Last night’s Once Upon a Time season 4 finale opened the door for a few possibilities in season 5. Spoilers ahead!

Merlin’s beard! Last night’s Once Upon a Time not only carried out an alternate universe narrative that sent the heroes and villains for a walk in the other’s shoes, but it set up an interesting launching point for season 5.

Related: Our recap has all the details from last night’s episode!

One more warning that spoilers for last night’s Once Upon a Time are ahead.

A new host

Emma’s turn to darkness seemed lackluster at best by the time the penultimate episode of season 4 arrived last week. The Queens of Darkness had their grip for a few minutes at best and even Lily, Emma’s fate friend could not turn her heart. It seemed that her journey to darkness was nothing more than a bad case of misdirection. That is until the final moments of tonight’s episode unleashed a darkness that not even the Savior’s light magic can deter.

The final arc of the season teased the question of what a world would like with the Dark One not inhabiting the body of Rumpelstiltskin. And now season 5 will explore what a world with Emma as the Dark One looks like.

We think the first step for anyone’s protection would be for either Hook, Charming, or Snow to grab that dagger as soon as possible and gain control of Emma. She trusts them enough to keep the darkness from engulfing her entirely. Like Rumpel, she has her true love by her side and a family looking out for her best interest.

Operation Camelot?

Henry better grab a ballpoint or fountain pen to replace that quill! It’s time to come up with a new operation name for season 5!

Operation Camelot, perhaps? The Sorcerer’s Apprentice deviates from the Disney animated classic a bit in that Yen Sid will not make an appearance. Instead we are finally going to meet the all-powerful wizard, Merlin, in season 5. Merlin is the only person powerful enough to stop the Dark One.

(A fact that Hypable writer Selina connected way back in October!)

This opens up an entirely new chapter for Once Upon a Time to explore. We may finally make it to Camelot to meet King Arthur and possibly learn a bit more about Lancelot and his Round Table Knights before they ran into Cora’s deadly grip. Whatever the creators decide to do, we hope that they take The Sword in the Stone‘s adaptation into consideration.

The wealth of untapped potential may take a summer to digest. Stay tuned.

Here’s my heart, strings attached

The couples of Storybrooke may have their true love within in arms reach, but their paths in season 5 are not going to be easy.

Regina and Robin spent last night’s finale watching each other get married and die at the hands of a town hero. When that nightmare was over they realized that their troubles at home, mainly Zelena’s pregnancy, are far better to deal with together than apart.

Mary Margaret and David just got settled back in Storybrooke after nearly killing their grandson and actually killing their daughter’s boyfriend in an alternate reality. While their relationship is not exactly in jeopardy, they are faced yet again with watching their daughter struggle with the darkness they fought so hard to keep away from her.

Belle and Rumpel’s relationship will be on ice at least for the opening of season 5. After the darkness was expelled from his heart, Rumpel’s detached body still needs some TLC. When, or if, he wakes up in season 5, expect to see Belle at the bedside of her chipped tea cup. Rumpel’s heart may be clean, but whether or not that was enough to change the man for good remains to be seen.

Ah, CaptainSwan. Perhaps the couple facing the biggest changes next season involves the new Dark One and the one who stole her heart. If Belle and Rumpel could make it work, then Emma and Hook can surely figure out a way to keep their relationship away from the darker corners of the world. Plus, it may be worth a shot to take a field trip to the Enchanted Forest and give True Love’s Kiss a try.

Once Upon a Time returns fall of 2015.