Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-25375217-20171202221920/@comment-25926288-20171203131327

If we guess there's a "Pass the Torch" for the characters, then:

Emma --> Henry, which was solid. Probably helped that he was a previous character as well. He's struggling a bit because he doesn't come off strongly as the main character, which Emma did.

Hook --> Alice (?), though Alice stands strong on her own.

Regina --> Drizzy, Ella; Drizella is solid without the nod to Regina and they could stretch to another season, limitedly. Ella, though, is struggling. I feel that Jace gives a little bit of an Emma vibe, while Ella gives off a little bit of a Snow vibe. Perhaps she needs more scenes with Regina and Rumple.

Rumple --> Probably Tremaine. Tremaine sort of gets hit by H2R, but she'll come out solidly (waiting upon 7x09).

Tiana probably could do with a brush of early bandit Snow, while Sabine just needs to be a bit more than Season 4 Will Scarlet. I'd probably just kill off Naveen and give her Nick (since Henry's taken. XD)

The "World Discovers" arc could keep a lot of the old cast around, especially for episodes recurring. But if they go a third way, I can't see the newbies holding strong without introducing some juggernauts in season 8.