Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-24936039-20141121022823

Now that in the episode, smash the mirror, we found out how Ingrid got to the LWM, there is still some questions about the time Ingrid spent from 1982 through 2011 in the LWM and possible tie-ins with long standing questions.

Aging - It is obvious that Ingrid has not aged much between 1982 and 2013 in the LWM. Some have speculated that she (or perhaps the sorcerer) used magic to keep from aging for 21 years. I think a simpler explanation is that Ingrid spent most of those two decades in Storybrooke where time 'stood still' and nothing changed (aged) until the Savior arrived.

Before Storybrooke (dark curse) manifested (1982 to 1983):

I think the portal dropped Ingrid off in Boston. I don't think the Bostonians in 1982 really noticed much about Ingrid except that an elegantly dressed lady obviously going to/from for a formal evening event walked down the avenue. So what did Ingrid do for that year in Boston?

During that time (not sure exactly how... she could of carried some magic or likely valuable 'foreign' coins or jewels through the portal) obtained more conventional clothing and lodging (hotel). There she learned what she could about the LWM and since she knew from the scroll that Emma was the 'Savior' and not yet born, she needed a way to gather information to located Emma. What easier way then to apply to Boston's child protective services (CPS) as a clerk in the records department - thus earning a living and be on the lookout for clues to where/when Emma would show up.

Boston 1983 -

While working at CPS, she came across a report about a young boy and a baby girl that were abandoned by a freeway.

Also about a week later, another incident report involving an hysterical 11 year old boy (also recently orphaned) who claimed that while camping in the woods with his father, a mysterious electrical storm occurred and afterwards, he and his father visited a town where none should be, furthermore that his father was arrested/trapped by an evil Mayor there. Troopers who accompanied the boy found no evidence of such a town, just a lonely country road... (Welcome to Storybrooke).

Perhaps, being innately magical, Ingrid sensed the dark curse manifesting. But in any case, something was up and she personally went to investigate. Despite the barrier put up by Regina after Owen 'escaped', she was able to cannibalize a magic trinket to allow her to enter Storybrooke undetected by Regina. There she spied Gold on his morning walk and recognized him as the dark one. So she decided to setup "Sarah's Ice-Cream Pallor" next to Gold's pawn shop to keep an eye on things, buy (or pilfer) magic items from the pawn shop, make a memory potion or two to alter everyone's perceptions of her... just generally blend in. Also, much to her delight, she did not age when she was inside Storybrooke.

1984 to 1998 -

To keep tabs on baby Emma, Ingrid would need to maintain her Boston CPS position - The easiest way to do this was to create a memory potion in Storybrooke (by canalizing another magic item), return to Boston and spike her co-workers/bosses drink with it so that she could transfer to a new 'Storybrooke' office. In order to make Emma receptive to her, whenever other foster parents took Emma in, Ingrid caused something to go wrong (like when the Swans tried to adopt her) Emma would end back in the orphanage...

1998 -1999

The time was right... Now Emma resented being an orphan and felt alone and unloved. Further more being a recent run away, Emma's chance for adoption was quite low. Now was the time for Ingrid to form her family! So she applied to being a foster parent and ('magically') was at the top of the list... Ingrid closed up shop in Storybrooke and moved to a nice home.

Things went well for a while but something (Lilly perhaps?) went wrong and now 17, Emma left her last foster mom, Ingrid. But not before Ingrid applied a memory potion to wipe the slate clean. So Ingrid moved back to Storybrooke to revise plans, opening up Any Given Sunday...

2001 -

Still having her CPS connections, Ingrid soon discovered that Emma was arrested for trying to sell expensive stolen watches. Also from records that she was pregnant and likely to give birth during her prison sentence. So by now knowing all about Gold and getting wind that Regina wanted to adopt... used her CPS connections to notify Gold that a newborn baby boy was available for adoption...

2011 -

The Savior Emma arrives in Storybrooke. Gold remembers his Rumples memories which means that he would also know who Ingrid was/is... There is some sort of confrontation with Emma in her ice-cream shop (Maybe Emma recognized Ingrid?). Sydney takes his pictures...

So how to retcon Ingrid into Season 1, remain out of Regina's and Gold's radar for 3 seasons, and wipe Emma's Season 1 memories of her? Thoughts? 