My Eight Favorite 'Once' Characters (+ Retellings)

Thank you so much The Book Rat & A Backwards Story for hosting this.

I don't usually post on the weekends, but I wanted to do a couple of special Fairy Tale Fortnight posts. (And I thought that because they're non-bookish - at least, mostly - that the weekend would be perfect to post them. Besides, my week is filled!)

Originally this post was going to be about the fairy tale shows I've seen. (All two of them.) But, upon rewatching Once Upon a Time... well, let's just say, that changed.

I know you're asking 'why eight?' No, the fact that there are eight humans on that picture is just a coincidence. I chose eight because after that, things get progressively less neat and clearly defined. I just will have to face facts that I have eight favorites and everyone else. (Though I do have a couple of 'least favorites' but we won't talk about them.) Not exactly in order, but I do like the person at the top of the list more than the one at the bottom.

Ruby/Red Riding Hood

Retellings that feature Little Red Riding Hood:
Sisters Red, Princess of the Silver Woods, A Tale of Red Riding Hood

Regina Mills/The Evil Queen

Retellings that feature The Evil Queen:
Fairest of All, Dewitched #1, Fairest

Jefferson/Mad Hatter

Retellings that feature the Mad Hatter:
Hatter, The Looking Glass Wars, Alice in the Country of Hearts

Mulan

Retellings that feature Mulan:

The Wild Orchid, Defy, Rebel Wing

Killian Jones/Captain Hook

Retellings that feature Captain Hook:
Captain James Hook and the Curse of Peter Pan, Hook & Jill, Alias Hook

Dr. Whale/Victor Frankenstein

Retellings that feature Dr. Frankenstein:

The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein, This Dark Endeavor, iFrankenstein

Mr. Gold/Rumplestiltskin

Retellings that feature Rumplestiltskin:
Rumplestiltskin, The Crimson Thread, A Curse as Dark as Gold

Belle French

Retellings that feature Belle:
Cruel Beauty, Of Beast and Beauty, Beauty and the Beast


Notes about my choices: I am left unsure at the end of season three if Rumplestiltskin and Belle should still be on this list. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for being so likable through two seasons and hope that season three was not an indication of where I'm headed with them. If they did come off this list, they would be replaced with Kathryn Nolan/Abigail and Dr. Archie Hopper/Jiminy Cricket. The other reason I didn't go ahead and switch them out is because I'm not sure I could find one - much less three - retellings for King Midas' Daughter and/or Jiminy Cricket.

Rewatching season one, I discovered something that surprises me not at all: I miss Graham.

Ruby and Regina are in a constant flux over which one is my favorite. On the episodes that Ruby is actually on, it's her. All the rest are Regina. Jefferson has been my favorite of the guys since he was introduced, though Hook runs a close second.

Of these retellings, I've read only three. I would love to read more as some of these books sound really good.


Who are your favorites from Once? Want to give me any suggestions on retelling? Want to guess which one of these was the hardest to find retellings for? (Hint: It's the one I totally cheated on and gave you a manga for one of the books.)