Re: Belle

[Josephine]

I also think that Rumple was much more malicious in those beginning days. He had all this power and could wield it unquestioningly. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. He went from a zero to evil. Anything that stood in his way he killed. He loved that everyone was terrified of him. A much different change from his previous life of being the town coward. Skip to centuries later and we don’t see him kill anyone, except maybe Gaston and Gepetto’s parents…oh, and the fairy which may or may not have been evil. He’s developed a code of ethics that all his deals follow, even if they don’t seem ethical to others. He doesn’t lie, misleads, but doesn’t lie, and everyone comes to him. He doesn’t seek out deals. They come to him. I think as long as he’s lived he’s at the point that if they’re stupid enough to ask for help then they can withstand the consequences. Like the old Chinese proverb “Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.”

So when he made the deal for Belle, I think he was a different version of his earlier cursed self. More set in his ways and tempered by time and experience, although still the Dark One. Living centuries will change anyone. I think he saw Belle, like the others have said, as just a caretaker. He was lonely and wanted a body in the castle. He had all this wealth and luxury and nobody to share it with until he was reunited with his son. He saw an opportunity and took it. After spending months with her, I think they became friends and he fell in love gradually. It’s funny rewatching “Skin Deep” because he’s always suprised by her, whether it’s her taking down his curtains or chasing him around his table. She was actually quite forward. And like you mentioned, Belle was never afraid of Rumple. Onora, on the other hand, was terrified of him. I think if he’d have met Belle in his first few months of the curse he’d probably have done her in, too. But she wasn’t born until centuries later so we don’t have to worry about that. 😆