This is sort of what I’m getting at when I say he’ll have to be mortal for the reconciliation to happen. It’s that the gesture of finally giving up that power in an effort to protect Henry is the exact opposite of what happened when he chose his power over being with Bae. It’s the ultimate way for him to prove that he’s changed. Nealfire overhearing the phonecall was wonderful, FEELS galore, but since then he’s seen nothing to back that impression up, in fact, he’s seen the opposite, so it’s gonna take a massive effort from Rumple to prove himself, and giving up the Dark One is the most emphatic proof.
I see what you’re saying, but I think there are other ways without giving that up that their relationship can be repaired. I mean, it would be lovely, but it would be too easy. Gold can prove himself a changed person or a person TRYING to change (or more accurately, become who he was) by making better decisions, but being simply a better person. He made such great strides this season and he really wants to be better, so that’s a big deal. I think saving Henry is a start – but then the real work begins. I think Neal, Gold and Belle need to spend time together – not pushing it, let it go slowly. I would suggest that Gold almost concentrate on himself because I believe that Neal still adores his papa and seeing his father trying and being a better person would go a long way. Belle can help in this way; she makes Gold so happy; her support and belief in him make HIM believe he can be his best self – and with that and with the knowledge that hell yeah, he did damned good in helping to save Henry), I think he will be in a better place.
I’d love it if Belle plays a role in reuniting them physically as well as emotionally. There’s so much potential for Nealfire to learn about his father from Belle.
Yes and I think no matter what he says, he’s curious about his father. Neal said he didn’t know he had it in him (the phone call). Well as a boy, he obviously did not see any romantic love between his parents (Milha saw to that) and she left when he was young anyway. He remembers more than he wants to remember; he really needs to concentrate on his anger because I think if he concentrated on his grief at his being “abandoned”, not sure he could have made it. I think in general it’s easier to be get on with life being angry instead of sad.
Agreed with all of that. There’s no question as to the depth of their true love. Most people have been expecting for ages that the TLK will be what cures him, because it’s the standard method of curse breaking for couples. Many people have questioned why her kissing him in SB didn’t strip him of his curse, like it started to back in FTL. That’s why I mentioned that maybe the TLK was a one shot deal that’s now not an option as his cure. I agree that they don’t need a TLK to prove anything about their compatibility.
Also, technicall, even if he’s still cursed, he still has the choice as to his behavior……Isn’t it actually better if Gold becomes that best version of himself even without the curse actually breaking? It makes him, by doing so, much stronger than the curse -and frankly I think that would be a very powerful thing. The curse didn’t destroy him – it couldn’t, because he was such a good, kind and incredibly loving man with a huge heart. So if it never really destroyed him, he can overcome it. I believe in him. I believe he is a beautiful soul and that he may struggle, but his desire to become his best self will triumph.
Exactly! Would be sort of poetic, given that Rumple’s downward spiral began when he ran away from a battle, and here we see him walking directly into one as his ultimate act of redemption.
Yep!
I suspect undoing means ending his curse. I’ve read a fan blog which insists that Rumple will have to die in order to be redeemed, but I disagree. I think he might be brought to the brink, but that ultimately, he’ll be brought back a changed man.
The issue with Rumple being immortal and Belle not makes me think of the tv show Bewitched…that discussion came up quite a bit between Darrin and Samantha.
Personally, I think dying to be redeemed is a complete cop out and aside from being absolutely crushed, I would be livid. Redemption is an ongoing process. The man was a beautiful and kind soul originally. He made a terrible decision, caused a lot of pain to others – and has felt pain himself. If he were the monster he thought he was, he never would have fallen for Belle – never would have appreciated her kindness, compassion, intelligence, humor, etc… Point is, the past can’t be changed, but he can still be that wonderful man he was and do good things in the future. Rumple dying for his sins , sins he feels god-awful about, would mean this show is about HOPELESSNESS, not hope.
There was a discussion on Tumblr about the immortality issue. Since Lacey clearly wanted to be kept young, and part of Lacey is in Belle, perhaps Belle would be ok with being young eternally because there is no way on earth she would ever, ever want to die and leave Gold to the loneliest possible existence. Who’s to stay they can’t be immortal together – though that means making children, etc… immortal.
Of course if Gold gives that up or he’s uncursed and then he’s a real man again, who’s to say he won’t live until he’s 95 and die at around the same time Belle does? They are one soul in two bodies; I do think they would die very close together.