Gothel

Mother Gothel, also known as Mother Nature, is a character featured on ABC's Once Upon a Time. In Hyperion Heights, she is Eloise Gardener, a prisoner of Belfrey Towers. She is portrayed by Emma Booth. Her gallery is available here.

Background
When Earth was still a land of magic thousands of years ago, Gothel and her fellow nymphs lived a peaceful and reclusive lifestyle alongside nature, but Gothel became fascinated by humans and eventually befriended some. However, the humans found Gothel's magic to be an abomination and tormented her, before slaughtering all of the other nymphs and turning the world into a land without magic. When Mother Flora is killed, Gothel inherits the title of "Mother". As the last tree nymph left in existence, Gothel seeks retribution and manages to kill everybody in the world. After committing genocide against humankind, Gothel leaves with Seraphina - the only human she spared - for the New Enchanted Forest, vowing to return to the land without magic to exterminate the human race again, should they ever repopulate the world.

When Rapunzel is caught stealing vegetables from Gothel's garden, Gothel imprisons her at the top of a tower. However, Rapunzel manages to escape by using her extraordinarily long hair, and uses some of Gothel's own magic to trap her in the tower instead. Some time later, when Captain Hook climbs the tower looking for magic to imprison Rumplestiltskin, Gothel disguises herself as Rapunzel to seduce Killian and become pregnant. Magically speeding up the pregnancy, Gothel gives birth to a baby girl who she abandons in the tower so as to become free herself. Their daughter is raised by Killian, albeit still trapped in the tower, and when Killian tries to free her Gothel intervenes and curses their hearts, keeping them apart. Forming a coven of powerful witches, Gothel frees Rapunzel's wayward daughter Drizella from a spell that trapped her as a statue. Drizella joins Gothel's coven, and they poison Henry Mills so that his mother Regina is forced to cast the Dark Curse.

Season 7
When the Dark Curse takes everyone to the land without magic - specifically the Seattle suburb of Hyperion Heights - Victoria Belfrey keeps Gothel prisoner at the top of Belfrey Towers. Victoria wants Gothel's help to revive Anastasia, but when Gothel refuses and threatens her, Victoria gathers herbs to appease her and acquire her help in uprooting Lucy's belief. However, Gothel is secretly in league with Victoria's daughter Ivy, and helps her awaken Regina from the curse. When Rogers discovers that Victoria is involved in the case of the missing Eloise Gardener, he tracks her down and discovers Gothel captive. Rogers rescues Gothel, and has Victoria arrested for kidnapping her. Victoria manages to evade imprisonment and successfully revives Anastasia, only for Gothel to trap Victoria in an underground prison so that Anastasia can be indoctrinated into Gothel's coven.

Gothel then betrays Ivy by having Anastasia steal her magic, before Gothel imprisons Ivy with her mother. She plans to kill Ivy to recharge the resurrection amulet, until Victoria sacrifices her own life to save her daughter. When members of the coven start being murdered by the Candy Killer, Gothel seeks out help from Rogers. Following Gothel's failed attempt to acquire Anastasia's magic, she instead turns her attention to the next possible Guardian: her daughter, who is cursed as Tilly. Gothel contacts Tilly, and manages to lure her into the coven, using the power of Tilly's love for Rogers and Margot to unleash a powerful spell with the power to destroy humanity. However, with the curse broken by Henry, Gothel loses control of her daughter and ends up facing off against the power of the Guardian. Alice's magic easily overpowers Gothel, who is trapped in the form of a tree.

Trivia

 * She is based on Dame Gothel from the fairytale Rapunzel.
 * Gothel also alludes to "Mother Nature" (another name for Gaia) from Greek Mythology.

Behind the Scenes

 * Gothel is the main antagonist of Season 7. She is the third main antagonist whose role as the main antagonist was not revealed until mid-way through their story arc, the others being Nimue and Fiona.

Appearances

 * S7, E03: "The Garden of Forking Paths"
 * S7, E05: "Greenbacks"
 * S7, E06: "Wake Up Call"
 * S7, E07: "Eloise Gardener"
 * S7, E08: "Pretty in Blue"
 * S7, E09: "One Little Tear"
 * S7, E10: "The Eighth Witch"
 * S7, E11: "Secret Garden"
 * S7, E13: "Knightfall"
 * S7, E15: "Sisterhood"
 * S7, E19: "Flower Child"
 * S7, E20: "Is This Henry Mills?"