Love OQ & trying to figure why A&E ever created Marian SL. I guess to show Regina's growth--didn't go evil, didn't hurt anyone, in fact saved M's life & sacrificed her TL for M. But is it just me or did her growth sort of go quietly under the radar within the show? Felt like emphasis instead was ROBIN CHOSE REGINA every way from Sunday. R's growth is a BIG DEAL, why didn't they highlight it more, like with other char's talking to her about it or among themselves...or smth!? Or maybe I missed it?

I don’t think it DID go under the radar. Consider:

4x01: Falls back into old habits, looks for a way to violently remove the roadblocks to her happiness. Realizes she doesn’t actually like the person that she was or want to be here. Saves someone who she didn’t have to/ want to save even though no one except her would have known that she didn’t do it.

4x02: Retreats. Tries to figure out how to regroup. Pushes Henry away instead of pulling him close and into her hurt field. She’s protecting him from what she’s going through. When he tells her he wants to be there, she finally opens up.

4x03: Lets go of the walls to be with her son. Is honest with him about what she’s up to - completely honest. Helps save the wife of the man she loves even though no one would know if she said nothing could save her. Promises Robin even after he tells her that he loves her that she’ll find a way to save Marian.

4x04: Is researching obsessively for a cure for Marian. She could again do nothing, but she is grinding and growing even more frustrated by her failures.

4x05: Pushes Emma away from her out of hurt and betrayal. Lets Emma know  that she was hurt. When Emma comes to her with honesty instead of needs of her own. she shuts up and listens and then opens the door to forgiveness.

4x06: States that “nothing she does is enough” and tells Robin that the only way to save Marian is to give up on her and fall in love with Marian again. 

4x07: Continues to research to find a cure for Marian. She loves this man so much but she’s trying to put Marian above both of them and there’s nothing.

4x08: Falls into Robin. That’s not growth (just like putting Sidney in the mirror in 4x01 and lying in 4x05 aren’t growth but they are the signs of a fully realized character with honest shades of gray and flaws). Argues for Snowing to fight for Emma’s (her once enemy) magic and then goes hunting with them to find Emma. Reassures Henry when he’s down and then supports Emma to him instead of taking a chance to sandbag her. Allows some hope into her heart.

4x09: Works with Team Charming to try to save the town. When that fails, she protects Henry and then pleads with Robin to stay away because she knows what part of her is about to come out and she’s absolutely terrified of it.

4x10: She’s able to laugh - with Snowing - about a near fight to the death.

4x11: She’s expecting to step aside (twice) for Robin and Marian and once she doesn’t have to, she’s able to let happiness in until it’s taken again. She then once again has an opportunity to let Marian die (Robin already chose her) but she chooses not to. She ignores temptation from Rumple and she lets Robin go to save Marian and ensure Roland doesn’t lose either one of his parents. At the end, she trusts and then allows Emma in without pushing her away again.

In my book, all of those things are growth.