Home › Forums › Once Upon a Time › Character discussion › Ruby/Red Riding Hood Character Analysis
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March 12, 2012 at 5:13 pm #133905SlurpeezParticipant
After watching episode 15, I am absolutely intrigued by Ruby. She is a very sympathetic villain (if you can even call her that). How many people saw her as being the Big Bad Wolf? Not only has Red inherited a werewolf gene that was triggered at age 13, but she suffers from blocks of amnesia when in wolf form in FTL. She killed her beloved Peter and a team of trained hunters, only she didn’t know or have any control over herself. In that sense, she is a victim of her biological inheritance. It’s as if her human self is taken over by her monster self. This version of Little Red Riding Hood is very similar to the story of the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It tells of the respectable Dr. Jekyll, who takes a mysterious potion, is consequently transformed into the scoundrel Mr. Hyde at night, and awakens each morning again as Dr. Jekyll, without any memory of it previous night.
Back in SB, Ruby used her heightened wolf abilities for good, which allowed her to track down David Nolan, who was mysteriously unconscious in the woods. It’s rather odd that David’s memory lapses in SB seem to parallel Red’s in FTL. Does that mean David could also be a werewolf in SB, but doesn’t know it (the way Red didn’t know about being a werewolf in FTL)? Another wild theory of mine is that David could be Graham’s wolf guide, the one with the multicolored eyes: one red as blood and the other dark as night (a reference to Snow White). After all, David only has eyes for Snow White (lame joke). I doubt it, but it’s worth surmising over.
It’s also curious that Granny, who was turned into a werewolf by Red’s grandfather, has conquered her battles against phasing into a wolf. Nevertheless, she maintains heightened wolf abilities in FTL. Why is it that Granny was able to overcome her compulsion to transform into a wolf during wolf-season but Red has not (with the exception of wearing an enchanted red cape). Back in SB, Granny has kept her visible scar she acquired form the werewolf her marked her in FTL. The scar hurts every full moon (corresponding to wolf’s time?), which may suggest the werewolf curse is ongoing in SB. Who knows? Could Ruby/Eliza be linked to Kathryn’s disappearance and not know it, the way that Red killed the hunters and the blacksmith boy Peter? Probably not, but the writers could take that plot any direction.
Thoughts?
[adrotate group="5"]"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
March 12, 2012 at 5:53 pm #138681tast_e_cakesParticipantFunny it just popped in my mind the reason Granny called Red when the hunters were at the door was to make sure she(Red) was still in the house. Initially I was confused just as Red was, asking myself why did Granny call her into the room? It wasn’t as if Granny was asking her if she wanted to go, makes perfect sense now, Granny was ensuring the safety of her granddaughter by keeping the hunting party at the door and calling out to Red to make sure she was safe inside the house with the cloak on, Anyway enough with that.
As far as David I do not think that he is a werewolf nor do I think that he is/was Graham’s wolf guide. I am thinking similar to some of the theories that were floating around the chat room yesterday. That maybe David was out in the woods looking for clues and he wondered too close to the SB boarder which made him disorientated and eventually he passed out.
Lastly, I think Granny said something about the werewolf abilities fading away and that her sense of smell was left. I took it as if a person is turned into a werewolf, should they live to be of a certain age some of the stronger wolf tendencies go away, or fade with time.
March 12, 2012 at 6:19 pm #138685hjbauParticipantI don’t think that Ruby’s name is Eliza. I think that Granny was just said that because of Ruby’s makeup and not because that is her name.
March 12, 2012 at 6:28 pm #138689SlurpeezParticipant@ hjbau: You’re probably right. On another post about Granny, mia mentioned that it could have been an allusion to Liza Minnelli (who wore lots of makeup). Granny said, “For another thing, Eliza, you dress like a drag queen during fleet week.” Perhaps lots of drag queens dress as Liza Minnelli? No idea.
"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
March 12, 2012 at 6:48 pm #138701hjbauParticipantI don’t really understand the reference either, but i think the way that Granny said it makes me think that it wasn’t her name, but a reference to someone that may dress like that.
March 12, 2012 at 8:28 pm #138719fairycutie86ParticipantI’m failing at answering the opening questions, but I still have some thoughts in regards to Red/Ruby’s character in both worlds.
In FTL, Red comes across as naive and has a childish innocence to her—she’s almost very dreamlike. She’s repressed, basically—both physically and sexually. She wants to leave Granny and prove herself in the world. As we know, Granny’s terrified of Red living a life because of what she thinks Red is capable of doing, which is kill people. But Red doesn’t see that until the end when she understands who she is.
In Stroybrooke, Ruby is, in some ways, similar to her alter ego, but also different. In Storybrooke, Ruby is not sexually repressed. Rather, she flaunts her sexuality and gets other females, like Ashely, to try and be a bit more sexier. Ruby, though, lacks the confidence that Red has. Ruby thinks she’s capable of doing nothing until Emma proves otherwise. What Ruby does share with Red, though, is her dream to be free and do what she likes, until at the end she realizes that what she loved doing most was working in that diner and being with Granny.
Okay, those are my thoughts. Hope they made sense. I feel like I had some more things to share, but I totally forgot half of what I wanted to say 😆
March 16, 2012 at 9:45 pm #138992SlurpeezParticipantSome new from the actress who plays Red, Meghan Ory on the big twist and what’s next for Ruby. Spoilers: http://uk.eonline.com/news/watch_with_kristin/once_upon_time_meghan_ory_dishes_on_big/301468
"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
April 7, 2012 at 1:24 am #141174charmingParticipantRed Riding Hood is so far the only character who has not met with Rumple. She only mentions him to Snow using the word “whispers”, meaning to me she has heard of him. Granny may have had a dealing with her, when she says to Snow with regards to the cloak, that she got it from a “wizard”. It could mean Rumple or the Wizard from Oz for those who are anticipating an episode about Oz. Ruby in Storybrooke has met him and knows who he is.
April 13, 2012 at 3:57 pm #142045pandoras impParticipantWhy is it that Granny was able to overcome her compulsion to transform into a wolf during wolf-season but Red has not
Little Red Riding hood is often viewed as having sexual overtones. Just do a Google search on it and you’ll find plenty.
Also werewolves connections to the lunar cycle have drawn parallels with the female cycle. I’m pretty sure the writers know this so I my first thought was Granny didn’t learn to control her powers she just went through a version of werewolf menopause.
April 13, 2012 at 4:09 pm #142048miaParticipant@Pandora’s Imp wrote:
werewolf menopause.
LOL
But, I think you’re onto something!@Pandora’s Imp wrote:
Also werewolves connections to the lunar cycle have drawn parallels with the female cycle.
Granny says Red started transforming when she was 12 or 13, right? That is a normal age when the menstrual cicle starts. There could be that connection. Or it’s just because it’s the supposed start of puberty. Somehow I really like the idea that it should work that way. 🙂
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