Once Upon a Time: Journey to Neverland is a special recap episode of the fantasy drama television series Once Upon a Time created by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz that slots in between "And Straight on 'Til Morning" and "The Heart of the Truest Believer", detailing important events leading up to the first part of the show's third season.
The special aired in the USA on ABC on 29 September, 2013. It is an hour long.
Once Upon a Time: Journey to Neverland aired in South Africa on DStv's M-Net Series Showcase channel on Friday 18 April 2014, at 18h30, followed the week after by the Season 3 premiere. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Synopsis
Once Upon a Time: Journey to Neverland explores the series in a way that brings new viewers up to date - but which current viewers will also find illuminating - in anticipation of the exhilarating third-season premiere.
The special will take a look at Emma Swan and Mary Margaret's separation from their new-found family that left them stranded in a post-curse Fairy Tale Land; Regina's mother Cora's plan to eliminate Rumplestiltskin and become "The Dark One" herself; the discovery that Rumplestiltskin's son, Baelfire/Neal, is Henry's father; Greg and Tamara's kidnapping of Henry; and the fate of Neal after falling through a portal - mortally wounded - and ending up in the Enchanted Forest in the hands of Mulan, Aurora and Prince Phillip.
The backstories and secrets of some of your favourite characters will also be revealed, and the special will offer a glimpse into what's upcoming for Season 3 - the trek to Neverland to save Henry.
Nothing is more important than family, and these characters' bonds are as strong as the line between good and evil is blurry.
Mary Margaret and Emma - mother and daughter reunited - were sucked into a portal that transported them to what was left of Fairy Tale Land. It was there that they met Mulan and Aurora, who helped them evade Cora and Hook and enabled them to travel back to Storybrooke, reuniting them with Emma's father, David, and her son, Henry.
But Cora and Hook found another portal into town, where Cora set about reuniting with her own daughter, Regina. Cora then attempted to find Mr. Gold's dagger in a play to take him down and become the Dark One herself.
Hook had aspired to kill Mr. Gold, as well, not for power but for revenge. And Mr. Gold set out to find his son, Bae, which he did, in New York, with the aid of Emma and Henry.
Much to everyone's surprise, Bae turned out to be Emma's former love, Neal, and Henry's father.
Back in Storybrooke, Mary Margaret did something completely against her nature - she used dark magic to kill Cora - causing her own heart to darken.
And Greg Mendell - who saw magic in the town as a boy and believes Regina knows where he can find his father - along with his partner, Tamara, planned to eradicate magic completely from our world using a trigger that Regina had planted within her curse.
During the struggle to save Storybrooke, Neal was shot by Tamara and fell through a portal to the Enchanted Forest, barely alive, where he was found by Aurora, Mulan and Prince Phillip.
Although their plan was foiled, Greg and Tamara kidnapped Henry and brought him through a portal to their "Home Office," believing that they might still be able to use him to destroy magic in all worlds.
With the aid of Hook and his ship, Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Mr. Gold and Regina used the last magic bean to follow Henry, Greg and Tamara... to Neverland.
First order of business in Season 3: save Henry. But Neverland is a much darker place than you remember, and in order for our heroes to accomplish their mission they will have to face a foe more powerful than the Dark One himself.
What does Peter Pan want with Henry? Can our heroes put aside their differences and work together? Will Aurora, Mulan and Prince Phillip be able to nurse Neal back to health and reunite him with his family?
New fairytale characters will be revealed and old acquaintances will be revisited. So think of a wonderful thought... because our Neverland's going to be a fever dream that just won't break.
Once Upon a Time stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O'Donoghue as Hook, Michael Raymond-James as Baelfire/Neal Cassidy, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.
Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz are creators and executive producers. Steve Pearlman is also executive producer. The show is from ABC Studios.
Seasons
Note: the show moved from M-Net Series to M-Net Series Showcase when the former channel became defunct in 2013. The broadcast on M-Net Series Showcase is simulcast in HD.
Season 1 (22 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 25 Feb 2013 | Finale: 21 Jul 2012 | Sat, 20h30
Season 2 (22 episodes)
Channel: MS Showcase | Premiere: 11 Jul 2013 | Finale: 6 Dec 2013 | Thu, 19h30
Once Upon a Time: Journey to Neverland
Channel: MS Showcase | Aired: 18 Apr 2014 | Fri, 18h30
Season 3 (22 episodes)
Channel: MS Showcase | Premiere: 25 Apr 2014 | Finale: 19 Sep 2014 | Fri, 18h30