Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-26211594-20151009183748/@comment-26116863-20151110001726

She'll only admit her low moral ground to certain people. Emma happens to know so many of her dirty secrets (*cough* Sidney) that it was an elephant in the room at that point. So of course she admitted it. That doesn't mean that she isn't putting on a facade around everyone else.

She shows her truest colors when alone with Zelena. And interestingly, that's when she starts referring to herself as the Evil Queen. Something that she denies being around everyone else.