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.
Birth (Once Upon a Time)
At the rehabilitation cell, Zelena reads "Hansel and Gretel" to her unborn child, before going into pain, screaming and banging on the door. Regina and Robin show up and they look at her pregnant body, which has accelerated by seven months (from two months), a result of Emma's dark magic. Zelena is rushed to the hospital and says that Emma did this with her onion rings. Dr. Whale is there and Zelena says tells him to get her "angry baby" out, and Whale reminds her about the last baby he delivered, which she tried to steal. He then mocks her, telling her that she must have realized that having a baby was so much more fun than stealing one. Regina asks why his hair is blonde and spiked, with Dr. Whale replying that since Emma changed her hairstyle, he thought he could do the same as well. As Dr. Whale continues to joke about Zelena, Regina mutters that they "really need a new doctor in this town." Belle and Mary Margaret rush in and tell them that Emma is coming for the baby and that the only thing she needs other than Excalibur to snuff out the light is the cries of a newborn child. Zelena begs Regina to take off the cuff so she can defend herself and her baby, but Regina says no. Zelena immediately delivers a baby girl, as Regina and Mary Margaret wait in the hall. Mary asks if Regina is ready to meet her new family, but she says she doesn't know. As Robin hold the newborn, Emma appears, throwing Whale against the wall yet again. Robin and Regina prepare to fight her, but Emma reveals that she wants Zelena instead, and disappears with her.