This is a very good point that someone made too
If Zelena was exiled at some point she could have been running “things” from “Kansas.” She could’ve been controlling August’s actions. By making sure Emma gets to Storybrooke, it destroys Regina’s happiness. We know Zelena wants to ruin Regina, making sure her nemesis makes it to Storybrooke to break the curse would be in Zelena’s plan.
I kinda like this one a lot, actually. We have to assume a few things:
1) the Witch can move–broomstick, necklace, shoes. It’s possible all of those can take her places
2) Maybe Zelena told August about Neal being Baelfire which means that youngBae needs to be in Oz after NL. We know that Bae landed in our land in 1991 (in order to have his warrant give 1977 as DOB). And we are still really unsure about the length of time on Hook’s ship and then in the cave on the island. If Bae caught a ride on the Shadow Express (*laughs hysterically for several moments*) it could have taken him to Oz and not our land as we have been assuming.
3) Bae would have left Oz in time to get here to meet Emma. Maybe..he was grown up by that point and we’re wrong about 1991? And maybe he caught a ride in the balloon from the Wizard? And the Witch followed, setting herself up in Kansas, keeping an eye on him, making sure Emma was never sidetracked, thus sending August after Neal and Emma.
4) Once Zelena sees that Neal left Emma and Emma is back “on the path” then Zelena abandoned Kansas and goes back to the EF to wait for the right time to go after Regina. So then Snow and Emma land in the EF in 201 and Zelena more or less lets them carry on trying to get home and going up against Cora/Hook.
Does Zelena have ties to NL and Peter Pan? Or was she just waiting for when Regina would return to the EF and this is the right time.
I…have talked myself in circles. Next.