‘Once Upon a Time’ Season 4 Vorschau — Dark Emma, Cruella’s Happy Ending | TVLine 

has finally revealed the person who put to paper (at least some of) the tales in Henry’s storybook. Now, it’s a race to see who can hunt down the slippery scribe and request (or demand) a rewrite. All the while, Emma continues to reel from the reveal of her ‘rents’ dark secret.

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With the final salvo of Season 4 episodes kicking off this Sunday at 8/7c, TVLine invited co-creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis to give a peek at what’s ahead, as well as field a burning question.

TVLINE | The Author (played by Patrick Fischler) is on the loose. Is it not just about who can find him first, but who can convince him to do their bidding?

ADAM HOROWITZ | That’s certainly a large part of it. We wanted to get to the reveal of the Author sooner in the season that we thought people might expect, by bringing him out when we did, and now it’s about what happens with him out, what happens with who he winds up in contact with, what is everyone’s agenda and how do they cross? And what does the Author

TVLINE | He does seem to have some sort of agenda, seeing as he was a somewhat mischievous “recorder” of stories and took some liberties.

HOROWITZ | Absolutely. In the episode that just aired, we saw that he was banished to the book for “breaking the rules,” for changing things, so the question is: Why does he

changing things? Where did he come from? All these questions are ones we’re hoping the audience is asking, because were about to give you the answers.

TVLINE | By the way, great casting there with Fischler. He’s great at playing weasely types.

. We’re just huge fans. And in an episode coming up, “Sympathy for the De Vil,” we not only really get to unleash Cruella but you’ll also see a lot of Patrick in that, and he’s just

. We’re really happy with what he’s doing.

TVLINE | Gold has hinted that he has something that will compel Regina to do his bidding. What can you say about that

KITSIS | It is going to be revealed Sunday night — and like all good villains, they take what you love and use it against you.

TVLINE | I ask this only because it was revealed off-camera over a commercial break: Did Emma learn the

HOROWITZ | Yes. Yes. But more of that is explored right from the get-go in this Sunday’s episode. We’re going to dive head first into what Emma has learned about her parents and how she feels about that, and how that shapes their relationship going forward.

TVLINE | Because thus far she seems “significantly peeved” yet perhaps not “overly incensed.” Or should we

stop worrying about her crossing over to the dark side?

HOROWITZ | We should be concerned about the Charming family and their relationships, with this new stake of the potential for darkness in Emma. It goes beyond just your normal family spat. It’s much more dangerous.

PHOTOSOnce Upon a Time’s Wicked Witch vs. Robin, Rumple Meets the Author

TVLINE | And what’s going on in this week’s flashback with Robin Hood and the Wicked Witch?

HOROWITZ | It’s a lot of fun for us to dip our toes back into the world of Oz. We obviously love Rebecca [Mader], so it was so great to have her put the “green” back on. It’s fun to see Robin Hood kind of in his prime as the classic Robin Hood character, on an adventure that takes him out of Sherwood Forest and right into Oz.

KITSIS | And we’re going to see how he first met Will Scarlett.

TVLINE | “Sympathy for the De Vil” (airing April 19) has to be among your, what, Top 3 episode titles?

KITSIS | It is. The [writers] room knows that we’re very big Rolling Stones fans, so they actually came out with this pitch and it got a big

TVLINE | Are we going to learn what Cruella’s happy ending is?

TVLINE | Have there been any hints? Could a viewer have surmised what it is?

HOROWITZ | There may have been some hints, but our hope is that what it actually turns out to be will be a surprise to everyone.

It’s a story that we had a lot of fun concocting, and we think that Victoria [Smurfit] is

TVLINE | OK, because I have zero theories on what it could be, so I’m rather curious.

KITSIS | You know what, Matt? It’s probably one of my personal — this is just

TVLINE | And speaking of happy endings, a burning question: If villains cannot get their happy endings as long as the Savior is around, how was Ursula able to get hers?

KITSIS | It was because of a couple things. No. 1, her happy ending really was about the restoration of something that was taken from her. She wasn’t asking for anything she didn’t already possess, so that puts her in a different situation. And as we saw, Ursula was much more of a scorned villain, a tortured villain, as opposed to a

villain. People like Rumple and the Evil Queen, they’ve done much darker deeds in their past that they have to answer for, whereas Ursula…. She wasn’t a full-on villain.

, or for any other show? Email insideline@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.

This season has been such a disaster. Especially the whole ‘dark secret’ thing from Emma’s parents. That literally came out of nowhere.

ITA. I’ve said it before, and I’ll no doubt say it again, but this author plot has been terrible from the start, from Regina wanting someone to simply write her a happy ending without working for it. This show isn’t well-written enough to tackle questions of free will vs. predestination. I sincerely hope they spell out EXACTLY what the Author messed with, because I don’t want any questions left about whether or not Regina and Rumple are responsible for all their evil actions we’ve seen in flashbacks. Saying the Author “made them” do anything would be such a white-washing of their crimes, and there’s been far too much of that already.

The Snowing dark secret is such a retcon. Sometimes you can insert previously unknown things into stories, but they still make sense with what we’ve seen and fit with the characters. This doesn’t. How did they get through Glinda’s “pure of heart” door? How was it not their deepest secret they had to tell in Echo Cave in Neverland? Plus it makes them look like complete idiots for just believing and freaking out about whatever Maleficent told them. I hate them making the heroes look worse simply to make the villains look better by comparison.

It is completely nonsensical. And only gets more so by every episode

I could not agree more. And another thing that really gets to me about that completely out-of-nowhere “dark secret” is that it takes out all of Snow’s storyline at the end of season 2 about killing Cora. She says herself that she has ALWAYS done the right thing and been good like her mother taught her, and she was absolutely devastated after doing what she perceived as the wrong thing (though I’m not sure what other choice she had). If she’d had this whole thing in her past, she’d know how crappy it feels to do something wrong, and she wouldn’t have done it. It was a huge part of that storyline that that was the first time she’d done anything to feel guilty about!

And yes–I really, really hate that whole “let’s drag the heroes down and completely retcon their entire story to make Regina look better” stunt they’re clearly pulling. Nothing will make Regina look better. She is guilty of mass murder, murder, child abuse, rape, slavery, tyranny, and all kinds of horrific crimes! Of course no one’s allowed to bring THAT up, but Snow having killed Cora (in defense of herself and everyone else in Storybrooke–who are her people to protect) or told a secret (that she was manipulated into telling by Cora)? That gets mentioned all the freaking time. I used to love this show so much, but this complete undoing of the Charmings and whitewashing of Regina (and other villains to some extent, but not nearly as bad as with her) has made me dread each episode because I’m afraid of what they’ll do now.

If this season ends the way it looks like it’ll end, I’m so done. I can’t take any more of that.

I think I love you, Michelle. ;-) Yeah, it’s gotten to where I too dread what each ep will bring instead of looking forward to what it will bring. That’s not what you want in a show. They just keep doing things that annoy, anger or frustrate me, with little to make me feel rewarded for investing my time. It used to be a pretty well-done show, but lately it’s gotten to be all about gotchas, “surprises” and undermining what we’ve seen. They simply careen from one contrived plot point to the next with seemingly little thought given to making logical or character sense. Hook and Emma are the only thing keeping me watching, but I don’t know how long that will be enough. I’m still incredibly incensed about the total lack of payoff to the arc about Hook’s heart after all that buildup. Talk about not being rewarded for investment!

It’s sad. I keep hoping the show will right itself, but those hopes are dwindling.

I think I love you both, because I completely agree!

We’re definitely on the same wavelength; I feel the same about that particular story arc and the incredible waste it was. And you know, I was liking this season until episode 405, which was absolutely disgusting. EMMA ruined REGINA’S life?! That is exactly the opposite of what happened! And it really pounded home the point that Regina hasn’t changed at all because if she had, she’d have been grateful to Emma that she had one less murder on her hands. But instead of that or even being happy for Roland that his mother was back, she verbally abused Emma for an entire freaking episode, and Emma just took it. I get not wanting to provoke Regina since she tends to blow things up and commit murder when she doesn’t get what she wants, but taking all of that without defending herself seemed awfully out of character for her.

Then 411 was the last straw. That episode cemented the fact that Regina was now (a) absolved of all of her crimes without so much as an apology or acknowledgement of wrongdoing; (b) more important to Snow and Emma than each other or any of their other actual loved ones; and (c) the only character that matters at all. (And yeah…less than half a minute on the entire freaking heart story resolution. Less than half a minute.)

And now apparently Regina and Emma are pals, despite Regina having literally tried to murder her seven times, and having made her and her loved ones’ lives miserable for DECADES, never having apologized (and indeed stating flat-out that she has no regrets), and STILL treating her like dirt. It makes no sense. And they’re now saying Emma still doesn’t know Regina murdered Graham? What kind of “friendship” includes a massive lie like that about something that directly and negatively affected Emma deeply (and still does!)? I can’t stand it.

And I don’t know if you follow spoilers, but it looks like the finale is going to take this to its extreme. And I’m going to be absolutely done with this show. Regina was at least interesting as a villain in season one. As a whiny, entitled, unrepentant criminal who gets coddled by everyone instead of called out, she’s killing the entire show. It’s not just that she’s annoying; it’s also that in order to make her look good, they’re destroying everyone else’s characters! (Remember how awesome Snow, Emma, and Henry were when they were FIGHTING evil instead of sweeping it under the rug and pretending it never happened?)

Sorry to write a novel there, but I could talk about this for a LONG time. It just kills me because I used to adore this show so much, and now it’s just horrible and even difficult to watch!

I am right there with you as well. What I can’t figure out is how can the author re-write those stories without affecting everyone else and that is a theme we have heard before. 3b was about not,changing the timeline! So how can the book be re-written. To do, that the author has to rewrite the EF stories which would have huge affect on all the characters. And I too am watching for Hook and Emma but have to say I am tiring of the constant angst and how some couples can get together in one season and Hook and Emma almost 3 seasons and now possible separation. Angst is he thing and a slow burn is another but this is the slowest burn I have ever watched!

People go on about things Regina has done In the past and yeh she is the EVIL queen. But for the charmings and Emma to just banish her or throw her in jail would make no sense. It seems everyone fogets she is Henry’s mother. How do you think he would feel if she was gone or if his family were constant fighting. She is trying to change for him, she’s made that very clear. The past is the past. What kind of mother would Emma be and grandparents the charmings be if as soon as they found out they tried to shut Regina out of Henry’s life. His mother the woman who raised him. I actully believe it makes perfect sense for them to take her in because they can see she is trying to do good for her son.

And with regards to being angry at Emma for bringing Marian back have none of you ever been heart broken?

They literally bring up Regina’s crime IN EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. What show are you watching?

Do you have some examples of that? I’m not trying to be mean about it; I’m honestly curious because I can think of hardly any in the whole show. There are a few times when they vaguely talked about some things, but they never concretely discuss her actual crimes (her many, many crimes). I can think of one instance where they directly referred to a crime of hers in this whole season (when Ursula and Cruella mentioned her ripping the hearts out of the inhabitants of an entire village) and the whole thing was treated as though the real crime were MENTIONING that, not Regina’s having done it (and not regretting anything). Everyone is acting as though the author “wrote” Regina as a villain instead of her having earned that title MANY times over.

I mean they’ve never mentioned her massacring an entire village of men, women, and children (whose hearts weren’t ripped out, so apparently that was a different village), forcing children into the home of a known cannibalistic serial killer, psychologically abusing Henry (which she still does to an extent), imprisoning Belle for 30+ years, imprisoning Sidney for several years for her crimes then enslaving him in the mirror again and refusing to let him out even when he did what she wanted (Emma found out about that and did nothing, even as sheriff), framing Snow/MM for murder, trying to blow up the whole town, murdering Snow’s father (Snow killing Cora is brought up all the time but not Regina having Leopold killed), and imprisoning and repeatedly raping Graham for 30+ years before murdering him.

They hardly ever even mention the curse anymore–the one where she ripped an entire population away from their homes, manipulated their lives to be exactly what she wanted which was their misery, and completely took away their agency.

I’m confused as to how Rumple and Regina suddenly do not fit the “villains that were made” category. I get that they’ve done darker deeds than Ursula has, but they weren’t born evil. Otherwise, what was the point of showing us how they got to be villains? I certainly do not see them as having been born evil.

That question was answered from Eddy’s big mouth just ignore it ;)

Yep, it goes against what they’ve been saying for years about all the characters (“evil isn’t born, it’s made”). Does Eddy think before he speaks?

Kitsis often comes across like he makes these things up on the spot in interviews, without thinking them through or even paying attention to things he’s said before and they’ve established on their own show, with their own writing. I wouldn’t give it too much thought. Especially not if he’s essentially just defending a filler episode that was much more about once again pushing his version of Hook as Killykins the Good and Off-Screen Redeemed Hero down everyone’s throats than about putting major focus on developing Ursula herself. The fact that they wrote Ursula off this quickly tells you everything you need to know.

The 2 things to justify Ursula’s happy ending are really weak. Yes, Regina did “darker deeds”, but she is also in the “evil is made” category…

Seems like, as usual, they try to justify inconsistency with half-backed reasoning.

I’m extremely excited for Sunday’s episode. It’s about time they’re giving Robin Hood a backstory episode and it’ll be fun to see Zelena again too. I guess the question about what Rumple has that will make Regina do his bidding is only a question of what exactly he has done to Robin and possibly Roland. Cruella’s episode sounds good too. I’m digging this second half season a lot.

Thank u! Also, will we find out what happen to Anastasia (Will’s true love)?

This show is so awful now. Can’t believe how excited I used to be for these. Now all I do is cringe.

I wonder if Cruella’s happy ending has anything to do with dalmations…

And once and again Hook is not a Villain, just a poor uncomprehend guy without zero arc of redemption. Ursula explanation was just lame.

Gary Hook could murder Henry, and they’d say he’s suffered enough.

Well he was kept on due to naval demands and not writing demands — if they dropped the ships and went back to what made the show good it might loose the soap opera appearance its getting

I think a latin Soap opera has more sense and less plot holes that this show at this point. You don’t need to romanticize everything to make something good and interesting, Emma Swan needs to find herself and work with her many psychological and familiar issues.

Just me but I would turn Cruella back into a child so she can see past the superficial things in life and look to what happiness is all about. As for the Author this is a pointless construct that really looks sloppy and only makes the characters less who they are. Also what of the many other characters in this show who have lost their happy endings, not a villain not a hero? This story line ignores most of the town yet again. And please tell me that they did not mess up the time line again by having Zelena dress up in an outfit she took from Regina after the curse and put her with Robin in a time before the curse. All this to do a remake of heart of Darkness with Gold at the center of it. Time to sit and watch and hope it works out

I am definitely interested in Cruella’s episode but it’s sad when I’m more excited about recurring characters than some of the regulars. At least the Snowing/Emma conflict keeps the focus where it belongs. Keep Regina in the mix and it’s all good. The family stuff is just always so much better than the trite romances or plot macguffins.

Based on Eddy’s description, I guess Hook is an “evil is made,” not full-on villain too. Therefore his happy ending with Emma should be in tact, assuming there’s any consistency between storylines.

I guess I’m the only one who is enjoying this season. I think the idea of searching for the author is unique, and I find it entertaining. I also think the whole “Emma going dark” is interesting. Looking forward to future episodes.

You’re far from the only one. Overall I find it enjoyable as well. Much more so than the Disneyfied 4A for sure. Exploring the potential of the book and its author is a choice that makes sense too. They’ve been talking about wanting to do more about the book since season 1 and while it took some time for the story they’re now telling to pick up speed I’m interested in how it’ll develop with the author in town.

I’m enjoying it a lot as well. Honestly, a lot of the criticisms like the author plot and the Snowing dark secret, I get and understand. And the mistake in this interview with Eddy saying Ursula is in the “evil is made” category but Regina and Rumple aren’t which doesn’t make sense. I don’t know if that was a slip up or him not thinking before he talked which is something everyone does sometimes.

I guess though overall I just have a sort of unhealthy love for this show. I still look forward to it every week no matter what, so sonetimes I’m willing to let go of certain things or mistakes. Plus the story for this second half is still playing out so I try rather reserve complete judgment till it’s finished.

OK, I am without peer when it comes to accurately transcribing interviews, but seeing some confusion here in Comments, I went back and re-re-relistened to Eddy’s answer… and that is what he said. He started to elaborate on the thought but ultimately moved onto the “full-on villain” comment, so I have edited the graf on the off chance the “evil is made” comment, now omitted, wasn’t properly couched.

Thanks for double checking, Matt. I’m hoping it was just something he said without thinking because if he actually meant it, that doesn’t really make sense. If we’re comparing degrees of evil between the charcters, fine, but Regina and Rumple are most definitely in the evil is made category based on what has been shown on the show.

I’m loving it too. You’re not the only one. :)

I understand Eddy saying Ursula is not as bad as some other villains. At least as far as we have seen this is true. But I agree with many others, the rest of the answer does not make sense. Their point was always that evil is not born, it’s made without exceptions and Regina and Rumple were their prime example with their tragic and twisted pasts that made them into the Evil Queen and the Dark One.

I really curious how Zelena’s return is going to play out and what is the deal with Will Scarlett? We’ve had no explanation on what happened to him after Wonderland.

Geez, these comments, have you even watched the show lately? This arc has been awesome, Maleficent is amazing, Cruella is a lot of fun, the search for the Author is just a quest, the fact that the Author is manipulating the events of the story is considered a problem, it’s not a natural thing, authors aren’t supposed to do that, it’s just this one who’s breaking the rules.

This arc has been great so far, better than the screenhogging Frozen, better than the long dragging Neverland, better than the weirdly organized season 2, and the characters are a lot more developed and better written than they were in season 1. Don’t find excuses to criticize the show, make it look like season 1 was god and now it’s really bad, it’s a clichè, just say that you’re sick and tired of Once.

I don’t need to “find excuses” to criticize the show, they’re pretty readily available. Retconning the heroes and dragging them down to improve the villains is terrible storytelling. The Author writing events versus recording them – where is free will? The inconsistencies stated by others above speak for themselves. .

I’ve liked each half season storyline so far, though to varying degrees, but this is just ridiculously bad.

The Charmings being flawed human beings who’ve made a poor choice or two down the line, but who have been working hard to learn from past mistakes like everyone else in this world is hardly “retconning the heroes” as far as I’m concerned. I don’t know about you, but I prefer characters with depth over cardboard figures with black and white labels slapped on to them. My love for the Charmings has only grown this season when the writing is finally giving them something interesting to deal with again and there’s actual growth involved. Being the stock “hero” high up on a pedestal of moral superiority kinda limits the opportunities to explore these characters in full and it certainly makes it a lot harder for me to relate to them.

Did you know that when Regina and Robin met, he said he’d never met the Wicked Witch? Continuity is hard to maintain when you’re just making it up as you go along.

I’ve hated this storyline from the get go. I mean stop adding more and more new characters and focus on further developing the stories of the characters we all know and love. If they are going to turn Emma dark, which is apparently the whole premise of this season, then do it already. BUT it should be impossible right since they sent all of Emma’s possible darkness into Lily? It didn’t matter anyways since they were suppose to raise and guide her on a solely light, hero, path. And we all know they instead sent her through the wardrobe and into a new world. A world where a persons character isn’t solely black or white but a shade of grey. Everyone has the capability to do awful things giving the right circumstances. But that doesn’t mean you’re a villain. It just means you’re human.

At first I hated the Frozen storyline but after while it became engaging and interesting. The Snow Queen was a interesting villain and I think they wasted the potential of that storyline with a lame ending just so we could move on to this crap.

Avid don’t get me started on the whole Emma/Hook and Regina/Robin storyline because both makes me want to gag. Why must strong female characters always have a man? And why is Regina pining over a man she barely knows and didn’t even like when they met in the Enchanted Forest? Because Tinkerbell told her the man with the tattoo is her soulmate? Really? And he is the only man that has that particular tattoo? If there are more does that mean she needs to create a harem of soul mates? What happened to free Willa dn choosing who you want to fall in love with not picking someone based on someone’s whim?

Only thing I am liking is the developing friendship between Emma and Regina. That is the only storyline that feels genuine. Like things have been progressing for them to finally come to this point in their lives. It’s not forced. Or shoved down our throats.

Honestly if this is to be their last season I can see why. I’ll be sad and upset because I did love the show, once, but I’ll understand. And if they do get another season then I hope th show goes back to what it once was. A fun hour of tv.

Meta episode can be cute once in every few seasons but as Carver Edlund said on Supernatural writing yourself into the story seems so douchy. This seems like an ego trip of the writers who are jealous that the actors get all the attention. Much as I like writing and storytelling putting the author into the story as a storyline crossing multiple episodes completely bumps me out of the story.

I’m still wondering why the Chernabog went after Emma in the first place when her potential for darkness was transferred to Lily as a baby. Any chance we’ll get an answer to that?

since the Author was rewriting the stories my question is: That since there was 2 pages one with Regina & Robin meeting and the second with her walking away: which one was in the storybook first?

did the Author make Regina into the Evil Queen instead of someone else?

not to mention Robin’s character changed appearances as well.

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