Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-5583089-20160405151934/@comment-25926288-20160405153017

So, yes all ten to 24 Dark Ones shared like 500-200 (Aka Rumple) = roughly 300 years as Dark Ones combined. Zoso was Dark One for anywhere between 20 to 70 years as they mentioned him being Dark One for decades.

The Dark One power isn't a progressive thing. It could be, but I theorize that it is a regressive (and dependent on the person) kind of thing. So basically, I'm thinking each DO died taking a little of the power with them (that's why they have those forms inside the DO's head). Plus, personal limitations could reach them from fulfilling their highest potential. So, Nimue was likely very strong as she was the first Dark One without degradation. Emma's likely dark powers were weaker than Rumple's, yet with her light magic made her stronger overall. But that's all theories. So, then it depends what happened to the other DOs. If they are dead, Rumple is strong as Merlin + Nimue aka 2 Merlins. If they are some how contained still, It could be Emma's DO powers + Merlin which would be somewhat weaker. But at the end of the day, Rumple never performs great feats of magic because he isn't showy.