OUAT: Dark Swan Theory

It's been a while since I've written a theory, but this trailer convinced me.

SPOILERS AHEAD! FOR ALL SEASONS OF ONCE UPON A TIME

First off, this video does a great job pin-pointing all the major dark moments in Emma's life. From her doubt in herself to her loses and the rejection of her power.
Once Upon A Time has been Emma's story from the first episode, and each trial brings her closer to the light. She has yet to deal with darkness.
Due to her circumstances, Emma has felt abandoned for most of her childhood, and it caused her to grow tough and guarded as an adult. As she walks the path of a hero, Emma learns that accepting her life and role as it is will only happen when she stops doubting herself. This is her first step down her own path of becoming a hero. The second step was to accept her past, and she used that knowledge to save her son from the darkness. The third step is learning what she can do. She must embrace her magic and accept it as a part of who she is. It took a long time for her to do this, and she still struggles with accepting herself as a hero, a mother and a magic user at times.

But this season will be her most difficult challenge of all: embracing her dark side. As she did sacrifice herself to the darkness, becoming the hero that she knew she could be, she still had issues with accepting her heart. This childlike part of Emma is always pushed away, and now, with darkness to tempt it, we will see this side of her character.

This is our first look at Emma, and already she seems a little childish, playing a cruel game of hide and seek. Her expression reminded me of Peter Pan when he is testing Hook. She acts on impulse as well, and before he can blink, the guard is dead. This is a scary moment to witness, because despite her act, Emma instantly regrets what she has done. You see it in her expression, as she stands there, staring at him.
There's another interesting detail in this scene: the diamonds.
Something to keep in mind here is that Emma did not become the Dark One to be evil. She did it to save Storybrooke, and the darkness seeped into her soul.
Each dark one has an element that is related to the soul tied to the darkness. For Rumple, it was gold. For Emma, it looks like it will be diamonds.
Diamonds are symbolic for healing, shining from within and they reflect light.
The word diamond relates to the word adamas, which means unbreakable or unalterable in Greek. 

So the diamond is a specific symbol for Emma, in the fact that it disperses light. 

Emma was made of light and love, and her soul is still in there, probably constantly battling the darkness. She is still aware of her actions, as we see in this clip, but she is surrounded by so much darkness, darkness that has been growing for centuries, that she is unsure how to stop herself. 

It's already been confirmed by the writers that Emma will slowly turn dark, so this clip may be way later in the series, when it is more difficult for her to resist out of pure exhaustion. 

I beleive that the child side of Emma, feeling abadoned and lost will become the shadow side that the darkness will attach to, but the diamonds are Emma's own strength, light within the darkness.

I hope this series reveals the reason Merlin believed that the only way to contain this horrible evil thing was to tether it to a human soul, because it seems to have a conscious of its own. 

Because Emma is more light than dark, the darkness will eat at the light for a long time, but I think Dark Swan will be a projection of Emma's childhood self, the self she pushed away for a long time. 

In Once Upon A Time true love does conquer all, but I'm not sure they will do a true love's kiss for this one. It didn't seem like that would work for Rumple, and it probably won't work for Emma. 

It will probably be exactly what Emma said to her parents and to Killian that will at least reach out to her. They will have to find the light in the darkness to save Emma. 

And now for Regina's role as saviour. This is an interesting story arc. We've seen Regina be a hero, but I imagine she still has demons to fight from her dark past. She may be Emma's only hope because she has been part of the darkness, and it nearly consumed her. (And she's not lying on the ground unconcious like Rumple) 

I think the big moment in season 5, and the theme they have been going for since season 3 really, is the acceptance and love of the self. To love yourself as who you are. To accept your faults and weaknesses. 

This was a similar motiff for Riku's story in Kingdom Hearts, and Lightning's story in Lightning Returns. Emma will probably have to accept her shadow side, and her parents, son and pirate will probably help her with that. It is the most difficult battle for any character to face, and it may be balanced through Regina's new role. 

While Emma embraces the dark, Regina must embrace the light. 

This is just a theory, but it comes from being a writer, a reader and an observer of characters. 

The shadow is the scariest and most challenging villian for a character according to Carl S Jung. There are only two ways that stories have invented to defeat it: accepting it or banishing it. 

This darkness was already banished by Merlin, so my theory is it will only be defeated once it is accepted. 

That said, I'm both thrilled and wary of this season. It looks pretty dark. 

An interesting twist would be Merlin needing to embrace his dark side, or his dark magic. I hope Morgana is involved because she is known to be his worst nemesis. Who knows, maybe she taught Maleficent how to be dark. 

It will be interesting to see how they portray Emma's dark side, and how the characters will react. 

A Touching scene from OUAT

Warning, this sneak peak is a spoiler, but I had to put it here because it is a beautiful scene. In context, Belle is lost and has no idea who she is, Rumple is dying and decides to answer that question for her, before it may be too late. It's a very touching scene, and I'm putting up here as a model for my future writing and as a RumBelle treat for my followers.

           

The Big Six Challenge

I have seen this challenge on a few other writing blogs, and I have decided to take it head on!

What is it?
The Big Six Challenge is where you enter and apply to all the writing programs of six major TV stations, and await feed back to see how well you can write scripts.

The challenge and stations are mentioned here:
http://www.tv-calling.com/tv-writing-fellowships-the-big-six/

I have started to prepare for the Nickelodeon Writing Program as Challenge number 1.

http://www.nickwriting.com/

I will be writing a Legend of Korra script that takes place in season 2.

To keep track of the challenge, I'm adding a new tag "The Big Six" and I'm going to update my facebook writing page as I go along.

The goal of this challenge is to see where you stand in your writing, and of course to have fun doing something you love :)

If you want to do this challenge, I would be happy to hear from you :)

To all that are participating, "I wish you the best"

Have fun ^_^

OUAT Challenge Day 25 - Who is your least favorite fairytale character and why?

Cinderella/Ashley

I have never liked the fairy tale much, but in regards to the show, Cinderella never does anything for herself and complains all the time. The only scenes that Cinderella has been in, she's unhappy and complaining about something. First she wants her baby, which Emma does something about. Then she wants a break from the baby, which Ruby does something about. But even then she's not satisfied and she's complaining about never seeing her boyfriend enough, which Sean does something about. She lets life happen to her, but never does anything for herself. The only thing she did was break into Mr. Gold's shop, but even then she didn't do anything about the consequences. She makes herself a constant victim, always complaining, but never doing anything about it.

OUAT Challenge Day 24: Who would be your three best friends in Storybrooke?

Belle, August/Pinocchio  and Henry.

All of them love stories in their own way. Belle likes books, so we could talk for hours about what we've read and swap books over iced tea. I love to write, and I would probably talk with August about how to overcome writer's block, draw inspiration from the world and listen to his stories of all the places he has seen. Henry believes in the power of stories and he likes fairy tales. We could talk about different versions of the fairy tales and what they mean.

I would probably hang around Mary Margret/Snow White and Emma also. They seem very cool in their different personalities. Mary Margret is nice and would probably have a lot of fun stories about classes she's taught, and her life as Snow White. Emma and I have a lot in common so I think we'd get along well and talk about believing in yourself and staying strong.

OUAT Challenge Day 23 : Make a graphic advertising OUAT

I chose to add Henry in the advertisement, because I think he is the most under-appreciated character in the series right now. It all started with Henry and the story book.

Day 21: What is your favorite Story Brooke storyline?

I have several.
I like when Hansel and Gretel find their father in "True North".  They achieved a happy ending, even during the curse, because they were always searching for each other.
I like Emma's story in "Desperate Souls." Her struggle to be there for Henry and become a part of his life is a really powerful story to show how much Emma has grown.
Leroy's success at selling candles in "Dreamy" shows his determination to achieve something and make a positive difference in Story Brooke.

The most recent storyline with Belle in "The Crocodile" is a new favorite. The way Belle finally ventures out into the world and tries to find a place of her own. "A life, a job." She stands up for herself and finds something she loves to do. It's also important that Rumple/ Mr. Gold finally tells Belle the truth and they both agree to discover who they are for awhile, but still find ways to spend some time together.

OUAT Challenge Day 20: What character do you think you're like the most?

Emma.

We have a similar reaction to developing trust and confidence. Emma is the hero of the story, but she doesn't believe she is. She also pushes people away if she thinks they are too close. But it's more than just the act of invincibility Emma puts on, it's also the emotions that she pushes away. She does care a lot for the people around her, but her way of showing it is different from the average display of affection. She also has a strong opinion about staying true to who you are. Her advice to Ashley/ Cinderella was heartfelt and real, because it wasn't just something she said, it was something she experienced. Emma has gone through her life in a cynical and solitary manner, but she also stays true to herself in terms of personality. She knows who she is, and doesn't hide that at all, but she does hide feelings and insecurities to stay strong in tough times.

Belle

I think I have a little of Belle's personality as well. Not just my love of books, but my curiosity and determination remind me of Belle. Also, the way Belle views people is similar to mine, the inside of a person is not always easy to see, but it is more important than outside appearance. Truly loving someone is accepting both the bad and the good. Flaws are just as important as positive characteristics. She's also a dreamer, which I'm known for.

OUAT Challenge Day 18: Who is your least favorite villian and why?

King George

He is the most ruthless of the villains, because he has no heart. Not only does he trick Charming, but he curses Snow White, kills Charming's mother and dares to tell Snow White that he was in love. The priorities of King George are possibly even more screwed up than Regina and Rumple. The difference between him and the two main villains involves caring for someone and making wrong choices about it. Both Regina and Rumple act, believing that they are protecting or avenging someone they love, but King George acts like a blood thirsty man with no priorities.

OUAT Challenge Day 14 : Picture or gif that expresses your reaction to the show.

This show is special to me. We watch it as a family, and all the Disney cameos make me feel like I am back in that world. I love the powerful and positive themes of hope and love. And the fairy tales, being iconic as they already are, have been changed in a way that is interesting and intriguing. I won't say that I agree with all of the portrayals of Disney characters, or even the way the fairy tales are performed, but relating to Emma, her attitude of the world, and her expectations in life, make this show a journey and a story to live as much as watch.
I love a lot of the quotes, but the one that stands out the most is what Mary Margret tells Emma in the first episode.
"What do you think stories are for? They're a way for us to deal with our world, a world that doesn't always make sense." -Mary Margret
And of course
"I gave Henry the book because I wanted him to have the most important thing that anyone can have. Hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."- Mary Margret

I think the popularity of the show is almost psychological. These are characters we all know, and we want them to achieve happiness, especially when they are stuck in situations and misfortunes that we all deal with in life. And Emma is the character for the audience, watching her begin to believe in happiness and discover what really matters in life, makes this show charming and deep at the same time. It's more than archetypes and plot lines. It's a familiar family of characters living life.

OUAT Challange Day 12 : Favorite Snow/Charming moment

Charming (while holding the ring) : Not you're style. I know.

Snow (takes the ring from him): Well, there's only one way to find out.

This is a great scene that shows the transformation that both Charming and Snow go through during their journey to the troll bridge. The fact that Snow decided to try the ring on, after all her talk about true love and arranged marriages, is a meaningful moment between both of them.
Snow stares at the ring, perhaps reconsidering whether or not it is "her style" and maybe even discovering that she wouldn't mind being around Prince Charming. Charming's look is part surprise and part consideration. His mother said that true love followed the ring, and Abigail never wore it.

OUAT Challenge Day 9: Something cute

Henry's drawings of the Once Upon A Time stories.

I wish they had showed all of them, because quite a few were on the page.

OUAT Challenge Day 8: Your Favorite Episode

I have three favorite episodes


That Still Small Voice

I loved everything about this episode. From the story between Henry and Archie to the back story of Jiminy Cricket, this episode impressed me because the entire plot was connected so well and the way Archie grows stronger keeps a balance between his actions as Jiminy in Fairy Tale Land and Archie in Story Brooke.

True North

This episode was just amazing because the topic related directly to Emma in this part of the story. Emma grew as she tried to help the kids and her conversation with their father was a step forward from being reserved, to actually admitting her emotions about Henry and being a parent.

Skin Deep

Mostly because this is our introduction to Belle, and I loved the spin they took on the fairy tale. Belle is a strong character and the progression of Belle and Rumple's relationship was a nice story line. Gaston being turned into a rose was priceless. My only problem with this episode is the abusive scene between Mr. Gold and Moe French. In no way was that action justified, and I didn't see the point in that scene at all. Mainly I love this episode because I love Beauty and the Beast.

OUAT Challenge Day7: Most Shocking Moment

The Return: When August was not Baelfire.
I bought into the whole story line and seriously thought that Baelfire had returned. When he wasn't Baelfire, and was later revealed to be Pinocchio, I remember being shocked and confused. Until I realized that August has some kind of communication with Baelfire. Maybe Baelfire can't go to Story Brooke because he voluntarily left the Fairy Tale World.

OUAT Challenge Day 6: Moment/s that made you sad

When August/Pinocchio left Emma

It's not like this scene was unexpected. But when it happened, it really defined how Emma views people and life in general. She doesn't trust easily, not only because her parents weren't with her, but because her guardian didn't protect her.


When Emma believed that Henry was dead

 This scene was really heartbreaking. Henry was Emma's hope and when she didn't believe him, she realized that she had to do everything she could to make sure he was okay. Once Henry's life was on the line, Emma started believing, not only in the curse, but in herself to be there for Henry. To go through all that and have Henry die was too much for Emma, and she finally allows herself to express an emotion she's resisted for a long time. Love.

OUAT Challenge Day 5: Moment that made you smile/laugh

True North:
When Hansel and Gretel get their father back. It was such a great moment that showed a different side of Emma and results in a cute conversation between Emma and Mary Margret. I definitely smiled during this scene. It was so touching that they found each other again.

Dreamy: When Mary Margret and Leroy are going door to door selling candles. It
 was really funny.

They use three tactics:

Friendly Tactic

Cheerful Tactic

Puppy Dog Tactic

I also laughed/smiled when Belle chipped the cup. It was an obvious reference to the Disney movie

OUAT Challenge Day 4: Favorite Set/ Landscape

Indoors: The Dark Castle

This place holds so many stories and secrets. I love the tapestries on the walls, and the way the light is reflected in very specific spots. All of the items have a purpose, and a secret.

Outdoors: The Village in "Dreamy"

It's a beautiful view, and all the lights are scattered, creating a very peaceful atmosphere.

Favorite Set: Henry's Castle

I was so sad when Regina tore it down. I would have loved to play on it as a kid.

Another landscape that can't be beat is the opening sequence of  the show

I love the Fairy Tale World more than Story Brooke because it is colorful and detailed. It really creates the mood of a fairy tale

Storybrooke Belle outfit

In honor of Once coming on today, I decided to do a ONCE outfit on Polyvore. I had a lot of fun with this, so I'll probably do a RumBelle set in the future. Inspired by Once Upon A Time and DisneyBound.

Here are the deatils:
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=45258558

Love is Hope

"Love is hope. It fuels our dreams." - Belle (Once Upon A Time)

I've seen many quotes about love, but this one is so simple and, in my experience, so true. You strive toward a goal because you love something about it. A career you would enjoy, a dream you want to come true. It's all based on some sort of element you love about it. Love helps you get through tough situations in life. It helps you endure difficult times and gives you hope for a better future. When you love something, you go for it. If you love writing, you write. If you love singing you sing. If you love dancing, you dance. Your hobbies, goals and interests give you the hope of becoming someone better than you were before. Love gives you something to believe in, when everything around you seems hopeless or distant. It takes a lot of courage to pursue your dreams, but if you love something, you will find a way.
So as Belle says in Once Upon A Time: "Go. Find your love. Find your hope. Find your dreams."

(this picture by skye3 from: http://skye3.tumblr.com/post/18786843149/now-go)

You know you're a RumBelle fan when . . .

You can't count how many times you've watched Skin Deep
You've heard the beautiful song: "Deal" on youtube
You've made or plan to make the chipped cup
You follow the Rumbelle tag on tumblr, deviantart, livejournal and youtube
You know about the RumBelle fanfic wars
You've made a playlist
You've read or wrote fanfics for them (or both)
You listen to "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri without thinking of Twilight
You can't wait for "Dreamy"
Tea cups make your heart ache
Roses make you smile
You know "any curse can be broken"
You say "Let's get ready to RumBelle!"
You go by "Dearie"
You know "Love is layered."
They have taken over your tumblr dash and livejournal feed
You count the days until the RumBelle reunion
You know it's not "just a cup"

Once again, feel free to add to this ^_^
 RumBelle forever!