Once Upon a Time returns on March 6th from its mid-season break, but the return isn’t just the start of a new storyline. This next episode, titled “Souls of the Departed,” also marks the 100th episode of the series and the creators vowed to make it an extra special occasion. If you’ve been a devoted fan of the series from the start, you won’t want to miss this.
Before the winter break, the Dark Swan story arch wrapped up with a shocking cliffhanger. A major character in the series died by the end of the 11th episode and a team of heroes and villains were headed for the Underworld to try and save him. With that new door open, virtually any character that ever died in the series is now able to be with our favorite Storybrooke friends. There are quite a few scattered thoughout this first episode, some instantly recognizable and some a little more obscure.
In addition to old characters returning by way of the Underworld and flashbacks, a few new ones will also be introduced. One of them is introduced at the end of “Souls of the Departed,” but in an effort to not reveal any spoilers I won’t say their name here. But if you know your Disney animated films, it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out.
After four-an-a-half seasons on ABC, Once Upon a Time continues to be one of my favorite series. I loved the easter eggs scattered throughout the 100th episode and think this Underworld arch is going to be a lot of fun. With declining ratings, it’s anyone’s guess how much longer ABC is going to give our Storybrooke friends before sending them to the television underworld as well, but until then I’m happy to be along for the ride.