I never thought I’d say this, but…I too am a shipper. In all those years of Lost, I was neither a Skater nor a Jater or even a PBJer, but I just can’t help it, I’m now a Rumbelle shipper. sigh.
So I’m going to say that Belle’s right: Rumple isn’t evil but evil has taken hold of him. And I’m holding out for a Belle/Rumple happy-ever-after, and a fourth incarnation for Rumple (#1 being the “town coward, ” #2 the “monster,” and #3 Mr. Gold). I don’t know if that final incarnation should be a man of magic or not, but he should embody the best qualities of all his previous incarnations. And he must have his Belle. (And Robert Carlyle must have his Emmy or there is no justice in the world!)