He’s the original hero. Honestly, when people talk about the archetypal "Prince Charming," they are almost always picturing Prince Phillip Once Upon a Time or, more accurately, the blueprint he created in 1959. But things got complicated when Disney’s Once Upon a Time (OUAT) decided to bring him into the live-action fold.
He isn't just a guy in tights.
Most fans remember him as the first Disney prince to actually have a name and a personality. Before 1959’s Sleeping Beauty, the princes were basically cardboard cutouts with nice singing voices. Phillip changed that. He fought a dragon. He argued with his dad. He had a horse with an attitude. When Once Upon a Time premiered on ABC, the pressure to get this specific character right was massive.
Why the Prince Phillip Once Upon a Time Portrayal Felt Different
If you grew up with the animated version, the live-action Phillip, played by Julian Morris, probably felt a bit more tragic than you expected. In the pilot of Once Upon a Time, we see him alongside Prince Charming (David), but his actual story arc is surprisingly brief and deeply tied to Mulan and Aurora.
It’s a bit of a bummer.
In the show, Phillip's soul is consumed by a Wraith in the very first episode of Season 2. That’s a heavy departure from the "happily ever after" we were promised. While the show eventually finds a way to bring him back, his presence is often secondary to the sprawling drama of the Charmings and the Regina/Emma power struggle.
The Mulan Connection That Fans Still Debate
One of the biggest shifts in Prince Phillip Once Upon a Time lore was his relationship with Mulan. In the show’s second season, it’s heavily implied—and later confirmed—that Mulan has deep feelings for Aurora, but her initial bond was with Phillip. They were warriors together.
This added a layer of maturity.
It wasn’t just a fairy tale anymore; it was a messy, complicated triangle involving duty, sacrifice, and unrequited love. Phillip wasn't just searching for a princess because a prophecy told him to; he was a man trying to navigate his loyalty to a fellow soldier while honoring his commitment to the woman he loved.
The Evolution From 1959 to Live-Action TV
Let’s look at the facts. In the original 1959 film, Phillip was voiced by Bill Shirley. He was revolutionary because he was the first prince to engage in a full-blown action sequence. Think about it. The Prince in Snow White just shows up at the end. The Prince in Cinderella is barely in the movie.
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Phillip? He’s the protagonist for the entire third act.
When Prince Phillip Once Upon a Time made his debut, the creators had to figure out how to keep that heroism without making him seem boring. Modern audiences don't always buy the "perfect hero" trope. So, they gave him a backstory involving a lost kingdom and a desperate search for Aurora that spanned years, not just a few days of sleeping.
Does the Keyword "Prince Phillip" Get Confused With Reality?
Often. People searching for "Prince Phillip" today are usually looking for the late Duke of Edinburgh. But for the subculture of "Oncers" (the Once Upon a Time fandom), the name belongs to the guy with the sword and the cape.
It’s a weird intersection of history and fiction.
While the real Prince Philip had a life of naval service and royal duty, the fictional Phillip represents the romantic ideal that Disney has spent nearly a century refining. The show Once Upon a Time leaned into this by making him a veteran of sorts—a man who had seen battle and understood that "true love" isn't a gift, but something you have to fight to protect.
The Problem with Being a Supporting Character
In the grand scheme of the show, Phillip suffered from what many call "The Pilot Problem." Because Once Upon a Time had such a massive cast, characters like Phillip and Aurora often got pushed to the sidelines. We’d see them for an episode or two, they’d get a happy ending, and then they’d disappear for three seasons.
It’s frustrating for fans of the source material.
There was a lot of untapped potential in the Phillip/Mulan/Aurora dynamic. We never really saw how Phillip felt about Mulan’s feelings for his wife, or how he adjusted to life in a world where magic was becoming increasingly dangerous and unpredictable.
Breaking Down the Appearance of Prince Phillip in OUAT
Julian Morris brought a certain softness to the role. He didn't look like a hulking warrior; he looked like a prince who had been through a lot of emotional turmoil.
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- He first appeared in "Broken" (Season 2, Episode 1).
- His "death" by the Wraith was one of the show's first major stakes-raising moments.
- He returned in "The Quiet Minds" after Mulan and Aurora found a way to save him.
- His last significant appearance was in Season 3.
What Most People Get Wrong About Phillip’s Heroism
People think the "Kiss" is the most important part. It’s not.
Whether we are talking about the 1959 version or Prince Phillip Once Upon a Time, the defining characteristic of this character is actually his refusal to follow the rules. In the movie, he tells his father he’s going to marry a "peasant girl" (who he doesn't know is a princess). He chooses love over status.
In the TV show, he chooses his friends over his own safety.
He lets the Wraith take him so that Aurora and Mulan can survive. That’s the real essence of the character. It’s not about the crown; it’s about the sacrifice. Most "princes" in literature are defined by what they have. Phillip is defined by what he’s willing to lose.
The Legacy of the Character in Pop Culture
If you look at modern fantasy, you can see Phillip’s fingerprints everywhere. Every "Warrior Prince" who has a personality and a sense of humor owes a debt to the 1959 animation.
The Once Upon a Time version just updated that for a generation that likes their heroes a little bit more "prestige TV." It made him human. It made him fallible. It even made him a bit of a failure for a while, trapped in a soul-sucking void.
How to Re-Watch the Phillip Arc Today
If you're looking to dive back into the story of Prince Phillip Once Upon a Time, don't just binge the whole series. You'll get lost in the "Dark Swan" and "Neverland" arcs which have almost nothing to do with him.
Instead, focus on the "Enchanted Forest" flashbacks in Season 2.
That’s where the meat of his story lives. It’s where you see the chemistry between the trio and the actual stakes of the curse. You can find these episodes on Disney+ or various VOD services.
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Why the Story of Prince Phillip Still Matters
We live in an era of subverted tropes. Every movie wants to tell you that the Prince is secretly the villain (looking at you, Frozen).
There is something refreshing about a character who is just... good.
Phillip doesn't have a secret dark side. He isn't plotting to take over the kingdom. He’s just a guy who loves a girl and is willing to fight a literal demon to get her back. Sometimes, the simplest stories are the ones that stick with us the longest.
Actionable Steps for Fans and Researchers
If you want to explore the history of this character more deeply, start by comparing the original Perrault and Grimm versions of the story. You’ll notice something shocking: the Prince doesn't have a name in either of them.
Disney literally invented the "Phillip" persona.
Next, check out the Once Upon a Time companion novels or the comic book "Shadow of the Queen." These provide a bit more context on what the characters were doing during the gaps in the television show’s timeline.
Finally, if you're a writer or a creator, look at Phillip as a case study in "The Active Protagonist." He is the antidote to the passive hero. He doesn't wait for things to happen; he makes them happen. That is the secret sauce to his longevity in the cultural zeitgeist.
Next Steps for Your Deep Dive:
- Watch Season 2, Episode 1 of Once Upon a Time to see the live-action introduction of the character.
- Compare the 1959 script with the OUAT dialogue to see how the "True Love" speech evolved over 50 years.
- Explore the Mulan/Aurora/Phillip fan theories on platforms like Archive of Our Own to see how the community filled in the gaps the show left behind.
The story of Phillip is more than just a fairy tale. It’s a blueprint for the modern hero—flawed, brave, and infinitely loyal. Whether he's fighting Maleficent’s dragon form or a soul-eating Wraith, he remains the gold standard for what a prince should be.