Zelena (Once Upon a Time)
In December 2013, Rebecca Mader was cast as the Wicked Witch of the West. She made multiple appearances during the second half of season three and was promoted to a series regular for the show's fifth season. The role of the Wicked Witch of the West was written specifically for Rebecca Mader. It was announced that the writers had chosen not to continue with Zelena's storyline and Mader would not be returning for the seventh season of the show. However, Mader later revealed that she would be returning for multiple season seven episodes.
Kansas (Once Upon a Time)
At the hospital, Mary Margaret finally gives birth to a baby boy, which comes just in time for Zelena and Gold to arrive and take the baby. Zelena wastes no time at all, taking out anyone that stands in her way, including knocking out Belle, which greatly upsets Gold. Zelena also knocks out Regina, after she tells Henry and Archie to hide, since Emma's protection spell faded, after she sacrificed her magic to save Hook. Zelena then freezes Mary Margaret and David and disappears with the newborn. Emma and Hook then arrive back to the hospital to explain what had happened to David. Emma soon discovers that Regina has the power of light magic to defeat her half-sister, and even Henry now believes that Regina can save the baby, since her kiss helped to break the curse, and because she still has some good in her. Back at the farm, Zelena places the baby at the edge of the circle and starts her spell, only to be interrupted by Emma, David, Hook, Robin Hood, and Regina, resulting in a battle. Zelena, believing that she has an advantage, tells Regina that only light magic can defeat her, but Regina's magic is as dark as they come. Regina, however, tells Zelena that she's wrong. Out of nowhere, Regina conjures up a source of light magic that knocks Zelena away from the dagger, allowing Regina to take away Zelena's pendant, rendering Zelena powerless. The loss of Zelena's powers results in her flying monkeys returning to human form, including Little John (who is nearly beheaded by David). Gold then tries to take Zelena with him because of everything she did to him, but Regina takes his dagger and prevents him from enacting revenge. Later on at the jail, Regina tries to reason with Zelena in an effort to redeem herself by saying that evil isn't born, it's made and so is being good, and leaves her with an offer to change her ways. Regina then takes the green pendant and places it in the vault. Over at the hospital, David returns the baby back to Mary Margaret's arms, but Emma tells Hook after he thanked her that her powers did not return after Zelena's powers were removed, saying she was glad they were removed so she can return to New York City with Henry. Emma then brought Henry over to watch David and Mary Margaret embrace the new baby with Hook watching on, disappointed over Emma's choice to leave Storybrooke.