The Dark Swan

"Hook: Why are you doing this? Emma Swan: Because... I am the Dark One."

"The Dark Swan" is the first episode of Season Five of ABC's Once Upon a Time. It was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and directed by Ron Underwood. It is the ninetieth episode of the series overall, and premiered on September 27, 2015. This episode is the fifth season premiere.

Synopsis
Immediately after becoming the Dark One, Emma disappears and the heroes must band together to save her, but first they have to find her, which will require the help of an unlikely ally. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, Emma struggles to resist her dark urges as she searches for Merlin in the hope that he can stop her transformation. Along the way to Camelot, she gets help from the plucky and brave warrior princess Merida, as well as King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

Starring

 * Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret Blanchard
 * Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
 * Lana Parrilla as Regina Mills
 * Josh Dallas as David Nolan
 * Emilie de Ravin as Belle French
 * Colin O'Donoghue as Hook
 * Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills
 * Rebecca Mader as Zelena
 * Sean Maguire as Robin Hood
 * Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold

Guest Starring

 * Lee Arenberg as Leroy
 * Beverley Elliott as Granny
 * Liam Garrigan as King Arthur
 * Andrew Jenkins as Sir Percival
 * Elliot Knight as the Usher
 * Amy Manson as Merida
 * Keegan Connor Tracy as Mother Superior
 * Sinqua Walls as Lancelot
 * Timothy Webber as the Apprentice

Co-Starring

 * Raphael Alejandro as Roland
 * Michael Coleman as Happy
 * Faustino Di Bauda as Walter
 * David-Paul Grove as Doc
 * Mckenna Grace as Young Emma
 * Gabe Khouth as Mr. Clark
 * Lee Majdoub as Sir Kay
 * Brent Stait as Peddler
 * Ingrid Torrance as Severe Nurse
 * Mig Macario (Press release only)
 * Jeffrey Kaiser (Press release only)

Uncredited

 * Unknown as Janitor
 * Unknown baby as Prince Neal
 * Unknown as Tony

Trivia

 * -|Production Notes=

Production Notes

 * The title card features the Granny's Diner in the woods.
 * -|Episode Connections=

Event Chronology

 * The Land Without Magic flashbacks take place in 1989, a few years after the events of "The Stranger", and a few years before "Snow Drifts".
 * The Storybrooke events take place after "Operation Mongoose Part 2".
 * The Enchanted Forest events take place after "Fall".
 * The Camelot flashbacks take place before Lancelot's banishment, which is mentioned in "Lady of the Lake".
 * The present Camelot events take place years after Lancelot's banishment.

Episode Connections

 * -| Cultural References=

Disney

 * Young Emma watches The Sword in the Stone at the movie theater.
 * This episode introduces Merida from Brave. Also featured are the Will of the Wisps and the stone circle from the same movie.
 * Mother Superior gives Belle a rose in a jar, an iconic object from Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

Fairytales and Folklore

 * This episode features King Arthur, Lancelot, Percival, and Sir Kay from the Arthurian Legend, Captain Hook from the Peter Pan story, Robin Hood from the ballad and Rumplestiltskin from the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale.
 * One of the previous Dark Ones is called Gorgon the Invincible. The Gorgons were female creature from Greek Mythology, who had hair made of living, venomous snakes. Anyone who gazed into their eyes, would be turned to stone immediately. Medusa was one of the Gorgons.

Lost

 * Young Emma steals an Apollo bar from the movie goer's pocket.

Popular Culture

 * The Severe Nurse's name is revealed to be "Nurse Ratched", from the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.