"Once Upon a Time" season 4 ended with Emma Swan sacrificing herself and her name was inscribed on the Dagger. A new report from Latin Post hints that she may turn to the dark side in this upcoming fifth season and it may be a race against time to make sure she doesn't.
Emma wasn't even supposed to be in this situation. As seen in the season 4 finale, the Dagger initially targeted Regina but Emma took the blow at the last second, eventually leading to her disappearance and her current path to darkness.
Hook, Prince Charming, and Snow need to get the Dagger and control Emma before she fully tips over to the dark side. It appears that with her friends and family all pitching in to save her humanity, her chances of turning evil are quite slim, as the Latin Post points out.
According to the report, Emma's chances of being saved increase now that the show will introduce Merlin. Merlin is based on the legends of King Arthur and is often cited as a wizard capable of many magical feats. According to Arthurian legends, he was the wizard that set the sword in the stone and paved the way for Arthur to rule the kingdom of Camelot.
It is not yet confirmed if Merlin will be a series regular from here on out or if he will simply guest star until Emma is rescued.
Season 5 will also show Rumplestiltskin recovering. Now that the evil in his heart is gone, he will have to undergo a slow and painful recovery process. It is unsure if all the evil has been eradicated from him but Belle will be there by his side. Fans have speculated that the new "good" Rumplestiltskin may help the group save Emma.
No release date for season 5 has yet been announced but if the next season follows the series' tradition, then it is expected to air by the end of September.
