Also, with the Dark Curse, crossing the border meant a memory wipe of some kind. Not this time. This time you turn into a tree, indicating a very different kind of spell.
Not necessary. Losing your memory while crossing the town border only applied to after the curse broke in Season 2. During the days of the curse in Season 1, something bad would happen to you before you were even able to cross the border. When the 2nd Dark Curse happened, crossing the town border instead would get you dragged into the woods by flying monkeys. You would then get bitten, and eventually transform into a flying monkey yourself. After Zelena was defeated, Elsa created an Ice Wall that prevented anybody from exiting the town. After Ingrid was defeated, some of Ingrid’s magic remained. The remaining magic meant that crossing the border would prevent you from crossing back over, but you would retain your memory. So it’s clear to see that Storybrooke always creates some sort of consequence for crossing the town line, possibly as a built-in measure to keep the magic and mystery of Storybrooke contained to the town itself.
Fair enough.
How about just landing in SB rather than it being built?
The only thing I can of that would counter this is that SB was already there because only the diner was taken to FTL via the portal, and thus the DC would put back what was there, plus dump the others all over the place.
It would be nice if it wasn’t the dark curse, I do feel that we need a refreshing change and it would be a nice twist.
Still think that the dreamcatchers hold our hero’s memories, though.
Keeper of Regina's bravery