Reply To: Better, But Not Different

[Slurpeez]

The show seems to be suggesting that it’s okay, and even good, for Rumple to love his drug and his wife the same amount and that Belle needs to face facts, accept him as he is, or leave him forever. Yes, it’s a way for the show to have its cake and eat it too–keep Rumple the “interesting” dark one and have Rumbelle get their HEA but I find it to be disquieting that the show is encouraging us to root for Belle to accept her lying, drug addicted husband as is and not root for evolution of character and redemption.

I agree. Here is my big issue with this development. Belle gave Rumple an ultimatum before: her or the dagger. Belle said it best, “your true love is power.” Rumple basically echoed this sentiment when he said he “loves the dagger” (or rather, what it represents, I gather). By refusing to give up the dagger (despite being free of it) he rejected her ultimatum. On top of that, he countered with his own ultimatum: take it or leave it. I don’t see how Belle can honestly live with that without sacrificing her self-dignity. Rumple is basically manipulating her. He knows that Belle deeply desires a happy family life with him, but he’ll only give it to her if she allows him to remain a happy addict. Moreover, Rumple is basically telling her that she fell in love with the beast, but I hope she doesn’t buy it, because it’s totally false. Trying to convince her how she feels or felt is red flag. Additionally, that retcon just flies in the face of what we saw in “Skin Deep”.The entire point was Belle saw through the mask, and fell in love with the man behind the beast. Belle spoke truly when she said his power did not mean more to him than she did. At least, that is how it was originally portrayed.

Rumple is still declaring that they can have it all, power and love, but that just goes to show he has learned nothing since 4×11, when Belle sent him over the town line. If Belle takes him back under the condition he has just set out, then she has to live with the knowledge that maybe she was wrong in 1×12. Maybe his power does mean more to him than she does. He just said it means at least as much to him as she does (probably more, according to the gauntlet in 4×11). Does she really want to live with the knowledge that her husband’s addition to power is his true love and that her kiss will likely always be unable to free him? Now that she is carrying his child, she might end up settling the way Milha thought she had to for the sake of Bae. Then again, Belle might not, since she might feel Rumple’s addiction wouldn’t be a good influence on an impressionable young child. I suppose this ought to be viewed as a cautionary tale that love isn’t always enough and that it doesn’t always help someone to become free of addiction/love of power/whatever issue.