Either the writers are playing a long game and deliberately trying to make Rumple look unsympathetic to the audience so that when the big reveal comes along for why he’s doing what he is, the audience is knocked sideways by how emotional it is.
Or they need a long serving villain and since they’re trying to “redeem” Regina and Hook because of OQ and CS, then Rumple is the only one left who can be an antagonist without being defeated.
Rumple is one of my favourite characters on the show but it is frustrating because if you look back over the last 3 seasons, there is ample of motivation and reasons for why he is acting the way he is now, yet the writers are not actively stating as such. It is left up to each individual fan for why Rumple is doing what he is rather than the writers saying he is doing X because of Y.
I can give reasons for why Rumple wants to keep his powers whatever it takes, why he going to the lengths he is to separate himself from the dagger, why he is less considerate towards others outside of Belle and Neal, why Rumple is risking so much by lying to Belle, why his current plan isn’t quite as chess master like as his previous ones. However, because Rumple nor the writers are explaining Rumple’s motivations in-show, it appears Rumple is just doing what he does “For the Evulz!”
The whole “Rumple is a magic addict” angle could be so interesting if they actually take the time to show the human side of addiction. How does it affect Rumple and his relationships? How does it affect Belle? Why is Rumple so dependent on magic?
OUAT has potential to really hit those emotional moments. For example, last year, Rumple’s sacrifice packed such a punch we saw Belle literally crumple to the ground in grief. OUAT could’ve taken the opportunity to show Belle trying to cope with her loss? Did she become despondent? Lash out at others through grief? Wonder how she was going to cope without Rumple? Nope, she just bounced right back in the next episode. These big emotional moments are being skipped over in favour of action! Plot! New Villains who’ll be dead when their half of the season is up!
I think the whole 11 episode arcs has actually been detrimental to Once’s storytelling. Whilst it is nice that we get 11 whole episodes in a row, at the same time, they’re trying to fit a whole season’s worth of material in half a season and as a result: characters aren’t fleshed out, emotional connections aren’t made, plot devices are a quick win because the characters need to get from point A to Pont B in such a short amount of time, Belle and Henry don’t get the screen time because there is too much other plot going on, the supporting characters are now glorified extras. Storybrooke might as well just be made up of the CharmingMillsStiltskin clan since other characters don’t get a look in.
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of Felix