Realms so he could be mortal again and grow old with her, but she eventually realized that ''she'' had to die if Rumple were to ever be free. And she ''didn't tell Rumple this until she was on her deathbed''. The fact that this was all preceded by a heartwarming homage of the famously tearjerky opening to "Up", you just knew something was about to make you cry. That on its own is sad enough, [[BrokenTears Rumple's reaction]] makes it so much worse.

* Alice seeing to her tower again and admitting to Robin that as much as she hates it, she’s wanted come back.

* The fact that Anastasia and Drizella used to have a great sisterly bond that held them through tough times but the fact that Drizella was made TheUnfavorite by her mother made her hate Anastasia, and Anastasia's recent apprenticeship under Gothel has made her hate Drizella. ManipulativeBastard Dr. Facilier [[KickTheDog only makes this worse between them.]] Luckily, their sisterly bond is eventually restored and they return to the New Enchanted Forest together.

* After spending time with Ivo, Zelena tries to repay his kindness by rescuing his children and returning his eyesight. Unfortunately, the kids escape before she gets there and by the time she returns, they’ve already told their father who she really is and he wants nothing to do with her.

* Now knowing Ivy's true identity as Drizella, Lucy expresses hope that she can make a HeelFaceTurn... [[InnocentlyInsensitive while she is in the middle of grieving her mother]]. When Ivy rejects her, Lucy tells her that [[ShipSinking she will never be with Henry]] and be with Jacinda instead before storming off. Afterwards, Lucy calls Henry.

** What makes this even worse is when we find out eorge's men didn't kill David's father: Hook did, after saving him, just so he could steal the king's gold and there would be no witnesses. Not only does this make the previous scene more heartbreaking, it leads to Hook being overcome by remorse and unable to propose to Emma out of fear of what will happen if David finds out the truth.

* Emma's HeroicSacrifice. Just when it looks like everything is going to be alright and that she and her family and friends can ''finally'' rest, they learn that if the darkness from Rumple is taken out of him, the darkness tethered to him for centuries will be free. So they take it out of him and [[HopeSpot seal it in the Apprentice's hat]]...only for it to break out minutes later, kill the Apprentice, and try to possess Regina. Emma tearfully, finally tells Killian she loves him (during which he begs her not to do this), and, resolved to protect the town, uses her magic to seal the darkness threatening to consume everything. After a blinding blast of light, she vanishes, [[NeverFoundTheBody leaving only the dagger behind with her name on it.]] Pretty much the most emotional, climatic moment of an already emotional episode.

** The sight of Regina sitting against her office door crying into her arms is saddening. Here is a woman who has gone to great lengths to earn her happy ending and has never given up, doing just that. It's clear that Robin breaking up with her has broken her heart and now she knows that killing Marian won't bring her happiness. Even when Emma is right on the other side of the door trying to get through to her, she just sits there and doesn't respond. The scene turns heartwarming when Emma declares that if Regina won't fight for her happy ending, then Emma will get it for her, which seems to inspire Regina to find the Author to get villains their happy endings.

** Judging from Eddy and Adam's treatment of the situation, on the one hand, it seems that her characterization as a parent in season 1 was not completely meant to appear as heinous as that in the end (it was clear as early as episode 5 that she loved Henry, and Emma's power had failed after 11 episodes), and there are clues that she was happy with Henry and him with her at some point earlier in Henry's life (the objects Cora looks at when trying to find how to persuade her to do a FaceHeelTurn). On the other hand, this might classify under CompletelyMissingThePoint and ObliviouslyEvil in her characterization. She ''is'' putting him before her, to make him live the life ''she'' would have wanted in his place. [[TheChainOfHarm Just like her mother did to her]]...

*** In a different sense, Wish!Rumple's death, as deserved as it was. Wish!Rumple still has the same background that made Rumple a TragicVillain, but was never able to overcome it and stayed evil to the end. As he dies, he reveals himself as the coward he is, even whimpering "No more Rumple?" as he turns to dust. If that wasn't bad enough, the dust blows into the fireplace, a clear visual showing that he's ''not'' going to be reuniting with Wish!Belle in the afterlife.

* The reason why Snow is a BirthdayHater. Her mother died on her birthday. Oh, and you know what? [[spoiler:Her caretaker and only link to her mother is flung out of a window by Cora. On her birthday. Oh, and it turns out that Cora is hellbent on turning Snow evil as well as Regina. Because she hates Eva. For some reason. JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope And it may or may not be working.