Cora/Regina

[clockwatcher]

I’ve seen a lot of different posts and theories about Regina and Cora, so I decided to make this thread, where we can combine all of our knowledge 😀

Regina and her mother, Cora, are obviously very dynamic characters. It is because of Cora that Regina became… the EQ.

With the airing of “Stable Boy” came many more new questions about the mother and daughter, as well as the curse itself.

Here are some topics to start off:

1. How did Cora and Regina get their powers?
2. If “Evil isn’t born; evil is made”, then how did Cora become evil?
3. Did Cora have something to do with the death of Snow White’s mother?
4. Does Cora really love Regina?
5. Did Cora ever love Henry (Sr.)?
6. Is Cora a Dark One?
7. Is Regina a Dark One?
8. Is there more than one Dark One?
9. Is Cora the miller’s daughter from the original Rumple story?
10. If so, is Regina the firstborn Cora would have needed to give to Rumple?
11. Did Regina or Cora get her power from Rumple?
12. Is Cora the Queen of Hearts?
13. How can they both withdraw people’s “hearts” without actually killing them?

[pandoras imp]

Lol I was just thinking of this. Not going in order because some thoughts answer multiple questions

I believe she was the Miller’s Daughter so we know she has a past with Rumpelstiltskin. I think Cora’s powers probably have something to do with her experience with Rumpelstiltskin . I really hope we see that story in the future. In the original Story she beats Rumpelstiltskin and doesn’t end up giving the child to him.

In Heart of Darkness Rumpelstiltskin told James that if Snow White Killed the Queen she would take on the queens evil and become as evil as the queen.

He also said if Snow went down that path he’d lose her forever. I think this also applies to Regina and at some point Regina kills her mother, resulting in her getting Cora’s powers and turning evil herself.

It could also apply to Cora if “the sacrifices” she refers to has to do with her murdering someone with power and getting that power herself.

If that’s the case, then the price for that power probably hampers her ability to truly love anyone. At the beginning Maleficent tells Regina that the curse would cause a “hole in her soul” that nothing will heal. I think that’s significant and that using dark magic destroys the ability to love.

The Dark One is Rumpelstiltskin and as the name implies I think there is just one. I don’t think she had anything to do with Snow’s mother, but you never know.

I don’t know if Cora is the queen of hearts but I think they are connected some way.

As for the hearts, it’s magic. My brain worked around that by assuming they don’t pull out the physical heart but a representation of it – like a voodoo doll.

[darcyfarrow]

I’ll take a stab at the Dark One questions and say I agree with Pandora’s Imp: there is only one Dark One at a time. It seems pretty clear that the only way to become the Dark One is to kill the current holder of that title; hence, there can be only one at a time. And the dagger is a huge part of the Dark One’s mythology; we haven’t seen any indication that there is a dagger for either Cora or Regina, or that they even know about the dagger (if Regina did know about the dagger surely it would have been a primary quest for her to possess it so she would control Rumple. And both Zoso and Rumple were miserable with being the Dark One, but Regina and Cora relish their magic powers and seek to gain more. It seems likely to me that the ladies both sought to become magical beings, in full knowledge of what that would mean, and are happy with their choice.

[obisgirl]

@Clockwatcher wrote:

1. How did Cora and Regina get their powers?

I think Cora gained her power over time but probably became ‘intrigued’ by it once she met Rumpelstiltskin. I can see Cora becoming just obsessed with learning so much about magic that it just consumes her.

@Clockwatcher wrote:

2. If “Evil isn’t born; evil is made”, then how did Cora become evil?

I think her power corrupted her and she became evil.

@Clockwatcher wrote:

3. Did Cora have something to do with the death of Snow White’s mother?

Honestly, I would not be surprised if Cora somehow had a hand in the death of Snow’s mother. I mean, she clearly manipulated all the events in “The Stable Boy,” to ensure that Regina marries the King.

@Clockwatcher wrote:

5. Did Cora ever love Henry (Sr.)?

I think she did. She had to have loved him. I think this is what happened: when Cora married Henry, they were dirt poor, so poor that Cora became desperate to provide for her family that maybe she sought out Rumpelstiltskin to help her. And maybe that’s when she learned that the only real power is magic, and if she has magic, that is the only way to survive because it can get you anything. Maybe once she realized that, she looked at Henry Sr. and thought, well, I don’t really need or love him anymore but I’ll keep him around for the sake of my daughter.

[charming]

3. It is possible that Cora killed Snow’s mom; after all she was “responsible” for sending Snow’s horse into Regina’s path so she can get rescued. Regina asked if she had anything to do with her getting hooked up with the King and even though Cora does not answer directly her face and tone of voice suggests otherwise.

8. The Dark One sounds singular to me.

11. Sounds like Regina got the magic from Cora. There is no indication that Henry Sr. has magic at all. She probably got her magic by defeating Cora. As suggested before aquired by killing her or something, maybe that’s why she is so obsessed with getting people’s hearts.

9. Cora is a daughter of a miller. I believe Regina said it. As for the miller’s daughter with Rumple it remains to be seen. Remember every story is changed and has a different twist to it so maybe the two are one and the same but do not be surprised if they are not.

10. There is not indication that Regina is the only child or not. No one has said anything to confirm nor deny. A Cora backstory is needed.

12. I do believe that Cora can be the Queen of Hearts. The chamber in Wonderland where Regina recovers the box with Henry Sr. is similiar to Regina’ chamber of hearts which connects mother and daughter. The ripping of the hearts connects Cora and Regina. I think it is the scene where Cora rips out Daniel’s heart suggests that Cora is the Queen of Hearts.

[clockwatcher]

@darcyfarrow wrote:

I’ll take a stab at the Dark One questions and say I agree with Pandora’s Imp: there is only one Dark One at a time. It seems pretty clear that the only way to become the Dark One is to kill the current holder of that title; hence, there can be only one at a time.

Maybe, going back to the doors from one of my other posts, Cora DID kill Rumple (when he was the dark one). We don’t know what’s behind the doors in the Mad Hatter’s hat. Maybe each door contains an alternate reality. Maybe one contains FTL without Regina having ever done the curse, and one contains FTL (or SB, whichever) if Regina DID do the curse. If the doors have alternate realities, then maybe the Dark One was killed in one world and not the other…

[purrlisse]

Yes absolutely agree with Pandora’s Imp

Regina must have inherited Cora’s powers but since she was nice she never used them… i assumed the moment Cora killed the stable boy Regina would be infuriated and kill her mother immediately with magic… but she will have her revenge with her mother that’s for sure… and around that time we’ll see if she gets her powers once she kills her, or before

Neither females are dark ones… Cora is obviously the miller’s daughter who summons rumpelstiltskin for gold. Otherwise, why would she mention she was a miller’s daughter? it was obviously a hint by the producers for those who know rumpel’s story. And she does mention – you have no idea of the number or deals it took her to get there – deals obviously done with rumpel, one of them was probably for magic

If not she must have found another way to dabble with magic, possibly to go against rumpel… but somehow he must be involved, like with all the other plots.

A constant lesson throughout the series is that Magic comes at a price, and one cost is losing your soul to magic, or doing an unspeakable act that turns you void and miserable… so that’s probably why Cora becomes so horrible…

Finally, I like the thought of the Queen of Hearts related in some way to Regina or Cora, after all, she’s one of the few who knows about Henry Sr. and steals him from her.

[purrlisse]

OH OH OH!!! Regina MILLS – because she is the granddaughter of a Miller? hehehe 🙂

[charming]

@obisgirl wrote:

@Clockwatcher wrote:

1. How did Cora and Regina get their powers?

I think Cora gained her power over time but probably became ‘intrigued’ by it once she met Rumpelstiltskin. I can see Cora becoming just obsessed with learning so much about magic that it just consumes her.

@Clockwatcher wrote:

2. If “Evil isn’t born; evil is made”, then how did Cora become evil?

I think her power corrupted her and she became evil.

@Clockwatcher wrote:

3. Did Cora have something to do with the death of Snow White’s mother?

Honestly, I would not be surprised if Cora somehow had a hand in the death of Snow’s mother. I mean, she clearly manipulated all the events in “The Stable Boy,” to ensure that Regina marries the King.

@Clockwatcher wrote:

5. Did Cora ever love Henry (Sr.)?

I think she did. She had to have loved him. I think this is what happened: when Cora married Henry, they were dirt poor, so poor that Cora became desperate to provide for her family that maybe she sought out Rumpelstiltskin to help her. And maybe that’s when she learned that the only real power is magic, and if she has magic, that is the only way to survive because it can get you anything. Maybe once she realized that, she looked at Henry Sr. and thought, well, I don’t really need or love him anymore but I’ll keep him around for the sake of my daughter.

I agree with all of that.

@Clockwatcher wrote:

6. Is Cora a Dark One?
7. Is Regina a Dark One?
8. Is there more than one Dark One?
9. Is Cora the miller’s daughter from the original Rumple story?
10. If so, is Regina the firstborn Cora would have needed to give to Rumple?
11. Did Regina or Cora get her power from Rumple?
12. Is Cora the Queen of Hearts?
13. How can they both withdraw people’s “hearts” without actually killing them?

6 & 7) I think no but the criteria of a Dark One was never defined nor did they say that a Dark One had to be a man. I have a few problems of a yes answer thought: Dark One says to me just that one of them. Rumple and Zoso were the Dark Ones because of the dagger. Maybe Dark One is a masculine for the Dark One is and there is a feminine equivilent. Now going with that The Dark One (Zoso) and Cora, The Dark One (Rumple) and Regina. One can make a connection with those two pairs.

8) one? but really believe just one

9) Yes but then again are any of these stories the same of similiar to the original?

10) Something tells me yes but we do not know if Regina is the first born or not. Nothing was said confirming it or denying it.

11) Hard to say…….nothing also confirming or denying too but possiible.

12) I’m beginning to believe more that she is. Regina and the Queen of Hearts both have heart chambers. Who else can say that she is the only queen and she’s just Regina. Who else has a reason to hate Regina enough to take Henry and put him into a box and into the heart chamber.

13) Magic of the Dark Kind??? Going with what Snow said to Charming in Snow Falls about Fairy Dust; there is good fairy dust and bad fairy dust. It isn’t an exact quotation but that seems to be the logical conclusion.

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