Once Upon a Time Myers-Briggs (MBTI) Personality Types (Just for Fun!)

So, while waiting for the next half of season 3 to arrive, I've decided to use the Myers-Briggs personality system to type the characters of ABC's Once Upon a Time. Please note that these typings are only based on my observations of the characters. Feel free to disagree. (Note: For more information on the system itself, see this site: Myers Briggs.)

So let's get started!

Season 3 - Timeline Update

Here's the latest update of the Timeline, looking at halfway through Season 3 (with the big revealer of how Regina got Henry coming soon!).

This is a Timeline for the events of ABC's show Once Upon a Time. You can find a really fun discussion of this timeline (and contribute to it) at the following site: Once Upon a Fan. If you would like to reuse the timeline, please ask first or give credit.

The time line uses Rumpelstiltskin's story line as a base but includes all characters with major plot points in the series. The dates are NOT exact; instead, they serve to show the relative length of time between events.

Timeline of the Enchanted Forest Plots before the Dark Curse 

(Spans approximately 300 years)

True Love: Tracking the Durable Relationships of Once Upon a Time

It's not even close to Valentine's Day, but after re-watching episodes from seasons 1 and 2, and after reading up on the news for the upcoming season, I wanted to reflect back on the progression of the show's two most emphasized romantic relationships.

My purpose is two fold: First I want to take a brief look at the span of the show's two main romantic relationships to try to get an understanding of where they are now, as watching the seasons play out can get a bit confusing. Second, by looking at these these relationships, I also want to find fodder for understanding the show's concept of True Love.

So, with that in mind, I'll take you through a recap and brief analysis of the three biggies: Snow and Charming (Snowing), and Belle and Rumpelstiltskin (Rumbelle), and in my next post I'll include the triangle that is Emma, Henry, and Regina (which doesn't have a cute name...but you can make one up if you want).

Archetypes: Once's Heroes and Villains

South African site (blog?) WritersWrite has reposted the following explanation of typical fantasy archetypes from its original version on the popular site TVTropes: Eight Archetypes for Heroes and Villains. I would like to use this to explore the typical and not-so-typical characters of Once Upon a Time.

First, please note that I use the term "hero" as an indication of the character's leanings, not necessarily as a description of the character's actions. Villains can be heroic, and heroes can be villainous, but as a rule (at least in shows like Once) characters tend to ally themselves with one "side." When appropriate, I've tried to include villains before they were villains (in other words, to include their "good" side), and heroes when they weren't heroes (in other words, including their "bad" sides).

I've seen several attempts to use personality and story-inspired archetypes to categorize Once characters, but none that I really agreed with so far. After deliberation, here's how I think the characters fit in:

The Revised (S2) Time Line for ABC's Once Upon a Time

This is a revised time line for ABC's Once Upon a Time. It includes all information up to the end of Season 2. It is the result of the work of several fans of the show and can be found in discussion at the show's fan sight: Once Upon a Fan. If you would like to reuse it, please ask first or give credit. If you have questions or comments you'd like to make, please let me know!

The time line uses Rumpelstiltskin's story line as a base but includes all characters with major plot points in the series. The dates are NOT exact, instead they serve to show the relative length of time between events.

Timeline of the Enchanted Forest Plots before the Dark Curse 

(Spans approximately 300 years)

Once Upon a Time: Is Rumbelle a True Case of Stockholm Syndrome?

Since the premiere of episode twelve of season one of Once Upon a Time, many have been calling down curses on the heads of the writers for introducing a story and a relationship that generally garners a passionate reaction (and following) from viewers: Rumbelle. Supporters of the relationship claim that it demonstrates True Love, an overarching theme of the show (not so subtly reinforced throughout). Detractors decry the relationship as abusive and manipulative, and usually, though not always, pull out the Stockholm reference, citing the relationship as a "perfect tale" or example of the mental disorder ("Once Upon a Time: Stockholm Syndrome Alert" ColorTV).

Though the relationship between one of the show's most notorious villains and one of its heroes is not, of course, ideal or devoid of imponderables, some of the more serious allegations of Stockholm's Syndrome and the like seem misplaced at best. The more honest accusers admit that Once is not unique in inventing a tale that is an example of Stockholm (ColorTV), but that the source material (assumed in most cases to be de Villeneuve's or de Beaumont's version of Beauty and the Beast) is the real source of the problem. More about that in a later post; first, let's examine the allegations of Once's version of Beauty and the Beast being an example of Stockholm Syndrome.

Welcome to Storybrooke: A Season in Review

Spoiler Alert. The most recent episode of ABC's Once Upon a Time aired last Sunday, and was called "Welcome to Storybrooke." In this episode, time switches between the Storybrooke of the 1980's and the present day version. When Regina enacts the curse, Storybrooke plops down onto unsuspecting campers, Flynn and his child, Owen. After staying a little while in the town, the two realize that it's a bit creepy (to say nothing of the strange mayor) and attempt to leave. Meanwhile Regina has discovered, within the course of a week, that cursed life isn't all it was cracked up to be and longs to share her version of heaven with someone, namely Owen and Flynn. In an attempt to force them to stay she appears to capture Flynn while allowing Owen to run off into the real world (alone). In the present day, Mary Margaret is consumed with guilt over killing her enemy's evil mother (in an admittedly tricky way), and Regina stops Henry from attempting to blow up the wishing well (thinking it will destroy magic). Regina renounces her design to force Henry to love her, and when later confronted by Mary Margaret with a death wish, denies MM that release and instead points out her darkened heart and predicts MM's downfall. Greg, seeming newcomer, captures all of this on his camera phone and is revealed to be Owen all grown up and searching for his father, thus his motive for coming to and remaining in Storybrooke.

The episode, though in many respects very gratifying, leaves much to be desired in terms of helping the show out of its tangled knot this season, as it painfully points out some of the ongoing problems Once has faced this year.