Once Upon A Time 5x07 - The Birth of the First Dark One

After Vortigan kills Nimue, Merlin discovers she isn't dead: she secretly drank from the Holy Grail and faked her death. A very much alive Nimue kills Vortigan and lets the darkness take over, becoming the first-ever Dark One.
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[@ztslovebird]

I always assumed The Dark One was something primordial, a significant portion of Chernabog's power if not Chernabog himself. But instead we got Merlin's vengeance-crazy ex girlfriend.

[@MrMuxix]

Honestly that would have been better

[@mercygraceful4924]

Exactly

[@Sorcerer-SMC]

Ok why do people keep trashing this show without admiring any good elements? I mean, I understand where they’re coming from, but still.

[@slingshot8071]

I don't blame Nimue for putting an end to that monster. After having her entire village destroyed and loss of family she had a very good reason not to listen to Merlin. Merlin would have been so gullible if he thought the horrid monster wouldn't try to kill them if spared. Can't believe such a reasonable act could lead to have Nimue become a dark one. Logic of sacrifice and revenge is so messed up on this show. She simply just saved both their lives from that monster, yet became the dark one.

[@august7535]

Then you don't understand why she became the Dark One. It wasn't about what Vortigern deserved. Obviously he did deserve something awful for the things he had done. But what Nimue did ended up making her no better than him. She chose anger and hatred over forgiveness and kindness. Killing him made her into what darkness represents, and she lost herself. It's not our place to judge who gets to live and who dies. That is for fate to decide.

[@swiftlylovestruck]

@@august7535 to me there are such monsters in the world and they destroy our lives we DO get to decide if they live or die, not for the shake of revenge, but for the shake of all of us.

[@kloonaajakloonaaja]

Its the magic that seeks to corrupt her. Without killin, in a few decades she would turn to a monster regardless. The grails original protection curse allowed only a complete moron to take it, because no matter what. Time would not matter, the moron would never dare to try use the magic in a way that in time would corrupt him. Its the new host, that is clever enough to really use its powers. But magic always comes with a price. And the magic found a way out of the moron merlin and entered to a women.

[@_patontheback_]

I hate it when there's dark and light magic. Why can't magic be JUST neutral like a sword is just a weapon?

[@savannahhague7412]

@@swiftlylovestruck I still agree with him though, while forgiveness doesn't take the pain away, it helps to let go of the hate and anger and let him face the justice he deserves.

[@archutha1368]

Nimue “Caroline Ford” went to my school and today came to our school to judge our school house arts show. She is so nice!

[@secretmagic331]

She had to crush a heart to become dark while black fairy only had to rip out one to be dark... Weird

[@Redcrazykirby]

The black fairy was starting to crush Tiger Lily's heart when she became dark, it's not just after she ripped the heart out.

[@contessa8817]

I thought she became the dark fairy because she cut her son's destiny..

[@Redcrazykirby]

@@contessa8817 No, she was banished because of that, but she already was the black fairy (since a very short time) when she cut Rumple destiny.

[@parishanarang6760]

Cuz the dark fairy had the destiny to become dark once she ripped it out she chose it and there was no going back

[@chykim1]

Eh,such is life🤷

[@jccjccjoanne]

I am sure many people are dark without committing murder...

[@Slowpoke3x]

jccjccjoanne there are other ways to be dark but you can't ever truly redeem murder. You can't make up for or undo taking a life no matter how undeserving the life is. A thief can give , a thug can help, a cheat can be honest , the ignorant can learn but a murder remains a murder.

[@theofficialVEVOformu]

goldenhadesx you are wise beyond your years

[@kjdnyhmghfvb]

Murder is the one thing you can never make up for.

[@Vigriff]

goldenhadesx I fail to see how this is murder considering he wasn't innocent.

[@thatsojordy]

Merlin was saying in this context that murder was the ultimate dark act. Taking another life is dark beyond anything because it's infinite. You can't take it back once it's happened.

[@ravenandthecrow]

Dark swan did not look creepy like the other dark one. I do not know why.

[@willturnerfanAWE]

+ravenandthecrow From what I understand, she didn't change in her looks because she really didn't give into the darkness. Outside of making Hook a dark one, she really didn't do anything really evil (okay and she made one of the dwarves a tree)

[@DarthRushy]

And Hook?

[@ravenandthecrow]

DarthRushy You bring a point there. My opinion is this. The writers are running out of ideas and they are running out of budget. They also seems to disrespect their own lore. Merlin was a joke for the most powerful sorcerer and the opposite of the Dark one. We no longer see new places or new costumes. We have cheap special effect badly done like when swan fixed Excalibur. The cgi at that point was pretty bad. We have the same spells or powers happening over and over and over again. There is not much new. New characters that are awesome are introduced and killed off (hades). People we like and love gets killed just because it is now the only way for the writers to make drama and create suspense. They ran out of ideas and materials. Anyway, the first two seasons were great and now the show is a pale shadow of what it once was. The actors on the other hand all do a great job. They need a new show runner and/or new writers.

[@willturnerfanAWE]

+DarthRushy that is a curious question, writer loophole I guess, your right though he didn't change looks wise, just was out of his ever loving mind as the dark one. I didn't like the idea of him being a dark one and then killing merlin, I liked merlin, so I was pissed when they killed him off like they did

[@DarthRushy]

ravenandthecrow Your opinion matches mine. I have a fondness for the later OUAT seasons just for the WTF quality, but to me, it's just non-canon. I no longer recognise these characters as being the same people they were in the early seasons. Really, the only real reason to keep watching is Rumple, who just seems perpetually irritated by life these days. It's hilarious. I'm also fond of the actors, so that's another plus. They at least continue to do a really good job with the casting, as Greg Germann and Sam Witwer are both phenomenal. It's just such a shame that the writing is so awful and shortsighted. It really comes across as if they're coming up with it as they go along. There hasn't been a clear storyline for a long time. I wouldn't say season 2 was great... I mean, compared to current OUAT, sure, but even back then, it was kind of silly and felt a bit uncertain.

[@JabamiLain]

I think at first Nimue was hopeful they could have something in the future, which is why she destroyed Excalibur instead of using it. But then Merlin put a leash on her, and all hope was killed.

[@altinaykor364]

I don't think anyone see or noticed this but, this whole Arthurian legends in OUAT is just showing over and over the life and fate of tragic villains/heroes! Nimue wasn't born Evil, she was just holding a lot of hatred towards the man who destroyed her village( can't really say I blamed her by seeing the view of the village) her anger towards him became stronger than her love Merlin and pushed her through getting the power of cup and ultimately becoming the first dark one and thanks to Emma's mind, we all know now why exactly all of the Dark ones become crazy over time. about Arthur, I'm not really a fan of turning a mythical hero into a villain thingy( I wasn't complaining about Peter Pan cause even Pan had a lot of signs even in the Cartoon) but not Arthur! but I mean in his own mind he's not doing this for evil actions, he's just so obsessed with the prophecy and closed his eyes on everything else, which clouded his eyes on the fact that how many people are getting hurt because of his obsession and especially his own wife but it's really not because his intentions are and always were evil, he's just delusional that thinks all of it is gonna end well. that's what I mean about introducing tragic characters and this line about "the path to hell is paved with good intentions"

[@brandyloutherback9288]

yeah Nimue! you show Emma how it's done!

[@ztslovebird]

I always assumed The Dark One was something primordial, a significant portion of Chernabog's power if not Chernabog himself. But instead we got Merlin's vengeance-crazy ex girlfriend. And why does it come with the Elder Wand clause?

[@signer25]

In a sense he was the first dark one without actually being the dark one. But the rules stayed the same. Nimue killed the "dark one" with magic and became an actual dark one.

[@JiraiyaSama86]

The common theme with magic and the supernatural these days is that mortals who come to possess them are not aware of how the effects of each decision is enhanced. The emotions are amplified. Which kind of makes sense when they tie their powers to their emotions.

[@sarajett7121]

Merlin is cute 😍

[@arissantorisonmars9271]

bah a fake none can compare to Colin Morgan

[@sarajett7121]

Chloee Inkling I haven’t seen the show Merlin. 😬

[@oneandonlysound3453]

Nimue, another character who could've been amazing but is mostly just there and doesn't really do anything besides influence the joke that was "captain dark one" (thank you Regina!) and be the "true enemy" to whiny dark swan who looks like a candlestick. Not to mention that "the sith are coming" with the boat and then walking around pathetic "mark" thing at the end. At least the Merida/brave side-plot/story was fun.

[@KevinSchwager1979]

O.K.! Nice interpretation, really.

[@BadBauts]

That actor that plays merlin should be playing merlin forever!

[@whomilloo]

My second favorite storyline of the entire show!

[@pascalfernandes6432]

funny how everyoney dark one that is agirl at teh moment she turns into an dark one fully dark the hair changes to something stricter

[@JadenYukifan28]

+Bill Cipher Rumplestilskin became a Dark One

[@antoninakirano6518]

I can not read this, translation pls?

[@lucariomew365]

+Pascal Fernandes How did this gets thumbs up I can barely read it. If you're saying that every darkone is a girl then that's false. Most seemed male, but we know for sure that Zozo and Rumple weren't girls. Also there was a Dark One known as Gorgon the invincible, who either was a beastly warthog-like creature -called Bandersnatch in Wonderland- or frequently took the form of one.

[@tiffanysamuels279]

+lucariomew365 +Nino Kirano MC +Brooke Katz He's not saying every dark one is a girl...he stating when a dark one becomes a dark one if it's a woman theres a hair change. When Emma and this one changed their hair was loose and look more modern and then when they became dark ones it was almost victorian style.

[@lucariomew365]

Quinn Samuels Okay now that makes sense.

[@thomasreese8028]

The very first dark one.

[@agett12]

Now in her new show Carnival Row she is just as evil and scheming

[@LilDemon626]

What if she kills him with a rock? Will she still turn dark?

[@kathesae]

LMFAO what i always wondered.. if people didn't kill them without ripping their hearts out and by easier ways like cutting their neck to hitting them with a stone, will they still turn dark bc it seems so un symbolic

[@signer25]

My guess is no. She killed using magic so she became the first dark one. I don't think using a rock would of turned her into dark one

[@kathesae]

Honestly liked Nimue, lol

[@worrierwolf1119]

Is the dark one Jennifer Lorance? Did I spell her last name right?

[@Love-xl3vq]

No but she looks a lot like her. She's Caroline Ford

[@yinloveyang]

+Worrier Wolf111 hahahaha Noooo Jennifer wouldn't play in a tv show like OUAT but you can be sure that she really looks like Jen Lawrence :)

[@sirensong7956]

What Nimue did wasn't dark its called justice.

[@alysshaberonio4022]

It's vengeance.

[@marwanali4878]

@@alysshaberonio4022 agree to disagree . He killed her whole village . You won't be called dark if you give a terrorist a death penalty so how is this any different ?

[@alysshaberonio4022]

@@marwanali4878 Don't make things complicated. Killing will always be the dark path. She could've just seeked help from Merlin to imprison Vortigan if she can't forgive him just yet.

[@marwanali4878]

@@alysshaberonio4022 news flash life is complicated . OUAT is supposed to be a show which brings 2D characters into our complex reality so they should follow it's rules as well

[@alysshaberonio4022]

@@marwanali4878 I love OUAT but being the only survivor from your village seems unrealistic in the first place. Nevertheless, doing the right thing is still part of our complex reality.

[@tyrellrivera]

Wouldn't this make her the second dark one??

[@iashrai]

No. She was the first dark one. She drank from the grail that gave her power and then she killed an "innocent" man. She gave into revenge and temptation. She took someone's like and her magic/power became dark.

[@ihearttylerthecreatorr]

I thought that person with the sword was an Ogre, guess I was wrong

[@kjdnyhmghfvb]

Everything exists on Balance

[@msariah]

Whomp...whomp...

[@signer25]

On one hand sometimes revenge is justice. On the other hand nimue killed for the first time (with magic) is what caused her to become the dark one. It wasn't an accident or self defense.

[@michaelrauch8629]

Merlin was weak, selfish and niave

[@Mn-kz5hb]

Tbh the dark ones are

[@brandyloutherback9288]

God, Nimue was great! Too bad it had to come with so much shit!!!