So a page or so back, Phee disagreed with me about how Regina isn’t the Regina of “Stable Boy” anymore and how part of her will always be the Evil Queen. I’ve been mulling over this and it has taken me a good page to respond because I really disagree with Phee’s disagreement.
Is it not our experiences that shape us? No matter what, she was the Evil Queen and even if she gives up the power that got her to that place, her emotional state has changed wholly from when she was a little girl. Part of her may forgive Snow but the other part of her may always look at Snow and see the death of Daniel, even if she does love again and moves on. Her being, her core, changed in such an extreme measure that even she gets to a place emotionally where she no longer uses her power, she will always feel the need for it, even if she can temper her desires. And it’s not a matter of not developing her character; if she stopped being even the tiniest bit the Evil Queen, or missing her power and the magic, it wouldn’t be believable. That role defined her and identity negotiation is tricky. Better character development would show the constant struggle to stay “good” even in the face of her more evil/cunning desires. That’s believable.
They have shown us that magic is an addiction and I know there are a lot of philosophies on if addiction is “curable” but I, personally, don’t think it is. Alcoholics can be around alcohol eventually, many many many years down the road, but it’s always a battle. The Evil Queen will always live inside Regina even if she becomes more like her old self. The same can be applied to Rumple. Even if he loses the Dark One’s Curse, he has been changed so much that he can’t ever be the humble spinner he once was. He will probably always miss his power and the courage he thought it gave him, even though he is gradually acknowledging that the desperate clinging to of that power is itself an act of cowardice.
It’s for that reason that I think Regina needs someone who is equally tortured and not “good” as RH is often depicted. Unless he has been radically changed by the death of Marian, which might be a great guess, I don’t think he and Regina will have common ground.
So for that reason, and for the larger reason of messing with my beloved “Tamara is the daughter of RH” theory, that I can’t fully get on board team RegalHood.