Observations and Symbolism for Regina

[kfchimera]

I was thinking about the jewelry, and feel like a Gypsy nod is what they were going for there with the old woman disguise, and the second seems like a tree but I couldn’t find a better close up picture to say for sure.  Regina kills a gypsy woman (Esmerelada?) to become an apprentice.   So maybe there’s some theme for her with Gypsy.

Then I was trying to find pictures of Gyspy jewerly to compare to Dreamcatcher ones and I found this.

So the Evil Eye is a symbol for gypsies, which involves that oval shape that repeats in the spiral on the old woman’s earing rather than being a true weave but immediately that made an entirely different connection for me when I saw this.

 

Creepy.  I am not sure what to make of the meaning for Regina specifically other than we know Rumple foresaw her as being the one to cast the curse.

[storyteller]

Great observations! I hadn’t noticed these but I did note in the pilot that we saw Regina’s living room contains a reproduction of the famous Antonio Canova sculpture of Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss. 

Here’s another bit of the Psyche story when Cupid/Eros revived her the gods granted her immortality via ambrosia and Psyche sprouted butterfly wings and became goddess of the soul. I mentioned that in 3×03 we see a butterfly pass by at the beginning of the show. Interestingly enough, Regina mentions that when she opened that door she felt as though she would “float away”  coincidence?

A conspiracy theory is forming in my mind. What if Rumple knows that Rob is Regina’s other half? His expression when the Sheriff reveals his name (or at the very least his nomme de guerre ) in 2×19 “Lacey” seems to indicate that. Rumple would see their getting together as a threat. Now Belle stopped him from killing Robin when she reminded him of his guilt over Bae  which allowed Marian to give birth to Roland.  But w/o Belle’s influence Rumple would do everything in his power to manipulate Regina into casting that Curse and in order to make sure that they keep apart he adds that caveat to the curse that curses Regina with a hole in her heart she will “never be able to fill.”  Stands to reason then if she can’t fill it someone else must. I think the endgame will involve Emma and Henry healing the whole family  by returning love to Regina and by extension  to everyone else. I must say it would be delicious irony if Rumple and Regina wind up keeping one another’s soul mate away from them.

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

I still hold it’s much more of a dream catcher motif. Authentic gypsy jewelry has a tendency to be based on small coinage. It must also be said the spiral image is one of the most common symbolic forms. Now I agree  the overt intention was to portray Regina as something of a gypsy peddler however, considering the cross-pollination of different stories/mythologies etc. the image of that earring evokes symbol of the dream catcher.

 

 

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[kfchimera]

Regina’s headgear in the scene does have coinage in it.  It’s sort of a very interesting blend look because that earring  has no color or beads, and is all metal and wire.  Rather than a woven mesh, it is spirals of ovals.  There are no feathers, no natural materials, which  stylistically would be more clear hint to dreamcatcher rather than big gypsy earring, but you are right, no coins or even evil eye beads. In the context of the episode and Regina’s life generally,I feel  gypsy makes more sense.  I wonder how significant that detail was in terms of production design.

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?” -- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

[storyteller]

Not to belabor the point but I see no coinage in Regina’s costume only beads and one small circular charm above her right eye. Moving on another observation I’ve made is the magic synergy between Regina and Emma. Now I think I should preface this by adding that Regina takes things as far as they go and Emma goes farther.  Prime case in point Season 2  premiere and finale: Regina alone cannot get the hat to work and Regina alone can contain the trigger but not defuse it. In both cases Emma brings enough to bring them over the proverbial finish line.  Rumple remarks to Regina that she could “do so much” if she would let herself. To me this implies that it is within Regina to go farther but she needs the faith and trust of her family circle to make it.

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[kfchimera]

Her headress has coins in it, at least, they look like coins with holes in them, which is an ancient style of coin.  Yet the metal work is very different than the earring style, so the earring does stand out.  I agree the earring might be a dreamcatcher reference, but I felt her overall look said “Gypsy” reference.   As I said, it very well may be a dreamcatcher reference, but it doesn’t feel like a hugely resonant theme for Regina so far.
Most of us were sort of wondering why versus Apples and Trees that stand out as obvious signs for her.

That’s interesting that Emma helps Regina go further, but we have not yet had the reverse situation.   Emma is trying and is not able alone, and Regina comes and adds in her power.  So far, it has happened the other way around.

Maybe in NL we will see this scene go the other way but I like your idea that faith and trust will come into it.  I would love to have a scene of Emma showing faith in Regina in that way.

 

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?” -- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

[storyteller]

Focus on the other symbols may prove more enlightening esp. since we expect the Evil Queen to be assoc. w/ Apples.  I discovered that focusing on the appearances of apples and her apple tree distracts from the  subtle queues in Lana’s performance and from symbols less familiar with the traditional Evil Queen from Snow White such as the unicorn. As an example of performances giving away plot the interactions between Jared Gilmore and Robert Carlyle in season 1 made me suspect Rumple had more of a connection to Henry than just Mr. Gold being nice to a boy who reminded him of Bae.  I know it sounds and is instinctual but I like taking such leaps of faith.

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

Here’s another one to chew on the coat-of-arms above Regina’s mantle in her palace chambers in the Enchanted Forest. The image is one of a crown wreathed in laurels which remains intact throughout her residency there until  the scene in “Queen of Hearts”  where she invites Hook for a drink. If you look carefully the coat-of-arms appears to have been deliberately defaced.

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

Another facet of the Unicorn symbol to chew on. The depictions mentioned earlier invariably involve a  unicorn being imprisoned in some way. The black unicorn was frozen in place for a magical cardiectomy, the unicorn in the tapestry was corralled and Maleficent kept the creature as a pet. All symbols of submission, imprisonment etc. all very relevant to Regina’s position as a prisoner of the Darkness. Quite often in heraldic depictions of unicorns they are bound/chained to indicate that they’ve been broken like a common pony other times with their bonds cut to indicate their freedom.

Likewise the restless unicorn it is said can only be brought to bay by innocents (generally-speaking virgins, quite often female). Like a unicorn Regina has a restless nature that only Henry has been able to calm. While attempts made by anyone else have all ended with them getting burned.  Henry’s childhood innocence has calmed Regina’s spirit and his believing heart give her hope. Woe betide the rest of the family if that changes.

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[Grimmsister]

Likewise the restless the unicorn it is said can only be brought to bay by innocents (generally-speaking virgins, quite often female). Like a unicorn Regina has a restless nature that only Henry has been able to calm. While attempts made by anyone else have all ended with them getting burned. Henry’s childhood innocence has calmed Regina’s spirit and his believing heart give her hope. Woe betide the rest of the family if that changes.

Are you familiar with the fairytale ‘The Golden Blackbird’? wich, in my understanding, keeps showing up symbolicly in OUAT. For instance for what you just wrote, compare it with this quote from ‘the Golden Blackbird’-

-“Yes,’ replied his father, ‘very much indeed. But it is not an easy place. There is a little horse in the stable which will not let anyone go near it, and it has already kicked to death several people who have tried to groom it.’

‘I will undertake to groom it,’ said the youth. ‘I never saw the horse I was afraid of yet.’ The little horse allowed itself to be rubbed down without a toss of its head and without a kick.

‘Good gracious!’ exclaimed the master; ‘how is it that he lets you touch him, when no one else can go near him?’  

‘Perhaps he knows me,’ answered the stable-boy” 

[Author]

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