Personality: Graham is, essentially, two people in one at this point in canon. He is the Huntsman, and he is the Sheriff, and both must be discussed separately to explain how I think they would meld into a joint personality had he been allowed to live.
Huntsman was at some point during his childhood abandoned by his parents in the forest, and ended up living with a wolf pack. This instilled in him a deep mistrust of humans, in spite of the fact that he still clearly makes use of and benefits from very human things such as clothes and weapons, not to mention the fact that he goes to human taverns and speaks –as well as reads and writes- perfect English (or whatever they speak in Fairytale Land).
He weeps at felling a stag to feed himself and his wolf friend, but shows no such remorse when he kills a man for disrespecting the wolf. In my opinion this hints at a great deal of bitterness, though I believe he would be reluctant to admit this seeing as he doesn’t want it to appear as if humans have anything that he wants. It also has to do with his personal code of honor, something that seems to be very central to how he lives his life and judges those around him.
Regina asks what sort of man weeps over a dead animal, and he answers “an honorable one”. Honor is integral to everything Huntsman does, and the man who disrespected his friend was deemed as not being an honorable one, and thus no tears needed to be shed over his death. A sacrifice is a sadness, but vindication is not.
He finds humans confusing, cruel and untrustworthy, but in spite of the lingering betrayal of his parents he is still able to recognize good when he sees it, even in a human, and that is why he chooses to sacrifice himself to save Snow. He might hope that his ruse with the stag’s heart will work, but he’s willing to face the consequences if it doesn’t, because it’s the right thing to do as he sees it. The honorable thing. Even when it means that the promised protection for all wolves will not be given, he chooses not to stray from his code.
As a consequence he loses his heart and his freedom, falling completely under Regina’s control. “Take him to my bedchamber” she says when the guards take the shocked Huntsman away after she ripped his heart out, and it’s not hard to guess what’s going to happen to him there. While we never see it, based on their later relationship in Storybrooke I argue that Huntsman was raped by the Evil Queen, and that it wasn’t a one time occurrence.
In spite of all this, and in spite of her holding his heart and this having a great deal of control over him as canon has shown, he still manages to stay defiant in spirit even if he doesn’t get much opportunity to be so in action, and when an opportunity does present itself he takes it, again risking his own life to get Charming away from the Evil Queen.
After the Queen curses everyone, he ends up being the town sheriff and goes by the name Graham. Since he can’t remember who he is he doesn’t share Huntsman’s distrust for humans, and he doesn’t think of himself as anything but one.
He is in a way more under Regina’s control in this world, because he has lost who he is and this cannot seek strength from the strong values that guided Huntsman. There is however still that streak of defiance and rebellion in him, for example he makes Emma his deputy in spite of Regina clearly being opposed to this. He also manages to end the sexual relationship he has with Regina.
He still has a deep connection with nature and with animals, volunteering at the town pet center and calling the forest “his world”.
Graham has more of a sense of humor than Huntsman, bitter snark being turned into more good natured sarcasm (and the occasional really bad joke). He is a kind man, though he feels distant from everyone around him, not able to truly connect due to his loss of identity and the fact that Regina still possesses his heart.
The strongest emotional connection he makes is with Emma, and as that bond grows he gradually starts remembering who he is again. When he finally does (right before his death) you can tell that it is an enormous relief for him to finally know who he is again, and in spite of the fact that so many of these memories must be very painful, he still smiles and thanks Emma.
Others he treats with kindness and respect, but there is no one that he is truly close to, and I don’t think anyone would really claim to know the sheriff, except perhaps for Regina, but her perception of him is rather formed by what she wants him to be.
I think Graham, had he lived, would have retained the appreciation for human nature and people’s capacity for good that he’s gotten during his time as the sheriff, his memories serving more as a foundation and an anchor for his sense of self than a guide for his personality. Huntsman was a lonely soul, and I think Graham sees that he can be an honorable man and still form bonds with other human beings.
He is in many ways a very sad man, and will have painful memories to work through, but I think he would still stand by his decisions and feel that he made the right choices, and this will help him get through what no doubt will be a very traumatic experience.
Re: [CANON] Graham Humbert / The Huntsman || Once Upon A Time || reserved || 1 of 3
Name: Graham Humbert / The Huntsman
Canon: Once Upon a Time
Timeline: His death.
Personality: Graham is, essentially, two people in one at this point in canon. He is the Huntsman, and he is the Sheriff, and both must be discussed separately to explain how I think they would meld into a joint personality had he been allowed to live.
Huntsman was at some point during his childhood abandoned by his parents in the forest, and ended up living with a wolf pack. This instilled in him a deep mistrust of humans, in spite of the fact that he still clearly makes use of and benefits from very human things such as clothes and weapons, not to mention the fact that he goes to human taverns and speaks –as well as reads and writes- perfect English (or whatever they speak in Fairytale Land).
He weeps at felling a stag to feed himself and his wolf friend, but shows no such remorse when he kills a man for disrespecting the wolf. In my opinion this hints at a great deal of bitterness, though I believe he would be reluctant to admit this seeing as he doesn’t want it to appear as if humans have anything that he wants. It also has to do with his personal code of honor, something that seems to be very central to how he lives his life and judges those around him.
Regina asks what sort of man weeps over a dead animal, and he answers “an honorable one”. Honor is integral to everything Huntsman does, and the man who disrespected his friend was deemed as not being an honorable one, and thus no tears needed to be shed over his death. A sacrifice is a sadness, but vindication is not.
He finds humans confusing, cruel and untrustworthy, but in spite of the lingering betrayal of his parents he is still able to recognize good when he sees it, even in a human, and that is why he chooses to sacrifice himself to save Snow. He might hope that his ruse with the stag’s heart will work, but he’s willing to face the consequences if it doesn’t, because it’s the right thing to do as he sees it. The honorable thing. Even when it means that the promised protection for all wolves will not be given, he chooses not to stray from his code.
As a consequence he loses his heart and his freedom, falling completely under Regina’s control. “Take him to my bedchamber” she says when the guards take the shocked Huntsman away after she ripped his heart out, and it’s not hard to guess what’s going to happen to him there. While we never see it, based on their later relationship in Storybrooke I argue that Huntsman was raped by the Evil Queen, and that it wasn’t a one time occurrence.
In spite of all this, and in spite of her holding his heart and this having a great deal of control over him as canon has shown, he still manages to stay defiant in spirit even if he doesn’t get much opportunity to be so in action, and when an opportunity does present itself he takes it, again risking his own life to get Charming away from the Evil Queen.
After the Queen curses everyone, he ends up being the town sheriff and goes by the name Graham. Since he can’t remember who he is he doesn’t share Huntsman’s distrust for humans, and he doesn’t think of himself as anything but one.
He is in a way more under Regina’s control in this world, because he has lost who he is and this cannot seek strength from the strong values that guided Huntsman. There is however still that streak of defiance and rebellion in him, for example he makes Emma his deputy in spite of Regina clearly being opposed to this. He also manages to end the sexual relationship he has with Regina.
He still has a deep connection with nature and with animals, volunteering at the town pet center and calling the forest “his world”.
Graham has more of a sense of humor than Huntsman, bitter snark being turned into more good natured sarcasm (and the occasional really bad joke). He is a kind man, though he feels distant from everyone around him, not able to truly connect due to his loss of identity and the fact that Regina still possesses his heart.
The strongest emotional connection he makes is with Emma, and as that bond grows he gradually starts remembering who he is again. When he finally does (right before his death) you can tell that it is an enormous relief for him to finally know who he is again, and in spite of the fact that so many of these memories must be very painful, he still smiles and thanks Emma.
Others he treats with kindness and respect, but there is no one that he is truly close to, and I don’t think anyone would really claim to know the sheriff, except perhaps for Regina, but her perception of him is rather formed by what she wants him to be.
I think Graham, had he lived, would have retained the appreciation for human nature and people’s capacity for good that he’s gotten during his time as the sheriff, his memories serving more as a foundation and an anchor for his sense of self than a guide for his personality. Huntsman was a lonely soul, and I think Graham sees that he can be an honorable man and still form bonds with other human beings.
He is in many ways a very sad man, and will have painful memories to work through, but I think he would still stand by his decisions and feel that he made the right choices, and this will help him get through what no doubt will be a very traumatic experience.