Who are the random extras in Once Upon a Time?

Question

The premise of Once Upon a Time is that all of the characters are from fairy tales. This works pretty well for the principals, but begins to break down when extended to necessary random extras. To illustrate, the Valentine's Day episode has the principal women from the show out at a bar and there are a ton of extras enjoying themselves in the background. In other instances there have been construction workers, hospital patients, etc.

Is there an explanation as to which fairytale characters these extras represent? Since everyone in Storybrooke is from a fantasy world, are we to assume these extras are random townspeople from the fairy tale world?

Answer 1

Fairy tales have extras too. There are always villagers in the background, or soldiers riding behind the general, or cheering peasants during weddings and coronations.

And if people's jobs in Storybrooke often reflect upon their original fairy-tale natures, then these people were born to be extras. A bit of a bummer, but that's ok, since you'll never get to talk to one of these background people. Once someone is given a line of dialogue, you know he's actually someone important. :)

Answer 2

As far as construction workers, French fairy tales: a Jungian approach by Bettina Liebowitz Knapp discusses Melusine, builder of cities and fortresses, who had within a tale employed a bunch of construction workers.

Or, as the guy who stole Romeo and Juliet from some fairy tale, said: ""There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

Answer 3

I don't see why couldn't be. There's more fairy tales out there than most people give credit.

I mean, Belle from Beauty and the Beast (as well as her family) made an appearance in episode 1x12, "Skin Deep" - I had thought that was a Disney story, not a real fairy tale, until I looked it up!