The third episode of ABC's Once Upon A Time, titled "Rocky Road," introduced us to Elizabeth Mitchell's character the Snow Queen. While everyone expected her to interact with Elsa in both the past and present, what few were expecting was a history with the Storybrooke Savior, Emma Swan. Nothing more has been revealed of their past thus far, so we have little information with which to base theories on how they know each other. However, despite the lack of information, I believe we can take a leap of faith and use conjecture to find the answer.
I think the Snow Queen is Miss Swan, Emma's first foster mother. Allow me to explain why:
1. How does she know Emma?
The Snow Queen's conversation with Rumple revealed that she knows Emma, but Emma has forgotten her. Given that Emma was wardrobed to our world immediately after birth, the Snow Queen can only know her from interactions here.
This in itself brings up another question, which relates to another part of Snow Queen's talk with Rumple: how did the Snow Queen get here considering that the Dark One himself had to use a curse to cross worlds?
The logical conclusion is that she was carried over by the Dark Curse as well but was not confined to Storybrooke with everyone else. The only person who could have ensured that is the person who created it: Rumplestiltskin. This leads us to the next point...
2. Rumple knows that Emma and the Snow Queen know each other.
Rumple asked the Snow Queen if Emma remembered her, meaning (as this section suggests) that he knows their history. He also stated that it was better for the Snow Queen if Emma did not remember her.
This point creates confusion: how could Rumple know about their history when he was cursed along with everyone else and has not interacted with the Snow Queen prior to "Rocky Road"? Series creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis have stated that Rumple was not awakened from the Dark Curse until he heard Emma's name. Many fans assume that the first time he heard Emma's name was at Granny's in the pilot. What if that is not the case?
What if Emma traveled to Storybrooke before, perhaps when she was more portable? Could it be that the Snow Queen brought her? It's certainly possible. But why would she do that? Ah, there is a very good reason, identified through her words to Elsa in Arendelle of the past, words that tie directly to the story of Frozen.
3. "Some memories are too painful."
This sentence is very meaningful. Not only does it refer to the memory-erasing event in Frozen, but it signifies that the Snow Queen herself has experience with memories which need to be eradicated in order to ease pain for the person to whom they belong. While these words were stated prior to the Dark Curse and Emma's birth, it is a bit of foreshadowing for what is to come later in the woods of Storybrooke.
The Snow Queen, in making her case to Elsa, took the opportunity to remind her of the rock trolls and their skill at erasing memories. But there is another person who can do the same thing: Rumple. And this is where my previous points conjoin:
The Snow Queen brought Emma to Storybrooke so Rumplestiltskin could erase her memories before giving her up to the foster system.
Bt why would she give her up? Because, like Anna and Elsa, Emma saw the Snow Queen use magic or was affected negatively by it. The Snow Queen wanted to spare her the pain of the memory.
This isn't the only reason she wants Emma to forget: Emma may be the key to unthawing her frozen heart, making the Snow Queen feel her mistakes and regret them. She is also the likely undoing of the Snow Queen's powers, an example of which may be seen in a flashback to Emma's childhood.
One final point:
Rumple deals in names. His words, "Did... Miss Swan remember you? " came with a certain emphasis that makes me think he gave the Snow Queen the name "Miss Swan" in our world.
Originally appeared on OnceUponAFans.com. Images property of ABC Studios.
Zach Van Norman is a writer, reporter, and podcast host for Once Upon A Fan. He is also a film student with an interest in editing and directing who enjoys symbolic analysis and studying the use of color and light in movies and television.
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