this reminds me of a post I wrote in the Rumbelle thread…
I copied / pasted it here:
I would say Belle understands Rumple far more than Nealfire does.
THAT is an understatement. Nealfire never gave Rumpel a chance. I have a lot of bones to pick with him
the guy goes off to face a terrifying monsterous being in order to save HIS behind from death in the ogre wars (not to mention Moraine and all his other little friends) and all he could say to him is “you hurt people all the time”?? how about some love and understanding? I GET that he’s a kid and he wants his father back, and I get he’s just a kid, but why not try to help your poor father fight this curse?
Help him go back, back to the best version of him.
I was stoked when Bae heard His father tell Belle that IT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. no it never did happen before, because Bae never gave him a chance.
then the bean. I UNDERSTAND that he made a deal, but honestly! you see the man is terrified and is trying to pull you out of the portal, LET HIM!! why pull him in? why force him to go through the portal from hell, if you see he is scared??
the worst comes in Manhattan. this whole “get out of my apartment gig. seriously, your father finally found you and you won’t even TALK?? “you’ve got three minutes” and then he has the audacity to say “two minutes” like shut up, I don’t care what you have to say. Pinoccio/August didn’t time him, so look at the difference of how he talked to him.
even Emma had a little more compassion for him and she was very quick to blame him for killing Archie
He wants to talk to you, and you’re timing him?? what’s wrong with you, Neal??
Henry was a much better son to Regina than Baelfire was to Rumpelstiltskin, and there were many times that I wanted to shake Henry.
maybe Rumpelstiltskin didn’t raise Baelfire very well. Maybe all of his abandonment issues played a role in how he treated Bae in FTL (spoiled him rotten most probably) so when HE became the weak one, when it was HIM who needed help and emotional support, the kid couldn’t provide it.
I mean look at Never-land. look at how Neal keeps goading him, save David because it’s the right thing to do -no favors,, gimme your dagger, gimme the Pandora box, and what did Rumpel do? give him whatever he asked for (unless the shadow took it. never reprimanded him for using the squid ink on him. (really cruel thing to do)
whatever you say about Regina, she did raise her kid well. he is the most well-adjusted, compassionate, supportive, mature child I’ve ever seen. and yes, HE helped Regina go back to the best version of herself. and he was also just a kid. a younger kid than Bae even.
(i’m afraid that Emma is doing the same thing now to henry – letting all HER abandonment issues cloud her child-raising judgement, and now Henry will be a troublemaker like drive a car or whatever, but that’s for another thread)