Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-4519633-20141022032431/@comment-25926288-20161024171216

I'll agree, but that's mostly a discussion about how magic just works because of the plot. (For example, the spell that Rumple didn't go through in 4B that Reigna put up never resurfaced again. Rumple also didn't try to break it.)

Power is the name of the game, with all else equal. The show does have instances where power isn't enough, but knowledge doesn't always trump power.

I'll give a recent example.

Aladdin broke Jafar's spell and Staff by taking a page from Emma's books (aka shoot dem lasers). Jafar studied magic for years, had an assortment of spells, potions, knowledge, but Aladdin made short work of him and it was his first day. Even the non-Rumple examples you gave are iffy.

BW didn't cast the spell on the library. It was stated that Hades put the spell to trap them there. (I know, I know, they never showed it, but they said it quite a few times.)

Pan failing to get through Regina's potection spell makes no sense as Pan was sure he would get through Zelena's protection spell and she's at least a little better and stronger as a caster.

Emma was said to be the most powerful DO ever and Merlin said that Emma had the power to kill him, etc.

Zelena tethered Merlin, but Merlin was able to fight it, unlike the Dark Ones who never fought off Merlin's tethering spell.