Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-26901329-20150731174240/@comment-26159109-20150803174205

Hmcooper4 wrote: Given that they have already announced that the season will be unevenly split, with 10 episodes in the first half, and 12 episodes (with the post- hiatus premiew being episode 100) in the back half, I would expect that Emma will be the Dark One at least the entire season. 10 episodes is too short to give to Emma being the dark one, plus whatever they do with Camelot, plus introducing Merida, plus adding resolution to the Rumple situation, plus Regina/Zelena/Robin drama. If they do Emma as the Dark One in 10 episodes, it will be extremely rushed. Did you watch the show in 4B (QoD, Author, baby theft, Zelena\Marian-Robin-Regina, Rumple's heart)? Of course it will be rushed like always. Emma will be the Dark One till ep 10. They will have a random 100th episode not related to anything, then 11-episodes arc of something entirely new. Not even Merida since she is part of the mess that is going to be 5A.

Once is not an epic. It's a nice adventure-fantasy series. Epics are usually a long journey that the heroes has to go through in order to do something great, usually to save the world. Of course they have to suffer along the way.