Also….For the last time….Regina didn’t bind the children up and shove them in the Witch’s House!!! She gave them an option that they could’ve said NO to. Because believe it or not, Regina never killed children, hence why we don’t see any in that Massacre photo! Regina offered the children something they couldn’t refuse because if they had, they’d be alive today. And before anyone bring up Hansel and Gretel…nine times out of ten, Regina would have released the children had they politely declined her offer, but nooo….Gretel and Hansel had to mouth off and call Regina a “monster” after she gave them one of the highest rewarding offers. She may would have even given their father had they just asked for that, while politely declining her offer. Had those children shown any form of respect, and in a polite manner…they wouldn’t have landed where they did!
I disagree. The children didn’t have a choice. This wasn’t a choice of “do you want fries with that?” this was “do as I ask or you’ll never see your loved one again”. Regina kidnapped Hansel and Gretel’s father to force them into working for her. They tried to run away from her but she went after them. Regina had a reputation as “the evil queen” amongst the peasants. You can bet your bottom dollar that the children knew this, that it would’ve been instilled in them to stay out of the evil queen’s way and that if you ever crossed her path be as polite and courteous as possible and she might just let you live. Hansel and Gretel were not at fault, Regina was. Regina is not an innocent victim.
Regina can’t erase her past but she has to take responsibility for it. She can’t ever truly redeem herself if she always blames others and doesn’t own up to her past mistakes. Regina had a choice, she always had a choice. She may have been tempted by others to choose one path over the other but they didn’t force her down that road. Regina CHOSE to follow the path of vengeance, she CHOSE to learn magic from Rumple, she CHOSE to send children into the blind witch’s house without telling them exactly what awaited them in there. Do you really think any child would’ve willingly agreed to set foot into a house where it’s inhabitant was likely to eat them? None of the children had free choice.
I do think the heroes need to treat both Regina and Rumple better. Whenever something goes wrong, they always blame those two first. Their line of thinking seems to go: “Something bad has happened, it must be Regina! Oh it’s not Regina?…. in that case it must be Rumple! Oh it’s not Rumple either?………Well we’re stumped” The heroes never seem to consider someone else could be to blame.
Regina can redeem herself but it is something she has to work for, she can’t just demand a quick fix. She also has to understand that she’s not going to be loved by everyone. She has done terrible things in her past and hurt people, they’re not going to be so loving and forgiving towards her. Regina has to strive to be a better person regardless of what those around her feel, she needs to be good for the sake of being good, not because she expects something in return. Redemption is not like a game of monopoly where she can pass go and collect £200, she can’t just tick off a bad deed by doing a good deed. Regina needs to stop flip flopping just because someone says they don’t like her. Regina shouldn’t get points just because she hasn’t killed someone for x number of days.
Regina’s redemption is an ongoing thing and probably something she will have to continue striving for for the rest of her life, Rumple too. Both of them have done terrible things but there is no clear finish line for them. They can make amends for their past misdeeds, they can prove themselves to be better people than they were in the past, but whether or not they are forgiven is up to their victims not themselves. They can’t cash in sympathy points and declare themselves redeemed.
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of Felix