**•OUAT Cast Discusses Season 3 at NYCC•**

Jennifer Morrison loves season 3 because they get to go so much deeper emotionally. All the main characters are back together for a while, and it has been so fun getting to explore all the pain they are being put through.

Adam and Ed do not find season 3 easier to write. They are constantly trying to make each episode better than the one that just aired. They have to deepen and strengthen what is already there.

2. Wardrobe
When Emma is in a tank top the action is on. The tank top is Once code for action scenes. At the end of last season all the characters got on the ship with a backpack in hopes they wouldn’t be stuck in the same clothes the whole trip to Neverland. Kitsis said, “They tried to take backpacks to out smart us and they say these are our wardrobes so we have clothes for when it is cold. We said that’s ok we will just send a fleet of mermaids in to destroy them.’

3. Splintering of the group
Rumple was many things but a team player wasn’t one of them. He wasn’t looking for his kumbaya moment. He is set on saving Henry and he thinks he can do that better by himself.

We will get a taste of Regina’s tolerance on Sunday and it is clearly wearing thin. The tolerance of Emma and Mary Margret is also wearing thin. Everyone has to be themselves and at some point that will be brought to a boiling point.

4. Storybrook
You will get to see what happens in Storybrook from the moment that the ship goes through the portal. You will get to see the spell enacted to protect the town and all the blanks will be filled in for those characters. This will occur in episode seven.

5. Charming
Charming will have to deal with facing the fact there is no cure for the dreamshade and his focus right now is saving Henry. It will be a true test of his strength and you will get to see how he deals with that. Over the next few episodes you will get to see why Prince Charming is so charming.

6. Peter Pan
Peter Pan is the villain of all villains. Adam Horowitz says, “We don’t even talk to him – he scares us! We had a cast party last week and it was the first time I had met him in person. I turned and saw him and my first instinct was to run away.”

There are definitely reasons for why Pan has just taken Henry’s heart. By the end of Sunday’s episode you will have a better understanding of him and his motivation. He is one of the nastiest villains but also the most complicated. By the end of the first eleven episodes you will know why Peter Pan is the way he is.

7. Kissing
When Jennifer was asked about her favorite episode her response was, “It’s always fun when you get to kiss someone.”

The follow up question was about her and Hook. “Hook has been surprising Emma, but she is just focused on saving Henry. I think there is a lot coming at her that she isn’t paying attention to. She is pleasantly surprised by Hook. He does seem to be really working to help and trying to prove that he is genuinely invested. Once again Emma is in a land where she doesn’t know what is going on and she is learning as she goes. He is someone who has lived there for a long time and he has proven himself as a help.”

In episode five we will get to learn why Hook became a pirate. There will be a lot to learn about Killian Jones.

8. Neal’s return
If and when Neal and Emma find each other again it’s not as simple as running into each other’s arms. As Kitsis says, “There are things you say to people when they are about to die and fall into a portal and then there are the things you say when things calm down and you actually have time to talk.”


link

**•Lana Parrilla On Regina's Love Life & Teaming Up With Emma•**


Once Upon a Time Season 3 is off and running, as our gang remains in Neverland and is still trying to rescue Henry, who is being held by Peter Pan and the Lost Boys.
On tonight’s episode, the adventure continues with Henry finding out how he figures into Pan’s plan - but we also flash back to Fairy Tale Land with Regina and Tinker Bell.
TV Fanatic was on set with Lana Parrilla a couple weeks ago when she explained some of what we’re seeing so far in the third season and how love may finally find the Evil Queen...

On Regina’s powers in Neverland…
Her powers are contained, I find. In that first episode, she was able to throw many, many fireballs. Well, that's not the case anymore and it's been quite frustrating. Using magic in Neverland is like giving off smoke signals or one of those flares – “Hey, I'm over here! Come find us!” [Laughs] – which is not what we want to do, especially if we're sneaking onto the island. So Regina is not allowed to use magic as much as she would like.
On how magic works in Neverland...
No, it's funny there was a lot of talk around how magic works in Neverland. It's different than in Storybrooke in the second season. It was just a little bit wonky and nothing quite worked the way she had hoped. In Neverland, it's more like she's being contained. Like her magic's being contained and she's been forbidden to use it. That's because when we use magic, it alerts Pan and the Lost Boys where we are. It's been quite frustrating for Regina to have to go the Charming route, with their swords. I never have props. It's so unfair. Everyone has a prop. Everyone has a dagger or a sword or a knife of some kind, and I'm like [waves empty hands], “I don't have my fireballs. I can't use magic.” She's at the mercy of the Charmings for a little bit before she gets really fed up. You'll see.
On Regina teaming with Emma…mothers unite!
Regina and Emma are a team for obvious reasons. They start to talk about themselves as the mothers of Henry. I found that to be quite refreshing. Especially for the first two seasons, all I kept saying was, “He's my son. He's my son. He's my son.” And this year, he's our son and we have to save our son. I like that. I like that they're coming together because really the war between – It's not so much between Emma and Regina. It's more between Regina and Snow. I feel like everything's shifting. It's been an interesting third season. We're just playing different sides to the character, but I guess anyone would when you're in a crisis like this. Just survival mode kicks in. Different characteristics come out.
On how Regina really feels about Snow…
I try to if it's not in the writing to give her some looks here and there. Or if I'm standing next to [Snow], just have a look of disdain on my face. [Makes a disdainful face] So we don't lose that. Tracking is important. At the same time, we know this isn't what this scene is about, it's not what this episode is about. It's about getting Henry. I feel like everything's compartmentalized. And it's working. And really learning how to come together, the common goal, which is save Henry and bring him back home. You have to put your ego aside when fighting for the life of a child.
On Regina’s patience being tested...
She's growing increasingly impatient. It's her comfort zone. It's what she knows. She does know love though. Yeah, there's anger and hatred, but she does know love. Overall, love has always been her highest goal. She wants to get there at some point. She wants to have that with someone. And that takes precedence over everything – at least in the first six episodes. [laughs]
But Regina will reach a point where she can't be one of the “Charmings.” It's just not who she is, and she's learning how to be both good and evil and to embrace that. That's what's really special about Neverland. It's a land of truth. It forces everyone to look at their demons and make a choice whether or not you're going to stay the same or you're going to confront your past and deal with these issues and grow from them and move forward.
Love to come for Regina…
I think so. [Smiles] It's so weird. I'm like, “What?! I don't think she's kissed anyone in like 200 years.” Well, the Huntsman…there is something coming up. I will say: Regina has not met him. But maybe the audience has.
On the Regina/Snow battle thus far in Season 3…
With Regina, she has failed so many times at trying to kill Snow that it's just part of the course. “I'm going to try this!” And then it fails. It's very Tom & Jerry. [Laughs] it's like the Road Runner and the Wile E. Coyote, and I sometimes feel like the Wile E. Coyote. [Laughs] “I'm going to get him! I'm going to get him!” And then I don't. It's like she goes back to her castle, and she's like [deviously], “OK, what else can I do?” That's what's so fun about it. I think that's what will help it not get old is if you find the humor in it, and obviously, if it's still honest and connected to a real choice there.
What she sees in Snow [in episode 2 was] a new-found resilience and strength that she never thought she had. Where she learned that from was not living in the castle. So during that time when she was out – was it Robin Hood who taught her how to shoot bows and arrows? – and the dwarfs helped and she was living out in the forest, she became a different person. And [that] was the first moment where we see that.
Regina's always had so much power over her. She comes to realize – and she just [disappeared] because she doesn't know what to do. Regina does that when she feels like she's been defeated. She goes, “Oh, screw it!” [waves hands] and just disappears. … But she doesn't ever give up. And we learn that because she eventually enacts the curse, and that's when she really is successfully. Or is she, right?


link

**•3x09-"Save Henry"•**

3x06 synopsis:
"With David healed, Regina attempts to track down a mermaid that could tell them Pan’s weakness. Emma realizes that Neal is alive. Back in fairytale land that was, the Evil Queen tries to locate Ariel who could tell her how to kill Snow White."

**•3x10-"The New Neverland"•**

“Ariel” – Back in the Fairy Tale Land that was, when Ariel (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) saves Snow White from drowning in the ocean’s depths, Snow returns the favor by helping her new friend get acquainted with Prince Eric, with whom she has fallen madly in love with. Meanwhile, Emma, Mary Margaret, David and Hook attempt to save Neal, who is imprisoned in one of Pan’s encampments, and Regina and Mr. Gold begrudgingly team up to find a way to take down Pan

**•Will Regina DIE?!•**

Wetpaint: "Once Upon a Time has killed off a few characters throughout its three seasons, but none as major as new spoiler photos hint. Are you sitting down, Oncers? Because Regina Mills could be biting the dust.

While this is a highly unlikely scenario given how talented Lana Parrilla is (and the Evil Queen is such a fan favorite), if they’re going for shock value toward the midseason finale, a potentially-dead Regina definitely satisfies that.

A few particularly alarming photos show Regina lying on the ground, knocked out as Emma (in her signature red coat), Neal, Henry, and Gran watch over her, trying to lift her head. While in one photo she’s seen starting to get up and in another talking to Henry with Emma, there are also quite a few of her on the ground (on either a blue screen or just a blanket) as Henry holds her hand and she looks like she’s knocking on death’s door! she's in a critical state!

Since we have no idea what order these scenes were shot in, Regina could be perfectly fine or dying. It could honestly go either way with OUAT. In other photos, there is some more crazy action going on. Mr. Gold is seen facing off with Peter Pan — who apparently comes back to Storybrooke with them — and about to stab him, too!

One of the most perplexing photos of the bunch, however, is Mr. Gold stabbing someone in the back as he holds onto him. Could it be Rumplestiltskin’s father, Colin, who comes on for a multi-episode arc starting in Episode 8? Possibly. Hello, daddy issues."
link

3x07 Synopsis:
"Mr. Gold and Regina send Ariel back to Storybrooke with an item that will allow Belle to locate a hidden artifact that could help take down Pan. But unbeknownst to them, two men have broken into the town with the intent to stop them — at all costs. Meanwhile, Emma, Neal and Hook attempt to find Dark Hollow, where Peter Pan’s shadow dwells, in order to capture it, and Mary Margaret is upset with David for keeping his poisoning a secret from her."

OUAT Spoilers - Emma Hugs Regina!
“- Grumpy was running down the street yelling “it’s here! The curse, it’s here!”. They were all standing still while Emma and Regina were talking and then Emma hugged Regina. It was like if Regina was saying goodbye to Emma and Henry."

link

Next week guys! Next week is Wendy/ Henry/ Emma in all black! oh and Neal and Hook fighting like 5 year old's again......

**•The Fates Of Peter Pan, Regina & Henry•**

"In the photos below, snapped on the set of OUAT, Rumple (Robert Carlyle) embraces Peter Pan (Robbie Kay). But here’s the thing . . . . the photos show Rumple stabbing Peter Pan in the back! As the series of photos progresses, it appears as if Peter Pan’s youthful magic deteriorates, replacing his person with a much older man. (In one of the photos you’ll see an older/larger actor in the place of Peter).
Another interesting photo shows Henry — the young boy whom everyone is risking their lives to save — kneeling over Regina. Regina is on the ground and doesn’t look so good. Is she dead? Does she finally let her heart show the ultimate goodness and sacrifice herself for love? While we can’t even begin to consider the series without her, there’s always the possibility that she’ll be killed off.
While we do have photo proof of what we think happens, it’s important to take these things with a grain of salt, as they could easily be misinterpreted. But I think it’s sort of hard to deny the fact that Peter Pan gets STABBED in the back! It’s also important to recognize what kind of dagger he’s being stabbed with. He’s being stabbed with the Dark One’s dagger, which might lead to an interesting set of consequences for dear ol’ Rumple. Also, all of this stuff appears to take place in Storybrooke — so we can assume everyone makes it off Neverland. Somehow."

link

3x08-"Think Lovely Thoughts"
Pan Henry to a secret cave, where he has convinced the boy that he alone can save magic and Neverland itself. But a showdown between good and evil is about to go down as Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Regina, Mr. Gold and Hook find themselves directly on a path to Pan in an effort to save Henry. Meanwhile, back in the Fairy Tale Land that was, young Rumplestiltskin is given a magical item that could help him make a fresh start with his father — who has been anything but a good dad.

**•Is Henry Not Enough To Fill Regina's Void?•**

TV Guide: What's the deal with Robin Hood and Regina on Once Upon a Time? - Maggie
NATALIE: As of two weeks ago when I was on set, Lana Parrilla told me nothing had come up in scripts between the two of them, but she expected it to happen toward the end of the season - though it might not be as easy as we'd all hope. "She's closed her heart off to any romance," Parrilla says. "She doesn't look at anyone with lust or desire. But I do hope that Regina opens her heart again to love. It's been many, many years. As much as she loves Henry, he can only fill that void for so long before he moves on and has a life of his own separate from her." Do you want to see Regina and Robin Hood together?

link

Apparently episode 3x11 is called "Going Home." That's the same episode that Gina says "Goodbye" to Henry & Emma! ;"(

Adam Confirms Mid-season Finale Title-"Going Home"

Here's a rumour from @OUATSpain on Twitter:
Henry & Emma go to the Enchanted Forest & they say to Regina: "We'll get you."

**•Escaping Neverland, Peter Pan In Storybrooke, Possibly Dying Regina Henry And More•**

"Recently leaked photos for the set of "Once Upon a Time" show everyone, including Peter Pan back in Storybrooke. Now the question remains, how did they all get back? When we last saw Emma, Hook, Neal, Regina, Snow, Charming and Rumple they were in Neverland trying to avoid traps set by Peter Pan and the lost boys so they can find Henry. Pan has Henry held captive in his camp. Henry possesses the heart of the truest believer and it was in the promo for Sunday's episode that we finally learn what Pan wants it for.
Pan is manipulating Henry to try and get him to save magic on Neverland. Using a little girl named Wendy, who is also Pan's captive the evil teen finally convinces Henry to help save magic. In the promo for Sunday's episode titled "Think Lovely Thoughts" we learn that by saving magic Peter Pan will become immortal as soon as the heart of the truest believer stops beating. The promo also shows clips of Emma and Regina doing magic together as well an image of Peter Pan flying. We also see a distraught Emma and this leaves fans wondering who it is she loves that was hurt, or worse killed?
In spoiler news newly leaked photos from the "Once Upon a Time" set show that most of the characters make it back to Storybrook, including Peter Pan. How the characters return to Storybrook is a mystery but Neal, Hook and Emma did succeed last episode in capturing Pan's shadow. Neal said by doing so they could fly out of Neverland, but there is no guarantee this will be the means by which they leave the cursed island. In one photo we see Rumple face to face with Pan in the middle of a Storybrook street.
Another photo shows Rumple holding on to Pan with a knife in his hand. The very next photo we see Rumple plunging the knife into someone's back. While the person's face is obscured we can tell that it is not Peter Pan, nor a stand in since the costume the actor is wearing is different from the one Pan had on in the previous image. In a separate photo we see Henry kneeling over Regina who is flat on her back on the ground.
We cannot see Regina's face but the look on Henry's suggests we should be worried. There have been hints and rumors that a major "Once Upon Time" character will die and this image makes you wonder if it will be Regina. Henry appears to be crying as he holds the hand of his adopted mother. The final image shows Belle standing with Rumple and Hook. From the image it looks as though Belle was right and her true love did come back to her. Noticeably absent from the leaked photos is Emma, Snow and Charming."

link

"In a recently leaked photo, we see Henry kneeling over Regina who is flat on her back on the ground.
We cannot see Regina's face but the look on Henry's suggests we should be worried. There have been hints and rumors that a major "Once Upon Time" character will die and this image makes you wonder if it will be Regina. Henry appears to be crying as he holds the hand of his adopted mother."

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT ??? NO NO NO NO NOOOOOO they can't kill Regina :'( . I hope this is just a misunderstanding.

TVLine: "Do you know something about a beloved character dying on Once Upon a Time? –Anna
Reports of such a death are greatly exaggerated — or at least “not exactly on target,” sources tell me. That said, Peter Pan’s shadow is going to do something pretty horrific, quite soon, and the ramifications will be felt deeply among our heroes and villains."
link

**•Regina- "Best Dressed Women On TV"•**
Style aesthetic: Contemporary, sexy and Powerful as Regina Mills/Gothic couture as Evil Queen
Signature Style staples: In the Storybrooke version, she can be seen in smart figure-hugging dresses, pencil skirts and blouses, wrap dresses, sharp jackets and killer heels. Her outfits as Evil queen on the other hand are usually in dark colors, deep purples, shades of reds and black, and are extremely elaborate and dramatic with lots of cleavage, with statement pieces like big hats, headdresses, capes, crowns, tall neck pieces/collars and extravagant jewellery further adding to the terrorizing effect of her clothes.
Why we love her: ’Cause she is so good at being bad and we applaud excellence in all of its forms.

link

"Save Henry" - While Henry's life hangs in the balance, the race is on to stop Pan from gaining full magical powers from the heart of the truest believer. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke of the past, Regina decides to fill a void in her life and, with Mr. Gold's help, sets out to adopt a baby."

Will the group learn the truth about Peter Pan's identity on Once Upon a Time? — Sarah
NATALIE: Yes, and when they do, they may actually feel bad for the Rumple, despite the fact that he's caused them all strife at one point or another. "When I learned Pan was his father, it all made sense to me why he is the way he is and how he turned out that way," Lana Parrilla says. "As Regina, I had compassion for his character. It's heartbreaking when a parent abandons their child, but the way he did it was just so evil and so sinister. He is more evil than the Evil Queen and Rumple because there's no remorse."

link

**•Lightning Round #10•**

Did you always know that Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) would be Rumple's (Robert Carlyle) father?
Edward Kitsis: Yes, and if you re-watch all the episodes and their scenes together this season, you will see the buried hints sprinkled, including in Episode 4 when they come into the campfire and he says, "Now isn't this a family reunion."

Will we ever see how Michael (James Immekus), John (Matt Kane) and Wendy (Freya Tingley) tried to defeat Pan in the past?
Kitsis: Perhaps someday.
Adam Horowitz: Maybe.

Will we see what's happening to Rumple in Pandora's Box?
Kitsis: No.

Will we find out more about the origin of Henry's (Jared Gilmore) storybook this season?
Kitsis: Yes.
Horowitz: And the first at it is soon.

Will Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) discuss Snow's desire to have another child?
Kitsis and Horowitz: Yes.

Peter Pan's identity revealed! Once Upon a Time cast reacts

Will Snow and Charming (Josh Dallas) find out about Neal (Michael Raymond-James) sending Emma to jail?
Horowitz: Neal sending Emma to jail comes up again and is dealt with.

Will we see more of Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) and Regina (Lana Parrilla) and how her decision not to meet him affected them both?
Horowitz: Yes.

Is there a connection between Tinker Bell (Rose McIver) and Belle (Emilie de Ravin)?
Horowitz: Other than their names rhyming, they're not part of the Bell family. That's a clever idea, but that's not the case.

Will Ursula (Yvette Nicole Brown) return this season?
Horowitz: Perhaps.

Are we ever going to see Pinocchio (Eion Bailey) again?
Kitsis and Horowitz: Yes.

Will Emma's foster home past be explored?
Horowitz: Perhaps.

Are we ever going to find out why Emma goes by the last name Swan?
Horowitz: Yes.

Will Emma be tempted by Dark Magic like Rumple and Regina were?
Kitsis: Always.
Horowitz: And dark chocolate.
Kitsis: Yeah.
Emma's heart could not be ripped out. Could Henry's because he did it himself?
Kitsis: Yes.

Will Henry ever learn that his mom Regina erased his memory after she told him of her plan to let everyone else die?
Horowitz: Can't say.

Can a shadow be reattached to its host?
Kitsis and Horowitz: Yes.

Will we see more curses explored on the show?
Kitsis: Yes.

Will more worlds be explored in the second half of the season?
Horowitz: Yes.

Will there ever be a musical episode on Once Upon a Time?
Kitsis: Who knows?
Horowitz: Never say never. We have no immediate plans.
Kitsis: We tried to do one for Comic-Con, but it become cost-prohibitive

link

**•Pan's True Identity Revelation + Regina & Baby Henry•**

We've gotten to learn quite a lot about our favorite characters' pasts on "Once Upon a Time" through a myriad of flashbacks. Last episode presented arguably the biggest flashback as we learned Peter Pan is in fact Rumplestiltskin's father. (Did any of you see that coming?) Nevertheless, we still have a lot to learn about the lives of our heroes.

The website reports we're going to finally get a flashback to Regina's days with baby Henry. Apparently Mr. Gold aids Regina in adopting baby Henry.

TVLine was also provided with photos which show one of Regina's first days with the young child. Usually when a mother (whether by birth or by adoption) holds a young baby in their arms, there is joy. However, in the photos provided to TVLine, Regina looks pretty miserable.

In other "Once Upon a Time" news, remember how you totally felt sorry for Rumple after you found out the story of him and his father? No? Well, hopefully at least some of you did. Nevertheless, according to TVGuide.com, our heroes will soon be let in on the secret and they will take pity on the dark even the Evil Queen (Lana Parilla).

"When I learned Pan was his father, it all made sense to me why he is the way he is and how he turned out that way," Parilla said according to TVGuide. "As Regina, I had compassion for his character. It's heartbreaking when a parent abandons their child, but the way he did it was just so evil and so sinister. He is more evil than the Evil Queen and Rumple because there's no remorse."

link

**•Emma & Regina Team Up To Save Henry & Stop Pan•**

"Once Upon A Time" Season 3, Episode 9, is called "Save Henry." This Dec. 1 episode shows what happens after the shocking twist in OUAT 3x08, "Think Lovely Thoughts." Spoilers coming up for those who have not seen the most recent developments in Henry Mills' family adventure in Neverland. Watch the sneak peek videos to guess what happens next between Peter Pan and Emma Swan. Evil Queen Regina teams up with The Saviour to save their son.

Spoiler alert: This feature contains spoilers for those who have not seen Once Upon A Time Season 3, Episodes 8 and 9. "Save Henry" airs on ABC after a week's hiatus.

"Think Lovely Thoughts" offers some startling "Sins of the Fathers" revelations for the avid OUAT 3 viewers. Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) and Regina Mills (Lana Parrilla) have yet to unravel Peter Pan's (Robbie Kay) real identity. Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), who knows dad Pan very well, is locked up in Pandora's box. Baelfire (Michael Raymond-James) is not likely to be as powerful as either Emma or Regina. What can Peter Pan's grandson do to help the Evil Queen and the saviour?

Henry Mills (Jared S. Gilmore) thinks he knows what he's doing. He saves Neverland, he saves magic. If there's one thing Henry's not going to allow to happen, it's the end of magic. So now Peter Pan has his heart and the selfish young boy is threatening the lives of his family, too. What will Henry tell his great grandpa Pan once he wakes up?

In a sneak preview of Once Upon A Time Season 3, Episode 9, "Save Henry." The evil queen promises her unconscious adoptive son, "We're gonna get you home." This is so sweet, coming from Regina. The Evil Queen is quickly adopting a team player spirit. This is not a quest that's hers alone. She and Henry's biological mom Emma Swan as well as the rest of the family will return to Storybrooke with Henry.

"If we can hurt him, we can kill him," says the evil queen in the OUAT 3x09 sneak peek. But she winds up trapped and tied to a tree with Emma Swan and Snow White. (Only Peter Pan can do that, apparently.)

Snow White aka Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) is obviously going to be behind her daughter and the evil queen in this fight against Peter Pan. But who's going to set the Dark One free from Pandora's Box? This is probably how Henry Mills turns out to be the beast's undoing. OUAT 3x09 is the first of the last three episodes of the first half of Once Upon A Time Season 3.

link

**•Rose Mclver About Tink's Alliances & Relationships With The Other Characters•**

How did you go about creating the character of Tinkberll because she’s so different than what we’ve come to expect of her?

Rose McIver: What was quite liberating was that I didn’t know that I was auditioning for Tinkerbell when I went into the room. So I didn’t bring any of those prior expectations or any apprehension to the character. I went in and read for a fairy. So it was kind of fun. I just played like a street smart, fun party girl, and then I got a call from my agent telling me that I got the role of Tinkerbell. So they don’t necessarily tell you who you’re going in for. Then when I knew I was playing Tinkerbell, I was able to infuse the character elements that I could research with what I had gone in and played in the room without having had that idea. So it was a nice kind of combination.

Is Tinkerbell going to stick with Emma and everyone else, or could her loyalty shift to Peter Pan now that he’s so powerful? Where does she stand at this point?

Rose McIver: I think although Tinkerbell obviously has an alliance with Pan and has history with him, what he’s become and what he’s trying to do, she understands the vast negative repercussions that are going to happen not only for Henry and the team, but for her as well and Neverland. So I think she knows that the team are out to do the right thing and wants to stand by them. I think it’s just probably a little more complicated for her given that she has history with this character.

Are we going to find out more about that history with Peter Pan and how that relationship came about and what she’s been doing on Neverland all this time?

Rose McIver: What’s funny with the show, the way that it’s written is so out of sequence that chronologically you don’t know what’s going to happen. So we’re learning bits and pieces in flashbacks as we speak. I just shot an episode last week that will shed a little light on Tinkerbell’s back story, but yeah, we only learn it in pieces as we go as well. So it’s quite a lot of fun to pick up each episode and learn backwards where you’re from and where you’re going.

Are you allowed to tease that flashback and what it was about?

Rose McIver: We explore a little more about how Tinkerbell knows Hook.

How much about Peter Pan do you think she knows? Are you aware of that, or have they told you?

Rose McIver: She’s obviously been in Neverland with him for a long time and knows his brain and she speaks several times about what Pan is capable of. So, yeah, she does know large amounts of where he’s from and what he’s been up to, but at the same time, as I said, we only really learn as we go as well. Little bits and pieces are revealed each episodes, and so there’s still just lots that we’re just working out as we go, what the creators have up their sleeves and the actors don’t yet know about.

What do you think drives Tinkerbell at this point? What does she wish for?

Rose McIver: I think she wants a home, she wants her wings back. She wants her identity, and having a family of people that have come into her world and sort of swept her off her feet and swept her into chaos and adventure provides a suggestion of that. It suggests that she will be able to maybe find a hint of self again feeling very lost for a long time.

Do you think there’s hope for her to get her wings back?

Rose McIver: I hope so. She wants to fly again. It’s where she belongs. She’s a fairy. Although you can understand where the blue fairy came from and removing them, but also Tinkerbell was pretty justified in her behavior with Regina and it would be lovely to see her get her wings back.

How is her relationship with Regina going to evolve? Does she still want to help Regina be a happier person?

Rose McIver: She knows Regina better than anyone else in some ways. She’s seen her fall and she’s seen her be more vulnerable than a lot of other characters have. So she has a special connection with her, and definitely a desire to see her fulfill who she could be. Understandably she was really hurt by her as well. So there’s more of a complication than she just wants Regina to do well, but I think in the long run she cares about her a lot and definitely hopes that they’re able to get Henry back.

If there was a relationship that was going to come out of them saving Henry, could that mean Tinkerbell would go to Storybrooke at some point?

Rose McIver: I think you’ll start to know a little bit more about that in the next couple of weeks.

Is there a moment that stands out for you so far since being on ‘Once Upon A Time’?

Rose McIver: We had a couple of night shoots which weirdly were incredibly cold by a river and kind of harrowing in some ways, but there’s another side of it, which I said to somebody that it feels like a school camp. You are all huddled around a heater in a tent, and you get this real camaraderie when you’re on location and everybody who I’m working with is so lovely, and so I’ve really enjoyed that. That was actually for the scene that aired on Sunday night, of us approaching Gold and Regina, and talking to them. I enjoyed shooting that scene just for the sense of being on set and the quite a bit of conflict, the drama that was in that scene, was great.

If you could talk to Tinkerbell, what would you tell her?

Rose McIver: I would say don’t let go of who you were, and it’s the advice that she gave to Regina. It is possible to love again and it’s possible to find a happy ending. And Tinkerbell was so busy looking for it for other people that it’d be nice to see that happen for her.

link

**•OUAT Creators Tease Henry's Adoption + Lana's OUTSTANDING Performance In 3x09•**

“What child is this?” is one of the questions Regina (played by Lana Parrilla) will ponder this Sunday on Once Upon a Time (ABC, 8/7c), as we flash back to Storybrooke’s very early days and Mayor Mills’ growing desire to be a mom.

“This [storyline] started last year in ‘Welcome to Storybrooke,’ when Regina met Owen,” Once cocreator Eddy Kitsis notes. “We realized that when she cast the curse [that transported the Enchanted Forest's denizens to Maine], it created a hole in her heart. The curse was not fulfilling for her. She needed something more, something real.” And in spending time with uninvited Storybrooke guest Curt Flynn’s young son, “She realized that the love she was looking for was in a child.”

But can a wicked witch make for a mindful mom? (After all, baby Henry doesn’t look too content in the episodic photos that have circulated.) “Regina wasn’t always the Evil Queen,” series cocreator Adam Horowitz reminds. “There’s a woman inside of her with a heart, who has felt love and who has felt loss, and now she has a hole in her heart from casting this curse. How does she go about filling that hole? And can she do it with Henry?”

Kitsis says that another question to perhaps be raised, if only because the always resourceful Mr. Gold aka Rumplestiltskin has his manipulative mitts in the mix, is: “Does Regina realize who Henry’s [birth] mom is?”

All told — including as teased in this week’s Ask Ausiello column — “there are some twists and turns in the saga of how Regina adopted Henry,” Horowitz affirms. “A couple of ‘What ifs?’ are posed.” And in visiting that defining, emotional juncture in Regina’s life, Lana Parrilla “killed it,” Kitsis raves.

“One of the reasons we’re showing [this flashback] right now, in our 52nd episode or whatever, is to see in Neverland how far this woman has come,” Kitsis explains. “You see what she was like as a vengeful Evil Queen, and you see her now in present day as Henry’s mom.”


Speaking of Neverland: Henry is, as Miracle Max might put it, “mostly dead” — or as the Once bosses say, “in pretty rough shape” after donating his ticker to Peter Pan for misguided reasons. As the coming hour unspools, “The drive to get him back to himself is what’s fueling our folks on the island,” says Horowitz. But despite their boldest best efforts to right this horrible wrong, Kitsis must warn, “Peter Pan does not go down easy.”

link

**•OUAT Films Emotional 3x11 Cliffhanger Scene•**

Vancity Filming: "Newly engaged and soon to be new father Josh Dallas shares a moment with fellow actress Lana Parrilla on the set of Once Upon a Time.

During what was a pretty big and emotional cliffhanger scene, the pair took a break from filming to grab some frood from a food cart that had just appeared on set."

link

“The New Neverland” – The residents of Storybrooke are overjoyed upon the return of Henry and our heroes from Neverland. But unbeknownst to them, a plan is secretly being put into place by a well-hidden Pan that will shake up the very lives of the townspeople. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was, Snow White and Prince Charming’s honeymoon turns out to be anything but romantic when they go in search of a mythical being that could stop Regina cold in her tracks, on “Once Upon a Time.

“I think that their (Emma and Regina’s) relationship has definitely grown in the past two and one half seasons,” said Horowitz. “I think we’re leading to a really great moment between the two of them where you see that their relationship has changed and perhaps there is mutual respect for each other. I think the biggest growth about the both of them is not whether or not they like each other. They both realize the other really loves Henry and when somebody really loves your son, you can’t fully hate them.”
Adam Horowitz (via lanaparrillasituation)

**•Emma, Henry & Hook In NYC & A New CURSE!•**

Rumple believed he stopped Pan from harming Henry and trapped his evil father in Pandora's Box. In reality Rumple trapped Henry. Next week's episode will focus on Emma trying to figure out what is wrong with Henry. The final scene in the promo shows Henry as Pan trying to convince his mom of his identity. When "Once Upon a Time" returns in March Henry, Emma and Hook will be seen taking a road trip to NYC. The trio Jennifer Morison (Emma), Jared Gilmore (Henry) and Colin O'Donoghue (Hook) were spotted filming in Vancouver this week.
Vancouver will double as New York City in the second half of season three. Behind the scenes photos show Hook, Emma and Henry in Emma's little yellow bug heading off to the big apple. Hook must get himself in some trouble as one image shows the charming pirate walking out of a NYPD precinct. As Hook adjusts his false hand he tosses a smile at Emma. Do these images show the long hoped for relationship between Hook and Emma? Noticeably absent from any of the photos is Henry's father and Emma's one time love Neal.
Other spoiler photos from behind the scenes of "Once Upon a Time" show the residents of Storybrooke back in the Enchanted Forest. We know that a new curse is on its way to Storybrooke but we don't know what kind destruction this curse will bring. The Storybrooke residents are all wearing their fairytale costumes but are they actually back in the Enchanted Forest? It is possible that it is a dream brought on by the new curse or a flash back? It is hard to believe Snow would be okay with leaving Emma a second time.
Chances are if Emma does not want to go back to the Enchanted Forest Snow won't go either. We see Josh Dallas who plays Prince Charming in the back stage pics so we can assume that he is cured of the poison he picked up in Neverland. We also see images of Belle in her classic gold gown and Sara Bolger is returning in March as Sleeping Beauty. As exciting as the behind the scenes photos are they are leaving more questions that viewers will have to wait until March to have answered.

link

**•Emma & Regina Talk Then Go Into The Town Hall In Season 3•**

Vancity Filming: "I was in Fort Langley today, and one of the first things I saw was this scene between Emma Swan and Regina Mills.

Emma was running toward Regina and then she stops to have a conversation with her. They then disappear into the Town Hall.

Enjoy Swan Queen fans…"

link

**•Regina Vs Medusa Or Wicked Witch Of Oz n The Past & Present?!•**

E! wrote of Mader's villain, "Now that Rumple and Regina have made peace, the writers felt they needed a new Big Bad and Mader's character will definitely be at odds with Regina." So will Regina need the help of Snow, Charming, and Emma? Maybe not—it's possible that everyone will separate after the mid-season finale. Emma and Hook are going to New York at some point, and show creator Eddy Kitsis revealed that the second half of season 3 will take place between Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest. So maybe some characters will return to their old land while others opt to stay in their new one.

Regina could run into Medusa in the Enchanted Forest, but here's another idea: Maybe Medusa is inside Pandora's box. The box is a part of Greek mythology just like the snake-haired villain, and Henry is currently trapped inside of it. Maybe the Medusa will get released when Henry's family tries to rescue him.

Will Rebecca play Medusa or the "Wicked Witch from Oz?"

link

**•Is Rebecca Mader Playing Medusa Or Cruella De Vil?•**

Enstars reported Thursday that Rebecca Mader (Lost) had been cast as an iconic fairy tale villain for Once Upon a Time. However, the identity of which villain she would be playing was a mystery.
However, a new report by E!Online suggests that the villain can only be one person: Cruella de Vil. The report states that Mader is playing a Disney villain with her own theme song, which Cruella de Vil famously has in the 101 Dalmatians movie from the 1960s.
She will be facing off against Regina (Lana Parrilla) in the second half of season 3 and serve as the major villain for the rest of the season. The identity of the villain will officially be revealed after the midseason finale on Sunday, Dec. 15.

link

**•Peter Pan's Plans In Storybrooke & How It Effects Everyone•**

Once Upon a Time is finally returning to Storybrooke — but it won't be the joyous celebration that everyone is expecting. That's because our ragtag group of heroes and villains have a stowaway on board in the form of Peter Pan (Robbie Kay), who switched bodies with Henry (Jared Gilmore) before being locked up in Pandora's Box.

"It's really cool that I'm actually able to be Pan," Gilmore tells TVGuide.com from the set of the ABC fairy tale drama. "It's very interesting for me getting to study Robbie; some of his facial expressions and how Peter is very cocky and mischievous. It's very different because I've been Henry for so long and now I'm a completely new person. I was excited because out of all the characters I've ever wanted to be on the show, it was Peter Pan."

After spending the first half of the season in the perilous Neverland, Emma (Jennifer Morrison) can't help but feel the worst is yet to come when they return to Storybrooke — something she's become accustomed to with being the Savior. "In this episode, Emma can't shake the feeling that something's still wrong and a lot of people around her think she's just used to being in crisis," Morrison says. "She's still on guard and doesn't feel like she has the luxury of letting her guard down to be thinking about Neal [Michael Raymond-James] or anyone beyond that."

A false sense of security is exactly what Pan wants as the residents of Storybrooke welcome the group back with a party at Granny's. "Because it is such a welcome return to Storybrooke, that's what allows the next set of events to kick off," Raymond-James says. "We are back and we are elated and feel the job is done and it's time to celebrate. We didn't see things that we could've seen. We may have let our guard down a little bit because we feel we've won."

It's Emma who is the first to notice something is off with Henry — which you can read more about here — but not everyone will be as keen to face these tough facts. "Regina's a little blindsided because she's just happy her son wants her," Lana Parrilla says. "She can justify it by saying, 'I saved you, so that's why you want me.' I don't think she knows that he's different or that he's acting different. She's just so elated to have him and for him to want her."

Suffice it to say, the #SaveHenry campaign is not over yet! "[When] all these terrible things start to happen in town, we realize that something's off, that we must not have captured Pan or somehow he's controlling things from the box," Morrison adds.

link

**•Emma & Gina In Yellow Bug•**

Tampagirl1: "Once Upon a Time filmed at the Fort Langley Community Hall as the Storybrooke Town Hall yesterday for the first time in season three. Fans spotted an almost full cast either in exterior scenes or coming and going from interior scenes in the daylight. The night shoot was much smaller with only a #SwanQueen scene of Henry’s two mothers Regina (Lana Parrilla) and Emma (Jennifer Morrison) talking in her yellow VW bug. Several visiting #EvilRegals fans watched from the sidewalk closest to the shoot but I left before the wrap so don’t know if Lana Parrilla had a chance to meet them on such a bitterly cold night. A backup yellow VW bag sat parked around the corner on Glover Road."

link

**•3x10-"The New Neverland"•**

It looks like everyone in Storybrooke is ready to cuddle up and explore the next phase of their lives. Ariel manages to find her sweater clad, Prince Eric. Rumpel and Belle reunite for a second chance at romance. While Emma, Neal, and Regina begin to feel complete with their little boy in tow. However, at the close of last week’s episode, Peter Pan’s new home inside of Henry’s body may put those plans on hold for a little while longer.

Emma and Regina will have their work cut out for them when it comes time to determine who is the real Henry and who is the imposter! Motherly intuition will sure come in handy now.

link

**•OUAT 3x11 Script•**

**•Regina Tells Emma Something In S3 Winter Finale-"Going Home"•**

"Could some friction between the series regulars actually manage to derail all of the momentum that was once established? It’s possible, given that Regina and Emma Swan have a history of butting heads. The script tease here, as first posted by co-creator Adam Horowitz on Twitter, shows that there is at least something that Regina is still keeping from the biological mother of Henry … and of course, whatever this is could have some interesting consequences the rest of the way. These are two characters that really need to learn to get along for a variety of reasons, but there seems to be something that is almost always standing in their way. As there is a cliffhanger leading to the spring season, you have to hope that there will be a promise of harmony to come for the two."

**•Which New Villain Is Coming To OUAT?•**

Once Upon a Time, without a good villain, would be a boring place. Rumple/Gold is a character we love to hate. But since it was announced he was Henry's grandfather and he has fell in love with Belle he's no longer the foe we've come to know.

Regina has also been mellowing over this past season. As Henry's adopted mom, she's part of the Charming clan now. The executives of Once Upon a Time have stated that they always meant for this show to revolve around Snow White and her Prince.

So, if these two are living in peace (at least for now), Once Upon a Time needs a new villain. This person needs to be someone who audiences can see as a foe to the core family of the show. Maleficent of Sleeping Beauty has been defeated (twice) so who can it be?

We have learned that a new villain has been cast and may appear during the season 3 mid-season finale. Rebecca Mader has played villains before but which character does she best suit. The executives gave EOnline some clues:

- She will be one of the best villains of fairy tales of all time.
- She will have a history with Regina.
- She will have her own theme music!

While we've debated this at work and in endless lunches since Sunday, there is no clear cut decision on who Mader will play. Here are the top four choices and the reason why they fit the bill. Are they correct? For that we'll have to wait and see.

Cruella De Vil, 101 Dalmatians

The first choice, Cruella, has been circulating on Facebook, Twitter and the web. While Cruella is definitely a possibility since we've turned our attention to British literature, she doesn't quite seem to be a match for Regina because of a lack of magic. Of course, Regina could lose her magic in the mid-season finale but let's face it! Regina without magic would be boring. Regina's magic gives her the added touch of menace that Parrilla can pull off so well. And, as of yet, there are no dogs (except Pongo) for Cruella to chase for a coat in either the Enchanted Forest or Storybrooke. While a good villain, she's not a history making type and already has her own theme music.

Ursula, The Little Mermaid

Ursula, from The Little Mermaid is another obvious choice. The character has already been established in the Once Upon a Time realm with a history existing between Regina and Ursula. The threat Ursula made regarding Ariel was very real and it did scare Regina. Regina has already violated the restriction Ursula put down by granting Ariel her legs and maybe a happy ever after on shore. It would seem logical that Ursula would feel the need to have a heart to heart with Regina. And if Regina could grant Ariel legs, I'm sure Ursula could have them too. Is she one of the best villains of all time? Truthfully, I don't even remember her in the original story so I would answer that question with a big no. But she is memorable.

The Wicked Witch of the West, The Wizard of Oz

One that readily came to my mind (and a few others) is as the Wicked Witch of the West. I admit that I've heard rumors during the summer from San Diego's Comic-Con that Once Upon a Time would love to visit Oz, but I was under the impression that it would be at least a year away.

The Wicked Witch of the West has scared children for years. I even hated the movie when I was young. So, the character is memorable. Does she have a history with Regina? It's not readily visible and while we have seen no connection with Oz, we didn't see it with Wonderland either until Regina sent her mother there. That's not a big issue where the writers are concerned? Yet, she's already has her own theme music so would new music confuse the issue or would Once Upon a Time develop their theme around that? Also, I would hate to see Mader in green face paint.

Medusa

My personal favorite, Medusa, seems to be the wild card. Medusa actually appeared in the opening credits last week's "The New Neverland," as a small character in the lower left hand of the title card for the program.

While Medusa appeared to be turned to stone and defeated last week, do we really know how the curse affected her? We do know she was in the Enchanted Forest realm. She's a known villain from classical Greek/Roman mythology and appeared in numerous television sci-fi programs. Why couldn't she appear as a normal person who suddenly has mystifying eyes and snakes for hair? We know that Snow knew of her existence. Since Regina could appear in the shield Snow used to defeat Medusa, Regina has knowledge of Medusa also. Plus I can easily see Mader making the character both sexy and diabolical to the point that she would be a worthy foe for Regina (if she manages to keep her powers).

link

**•Is Rebecca Mader's Villainess Regina's SISTER?!•**

If Cruella de Vil does appear on "Once Upon a Time," it will be interesting to see if she gets to drive a cool car like she does in the movies or if she lives in Fairy Tale Land where she's completely clueless about what an automobile even is. Mader's villain character will reportedly have some sort of history with Regina, so it seems more likely that she'll be from the Enchanted Forest. But how will she know Regina?

Here's an interesting idea: Maybe the ladies are related somehow. Series cocreators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis told TV Line that Henry's family tree will grow by two spaces by the end of season 3, and they weren't including his great grandfather, Peter Pan, as one of the two new family members. So could Cruella be a half-sister of Regina or something? According to IMDb, Regina's father is set to appear in this Sunday's "Going Home" and a January episode titled "The Cricket Game," so maybe Oncers will get to meet Cruella de Vil in a flashback. Another theory is that Cruella might be Rumple's mother, which would make Rumple even more sympathetic—it's probably hard to be good when your parents are two of the most evil people on the planet.

If Cruella is the new big bad on "Once Upon a Time," there are some things that Oncers would absolutely love to see. The show could explain her stylish two-toned hair (the result of a miscast curse, perhaps?), and "OUAT" might finally treat viewers to Pongo's back story. Is his Perdita out there somewhere?

So if Rebecca Mader is Cruella de Vil, would you like to see the villain as a relative of Regina?

link

So is this just a theory from a fan then?

**•Theory On How The "New" Curse Will Affect The Characters•**

I have a new theory about what the effects of the new curse will be in "Going Home" and how it will impact the rest of the season. What if this curse is more personal in nature, allowing each person to revisit a pivotal moment in their lives, and see how things would have went if they had made another decision?

I base this theory off of some clues from the press release for the episode. For example, the cast list includes Dave Mathews (doctor) and Joy Castro (nurse), who were both present at Henry's birth. Maybe this means Emma revisits this moment and sees what her life would have been like if she had not given up her son! The cast list also includes Tony Perez (Valet - a.k.a. Regina's father). Perhaps Regina revisits the time she cast the Dark Curse, and witnesses what would have happened if she had not killed her father! I noticed that Christopher Gautier (Smee) is also present, who is connected to Hook. Maybe the pirate sees the consequences of not going to Neverland in pursuit of revenge! I also base this theory on the latest script peek from Adam, which shows a flashback conversation between Belle and Rumple that I gather is about Baelfire. Maybe Rumple sees what would have happened if he had not kicked Belle out of his castle but had opened himself up to her and given up his magic!

Adam and Eddie also said in a recent interview that the second half of the season would feature a compelling new form of storytelling. I theorize that instead of the traditional flashbacks, each episode will show each character's vision of their alternate future, where they had made another choice. Scenes have already been shot that show Emma and Henry and New York - maybe that is where mother and son ended up after her decision. Also, if Regina chose not to enact the curse, she would still be in the Enchanted Forest, where she could conceivably meet Robin Hood!

Keep in mind, I am not saying that each character physically travels back in time to relive these moments (that would get messy), but just becomes burdened with the knowledge of what could have been. I still have no idea how these glimpses of possible futures affects the characters in the present. Maybe it helps them reevaluate their lives, and come to term with past mistakes. Maybe this knowledge is helpful in the ultimate battle with Rebecca Mader's new villain character! We need only wait and see!

link

**•Will Snow, Emma & Regina Become "Friends" In The Winter Finale?•**

"Once Upon a Time" Season 3 is doing a repeat of the curse that brought all the Enchanted Forest fairy tale characters to Storybrooke. Watch the OUAT 3x11 promo below. It seems friendship is a possibility among Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), and the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla). OUAT fans aka the Oncers are anticipating the mid-season finale on Dec. 15, "GoingHome"

There is a new big bad villain emerging in Once Upon a Time Season 3, and she will torture the fairy tale characters in the second half of this chapter. What does this mean to "The New Neverland" of Peter Pan?

In OUAT 3x10, Peter Pan puts in motion an elaborate plan involving a curse to create a new home for him and his Lost Boys. Emma Swan, Snow White, the Evil Queen and the Dark One realise Pan's grand scheme a bit too late. The Dark One warns, even The Saviour, Emma, will not be able to break the curse this time.


Regina makes the mistake of giving Peter Pan access to the curse that she cast to create Storybrooke and make everyone forget who they were. Pan is set to use the same curse, and the same result is expected, except he will rule the new Neverland. But Regina had to sacrifice her father's life to fortify the curse. What or who would Peter Pan sacrifice?

If ever Pan's plan materialises, it would be interesting to see the Dark One in his powerless state. This may be the "undoing" foreseen by the Seer. Even Regina would be powerless, and she may become the kind-hearted woman she once was before her mother had thrust evil-ness upon her. But how will the characters recover their identities?

Rebecca Mader has been cast as the new big bad villain of Once Upon A Time Season 3, second half. Her role is still being kept a huge secret, but E! Online has some scoop: "(N)ow that Rumple and Regina have made peace, the writers felt they needed a new Big Bad and Mader's character will definitely be at odds with Regina." Fans will see how this development pans out in three months' time.

link

**•Villains Finally Become Heroes & New Friendships Are Formed!•**

Once Upon A Time delivered on everything the show is good at delivering on. Bad CGI, hackneyed romance, Regina and Gold angst and wild, crazy, giddy story twists. If you don’t love what this show provides by now then this probably left you a bit cold. But for the rest of us this anti-Fables was gleefully running from the start of the episode and refusing to let up until those last ten minutes of deliciously angsty farewells and second half of the season plot setups.


And it was tremendously delicious angst.
First things first. Hats off to the writers for offing a female character last week and irritating us all with another woman sacrificed to the plot gods and then promptly bringing her back this week in the blood of her enemies–I mean killing off FOUR* guys AND resurrecting her.

In the process Tink regained her wings and flew and the guys all watched her in hilarious wonder as she torched the hell out of Pan’s shadow. Leading me to wonder what the heck was in those braziers around Blue’s corpse.

And as Tink scorches one dangling plot thread, Pan gutted another before being forced back into his own body by his son and giving us all Gold’s very best moment since…forever. Sometimes, even despite the constant hounding on the point, it’s easy to forget Gold is the show’s resident coward. He hides it behind superpowers and professions of love and long walks with daddy’s shadow in Neverland. He has never been a hero, just a villain forced into doing good deeds out of necessity. And where others fight or feel a draw to do the right thing Gold is more content to loudly make the claim and then back away and watch others do what needs doing.

He spent much of this season saying he was a changed man–a better one. And his first confrontation with Pan, at Skull Rock, hinted at some kind of change–even if it left him incredibly ineffectual and wracked by some of the show’s most astounding daddy issues. Last night he finally got to air his grievances, and his father, now proudly usurping Cora’s title as worst parent on the show, aired his grievances too. They’re few, but they’re awful. Because he doesn’t love Gold enough to sacrifice him for the curse. In fact he hates him. Resents him in the most awful of ways and for the most awful of reasons.

He resents him because he’s an inconvenience. Robert Carlyle turns in his best work in ages reacting to Pan’s speech about the mewling pink worm, and then he truly gets to shine when Pan traps Gold in the nanotech bangle from last season and leaves him alone to stew in his inadequacies (seriously Pan you are the worst person this show has every created and they’ve got a whole bevy of murderers and rapists and cannibals on this thing).

For the first time Gold has to act on his heroism spiel with no safety net. There aren’t two angry magic moms waiting downstairs or a band of six heroes wandering a forest. There’s just him to save the day and doing so will cost him his hand, his power, and ultimately, his life.

As his father said, deep down Gold is just a coward crippling himself to escape the real battle. It’s fitting that to finally be the hero he has to cripple himself again.


But guys, Gold’s death? It rings hollow. He clutches his father and promises them both peace and Robert Carlyle sells the hell out of the scene, but you can feel the impermanence of his death. It’s on the heels of Blue’s resurrection, and there has been absolutely no press saying Carlyle is leaving and this show has a maddening history of making sweeping changes that never stick, and so it comes across as an empty gesture. One to be undone by May thanks to a sobbing Belle, a not very emotional at all Nealfire, or a stricken Regina.

She’s the one that sells the loss. Of all the characters she’s the one with the longest history with Gold, and it could easily be argued that she knew him best. So her quiet moment of loss hits harder than Belle’s tears or Neal’s…face? Seriously as much as I love his beautiful pout that was out of control.

Back to Regina. Like Gold she’s a villain stuck in her present circumstances because of bad choices and worse friends, but between her sacrifice in the season 2 finale and her work to save the day in this mid-season finale Regina has firmly shifted straight from villain, past anti-hero and to reluctant hero.


Here is the reluctant hero in her natural habitat. Facing doom like a boss and her back turned on the family she worked so hard to have.
Where Gold’s villainy is rooted in his cowardice hers is found in her bitterness. So she is constantly fighting the urge to do the right thing. What has kept her “evil” is her knowledge of what goodness brings. Her dead fiance and her failed attempt to save her own mother are deadly proof that good doesn’t always win and faith in others can’t always be right. She’s the living proof that the philosophy Mary Margaret and David preach is an incredibly flawed one.

But again and again this season she’s chosen to believe in “good.” She fought the lessons she’s painfully learned to live a “better” life. It doesn’t backfire in this finale as much as things shift to the side. For once evil isn’t a better path or an easier one. Regina has grown so much that instead of being faced with choices she’s faced with her own past sins. They are shown in relief and atonement is urged–not just by the other characters–but by the very fabric of her world. Because to create the curse and get her happy ending she had to sacrifice her best loved one and commit thousands to misery–including an innocent baby, and to give them all a chance at a new happy ending she must again sacrifice her loved one again.

In Once Upon A Time good may not always win but evil never gets to be permanently triumphant.

And you know what? After last night’s episode THAT IS OKAY.

Because we got to see Regina go from a woman cackling with her father’s blood on her hand and her enemy weeping at her feet to sobbing as she saved that same enemy and watched the only people she loves drive away–seemingly forever.

Yes. I said people. Note how I did not just say Henry–who had his own MASSIVE growth in this episode and realized just how much he loved his mother and just how much cool adventures and heroism weren’t worth it.

Regina loves Henry and that, dear friends, is a given.

But Regina loves the hell out of Emma too. And not just in the eye sex way we’ve been talking about since these recaps started back in 2011. No, she empathizes with Emma and cares for her and the two of them understand one another in a way perpetual third wheel Mary Margaret never could.


She is offended–also this is from when she’s the only one to notice something is wrong with Regina. Their messed up relationship NEEDS to be explored please.
And Regina overlooks a lot for Emma. While she remembers acutely what Hook and Mary Margaret have both done to hurt her and makes it known she won’t forget, she easily looks past any harm Emma may have caused, putting her first because of Henry–and because of that undefinable something more.

She tearfully promises Emma her happy ending–one Regina herself denied her. And she doesn’t have to. She could have set Emma up to be miserable and constantly looking for something more. Happy endings are this show’s end game and they are always, and only, brought about by love. Regina giving her son and her former bitterest enemy their happy ending? That’s the truest expression of love there is.


Okay, this is a pretty true expression of love too. Damn when these two want to sell it they SELL it.
Whatever this romance between Regina and Emma (and Henry) is–be it familial or romantic or sororal it definitely exists, and I, for one, can’t wait to see how it turns out.

*The shadow was Pan’s and voiced by Marilyn Manson so I’m assuming he was male.

Notes

Hook showing up at Emma’s door was groanworthy as he seems to have the fewest ties to her and Henry (beyond a megacrush) but his attempt to break the spell and the resultant knee to his junk made it acceptable.
Regina really did give Emma a happy ending. A teenage son who waters the plants first thing in the morning and isn’t surly before 10am? That’s only happening if magic is at play.
Poor Neal. Guy is a worse third wheel then Mary Margaret. Let’s cross our fingers they let Michael Raymond James get to actually DO something in the second half of the season.
With the actress playing Ruby off on another show it was up to GRANNY to sniff Henry out and I am forever grateful for that visual.
Tinkerbell has been a fantastic addition to the cast. Let’s all cross our fingers they bump her up to regular, or at the very least, recurring.
How resolute were all those fairytale characters in the face of magical oblivion?
Did anyone else get a little teary eyed at Regina’s neverending farewells?
Once Upon A Time returns in early March with eleven new episodes featuring an Evil Queen/Snow White team up, more New York spell breaking, Sleeping Beauty and a wicked wicked witch. I’ll see you there!
once upon a timerehabilitated villainsswan queentears for days

link

**•Is The Wicked Witch Regina's Or Maleficent's Sister?•**

There's a new villain in town on "Once Upon a Time," and she might have something in common with the show's other big bads—it's possible that she's related to Henry.

A Dec. 22 report by TV Line speculates that the Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader) will end up being the sister of Regina (Lana Parrilla). It was already revealed that Henry's family tree will expand by two spots during season 3, and one of those places will likely be filled by a Snowing baby. So could the other family member be the Wicked Witch?

It is possible that Regina has a sister she doesn't know about. Her father could have had an affair, or perhaps her mother had another daughter. Some TV Line readers are even speculating that the Wicked Witch is the daughter of Cora and Rumple—the two did have a little fling. Maybe Rumple didn't know that Cora had his child, or perhaps he's been hiding this juicy tidbit of info from everyone else.

The "Once Upon a Time" creators kind of hinted that Rumple and Belle will have some sort of relationship issues during the second half of the season, so maybe this big secret is what causes a rift. But of course Rumple has to turn up alive first.

Some Oncers are sick of all the show's villains being related to Henry, but it's possible that Rebecca Mader isn't the second branch being added to his family tree. Christopher Gorham was also cast as an unnamed character, so it's possible that he's going to join the fairy tale family. However, the best theory about his identity is that he's Emma's foster brother, which means that he's probably not a magical being from a land far, far away. Then again, Neal seemed like an average guy from the "real" world, and look at who he turned out to be.

Some fans want the Wicked Witch to end up being Maleficent's sister, and they've pointed out that Rebecca Mader resembles Maleficent actress Kristin Bauer van Straten. The Wicked Witch did have an evil sister in "The Wizard of Oz," and she wanted to avenge her death. If the Wicked Witch is aware of the way Regina treated Maleficent, it's easy to see why she'd consider the (formerly) Evil Queen an enemy. However, Emma would be the Wicked Witch's Dorothy since she's the one who actually killed Maleficent.

Since Maleficent's name is being brought up again, here's a question for "Once Upon a Time" fans: In the midseason finale, did you notice that the Black Fairy's wand that Blue had hidden was made from a black unicorn horn? Since Maleficent had a pet black unicorn, do you think that the wand is connected to her or her maybe-sister somehow?

link

A part of me is hoping she's the daughter of Cora & Rumple haha XD

**•OUAT Season 3B First Few Episode Titles•**

Though Emma Swan's (Jennifer Morrison) memory was wiped out in the mid-season finale, hope is not lost for the Storybrooke savoir, and there's a chance she may figure out her purpose and remember her past after all. In the season's mid-season premiere, titled "New York City Serenade," Examiner reported that Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) is speculated to come back for Emmy in an effort to help her remember. She will strangely feel connected to him and will even go as far as bailing him out of jail when he gets arrested. However, Emma will remain wary of Hook, and though it's not yet confirmed if he will succeed in helping her rediscover her memory, he won't leave without making an impact. Henry and Hook will also go on a road trip together.

The next episode, "The Witch Hunt," focuses on one Storybrooke villain, the Wicked Witch of the West (Rebecca Mader). Though her connection to the "OUAT" characters isn't certain as of yet, many fans believe that the evil witch is related to Regina Mills (Lana Parrilla). She's sure to stir up a lot of mischief in the upcoming season. However, International Business Times reports that she will not be the only scoundrel to attack the magical land, but a new evil queen will also make her mark on the town as well.

The third episode, titled "Tower," will introduce Rapunzel (Alexandra Metz) on the show, and will most likely focus on her long beautiful hair. Not many details have been released about this particular episode, but if we know anything about "OUAT," then we can expect that hair to hold more weight than the traditional fairytale story of Rapunzel.

Also, a new character is expected to make an entrance on the show by episode 15, titled "Quiet Minds." The new character, Lawrence, will most likely be linked to Belle, as he is considered a "Lumiere-like character." Lumiere was originally Belle's good friend and know-it-all, candle-stick-holder friend in the original story of Beauty and the Beast.

link

**•Will Regina & Robin Hood Fall In Love•**

Well “Once Upon A Time” fans we still have eight-weeks to go before the spring premiere on March 9. Until then we must make due with speculation as to what will happen when Hook tries to restore Henry’s and Emma’s memories. There are a lot of questions to be answered in episode 3x12 “New York City Serenade.” Most fans want to know what will happen between Hook and Emma, but the characters that have just travelled back to the Enchanted Forest may also have uncertain futures.

Regina’s path may be the most unclear since she is no longer the main villain. Regina has no reason to try and destroy Snow White anymore (though she still may not like her). For Regina to return to her Evil Queen ways would be useless and unimaginative. She is likely going to be somewhat lost during the second half of the season as she will be stuck between villain and hero. The people of Storybrooke may not have a reason to fear her but the probably won’t be trusting Regina anytime soon.

Having lost her son and with no real friends in the Enchanted Forest Regina is likely to have a hard time finding a place to fit in. However, the residents of Storybrooke are not the only fairy tale characters living in the Enchanted Forest. Princess Aurora and her prince as well as Mulan and a number of other characters were able to escape the curse and have been living in a dilapidated kingdom for almost 30-years. One character is from Regina’s past, although he may not know it.

Robin Hood and his Merry Men have been living in the Forest and just recruited Mulan to join their band. When Regina was married to Snow White’s father she was miserable and desperate for revenge but with Tinkerbelle’s help Regina learned that all she needed was her soul mate. Tink casted a spell that would lead Regina to the man she was destined to be with. Regina was led to a pub where the spell showed her a man with a lion tattoo. Afraid to meet him Regina ran away and started on the path to becoming the Evil Queen.

As it would turn out, the man with the lion tattoo was Robin Hood. Now that Regina is back in the Enchanted Forest and in need of someone to help heal her heart, will she and Robin finally meet? It seems likely that their paths will cross, especially if the characters are to defeat their newest enemy, the Wicked Witch. Despite Regina’s tendency to enact devastating curses as an act or revenge she does have the capacity to love deeply. She was head over heels for Daniel her first love and family’s stable hand.

She also cared for Gram and was a loving and devoted mother to Henry, although the boy had a hard time looking past her time as the Evil Queen. So it stands to reason that if Regina were to come across Robin Hood she might finally get her happily ever after. As much as the Storybrooke residents wanted to return to their home after the curse was broken Regina, Snow White and Charming did not want to return without their children. Emma and Henry were able to escape Storybrooke before the curse took hold.

As one finale gift to her son Regina altered his and Emma’s memories so that neither would remember their time it Storybrooke. Both would have normal lives and would live as though Emma had not given Henry up for adoption. Their new lives took them to New York City where viewers saw them enjoying breakfast together. A knock on the door turned out to be Hook, who told Emma he had spent the last year trying to find her. Emma had no idea who the leather wearing man at her door was and kicked him when he tried to kiss her.

Hook thought he could restore her memory with true love’s kiss. Emma was not receptive to this idea and shoved him away before he could really lock lips with her. It is important to point that out because a kiss between Emma and Hook has to be the thing that restores her memory. If there is one TV romance fans are routing for in 2014 it has to be Hook and Emma or “CaptainSwan” as Twitter has affectionately named them. Will Emma and Hook end up together? What about Regina and Robin Hood?

link