The Season 4 finale of “Once Upon a Time” introduced a major game changer. Thanks to Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) becoming the new Author, the Storybrooke characters were able to return home for the “Heroes and Villains” alternate reality -- but that didn’t mean a happy ending for all. Despite Regina (Lana Parrilla) finally getting together with Robin Hood (Sean Maguire), the characters hit a serious roadblock when Belle (Emilie de Ravin) revealed Gold (Robert Carlyle) was dying. The villain’s death wouldn’t result in peace for the residents of Storybrooke. Instead, the power of the Dark One would no longer be contained to a human body.

With Regina in danger of turning dark, Emma (Jennifer Morrison) decided to sacrifice herself to the darkness. Before getting consumed by the Dark One, Emma asked her parents to find Merlin and figure out a way to get her back. She then kissed Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) and finally said those three little words to him: “I love you.”

The “Once Upon a Time” Season 4 finale concluded with Emma disappearing into darkness and her name etched on the Dark One’s dagger. We’ve got a ton of questions after the jaw-dropping episode, but fans of the ABC fantasy series have to wait until the fall to get answers:

1. If Gold survives, will he turn into a coward like Rumplestiltskin?

2. What does it mean that Gold’s blackened heart turned white after the Sorcerer’s Apprentice removed the darkness?

3. Do Belle and Gold stand a chance now that he’s no longer the Dark One?

4. Will Emma remember she’s the Savior and a good person after turning into the Dark One?

5. Will Henry go against the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and try to change his mom’s story?

6. Is the Sorcerer’s Apprentice dead?

7. Where is Merlin hiding?

8. Why does the Sorcerer’s Apprentice not know Merlin’s location or how to get in touch with him?

9. Will Regina raise Zelena’s (Rebecca Mader) baby as her own?

10. Where is Snow White's (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming’s (Josh Dallas) baby? Did it go with them to the “Heroes and Villains” world? Or was it left in the real world for days while they were gone?

11. What will Storybrooke do with Isaac (Patrick Fischler) now that he is no longer the Author?

12. How does Henry document the stories of the fairytale characters if he broke the magic pen?

13. Will Lily’s (Agnes Bruckner) life turn around now that Emma holds most of the darkness?

14. Who is Lily’s father and how has no one figured out that there is another dragon living in town?

15. Who will hold onto the Dark One’s dagger and control Emma?

16. Will Emma end up hurting Henry, just like Rumple did with Baelfire (Michael Raymond-James)?

17. Gold was able to love Belle while he was the Dark One, but will Emma be able to love Hook?