@Elle wrote:
He wasn’t just scared of the vortex–even before it opened, when he and Baelfire were talking, he was asking his son what kind of world is without magic.
I agree with you that Rumple did do wrong, he never should have let Bae go. However, Rumple had spent his whole life in a land with magic so a land without magic must have sounded a little absurd. It is basically telling Rumple to leave the life he’s ever known for the complete unknown. Even pre-dark one Rumple would be hesitant to agree to that.
Rumple did want to keep his power but I think (unlike other episodes where he needs his power to find Bae) in this episode it was less about the power itself and more about what having the power means for Rumple. Before he became the dark one, Rumple was the town coward and everyone probably looked down upon him. When he has the power, everyone is afraid of him and don’t dare cross him. Rumple is afraid that if he gets rid of the power he will be “weak” and everyone would go bact to treating him as they did before or worse. It’s unclear how much time has passed between Desperate Souls and The Return. When Rumple told Bae he needed more power to protect him, it could be that Rumple is aware his actions have made Bae a moving target and that should he ever get rid of his powers, people would likely come seeking revenge against him and Bae.
Bae is seeing the situation through the naivete of a child, that Rumple’s powers are the problem and if Rumple gets rid of them all their problems are solved. Bae being isolated by the other children is an unfortunate consequence of having the dark one for a father yet I don’t think Rumple is aware of what’s happening to Bae. He sends Bae to join in with the other children and then questions “your friend didn’t want to say hello?”
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of Felix