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This article focuses on the various conflicts in the Enchanted Forest, known collectively as the Ogre Wars.
For the species, see ogres.


There was a night during the ogre's war. There was a terrible noise. It was horses' hooves thundering down the dusty path. You crawled into my bed, and I can still hear your little voice: "Papa. I'm afraid!"

Mr. Gold reminiscing in front of Neal's grave. src

The Ogre Wars, with individual conflicts also called Ogre's War, are wars fought on ABC's Once Upon a Time. They make their début in the eighth episode of the first season.

History

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Before First Curse

First Ogres War
The First Ogres War between Ogres and at least one Enchanted Forest kingdom takes place over a century before the Dark Curse. Soldiers are drafted for the King's Army via personalized draft notices signed by noblemen such as Sir William Durrant.[1] A mortal man summoned by one such notice is Rumplestiltskin, who appreciates the opportunity to prove the world he is not a coward and to leave his weaving days behind him. ("Manhattan")

A young Seer is kept prisoner by the King's Army in hopes that her powers of foresight will "turn the tide against the ogres." Rumplestiltskin is ordered to guard her crate while his Commanding Officer leaves for the battle front. Desperate to drink a sip of water after days of dehydration, the Seer offers Rumplestiltskin insight about his family's future. She reveals that the man's wife, Milah, is carrying his child, but that his actions on the battlefield will leave his son fatherless. To prove her powers, she reveals that tomorrow, the soldiers will ride cows into battle. Her statement comes true when Rumplestiltskin learns that the soldiers refer to saddles made from the finest leather "cows". Desperate to avoid his fate, Rumplestiltskin purposefully injures himself and is therefore sent back home with the other injured soldiers. Because of this, Rumplestiltskin gains the reputation of cowardice he was eager to cleave himself from. ("Manhattan")

Another magical being forced to partake in the First Ogres War is the Dark One of that time, Zoso. Controlled through his Dark One Dagger by Hordor, Zoso aids the soldier in forcing the unwilling recruits for the army. ("Desperate Souls")

Fourteen years later, the age limit for people to be drafted as soldiers for the King's Army is lowered by the orders of a Duke to enroll boys and girls younger than fourteen years old. One of the young girls enrolled, Morraine, is taken from her parents and sent to a battlefront.

At an uncertain point in time, the Blue Fairy forges a sword imbued with light magic which becomes known as Hrunting, and which by unknown means ends up in the ownership of a high ranked soldier called Beowulf, who commands others into battle. This earns the Blue Fairy quite a reputation among the soldiers in the trenches. Morraine hears about her being more powerful and mighty than the Dark One himself, calling her "the original power of the night". ("Ill-Boding Patterns," "The Return")

After being tricked by a tired Zoso into becoming the next Dark One, Rumplestiltskin kills several of soldiers including Hordor for having humiliated him, and saves his son from being recruited. He later walks into battle and magically destroys the entire Ogre army. Some people, including at least Beowulf and Morraine witness this act, although not everyone takes it the same way. While for some it is an act of heroism, for others it is only perpetuating the conflict by using dark magic. ("Desperate Souls," "Ill-Boding Patterns")

Second Ogres War
Granny's six brothers, as well as her father, are all veterans of the Second Ogres War. Later, when Granny recounts this to a group of villagers, she notes it was more than sixty years ago. ("Red-Handed")

Third Known Ogres War
TBA ("Regina Rising")

Fourth Known Ogres War
Reports surface of several villages falling to the ogres. Sir Maurice summons the Dark One Rumplestiltskin as a last resource to end the conflict. After making a deal with Belle, Rumplestiltskin ends the Ogre Wars once more. ("Skin Deep")

During First Curse

Fifth Known Ogres Conflict
It is not known if the Ogres are at war in the Enchanted Forest by the time the first Dark Curse ravages the land. However, while most inhabitants are sent to another world, most of the ogres are left behind.

After First Curse

After the Savior decides to stay in Storybrooke and time resumes, the ogres have taken over most of the now-abandoned regions of the Enchanted Forest. ("Lady of the Lake," "The Doctor")

Before Second Curse

After Regina undoes the first curse and everyone returns to the Enchanted Forest, Aurora informs the returned citizens that the Ogres have been defeated, implying that another war may have happened. ("New York City Serenade")

Known Wars

War Status Combatants Casualties Result
First Concluded
  • Humans
    • Frightened Soldier †
  • Ogres
Human victory
Ogre defeat
Second Concluded
  • Humans
    • Granny's father †
    • Granny's six older brothers †
  • Ogres
  • Ogres
Human victory
Ogre defeat
Third (?) Concluded
  • Humans
    • Corbin Fairchild †
  • Ogres
Human victory
Ogre defeat
Fourth (?) Concluded Human victory
Ogre defeat
Fifth (?) Concluded
  • Ogres

Human victory
Ogre defeat

Weapons, Items and Magic Involved

Trivia

On-Screen Notes

  • Wherever there is a war with the ogres, the sky above the battle ground turns blood-red. According to Rumplestiltskin, the red in the sky does not reflect the fire from the battle field, but the blood of the children who fought and died. ("Desperate Souls")

Appearances

Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.

References

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