With Regina distracted, the portal closes, trapping the duo in the wish realm.
What does this mean for the duo?
And who else will be returning to help them?
Credit: ABC/Jack Rowand
EW turned to executive producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis to get the scoop.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Gideon is revealed to be the man under the hood.
How did you decide on him?
ADAM HOROWITZ:Well, that was the plan from the get-go.
It wasnt a decision like, Who are we going to put under the hood?
It was about designing the season to reach that point.
And theres more to the reveal than everything you see in the winter finale.
Why would Gideon want to kill the Savior?
And that becomes a launching off point for a lot of the storytelling in the second half.
Time doesnt work right there.
What can you tease of this realm and are we going there in the back half of the season?
HOROWITZ:I think that what you just described is the tease for the realm.
Will working together bring Rumple and Belle closer, maybe lead to some understanding between them?
Ive always rooted for those two and I hope for the best.
Thats the glimmer of hope that has not died out and is kind of the root of that relationship.
Emma and Regina are now stuck in this alternate universe.
What are we meant to call this land?
HOROWITZ:Its the wish realm.
Its the realm that was created by the wish, so its an actual place that exists now.
Who will they turn to for help?
KITSIS:Well, they will be looking wherever they can.
HOROWITZ:Yeah, I mean, maybe a formerly wooden friend might be useful.
So is August returning then?
KITSIS:August has returned.
HOROWITZ:Well be seeing some Eion Bailey coming up.
KITSIS:This was a story that weve been excited about for a while.
KITSIS:Since Robin died last year, shes really kind of questioning.
She cut the darkness from her self, only to have it come back.
She is figuring some things out deeper than just, Will I be good today or bad?
Regina killed Snow and Charming in the wish realm.
What danger does that pose for them being stuck there now?
Will people like Henry be hunting them?
KITSIS:Oh, 100 percent.
HOROWITZ:ThatWarriorsreference was a little old.
KITSIS:The millennials should love that.The Warriorsis a reference fromStranger Things!
HOROWITZ:Its a Walter Hill movie.
And its one of my top ten favorite moments of the series.
Might some of these other characters also be aged up like Snow and Charming?
As you mentioned in thepreview story, the threat of the prophecy coming true is still looming.
KITSIS:It is not going to be something that they get out of the next episode.
Its going to be a little bit.
HOROWITZ:Snow and Charming have an epic love thats dealt with curses before.
Aladdin leaves behind that scarab from Agrabah for Emma.
What purpose does it serve and will it come in handy in the future?
Once Upon a Timewill return in 2017.
Stay tuned during the hiatus for more scoop, including a brand new Hot Seat!
