Ingrid is the main antagonist turned anti-hero in the first half of the fourth season of ABC's series Once Upon a Time, and the maternal aunt of Elsa and Anna. She debuts in the second episode of the fourth season.
Ingrid is based on the titular character of the same name from the fairy tale "The Snow Queen".
Background[]
Personality[]
Ingrid was a conflicted woman, filled with bitterness and paranoia, but with the ardent desire for a loving family.
As a child, Ingrid had loved both her sisters, Helga and Gerda dearly and the three were very close, however, after her powers emerged she became fearful, this was strongly instigated by the stigma her powers caused and her being labelled a monster.
As an adult, Ingrid was fearful and tried to avoid going out in public because of her lack of control over her own powers, much like her niece, Elsa. She even considered leaving the kingdom and passing the crown to her sister Helga, feeling that her powers didn't make her a ruler. However, she would fall back on her powers, as when the Duke incessantly insulted her.
Losing her sister, Helga, and being trapped by her other sister Gerda left Ingrid emotionally scarred and hateful towards "ordinary people". She believed that not even friends and family could understand her because of her magic, and they'd eventually turn against her. She also felt a strong dislike for Gerda, as a result of her actions, something that she projected onto her youngest niece, Anna. As a result, Ingrid was very suspicious of Anna from their first meeting and did not want her as part of her new family since she was "the odd one out" not having any magic like herself and Elsa. She even lied to Elsa in an attempt to drive Anna and Elsa apart.
However, in spite of her bitterness, the one thing she desired most was a loving family. She grew fond of Emma, adopting her as a child, and was greatly hurt when she ran off. Upon meeting her niece, Elsa, she was happy to have a family member that could understand her. However, she had opposite feelings with Anna, who was not only devoid of powers, but greatly resembled Gerda. This distrust only became worse when Anna went to ask the Rock Trolls about her and finding a hat capable of absorbing magic in her niece's bag (Anna had planned to use it on Ingrid if she became a threat to Elsa). Ingrid's dislike for Anna was exploited further when she encouraged Elsa to freeze her while she was under a spell, and came close to killing her twice.
Even though it was because of her own botched attempt, Ingrid blamed Anna, who had been under her spell, for Elsa ending up in the urn. This contributed to her belief she was just like her mother, when I'm fact Anna loved Elsa and wouldn't have done so on her own. After her would-be nephew-in-law, Kristoff, confronted her, Ingrid finally snapped and embraced herself as the monstrosity she believed everyone thought she was by freezing all of Arendelle for 30 years while telling Elsa that she would one day embrace herself too. Her loathing of non-magical individuals was shown to full extent when she placed a freezing curse on an innocent "Marian" and tried to kill Hook in order to teach Elsa that people see them as monsters and was even willing to unleash a curse that would kill everyone in Storybrooke save herself, Emma and Elsa just to have her "perfect family".
Ingrid was manipulative and was somewhat mentally unstable. When angered (either called a monster or when one tries to harm Elsa or Emma), she would be very vengeful. While having a quiet and polite demeanor, her wrath could reach murderous levels. She also shows signs of being highly delusional and stubborn; despite the fact Emma already had a loving family that accepted her, Ingrid was still determined to make Emma her sister and kill her family.
However, hearing Gerda's last words; begging her daughters to restore everyone's memories of their aunts and free her to tell her how much she loved her, Ingrid forgives Gerda and realizes her sisters always loved her. She also realizes that her actions, not powers, are what make her a monster and sacrificed herself to undo the curse and redeem herself. While dying, she said "you three are so special", showing that she finally had come to accept Anna as part of her family.
Powers and abilities[]
Powers[]
- Ice Magic: Ingrid's magic manifested at a young age, when her sisters Helga and Gerda were in danger of being kidnapped by a scoundrel who was intending to sell her for money. Ingrid's magic was identical to her, niece Elsa's powers, having complete control over cold temperatures and the elements of ice and snow; but they were at a much higher level; due to her being more skilled, experienced and powerful in her ice and snow magic. She was one of the most, if not the most powerful sorceress in the Once Upon a Time universe, next to Nimue and the Black Fairy, even the current Dark One, Rumplestiltskin avoided getting into a direct confrontation with Ingrid, but it should be noted that at the time he did not possess the combined powers of every Dark One who ever lived, as demonstrated by her extreme gesture in freezing, with a simple movement of the arm, the whole kingdom of Arendelle for 30 long years.
- Cryogenesis/Frigogenesis: Ingrid can create the elements of ice and snow. Even creating living ice golems.
- Cryokinesis/Frigokinesis: Ingrid can manipulate the elements of ice and snow.
- Atmokinesis: Ingrid has shown that she knows how to summon storm clouds.
- Teleportation: Ingrid can move from one place to another at will, disappearing into what looks like a white winter storm formation, however, she can also appear without creating the snowstorm effect.
- Conjuration: Ingrid is able to summon objects or beings through magic, often materializing it in the form of snow. She once used this power to conjure some shackles on Anna's hands, or when she conjured her Trolden Glass mirror from nothing.
- Telekinesis: Ingrid was capable of manipulating objects or people without physically touching them. She mainly used this power to harm others and when she used this power, the individual did it with a hand movement that mimics the action she wants to perform, she even managed to strangle both Emma Swan and Regina Mills, despite the fact that the latter two are the Savior and the Evil Queen.
- Astral Projection: Ingrid was able to materialize herself in an intangible form to Emma despite being imprisoned in her cave by Mr. Gold.
- Mirror Magic: Ingrid is able to magically manipulate mirrors for a variety of purposes. She's powerful enough to permanently free Sidney Glass from the Mirror World after Regina Mills had imprisoned him again.
- Spell of Shattered Sight: An ancient spell that Ingrid learned by reading the mythological fable of her childhood The Trolden Glass. This spell make people see the worst in their loved ones and turn against each other.
- Divination: Like the Evil Queen, the Snow Queen is able to use mirrors to spy on other people.
- Rock Troll Memory Magic: Using the Rock Trolls, Ingrid is able to remove, implant and magically watch the memories of the people that she used on them.
Weaknesses[]
- Laws of Magic: Like any witch or sorceress, Ingrid was subject to the laws of magic, as a result she is unable to raise the dead, create love and time travel.
- Leaving a Magical Realm: Like other magical beings, if Ingrid enters into a land without magic, she will lose all of her powers.
- Leaving Storybrooke: If Ingrid leaves Storybrooke, she will lose all of her powers.
- Anti-magic Enchanted objects: Like all magical beings her powers can be blocked by objects designed to conceal magic, this has noticeably been seen with the magic concealing gloves given to her by Rumplestiltskin or how she was trapped in a magic urn designed for the same purpose. It can also be assumed that a magic blocking cuff or enchanted cell would also have the same effect.
- Squid Ink: Though it has never been seen on-screen, it can be assumed that, like all magic users, squid ink can immobilize her.
Biography[]
Before the First Curse[]
Ingrid is the first child born to Queen Sonja and King Harald of Arendelle, and she has two younger sisters, Helga and Gerda. As children, the three have a close bond. One afternoon, they spot a punctured kite, and Gerda and Helga take a fancy to the kite's ribbons. The kite's owner arrives, but the man proves to be a scoundrel as he grabs Gerda, intending to sell her for money. With Helga also restrained in his grip, Ingrid rushes to stop him, but he kicks her away. As she falls backwards, a stream of ice comes out of her hands, which breaks a large tree branch and knocks him unconscious. Ingrid fears hurting her sisters with her new-found powers, but Gerda and Helga are thankful for what she did. Her sisters promise to help conceal her powers, and each take a ribbon to solidify their sisterhood and to always be there for each other.
Years later, on the night of their father's 70th birthday celebration, Ingrid opts out, despite her sisters' insistence. At the party, she secretly and sadly watches as her sisters dance with their suitors. However, when snowflakes manifest around herself, Ingrid realizes her powers' presence. Packing her things, Ingrid later explains to her sisters that, if she leaves, they can have normal lives. She also passes the throne to Helga, who has leadership qualities befitting a queen. To rid Ingrid's distress over her powers, they go to a Mist Haven and seek out Rumplestiltskin. In exchange for their ribbons, he gives Ingrid a pair of gloves to cancel out her powers, as well as an urn to entrap her if she becomes too dangerous. In the royal garden, Ingrid is approached by Helga's suitor, the Duke of Weselton, who makes romantic advances on her. Horrified when he doesn't back off, she blasts him away. When Helga arrives, the Duke tries to claim Ingrid harmed him after he rejected her feelings. Instead, Helga spurns him due to knowing his true nature, to which he threatens to reveal Ingrid's magic to all of Arendelle, so everyone will know their future queen is a monster. Angered, Ingrid fires ice magic at him, but the Duke uses Helga as a shield, and she takes the hit; turning into an ice statue and crumbling to pieces, much to Ingrid's grief. Ingrid cries over her sister's broken body when Gerda discovers them. Despite the fact that Ingrid did not mean to kill Helga, Gerda cannot cope with what she had done and fearfully entraps her sobbing sister in the urn. Soon after, Grand Pabbie, on Gerda's request, erases everyone's memories of Ingrid and Helga.
As a result of this betrayal, Ingrid comes to believe that no non-magical person could ever understand or love her, becoming distrustful and bitter towards the rest of the world.
Many years later, Gerda's eldest daughter, Elsa, inherits ice powers similar to Ingrid's. When Elsa herself rules as Queen, she learns Prince Hans of the Southern Isles intends to trap her in an urn, so he can seize Arendelle. After finding the urn in a cave within the North Valley, Elsa is forced to hand it over to Hans when her sister's fiancé, Kristoff is almost killed by the prince. In a smug tone, Hans remarks that a monster shouldn't rule Arendelle, and he proceeds to uncap the relic. A white liquid pours out, but while all three believe the substance will trap Elsa, Ingrid arises from it instead. Having taken insult to Hans' previous comment about being a monster, she turns him into an ice statue while the prince's brothers flee. The remaining trio then return home. Arriving at Arendelle's castle, she and Elsa walk in while chatting animatedly about their ice magic. Noticing a painting of Elsa's parents, Ingrid reveals herself as her mother's sister. Ingrid longingly asks to see her sister, but Elsa regrettably states that her parents died in a sea voyage. Elsa expresses worry for her sister, Anna, who has gone missing, though Ingrid promises to help find her.
Ingrid begins teaching Elsa to hone control on the link between her emotions and powers. When Anna returns home, Ingrid meets her for the first time; remarking that she resembles Gerda. While Elsa accepts Ingrid as their aunt, Anna remains skeptical. Later, Ingrid overhears Anna voicing these doubts to Kristoff and her plans to ask the rock troll, Grand Pabbie, for answers. During this conversation, Ingrid learns Anna discovered that her parents went to Mist Haven intending to get rid of Elsa's magic with something, but she hasn't told her sister yet. After learning about Helga, her other aunt, from Grand Pabbie, Anna realizes Ingrid might be up to something. She and her companion, Belle, make their way down the mountain, only to be stopped by Ingrid's storm. A fierce wind knocks Anna to the cliff ledge, where she desperately clings to keep from falling, as Belle tries to pull her up. Anna plunges to the ground and falls unconscious. Ingrid approaches her and collects the Sorcerer's Hat from her niece's satchel. Belle yells at Ingrid to leave Anna alone, but the Snow Queen remarks that she'll have to excuse them since "this is family business". She then materializes away, taking Anna with her, as a helpless Belle watches. Imprisoning Anna in a castle cell, she accuses her of intending to use the Sorcerer's Hat on Elsa. Anna rejects the notion; arguing that she wasn't going to use it on anyone until Ingrid attacked her. Ingrid explains she wants a family and thought her nieces could be that for her, but now that Anna has proven to be the "odd woman out" with nothing in common with herself and Elsa, she vows to find someone else to replace her.
Burying the hat in a cave in Arendelle, Ingrid then goes to the Enchanted Forest where she asks the Sorcerer's Apprentice to find a third sister to complete her perfect family. The Apprentice believes finding such a person is rare, but she insists on waiting as long as necessary. Returning to Arendelle, Ingrid tells Elsa what Anna learned in Mist Haven. She claims that Anna, intending to use the item on Elsa, attempted it on her first. As Elsa is in doubt, Ingrid reveals Gerda trapped her in the urn and that Anna, like her mother, will never understand family members with magic. Instead of turning them against each other, the girls conspire to entrap their crafty aunt back in the urn, but Ingrid, one step ahead, shackles Anna first. Under duress, Anna tells the Norse legend of The Trolden Glass, in which a king made a mirror for his daughter to see her own beauty, however, she died before receiving it. Thus, the mirror reflected the king's misery. Since Anna cannot remember anything else in the tale, Ingrid explains the grief-stricken king learned dark magic to make the kingdom share his pain, which caused the subjects to see the bad in others and turn on each other. Like the story, Ingrid wants to cast the spell, but she needs much power and many mirror pieces. With a shard, she places Anna under the spell. Elsa is bewildered at her sister's anger, while Ingrid admits she did it to show Anna's inner darkness. She pushes Elsa into freezing Anna, but the latter refuses. Anna seals her sister in the urn, which wasn't what Ingrid thought would happen. As she prepares something threateningly on Anna, Kristoff intervenes. But this just provokes her wrath to the worst. Embracing herself as a monster, she freezes them and all of Arendelle while telling her captive niece she would do the same. She then erases Elsa's memories of her. Rumplestiltskin shows up asking for the hat, but she claims to not know where it is. As a result, he takes the urn and promises to return it if she hands over the hat. When the Apprentice locates the third sister, Ingrid gives him the hat instead and gains passage to another realm as well as a scroll to find the third sister and reunite with Elsa in due time.
From the Sorcerer's Apprentice's portal door, Ingrid arrives to the Land Without Magic, in Boston during the year 1982.
While walking on the streets of this new world, Ingrid visits a "psychic", Madame Faustina, to find out information about the third sister, who will arrive in a town called Storybrooke in twenty-eight years. She then pays for the seer's service by giving up her necklace. Through crystal gazing, Madame Faustina proves herself to be a fraud after proclaiming the girl's name will be Susan, though Ingrid knows from the Apprentice's scroll that her name is to be Emma Swan. Storming out of the shop, Ingrid angrily berates the woman's trickery and tries punishing her with magic, but finds her own powers do not work in this land. She shrugs it off, vowing to get what she deserves.
During the First Curse[]
During 1999, Ingrid is now working in the childcare system for boys and girls and runs a group home in Richfield, Minnesota. Thirteen to fourteen years after Emma is born, she is placed under Ingrid's care. One day, she spots one of the boys, Kevin, toying with Emma's camera. Ingrid asks him to give it back because property is respected in the house. She approaches to turn it off and returns the device to Emma. Ingrid reassures Emma that she'll fit in. After Ingrid walks off to announce bedtime, Kevin threatens Emma into turning over her camera to him by tomorrow, or he'll make her life miserable. That night, Ingrid catches Emma running away. She doesn't stop her, but casually lets it slip that Kevin happens to be afraid of spiders; including the rubber ones hidden in her own drawer. Realizing Ingrid is helping her, the girl agrees to stay. Soon, Ingrid secretly makes plans to adopt her. Spending time together, they have fun at the amusement park, where Emma plays the claw machine and accidentally causes sparks of magic. Emma wins a dog plushie and a ring, to which Ingrid beams with excessive and genuine praise while shedding tears of happiness. Seeing papers in Ingrid's bag, Emma assumes she is being transferred to another home. However, Ingrid admits she is adopting her, which Emma happily accepts. As they wait for the bus, Emma suggests it'd be great to have magic to instantly return home. Ingrid, knowing the girl's potential, pulls her in front of an incoming car and pushes her to use magic. But this only severs her bond with Emma, who, freaked out at Ingrid's insistence that she has hidden powers, runs away.
In the year 2001, Ingrid packs her belongings and travels to Maine. Upon opening the scroll, she magically materializes in Storybrooke. Going by the name Sarah Fisher, Ingrid establishes an ice cream business, Any Given Sundae (in a deleted scene, captures and erases the true owner Dopey's memories to avoid suspicion from Regina), and patiently awaits Emma, who walks into the shop ten years later in November to buy frozen treats for her son, Henry. Ingrid desperately reiterates what she tried to tell Emma years ago. Without either noticing, Sidney, who is spying on Emma for Regina, takes a picture of them from outside the store. Emma believes her former foster mother is crazy and prepares to call Sheriff Graham, until Ingrid absorbs her memories into a stone. Ingrid then pretends as if Emma, with no recollection of their prior exchange, was on the verge of fainting and helps to steady her. After giving Emma some pints of cherry vanilla, she offers her a spoonful of rocky road. Emma finds the ice cream delicious, as Ingrid says she made it with a lot of patience and love. After Emma leaves, Ingrid sadly watches her go.
After the Second Curse[]
After returning to Storybrooke, Ingrid resumes her job at Any Given Sundae. During a power outage, she uses her freezing powers to keep her frozen goods from expiring. Meanwhile, Elsa returns from captivity and creates an ice barrier at the town line in order to keep everyone from leaving until she finds Anna. Having gained an ally in Emma, Elsa returns to the town line with her and agrees to remove the barrier after the town blackout ends. However, to her surprise, it fails. Elsa, believing she herself is the only one capable of harnessing ice powers, cannot understand why the barrier remains. Later, at Any Given Sundae, Ingrid scoops an ice cream cone for Leroy. He asks her if the power outage was a problem for her business. Smiling mysteriously, she says it wasn't. After he is gone, she uses magic to refreeze a melted carton of ice cream. As she leans against the freezer, it becomes frozen as well, revealing she's keeping the barrier up with her influence.
One day, Ingrid serves Robin Hood and his son, Roland, some rocky road ice cream. Not familiar with Robin Hood's wife, she is introduced to the woman, Marian, and offers to give her a cone of ice cream as a town welcome. As she is preparing the frozen treat, Ingrid casts a freezing spell on it and then hands it to an unsuspecting Marian. Soon after, Marian falls unconscious due to the freezing spell, which the townspeople suspect is Elsa's doing. While fixing a menu chalkboard outside the ice cream shop, Ingrid overhears Archie state they cannot blame Elsa without proof, but Leroy loudly proclaims that Elsa, being the only one with ice powers, is enough evidence. Satisfied with the way things are going, she secretly smiles. Later, for unknown reasons, Ingrid wonders the woods where she apprehends Hook, who spying on her with Elsa, by freezing his feet, but leaves Elsa untouched. Ingrid confirms that Elsa once knew her and no longer does because the rock trolls erased her memories. She also claims Anna put Elsa in the urn, but the latter fiercely denies. Elsa angrily confronts her for making the townspeople believe she caused Marian's affliction, but Ingrid coolly suggests she was trying to show her that everyone, even friends and family, will fear powers like theirs once reason arises. To prove her point, she creates hovering icicles over Hook and neutralizes Elsa's magic, so she will look responsible for it. As she begins lowering the spikes on the pirate, David and Emma arrive. In genuine surprise, she calls Emma by name; seemingly recognizing her. However, Ingrid quickly shrugs this off, stating that Emma's reputation precedes her, and challenges the blonde to a magic match. Emma blasts her away, though Ingrid manages to collapse the icicles. As Emma uses magic to push both David and Hook to safety, her opponent mysteriously disappears. After the battle, Ingrid wanders the forest and bumps into Mr. Gold. He questions if Emma remembered her, to which she confirms it didn't happen. When he asks if she requires his help, Ingrid makes it clear when she will be ready for a deal. Once he leaves her, she stares off into the distance.
Far off, she watches Emma throughout the day. When Emma suspiciously notices a puddle at her car and, later on, an ice trail that her vehicle skids onto, she discovers the Snow Queen nearby. Toying with Emma, Ingrid walks away, as the latter follows, though she manages to lose her pursuer.
Creating a replica of Anna out of ice, Ingrid uses her as a false illusion to lure Elsa out into the woods. After Elsa rushes to her sister as intended, she turns the fake into ice and withers it into mist before binding her niece with chains. As Ingrid tells her, the more fearful she becomes, the tighter the cuffs will become. Before she departs, Elsa questions her on what she intends to do. With a demented smile, Ingrid states she is going to build a snowman. Mounding a vicious snow orc into life, she sends her creation to attack an approaching Emma and Regina, who soon figure out that Sidney has been working for her. With combined powers, the two magic wielders defeat the orc. Ingrid then surprises them, taking away Regina's pocket mirror where Sidney is entrapped, and begins choking the women. An escaped Elsa blasts Ingrid away and then confronts her; commanding that, should she want a fight, to do so with her. In a tone of amazement, Ingrid congratulates Elsa for overcoming her fears. Before the trio can finish her off, she materializes away. Later, in her lair, Ingrid frees Sidney from the mirror as promised. Though Sidney assumes he is now her underling, she allows him to go. Ingrid explains the mirror is more important than him, as it contains an essence of his soul and is also infused with Regina's dark magic, which will give her what she desires most. He inquires what it is, but she remains secretive. After he leaves, she walks over to a wall mirror with broken fitted pieces and one empty slot. Shattering Sidney's old mirror, Ingrid takes a piece and levitates it into the remaining hole. The mirror's reflection then dissolves its cracks as she looks in; stating it'll give her her deepest wish—a family that loves her.
Planting her ice cream truck in the woods near the Merry Men's campsite, Ingrid puts a file, containing drawings that a young Emma once made, inside the vehicle. Of all the items within the folder, Ingrid also left a scroll written in ancient text foretelling of a prophecy that the savior, Emma, will become her sister. As Emma and her companions approach the truck, Ingrid walks off. When called out by Mr. Gold, she confronts him over wanting to know her secrets. Mr. Gold offers to strike a deal, but Ingrid quickly recognizes he wants something in her possession—the Sorcerer's Hat. Though Ingrid does not actually have it, she pretends otherwise and warns him to stay out of her way. Later, Gold's wife, Belle, storms the Snow Queen's lair while she's away looking for the Sorcerer's Hat to right her mistake years ago. With her mirror toys with Belle's insecurities until she falls into a trance and injuries Mr. Gold. Angered, Mr. Gold warns the Snow Queen that he won't let her use the mirror for the Spell of Shattered Sight and hurt his loved ones. Ingrid refuses to exempt anyone for his sake, but he reveals the Sorcerer's Hat in his possession, threatening to absorb her into it, if not.
Ingrid plants a false mirror within the top level of the clock tower and allows herself to be apprehended by Emma and her allies. Taken to the sheriff station, she is interrogated by Elsa about Anna. Coolly, Ingrid continues to insinuate Anna is not worth it since she put Elsa in the urn. A furious Elsa then leaves to cool off while Emma resumes questioning. When asked about the erasure of Emma's memories of her, she implies that all families are not perfect. Emma affirms they're not family, but Ingrid insists she and Elsa have similar powers as her and thus belong together. Ingrid insists Emma's biological family may love her, but they also fear her powers. Later, Ingrid freezes the station door entrance to prevent Emma's allies from coming in after they realize the mirror is fake. Having cracked some of the latter's confidence, Ingrid recalls Emma, as a young girl, was angry of her parents for giving her up and despite that they had no choice due to the curse, they are still selfishly using their only daughter and her magic to constantly save them. She argues that they'll start to fear Emma if her powers become dangerous, and how her parents must be very thankful their second-born was without magic. As Emma, out of anger, unknowingly uses magic to heat up a glass of water, Ingrid proclaims her parents can't love her if they don't understand her, so they will soon see her as a monster. Having enough, Emma's emotions reach a boiling point and shouts in Ingrid's face to shut up as she explodes a wall. Pleased, a smug Ingrid unbinds herself and escapes. From nearby, she watches Emma lose control and accidentally injure David; causing brief resentment from Mary Margaret. Feeling ostracized, Emma flees. Afterwards, Ingrid asks for the three ribbons in exchange for telling Mr. Gold the last thing he needs to be free of the dagger's influence, since she once owned the weapon herself. She whispers the secret into his ear, receives the ribbons, and leaves to enact her plan of taking over Storybrooke.
Shortly after Emma unintentionally injuries Henry and fearfully forces him to leave, Ingrid appears and advises her that the only solution is to embrace her own magic. Driving off, Emma rejects the idea, as she doesn't want to hurt her loved ones. At her lair, Mr. Gold implies he has his own plans for Emma that will override hers. Out of anger that he's trying to take another "sister", Ingrid tries attacking him, only to realize he has trapped her in a circle of the urn's powder dust. Though the effect is temporary, it buys him enough time to keep Ingrid from interfering. Scouring for Emma through the mirror, Ingrid finds her driving on the road. Using projection, she manifests on the road to force Emma to swerve the car. Ingrid warns that Mr. Gold is using her, but Emma doesn't trust her word and leaves after realizing she's not there. Intending to be rid of her own magic, Emma almost falls for Mr. Gold's trap of absorbing her into the Sorcerer's Hat, however, Elsa persuades her into accepting the good and bad that comes with magic. Due to this, the true power of the ribbons is unlocked because both Elsa and Emma accept their magic. Later, the two ribbons appear on their wrists, and begin harnessing their magic into Ingrid's ribbon. In another confrontation in her lair, Ingrid taunts Mr. Gold over his failure to gain Emma's power, while warning of possible repayment for that and trapping her. After revealing Elsa had saved Emma, she explains the ribbons' functions and threatens its power will be enough to kill even him, but he cautions her not to overestimate her own strength. As he leaves, Ingrid more fiercely counters that he should underestimate her magic, and she then shatters the mirror using the ribbon's power. With that, the Spell of Shattered Sight is cast.
As the spell slowly spreads throughout Storybrooke, Ingrid studies the sky from within the woods. Though she wants the spell to wipe out everyone except herself, Elsa and Emma, Mr. Gold points out he himself is immortal. He agrees to leave her be if Ingrid allows him, Belle and Henry to leave Storybrooke forever, which she coldly consents to. When her curse begins affecting the townspeople, Ingrid prowls the streets before heading into Any Given Sundae. Hidden in the carrot sherbet ice cream scoop bucket, she takes two purple stones, which contain Elsa and Emma's memories with her. Outside, she is stopped by the two blondes, who fail at attacking with magic. As Ingrid explains, her sisterly love is channeled into the ribbons; preventing them from hurting her. Elsa and Emma later counter Ingrid's love with Regina's hatred in order to get rid of the ribbons. Regina, provoked by Emma, burns the ribbons off. At the Snow Lair, Emma continues to deny that she and Elsa will ever love her. Thus, a confident Ingrid shows them the stones containing lost memories from both. She believes by returning the memories and letting them remember the good moments each of them had with her, they will love her. Ingrid knows Elsa and Emma must kill her to end the curse, but she is sure they cannot do it. Holding out the stones, she urges them to become her sisters.
Suddenly, Anna rushes in with a scroll written by her and Elsa's late mother Gerda, and she reads it out loud. Gerda was remorseful about obscuring her elder sisters' existences and asked Anna and Elsa to use a crystal to restore the kingdom's memories of Ingrid and Helga. Additionally, Gerda wants Ingrid released from the urn, having always loved her sister. In denial, an insecure Ingrid throws Elsa and Emma backwards while telekinetically choking Anna. Finally understanding Ingrid's actions, Anna reasons, regardless of their differences, they're still family. After releasing her niece, Ingrid touches the scroll crystal and receives Gerda's happy memories with her and Helga. Ingrid is brought to her knees in bittersweet happiness at this revelation. Remorseful for what she's become, she destroys herself to lift her spell. As her body dissolves into the mirror shards, she returns Elsa and Emma's memories. Before disappearing completely, Ingrid reveals a prophecy once told her Emma would lead her to her happy ending: her sisters' love. Now knowing Helga and Gerda had always loved her, she can happily join them in the afterlife.
With her demise, the spell of Shattered Sight comes to an end, as the Snow Queen is reunited with her younger sisters in the great beyond.
Relationships[]
Gerda[]
In youth, Ingrid and Gerda loved each other very much, and they made a promise to help Ingrid conceal her powers. Growing up Gerda and Helga enjoyed their lives while trying, with no avail, to convince Ingrid to come out. However, after the incident where Helga died by Ingrid's magic, despite the fact that Ingrid did not mean to, Gerda became fearful of what Ingrid could do. Letting this fear cloud her judgement, she called her a monster and entrapped her in the magic urn. Filled with sadness over these events, Gerda then went to the Rock Trolls to have all memory of Ingrid and Helga erased, believing that the kingdom needed to forget them in order to get through this tragedy. Hurt from this betrayal, a hatred against non-magical people was created inside Ingrid, driving her to want to recreate a family of sisters that had magic like her. Seeing nothing but worst from Gerda also drove her to cast the Spell of Shattered Sight. Into her later years, Gerda felt very guilty for not being there for Ingrid when she needed her most and should have appreciated her for who she was. Her last wish was that her sisters' place among the family was restored, as well as Ingrid's release from urn and for her to know she truly loved her; wanting more than anything to hold hands like her oldest sister wanted. First hearing this, Ingrid, embittered, was unable to believe it until Anna gets through to her and remembers the happy moments the three had together when seeing for herself. Touched, Ingrid forgives Gerda and was content with death if it meant being with her beloved sisters again.
Helga[]
Ingrid was very close to Helga growing up as she was with Gerda and made a promise to help Ingrid conceal her powers. Growing up, Gerda and Helga enjoyed their lives while trying, with no avail, to convince Ingrid to come out. Unlike Gerda, who was always somewhat apprehensive of Ingrid's magic, Helga loved and accepted Ingrid for who she was and stood up for her when the Duke of Weselton found out about her magic (showing little to no fear). Ingrid was devastated for causing her supportive sister's death, which wasn't helped by Gerda's fearful betrayal. While she didn't show much negativity to Helga as she did with Gerda, in her self-reserved memory she doubted Helga accepted her. Helga's death may have spurred her wanting magical sisters so they would not be killed as easily by her magic. But whatever negative feelings were dissolved after reading their younger sister's last words. Remembering their love, Ingrid ends her life to be with her departed sisters.
Elsa[]
Upon being released by the urn and meeting her oldest niece, Ingrid and Elsa initially became friendly with each other, glad to finally have a relative with the same magic. Despite the lack of proof of their relation, as pointed out by Anna, Elsa accepted Ingrid as their aunt. But when Ingrid tried to get rid of Anna with claims that she couldn't accept them, Elsa sides with her sister and plotted to put her back in the urn. But Ingrid was still insistent to make Elsa come to her side. Her next attempt to turn her against Anna was by getting her to strike her down when the latter was under the Spell of Shattered Sight in an act of self-defense. It only ended with Elsa, like her aunt, entrapped in the urn, much to Ingrid's horror (clearly sure that Elsa would've resisted). After freezing Arendelle, Ingrid then erased her niece's memories to get a fresh start.
When they met again, Ingrid was still determined to make Elsa believe that people feared them and framed her for crimes she committed, though in her mind she was teaching Elsa a lesson. She also tried to convince the amnesic Elsa that Anna trapped her in the urn under fear rather than the influence of a spell. After discovering again of their heritage, Elsa was hesitant to harm Ingrid even when she knew it was the only way to stop the curse, opting to try and reason with her. In the end when Ingrid realises the error of her ways, thanks to Anna, and sacrifices herself. Elsa pleads with her not to go through, believing that she could've been saved. The sadness deepened when Ingrid restores her and Emma's memories. But she assures them by telling her, Emma and Anna that they are special and to never forget that. Returning home, Elsa admires a portrait displayed to honor her late family members.
Anna[]
Anna and Ingrid's relationship used to be very rocky. Ingrid deemed Anna the odd one out for not having any magic, and Anna doubted the Snow Queen was really her aunt because there was no mention of her in the records. Even when Anna found out Ingrid was her aunt, she was mistrusting of her because Ingrid had hid the fact that she and her mother had another sister. Ingrid, not wanting inference from her dark past, attacked her and put her in the dungeon. Because Anna had no magic, Ingrid believed that she would eventually disown Elsa from the family like Gerda had done to her and wanted to get rid of her. She first attempted by telling Elsa Anna tried to strip her magic and called her a monster, and another time by placing a spell on the girl to turn her against Elsa, so her sister would have to use her powers on her out of defense. After none of these didn't work, Elsa ended up trapped in the urn, something that wasn't in Ingrid's plan. Anna was horrified by what her aunt made her do while Ingrid was furious at her younger niece for what she did, despite it was her own spell, and attempted to choke her. Ingrid loathed Anna so much and had come close to killing her twice.
However, after reading how remorseful her mother was for all her mistakes with them and Elsa, Anna becomes more sympathetic to her aunt (previously assuming Ingrid made a rift between her and Gerda), realizing Ingrid didn't have her family's support when she needed them most. Even after everything and at her mercy, Anna states while they're nothing alike, she could still love Ingrid like her mother always had as she was still family, which never turns from each other forever. Anna's devotion and determination caused Ingrid to have a completely different perception of her and lead to her redemption. She expressed gratefulness that her nieces, who were saddened to see her go, had each other and labeled she was special along with Emma and Elsa. With that, Ingrid and Anna both finally came to seeing each other as family in the end. Finding a lovely portrait of her mother and aunts, Anna displays in deference to them.
Emma Swan[]
When Ingrid was Emma's foster mother, the two became very close and soon she adopted Emma. Their relationship was a loving one, however, when Ingrid jumped to conclusions and placed Emma in front of an oncoming car to get her to release her powers and talked about magic, a hurt Emma believed Ingrid to be insane and ran away. They did not meet again until Emma came to Storybrooke where Emma angrily accused her of following her and attempted to call the sheriff on Ingrid forcing Ingrid to remove Emma's memories. When Emma met Ingrid again, Emma, having no recollection of their previous meetings, only saw Ingrid as an enemy. Even after discovering that they shared history together where they were close, Emma still saw her as only an enemy and concluded that Ingrid must have done something terrible to make her forget. Ingrid, however, still loved Emma (angered when Gold tried to use her desperate state to his advantage) and tried to make Emma join her, though her means of doing so (making her powers go out of control and hurting her family) only made Emma despise her more. Emma once confined to Elsa that she wanted to punch Ingrid in the face. When Ingrid needed to die to remove the curse, Emma was willing to kill her, but the Snow Queen still urged her and Elsa to be her sisters. However, Emma possibly gained sympathy for her after hearing her younger sister's apologies. When Ingrid repents for her actions, she congratulates Emma for finding her family even if it wasn't with her and returned Emma's memories of the times they had together. After that, Emma cared about Ingrid again and tried to convince her to find another way, believing she deserves a happy ending after so many hardships. But Ingrid assures the Savior that she led her to her happy ending: being with her true sisters again. After Ingrid had perished, Emma acknowledges the Snow Queen for her sacrifice.
Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold[]
Ingrid and Rumplestiltskin first met when the former had come along with her younger sisters for help with her magic. The Dark One sold them gloves to neutralize them and a magic urn to contain her in exchange for their ribbons. Many years later, Rumplestiltskin and an embittered Ingrid meet again when he comes to Arendelle (which is now frozen from her wrath) looking for the Sorcerer's Hat that her frozen younger niece took from him. When the Snow Queen feigns she has no clue, Rumple steals the same magic urn, that held Ingrid, which now contains her amnesiac other niece for a deal/ransom. Ingrid does not go through when the Apprentice, who receives the item instead, assures her she'll reunite with Elsa one day.
In Storybrooke, Ingrid and Mr. Gold are bitter rivals and associates. Gold tries to entice her in a deal, but Ingrid agrees to make one on her terms. She threateningly warns him to stay out of her way, clearly not wanting him interfering with her plans for a new family. After causing Emma to lose control of her powers, Ingrid finally makes a deal with him: the ribbons she once had back for information on the ritual to free himself of the dagger's control. Their collaboration turned hostile when Gold tried taking advantage of Emma's desperation for his own ends by putting her powers in the hat. Ingrid, confined, assures the sinister pawnbroker will pay dearly. Even so, they still came to a final agreement when Ingrid succeeds in casting her Spell of Shattered Sight. Once he removes the dagger's influence on him, Gold (who will be immune) promises to leave Ingrid in peace with her "sisters" if she lets him, his wife, and grandson leave the town, which she consents.
The deal is left unfulfilled when Ingrid has a change of heart thanks to a returned Anna and sacrifices herself. This and Anna's presence compromises Gold's plans and ultimately leads to his banishment for six weeks. While her family's love and acceptance was all Ingrid ever wanted, enough that she undid her spell on the town, Gold believed he could have power and love, deceiving Belle throughout their marriage. As such, the Snow Queen got her happy ending, while the Dark One lost everything when his wife learned of his return to darkness.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Ingrid is Disney's true adaptation of the Snow Queen character, while Elsa is a completely different character.
- She seems to be one of the most, if not the most powerful being in the entire show, taking on challengers such as Regina and Emma easily, and possibly the Dark One before he became more powerful after half of Season 5. She is the only villain to have not died by another's hands.
- According to herself, she has hundreds of magic mirrors. Some of them can be seen decorating the walls in her ice cream shop.
- The name "Ingrid" is from the Old Norse name "Ingríðr", which means "Ing is beautiful".[1] Ing is the name of an obscure old Germanic fertility god, and could possibly mean "ancestor".[2]
- The origins of Ingrid's powers are unknown. Rumplestiltskin says it is a rare gift.
- While she claims she was "born with magic" like Emma and Elsa, unlike Emma she has never been shown to have any power outside Storybrooke while Emma, though at very small and unnoticeable levels, had magic still.
- Along with August W. Booth, Neal Cassidy, Lily Page, and Cleo Fox, Ingrid was an influential figure during the first 28 years of Emma's life. But unlike Cleo, she and the other three came back into Emma's life later on after she comes to Storybrooke.
- She is the first relative of Elsa and Anna to be a main antagonist, followed by King Runeard who was their paternal grandfather. Unlike Ingrid, Runeard was an ordinary man, prejudiced against magic and those affiliated with it, intentionally killing the Northuldran Chief, and never redeemed nor was remorseful for his crimes. Additionally, Ingrid lived to come in conflict with Anna and Elsa before her death while Runeard died decades before their time, leaving the sisters to rectify his actions. The girls restored Ingrid's memory to Arendelle in loving respect and sympathy while denouncing Runeard's legacy in disgust.
- Even though Ingrid is Anna and Elsa's aunt in Once Upon a Time, she is not a canon character within the Frozen franchise. The show does not actually tie-in with the official Frozen timeline.
References[]
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