I have such mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, the idea that the “ex” has to sanction anything makes me see Feminist Red. Belle surely doesn’t need his permission to move on. It’s nice to have his understanding and his love, but the idea that the relationship between Will and Belle (whatever I personally feel about it, see below) isn’t legitimate or real because Rumple hasn’t given his okay is rather…icky.
This scene bugged for most of the reasons mentioned above. I hated the fact that they wrote Belle no dialog at all to explain her feelings on the matter. It was just Rumple giving another speech about all the things he did wrong and how he gave his blessing on a decision Belle already made without his input!
That is what that conversation was all about in my opinion: giving closure.
It was closure for Rumple, but did it bring any closure for Belle?