Since the finale of the first season of ABC’s hit show Once Upon a Time, a multitude of rumors have been flying around as to what the future holds for our favorite fairy tale characters. Some of these questions were addressed in a recent TVGuide interview with executive producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis. The producers talked about such topics as the significance of the curse breaking, the role that magic will play and how it will affect the relationship between Emma and Mary in the highly anticipated second season.
However, the real twist in this interview was not an answer to questions about the future, but rather the revelation of a detail from a past episode that had gone largely unnoticed—the true tie between Regina and Rumpelstilskin. When asked about the possible return of Barbara Hershey, the actress who played Regina’s mother, Kitsis stated:
In the episode “Stable Boy,” she talked about how she was the miller’s daughter and she had to do a lot to keep Regina. If I remember correctly, the miller’s daughter was given to a prince because she could spin straw into gold. Therefore, she owed Rumpelstiltskin a baby. The question is, is that baby Regina? … When you get that Regina is the baby that’s promised to Rumpel, then you’re like, what did Cora do to get out of a deal with a man who usually kills people?
Gasp. Jaw drop. Reread. Repeat.
That was my exact reaction when reading this Q&A, along with the incessant, deafening thought of “HOW ON EARTH DID I MISS THAT?”
Yeah, I admit it. The whole Regina/Rumpelstilskin backstory passed completely over my head. I was amazed, shocked and absolutely thrilled about this new information—or is it old information? It adds a whole new dimension to the plotline, and though I’m slightly disappointed that I missed it the first time around, I can’t deny that the subtlety of how it was originally presented was masterful.
So now I’m even more excited to see what the producers of Once Upon a Time have up their sleeves. And if this news didn’t shock you into the same excitement I feel, maybe this tidbit will: the very first promo for OUAT’s second season has been released! Just short of a minute and a half, this video is short, intense and sure to keep you hooked!
Tell us in the comments if you had already caught the Rumpelstiltskin and Regina connection and what you think of the new promo!