Once Upon A Time Article: My opinion on the chemistry of OUAT ships.

My opinion on the chemistry of OUAT ships.

posted by minervadawn

I've noticed alot of auguments lately abought weather one ship ou another has chemisty. From what I've seen the issue is that people dont really have a firm grasp on what chemistry really means. Many people seem to be useing completly different definitions when they talk about chemistry. Even though both definitions have the right to use the word chemistry they are very different.

Now before I start I'd just like to say, I'd l’amour to hear everyone's opinions. I'd l’amour to discuss ou débats this, but please don't attack me. It is my opinion, how I see things, I'm not trying to present this as fact just one point of view.

Generally we get two types of chemistry on OUAT. The first happens anytime two attractive, confident people are alone together. These kind of people 'look' good together. They are confadence and sex appeal squared and that really turns people on. But that all it is. Sex. This isn't just a TV thing ether. Even in real life when toi see two attractive, confident individuals get together everyone automatically thinks "They're so perfect. They must be so happy together." even if they don't even know them. In my experience this is rarely the truth. Ego get in way... Ect. Anyway my point is sex appeal isn't everything and on its own it doesn't equal true chemistry.

True chemistry is a combination of many things and yes sex appeal is one of them but for me at least it is one of the least important. I judge chemistry par how much l’espace the other person seems to ocupy in the other persons mind. When they are together what is that person focusing on? When they look at each other does it feel like they want something from eachother ou does it feel like they would offer anything to make the other happy? Do they place their partners happiness above their own? Not just big sacrifices but little things. Do they take they plus difficult path so that their parter will be a little bit safer? Chemistry is about a constant unflattering set of thoughts and actions that reveal their feeling for each other. When done right it is subtle but it leaves an impression.

Also a few people seem to be confusing history with chemistry. Just because two characters have history doesn't nessasarally mean they have chemistry.

Once upon a time has a unque combinations of example #1 and example #2.

Ships that are examples of #1 (sex appeal) are:
- Captain Swan
- cygne Queen
- Jefferson/Emma (This could also me a case where the actors real life chemistry wears off on their characters)
- Gina/Spoon (Gina is special in that she doesn't even need another person to have chemistry with. The evil Queen oozes confidence and sex appeal like a slug.)

Ships that are examples of #2 (true chemistry) are:
- Snowing (even if toi don't like them you've got to admit they glow with chemistry)
- Rumbelle (these two have so much chemistry that toi can't help shipping them even though their relationship is obviously unhealthy and borderline abusive.)
- Mulora (you can argue with me on this one but if these girls don't have chemistry I don't know what it is.)

Undetermined ships:
Swanfire/Swan Thief: These kids defantly have something but it's too early to tell weather it's chemistry ou just history.
Frankenwolf: Again too early. But I'm feeling chemistry.
Red Beauty: I'll admit they have chemistry but it's 'friend' chemistry. Same goes for Red Snow.

bri-marie I don't necessarily disagree with what you're saying, but I'd just like to point out that there really isn't a set "thing" that makes up chemistry, and different people are going to find it in different ways. For example, I actually think Swan Queen has a lot more chemistry than just sex appeal. Regina and Emma balance each other out, and they work well together (as does Jen and Lana). And I see no chemistry at all In Red Beauty, or Frankenwolf. Red doesn't treat any of these characters differently than Henry, Archie, or anyone else she has limited interaction with. And I see zero sexual appeal in Captain Swan. I see a little bit more than sexual chemistry between Jefferson and Emma, but I do almost completely attribute that to the face that a)Sebastian Stan has chemistry with almost everyone he's ever on screen with and b) Sebastian and Jennifer are in a real life romance. You couple that with the emotionally charged scenes they had, and their real feelings are going to slip through. If Jefferson had been played by a different guy, I don't think I'd see any chemistry at all between him and Emma. But people disagree with that. Because the way chemistry appears and what it means to them is different than the way it appears and means to me.

zanhar1 I ship Spoon Queen because I need something to laugh at, alone with myself. To be honest, I ship everyone with everyone and everything, less drama that way. Of course I like some more than others, but in my mind anything can work depending on where the authors want to go.

minervadawn @bri-marie Everything is of course just my opinion, but what I wanted to point out with this artical is that their are many different kinds of Chemestry. A lot of people in the OUAT fandom seem to think that there is only one and that any ship that doesn't have there version of Chemestry has no Chemestry at all. I have never seen Swan Queen the way many people do. I see them as two passionate fiercely independent woman connected by their mutual love... for Henry. I agree Jen and Lana work brillenty together any scene they are in together crackles with electricity and yes chemistry, but it's not romantic chemistry. It's more like the chemistry you get between epic rivals. Like Sherlock and Moriarty or the Doctor and The Master. You totally nailed my feelings for the Jefferson/Emma ship. Their real life feelings dominate that episode even though I don't feel like their charatures really work as a couple. As for Ruby. I put her Ships in the undetermined section because Meghan Ory, like Sebastian Stan has Chemestry with everyone and she hasn't had enough screen time with any of them to determine weather its romantic or not. Frankenwolf Is my OTP though so I may be a little bias. Personally penis jokes are a huge turn off for me. Still Colin O'Donoghue is a good looking guy and people less prudish then myself really dig the bad boy thing and think that Captain Hook looks good on basically anyone. (Now that was a really terrible joke. : \ I'm sorry about that.) @zanhar1 I try not to antiship as well, but I do have some OTPs. One of the most exciting thing about OUAT is that anything goes. You can ship Mulan with Sleeping Beauty or Little Red Riding Hood with Dr. Frankenstein.

zanhar1 Antishiping just gets out of hand most of the time. I have OTPs as well. Mine is...was Gina/Dan Cora blew a giant hole in that one. I love shows like that, kind of fun. :P

afirewiel What would you say Gremma has/had?

minervadawn Oh they defenitly had some sort of chemistry. I didn't really see it a first. They were both so closed off it was hard to see how they felt about each other. Then when the damn finally broke it was such a whirwind of passion, desperation and tragedy. Jen and Jamie poured their souls into that episode. Honestly I've never gotten over it Gemma is still my OTP for Emma. I've warmed up to Neal but I don't think anyone will ever measure up to Graham. Still its hard to say if that explosion of emotions would have translated into day to day romantic chemistry or maybe it was just Emma and Graham remembering how to experence passion and it would have eventually fizzled out like a summer fling. I guess we'll never know and thats the real tragedy of their story. To summarize: their story was just beginning but the fact that we still remember them proves that they has something special.

rere14 I don't know, I think when it come to chemistry it depend on people who watching it Like when I watch mad swan, I only see sex chemistry (I blame sebastian and jenmo) but others think that they have the kinda chemistry that makes them belong with each other and raise their kids together or when I watch captain swan, I don't see any chemistry between them but most people think those two are ready to jump each other and tear their clothe apart it's tricky, not only all people have the same perspective when it came to chemistry, that's the reason why we have so many ship war

robinsparkles97 i think you're wrong about Swan Queen tbh yes, a lot of it is the fact that they're both extremely attractive women, but it's not just about sex appeal. Swan Queen is more about the whole love/hate idea, and how there is a fine line between love and hate. i don't know, I'm not actually a hardcore Swan Queen shipper or anything, I just disagree with you on that one. I'm also not sure about Mad Swan being purely sexual chemistry either but idk. I think you're right about Captain Swan though, but that's probably just because I don't like the ship. Anyway, this was interesting. Thanks for posting, dear!

sonyabr3 Regina and Rumple??? Has anyone else noticed or felt there is some kind of mysterious unsaid issues between these two??? Rumple made it quite clear to Regina that "he's been waiting for her". And "that they belong together". Perhaps together as Team Evil. But what did really set the Apprentice off to make her turn against her Master and be obsessed to hurt him, and be more powerful than him. Theory: We all know Rumple's master plan with Regina was to take all hope of love and happy endings away from her enough to make her cast his dark curse. Rumples cruel and painful plan of leading Regina on with bringing Daniel back to life worked to his perfection. But I can't help thinking that his poor vulnerable Apprentice in an unpassionate marriage could easily turn to her Master seeking comfort and affection. After all she would have spent alot of time with Rumple who would have given her alot of attention. Not to mention we all know that Rumple likes to hover very close to any female that he is manipulating or controlling. Always in a very seductive manner. I'm sure he would have been quiet happy to lead her on, enjoying every minute of it. Totally convincing her that he loved her and they would live happily ever after together reigning evil power over her Kingdom. But when his work with her was over, it was time to turn it into an unhappy ending! Tell her the truth, that he never loved her and never will. Ouch! Stirring up more anger and venom in this already torn and broken women whom he infected with evil. Nothing more dangerous than a scorned women!! Hence the beginning of her desire to be more powerful than him. Good for him, cause that's just what he wants. Regina has to be very powerful to cast his dark curse. Well that's my theory anyway!!