Jefferson's Houses

Jefferson is and (barring any disastrous falling out between Mr Stan and Marvel) likely to remain a mysterious figure. He appears to possess a rare ability, one that can't be easily learned by other magic-users (Regina can operate the hat, but doesn't seem comfortable with it).

At one point he used this power in a mercenary fashion, taking commissions from Rumplestiltskin to collect magic items. This employment somehow led to his wife's death. After Regina leaves his house, the camera lingers on what appears to be a memorial.

 

 

Jefferson is one of the few characters we meet this season who appears unafraid of Regina, which is one reason why their scenes together are such fun. His house in the Enchanted Forest is large, but cluttered and dingy, with sacking curtains and furniture that has a scavenged look. Regina's words aside, it doesn't look like actual poverty, but it's a long way from the lifestyle she implies they used to have.

 

For some reason, all Enchanted Forest cottages have stone walls and thatched roofs.
In Storybrooke, by contrast, his house is among the largest and most modern-looking. It's a prison, and its inhabitant knows that.

Never let it be said that Regina is not attentive to detail in her revenge; the color scheme in Jefferson's house has little in common with what we see of him in either world, but it closely echoes her office in color (red/white/black), severity, and the use of naturalistic touches.

The peacock fire screen is one of many birds you can find tucked into the Storybrooke sets. The multitude of musical instruments suggest how Jefferson has whiled away the curse years, when not making useless hats.
Emma gets (and refuses) three separate calls to believe in the curse:

• Henry comes to get her in Boston.
• Jefferson kidnaps her and demands that she use magic to fix his hat.
• August takes her to the place where they both arrived from the Enchanted Forest.

All of these attempts fail. Even though she ambiguously succeeds in the end at making the hat work -- Jefferson gets kicked out the window by Mary Margaret and vanishes -- Emma can't be forced to the truth with a gun to her head (or with a book, or with a wishing well), but only by the ultimate demonstration of true love.