Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-4637931-20160322030828/@comment-24674051-20160603172620

Actually, the question makes me wonder why ANYONE has a red heart with no darkness. We saw Snow's with one little spot, but that one should really be more than just one spot. David's (before it was crushed) was clean and there is no way, given the number of lives that he took as a knight and prince, that it should be clean. Emma's (once we finally got to see it) was pristine, and sorry folks, but it should be speckled. Henry's was clean in Neverland. And while it may be the heart of the truest believer, and Henry has never killed anyone, it should be speckled (Running away from home and town, coupled with some of the stunts he pulled).

Point being, everyone's hearts should be dark to some degree or another. and I don't think that any amount good deeds will clean up the damage done. It would take an outside force to come in and clean Regina's heart of the darkness. She can (and does) take actions now that prevent her heart from darkening too much more, but it doesn't change the damage that her past has done. And it also does not prevent her from being redeemed.