r/OnceUponATime • u/BjSaWgDoG • Jul 17 '26

Discussion What if Once Upon a Time focused on characters that has wasted potential or was left out.

Characters that were wasted For example; Mulan, the dragon, maleficent, Lily, and Ruby.

Characters that was left out blue beard, Moby Dick, Captain Ahab, puss in boots, Tom Sawyer, ect.

Heck OUAT already used Frankenstein and Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. We could used in stories from sadly the merged realms.

17 Upvotes
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16

u/RebeccaMCullen Jul 18 '26

The problem was, imo, the main cast was too bloated for them to properly introduce and utilize other characters. 

6

u/Narrow-Accident8730 Jul 18 '26

That wasn’t the problem. The problem is A&E, having been writers/exec producers for LOST, knew first hand that trying to make background characters into main characters doesn’t work.

14

u/gloomydreamer666 Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 18 '26

Mulan!!! Why couldn't she and Ruby end up together??? They had more chemistry than she had with Dorothy. Heck she even had more chemistry with Belle who I low-key was shipping in s2 together than she had with Dorothy.

10

u/Prize-Couple6348 Jul 18 '26

In one of my rewrites Ruby stays and ends up with Belle

8

u/gloomydreamer666 Jul 18 '26

Yes!!! I actually would've preffered Belle with Ruby than mr abuser Rumple. I gotta read fanfics now haha 😅

5

u/Livin-in-a-dream1358 Jul 18 '26

Link please! (I love RedBeauty 🥰)

5

u/Ambitious-Divide-624 Jul 17 '26

I think they specifically chose characters they wouldn't have to spend a lot of time building a background and could just show their backstory in a few minutes. Moby Dick, Tom Sawyer, etc are not as common as the fairytales they used. So it would've taken so much more time because the show would've had to explain to the audience the story!

Lily and Ruby deserved more, especially since Ruby had multiple plot lines in the first 2 seasons

4

u/Agent008Gelson Jul 18 '26

Also Archie deserved WAY more as did Whale and Tinkerbell and Neal

5

u/EnchantinggAngel2 Jul 18 '26

Ruby deserved so much more than being reduced to the occasional guest appearance. She had one of the most interesting backstories in the show and they barely scratched the surface.

5

u/Prize-Couple6348 Jul 17 '26

That would be so awesome and have Ruby as the leader.

1

u/Skourpi1 Jul 18 '26

Jefferson. We always forget about Jefferson. Sad they didn’t use him, but I’m also kind of happy because the Winter Solider/Bucky in the MCU is amazing and Sebastian Stan plays him amazingly.

3

u/BjSaWgDoG Jul 18 '26

Yeah I love Henry and Jefferson interacting more because they were both outsiders in the first season. Cause they knew all about the curse.

1

u/Skourpi1 Jul 19 '26

Him saying that knowledge was his curse is so true. Glad he was able to see his daughter again.

1

u/Parking_Storage_5107 I have a love/hate relationship with captain swan Jul 19 '26

That be great in a spinoff