Sorcerer's Apprentice

The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a recurring character on Once Upon a Time. He is the apprentice of a very powerful magician. He is tasked with dedicating his entire life to protect a box which contains a hat capable of absorbing any magical powers. He defends the hat against many different Dark One's, for they all seek the power within, but none of them succeed.

Before the Curse
Zoso visits the apprentice's lair in an attempt to steal the sorcerer's hat, but he's fought away. Many years later, Anna visits Rumplestiltskin at his Dark Castle and wants to know why her parents came to the Enchanted Forest all those years ago, offering to do whatever it takes for this information. This gladdens Rumple and he makes the princess sign a contract, sending her on her way to poison a sorcerer's apprentice who guards a magic hat. She goes, but cannot poison him, shocked to learn that the "poison" was actually an antidote to the spell Rumple had earlier enacted to turn the kindly old man into a mouse; he explains that he needed her tear to break the enchantment guarding the box containing the hat, which can only be broken by those who've faced their inner-darkness and overcome it. She argues that she never even considered killing the man, so it doesn't count, and so he tells her that her parents came to the Enchanted Forest because they feared their daughter Elsa and goads her into killing him - which she does contemplate, but ultimately can't do - and he takes her tear afterwards. He then takes the hat for himself, wanting to use it to collect enough magic to end his dagger's thrall over him, but the apprentice (still in mouse form) soon bites his hand and causes him to drop said dagger, which Anna then picks up and uses to force him to hand over the hatbox and send her back to Arendelle. He begrudgingly obliges, and she quickly reunites with Kristoff.

Ingrid arrives at the Apprentice's cottage and demands to make a deal with the Sorcerer. The Apprentice warns her that the Sorcerer does not make petty deals with those who embrace the darkness, but Ingrid says that she has the Sorcerer's Hat. The Apprentice warns that she has no idea what forces she is dealing with and draws his sword. He demands to know where it is, but Ingrid assures him that it is hidden far away. If the Sorcerer doesn't give her what she wants then the Sorcerer will never see his hat again. The Apprentice asks what she wants, and Ingrid says that she wants happiness: the kind she had with her sisters as a child. She explains that she wants two new sisters born of magic like her: Elsa and a third. The Apprentice warns that it will take time to find a perfect match, and Ingrid says that she will wait as long as it takes. After Ingrid froze Arendelle, she recovers the Sorcerer's Hat and the Apprentice arrives. He reminds her of her deal with the Sorcerer, and says that happy endings can take a long time but they do happen. The Sorcerer has found a third sister and she will be a perfect match... but she hasn't been born yet. The Apprentice warns that if Ingrid delivers the hat then she will never have her third sister or be reunited with Elsa. He conjures a door to a new land where her happy ending await, and offers to open it if she gives him the Hat. Ingrid wonders why the Sorcerer is making a deal with her now, and the Apprentice says that sometimes people can surprise others. She hands over the Hat and the Apprentice gives her a scroll and says that it will lead her to her third sister when the time comes. Ingrid steps through the door.

Snow White and Prince Charming race to find a unicorn so that its magic horn will give them a vision of their unborn child's future; Charming sees a future where their baby is safe and happy, but Snow sees a future where their daughter is a villain, and she knows that something must be done to change it. They hear from a peddler - actually the Author - who they give some brandy to that Maleficent has taken dragon form in a cave and laid an egg, and he advises them to go into the Infinite Forest and seek out an old hermit who might be able to help them with their problem. The royal couple find the Sorcerer's Apprentice, and he explains how everyone is born a blank slate with the potential for both good and darkness; if they want their baby's potential for darkness to be eradicated, they must find another blank slate for that potential to be siphoned off into. As such, they head to Maleficent's cave and steal her egg from her, promising to bring it back once they're done with it. They take the egg to the Apprentice and he performs the spell, but this also involves sending the egg to another world. Snow and Charming are appalled, especially once the egg starts to hatch and they see that a baby is inside. Cruella De Vil and Ursula try their best to stop the so-called heroes, but they merely end up being sucked into the portal as well, banished to an unknown realm. Snow and Charming are left to deal with the gravity of what they have just caused, and the Apprentice later approaches the Author and wonders how he could make him do that to a poor child. The Author says that it makes for a better story, and so the Apprentice traps him in a page of his book for having forsaken his holy duty.

Season 4
After being enchanted by Mr. Gold, the walking broom reaches its destination as it approaches a small house. Hook wonders who its leading them to, so Rumple explains that its someone who wronged him long ago and must now pay the price. The broom reaches the door and them loses its magic, resting on the wall as a normal broom. Rumple knocks on the door...and the Apprentice answers, he looks terrified. "Hello, old friend" Rumple smiles menacingly before telling Hook to show their host to a seat. Hook grabs the old man and takes him further into the house, placing him down on a chair. Rumple follows, carrying the hat box, and he places it down on the floor before the scared old man. Rumple takes out his dagger and waves it over the box, activating it so the hat emerges. "You have it?" the old man asks, shocked. Rumple says he shouldn't have doubted him, but the old man points out every Dark One tries and every one fails, "It might be time to update the motto" Rumple tells him. The apprentice tells Rumple that although he has the hat, he'll never collect enough power to do what he wants. "Oh I will" he responds confidently, "But alas, you won't be there to see it" he says before turning the hat on its side, exposing the apprentice to the underneath. A powerful vortex opens and sucks the old man inside, much to the horror of Hook, "Where the hell did he go?" he asks as Rumple picks up the hat. "Exactly where I need him" Rumple replies, looking at the starry hat.