Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25926288-20151116014923/@comment-24674051-20151118203213

Ok, there was a curse cast. However, if it was the Nimue aspect of the Dark One that cast the curse, then Emma could use Merlin's heart (Nimue's love). Dark Ones love finding loop holes, and that would be a doozy of one.

And before anyone asks why Rumple just didn't use that approach himself, rather than having Regina do the dirty work, remember that any previous dark one's loved ones would be long dead by the point Rumple needed the dark curse, and Rumple was unable to free Merlin. It is specfically Emma, and ONLY Emma, that would be able to pull this stunt.