The Best Episodes of Once Upon a Time Season 4
Every episode of Once Upon a Time Season 4 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Once Upon a Time Season 4!
There is a town in Maine where every story book character you've ever known is trapped between two worlds, victims of a powerful curse. Only one knows the truth and only one can break the spell. Emma Swan is a 28-year-old bail bonds collector who has been supporting herself since she was abandoned as a baby. Things change for her when her son Henry, whom she abandoned years ago, finds her and asks for her help explaining that she is from a different world where she is Snow White's missing daughter.
Season 4 Ratings Summary
The best episode of "Once Upon a Time" season 4 is "A Tale of Two Sisters", rated 8.2/10 from 2071 user votes. It was directed by Ralph Hemecker and written by Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz. "A Tale of Two Sisters" aired on 9/28/2014 and is rated 0.2 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "White Out".
8.2/10 2,071 votes#1 - A Tale of Two Sisters
Season 4 Episode 1 - Aired 9/28/2014
A scared and confused Elsa from Arendelle finds herself in Storybrooke and creates a powerful snow monster for protection. Regina wonders if her relationship with Robin Hood has been completely quashed now that Marian's back in the picture. Elsa's sister wants to complete their parent's fateful journey and discover if their quest may have held the secret to containing Elsa's out of control ice powers.
Director: Ralph Hemecker
Writer: Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
8.0/10 1,719 votes#2 - White Out
Season 4 Episode 2 - Aired 10/5/2014
While desperately trying to find her sister Anna, Elsa accidentally traps them both inside an ice cave. Regina secludes herself from the town and Henry. With the townspeople considering Mary Margaret their leader, she faces her first leadership task in trying to re-start a generator and restore the town’s electricity after Elsa freezes and damages the power lines. Anna tries to teach a meek David to fight Bo Peep.
Director: Ron Underwood
Writer: Jane Espenson
8.0/10 1,620 votes#3 - Rocky Road
Season 4 Episode 3 - Aired 10/12/2014
Marian falls under a freezing curse and the townspeople believe that Elsa is responsible. When Emma and David go to Robin's camp to look for clues, they find Will Scarlet, who leads them to the culprit. Meanwhile, in the Arendelle of the past, Elsa and Kristoff go to find the urn that Hans plans to use to imprison Elsa, and encounter the Snow Queen.
Director: Morgan Beggs
Writer: David H. Goodman, Jerome Schwartz
8.1/10 1,608 votes#4 - The Apprentice
Season 4 Episode 4 - Aired 10/19/2014
Hook discovers that magic always comes with a price after he makes a deal with Mr. Gold to re-attach his hand so that he can embrace Emma with both hands on their first real date. And back in the fairy tale land of the past, Rumplestiltskin uses Anna to help him acquire a magical box from the sorcerer’s apprentice.
Director: Ralph Hemecker
Writer: Andrew Chambliss, Dana Horgan
8.1/10 1,567 votes#5 - Breaking Glass
Season 4 Episode 5 - Aired 10/26/2014
Emma tries to convince a reluctant Regina to help her find the Snow Queen, only to discover that Regina is lying to her about Sidney's whereabouts. Meanwhile, David convinces Mary Margaret to go on a date, but the date turns into a hunt when Will escapes his jail cell. In the past, Emma befriends another young orphan who isn't all that she seems.
Director: Alrick Riley
Writer: Kalinda Vazquez, Scott Nimerfro
7.8/10 1,453 votes#6 - Family Business
Season 4 Episode 6 - Aired 11/2/2014
The race is on to track down the elusive Snow Queen in order to discover what her ultimate end game is for Elsa and the residents of Storybrooke. Unaware that she does not possess the real blade that controls The Dark One, Belle attempts to use it to get her reluctant husband to show her where the Snow Queen is hiding. Belle travels to Arendelle and, with Anna's help, seeks out Grand Pabbie to help her regain her lost memories in order to discover the fate of her mother.
Director: Mario Van Peebles
Writer: Andrew Chambliss, Kalinda Vazquez
8.1/10 1,507 votes#7 - The Snow Queen
Season 4 Episode 7 - Aired 11/9/2014
Emma captures the Snow Queen and learns that they are more alike then she can possibly imagine. In arendelle of the past, Ingrid discovers her deadly ice powers and makes a pact with her two sisters to protect and always be there for one another – no matter what.
Director: Billy Gierhart
Writer: Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
8.4/10 1,605 votes#8 - Smash the Mirror (1)
Season 4 Episode 8 - Aired 11/16/2014
Emma’s powers run amok and she turns to Gold for help, Elsa and Anna’s relationship is tested, and the Snow Queen’s agenda is revealed.
Director: Ralph Hemecker, Eagle Egilsson
Writer: David H. Goodman, Jerome Schwartz
8.3/10 1,129 votes#9 - Smash the Mirror (2)
Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 11/16/2014
Emma’s powers run amok and she turns to Gold for help, Elsa and Anna’s relationship is tested, and the Snow Queen’s agenda is revealed.
Director: Ralph Hemecker
Writer: David H. Goodman, Jerome Schwartz
8.6/10 1,616 votes#10 - Fall
Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 11/30/2014
The Snow Queen attempts to pit Anna and Elsa against each other; with her powers out of control, Emma seeks assistance from Gold; Regina's quest takes a surprising turn.
Director: Mario Van Peebles
Writer: Jane Espenson
8.6/10 1,637 votes#11 - Shattered Sight
Season 4 Episode 11 - Aired 12/7/2014
As Storybrooke descends into chaos as the Snow Queen's spell takes hold, Emma and Elsa try to trick Regina into destroying the ribbons so that they can attack the Queen. In the past, Ingrid adopts Emma and attempts to show the girl that she's a powerful sorceress.
Director: Gwyneth Horder-Payton
Writer: Scott Nimerfro, Tze Chun
8.5/10 1,614 votes#12 - Heroes and Villains
Season 4 Episode 12 - Aired 12/14/2014
In the aftermath of the Snow Queen’s spell, our heroes try to pick up the pieces and Regina has to make a difficult choice. Hook’s fate hangs in the balance as Gold’s quest for power threatens everything he holds dear. And, in the Enchanted Forest flashback, an intrusion during Belle's stay at Rumplestiltskin's dark castle will wreak havoc in both the past and the future.
Director: Ralph Hemecker
Writer: Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
8.0/10 1,473 votes#13 - Darkness on the Edge of Town
Season 4 Episode 13 - Aired 3/1/2015
With Gold banished from town, the residents of Storybrooke attempt to resume their normal lives. Hook and Belle search for a way to release the fairies from the Sorcerer’s hat, while Emma, Henry and Regina continue to look for clues that could lead them to the Author. But when a terrifying darkness descends on the town, Emma and Regina are forced to confront the true nature of evil. Meanwhile, in New York, Gold and Ursula enlist Cruella De Vil to join their cause.
Director: Jon Amiel
Writer: Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
7.8/10 1,384 votes#14 - Unforgiven
Season 4 Episode 14 - Aired 3/8/2015
David and Mary Margaret suspect Cruella and Ursula have come to Storybrooke looking for something more than their own happy endings – something that threatens to reveal a secret they thought was long buried. Emma begins her own investigation of Cruella and Ursula, but she can’t shake the feeling that her friends and family are keeping something from her. Regina and Henry continue their search for the Author, turning to Pinocchio and Marco in the hope Pinocchio might remember a clue that will help them. Meanwhile, in a flashback to Fairy Tale Land, Snow and Charming cross paths with the Queens of Darkness as the threat of the Evil Queen’s Dark Curse hangs over all of them.
Director: Adam Horowitz
Writer: Andrew Chambliss, Kalinda Vazquez
7.9/10 1,345 votes#15 - Enter the Dragon
Season 4 Episode 15 - Aired 3/15/2015
In order to infiltrate the Queens of Darkness as a spy for the heroes, Regina must prove she’s still willing to get her hands dirty. Meanwhile, Emma, David and Mary Margaret scramble to keep tabs on their undercover operative. Hook requests an unusual favor from Belle as Henry makes progress on his search for the Author. In a Fairy Tale Land flashback, Regina befriends Maleficent and helps her to rekindle her lost spark.
Director: Ralph Hemecker
Writer: David H. Goodman, Jerome Schwartz
8.1/10 1,474 votes#16 - Poor Unfortunate Soul
Season 4 Episode 16 - Aired 3/22/2015
Hook leverages his complicated history with Ursula to find out what she knows about Gold’s endgame. Gold and the Queens of Darkness torture August for information about the Author as Emma, Mary Margaret and David race to find them. Regina grows concerned for Robin Hood’s safety while she struggles to maintain her cover with the villains. In a Fairy Tale Land flashback, when a restless young Ursula enlists Hook’s help to run away from home, she soon learns it isn’t wise to trust a pirate.
Director: Steve Pearlman
Writer: Andrew Chambliss, Dana Horgan
7.9/10 1,348 votes#17 - Best Laid Plans
Season 4 Episode 17 - Aired 3/29/2015
Hook tells Emma that her fate is at stake in Gold’s plan while Regina leads the villains on a wild goose chase. Henry makes a breakthrough in his search to find the Author, but Mary Margaret and David need a moment to reconsider the best course of action. In a Fairy Tale Land flashback, Snow and Charming search for a way to ensure their child will grow-up to be a hero. When a traveling peddler directs them to visit a kindly old hermit, Snow and Charming are presented with a choice that could secure their child’s goodness, but at a price that will haunt them for years to come.
Director: Ron Underwood
Writer: Jane Espenson, Kalinda Vazquez
7.9/10 1,386 votes#18 - Heart of Gold
Season 4 Episode 18 - Aired 4/12/2015
Emma is still reeling after learning the truth of her parents’ history with Maleficent, but she must focus on finding the Author, who is running loose in Storybrooke, before Gold does. When Gold’s quest for his happy ending grows more urgent, he blackmails Regina into helping him. In a Fairy Tale Land flashback, Robin Hood learns what it means to be an honorable thief when he accepts a proposition by Rumpelstiltskin to travel to Oz to steal a valuable magic elixir from the Wicked Witch.
Director: Billy Gierhart
Writer: Scott Nimerfro, Tze Chun
8.1/10 1,457 votes#19 - Sympathy for the De Vil
Season 4 Episode 19 - Aired 4/19/2015
In fictional 1920s England, viewers meet a young Cruella, whose oppressive mother uses her Dalmatians to terrorize her daughter. Cruella is confined to her mother’s attic until a mysterious stranger arrives and empowers her to challenge her captor. In Storybrooke, Regina gains leverage to keep Gold from interfering with her plan to rescue Robin, but her trip to New York takes the backseat when she and Emma learn that Cruella has kidnapped Henry.
Director: Romeo Tirone
Writer: David H. Goodman, Jerome Schwartz
7.9/10 1,376 votes#20 - Lily
Season 4 Episode 20 - Aired 4/26/2015
Emma’s potential for darkness is looming over everyone, but when Emma realizes Maleficent’s daughter Lily is in fact her closest friend from her foster care days, she resolves to find Lily and reunite her with her mother. Regina joins forces with Emma and together they set out to track down Lily and to warn Robin about Zelena. However, neither of them is prepared for the harsh realities they’ll encounter in the outside world. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke, Gold faces a crisis involving Belle. In a foster care flashback, things are looking up for young Emma with her new family until Lily’s appearance threatens to destabilize everything.
Director: Ralph Hemecker
Writer: Andrew Chambliss, Dana Horgan
7.9/10 1,292 votes#21 - Mother
Season 4 Episode 21 - Aired 5/3/2015
Emma returns to Storybrooke to reunite Lily with Maleficent while Regina and Robin struggle to cope with the implications of Zelena's pregnancy. When Gold's health takes a turn for the worse, Isaac looks to a new ally for help procuring the magic ink he needs to re-write history. In a Fairy Tale Land flashback, Cora returns from Wonderland to beg Regina's forgiveness on the anniversary of Daniel's murder. Cora vows to help her daughter find true love, but Regina remains suspicious of her mother's intentions.
Director: Ron Underwood
Writer: Jane Espenson
8.7/10 1,654 votes#22 - Operation Mongoose (1)
Season 4 Episode 22 - Aired 5/10/2015
The Author proves to be a formidable wild card and forges an alliance with Gold. Emma, her parents, Hook and Regina scramble to stop them, but when Gold and the Author turn the tables on heroes and villains alike, the prospect of any happy outcome appears worlds away. Henry discovers he has big shoes to fill as he steps up to save his family before the story’s final page is turned. It’s a race to the finish, and everything culminates with a shocking twist that will leave the residents of Storybrooke reeling.
Director: Romeo Tirone
Writer: Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
9.0/10 1,995 votes#23 - Operation Mongoose (2)
Season 4 Episode 23 - Aired 5/10/2015
The Author proves to be a formidable wild card and forges an alliance with Gold. Emma, her parents, Hook and Regina scramble to stop them, but when Gold and the Author turn the tables on heroes and villains alike, the prospect of any happy outcome appears worlds away. Henry discovers he has big shoes to fill as he steps up to save his family before the story’s final page is turned. It’s a race to the finish, and everything culminates with a shocking twist that will leave the residents of Storybrooke reeling
Director: Ralph Hemecker
Writer: Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz