Place Your Cookies: S5 Headcanons

[Sapphire]

You all have awesome theories!  I wrote down my responses and then read everyone else’s… man, I shouldn’t have!  I’m now second guessing some of my thoughts because I could see how a lot of your theories could come in to play.  This is fun!  Here’s what I initially thought:

1) Where did Emma go?

Emma either went to the Vault of the Dark One, or is in Camelot.

2) What is Merlin’s backstory?

Merlin probably has a tragic back story, and may be the product of TL.  I don’t think he’s going to be portrayed as an old man though.  I imagine he’ll be Rumple’s age (in appearance) or younger.

3) Will we see Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot?

Yes.  I’m not 100% convinced Lancelot is dead (no body!).

4) Who was the original Dark One?

Morgan le Fay.

I keep thinking about a potential romance between Merlin and Morgan.  It’s not completely consistent with Arthurian legend, but in my mind this relationship somehow ends up with the two on opposite ends of the good and evil spectrum: Merlin as the Sorcerer and Morgan as the Dark One.  Merlin survives their power struggle, but at a cost, and the DO curses passes from Morgan onto the next person.  As a twist, Morgan le Fay is still out there and alive, possibly as the Black Fairy in exile.  Again, just a thought… I don’t have all the pieces of the puzzle there for that theory.

“…Morgan… continues her studies of magic under Merlin, whom she enamours and later scorns…”

–http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_le_Fay

5) Who will have control of Emma’s dagger?

I think the dagger is going to change hands a few times, but will be primarily held by Snow and Hook.  Initially, I don’t see the Charmings giving Hook the dagger.  Emma’s last words to Snow & Charming were about finding a way to pull the darkness out of her a second time.  I think because of this, their desire to help & protect their daughter is going to be off the charts (especially Snow’s).  Emma going dark actually presents an interesting opportunity for further development of the dynamic between Hook and his “in-laws”.  (I’m hoping for a few scenes of Daddy Charming awkwardness.)  At some point in the season, it will become necessary for Hook to be the one controlling the dagger, and the Charmings will hand it over with full confidence in him.

I thought about Henry getting the dagger.  I could see A&E giving him control, but I prefer they don’t go that route.  Although he has the Heart of the Truest Believer, I feel like that Henry’s got a lot on his plate / been through so much.  Yes, he’s been growing up throughout the seasons, but he’s still a kid / young teen.  Baelfire’s death, moving to NYC and back, getting held hostage a couple times (Pan & Cruella), Grandpa Rumple trying to turn his mom dark, becoming the new Author, Emma becoming the Dark One, etc.  I think giving Henry the dagger would be an overwhelming responsibility for him. But hey, the kid has always been resilient, and clearly has the best moral compass on the show.  Henry isn’t my first choice for dagger ownership, but I could see why it might be written that way.

6) Will we see Zelena again? Will we see August again? Will we see Ursula again?

Zelena:  Totally.  You don’t drop the bomb that you tricked (lightly putting it…) your younger sister’s lover into impregnating you and then disappear forever.  Zelena might be conveniently missing from a few episodes though.  I think it’s also possible we’ll see her get involved once the SB crew starts exploring the idea of visiting the Vault.  August will probably make an appearance or two.  Ursula is gone.  The only time I see the writers bringing her back is if they need a plot device.

7) Will we other lands besides the EF and (maybe) Camelot?

Camelot is definitely in, and probably Avalon.  I think Agrabah and Wonderland in S5B.

8) Who is Lily’s father?

I lean towards Merlin because of Lily’s star birth mark.  The Arthur Pendragon theory though… I would really enjoy King Arthur being Lily’s father.  It would make both Emma and Lily descend from royalty.

9) Will Rumple wake up? When?

Rumple will either wake up in the first episode and then begin having to adjust to his new life.  OR, Rumple will conveniently wake up a few episodes into the season when the SB crew need an important piece of information that only he can provide.

10) Will Henry get a new quill?

I’m still undecided on this.  The whole Heart of the Truest Believer thing didn’t seem to really pan out much after the Neverland arc (pun intended).  I don’t know that I trust that Henry’s new Author title won’t do the same.  Maybe instead the role of the Author will evolve now that he’s rejected the quill.

11) Is the Apprentice dead?

Gah, you know, the first time I watched the finale I didn’t think he was dead.  It didn’t even cross my mind.  I actually thought that the Apprentice was sputtering out Merlin’s name before he went unconscious, and that the SB gang was allowing him to heal.  I interpreted it as him being in a coma, like Rumple.  The second time I watched it, I’d heard about how we were supposed to be given a permanent death by the end of the season.  That time around, I could see how the scene was of the Apprentice dying and Merlin’s name being his last words.  Personally, I’d like him to live (and find out what his name is…).  I sometimes feel that the SB gang is running around with their heads cut off, and could use a little more direction from a guy that knows the Big Cheese.

12) How will the SB gang find Emma?

They’ll try to summon her with the dagger, but it won’t initially be that easy.  Something’s different, and she won’t show up.  I could see this as the beginning point for the first episode: it’s been a few weeks, and everyone’s tried, but to no avail (which would be a nice little parallel to the Sword in the Stone).  Belle will get involved because she’s been to the Vault (or very near it, it’s been a while since I’ve seen that episode), maybe even Zelena.  I think there will be a field trip to the Vault.  If Emma is there, then we find out why she couldn’t be summoned.  If Emma isn’t there, SB gang will learn plot device information about being the Dark One, and maybe a little about Morgan le Fay.  Then they’ll be on their merry way to Camelot.  At the moment though, I can’t come up with a reason for why Emma would be in Camelot.  *tosses Author quill on to the next person*

Throughout the whole process of writing that answer, I kept imagining ‘SB gang’ as the Scooby-Doo gang, but with the characters from OUAT.

 

Crack theory: Merlin is Blue Fairy’s son. Merlin is half human and half fairy. He has magic and is immortal but he ages slowly. The darkness comes from the human side of him hence why Blue Fairy is so adamant that the fairies don’t fall in love because she made that mistake and it created the darkness.

Considering that in the original story he is sired by an incubus, I’d love to know who daddy dearest will be in OUAT.

A combination of this would be intriguing.  Merlin could be the result of a tragic TL between both good (Blue Fairy) and evil (incubus).

I’m not sure about the origin story, but I’m going to guess that Merlin is currently entombed/imprisoned somewhere (by whoever stands in for Niviane) — and this is why he’s never seen, and only shows up as a column of blue and red smoke. Now, wouldn’t it be a hoot if Niviane were the Blue Fairy?  

I’m on board.  I like this.  I like this a lot.  What if Niviane was actually incorporated into Morgan le Fay’s character, and she imprisoned him for power?

“Niviane… swears that she will never love him unless he swears to teach her all of his magic. Merlin consents, unaware that throughout the course of her lessons, Niviane will use Merlin’s own powers against him, forcing him to do her bidding.”

–http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin

Maybe it’s just pulling at straws, but both Morgan le Fay and Niviane share the common theme of having learned magic from Merlin.

[Author]

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