Sheriff/Keith

I am seriously torn on this scene.
On the one hand, because I sympathize with Rumple so much, I was just has heartbroken as he when he discovered that his date with Lacey wasn’t going well and that in all likelihood he had lost Belle forever. And therefore I can understand the outpouring of violent emotions. When Rumple is scared or upset, he goes Dark. It’s one of his big character traits. And in this case, I was almost rooting him on because I was just as upset.
On the other hand, it’s such a slide back from where he’s come this season. He has made some great strides this season and I wanted him to continue to grow. But, I also know that it’s going to be a very bumpy road and that he is going to make mistakes because he can’t reach redemption that soon. It wouldn’t be believable.

Keith in SB wasn’t anywhere near as horrible as his FTL persona. The guy actually went to apologise and clear the air with Rumple. Granted, anyone with half a brain doesn’t go to shake Rumple’s hand when he’s deathstaring you, so that was a dumb move on Keith’s part.

Keeping in mind that Rumple was judging Keith by remembering their previous meeting in FTL, I can’t blame him for having been angry as hell. Here’s a guy who once asked Rumple to prostitute Belle, just for 20mins, and now he’s just had his hands and mouth all over her in SB. Belle doesn’t remember the way Keith spoke about her in FTL, so from Rumple’s perspective, he had to defend her from this cretin she was dangerously close to hooking up with. There’s actually something romantic about it, that whole thing where someone will love you enough to fight to the death to protect you if need be. The notion gets less romantic if it’s not a fair fight though. And this wasn’t a fair fight.

Being that he’s Rumple, he could have quite easily put the fear of God into Keith just by threatening him about what he’d do if he ever laid a hand on her again. But being that he’s Rumple, he has a short fuse. 😕

I don’t like the fact that Rumple wailed on Keith like that. I don’t like that Lacey encourages that side of him. But I do like how emotionally complicated a situation Rumple’s stuck in right now, because I think it will be really interesting to see how this storyline develops, and it will be all the more rewarding when Rumple does start moving in the right direction instead, and ends up saving himself, and Belle in the process.

@Keb wrote:

OR he’s going to be after some revenge of his own and happily cooperate with certain other baddies.

If we do see him again this season, I’d think this would be the more likely context.

@PriceofMagic wrote:

Belle doesn’t remember her true self, wouldn’t have let Keith touch her were she herself and is therefore unable to give consent. Keith remembers his true identity, he wanted to sleep with Belle in FTL and tried to broker that in a deal with Rumple. Keith was trying to take advantage of Belle, he may be more nicer about it than he was in FTL but the end result is the same, he wants to have a night with Belle.

Keith isn’t going to be telling anyone anything. He’s got no tongue and will probably be glad that he escaped with his life. Though if Charming did find Keith, I’d love to see him confront Rumple about it.

Charming: That guy that was hitting on Belle at the bar the other night, he’s in hospital. Something tells me it wasn’t an accident.

Rumple: And you’re here because…?

Charming: Because I think you’re the one who put him there.

Rumple: Did he actually say that it was me?

Charming: 😐

I agree with your assessment, PriceofMagic – Keith remembers and Belle does not. It can’t be consensual. And I loved the scene you wrote, especially the last line/expression of Charming’s!

I don’t Keith will be telling anyone. I also think he only apologized to Rumple because he’s afraid of him and wanted to make sure Rumple wasn’t going to get revenge. He was covering his bases. He’s definitely still slime.