The American fairy tale drama TV series “Once Upon a Time” will mark an important milestone during its midseason premiere on March 6 on ABC. The 12th episode of Season 5 will actually mark the show’s 100th episode, which is quite an accomplishment for a TV series that was not even expected to go past the fourth season.
Focus of the second half of Season 5 of “Once Upon a Time” is the Underworld. It can be recalled that during the midseason finale, Emma, played by Jennifer Morrison, and the other Storybrooke heroes were headed to the Underworld to save Hook, played by Colin O’Donoghue.
Speculations are rife that since the show will head into the afterlife, there will be a number of characters who shall make their return to the TV series as well, notes iDigital Times.
Josh Dallas, who plays Charming in the show, in an interview, actually described the Underworld as a place that once they get there, they are going to discover that some of the people there can be saved and brought out there because they are just misplaced in the world.
Dallas also alluded that they are going to meet some people in the afterlife that maybe viewers don’t expect or have not seen in quite a while.
Long hiatus
Episode 11 of “Once Upon a Time” Season 5, titled “Swan Song” was aired on December 6, so come March 6, it will be exactly three months of hiatus for the TV series. It’s a long hiatus for a widely-followed show on ABC.
But the network has already confirmed that the show’s 12th episode, titled “Souls of the Departed” will finally air on March 6, notes the International Business Times of India.
Reports also have it that when the show returns, the characters from Storybrooke will meet returning characters including Peter Pan, Neal, Regina’s mother, Prince Henry, Sidney
Glass, the Blind Witch, Cruella de Vil, and Milah as they will be seen in the visit to the Underworld.
There are also speculations saying that the second half of Season 5 of “Once Upon a Time” is expected to be more challenging to many characters and will shed more light on Belle and her relationship with Rumple.
Co-showrunner Adam Horowitz, in a recent interview, has teased that Belle will have a very crucial role to play. He said that they plan to keep Belle busy during the second half of Season 5.
While Belle did not get on the boat to the Underworld with the Storybrooke heroes, she is important to the story and shall also become very involved, adds Horowitz.
The co-creator also hinted that Belle may have issues with Rumple and their relationship will be handled in an unexpected way because oblivious to Belle, her husband has turned to the dark side once again.
The return of Gaston
Meanwhile, Gaston, the villain and odd man out in Disney’s classic tale of “Beauty and the Beast” will return to the second half of Season 5 of “Once Upon a Time.”
Viewers of “Once Upon a Time” would recall that Gaston was first introduced during Season 1 as the fiancé of Belle, played by Emilie de Ravin.
At that time, Gaston, played by Sage Brocklebank, tried to save the beautiful Belle from Rumplestiltskin, played by Robert Carlyle, when she agreed to be his maid.
But the Dark One got wind of Gaston’s plan to save Belle and turned him into a rose which he then gave to Belle.
Reports have it that Gaston will return in the second half of Season 5 but the character shall no longer be played by Sage Brocklebank, but Wes Brown of “True Blood.” It was actually showrunner Adam Horowitz who confirmed the return of Gaston.
However, his return will be a backstory and not a continuation of what happened to him during Season 1. Accordingly, Gaston’s appearance in Season 5 of “Once Upon a Time” will be during the time before he met the devious Rumplestiltskin.