Snow White and Prince Charming were living their happy ending, but that didn't settle things with the Evil Queen who was living in exile. No, she had to get her revenge. Using the ultimate curse, the Evil Queen cursed all of the Enchanted Forest to live somewhere... truly awful.
Emma Swan is brought to the town of Storybrooke, Maine by a boy named Henry Mills who claims he is her child she had given up for adoption ten years prior. Despite the hardships, Emma wanted to make sure that her child had his best shot and she didn't see it here in Storybrooke with his mother, Mayor Mills. After the death of Graham Humbert, Emma became the Sheriff of Storybrooke and began to investigate many odd going ons.
However, a purple fog engulfed the town. Certain people changed in appearance. Dr. Hopper, once a ginger psychologist, was now a cricket who could speak. The nuns from the convent shrunk in size and grew wings, looking much like fairies.
Yet... no memories seem to have returned to the people of Storybrooke. Those who knew of Henry's theory that they were all fairy tale creatures were now having a hard time denying his assertions. What was going on? Why did magic return prematurely? How could they get their memories back? Should they even try to get their memories back? Perhaps Storybrooke was the better option. After all, the technology here was on par with magic and everyone could use it. Yet, there is still a longing for their old home - even though they may not remember it.
Some have tried to leave, but at the town border there seems to be an invisible wall. If someone tries to leave, they are stopped as if they ran into a cool glass wall. Nothing seems to break it. Nothing seems to be able to get past the wall. There is no way to leave... for now.