Roland

"I believe!"

Roland is a recurring character on Once Upon a Time. He is the young son of Robin Hood and Marian. He is an honorary member of the Merry Men who gets tasked with an important role in helping Baelfire get back to Neverland.

Before the Curse
When Robin Hood's wife, Marian, becomes ill during the third trimester of her pregnancy, the thief goes on a search to find a way to cure his wife and thus save their unborn baby. Hood breaks into Rumple's Dark Castle to steal a wand from him, but he ends up being caught by the powerful Dark One. Rumplestiltskin starts to torture Robin Hood, but he is eventually released by his kind servant, Belle. Furious, Rumplestiltskin goes on a hunt for the thief to get his wand back, taking Belle with him. However, once he finds Robin he watches as he heals Marian and notices she is heavily pregnant. He has a change of heart and allows the two to escape and Marian later gives birth to a baby boy, whom they name Roland.

Season 3
While Baelfire searches through the Dark Castle for a way to get to Neverland, such as a bean, magic mirror, ruby slippers or ashes, Roland waits outside the room he is in with Little John. When Bae accidentally smashes something, Little John enters to see what happened, but he's assured it's okay by Robin Hood. Roland peers around Little John and notices his father, so he runs towards him. Bae asks who it is so Hood explains it's his son. Seeing Roland gives Bae an idea on how to get to Neverland. He later informs Robin of his plan, but although he isn't happy about it, he agrees. Even later, as Mulan organises their plan, Little John brings Roland to them for when they're ready. Robin assures his son that he'll be nearby and he won't get hurt before finally executing their plan. Roland stares at the window of the Dark Castle an then states "I believe". Afte a short wait, Peter Pan's shadow arrives and attempts to take Roland, however, Mulan saves him by cutting him loose. The shadow flies away and Neal manages to grab onto it, making the plan successful. Robin soon puts his son to bed and then thanks Mulan for saving his son.

Before the Second Curse
Following's Pan's defeat, all of the residents of Storybrooke are transported back to the Enchanted Forest. Robin Hood, his Merry Men, and Roland help lead Regina and company to the Dark Palace, however, what they don't know is that the Wicked Witch of the West has taken over. To let the Evil Queen know she's there, she sends one of her flying monkeys to attack. The hideous creature goes after Roland, but Regina saves the boy, turning the monkey into a stuffed animal, giving it to Roland as a new toy. Later on, the group wonder what the creature was. Grumpy and Charming point out that it looks like a monkey with wings. Regina agrees, resulting in Neal being surprised that a flying monkey is real. Belle tells the group about how flying monkeys are only from one land - Oz, which leads to Regina realizing that they're up against the Wicked Witch. Regina, with the help of Robin, gets the Witch - Regina's half sister, Zelena - out of the Dark Palace, and move in, bringing the others with them.

Season 3
One year after the residents of Storybrooke are sent back to the Enchanted Forest, they are sent back to Storybrooke, this time including Roland, Robin Hood, the Merry Men, and more. Robin and Regina go an investigate the farmhouse where the Wicked Witch, Zelena has been staying. Robin goes to hand Regina a glass of whiskey, but the Evil Queen notices the lion tattoo on Robin's arm, signifying that he's the man Tinker Bell tried to introduce her to many years ago: her true love. She leaves abruptly, and later, when Robin is spending time with his son, Roland, in the woods, she watches with sadness.

Robin Hood and his Merry Men stand guard, protecting Regina's heart from Rumplestiltskin. The powerful magician states that he has no control over this, that he has to follow orders given to him by Zelena. Robin is prepared to shoot, but Roland, who was suppose to be hiding in the woods, comes out. Rumple tells the little boy to come closer, but Robin yells for his son to go back into the woods. Roland tries to obey his father, but Rumple uses his magic to make Roland start approaching him. He then stops, and makes Roland's feet drop down into the ground, resulting in him being stuck. Robin shoots his arrow, but Rumple uses his magic to make it turn to Roland. Realizing that he has no other choice, Robin grabs the bag containing Regina's heart and gives it to Rumple. "Thank you," Rumple says to Robin, "and I am sorry. Truly," and with that, he lets the arrow go, but before it hits Roland's face, it drops to the ground. Robin looks back and sees that Rumple has disappeared. He then runs to his son, picks him up, and hugs him tightly. When putting his son down, Regina arrives and learns her heart is gone. She vows to stop Zelena.

Having ended up in the Enchanted Forest of the past, Emma is arrested by the Evil Queen and locked away in the dungeons along with Marian, Robin Hood's wife, who's there because she refused to reveal the location of Snow White. Emma appears happy to hear that the prisoners are only remaining in cells for one more day, but less happy to hear that it's because everyone's to be executed on the morrow. However, the blonde manages to use the thievery skills she learned from Neal Cassidy to pick the lock and escape and takes Marian with her. Knowing that the fair maid was meant to die in the original timeline, Emma knocks her out and decides to take her back to the future with her, to avoid messing up the past. Marian comes to when she arrives in the present day, and as she's caught up to speed by Hook, Robin happily heads back to Granny's Diner along with Regina and Roland. The couple shares a tender kiss before entering, but Marian is inside, and she soon spots her husband and son. Having thought she was gone forever, Robin is overjoyed to be reunited with his wife. Roland sees his mother, and they embrace in a hug. Regina, however, is devastated, angry with Emma for having completely wrecked her new relationship.

Season 4
Following Robin Hood and Marian's reunion, Regina runs out of Granny's Diner, heartbroken. Emma goes after her, soon followed by Robin, Marian, and Roland, Robin wanting to prove to his wife that Regina has changed and is no longer the Evil Queen she knew her to be. He then approaches Regina and says that he wants her to meet Marian, adding that he'd like for the three of them to talk about their situation. Sensing something, Marian asks if the two of them were involved and becomes disgusted once she learns it's true, demanding to know if the Evil Queen has been let near her son, asking Robin if he knows what she's done; the terror that she's inflicted. When it seems Regina is going to go off and use magic, Marian picks up her son to make sure he's safe in her arms, and instead Regina storms off, resulting in Henry, who has also witnessed this encounter, wondering if his adoptive mother is going to go back to her old ways.

As Roland and Robin Hood show Marian around Storybrooke, they pass the local ice cream parlor. Roland asks if they can go get some ice cream now. Robin is a bit reluctant, thinking Marian has seen enough for one day, but Marian states otherwise once learning Regina always took him. When entering, the ice cream vendor greets them, and serves them rocky road ice cream, free of charge, as a town welcome to Marian. Unbeknownst to them, however, the woman adds a freezing spell to the ice cream, which Marian consumes. Later on, Roland, Robin, and Marian attend a town meeting at the mayoral office, held by Mary Margaret, the town's new mayor. As Mary Margaret assures the Storybrooke residents that the ice wall blocking the town, and the creator of it, Elsa, is not harmful, Marian passes out. She begins freezing to death due to the spell the ice cream vendor, soon revealed to be the Snow Queen, placed on her ice cream.

The Snow Queen has successfully cast the Spell of Shattered Sight over Storybrooke, which will make it so every one of its citizens turns against one another come sundown. Regina stops by the Merry Men campsite where she witnesses Robin Hood showing Roland an arrow, and the boy naming the various components that make up the weapon. Upon seeing his true love arrive, he tells Roland to stay put as he speaks with her, thus learning of Ingrid's quick-approaching curse. He calls for Will Scarlet, ordering him to break up camp. The former Knave of Hearts takes Roland with him as he does so. Roland is later hidden away along with Marian, and it isn't long before glass begins raining down from the magic storm cloud above the entirety of the town. The Spell of Shattered Sight is complete, and everyone's darkest side begins to surface.

Following Ingrid's sacrifice to stop the Spell of Shattered Sight and ultimate demise, the freezing spell on Marian appears to have worn off, so Regina gives her back her heart, thus reuniting her with Roland and Robin Hood. Marian steps aside, however, allowing Robin to move on with the formerly Evil Queen. Later, whilst in the park, Roland plays with his mother while Robin tells Regina he chooses her. However, their happiness soon comes to an end when Roland calls them, pointing to his mother who has collapsed; apparently some of Ingrid's magic remains inside of her. Regina comes to terms that the only cure is to send Marian out of Storybrooke and into the Land Without Magic where she'll be safe. Regina and the other Merry Men join Robin, Marian, and Roland at the town line to wish them a farewell. Marian and Roland cross, and after one final kiss with his true love, Robin does the same. Regina and the Merry Men then watch as the family walk along the roads of Maine and out of their lives forever.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the character.