The Price of Gold
| "The Price of Gold" | |
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| Once Upon a Time episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | David Solomon |
| Written by | David H. Goodman |
| Original air date | November 13, 2011 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
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"The Price of Gold" is the fourth episode of the American fairy tale/drama television series Once Upon a Time. The series takes place in the fictional seaside town of Storybrooke, Maine, in which the residents are actually characters from various fairy tales that were transported to the "real world" town by a powerful curse. This episode centers on Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) coming to the aid of a young pregnant woman (Jessy Schram) who is trying to escape from Storybrooke and Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle), which parallels with Cinderella's (Schram) regrettable deal she made with Rumpelstiltskin (Carlyle).
The episode was written by co-executive producer David H. Goodman, while being directed by David Solomon. Goodman used the newly introduced character of Cinderella to reveal more of Emma's backstory, as she had no flashbacks to draw upon. Schram's casting was confirmed in August 2011, when it was revealed that Cinderella's storyline would differ from the traditional fairytale. Goodman wrote the character as a naive though sweet woman who makes bad decisions that places her in even more "unfortunate circumstances."
"The Price of Gold" first aired in the United States on ABC on November 13, 2011. An estimated 11.327 million viewers watched the episode, placing second in its timeslot and seventeenth overall for the week. Television critics have viewed the episode positively, with many believing it was an improvement over previous installments. Carlyle's performance was also cited as a highlight, as was the episode's deviation from Cinderella's traditional story.
Cinderella's Fairy Godmother is shown flittering in the forest.
The Enchanted Forest flashbacks take place at different moments in the timeline: Cinderella's contract with Rumplestiltskin takes place after Rumplestiltskin finds out about the Fairy Godmother's location in "The Shepherd" and immediately after her stepsisters' invitation and preparation for the royal ball in "The Other Shoe". The actual wedding of Cinderella to Prince Thomas takes place after the ball and Cinderella's reunion with the prince in "The Other Shoe". It is also estimated to occur after Snow White and Prince Charming defeat King George in "The Cricket Game", since they attend the wedding as a royal couple. The scene where Cinderella tells Thomas that she's pregnant, takes place several months before the casting of the Dark Curse in "Pilot". The imprisonment of Rumplestiltskin, takes place when Cinderella is fully pregnant, after "The Cricket Game" (where he was still a free man) and some time before Snow White and Prince Charming speak to him in prison in "Pilot".
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