TheCheshireKitten

I don't even see this situation as comparable to real life cheating because Robin was already with Regina and Marian was DEAD. Had been dead for years. Having your dead wife be brought back from the past is an over the top, crazy situation that makes it impossible for me to compare it to real life cheating.

But I don't see he and Regina as cheating and never will. They were already together before Marian suddenly returned from the dead. Regina isn't the OTHER woman. She isn't a mistress. Robin didn't fall in love with her and decide to be with her while he was married to his wife. She's the woman he fell in love with years after his wife died.

And it's hard for me to see Marian as a real character because the writers aren't treating her as one. She's being written as an obstacle.

GrhmLz

But that is what makes the sl so distasteful to some of us: a resurrected dead wife being used as an obstacle. A wife who was once loved by the husband and a woman who is in fact likeable and honorable. This did not make OQ enjoyable, in my opinion, sorry. I do not want to root against an innocent wife who did nothing wrong and her only 'crime' was to want to be with her husband and son upon her return.

For me, the storyline canon tells me exactly what was going on: a believed to be dead spouse returns and the husband made the decision to honor the vows. He did not have to but he did. Sadly, this direction DID turn Regina into the other woman. The writers even wrote it so Regina and Robin agreed they could not sleep together again, both acknowledging he was a married man. Snow was written to advise Regina and 'admitted' to sleeping with a married man too, even though I saw that differently just as others see the OQ situation differently, but there we have it. So there is no question in my mind that adultery was addressed inside the canon of this story.

Thankfully, as of this episode, Robin had made a binding decision to choose Regina so neither woman is strung along but external circumstances intervened and made it so Robin left town with Marian. It is clear the writing is still trying to milk the Marian situation to cause drama for OQ which I find repetitive of the s3 finale and unnecessary. And while I was relieved for Marian's sake that she was written to honor herself with dignity and grace regarding such a ridiculous storyline arrangement, it was still obvious that it was contrived and thrown in there to rush the plot along. At this point, I just want the writers to leave poor Marian alone and let her have her own happiness, even if it is offscreen somewhere. Now they have her stuck in an arrangement where she knows she is second best while Regina gets reminded that doing what is right does not ensure a happy outcome. Again. Last mid-season finale it was saying good-bye and sending Henry over the town border, believing she'd never see him again, this time, Robin Hood. Lol, any bets on who it will be next year?

Rumple may be on the outs with many SB'ers regarding his recent choices BUT ... There is no denying that one thing he said to Regina does appear to be very true: Being good does not mean good things will happen.

I am proud of Regina for having the strength to come through this the way she has. But the way the storyline has been handled with OQ has been very rushed this season, poorly executed, and too soap opera like. I am trying to take OQ for what it is from this moment forward since Marian has made her position clear and Robin wants to be with Regina, but I will never like what s4 part a did to them. I feel awful for Rumbelle and how that relationship is constantly written and sometimes I fear Regina is headed down a similar writing pattern with OQ: constant separation, minimal focus, or over the top drama moving plot forward. I know there is limited screentime available for everything but I still feel like the character development can be addressed and balanced WAY better.

Grace52373

I understand exactly how you feel. In the beginning with Marian returning, the OQ relationship wasn't adultery until Robin decided to honor his vows than it became adultery. Robing was in an awful spot. He was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. I thought Marian and Regina handled that well.

I also liked the talk between Rumple and Regina. Despite everything they did to each other, he sincerely wished her a happy ending. I didn't see that as tempting her back into being evil. His ptsd, breakdown and obsession with freeing himself has caused him to lose hope. No matter what I do, it goes wrong so now I am going to take back my life. Rumple and Regina remind me of Romeo when he finds out Juliet "died". He looked to the heavens, shook his fist, and said, "Than I defy you stars!" I hope in the end, Rumple joins with the good side again and I also hope that all the heroes and villains come together against the author and the sorcerer because I honestly think that the sorcerer is trying to manipulate and control people. How else did Rumple and Belle find that house and why else was the hat in plan site? Someone is pulling the strings!

GrhmLz

Exactly.

Which is why triangles are usually never my preference, they do not bring interesting drama, in my honest opinion. I personally find they tend to taint the specialness or uniqueness to an established relationship with ridiculous soap opera tropes.

I can not speak for all OQ'ers, but speaking for myself, what drew me into OQ in s3 was the original foundation. I thought it was wonderful that Regina and Robin Hood's potential pairing was introduced as a second chance at true love. While it was never implicitly stated in the writing, my head canon was Robin experienced the loss of a true love with Marian, while Regina experienced the loss of her first true love, Daniel. This would be the first FTL relationship to explore rediscovering true love after having experienced and lost it with someone else - through separation at death. Or so I thought. But, ideally, such a direction would never have demeaned Marian nor Daniel by turning it into a competition on which 'relationship was better or more important.' Both lost loves would have remained a good part of both Robin and Regina's past, similar experiences maybe bonding them.

Then the resurrection was introduced and it changed the entire context of everything. Now, instead of OQ standing on a foundation about second chances, it turned into a triangle with an obstacle. The competition? The former wife and love (very possibly, his first true love).

For me, s3 & s4 part a will always feel like two alternate universes for OQ regarding the relationship foundation and the energy and feeling surrounding the pairing.

I also enjoyed the talk between Gold & Regina inside her car and inspite of his misguided advice on HOW to go about her happy ending (by stepping aside and allowing Marian to die) ... I felt he was absolutely sincere in wanting her to see her happy ending. The hand gesture was also sincere. One of my other favorite moments is from s3, during the Pan arc in Neverland after rescuing Henry, he praised her for raising Henry well. He has been the only one to acknowledge the good that came out of her raising her son (rather than just the questionable parenting out of S1) and you could tell by her reaction how much it meant. I equate this car scene to that because he meant what he was saying in both instances.

I also took note that Regina appeared to be the only one he was going to bid farewell to before leaving with Belle to NY for good. Inspite of everything between them, I think they get each other because of similar experiences, feeling rejected before going dark, and then the path of darkness that brought out their villainry. So I believe there will likely always exist a mutual understanding shared between them which is why there is a unique type of bonding there.

It also appears the writing referenced his state of mind when he brought up Zelena and his resurrection to Regina. I have no idea how many scenes Regina will share with Belle in the next part of the season, but I wonder if it can be brought to Belle's attention what might be currently driving Rumple regarding wanting to be separated from the dagger?

They definitely contrasted Regina & Rumple this arc, regarding their approach to villains and their ideas about happy endings. Like you said, Rumple said he will take action and grab his regardless, one extreme, while Regina feels completely powerless regarding hers, another extreme. I know many are debating the book author direction and what it could mean in regards to free-will but I think it is possible that the writing is going with their free-will being tampered with. So, while good choices and right decisions should ultimately determine a happier ending, somebody might be tampering with things. I think the terms hero and villain exist BUT they define WHAT not WHO. In otherwords, actions define these labels, not the people, and some external force might be trying to make the label stick to certain people, regardless if they want to change or not. That might be what Regina or Rumple & QoD are onto. However, in the end, Rumple will embrace choices do make a difference, like with Regina, and Regina will see the wisdom behind going after your happy ending and not letting somebody control that. It will be a balance for both of them: making a happy ending of their own come true & making choices that are right and good. But with Rumple , I still think the issue of the Dark One Curse has to be resolved for him to be able to possess all of his free-will.

I do suspect some of the so-called villains might earn the title because they will not want to change for the better but instead, choose to remain dark and steal a happy ending that involves harm or defeat over others who want good to prevail.

It is an interesting question regarding the sorcerer, the author, and what the agenda really is there. The hat is also still a mystery and why all DO's have attempted to prevail in acquiring it. Why would such an important magical artifact not be kept under lock & key but instead left laying about and so easily acessible in that house? Does the hat call out to a Dark One? If we think about it, Rumple's demeanor changed the most drastically after he took possession of the hat, after that sincere speech to Neal. Is there some kind of power coming from the hat that influences and takes over the person trying to wield it, in this case calling out to the Dark Curse within Rumple? This could maybe explain this drive for world domination out of the blue or a heavy power addiction. Maybe he has taken on a 'personality' coming from the hat. There has to be a reason it was supposed to be well-guarded by an apprentice, it might be dangerous to anyone coming into contact with it.

CityGal

This has been one of the highlights of the season at least for me. The contrast started in the premiere and continued in each subsequent episode and methodically set them on their narratives. Gold started the season in a good happy place newly wedded to Belle, and Regina was miserable at the loss of a new love. And by the winter finale, it is Regina, although unhappy at the moment, is in a much better place than Gold. Whether or not one liked Marian as a plot device, it did allow for Regina's character to evolve over the season.

My best guess at this moment based on the story evidence, OQ as a journey in and of itself, is not the focus. It remains a means to develop Regina's character and story lines. But of course, that could change in the future, but for now that's what my sense is of Regina's arc in my humble opinion.

Kylebraxtonisthebest

I loved Ingrid's (Snow Queen) final scene it made me unexpectedly my eyes out crying. Great scene with Emma/Elsa/Ana.

I don't like the Rumple arc of him being bad again because it means that Neal (who I adored) died for nothing .

T'Lynn

DR76

But that obstacle is over with . . . at least from an emotional viewpoint. Actually, that obstacle ended when Robin decided to openly acknowledge Regina as the woman he is now in love with . . . even if his decision led to one act of adultery. And judging from Marian's conversation with Regina, it is possible (but not certain) that Robin and post-frozen Marian had a discussion about Regina. And Marian had made her choice . . . she no longer wants to be with Robin, since he is obviously in love with Regina.

The only real obstacle is Ingrid's spell, which continues to affect Marian, while she remains in Storybrooke. As long as she remains there, she'll never recover from the spell. Or . . . until someone can find a way to break the spell, which is what I suspect will happen. And even if Robin, Marian and Roland manage to return to Storybrooke, chances are Robin and Marian will officially end their relationship anyway.

People keep saying that Marian is Robin's FIRST true love . . . or that Daniel is Regina's FIRST true love. How do we know if this is true . . . at least for this particular television show?

And then there is the matter of Emma's decision in the Season Three finale. She still refuses to admit that changing the timeline for any reason is wrong. And in my eyes, that will remain an obstacle regarding her character until Horowitz and Kitsis deal with the issue.



When Rumpel had possession of the Dark One dagger, he always exercised his free will. If he was able to make the choice to do good deeds, while "cursed as the Dark One", he had free will when he engaged in evil. Rumpel lacked free will only when Zelena, Regina and Belle were in possession of the dagger.

fox24

She should thank Hook for that lol. That was sweet

DR76

How nice. Horowitz and Kitsis are giving Emma an excuse for committing a dangerous act like changing the timeline. Now this show has really jumped the shark. Or perhaps if I simply ignore Emma as a character, I can still enjoy this show.

obisgirl

Deleted scene between Evil Queen Regina and Dark One Rumpe

CityGal

Wasn't this already answered?

T'Lynn

That scene is actually great! It explains why Regina knew to get Belle to try TLK on Rumple!

CityGal

Thanks for the video.

T'Lynn

A Rumbelle deleted scene