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This article focuses on the first iteration of Rapunzel and Dame Gothel.
For the second iteration of Rapunzel, see Rapunzel Tremaine.
For the second iteration of Dame Gothel, see Gothel.
For the fairytale, see "Rapunzel (fairytale)".


I didn't know if I could be queen. And if I didn't know, how could my parents believe in me?

—Rapunzel to Prince Charming src

Princess Rapunzel is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. She débuts, with her only appearance, in the fourteenth episode of the third season and is portrayed by guest star Alexandra Metz.

Rapunzel is based on the titular character from the fairytale, "Rapunzel", and Rapunzel from the Disney film Tangled. Her fear manifestation is based on Dame Gothel from the same fairytale, and Mother Gothel from Tangled.

History

Before First Curse

Born as the second child to her parents, the King and Queen of an unnamed kingdom, Rapunzel lives an unworried life knowing that her elder brother, instead of herself, will ascend the throne in the future. Though her parents warn Rapunzel against swimming in the stream, she disobeys them, becoming entrapped in the river, and is later saved by her brother. Tragically, her brother dies as a result, leaving Rapunzel as the next heir to the royal seat. Many years later, Rapunzel, afraid she won't live up to her parents' names as a ruler, digs up and ingest a plant called night root, which is rumored to rid the user of their fears, but it has no effect. Before leaving for home, she is chased up a tower by a cloaked witch, who refuses to allow her to ever leave. Unbeknownst to Rapunzel, the witch is a manifestation of herself as her own greatest fear as a consequence of consuming the night root. ("The Tower")

Before Second Curse

From her tower window, Rapunzel notices a man digging up night root. Since he is the first person she's seen in a long time, the princess calls to him for help. The man, Prince Charming, climbs up the tower using her long, braided hair as a scaling rope. After she tells him of her past, he promises to rescue her. When the cloaked witch climbs up the tower, she is finally unmasked as Rapunzel herself due to the effects of the night root. While Prince Charming pushes Rapunzel to fight this manifestation of her own fear, the witch throws him out of the tower. As he is clinging onto a vine, the witch begins ascending up using Rapunzel's hair. Advised by Prince Charming to fend off the fear or risk dying alone, she severs the length of her hair; causing the witch to fall and dissipate. Prince Charming helps Rapunzel out of the tower, bringing the princess to her parents, who she happily reunites with. ("The Tower")


Family

 
King
 
 
 
Queen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BrotherRapunzel

Notes:

  • Solid lines denote parent-child blood relationships
  • Dashed lines denote marriage, engagement and adoption relationships, and relationships that result in offspring
  • denotes the deceased

Trivia

Character Notes

Production Notes

  • The casting call describes her as, "a teenage African-American female who comes across as skittish and timid, having had her naturally curious and determined spirit tempered by years of crippling fear. That said, when put to the test, this lass can reach within and summon the strength to be a hero."[1]

Costume Notes

  • Rapunzel's dress[2] is the same outfit that Guinevere wears for her birthday celebration in "The Broken Kingdom".[3] ("The Tower")
  • The pink cloak worn by Rapunzel when she escapes the tower[5] is the same cloak worn by Isla in the scene where she pours mud on Gothel in "Flower Child".[6] The cloak was modified for Isla's scene: The white fur trimming on Rapunzel's cloak was replaced with golden fabric and the golden clasp was replaced with a similar but different clasp. ("The Tower")

Appearances

See also

References

  1. Mitovich, Matt Webb (November 22, 2013). Matt's Inside Line: Scoop on HIMYM, Revolution, Revenge, Once, Beast, Justified, Hostages & More. TVLine. “For Episode 14, the show is casting the possibly recurring role of a teenage African-American female who comes across as skittish and timid, having had her naturally curious and determined spirit tempered by years of crippling fear. That said, when put to the test, this lass can reach within and summon the strength to be a hero.”
  2. File:314WitchIsNear.png
  3. File:504GuinevereSad.png
  4. File:502Dancing.png
  5. File:314CouldBeQueen.png
  6. File:719SuchAPity.png
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