Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-4637931-20160322030519/@comment-4637931-20160327165504

MyPretties wrote: Regina is powerful from what I've seen, her biggest obstacle is her self esteem. Emotions seem to really effect magic in Once, and Regina's emotions tend to be all over the place a lot of the time. The reason Regina has been defeated by other witches is because they think strategically ahead of her, again its her emotions working against her. However, Zelena still was able to one up Regina with her magic because even without the pendant she was stronger, and she had her magic since birth, while Regina had to learn it basically from scratch. With her pendant however, Zelena was second in power only to Rumplestiltskin. With Ingrid, I'm thinking that Ingrid kept her eye on Regina, as their plans clashed (unknowingly on Regina's side of course), Ingrid needed Emma to believe in what Henry was saying then believe in her own magic, while Regina needed Emma to be gone so the curse wouldn't break. Also, like Zelena, Ingrid was born with her powers, and learned how to use them long before Regina ever learned magic. Now with Maleficent, her and Regina are completely on par with each other, each defeating each other once. Also, I've said this before, I have a theory that Regina was stronger magically when she was the Evil Queen, because she was using her hate to fuel her dark magic, once her hate lessened, the fuel for her dark magic lessened.

But maybe now, she can gain a new strength of magic where instead of evil and anger being the magic fuel, love for and from Henry, Robin and Roland and possibly the Charmings can be the fuel for her to continue a lighter shade of magic while still having dark magic that could still come from the same love fuel. Light magic comes from others believing in her and loving her and the dark magic comes from her anger and determination to take down anyone who threatens her and her family.