Emma Swan Could Still Return To 'OUAT'

Bad news Oncers! Jennifer Morrison, who has played Emma Swan for the past six years, announced on Monday, May 8 that she won't be returning to Once Upon a Time as a series regular if the show gets a Season 7 renewal. So will Morrison return to Once Upon a Time or is the finale really the last fans will ever see of her? Thankfully, Morrison has confirmed that if there is indeed a Season 7, she'll be in at least one more episode.

"If ABC Network does in fact order a season 7, I have agreed to appear in one episode, and I will most certainly continue to watch ONCE UPON A TIME," she said in an Instagram post, officially announcing her departure. When asked by Deadline if she'd consider coming back for even more episodes, Morrison only reiterated her prior statement, saying: "All I can say is that I only negotiated for one episode, and that's all I can promise at this point."

Morrison has already begun pursuing other creative opportunities and will probably be busy with those in the future. Currently, Morrison is in rehearsals for the off-Broadway play The End of Longing, which was created by and starring Friends alum Matthew Perry. Her feature directing debut, Sun Dogs, is also set to make it's way around the festival circuit soon, and she told Deadline that she's hoping to do more directing in film and onstage.

It's clear Morrison will be keeping busy and if there is a Season 7 of OUAT, it looks like it'll be difficult for her to return to the show often, if at all, apart from that already discussed single episode. Unfortunately, it looks like fans will really have to get used to seeing a Storybrooke without Emma Swan in it.

Morrison's announcement came only a day after the musical episode aired, in which Emma finally married Hook before the Black Fairy cast another curse, which will lead to the final battle. With the news of Morrison's departure from the show, fans may feel concerned that Emma will die in the final battle and that's how she'll be written off the show. Hopefully that's not the case, but fans will just have to watch the finale to know for sure.

Besides Morrison, there has yet to be any other updates about which members of the cast would be up for returning for another season since most of their contracts ended with Season 6. While no one wants anyone else to leave the show, it wouldn't be all that surprising if some others also departed the series in Morrison's wake, especially because the creators are hoping to shift the show in a new direction with the seventh season.

For now though, fans can just enjoy seeing their favorite characters in the two-part Season 6 finale, airing on Sunday, May 14 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.