**•3.19 - A Curious Thing - Press Release•**

"A Curious Thing" - Zelena threatens to kill Henry if Hook - whose lips have been cursed by the Wicked Witch — doesn’t proceed with kissing Emma, which will drain all of her magical powers away, and things begin to heat up between Regina and Robin Hood. Meanwhile, back in the Fairy Tale Land that was during the past year, Snow and Charming go in search of Glinda, The Good Witch of the South, to see if she can help them defeat Zelena, and the curse that will ultimately send the Fairy Tale characters back to Storybrooke is cast — but from an unlikely source.

**•OUAT S3 Finale Teasers•**

"The two-hour finale will feature a fairy tale wedding, though it's unclear exactly who will be making it down the aisle, especially with Zelena willing to do anything to get her vengeance on her half-sister Regina. We'll also learn why Zelena has been targeting Snow White's baby, who's expected to arrive this spring. And unfortunately, there is still more death on the way! "Hearts will be broken," executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz tease. "Hearts will be healed. There will be surprise returns and new arrivals." Could the new arrivals include the new villain who will be plaguing our favorite fairy tale characters in Season 4?"

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**•Adam & Eddy Wondercon 2014 Interview•**

Will Henry get his memory back? Will the Wicked Witch’s storyline wrap up during the season three finale? How about those rumors of Frozen characters visiting Storybrooke? And what about killing off a fan favorite character? Once Upon a Time co-creators and executive producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis answered/dodged those questions during our interview at the 2014 WonderCon in Anaheim, CA.

[Warning: This interview includes a specific question about a major character who was killed off this season.]
Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz Interview

We want all the secrets from next season.

Edward Kitsis: “You have to watch this season first or else next season will make no sense.”

How can you top this season?

Edward Kitsis: “I don’t know. That is what keeps us up at night.”

Adam Horowitz: “But the challenge is it’s to always raise the bar, to try to keep developing and deepening the story and take it different places. That’s what we push ourselves to do and we hope to continue doing that.”

Speculation on Twitter is that you’re looking into getting Frozen characters on the show.

Adam Horowitz: “There are a lot of rumors.”

Edward Kitsis: “We were asked a question, ‘Do we like Frozen?’ and we said, ‘Oh my god, we love Frozen. That would be awesome,’ and somehow that has become a story. I mean, I also like Darth Vader but he’s not coming on. But you know, you never say never.”

Adam Horowitz: “We’re fans of Frozen, we’re fans of Brave, we’re fans of a million Disney properties and fairy tales and stories that we feel would be great parts of this show. But what we’re doing right now this season is we’re really focusing on the characters you’ve seen and the ones we’ve introduced. And where we might go in the future is stuff that we’re hoping to mull over and hopefully surprise people.”

Why did you make the Wicked Witch so powerful that it will take Regina and Emma working together to fight her?

Edward Kitsis: “Well for us there was a sense of the Wicked Witch, you will find out that she’s a product of severe dark magic so you will need light magic to counteract that. But for us what we really liked when we came up with the Wicked Witch is somebody that for magic she was just a natural at. Her being so proficient at magic and Regina realizing that would kind of throw her off her game. When you think you’re the best and then you find out that the person who told you you were the best really didn’t think you were the best, how do you come back from that?”

Adam Horowitz: “And also just purely what’s the fun in a villain that’s easy to defeat? We wanted to find a villain or an antagonist like the Wicked Witch who is more than a match for all of our characters, and to give her hopefully a really deep, psychological reason for why she’s doing the things she’s doing and have those things touch all of our characters and force them to have to figure out ways to battle a tougher adversary than they’ve ever seen before.”

What can you tease about the rest of the season and will Henry get his memory back?

Adam Horowitz: “The issue of Henry and his memory…”

Edward Kitsis: “…gets revolved.”

Adam Horowitz: “It gets resolved and it comes to the forefront rather quickly, obviously before the end of the year. What happens with Henry is really key to what happens as the climax between our heroes and the witch.”

Edward Kitsis: “What I can say is we designed this season as to be two separate seasons. There’s the Neverland and as we said, there’s a beginning, middle, and end. And so for the Wicked Witch it’s the same thing. We plan to complete this season’s arc so that what we set up in the beginnings of 12 episodes in the beginning will finish the story by the end.”

Is there any character who has gotten more time on screen based on fan reaction?

Adam Horowitz: “I wouldn’t say that. Look, we love to listen to our fans and to hear from all of our fans on what they’re thinking and feeling but…”

Edward Kitsis: “When we originally wrote the pilot, our idea was that Prince Charming didn’t get out of the coma until episodes three or four. We felt that would be a great thing to build to, and Josh [Dallas] was so good in the pilot that we woke him up in the next episode. So oftentimes characters will get…it’s based on excitement. That’s a perfect example. We hadn’t even aired, it was a pilot, but we were so excited by Josh and the way he portrayed this character that we started writing for him more.”

Adam Horowitz: “Right. And it’s a balancing act of we want the fans to be happy, we want create a show that they appreciate and like, but we have to go with our gut. The example Eddie just explained is a perfect example of that where it’s like Josh was so amazing in the pilot that it kind of shifted a lot of the thinking about when the character would wake up and all that, that it forced us to act in a different way. It has to come from the gut and you have to go with your instincts. And, also, the way that the show is produced particularly this year when we did 11 episodes and 11 episodes, by the time we aired the first episode of the second run this year, we were writing the finale. So we really have to learn to trust our instincts and hope the fans trust them as well and go along with them.”

Edward Kitsis: “You can’t adjust that quickly. We don’t do it live. So if they’re like, ‘Wow, we really want more of somebody,’ you can’t just change the next week’s episode because that’s been locked and cut for months.”

Adam Horowitz: “It’s that thing where you want to know what the fans think and feel and appreciate that, but you also can’t write by polling.”

Edward Kitsis: “If we listened to everything, every character would be alive, dead, married, and single. [Laughing] I don’t know how to do all four.”

Adam Horowitz: “Exactly. And we would still be writing episode 102. We’d still be trying to figure out what to do, based on millions of opinions.”

We’ve found out a little bit about what happened to Hook over the past year. Are we going to get more memories back before the finale?

Adam Horowitz: “I think that the mystery of that missing year will be definitely resolved before the end of this year.”

Edward Kitsis: “We will see a big chunk of that next week in episode 19 called ‘A Curious Thing.’”




You do such a good job of taking your bad characters and making us sympathetic to them (other than Pan). Are we ever going to be sympathetic to the Wicked Witch?

Edward Kitsis: “Pan, what we loved is that at the end of the day we wanted to create…to us, anyone who wants to live 14 forever is the most selfish person in the world. We knew he was Rumpel’s dad, and we wanted his end goal just to be self-preservation. We loved the idea of just selfishness as opposed to world domination. The Wicked Witch, I think if you felt for her in ‘It’s Not Easy Being Green,’ then you feel for her. If you think that she handled it badly, then you want her to die. I think it’s your interpretation of whether or not had she had more support and love in her life, she’d have gone down a different road.”

Adam Horowitz: “I think as far as the witch goes we’ve shown some of the past that shaped her into who she was. We’re going to delve a bit more into what she’s doing and why, and we’ll see more of that. It’s up to the audience to decide if that’s sympathetic or not.”

Edward Kitsis: “What we can tell you is she’s wicked.”

Adam Horowitz: “She’s wicked. And a lot of our so-called evil characters or bad characters are characters who take adversity and things that happen to all of us and they react in a different way. Hopefully you understand the reasoning behind their reaction, even if you don’t condone what they do.”

Can you talk about the decision to kill Bae?

Adam Horowitz: “Look, it’s not something we take lightly. We love the character, we love Michael Raymond-James. When you’re telling a large serialized story like we’re endeavoring to do, there are ups and downs in that story for those characters. This was one of the most difficult things we’ve had to do on this show the entire run.”

Edward Kitsis: “Yes. For us, we loved the idea of him when he lost Emma and Henry at the end of the first 11 and they went to New York, we loved the idea of him starting to go down the same path his father did which was, ‘I will do anything to get with my son, no matter the cost.’ And then realizing that his father sacrificed himself for him, so the person that he always thought was a coward finally redeemed himself, and so Neal had to honor that. We liked that kind of history repeating itself and then not. Unfortunately that meant he had to die.”

Adam Horowitz: “And I would also say this about his death which is that the ripples of the death have not stopped being felt. As you continue to watch this season you’ll see that play out.”

Any chance August Booth will be back anytime soon?

Edward Kitsis: “Not this year but definitely. We love Eion Bailey and we love that character. He’s always on our mind.”

Adam Horowitz: “August is in our mind and how to incorporate him in the show.”

How far ahead are you thinking?

Adam Horowitz: “I would say this, if we’re lucky enough to continue for however many years we sort of attack that. We try to have a broad sense of where we would want the show to ultimately finish and end – whenever that might be. But we can really only attack it one season at a time. What we try to do is plan out the entire arc of the season with the hope that there’s further seasons beyond that to sort of set the pieces in place for that. But, say, do we have an idea for what season seven would be? No. Do we have an idea of where we would like the show to ultimately go? Yes.”

Edward Kitsis: “We kind of know the last couple scenes and where we want to get to. And what we do is in between seasons – in fact, we’re doing it right now – is we are planning next season and then we all go take a little time off and come back.”

Why do you think parenthood is such a strong motif in this show?

Edward Kitsis: “Well, I think there’s no greater stakes than family. I think family is a very universal theme and I think the things that are interesting about fairy tales is they tell us how to live our life or be with our family, or how we deal with the loss of a family member. And for us this was always about a dysfunctional family trying to come together and get their happy ending. For us, what’s more emotional? If Peter Pan was just some really snotty kid at the end of the day, it doesn’t mean anything. But when you realize he’s Rumpel’s father, and you go back to everything that Rumpel’s ever done – ‘I don’t want to be a coward.’ ‘I don’t want to be like my dad.’ – the fact that he let Bae go and it drove him nuts because he did to his son what he did to his father, it makes it richer. People were like, ‘Did Bae have to be Henry’s dad and that?’ If he was just some guy named Steve, who cares? Right? Think that through. ‘Okay, he’s a guy named Steve. He’s living in Detroit.’ Who cares?”

Adam Horowitz: “You know, it’s not to say that everybody has to be related or anything like that. It’s that that kind of bond, the familial bond, is so strong, so powerful, that there’s no greater state at least for us to think about when you’re writing which is how do you interact with your family? How do you raise a family? How do you be a part of a family? Or, how do you find a family, because you’re family doesn’t have to be blood? That’s the greatest thing you can see with the characters is when they find each other and come together and form their own family.”

What does the future hold for Hook and Emma?

Adam Horowitz: “As far as Hook and Emma…”

Edward Kitsis: “…there’s more to be told.”

Adam Horowitz: “There’s more to be told and there’s a lot of craziness going on in Storybrooke right now that they’ve both got to deal with.”

Edward Kitsis: “Unfortunately, Emma wants to go back to New York and Hook wants her to stay, so we’ll see what happens.”

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**•Emma Vs Regina (again) In S4!•**

Once Upon a Time fans hoping for a continued reconciliation for Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Regina (Lana Parrilla) will likely be a little disappointed by Season 4.

Morrison spoke with TVLine recently, responding to a reader question about the status of Emma and Regina's relationship. After Emma brought Maid Marian (Christie Laing) to the present, allowing her to reunite with Robin Hood (Sean Maguire), Regina's dream of true love was crushed yet again. Regina was obviously bitter about this turn of events, and fans should expect that to carry over to Season 4.

"It makes sense that we're going back to a place where these two women are going to be adversaries." Morrison said.

She also admitted that Emma never would have intentionally hurt Regina, despite these consequences.

"Emma definitely wants Regina to be with Robin, and she never would have intentionally done anything to hurt that," she explained. "But she'd also never let someone die in the circumstance that [Marian] was in. So it's one of those situations where doing the right thing is going to have terrible repercussions. But I think it's good for the show. We should have conflict between Regina and Emma, because that's where the show got its feet in the first place."

Emma and the gang may also have to deal with another possible threat in Season 4 - the now iconic Elsa of Frozen. While she may not be the next "Big Bad" villain, the ominous music presented in the Season 3 finale suggests that there's some big conflict ahead.

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**•Emma & Regina In S4•**

Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) and Regina Mills (Lana Parrilla) have come so far during the first three seasons of Once Upon a Time. What once started out as a bitter rivalry over the love and adoration of Henry Mills (Jared Gilmore), it seems as though these two fierce mamas have reached a level of cooperation and, gasp, friendship — that is, until the Season 3 finale.
In one fell swoop, Emma returned to present day Storybrooke with the one person who could ruin Regina’s shot at happiness with Robin Hood (Sean Maguire): his wife, Marian (Christie Laing), who should have died back in the Enchanted Forest. Will this hiccup in Robin and Regina’s love life be enough to turn Regina and Emma back into enemies? You betcha!
Jennifer tells TVLine that while it was “cool and interesting” to explore “this idea of these adversaries finding common ground to save Henry,” that will most likely change heading into Season 4.
“It makes sense that we’re going back to a place where these two women are going to be adversaries,” Jennifer told the site. “Emma definitely wants Regina to be with Robin, and she never would have intentionally done anything to hurt that. But she’d also never let someone die in the circumstance that [Marian] was in. So it’s one of those situations where doing the right thing is going to have terrible repercussions. But I think it’s good for the show. We should have conflict between Regina and Emma, because that’s where the show got its feet in the first place.”
We totally get where Jennifer is coming from when she defends Emma’s heroic actions, but it’s sad to see these two characters take one step forward and two steps back. Yes, it was awesome to see these ladies trade blows in the first few seasons, but we kind of loved them as magical allies. Hopefully they can work through this!

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**•Emma's Guilt & SwanQueen + More About Frozen's Anna, Elsa & Kristoff•**

Season 3 of "Once Upon a Time" ended with a major Captain Swan makeout session, and you can bet that Swan Queen shippers did not enjoy watching Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Killian (Colin O'Donoghue) swap spit. To make matters worse, Regina (Lana Parrilla) was furious with Emma for throwing a rather large kink in her romance with Robin Hood.

Luckily, some spoilers in a June 12 report by TV Line offer a sliver of hope for Swan Queen shippers and Captain Swan haters. "There will be some challenges for them," showrunner Adam Horowitz said. Co-creator Edward Kitsis elaborated by saying that Emma might be feeling a little too guilty to start a romance of her own. She broke Regina's heart by reuniting Robin Hood and Marian, and it sounds like Emma just can't stand to see the former Evil Queen suffer.

These spoilers are good news for those who groan whenever Emma and Killian share a romantic moment. Instead of going out on dates with the pirate, Emma might be spending a lot of time groveling at Regina's feet and begging for forgiveness. Regina and Emma will never officially get together, but at least Swan Queen fans could get to see them share more scenes during season 4. They're at their best when they're constantly bickering with each other, so hopefully Emma eventually fights back instead of letting Regina walk all over her (it's not like she hurt Regina on purpose).

Captain Swan haters will also get a welcome distraction from Emma's love life in the form of "Frozen" characters Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff. Instead of focusing on Outlaw Queen and Captain Swan, a majority of season 4 will probably be about the popular princesses and the iceman. In fact, Elsa is reportedly going to star in nine episodes of "Once Upon a Time."

Elsa might not be evil like the Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader), but she could cause some major problems if she loses control of her icy powers again. Perhaps a Storybrooke resident will end up needing a rescuing after their heart gets frozen by the ice queen. If "Once Upon a Time" decides to pay tribute to the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale titled "The Snow Queen," one of the male characters on the show will be most at risk. So who do you think would become Kai and Gerda: Emma and Killian or Regina and Robin? Or are you hoping that Emma will save Regina after the Evil Queen gets her heart iced?

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**•Sidney Glass Returns to OUAT!•**

Once Upon a Time begins filming for season 4 in Vancouver today with two special guests. Who is returning to Storybrooke?

Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, is that Sidney Glass on your casting call? That’s right, Giancarlo Esposito is returning to Once Upon a Time for the season 4 premiere. What can bring the man out of the room in the psych ward in Storybrooke General? The details are not available on the capacity of Esposito’s return to the show.

The first episode, “A Tale of Two Sisters,” will focus on the introduction of Elsa and Anna, as they transition from the animated film Frozen to their 3D counterparts on Once Upon a Time. Perhaps Glass will be on hand to report the breaking news of Elsa’s presence in Storybrooke.


With filming underway, more news is sure to leak from the set as well as the creators, who enjoy teasing their work as much as they enjoy making it.

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**•Frozen & OQ S4 Spoilers•**

"Once Upon a Time" fans were shocked when "Frozen" snow queen Elsa showed up in the last seconds of the fairy tale show's season finale – they didn't even get a chance to recover from Regina (Lana Parrilla) having her heart broken yet again! Is this the end of Outlaw Queen?

Fans probably can't stand the long wait to see what happens next, but for right now they'll have to settle for the few details revealed in a May 12 report by TVLine. "Once Upon a Time" co-creators, Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis, were kind enough to answer a few burning questions about all the two biggest surprises in the season finale.

Some fans believe that the character with icy powers might not be Elsa at all. It was pointed out that Princess Abigail (Anastasia Griffith) was wearing a blue dress that looked suspiciously like the "Frozen" heroine's gown, and others speculated that her character might be the White Witch from Narnia or even a resurrected Zelena (Rebecca Mader). However, Adam Horowitz made it clear that the woman unveiled at the end is actually Elsa.

"That is Elsa," Horowitz said. "We fell in love with the movie 'Frozen' when we saw it, my daughters are obsessed as is Eddy’s son… It is something that ever since we saw it would gnaw at us, 'Is there a way to fit it into our world?' And we cooked up a way to do it. We pitched the studio and the network and they were kind enough to say, 'Go do it.'"

It seems like Rumple (Robert Carlyle) thinks that Elsa is a force of evil – after all, she was locked up in his vault with the other magical items that he sees as being extremely dangerous. However, he wasn't always such a nice guy, so it's possible that Elsa is just another person that he's used and abused. As Kitsis pointed out, Elsa's "Frozen" character was just misunderstood. However, her "Once Upon a Time" counterpart might be out for revenge now that she's free. Maybe Mulan (Jamie Chung) will melt her icy heart – the warrior woman will return someday, and she needs a new love interest now that her last two are married to each other.

Elsa could be the sister of Glinda (Sunny Mabrey). The Oz witch does look a lot like the "Frozen" queen, and fans did see Glinda surrounded by ice and snow in "A Curious Thing." The producers confirmed that Zelena (Rebecca Mader) will be appearing in future episodes, so perhaps the snow queen has a connection to Oz and the Wicked Witch, and maybe fans will learn that connection in flashbacks.

During season 4 of "Once Upon a Time," Elsa might not be the powerful sorceress who runs away and shuts herself off from the rest of the world. Instead a brokenhearted Regina could choose to flee from her pain. She was furious and hurt that Emma (Jennifer Morrison) potentially ruined things with Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) by bringing Marian (Christie Laing) back to Storybrooke. Many fans were confused by the Marian storyline because Robin Hood previously said that his wife died of an illness after giving birth to their son Roland (Raphael Alejandro). However, the season finale seemed to imply that Marian was killed by the Evil Queen in the timeline that Emma and Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) altered. Robin made things even more confusing by telling Regina that his wife's death was his fault because he put her in harm's way.

Luckily, Kitsis and Horowitz said that they'll clear things up next season. Horowitz explained, "To clear it up: In Season 2 we saw Marian ill, which is why Robin was trying to steal the wand from Rumple. And then she was cured, and she went on to give birth to Roland. In Season 3, Robin Hood talks about how he lost his wife — not from the illness but a whole separate thing. So something clearly happened that we’ll explore next season, where they were separated and she died — and he certainly didn’t think the Evil Queen killed her. There’s a story there to be told."

Maybe Robin lied about his wife's illness killing her in "Quite a Common Fairy" for some reason, and maybe whatever he did to put her in harm's way will play a part in ruining his relationship with Marian. Or perhaps "Once" will introduce a "Final Destination" storyline in which Marian has to die – one of those creepy wraith things could get her out of Regina's way. Marian was also sick all the time, so her mysterious illness might take her life. Just don't give up on Outlaw Queen just yet.

Horowitz and Kitsis said that Regina is obviously upset by Marian's presence, but she's not going to revert back to being the Evil Queen who Oncers first met. "She has changed and evolved, and this doesn’t change that," Horowitz said. "What it does is it changes the way she reacts to this. That’s the drama for us — how does this 'new' Regina deal with this kind of adversity? We’re throwing a challenge in her way. This is not about her suddenly becoming that character we met three years ago."

Maybe the "new" Regina will take a page from Emma's playbook and flee Storybrooke to escape her heartache, leaving everyone else to deal with Elsa. The co-creators did say that the show will be visiting new realms during season 4, so perhaps Regina will decide to get away from it all by heading to the frozen land of Arendelle.

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Hmm...I like the idea of seeing more Glinda. I love her and Sunny Mabrey! Hopefully if we're seeing Zelena again it will be flashbacks to her and Glinda in Oz...I'm still confused as to what we can see in flashbacks in connection with Zelena though.

**•OUAT Season 4 Synopsis!•**

"Master storytellers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (Lost, Tron: Legacy) invite everyone to join Emma Swan [Jennifer Morrison], Snow White [Ginnifer Goodwin], Prince Charming [Josh Dallas] The Evil Queen [Lana Parrilla], Hook [Colin O'Donoghue] and all the other resident fairy tale characters as they prepare to defend themselves against a magical force from the past that's too dark and unpredictable even for Rumplestiltskin [Robert Carlyle] - The Ice Queen."

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~*•OUAT Season 4 OFFICIAL Synopsis•*~

~*•OUAT SDCC Panel 2014 Recap!•*~

(#For some reason, the panel recap has been reversed on the website. So that's how it's displayed here.#)

(##END##)

11:43But that's a wrap for the Once Upon A Time panel - thanks for joining us, and stick on Digital Spy for more Comic-Con coverage...


11:42Will we see more about the missing year? "Never say never." Will there ever be a big bad that doesn't have magic? Like, er, Cruella De Vil? "That's a distinct possibility," Adam says, and Edward agrees Cruella would be great.

11:42In the clip, Elsa has a surprise for Anna... "It's for your wedding!" There are huge screams at the first look - it seems everyone's very happy with how Frozen on Once Upon A Time is going to turn out.


11:39Yvette has one last burning question - let's talk Elsa and Anna! Edward says it's insulting that they would come here and not show us anything... And yep, here's another moment from the premiere! It's the first look of Anna and Elsa...


11:39Edward says it's great that everybody has favourite characters, but they want to inspire everyone to get "their own happy ending". Aww.


11:38If Lana could spend the day with Regina, what would she do? "Definitely massages," Lana jokes. "Just let loose a little bit. Maybe go out, couple shots of tequila, boogie it out on the dance floor." We'll come!


11:37Edward says that when time came for Rumple to save his grandson, he did the right thing and sacrificed his own life. Adam also reveals that they shot a "beautiful scene" between Rumple and Henry the other day.


11:36Will Rumple and Henry develop a relationship now? Edward says Henry's going to go into the family business for a little while! He means pawning, not, er, killing people.


11:36Will we see more of Neal? "Neal will always live in flashbacks and in our heart," Edward says. Adam says it's great that characters can come and go - death can be a terrible thing but it doesn't mean we'll never see those people again.


11:35We're back to fan questions - next up, what was the most difficult episode to film? Edward jokes that the boat to Neverland was hard - "We hosed them down," he says gleefully. Jennifer says the underwater stuff was hard for her - "Hold your breath for two minutes and act underwater!" she was told.


11:32Jennifer says she never realised how much she missed not getting dressed up in the costumes and so on - until she did this season! "I felt connected to all the characters in a different way," she explains.


11:31That was great! It was the return of Giancarlo Esposito, as Regina gets back to her old ways and goes to see Sidney for his help.


11:30We're going to see a work-in-progress bit from the season premiere, which was just shot a couple of days ago!


11:29Edward says the problem with doing a musical is that they "don't know how" - though Adam says they're willing to learn/ "We just need more time and money," Edward adds.


11:29Yvette has heard everyone on the panel is "very musical" - so when is there going to be a musical episode? There are huge cheers at the thought of that!


11:28The next fan wants to know if recent events could make Regina revert to evil. "I think she has something up her sleeve," Lana teases. "Is anyone surprised?" She adds that Regina is "conflicted" because she's enjoyed being good... but old habits die hard.


11:27Yvette wants to know Mr Gold's first name. "Mr," Adam jokes. Before telling us it's Barbara. Now we're hearing Archibald!


11:26The next fan asks how Robert approached playing a scene in which his son dies. He replies that they're "hard" to play, but also the kind of thing actors love because they can explore "different depths".


11:26The next young fan asks Flynn Rider will be a main character ever. The execs basically just say "wait and see" but the audience certainly seem to want it...


11:25The next fan - a cute young girl - asks Lana how it feels to play a character who changed from evil to good. Lana says it's "refreshing" - she's never bored and she's liked playing different sides to her


11:24We're on to fan questions. Colin says Hook always had goodness in him - when he met Emma things changed, and he realised he could find love again. Aww.


11:23Oh my God, Michael Socha just showed up in Ginnifer's 'Skype' message! It was good fun - she knocked him out thanks to post-partum weirdness...


11:22Josh obviously met his own true love on Once Upon A Time! He says fatherhood is the "greatest thing that's ever happened" to him. He's getting a text from Ginnifer - she's faux-Skypeing us now...


11:21What was it like for Colin to film Hook's goodbye to Neal? Colin says it was "touching" - he says he would have given up anything for Baelfire.


11:20There are ear-damaging squeals for Colin! He's going to have regular clothes this year - his old jacket weighs 50 pounds! "It'll be nice to wear something new," he says.


11:19Let's talk about Emma's romance! Who is her soulmate? There are lots of claps for Hook! Adam says that Emma is on a journey and it's about finding herself, not really about her relationship. But he's interrupted by "awws" when Colin and Jennifer start hugging!


11:17Lana jokes about being sat at a different end of the table from Jennifer! Jennifer says Emma is in an "impossible situation" - she can't apologise for saving a life, but feels bad about coming in the way of Regina's happiness.


11:17There was just a mad rush to the question line! But first, Yvette wants to know how "delicious" it's been for Lana playing different sides of Regina. Lana says she loves her arc: "She started with this void in her heart - badass Evil Queen - realising her potential to love someone." (She hugs Jared!) "To then meeting her true love. She's just come so far, I'm proud of her growth."

11:16We just watched a really fun skit with the writers struggling to come up with a new villain while they're running out of Disney characters (they even tried calling Carlton Cuse on a Dharma phone!) before the pizza guy suggests Frozen...


11:11Is it easy to introduce new characters and lands to the show, like Neverland? Adam says they always wanted Neverland and they could make it happen, but it's all on a case-by-case basis.


11:10Yvette says Jared was "chilling" as Pan - what was that like to play for him? Jared says it was "amazing" - "Henry's such a nice person, he wants to make everyone happy, he wants to help as much as he can, whereas Pan - he's the bad guy!"


11:10How will Belle react when she finds out the truth? Emilie says she'll be "quite devastated' but she thinks she'll probably believe Rumple if he says it was to protect her.


11:09Is Belle Rumple's conscience then? Emilie thinks so - "She's the calm in his life and the reasonable person in the relationship." She points out that she can't completely control him, but she does her best and gives him the benefit of the doubt - though she might be too trusting when it comes to the dagger!


11:08Edward says Rumple absolutely loves Belle - but that doesn't mean he doesn't have weaknesses. Adam says he's at war with his dark side, but the love is real.


11:08Belle and Rumple talk time! Do the ends justify the means, dagger-wise? Robert says the story has a long way to go, and the dagger may come back (and go, and come back, and go). He says Rumple is a "complex character", and his addiction to power and magic is tough to break.


11:07So, Eddie and Adam, what's the difference between true love and soulmates? Edward says in the show's version, it's when you truly love somebody and soulmates are when you believe there's only one person for you. So when "happy endings" aren't what you expect, it's okay to love again.


11:06This panel, incidentally, is being hosted by Community's Yvette Nicole Brown ("I know so much about this show I need a restraining order.") Here are our panellists - exec producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, Josh Dallas, Jennifer Morrison, Colin O'Donoghue, Jared Gilmore, Lana Parilla, Emilie de Ravin and Robert Carlyle! What a cast.


11:04WOW. We just got a glimpse of Frozen coming to Once Upon A Time and the fans have gone absolutely mad for it. It looked brilliant!


11:01We're about to kick off here in San Diego, and believe us - there are SO many fans here. The atmosphere is great.


(##START##)

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~*•OUAT SDCC Panel Highlights!•*~

1. Is there a difference between true love and soul mates?

In the showrunners’ version happy endings aren’t always what you expect. There may be more than one person you love, and you are able to love again. True love comes in many forms whereas soul mates, in their view, do not. So, true love is what they choose to write because it has many aspects.

2. Rumple as the addict

Robert Carlyle sees Rumple as an addict. He is addicted to power. His love of Belle is real, but he is always at war with his addiction.

3. On playing Pan and Henry

Jared Gilmore, whose voice has dropped about three octaves, loved the duality of the role. The showrunners were so happy when ABC supported the idea of them going to Neverland that enabled this story line. This year Henry helps out in the pawn shop. Rumple and Henry’s relationship becomes closer this season.

4. Lana Parilla on the multiple sides of Regina

Lana Parilla loves that Regina has finally realized her full potential to love someone, meaning Henry not Robin. Obviously her heart has been broken over losing, at this point, Robin. She jokes that she’s still mad at Emma and that’s why she and Jennifer Morrison are seated at opposite ends of the table. Jennifer Morrison feels that Emma is dealing with the fallout of the impossible situation. She can’t apologize for saving a life despite the fact that saving a life ruined Regina’s hope for new love.

5. Will Neal be back?

The showrunners confirm that Neal will always be back in flashbacks.

6. New clothes for Hook

Colin O’Donohue is thrilled to finally wear new, modern clothes this season. His Hook jacket weighed 50 pounds.

7. Update on baby Oliver

Josh Dallas called his son with Ginnifer Goodwin, baby Oliver, his true love. They “Skyped In” Goodwin from the set. There were some jokes about postpartum hormones and then a clip showed her bonking Michael Socha (The Knave from Wonderland) over the head with a stage prop.

8. Regina’s conflicted this season

Regina has learned what love can bring and its benefits, but old habits die hard. A special clip from the first episode showed Regina unlocking the hospital ward cell where apparently Sydney, the magic mirror, has been imprisoned. She states,”I need my mirror. There is someone standing in the way of my happiness.”

9. Musical episode

Although the idea is intriguing, the showrunners feel like they need people with a better skill set than theirs to pull it off.

10. Frozen

A final clip showed Elsa and Anna laying flowers at side-by-side tombs, then Elsa tells Anna that “They would be so proud of you.” And that Elsa has a surprise for Anna before Anna’s wedding.

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~*•Regina Mending Her 'Broken Heart' & Battling Elsa?•*~

After Emma (Jennifer Morrison) brought Marian back to the present, Regina was heart-broken, considering Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) is supposed to be her one true love. Discussing this topic and what it means going forward, Parrilla spoke with Access Hollywood at Comic-Con:

"I don't know what's gonna happen and I don't think Regina does either," she said. "I think she's just gonna take some time to sit with this broken heart and figure out how to mend it."

Parrilla said that she's not worried about Frozen's Elsa (Georgina Haig) coming into town, due to Regina having the power of fire.

"I don't think Regina's intimidated by this Frozen character," Parrilla said. "Elsa's power is snow. It's ice. Regina's is fire. I think she may have her beat." She added, "All [Regina] needs to do is create a fireball and melt this snow, so I'm hoping that's how she gets out of it."

There is no word on whether or not Elsa will be a main villain in the fourth season of Once Upon a Time, though the plot synopsis seems to suggest that she won't exactly be friendly to the citizens of Storybrooke. The plot synopsis for Season 4 states that Elsa will have something "in store" for Storybrooke, though it does not go into further detail.

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~*•Regina/Emma 'Understanding' In S4•*~

Recently, TV Line got to chat it up with some of the cast of “Once Upon a Time” to get some new season 4 spoiler goodness. It turns out that the whole Regina and Emma debacle isn’t going to be as bad as we thought.

Jennifer Morrison and Lana Parrilla revealed that their characters Emma and Regina are going to be more calm about the whole Robin Hood issue than was previously expected. Regina will understand that it was a mistake as opposed to an attempt to destroy her happiness.

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~*•OUAT Season 4 Spoilers!•*~

~*•Elsa Is Similar To Both Emma & Regina•*~

The Frozen characters being introduced in season 4 have a lot in common with characters already in the Once Upon a Time universe, including Emma & Regina.

“Part of what’s been fun for us with the Frozen characters in general has been how many metaphors cross over between what’s going on in their storylines and what applies to what’s been going on in our storylines the past three years. So you definitely see a similarity between Elsa and Emma in that sense,” said Jennifer Morrison, who plays Emma.

“I’ve been really touched by the fact that Emma finally has someone who understands her that isn’t family. This is her first friend. This is the first time someone actually connects with her.”

Speaking with Inside the Magic, Colin O’Donoghue (Captain Hook) chipped in, laughing:

“Hook’s a friend,” said Hook, laughing. “A special friend,” Emma said, laughing, too.

“It’s a complicated relationship, it’s not goign to be easy. They have a connection, a really deep connection that I don’t think either of them fully understand.”

There are also similarities between Elsa and Regina, said Lana Parrilla (Regina). ”Elsa can’t really control her magic yet, and Regina can to some degree but she’s still a very temperamental women, and she’s very impulsive and reactive.”

Eddy Kitsis, one of the creators of the show, added that Anna reminds them of Snow White.

Meanwhile, the cast members are really enjoying having the characters around.

“They’ve slotted the characters in seamlessly,” said O’Donoghue. ”And they also look uncannily like the characters,” said Hook.

“It’s also been fun to have a fresh story that’s being infiltrated into what’s going on,” said Morrison. “They’ve definitely taken a risk by opening up the world this way and taking on characters that are so new and are still so fresh in the Disney realm. It’s brought fresh energy.”

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~*•OUAT Season 4 EXTENDED SPOILERS•*~

1. Elsa’s Past

Who in the world is Elsa? While “Frozen” fans may be familiar with the Snow Queen, the Storybrooke residents might not have that much info on the mysterious (and potentially dangerous) newcomer. Season 4 of “Once Upon a Time” will time travel to the past to discover not only how Elsa ended up a prisoner of Rumplestiltskin, but what happened to her sister Anna and Kristoff.


2. Naughty Or Nice Regina

Regina was finally able to break the “Evil Queen” title in Season 3 of “Once Upon a Time.” However the finale ended with circumstances that could send Regina spiraling back into her villainous ways.

Fans will remember that Emma and Hook thought they were doing the right thing by bringing back a prisoner of the Evil Queen’s from the Enchanted Forest of the past. But when they returned to modern day they discovered that the prisoner they brought back wasn’t any old person – it was Marian, the presumed dead wife of Robin Hood. The reunion was joyous for Robin Hood, but not so much for Regina, who had started up a romantic relationship with him.


Season 4 will explore whether the return of Marian means the end of Regina’s relationship with Robin Hood – and if she’ll resort to her “old, evil ways and do everything in her power to get even” with Emma.

3. Belle And Rumplestiltskin’s Marriage Bliss

Belle and Rumplestiltskin tied the knot at the end of Season 3, and will continue to be in wedded bliss come Season 4. However one of Rumplestiltskin’s dark secrets could tear that all apart. The synopsis teases that as long as he is the “master of the dagger that calls upon him to be the Dark One,” his relationship with Belle will be at risk.

4. Emma And Hook’s Relationship

Are Emma and Hook ready to take their relationship to the next level? After the steamy Season 3 finale kiss, Season 4 will continue to explore their new love. But the question will be whether they can truly “commit to one another” and if they can move forward in their relationship.

5. Mary Margaret And David’s New Baby Troubles

Prince Neal is hands down going to pampered and showered with love by Mary Margaret and David. But the new parents will still be fighting some inner demons. The extended synopsis teases that Snow White and Prince Charming will still feel sad about being unable to raise Emma, and losing her for 28 years.

6. Henry’s Light

Henry might be happy to have both Emma and Regina back in his life, however he too will have some demons to fight. Because of Emma and Rumplestiltskin’s blood running through his veins, Henry will “be tested by both the light and the darkness.”

7. Welcome, Will Scarlet

“Once Upon a Time in Wonerland” may have been cancelled, but one fairytale character will be crossing over. Will Scarlet, who is a former member of Robin Hood’s band of Merry Men, will end up in Storybrooke. The synopsis teases that he will find himself “intertwined in the goings-on in town for the first time as his mysterious past pushes him to an unknown future.”

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**•OUAT Season 4 Burning Qs Answered•**

Will there be more fallout from Emma and Hook messing with the past?
HOROWITZ AND KITSIS: Yes.

Will we see any more flashbacks from the missing year?
HOROWITZ: Yes.

Will the town finally go back to normal, like Regina as the Mayor and Snow teaching?
HOROWITZ: We can’t say.

Will Snow’s want to move back to the Enchanted Forest be addressed again?
KITSIS: No, Storybrooke is her home.

Will Henry miss the implanted memories he had in New York?
KITSIS: Yes.

Will Ruby return in season 4?
KITSIS: Hope so.

Now that Snow and Charming share a heart, will the black spot be addressed again?
HOROWITZ: Perhaps.

Will Rose McIver return as Tinker Bell?
HOROWITZ: We hope so. We’d love to have Rose back. There are obviously some scheduling issues because of her new show [The CW’s iZombie].
KITSIS: But the good news is [executive producer] Rob Thomas is one of our oldest friends and they shoot in Vancouver, so we’re optimistic at some point.

Will we any bonding scenes between Hook and Charming?
HOROWITZ: Yes.
KITSIS: Bonding, sure. And the other question is: Will David give him the “That’s my daughter!” speech?

Any chance of seeing Neal again?
HOROWITZ: We can’t say.

Does Will Scarlet have a connection with someone in Storybrooke other than Robin Hood?
KITSIS: Yes.

Will Mulan’s storyline be further explored this season?
HOROWITZ: Can’t say.

Will Snow and Charming be supportive parents when it comes to Hook and Emma’s relationship?
KITSIS: Yes.

Will we learn the significance of Emma’s flower tattoo?
HOROWITZ: She got it with Jack in Thailand. [Laughs]

Will Emma take an active interest in her magical powers this season?
HOROWITZ AND KITSIS: Yes.

Does Henry possess magical abilities?
HOROWITZ: We can’t say.
KITSIS: Haven’t seen any yet.

Will we get more information on the author of the story book?
HOROWITZ AND KITSIS: Yes.

Will we see Philip and Aurora’s baby?
HOROWITZ: We can’t say.

Might Hook ever get his hand back?
HOROWITZ: Can’t say.

Will we see Cora again either as Rose McGowan or Barbara Hershey?
KITSIS: Can’t say.
HOROWITZ: Not immediately.

Will there be more death this season?
KITSIS: I hope so.

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~*•Regina & Her Self-Discovery In Season 4•*~

“Can you give us any scoop on Once Upon a Time’s Regina, please? We need something to cheer us up!”–Ana

Well, when I asked The Boys about the Regina/Robin Hood/Marian love triangle presumably on tap for Season 4, Adam Horowitz was quick to retort, “Who says we’re doing a love triangle?” He then explained, “Hopefully it becomes less about the relationship itself and more about Regina [and] open[s] the door to who she is and what she’s going to become.” (Anything further on the topic will have to wait for TVLine’s Fall Preview Spectacular, coming soon.)

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~*•Regina & Outlaw Queen Spoilers•*~

Source: the-regina-mills-network via Tumblr

~*•Regina & Henry In Season 4•*~

Will Henry be there for Regina after what happened in the season finale on Once Upon a Time? Any story coming up for them in season 4? — Tales11
Henry may be the one thing that actually keeps Regina from slipping to the dark side again after Robin Hood’s long-dead wife, Marian, resurfaced in the present. “We’re going to see Henry on a mission with Regina this year,” executive producer Edward Kitsis says. “And maybe some of his light side will rub off on her.”

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~*•Regina, Henry, Robin & Marian•*~

The return of Maid Marian with no small help from Emma Swan has thrown Regina for a loop as Robin Hood finds out that his wife is alive. And rumors are flying that it could trigger her into taking on the mantle of the evil queen again.
Henry has always been a kind kid and has been the perfect yang to Regina's yin. And actor Jared Gilmore talked about the evolution of Henry through the time, particularly after his stay in Neverland.
"Since the first season , he's definitely more mature and can stand for himself," he said in an interview with KSiteTV.
But executive producer Adam Horowitz teased "Once Upon A Time" season 4 spoilers to TVLine when he said that there's going to be no conflict between Regina and Robin Hood over the return of Maid Marian.

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~*•4x01-'A Tale Of Two Sisters Synopsis #1•*~

~*•4x01-'A Tale Of Two Sisters' EXTENDED Synopsis•*~

“A scared and confused Elsa finds herself in Storybrooke and, fearful of the intentions of its residents, creates a powerful snow monster for protection. With Robin Hood’s wife, Marian, back in the picture, Regina wonders if her “happily ever after” with the former thief has been completely quashed; while on their honeymoon, Mr. Gold finds an intriguing object that makes him question whether or not he should officially give Belle control over the dagger that makes him The Dark One, and Hook is dismayed to discover that Emma seems to be avoiding him while she tries to help comfort Regina after being the one responsible for bringing Marian back from the past and into Storybrooke. Meanwhile, in Arendelle of the past, as Elsa’s sister Anna’s wedding to Kristoff nears, Anna discovers that their parents – who died on-ship during a violent storm – were heading to a mysterious destination in a quest that may have held the secret to containing Elsa’s out of control Ice powers. And against Elsa’s wishes, Anna wants to finish their journey to find out what they were looking for.”

~*•Character Spoiler Scoop Collection•*~

Lana Parrilla (Regina/the Evil Queen)


Lana Parrilla
Regarding Regina’s struggle to remain good: Regina has her plans, but she’s not quite sure how they are going to unfold. It’s like a game of chess: She’s setting up all the pieces and then she’s going to wait on what that next move is. Everything is lined up to make that next move. We are only two episodes in, so there’s not much to say. I think she’s teasing and playing with the idea of being evil again, but it may not be in the same ways that we’ve seen her before.

On Regina and Elsa’s lack of history: Regina has nothing to do with that. She never opened the time portal. She never traveled through time. This is not her fault, like most things are. She is unaware of who this Elsa is. They’ve actually not met. I have yet to meet the actress. Georgina [Haig] is playing Elsa. Our storylines don’t cross paths.

Jennifer Morrison (Emma Swan)

How Emma relates to Elsa and Anna: It’s interesting with how many different ways it reflects with what’s going on in Storybrooke. There’s a little bit of Emma trying to keep Regina from going to the dark side, which is a little bit like Anna trying to get Elsa to reconnect with her. There’s some stuff between Hook and Emma that is very Kristoff/Anna-ish. It’s all been very fun. They’ve really joined the show in a way that feels so natural, that feels like they’ve always been there.

Josh Dallas (David/Prince Charming)


Josh Dallas
On Charming’s arc this season: You will find out things about Charming’s past, that he has a friendship with a character that you wouldn’t necessarily put with Charming, who basically changes the whole course of his life.

On the father/daughter dynamic between Charming and Emma: You’re going to see that relationship grow as we see the similarities between the two. Emma and David are very similar in many ways. That’s going to play out a little bit too, particularly in the first part of the season.

Whether Dallas will be getting more action: Yes, in the second episode there’s sword fighting. I actually have stitches in my finger right now. My knuckle got exploded by a sword. People will say, “What did you do?” I say, “Sword-fighting.” They are like, “Bullshit.” “No, really, I was sword-fighting.” So, yeah, you’re going to see a lot of sword play.”

Robert Carlyle (Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold)

Whether Belle is safe with Rumple: I don’t think anyone is. The problem with Rumple is he’s an addict. He’s addicted to the dagger, the power, the magic or whatever it is. He’s been practicing that for hundreds of years. I don’t think he means the things he says. He loves Belle more than anything. On the other hand, a leopard doesn’t change its spots overnight. I think this relationship has a long way to go.

Where Rumple and Belle stand early in Season 4: It’s not good. There’s already been a relapse for Gold. He’s digging a hole even deeper for himself. This season will stretch their relationship to its absolute breaking point. It will be interesting to see whether they can actually live with each other or without each other.


Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis
Edward Kitsis (executive producer)

Regarding why the Frozen characters are such a good fit for : They broke their curse by true love’s kiss between two sisters. Our curse was broken by a mom kissing her son. They had frozen hearts and we rip them out. We thought Elsa had a lot in common with both Regina and Emma. Anna had a lot in common with Snow White. Thematically, we just felt it was a perfect fit. They were two empowered female characters that we really wanted to write for.

On whether Anna and Elsa interact with all the characters: We aren`t trying to do the Frozen sequel. We’re saying, “What happens when Anna and Elsa come into our world? And do they have any past history with anyone from our Once universe?” For us, it’s really exciting. What happens when Anna, who is this character who never gives up on the people she loves, is so hopeful and sees the good in everything … What happens when she meets Rumple, who is the devil himself? What happens when Emma and Elsa actually talk about the fact they both have magic they can’t control, that they feel different from everyone else? That it’s really hard to let people in? Those are the things that excited us.

Adam Horowitz (executive producer)

On pushing Regina to her limits: She will definitely be tested in the premiere, and it will be hard for her. The Robin Hood/Regina story is one of our favorites.

It’s really great watching Regina grow and being able to drop something. If we did this in season one, we know what would happen to Marian. If it happened in season two, it would maybe have been even worse. For season three, we’re not quite sure. What’s fun in season four is watching the growth of that character. She’s earned everything she’s had. Does she let it all go or does she keep working towards something even better?

Concerning the first arc’s mysterious new threat: We do have a big bad. We want it to be a surprise. We can tell you it’s not Elsa. There’s something else at play that becomes apparent pretty quickly once the season starts. Part of that is because Elsa is not a villain and Anna is not a villainess. What we’re really interested in seeing is the challenges they face with our characters.

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~*•Lana Talks About Emma & Regina In Season 4 With After Ellen Interview•*~

AE: “Emma and Regina worked so hard to get to where they are, and to get along. Will Emma bringing Marian back throw a wrench into that this season?”

LP: “Yes, I think so. [laughs] But again, it’s the tension that we love to see between these two characters. Yes, I think Regina feels massively betrayed by Emma and that will have its repercussions throughout the season. Emma will feel a distance, a hatred, and an anger directed towards her from Regina. However, these two women have gotten very close, obviously, because they share a son. And really, at the end of the day, they are family. So I can’t see either one of them physically hurting one another or ever leading to death or wanting to kill one another, because at the end of the day they are family, and they will have familial conflict and arguments and such, but I think they’ll find a way to resolve.”

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~*•Jen Talks About Emma & Regina In Season 4•*~

#1- I think Emma's going to be very determined to try and keep her (Regina) in the 'good place' in her life and to try to keep something positive between them.

It has (R&E dynamic) a really nice element of comfort & concern as well as generosity between them a little bit in the sense that Emma really wants to keep her in a good place.”

#2- TVF: Emma inadvertently ruined Regina's love life, reminiscent of how Snow ruined Regina's love life back in the Enchanted Forest. How guilty does Emma feel about that and will there be repercussions?

JMo: It's a disaster. Emma feels incredibly guilty about that. Emma would never intentionally try to hurt Regina in any way. They've been through far too much in the last three seasons. Regina has worked very hard to redeem herself and to grow past some of the hurt and pain that has caused the evil side of her in the past. Emma respects that and admires that and she feels like Regina has really become a friend over time. She really wants Regina to be in a good place because she wants her to continue to be a good mother to Henry and also stay in a friendship with everyone in Storybrooke instead of being the adversary to everyone. So, Emma feels incredibly guilty but she doesn't feel guilty about saving someone's life. There are certainly repercussions but Emma is trying to find a way to stand by her decision to save Marian but also offer any help she possibly could offer to Regina in order to get her life in a good place again.
Emma and Regina have really had quite a journey. They despised one another at the beginning of the series.

TVF: Do you feel Emma is now comfortable being a co-parent with Regina for Henry?

JMo: I think she absolutely is comfortable being a co-parent with Regina for Henry mostly because I think that over the time they have battled each other, supported each other, had to fight on the same side in order to save Henry. All of the things they've been through, ultimately Emma has realized that she and Regina have a lot in common. They're both women who've made many mistakes in their lives. Very different mistakes, but mistakes. They've both fought very hard to redeem those mistakes so I think Emma relates to that part of Regina and realizes that there are some things that they have in common. And the biggest thing that they have in common is that they both love Henry and they both have their backs for him. So Emma can always count on Regina to do the right thing for Henry. That's an important thing for her to count on in order for her to feel comfortable with Regina being a good parent.

#3- How does Emma cope with the guilt of causing Regina's unhappiness?
Well, it's complicated. "Emma can't apologize for saving a life, but it's not her plan to mess up Regina's true love," Morrison says. "She's trying to toe the line. She's trying to prove that she truly is Regina's friend and that she truly wants what's best for her, but also protect Marian." Juggling a vengeful Regina won't be an easy task for Emma and that becomes an ongoing season-four thread. "Ultimately, Emma is trying to keep Regina in a good place in her life. She's worked so hard and come so far from her villainous mindset that it would be tragic, in Emma's eyes [if she returned to that] because she's become Emma's friend," Morrison says. "[Emma]'s going to spend time fighting to prove her friendship and fighting to keep Regina in a good place."

~*•TV Fanatic Chat With Adam & Eddy About S4•*~

TV Fanatic: When did Frozen first come into your minds for the show? Was it when you saw the movie or was it something else that was like, “Hey, this should be a part of our show?'

Edward Kitsis: Really, it was kind of an evolution. We went to see the movie when it came out, I believe it was last November, and we immediately responded to it. We felt like thematically and character-wise it was so inspiring. Fans started to say, “Oh, wouldn’t it be cool if we had Elsa on the show or Anna on the show or this and we could do that.” The writers in the room had all seen the movie as well, so all the writers, between doing other episodes we’d talk about it and how it would be cool.

And then all of a sudden, it was February, and we’re close to the finale, and we all had so many ideas and we’re still so inspired by this film that we thought, “Well, you know what? Why don’t we ask? The worst they can say is no,” and we all assumed they would say no. So, we were like, “All right, at least if they say no, we can stop talking about it.” And they said yes and we were both excited and terrified but that’s really how it happened, and we’ve been saying this is just really expensive fan fiction. And we were just so enamored by the film and inspired by it that we just really wanted to bring those characters to Storybrooke.

TVF: What can you say about Anna and Elsa in Storybrooke?

Adam Horowitz: What we do know going into the season is that somehow Elsa wound up trapped inside and urn in Rumplestilskin’s castle. So, that is one of the mysteries that will be unfolded over the course of these episodes. So, we can learn how that happened, and then once she gets out, of course, there’s going to be a new mystery, which is what is she doing, why, and we learn that very quickly.

TVF: In terms of where the movie ends and when they show up in Once Upon a Time, is it safe to say the movie is kind of before their time in Storybrooke?

AH: Yes, these events take place, for the most part, after the events of the movie. There’s a flashback element so there is a little jumping around in time in that way, but the characters, like when we bring Elsa to Storybrooke, we see her post-movie.

TVF: I can’t imagine there’s anybody who hasn’t seen Frozen at this point, but just in case there’s somebody that hasn’t, will they be able to follow the story?

AH: We hope so. We designed the story to be pretty self-contained in the sense that you learn about Anna and Elsa and who they are and what they’re after in the body of our show. If you are, as I’m sure everyone is, a fan of the movie Frozen, there are many nods to that film throughout.

EK: But if you’ve never seen Frozen, in true Once fashion, we will introduce these characters and show you what makes this tick over the first half of the season.

TVF: Is it safe to say, since you guys have done this before in the past, that you might be putting your own spin on the characters?

AH: We’re trying to stay true to the characters. This isn’t a case of taking 80-year-old characters from another era and trying to update them. These characters are contemporary…and the twist for us isn’t so much in the characters but in how they fit into our world.

EK: For us, it’s not so much about, ‘oh, you know, what we did to Peter Pan.’ For us, what we love about Anna is she never gives up on the people she loves. She sees the best of them and she’s fearless. So, what happens when someone’s completely fearless and full of hope like that comes across the devil himself, which is Rumpelstiltskin?

TVF: Is there a particular character that they attach themselves to in the show?

EK: I think you’re going to see that Elsa and Emma are going to have a friendship that we’re going to see play out. I think we’re going to realize that they have a lot in common but the Frozen arc is definitely going to be affecting everybody. But at the same time, for Once Upon a Time fans, we are still going to see Rumple and Belle and we know that he’s lying to her about the knife. And we have Marian, who just came back to thwart Regina’s happy ending just when the Charmings have a baby.

We are going to be turning Frozen but not at the expense of the other stories. We’re going to be telling all of them. So, you know, Once fans who think that Frozen is going to take over can relax and Frozen fans can also be excited because they’re going to see Hans and Christophe and Elsa and Anna and the trolls.

TVF: Tell me about Regina, because Marian is there and it’s going to kind of crush her relationship with Robin Hood, is she back in Evil Queen mode? Where do we find her?

AH: Regina’s a constantly-evolving character. She’s not going to revert to what she once was because people don’t generally do that. But what we want to show with her is what we think people often do, which is they move forward but the elements of who they once were are something that they’re kind of battling. So, the Evil Queen part of herself is something that she’s going to have to kind of wrestle with, as she deals with a huge blow to what was a glowing moment.

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~*•ONCE Showrunners Delve Into 'Frozen' arc & The Many Obstacles For Our Favourite Characters•*~

Entering the fourth season, what is your major goal for this year?
Adam Horowitz: I think our goal is to continue to try to get better and improve and to raise the bar on the show. We feel a responsibility to the fans who’ve been with us for so long to make the show as good it can be, to deepen the characters, to explore them. One of the advantages of series television is, the longer you’re on the air, the more you get dig deep into the characters and that’s what we’re hoping to do this year. We left off last season in a place where a lot our characters were in new situations, and we’re excited to delve into that.

What is the central theme of the first half of the season?
Eddy Kitsis: The first half of the season for us is “never give up on the people you love.”

You attempted a spinoff last season with “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland,” which Paul Lee admitted he probably shouldn’t have rushed to get on the air in the fall when it was initially planned for winter, and subsequently it didn’t connect with viewers in the same way as “Once.” Would you hesitate to embark on another spinoff series or are you still open to ideas if they present themselves?
Horowitz: We would never say never, and I think that there are lessons learned from “Wonderland” particularly as Paul said, and I think we all agree, if we were ever to do it again, I think the way to do it is in the middle, after the 11th episode of “Once.”
Kitsis: For us, that was always what we wanted to do and everyone was really excited about the pilot. But of course, looking back I think our audience was watching “Once” at the time and as we say, it’s hard to get a solo album when the band also has an album out that week, too. Would we embark on it again? If we had the right idea… This year we felt like we really just wanted to focus on “Once,” but next year, you never know.

How integral are the “Frozen” characters to the first half of the season? Is it comparable to the addition of the Peter Pan arc or the Wicked Witch?
Kitsis: Absolutely. The first half of this season will be “Frozen,” and that will be the arc. It’s the characters from “Frozen” coming into “Once Upon A Time.”
Horowitz: It’s not us doing “Frozen,” the sequel, as a TV show. Instead, it is taking the characters from “Frozen” and bringing them into the “Once” world, as you said, much in the way that we brought the Wicked Witch or Peter Pan, and finding the hopefully surprising way they intertwine with our characters and our mythology.

Unlike most of your characters, “Frozen” is an ongoing property — are you guys tying anything in with Disney’s wider plan for the characters? Is there anything you’re introducing that could be carried over to other things?
Kitsis: Nothing we’re doing is canon into the “Frozen” franchise. As Adam said, we’re not doing the sequel. This is us taking Elsa and Anna and Kristoff and just a few of the characters, and they’re coming into our world and so we’re much more interested in crosses like Anna when she meets Rumplestiltskin and things like that. But all the things that are on our show are not canon.
Horowitz: It’s kind of like how we’ve dealt with all of our characters. The original “Snow White” movie still exists. The original “Cinderella” still exists. We sort of like to think of “Once Upon a Time” as a Disney cul de sac, where you can come in, you can play with these characters, you can see them in new fun ways, and then when you’re done, you can leave and go back and they’re right where they were.

Emma and Elsa have a lot in common as characters, in terms of their familial struggles and their inability to control their powers…
Kitsis: What you just said is exactly one of the inspirations and why we were really excited and asked Disney if we could do “Frozen,” because we looked up at that screen and said, ‘oh that’s Emma’s bestie.’ They have so much in common and we just loved it, and so we really wanted to explore that because these are two people who really feel alienated, who aren’t sure about themselves, and who have dealt with a lot of pain growing up, and are still coming into who they are as people. That’s what we really loved about it, and we were inspired to say, ‘what happens when Emma and Elsa have a heart-to-heart?’

Can you tease anything else about their dynamic and what they might be able to teach each other?
Horowitz: Elsa has been down many of the same paths that Emma has either been down or is going down, and because of that, they’re going to find a way to bond and a way to work together.
Kitsis: And in the movie “Frozen,” we saw Anna help Elsa come to a realization and give her some advice, and I think what’s fun about “Frozen” and our arc this year is, you’re going to see Elsa doing that for Emma.

Hook and Emma are both very independent characters — what can you say about how they might navigate their new relationship and those personality clashes?
Kitsis: It is an interesting thing because Emma has had some very tough relationships in the past. She’s a very guarded person. We know she puts her walls up to defend herself. So we really wanted to explore it in a real way. Just because they kissed at the end of the season, doesn’t mean they’re registering at Pottery Barn right now. And they’re going to have other things [to deal with] and one of the things that we’re really excited about is, we’re definitely going to show their relationship, but at the same time, we’re going to see Emma continue to evolve and question certain things about herself. And at the same time, we can’t forget Captain Hook was a pirate and he had a very, very unhealthy rivalry with Rumplestiltskin, and that, unfortunately [for him], is going to rear its head, but fortunately for us, because it’s awesome. We’re excited to see those two get it on again.

How much will we see Emma struggling with seeing Snow White and Prince Charming being parents after missing out on her own childhood with them?
Horowitz: That’s something that we intend to explore this season, which is Snow and Charming being parents and with a child. They have been a parent before but they have thrown that child into a wardrobe. [Laughs.] This is the first time that they’re actually raising a baby. And Emma is witnessing that and she’s also realizing that this is something she’s missed out on and that there is some complexity between all these characters — which is a beautiful thing, having a new child and an expanded family — but there’s issues that are brought out of this.
Kitsis: I think if you asked Emma at the end of last year ‘how do you feel about your parents having a baby?’ she would say, ‘that’s fantastic.’ But then you’re like… ‘well, why would I be jealous? Why would I care?’ But then seeing your mom get to cradle a baby and give them all the things that you didn’t have, it starts bring up things that you never thought were inside yourself. We all have thoughts and feelings and emotions that we aren’t aware of until something triggers them.
Horowitz: It’s one of the things that we’re really excited to explore this season, which is dipping more into Emma’s past, and seeing some of that and how that shaped who she is.
Kitsis: What we’re really excited about is that we’re going to explore an Emma flashback to her days in foster care in episode five.

And how much will Snow and Charming be struggling with both being new parents and, undoubtedly, being reminded of that lost time with Emma?
Kitsis: Snow White is… obviously, she is a new mother and that is going to be fantastic, but we’re going to realize that losing Emma in the past is definitely going to affect her and the way she parents. But also, Emma’s going to have some new responsibilities in town, and as far as Charming, he’s going to continue to be a great dad to Emma. He is going to be an over-protective dad as she goes on a date with Hook, and at the same time, we’re going to see a flashback in episode two of Charming when he was still a shepherd before he met Snow, when he was still on the farm. So we’re excited this year to show a lot of our characters [in the past]. We’re going to see Belle. We’re going to meet her mom. We’re going to see her before she met Rumple. We’re going to see Charming before Snow. And we’re excited for some of these earlier stories that we’ve only hinted at previously but haven’t really explored.

As you mentioned, Emma’s parents have always been somewhat overprotective to overcompensate for their lost time, so how much of a struggle will it be — for Charming in particular — not to interfere in her relationship with Hook?
Horowitz: It will be a challenge. I mean, it’s one of the fun things for to us explore, which is he’s going to have to a parent to both a newborn and a fully-grown child, a fully-grown child who can take care of herself, who is also being wooed by a pirate. That’s a lot for any man to handle.

Switching focus to Regina and Robin Hood and their tumultuous relationship: There have been some preview photos from the premiere that show Marion looking less than pleased with Robin — is it less of a happy reunion than people might expect?
Kitsis: It’s a difficult reunion because, obviously for Regina… what we loved about the finale is that before this happened and she was walking into that party, you saw her the happiest she had ever been on the show, even before when she was a teenage girl. So we have three years of evolution for this character. Now she’s faced with her first real emotional setback. Not a plot setback but an emotional one. So for us it was a question of, “how does she deal with it?” The old Regina would immediately rip everyone’s heart out. What will this one do? And Marion is a stranger in a strange land, and it’s one thing that you find out you’ve traveled through time and your husband has moved on, but it’s another thing to find out he moved on with the person who killed you. So it’s going to be uncomfortable over there in the Sherwood Forest part of Storybrooke. [Laughs.]

As you said, this is a huge setback for Regina — how do you balance the central conflict of her dark impulses warring with her journey towards redemption without undoing the last three years of character development?
Horowitz: That’s what’s interesting to us about it. This is not about Regina reverting to be being The Evil Queen from season one. She can’t; she’s come too far, but that Evil Queen is a huge part of who she is. So we have a challenge before her that is huge, that is going to require her to wrestle all the different aspects of her personality. Her dark impulses and her light ones.
Kitsis: And another thing that we’re really excited about is, Regina’s story is not just Robin Hood. We have seen Henry in the past with Operation Cobra with Emma, but he is going to be in a new operation with Regina this year that is actually going to [last] the whole year.

On a related note, Rumplestiltskin also has some old habits that die hard — what kind of tension are we likely to see between him and Belle this season, given that he’s now keeping another secret from her?
Kitsis: I would not want to be him if she finds out that he’s been lying to her. But we’re going to find out in the premiere why he did what he did. Rumple is going to be set upon a new course and he’s a man who has always struggled between power and love, and that is going to still be a factor in his life. And I think that, [between] him and Belle, in that story and what they’re doing, it will be pretty obvious in the premiere what’s going on and what he’s looking for.

You noted that Marion is a stranger in a strange land and obviously, Elsa is too — will we see their paths cross or are they on different story arcs
Kitsis: They’re kind of on separate story arcs, I would say. They will have some interaction, but they are also on separate story tracks.

Emma bringing back Marion in the finale obviously threw another wrench in her relationship with Regina, but as you said, Regina has also evolved. What can you preview for their dynamic this season?
Kitsis: I think the relationship is tough because Emma decided to save a life, and that life kind of destroyed Regina’s happiness, and so they may have been at it at the top, but one of the things we’re excited to explore is, you know, what does Emma think about Regina? How does she look at her now, and how does Regina look at Emma now? And there’s going to be an entire episode devoted to just that relationship and how they feel about each other.

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~*•OUAT Season 4 Premiere Teasers!•*~

* The premiere’s opening scene takes place in Arendelle, the setting for Frozen, though Elsa and Anna are not seen.
* Marian simply cannot understand why everyone in Storybrooke is being so dang nice to the Evil Queen!
* Do you still have to honor your wedding vows if your wife comes back from the dead…?
* Regina and Emma have a great heart-to-heart… where they’ve never face-to-face.
* Queen Elsa (played by Fringe‘s Georgina Haig) and vehicles do not mix.
* Someone says, “He won’t smell like that forever.”
* Judging by the audience reaction at the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles, Belle and Rumple’s Beauty and the Beast dance was the episode’s most swoon-worthy moment.
* Hook provides Emma with some much-needed encouragement.
* The reindeer playing Sven deserves a special Emmy.
* Neal/Baelfire makes an appearance… sort of. (Regardless, it’s quite touching.)
* The episode ends with a journey.

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~*•First Seven Minutes of 4x01-'A Tale Of Two Sisters' Summary•*~
(Source: jennifermorrison on Tumblr)

The show starts off with Frozen. Elsa and Anna with their parents are on a ship in the middle of a storm, and they're about to go down. Their mother has to write a last note before they go down.
Then cut into the scene with Anna and Elsa at the rocks and Elsa has a gift for her wedding. They show Elsa going out of the barn.

Regina comes out of diner, Emma running after her, saying she’s sorry she did not know who Marian was. She says she still doesn’t regret saving an innocent woman. Regina says that things shouldn’t have been altered, if it happened it should have happened, and that she worked hard, she changed from that person back there and still she doesn’t get her happy ending. Everyone else comes out of the diner and Robin, concerned, runs towards Regina and introduces Marian to her and Regina to Marian. Marian is disbelieving how gentle he is with Regina and she starts repeating that Regina is a monster! Robin, I think says, "she’s not who you know." (I can’t remember this part exactly) and then Regina just walks away from everyone and Emma tries to go after her until Hook stops her and tells her that Regina needs her own space at the moment. Henry is all like: "I hope she doesn’t become evil again"
and Emma is all worried: "me too kid me too."

They show Grumpy and Sleepy going in a car after the diner celebration and road becomes bumpy. Eventually, we see Elsa in front of their car scared as she shields herself and the car gets frozen.
The next day, Emma, Henry, Snow and Charming with baby Neal are walking. Charming says some comment about: "Maybe we should have named him Baelfire." We see Emma with her phone and Henry asks if Regina is still not answering and Emma says: Nope, maybe you should try kiddo." Henry walks with the phone and then Snow gets closer to Emma and says: "Well Henry should know about two men with his mothers" and Emma is all…"Hook?! You mean Hook? I don’t know what to tell him because I don’t know what are we." Snow says she keeps avoiding him and then Hook comes and Emma asks Snow: "Can you give us a second?" Snow nods and walks away leaving the two talk around the corner. Hook confronts Emma about avoiding him and she says: "There’s always something going on in this town." And how she can’t think about anything else. Hook says it will always be like that and they might as well live their lives. With that, we see the frozen sidewalk that Emma notices and they walk to check it out. they follow the frozen sidewalk and Elsa keeps running, scared and hoping that they can’t see her. Then, as she hides and they are about to find her, Elsa freaks out and makes a snow monster. (promo pic of Emma and Hook with a gun is from there) They start running as Grumpy runs shouting, "A monster!!" Hook and Emma are like: "Here we go…" There are some dialogue that I forgot, but he doesn’t ask her out or anything.



At some point they show Anna and Elsa in a flashback. The gift for Anna was a wedding dress from their mother and as Anna tries is on, Elsa finds a book that worries her and she leaves. Anna looks for her and finds her outside with a book and asks what upset her and Elsa tells her that their parents were going away because of her, because of her powers. Anna offers to go to trolls to ask about it. The troll says he doesn’t know why they went but he knows where they went and he says the name of the place I can’t recall and Anna offers to go and Elsa says: "No!" Anna says: "I will take only few weeks." Elsa says: "Our parents said the same thing…"

Robin comes to Regina’s house. It’s a sweet scene between the two and Regina is surprised to see him. Robin talks about how much he loves her and how nothing's changed, but he can’t be with her because he made a promise, and even though he’s a thief, he goes by a code. He made a vow
to be with Marian until death do them apart. Regina says: "So you chose?" He apologises and then he walks out. Regina is sitting there sad and then she gets up all angry. Her anger is so visible that a mirror shatters. She takes a piece of mirror and you see reflection of her face with an evil smile.

Next scene is where she goes to Sidney. She frees him and they are talking about how Marian has changed everything. She's looking at Henry’s book and tells Sidney that it has/had a happy ending for them and now it has all been overwritten. She says that they need to go back to the past to change it. Sidney asks if she remembers killing Marian, but she doesn't. She says that Marian was “too plain vanilla” (her words exactly) to be remembered lol. She puts Sidney into a mirror and asks him to show the one she wants dead most and they show the scene where Hook and Emma (3x22) witnessed the Evil Queen asking Marian where Snow White is and refusing to tell her. Marian says that she feels bad for Regina because she doesn’t have anyone who loves her because she’s a monster. (Reality) They show Regina’s face pensive after that image.

Some Frozen scenes with Elsa looking for Anna, Kristoff covering for her and eventually giving it out that Anna left where their parent’s left and Elsa runs to the docks.

Rumbelle: First scene they are in the car, starting their honeymoon. Belle says "Go do it, I’ll wait for you here." Rumple goes to Neal’s grave and talks to him and says that once, Bae was small and he was scared and came to him because of a storm and how he felt safe in the sense that what he was doing something right, but the dagger changed him. He became consumed by the power me even now, he lied to Belle. He says that he wants to be the man that Bae died for and to do right by him and swears to do that until the end of his days. He goes back to Belle and they go to some house she saw when she was hiking. It's a beautiful, abandoned house. They enter and Rumple freezes Belle, goes to her bag exchanges the fake dagger with the real one saying: "We're going to start this right." He unfreezes her and they walk into other room. Before leaving the room, there’s little box on the table with stars painted on it that Rumple notices. They walk into main hall and Rumple says that they didn’t have their first dance. He clicks his fingers and music starts playing. They are dressed in 'Beauty and the Beast' costumes (where you have seen them in the promo) They dance and then it cuts out.
Later on there’s a scene of Belle in bed, assuming after their wedding night, and Rumple does magic with the dagger over box and a hat appears which looks like Mickey’s hat, that looks magical (Fantasia hat?)

Forest- Emma, Hook and Charming are running from the Snow Monster (SM). Robin, Marian and the Merry Men are there. Robin tries to shoot but this makes the SM more angry. The monster goes attacking as they are standing there useless and someone says they need magic to fight this off. Hook looks at Emma and says: "You have magic." Everyone looks at her but Emma is unsure. Hook is all encouraging as the beautiful boyfriend he is and she throws small fireballs, attacking the monster but it’s not enough. He blows them off eventually leaving only Marian conscious. Snow Monster is about to get Marian when Regina appears out of thin air. She looks between the Monster and Marian and Marian begs her for help. Regina sees everyone unconscious, smiles to herself and disappears. Marian thinks she’s about to die and then the Snow Monster is crushed into pieces by Regina. She stares at Regina in awe saying: "You're not a monster." Robin walks over and everyone is gaining consciousness. After realising what Regina has done, Emma runs to her to talk, but Regina ignores her completely and disappears.

Then there’s a scene between Hook and Emma. He says: "I know you’ve been avoiding me." She says: "I know I’m sorry." But she’s smiley, flirty and says: "Wanna go watch Netflix?" And he’s like: "I don't have any idea what that is, but sure!" She then admits that she’s been avoiding him because she feels guilty about what she (indirectly) did to Regina. He's the only person she admitted this to. You can tell from her eyes that she trusts him and he sees right through her because he says: "There’s something else too." She's so touched that he saw right through her. She goes by her instincts and grabs him to kiss him. Hook didn’t seem to expect that, but they ease into a kiss and it’s a mid-long kiss with them completely giving into it. After the kiss, she asks him to be patient with her, to wait for her, and he obliges. He agrees and as she walks away, he says to himself: "If I don’t get killed by a monster in a mean time." but you can tell that he’s so eager and so pleased with their relationship so far.

Next scene, one of the saddest ones: Regina is in her study. On the ground, Emma knocks at her door but Regina doesn’t open. Her back is against the wall and Emma is on other side. (think when young Anna was going to Elsa to ask to play) Emma tells her that she knows it’s really hard what she's going through. and she wishes she could do something to make up for it. She says: "I came to this town to bring everyone their happy endings and I swear I will not rest until I bring you your
happy ending too." She leaves and Regina is crying.

Last scenes: Regina calls Sidney and tells him: "We need to find whoever wrote Henry’s book and make him write it so villains get happy endings too."

Elsa is holding a paper that she found of Rumple and Belle. She walks into Gold’s pawn shop. 
Back in Arendelle, we see Anna leaving with the ship and Elsa is too late. Elsa swears that she will find her. Kristoff tells her that the place she’s going is called the Enchanted Forest.

~*•Lana Parrilla Talks In-Depth About Regina's Journey In Season 4•*~

Latin Times: What made you want to play Regina on "Once Upon A Time"? Was that the role you wanted when the show was created?

Lana Parrilla: I originally was approached by the casting director. I was auditioning for a different project and at the end of the audition, she looked at me and she said, "I want you to play the Evil Queen on "Once Upon A Time."" And I said, "I think I heard of that project," but I didn't know she was casting it cause it had just come out and the scripts were just being passed out to actors. So I told her it sounded intriguing and that I would love to read the script, and upon reading it, I thought it was wonderful.


I loved the Evil Queen, right off the bat, because she was different from the iconic Evil Queen we know from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" -- she was humanized and she was a real person. So that immediately intrigued me. It was really the only part I was focusing on cause that was the part she wanted to see me in. There weren't any other roles I was interested in.

I thought, originally, Emma's character was really interesting. Her name was Anna, actually, before Emma, and I thought that role was really interesting but I thought the part was a bit young for me. I also never played a villain before so I thought Anna/Emma is a bit young and if they're interested in seeing me as the Evil Queen then that's pretty awesome.

LT: Out of all the characters, Regina is the most 'real' (or as real as a character can be in a magical alternate universe) since she's been through a lot and her personality reflects it. Playing a character like Regina -- who has shades of black and white -- seems like it would be complex. How do you approach playing the part of the Evil Queen?


LP: The character challenges me quite a bit -- she keeps me on my toes. I never know what to expect from her and, at times, when I do and try to predict her next move, she throws me a curve ball. So she's constantly keeping me challenged which I really, really like. But getting to her truth is really my approach to this character.

Getting to the core and the origin of her emotions and where things derive from is really is what has set me on this path for Regina. Because there is so much happening on the surface level and so much she doesn't communicate. But after playing her, I understand her inner life and her struggles and when I start to break that down, it's a lot easier for me to play her. Her truth is really the most important and it's what is at the core. If I don't believe what's going on to her then the audience won't either so I have to get to the origin of that conflict. But I wanna see what Regina is struggling with and how she's going to come out on top.

LT: What is your favorite part about playing Regina?

LP: Whether it's kicking ass, breaking hearts or being vulnerable -- those are equally great aspects of this character and really fun to play. I love playing "badass bitch." I think that's fun cause you get to exercise it on screen and get it out of your system, whereas in life, you'd probably lose a lot of friends and loved ones. (Laughs) It's extremely therapeutic to get that stuff out through a character and not get in trouble for it.

LT: We're dying to see Regina get her 'Happily Ever After.' Do you think that's in the cards for her or is she doomed for being unhappy?

LP: I think good and evil that are present in everyone's life. It's really about making decisions for her and that's her constant struggle. And it's a new one. She, before, would follow these impulses and act out. If someone pissed her off she'd break their neck and if someone did the wrong thing she would send them off to the middle of the forest to fend for themselves. Regina, now, is more contemplative -- she sits there and thinks things through and thinks about the repercussions. I would say she's more adult and she's matured quite a bit since she was the Evil Queen in the Enchanted Forest.

I think that she likes trying this new outlook on life and she likes trying it on. I think she really, ideally, wants doing the right thing but old habits die hard. She's in that constant conflict within herself. I think what we'll see a lot this season is her deciding between good and evil -- a continuation of what we've seen -- however there is a lot of room for surprises with Regina this season. I'm really excited about it. She's a different woman. She's a woman who has had her heart broken for the second time and that's going to be a massive challenge to not act out and start hurting people like she normally would have. Those feelings; however, are still there. What will be curious to see is how she'll react to the loss of Robin Hood and Marian's return.

LT: What can you tell us about Elsa and Regina's interaction this season?

LP: Their relationship is still very new. Regina is not quite sure where Elsa came from just yet. Right now Elsa is a bit of a mystery to many people, including Regina. I think at this stage, Emma and Regina will work together to figure out what to do with Elsa and how to deal with her. I think, ultimately, Regina has another agenda which is what to do with Marian. That's kind of her primary focus right now: Robin Hood and figuring out how to maneuver through this new obstacle. And Elsa is just another added problem. I think it's going to take more than Regina to handle.

LT: What can you tell fans about what they can expect from season 4?

LP: The first episode is a big "Frozen" episode and we pick up where "Frozen" ended. We start literally in Arrendale. It's a fun first episode and that's our premiere. And then, obviously, those are flashbacks and we have present time dealing with Frozen entering world.

We'll see Rumpelstiltskin and Belle married, but he has a big secret that he's keeping from her. He killed the Wicked Witch; that's something we'll see more in regards to Rumple and Belle. And as for Snow and Charming, they just had their baby Neal and Snow is quite protective him and dealing with the guilt of not being there with Emma in those 28 years. She's really make sure she and Charming are awesome parents for the new baby.

Emma and Hook's relationship is still blossoming and we'll see some fun stuff with them. And Regina has something up her sleeve. We know that she is communicating with her mirror, Sydney, again. She's brought him back and she needs him to help her find her happy ending. So they'll be working together again.

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~*•Regina & Emma Will Work Together In The 'Elsa Situation'•*~

Lana Parrilla told the Latin Times that Regina and Emma will be working together in season 4, especially in dealing with Elsa.

“Regina is not quite sure where Elsa came from just yet. Right now Elsa is a bit of a mystery to many people, including Regina. I think at this stage, Emma and Regina will work together to figure out what to do with Elsa and how to deal with her,” she said.

“I think, ultimately, Regina has another agenda which is what to do with Marian. That’s kind of her primary focus right now: Robin Hood and figuring out how to maneuver through this new obstacle. And Elsa is just another added problem. I think it’s going to take more than Regina to handle.”

She also discussed Regina’s improved self.

“I think good and evil that are present in everyone’s life. It’s really about making decisions for her and that’s her constant struggle. And it’s a new one. She, before, would follow these impulses and act out. If someone pissed her off she’d break their neck and if someone did the wrong thing she would send them off to the middle of the forest to fend for themselves. Regina, now, is more contemplative — she sits there and thinks things through and thinks about the repercussions. I would say she’s more adult and she’s matured quite a bit since she was the Evil Queen in the Enchanted Forest,” she said.

“I think that she likes trying this new outlook on life and she likes trying it on. I think she really, ideally, wants doing the right thing but old habits die hard. She’s in that constant conflict within herself. I think what we’ll see a lot this season is her deciding between good and evil — a continuation of what we’ve seen — however there is a lot of room for surprises with Regina this season. I’m really excited about it. She’s a different woman. She’s a woman who has had her heart broken for the second time and that’s going to be a massive challenge to not act out and start hurting people like she normally would have. Those feelings; however, are still there. What will be curious to see is how she’ll react to the loss of Robin Hood and Marian’s return.”

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~*•Regina Battling Her Own Demons In Season 4•*~

While Regina has fought many people in the past, she will be battling her own demons in Season 4.

"Yes, it's Regina facing herself and the years of growth we've seen in her character since the pilot that are now being put to the test by circumstances," Horowitz explained. "She's going to have to look inward and fight her own demons."

Regina was devastated after Robin Hood's (Sean Maguire) lover Marian (Christie Laing) was brought back from the past by Emma (Jennifer Morrison) at the end of Season 3. Part of the first half of the season will be exploring Regina and Emma's strained relationship, the creators revealed.

As heavily advertised, one of the biggest factors in the new season is the introduction of the world of Frozen. As Elsa (Georgina Haig) enters Storybrooke, she will predictably bring her icy powers with her. Regina will attempt to melt said ice in the new season

"Well, I can tell you that we'll see Regina do her best attempt to melt ice!" Kitsis revealed, before adding, "we can also tell you it will not be against Elsa, who is not a villain."

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~*•Jennifer Morrison Interview About Season 4•*~

TVF: Emma's always been running to something or from something. Has she decided that Storybrooke is her home this season?

JMo: She's absolutely decided that Storybrooke is her home in this season. I think she's going to face things that challenge that decision at certain points. She's actually made a conscious decision to put down roots and call some place home.

TVF: I hear that we're going to be exploring more about Emma's past this season. Can you share anything about that?

JMo: I don't know that I can go into any great detail about it but in general what I can say is that we do see flashbacks from when she was younger. We discover some pieces of information that takes a turn that no one really sees coming, I didn't see it coming. It definitely adds a layer of intrigue into how everything fits together.
I guess so. I don't know if that's what we'll call it in terms of…I don't know if they're in a place where they're labeling something as a couple but in terms of them both being open to exploring what a relationship would look like and if it were possible under the circumstances and if it's possible for them to overcome some of their damage from each of their pasts in order to try to be vulnerable with each other. That's all definitely being explored and definitely prominent in this season.

TVF: Frozen is coming to Storybrooke. How much interaction will Emma have with Elsa and Anna?

JMo: Emma has an incredible amount of interaction with Elsa. They're actually quite connected because they're very similar. They both have powers that they don't understand. They both feel that they can't completely control those powers. They both have accidentally hurt people because of those powers. They've both been misunderstood for most of their life and are trying to figure out a way to open themselves up after years of being closed off. So there's an incredible amount of emotional baggage that they both share and so they become very connected very quickly because of how similar they are. And I think Elsa has spent more time trying to figure out how to handle her magic and trying to control it where as Emma is really very new to all of that. Elsa becomes very critical to Emma in terms of helping her focus her magic and try to control her magic and try to figure use it to the best of her abilities.

TVF: Emma inadvertently ruined Regina's love life, reminiscent of how Snow ruined Regina's love life back in the Enchanted Forest. How guilty does Emma feel about that and will there be repercussions?

JMo: It's a disaster. Emma feels incredibly guilty about that. Emma would never intentionally try to hurt Regina in any way. They've been through far too much in the last three seasons. Regina has worked very hard to redeem herself and to grow past some of the hurt and pain that has caused the evil side of her in the past. Emma respects that and admires that and she feels like Regina has really become a friend over time. She really wants Regina to be in a good place because she wants her to continue to be a good mother to Henry and also stay in a friendship with everyone in Storybrooke instead of being the adversary to everyone. So, Emma feels incredibly guilty but she doesn't feel guilty about saving someone's life. There are certainly repercussions but Emma is trying to find a way to stand by her decision to save Marian but also offer any help she possibly could offer to Regina in order to get her life in a good place again.
Emma and Regina have really had quite a journey. They despised one another at the beginning of the series.

TVF: Do you feel Emma is now comfortable being a co-parent with Regina for Henry?

JMo: I think she absolutely is comfortable being a co-parent with Regina for Henry mostly because I think that over the time they have battled each other, supported each other, had to fight on the same side in order to save Henry. All of the things they've been through, ultimately Emma has realized that she and Regina have a lot in common. They're both women who've made many mistakes in their lives. Very different mistakes, but mistakes. They've both fought very hard to redeem those mistakes so I think Emma relates to that part of Regina and realizes that there are some things that they have in common. And the biggest thing that they have in common is that they both love Henry and they both have their backs for him. So Emma can always count on Regina to do the right thing for Henry. That's an important thing for her to count on in order for her to feel comfortable with Regina being a good parent.

TVF: As much as we love the long leather look and can't possible picture him in a pair of khakis, will Hook ever get real clothes this season?

JMo: He does get real clothes but they do not involve khaki pants. He stays in leather it's just a little more updated version of leather.

TVF: On the set, who do you have the most fun with?

JMo: Oh my goodness! That's like me asking you who's your favorite co-worker, publish it and then go to work and face everyone. That's not a fair question. I love everyone.

TVF: Is there anything else you can tease us with about this season of Once Upon a Time?

JMo: I would say it's my favorite season so far, for sure. I think that the Frozen characters have really added a layer to the story telling that I've truly enjoyed and I really appreciate the opportunity for all of the characters to be more vulnerable in different ways. That's obviously made things a little messier and more raw and just more intriguing in certain ways. So I've really enjoyed that and I feel like there are going to be a couple of left turns that no one sees coming.

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~*•ONCE Stars Answer Unanswered Questions About Season 4•*~

Can Captain Hook and Emma be in a healthy relationship?
Things were looking good for the happy couple at the end of season three but in Storybrooke, that bliss is only temporary. "They've really invested in maybe wanting to be together," Colin O'Donoghue tells THR. "Emma is The Savior and Hook is a 200-year-old pirate — it's never going to be plain sailing or easy going. But they're going to try their best to make their relationship work." In doing so, Hook — who will "do whatever it takes, good or bad" to maintain their romance — will be forced to decide whether "he can find a place for Emma within his heart when she's so busy trying to save the world," O'Donoghue adds.
Morrison echoes that sentiment, saying that though Emma and Hook both desire "to be the better versions of themselves and vulnerable enough to be close to someone romantically," it's easier said than done, especially when more immediate threats like Elsa's snow monster loom. "There's a lot of trying to work out a relationship in the midst of a lot of chaos, which is funny at times and heartbreaking at times, and causes them to really figure out how this could or couldn't work," she says.
Read more 'Once Upon a Time' bosses on Sseason 4: New rivalries, rocky romances and 'Frozen' twist
Who will Robin Hood choose: Marian or Regina?
After the unexpected return of Marian, Robin Hood is now faced with a major dilemma, one that is addressed head-on in the show's return. Does he honor his vow to Marian or does he start anew with Regina? A decision is made. "I have a certain living situation I have to deal with, with a current romance and a wife coming back from the dead," Sean Maguire tells THR. "That seems to be the situation last season ended with. Suffice it to say, Robin Hood does come to a truce of sorts."
Regina is understandably frustrated by the sudden turn of events, which may veer her off her path of goodness. "We'll see Regina really battling the two sides of good and evil. She's been on the road to redemption for the last couple of years and yet she's been evil for most of her life," Lana Parrilla tells THR. "Where is she really comfortable living? And is she going to continue down her old habitual ways or is she going to surprise us all and do the right thing?"
How does Emma cope with the guilt of causing Regina's unhappiness?
Well, it's complicated. "Emma can't apologize for saving a life, but it's not her plan to mess up Regina's true love," Morrison says. "She's trying to toe the line. She's trying to prove that she truly is Regina's friend and that she truly wants what's best for her, but also protect Marian." Juggling a vengeful Regina won't be an easy task for Emma and that becomes an ongoing season-four thread. "Ultimately, Emma is trying to keep Regina in a good place in her life. She's worked so hard and come so far from her villainous mindset that it would be tragic, in Emma's eyes [if she returned to that] because she's become Emma's friend," Morrison says. "[Emma]'s going to spend time fighting to prove her friendship and fighting to keep Regina in a good place."
Read more 'Once Upon a Time' season 4 teaser: 'Frozen's' Elsa gets chilly Storybrooke debut
How do David and Mary Margaret navigate parenthood?
"It's hard because they're finding this all out as they go. It's basically the first time they've [raised a child]. They don't want to lose [baby Neal] like they lost Emma," Josh Dallas tells THR. "Emma has suffered a lot of psychological repercussions because of it. She's isolated herself because of it. They want to raise Neal right and still honor Emma as their child." Says Ginnifer Goodwin, Snow and Charming "are confronting a lot of their exceptionally guilty feelings in having lost the opportunity with Emma, who has a remarkable story with Hook."
What about Charming's past?
Attention will be given in the first half of the season to Prince Charming's "origins," Dallas hints. "We're going to see, in my opinion, the most important friendship he's ever had outside of Snow White that really changes the entire course of his life and sets him on the path of becoming the hero that he is. It's an unlikely connection with a character that I can't wait for people to see."
Will Mary Margaret get back into the workforce?
The simple answer: Yes. Though her immediate focus will be to raise Neal, Goodwin says, she will find herself taking on a new job. "She has been thrust in a brand-new job while she's trying to juggle [raising a newborn] and she's expected to rule as she is technically the ruler of the Enchanted Forest transported to Storybrooke," she says. Morrison hints that Mary Margaret will be taking over a position of considerable power for someone else within Storybrooke.
What is Mr. Gold and Henry's dynamic this season?
Henry will find himself under Mr. Gold's guise, which may not be a good thing. (He'll also go on a quest with Regina; Parrilla teases, "You'll see them working together in ways they haven't before.") "It's going to be a lot of fun," Jared Gilmore tells THR of Henry and Mr. Gold's story. "Henry is going to learn a lot this season, which is going to be great for him because he's going to learn what he's meant for."
How much trouble is Mr. Gold in?
"Belle hasn't heard any of [Mr. Gold's] secrets at all," Robert Carlyle says, referring to beginning his marriage to Belle with a lie. Carlyle hints that though things may seem perfect between the newlyweds at the start of the season, "it's going to be bad at the end of episodes nine and 10 for Rumple."
What has Will Scarlet/the Knave been up to?
There is some mystery surrounding Michael Socha's Once debut (he doesn't appear in the premiere) and co-creator Eddy Kitsis said that the context in which Will Scarlet re-emerges post-Once Upon a Time in Wonderland will be provided — in due time. "We are going to tell that story, what happened and what brought him back to Storybrooke," he said, hinting that Will Scarlet "has an interesting connection to another character from... season one." Ask Socha his theories on what Will Scarlet has been up to and he's just as stumped as you are, "I sit there all night thinking of all sorts of different [theories] but none that I'm solid with."
One thing is for certain, the Knave has unfinished business with Robin Hood. "There is some stuff between us that needs to be resolved," Maguire says. "We delve into that at some point in the season. You know he's there and you know I'm there, so it's inevitable we will talk at some point."
How does Hook adapt to modern clothes?
Over the course of the season, the pirate will shed his leather coat for more contemporary clothing — a change O'Donoghue was particularly excited about. "It was nice because I've been wearing a 50-pound leather jacket [for two seasons]. It gets pretty hot," he says. Hook's new look, which O'Donoghue likens to "a '70s rockstar," still maintains "an element of who he is, even though he's trying to fit into this world. It's his idea of what it would be like."
How many Disney nuggets are in the premiere?
At least half a dozen — and one Disney reference may offer a hint to a story line some of the core Once characters will be embarking on. (Another moment, the classic Beauty and the Beast ballroom scene, was revealed in promos.) "That was very intentional," Morrison says of the various gems. "It was very important to have those DIsney nugget moments. If we do gain audiences because of adding Frozen, [the producers] wanted to give them touchstones of what the show's about."

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~*•Lana Parrilla On Regina's Internal Struggle With Marion's Return•*~

Lana Parrilla's Regina will be caught up in an internal struggle to keep her heart from growing cold now that her true love's (Robin Hood) formerly deceased wife Marian is in town.

Season 3 proved to be one of redemption for Regina, who fought tooth and nail to find Henry in Neverland and then risked her own life when her half-sister, Zelena, came to town to cause death and destruction. This major life twist, however, has the potential to send her spiraling back down a dark path. It's an interesting place to be for an actress who has had to show so much range on the ABC Sunday night fairytale drama. With the show returning September 28 at 8/7c on ABC, Lana spoke with Access Hollywood about what's ahead.


AccessHollywood.com: At the end of Season 3, Marian had come to town. What kinds of problems will that set up for Regina, because that puts her into maybe some old patterns or some potential for old patterns?
Lana Parrilla: Yeah, it definitely has shaken her world a bit. [It was not at all] what she was expecting. She's finally gotten her happy ending and now it's been torn apart. And, you know, Regina -- she's really uncertain as to what to do initially. She will be toying with both sides, which is both light and dark, throughout the season and it's that sort of 'old habits die hard' thing. But it's also -- for Regina, she's been the Evil Queen a lot longer than she has this new, redeemed Regina. She's much more kind of comfortable with the dark side, I would say. She will have to kind of fight the tendencies which, organically for her are committing evil acts, so she's gonna be struggling with both sides for a good portion of the season.

Access: What skills do you think she actually has picked up, though, that could help ground her, especially in the last season when she had to deal with her half-sister?
Lana: Yeah, I mean, I think the skills that she's still developing are just [a] new approach on how to deal with conflict. She's not as impulsive as she used to be. She's much more contemplative and she has this relationship with her son and with the rest of the people in Storybrooke. She's kind of developed more of a familial relationship with everyone, which, in turn is, for her, very new. But also, she has an incredible support system, so I mean, a lot of the skills -- I don't know if I would necessarily call them skills. I think these newfound relationships that she's developed over the course of the second and mostly third season, will kind of guide her through this heartbreak. It's a good question that you asked me, and it's kind of hard to answer...I never called it skills before...

Access: Or coping mechanisms, just the way we react to things.
Lana: Yeah, and I guess it falls in line with kind of what I'm saying about her relationships with people. I think that those relationships have developed in a way that she wasn't expecting and it has become more friendly and familial and I think she will find refuge in that, and solace, and kind of turn to them in this time of need. So I guess maybe that's a new skill for her, is that she's learning and she has learned to ask for help, which I don’t think she's ever done before.

Access: I love how you've talked about the fire and the ice thing before [with 'Frozen' coming to 'OUAT']. You have the fire and Elsa has the ice. Will we get to see your two characters meeting in any sort of nice way?
Lana: I would say that Regina's not a real fan when it comes to newcomers. She has a hard time kind of trusting anyone and letting anyone in to begin with that anyone new in her eyes is just a problem, so when Elsa comes to town, it's another problem on top of the already existing problem that her true love's ex-wife has now come back from the dead (laughs). The way she sees [it] is just like, 'Oh great, another issue! When are we gonna sleep?' (laughs) It just doesn't end and I think when she meets Elsa, it's confrontational. It's not welcoming someone with open arms, that's for sure.

Access: Is she going to be able to take comfort in her relationship with her son this season, because he does love her so much.
Lana: Yeah, I think that Regina's feeling pretty confident with her relationship with Henry and I think one thing she fears is that if she starts committing these evil acts she's gonna lose him again, so she has to be very strategic about her next move. However, Henry has light and dark tendencies kind of pumping through his veins with his biological mother being the savior and his grandfather being Rumpelstiltskin, I think Henry's gonna be kind of tempted himself, and that will either aid Regina or not. So, you'll have to see (laughs). I can't give that part away.

Access: Finally, are the costumes changing for you this season? I'm guessing we're going to have a lot more Storybrooke. Or, are we going to get some of those Evil Queen amazing costumes too?
Lana: Yes, I think that those costumes you'll get a little taste of in the beginning and then they kind of – I think they're gonna hold off. And really, in the beginning, I'm mostly the mayor. I have a couple of episodes where I am the Evil Queen, but for the most part I'm the mayor... in the front end of the season. But I have a really good inclination that we are gonna see a ton of Queen costumes on the back end of the season, so it's really something that we can all look forward to, including myself.

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~*•Lana Parrilla About Emma & Regina In 4x05 + The Snow/Regina Dynamic•*~

Ever since Emma (played by Jennifer Morrison) traveled through time and back, with Robin Hood’s wife inadvertently in tow, “Regina wants nothing to do with her,” Lana Parrilla reminds. But that stands to change when the women discover they each are in pursuit of the Snow Queen, for distinct reasons. (Emma feels the chillin’ villain has a personal vendetta against her, while Regina is hot to defreeze Marian, if only so that she can have a living, breathing romantic rival.)

“It’s funny,” Parrilla notes, “because Regina is on her own journey to find the Snow Queen, and Emma is doing the same thing. When they end up crossing paths, [Regina] is like, ‘Ugh. It’s you. What are you doing here?’
“Their journey is quite comedic — Regina just does not let her off that easy,” Parrilla continues. “It’s one snarky remark after another.” Until, that is, the outcome of their escapade sets the stage for an overdue heart-to-heart.

As Parrilla sees it, “What’s so beautiful about Regina and Emma, especially at the end of this episode, is that Emma comes clean and says, ‘I don’t really have anybody else who understands this magic inside of me. You’re the only one I can relate to. And I need you.’ And I think that’s very touching for Regina to hear.”


One of Parrilla’s other favorite dynamics to play on Once is that between Regina and Ginnifer Goodwin‘s Mary Margaret — a relationship that as of late has been paid its due, only to get cut for time. (One scene had Regina deflecting the de facto mayor’s appeal for help with the blackout, while the other found Regina asking Mary Margaret for advice on being in love with a married man à la David/Kathryn.)
Goodwin says that though the scenes were “brilliant,” she understands why they were cut: As evidenced by what made it to broadcast, with so much higher drama going on, the quieter exchanges would have slowed momentum.

The sum total of the sequences, Goodwin says, involved the erstwhile Snow White and Evil Queen “learning to respect each other in such a way in that they now get out of each other’s ways when facing conflict. There’s actually a stepping back because of a newfound mutual respect that they found.”
Parrilla remembers one of the cut scenes as featuring “a really heartbreaking conversation,” to possibly (she hopes) wind up on the full-season DVD set.

“One thing [Ginny and I] love is that these two characters have known each other the longest, for the most part — except for Rumple. But there was once a mother-daughter bond, and to see them graduate to the place they are now is quite beautiful and compelling to play and watch…. They really kind of found each other, and help each other along.” (With reporting by Vlada Gelman)

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~*•Lana & JMo About Emma & Regina + Emma & The Snow Queen•*~

In 4x05 'Breaking Glass,' Regina (Lana Parrilla) will begrudgingly team up with Emma (Jennifer Morrison) to find the Snow Queen (Elizabeth Mitchell). But Emma will use this as an opportunity to clear the air after she seemingly ruined Regina’s relationship with Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) when she brought his dead wife Marian (Christie Laing) back from the past at the end of last season.

“She feels extremely betrayed by Emma and won’t let her off the hook that easy,” Parrilla says, teasing that Regina will “suffer a loss” during the hour. “She plays really hard to get throughout the episode. Regina lashes out verbally quite a bit. It’s like every scene is another snarky remark, but it’s warranted because she’s been burned. She doesn’t hate Emma. She’s just really upset with her.”

Adds Morrison: “It’s definitely complicated. It’s good that they’re getting it out in the air, though. They definitely are finally talking about the complications of Marian coming back. It seems like Regina understands that Emma clearly didn’t have bad intentions and didn’t realize what she was doing, but that doesn’t change how much it sucks.”

The goal, Morrison says, is for Regina and Emma to eventually be friends—something no Once fan could’ve imagined when this show first debuted. But it may be a while before they actually get to that point since there are plenty of other complications getting in the way. “Regina is concerned about who wrote the book and she wants to track that person down,” Morrison says. “Rumple (Robert Carlyle) and Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) are dealing with the Sorcerer’s Apprentice hat. Emma is concerned about Regina with Marian being back, but she’s also concerned about the Snow Queen, and she’s starting to work out that maybe she’s more involved in the Snow Queen’s plot than she realized.”


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~*•Lana Parrilla On Emma & Regina's 'Sisterly Bond' + Dealing With The 'Marian Crisis'•*~

Today, the spotlight falls on Lana Parrilla (Regina), whose character seems to want to do good now, and might not be the evilest queen in Storybrooke, now that Elizabeth Mitchell’s Snow Queen is hanging around. To stop the Snow Queen, Regina just might have to team up with Emma Swan… but will that work? Emma is cool with Regina, but does that relationship go both ways?

"It takes a bit, because she feels betrayed," Parrilla told us. "She’s hurt by Emma, deeply. She doesn’t know if it [saving Marian] was intentional. I think deep down inside of her, she hopes it was a mistake or an accident, but it’s going to take her a little bit to come around, and to open her heart again. Because I do believe she cares for Emma on some level. It’s almost like a sisterly bond they have. And that mirrors the Elsa and Anna bond — you see in that first episode, that famous behind the door scene, and that mirrors the Frozen scene. To me, they are setting up that kind of relationship between the two. I love what happens to them. There’s an episode coming up where I remember reading the script going, ‘Oh my God, Regina’s so awful to Emma! She’s saying one horrible thing after another.’ Playing it is one thing, because you feel like a total bitch for eight days while you’re filming the episode, but in reality it’s only 45 minutes. And it’s one day, where she’s just really upset and wants to punish her. And I think she just needs to get it off her chest and they’ll move forward. I’m excited about their relationship because they’re very similar. They have something they were born with, which is this magic. Emma and Regina don’t have a lot of people they can relate to. So it’s nice that they find comfort in one another," Lana said of what would cement an Emma-Regina team-up.

~*•Lana Talks About Regina's Struggles & Wanting To Find The Author•*~

TV Fanatic: When we last saw Regina, she was kind of locking lips with Robin Hood which isn’t a bad place, I guess, for her to be in.
Lana Parrilla: Yeah. She’s kind of occupied with a couple of things. One being Robin Hood and two, Operation Mongoose. I watched it again this morning and it’s funny when you’re reading a script because you’re reading it and you’re breaking it down as the actor and playing the character for so many years but it’s different when you’re watching it as a fan and an audience viewer.
I really saw how Regina how torn she is with Robin Hood but also how determined she is to find this author, and I really got that when she keeps flipping through this book trying to figure it out, and we don’t know why and having watched it and playing her for so many years I can see the level of concentration in her eyes and how she’s just so focused and looking at these images and what do they mean to her? That’s kind of the path that we’re heading down more so than anything, it’s who is this author and who is in charge of her destiny?
TVF: Is it safe to say with this next episode she might get some of those answers or we might get some of those answers, the audience?
LP: Yeah. I think this two hour episode that’s coming Sunday, a couple things. Regina is losing faith pretty quickly that she has any control over her destiny, that no matter what she does it doesn’t work out for her, and things just don’t pan out for her, and that’s a hard realization. And, you know, she’s not one who normally has hope, and she’s constantly being reminded by the heroes, Robin Hood being one, Mary Margaret being another, Emma, and so it’s going to take her some time to believe that things can change and to find a way to have hope for herself and her destiny. So we’ll see a little bit of that this weekend.
We’ll also see something that I think the audience has been waiting for between Regina and Robin Hood. Something quite juicy. So I would just say that it may be frozen in Storybrooke but it gets a little hot and steamy in their life.
TVF: Since true love’s kiss doesn’t seem to be happening for Marian is there another plan coming to try and save her?
LP: She definitely wants to save her because she loves Robin and she knows how much it means to him, and I also think there’s this underlying guilt because she has killed Marian and so she lives with that guilt. She’s trying to make amends and she’s made amends with a lot of people, Mary Margaret being one, Emma, she’s stings the town many times and it seems like she’s really trying to make up for things and trying to do the right thing and she’s doing the same with Marian. I don’t think she’s going to give up trying to find some sort of counter-spell or some sort of resolution to bring Marian back. Now what happens thereafter will be, you know, a surprise for many.
TVF: We’ve all been watching the Snow Queen kind of work her magic. Is Regina and the Snow Queen going to have some face time soon? I keep thinking if anyone could stop her it could be Regina.
LP: In regards to the Snow Queen, it’s not Regina’s battle. That is not a battle that she will face. Something happens and it’s quite shattering for everyone. I can’t even say it. I don’t even know how to tease that. I will say it’s just not her battle to fight, however she wants to help find the Snow Queen, but Anna is not a priority for Regina, Anna is more of a priority for Emma and Elsa.
TVF: With Emma reacting to the strength of her powers and distancing herself, is there some crossover with Regina and Emma coming?
LP: I think we saw in episode five where Regina was quite upset with Emma for bringing Marian back and going back in time. One thing that I love about Regina is she’s moving past it and that’s kind of something that we haven’t really seen in her because she really sort of has a hard time letting go of past betrayals and I think in this season we’re seeing a lot of growth in her and she’s learning to forgive and so she forgives Emma especially after that long speech that Emma shared with her in Regina’s vault.
She said, no one really understands me but you and I think Regina really took that to heart and has made amends with Emma and they’re just going to drive forward and continue to work together like they have in past seasons.

TVF: Do you miss some of the Evil Queen stuff that we used to see Regina do?
LP: Of course I miss it. It’s fun and we have a couple of flashbacks coming up where, for me, playing the Evil Queen again…it’s like a breath of fresh air and I used to use that term all the time when Regina was on the road to redemption, but now because she’s been down that path for the last couple seasons it’s kind of refreshing to go back and play this Evil Queen again. As the actor who plays her I love it. I feel so free and I can go anywhere with her and I can be quite theatrical, over the top, and then still, you know, the origin of that performance lies in truth and honest choices. So it’s fun. I want to see more of it and I believe you will be very soon.
It’s funny because Bobby [Carlyle] and I were together just last week and we did this scene of Evil Queen and Rumpelstiltskin, and we were like, “Oh my God, this is our first scene together this entire season. It took eleven episodes but here we are.” And, oh my gosh, we had the best time. We just had the best time, a ton of fun, and you will also see Regina and Gold again and they have a beautiful conversation together in her car. He comes in and they just start chatting it up and there’s a beautiful kinship between them, a friendship, an old sort of familial bond between them that everyone will see shortly.
TVF: Do you think Regina misses her job as mayor at all? I know she has a lot on her plate but do we see that come around at all?
LP: You know, at this point it’s not really obvious. It’s not something that she’s thinking about. I think she has her hands full right now just dealing with this heartbreak and that’s taking some time for her. I mean look how long it took her to get over Daniel!
She’s a slow healer, I will say, but she’s a fast learner, and yeah, she’s more focused on how to deal with the heartbreak but more importantly at the end of the day who is this author? And I think that’s her main focus and obsession. It’s becoming a slight obsession for her and why can’t she find him or her or it or whatever it is, who is this person or creature or entity, and you know, that’s quite time consuming for her. But she’s really wrapped up in those two sort of big elements in her life.
TVF: I admit I’m kind of obsessed over who the whole author of the book is, too! I can’t figure it out.
LP: I know. When I first read it I went ‘oh my God. Genius.’ It’s just genius because it’s almost like it’s biblical or religious in some way because who is in control? Everyone wonders if they’re a God. Is there a God? Is there not a God? If there is a God why is my life turning out this way and what am I doing wrong or what do I have to do? What am I not doing? And these are all the questions that Regina is asking herself, and then also just realizing that, well, even if I try to do good it doesn’t really make any difference, and I guess the question is, well then do I have to be good? I think what we’re going to see over the back end of the season, is which side is Regina going to choose?
TVF: Watching the show, there are so many empowered women. Can you talk about that and it being an important thing for you?
LP: Yeah. I guess if you’re a hero, at least in regards to this show, it seems like the villains get the short end of the stick, but to talk about powerful women, I grew up with a lot of powerful women. I have probably over 18 to 20 female cousins and I grew up with a lot of aunts and female cousins and great aunts and so it’s been fun for me.

But I’ve also been so influenced by all these strong women in my life so it’s really great to portray one as well and also to be one. So I think our show does have that. We have a lot of strong women and we set a great example for our youth. I can tell and I’m sure you can too from all the people that responded [on Twitter] this morning to, “Can you ask her this question?” My fans are female and a lot of what they share with me is how much they’ve learned from me but also mostly from Regina and other women, other female characters on our show. So Once Upon a Time’s women have a great influence on our female audience.

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~*•Regina Vs Maleficent, Cruella & Ursula In Season 4B•*~


"I think Maleficent is more of a formidable foe because she's a powerful sorceress so I think she fears what Maleficent is going to bring to Storybooke and the potential danger of having this sorceress/dragon beast coming back," Parilla explains to Zap2it. "She's not as threatened by the other two."

That does not mean that there isn't something to fear when it comes to Cruella and Ursula. Parilla hints that there's also a backstory with them and Regina as well. "In regards to Cruella and Ursula -- [Regina] knows of these women. They too have a history with her, but not as close or as tight as Maleficent's," she says Parilla.

Regina and Maleficent's relationship was explored a little in Season 2, before Emma slays Maleficent in her dragon form. Now the sorceress will be returning and Regina their history will be reexamined. "They were once friends so you'll see there's 9an episode coming up where you'll see their back story and how they met," Parilla says.

It will be old ties versus the new Regina when the evil three arrive in town. These are Regina's people and she's not about to let anyone near her throne. "[Regina] is going to take that sort mayoral position where she's going to protect everyone if there is any sort of havoc that is caused by these women," explains Parilla.


The Spell of Shattered Sight reminded Regina -- and fans -- how good it can be to be evil though. Reuniting with old friends in the face of adversity may be Regina's best temptation to return to the dark side and everyone will have to choose which side of that moral line they fall on.

"Who is everyone going to root for -- heroes or villains? That's what this episode [on Dec. 14] is all about," Parilla says. "Regina is going to have to pick a side and I think that's going to play out throughout the season."

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~*•Adam & Eddy Tease Season 4B•*~


EW: How do you choose the next character you’re going to use?
ADAM HOROWITZ: Well, we have a giant dartboard. No. We have a lot of characters that we want to explore and have been on our wish list ever since the first couple of episodes in season 1. As we developed each season, we looked at who fits into our world, who fits into our mythology, how can we continue to build that out and what characters are the most fun to do that.
EDWARD KITSIS: For this one, we saw in the first half of the season that Regina (Lana Parrilla) was really questioning whether or not villains could get happy endings. So we knew we wanted the second half to be villains in search of their happy endings. We always wanted to bring Maleficent back. We thought, “What is the greatest team of evil we could gather to go up against?” Ursula we teased in the Ariel (Joanna Garcia Swisher) episode last year, and then Cruella, for a while, we just always wanted to bring her on the show and couldn’t figure out how because in the movie, she was kind of ’50s. You always want to put your twist on it. For us, Cruella just fit into this trio of terror.

How much access do you guys have to the Disney catalog? Are there characters that are off limits to you because of rights, or that you have decidedly said wouldn’t fit into the story?
HOROWITZ: Honestly, the process isn’t about going through the Disney catalog and flipping through the pages. The process is us thinking about which characters we’d like to have on the show. We pitch our ideas to the studio and the network and they give their feedback. They’ve been very supportive of all the characters we’ve wanted to bring on.
KITSIS: If there is a rights issue—the only time we ever encountered that was with Neverland, which we worked through.
HOROWITZ: Originally, we wanted to bring in Captain Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) in season 1 and see Neverland earlier, but there was a rights issue that wasn’t cleared up until the end of season 1. Which is why the Hook intro was at the beginning of season 2. When you go back to the pilot, you see a page in the book that flips by with flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz in it. There’s stuff we’ve had in mind from the get go that we just wanted to always get to. As we’ve been lucky enough to continue, we started to get to some of those things.

How soon after Star Wars became a property of Disney and after Frozen came out did you have to start working to get those on the show?
KITSIS: With Star Wars, those were shout outs. That’s no different than Buffy making Batman references.
HOROWITZ: We put a couple of Star Wars references here and there because we’re big Star Wars fans.
KITSIS: That’s just us having fun.
HOROWITZ: We’ve had a couple of Tron references, not because of Disney, but because of our own personal involvement with Tron, which doesn’t necessarily mean those are things we want to bring on. As far as Star Wars goes, it’s not something we want to bring on. We love Star Wars.
KITSIS: Star Wars is our favorite fairy tale. But…
HOROWITZ: As far as Star Wars goes, there are things that would fit into the world of our show, but Star Wars is not something we want to bring into the world of our show. Frozen was a different kind of thing. It felt like a more natural fit into our mythology, which is why we approached the company.

KITSIS: Anna [Elizabeth Lail] and Elsa [Georgina Haig] seemed to be a better fit than Darth Vader and Jabba. We’d love to have Darth Vader and Jabba and turn Granny’s into the Cantina. I think our audience likes the fairy tales. Although we love Star Wars, I’m not sure it’s our show.

Do you have a long term plan or list of characters you want to see on the series?
HOROWITZ: Absolutely. We have a list of characters who we want to get to, even in varying degrees of details. With some, we know very much how they fit into our mythology and how we want them to be apart of the show. Some are like, “Oh, wouldn’t it be fun to meet them for an episode?” type characters.
KITSIS: Kind of like how we did with Little Bo Peep [Robin Weigert].
HOROWITZ: Hook is an example of a character that we knew wanted to be a big part of the show.
KITSIS: Same with Robin Hood [Sean Maguire].
HOROWITZ: They were characters that we waited [to put on]. For Hook, it was a rights issue; with Robin Hood, it was a timing issue. There are other characters that, if we’re lucky enough to keep going, we want to see.

Do you police each other if somebody throws out a random crazy idea?
KITSIS: I’m not sure this is a show where there is an idea too crazy. We had Peter Pan [Robbie Kay] be Rumplestiltskin’s [Robert Carlyle] father. For us, it just has to ring true. Darth Vader just doesn’t really feel like a part of the show, but Anna and Elsa did. Their whole thing was a character who had powers, who didn’t understand them and didn’t like them, who had to come to terms with that, and a curse that was broken from true love between sisters. This is a show that has true love’s curse broken between a mom and a son. You just try to do it. Sometimes it’s just fun, like Blackbeard (Charles Mesure). We just wanted to write Blackbeard and we felt like he fit into the world of pirates. Hook needed a rival. We really started like 12-year-olds playing with toys in the backyard and mashing them up. What’s fun is we’re into our fourth season, and we’re still doing it.
HOROWITZ: On a lot of levels, it’s a gut feeling thing. For example, using the Star Wars thing, there’s something about putting Emma on a spaceship that doesn’t feel right to us. But when you talk about Robin Hood, which is not strictly a fairy tale, there’s something about the forest and the horses and that kind of environment that somehow feels right and apart of our world.
KITSIS: The place we stretched it the most would probably be Frankenstein [David Anders]. A lot of people had opinions on that.
HOROWITZ: Right. You push and you test and see what works and where you can go with things. You just try to figure out the ways you want to bring in these characters and be as sure as you can that the show will accept them and hopefully love them.

So, you’re saying these villains are teaming up to get their happy ending. Isn’t it a catch 22? To get their happy ending, aren’t they inevitably going to do something evil?
HOROWITZ: Happy ending doesn’t necessarily equal redemption, because happy endings are in the eye of the beholder.
KITSIS: Yeah, it’s what makes you happy. For instance, if watching two beloved heroes die makes you happy, well then your happy ending is probably different than the two heroes who want to see the villain die.

These are three very strong and malevolent characters, each a Queen of Darkness in their own right. Can they actually work together?
HOROWITZ: That’s part of the fun—these strong women with slightly aligned agendas, but wanting things for themselves, and watching the sparks fly between them.
KITSIS: You have three leaders who all want to lead. Of course, only one can. For us, what’s interesting is watching villains take a page from the hero playbook. Heroes always work together and never put their ego first. Villains so often put their ego first and lose. These are smarter villains coming back to correct the mistakes from their past.

Let’s talk about Cruella de Vil. Can you say what world she comes from?
KITSIS: We’re kind of taking some liberty there. We’re going to realize that our Cruella may have originated from the Enchanted Forest, and we may find out she has some magic of her own. She’s part villain, part Zelda Fitzgerald. There’s something glamorous and jazz age, but something very deadly about her as well.
HOROWITZ: She’s a fun character for us. We hopefully found a way to spin it and make her different and part of the Once universe while also having plenty of nods of the iconography of Cruella that everybody loves.
KITSIS: The actress playing her, Victoria Smurfit, is just phenomenal. It’s fun to watch.
HOROWITZ: Wait ’til you see her car.
KITSIS: It was more expensive than Sven.


We’ve only seen a CGI Ursula before, voiced by Yvette Nicole Brown. What can you tell us about this character, and whether it means we’ll see Ariel again?
HOROWITZ: I sure hope so. When you’re in the world of Ursula, you’re also in the world of Ariel. In our story with Ariel in season 3, we saw that it occurred with a faux-Ursula in the form of the Evil Queen. But we introduced the Ursula mythology. What we’re planning to do is explore this Ursula mythology in our show and explore a backstory of who she is and what Ursula is all about.
KITSIS: We’ve always said evil is not born, it’s made. One of the things we’re so excited about with these three villains is showing their origin stories. We’ve never see the origin stories with Maleficent, Ursula or Cruella, so we’re excited about that.

What was it about Merrin Dungey that made you want to cast her as Ursula?
HOROWITZ: When we saw her turn evil on Alias, I think we fell in love with her. We’ve been big fans of hers for a long time. She is an incredibly strong actress who can do such depth and humanity at different levels to all the characters she does. That’s what we were looking for with Ursula—not someone who was straight on evil, but somebody that’s got hopefully surprising depth to her. But also toughness and strength.

Maleficent’s new costume appears to be very similar to the one Angelina Jolie wears in the film that came out this summer, in which Maleficent isn’t necessarily evil. Is the costume change a hint?
KITSIS: It’s [costume designer] Eduardo [Castro] getting creative. [He] loves to change the costumes. If you notice, sometimes Lana will have 20 changes in an episode for no reason other than we can.
HOROWITZ: To be completely honest, Maleficent appeared in the second episode of the show. Now, everyone–the writers and costume designers—have had more time to really develop the character on a character level, a visual level and special effects level.
KITSIS: I would say she’ll probably have a few more dresses before we’re done.
HOROWITZ: As far as the movie Maleficent goes, we were big fans of that movie, but we’re not doing that movie. We’re doing our spin on Maleficent. There may be nods to that movie and the classic Maleficent story—
KITSIS: Definitely nods to the classic. As Adam said, we introduced her in episode 2, so we had already been thinking about her on our own. So like Frozen, we’d stick more towards the movie. This is a case where this half of the season is going to be much more of the Once twist on all of them.
HOROWITZ: One of the things we established very early on with Maleficent in season 2 was that she and Regina had a relationship, so that’s a thread we intend to explore.


With the return of Maleficent, does that signal the return of the Aurora (Sarah Bolger)/Mulan (Jamie Chung) storyline?
KITSIS: We are definitely going to dive into Maleficent story. We will see Aurora. Mulan we love. We love Jamie Chung. We absolutely have hopes to bring Mulan back. Her story is in the laboratory right now. But she’s a great character and we’d love to see her back.
HOROWITZ: We want to continue her story. In the near term, there’s more Aurora to be had.

Regina has made an enemy of both Ursula and Maleficent. Is it safe to say she’s dealing with quite a bit in the second half?
KITSIS: Oh yes. I would say that the second half of the season, we’re really going to test Regina in a way she’s never been tested before.
HOROWITZ: She’s going to have her hands full.
KITSIS: Dragons and tentacles and Dalmatians.

Is heroes vs. villains a fair descriptor for the second half of the season?
KITSIS: Absolutely. That is the title of episode 11.
HOROWITZ: It’s “Heroes and Villains.”
KITSIS: That’s actually named after the Beach Boys song.

It feels like Rumple will fall on the side of villains, but is this a struggle for which side Regina will fall on?
HOROWITZ: I would say that’s always been a struggle for Regina. This is not going to make her struggle any easier.
KITSIS: Especially when they’re all after the same thing.

It seems like Rumple is pretty much going full evil again when we end the first half of the season. Will they be working with him?
KITSIS: The winter finale is going to set that up.
HOROWITZ: I don’t know if Rumple is ever full evil. Full evil implies a loss of humanity, and I think that as dark as Rumple gets, there’s still humanity in him that is struggling with the evil. That’s something we’re going to explore.
KITSIS: Rumple likes to think that the ends justify the means. He’s willing to do things to get what he wants, but most people won’t. In his mind, that doesn’t make him evil. He’s not cruel. He doesn’t destroy people’s lives for no reason. It’s usually because they owe him.

Emma (Jennifer Morrison) finally has her powers under control. As the savior, what role does she play going up against the Queens of Darkness?
KITSIS: The second half of the season is going to be much more psychological than magic versus magic. There’s going to be a lot of agendas at play and mystery. Regina and Emma are going to be working together to try and defeat these three.
HOROWITZ: They’re great together.

Are these three the only villains we’re going to be seeing?
HOROWITZ: Never say never.
KITSIS: This is a show about heroes. What good are heroes if they don’t have villains to fight?

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~*•Lana Talks About a Lingering Spell + Regina's Happy Ending In Season 4•*~

A large part of Once Upon a Time's Frozen arc came to an end with the Dec. 7 episode as the Snow Queen/Ingrid (Elizabeth Mitchell) sacrificed herself to put a stop to the Spell of Shattered Sight, restoring things back to normal. That came after she read a note from her now-deceased sister that professed just what she had been searching for: her love and acceptance.

But while Storybrooke may be quieter now that its residents have stopped seeing the worst in each other, Once Upon a Time star Lana Parrilla cautioned things aren't entirely calm yet. "There is something else happening, where there are remnants of the spell lingering," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "There are a few people who are still affected by the spell. Not so much the Spell of the Shattered Sight, but some other spell I can't really say."


Luckily for Regina, she isn't among those impacted by the lingering spell antics, but she might be facing something even tougher: Robin Hood's romantic angst is coming to a boiling point. "I will say that Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) is going to have to make a very difficult decision between Regina and Marian (Christie Laing)," Parrilla teased. "He's been in that position for quite some time, but this will be even more difficult and heartbreaking. That's what's happening in Regina's world."

As Regina navigates her romantic future, she remains unaware that Rumple is planning taking Henry and leaving town. "There's something going on with Belle and Rumple. Something happens between Rumple (Robert Carlyle) and Belle (Emilie de Ravin), and you'll see the flashbacks to when she was his maid and they were living together in fairytale land," she said. "I don't think [Regina]'s very much aware of what's up Rumple's sleeves. He's always up to no good, and the fact that he wants to take Henry (Jared Gilmore) and Belle out of Storybrooke is definitely unbeknownst to Regina. She has no idea this is part of the plan. The only one who knows is Hook."

Regina's own growth — and her lack of awareness of Rumple's plans for Henry — has led to a shift in her already complicated relationship with Rumple, Parrilla acknowledged. "I think she's somewhat empathic, and feels he's delusional. And probably wishes he wouldn't revert to his old ways," she said. "But right now I think she looks at him as if he's a lost cause — the dark side is always going to control him, and he's going to want to be the Dark One … he'll always choose power over anyone else. I think somewhere inside of her, she wishes he would choose a different path, but I don't think she has much faith in him. He's controlled by his danger, and how does he [free] himself from that? And that's his quest."
Unfortunately for Regina, Rumple isn't sympathetic to the quest she's been on this year: finding the author of the fairytales to try and get her own happy ending. "There's a scene coming up this Sunday between Gold and Regina where they talk about the author," she previewed. "I think Gold just thinks she's kind of nutty. That she's just crazy to conjure up this plan, and that this quest is probably near-impossible and won't amount for much. But that's kind of his perspective on it."

Going forward, Parrilla shared, "we will learn new clues that will give us a great lead to who the author is. I'm uncertain about if the author will be revealed this season, but we will definitely be on the quest to find who the author is, and [have them] be forced to write Regina a happy ending."

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~*•Lana Teases What's Ahead In Season 4•*~


Will Operation Mongoose be in full effect going forward? That was back-burnered a bit in the first half of the season.
Lana Parrilla: I think that was intentional. The Author is a very important character, this person or thing or whatever it is, is responsible for everyone's fate. This for Regina has become her No. 1 priority. She is so focused on figuring out who this author is because once she gets ahold of this author, then everything can fall into place for her. Or at least that's how she is hoping it will turn out. And working with Henry (Jared Gilmore) is so fun for her. She loves having this bond with her son. It's not just a mother-son relationship any longer; they're friends. There are no secrets between them, and that's new for Regina. She was always manipulating and hiding something. And now all cards are out on the table. She's so forthright with him. She wants that trust. Also, Henry has the heart of the truest believer, so that's a good person to have on your team. He always has a positive outlook on things, so he's constantly encouraging her and has her back in a way that no one else does, to keep at it and don't give up. He's on board and helping her research and finding the clues. There will be clues that will be revealed in the second part of the season that will help us find who the author is.

Will additional "lost" pages for the storybook be found during this search?
Parrilla: They're on that journey as well, finding the missing pages and finding the person involved in taking these pages out and replacing them. So that will be revealed as well in the second part of the season.

Mr. Gold/Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) intends to leave Storybrooke, but does not seem to have good intentions for the rest of the world. Can you tease anything about his journey in the second half of the season?
Parrilla: I can't say anything about Gold or where he's headed. I will say that however he's going about this plan, Regina doesn't think it will work out. She has very little faith and she's a bit delusional about this thing too. She doesn't quite know that part of his plan is taking her son away. So we'll see how that unfolds.


During the Shattered Sight curse, Regina got to revert back to being the Evil Queen. Did that feel good for that brief period of time?
Parrilla: She's the best. It was fantastic. I loved everything about it. It was so fun.

Is that outfit comfortable?
Parrilla: It's never comfortable nor is it ever warm. They have to make the costume a half inch bigger than my normal size when it's during the winter months so we can layer up underneath. I wouldn't say they're comfortable but I'd say they're extremely beautiful and glamorous to look at.

Speaking of well-dressed female villains, what can you tease about the Queens of Darkness -- Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella de Vil (Kristin Bauer van Straten, Merrin Dungey, Victoria Smurfit) -- coming to Storybrooke?
Parrilla: They are all fabulous. They are villains that we love and have been dying to see come on to the show. Some of us have a history with these characters, so I would say that Rumple has a history with every single person. He definitely has history with these women as does Regina.

Maleficent is Regina's frenemy...
Parrilla: I would say they're more friends. I would say they became enemies when Regina needed something from her and ended up stealing it from her, which is the Dark Curse. Regina and Maleficent have a really interesting history and so there's an episode where you'll see how they met and how they became friends. We start [shooting] on Thursday. I'm so excited about it.

Who has the best outfit of the Queens?
Parrilla: Oh gosh. You know what, this is a tough choice because everyone has different tastes. A couple times I have stumbled into the wardrobe department and have been like, "Oh my God! Is this my next costume?!" And they're like, "Nope, that's Maleficent's." I'm like, "Damn! It's so awesome. Why didn't you guys make this one for me?" But my favorite has been Cruella. I love her costumes probably because I wear black so much. But the black and white combo with the hint of red is to me so chic and fabulous. And those are her three colors predominantly. Cruella looks amazing. You're just going to love her costume.

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~*•OUAT Bosses Tease - 'Getting Back to The Basics'•*~

EW: Are you definitively saying that the Sorcerer is the storybook Author?
ADAM HOROWITZ: We are not definitively saying anything other than you will know who the author is pretty soon after we return.

Have you cast the Sorcerer? Is this a character we’ll be seeing?
HOROWITZ: The character of the Sorcerer we have not cast. The Sorcerer and/or Author will be met within the second half of the season.

Can you talk about this race between heroes and villains to track down the Author? Will we be surprised by what side people fall on?
HOROWITZ: We hope so. We hope there are a lot of surprises in this race to find the author.
EDWARD KITSIS: I think it’s going to really bring into question what makes a hero and what makes a villain. Does the victor get to write history, or is there good and evil in all of us? One thing we’re excited about is that although we’re bringing in the Queens of Darkness, the second half is really about our core characters. We’re going to get a lot more Snow, Charming, Rumple, a lot more Evil Queen and Emma. We’re going to see how all of this affects the people that we’ve come to know and love over the last four years.

Will that race take them to other realms, or might we see some other lands in the second half of the season?
HOROWITZ: We may. We’ll see some flashbacks. We’ll be mostly focused in Storybrooke and what’s going on there with our flashbacks to other realms along the way.
KITSIS: We’re going to meet a couple of new lands and adventures here and there. The other thing we’re excited about is a lot of the flashbacks are really going to take us back to that time in season 1 pre-curse. Snow and Charming post-wedding, when the Evil Queen was evil and Snow and Charming were heroic. We’re going to see a chapter of time during that period that we’ve never seen before.

Snow and Charming took a back seat during the first half of the season. Can you tease what’s next for them?
KITSIS: They were a little lighter in the first half.
HOROWITZ: They’re going to play a much more integral role in what’s to come next, particularly with these Queens of Darkness. Their paths and the future of Storybrooke are aligned in a way that we’ll learn about very quickly.
KITSIS: They’re really going to be in the forefront in the second half, and also their relationship with Emma and their relationship with Regina.

Will we see how the Queens of Darkness came to work together?
HOROWITZ: Yes. Very quickly.
KITSIS: In fact, the premiere.

Rumple seems to have crossed paths with Cruella before. Will we get to see that story?
KITSIS: Yes. Last night, when Rumple saw all three of them, he seemed surprised to see them all. The premiere is going to answer why.

Do the Queens of Darkness share a connection to any other Storybrooke characters?
KITSIS: They’re going to have a connection to Snow and Charming. We’re also excited to get their origin stories, but one that we’re really excited about is episode 14, which is how the Evil Queen met Maleficent.

What role will Robin Hood play moving forward? Will Regina try to track him down?
HOROWITZ: What Regina is or isn’t doing, we aren’t going to say right now, but yes, you have not seen the last of Robin Hood.
KITSIS: We’re just in the middle of the book here.

Has Rumple fallen completely to the dark side, or will his love for Belle keep him from going full evil?
KITSIS: It’s very interesting, because Rumple warned us in season 1 that he was a difficult man to love. Every time we show that side of him, people like to gloss over the fact that he was one of the world’s biggest villains. But truly, he started this season wanting to give the knife back to Belle and wanting to be noble and be a great husband. But we also have to remember last year he did the right thing and sacrificed his life. The end result was his son died and he became a slave to the Wicked Witch, because as long as they have that knife that can control him, he will never truly be free. When he was on his honeymoon and he saw the hat and a chance to free himself, he wasn’t doing it for the power—he was doing it so he wouldn’t have to have the fear every day. Rumple didn’t come to this world with Bae because he was frightened to be in a land without magic. We realize he doesn’t want to be anyone’s prisoner. His real mistake was not being honest with [Belle] and telling her what he was doing. He didn’t do it for villainous reasons, he did it so he wouldn’t have to be a prisoner again and it just got out of control.

Viewers might assume he’s trying to team up with the Queens of Darkness just to get his quick and easy happy ending, but is there a chance his main goal might be just to get back to town to win Belle back?
KITSIS: We’re going to see a Rumple who has lost everything, and he absolutely wants to get it back. We saw him at the height of his hubris telling Regina he’s about to take his happy ending and he doesn’t need an author. Then we see him go to Ursula, repeating what Regina said to him. I think he’s willing to try new methods this time.

What can you tease about the next chapter for Hook and Emma?
HOROWITZ: I think Emma is understanding that Rumple had his heart. The next chapter for the two of them will be about where does their relationship go from here? And how do the new personal obstacles that we’ll see unfold for them in the second half of the season either aid or abet that relationship?

Does Emma finally get her own place?
KITSIS: We wanted her to have her own place, but the cost and the budget was prohibitive, so it’s looking like season 5 now. We wanted her to have her own place from mini-camp of this year, and every time we try to do it, we just can’t afford it. So we don’t want to do it until we can do it well. But rest assured, Emma does need her own space.

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~*•OUAT Creators Talk 'Cruella Twist' and More About Season 4•*~

TVLINE | So I’m looking at the Queens of Darkness — and keep in mind, Victoria Smurfit seemed to get a great reception from our readers — and yet there’s a sense of “One of these things is not like the other.” Suffice to say you’re taking some liberties with Cruella de Vil?
ADAM HOROWITZ | Yes. The traditional Cruella from the classic animated movie has been a jumping off point for our own rendition. If viewers watch what we have in store, you’ll see that while honoring some of the history behind the character, we’re putting a twist on Cruella’s background that involves the Enchanted Forest and a dollop of magic.
TVLINE | Can you give a hint as to how her magic leans?
EDDY KITSIS | It leans towards what she wears on her back. It deals with animals.
HOROWITZ | And it’s dark.
TVLINE | Regarding Rumple’s pitch to Ursula: How might their mission, and how it involves The Author, differ from what Regina and Henry are up to?
KITSIS | It’s not that it’s different. It’s setting them on a collision course. As we saw in that [car] scene last night, Regina laid out to him, “Villains don’t get a happy ending, so I’m going to find this author,” and he said, “That’s bulls–t. Watch me take one.” Well, that blew up in his face, and now he is a man without magic in a land where he is very much not in control, so he’s beginning to see what she said. He has reached a point in his life where he is now asking for help — he can’t do it alone — and he thinks that Regina is on to something.
TVLINE | Would you call Rumple the Big Bad for Season 4B, with the Queens of Darkness almost as his “backup singers”?
KITSIS | Rumple is absolutely the Big Bad. And I would also say that the three women can more than hold their own. It’s a very formidable team of evil coming our way.
TVLINE | I wanted to get some clarity about the lakeside mansion — it belongs to the Sorcerer…?
HOROWITZ | Well, it sure seems that way….
TVLINE | But the Sorcerer is not necessarily the Author.
HOROWITZ | Well, there are some assumptions that characters are making, and that stuff will be cleared up very quickly in 4B. But yes, everyone is assuming that that’s the Sorcerer’s mansion. And some are wondering if he is or isn’t the Author….
TVLINE | Would you want to rule out one fan theory, that the Sorcerer will turn out to be Yen Sid?
KITSIS | The sorcerer from Fantasia? Yeah, we can rule that out.
HOROWITZ | The Fantasia story is a jumping off point. We have something else in mind for the Sorcerer’s background.
TVLINE | Some thought the Emma/Hook reunion felt a bit rushed, especially for someone carrying such a fear about losing the men she loves. Was that a time issue? That you had other story masters to serve?
KITSIS | We would have loved to do 40 minutes of them kissing, but we had a lot to get in.
HOROWITZ | We felt like it was a sweet moment between the two of them, her returning his heart and then the kiss. Could there have been a lot more? Yeah. But there’s still plenty of episodes left in the season.
KITSIS | We thought the kiss and the way she put his heart back said [a lot]…. But the truth is they’re a couple that is continuing, so we’d rather watch them grow together and see what happens.
TVLINE | I very much enjoyed the moment where Regina welcomed Emma to Operation Mongoose.
KITSIS | Even though Regina did the right thing and she let Robin Hood go, we loved the idea of everyone rallying around to help her — which is a lot different from two years ago, when they all went to get dinner and left her on the side of the road.
TVLINE | Sean Maguire hinted on Twitter that he’ll be back as Robin Hood…?
HOROWITZ | I don’t know what he did or didn’t hint, but I would be sorely disappointed if we did not see more of Robin Hood this season.
TVLINE | And Ginny Goodwin indicated to me that Mary Margaret will be more active in 4B — perhaps with regard to the Queens of Darkness arc.
KITSIS | Absolutely. Snow and Charming have a very interesting connection to the Queens of Darkness. There’s a backstory that we’re very excited to reveal. We’re going to see a lot more of the Charmings in the second half.
TVLINE | Any returns to confirm, Ariel or otherwise?
HOROWITZ | Yeah, we can for the first time tell you that Ariel is coming back (played by JoAnna Garcia Swisher). You will see her within the first half of 4B. There may be some other returns that we’re not ready to confirm yet, from our past years.
KITSIS | We can’t wait for everybody to get to know the Queens of Darkness. But really, what we’re excited about is to continue on with the characters that we know and love, putting them together in interesting ways.
TVLINE | “Interesting” like Regina and Emma doing shots together. I would have loved to see them let loose after, like, five each. But pesky Henry….
KITSIS | I know! Henry’s always ruining Happy Hour.

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~*•Scoop On Emma's Powers, Regina's Happiness And More!•*~

Although fans are in for yet another time jump (at least this time it's only six weeks!), Horowitz promised that we're not going to be missing out on any major moments. "We're not repeating the missing year concept from last season," he said. "It's more about giving some time for all of our characters to breathe in what happened, let it settle, and then see how the events of the first half of this season affected all of them."

Horowitz continued, "Rather than dealing with the direct aftermath of 4A, we’re instead letting the characters grow from that so they can prepare for what they're about to experience. And when a new event occurs at the start of the season you'll see that they're all once again thrown into turmoil and there's a lot to deal with and we're really interested in seeing it play out."

"This back half is a lot about what makes a hero and what makes a villain and it's about trying to realize our happy endings," Kitsis revealed. "The [storylines] that we were teasing in the first half [of season four] with the book and the author is really going to be in this front and center of this second half. We are really going to be furthering with Regina on her pursuit of a happy ending." You here that, Evil Regals? Woohoo!

We know that there's still hope for Regina and Robin Hood to reunite, but our formerly Evil Queen is going to be on a quest to find happiness within herself — and the best way to do that is by tracking down that mysterious author. FYI: The OUAT creators promised fans will "absolutely" find out who this mysterious writer is this season.

In addition to more Emma and Regina moments, fans can also expect to see Regina sharing scenes with two other kickass fairytale females. "I am excited for fans to see when The Evil Queen first met Maleficent and we get to learn more about their history," Kitsis said. "And we're excited for Snow and Regina to continue their friendship."

We've learned that there's a fine line between good and evil, so we had to ask it: With the Queens of Darkness headed to town, is there a possibility that Emma could be swayed to use her powers as a villain? "I think that we are going to explore that very question in the second half," Kitsis answered.

"For Emma we are going to continue to explore her powers and what being a Savior and those powers mean and all facets of that," Horowitz said, "She's been very close to people who use magic for good, and with Regina it was people who used magic for evil. Even though Regina has been on a path of redemption, with Emma's it certainly has opened up the possibility of many different magical powers."

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~*•Lana Parrilla Talks Operation Mongoose, The Romantic Side of Regina & Her Developing Friendship With Emma•*~

TVLINE | Once Upon a Time resumes Season 4 this Sunday. What has Regina been up to since last we tuned in?

Lana: Well, a lot has happened, but she’s still on the hunt for this Author, and she’s paired up with Henry (played by Jared Gilmore) — which is adorable, in my eyes, because it’s so nice to see them kind of working in tandem. They’re kind of like little “partners in crime,” and they’ve developed a friendship, Once Upon a Time Regina Spoilersnot just a mother/son relationship. And Emma (Jennifer Morrison), having learned of [Operation Mongoose], decides that she wants to be a part of it as well, so the three of them kind of work together to find this Author.

TVLINE | Last we saw, they had found the library with the blank books in it. What new clues do they have to go?

Lana: Regina gets this idea that the one person who may know more about this book than anyone else is Pinocchio, so she goes to Marco to speak to Pinocchio and see if he can tell her anything about this Author. We also have Eion Bailey returning — I can’t tell you how or when! – but that’s going to be very interesting.

TVLINE | There is a new promo that shows Emma and Regina in the street unleashing some magic at a Chernobog. Have they been honing their “team-up” skills, as far as working in tandem together?
Yeah. I think what they’ve realized is that they are stronger together — like the yin and yang, the light and dark, they go hand in hand, so working together they’re much more powerful than they are working alone.
TVLINE | In that clip, they kind of like give each other a nod like, “OK — let’s do this,” and then they let things fly. Would you say they are still frenemies, or are they full-on allies at this point?

Lana: I wouldn’t say they’re full-on allies at this point, but I think that they are still discovering what their relationship is. Obviously they’re both Henry’s mom, and they’re kind of forced to be in each other’s lives because of that, but I think what’s going to surprise them is actually how much they really do care for one another on a friendship level. And over time, what you’re going to really see is how close they’ve become, more so as family. Which is also how I see the Charmings at this stage, with Regina and Henry — they’re all a family of some sort. So, I think Regina and Emma are quite surprised by how close they have gotten over the year. And one thing I love is they ultimately have each other’s backs.

TVLINE | [Series creators] Adam and Eddy told me that what Rumpelstiltskin is up to with the Queens of Darkness will put them on a “collision course” with Regina and Operation Mongoose. Is that kind of the crux of the drama for the second half of the season?

Lana: Exactly. “Team Evil,” which is what we like to call them, bands together and they make their way into Storybrooke, so Emma and Regina are going to have to deal with this evil trio.

TVLINE | Of course, Maleficent, trapped beneath the library, has been vanquished twice before. Without saying how they do it, is it pretty convincing the way they bring that character back into the mix?

Lana: Yes. Absolutely. It’s very convincing. And it’s super cool. I saw a cut of it the other day, and I got chills throughout my entire body.

TVLINE | If I’m not a Dalmatian, why should I be afraid of this Cruella de Vil (Victoria Smurfit)?

Lana: Because she’s not a threat to just animals. She has an evil streak that runs deeper than we know, and you’ll see that, I believe, in Episode 18, when you get her backstory.

TVLINE | Are there any new kernels of information about Regina that we will learn through flashbacks?

Lana: In Episode 14 there’s a really great flashback with Regina and Mal, about how they met and first became friends. And we have something else coming up, down the road. In Episode 20, we have a surprise that you’ll see in a flashback.

TVLINE | Regina herself is “opportunistically evil” these days. What anymore brings out her biggest, baddest self? Is it threats to family…?

Lana: I think that when someone is being wronged, when something is unfair, when justice is needed in a specific moment, she’s learning to embrace her darkness. She’s learning how to use her powers differently than she did before. Before it was just to hurt, to manipulate, to terrorize, and now it’s to protect. And that’s the difference between Regina and some of the other heroes. They don’t want to kill, they don’t want to hurt anyone, but Regina is not afraid to kill or hurt someone if it’s for the right reason. If she can protect the greater good, and if that means ripping someone’s heart out, then she’ll do so.

TVLINE | Did you enjoy this past half-season, getting to finally play an actual romance for Regina?

Lana: I did. It’s such a beautiful, vulnerable side that we haven’t seen in her — you know falling in love and seeing the hearts in her pupils….

TVLINE | To see her face light up….

Lana: Yeah, and genuinely smile without any sort of evil plan behind it. She’s feeling love in a way that she hasn’t felt in a very long time, if ever, because she’s an adult. Puppy love, with Daniel, her first love, is very different from what Robin is to her and her life now.

TVLINE | She was pretty magnanimous there, letting Robin head out into the real world with Marian. Do we file that under, “Better to have loved and lost than to have not loved at all”?

Lana: I think it was a heroic act, and a very selfless act as well. She really put herself on the backburner and did the right thing, saving Marian, even if it didn’t feel good in the moment. As hard as it was for Regina to make that decision, ultimately she did the right thing, and deep down inside she knows that she did, and so she’s very confident with her decision, even it if it means having a broken heart for however long. Saving the life of someone took precedent over her relationship with Robin, and ultimately it’s for Robin too, because [he and Marian] share a son. It’s a very complicated dynamic.

TVLINE | It really is, because Regina and Robin had to pursue this romance while Marian was frozen for a bit there – and some viewers took issue with that.

Lana: Yeah, but I think what a lot of people unfortunately had missed — because they called it adultery and all these things — was it’s really hard to look at that relationship and compare it real life, because it doesn’t work that way. First of all, someone doesn’t die and then come back 30 years later. The only example I can give is the movie Castaway, where Tom Hanks gets stranded, or, you know, a prisoner of war. Someone is pronounced dead because you haven’t heard from them and the wives think, “I guess my husband is gone, and I need to move on in my life.” That’s exactly what this was with Robin Hood. His wife had died 30 years ago, and he moved on, and the fact that she came back… is not a natural thing that would happen in our lives. It’s called “a television show,” and it’s a fantastical television show at that, and it all happened through magic.

TVLINE | Lastly, there’s another promo that suggests Emma might take a walk on the “dark side” at some point this season. Is that a case where Regina would swing into action and use her evil for good to prevent that?

Lana: I think Regina has learned a lot from her mistakes, and she doesn’t want to see Emma make the same mistakes, so she’s going to stand by her side and protect her as much as she possibly can to make sure she doesn’t cross over to the darkness.

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