Reply To: How is it possible (aka so much for the Golden light)

[Slurpeez]

Harleygirl is also right as the Dark Curse can’t be broken, only transferred.  That is a HUGE plot point in the series.

Strictly speaking, that’s not entirely true since the dark one curse can be broken. From Skin Deep:

Belle: And a kiss… A kiss is enough? He’d be a man again?
Regina: An ordinary man. True love’s kiss will break any curse.

We saw the dark one curse being broken when Belle kissed Rumple, because Rumple seemed taken aback that Belle would even kiss him, let alone love him. Yet, as soon as Belle cried out “It’s working!” Rumple instantly pulled away, halting the positive effects of the kiss, perhaps because he didn’t allow himself to think she could really love him. He thought Regina had put her up to it, (and Regina did plant the idea in Belle’s head), but Belle’s intentions were good. Now, we’ve seen Belle and Rumple kiss several times in our world, after magic was brought to A Land Without Magic, yet still Rumple’s curse remains. Why? Well, that is part of the bigger mystery about whether the dark one curse is specific to the Enchanted Forest. As Mr. Gold, he lacks the same reptile-like appearance that he has in the EF. I think we’ll see the TLK break Rumple’s curse, but only after he and Belle both end up in the Enchanted Forest together and share TLK. Only then will he be free of his dark one curse once and for all.

Rumple still has too many roads to travel, in helping to reveal & unveil Emma’s story, for there to be any happy ending between him and Belle this early.

I agree that it still seems too early for Rumple to settle down with Belle and start a family with her (Robert Carlyle has said the same thing in an interview before). As much as I love Rumbelle, that seems like an end-game sort of thing, as in end of the entire series. I could see Rumple and Belle taking the next big step towards engagement, but I think even that will be rocky and a test of their fortitude.