Killian Jones a.k.a. the infamous Captain Hook started out his story arc on Once Upon A Time as a villain. But over time, he began to have a redemption arc that made him into one of the main heroes of the story.
With his love for Emma Swan helping him to become apart of the heroes of Storybrooke, he had many heroic moments to recount. But there were also moments from his past that were rather villainous. Regardless, he is one of the best characters to ever grace Once and his villainy is what led him to his heroism. Let's look back at his five most heroic moments, as well as his five most villainous.
Hero: Giving Up His Ship For Emma (And Storybrooke)
In the middle of season 3, another curse had overcome Storybrooke, sending everyone back to the Enchanted Forest, while Emma and her son, Henry, went to New York with their memories completely wiped.
While back in the Enchanted Forest, Killian sold his beloved ship, the Jolly Roger, to get a magic bean to transport himself back to the land without magic to find Emma. This was so he could restore her memories and thus saving Storybrooke with the Savior -- also known as Emma Swan -- back in town.
He didn't even tell her of his grand gesture until she asked him point-blank in the season 3 finale. It was a selfless act from the pirate captain.
Villain: His Time As Dark Hook
When Emma shared the Dark One curse with Killian to save his life, she didn't tell him what she had done initially. So when he found out he had become the one thing he truly hated, he made it his mission with the dark curse inside him to take his vengeance out on Storybrooke and Rumpelstiltskin.
What made this act of vengeance that much colder was the fact Killian had already redeemed himself from his past villainous ways only to become the villain again the moment the dark curse was coursing through his veins. It devastated his friends and family but luckily his plans were not followed through with in the end.
Hero: Helping Rescue Henry From Neverland
By the end of season 2, Captain Hook was starting to realize how wrong he was to attack the citizens of Storybrooke only to hopefully take out his revenge on Rumpelstiltskin. So when season 3 rolls around and Emma with her family and friends go to rescue Henry from Neverland, it is Killian who offers his help.
He gets them there with the use of his ship and his navigation skills and knowledge of the island. This was one of the first times we saw a different side to Killian Jones. His chivalry and heroism really began to peek through here and it was a great change to an already engaging character.
Villain: Shooting Belle
Rumpelstiltskin and Hook were sworn enemies after Hook had taken up with Rumple's wife, Milah, back in the Enchanted Forest years ago. Rumple eventually took matters into his own hands when he became the Dark One and killed Milah in retaliation, as well as cut off Killian's hand.
Since then, Killian was ready to get his revenge on the crocodile and initially wanted to end his life, but when that wasn't working in season 2, he decided to shoot Belle, Rumple's true love. When he shot her, she crossed the town line, losing all of her memories of her true life.
It was one of the vilest actions from his villain days.
Hero: Saving David’s Life
When Hook was first starting to turn over a new leaf, Charming was very wary of him, particularly his intentions with his daughter, Emma. But when Charming was poisoned by the Dreamshade in Neverland, Hook tricks him into getting the cure he needs.
He did this knowing Charming wouldn't take the time to save just himself, so he made sure to do it for him. He had him drink the water that would save his life and that ended up being the first moment that Charming looked at Hook as an equal.
It also was one of the first of a long line of selfless acts Killian would commit over the course of the series.
Villain: Killing His Father
Brennan Jones was not a good man when he left his two sons, Killian and Liam, when they were only children. He made them into orphans when they didn't have to be and that became part of Killian's tortured backstory.
So when Killian came across his father years later, he learned he had married again and lost his wife, but they had a son before she died. What truly angered him was that he named the son Liam, seeming to replace Killian's older brother of the same name who had died long ago.
His reaction was to end his father's life in cold blood, making it one of his worst moments.
Hero: Sacrificing Himself In The Alternate Timeline
Towards the end of season 4, the author ends up writing a completely different timeline that affects the lives of all of the citizens of Storybrooke. It sends them back to the Enchanted Forest but in an alternate timeline, where Killian is not the fearsome Captain Hook but rather is a deckhand to Captain Blackbeard.
He is a much more tame version of the Killian we know and love and he had no memories of his love, Emma, or her son, Henry. Yet he still sacrificed himself when push came to shove to save their lives. It was beyond brave and heroic of Deckhand Killian.
Villain: Stealing Ursula’s Voice
Before Captain Hook changed his ways and became the hero he is today, he was a pirate captain only looking out for himself, his crew, and his revenge. So when he came across Ursula, the mermaid with the enchanting voice, they strike a deal. He warns her of his father's plan to steal her voice and she decides to help him steal the squid ink he wishes to obtain if he doesn't do that for her father.
All is going well until her father, Poseidon, destroys the squid ink, ruining Killian's chances of using it to exact his revenge on Rumpelstiltskin once again. In retaliation, Killian takes her voice with the magic shell anyways. It was tragic.
Hero: Sacrificing His Life As Dark Hook For Storybrooke
When Killian took his turn as the Dark One in season 5, he went full-on Dark One the moment the memories of the curse taking over him came rushing back again.
He was ready to take his revenge out on not only Rumple at this point but also the whole of Storybrooke.
Once he realized the severity and evil nature of his actions, he made the decision to sacrifice himself as the Dark One to save them from the hellish reality about to come over Storybrooke. It was a courageous and selfless act that had awful repercussions on Killian. But at that moment, all that mattered was the ones he loved were safe again.
Villain: His Partnership With Cora
When we first came across Killian Jones, he was the Captain of the Jolly Roger and was in a dangerous partnership with Cora, Regina's evil mother.
They had nefarious plans ready for all of Storybrooke and Killian's main goal in partnering with her was his retaliation on Rumple. She would give him what he needed to carry out his vengeful plans if he helped her reach her own evil goals.
It was what made us look at Captain Hook as a true villain from the start and took a long time for us to see him as anything different, let alone a hero.