Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-4519633-20141022032431/@comment-25536775-20160517225956

Whilst I could buy that Cora somehow had inherited magic biologically and was simply dormant, or even that Rumpel gave it to her, Anastasia's (And possibly Jafar's, although we know next to nothing about wether or not he was born with magic) ascension seems to affirm that yes, magic can be taught and learned. To my understanding, magic in the Oncevere is just this ever-present force that a sufficiently powerful surge of emotion from the right person can tap into, but anyone who invests time in it can do so as well. Plus, magic doesn't seem to be genetic, and more like a spiritual passing-down.

Again, the show is on the fence about Regina and Belle. 3x16 says Regina was born with magic but a  few other episodes of her childhood contradict that in some way. And using potions and magic books is really just a step away from sorcery. I think Belle could do it if she didn't have such a skewed view of magic.

The show changed its tune about learning magic for Zelena to fit in the story, IMO. And that's sad, I liked the relative originality of a universe were magic is less ''aristocratic. It makes no sense in modern society as to why writers have such a fixation with separating average people and exceptional ''people.