Fairytales converge in the world of Once Upon a Time, a magical series that aired on ABC from 2011 to 2018. Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz’s fantasy show follows Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), who becomes a guide to the eclectic array of characters and creatures in this patchwork town. We’ve met queens, princesses, princes, and villains, but in Season 2, a green-clad sharpshooter sneaks into the mix, and you may recognize his motto: steal from the rich, give to the poor. Robin Hood briefly appeared in the second season and was played by Tom Ellis. However, he was re-casted after this first appearance, returning in Season 3 as Sean Maguire.
Tom Ellis Joined ‘Once Upon a Time’ Season 2 as Robin Hood
Ellis’ Robin appears as a supporting character in Season 2, Episode 19, “Lacey,” which is an installment that revolves around Bella’s (Emilie de Ravin) Beauty and the Beast story with Rumpelstiltskin, or Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle). Back when they were in the Enchanted Forest, Robin decides to try his luck at breaking into Gold’s castle and stealing his magic wand. When he is caught, Robin believes he will be able to gain the upper hand with his bow and arrow, but Gold outsmarts and imprisons him. The kind-hearted Belle furtively releases the would-be thief, and Gold punishes her by forcing her to hunt Robin down with him. But when they finally catch up, they realize Robin was only stealing the wand to help his ill and pregnant lover.
Despite being brief, Robin’s role is crucial in Gold’s storyline, as the despicable wizard decides to let the offender go, demonstrating how much Belle has rubbed off on him. Ellis himself performed the character effortlessly, imbuing Robin with enough gall and confidence to justify his decision to confront Gold while eventually spiraling into a desperate lover we pity and empathize with. Despite Ellis’ success in the role, he did not return in Season 3, when the character became a mainstay in the series, forcing the show to recast.
Tom Ellis Could Not Return to ‘Once Upon a Time’ Season 3
Though it would have been exciting to see him continue as the morally gray Robin, Ellis was unable to continue with the role due to scheduling conflicts. In an interview with TVLine, Horowitz explains: “Although we love Tom Ellis, unfortunately he wasn’t available. We remain huge fans of his, but because we have an arc planned for the character, we had to move forward.” So Ellis didn’t come back, but his character returned to Once Upon a Time in Season 3, becoming a part of the main ensemble cast and wearing a completely new face.
Meanwhile, Ellis was busy with two other roles. He played Gary alongside Miranda Hart’s titular character in Miranda, a British sit-com series, and also had a minor role as Detective Inspector Bland in Agatha Christie’s Poirot. Though he missed out on a recurring role in Once Upon a Time, this never really hurt his career, especially as he later gained much more recognition for his performance as Lucifer Morningstar in Netflix’s Lucifer.
Sean Maguire Took Over As Robin in ‘Once Upon a Time’
Once Upon a Time went on, now with Maguire taking on the role of the misfit archer and quickly became loved by fans all over. He brought a serious and rugged quality to the character, especially as he was pulled into a strange love triangle between his fiancé and the fierce Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla). Though he stays loyal to his fiancé, the tantalizing chemistry between him and the Queen cannot be ignored, becoming another reason for fans to swoon over him. As such, when Robin dies after protecting the Queen, the adoration of fans championed his return to the series in Season 6 – a testament to how Maguire’s touch probably suited this particular role and was beneficial to the show, despite Ellis having it first.
Source: collider.com