Regina’s Redemption

[surayya]

@Phee wrote:

@Crest1994 wrote:

What about The Stable Boy? That was the first time for me. I always liked her as a villain, but The Stable Boy just added so many dimensions to her character.

At the end of Stable Boy, I was just left with the feeling of how if that was her motivation for an all consuming lifelong vendetta against Snow, she was being a drama queen, because it wasn’t really Snow’s fault, it was Cora’s, and Regina knew it, but still chose to go after Snow any way. Obviously it was horrible that her mother killed the love of her life in front of her eyes, and I did feel bad for her for that, and it was tragic how that incident started her on her path to evil. But I thought her reaction to Snow was entirely unreasonable, so I didn’t finish the ep hoping for her redemption, I just happily went right on loving to straight up hate her.

I’d been hoping that as we saw more of her backstory that I would start to feel for her, so I’m glad they seem to be on the right track with that. I’m still not exactly an Evil Regal, but she’s growing on me. I don’t just love to hate her now, I’m actually interested in her possibility for redemption all of a sudden.

The only people we’ve ever seen her killing was an evil witch who ATE children, so actually it was a good thing she killed her, she never explained why she did it, maybe it was to protect the children of her land.

Regina mentioned that Hansel and Gretel weren’t the first children she’d sent into that house. Regina is the one who encouraged all those kiddies to go into the house, knowing full well they were likely gonna be cooked and eaten.

Agree with Phee 100% – I had little sympathy for her when she turned her revenge on Snow after Stableboy- that’s just warped 🙄

I actually like her more after these last 2 eps & want her to be redeemed- not right away of course & it will be a hard rocky road for her, with many ups & downs, but in the end I want her redeemed, she’s proved in this ep that she still has it in her to do so 🙂

[antbee]

@Mike wrote:

Let’s not forget, Regina did go 28 long years without using magic, and during that time she still was manipulative and mean, and to some, truly evil. For her to put down the magic and try to become a better person will take more than just not using magic. She needs a complete personality make-over. How does one atone for the murder of their own father (Henry Sr.), lover – Sheriff Graham, and possible countless others?

Yes, Mike, I’m not really sure how I feel about redeeming Regina. On one hand, I think it’s great that they’re giving the villains layers, but first I don’t really know if she’ll ever redeem herself just because she admits that she wants it now, and also because in a way I think it’s too early for her to be on the path of redemption.

I mean sure they have to show the seeds of it happening if it does actually happen, but Regina being Regina, I don’t think she can stand other people being happy for that long and not being in total control. Even if she does her best and tries to remember what Henry would want her to do and that she doesn’t want to become her mom, I think her temper is just so dark that she won’t be able to return to her old ways.

I know there’s the spoiler of her meeting with Archie later on this season, and maybe she’ll actually be able to learn to control her temper, but personally I think she’ll be too tempted to want Henry to herself again that she won’t be able to stand to share him with the Charmings especially if she sees that he’s happy with them. I mean this is a woman that sacrificed her own father for her own happiness, so I still don’t think that just because she wants to change now for Henry’s benefit will mean that she actually will be able to no matter how much she might love him.

Finally, while I won’t be surprised to see Regina try to sacrifice herself for Henry’s sake if Cora uses him as a pawn, which she most likely will, I would bet good money that before the end of this season, she’ll do something really bad again against the Charmings. Maybe they won’t know about it until next season, but I just don’t think she’ll ever fully accept Henry’s family even if that’s the only way she can keep Henry in her life.

[timespacer]

It occurred to me that there was some foreshadowing of Regina’s redemption in her nightmare which we saw in the beginning of “An Apple Red As Blood.” Obviously, the mob coming to her house foreshadowed the similar scene we saw in “Broken” but the earlier part of the scene hinted at the different outcome. Regina was eating that bloody rare meat, symbolizing her blood-thirsty ways. Then, she encourages Henry to follow her example and do the same, with one of those motherly “Eat it – it’s good for you” looks, and he reluctantly complies. She smiles approvingly. So the first part of the dream symbolizes that Regina is getting her way and making Henry more like herself. There is no hint of the “I don’t want to be you” statement which we heard from both Henry and Regina in “We Are Both.”

Then, when Regina is tied to the tree and helpless, she asks Henry for help as Emma raises her sword, but Henry turns his back on her, saying “You did this to yourself.” In making Henry like herself in her dream, Regina guaranteed that he would turn on her just as she turned on Cora. Of course, when Regina was really helpless before the mob in “Broken”, her failure to make Henry like herself is what saved her. His insistence that Emma protect Regina stems from the fact that he has not given in to evil as both Cora and Regina did. So Regina was saved in this instance by her failure to exert influence on Henry. Might she be saved (i.e. redeemed) in the long run by her failure to convince him to stay with her and her willingness to let him go? This was the first time in the entire series that i recall seeing Regina put someone else’s desires above her own.

And speaking of foreshadowing, we also got some in “Desperate Souls” when Regina complained that Emma didn’t set her down gently enough after rescuing her from the fire. Emma said sarcastically, “Fine. Next time I’ll… Next time I’ll do the same thing. And the time after that. Because that is what good people do” Sure enough, Emma saved Regina twice in “Broken”: once from the mob and once from the wraith.

[Killian Jones]

@Mike wrote:

Let’s not forget, Regina did go 28 long years without using magic, and during that time she still was manipulative and mean, and to some, truly evil. For her to put down the magic and try to become a better person will take more than just not using magic. She needs a complete personality make-over. How does one atone for the murder of their own father (Henry Sr.), lover – Sheriff Graham, and possible countless others?

She may not have had magic but she had power which can be just as addicting. As Mr.Gold said magic is power so in a way this is the first time in a long time she’s giving up both sides of her addiction.

[mike]

@steliokontos1 wrote:

@Mike wrote:

Let’s not forget, Regina did go 28 long years without using magic, and during that time she still was manipulative and mean, and to some, truly evil. For her to put down the magic and try to become a better person will take more than just not using magic. She needs a complete personality make-over. How does one atone for the murder of their own father (Henry Sr.), lover – Sheriff Graham, and possible countless others?

She may not have had magic but she had power which can be just as addicting. As Mr.Gold said magic is power so in a way this is the first time in a long time she’s giving up both sides of her addiction.

I like that. Her power as mayor was just as addicting. Hmm, I wonder what role Regina will take in the community now? Will she shut herself off from the town, will she try to resume her role as mayor, but in a good way, will she volunteer to help out, or will she just hang out on the fringes?

[hannah97]

@Mike wrote:

@steliokontos1 wrote:

@Mike wrote:

Let’s not forget, Regina did go 28 long years without using magic, and during that time she still was manipulative and mean, and to some, truly evil. For her to put down the magic and try to become a better person will take more than just not using magic. She needs a complete personality make-over. How does one atone for the murder of their own father (Henry Sr.), lover – Sheriff Graham, and possible countless others?

She may not have had magic but she had power which can be just as addicting. As Mr.Gold said magic is power so in a way this is the first time in a long time she’s giving up both sides of her addiction.

I like that. Her power as mayor was just as addicting. Hmm, I wonder what role Regina will take in the community now? Will she shut herself off from the town, will she try to resume her role as mayor, but in a good way, will she volunteer to help out, or will she just hang out on the fringes?

I doubt she’ll be returning to Mayor duty… but that makes me wonder who will become the new Mayor? Maybe Snow or Charming once she and Emma get back, but until then, I just don’t know.

[surayya]

@Hannah97 wrote:

I doubt she’ll be returning to Mayor duty… but that makes me wonder who will become the new Mayor? Maybe Snow or Charming once she and Emma get back, but until then, I just don’t know.

I think it’ll be pretty much up to Charming, Ruby & Blue to run things- No one will want Rumple/Gold as mayor nor Regina, so that only really leaves Archie, Belle, Red, Charming, Granny, August, Whale & Blue at this point. Of those, only Charming & Blue have the skill set (that we know of) to actually rule/govern 🙂

[hmverhagen]

I think that Regina may again try to use magic to get ride of her mother. Cora has magic as well and won’t trust Regina due to Cora’s banishment. By her own admission, Cora makes Regina mad and crazy. Because she wouldn’t see her mother coming, Regina would probably be implusive.
However, using magic will only fuel Regina’s addiction TO magic. She might need Rumple, and would hate having to work with him again. Cora could also encourage Regina to use magic to keep a hold on the town. Now that the curse is broken, people want to kill Regina, and she needs a way to protect herself from everyone.

[Author]

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