Once Upon a Time
Season 5 Episode 4: “The Broken Kingdom”
Directed by Alrick Riley
Written by David H. Goodman & Jerome Schwartz
Created by Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas, Emilie de Ravin, Colin O’Donoghue, Jared Gilmore, Robert Carlyle, Sean Maguire, Rebecca Mader
ABC
Air Date: Sunday, October 18th, 2015, 8:00pm

Last week on Once Upon A Time, we learned via flashback Lancelot (he’s alive! Sinqua Walls) that Arthur (Liam Garrigan) may not be what he seems. Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) will probably have to try to break up the budding bromance between David (Josh Dallas) and Arthur. The suspicions are confirmed twofold to the viewers, when we see Arthur holding the Crimson Crown, a magical object that could allow them to speak to tree-trapped Merlin. But David almost drowned via ghostly knights, and Arthur saved him. I really don’t want David’s heart to be broken. In present-day Storybrooke, Arthur makes his squire commit suicide for his mysterious evil cause. Meanwhile, Emma (Jennifer Morrison) tries to snuggle up to Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), who is not having it. But really needs a blank slate to pull Excaliber from the stone. Voila! Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle)!

Some spoilers below.

Once Upon a Time
Season 5 Episode 3: “Siege Perilous”
Directed by Ralph Hemecker
Written by Jane Espenson
Created by Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas, Emilie de Ravin, Colin O’Donoghue, Jared Gilmore, Robert Carlyle, Sean Maguire, Rebecca Mader
ABC
Air Date: Sunday, October 11th, 2015, 8:00pm

Last week on Once Upon A Time, the story alternated between current day Storybrooke and 6 weeks ago Camelot. Nobody kows what happened but the dramatic irony is unfolding for the viewers. In Camelot, Emma (Jennifer Morrison) gives Regina (Lana Parilla) the Dark One’s knife for safekeeping, and she claims to be the savior they have been waiting for to free Merlin from the tree. Percival finds out the truth and tries to kill Regina, but is stopped and killed by David (Josh Dallas) at the ball. In Storybrooke, Robin (Sean Maguire) is carried away by a Fury as a death payment for the Underworld, but don’t worry. He is saved at the last minute.

Once Upon a Time
Season 5 Episode 2: “The Price”
Directed by Romeo Tirone
Written by Andrew Chambliss, Dana Horgan
Created by Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas, Emilie de Ravin, Colin O’Donoghue, Jared Gilmore, Robert Carlyle, Sean Maguire, Rebecca Mader
ABC
Air Date: Sunday, October 4th, 2015, 8:00pm

Last week was the season 5 premiere of Once Upon A Time, and our Storybrooke residents have a new mystery to solve. They easily (kinda) trick Zelena (Rebecca Mader) into opening a portal to find Emma (Jennifer Morrison), The Dark One. Turns out, she’s in Camelot, seeking Merlin. She gets into a thing with Brave’s Merida (Amy Manson), but her people find her. But then, “Poof!” They are back in Storybrooke, it is 6 weeks later, and nobody remembers a thing. Nobody except, Emma Swan – full on Dark One.

Don’t proceed any further if you have not watched the episode. Spoilers!

When we last saw our fairy-tale crew in Once Upon A Time, having saved Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) from darkness (please don’t be dead!), the darkness swarmed (looking like Venom’s twin) over Regina, needing a human tether. Emma (Jennifer Morrison) took her place with instructions for her love Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), her parents Snow White and Prince Charming (Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas), and even Regina and Robin Hood (Lana Parilla and Sean Maguire), to find a way to rescue her from darkness. She was consumed and then disappeared. Poor Henry (Jared Gilmore). Will he ever be happy and not worried about both his moms at the same time?

Watch the two promo videos and the moment in last season’s finale when Emma sacrificed herself for Regina below.

At San Diego Comic-Con Saturday morning, the Once Upon A Time panel was on hand to give us a couple of teasers about season 5. Having run through many Disney heroines already like Elsa, Ariel, Cinderella, Aurora, Snow White, etc., now Merida (Amy Mason) from Brave will join this fairytale drama. The panel also revealed “Dark Swan” Emma (Jennifer Morrison), who became the Dark One in order to save the town (and Regina – Lana Parilla). The panel included cast members Ginnifer Goodwin (Snow), Josh Dallas (Charming), Jennifer Morrison (Emma), Robert Carlyle (Rumplestiltskin), Lana Parrilla (Regina), Emilie de Ravin (Belle), Colin O’Donoghue (Hook), Sean Maguire (Robin) and Rebecca Mader (Zelena). They were joined by creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz.

Watch the “Dark Swan” and “Meet Merida” below.