Emma will end the season still alive. And we’ll see Adult!Henry, who is now a parent himself, we’ll get just enough of a glimpse at his current life to make us wonder how he came to be who he is, and what horrible death befell the parent who is obviously no longer part of his life. Then they’ll tell the remainder of Emma’s story through flashback (allowing JMo to still collect her paycheque without having to be committed full time, and the level of her involvement is what’s holding up the negotiations), as we gradually see the impact she left on Henry (and the family as a whole) as he grew up. Always building up to the big reveal that we’re all desperate to discover…how did the hero parent die.
Because when your show is tanking in the ratings and you’re unsure if it’s gonna get renewed, you rip off the concept of the highest rating show in forever that got renewed for two seasons when its first was only half done.