- This article focuses on the character King Midas. For the myth, see Midas (Myth).
Template:FTLCharacter King Midas is a character on Once Upon a Time. He makes his debut in the sixth episode of the first season. He is portrayed by guest star Alex Zahara, and it is currently unknown if he has a Storybrooke counterpart.
King Midas is based on the titular character from the Greek myth of Midas.
History
At some point in his life, King Midas acquires the ability to turn anything he touches with his right hand into gold. It is currently unknown how he came to possess this power. To keep himself from turning people into gold, he wears special gloves that suppress his Golden Touch.
An unknown amount of time after he acquires this power, Midas is attacked by thieves while travelling. He is saved by a knight, Frederick, whom his daughter Princess Abigail is betrothed. Unfortunately, Midas accidentally touches Frederick during the encounter, turning the young man into gold. ("What Happened to Frederick")
Some time later, King George's kingdom is in need of gold, he seeks to make a deal with King Midas. George has his son, Prince James, duel a touch opponent, whom he apparently slays. Pleased, Midas strikes a deal with George; if James can defeat the dragon plaguing his kingdom, Midas will bestow riches upon theirs.
Once James agrees to fight a dragon for him, Midas turns his sword into gold and departs. Unknown to Midas, James is then killed and his twin, takes his place. After the twin slays the dragon, Midas collects the dragon's head and offers the Prince his daughter's hand in marriage. King George and the Prince accept, and Midas is pleased with the joining of the two kingdoms. ("The Shepherd")
Trivia
- King Midas is from Greek mythology. In the tale, Midas after finding the satyr Silenus he is granted one wish by the Greek god Dionysus, after the satyr is returned, one wish this is the ability to turn whatever he touches turns to gold he accidentally turns his daughter to gold. He then repents realizing the Golden Touch is more a curse than gift and is told by Dionysus to bathe in the river Pactolus. Then, what ever he put into the water would be reversed of the touch. Midas did so and when he touched the waters, the power flowed into the river and the river sands turned into gold. This explained why the river Pactolus was so rich in gold.
- At some point before he met James or his twin, his life was saved by the knight Frederick, who was then accidentally turned into gold because of this act.
- He is the first non-fairytale character in the series as his story comes from antiquity.
Appearances
| Once Upon a Time: Season One | ||||||||||
| "Pilot": | "The Thing You Love Most": | "Snow Falls": | "The Price of Gold": | "That Still Small Voice": | "The Shepherd": | "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter": | "Desperate Souls": | "True North": | "7:15 A.M.": | "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree": |
| Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Appears | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| "Skin Deep": | "What Happened to Frederick": | "Dreamy": | "Red-Handed": | "Heart of Darkness": | "Hat Trick": | "The Stable Boy": | "The Return": | "The Stranger": | "An Apple Red as Blood": | "A Land Without Magic": |
| Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |