With her heart back on her, she was warm and loving. And for the 1st time Regina felt Mothers love and then moment later, she lost her. Poor Regina, poor Cora...

It could have been their happily ever after... Of course it couldn't be because then the show would have no villain. Still: :'(

Of course not! That's like asking if God and Satan will ever become best friends.

^what? ok she DID change before she died. the spell had nothing to do with it

That's one of the main things that upset me. Perhaps if Snow gave Gina the heart before she cursed it things would've solved themselves. These people literally are digging their own grave with Gina...

No offense but the more realistic thing that would happened is that she would've killed Rumple anyway, became the dark one, and both Snow and her family would be in danger.

The thing keeping her so power thirsty was her lack of heart. Did you see that smile when she saw Gina, after she got her heart back? I think she would've chosen her daughter, whom she could now love, over power.

Nobody forced Cora to rip her own heart out. She did it to herself. She could have chosen Love and Rumps instead. But she wanted power more.

^Please. If she would pick Rumpel, then all Rumbelle fans will be against it. Even you, as a huge Rumbeller.

If Cora would have picked Rumps there would have been no Belle and no Rumbelle to like in the first place ;)

Cora brought it to herself.

The question is "could she have changed?" I don't beleive she was instantly redeemed in that moment but I do think that in time her love for Gina, like Gina's love for Henry would have changed her for the better.

I'm not sure what would have happened with Rumple and the becoming the dark one but I like to think (and this is me being optimistic) that she would have remembered her love for Rumple and Gina and given up on that quest. Of course Rumple still would have died so this was probably the best option. Still wish she didn't have to die.

Rumple chose power as well or would have eventually, he's no better.

It seemed so, right before she died.

She would have been better, but I think she was too far down the evil road if that makes sense. Regina still has her heart and she's still having trouble changing.

I believe so.

Of course!

She might have changed slightly, been a bit warmer towards Regina, but I don't think she'd have changed significantly. After all, this is the woman who abandoned a new-born to die because the child couldn't make her royal (I know this wasn't revealed until a season later, but it's still canon for Cora).