Board Thread:Rant and Rave/@comment-31937823-20180102211252/@comment-25375217-20180103053710

My answer is pretty simple: make it two full seasons.

The biggest problem with both the Camelot arc and the Underworld arc is the lack of time. I think even the more hated parts, like Ruby/Dorothy and Dark Hook, would have made more sense given a full 22 episodes to properly demonstrate them.

Season Five, the Dark Swan and Camelot, could have had: Adding all of that to the existing eleven episodes of 5A, I think it would have made much more sense and been easier to follow. The Underworld would have similarly benefitted and could have shown more deceased characters, like Ruby's mom, as well as give Hades a proper backstory. I don't feel like giving an actual eleven full examples, though.
 * 1) Another Merlin episode, reconciling some of the information given on him in Season 4
 * 2) More Camelot mythology, such as Morgan le Fay. Perhaps David, as part of his otherwise non-existent "bromance" with Arthur, could decide to help Arthur slay a villainous witch endangering their fair kingdom. And while David and Arthur are off doing that, Snow hangs out with Lancelot and finds out how exactly he survived Cora.
 * 3) Another backstory for the Dark One, showing how Nimue turned completely evil "snuff out the light" instead of just wanting revenge.
 * 4) A Lancelot episode, introducing his mother and allowing her to have a role in present-day events instead of just being an excuse to send Lancelot off
 * 5) For that matter, a proper resolution to Camelot. At the very least, free Gwen from her curse, even if their return to Camelot was saved for Season 6/the Underworld so that Arthur could still have his role there.
 * 6) Emma actually doing dark things as the Dark One instead of all of that darkness being explained by her morally questionable decision to give her boyfriend power he didn't want.
 * 7) Another episode focusing on Ruby and Mulan, who were also taken by the curse and are now in Storybrooke so it's not a side story episode. We see some of Mulan's backstory, perhaps including a past failed love with a female Li Shang. Ruby and Mulan would be the LGBT relationship instead of Ruby and Dorothy.
 * 8) A centric for Robin Hood, letting him actually get into his feelings about the whole thing with Zelena and his child. Maybe actually explain the lion tattoo.
 * 9) Something for Belle. I don't care what.
 * 10) An Emma backstory in her childhood with something cute about what she wanted to become when she grew up. In the present, Snow and Charming recruit Lily and they all help Emma realize that she has become a villain and that her actions are not justified. Emma breaks down and admits that she turned Hook into the Dark One, instead of Zelena just randomly stumbling upon a dreamcatcher that happened to show her.
 * 11) Hook doing dark things as the Dark One while Emma tries to overcome her dark urges to stop him in a heroic manner but finds it nearly impossible. Lily and Regina stick around and develop into better heroes themselves.
 * 12) The season finale would have Emma kill herself instead of Hook. Hook develops the plan to go to the Underworld and the other heroes agree to come along. They invite Lily and Maleficent, but they decide to go on their own realm-crossing adventure to find Lily's dad. Ruby and Mulan also leave to look for Ruby's family again, even though the growing chemistry between them is quite obvious (hopefully). They jump through a portal and end up in Oz for Season 6.