@RosiHorror wrote:
I think there is no way of deciding who is worst and honestly I think neither of them is truly redeemable. No matter what they are doing now, let’s not overlook the fact that they spent years hurting people apparently just for giggles.
Rumple manipulated everyone in FTL for ages, including Regina. While he did all this in the search for Baelfire and we are able to feel for him and his lost, a lot of the things he did where far from justified (like imprisoning Belle, or his apparent hobby of trading babies). Of course, he is The Dark One, so he is by nature evil. It really doesn’t look like they are trying to redeem him though, as he still always seems to have an agenda, but this leads me to Regina.
Regina said she wanted to redeem herself and we know she became evil because she lost Daniel and that is where her hatred for Snow White came from. I get that. Yet, she redeeming herself seems like a path for her dodging the consequences of all she’s done. During season 1 flash backs to FTL we see she hurt a lot of people, imprisoning Belle (again! poor girl has spent more time locked up than free.), separating Hansel and Grettel from their father, trapping Jefferson in Wonderland, killing hundreds, possibly thousands (and Graham!). And lets not forget the curse! Why is everybody in STB forgetting all the horrible things she has done? Why does she all of a sudden deserves a clean break just because Henry loves her (er, or something)?
Don’t get me wrong, I love both of these characters. They are nuanced and complicated villains, I just don’t understand why they are still allowed to walk around STB without answering for their past actions. I do realize capturing them would be a tad complicated given they are the most powerful people there and appear to be the only ones with magic, but it just seems like they are treating them as if nothing happened, in the last episode Henry was alone in the same room with Rumple and Regina, why would they allow that?!
That’s the question, isn’t it: punish or forgive? By all of this world’s laws, they should be locked up for the rest of their lives (a considerably long time for Rumpel), but I believe both Regina and Rumpel are legitimately trying to be better people, so I’m leaning more towards the ‘forgive’ side. I’m not saying everything should just be forgotten, but maybe they still have a chance to find some small amount of happiness.
As for your last sentence, I don’t think it was that bad that Henry was alone with Regina and Rumpel. If I had to choose one person in all of Storybrooke who would never, ever hurt Henry, or let him be hurt by someone else, it would be Regina. And Rumpel hasn’t been anything but pleasant to Henry before, no matter his feelings toward Regina. I think Henry brings out the dad in him.