Once Upon a Time at Comic-Con 2013: Season 3 Will Bring Ariel's Debut, "Complicated" Peter Pan and More!

Ariel is ready to be a part of Once Upon a Time's world!

The ABC fantasy hit series is finally tackling The Little Mermaid's heroine, revealing that she will be making her debut in season three at the show's 2013 Comic-Con panel on Saturday. 

While the actor who will be playing Ariel has yet to be cast, a sneak peek at season three featured the famous mermaid sneaking up on a dwarf and stealing his fork before heading back into the ocean. Oh, and we also got a quick glance at her fin! But she isnt the only new character fans will be seeing come Sept. 29!

Also set to be introduced in season three? One very famous fairy: Tinkerbell! "It's taking the icon and putting our spin on it," co-creator Adam Horowitz teased during the panel. "How we introduce her and who she is [will] hopefully be surprising. We're going to find that she has a surprising connection to someone at this table." 

Kitsis and Horowitz also teased the highly anticipated debut of new big bad Peter Pan, saying, with Horowitz spilling, "Peter Pan has a complicated motivation. It's a little different than you've seen before." Co-creator Eddy Kitsis chimed in, "He might be frightening. To some people."

Back in June, we chatted with Horowitz and Kitsis about the new big bad and though they wouldn't divulge much, Horowitz teased the backstory between Pan and Rumpel (Robert Carlyle). "When someone as scary and menacing as Rumpel is telling you that someone is to be feared, you better listen," he said, adding that the backstory between the two characters will be a "slow reveal, but one that will come within those first 11 episodes."

So yes, Peter Pan isn't flying away any time soon!

Once Upon a Time returns Sunday, Sept. 29 on ABC.