Nimue became a Dark One after drinking from the Grail but before the dagger was created, by crushing the heart of Vortigan, which is very dark magic in that universe, while Merlin remained pure after drinking from the Grail. Being neither inherently good nor evil is also how a full Excalibur can be used to destroy all the light OR all the darkness in the world, as either side tries to use the blade in the fifth season.
Um dos temas centrais de Once é a interminável batalha do bem (claro) e do mal (obscuro), e grande parte do enredo é dirigido por personagens que se afastam de seus extremos de conto de fadas ou, em alguns casos, o atravessam completamente. . É por isso que
Emma is not instantaneously turned into the Dark One after being bound to the dagger, as she is still in her "good" extreme as unlike most Dark Ones, she did not commit a mortal sin to acquire the dagger and the magic imbued in it.
No entanto, há uma diferença significativa entre o Dagger e o Excalibur, que são de outra forma iguais:
The Dagger has the soul of Nimue stuck to it. Thus, Nimue is able to appear to whomever is bound to the Dagger (as herself or another Dark One form), and start tempting them towards the Darkness. Emma actually resists for some time as she is very pure due to all the darkness being removed from her as unborn child (although she still blasted Cruella off that cliff before all this, but I digress), but even she admits to Regina before Excalibur is reforged that the darkness is very alluring, as we have seen through her actions (notably controlling Henry's crush with her heart) prior to then. When Killian is about to die, Emma finally gives in to the Darkness Nimue has been urging her towards, using its power to untether Merlin and tether Killian. This makes her a Dark One in action (although the remainder of the season shows she is still working to end the darkness, just in a more evil way than typical). Killian on the other hand, does not have the resolve that Emma does, as he tells her throughout the season, and gives in to the darkness surrounding the magic saving his life immediately, becoming a Dark One on the spot.