Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-1916997-20170217023403/@comment-30389283-20170220150639

Chameleon-Guy wrote: I could see some characters being moved away from the storyline without being killed off, like Belle, who could see the world, and Zelena who could get back to Oz and rule there, but Emma, Rumple, Regina, Hook and Snow and Charming either return or are killed off, you just can't explain their absence unless they are dead, other excuses would feel forced. I still think most of them will return for season 7, but there will be some death, otherwise I can't see Henry becoming a sad person.

As for them being older or not, time will most likely stop, like during the curse, or they could go with the Fringe season 5 route, I would prefer that, some characters age and others (the main ones) are frozen in crystals. I think that if they are going with the Fringe route, the "old" characters will definitely be frozen in time again, in a way to see them at the same age.