408: Critical Analysis

I think the closest selfish thing that Rumple did prior that had nothing to do with Neal or Belle was stealing the egg from Emma and bringing magic into Storybrooke. He only brought magic into town because he’s still a coward who relies on magic as a crutch, but it actually caused a further roadblock in the search for his son. People being unable to leave town without losing their memories was the price for bringing magic into Storybrooke, as Rumple himself said. Oh, and he risked Henry’s life in the process by stealing the egg from Emma.

PS. As for him technically giving her a choice whether or not to open the door and if he really wanted her in the hat she’d be in the hat. Honestly, I think the only reason he didn’t force her in there with his own two hands is so that if he were accused of doing something to her he could say, “It was her choice.” Trying to convince himself that he wasn’t really doing the bad thing so he didn’t have to accept responsibility.

Granted that’s not a new thing for him, but the fact that he’d stoop that low at this point in time and with EMMA of all people?! Like, I might be able to see it if he’s motivated by resenting her for having gone to the past and done nothing to attempt to change the future when his son died, but I’m just fanwanking that reasoning because I’m reaching to try and see why he’d turn on Emma of all people like this. Though even if that WAS his motivation, after all he’s been through with his son he should know that he wouldn’t approve at all, so it really doesn’t make me feel any better about the whole hot mess that is Rumple right now.

He turned on Emma because she came to him and BEGGED him to take her powers. It was an opportunity that would have gotten him MUCH closer to filling up the hat with the power he needs, possibly a shortcut right to the end which is why he was so willing to betray DQ, too, and actively break a deal.

It’s a bit like handing an alcoholic a drink and begging them to drink it so you don’t have to.

His speech to DQ showed that he may even have believed this to be the lesser evil. Instead of betraying Storybrooke to DQ’s whims, he was just betraying DQ and Emma.

And when Emma doesn’t go in the hat, he’s feeling a loss because for a few hours he believed that he was going to get all that power in one simple go. But tells Hook that he’s going to find “another way to fill that hat with the power it needs.” I’m not sure he’s going to try it on Emma twice…and that, to me, also says that it was a good opportunity but that he’d rather not hurt Emma directly if he doesn’t have to.

And yes, I get that his long-term motives for evil before Neal’s death made a lot more sense than what we know of his motives right now. The fact that DQ suggested there’s more he wants than just his freedom, that it’s beyond the boundaries of Storybrooke, makes me wonder. I don’t believe world domination is what he wants…power, yes. I keep hoping that what he really wants, though, is a way to bring his son back–that the hat is offering him that in the end. I still believe the writers are going to make me sympathetic to whatever his goals are (and I already am to his desire to be free of the dagger and keep his power, even if the methods are evil).

And when Emma doesn’t go in the hat, he’s feeling a loss because for a few hours he believed that he was going to get all that power in one simple go. But tells Hook that he’s going to find “another way to fill that hat with the power it needs.” I’m not sure he’s going to try it on Emma twice…and that, to me, also says that it was a good opportunity but that he’d rather not hurt Emma directly if he doesn’t have to.

I don’t think Rumple would attempt to take Emma’s magic again, but not because he doesn’t want to. I think he’s just too smart for that and doesn’t want to get caught. Emma’s onto him after that last attempt to suck her into the hat, and Rumple doesn’t want to go up against Emma directly because he knows how powerful she is. Rumple may target Emma’s brother as this “other way” of filling the hat with magic, since I predict baby Neal has magic.

I think Rumple would hurt Emma to get what he wants, and that he’s always seen her as a means to an end to get whatever he wants. He made her the savior of a curse he created to locate Baelfire. This wasn’t even the first time Rumple made a threat against Emma, since he was about to get physical with her when she wasn’t going to tell him where Neal was until Neal returned to his apartment. Neal wasn’t about to let his father harm Emma, whom he never stopped loving.

And yes, I get that his long-term motives for evil before Neal’s death made a lot more sense than what we know of his motives right now. The fact that DQ suggested there’s more he wants than just his freedom, that it’s beyond the boundaries of Storybrooke, makes me wonder. I don’t believe world domination is what he wants…power, yes. I keep hoping that what he really wants, though, is a way to bring his son back–that the hat is offering him that in the end. I still believe the writers are going to make me sympathetic to whatever his goals are (and I already am to his desire to be free of the dagger and keep his power, even if the methods are evil).

Speaking as a big fan of Neal and of Emma, if Rumple is tying to bring Neal back, doing so by harming Emma is a really terrible idea. Neal forgave Rumple for abandoning him as a child, especially when he realized his dad had been abandoned too. Neal watched his father die a hero. Neal thanked his father for showing him what it meant to make a sacrifice, just before Neal died so that his father might live and to protect Emma and Henry. Rumple murdering Emma to bring his son back would be unforgivable in Neal’s eyes. It would never result in the happy reunion for father and son that Rumple craves. I would’ve thought Rumple being such a clever man would know this. Neal would probably kill his own father before letting him harm the mother of his child.

Though some may disagree with the Rumple being the “Devil” quote….the way he managed to manipulate the truth into seeming like it being Emma’s choice, but knowing full well she’d do what he wanted….that’s very devilish. Not to mention he single handily created almost every villain we’ve seen so far…

And in all honesty, though few may disagree….the only people I can say is certainly safe from Rumple’s on going road to power is Belle, probably Henry, and maybe Regina…..Now Belle is a certain…Henry, I’m not too sure how Rumple feels about this, and Regina has the slimmest chance more than anyone else, because as Lana Parrilla recently stated “Rumple and Regina share an emotional scene in his car”, and also that they’re relationship can be seen as familial….heck, she was supposed to have been the daughter he had with Cora.

Emma…there are two things I can come up with. Either Rumple just totally disregarded the fact she was his son’s baby mama/true love and the child, he himself assigned to break the curse….or he was left with truly no choice considering Emma may just very well be the most powerful powerhouse in Storybrooke, and could have instantly filled the hat up.

Sorry if I’m just babbling…I truly am just confused about this show now….No idea what’s happening.

Only thing I know now is….#PoorBelle