One thing that really confused me was I mixed up Rumble killing Fiona breaking the curse with TL breaking the curse. That did not make me happy, I was going, so what, killing someone for TL (of his wife/kid supposedly) now counts as worthy of a TL curse-breaking powers?! *laughs* They really should have made that distinct… They have ended so many curses with TLK I can’t recall what it has looked like when they did not use it. Those should really be more distinguishable….
I don’t know for sure and haven’t re-watched yet, but I thought the curse broke because someone (Rumple) killed the person who cast it (Black Fairy). Presumably if Snow and Charming had offed Regina back during season one’s curse then that curse would’ve broken at that moment too? Are we 100% sure that only true love’s kiss (as inconsistent as it is) can break the dark curse? Killing the curser seems like a reasonable plan B to me.