Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-5989182-20140408185447/@comment-8345449-20140409095557

Probably just plain ol' genetics. Cora had the magic gene which she passed down to Regina and Zelena. And perhaps Zelena's father had it too so she has a double inheritance.

I don't think Malcolm or Rumple had innate magic though, they were transformed into magical creatures by external factors. Would explain why Bael does not have magic.

Rumple probably had something to do with Emma having magic - part of the result of creating the curse and needing a Savior to break it maybe. If all True Love babies had magic, then there would be quite a long list - Snow, Aurora, Henry, Cinderella etc. And surely many of the minor EF characters were born out of true love.