Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-27023843-20170807153603/@comment-25375217-20170809160302


 * 1) Henry: I tend to always like the character that no one expects much out of but accomplishes a lot. And I've been roughly the same age as him (well, Jared, obviously Henry ages weirdly because timeline) so that helps.
 * 2) Zelena: Not only is she an incredibly fun villain -- though I preferred her in 5A versus 3B and 4B -- but her redemption arc was, at least in my opinion, very well done as it not only showed Zelena's struggles but also showed that Regina had her own problems she had to work through (unfortunately, we didn't actually get to see Regina come to terms with her hypocrisy, but the set-up was there). I'm definitely going to miss having her around in Season 6.
 * 3) Cruella: Evil characters who have morals and redemption arcs are nice and all, but it's cool to see a villain who is completely psychotic. Cruella was definitely a light in the darkness that was 4B and she continued to be amazing in 5B. And I absolutely loved her special on the Season 5 DVD.
 * 4) Belle: Belle tends to always get the short end of the stick and I think that might be part of the reason I like her so much. Even when no one cares about her, Belle stays strong and stands up for what she believes in, even when it means standing up to the Dark One itself. The writers constantly ignore her, but she still stands out as one of the strongest heroes in the cast.
 * 5) Ingrid: Her story is an excellent combination between Disney's Frozen and the original Snow Queen and one of the best examples of what Once is known for. The tragedy of Helga's death and the pain of Gerda's betrayal are clear in her motivations and it all builds up to one of the best death scenes on Once Upon a Time. Hate on the Frozen arc all you want, but you have to admit it: Ingrid was a beautifully-written villain.
 * 6) Granny: Another character who tends to get the short end of the stick. I find it hard to believe anyone can honestly say they've never wished that Widow Lucas was their grandmother. Her snarky one-liners and great lasagna aside, Granny is another great hero -- even when the writers forget that she tagged along, like in 5A.
 * 7) Tamara : I don't know if I really like her for any reason besides the fact that no one else does, but I see Tamara as a great example of what might have been. There's no telling what happened in the writers' room that left her with such little character development, but her potential was great. Maybe we'll get a comic someday that takes advantage of it.
 * 8) Anna: What? Another Frozen arc character? Yeah, well, for all its flaws and weirdness, one thing remains true: Elizabeth Lail is a nigh-perfect live action Anna. If I had to watch a guest character take the spotlight from the typical main characters, I think Anna did it well.
 * 9) Graham: Our local Huntsman may have only appeared in nine episodes but his story was still an interesting one. It covered a fairly concerning event in Regina's life which, unfortunately but understandably, hasn't been referred to since. And he was also a major influence on Emma's life, helping her to open up -- although his death closed her back up pretty tight until mid-4A when Hook guided her in moving on.
 * 10) Regina: Whoa, such a fan-favorite character below Season 4 characters and Tamara? How could this happen?! Well, actually, I think the fact that she's such a fan favorite is the main reason I don't like her as much as everyone else. I don't like to do what everyone else is doing. But she's an undeniably fascinating character. She has done absolutely horrible and nearly unforgivable things in her past but now she really does want to be better and the daily struggle she has to go through because of her past deeds -- while at this point fairly repetitive -- shows how strong she is. The Evil Queen is also fun to watch in action and her arc with the Serum Queen was enjoyable, too. Overall, Regina is easily the core of the show -- especially now that we've lost Emma -- and I can't wait to see more of her.