What “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” taught us about the Wishbone meaning and symbol

Think you know the deal with wishbones? Think again. Once again, TV has to school us all.

We’ve all spent many a Thanksgiving hoping to be one of the chosen to “do” the wishbone. Each person holds one side, thinks of a wish, and pulls. Whoever gets the larger half gets their wish. Theoretically, anyway. Has anyone ever done a scientific study to see if we have any data to back that up? No? Pity. However, entire theory may be more bogus than we kinda already thought.

The Wishbone Meaning and Symbol

In the “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” episode, ‘Wishes and wishbones,’ our romantic hero, Cyrus, uses a chicken bone. And in explaining to his fellow prisisoner (The Sultan) why he wants it, he says that the magic of a wishbone has nothing to do with who gets the larger half of a wishbone, but in the magic of the two parts wanting to be whole again.

“What a wishbone really wants is no different than what we all want. To be joined to our other half. And if we’re separated, we will do whatever it takes to be together again.” – Cyrus, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

React: Does your family honor the wishbone tradition each Thanksgiving? Does this change your thoughts on it?

Tags: Once Upon a Time in Wonderland Season 1, Episode 4 — Wishes and Wishbones