Koda

The whole concept of karmic retribution is flawed in this context to begin with if you ask me. Regina has paid, in different ways, for what she has done as the Evil Queen repeatedly over the years, both in the Enchanted Forest and in Storybrooke. Fans will always disagree about whether or not she has suffered enough, but it's certainly not like Adam and Eddy have played it as "actions don't have consequences" with Regina. Nor has she changed over night and the writers have been ignoring her past sins ever since.

The idea that Regina has to experience exactly, bit by bit, what she has done to others in order for her to be redeemed, or for her to even relate to her former victims, is selling the character(s) and her journey, over the last 3 seasons in particular, incredibly short. Never mind that, like Maggie said, this current Zelena situation isn't even a literal parallel to anything she has done in the first place.

Adam and Eddy are also… Adam and Eddy. They're not shy about those things and Eddy especially would have made sure to let us know by now if a parallel to Regina's time as a villain is what they are going for, I'd guess. It's not like he's ever had any trouble reminding people that they really shouldn't complain about what's happening to her in the present day narrative because "she's the EVIL QUEEN!!1!" when their writing for Regina was met with quite a bit of fan criticism.

But we'll just have to wait and see; maybe a few things at least will become clearer once the show's back and they'll move the story forward on screen. Not that I'm counting on it...

@Maggie: My pleasure!

DR76

I agree. And she'll probably continue to do so until the end of the series. What is more important is how Regina will react to these karmic payback. She came pretty close in reacting badly to both Cora's death and the discovery of Zelena's pregnancy.




I don't think so. In fact, I feel that Snow, David, Emma, Rumpel, Hook and Zelena and other characters who have done wrong should experience the same. We all have to pay the consequences of our previous actions, one way or the other.

Zimane

i'll drink to that!

Neverlight

Lana and Sean are so funny!

Koda

Everyone on OUAT has done wrong at some point and most of them have also paid for their mistakes repeatedly. I just don't understand why, on top of that, it would be necessary for them to go through exactly what they have done to others. Where's the value in that? Do you think they can't learn from their past and grow as characters unless the show puts them in a situation where history essentially repeats itself, but the roles are flipped? I still think that's a very heavy-handed type of writing.

They're massive dorks and it only makes me adore them even more.

Zimane

If you change the story, the ending is up to you.

DR76

You really don't see the value in that? Or the possible lesson learned?


Has Emma paid for the theft of that yellow VW? Or for keeping it? Do you see her, Regina, Rumpelstiltskin or Snow incarcerated for murder? Or Snow and David for the kidnapping of Lily? Has Emma ever spent time behind bars for breaking and entering? Destruction of private property?

Neverlight

Carpe Diem

Koda

I don't see the value of karmic retribution as you have described it in the context of OUAT because I believe that the characters are capable of learning from their past without the writing have to repeat itself like that frequently, for every single one of its characters since they're all presented as flawed human beings who have made mistakes, and I believe that we have seen evidence of such learning experiences over the past few seasons.

It's been a journey of progress for Regina in particular and, like I said before, in my opinion the writers would undermine some their own and Lana's efforts with regards to the development of her character since season 1 if they'd act like she can't or hasn't grown (enough) since her Evil Queen days until she has been put through what she's done during said time as a villain herself.

I'd consider it a very heavy-handed approach to writing redemption stories, I think it would contradict some of the work the writers have done over the course of the last three seasons in terms of letting Regina try to redeem herself, and I think the Zelena situation doesn't work overly well as a parallel to anything from her EQ past in the first place. And I wouldn't count on anyone in the writers' room keeping a list of every single little thing that each and every character has done wrong with the intention of making them "pay" for these things one by one.

confessor_meggy

I think all the characters in Ouat whi have done wrong are paying or they have paid for their crimes (depending on the character), without having to go to jail.
SB clearly isn't run by the same rules as our world, so I think retribution cones in other forms.
And having to experience what undid to other is not how criminals pay for their crimes in our society either, so I don't see why Regina should experience exactly what she did to others. If someone steals a car and gets caught the police don't steal their carnas punishment. Also because like this the circle is never broken. You do to me what I did to another so another Do to you what you did to me...the bad deeds just gets "transmitted" and makes none the richest or wiser.

Neverlight

I agree with this soooo much!

outlawqueen16

Everyone always tries to make predictions or assume thing for next season. Sometimes people are right but I feel most of the time they're wrong. I'm just going with let's see what happens. I take what adam and eddy say with a grain of salt.

Does anyone else just want Robin to say to regina "you are where my honor lies now forever" and feel like it will make everything better?

Maggie_R

Sure! And then hope the writers don't come up with another situation where he chooses Regina but then she tells him he can't and has to leave her? Lol Because that's how I see what happened at the end of 4a. Robin chose Regina and said his honor lay with following his heart to her. But then Regina told him he had to go with Marian over the town line to save her life. That wasn't Robin's idea. So yes, Robin had to carry out leaving with Marian and building a life with her outside of Storybrooke, but it was BOTH Robin AND Regina's "honor" that made the decision to do that, imho. My hope is that both of their honor lies with each other in the future.
(edited for clarity)

DR76

Exactly what do you mean by "honor"?

DR76

Yeah, a lot of people do that. Especially on the SPOILER threads.