The Sleeping Curse and the Netherworld

[playarita]

Some thoughts about where the rooms of the sleeping curse resides and what might happen to Charming.

I was wondering if Charming’s movements between the rooms is going to make the ruler of the Netherworld make an appearance. I was given the impression that Charming was going to face some problems (it was hinted that he was going to face something life threatening–either it is the fiery room and the sleeping curse or because of his moving around the rooms is going to incur the wrath of the either the rule of the netherworld or the keeper of the rooms.)

That said what are everyone’s opinion on the sleeping curse, the rooms in relation to the Netherworld? I researched some of the underworld theories and concentrated on the myths that were from cultures featured on the show (Grimm, European, Greek etc). For Greek mythology it would bring up Hades and possibly Persephone, in Irish Mythology it is Mag Mell and the Fomorian King of Tethra.

The one I thought was that the Netherworld might be Annwn From Wikipedia: ” it was essentially a world of delights and eternal youth where disease is absent and food is ever-abundant. It later became Christianized and identified with the land of souls that had departed this world. In modern Breton, “Anaon” is synonymous with paradise rather than hell and the phrase “mont da Anaon”, literally “to go to Anaon”, is a euphemism for “to die”. Name and etymology: Middle Welsh sources suggest that the term was recognised as meaning “very deep” in medieval times. The appearance of a form antumnos on an ancient Gaulish curse tablet, however, suggests that the original term may have been *ande-dubnos, a common Gallo-Brittonic word that literally meant “underworld.”

What I found interesting was the etymology of its name refers to the episode title. The episode title could also refer to the deep sleep that both Snow and Charming go into so that they can see each other.

So those under the sleeping curse are kept in limbo. They are not in the world of Annwn, or the Netherworld, because they are not yet destined to cross that road, however; the cursed is not in the land of the awake either.

I thought that maybe Arawn, the ruler of Annwn might have felt that the sleeping curse was encroaching on his territory or wanted to ensure that the heroes (they are the ones who usually fall under the curse) have a chance to awake from the curse and fight the villain.

What are everyone’s ideas about Netherworld and what might happen to Charming?

[antbee]

@playarita wrote:

I thought that maybe Arawn, the ruler of Annwn might have felt that the sleeping curse was encroaching on his territory or wanted to ensure that the heroes (they are the ones who usually fall under the curse) have a chance to awake from the curse and fight the villain.

What are everyone’s ideas about Netherworld and what might happen to Charming?

Thanks for the information. It finally came to me that after episode 8 about how this season is all about the unconscious/conscious/limbo, and I wished I had seen it earlier because of how they chose to open the season with Sleeping Beauty being awakened from being under the Sleeping Curse. In fact, every episode this season has some kind of reference to that particular theme usually as a significant part of that episode.

Episode One – Storybrooke residents continue to experience their awakening. Sleeping Beauty is introduced. A wraith removes Phillip’s soul, but perhaps he is not dead just not with his body anymore.

Episode Two – Storybrooke residents realize that they cannot leave town lest they lose the memory of who they really are which keeps Rumple from his main goal of reuniting with his son Bae.

Episode Three – Okay not as much as the other episodes, I admit, but if Snow weren’t unconscious, Cora would have never been able to get close enough to Emma to find out about Henry. However, this wasn’t necessarily too bad, at least in that episode, because it makes Snow realize that Lancelot is really Cora.

Episode Four – Belle’s father would rather she not have any memories of her FTL self if it means that Rumpelstiltskin won’t be in her life.

Episode Five – At the end of the episode, “Daniel” seems to be existing in some kind of state of limbo that sounds incredibly painful for him forcing Regina to finally let him go. She also starts visiting the “conscious” of the show.

Episode Six – The dream catcher could be a hint that Neal is not just a normal person because most, well actually I would say based on my experience, everyone that is his age would know what a dream catcher was. The big thing though is we find out that Aurora and Henry are having the same nightmare.

Episode Seven – It expands more on Aurora’s and Henry’s nightmare. Ruby’s story could also tie in because she was unaware of what she did when she was in her other mind.

Episode Eight – Obviously, the whole episode is about the unconscious.

I think that Ethan Embry's character, Barrett will be someone that is connected to the Netherworld somehow, so Barrett could definitely turn out to be Arawn.

I thought this was interesting from your link too,

According to Koch,[4] the name Arawn may be derived from the Biblical name Aaron, the name of Moses’s brother, and so is ultimately of Hebrew origin and meaning ‘exalted.’

It definitely fits with K&H’s style to have another Lost nod in OUaT.

[Author]

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