Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-4519633-20141022032431/@comment-25536775-20160506042406

Zelena being more powerful than Regina isn't a feat-measurable thing, it's stated in the show. In the text. Like Rumpel, it's states in the show he's more powerful, because he's a DO.

Emma too, her powers come from True Love, which is the most powerful magic of all (I don't remember any retcon about that. They just stopped calling Emma the Product of True Love after the Season Three finale). Her low skill with magic is what causes her to be such an underwhelming magic user, not her lack of power.

Ingrid's magic wasn't limited to Ice Magic, this was Elsa. Ingrid is a full-fledged witch who happens to have ice powers. Elsa had ice powers, but wasn't born a witch and never learned witchcraft. Ingrid can poof, cast curses, use telekinesis, and memory spells. As such, she has about the same skills with magic as Regina.

Regina was able to overpower Zelena in 3x20 because Zelena had a highly specific weakness, light magic. But regardlessly, assuming both were using the same brand of magic, Zelena could usually beats Regina.

Speed can't be treated as a major factor, because we know in canon that a person can overpower another and break their spell. It's canon. Regina breaks Cora's immobilization, this can be done. If a witch is more powerful than another she can usually overpower their spells.