When we first meet Emma Swan, she’s a process server celebrating her 28th birthday alone. Her life suddenly changes when Henry, the son she gave up for adoption when he was a baby, knocks on her door and tells her about the town of Storybrooke, Maine, where he lives with his adoptive mother, Regina (The Evil Queen), the town’s Mayor. Henry insists that everyone in town is really a fairy tale character who has been trapped there with no memory of their true selves. She doesn’t believe him, but when she takes him home and meets Regina, she decides to stay in town for a while. The moment she makes the decision, the local clock tower—stuck at 8:15 p.m. for as long as anyone can remember—ticks forward. Things are changing in Storybrooke!