by Darcey Rydl, news editor

On September 27, the first episode of Once Upon A Time’s season 5 premiered on ABC. The show is known for its twists on fairytale stories living in the modern world. From the Evil Queen, the Evil Queen’s evil mother, an evil Peter Pan, the Wicked Witch, the Snow Queen to a take on Villains vs. Heroes, the show has maintained its heart-beating twists… for the most part.

However, passionate and long-lasting fans of Once Upon A Time may have felt a little left out during season 4: there was a Snow Queen (where does she even fit in?), lost Frozen characters, and a demanding Rumpelstiltskin all mixed up into one season, leaving the show confusing and uninteresting. The unexpected turns and thrilling moments were more or less fading.

I, being among these forgiving fans, waited hopelessly for season 5 to prove that the Once Upon A Time — which demanded my attention every Sunday at precisely 7pm — would return. I was not disappointed. In season 5, one of the main characters, Emma Swan, also known as the Savior in the first 4 seasons, now takes on a new form and becomes the Dark One; her magic alters from light magic to dark magic. She must learn how to listen to her family instead of the demons inside her head.

This past Sunday, episode 8, titled “Birth,” left us with questions such as “Is there more to the story than we saw in the dream catcher?” and“Did Emma really double on dark magic to save Captain Hook?” These questions weren’t directly answered in episode 9 but instead, there was a nice distraction that showed the connection between Merida (from Brave), Mulan, and a former character named Ruby (from Red Riding Hood).

Some other questions in this season I am still awaiting a response, but I have no doubt the creators of Once Upon A Time will not disappoint me. They made an exciting comeback from their last upsetting season, and I hope they will keep on the right track, because their unpredictable twists keep my heart pounding with each episode.