Board Thread:Show-Related Questions and Answers/@comment-9186670-20171228010006/@comment-31937823-20171231234010

DatNuttyKid wrote: Ahatheresjenny wrote:

Emillian Swanones wrote: I think it's because there's a time-travel aspect to the curse in that the curse sent the characters back in time to 2017 (from around 2030) and they can't contact Storybrooke because the younger versions of themselves are still there would would create a time paradox. Ohhh that actually makes a lot of sense. So the events that happened in the “past” would still be playing out. Just for the record, Adam practically confirmed that this is the case. Someone asked him on Twitter how it's possible Henry graduated high school in 2017 when he was born in 2001 and Adam responded that he didn't graduate in 2017, "it's later". (The tweet has since been deleted, but it's archived on various news accounts, including EFNS on Tumblr.) Meanwhile, they've repeatedly confirmed that Hyperion Heights' events are 2017, even despite a prop stating 2018. The only explanation for Henry leaving in 2019 or later and being in Hyperion Heights in 2017 is time travel.

Hopefully they confirm it in the show, maybe a line of dialogue or two like —

Zelena: “Why can’t we just go back to Storybrooke for help?”

Regina: “Unfortunately, the curse sent us back to 2017, and we can’t return to Storybrooke as it would cause a time paradox...etc, etc”