Reply To: Was Rumple a Lost Boy? (spoilers!)

[kfchimera]

I am doubtful that the doll was a clue Rumpel had been there before as  a child.  I think it has to do with Bae having been there, and Rumpel having been clueless that he was at the time.  Now Pan has Henry, and Rumple realizes once again his Dark One powers don’t work in NL.

That is a weakness for Rumpel, the belief that without his Dark One powers he is helpless.   (Obviously, he is capable of physically beating people with his cane, and is clever, so he is not helpless, but it goes back to why he brought magic back to SB–it is about his belief).  I think it will pick up that theme of love is strength, and he will have to realize he is not helpless without his powers, and believe in the others (because let’s face it, Rumple has had some trust issues).

As to  why Rumpel is powerless in NL, I think it has to do with Nl running on belief. Pan has magic that negates other magic, because it is based on belief not just emotion.  That is how the cuff/taser things worked.  It amplified the disbelief of Greg and Tamara  (or their belief in the superiority of science) to the point it cut off Regina’s powers.

Until Henry, Pan was the truest believer, but Pan only believes in himself.  Henry has belief just as true, but it is in those he loves as well, and that is why Henry is stronger.   All Pan knew was Henry was a threat, and that’s why he wanted him.  So he won’t be able to kill Henry right away, when Henry has hope of rescue.

So Pan’s threat to Rumpel is, if Rumpel keeps trying to get Henry, he will “believe” away the Dark One curse.  Rumpel then has to be strong enough to choose to give up the power, to be undone.  It’s a threat because of course, for Pan to summon enough disbelief to kill some magical thing, especially one capable of inspiring irrational fear, is not easy, that’s why he has all the kids.

On the fear point, it is like a kid can give up believing in the easter bunny and Santa, yet still be afraid of the dark/monsters basically, bad things.  Fear can bypass reason that might get in the way of belief.  That ties into why NL is so dark.

Now that I wrote that all out it feels like that can’t possibly be what the writers are doing.   So maybe it is just Rumpel was there as a boy.