'OUAT's Finale Was Just Cruel To Regina

Once Upon A Time's Season 3 finale's little trip to the past didn't come without consequence, apparently. Early on during Sunday night's two-hour episode, OUAT sent Emma and Hook back in time and to the Enchanted Forest. But, upon their return to Storybrooke, it seemed that they had prevented the future from changing entirely — even though they screwed up Snow and Charming's original meet-cute. Well, we were wrong and Emma may have just learned that no good deed goes unpunished. Because she just broke up Regina and Robin Hood — everyone's second-favorite couple.

Just when things had started looking up for the former Evil Queen, OUAT threw a cruel blow at the reformed #badwitch. Last week, Regina defeated her Wicked sister by overcoming her dark magic and proving herself to be light. And during Sunday night's finale, she'd gotten her heart back and shared a romantic moment with Robin Hood where he asked her how it felt. Now, we've been enjoying the dynamic between this pair for a long time — and, well, according to Tinkerbell, they were meant to be together. OUAT fans know a lot better than to argue with that fairytale logic at this point.

In the final few moments of the finale, Regina and Robin Hood were walking through the streets of Storybrooke with his son holding hands, eating ice cream, and kissing and being so in love. And I was actually really happy for her. Regina's had a rough time opening up and accepting the love she deserves because she's been so damaged by her social-climbing mother, Cora. Seeing her happy with someone else was refreshing and her 'ship with Robin Hood has been in will-they-won't-they territory for a long time. It seemed like there would be plenty of love going around — with Snow and Charming naming their son after Neal, Emma and Hook finally kissing, and Belle and Rumpel tying the knot. If there were ever a truer meaning to "love is in the air," I've never seen it.

But nothing gold can stay (ha). During their foray into the past, Emma saved a woman from being executed by Regina as The Evil Queen. Even though Emma knew she couldn't alter the past without effecting the future, she couldn't just leave this woman to die. Not after she'd saved herself from the dungeon. So she freed her and she and Hook decided that they'd take her back to Storybrooke. Well, there are consequences for everything, Emma.

You probably don't remember her — because we haven't seen said woman since our first view at Snow's past — but apparently Robin Hood did. The woman Emma saved is none other than Robin Hood's formerly deceased wife, Maid Marian. And in their reunion at Granny's, Robin Hood forgot all about his budding romance with Regina because his first love had returned.

This twist on Zelena's dark plan is just plain cruel. She wanted to hurt Regina and make it so she'd never been born. And I can't say she didn't partially succeed. Things have come full circle — Snow White stole Regina's happiness way back when and now Emma stole her second chance at happiness by playing the hero. So where does this leave Regina? Who saw a bright, new future with her recently rehabilitated heart? Will the hurt become too difficult to bear and she'll resort back to her evil ways, even now that Henry's staying in Storybrooke?

OUAT took a major cheap shot at Regina, a character that actually grew so much this season and became so likable that we rooted for her relationship to succeed. And now she's been condemned to repeat her mistakes because her history cruelly repeated itself. All magic comes with a price, Emma, and so do all good deeds. Now look at what you've done.

Image: ABC