“He has learned something,” Kitsis said when asked whether Rumple might have learned from previous mistakes and do something as simple as tell Belle (Emilie de Ravin) the truth about being the Dark One again. (They didn’t say whether or not he will tell her, for the record.) “I think that if fans are like, ‘Oh, are they going to do the same thing again?’ — absolutely not. He’s learned a lot.”
This is the part of the article that leaves me questioning what Rumple possibly learned. He didn’t learn not to lie to Belle. He didn’t learn how to choose love over power. In other words, he hasn’t overcome his addiction to power nor has he really shown he’s no longer afraid to live without magic. So, again I ask what has he really learned? Are we really supposed to buy into the notion that because Rumple defeated a bear he’s now Brave (TM), all thanks to Emma, Merida and Belle? How is the audience supposed to believe that Rumple has learned how to wield the darkness for good, without letting it consume him and corrupt his supposedly good intentions, when not even Emma was able to do that?
The only way this made sense to me is if this is just a weird use of past tense. They are referring to future episodes we haven’t seen yet, but that are already filmed (hence in the past for them), maybe?
otherwise the only thing that Rump might have learned is that he inevitably gets caught so better fess up to Belle. That’ll be a step in the right direction at least.