Also With the Snap Backs

While I'm at it I also hate Once Upon a Time's characterization snap backs.

Characters will go through an arc that fundamentally changes them in a way that makes sense based on thier previously established motivations only for them to snap back.

The biggest example of this is season 2 Regina.

After season one she is in a position where she can't be feared and she isn't all that respected. She has to come to terms with the fact that it's her own damn fault. That she can't force people to love, admire and respect her which of course is her character motivation.

Do whatever it takes to make people treat her better even if that means crackin' a few skulls.

Season 2 is all about her becoming comfortable not forcibly controlling i.e. coercing people into giving her the respect she feels she's due. That's a big damn leap of faith for her but one she ultimately finds more rewarding.

You can't pay the iron price ...for people.

And almost every season sees her at some point snap back. Triple dodeca agent my ass.

She should have been important to that villianess arc in season 4 but it took her way too long to "Go this is stupid. You all are stupid. I'm going home." When her entire arc was about out-growing her I wish everyone would treat me as if I were a hero phase.

Speaking of which.

Ditto for Rumpie's role.  What the hell man.


All of season three was about him coming to terms with the good he ironically could do as head bad guy in charge.  He couldn't stand being a mouse so was going to be the town's resident evil motherfucker but he was going to be their evil motherfucker.

Then in season four he was scheming to be a plot mandated cape.

Hell I'll be honest if the show ended with Pan's death I would have been happy. It came full circle. You had this Wreck-It-Ralph type deal where the villains had come to terms with the basic personality traits that had designated them as villains and had learned to use them to protect everyone else instead of you know, carving out a territory to do the overlord thing.

Rumpie's still the same basic guy he's just playing for the home team.

Until season 4.

What the hell.