Greg Mendell

"Looks like the world just came to Storybrooke..."

- Emma Swan

Greg Mendell is a supporting character on Once Upon a Time. Born to the world as Owen Flynn, he lost his mother when he was young. To cheer him up, his father took him on a camping trip where around them, the town of Storybrooke, Maine was formed. After his father was taken away by the town's mayor, Regina Mills, Owen vowed to find his father. He later renamed himself to Greg Mendell who was supposedly a normal man who lived in the normal world living a completely normal life, until he "accidentally" crashed back into Storybrooke with plans to find his father and to gain his revenge on the town's citizens by exposing magic to the real world.

Early life
"I'll find you, dad!"

Owen Flynn and his father, Kurt Flynn, are seen camping in the woods as the former makes his own lanyard. Soon, Kurt gives the kid the braided key chain he himself when he was young. The sky becomes suddenly stormy and Kurt tells Owen to get inside the tent as they see a large storm cloud heading for them. The next morning, the two of them see that a town has suddenly appeared, one that was not there the day before, and go into it to investigate where they are welcomed to Storybrooke, Maine by the town sheriff. They are unable to leave due to the fact that their car was crushed by a tree in the storm and head to Granny's Diner where they are approached by Regina, the mayor, whose angry that Owen is sitting in her spot. Having thought her town unable to find, she is displeased to see two people from the outside world, but is soon touched when Owen gives her his lanyard as a thank you for letting him sit in her spot. She meets them the next day and reveals she's hastened the repair of their truck, however, she soon becomes bored with the repetitive days and invites Owen and Kurt around for dinner. At dinner, Regina learns that Own's mother died six months prior and he tells her he's no longer happy at home, they then bond when she tells him she came there for a fresh start as well and he tells her she would make a good mother. The next day, Regina learns that the Flynns' car has been repaired and they lift with it and so she orders the sheriff to chase them down to get them to stay. After a high-speed car chase, Kurt ends up being arrested but tells Owen to run, assuring him that as long as he keeps the braided key chain with him, he will have a piece of his father. Regina tries to stop Owen, reminding him that he liked it in her town, but he tells her that he doesn't want to be there under the current circumstances, he runs away. Later, Owen returns with police, however, the curse causes the town to be concealed so that it's unable to find. Owen promises to find his father.

Season 2
"You're not gonna believe what I saw..."

Leroy speaks for the townspeople in front of Mary Margaret and Emma, asking them when they'll be going back to the Enchanted Forest. The girls are surprised that they all want to go back and Leroy makes the argument that there is a whole world out there that has no idea what goes on in Storybrooke, asking them what they think will happen if one of those people came and paid them a visit. Emma tells them not to worry about "what if"s, assuring them that they needn't worry. Later that night, Mr. Gold manages to cross the town line without losing his memory by pouring a potion on a treasured item, however, he is met there by a vengeful Hook... with a gun. Hook fires his gun, giving Belle a non-fatal wound, but enough to cause her to stumble across the town line and forget who she is. At this, Rumple summons fire with magic, ready to do his worst to Hook, however, a car driven by an outsider (Greg) is seen approaching Storybrooke, appearing out of control. Rumple quickly dives to protect Belle but the car drives right into town and hits Hook in the process, crashing.

The outsider is found by Emma, David and Mary Margaret at the town line, having crashed in his car. They realize that he drove in to town and Emma comments that it looks like the world's come to Storybrooke. He is taken to the hospital and they discover from hacking his phone that his name is Greg Mendell and he is perfectly normal. It is suggested that they let him succumb to his injuries and die to prevent him telling anyone that he saw Mr. Gold use magic. The Charmings decide to worry about the fate of the town after saving this man's life. Dr. Whale performs the surgery and reveals Greg to be okay, Emma then steps in to talk to him. She introduces herself as the sheriff, asking him what he saw on the night of the accident. Greg says that he saw the road and realizes his hit someone, asking if he's okay. Emma tells him that the man's injuries are very minor. Greg soon reveals that he crashed because he was texting whilst driving, knowing that this is illegal in Maine, however, Emma lets him off with a warning. He asks her when he will be able to go home and Emma tells him that it will be as soon as the doctor clears him, saying that they don't want to keep him. Later, Greg calls his partner and says that he was in an accident, he also tells her that she's never going to believe what he saw...

Ruby comes to the hospital in order to visit Belle and give her some of her old possessions, including a book for her to read, but Belle is not interested and soon brings up the subject of magic, saying that she saw Mr. Gold use it to heal her. Ruby denies that it's real and Belle becomes so distraught over the matter that she is made to be sedated by a nurse as Greg stands witness. He soon talks to Ruby, who asks him how he is, he says that he's fine but that he wishes he would heal a little faster. Ruby wishes the same thing, stating that she wouldn't want to keep him in her "quiet little town", before leaving. Later, Greg approaches Belle, who is in her hospital room, and she begins to tell him that before she was taken into hospital, she saw Mr. Gold summon fire and hold it in his hand... with magic. She insists that she is not crazy and Greg agrees with her, stating that he saw the exact same thing. Belle becomes intrigued...

When searching for Rumplestiltskin's dagger alongside her mother, Cora, Regina comes to visit Belle who's still recovering in the hospital, believing her to be she person who Rumple entrusted the dagger's location to. Due to Belle's recent memory loss, she has no idea who Regina is and so the mayor knocks the girl out with magic and causes the objects from her handbag to fly out into the air, searching for something that may help her. Later, Greg is seen packing up and out of a patient's gown. He is on the phone to his wife, telling her that he has now recovered from surgery but that he thinks he will stick around for a while and continue in some investigations. When his wife does not understand, Greg sends her a video via his phone of Regina taking the objects out of Belle's bag and causing them to fly around the room with magic, having filmed the entire thing. He then takes this as conclusive proof that magic exists.

Greg is at Granny's Diner and asks Ruby for his food to-go as he's planning to go on a hike. When on the hike through the Storybrooke woods, he runs into Henry who drops his backpack. Greg picks it up and hands it to him and Henry continues running. After this encounters, Greg calls Regina on his cell phone to tell her that he saw her kid running through the woods, she wonders why he's doing this, but he cannot tell her. As it turns out, Henry's backpack was full of dynamite that he planned to use to blow up the town well and get rid of magic, however, this little plot is ultimately thwarted. Later, due to mounding guilt over effectively killing Cora, Mary Margaret goes to see Regina at her house and begs her to kill her. Soon enough, Regina rips out Mary Margaret's glowing heart, but decides not to crush it, shoving it back into her chest, despite the teacher's many tearful pleads for death. Unbeknownst to them, Greg was nearby and filmed the entire scene on his cell phone. He goes to his car with the footage and looks to the braided key chain on his car keys, saying, "I'll find you, dad," signifying that he is in fact Owen Flynn.

Greg is seen at Granny's Diner enjoying an apple pie when Regina walks over and sits opposite him. She reveals that she bought him the apple pie as a thanks for finding Henry, but Greg says it's no trouble as he's a sucker for a kid in trouble. Regina goes on to say that Greg seems familiar and that it seems as though they've met before, but Greg assures her that this is their first meeting. Later, Greg is met in his room at the B&B by Regina, who reveals that she knows who he is by showing him that lanyard he gave her when he was just a child, by the name of Owen. She wonders why he's in Storybrooke and he reveals that he's there to find his father, however, Regina tells him that his father isn't in Storybrooke anymore and left soon after Greg did. Greg doesn't believe her, saying that people don't just disappear, and vows not to leave town without his dad. Regina advises Greg to check out soon, warning him that if he doesn't he may discover that people really can just disappear. Regina leaves the room and Greg soon receives a phone call from "Her". He answers it, and Tamara shows up at his room, revealing herself to be his girlfriend. She tells him that she only has a few minutes as Neal, her fiance, is in the shower, and so Greg tells her that they better make it quick. They proceed to make love.

Tamara meets Greg in his room at Granny's Bed & Breakfast where he's mapped out all of the places in town where he's seen magic, saying the town's lousy at being discrete. He tells her to go to avoid Neal suspecting anything, but Tamara assures him that he won't, before asking Greg if he's had any luck in finding his father. Greg has not but his girlfriend promises that they won't leave town without him. Greg proceeds to ask about "the package" and Tamara says that it's right outside town. He wonders if its stable and she assures him of this. She says that she'll drive it into town the following night before leaving the room. The next night, Greg is seen waiting at the town line as Tamara pulls up beside him with a trailer attached to her car. She tells him that they shan't have to do much work as if there's anyone who you can count on to do your dirty work - it's a pirate. She opens the container and Captain Hook is revealed to be inside the package.

After Captain Hook is driven into town by Tamara, she and Greg tie him up in the Storybrooke clock tower, where they tell him that they'd like him to complete a job for them. He laughs this off, saying that he's already killed Rumplestiltskin, which means that his life's purpose is fulfilled. However, Greg and Tamara show him that Mr. Gold is alive, and so ask him again if he'll help Greg find his father by manipulating Regina, and Hook agrees to help them. Hook allies with Regina, as planned, but tells her the entire plan upfront. However, when she betrays him and throws him down to Maleficent as a distraction so that she can retrieve the curse's fail-safe, Greg and Tamara rescue him, and when Regina returns to the surface from the library "basement", the three of them are waiting there for her. She tries to fight them with magic but soon discovers that the wristband Hook gave her is blocking it somehow. Greg soon explains that inside the leather are some of the strongest metals and machinery known to man, which are counteracting all of the magical fibers of her being. He states that he is a man on a mission, and Regina presumes that that entails finding Kurt, however, he reveals that it is in fact something else, which he refuses to tell her. He then gives the order for Tamara to bag her, and his girlfriend puts a bag over the mayor's head before kidnapping her.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the character.