u/MostRate2091

Season 4B might not be one of the show's best arcs, but I have to say the dynamic between these four women kept me glued to the screen. I love villains, especially Disney villains, and seeing the Evil Queen (who was already my favorite even before I watched OUAT) alongside Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula was such a treat. Now that I'm older, I actually wish we'd gotten even more scenes of them together.

One thing I've always wondered is how Regina met Ursula and Cruella.

It's implied that they'd all crossed paths before. Maybe Maleficent introduced them, maybe Regina met them separately, or maybe they even confronted each other when the Queens of Darkness tried to stop her from casting the Curse. If they were ever allies, it's pretty clear Regina clashed with Cruella the most, I still can't get "I was torturing people when you were still playing with puppies" out of my head.

I like to imagine the four of them doing far worse than just drinking and burning a car: terrorizing entire villages together, hunting mermaids, hunting fairies, riding on Maleficent's back while she sets a kingdom on fire, or controlling a pack of wolves to wreak havoc everywhere. I know that's a bit extreme, but then again... these women were extreme XD

A song that always reminds me of this group is "CANCELLED!" by Taylor Swift. I especially think it fits Regina's perspective, which I find funny.

So hello guys, I'm really loving this community. Talking freely about Regina feels so comforting, and that's why tonight I wanted to repost my first post in the OUAT community (I think it's only been 8 months since then, but I still get sentimental, okay? Don't judge me). At that time, I felt a little insecure talking about this because all I saw was a lot of hate surrounding Regina. Now I'm proud to have started a thread like that. Some comments weren't very much in agreement, others were, and it was wonderful to find someone to share my opinion with. But I'm interested to know, my dear community, what you all think about this whole topic. Feel free to express your thoughts. Here's the post:

Do you think your past defines your present? (Regina Mills)

This is my first post in this community and I am very interested in being able to talk about this with people from this fandom. I'm a fan of Regina, she's my favorite character in the entire series, and while I don't agree with the things she did in the past, I've never agreed with her present self being referred to as a monster, even when she changed. And that's just what one of my acquaintances who is just watching the series does.

For some reason I always felt that the development of villains was a metaphor for life, about how people can change, and it felt good to have found a comment like that in this community as well, because I realized that there are more people who think the same. For me, Regina is the perfect example of what a process of redemption is, and I identify a lot with her because of that feeling of regret, of knowing that you did harm and that there are things that can no longer be fixed, but still trying to make amends with what you have left.

People often say that Regina never apologized to her victims, but I clearly remember seeing her apologizing to Henry, or Snow, or even Bella. I saw her sacrifice herself more than once for the people of Storybrooke, even risking her life. When she decided to protect Emma even though she had been threatened with murdering Robin, when she wanted to sacrifice herself during season 2 for all of Storybrooke. When he gave up on the happy ending with Robin, by giving up on him by letting him go with Marian, accepting that he couldn't always get what he wanted just because. When she helped Emma control the darkness, when she risked getting killed by Rumple or the queens of darkness by protecting Pincoho, Regina did all of that not because she wanted to be forgiven, but because she knew it was the right thing to do and that she owed it to everyone after so much pain.

She herself acknowledged many times that there was no forgiveness for what she did, but she still kept going and it was Henry, Emma or Robin who reminded her that she could be better, that she did deserve a second chance.

That's why I don't think it's fair to define Regina as a bad person at this point, I understand that nothing good erases what happened, but when the remorse is real and you do everything you can to help those you hurt, that counts. When you recognize your mistakes and try not to repeat them, that counts too.

Sometimes it's annoying to talk about what a good person Regina became and have someone immediately tell you “but she did horrible things,” as if nothing she changed matters. I was once talking about how Robin loved Regina even with her dark past, and someone told me I was a bad person for loving someone like her. But I think that love is not about that, when you love someone you do it for who they are now, not for who they were.

This is just my point of view, but I would like to know what you think. Do you believe that the past forever defines a person, or that someone can truly change?

Please everything with respect

https://www.reddit.com/r/OnceUponATime/s/XYdpHANyOB

I think I'm going to turn this into a little series where I talk about FairestRegal with you all. Last time I talked about the parallels between their endings and how they each responded to darkness. Today I want to talk about their color palette and costume design.

After rewatching Once Upon a Time so many times, I realized how fun Regina and Snow's costumes are because of how much they contrast with each other. If you've watched the show, you've probably noticed that Regina's outfits are mostly dark blue, purple, black, and red. Her color palette is filled with dark tones, and she even wears raven feathers quite often.

Snow, on the other hand, tends to wear white, cream, gray, and even gold. She has worn purple and red as well, but I think those lighter colors are what define her look the most. Her wedding dress is also decorated with feathers. I've seen many fans interpret them as swan feathers, which I think is a really beautiful idea, although I haven't found any official confirmation from the costume department.

If you look at the first picture, you'll notice that Regina looks so perfectly put together she could almost cut you. That expression probably sounds silly, but I hope you get what I mean. Look at her perfectly styled hair and her dark makeup. Then compare that to Snow, who is often presented in a much simpler way. Her hair is loose, freer, and a little more rebellious. Her makeup is much more natural—not plain, just simple.

I think this fits both characters perfectly. Regina is a queen surrounded by luxury, glamour, elegance, and majesty. Snow also grew up with luxury and elegance, but after becoming a bandit, many of those things naturally disappeared from her life. She's a much more humble kind of queen, one who doesn't need extravagant jewelry or lavish clothing to feel regal.

The interesting thing about all this is how they both ended up changing who they were again. Regina was this rebellious Snow-type princess; we can see it in her outfits. She was royal but more humble. On the other hand, Snow was the spoiled one, wrapped in a lot of glamour.

I honestly love how the costume design tells that story without saying a single word.

HELLO EVERYONE.

Today I'm bringing a somewhat controversial topic that I've decided to analyze. There are many interpretations of the situation involving the Charmings and Maleficent: that the Author manipulated them, that they did it on purpose because they're heroes and, since they're heroes, they believed it was the right thing to do.

But, to me, this situation goes far beyond the oversimplification that "Snow and Charming just wanted a perfect life." I want to analyze it from the perspective of the character who receives the most hate because of all this: Snow White.

Before I begin, I want to clarify something: this post is not meant to downplay the Charmings' actions, especially Snow's. Nor is it meant to justify her. What I want to do is explain the character's logic and understand what led her to make that decision.

Many opinions on this topic are limited to seeing her as a monster; I think it's more interesting to analyze how a desperate person ended up making such a terrible decision.

Let's get started.

As we know, when they find the Tree of Wisdom, it rejects the Charmings. That's when Maleficent explains that the tree didn't reject them because of who they are, but because of the baby Snow is carrying. As the product of true love, the child has the potential to become either a great hero or a great villain. In other words, she is born with the same ability to choose between good and evil as anyone else.

Up to that point, Snow still believes that future can be avoided. After all, we're talking about her and David: two good people who, although they've made mistakes, could raise a daughter with good values.

Maleficent appears later to ask for help, from one mother to another. She proposes that they work together to find a way to stop the curse.

This is where many people interpret that Snow simply sees herself as morally superior. But I think it's worth analyzing her background before jumping to that conclusion.

Everything revolves around Regina.

Regina is the person who has hurt Snow the most: she murdered her father, forced her to live on the run like prey, killed many people for protecting her, and kept trying to end her life for years. Snow knows firsthand how far someone consumed by darkness can go.

On top of that, she herself says that Maleficent, Ursula, and Cruella are even worse than Regina. So the question is: why would she trust someone she considers just as dangerous—or even more—than the person who destroyed her life?

And even if Snow does come across as morally superior in this moment… is that really so unreasonable? Especially if you see yourself as someone who hasn’t crossed those lines—someone who hasn’t killed, hasn’t destroyed lives. When you’re faced with a person who has done exactly that, does moral neutrality even feel like an option?

That's why I believe Snow would never have agreed to work with her if it meant doing evil in order to save the kingdom. And, from her perspective, she also would have felt that this wasn't the example she wanted to set for her daughter.

That doesn't mean her decision wasn't selfish.

Because yes, prioritizing your daughter being good over saving the kingdom can be seen as a selfish act. But I think that, considering all the context above, it at least becomes a decision that's understandable from the character's point of view, even if it was still wrong.

After this, Charming and Snow White seek out the unicorn to make sure that the path Emma will take is not the path of evil. There they receive two visions, which you all already know: the one of the baby in the basket that David sees, and the one of teenage Emma that Snow sees, where Emma rips out her heart and crushes it.

When they arrive at the Sorcerer (thanks to that damn Isaac—because yes, on this account we hate Isaac; he took advantage of their fear and showed them the way), that's when the real problems begin.

The Sorcerer (manipulated by Isaac) tells them that both visions can come true. Everyone is born as a blank slate, with the potential for either good or evil. But what's the problem? David's vision shows a baby. A baby represents exactly that: a blank slate, someone who can still choose either path. Snow's vision, however, shows a teenage Emma who has already made her choice. I mean, she even looks like she took lessons from Cora, lol. Just look at her.

And this is the real problem for Snow.

The purpose of seeking out the unicorn was to find out whether Emma would be good. However, the vision only shows her two things: a baby and an Emma who has already chosen evil. So which one do you think Snow is going to believe? Obviously, the second one.

A baby probably doesn't tell her much because it represents possibilities. But a teenage Emma does. That vision is showing her daughter becoming a villain, and it never shows her a version of herself choosing the path of good. No matter how much the Sorcerer tells her that Emma has the potential for both, the only concrete image she receives is of her daughter choosing the wrong side, becoming someone very much like the woman who has caused her the most pain in her entire life.

And that terrifies her.

A desperate situation like that, in which any mother would want to prevent her child from becoming a bad person, presents her with a very tempting option. They knew they wouldn't be able to prevent the darkness from being passed on to another recipient. The Sorcerer assures them that it's the only way to save Emma, and David says it clearly: it wouldn't be right to save their daughter at the expense of someone else.

Snow knows that.

And this is where, in my opinion, her logic begins to fall apart.

When the idea of the dragon egg comes up, something very interesting happens. Snow knows Maleficent is a horrible person, and, based on the way she understands the world, she reaches a conclusion: if a good person like herself wants her daughter to be good, why wouldn't someone as evil as Maleficent want her child to be just like her?

Something similar happened with Cora and Regina, so, from Snow's perspective, that idea makes sense. It's the closest thing to something she can understand.

(Although, honestly... DO YOU KNOW WHAT I CALL THIS? BAD WRITING BY THE SCREENWRITERS AND A COMPLETELY OUT-OF-CHARACTER MOMENT. BUT LET'S KEEP GOING.)

That's why she suggests that it shouldn't be a child, but a dragon egg. She believes that what will hatch from that egg won't be a human baby, but a monster like Maleficent. She even tells Charming that they know Maleficent both in her human form and in her dragon form, so she assumes her child will be the same.

Charming agrees, and that's when they kidnap the baby.

This is where one of the scenes that has broken my heart the most in the entire show happens: Maleficent begging for mercy for her child.

But, even believing that the baby would grow up to become a villain like her, the Charmings promise to return the child to its mother.

AND, GUYS, I WANT TO MAKE A POINT HERE.

JUST BECAUSE THE GORGEOUS PRINCE CHARMING DIDN'T COME UP WITH THE IDEA DOESN'T MAKE HIM ANY LESS GUILTY.

People usually mention only Snow, but Charming is just as responsible. He agreed with it, took part in the entire plan, and helped carry it out.

The fact that the original idea wasn't his doesn't make him any less guilty or any more aware than Snow.

They both agreed. They both carried out the plan. End of story.

If you notice, when the egg is finally with the Sorcerer, you can still see a hint of doubt in both Charming and Snow. They both continue questioning whether they're really doing the right thing. Even so, they go through with the spell.

However, according to the Sorcerer (once again manipulated by the Author), the baby can no longer stay there.

AND THE CHARMINGS TELL HIM NO. They tell him that they have to return the baby to its mother because, even though they consider Maleficent a villain, they also understand that she's still a mother.

Then comes the moment that, to me, completely changes the scene. The eggshell begins to crack.

And when they see the baby's tiny hand, everything they had been trying to convince themselves was necessary no longer feels that way.

At that moment, they're no longer looking at a monster. They're looking at an innocent baby. Just as they wanted their own daughter to be.

And that's when everything they did stops feeling like a necessary decision and becomes something profoundly cruel and unjust.

We all know what happens to the egg in the end, but there's still something the Sorcerer says that has always stuck with me. He says, "Now your daughter has the potential for both good and evil. It's your job to guide her toward doing what's right." WOULDN'T THAT BE BASICALLY THE SAME AS BEFORE?

Yes... but not quite.

Let me explain. Before, Emma had the same choices, but her path, as we saw in the vision, was leaning more toward darkness. Now, however, she leaned more toward the light, and we can see that in Emma herself—in how she always tries to find a way to do the right thing. That's not only because Snow White, David, and later Henry inspired her to do good; it's also, in part, because by removing most of that darkness, they changed the path she might have taken.

After this comes their redemption, and I think a lot of people overlook it because it isn't the kind of redemption people usually expect. I mean, it all begins in a flashback during Season 4, and we're meant to understand that everything good they've done in the present—in Storybrooke—has been part of making up for what they did.

Remember this well: Snow cannot find peace because of what they did. She admits that they became monsters and that what they did was unforgivable. Charming tells her there's no way to undo it, but they can make things right by helping others become better people and avoid repeating their mistakes.

From that point on, it's clear that Snow and Charming begin spreading messages of hope and doing good. They choose to change and become better people.

That was the closest thing they believed they could do to make up for their mistakes.

And they did it all to become what Emma needed: better parents. Regina herself mentions that Snow told her to believe she could deserve forgiveness and earn it, and Snow truly believed that. That doesn't make her a hypocrite or a bad person. To me—as I already said in another post where I defended Snow—it makes her someone who genuinely tries to make up for her mistakes.

Everything they did was to protect Emma, not because they wanted her to be the most perfect little person in the world, but because they wanted to save her from something as terrible as darkness and from living the kind of miserable life villains usually end up having.

To me, the real problem with both of them begins because they lied. If they had been honest about the sins they committed when Ursula and Cruella arrived, or when Maleficent came back, everything would have been fine. They would have been able to admit, in front of everyone and in front of their own daughter, that what they did was wrong—even though they had already admitted it to each other.

But, they didn't.

Snow, the woman so many people call a bad mother, only wanted one thing now: not to disappoint Emma. She knew how hard it had been for Emma to connect with them in the first place. She's her mother, and mothers never want to hurt their children—especially when their children look up to them so much.

Even so, it was still wrong, and that's why I can't help but side with Emma throughout all of her anger over not being told the truth.

In the end, Snow and David did, in some way, repair what they had done. They helped Maleficent find Lily and even apologized. It may not seem like much, but this is OUAT, guys. This is a world that believes in happy endings and second chances.

I don't know if everyone will agree with that, but seriously, the Charmings were genuinely remorseful.

You know something I find really interesting?

When they're looking for Lily, Charming calls her "it," just like they once believed she was—a monster. But Snow corrects him and reminds him that she's her, because she refuses to make the same mistake again.

Before that, Snow and Charming could have done something even worse by burning the page with the Author trapped inside it, but they didn't because they knew it would cost Regina her happy ending. In the end, they chose to talk instead.

I think the way people judge Snow and Charming is extremely harsh.

Yes, they messed up—badly. But who hasn't in this show? Every single character has made terrible mistakes at some point. I understand that no one is obligated to like a character, but attacking them forever over a mistake they sincerely regret, clearly show remorse for, and genuinely tried to fix—even after so much time had passed—feels like someone worthy of forgiveness, and that's how the series treats them.

Of course, no one is obligated to forgive them. Everyone sees things differently, and this is simply where I stand.

Snow and Charming probably aren't the best people, but I understand them. I understand why they did everything they did, and I can sympathize with them. But in the end, we still can't justify their actions, and that's the right conclusion.

At first I said that this was actually an out of character moment, not because Snow and Charming can’t make mistakes, but because the show had already shown Snow’s darker side—like the forgetting potion for revenge on Regina and killing Cora to protect her family. Still, this storyline jumps too quickly from that complexity to something as extreme as stealing another mother’s child, which is why it feels forced rather than developed. They're human, and just like all humans make mistakes, they're a clear example of morally gray, complex characters. Unfortunately, those sides of them were never explored deeply enough and that's probably why this storyline ends up feeling so out of character.

I'd love to hear your opinions. If you're only going to comment with hate or disrespect, please don't. I invite you to share your thoughts and tell me what you think.

With long hair or not, I truly find Ginny incredibly beautiful, and the way she portrayed Snow and Mary Margaret was amazing, her performance is one of my favorites on this show; when she's angry, when she's happy, when she's sad, Ginny gave it her all, I feel like people overlook her or simply don't care about her moments.

I've seen many derogatory comments about her appearance after her pregnancy, and it just makes me think about how cruel people can be. After pregnancy, you can't expect someone to look the same as before, and yet, to me, she's fabulous. I mean, just look at her!

I love that she wears a pixie cut. Female characters usually have long hair, and well, Ginnifer Goodwin took a risk and showed us this style on screen, and for me, it was the best thing she could have done to make her unique. I think the pixie cut looks better on her when it's not as short as in the sixth picture. And what can I say about her long hair? It makes her feel like a princess. I love how she looks with it in the fourth picture; that hairstyle was beautiful.

Of course, beauty is subjective; not everyone will be attractive to everyone. But who else thinks our hopeful and optimistic girl is truly beautiful?

I SAY IT AND I STAND BY IT, HER UNDERCOVER ERA IS MY FAVORITE.

I still can't decide between the red or blue outfits. I'll have to conclude by saying I like them all, but you know, the blue dress with the black jacket from season five looks really good on her, and I don't know why, but I love it. It feels so... liberating? Regina is always more into elegant outfits and blazers; that one gives off all the baddie vibes lol. I mean, baddies can dress like that too, but it really suits Regina in that style.

With this I conclude my love for her outfits, which one did you like?

I'm really not going to stop talking about her outfits, so how about one of hers in Storybrooke? She's the best dressed in EF, but also in SB. I love outfit one (I love Regina in pants; skirts are beautiful, but pants? Pants look great on her), three, five (the Neverland arc suited her very well; I mean, just look at her, blue is perfect for her), and six are all great. I also like outfit eight because it's very unusual to see Regina in those shades; she's more into dark colors. Honestly, all the black outfits she wears here are the best because, you know, it's her color, after all. I think if I had to choose just one, it would be Neal's funeral. And I'm really torn between her black and blue and black and red outfits; both combinations look great on her. Which ones do you really love?

By the way, as someone who loves FairetsRegal, I just wanted to remind you that the SECOND OUTFIT is the one she wears when she's protecting Snow. These things really excite me, as does her undercover era. I think it's number 10, yep, number 10. Have you all forgotten when Emma tells her, "Then step aside and I'll protect you"? I LOVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP THIS SEASON MORE THAN ANYTHING. They protect each other so much. I'll talk more about this later.

I really didn't want to leave out these other outfits. Again, I know that several of her outfits here aren't literally from her as Evil Regina, but rather from her pre-evil era and in the Enchanted Forest, so that's why they're here. Which of these do you like? I have to say that her wedding dress is one of my favorites, even with the meaning it had. I think it was that she was trapped, right? I also like the one she wears when she tries to escape from Cora. And something I've noticed throughout the show is that Regina repeats her outfits, and I don't mean this as a bad thing. It's really amazing to see how creative they are when she repeats them with different touches, embellishments, or hairstyles. For example, the one in the second image, that purple outfit, she wears with Hansel and Gretel and with Rumple when she goes to bother him about Belle. In that specific image, it's when she's with Jefferson, and I love that she's wearing that black feather cape; she looks beautiful.

So, I think we can all agree(and be just a little full of ourselves)that our Queen is the best-dressed character on the show.

So I have to ask: what's your favorite Regina outfit from her Evil Queen era? Or, more generally (since she wasn't actually evil in some of these scenes), what's your favorite look she wore in the Enchanted Forest?

I have to say, I absolutely love the last one—it's my favorite. I always laugh when Emma asks, "How can you even walk in that?" and Regina, looking absolutely fabulous, replies, "With the poise and bearing of a queen."

I also love the first one, the second one (the cape, people... THE CAPE), the fourth one (because this one—and every outfit with those skirt-pants—is amazing), the fifth (I love that riding-inspired look), the seventh (I only have one thing to say: "Didn't anyone tell you? Black is my color."), the eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh...

You know what? I love them all. But especially the one she wears when she gives Snow White the poisoned apple (MY GOD, THAT OUTFIT!) and her battle outfit.

The dress she wears at Leopold's funeral is one of the most beautiful looks in the entire series. It gives off the ultimate fairy-tale vibes. And I absolutely adore—seriously—the outfit she wears when they go looking for Glinda. That blue coat is, without a doubt, my TOP 1... although, don't trust me too much—I'm incredibly indecisive. Tomorrow you'll probably see me saying a different one is my favorite.

I just love my Queen👑💜

​

Emma is probably my second or third favorite character on the show, and I feel like people often overlook the amazing friendships she had. Everyone always talks about August or Regina (usually from a romantic perspective), but almost no one talks about Elsa, and their friendship was honestly magical.

One of my favorite Emma arcs is her learning to accept her powers and stop being afraid of them. I love how it's such a clear parallel to Elsa. The person who understands better than anyone what it's like to fear your own magic ends up being the one who helps Emma stop seeing hers as something to be afraid of.

Sure, Henry, Snow, Charming, and Hook all supported Emma, but they couldn't truly understand what she was going through. They didn't know what it felt like to carry that kind of fear. Elsa did. She knew exactly what it was like to be terrified of hurting others with her own power, and because she had faced those same fears, she was able to show Emma that it was possible to overcome them too. I just love that.

I also love how Emma never stopped believing in Elsa. She never doubted her, even when the whole town was ready to blame her for everything. She even defended her against Regina, which says a lot about the trust she had in Elsa.

And I can't forget one of my favorite moments between them: when they're trying to get the yellow ribbons off, Elsa tells Emma, "You're irritating, but not unbearable," and Emma immediately goes, "Me? Irritating?"

Seriously, I adore them. Elsa is Emma's sister as far as I'm concerned. I have no proof, but I have no doubts either. They may not be related by blood, but that's absolutely the kind of bond they have.

I only wish we'd gotten to see Elsa spend more time with Anna. I honestly think Anna and Snow would have gotten along so well.

I don't think I'm the only one who loves Ingrid and thinks her story is incredible. Say whatever you want about the Frozen arc, but to me she was the best part of that season (along with Emma and Elsa's friendship).

Every villain we'd had in OUAT was unique in the way they showed how evil they could be, but Ingrid had something that captivated me in a similar way to Regina, Rumple, and Zelena. Not because she was like them, but because she was such a mysterious and magnetic character.

She carried herself with all the elegance of a queen. Her voice was so soft and gentle, yet every word she spoke could feel unsettling, like when she attacks Emma at the sheriff's station or leaves Elsa chained up in the woods. The way she spoke to both of them was especially fascinating because, yes, she saw them as sisters, but she also had this almost maternal side toward them. She genuinely wanted to protect them, guide them, and teach them, even if her methods were completely twisted.

And yes, that's exactly what makes a great villain! I feel like people often overlook the fact that Ingrid was genuinely unhinged. Maybe not to the same extent as some of the other villains, but she was still a deeply disturbed woman, and that made every one of her scenes so compelling to watch. She was also an incredibly complex character: she was willing to do whatever it took to build her perfect family. The way she immediately discards Anna the moment she sees her as a threat shows that she wasn't about to let anyone take away someone who, in her eyes, was essentially another version of herself, even though no one was actually trying to do that. That fear existed only in her mind, but it felt so real to her that it shaped every decision she made. That's what makes Ingrid such a fascinating character: her trauma had completely distorted the way she saw the world. She is simply WOW.

And on top of that, after Regina, I think Ingrid had the best wardrobe in the entire series.

I really think this is my favorite season of Regina. I love the development of her friendship with Emma and her undercover era. I don't know why, but it's great. I feel like they also developed her character better so we could connect with her. She's a great character, I love her. And let's not forget her moments with Henry and Snow; they were delightful for me.

​

I think one thing we can all agree on is that, even though we love the show, there were a lot of things we didn't like. This has probably been done in different ways before, but I'd still love to hear how you would have reorganized the seasons, what changes you would have made to the storylines and the characters. Here's how I would have done it.

Seasons 1–3

In my opinion, the first three seasons are perfect as they are, so I'll start with Season 4 (yes, I know that's a pretty controversial take).

Season 4: Frozen

Season 3 worked really well by splitting the story into two halves. Personally, I liked that format, but I think the Season 4 storyline—especially 4B—was much more complex.

Because of that, I'd make Season 4 entirely about Frozen. The Frozen arc would end in Episode 13, and yes, even though that sounds short compared to the other seasons, I'd make it a 13-episode season. I know a lot of people didn't like the Frozen storyline, but I actually did, and I think it was handled much better than 4B.

The only thing I'd change is giving Snow's postpartum trauma a much better explanation.

Season 5: Queens of Darkness

Season 5 would be entirely about the Queens of Darkness, with 22–23 episodes.

That way we'd have the chance to see the three villains much more developed, spend more time watching them in action, and actually doing evil things.

For Maleficent, I'd give her a backstory episode explaining why she became so evil. It would also explore her history with Stefan and Briar Rose, while giving Aurora and Phillip much bigger roles.

I'd keep Maleficent heartbroken over what happened to her daughter, but I'd make her much angrier and far more ruthless. I like that her main goal is finding Lily, but she's still the Mistress of All Evil.

This season would also spend more time exploring Emma before she becomes the Dark One.

I'd also expand the Author storyline and Lily's story. I once saw someone suggest that Aurora's parents should have been the ones involved instead of Snow and Charming. I don't remember who said it, but I actually agree. If I didn't go that route, then I'd make it fully canon that the Author manipulated Snow and Charming, because while I like that storyline, it always felt a little out of character for them.

Maleficent and Lily also wouldn't disappear after this season. I'd keep them around as recurring characters because both of them had so much more potential to explore.

REGINA STAYS EXACTLY THE SAME. MY WIFE IS PERFECT

Cruella too.

Season 6: Dark Swan

This season would be entirely about Dark Swan, and I have two favorite ideas.

Option 1

Emma becomes the Dark One, but she keeps the look from the promotional photos: a shimmering, frosty glow instead of those scales. On the outside she'd still look like a symbol of light, while the darkness would be growing inside her.

I've always preferred that design. Sure, she kind of looks like Edward Cullen, but honestly I'd take that over no visual change at all.

Part of why Emma never truly became evil, in my opinion, is because she's the Savior. Even so, I'd explore her darkness much more in Camelot, let her genuinely fall into corruption, and then have the light that's still inside her—along with her family's help—bring her back once they're in Storybrooke.

Option 2 (my favorite)

Snow becomes the Dark One.

Yes, this is absolutely my favorite idea.

Imagine the entire storyline, but with Snow taking Emma's place. We'd get to dive much deeper into her character, her past, and why she always tries so hard to be good.

Since Snow and David share a heart, part of that darkness could spread to David. Emma would end up in Hook's original role, Snow would eventually save her, and we'd end up with three Dark Ones.

It sounds crazy, I know... but I actually think it could work.

AND YES... REGINA STAYS THE SAME. SHE'S PERFECT.

Season 7: Underworld

This season would be entirely about the Underworld.

I don't think it would need to be as long. I'd spend much more time developing Cora so her redemption actually feels earned. And if I still couldn't make it work... then honestly, she can stay down there.

I'd also make Hercules and Megara much closer to their animated personalities. I know OUAT is all about reimagining classic characters, but I just didn't like the versions we got.

Season 8

This season would adapt everything from the original Season 6: Hyde, the Evil Queen serum, the Black Fairy, and everything else.

I honestly didn't have many problems with that storyline.

I'd also keep Ruby as a regular character. I always felt like she had so much more potential, and the show got rid of her far too soon. I'd also keep Maleficent and Lily around as recurring characters because I think all three of them still had a lot to contribute to both the story and the main cast.

And that's it.

Some people might ask, "But what about Henry and Jacinda's story?"

I'd make it a spin-off. Let's be honest, it basically already was

Or, if ABC wanted to keep the franchise going, that storyline could become Seasons 9, 10, and even 11. I honestly wouldn't have minded getting more seasons, as long as they gave those stories the time they deserved instead of wrapping everything up so quickly.

What things don't you like about OUAT that you could have done better?

​

So I rewatched this episode the other day and wanted to talk about it.

A while ago I made a post about this exact topic, and I still stand by the same opinion: I'm mostly on Regina's side here, although I can also see Emma's side in certain parts of the conflict.

As we know, both Regina and Emma are trying to find the Snow Queen, and they both end up getting involved in that search. In this episode, we also learn more about Emma and part of the reason why she's so distrustful, and it all comes back to Lily.

Emma meets Lily, someone she feels comfortable with, happy around, and quickly grows to trust. But all of that falls apart when Emma discovers that a lot of what Lily told her was a lie. Part of what made them connect so quickly was the bond they shared as orphans trying to survive on their own. Lily was an orphan, yes, but not in the way Emma believed.

This ends up disappointing Emma, and I think the situation works as a really interesting parallel to SwanQueen.

Emma and Regina aren't really friends in Season 3, but they do grow closer because they share a bond. This time it isn't being orphans—it's Henry.

Regina starts to trust Emma because Emma proves that she trusts her too. We saw that when everything with Zelena happened and the town immediately assumed Regina had gone back to her old ways. So while they weren't exactly best friends or anything, they did develop a certain level of respect and trust for one another.

And then Marian happens.

Just like Lily disappointed Emma, Emma disappoints Regina because she ruins what Regina saw as her chance at a happy ending after only recently starting to do some good things.

And this is where I always end up understanding Regina.

Because yes, it's true that doing a couple of good things in Season 3 doesn't automatically mean Regina deserved a happy ending after all the atrocities she committed. But I also think it's sad to feel like you're finally getting the thing you've been searching for for so long, only to have it taken away from you in an instant. Regardless of whether it was karma or not.

Emma knows what it's like to be disappointed by someone. She knows what it's like when someone you trusted ends up damaging something you deeply cared about, even if they didn't mean to. And that's exactly why she's following Regina around the woods for most of this episode. She wants to fix it. She wants to make things right.

AND HERE I AM, ON REGINA'S SIDE AGAIN(And if you're a Regina anti and you're already hating everything I'm saying and feeling the urge to attack me in the comments, please leave. I'm really not in the mood to deal with that today)

Emma seems to think that by becoming Regina's friend, complimenting her, and trying to be nice, things can somehow be fixed. And honestly, what she's doing is kind of sweet, but it would only annoy me even more.

What Regina tells her is true: you can't expect someone else to soften the guilt you're feeling.

By the end of the episode it's pretty clear that, more than anything, Emma genuinely wants Regina's friendship. And I actually think that makes everything worse, lol.

And I don't mean that as an attack on Emma. I just don't think trying to become Regina's friend was actually a solution to what had happened.

And Emma should know that better than anyone.

Because when Lily comes back into her life after robbing a store with her boyfriend, Lily wants to reconnect and be part of Emma's life again. But Emma is already fed up with her by that point and can only see her as a kind of traitor.

With the whole Marian situation, people love talking about Regina getting karma. But I think Emma gets something out of this too: she gets to experience what it feels like when someone doesn't immediately want to give you the second chance you're hoping for.

What Regina says about Emma having to learn to live with her guilt, the same way Regina has had to live with hers, also rings true to me.

This season, Regina has had to learn to accept responsibility for a lot of things, and now one of those past mistakes is coming back to haunt her. In the past, she knew what she was doing was wrong and even enjoyed it. But by Season 4, we know that isn't making her happy anymore. That's why she tries to do the right thing by saving Marian.

And with all of this, Emma seems guilty about what happened. But not because she saved a life. She's guilty because of the pain she caused Regina.

Because no matter how much people try to ignore it or say Regina deserved it, Regina's feelings were valid. And unlike a lot of people in the fandom, Emma herself acknowledged that.

I also love the moment when Regina tells Emma that they aren't going to braid each other's hair, talk about boys, and call Robin.

Because it gives Emma a reality check, and it also ties back nicely to the whole Lily storyline. It forces her to reflect on the way she treated Lily when Lily came back into her life.

Now, regardless of how much I agree with Regina throughout this episode, there is one thing I disagree with her on: telling Emma that she ruined her life.

I think even a lot of Regina fans can admit that this wasn't her finest moment.

Because let's be honest, it's a pretty hypocritical thing to say after everything Regina did to Emma.

Just like Snow in other situations, Emma never intended to hurt anyone, but she ended up doing so anyway.

And receiving all of Regina's anger wasn't entirely fair either.

Regina was very cruel here. What Emma did doesn't even come close to the amount of pain Regina caused her and her family.

But it was also understandable.

And Emma understood that too, because she knew that a lot of what Regina was saying in that moment wasn't really coming from a place of truth. It was coming from anger.

In the same way Emma reacted out of pain when she chose to push Lily away.

On my previous post, a lot of people got really worked up over my opinion, as if I was trying to attack Emma.

But I wasn't then, and I'm not now.

I simply think this is a complicated situation between both women, and this episode is one of the best examples of that.

I know some fan art features other characters with Regina, but I still wanted to include them here because they're so beautiful. They're by megancrisp, but I don't really know who the last one belongs to.

I love the Swanqueen, Fairestregal, and Evilwicked moments it has

The creator's name is megancrisp, if I'm not mistaken, and I've been looking at their drawings for a long time and they're truly beautiful. I LOVE ALL THE ONES WITH GINA, not only because she's my favorite (well, probably HAHAHAH) but because they chose really cool moments with her, like the one with Snow or her scene in season 7. The others are also very cute; Emma, Hook, Snow, Zelena, Belle, Rumple, and Lucy are all so cute. AND THE ONE WITH ZELENA AND THE OTHER ALICE IS AMAZING!

Hello! I have to say it's really exciting to have a space where, from what I've seen and heard, people can feel comfortable talking about Regina. That's exactly why I wanted to make this post about two of my favorite characters from the show (Snow White and Regina) and the parallels they share.

For some reason, this idea came to mind and I've been developing it for days. I don't know if it has already been discussed on this subreddit or on the main one, but I think we can all agree that Regina's ending wasn't what many of us expected, and we can probably also agree that being queen would have suited Snow White very well.

Here, we can specifically see how their desires were almost reversed. In Regina's case, we know that one of her greatest desires was true love (which, in my opinion, she ultimately found with Henry), but to be more specific, true love in a romantic sense, which is exactly how Snow White's story ended with Charming. On the other hand, what Snow White wanted most was to be queen and rule as her parents would have wanted, while Regina ended up becoming queen.

What I'm about to say is probably just a personal theory, because I don't think the show ever explicitly demonstrated it, but I believe this situation may have partly influenced Regina's anger toward Snow White.

Think about it. We know that Regina grew up as a princess who never wanted to follow the royal expectations her mother imposed on her. Regina wanted to marry Daniel, a stable boy who obviously belonged to a very different social class than hers, essentially a lower one. She was willing to leave behind her comfortable life and run away with him, but we all know how that ended because of Cora.

And who did Snow White end up with? David. Although he was already a prince, we later learn that he had originally been a simple shepherd, a man who lived a humble life before meeting Snow White.

For some reason, whenever Regina refers to him as a shepherd or sees Snow White and David happy together, I like to think she sees herself reflected in them, in what she and Daniel could have been. Probably not exactly the same, because they would have had a much lower status, but still, Snow White achieved what Regina had always wanted, just in a different way.

I think Regina may have seen Snow as more than just the person who ruined her life. She may also have seen someone who achieved what she lost: true love with someone from a different social class and a life together.

Maybe that's why her anger ran so deep, because every time she looked at Snow and David, she also saw a possible life that had been taken away from her.

Another thing I'd like to add about their parallels, beyond what may have influenced Regina's hatred of Snow, is how both of them dealt with darkness and the people around them.

Regina didn't have many people who could guide her toward a better path. Tinker Bell tried, and her father wanted to intervene, but only when she was already completely consumed by darkness. Regina had opportunities to become good again, but the truth is that she liked the darkness, and Rumple, whether we like it or not, influenced that and contributed to making it appealing to her.

In Snow White's case, we see something different. She is supposed to be the good one, but unlike Regina, she isn't given opportunities to abandon darkness—she is given opportunities to embrace it. We see this in season one when she tries to kill Regina with an arrow, when she kills Cora, when she discovers the truth about Geppetto, and when she takes part in what happened to Lily and Maleficent.

Like Regina, Snow White was full of trauma. But unlike Regina, Snow found refuge among genuinely good people. Not one or two, but many. People who likely helped her remain good, such as the dwarfs, Ruby, her children, and of course David.

But I think the most important influence was her mother. Those final words she told her—that as long as she carried goodness in her heart, she would always be with her. Snow White held on to that.

From that moment on, she wasn't good only because it was the right thing to do, but also because it was a way of honoring her mother.

Part of that goodness came naturally because she grew up in a loving home with strong values. Regina's situation was completely different. Her mother constantly encouraged cruelty and seemed to believe that becoming a monster was the only path Regina should follow, even if she disguised it as greatness and success.

And I think this also contributed to Regina ultimately embracing the darkness.

To be clear, I'm not saying that growing up in a bad home automatically makes someone a bad person, nor that growing up in a good home makes someone a saint. Many times, the opposite happens. But in the case of these two characters, personally, I don't think that's what happened.