Once Upon A Time Article: People without Hearts: Can they be Blamed?

People without Hearts: Can they be Blamed?

posted by TDDD

This is something I've wondered and am really divided on. Both Graham and Cora did awful things without their hearts. On one hand u can't ignore how their actions affected their victims and victims have a right to a sense of justice and retribution. But on the other hand, if someone is incapable of feeling anything, including remorse and guilt as well as love, then are they fully capable of judging the morality of their actions?

This plays into my feelings for Graham and Cora. I didn't like Graham much and although some of that was personal preference of character types, I thouraghly disagreed with a lot of his actions and particularly his behaviour in the episode where he died. Things like kissing Emma without her permission (I was so glad she called him out on that and let him know that it was completely out of line), throwing the dart across Granny's diner so it hit the uithangbord door her head, sneaking in and out of Regina's house, especially when Henry's there. Things like that. He and the toon seem to blame his dreadful behaviour on not having a hart-, hart and I could get behind that.

Then Cora comes along, and maybe it's a result of being without a hart-, hart for much longer of being the one to take her own hart-, hart out, but she seems truly emotionless, in a way Graham never did. She feels nothing but mild amusement at the thought of killing random people and turning them into animals, whereas Graham was horrified at the thought he hurt Mary Margaret. The toon basically came out and zei Cora was incapable of love without a heart, but at the same time implied that Graham loved Emma.

The last person I can remember not having a hart-, hart was Milah. Rumplestiltskin pulled out her hart-, hart but she still had the ability to feel love for Killian and she used her last moments to express that love. Like Graham, she was still capable of great emotion. So if Cora was different because of her mental state both with and without a heart, how much can she really be blamed?

So what's the difference between them? And can either of them be really blamed for their actions?

zanhar1 That's a good question. Perhaps the effects of literally being heartless has different effects on each person.

TDDD This was something I've wondered since we learned that Cora didn't have her heart. What was it that made her different? Can she be classed as being not in a sound state of mind? How much can we really judge her if that is the case? Milah (I forgot her, I'll have to add her to the article) was quite capable of expressing love and adoration in the few moments she had without a heart. Her dying words where her telling Killian she loved him, Graham was in love with Emma, and yet Cora turned cold and heartless nearly the moment she took out her own heart. Maybe she lost the ability to love because she didn't want it? So many questions, I hope we get the answers to.

BellaLovett Yes good question, I've wondered that too, hopefully season 3 carries the answer

Evilregal14 Some of us do think that Cora did love Regina and some think not. But everyone says that Graham loved Emma and I get really annoyed as he had no heart either.

zanhar1 ^^^ Same here. That also made me wonder how Milah would have acted--maybe each gender reacted differently. Or maybe it simply is an individualistic thing. Maybe it's an age thing. Or maybe its based around past actions; both Graham and Milah acted out of love prior to losing their hearts and lost them for being loving. Where as Cora wanted strength and power prior to the removal of her heart.

Evilregal14 The writers just don't like Cora haha, she was planned as a villain so they probably didn't think about it like that.

TDDD ^^^ I can see why people see Cora as loving her daughter and I agree to an extent. I think she tries to love her and certainly believes she does, but I think her love became twisted and almost obsessive. She wanted to do right by her but didn't really know how? It's difficult to explain. but I also think there's an element of writer's preference there too. ^^ I think she would have acted the same way she did the brief window we saw of her without a heart. It could be any number of reasons, I just want the show or writers to clarify so we know what to expect if it ever happens again.

zanhar1 Some clarity would be lovely. But I'm more interested in seeing what life was like between Henry and Gina before he got the book.