Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-1916997-20151017160320/@comment-6175354-20151018000846

Neal sadly died, as the price for his father's selfishness. Rumple always thought that he could have it all, and this was proof that he could not.

Also, it is probably not Emma who is going to die. Similar to what happened with Regina and Robin, in The Price. It was implied that reforging Excalibur, would have a severe cost. My theory.... the price Emma has to pay is Hook's life, but Regina will offer herself instead. To qoute Hook, "[Emma} sacrificed herself for you, Yor Majesty, because she believed that an Evil Queen could be good. Don't you owe it to her, to repay the favor?"