Regina Redeemed?

[closetclana]

The whole point to this episode seemed to be wanting us to be more sympathetic to Regina and to give us reason to believe that she could in fact be redeemed.

At the end of the episode she told Henry that she wanted to redeem herself.

What do you think? Can Regina be redeemed? Do you want that to happen or do you want her to remain the evil queen?

[Leonatus]

Someone on IMDB mentioned something that I thought interesting, and I agree with it.

They mentioned that Regina will redeem herself, at least temporarily, because of the fact that we now know that Cora is still alive.

We know that once Regina sees Cora, there's going to be a moment. Cora is going to be proud of Regina for growing up to be just like her, Regina is going to be disgusted by the thought of that even being true, and there's going to be some kind of big showdown about it. So I think at least sometime before/during/after that moment, Regina is going to redeem herself since she's going to be able to take out her frustrations on the person who made her life miserable and destroyed her happy ending. Yes, Snow told her secret, but her mother is the one that killed her lover. I feel like if she wins against Cora, it would satisfy Regina enough.

[Anu]

She killed her father and the hunter. The only ones who cared for her. She is selfish and does things only for herself. I don't see any redemption for her. I guess I'm the only one.

[Penca]

NO
I want her as a *****.
As a good woman is boring.

[Anu]

Oh yeah, she destroyed the mad hatter's life. She destroyed Sidney's life. She helped kill Snow's dad. I'm sure there's more to that list. I don't understand how someone that has done all of that and who doesn't feel regret should have a second chance? :s

[SteelyGal]

I do think Regina can be redeemed but I don't know if she can achieve it long term. I think magic is her addiction and as long as she keeps magic in her life, she will slip into her old evil ways. Even if she finds redemption, I think she needs to be held accountable for her crimes and that goes for Rumple as well. Being this is a fairy tale, I am not sure what they will do but hopefully it won't be whitewashed away.


From a couple of interviews with Lana Parrilla's, it does sound like she will initially seek redemption.

From blogcritics:

My character, she's lost everything. She's lost everything. She's lost her power, and she's lost her son. She has nothing left, and that's a really, really hard reality for her. Because here's a woman who has been in control of everyone and everything apart from Rumple, Mr. Gold, for 28 years, if not more. It's quite a jarring experience for her. I would say the biggest loss is Henry. Not so much the curse. I feel like curses can fail; curses can be lifted; spells could not work, and the Evil Queen can deal with that. She can just always find another way. But losing Henry, that was something she—I don't think she was anticipating. It was happening and it was something she feared. But she literally pushed him away. She did, unbeknownst to her—her controlling nature, her obsession. Also she was very—she was a bit too stern with him. She didn't listen to him. I think that that just inch by inch started pushing him out the door, and now she's fully lost him. I think that that alone has broken her. And in this season what we'll see—we started our sixth episode right now, so a good portion of fifth for a second season, we're going to see her trying to redeem herself.

From TVLine:

TVLINE | Coming out of the premiere, what range of emotions is Regina going through after Emma and Snow White fall through the portal?

There are mixed emotions. For one, she somewhat feels guilty, because that wasn’t her intention. Secondly, it’s almost kind of like a tiny, tiny celebration, because she’s been trying to get rid of these two women for so long! But how it happened… was not ideal. So it’s all a bit confusing for Regina because it’s something that is almost like a victory, and yet at the same time, there is a layer of guilt there. I think Regina is a really good person, at the core of her being, but circumstances changed her over the years.

TVLINE | How soon do we get to see you in Evil Queen regalia again?

I’m hoping very soon. I do miss it. There are some flashbacks, but what we [thus far] flash back to is young Regina. That’s juxtaposed with the Regina in Storybrooke because in Fairytale Land she’s starting to be come this evil queen, while in Storybrooke she’s softening. I love that contrast. That’s what these writers are so great at.

[Rac80]

I doubt she can ever be fully redeemed- she has done too much evil and as Rumple always says "Magic has its price"...I look at the price as damage to her soul (yep like Lord Voldemort!) especially when she has done evil to further her control/power.

[closetclana]

I for one love the idea that Regina will have a story arc about redemption. I don't know whether or not she will ultimately be redeemed, but I hope she will. Yes, I agree that that redemption will have to come with a very heavy price. Perhaps in the end, even giving her life for Henry. There is something wonderful in watching the struggle between darkness and light, I think, because it is a universal struggle. We all are feeling it to one degree or another and we all understand the intense need of wanting to be loved and to love in return. Who among us "older" folks doesn't have a bucket load of regret and hurt we have caused along the way? And while none of us are murderers (I hope not anyway) I think there is something in that journey that we can relate to.

[DigificWriter]

The people behind the series actually tried to make Regina more sympathetic back in The Stable Boy, but their attempt in that instance backfired. I don't personally think that any amount of 'tempering' can or will change her character or the archetype she fills, but I can't fault them for wanting to give her character some layers so that she's not just a one-dimensional 'big bad'.

[Anu]

The people behind the series actually tried to make Regina more sympathetic back in The Stable Boy, but their attempt in that instance backfired. I don't personally think that any amount of 'tempering' can or will change her character or the archetype she fills, but I can't fault them for wanting to give her character some layers so that she's not just a one-dimensional 'big bad'.

But no one sees her as a one dimensional big bad. We have seen who she was. And a little how she became the EQ. We don't need more.

[DigificWriter]

Prior to the last three episodes, the only thing that made Regina more than just a one-dimensional baddie was her love for her father. The Stable Boy, as noted, was an attempt to make her more sympathetic, but it utimately failed, so the only things stopping her from being one-dimensional are her love for her father, her attempt to retain some of her independent nature (despite the way The Stable Boy ends), and her attempt to subvert her own personal curse by raising Henry, all of which makes her a more interesting character, and I don't see why that's a bad thing.

[Anu]

Prior to the last three episodes, the only thing that made Regina more than just a one-dimensional baddie was her love for her father. The Stable Boy, as noted, was an attempt to make her more sympathetic, but it utimately failed, so the only things stopping her from being one-dimensional are her love for her father, her attempt to retain some of her independent nature (despite the way The Stable Boy ends), and her attempt to subvert her own personal curse by raising Henry, all of which makes her a more interesting character, and I don't see why that's a bad thing.

It's not a bad thing at all. It's just that it could get boring if we all know that she can't be redeemed.

[Resistance84]

I like the combo of good/evil in Regina. Seeing more of the good side explored isn't a bad thing, but I don't know if I'd want to see her 100% good. Like, she may want to redeem herself, but she didn't burn the magic book- in case she needs it for a rainy day.

[Munnag]

Well, I feel that Regina finally understood what she has become from what person to what person and she had seen that same happening with Henry. Although she mentioned to Henry that she wanted to reedem herself but she couldn't destory the magick book. This explains that it won't be easy on her to giveup the magic. We all know that "all magic comes with price" and it is not easy to give up such power. Rumple lost his beloved son becuase he didn't want to give up the power. Regina didn't do what she suppose to do to reedem herself. It was just a thought and i don't think she does that anytime soon.

[DigificWriter]

^ Rumple lost Bae because of cowardice and his own insecurities, not because he couldn't or wouldn't give up his power, but that is really a discussion for another place and time.