The Magic Mirror is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. He is portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito. In Storybrooke, he becomes Sidney Glass, a journalist and sycophant to Regina. His gallery is here.
Biography
Background
As a genie in a lamp which is washed ashore, he is found by a king named Leopold, who frees him. The Genie is grateful and Leopold invites him back to his palace, where he meets Leopold's wife Regina and his daughter Snow. However, the Genie quickly falls in love with Regina, and when he eventually notices how unhappy Regina is with their marriage, he offers to help her. Eventually, he gets caught up in a plot to kill the king, and manages to use Agrabahn Vipers which deliver a fatal bite to King Leopold. Believing that he and Regina will be together at last, it is revealed that Regina simply used him to get rid of her husband. It is revealed that Leopold gave one of his three wishes for the Genie to use, and so the Genie wishes that he will never leave Regina's side. At that moment, the Genie vanishes and is trapped in the Mirror Realm, becoming the Magic Mirror. Still pledging his loyalty to Regina however, he becomes her eyes and ears around the Enchanted Forest.
Season 1
After Regina unleashes the first Dark Curse which sends everyone to Storybrooke, he becomes Sidney Glass, a reporter for the local newspaper The Daily Mirror. However, he is still working for Regina, who has become the mayor of Storybrooke, and is still hopelessly in love with her. Sidney ends up in an election against newcomer Emma Swan for the position of sheriff, but loses. When Regina's plan to make Snow look like she killed Kathryn fails, she makes Sidney take the fall. Sidney tells the police department that he kidnapped Kathryn, but Emma doesn't believe a word of it. Sidney is locked up in the same asylum as Belle underneath Storybrooke Hospital.
Season 3
It is eventually revealed that when Regina adopted Henry, she convinced Sidney to look into the health information files on Henry's biological mother, who is Emma.
Season 4
Regina frees Sidney from the asylum and returns him to his mirror form, so that Sidney can help her locate the writer of the storybook that has everyone's happy endings in it. However, Sidney betrays Regina and starts working for the Snow Queen instead. After obtaining the mirror that Regina kept Sidney in, the Snow Queen releases Sidney from his mirror form and lets him go.
Family/Relationships
- None known (family)
Status: Alive
Trivia
- He is based on the genie from Middle Eastern Folklore, as well as the magic mirror from Snow White.
- His lamp is currently owned by Rumplestiltskin, and apparently Sidney has granted 1,004 wishes.
- His cursed name, Sidney, is a reference to Sidney Sheldon, the creator of I Dream of Jeannie.
Appearances
- S1, E02: "The Thing You Love Most"
- S1, E05: "That Still Small Voice"
- S1, E07: "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter"
- S1, E08: "Desperate Souls"
- S1, E11: "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree"
- S1, E14: "Dreamy"
- S1, E17: "Hat Trick" (flashback)
- S1, E18: "The Stable Boy"
- S1, E19: "The Return"