Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-5205908-20150206194003

This question has been on my mind for quite some time after the end of season 3, when they introduced Elsa, and before the promos of Queens of Darkness there were rumors that Maleficent will come back after the Frozen arc. When the series started, I had no idea ABC network belongs to Disney. Nothing I saw from the characters in the season 1 showed much reference to their Disney counterparts. Except the golden dress and maid's clothes Belle wore were identicial to the ones her animated counterpart.

In the first three seasons, the series has done well establishing their own universe and mythology. It felt they had done a nice job making the show their independent work, not influenced by Disney(at least not much). But now in the fourth season they used characters from "Frozen" a Disney original movie and three of the most famus villains in its first and second arcs. Does anybody feel they are turning the show into a promotion for Disney? I've heard that the show writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz wanted to add Frozen into the show, not Disney. But the queens of darkness coming at this time, and one of them being Maleficent, who had its own Disney movie released not long ago seems too much of a coincidence. I also heard they intend to use their own mythology for the Queens of Darkness arc, but there is also rumors they Auroa's father and Maleficent had been lovers in OUAT, just as their counterparts in Maleficent film. I am no expert on literatures, I don't know if there are versions of the Sleepy Beauty story that has the same details, and if there aren't, it'll be hard not to think they took that from the movie. Also; Cruella De Vil, another famous Disney villain getting introduced at this time also creates the feeling they are promoting for Disney. She's the only one of TQOD that hasn't shown or been mentioned in the series before, not to mention her story counterpart is the only one that has no magic. Even if she does has magic in OUAT, wouldn't it look like they went to extended measure to add her as a villain in the show? There is also the Sorcerer and his apprentice in season 4. Overall, this season seems a big promotion for Disney.  