Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-25268210-20140723153438/@comment-24936039-20140731001131

Utter solitude wrote: She's a nod to Nurse Ratched, that's all. I know the minor characters can be interesting, but I don't understand the drive people have about this one. XD

In season 1, she was the first minor character NOT based on a fairytale (with the strong One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest references, aka Nurse Ratchet in the Psych ward). Then there was the misdirection of Nurse Severe with a false Wonderland connection\Queen of Hearts when Regina gave her a red rose commenting on Nurse Severe's fondness of roses.