The "Bear King" is King Fergus's nickname in Brave (2012). "The Bear King and His Daughter" was one of the proposed titles for the movie, along with "The Bear and the Bow."
This is the second episode in the series not to feature Emma or Regina.
The tartan worn by some of the clansmen with a yellow field, black squares and a red stripe is the tartan worn by the real Scottish clan McLeod of Lewis.
This is the first time that Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, and Colin O'Donoghue have been absent from an episode since the second season.