'Once Upon A Time' Season 5 Update: Questions, answers featuring Baelfire, Peter Pan in Underworld [Spoilers]

"Once Upon A Time" Season 5 spoilers have indicated in the past three months that fans would see Baelfire and Peter Pan in the Underworld arc of the ABC fantasy drama. The anticipation has paid off for the viewers who saw the series return on Sunday, March 6. Episode 12 ("Souls of the Departed") also brings to light a brewing fight between Hades and Regina. So far, the former evil queen is winning without her knowing who she's up to. Here are seven answers to fan questions prior to the OUAT 5x12 air date.

Spoiler alert: This recap contains "Once Upon A Time" Season 5 spoilers. Read on if you want to find out what happens in OUAT5x12. Watch the episode promo video below, or watch the entire episode on ABC Go.

1. Is Neal Cassidy a.k.a. Baelfire (Michael Raymond-James) in the Underworld? This question gets answered within the first ten minutes of "Once Upon A Time" Season 5, Episode 12. Neal appears to Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) in a dream, saying it's a long distance call from an old friend. He tells her he's in a better place, not in limbo. He tries to stop Emma from trying to save Captain Hook (Colin O'Donoghue), but she says she can't. Emma tells Neal she would have come to save him too had she known about the Underworld. He doesn't feel bad; he says he's in a better place. Later in the episode, Emma seems to be convinced that she did talk to Baelfire. She tells Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) that his dad is not among the souls with unfinished business in the Underworld.

A fan captures an important Baelfire-related scene and shared it via Twitter:

The Dark One's father, Peter Pan (Robbie Kay), is bent on snatching a living soul so he can return topside and be among the living again. As a gesture of good will, Peter Pan gives his son a potion that would allow Emma to see Hook. (She sees him, indeed, but they are unable to communicate.) Pan also tells Gold that he is not mad anymore, and he really wants to start over -- alive. Gold says he will not let it happen, but he is also telling Emma and the rest of the group that he is leaving them behind.

3. Is Cora a.k.a. Queen of Hearts (Barbara Hershey) still mad at Regina (Lana Parilla)? The mother and daughter give each other a warm embrace when they meet in Underworld. Immediately, however, Cora tells Regina she must leave lest her dad Henry (Tony Perez) would suffer in flames. Regina later gets to talk to her dad, who tells her to stay in the underworld and help her friends, Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), in particular. Henry Senior seems proud that his daughter is now friends with the princess she wanted to kill in the past. It is shown in flashback scenes that once upon a time, on Regina's birthday, Snow White almost got killed, thanks to Cora. Henry, however, tricked Cora and Regina, and he gave back Snow's heart to the utter dismay of Regina. Toward the end of the episode, it is revealed that Cora's threats were empty. She couldn't hurt Henry Senior. Instead, he moves on to a better place, because he no longer has an unfinished business.

4. How is Cora related to Hades (Greg Germann)? In the beginning of OUAT 5x12, Cora seems to be in a high position in Underworld. She is addressed as "Your Majesty," giving the impression that she could be favoured by Hades. In the end, however, when Hades appears for the first time in "Once Upon A Time" Season 5, it is revealed that Hades has ordered Cora to make Regina leave the underworld. Hades doesn't like losing souls. But because Cora failed, Henry Senior has left, and that means a loss for him. It seems Regina is the key to saving Hook, after all. Hades specifically wants Regina out -- not Emma Swan, the saviour.

5. Can the heroes save more souls from the underworld? This seems to be the team's conclusion toward the end of the episode. If Henry Senior found his way to the better place, other can, too. Gold disagrees, telling the group that dark souls rest in the underworld. (He is probably just talking about his father.)

6. What operation name does Henry have in mind this time? It's Operation Firebird. Perhaps viewers may connect it to Baelfire, or the symbol of the phoenix, for the team of heroes are now thinking of saving souls.

7. Is James (Josh Dallas), David's identical twin brother, also in the underworld? He certainly likes catching people by surprise. In the Underworld version of Granny's diner, James emerges and gives Snow White a spontaneous and passionate kiss. Snow doesn't seem keen on telling David about this. If James wants to go topside like Peter Pan, he might try to steal David's body. This is only one of the challenges the team could face in Underworld.

Quick review of OUAT 5x12: The writers may have convinced some skeptics that there may be something to deliver from the underworld. Some fans had earlier expressed disappointment over what happened to Hook and how Gold got the dagger back in the mid-season finale, but the odd choices may have been for some good creative reason. The flaming head of Hades may not be necessary, though.

A notable line in 'Once Upon A Time' Season 5, Episode 12: "She doesn't need to let it go. She needs to finish it."
The best scenes: (1) Neal and Emma talk in the bumblebee, and he reassures her that he has always loved her. (2) Regina and her dad got some closure, and her dad reminds her of the kindness that he had always seen in her.

The next OUAT episode is called "Labour of Love." It will air on ABC on March 6. The "Once Upon A Time" Season 5, Episode 13 promo video teases the introduction of Hercules (Jonathan Whitesel) and the three-headed beast. In this new episode, Regina prods Snow White on, to bring back her inner fighter. Watch the videos below:

WATCH: 'Once Upon A Time' Season 5, Episode 12: 'Souls of the Departed' sneak peek (ABC on YouTube)