Cora Mills

Cora is a character in the television show Once Upon a Time.

She is the mother of Regina. She is portrayed by the actress Barbara Hershey.

History
Regina is out skilfully riding her horse while her father cheers her on. Cora comes out and is displeased by this stating its not ladylike to ride without a saddle. Daniel, the family's stable boy, comes up and offers one but he is turned away. Regina tries to walk away but Cora uses her magic to stop her.

Cora hears the news that Regina saved the king's young daughter, Snow White, and that the king is on his way. Regina is suprised when the king proposes to her, which Cora accepts for her, leaving Regina confused. Cora is later seen talking with Snow White about her and Regina's close relationship. She tells Snow that she just wants what's best for her daughter, will do anything to make her happy and doesn't want to lose her. Snow is touched by these words. Snow, having the pretense in believing Cora truly means well, begs in Regina's favor that if she truly wants to make her daughter happy to not make her marry the king as she loves another. Cora is surprised, but urges Snow on to share the secret--that Regina is in love with Daniel.

Cora manages to catch Regina and Daniel before they run off together. After a small struggle, Cora seems to understand the love Regina has for him. Cora and Regina appear to have made up, and they hug. Cora then hugs Daniel afterwords and speaks a few words of her own wisdom concerning how a parent wants best for their child. Seconds after these words, she rips out his heart, and crushes it, killing him. Regina is shocked as to why her mother has done this and Cora tells her that this is Regina's happy ending and to have true power you can't have love. She explains that love is an illusion, and it feels real now, but that the only thing she needs in the end is power. Because with power, one can get whatever one wishes without having to rely on anyone for help.

Regina is later being fitted in a wedding dress when she and Snow talk. Snow admits to telling Cora about her and Daniel because she was afraid Regina would lose her mother like she lost hers. Regina turns away and appears to struggle to contain her grief and rage. As she faces Snow, Regina says she's not angry at her. Cora comes down to speak with Regina alone (after Snow leaves) and says that she is learning well. Before Regina walks off, Cora says she is proud of her. However, Regina turns back to ask her mother if she knew the king was passing through the land, and that the whole scenario of saving Snow from a horse that had gone amuck was all part of her plan. Cora shrugs and assumes the stance of knowing nothing about that. Regina seems to accept the answer, but is heard seething as she trails away from Cora, "I should have let her die"; implying Regina blames Snow for ruining her happiness with Daniel and not her mother.

As her wedding looms nearer, Regina attempts to escape the impending marriage by riding off on her horse. One of Cora's spells stops her, and Cora makes it known that she enacted a barrier spell to keep her daughter from leaving before the wedding. Regina insists she does not wish to marry King Leopold and all she really wants is freedom. Cora says power is freedom, and tries to comfort her with the knowledge she will be there to guide Regina down the right path.

Regina consults with her father, Henry, about how unhappy she is about her future. She is adamant in not wanting to become just like her mother. Regina asks how her mother turned out this way, and Henry vaguely recalls there was a man that gave Cora magic through a book of spells.

During the night, Regina sneaks into her mother's bed chamber and steals the book of spells from under her mothers pillow. She tries to recite a name on one page, “Rumple… Rumple-Shtiltskin? I summon thee.” Rumplestiltskin appears and speaks with Regina about their families history with one another, and how he knew her when she was an infant. Regina wants his help, but is reluctant in doing anything to hurt another person. He gives her a mirror—a looking glass—which acts as a portal between worlds. Rumplestiltskin tells her all she has to do is give her mother a little push into the mirror and she'll never have to see her again.

On the day of the wedding, in Leopold's castle, Regina is getting ready in her wedding dress. Cora comes in and sees the mirror covered by a cloth. She takes the cloth off and immediately recognizes it as a looking glass. While Cora excitedly talks about Regina's future role as Queen, Regina once again voices her desire to be nothing like her mother. She lunges to push her mother into the mirror, but Cora is too fast and uses magic to restrain her daughter in place. Cora reminds her she can't get rid of her that easily, but is unaware of Rumplestiltskin appearing in the mirror from behind urging Regina to do what must be done. Gathering strength in anger, Regina breaks free of the binds and uses magic for the first time, causing Cora to fly back towards the looking glass. Cora manages to hang on for a brief moment with a look of surprise and sadness on her face before slipping through the looking glass, which shatters into pieces almost immediately.

Cora is sent to  Wonderland and at some point becomes the Queen of Hearts. At an unknown time, she captures Henry, Regina's father. She shrinks him in size, puts him in a box, and seals him in one of her vaults. As he is her husband, he is, presumably, not harmed in any other way.

Sometime later, Captain Hook  is tasked by the Evil Queen with traveling to Wonderland and assassinating her mother, Cora. He arrives in Wonderland with a dead body in tow, and is brought before the Queen of Hearts. She asks through the Knave of Hearts why Hook is there, and Hook tells her that he is seeking a woman who goes by the name Cora in a native land. The Queen of Hearts lowers her mask to reveal that she is in fact, Cora, and immediately dismisses the Knave and the Courtiers so that she can speak with Hook in private. She asks why Hook is here, descending her throne, and Hook lunges forward and plunges his hook into her chest to take her heart. But he is stunned to find that there is no heart there. Cora throws back her head and laughs and states that she is the Queen of Hearts, therefore she would be a fool to keep her heart where everyone else does, and so easily accessed. She then plunges her hand into Hook's chest, grabbing his heart, forcing him to tell her that he was sent by Regina to kill her. Rather than rip out his heart, Cora leaves it and goes back to sit upon her throne. Cora tells Hook that she wants him to help her get back into the Enchanted Forest so she can rip out her daughter's heart. She then informs Hook that the Dark Curse Regina intends to inflict on the Enchanted Forest will erase the memory of anyone who goes to Storybrooke, including Hook's.

Hook returns with what appears to be Cora's body in tow to Regina's castle. A black clad Regina stands over her mother as she lays in the grave, and she confesses that she needed to have no weakness in this new world, and love is a weakness. As Regina still loves her mother, she could not have her coming with her to the new land. Regina then places a red rose in the grave with her mother, then leaves the room to summon the Dark Curse. Hook then enters as Cora awakens, and asks why she did not rip out her heart. Cora states that plans have changed, and that they must protect themselves from Regina's curse. As the curse roars towards Hook and Cora, Cora takes a large wooden staff, raises it, and plunges it into the ground. The staff emits a column of lightning which takes form as a shield around a certain area of the Enchanted Forest, which unknowingly to Cora includes Aurora's palace and Safe Haven. The curse rolls up against the shield, but does not break through. Cora then informs Hook that she and Hook will be frozen for the next twenty eight years until the Savior breaks the curse and frees them from the effects. She tells Hook that when she is reawakened, she will go to her daughter in her greatest moment of need and assist her.

After Emma Swan breaks the Dark Curse in Storybrooke, she and Mary Margaret Blanchardare accidentally sucked into the Enchanted Forest through the Mad Hatter's hat while trying to banish a Wraith. They are taken prisoner by Mulan and Aurora who believe they brought the Wraith that took Prince Phillip's soul. The two are escorted to the survivors Safe Haven. After a failed escape attempt, the women are imprisoned in "the pit". From the shadows, Cora notices the newcomers and asks if they need help. Emma questions who she is, and Cora replies, stepping forward from the darkness, "A friend