The dynamics between the Storybrooke heroes will be highlighted when "Once Upon a Time" returns to ABC for season 6.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter before season 5 concluded, series co-creator Adam Horowitz teased that the main characters of the series will face new challenges as a repercussion of the events that took place in the fifth season finale.
"The paradigm for what season six will be is a little bit different than what we've done the last few years, and we're very excited by it. It involves our core group of characters, Storybrooke and flashing back to other realms," Horowitz said. "It doesn't necessarily mean a journey to someplace else. I think at the end of the finale you'll get a little bit of a taste of how we're going to approach it — it's both a little something old and something new."
This means that the series will see the return of the evil side of Regina (Lana Parilla). The Evil Queen proved once again that she is the vilest among all Storybrooke residents. But fans should not worry about Regina's permanent return to the dark side, since Parilla explained that she will portray the two sides of her character next season.
"So it's gonna be really fun to play both sides in a different way than I have in the previous five seasons 'cause I've always played two sides," Parilla told Entertainment Weekly. "She's always been both, but she's never been split."
Meanwhile, Horowitz and series co-creator Edward Kitsis also confirmed that the story arc featuring Maleficent (Kristin Bauer van Straten) and her daughter Lily (Agnes Bruckner) will continue in season 6. This means that fans will finally find out who Lily's real father is.
Kitsis also told EW that fans will be surprised to see where the story will take them next season. "Next year will not follow the same pattern that we've always done. Just when you think you've got us, we're going to change it again," the series co-creator said.
"Once Upon a Time" season 6 is expected to premiere on ABC this fall.
