I really want August to be Bea but there have been so many hints for him being Pinocchio. I am still holding out hope he may be Bae because with OUAT there’s always an unexpected twist.
As such, I certainly would welcome if August turns out to be BOTH Bae and Pinocchio, but there are still parts that don’t make sense.
One thing I can’t figure out and rationalize is the age difference between Bae (who was 13 in Desparte souls) but then real boy Pinocchio in Pilot was 6 or 7. That would mean Bae/Pinocchio became younger while he was a puppet.
Also, when Rumple spell turns Gepetto’s parents is when Gepetto is a young boy, so where or what is Baelfire doing while Gepetto is growing up?
Perhaps Rumple tried to transport Bae in some magic wood (much like the wood used to transport baby Emma) but somehow it didn’t work or he just got stuck in the wood. Then Gepetto finds the wood, carves Pinocchio who inherits Bae’s soul when he is transformed into a real boy? Maybe a little far fetched? And I would still like Bae to really still be Bae (just grown up) and not transformed into Pinocchio.
The other problem is that I believe Bae is truly good, brave and noble. It is inherently in his nature to be loyal and truthful as August repeatedly mentions he is. But in the original story, Pinocchio went through a time when he DID LIE. It wasn’t until he gained a conscience that the Blue Fairy (in Disney movie) changed him into a real boy.