Belle is extremely important to Rumple’s story, but the producers have greatly failed to make her relevant to the others as well, hence the reason she has big episodes for her (“The Crocodile”, “The Outsider”, “Lacey”) and she’s more or less irrelevant in other episodes. Compare this to Nealfire, who’s extremely important to Rumple, Emma and Henry’s stories, mildly important to Regina’s (for being the biological father of her adoptive son) and important by proxy to Snow and Charming’s (for his relevance in Emma and Henry’s).
Hopefully Rumple’s newfound family bond with the Charmings will allow Belle to take a more active role in later stories.
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