Once Upon a Time Regina Rising

Regina wasn’t always the Evil Queen. She once was a young girl who just wanted friendship and romance. Both were difficult when her mother, Cora, was always in her business. When Cora invites Claire, the daughter of a family friend, to visit, Regina warms up to her and finds a friend to confide in. One day, they go to the market and find a young boy getting a beating for stealing from a vendor’s stall. Regina sees the shop owner’s boots catch on fire, magically, and can’t believe that Claire would hide such a secret. Claire promises to teach her, but when the truth comes out, Regina feels more alone than ever before.

Fans of television’s Once Upon a Time will see Regina in a way they haven’t before – young, innocent, and a bit naïve. The progression from sweet girl to Evil Queen helps to explain not just her descent into darkness but also the curious scar on her lip. The large type and short chapters flow fast as her story unfolds, and the flashbacks help to deepen the story but aren’t too difficult to follow. This backstory follows Red’s Untold Tale, giving fans a glimpse at characters’ past lives.