Cora

[TheOnionGirl]

So, in the words of Daniel in tonight's episode, Cora is indeed "the miller's daughter." Presumably as in, the girl Rumple helps spin straw into gold ...

So, I'm guessing that all those deals Cora mentioned to Regina? With Rumple, to spin straw into gold or what have you and somehow raise the family out of poverty. (Notice that she never precisely said how that worked. Was Regina's father simply wealthier than her? I didn't get that vibe ... and he certainly doesn't seem the sort to lock her up until she can produce gold! Notice the story seems to be common knowledge. Interesting ...)

So ... if they're following that story, does that make Regina the child that Rumple would have taken if Cora hadn't correctly guessed his name? And does Regina know by the time she deals with Rumple for the curse? It's an interesting element to their relationship if so ...

Or does she have an older sibling running around somewhere?!

[RumplesGirl]

I gave this theory in the chat right after the show tonight, but I am starting to think that Bae was Cora's first born and Rumple took him as his form of payment for helping her spin gold. In the Fairy Tale, the woman gets to keep her child. But we all know the creators love to tweak these tales. So, because she cannot guess his name, she gives up her child to Rumple who raises him as his own. At some point Cora needs magic/power/wealth/ ect and makes more deals with Rumple. She will never be finished paying Rumple off, so when Regina kills her mother (which I think Regina HAS to do in order to become truly evil) all of Cora's debt goes to Regina. Except in Regina we have a woman who is a match for Rumple. So they make deals with one another. Always trying to get one leg up on the other. It's a constant power struggle for years but never fully malicious until the events of Skin Deep. After Rumple is lead to believe that Belle has died, due in part to Regina, it is a full on war and he will stop at nothing to foil her plans. Including allowing her to believe that she is enacting the Dark Curse and that there is no cure or hope for the FTL characters.

[@MidgeMarly]

Bae could not have been Cora's son because Rumple had him as his son BEFORE he became the new Dark Lord.

[rumplegoldfan]

I know everyone is stuck on Rumple's age but I am thinking this is another one of the liberties they are taking with the fairy tales. I think Rumple and Cora were married before Rumple became the Dark One. I think Cora was power hungry before she somehow gained magic because Regina made a comment about how her mother is always thinking of ways to climb the social ladder or something like that (you don't need to be evil or have magic to be someone like that). She seems like just the type of person who would leave a husband who runs from a war and would have no problem abandoning a child if she thought doing so would get her something better.

Because of what a horrible person she is I can see Rumple thinking it is better to tell Bae that she is dead than tell him that he was abandoned because she wanted to climb the social ladder. Or it's possible she found a way to get magic and that's actually why she left them - not because Rumple ran from a war (he might not have run from the war after all) and he didn't want Bae to know that magic was more important to her than Bae. Oh Snap!!!!! That's basically what Rumple told Belle!!!!!! What if that's what Cora told Rumple before she left him and Bae??????? "My power means more to me than you." No wonder Rumple looked horrified when he was turning into the Dark One! And no wonder he would want to find a way to do away with all magic!

I love it when theories occur to me as I type!!!

[hjbau]

But Rumpel has been the dark one for centuries.

[rumplegoldfan]

But it wouldn't matter if Cora is a witch.

[lovesmurfs]

How about....Cora makes a deal with Rumple to spin gold, etc. so that she can marry Henry, in exchange for her firstborn child. First born child (a girl) is taken and sent to Wonderland and becomes the Queen of Hearts. I still felt as though it was sibling rivalry when Regina was in Wonderland.

[KalliopeKisees]

Lovessmurfs... I just posted the same theory on Hat Trick See below:


After watching last night’s episode “The Stable Boy,” I am more convinced than ever that Regina has an older sibling. We now know (for sure) that Cora is the Miller’s daughter. She makes quite a few references about sacrifices for power in Stable Boy. I DO NOT feel she was able to keep her first born from Rumple (One of the many sacrifices she needed to make). I also feel she too had to sacrifice her true love, hence her diatribe about love being an illusion. Is the QOH Regina’s sister, can’t say for sure. But she is the Queen of HEARTS and we have now seen that pulling out and keeping hearts is a family trait.

[KalliopeKisees]

I also remember Cora advising (in a rather bitter tone) it was best not to have to rely on anyone in life. I think the bitterness exemplifies that her dealings with Rumple may not have turned out to her liking.

[RumplesGirl]

I agree with some of what is being said. I think we are getting way too stuck on age. We know that some magic give the wielder a sort of immortality (Rumple) so it follows that it might be possible for Cora to have extended her life as well. Perhaps that was one of the deals she made with Rumple, long long long long long life.