(#THIS ARTICLE IS NOT ORIGINALLY BY ME! IT IS FROM:
link )
Swan Queen: The List
Parallels
Emma/Regina parallels:
Both fell in love as teenagers.
Both planned to run away with the people they loved.
Neither plan worked out. Instead, they both ended up alone and imprisoned.
Both lost their loves and were imprisoned because someone else decided it was best for them, without caring what they would choose.
Both found their first loves again, but had to let them go.
Regina had to let go of Daniel three times: The first when he was murdered, the second when Rumple, Whale and Jefferson fooled her into thinking he couldn’t be resurrected, and a third when he was resurrected long after she thought he was dead for good. The first two times, she let go because she had no choice. The final time, she chose to let go because she knew it was best. Emma has let go of Neal twice now: The first when he left her to take the fall for the watches, the second when he fell through the portal. Both times she had no choice, and now she believes him dead for good. Soon, despite thinking she’ll never see him again, they will be reunited. My guess is the parallel will be completed, and she will finally choose to let him go.
Both found the strength to love again through the same child, their son.
Neither want Henry to be alone, just like they were.
Both had hope purposely taken from them at crucial points in their lives (Regina by Rumple/Jefferson/Whale, Emma by August/Neal/and a third as of yet unknown).
Both had destinies since before birth- opposite destinies that Rumplestiltskin made sure would happen- one to cast his curse, one to break it.
Both had a difficult, loveless childhood. We know Cora was abusive, and it’s been implied that Emma’s life in the foster system was certainly less than joyful.
Both lied to Henry- “I’m sorry I lied to you."
Both have had the experience of feeling like they’re losing Henry to the new parent in his life.
Both felt that the new parent will ultimately disappoint him.
Both want love, family, and home.
Their first appearances in the pilots are strikingly similar. Both strut in, looking gorgeous, and display strength over men with very little effort.
Their first appearances are also bridged by Henry’s first appearance, and preceded only by Snow and Charming’s.
Both are very guarded, closed off, sarcastic people, and yet underneath that they’re actually capable of extraordinary amounts of love, despite everything they’ve been through, despite never having good examples of such love in their lives.
Both are children of a peasant (Cora, David) and a royal (Henry Sr., Snow).
Both of their mothers knew, long before giving birth, that they’d be having girls (despite not having any modern science).
Both responded, "Once" to the question if they’ve ever been in love- they’re the only two characters who have ever done this.
Repeated lines from the season one and season two finales- such as “You did it!" vs “We did it!" (from “you saved Henry" to “we saved the town"- way to step it up).
Both had romantic interests die from having their hearts crushed.
In the pilot episode, Regina wears grey, Emma wears red. In The Cricket Game, Emma wears grey, Regina wears red. Each time, the one in grey holds the power, and custody of Henry.
In the season two finale, Regina’s outfit is almost exactly like Emma’s from the season one finale.
They’ve shared many articles of clothing, most notably the “enjoy my shirt" shirt, which Regina chose to wear multiple times while Emma was stuck in FTL.
Emma, Regina, and Henry are very often color-coordinated, highlighting their connection to each other even in (or maybe especially in) episodes they spend apart.
Queen of Hearts vs. The Evil Queen/Second Star to the Right/And Straight On ‘til Morning- Both Emma and Regina are tricked by a group of three, told they’re worthless, and saved by Snow. Afterwards, the villains open a portal between Storybrooke and another world.
"Not having someone? That’s the worst curse imaginable.”/"We would’ve been together. Which curse is worse?”
Both held onto keepsakes from their past loves, Daniel’s ring for Regina, and the Swan Keychain/Necklace for Emma. Both held onto those items for years, before letting them go. Shortly afterwards, they both literally let go of the men as well.
In the season one finale, Emma and Henry say, “I love you/I love you too." In the season two finale, Regina and Henry say, “I love you/I love you too."
Stable Queen parallels:
“I’m sorry I snapped at you” vs. “I’m sorry. Snapping at you, I shouldn’t have done that.”
Daniel’s physical stance in the “Stay strong Regina” moment vs. Emma’s physical stance in the hat scene in Broken (They’ve both got the same hand on her same arm in an encouraging manner, and Regina is rarely ever touched in non-threatening ways.)
Daniel’s ring started the hat in An Apple Red as Blood vs. Emma’s touchstarted the hat in Broken.
Although it might seem like she’s said it much more frequently, Cora has only ever said “Love is weakness” twice in the entire series thus far. First, after tearing out and crushing Daniel’s heart. Second, when she attempts to tear out Emma’s heart. (As seen in the bottom two gifs here.)
Regina looks at Emma the same way she looked at Daniel.
Daniel and Emma try to talk to Regina in front of Cora; Regina shuts them both down.
Daniel tells Regina to be strong (she was, but it wasn’t enough), Emma and Regina are strong enough.
Regina’s nightmare involving Emma is echoed later on by FrankenDaniel.
Snowing parallels:
Jumping through fire in Desperate Souls vs. Jumping through fire in Into The Deep (both happened in the eighth episode of their respective seasons).
Snow runs after David after he leaves Granny’s, Ruby watches her go. Emma runs after Regina after she leaves Granny’s, Archie watches her go. (Both happened in the tenth episode of their respective seasons.)
“I will always find you” vs. “You’re complaining about how I saved your life? Fine, next time I’ll just… You know what? Next time, I’ll do the same thing, and the time after that.” (And then she does, always save her, time and time again.)
The entire “framed for murder” plot. Basically the whole thing: MM was framed for Kathryn’s murder. Regina was framed for Archie’s murder. David believed in MM’s innocence, despite evidence. Emma believed in Regina’s innocence, despite evidence.
David says, “She didn’t do this." Emma says, “She didn’t do it.”
David says, “She’s a good person. I know her." Emma says, “I know that look.I know her.”
David searches for evidence to prove MM innocent, asking Archie to help him remember his blackouts. Emma searches for evidence, asking Gold for help. David “sees” MM say she’s going to “kill her" and doubts her innocence because he can find no other explanation for what he saw. Emma “sees” Regina “kill Archie" and doubts her innocence because she can find no other explanation for what she saw. David confronts MM with what he saw, they fight. Emma confronts Regina with what she saw, they fight. Kathryn shows up, alive. Archie shows up, alive.
The flashback scenes in “The Lady of the Lake" center on Snow meeting and interacting with Charming’s mother Ruth, while the present-day scenes revolve around Emma meeting and interacting with Regina’s mother Cora. They talk to them about their children.
Snow and Charming are shown waking in mirrored situations (from the Sleeping Curse), as are Belle and Rumple (from a nightmare). So are Emma and Regina, waking up their first mornings in Storybrooke.
“We’re gonna find her, Henry, I promise." an obvious allusion to "I will always find you." (However, perfectly modified to include Henry.)
Snowing’s “It seemed like the honorable thing to do"/"It was the honorable thing to do" after saving each other’s lives in Snow Falls vs Emma’s “That’s what good people do" after saving Regina’s life in Desperate Souls.
Regina’s ring is oddly similar to Charming’s mother’s ring (which was enchanted to find his True Love) that he gives to Snow. In the finale, after Emma and Regina save the town, Regina’s ring is almost glowing- it glimmers bright green. Also, the ring has switched hands, once in the beginning of season two, and back again in Regina’s first appearance after The Cricket Game- both changes coincided with significant changes in Regina’s relationship with Emma.
In Queen of Hearts, Regina saves Emma, and Snow saves Charming. The first thing Snow does upon returning from FTL is hug Ruby and run to give David true love’s kiss. The first thing Emma does is hug Henry, and have a moment with Regina.
Rumbelle parallels (or Rumple/Regina parallels):
Rumbelle and Swan Queen are both ships consisting of a villain trying for redemption, and the one good person who ever believed in them. Rumbelle, as a beloved canon true love ship, seems to be setting the precedence for such a ship as Swan Queen (that ‘villains’ can and should find true love).
Rumplestiltskin never would have met Belle, his true love, if he hadn’t become the Dark One. It seems fate intervened so they could meet, just as Regina wouldn’t have known Emma or Henry had she not cast the curse. (You can read this post if you’re interested in seeing how this observation led me to believe more than ever that Swan Queen is endgame.)
Both Rumple and Regina have had tragic pasts.
Cora tore out her own heart because of her love for Rumple. Cora tore out Daniel’s heart because of Regina’s love for him.
Both Rumple and Regina have torn out the hearts of people they loved (Milah and Henry Sr., respectively).
They’ve both struggled with temptations of magic and power, and used them in order to fight against what FTL society imposed on them (Rumple’s title of a coward, and Regina’s complete lack of autonomy).
Both became the two most feared villains in FTL. The Dark One, and the Evil Queen.
Rumple created the Dark Curse, Regina cast it.
Both wished to be better people for the sake of their sons, Bae and Henry.
Rumple is guided on his path towards redemption by Belle, his true love. Regina is guided on her path towards redemption by Emma, the only one to ever believe in her and give her a chance and… perhaps her true love as well?
In the season two finale, Gold returns Belle’s memories, thinking he’s allowing her to die as Belle (Grumpy to Rumple, “I know Belle, don’t let her die as Lacey."). In the previous scene, Regina pleaded with Emma, “let me die as Regina."
Other noteworthy parallels:
The Genie, who loved Regina, was the only one who noticed her absence and went after her, just as Emma did in The Cricket Game.
In Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, Regina manipulates the Genie into killing Leopold by pretending she would commit suicide. He tells her “there is another way." In the season two finale, Regina is willing to die, genuinely this time, so that Henry doesn’t have to be alone. Emma tells her, “there has got to be another way."
There are significant similarities between Regina and Hook, and Regina and Neal, making CS and SF like incomplete heterosexual versions of SQ (some speculation in the next section as to why this may be).
Both seasons began and ended with a parallel- Season one started with Snowing’s true love kiss breaking the sleeping curse, and ended with Emma and Henry doing the same. Season two started with Emma and Regina making magic together to start Jefferson’s hat, and ended with them making magic together to save the town.
In guiding Emma to cast a protection spell in The Miller’s Daughter, Rumple tells her, “Conjuring magic is not intellectual endeavor. It’s emotion. You must ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this? Who am I protecting?’ Feel it." In the finale, before returning to save Regina, Hook says, “Quite passionate, Swan. Why are you really doing this?"
link )
Swan Queen: The List
Parallels
Emma/Regina parallels:
Both fell in love as teenagers.
Both planned to run away with the people they loved.
Neither plan worked out. Instead, they both ended up alone and imprisoned.
Both lost their loves and were imprisoned because someone else decided it was best for them, without caring what they would choose.
Both found their first loves again, but had to let them go.
Regina had to let go of Daniel three times: The first when he was murdered, the second when Rumple, Whale and Jefferson fooled her into thinking he couldn’t be resurrected, and a third when he was resurrected long after she thought he was dead for good. The first two times, she let go because she had no choice. The final time, she chose to let go because she knew it was best. Emma has let go of Neal twice now: The first when he left her to take the fall for the watches, the second when he fell through the portal. Both times she had no choice, and now she believes him dead for good. Soon, despite thinking she’ll never see him again, they will be reunited. My guess is the parallel will be completed, and she will finally choose to let him go.
Both found the strength to love again through the same child, their son.
Neither want Henry to be alone, just like they were.
Both had hope purposely taken from them at crucial points in their lives (Regina by Rumple/Jefferson/Whale, Emma by August/Neal/and a third as of yet unknown).
Both had destinies since before birth- opposite destinies that Rumplestiltskin made sure would happen- one to cast his curse, one to break it.
Both had a difficult, loveless childhood. We know Cora was abusive, and it’s been implied that Emma’s life in the foster system was certainly less than joyful.
Both lied to Henry- “I’m sorry I lied to you."
Both have had the experience of feeling like they’re losing Henry to the new parent in his life.
Both felt that the new parent will ultimately disappoint him.
Both want love, family, and home.
Their first appearances in the pilots are strikingly similar. Both strut in, looking gorgeous, and display strength over men with very little effort.
Their first appearances are also bridged by Henry’s first appearance, and preceded only by Snow and Charming’s.
Both are very guarded, closed off, sarcastic people, and yet underneath that they’re actually capable of extraordinary amounts of love, despite everything they’ve been through, despite never having good examples of such love in their lives.
Both are children of a peasant (Cora, David) and a royal (Henry Sr., Snow).
Both of their mothers knew, long before giving birth, that they’d be having girls (despite not having any modern science).
Both responded, "Once" to the question if they’ve ever been in love- they’re the only two characters who have ever done this.
Repeated lines from the season one and season two finales- such as “You did it!" vs “We did it!" (from “you saved Henry" to “we saved the town"- way to step it up).
Both had romantic interests die from having their hearts crushed.
In the pilot episode, Regina wears grey, Emma wears red. In The Cricket Game, Emma wears grey, Regina wears red. Each time, the one in grey holds the power, and custody of Henry.
In the season two finale, Regina’s outfit is almost exactly like Emma’s from the season one finale.
They’ve shared many articles of clothing, most notably the “enjoy my shirt" shirt, which Regina chose to wear multiple times while Emma was stuck in FTL.
Emma, Regina, and Henry are very often color-coordinated, highlighting their connection to each other even in (or maybe especially in) episodes they spend apart.
Queen of Hearts vs. The Evil Queen/Second Star to the Right/And Straight On ‘til Morning- Both Emma and Regina are tricked by a group of three, told they’re worthless, and saved by Snow. Afterwards, the villains open a portal between Storybrooke and another world.
"Not having someone? That’s the worst curse imaginable.”/"We would’ve been together. Which curse is worse?”
Both held onto keepsakes from their past loves, Daniel’s ring for Regina, and the Swan Keychain/Necklace for Emma. Both held onto those items for years, before letting them go. Shortly afterwards, they both literally let go of the men as well.
In the season one finale, Emma and Henry say, “I love you/I love you too." In the season two finale, Regina and Henry say, “I love you/I love you too."
Stable Queen parallels:
“I’m sorry I snapped at you” vs. “I’m sorry. Snapping at you, I shouldn’t have done that.”
Daniel’s physical stance in the “Stay strong Regina” moment vs. Emma’s physical stance in the hat scene in Broken (They’ve both got the same hand on her same arm in an encouraging manner, and Regina is rarely ever touched in non-threatening ways.)
Daniel’s ring started the hat in An Apple Red as Blood vs. Emma’s touchstarted the hat in Broken.
Although it might seem like she’s said it much more frequently, Cora has only ever said “Love is weakness” twice in the entire series thus far. First, after tearing out and crushing Daniel’s heart. Second, when she attempts to tear out Emma’s heart. (As seen in the bottom two gifs here.)
Regina looks at Emma the same way she looked at Daniel.
Daniel and Emma try to talk to Regina in front of Cora; Regina shuts them both down.
Daniel tells Regina to be strong (she was, but it wasn’t enough), Emma and Regina are strong enough.
Regina’s nightmare involving Emma is echoed later on by FrankenDaniel.
Snowing parallels:
Jumping through fire in Desperate Souls vs. Jumping through fire in Into The Deep (both happened in the eighth episode of their respective seasons).
Snow runs after David after he leaves Granny’s, Ruby watches her go. Emma runs after Regina after she leaves Granny’s, Archie watches her go. (Both happened in the tenth episode of their respective seasons.)
“I will always find you” vs. “You’re complaining about how I saved your life? Fine, next time I’ll just… You know what? Next time, I’ll do the same thing, and the time after that.” (And then she does, always save her, time and time again.)
The entire “framed for murder” plot. Basically the whole thing: MM was framed for Kathryn’s murder. Regina was framed for Archie’s murder. David believed in MM’s innocence, despite evidence. Emma believed in Regina’s innocence, despite evidence.
David says, “She didn’t do this." Emma says, “She didn’t do it.”
David says, “She’s a good person. I know her." Emma says, “I know that look.I know her.”
David searches for evidence to prove MM innocent, asking Archie to help him remember his blackouts. Emma searches for evidence, asking Gold for help. David “sees” MM say she’s going to “kill her" and doubts her innocence because he can find no other explanation for what he saw. Emma “sees” Regina “kill Archie" and doubts her innocence because she can find no other explanation for what she saw. David confronts MM with what he saw, they fight. Emma confronts Regina with what she saw, they fight. Kathryn shows up, alive. Archie shows up, alive.
The flashback scenes in “The Lady of the Lake" center on Snow meeting and interacting with Charming’s mother Ruth, while the present-day scenes revolve around Emma meeting and interacting with Regina’s mother Cora. They talk to them about their children.
Snow and Charming are shown waking in mirrored situations (from the Sleeping Curse), as are Belle and Rumple (from a nightmare). So are Emma and Regina, waking up their first mornings in Storybrooke.
“We’re gonna find her, Henry, I promise." an obvious allusion to "I will always find you." (However, perfectly modified to include Henry.)
Snowing’s “It seemed like the honorable thing to do"/"It was the honorable thing to do" after saving each other’s lives in Snow Falls vs Emma’s “That’s what good people do" after saving Regina’s life in Desperate Souls.
Regina’s ring is oddly similar to Charming’s mother’s ring (which was enchanted to find his True Love) that he gives to Snow. In the finale, after Emma and Regina save the town, Regina’s ring is almost glowing- it glimmers bright green. Also, the ring has switched hands, once in the beginning of season two, and back again in Regina’s first appearance after The Cricket Game- both changes coincided with significant changes in Regina’s relationship with Emma.
In Queen of Hearts, Regina saves Emma, and Snow saves Charming. The first thing Snow does upon returning from FTL is hug Ruby and run to give David true love’s kiss. The first thing Emma does is hug Henry, and have a moment with Regina.
Rumbelle parallels (or Rumple/Regina parallels):
Rumbelle and Swan Queen are both ships consisting of a villain trying for redemption, and the one good person who ever believed in them. Rumbelle, as a beloved canon true love ship, seems to be setting the precedence for such a ship as Swan Queen (that ‘villains’ can and should find true love).
Rumplestiltskin never would have met Belle, his true love, if he hadn’t become the Dark One. It seems fate intervened so they could meet, just as Regina wouldn’t have known Emma or Henry had she not cast the curse. (You can read this post if you’re interested in seeing how this observation led me to believe more than ever that Swan Queen is endgame.)
Both Rumple and Regina have had tragic pasts.
Cora tore out her own heart because of her love for Rumple. Cora tore out Daniel’s heart because of Regina’s love for him.
Both Rumple and Regina have torn out the hearts of people they loved (Milah and Henry Sr., respectively).
They’ve both struggled with temptations of magic and power, and used them in order to fight against what FTL society imposed on them (Rumple’s title of a coward, and Regina’s complete lack of autonomy).
Both became the two most feared villains in FTL. The Dark One, and the Evil Queen.
Rumple created the Dark Curse, Regina cast it.
Both wished to be better people for the sake of their sons, Bae and Henry.
Rumple is guided on his path towards redemption by Belle, his true love. Regina is guided on her path towards redemption by Emma, the only one to ever believe in her and give her a chance and… perhaps her true love as well?
In the season two finale, Gold returns Belle’s memories, thinking he’s allowing her to die as Belle (Grumpy to Rumple, “I know Belle, don’t let her die as Lacey."). In the previous scene, Regina pleaded with Emma, “let me die as Regina."
Other noteworthy parallels:
The Genie, who loved Regina, was the only one who noticed her absence and went after her, just as Emma did in The Cricket Game.
In Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, Regina manipulates the Genie into killing Leopold by pretending she would commit suicide. He tells her “there is another way." In the season two finale, Regina is willing to die, genuinely this time, so that Henry doesn’t have to be alone. Emma tells her, “there has got to be another way."
There are significant similarities between Regina and Hook, and Regina and Neal, making CS and SF like incomplete heterosexual versions of SQ (some speculation in the next section as to why this may be).
Both seasons began and ended with a parallel- Season one started with Snowing’s true love kiss breaking the sleeping curse, and ended with Emma and Henry doing the same. Season two started with Emma and Regina making magic together to start Jefferson’s hat, and ended with them making magic together to save the town.
In guiding Emma to cast a protection spell in The Miller’s Daughter, Rumple tells her, “Conjuring magic is not intellectual endeavor. It’s emotion. You must ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this? Who am I protecting?’ Feel it." In the finale, before returning to save Regina, Hook says, “Quite passionate, Swan. Why are you really doing this?"
