She made sacrifices for HERSELF, to bring HERSELF happiness. She didn't care about Regina. If she did she would have let her be with Daniel. When she found out Regina didn't want to be Queen, she realized SHE would fall back down the totem poll, and she couldn't have that happen, so she destroyed Regina's happiness so she could remain wealthy and powerful.

No, she didn't have Gina in her mind at all. She specifically said something about how hard she worked to get herself out of poverty and she wasn't going to let Gina ruin it.

^maybe she didn't want her daughter to go through what she went... And we know "All magic comes with a price". who knows what price Cora paid for her magic?..

I think Cora did "loved" Regina. If this distorted thing can be called love. Just like now Regina "loves" Henry. Hurting the people you love "for their own best"...

Regina is more like her mother than she knows..unfortunately.

I agree with what the other above have said in that I never felt she actually cared for what Regina actually wanted. She treated her more like an object then a daughter, selling her off to the highest bidder.

I can relate to the idea of making sacrifices for children, I just don't think Cora goes about it the right way at all. She's clearly twisted herself into believing that she is helping her daughter even though she is doing more harm than good. It could have easily started off with her doing everything for Regina, but somewhere along the path she lost her way. I don’t agree with Cora’s methods at all.

Difference is Regina actually does care for Henry. Whilst I can see why you would say she wanted to save Gina from poverty; Gina specifically stated that she'd rather be a commoner with her true love then a lonely queen. Her mom clearly didn't render or consider that. Cora made it pretty obvious that she didn't want her hard work to go to waste because of Gina. She yelled at her crying daughter telling her love is a weakness and pretty much told her get over it being royalty and up holding my status is more important then your love life.

not really sure

^^
I'm sure Henry would rather spend some time with Emma. But Regina doesn't care about his wish.

I'm sure Henry wouldn't want a psychologist mess his head up. Regina doesn't really care about that.

My point is: mother&daughter have the same distorted perception about love. We know why Regina has hers. Don't know yet about Cora. It's funny: you are ready to accept and understand everything when it comes to Regina. But judge very harsh Cora before knowing her story.

Hurting the people you love "for their own best"... As mother, as daughter!

She thinks she'll lose him if she let's him go by Emna.

Archie was more on his side, and once again she just didnt want to lose him.

Indeed Cora is the way she is for a reason; abuse usually works in a chain Regina is abuse by Cora who was most likely abuse by a mother or father who was abused by their parent. I understand why Cora is messed up her story is probably very similar to Regina's. But if I understood your question correctly you were asking if I thought she was doing what she did to help Gina or to help herself; I defiantly believe it was for her own benefit. Ask if I feel bad fir Cora, the answer is yes, I do feel bad for her, something pretty crappy must've happened to her to get her to believe love is a weakness, I'm sure she didn't just wake up one morning and think 'I hate love it's a weakness'!

Who do you think she learned from? Cora may have wanted to help Gina but like Gina herself goes about it the wrong way. But I also believe unlike Regina towards Henry, Cora did this more for herself then she did fir Gina.

evil would always find excuses :)

Cora's excuses, Regina's excuses... same thing.

I believe their 'exuses' are to very different things. Gina wanted Henry's love Cora wanted status and love and its pretty clear she couldn't have both so she chose status.

I won't be able to relate to this aspect of her until I have a daughter or ward of some type of my own.
I've never had to be responsible for another person.

well a.i'm not a mother so i can't understand doing things for your child b.i don't think cora was doing the right thing and a mother doesn't care about presitige but happiness for there children

I don't believe she really took Regina's feelings into consideration. She saw Regina as a way to climb the social ladder. And by promising Regina's hand in marriage to The King it was her way into the "Castle".

Any good mother puts their children's needs and feelings before their own. They sacrifice for the best of their child they don't sacrifice so they can gain something.

To me, she didn't seem to do it for Regina, she seemed to do it just for herself.

^I think she thought she's doing it for Regina. She was already very powerful and had whatever she wanted, plus she was quite old. She always said she loves her daughter and in her distorted way she probably did.

She wanted what she thought was best for her. Leaving with a stable boy somewhere in the woods maybe (they didn't even had a place to live!) didn't seem like a good life.

Now Regina thinks just like Cora when it comes to Henry.
It's funny how everybody can relate to Regina and almost no one to Cora.

Like I said on the other part she kept keeping Gina out of poverty in mind but it was mainly to uphold a high reputation.

Like I said I feel bad for Cora and I can see how she's doing what she thinks us best fir Gina, but the main difference is; Cora physically abused Gina using magic Gina never laid a finger on Henry. Cora mainly did things fir herself. Gina actually cares about Henry but doesn't know how to do so. Like wise Cora probably tries but doesn't know how either.

Well, we don't know if Cora did anything to Regina when she was little, like Henry is. Who knows what Regina will do in 20 years?! she's already off the track...

She had no remorse however in letting two children all alone in the woods, without their father. That's abuse too.

And she did abuse Henry emotionally through the psychologist.

We do know what she did to Regina it was implied "you know I don't like it when you use magic." this statement proves it's happened before and clearly she hates being lifted off the ground. Well that may or may not happen, she hasn't hit him yet.

They got back didn't they. And she did take them into her castle offering them a place to stay.

Once again she just didn't want to lose her son.

They never got out of the forest! It was Emma who saved them after a long time, in our world.


Just like Regina, Cora didn't want to lose her daughter.

All Regina wanted was to have her lover and Cora knew it, she pretend to understand and Regina was really happy and drew closer to her mom. Cora obviously didn't care because she saw how close simple action made her daughter love her, yet she proceeded to killing her lover which she knew would push Gina away. She had her daughter's love when she was pretending to be accepting, and if she really didn't want to lose her daughter she would've continued to approve of the relationship.

Regina saw how meeting Emma made Henry so happy and she forbidden it to him. Same twisted "love".

Emma had been in jail prior to her visit, as far as we know Daniel is a safe guy. Emma gave Henry up for adoption that in itself is a bit scary to a mom. Daniel as far as we know never abandoned Gina. Gina was afraid for Henry, Cora just didn't like Daniel's lower class status.

see! Emma went to some major traumas! Probably even bigger than Regina's. And she is still a good person.

Going to jail for a few years is nothing compared to seeing a loved one's death. She got out of jail, death can't be reversed. I saw Gina had it far worse. Emma's situation can be repaired, Gina's really can't.

Emma's true love was killed in front of her also! BY REGINA! Remember. Death can't be reversed in her situation either.

She still had support from Snow and Henry, Regina had no one.

She had her father and Snow's love. But don't even mention it, I know: it was not enough for her.

Her father yes. Snow was just a little girl she wouldn't understand.

she did love Regina very much though.

I will say, like Regina, her heart is in the right place.

This is an intrigueing conversation, and as far as I am concerned Regina has had it worse off than, Emma. Yes, Emma watched Graham die, but Regina watched her mother rip Daniel's heart out. I relate to Regina because of her hardships, and not so much with Cora because she couldn't allow her own daughter happiness. Regina might be a little cruel to Henry, but that is nothing compared to how cruel Cora was to Regina. Using magic and fear to make your child behave is unbelievably cruel. Henry is just as cruel to Regina as she is to him, I believe Regina never truelly learned how to love a child but, she wants to.

I can see where she was coming from but she completely objectified Regina. She controlled her with magic and never bothered to form a real bond with her

i need to see Cora's backstory, so that i can answer to the question.