Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-5653628-20131025192305/@comment-1293767-20131027040354

My pet theory is that Anastasia is one of Cinderella's step-sisters and they will eventually be providing a sympathetic backstory for her. (Ashley did cameo in the OUATIW pilot.)

I can't decide if Anastasia did use Will or if she simply became consumed by power and chose it over him (along the lines if Rumple-Bae and Cora/Rumple). In the Grimms' version of Cinderella, the step-sisters were so obsessed with becoming royalty that they actually chopped off their own toes to shove them into Cinderella's shoe. That's a pretty drastic length to go to, so I feel like that's another possible reason that she could be Cinderella's step-sister. Instead of cutting off her toes, she cuts ties with the man she loves. (Though, not completely: she had an obvious reaction to him at the end of 1x03 and then there's the whole Will Scarlet and Red Queen thing. Maybe she chose to be the Red Queen because it's a symbolic connection of her lingering feelings for Will.)