I just keep going back to when there were a gazilllllion posts saying that Hook was dying because the actor was never seen on set. There’s this little thing called “not being seen out in Steveston because they’re not in the episode”…there’s also a little thing called “green screen” that Steveston people can’t get access to, and there’s also purposeful hiding if at all possible to keep SOMETHING a surprise…ie: waiting to film til they’ve made it seem like they’re done for the night and all the fans have gone home – I’m assuming nobody literally stalks the set 24/7 (I could be wrong). In Colin’s case he had a broken leg and they had him in short scenes and then he could go home. He was tweeting out pictures of hanging out with Lee Arenberg – Grumpy so I still don’t know why everyone was stirring up trouble.
So…it is likely that Cora IS gone. However, she could also be only on green screen…she could have a few weeks off and be coming back in some huge way (remember Regina disappeared for a bit into her underground lair to hide out, if Cora lives she could do something like that too: retreat elsewhere in a puff of smoke and then we don’t see her for awhile.
I do think Cora is the goner tonight but even the best clues from set can still be a misdirect. After all they were convinced Emma was Cora because offering cake to Regina on her way out from the party was clearly a Barbara Hershey reference to those on set when it wasn’t anywhere close.
Sometimes they get the spoilers right but until we see everything on the show and in context I just say take it all with a grain of salt.
Keeper of Hook's Trenchcoat.