ABC's "Once Upon a Time" will make a splash when the Little Mermaid makes her debut in the third season's November 3 episode.
Ariel will be introduced along with handsome Prince Eric and Ursula, Ariel's tentacled nemesis. New photos show Ariel, played by JoAnna Garcia Swisher ("Reba"), with her hunky new beau, Prince Eric, portrayed by Gil McKinney ("Friday Night Lights").
The episode will feature Ariel rescuing one of the show's characters before she goes an adventure of her own. Ariel's adventure will incorporate elements from the 1989 Disney animated classic "The Little Mermaid," according to TVGuide.
"Once we realized we were going to Neverland, it felt like the perfect place to see Ariel," executive producer Edward Kitsis said.
Be sure to look for references to the animated film, such as the fork (a.k.a, 'dinglehopper') during the comical dinner scene, executive producer Adam Horowitz said.
Fans have been speculating that Lana Parrilla will become Ursula, the wicked queen of the sea. When pressed about this speculation, Kitsis hinted, "In a world where our crocodile turns out to be Rumplestiltskin, you never know what might happen."
The fairytale drama will also reveal the backstory of how Henry ended up in Regina's (Lana Parrilla) care. "Before our Christmas break, we plan to show the why and the how of how baby Henry came to his new mother," co-creator Adam Horowitz told TVLine.
TVFanatic reveals that Rumpelstilskin's father will also appear. The Dark One's father will appear on episode eight of the series. It is not yet known how long his father will appear in the series, nor who is slated to play the part.
Rumple's father is the least of his worries in season two. Once the characters aboard the Jolly Roger arrive in Neverland, Rumpelstiltskin gets a clear warning from Lost Boy Felix in a sneak preview from the season three premiere.
"If you're here for the boy, that makes you Pan's enemy," Felix says. "If you go against him, you will not survive."
Rumple says that his survival is not the question--the question is how many Lost Boys he will take down with him. Just as the two begin to hostilely walk away from each other, the Lost Boy throws something onto the ground-- an object seemingly from Rumple's past-- that brings Rumple to tears.
Rumple and the rest of the characters' visit to Neverland will play out over a cinematic, 11-episode arc.
A motley crew of characters are aboard the ship to Neverland to retrieve Emma's (Jennifer Morrison) son, Henry. New photos for the upcoming season show that the shipmates' interactions will be just as unruly as the stormy sea. The vessel's crew consists of Emma (Jennifer Morrison), Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin), David (Josh Dallas), Regina (Lana Parrilla), Rumple and Captain Hook (Colin O'Donoghue).
The second season premieres on September 29 on ABC.