ABCDarn, Once Upon a Time knows how to do a finale. (Warning, there are spoilers ahead for OUAT's season four finale, "Operation Mongoose." Do not continue if you don't want to know what happened!)
Creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis weren't messing around when they told us the finale would end with "a condition" for one of our characters, as OUAT now has a new Dark One. (Sorry, Rumplestiltskin. Or maybe congratulations?!)
For its two-hour finale, Once Upon a Time became Heroes and Villains, thanks to Isaac successfully re-writing the story, giving the villains their happy ending, and man, did it make for a trippy alternate universe.
Of course, it wouldn't be OUAT without a heartbreaking death, a whole lot of magic and a new fairy tale character (though this one comes nowhere close to the epic introduction of Frozen's Elsa in last year's finale).
So let's break down the epic two-hour finale, "Operation Mongoose," shall we?
Meet the New Dark One: Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) is the Dark One, y'all! Anyone else get chills from the episode's final moment, which saw the name on the Dark One's blade change from Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) to Emma Swan. So how did that end up going down?
After returning to the real world after a seriously mind-effing time in the alternate universe (Snow is evil! Regina is the bandit! Hook is a wimp, who is allergic to rum!), Rumple's heart is almost completely gone. So the Apprentice attempts to take the darkness out of him, but there's a catch: the darkness must be tethered to a human who is controlled by the dagger.
On the loose, the darkness sets its sights on Regina (Lana Parrilla), looking to snuff out her light. But Emma isn't going to let that happen, sacrificing herself in order to save Regina and the town. Now, in order to save Emma, Hook (Colin O'Donoghue), Regina, Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) and the rest of the gang must find the only person who can get rid of the darkness for good...
Season 5's New Fairy Tale Character Will Be...: And the only person who can get rid of the darkness? Merlin, from The Sword and the Stone! Just after he's attacked the the darkness, the Apprentice tells Emma that the infamous sorcerer is the only one with enough power to destroy it, but he's far, far away. (In season three, it was mentioned that he lived in Fairytale Land.) Any dream-casting for Merlin, Oncers?
Meet the New Author: OK, so Isaac clearly was the worst author. Ever. So it was only fitting that the finale saw a new author appointed: Henry, who was able to re-write the ending just before Regina died after jumping in front of Rumple's sword to save him rather than stop Robin Hood's wedding to Zelena. (Ugh, her. Don't worry, Regina and Robin got their happy ending. Yay! Anyone else hoping Sean Maguire is bumped up to series regular next season?)
Once they return to the normal universe, you know, reality, the Apprentice warns Henry of the quill's power, telling him, "I hope that you can resist the temptation of the quill, the power to change reality is only outweighed by the cost." So Henry pulls a Harry Potter and breaks the quill.
Worst. Death. Ever: OK, was anyone else seriously freaking out for a minute, thinking that the show really killed off Hook?! In the alternate universe, Hook was killed by Charming (Josh Dallas), right in front of a devastated Emma. (Don't worry, Charming eventually apologizes to Hook. Awkward Thanksgivings avoided!)
Later, Emma pushes Regina to fight for Robin Hood and her happy ending, saying, "I just watched the man I love die. The worst part is that I never told him I loved him. Not once. I was too scared, too scared that somehow saying it would make it real and change everything. But now I'll never have a chance to take that next step with him because he's gone. My only chance with him is if you don't make the same mistake I do."
So what does she do when they get back to the real world? Chickens out, instead thanking him for sacrificing himself, but not dropping the L-word. GAH. Fortunately (or unfortunately), she does end up saying it, right before offering herself up as the darkness' skin-bag and asking Killian to save her.
Other Odds & Ends:
*Lily (Agnes Bruckner) will be sticking around Storybrooke for a little longer, as she's determined to find out who her father really is. Maleficent doesn't exactly know as the hook-up actually went down when they were in dragon form. Don't you hate it when that happens?
*Though Hook was able to return from the dead after Isaac's ending was changed by Henry, a death that happens in the real world can't be undone. So sorry, Henry, your dad Neal can't be resurrected. "Not even an author can bring back the dead no matter how much they might miss it," the Apprentice says.
*Just because Rumple is no longer the Dark One, it doesn't mean he's safe, as he may never be able to return to the man he was. Still, he has Belle (Emilie de Ravin) to fight for, who tells him she still wants to be with him. (Also, how cute was their baby in the alternate universe?!)
What did you think of Operation Mongoose, Oncers? Are you excited to see Emma as the Dark One in season five? And who should play Merlin? Sound off in the comments!