Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-6302057-20141115232542/@comment-1894786-20150510224933

Eskaver wrote: Edward Zachary Sunrose wrote: GothicNarcissus wrote: Well, indeed. Assuming Regina is somewhere in her 30s, she didn't flash forward to 60 when she went to Boston to adopt Henry, or to NYC to rescue Robin. Yes, but Storybrooke was still in existence, preserving Regina. Not to mention magic still works in the Land Without Magic, look at Zelena. But if the source of that magic were to die, all their spells are undone, and it's never said that John and Michael stayed in Neverland. So it's safe to assume it was Pan who kept them alive in this world with his magic, and should the source of their eternal youth die, the magic would be undone. I think it more so acts like this: Magic is used to stay young. Once the magic wears off or vanishes you begin to age again. No rapid aging or anything is involved. Malcolm turned back into his adult self when the magic wore off and if he would remain living he would simply age normally. I doubt there is some thread of magic reaching out to fuel the age-defying-ness of an individual.

Neal wasn't tied to any magic and he didn't rapidly age or even Hook. They didn't come with the curse and they didn't rapid age. I'm certain that rapidly aging is impossible to do in Once unless someone is using magic to age someone. They weren't being kept preserved, they had just been in a land where time never flowed. That's why I haven't said anything about Wendy aging rapidly. She was in Neverland (like Neal and Hook) when her brothers presumably weren't.

And my thought is that whatever spell Pan used to keep the Darling brothers alive was similar to how Mother Gothel stayed immortal in Tangled. She could live for centuries and stay forever young, but the second the magic was ripped away from her, she'd rapidly age until there was nothing left.