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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!

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 23 - Operation Mongoose (2)
    9.0/10(2117 votes)

    S4:E23

    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
    Writers:Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis

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  2. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 22 - Operation Mongoose (1)
    8.7/10(1765 votes)

    S4:E22

    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
    Writers:Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis

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  3. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 10 - Fall
    8.6/10(1734 votes)

    S4:E10

    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

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  4. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 11 - Shattered Sight
    8.6/10(1764 votes)

    S4:E11

    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
    Writers:Scott Nimerfro, Tze Chun

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  5. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 12 - Heroes and Villains
    8.5/10(1732 votes)

    S4:E12

    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
    Writers:Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis

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  6. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 8 - Smash the Mirror (1)
    8.4/10(1719 votes)

    S4:E8

    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.

    Directors:Ralph Hemecker, Eagle Egilsson
    Writers:David H. Goodman, Jerome Schwartz

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  7. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 9 - Smash the Mirror (2)
    8.3/10(1239 votes)

    S4:E9

    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
    Writers:David H. Goodman, Jerome Schwartz

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  8. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 1 - A Tale of Two Sisters
    8.2/10(2198 votes)

    S4:E1

    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
    Writers:Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis

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  9. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 4 - The Apprentice
    8.1/10(1725 votes)

    S4:E4

    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
    Writers:Andrew Chambliss, Dana Horgan

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  10. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 5 - Breaking Glass
    8.1/10(1681 votes)

    S4:E5

    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
    Writers:Kalinda Vazquez, Scott Nimerfro

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  11. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 7 - The Snow Queen
    8.1/10(1624 votes)

    S4:E7

    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
    Writers:Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis

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  12. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 16 - Poor Unfortunate Soul
    8.1/10(1590 votes)

    S4:E16

    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
    Writers:Andrew Chambliss, Dana Horgan

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  13. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 19 - Sympathy for the De Vil
    8.1/10(1572 votes)

    S4:E19

    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
    Writers:David H. Goodman, Jerome Schwartz

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  14. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 2 - White Out
    8.0/10(1836 votes)

    S4:E2

    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

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  15. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 3 - Rocky Road
    8.0/10(1741 votes)

    S4:E3

    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
    Writers:David H. Goodman, Jerome Schwartz

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  16. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 13 - Darkness on the Edge of Town
    8.0/10(1584 votes)

    S4:E13

    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
    Writers:Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis

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  17. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 20 - Lily
    8.0/10(1483 votes)

    S4:E20

    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
    Writers:Andrew Chambliss, Dana Horgan

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  18. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 15 - Enter the Dragon
    7.9/10(1454 votes)

    S4:E15

    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
    Writers:David H. Goodman, Jerome Schwartz

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  19. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 17 - Best Laid Plans
    7.9/10(1459 votes)

    S4:E17

    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
    Writers:Jane Espenson, Kalinda Vazquez

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  20. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 18 - Heart of Gold
    7.9/10(1496 votes)

    S4:E18

    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
    Writers:Scott Nimerfro, Tze Chun

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  21. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 21 - Mother
    7.9/10(1393 votes)

    S4:E21

    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

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  22. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 6 - Family Business
    7.8/10(1571 votes)

    S4:E6

    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
    Writers:Andrew Chambliss, Kalinda Vazquez

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  23. Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 14 - Unforgiven
    7.7/10(1491 votes)

    S4:E14

    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
    Writers:Andrew Chambliss, Kalinda Vazquez

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Season 4 Ratings Summary

"Operation Mongoose (2)" is the best rated episode of Once Upon a Time season 4. It scored 9.0/10 from 2,117 votes. Directed by Ralph Hemecker and written by Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, it aired on May 10, 2015. This episode is rated 0.3 points higher than the second-best, "Operation Mongoose (1)".