Emma Swan and Unicorns

[Slurpeez]

As we know, there is a lot of layered symbolism in OUAT, including religious symbolism. Emma is known as the “savior” of fairy-tale world, and according to Henry, she’ll bring back the happy endings to Storybrooke. In the pilot episode, Emma is linked the unicorn, a Western symbol of Christ (a.k.a. “The Savior of the World”), purity, and grace.

Even before Emma was born, while Snow White was still pregnant, unicorns were used to adorn Emma’s cradle mobile. Rumple predicts that Emma is FTL’s only hope.

In episode 6, The Shepherd, David seems to recognize the unicorn mobile on a subconscious level, which would save him from his false identity. Mr. Gold asks if David wants a closer look, but instead, David seems hypnotized by the wind mill and develops false memories of Storybrooke.

Every now and then, we see a unicorn pictured on the title segments before an episode plays, suggesting Emma’s importance in that episode.

[obisgirl]

aren’t unicorns also symbolic of purity? the only other fairytale (well, I guess it’s not really a fairytale) where there were unicorns was the movie, Legend. there were two unicorns there, one male and one female. one was killed and the other one lost it’s pointy part of the unicorn that makes it a unicorn. once that happened, darkness fell over the land. so, I guess the unicorns also represented ‘light’ or what is ‘good.’

I want to see Legend again now 😀

[hjbau]

I don’t think a unicorn represents Christ. At least i have not heard that before. It does seem to represent Emma. And i would also think purity.

[Slurpeez]

Actually, the unicorn does represent Christ in medieval traditions. I think the comparison of Emma as the “savior” of FTL to Christ as the “Savior of the World” is not a mere coincidence:

The Medieval Unicorn

“The horn of the unicorn is said to have the ability to repel poison. Thus, the creature was hunted. It is a fierce creature which could best be captured with a virgin. Philippe de Thaun, a twelfth century Anglo-Norman poet, describes the method of capturing the unicorn. One should place a virgin in the forest with her breast uncovered. The scent will be perceived by the unicorn who will come and kiss the breast and then fall asleep in her lap. The hunter may then kill or capture the beast in its sleep. Honorius of Autum (1100’s) uses the hunt of the unicorn as an analogy in one of his sermons. The unicorn gives up its fierceness to a virgin just as Christ gives up his divinity through a virgin in order to become human. In human form, He can be found by those who love him (hunters). Other Christian writers point to Biblical references of the unicorn as symbols of Christ. St. Ambrose quotes Deuteronomy “his horns are like the horns of unicorns. . .” and says “Christ is meant be this (animal) and the horn denotes Christ’s cross” (Migne. col. 346). St. Basil (330 – 379) says that the horn represents the glory and power and salvation of Christ.…

In its simpler versions this interpretation likens the unicorn directly to Christ: its one horn is said to signify the unity of Christ and the Father; its fierceness and defiance of the hunter are to remind us that neither Principalities nor Powers nor Thrones were able to control the Messiah against His will; its small Stature is a symbol of Christ’s humility and its likeness to a kid of His association with sinful men. The virgin is held to represent the Virgin Mary and the huntsman is the Holy Spirit acting through the Angel Gabriel. Taken as a whole, then, the story of the unicorn’s capture typifies the Incarnation of Christ. http://www.wickedwinks.com/uni/ul.html

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

[rumplegoldfankristi]

The unicorn association with Emma also reminded me of when Lord Voldemort killed a unicorrn in the Forbidden Forest in Harry Potter. Hagrid said that it was a horrible thing to kill a unicorn because it was such a pure and beautiful creature and that whoever killed a unicorn and drank it’s blood would lived a cursed life. I think he says that only someone who has nothing to lose and everything to gain would ever consider killing such a pure creature. That was the part that reminded me of Regina/EQ. Since she doesn’t seem to have much of a life and they keep hinting that the person she loved is dead – she seems to be someone who has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Hence she would be the one person would have something to gain by killing Emma/unicorn.

[Slurpeez]

Regina obviously hates Emma (in a similar vein to how Voldemort hated Harry Potter). She abhors the idea of Emma trying to reclaim Henry.

Regina fears the return of Snow White and Prince James’ child based on the exchange between her and Rumple in FTL. Rumple warned Regina (in ep. 2) before the curse was enacted:

Rumple: Nothing can stop the darkness, except, of course, their unborn child. You see, no matter how powerful, all curses can be broken. Their child is the key.

I think Regina already has her suspicions about who Emma is in SB. Mr. Gold toyed with Regina at the end of ep. 2:

Mr. Gold: Perhaps you should have come to me. If Miss Swan is a problem you cannot fix, I’m only to happy to help, for a price, of course.
Regina: I’m not in the business of making deals with you anymore.
Mr. Gold: To which deal are you referring?
Regina: You know what deal.
Mr. Gold: Oh, right yeah. The boy I procured for you. Henry? Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? However did you pick it?
Regina: Did you want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen, didn’t you? Your finding Henry wasn’t an accident, was it?
Mr. Gold: Whatever do you mean?
Regina: Where did you get him? Do you know something?
Mr. Gold: I have no idea what you’re implying
Regina: I think you do. Who is this woman, his mother, this Emma Swan?
Mr. Gold: I would say you think you know exactly who she is.

Interestingly, there is a medieval looking tapestry of a white unicorn in Rumple’s estate in FTL (ep. 12). Rumple seems to be very scheming. One instance, he seems to be offering to help Regina “fix her problem” and yet, it seems like he is secretly planning to call upon Emma with the favor she owes him. In ep. 8, Desperate Souls, Rumple does help Emma get elected town sheriff. He seems to be playing Regina and using Emma to do it. He is the one who procured Henry in the first place, in order to attract Emma to SB.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

[ciela_crow]

Thanks Rumplegoldfrankristi. I never associated Harry Potter with this before. Regina is a lot like Lord Voldemort (lol and I love that you called him lord). Hagrid did say that only someone with nothing to lose and everything to gain would even think of killing a unicorn. But Regina has Henry to lose, and he is the world to her. Well I guess that was after she made the curse, and her father was just a sacrifice. She must have really wanted a new life if she killed her father. Before she killed him she was talking about wanting happiness, and Henry Sr. was saying that they could start a new life together. I suppose that is sort of irelevent though.

I really love the idea of Emma being a unicorn though. 🙂

[malchore]

slurpeez108, you are terrific at connecting the dots of these little details.

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