‘Once Upon A Time’ Reveals The Dark Swan’s Connection To Rumpelstiltskin And The Dagger

Once Upon a Time is bringing one of its most exciting seasons yet when it premieres its fifth year tonight, and the series co-creator, Adam Horowitz, promises that no matter how things play out for Dark Swan, Emma won’t come out of it without being deeply affected by the curse. As fans know, Once Upon a Time has begun to divide its seasons, which has become a growing trend among many shows, and, by following that concept, the series can tell two complete stories within a single season, but things will be different for Once Upon a Time this year.

“The ramifications… are felt throughout the entire season,” the Once Upon a Time showrunner told The Hollywood Reporter. “While a lot of this story in the first half we tend to wrap up in the midseason, there are bigger issues that are introduced as early as [the premiere] that will carry over for the whole season…. Emma’s journey is going to encompass the whole season.”

Devoted followers of Once Upon a Time may think they have it all figured out, having seen the promo at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, but the Dark Swan herself, Jennifer Morrison, cautions fans not to believe everything they see. A lesson that they all should have learned from the happenings in Once Upon a Time‘s little hamlet of Storybrooke.

Specifically, Morrison says that the promo teaser of Dark Swan that had been shown at the festival was created specifically for Comic Con promotions. Jennifer reveals that the Once Upon a Time footage of Dark Swan was not taken from any episode. This leaves the question of what the Dark Swan has been up to, since the fourth season finale of Once Upon a Time.

Ms. Morrison reveals that the series will pick up right where it left off in the season finale with everyone standing over the dagger and realizing that Emma Swan had been infected by the Dark One’s curse. There will be no time jump for Once Upon a Time. The people of Storybrooke disband from there, so some can search for Emma, while others regroup and try to figure out how best to stow the dagger away.

As the Dark One consumes Emma, changing her and turning her into Dark Swan, which Morrison reveals is a gradual process, viewers of Once Upon a Time will get to see just how the curse connects Dark Swan to others that have borne the curse, including Rumpelstiltskin.

“…all of the Dark Ones, anyone who’s been the Dark One, is accumulated into the newest Dark One. There are bits and pieces of all of the Darkness from before that come with the Darkness once you’ve surrendered to it. There is an element of Rumple, and Zoso, and whoever else we may establish was, at some point, a Dark One.”

While Jennifer couldn’t talk about the mythology of the Dark One’s curse in any great detail, the Once Upon a Time actress did tell Entertainment Weekly that the series would also explore the mythology of the dagger. Ms. Morrison says that the Dark One’s mythology and the dagger’s mythology are intertwined.

“There’s definitely going to be more information on the mythology of the dagger, and there’s definitely going to be more information about previous Dark Ones, what it means to take on the Darkness and some of the rules and regulations of that mythology.”

Once Upon a Time‘s Morrison also revealed that, in terms of her weaknesses and those possessing the very best chance of saving Emma and separating her from Dark Swan, Henry (Jared Gilmore) is as able to ground Emma as Baelfire (Michael Raymond-James) was able to reach Rumpelstiltskin.

Will Henry be enough to keep Emma from being fully consumed by Dark Swan? Find out, when Once Upon a Time premieres tonight on ABC.

[Featured image courtesy of ABC/Once Upon a Time]