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This article focuses on the main reality version.
For the Wish Realm version, see Smee (Wish Realm).
For the other Enchanted Forest character named William, see William (Out of the Past).

Prince Charming: Are you the captain of a ship called the Jolly Roger?
Smee: Really? It's very kind of you to ask. I always thought I exuded authority.

Prince Charming and William Smee src

William Smee is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. He débuts in the fourth episode of the second season. He is portrayed by guest star Christopher Gauthier, and is the main reality version of Smee.

William Smee is based on Mr. Smee from the play Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, and Mr. Smee from the Disney film Peter Pan.

History

Before First Curse

As a criminal who sells stolen goods on the black market, William Smee approaches Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One, in a tavern and strikes a deal to trade a magic bean to him in exchange for eternal life. While "procuring" the bean from the ship of pirate captain Killian Jones, he is caught and imprisoned below the decks. Smee is brought forth from the hold when Killian and Milah attempt to broker their own deal with Rumplestiltskin, offering him the bean if he spares their lives. On Killian's ship, Smee later witnesses Rumplestiltskin killing Milah by crushing her heart and his amputation of Killian's hand in order to get the supposed bean clenched in the captain's fist. Smee is eventually released from his bindings and is asked by Killian to become part of the crew. He is indignant because Rumplestiltskin promised him eternal life, but that isn't possible now since Killian tricked Rumplestiltskin into leaving without the bean. Instead, Killian uses it to transport himself and his crew into another world where they will never age: Neverland. Later, Killian begins assuming the name Hook. ("The Crocodile")

As they sail towards the island of Neverland, Smee and the ship crew pull out a boy out of the water onto the deck. When Hook learns the youngster's name is Baelfire, he hides him when the Lost Ones come onto the ship, on Pan's orders, to search for a certain boy. After the Lost Ones leave, Smee expresses disagreement with Hook's plan to keep the boy and possibly get in trouble with Pan. Hook insists that Baelfire is a key for vital information towards his revenge since the boy is Rumplestiltskin's son. Instead, Hook forms a bond with the boy, which ends when Baelfire discovers the pirate only used him to find out more about Rumplestiltskin. ("Second Star to the Right," "And Straight On 'Til Morning")

At some point after this, Hook and his ship crew begin working for Peter Pan by traveling the seas and procuring items for him. On one such excursion back to Neverland, Smee is caught eating some of the food supplies that Pan is expecting, which Hook chastises him about. Suddenly, the whole crew hears a mermaid singing and fall under her spell as their ship is heading towards some rocks. Before they meet their doom, the mermaid's song stops, allowing Hook to call for the ship to be redirected away from danger. ("Poor Unfortunate Soul")

While Hook spends time at the local tavern, Smee tries to kill a stray mouse running around on the ship deck. He expresses surprise when he sees his captain, who is actually Hook from a future timeline, arriving back to the ship so soon. Smee begins going after the mouse again, but Hook tells him to leave the creature be as one day he will understand. Strangely, he notices his captain is wearing a new vest and seems to be acting differently, to which Hook commands him to stop badgering him. Smee apologizes and instead asks if there is anything he can do for him. On Hook's orders, he brings aboard a passing woman, who leaves a few minutes later. Resuming his place on deck, Smee is shocked to see a drunken Hook coming aboard the ship again, only this time he is with a blonde woman. Smee believes something is amiss, but Hook casually asks for privacy with the lady. In turn, his crew mate obeys by leaving the ship. ("Snow Drifts")

After finally arriving to the island's jungle, Hook admantly tells Smee that they must find a way back to the Enchanted Forest, as he has since learned from Baelfire that Rumplestiltskin can be killed by a special dagger. Smee nervously tries to keep up with his captain's hasty strides until he is knocked out by Tinker Bell, who then accosts Hook. ("Going Home")

At an unknown period of time, Snow White and Prince Charming approach Smee in a tavern to ask if he is the captain of the Jolly Roger. Smee haughtily gives an inflated opinion of himself, stating that he always knew he exuded the look of a captain, to which Hook cuts in to introduce himself as the captain they seek. The couple offer Hook a bag of coins as payment if he allows them passage on his ship to get to the Evil Queen's castle, however, Hook rejects their money and instead breaks out into song about his much sought after revenge against Rumplestiltskin. As Hook belts out the verses in the songs, Smee sings along with him and the other pirates. After the spell that caused everyone to sing ends, Smee and those who were affected by it have their memories erased by the Blue Fairy. ("The Song in Your Heart")

After First Curse

After the breaking of the Dark Curse, Smee is enlisted by Belle's father, Moe, to find his daughter. He ambushes her while she is peeking into the town library and asks for some change. After verifying that she is alone, he silences her mouth with his hand and drags her away to Moe's flower shop. Belle's brief reunion with her estranged father ends in disagreement over her relationship with Mr. Gold. Smee, at Moe's order, takes Belle to the mines to carry out her father's plan to send her over the Storybrooke town border; thereby erasing her Enchanted Forest memories and all possibility of reconciling with Mr. Gold. David, Mr. Gold and Ruby are able to thwart Moe's plan and stop the mine cart in time before Belle crosses the border. Later, Smee is bound up in a basement storage and interrogated by Mr. Gold about the whereabouts of Hook. ("The Crocodile")

Smee is taken by Mr. Gold to the town border for the purpose of testing out an experiment. Mr. Gold takes his red hat from him and asks where he got it. Smee replies that it is special to him and that his grandmother had made it for him. Mr. Gold pours a mysterious potion on the hat, gives the hat back to Smee and pushes him across the town line. Smee convulses with blue energy; seemingly losing his memories, but the potion helps to retain them. Later, he assists Hook in breaking into Mr. Gold's pawnshop to retrieve the shawl he has in the safe as the last thing of Baelfire's. Fearful of Mr. Gold's wrath, he tries to leave town, but is caught by him. Mr. Gold demands to know where the shawl was. Smee claims not to know since he previously met Hook on a rooftop in Storybrooke. Rather than kill Smee, Gold turns him into a rat, and orders him to scurry away, which Smee promptly does. ("The Outsider")

The devious Pan infiltrates Storybrooke by previously switching bodies with Henry and sets out to cast his own version of the Dark Curse. Regina puts a stop to it by undoing the curse she cast, but also getting rid of Pan's curse in the process. As a price, Storybrooke will be wiped out and all residents will have to return to the Enchanted Forest. Once Regina's task is done, everyone except Emma and Henry, who left town on the mayor's request, is engulfed by the curse's purple smoke. ("Going Home")



Before Second Curse
After Regina takes preventive measures to undo Pan's curse, all the inhabitants of Storybrooke pay the price by returning to their former lives in the Enchanted Forest. Smee is transformed back into his human form, although he does not forget how much he liked cheese. Smee then rejoins Hook's crew, though they are not able to locate the Jolly Roger. One night, they successfully steal treasure from a roadside traveler and later celebrate at the tavern. Smee procures a prostitute for Hook, who then suggestively leads the woman away. Neither he or the other crew mates see their captain pay off the wench rather than accept her services. When Hook learns from Ariel that Black Beard is in possession of the Jolly Roger, Smee tags along on the journey to find the ship. Smee and Ariel wait until Hook distracts Black Beard with a sword duel before sneaking aboard. Ariel goes to look for her kidnapped lover, Prince Eric, who she presumes Black Beard has, but cannot find him anywhere on the ship. Black Beard promises to give him up if Hook stops trying to reclaim the Jolly Roger. Hook chooses the ship and throws Black Beard to the sharks, to which Ariel berates him for his selfishness. ("The Jolly Roger")

During Second Curse

A new curse is cast by none other than Snow White; returning William Smee and the rest of the Enchanted Forest inhabitants to the town of Storybrooke. However, as a result of the Wicked Witch of the West's interference, everyone's last recollection is the final day in Storybrooke when Regina stopped Pan's curse, but no one can recall anything further than that. Smee approaches Hook at the harbor and questions him on what is keeping their old crew from regrouping. Hook remains tight-lipped; particularly when Smee asks what he is hiding from the missing year in the Enchanted Forest, and if there's a specific reason he wants to stay in Storybrooke. To this, the former pirate captain warns him from prying into his business. ("The Jolly Roger")

After being called to the docks by Hook, Smee meet him and Henry there. As he is introduced to the boy, Henry recognizes Smee's name. This leads Smee to mistakenly believe Henry has regained his memories, but the latter only knows the name from having watched the Peter Pan film. At Hook's request, Smee is ordered to make Henry back to New York by boat. However, the trio then come under attack by Zelena's flying monkeys and seek cover in a warehouse. Once there, Hook orders Smee to take Henry and find another boat. While Smee rushes off to do that, Henry attempts to follow, but he trips over a rope. ("A Curious Thing")

After Sixth Curse
After the realms become united, Smee attends a coronation at the royal castle, where Regina, having been elected as Queen by the citizens of the United Realms, is crowned "the Good Queen" by Snow White. However, it is unknown if this Smee is from the main reality, or if he is Smee from the Wish Realm. ("Leaving Storybrooke")

Trivia

Etymology

  • The character's first name was added for the show. In the book, he is simply known as "Mr. Smee".

Character Notes

Production Notes

  • The casting call describes him as, "a criminal who deals in stolen antiques. This role may be recurring."[2]
  • The casting call name for him was "Beaman".[2]
  • While shooting the scene where Ariel, Hook and Smee are walking through the woods in the "The Jolly Roger", Christopher Gauthier, who plays Smee, would use his ax to chop at the trees between takes. However, since the prop was made of plastic, he ended up taking a chunk out of his ax.[3]

Disney

Prop Notes

Appearances

Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.

See also

References

  1. TwitterLogo Dagi•° 💚 (@WickedPretty_) on X, formerly Twitter: @AdamHorowitzLA If you could be friends with a character from OUAT which character would you pick? (January 27, 2016). (backup link)
    TwitterLogo Adam Horowitz (@AdamHorowitzLA) on X, formerly Twitter: @WickedPretty_ maybe smee? Have a loyal sidekick. (January 27, 2016). (backup link)
  2. 2.0 2.1 Once Upon a Time - Episode 2.04 - Additional roles being cast. SpoilerTV (July 26, 2012). “Two more guest roles are being cast for episode 2.04, the one with Captain Hook. (...) Beaman, a criminal who deals in stolen antiques. This role may be recurring.”
  3. Colin O'Donoghue on the Season Three Blu-ray/DVD Audio Commentary
  4. File:317BeforeWeMet.png
  5. File:506ThisOne.png
  6. Once Upon a Time - Scottish Warrior's /Smee's Stunt Prop Axe (0487). iCollector. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved on June 5, 2020.
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