Hypable sat down with Once Upon a Time show creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz to talk about what’s coming up in the third season.

After our screening earlier this month of Once Upon a Time season 3, episode 12 “New York City Serenade,” Kitsis and Horowitz answered a few questions from the media about Zelina, pirates, Emma, and more.

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Some spoilers ahead. Major spoilers are highlighted in white for your convenience. Just highlight to read them!

One thing we were very curious about was Henry’s storybook. There was hardly a mention or look at the thing until recently when it just appeared in Mary Margaret’s closet. So we had to know: Will we see more of it? The answer is yes! “We’ll see more of the book this season,” Kitsis explains. “As to who wrote the book, if that’s the real question, that’s not something we’ll get just yet.”

Zelina: The Wicked Witch

Now that we have that answered, let’s talk about the next set of episodes. There’s a new curse in play this time around, and this time it’s not Regina’s fault. When she realizes who might be responsible for it, it’s clear that Regina wants vengeance, and that’s going to be seen in episode 16. “When we learn more about the wicked witch and her backstory, we’ll understand that what she has against Regina is a… global problem,” Kitsis reveals.

For those curious about when we’ll see more of the wicked witch, whose name is Zelina, she’ll be making a bigger appearance in episode 13, “Witch Hunt.”

In fact, the second half of this season will continue to explain Zelina’s story and we’ll be going back and forth between two different times. We’ll see Emma in present day, and we’ll see what happened a year prior when the rest of the gang appeared in the Enchanted Forest.

However, unlike the last half of the season with Neverland, we won’t be adventuring in Oz for an extended amount of time. “The world of Oz is not a major location,” Horowitz states. “It’ll mostly be Storybooke and the Enchanted Forest, and Oz every once in a while.”

But just because we won’t be in Oz very long doesn’t mean we won’t see some iconic characters from the world. You can definitely plan on seeing people from Oz and more of the witches’ relationships to one another, since “a lot of things from the [L. Frank Baum] book” are struck on.

Memories and magic.

In “New York Serenade,” Hook gets a message letting him know that Emma’s family is in danger, much like Neal got a message in the beginning of this season, and it made us curious: Is it a trap? It could be, according to Horowitz. “The message Hook got COULD be a trap, but that is a mystery we’re spending an entire episode on.” If you end up squinting at the TV on March 9, suspicious about what’s going on, just know that you’re not the only one.

Throughout the season, messages and traps aren’t the only thing that Hook has to worry about. There’s also the dilemma of getting Henry his memory back. Both Emma and Henry’s memories are gone now, but it’ll be Henry who has a harder time remembering this time around. The road to him getting his memory back isn’t going to be as simple as a potion or spell. The question is, what’s going to be best for him? The false memories he had in New York allowed him to be happy with Emma, and that’s going to complicate things.

Pirates aplenty

And don’t you worry about getting a lack of pirates this season! We’ll be seeing more of Blackbeard in the flashbacks, and he and Captain Hook don’t like each other, so you can expect some interesting scenes between the hot handless pirate and the bearded man who never bathes, according to Kitsis.

While Hook might have his disagreements with Blackbeard, he’ll have one kid on his side: Henry! “Henry and Hook are quite the team,” explains Kitsis. (Edit: Since publication it was realized that Edward Kitsis made this statement and not Adam Horowitz. Sorry for any confusion.) And from the few moments they had together in “New York Serenade,” we definitely agree that they make a good combo. We’re happy, because Henry didn’t get a lot of good people around him in Neverland. But unlike the last set, these 11 episodes will be a little lighter and more wicked. Kitsis says it’s “deliciously fun,” and we can’t wait!

A lesson in love

We know the question on almost all of your minds is: Who is Emma interested in? Well, we might end up getting the answer this season. But don’t expect her romantic life to play a huge part in the upcoming episodes. Horowitz says, “Emma’s got a lot to deal with in addition to the men in her life. Her heart is all over the place.” He later reveals that Emma will have to make a decision in the second half of this season, and we’re looking forward to what it will be.

But Emma isn’t the only person who’s having a love crisis. Neal, who’s more dealing with the love of his family and how to get them back, is in a similar position as his dad was. Rumplestiltskin was willing to do absolutely anything to get back to his son, but will Neal go down the same path? That’s a question that we’ll see answered this season as well.

Let’s not forget about Belle, either. She doesn’t believe that Rumplestiltskin is gone and she and Neal have a conversation in episode 13 that will launch a significant story, which will eventually lead to seeing Lumière as well! That one will definitely be interesting.

For those of you curious about how Once Upon a Time in Wonderland can play into the story, Kitsis and Horowitz say that they’re both separate stories. However, they’re open to more cross overs down the line. Since Once Upon a Time in Wonderland will be ending its Wonderland story arc this season, it would make sense if Alice and her beau make the transition.

What are you looking forward to most in ‘Once Upon a Time’?

Once Upon a Time returns March 9 with “New York Serenade” at 9 p.m. on ABC, and we think you will love it!