Once Upon a Time season 5: Emma's Dark Swan to be trained by Rumple: First look

After the Darkness consumed her in the Once Upon a Time finale, Emma is going to have a little help in becoming the new Dark One, a.k.a. the Dark Swan.

EW has an exclusive first look photo from the upcoming season premiere, in which Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) appears to offer Emma (Jennifer Morrison) a hand in controlling her new powers. “If you’re going to be the Dark One, gotta learn from the best,” executive producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis coyly tease.

The real twist of the first look (seen in full below) lies with Rumple. The last we saw of his Storybrooke counterpart, Mr. Gold was put into a coma to save his life after the Darkness was expelled from his body. An answer may be found here.

Once Upon a Time returns Sunday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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