All fairy tale retellings are bound to have some sort of criticism. However, Once Upon a Time pulled it off remarkably well, as the show is widely loved across the globe and is mature enough to be enjoyed by all ages.
Once Upon a Time is packed with different characters, romances, and rivalries, so there are plenty of audience members whose thoughts on the show aren't aligned with the majority. Fans decided to take to Reddit to express their unpopular opinion about the series.
Belle Is A Mary Sue
Reddit user MaddieBonanaFana expresses multiple unpopular opinions about Once Upon a Time, such as shipping Emma and Neal and finding Hook bland and boring. Yet, it was their thoughts on Belle that stood out the most. The Reddit user thinks "Belle is very Mary Sue'ish," and her storylines aren't very accurate.
However, this is something that isn't particularly accurate as Belle did have flaws. There were certainly moments where Belle showed the darkness that lied within her. Not only did she chose an object over Anna's life but she was also the reason why Anna was captured by the Snow Queen. That's certainly something that doesn't sound "perfect."
Snow And Charming Got Worse As The Show Went On
Snow and Charming are meant to represent true love, which is why this point of view might sound surprising. Reddit user miniekook97 admits that they "started to dislike Snow and Charming as the series progressed," but user HeftyRain7 responds and says this actually isn't too unpopular of an opinion as they "changed too much."
However, this feels a little bit unfair. Naturally, as the seasons progress, the characters have to develop and change otherwise they would feel one-dimensional and unrealistic. By exploring the darker sides to Snow and Charming's personality, they became objectively better in terms of complexity and more relatable.
Emma And Hook Don't Have Chemistry
Out of all the romances on Once Upon A Time, fans loved watching Emma and Hook's blossom; their slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance is a huge part of the plot and enjoyed by most of the audience. However, Reddit user wings_and_horns disagrees with the majority and writes that "there's no chemistry between Emma and Hook."
They continue on to say that "Emma should have ended up with a fairy tale character," which isn't an unpopular statement. It's only made controversial because most viewers believe Captain Hooks fits that role. Emma and Hook are such a major part of the show, that disliking them would make the series hard to stomach.
Season 7 Isn't That Bad
When a show is coming to an end, viewers don't want to go into the final season without the characters they know and love. Therefore, it's understandable why so many people dislike Once Upon a Time Season 7. However, Reddit user teigyG feels differently, and they post that "Season 7 actually isn't that bad."
While the story had potential and could have been successful as a new series, the point is that it was no longer Once Upon A Time. Many Once Upon A Time viewers believed the show should have ended with season 6 since it wasn't the same without Emma, Hook, Snow, and Charming; for them, they had become more connected to the characters than the world so their absence was felt in season 7.
Graham Was Emma's True Love
A Reddit user believes "Emma's true love was Graham and wished he could come back to the show." Given that Once Upon A Time fans didn't know several things about Graham because he was only featured in a handful of episodes, this is definitely an unpopular opinion. There's no doubt that the two had chemistry, but he died so quickly that it was hard for viewers to become emotionally invested in their relationship.
The actor landed the lead role in Fifty Shades of Grey, which pretty much ensured that the actor wouldn't be coming back. When the show first aired, many fans agreed with this viewpoint. But as soon as Captain Hook was introduced, all of Emma's other love interests became irrelevant.
Regina Is Horribly Written
Many fans feel that Regina had the best character arc in Once Upon a Time. She started out as the main antagonist of the series but had been crowned "The Good Queen" at the end. However, a Reddit user thinks that "Regina's character is horribly written." When she rips the Evil Queen out of her and sends her away, they believe the show is trying to blame Regina's behavior on someone else when the Evil Queen is a part of her that she created.
Because Regina is a fan-favorite character and her development is usually praised, there probably aren't too many viewers who agree with this. Regina may have banished the darkest part of herself, but she accepted that it was put there because of her own choices.
Peter Pan Isn't Worth The Hype
Peter Pan is believed by many to be among the best villains in Once Upon a Time. Unlike the Disney movie, the show turned Peter Pan into one of the most diabolical antagonists the characters had ever faced, while Captain Hook becomes a hero. Reddit user Stubble_Sandwich holds the opposite opinion and states that they "don't understand why everyone loves Peter Pan so much."
The actor has been widely praised for his portrayal of the character, as he manages to encompass the anger of an immortal in a child's body. Like most fans, the user loved the Netherland arc, as well as the concept of an evil Pan, but they thought the reality of it fell flat. But Peter Pan drove the Netherland arc, and it couldn't have existed without him. If it's not broken, why fix it?
August And Emma Should Have Been Together
When it came to season 1 of Once Upon a Time, there were many potential romances; one that certainly grabbed some Reddit users' attention was the budding romance between Emma and August. Reddit user the_man_diva says that they "always felt it should have been August and Emma together." There were definitely moments early on that made viewers believe that was the route their relationship was taking.
However, this remains an unpopular opinion because their short arc together wasn't all that memorable. A few episode arc simply can't hold a torch to Emma and Hook's seasons of characterization and development. Most fans haven't forgotten either how Augustus had already played a major part in Emma's life by making decisions for her without her knowing (such as his attempts to get Neal to leave so she could break the curse). Their relationship wouldn't have worked in the long run.
Rumplestiltskin Shouldn't Have Been Resurrected
Rumpelstiltskin is one of the more controversial characters in the show because his character was so untrustworthy. Rumpelstiltskin did die, but he was eventually resurrected by Belle and Neal. Reddit user BrianBeatty13 claims that "Rumpel should have stayed dead after his death in Season 3."
This is a pretty unpopular opinion given how many viewers are attached to his relationship with Belle. No matter how bad he may be in terms of morality, there's no way that the show could survive without his presence. Rumpelstiltskin assured that there was always a constant threat, which is necessary for a drama.