Huntsman

The Huntsman is one of the main characters of Once Upon a Time. He was a lonesome hunter who only saw purity of heart in animals, and therefore despised humans to an extent. He was hired by the putrid-hearted Queen Regina to murder her fair stepdaughter, Snow White, but took pity upon the young beauty and thus spared her life. As a result, the Queen took his heart and forever ensnared him in a sort of thrall. Following the Dark Curse, the Huntsman was trapped in Storybrooke as Sheriff Graham, the strong arm of the law, and Mayor Mills' toy boy. He is ultimately murdered by Regina when he starts to deviate from her and falling for Emma, his new deputy.

Before the Curse
"I gave up my heart so that the Queen would spare Snow's. Don't let my sacrifice be in vain."

Regina uses the Magic Mirror to find someone suitable to kill Snow White and he suggests she recruit the Huntsman. Regina has her guards bring the huntsman to her and she makes a deal with him; if he kills Snow White, the killing of wolves in the kingdom will be outlawed. He agrees. Whilst the huntsman tracks down Snow, Regina changes her palace to look dark. When the huntsman tracks down Snow and captures her, she gives him a letter to give to her stepmother once she is dead. The letter is so emotional that the huntsman cannot bring himself to kill Snow. He instead kills a deer and then brings this heart to Regina as proof. The huntsman reads the letter to Regina, but she doesn't listen and throws it in the fire. As she is about to place Snow's heart in her heart vault, she realizes it isn't a human heart and discovers she had been deceived. Angered by this betrayal, Regina drives her hand into his chest, taking out his heart so that he will never feel again. As Regina squeezes the Huntsman's heart, she tells him that he is now forever her pet and that he will share her bed with her whenever she chooses. She warns him that he will never cross her again, and if he does, she would kill him.

The Huntsman is instrumental in aiding Prince Charming in his escape from Regina's castle. He helps by killing a guard and giving Charming provisions for his quest to find Snow White. When Charming asks the Huntsman to join him, he declines and he explains that he cannot, having been bound to Regina by sacrificing his heart in place of Snow White's. He then tells Charming not to let his sacrifice for Snow White to be in vain. After Regina returns to find Charming gone, she threatens to kill the Huntsman for his incompetence and makes him swear to stop at nothing until Charming is hunted down.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the character.