Once Upon a Time: This Fan Theory Might Mean the Death of Your Favorite Character

Published on 3/29/2016 at 4:00 PM

Once Upon a Time has been full of surprises this season. Not only does the Dark Emma plot include some mind-blowing twists, but this second half is already picking up steam as the heroes head to the Underworld. Aside from their quest to save Hook, they also meet a few familiar faces, including Prince Charming's twin brother, James.

While the two are pretty hard to tell apart, one superfan on Tumblr was quick to point out the possible significance of a detail on Josh Dallas's costume in set pictures of a future episode. As the two wear different jackets, this fan proposes that James might switch places with David, since people in the Underworld can only return to the real world by trading souls with a living being. Keep scrolling to see how this theory could play out, and then check out some of Josh's hottest moments.

Josh Dallas as David in "Souls of the Departed"

Notice that in the 100th episode, when the heroes go to the Underworld, David is wearing a black jacket with a plain collar.

Josh Dallas as James in "Souls of the Departed"

But when his brother James briefly poses as him, he's wearing a leather jacket with a metal buckle on his collar.

Josh Dallas on Set of the Season Finale

Now take a look at these recent set pictures from the season finale. Notice the collar? With Rebecca Mader (aka Zelena) present, it appears the gang has finally made it out of the Underworld. But if that's James, where is David? In more set pictures from the same day, Snow and David hold hands in a scene. Because Snow would never knowingly hold hands with James, she might be under the impression that he's David.

This potential plot line is devastating, and don't forget that the writers have already confirmed that there will be a "death arc" this season. While they didn't elaborate on what form it would take, this could be a loophole: David loses his soul to James, "dying" in a sense. Remember that Snow shares a heart with David. If he is left in the Underworld, what becomes of their shared heart?