So Grumpy was in jail when he first met Snow, both outcasts there too. So Grumpy got his name already, he came back to the mines because of the Blue Faerie. What did he do and why to go to prison? That must come later, and therefore Snow and the Prince come later. But Regina is already in Black with Belle, so it’s after the King’s death and Sydney is in the mirror.
I agree, Sydney is in the mirror and probably cannot be read by Emma. Regina is the Evil Queen, everything she says is smothered with cruelty and deceit. I mean everything Regina says is a lie, because she knows the past.
The Blue Faerie bothers me. She is in everything, she is like the most powerful magical being for good. She should be more of a threat to Rumplestiltskin than Regina. He toys with and plays with Regina, setting her up with the curse; leading countless others in this web of events because of his deals. He killed one Faerie and got her wand, but the Blue Faerie seems to be beyond his grasp. You would think he would want that power. I may be imagining things, but it seems like the Blue Faerie is a bigger player in all of this.