Ruby

"Regina thought she was punishing us by erasing who we were, but I think she underestimated how much crap we wanted to forget. But, we can't let it stop us. She gave us a chance to start over, and I wanna take it. I think you should too."

- Ruby to Dr. Whale

Ruby, also known as Red, is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. She débuts in the first episode of the first season of Once Upon a Time. She is portrayed by guest star Meghan Ory, and is the Storybrooke counterpart of Red Riding Hood.

Trivia

 * -|Character Notes=

Etymology

 * A ruby is a red gemstone. The word is derived from the Latin word ruber, which means "red".

Character Notes

 * Ruby appears in the title card for "Ruby Slippers".

Storybook Notes

 * The Underworld storybook page about Dorothy and Ruby that Henry writes says:

so intangible and intoxicating to her, was merely in her head. It was a thought that was too crushing to bear, not to mention that it also meant Dorothy would be doomed to lie on that dais forever. Ruby could hardly take the pressure, and suddenly she needed someone by her side to reassure her, someone who could instantly put all this turmoil into perspective. Fortunately Snow White was only a few feet away from her. Dorothy turned to her uneasily, and Snow nodded her on, as if to share a little of her own courage. You can do it, Ruby", Snow said. "Go on." [image begins] was enough to bolster Ruby, who turned back [image begins]ing up the courage to say something [image begins] toward anyone before. But [image begins] to look at Dorothy in [image begins]. Ruby's eyes [image begins]ew she [image ends] And then she leaned down and kissed Dorothy. For her, it was the kiss of a lifetime. She felt a jolt of electricity pass from her lips to Dorothy’s. And just as she was [shot ends]


 * -|Production Notes=

Production Notes

 * Ruby's red streaks are clip-on hair extensions.
 * According to David Anders, Ruby and Dr. Whale were originally going to be love interests after the events of "In the Name of the Brother". However, these plans were shelved once Meghan Ory left the series to star in the short-lived CBS drama Intelligence.
 * Meghan's schedule also changed the writers' plan to have Ruby in more episodes in Season Five.


 * -|Cultural References=

Popular Culture

 * Granny says to Ruby, "For another thing, Liza, you dress like a drag queen during Fleet Week", which specifically refers to real life actress Liza Minnelli. Liza is a favorite among drag queens.
 * Ruby shoots back, "And you dress like Norman Bates when he dresses like Norman Bates' mother"; a reference to fictional characters Norman Bates and Norma Bates from the American film Psycho.
 * Ruby's favorite Jules Verne book is The Mysterious Island.
 * This is also a reference to Lost, where the main location is a mysterious island.


 * -|Set Notes=

Props Notes

 * Ruby drives a red 1975 Chevrolet Camaro.
 * She has a red wolf key chain inside her car.

Costume Notes

 * The sensual depiction of Ruby in the first season is based on the traditional fairy tale of "Little Red Riding Hood", which is filled with sexual innuendos and meant to serve as a cautionary tale for young girls not to fall prey to lecherous men.
 * Ruby has a ring with a wolf's head on it.
 * Ruby has a necklace with a pendant shaped like a claw or fang.

Appearances
Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.