I agree with you about Jefferson. It’s great that he freed Belle, but the truth is he didn’t do it because he felt the need to help her. He did it for himself. And he didn’t lift a finger to help her earlier.
There were some other things I didn’t like about his actions in the last two episodes. For example the fact that he agreed to work for Regina again and seemed genuinely surprised that she didn’t keep her part of the deal. I think it was obvious for everyone that she wouldn’t keep her word and it should have been obvious for him especially, but he for whatever reason seemed shocked by the revelation.
The most bothering thing about Jefferson, though, is that he agreed to get the poisonous apple for Regina knowing that she would use it to put Emma under the sleeping curse. And he didn’t care about it. He just didn’t give a flying fig. If Henry died, that would be his fault just as much as Regina’s.
I’m not sure about this character either. After Hat trick I thought he was rather desperate than villanous. But at this point I don’t know. He doesn’t seem to care about other people at all. Are we supposed to see another villain in him?