Once Upon A Time Season 5 Premiere Recap With Spoilers: The Dark Swan

The season five premiere of Once Upon a Time, entitled "The Dark Swan" opens with a flashback of young Emma, in 1989. She goes to a movie theater to see The Sword in the Stone, when an usher approaches her. Emma thinks she is about to be scolded for stealing some candy, but instead he cryptically tells her that one day, she will have the opportunity to remove Excalibur from the stone. But "she mustn't."

In Storybrooke, just after Emma has transformed into the Dark One and disappeared, Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) and the others begin to argue. He tries to summon her with the Dark One's dagger, but as Regina (Lana Parrilla) points out – the dagger only summons the Dark One from "any corner of this world," meaning she must be elsewhere.

They quickly speak to the Apprentice, who gives them a magic wand that was made by Merlin. It can open a portal to another realm, but only if you use both dark and light magic to do it. Regina quickly tries her best – but she is no longer dark enough. The only person they know who possesses dark magic and is strong enough to use it is Zelena.

Next – Hook, Regina, and the others speak with Zelena (Rebecca Mader), who claims that her pregnancy changed her. She wants to help, but she is powerless because of the bracelet that Regina is using to keep her from performing any magic at all. Later, Hook asks Henry (Jared Gilmore) if he can change the Storybook to solve their problems, but the magic quill is broken. He instead convinces Henry to help him sneak into Zelena's cell, planning to free her himself.

Henry distracts the guard, and Hook is able to walk right through. He attempts to use a magic potion to take out Zelena's heart – but he is pushed away by some sort of protective spell. While he's down, Zelena takes a knife from him and cuts off the arm that had the protective bracelet. She takes off the bracelet, puts her arm back on, and poofs away in a green cloud.

All the while, Emma (Jennifer Morrison) is shown in a forest, where the quickly finds who she believes to be Rumple (Robert Carlyle) – but as actually just her "inner Dark One," there to train her in a recognizable form. Emma is adamant that she will avoid dark magic but finds herself repeatedly tricked by "Rumple," accidentally learning the magic anyway. Rumple eventually tells her that she must catch a will-o-wisp, who will lead her to Merlin.

Running after one of the wisps, Emma quickly runs into Merida (Amy Manson), who is chasing the wisp too. She needs it to lead herself to where her brothers are being held, after being kidnapped by a competing clan. Merida is now the queen of her kingdom, but nearby clans do not support her rule because of her gender. Merida and Emma are at first at odds but quickly decide to work together.

That night, Rumple tells Emma that she and Merida will not be able to share the wisp. After someone whispers to it, the wisp is theirs forever – unless they are killed. Merida is nearby, pretending to sleep, but actually listening to the entire conversation. By morning, she has disappeared.

Back in Storybrooke, Zelena wastes no time kidnapping Robin (Sean Maguire) to use as leverage. She wants to trade him for the wand, which she will use to make a portal and go back to Oz. Regina reluctantly agrees, giving her the wand – but in the middle of Zelena's spell, she finds herself with Regina's magic brace on once again. Regina was able to control Zelena while her magic was weakened, as it's not easy to conjure portal with the wand. Joined by Leroy and the dwarves, group uses the cyclone-portal that Zelena created to go to Emma's realm.

Elsewhere, Emma uses dark magic to transport herself to where Merida has taken the will-o-wisp but finds that the wisp has already been claimed. Now, all she can do to find Merlin is kill Merida, who's fighting back with her bow and arrows. Emma catches every arrow, until she eventually removes Merida's heart. She holds it in her hand, deciding on whether or not to crush it, when Hook and the others appear. They are able to talk her down, and Emma gives Merida her heart again.

Hook and the others think it's best that Emma be in control of the dagger, but she disagrees. Emma gives it to Regina, who not only owes her a debt, but also will be strong enough to kill Emma if need be. They then bring Emma to Granny's, which they took through the cyclone with them. Before long, they are approached by King Arthur – who has been expecting them. Merlin prophesized their arrival long ago but has been missing for years.

This prophecy is fitting with another flashback from the episode, which revealed that the dagger that controls the Dark One is actually half of Excalibur.

The group follows Arthur into Camelot – but then, suddenly – finds themselves back in Storybrooke, wearing Camelot clothes. Six weeks have passed, and they have forgotten all of their memories. Emma appears. It's clear that she has fully embraced her role as the Dark One, and she has taken back the dagger from Regina. She says they will all be punished.