Hi, I found your blog by accident and I don't understand how I missed it in the past. The OUAT fandom was the last one I was active in and I didn't have a good experience. I had issues with Regina fans accusing me of being homophobic, childish, not accepting any criticism, even when I pointed out the most obvious things. Every day was a fight with someone, in the end I unsubscribed from every group. You can imagine how great it is for me to find a blog where all of this is highlighted.
Welcome to the sane side of the fandom! It's so nice to hear from you!
I actually deleted my first twitter account after such attacks that also included every "ism" being hurled at me along with "rapist apologist" for liking Killian (despite him not being one but their queen being a canon one & also Rumple cause Rumple fans are just as deranged). But then I thought about it and became defensive and decided to fight them instead of let them win. And so I returned. With a vengeance. I guess you can say that they "made me who I am". LOL.
Not all fandoms are this toxic. But it seems to be the fandoms that have fanon shippers shipping an abusive or toxic pair that have some of the worse environments. Imagine that.
how did i only just find your blog?? came here for the regina bashing cos i honestly, she's awful. one of the things i love most about it - you come with RECEIPTS. also, just wanted ti add that I've been to a fair few ouat conventions and the difference when regina stans are and aren't there is astounding. 1st one was nuts. people followed them into the bathrooms, very entitled behaviour etc. 2nd con - WAS LOVELY! colin, josh and ginny were the main guests and it was such a lovely atmosphere 😍😍 anyway, hi, hello, I'll be lurking in the shadows and reblog stuff when i acc. come on here 😅
I have never been to a con but I can't tell you how many others I've heard with the same kind of stories about what goes on! It is INSANE! But you know what? Villain stans. They behave just like their idols. It is SO TELLING! People want to deny that what we consume affects us in some way (more so for some than others true enough) but if you open your eyes THE PROOF IS RIGHT THERE!
Also welcome to the blog! Thank you thank you. I have used these receipts to battle the crazy Regigigigigig stan attacks. They've served me well. I hope they will help others in the future should the need arise! Lol. I'm not as active in the OUAT fandom anymore because I think I've said everything that's needed to be said but I am always open to dishing out the Regina hate because she is absolutely the worse written character I've ever had the misfortune of putting up with just to see my favorites.
Malyen Oretsev may have voiced his concern or fear during hard times but those moments pale in comparison to everything he sacrificed. If he hated Alina’s powers, or her duty to Ravka, he’d have left. He wouldn’t have branded himself Alina’s soldier then sacrificed his life so that she could defeat her enemy. In reality, he was the only one to love Alina for Alina and not for what she could do for them.
Mal awed by Alina’s Powers
He frowned but then he reached out, letting his fingers play in the light, and said, “That’s really something.”
-Shadow & Bone, Ch 18
He shut his eyes and turned his face toward the sunlight that radiated from my hand. Then he tilted his head, resting his cheek against my palm. The light glowed warm against his skin. We stood that way, in silence, until the watch bell rang.
-Siege & Storm, Ch 6
“I didn’t hear anyone laughing,” Mal said. “For someone who has no idea what she’s doing, I’d say you’re managing pretty well.”
-Siege & Storm, Ch 13
“Can you do more with it?” he asked.
“No. Just …remnant of what I did in the chapel.”
“You mean saving all our lives?”
“…It’s just a carnival trick.”
“It’s something you took from him,” he said.
I didn’t think I imagined the satisfaction in his voice.
-Ruin & Rising Ch 3
“You’re glowing.” He ran a finger down my forearm where the sleeve had ridden up, watching the play of light over my skin, a smile curling his lips.
-Ruin & Rising, Ch5
Mal not being afraid of Alina
While everyone else is afraid to approach her, he steps right up. The first time she was losing control. The second time they didn't know what was happening but the building was shaking. Act now, asks questions later.
The same thing happens in the books too. Mal prevents her from destroying the entire ship after getting the Sea Whip. Then when Alina defeats the Darkling in the chapel and it's crashing down he runs back in to pull her out. And there's a moment in the underground temple where Alina thinks Mal is afraid of her powers but he was more afraid of losing her and didn't want her to have to make a kill. He knows killing another person isn't easy. But he says later he had faith in her.
Mal supporting Alina becoming Queen
“I came here for you. You’re my flag. You’re my nation.”
-Siege and Storm, Ch 18
“I wasn’t afraid of you, Alina. I was afraid of losing you. The girl you were becoming didn’t need me anymore but she is who you were always meant to be. Strong." He looked away. "Luminous. And maybe a little ruthless too… Ravka is broken, Alina…The girl I saw in the chapel could change that."
"Nikolai's a born leader. He knows how to fight. Knows how to
politic. But he doesn't know what it is to live without hope. He's never
been nothing. Not like you or Genya. Not like me."
"He's a good man," I protested.
"And he'll be a good king. But he needs you to be a great one."
-Ruin & Rising, Ch 7
“I don’t need any of that. Just…” He dropped Nikolai’s hand and looked away. “Deserve her.”
-Ruin & Rising, Ch11 & Season 2
“And where will you go?”
“I’ll stay by your side as long as you let me.” His jaw set. “I’ll do what I have to do to keep you safe.”
“And I’ll keep marching because the firebird is all I can give you.”
-Ruin and Rising, Ch 13
"Because you were meant for more. I'll get you the firebird. That's all I have to offer / We've known for a while now that you were meant for more."
-Shadow & Bone, S2
These last two are so important because it shows that Mal knows they have no future together. Alina needs to become queen and she can't do that if she's with him. A lesser man would just walk away since they won't be getting anything in return. But Mal doesn't. He stays to get her what she needs, the only thing he can give her, before they part ways for good.
Mal believing in Alina
"You will destroy the fold. Just not today."
- Shadow & Bone, S1 Ep 8
"I wanted to make you human,” he said. “All they see when they look at you is the Sun Summoner. They see a threat, another powerful Grisha like the Darkling. I want them to see a daughter or a sister or a friend. I want them to see Alina.”
-Siege & Storm, Ch 16
“How did you know I’d be able to summon?” I asked under my breath. He glanced at me, and a faint grin touched his lips. “Faith.”
-Ruin & Rising, Ch 2
"You could have struck down the Apparat and all his Priestguards, but you didn't."
"I wanted to."
"But you didn't. You've had plenty of opportunities to be brutal, to be cruel. You've never taken them."
"Not yet. The firebird-"
He shook his head. "The firebird won't change who you are. You'll still be the girl who took a beating for me when I was the one who broke Ana Kuya's ormolu clock."
I groaned, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "And you let me." He laughed. "Of course I did. That woman is terrifying." Then his expression sobered. "You'll still be the girl who was willing to sacrifice her life to save us at the Little Palace, the same girl I just saw back a servant over a king."
-Ruin & Rising, Ch 7
"I know, I know. I don't get it. I just know there's no way to live without pain-no matter how long or short your life is. People let you down. You get hurt and do damage in return. But what the Darkling did to Genya? To Baghra? What he tried to do to you with that collar?
That's weakness. That's a man afraid." He peered out at the valley. "I may never be able to understand what it is to live with your power, but I know you're better than that. And they all know it too," he said with a nod back to where the others had gone to make camp. "That's why we're here, fighting beside you. That's why Zoya and Harshaw will whine all night, but tomorrow they'll stay."
-Ruin & Rising, Ch 14
"I know you can do it someday. You'll get there. I just don't want to see it kill you in the process."
-Shadow & Bone, S2 episode 1
"She's worth it, Sir"
-Shadow & Bone, S1 (talking to his captain about going after Alina)
Mal sacrificing for Alina
“The Darkling wants that stag. He wants it for you, so I'll find it. It's the only thing I can still give you. The only thing.”
-Shadow & Bone, S1
For the first time, I realized that Mal had no idea why I’d fled the Little Palace, why the Darkling was searching for me. The last time I’d seen him, I’d essentially ordered him out of my sight, but still he’d left everything behind and come for me.
Shadow & Bone, Ch 16
This time he didn’t blush or turn away. “It’s a promise to be better than I was,” he said. “It’s a vow that if I can’t be anything else to you, at least I can be a weapon in your hand.” He shrugged. “And I guess it’s a reminder that wanting and deserving aren’t the same thing.”
Ruin and Rising, Ch7
“I came here for you. You’re my flag. You’re my nation.”
-Siege and Storm, Ch 18
“Save them. This once, let me carry you.” His gaze locked on mine. “End this,” he said.
-Ruin & Rising, Ch 17
"I'm not afraid. Because I get to save you. And you get to save Ravka."
-Shadow & Bone, S2
"You know I'd lay down my life for you. Alina, you're a living Saint. I might not be enough. You need all the help that Nikolai can offer you."
-Shadow & Bone, S2
Mal Loving Alina
"I wanted to make you human,” he said. “All they see when they look at you is the Sun Summoner. They see a threat, another powerful Grisha like the Darkling. I want them to see a daughter or a sister or a friend. I want them to see Alina.”
-Siege & Storm, Ch 16
He would kiss her neck and whisper new names in her ear: beauty, beloved, cherished, my heart.
-Ruin & Rising, last page
"You are all I ever wanted. You're the whole of my heart."
-Shadow & Bone, S2
Maybe that's why I wrote this letter, Alina. Maybe it's a promise—that I'll survive tomorrow and the day after that, and somehow, no matter what it takes, I'll see you safe again.
What is she? She's everything, you dumb son of a bitch.
Mal’s letters - actually just his entire letter. It really puts into perspective his state of mind when he finds her at the Little Palace.
“Maybe that brought us together, but it didn’t make us who we are. It didn’t make you the girl who could get me to laugh when I had nothing. It sure as hell didn’t make me the idiot who took that for granted. Whatever there is between us, we forged it. It belongs to us.”
-Ruin & Rising
There was something fierce and almost desperate in the way he held me, as if he could not have me close enough.
That time he got himself purposefully sent to jail just to be with her
-Shadow and Bone S2
Because I would always be the first person he turned to when he saw something lovely, and I would do the same. Whether I was a Saint or a queen or the most powerful Grisha who ever lived, I would always turn to him.
Regina suggests that she and Emma combine their magic to try and save Henry. It seems noble but she is doing it to avoid Tinkerbell and when Emma brings up the risk to Henry's life Regina brushes it off.
In fairness, maybe she’s worried Tinkerbell won’t help because of her, but she just can’t be honest about it. She protects herself first.
Regina is always concerned about herself first.
I mean it's a common theme throughout this entire first half of trying to find Henry.
Let's take a quick look at 3x02
Regina: Ready to thank me?
Emma: Actually, yeah.
Regina: If you'd let me do it sooner, maybe we'd have found him by now. Wait. He's there. Pan. I can feel his smugness.
Regina is already trying to take credit for what will be a failed rescue attempt. It’s all about her, not Henry.
This is a response to those calling me a hypocrite for shipping CaptainSwan while being critical of the Darklina craze that is sweeping across my timeline.
If you're not willing to accept canon facts then please do not bother engaging. If you can't agree to canon then there's no way to have a discussion. I realize some people fanon Darklina into something that resembles CaptainSwan, and that's fine, but canon wise these two ships are nothing alike!
NOTE: this was written prior to S2 of Shadow and Bone but the show is following the books so book canon will be used!
"Both ships are enemies to lovers so they're practically the same!"
No, no they are not. For starters, Darklina would've been lovers to enemies except they were never even lovers. There was never a moment of honesty or love between them since he was lying & manipulating her from the start with the intention of using her. A kiss shared under these circumstances is not the same as a committed relationship, especially since she runs from him so that he can't use her for his own purposes. This is straight from Alina and Bagrah in book 1 and in season 1. So basically Darklina is a crack ship because they were never together nor were they going to end up together after the events of the first book and the Darkling's treatment of Alina only gets worse later on.
While Emma and Killian were barely enemies. Yes they were on opposite sides of good and evil at the start. But what is the worse they did to each other while being so called enemies? She betrayed him by breaking her word on the beanstalk. OK. Big deal. He left her locked in a cell after her betrayal. OK. But he never targeted Emma the way the Darkling targets Alina. And I am talking Villain Hook here. We'll get to Dark Hook in a moment. So Emma and Killian pass the enemies stage without heavy baggage between them. He has never caused her great pain like lets say Neal who abandoned her & sent her to jail for his crimes or Regina who has murdered someone she cared for, orphaned her, tried to kill her and her parents multiple times and so on. So that friendship makes less sense than a romance with Killian. Never mind that from the start Hook was following Emma's lead, supporting her decisions and believing in her.
Bottom line: Darkling used Alina and never once took her feelings into consideration. From the start Hook respected Emma as a leader and we later see a healthy romance develop between them where he is always supporting her, encouraging her and putting her first.
"The Darkling murdered people Alina cared for just as Dark One Hook tried to send Emma's family to hell!"
Correction. The Dark Ones using Hook's thirst for revenge almost sent Emma's family to hell. The keyword there ALMOST. I could always forgive Hook for being consumed by darkness because I know that wasn't what he wanted or who he truly was. And once he was rid of the darkness he never sought it again unlike Gold who couldn't let it go and Regina who still wanted it (5x23). Or even the Darkling who just wanted to amass more power and control. How Hook treated Emma & her family while consumed by darkness never would've happened even when he was just a villain. And that for me is crucial.
Darkling saw what he was doing to Alina and did not care! bookDarkling actually killed the only mother Alina really remembers and in the face of her pain he says "I'll strip everything from you until you have no shelter but me".
Killian Jones overcame darkness when he saw Emma’s pain then sacrificed his life for her. That is such a huge difference.
"Emma kills Hook as Alina kills the Darkling"
The Darkling treated Alina like his puppet to master. He hunted her down. He threatened to torture her. He invaded her mind. He died trying to bring her under his control and her pain never gave him pause.
As I said above, the Darkness was using Hook's thirst for revenge to get what it wanted. Emma's pain broke Hook from the darkness' hold and he sacrificed his life to stop the Dark Ones from fulfilling their mission. Emma killed Hook at his request to destroy the darkness forever and save her family from the Dark Ones.
So lets reiterate:
Darkling didn't care about Alina's pain and died trying to control Alina
Emma's pain woke Killian and he died trying to free Emma from the darkness and save her family.
Therefore, these two events are not similar!
Actually, Hook's death and Mal's death line up closer! Both men gave their lives for the woman they love. Mal gave his life to give Alina more power to defeat her enemy. While Hook gave up his so that Emma's light would be restored & the darkness would be gone.
"But what the Darkling did was for the greater good! So he is at least better than Hook!"
Actually, no, it was not for the greater good. If you believe that then you too fell for the Darkling's manipulation.
The Darkling sees non-Grisha life, and the life of Grisha that refuse to stand with him, as nothing. The author makes it very clear that the Darkling's excuse that it was to "save the Grisha" was another manipulation. If he was truly trying to save the Grisha then he would have aligned himself with Alina and Nikolai instead of trying to enslave Alina and take Nikolai's throne. Him expanding the fold created more fear and disdain for Grisha. Besides, he never attacked the two regions directly responsible for Grish genocide. The Darkling also targeted innocent people to bend Alina to his will.
Whatever you want to believe of his motives, using Alina against her will was still wrong. He is so abusive, manipulative, controlling and literally terrorizes her. You can't get past that. And that's just who the Darkling is at this point. It's mentioned a few times he has lost his humanity.
Hook did murder innocent people on his path for revenge but his targets were always on point: first it was to hurt the King who was responsible for his brother's death then it was to kill Rumple for murdering Milah.
So I am sorry but neither are justified in murdering. And the Darkling is definitely more evil than Hook seeing that by the end the Darkling does not repent whereas Hook does.
"But Emma is light and she changed Hook! Alina can do the same for The Darkling!"
First things first. Emma did not change Killian. Killian wanted to change. Killian worked on becoming a better person not only to deserve Emma's love but because he wanted to be the man he was always meant to be. The Navy officer who honorably served king and country. Now Emma is his nation. Sort of like Alina is Mal's.
Alina doesn't love The Darkling. That's already been made clear. The only reason she was falling for his manipulation was because she believed Mal had abandoned her... something that was orchestrated by the Darkling as he hid Mal's letters from her and Mal himself. Any connection she has to the Darkling later was forced by the Darkling having one of his monsters bite her.
The Darkling does not love Alina. He loves that Alina's powers will help him accomplish his goals to rule. He only notices her because she is the sun summoner. In the book when she loses her powers he calls her "nothing". And the idea that it is Alina's job to change him is abhorrent. That is not Alina's job. That is his job. In the book, he says it's her job to change him and she rightly says "or you will make me a monster". He has to want to change. But he doesn't.
So lets do some side by side comparisons. Is Darkling like CaptainSwan? Or more like Rumbelle?
1) Getting rid of the competition
Show: The Darkling physically hid Mal from Alina. Book: He kept them separated on the ship and used Mal's life to get Alina to do what he wanted.
Rumple killed Belle’s fiancé & didn't tell her he'd come for her until Season 5.
Hook didn’t hide Neal from Emma & stepped aside to give them a chance.
2) Using something they care about to manipulate them into a relationship
Show: The Darkling impressed Alina with her favorite flowers to manipulate her feelings toward him (obvious since he knows she cares for Mal but doesn’t tell her where he is or that Mal’s the reason he knew about the flowers). Book & Show: He first kissed her to distract her from questions about the amplifiers which he wanted to obtain to control her. He wanted her focused on his interest in her rather than on the amplifiers so that she wouldn't guess his plans.
Rumple proposed to Belle with a fake dagger to earn her trust and get her to be his wife. He also wanted to keep her "blissfully ignorant". He also tried to use their son as a way to anchor her to him in Season 6. It worked.
Hook traded his ship for Emma. Her family needed her and he gave up his home to help her. When she first asks how he returned to her he dodges the question so it wouldn’t sway her feelings. He doesn't tell her until she asks again after they've spent time trying to make sure they don't screw up the past while trying to get back to the future.
3) Controlling the other
show & book: Darkles put a COLLAR on Alina to use her powers to expand the fold. He didn’t even tell her all of his plans. He forced her to take part in what he wanted to do which was literally wipe out an entire town. Darkles used Mal to control Alina so he could use her to use the fold to murder an entire village
Rumple locked Belle on Hook’s ship then put a magic cuff on her so she couldn’t run. In Season Four, he re-wrote the story to make Belle his wife again after she rejected him.
Hook let Emma make all the decisions in their relationship & followed her lead.
4) Isolation
Book & Show: Darkles isolated Alina from Mal. He had Genya confiscate his letters & never sent Alina’s. Book: He murdered Alina's mother figure & kidnapped all the students she cared about so that he could "strip everything from her until there was no shelter left but him".
Rumple isolated Belle - took her away to a land where they were alone & she aged 2x as fast.
Hook returned Emma to her family, befriended her father & got to know her son.
5) Their Evil Deeds
The Darkling murdered an entire city when creating the fold and again when he expanded it by using Alina. He sex trafficked Genya and did nothing to protect her from the King.
Rumple murdered people and sold children. He doesn’t regret it
The Darkling sexually assaulted Alina by pretending to be Mal.
Rumple disguised himself as Killian to put his hands on Belle. He later re-wrote Belle back to being his wife after she rejected him which would be sexual abuse.
Hook punched out his past self for trifling with Emma. Hook killed people but he paid a price & showed remorse, repented & made amends. He owned his mistakes and never tried to hide from them.
Hook fought the darkness for Emma. The moment he saw her pain he came back to himself and then sacrificed his life to get rid of the darkness forever.
While Hook was a villain, he never reached the same level of treachery as The Darkling and Rumple and that is important because from a literary standpoint it makes Hook's redemption actually possible and believable. The only redemption for the Darkling and Rumple was sacrificial death (which Rumple did in S3 but then erased it by his later deeds & S7 was too little too late because if Belle had been alive it wouldn’t have happened).
I am done reblogging the same post over and over again because I've made my point but I just have to say one thing:
Regina Mills stans are one of the worse groups of people I have ever encountered and years after the show is off the air nothing has changed.
Because as usual now I have idiots screaming "RACISM!" All because I stated facts about Regina MIlls that they do not like. Not once did I bring up race. Not once does the show even bring up race. Oh and by the way I can dispute what any fictional character went through when y'all are lying about it! It doesn't mean that it is anything else other than me debating a piece of fiction and what happened on the show.
Therefore. Please.
Seriously sod off.
Get a life.
You claim I am obsessed but here you guys are attacking a person over a fictional character. Worse yet a blog post that is how many years old?
Oh and learn the difference between canon and things that aren't canon. Books, head canons, actors spouting crap off camera is not canon. And while you're at it, rewatch the show.
In this picture we have Regina standing next to a young Snow White. Snow White who is only about 10 years old here whereas Regina looks to be well over the age of 18.
This scene is days before Regina’s wedding.
With them standing side by side, are you able to see the differences in age? Does the woman in this picture really look young enough to be King Leopold’s granddaughter as some EvilRegals have suggested? Does she look close or younger than the child (the one wearing the bow just so that we’re clear here)?
The answer is no. Regina is definitely a grown woman in this scene. She was old enough to be running off and marrying Daniel, wasn’t she? So why is she suddenly too young to get married?
Season 1 episode 02:
Maleficent: If it were me, I’d be simply tortured watching that flake of Snow so happy. Weren’t you about the same age when you were to be married? Before she ruined it all. Yes, you were.
Snow had to be in her mid to late 20s then. She was on the run for a few years prior to marrying David.
In season 3, Emma says that her parents are the same age as she is. There was at most a year and a half between Snowing getting married and the curse being cast. Snow had to be around 26/27.
Season 1 episode 18
Cora: Well, you’re getting a little old for fun. Who’s going to want to marry you when you behave like a commoner?
Henry I: Honey, please leave her alone.
Cora: Stop coddling her. She’s becoming an old maid. All the other girls her age are married. I had such high hopes.
She’s still not a child even in this scene.
Was the King significantly older than her? Yes. So?
Regina was of age when she WILLINGLY married King Leopold.
Why do I say she willingly married him? Because the only thing standing in the way was Cora and she’d just shoved her mother into a mirror. She was about to run away with Daniel. Why all of the sudden do EvilRegal stans believe Regina was stuck? Are you suggesting Regina needed a man in order to get the life she wanted?
I don’t think so.
We don’t even know what would have happened if Regina had said “no” to the King. It doesn’t even appear that the thought crossed Regina’s mind. With Daniel gone she could use her position as Queen to 1) find a way to bring Daniel back and 2) ruin Snow’s life.
And even if you wanted to argue that Regina pushed Cora into the mirror after her wedding (same dress, same day but whatever)… what about that scene with Rumple right after?
2x02: Regina is leaving the castle on horseback.
Rumpelstiltskin: Leaving, are we?
Evil Queen: That was always the plan.
It was always Regina’s choice.
King Leopold did not abuse his bride
I’m sorry where? I must have missed this scene! Because there is literally NOTHING in canon to suggest this happened. In fact, he pretty much left her alone.
In a separate bedroom.
Yes, he knew she was unhappy and did nothing about it. He didn’t know what to do about it because they didn’t speak. But miscommunication is a two way street and is not abuse. Regina didn’t open up to him and she was never honest with him. He in turn, left her to her own devices.
Why?
Because he married Regina so that Snow would have a mother again. The king says this when he proposes to Regina. He’d been scouring the land for a wife that would take interest in his daughter. That is literally the only reason he married her.
5x02 The Price
Snow: You and I went to dozens of balls together.
Regina: Where your father was more interested in dancing with his precious daughter than his wife.
Sounds like a man that’s really interested in a woman, doesn’t it? Mmmmm. Not really!
Furthermore, this is fiction. If the writers wanted us to believe that Leopold was an evil man, they would’ve presented him as such. Instead they presented him as a good man and a doting father.
He even freed the genie without taking a single wish for himself! This is not an act of an evil selfish man. So if the show wanted him to be one then they were horrible writers because they portrayed the exact opposite.
To claim King Leopold abused Regina without an ounce of actual onscreen proof is a horrible injustice to Snow’s memory of her father. It’s a horrible accusation to throw around and one that should not be tossed about without proof as it is damaging to all parties.
So cut it out. Thanks.
Again, Regina could tell the truth
“Regina couldn’t tell the truth because in the medieval times (where the Enchanted Forest is set) no one could tell a King no.”
Seeing people claim OUAT is based on our world history makes me laugh!
If this was real factual history, the King wouldn’t have even asked for Regina’s hand. He would have decided she would be his bride and would have sent a cart for her! But King Leopold wasn’t shown to be a tyrant. He asked for her hand… he was just too dense to realize what Cora was doing. Which is not a crime.
And what about the costuming? Because that was so accurate, right?
Also, in medieval times women could not rule. Throne went to next blood male no matter the age. So in Merida’s case, by this logic, one of her brothers should be ruling. More about this is filed under Snow being the rightful ruler.
So, no. Regina pushed her mother through the mirror. She could have been honest with Snow or with the King. King Leopold adored his daughter and his daughter adored Regina.
Regina had options.
She chose her path.
Other sources:
I recently found this post that breaks down the characters ages based on age and does a wonderful job doing it too. Final Timeline and Ages of Once Upon a Time characters.
(y'all i literally ship captainswan i love emma i love killian and i also love regina and, regardless of how i feel about her character, as an abuse survivor i feel the need to point out how harmful this actually is??)
ALRIGHTY from the top !!
This first thing isn’t really harmful i just wanted to point out that you contradicted yourself !! Might’ve been unintentional but regardless i’m just saying when Maleficent says “Weren’t you about the same age when you were to be married?” that’s not about how old Snow was when she married David, that’s about how old Snow was compared to Regina when Regina married Leopold. What Maleficent is saying here is that Snow and Regina were of a similar age when Regina married Leopold.
This one!! Let me just start out by saying Cora is an abusive mother so genuinely if you try to protect her in any replies/reblogs I will block you immediately because that is not something that I’m willing to deal with!! Okay. Onto the actual screenshot: I really have no idea what this had to do with your point! My mother has called me an old maid since I was 14 because I never had a boyfriend (being a lesbian does kinda do that but when your mom’s a piece of shit that doesn’t really matter to her) and saying “all the other girls her age are married” is also… not that exciting? I understand that the Enchanted Forest isn’t our world, but it was written under the assumption that it sort of coincides with 18th century Europe, where people were getting married at, like. Fourteen. (Read some Jane Austen novels someday, they’re very interesting.) So that doesn’t actually prove anything.
ALRIGHT let’s get into the good stuff!! Do me a favor and rewatch the scene where Leopold proposes. Please. You’ll find something interesting there, I promise… Oh, don’t wanna rewatch it? Here, I’ve got you:
Now, I want you to notice something- Leopold doesn’t get an answer from Regina. He gets an answer from her mother. And as we see earlier in the episode…
…Regina defying the wishes of her mother leads to physical abuse from Cora. Theoretically, you could say that Regina had the option to say “No” but you also have to take into account that Regina was likely fearful for her own life. If that is what Cora did just because Regina didn’t want to ride sidesaddle, imagine what she would do if Regina turned down the king. I think, honestly, the worry is less “Bad things will happen if Regina turns down the king,” and more “Terrible things will happen if Regina defies her mother.”
Another one!!! That is literally abuse. Neglect is a form of abuse.
Alrighty, I just have one final point to make! Leopold had a flirtation with Cora Mills, also known as Regina’s mother. I don’t care about Regina’s age, that is disgusting and disturbing. Imagine being asked out by someone who is the same age or older than your parents… Not such a great thought, is it.
OK I am going to try to respond to this rather ridiculous reblog I had on this post. IF this gets confusing... I apologize in advance.
"i'm just saying when Maleficent says "Weren't you about the same age when you were to be married?" that's not about how old Snow was when she married David, that's about how old Snow was compared to Regina when Regina married Leopold. What Maleficent is saying here is that Snow and Regina were of a similar age when Regina married Leopold."
What you claim does not even make sense! And you're wrong. Snow was 10. We know that. Regina wasn't 10. That's just stupid. And if you're claiming Regina was 18 well that's no where near similar to 10. Maleficent is talking about Snow being the same age Regina was when Regina married Leopold! So therefore Regina was far older than 18 when she married since Emma and Snow are currently the same age.
"Let me just start out by saying Cora is an abusive mother so genuinely if you try to protect her in any replies/reblogs I will block you immediately because that is not something that I'm willing to deal with!!"
Then block me. Regina's issues started with Cora when Regina started rebelling over her future. Yes, Cora was abusive. But I'm not going to listen to BS about how Regina gets a pass on everything because you want to pretend it is canon fact that Cora abused Regina her entire life. What Cora did to Regina over marrying Daniel & the King was horrible. The end.
"all the other girls her age are married" is also... not that exciting? I understand that the Enchanted Forest isn't our world, but it was written under the assumption that it sort of coincides with 18th century Europe, where people were getting married at, like. Fourteen. (Read some Jane Austen novels someday, they're very interesting.) So that doesn't actually prove anything."
Psssst. It's called the writers letting us know that Regina is well past marrying age. ;)
"Imagine what she would do if Regina turned down the king. I think, honestly, the worry is less "Bad things will happen if Regina turns down the king," and more "Terrible things will happen if Regina defies her mother."
I am well aware of King Leopold's proposal & that Cora was initially pushing the marriage. But then you purposefully miss my point that Regina could have gone to the King AFTER Cora was gone. Because Regina DID push Cora through the mirror while she was still wearing her wedding dress. And right afterward she went to meet up with Rumple where she announces that she was leaving which was what her plan had always been. You know, back when she was planning to leave with Daniel.
So yes, my point still remains. There was a point in time where Regina could have told the King and she chose not to.
"That is literally abuse. Neglect is a form of abuse."
Neglect? She had everything she needed! You're gonna completely ignore the fact that Regina could have also been honest with him? That she could have communicated with him? Marriage is a two way street there. They were both wrong.
Killian Jones vs Regina Mills - How they treat Emma Comparison
Or if you prefer this title: DO NOT COME FOR MY SHIP UNLESS YOU CHECK YOURS FIRST!
I did not write this out in the hopes of changing anyone’s mind but with the idea that something was going to be available to shoot down the horrible accusations thrown at CaptainSwan.
I actually stopped and started finishing this several times. I’d be going and I’d stop thinking “well the war has passed now maybe I should just let it go.” But low and behold the SQ mob would jump another CaptainSwan fan and I’d go right back to writing this out here. So you can guarantee that when I press “post” it will be on the heels of another attack.
Things to keep in mind while reading this post:
I do not ship Villain Hook with Emma. I didn’t ship them until I started to see Killian working towards being a better man. Which was in Neverland. Season 1 references to Regina will be used because Swanqueen ships Emma and Regina from Season 1 when Regina was still fully evil.
Yes, Killian gave into the darkness and allowed it to manipulate him. For that he is guilty. However, I recognize that he was consumed by an evil dark force that was manipulating him for its own purposes and that Dark Hook is NOT the man Killian was becoming nor is Killian anything like Dark Hook after he rejects the darkness and sacrifices his life.
Regina on the other hand was never consumed by darkness. Her actions and cruelty are hers and hers alone. She was not being manipulated or controlled by a powerful source. She’s just cruel because she likes it. She has 0 excuse for her bad behavior throughout the series.
I despise Emma & Regina’s friendship. It is toxic and one sided. So everything here is spoken in terms of the toxicity of their friendship vs the true love of Killian’s Jones. I have an issue with Regina, period. Or toxic relationships. Emma and Neal were one and I’ve done an entire piece on that too so please spare me the whole “you have to support all gay ships”. No, I don’t, when one is a canon toxic FRIENDSHIP to begin with and anything coming from it would also be toxic.
Regina is not being sarcastic. When someone is sarcastic they’re making a joke in fun. And other people usually laugh. Notice how none of the other characters are laughing? Because it isn’t funny. And it isn’t funny because of her tone… her tone suggests that she means it. She’s isn’t saying it to be cute or get a laugh. She’s saying it to cut people down!
Because Regina has zero excuse for being a horrible person, there are things she’s done or said that are inexcusable because she never sought forgiveness or paid any price.
Regina destroyed Emma’s childhood and has said two different times that she doesn’t not regret it. She said it in Save Henry because it got her what she wanted and she says in S4 that her greatest regret was not believing how special Henry was which was a sugar coating or erasure of her abuse of Henry. Her greatest regret should be the lives she destroyed. Killian has never destroyed Emma nor has he been the cause of her building walls around herself. He’s actually the reason her walls came down which allowed her to fully love again and stop running.
Regina’s treatment of Emma regarding Marian. She vilified Emma for saving her victims life and never gave one thought to Roland or to her role in the matter! Killian never vilified Emma for being a hero.
Regina’s use of the dagger against Emma. Emma gave the dagger to her because she knew Regina was the only one capable of destroying her. She knew Killian and her parents loved her too much and believed in her too much. That’s not a good thing for Regina! Furthermore, Regina used that dagger against Emma on three occasions. The first was to steal her agency cause she didn’t trust Emma to be the savior and battle darkness, the second time to shut her up and she enjoyed it and the third time to force Emma to reveal something Emma didn’t want to reveal to Regina. Killian Jones would not let anyone control Emma with that dagger and trusted Emma to make the right choices.
Regina’s rape and murder of Graham effected Emma present day and Regina is taking that secret to her grave. This point alone, and the severity of her crime, makes Regina’s redemption incomplete and her status as Emma’s friend suspect.
Now if you’d like to learn something, hit the continue reading button but I warn you… this is very much Pro-Killian Jones and very much Anti-Regina Mills.
More proof and explanations provided under each tag or click here for Toxic Friendship vs True Love.
Dear @bluebloods_cbs #TeamJamko has been thinking...and we've decided it really isn't fair that we haven't seen #Jamko, a married couple who truly love each other, all domesticated like this... these scenes exist btwn other couples... but not them. Fix it, please. #BlueBloods #vanessaray #willestes https://www.instagram.com/p/B4qJMPDD5I3/?igshid=cdbke8qj596b
Jamie: We think Voorhees wants payback. He sicked IAB maybe on Eddie.-
Eddie: He’s trying to smear Jamie by posting racist propaganda under his name.
Jamie’s first thought is of Eddie while Eddie doesn’t seem to care about the trouble she’s in. She cuts Jamie off to tell Erin about what Voorhees did to her partner.
Eddie: You know I thought you guys supposed to look out for each other.
Jamie: Eddie-
Eddie: Never mind.
She is more upset about the position Jamie is in than she is about her own. She’s so upset that Erin handed this off when it was Jamie involved because it’s led to a smear campaign against him.
This is an ongoing project to show just how much Eddie Supports Jamie! Read why here.
Goes to Regina Mills! For being a manipulative, selfish, derogatory, so called friend to her BFF Emma Swan.
This only takes into consideration things after Regina’s supposed redemption and when people thought these two were... friends.
You can believe Regina changed if you want but there are things this woman never made up for that makes her UNFIT to be called a friend.
She never comes clean about Graham - a man Emma cared for that Regina murdered to protect her curse.
Regina never apologized to Emma for ruining her life then guilts & berates Emma over saving a mother’s life.
Selfishness - Never once thinking of Emma or anyone else's pain above her own (especially when it comes to saving Hook vs saving Robin & their deaths)
Regina stealing Emma’s agency & use of the dagger against Emma.
She always refuses to follow Emma’s lead and dismisses her opinions.
Torturing Emma in S6.
The other things on the list below are just a culmination of her derogatory behavior towards Emma & those she loves.
Why did I do this?
This list was inspired by Regina Apologists Reiggigiesplaining to me how I’m a homophobic bigot because I refuse to see this witch as a good friend to Emma.
Season Three
Overly Simplified Summary: Doubting her. Blaming her for things. Dismissing her feelings. Nearly killing her on a bridge.
Read more here: Regina’s BFF Awards for Season 3
Season Four
Overly Simplified Summary: Treating Emma like a mass murderer for saving the life of a woman pastRegina would have killed - a woman who just so happens to be the wife of her lover. She was also busy moping over Robin when Emma was possibly dying in the ice cave & having sex with Robin while Emma was missing.
Read more here: Regina’s BFF Awards for Season 4
Season Five
Over simple summary: Regina’s misuse of the dagger and disregard for Emma’s feelings. Not believing in Emma.
Read more here: Regina earned the BFF award for Season 5
Season Six & Seven
Summary: Torture. Some more derogatory comments because the Serum EQ reveals Regina’s true feelings.
Read more here: Regina’s final BFF award
Overall Summary:
Yes, Regina joined Team Hero and did good things to help the heroes so that she could get her happy ending and keep Henry. However, whatever good deeds she may do does not cancel out her derogatory behavior. Her attitude isn’t sass or a joke. She was never consumed by darkness so she was never manipulated into being hateful. She chose to act this way.
Regina’s insults mean she sees herself as a better, smarter, person than all the others and that kind of attitude coming from a mass murderer of men, women and children just doesn’t reflect someone whose made the ultimate change of heart. The show failed in writing a healthy friendship because your friends should seek to lift you up not immediately cut you down.
