The first lines of dialogue in Once Upon A Time do a great service to understanding the characters, their intentions, and beliefs. For characters like Prince Charming and Snow White, their first conversation shows how much they care about each other, how devastated Charming was to see her in a coffin, and how relieved they both were when Snow White woke up. For Regina and Zelena, their first lines prepared the audience to know they were angry, bitter, and looking for vengeance. In Regina's case, her entrance speaks volumes about how she feels about standing before Snow White.
However, the final lines also properly close the series. Rumple and Belle's closing lines show their reunion while Snow and Charming's display how far their relationship with Regina had come. Meanwhile, Regina's end the series, bringing strength, acknowledging their past, and wishing for hope in the future.
Belle
First: "He could be on his way right now, Papa."
Belle's first appearance occurs during a flashback to the Enchanted Forest. Belle is with her father as they wish to end the Ogre Wars. To complete them, they have called Rumplestiltskin to ask for a favor. Rumple agrees, and in exchange, he gets to bring Belle back to his castle to live with him. Belle leaves with Rumple, and that is the beginning of a long love story between them.
Last: "I knew you'd make it home."
After everything they had been through, Belle dies happily beside Rumple after years of peace. But, with Belle gone, Rumple's only wish is to her. Rumple's final quest is to find a way to get rid of the Dagger and reunite with Belle. In Belle's last scene, she welcomes Rumple home.
Hook
First: "Who's this?"
With how much the series built up Emma and Hook to be such a central couple, it may be easy to forget that Emma was not Hook's first love. Before Emma, there was Milah. Milah was already married to Rumple and mother to Baelfire when she and Hook fell in love. However, it didn't last long. After Rumple became the Dark One, he went after the couple, and their confrontation ended in Milah's death. Hook swore revenge afterward.
Last: "I think you'll find it's Your Majesty."
Although Wish Realm Hook had been a central character in the final season, the original Hook had been in Storybrooke with Emma, happily being a family with their baby.
Zelena
First: "Did you get what I need?"
The Wicked Witch of the West made her debut in the back half of season three. But, there was more to her than just another random villain. Zelena was actually Regina's half-sister and had waited years to get her revenge on Regina. Zelena had been given up as a baby, and Rumple had chosen Regina as his protégé, leaving Zelena feeling jealous.
Last: "Shush Henry. Operation Keep Your Trap Closed."
By the series finale, Zelena and Regina had given up their feud, becoming close sisters. They rode to Regina's coronation together, even though Regina was unaware of what they were attending. Before entering the hall, Zelena jokes with Henry, telling him not to blow their surprise in store.
Henry
First: "This? It's more than just a book."
As a ten-year-old alone on a bus, Henry is already a curious character. He is reading a storybook and another enger comments on the book. But Henry knows that there's more to it than that. His quest takes him to Emma Swan, determined to bring her back home to break the curse.
Last: "How is little Hope? Is she ready for her first Coronation?"
In the final season, Henry has grown up. So when he delivers his last line, Henry is an adult with a wife and ten-year-old daughter, compared to Emma and Hook's baby. The entire family is present to watch Regina take her place as leader of Storybrooke.
Rumple
First: "No, you don't. They do. Snow White and Prince Charming. You insult me."
Rumple has an eye for the future and secrets. So, when Snow and Charming visit Rumple hoping for a way to defeat Regina's Dark Curse, Rumple explains that their daughter is the key. By learning their daughter's name, Emma, Rumple can create a loophole in the Dark Curse, allowing him to wake up when he hears Emma's name.
Last: "Yeah."
While it may not be the most dramatic final line, it is filled with emotion. Rumple's last moment has him reunite with Belle in the afterlife when he wasn't sure he would get the chance. This comes right after sacrificing himself for everyone else and giving his heart to Wish Realm Hook.
Charming
First: "No, no! Open it."
Charming has one of the first lines in the series as he races through the woods to find Snow White in a glass coffin. He is devastated to find her in such a state and asks for the chance to say good-bye. However, he is happily relieved to see that his kiss good-bye had been True Love's kiss, which broke the sleeping curse.
Last: "You ready?"
Charming's final act was to stand beside Snow during Regina's coronation. As everyone is watching on, Charming redirects Regina's attention to the crown she is about to receive.
Snow
First: "You, you found me."
Immediately after Charming's kiss, Snow wakes up and smiles at seeing him. Their interaction is the first to acknowledge the "You found me" and "I will always find you" dialogue that occurs several times between Snow White and Prince Charming.
Last: "The Good Queen. Long may she reign."
In the same spot that Regina interrupted her wedding, Snow White happily crowned Regina, "The Good Queen." Snow White was proud of Regina's transformation from Evil Queen to the woman she became and was thrilled to crown her.
Emma
First: "Ryan? You look relieved."
Emma was on the job when she first appeared. Her date with Ryan was only to catch him, something she succeeded at, before going home to celebrate her birthday alone. Luckily, she wouldn't be alone for long. Quickly after blowing out a candle on her cupcake, a knock at the door welcomes Emma to the beginning of an exciting new adventure.
Last: "A happy beginning then."
Like the rest of her family, Emma is present, even though late, to Regina's coronation. When Regina said she didn't like "Happy Ending," Emma suggested "A Happy Beginning," which was also the name of the song performed at her and Hook's wedding. However, Regina decided on another alternative, declaring her next steps as a "Second Chance."
Regina
First: "Sorry, I'm late."
One of the most iconic entrances in the series has the Evil Queen throw open the doors to Snow and Charming's wedding, declare being late, and strut down the aisle. It's dynamic, huge, and sets the tone for what to expect from the Evil Queen and her relationship with Snow White.
Last: "But for everyone, I refuse to believe there won't be more adventures, more love, more family, and yes there will be more loss because that's just a part of life and in the end, we can get past it all with hope."
Regina's final lines are a massive speech as she accepts her new role. After everything, Regina understood that there would be many good times and bad times ahead, but they can get through them together. As she speaks, clips of relationships and heartfelt moments from the series play, showing the emotional nostalgia of everything that had happened over seven years.