[Keb]

The piece of the puzzle might be missing. Maybe his vision was only that her firstborn daughter would be the one he needed, and the father was a mystery to him. It might as well could have been his child.

And for Rumple, the idea of having a family is incredibly seductive, I think. It’s all he ever wanted pre-dark one, it’s what he wanted when Milah wanted to run off, and I suspect it’s what he hopes for with Belle and Bae now.

[Keb]

Yeah, I’m wondering too what Belle will think of the solution that saved Rumple’s life (once her memory returns)…on the one hand, she probably will be glad he’s still there because she loves him, but on the other hand, someone had to die for him to live. He’ll probably hold off telling her as long as he can.

Though, his promise that Cora was someone she’d never meet apparently came true.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

It does seem like some people have an intrinsic strength with magic, but anyone could use it with some effort. Emma’s is strong enough she used it without knowing it was even possible.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

Yeah, I was thinking through it further: When Belle’s kiss almost broke the DO curse, Rumple had just let her go–given her the freedom she craved, sacrificing his own apparent pleasure at having her around (not to mention his end of the bargain–a caretaker for his estate, and company to keep him from being lonely). That was putting her needs and desires first, even if it did seem somewhat motivated by fear at what he was feeling.

And then she came back, and his sheer joy at seeing her return was probably a first for him–perhaps the first time he’d felt that kind of joy since he heard he was having a son. He was still caught up in that moment when she kissed him.

Her coming back was an act of sacrifice as well–wanting to free him of his curse, giving up the freedom that he had offered her. Yes, Regina manipulated her into it, but it didn’t take much.

So in that moment, until Rumple realized the curse was breaking and suddenly doubted her love for him–love that he’d been certain of moments before when she came back–TLK worked.

While I can see Rumple possibly giving up much for Milah and even Cora (and he DID sacrifice much to be with Bae–first his ankle and then becoming the Dark One, and only for that one moment couldn’t give up his power for Bae), because he is natively a loving person (less so post-DO), he wasn’t willing to die for Milah when Killian gave him the chance (Bae mattered more to him in that moment), and he never offered to give up anything for Cora.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

The price isn’t always immediately visible. For example, learning magic caused Cora to rip out her own heart and so until her last moment, she never experienced real love for the rest of her life. That’s a pretty harsh price. Rumple’s price was in part losing his son; Cora likewise lost her daughter for many years, oh, and her daughter sent an assassin after her toward the end of her wait (if you don’t count the 28 years of the curse). I think the rule still holds; it’s just not always apparent in the moment. The price of Snow’s using the candle is going to be steep, for her and everyone else, I suspect–not to mention costing Cora’s life.

Does Emma’s magic have a price? Or was it a price she already paid, growing up without her family, having people like Pinocchio pull her apart from Neal, etc etc? That’s something that there’s room to explore yet.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

I think we almost HAVE to look at the parallels between Belle and Cora re Rumple–this whole show is about parallels. It’s a big part of how the characters are defined, the choices that they make in similar-but-not-identical situations.

We’ve seen plenty of love that wasn’t True Love on the show before, though it’s generally been one-sided. And I think that the power of True Love’s Kiss depends on something even greater than just mutual love–perhaps an openness and willingness to do anything for the other. Clearly, since Cora chose to leave Rumple, she did not have that willingness; in the case of Charming and Snow, who have used the kiss multiple times, we’ve seen that they’ll gladly die to save the other, repeatedly. We’ve also seen that despite being his True Love, Belle’s kiss only partially worked–as soon as doubt entered Rumple’s mind, the effect was reversed. It also hasn’t broken his DO curse despite the fact that they did kiss after he brought back magic; it was clear in that moment that although they passionately love one another, he was not yet willing to be entirely honest with her–he was already scheming how he would make Regina dead without breaking his promise.

Snow and Charming’s kisses while cursed in SB didn’t do anything, either, because both of them were torn about the Kathryn situation and couldn’t be entirely open to one another. I think that’s relevant, too. It’s possible that, if they had managed to overcome that obstacle completely, their kisses could have threatened the curse (perhaps bringing back their memories); that may be why Regina was so desperate to keep them apart, aside from her whole vendetta against them.

Ooh, but interesting thing…Graham said he couldn’t feel anything without his heart, until Emma kissed him and he got his memories back. Hm.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

Yup and yet STILL some people will insist upon believing it. Ah well. I like that we can put some theories to rest at times.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

Also thinking through who actually killed Cora.

Cora gave Snow the candle initially, and quite possibly brought it into existence; at any rate, she put it on the radar as a possibility. Cora also killed Eva and Johanna, giving Snow the desire to kill her in return.

Henry brought them back to Neal’s apartment, where Hook found them–we’ve already seen that Rumple blames him for this part of it.

Hook used poison he created to attack Rumple, and that injury was transferred to Cora by the candle.

Rumple gave the candle back to Snow and suggested that for Henry’s sake as well as her own desires, she arrange for Cora to take the hit and save his life.

David failed to persuade Snow to give up her desire for revenge before she did the deed. Not much guilt here, but he might feel guilty about it all the same.

Snow lit the candle and manipulated Regina into putting Cora’s heart back, and obviously she feels most directly responsible even before Cora dies, trying to stop Regina.

And poor Regina put that heart back and watched her mother die in her arms, the same mother that she hired Hook to kill years and years ago, from the wound that Hook gave Gold.

It was definitely a convoluted group effort, to say the least.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

@RumplesGirl wrote:

I loved that “full of love” line. I think Rumple is about to have a total turn around and really try to be good. So many hints about that tonight, IMO.

I kind of agree–right now he’s got Bae and Belle both to try to win back somehow, and he’s got a LOT of redeeming to do.

But…he’s still the Dark One, he’s still a coward (so afraid of death that he was willing to take someone else’s life, someone whom he may once have loved, in order to stay alive), and he’s still got some serious barriers in the way of actually being good. First of all, as David pointed out in The Crocodile, he has terrorized just about everyone in town at some point. They know how sneaky and manipulative he is, so even when he’s being actually honest, hardly anyone will trust him.

Second, Hook will still want his revenge when he finds out what happened. That puts anyone who comes between him and Rumple in danger, especially Belle, and we know how Rumple reacts when the people he sees as “his” are threatened. It’s not easy for him to make good choices, especially when his emotions and fears are involved.

Third, there’s the whole prophecy with Henry. Rumple’s survival means that perhaps the prophecy of his undoing hasn’t come true yet, and that’s going to make him continue to see Henry as a threat. While clearly Rumple’s not above using Henry to get what he wants (as he did with Snow), he may well see anyone choosing Henry over him in a battle as a threat, too. And he liked Henry before he connected him completely to the prophecy, which thoroughly complicates that relationship; I don’t think he wants to hurt Henry at all, even family matters aside, but he might if he thought it came down to him vs Henry, or even Belle/Bae vs Henry.

I’ve seen some people suggest that his path is easier than Regina’s, but Bae still hasn’t forgiven his father (even if he didn’t want to lose him) and Belle still doesn’t remember who he is; Emma and David might be willing to help him and even see him as family for Henry’s sake but that won’t last long if he threatens Henry in any serious way. Or Snow, actually…and when David learns that Rumple gave Snow back the candle, well, he might not agree that you can have more than one grandpa anymore.

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[Keb]

Belle was willing to sacrifice her chance at freedom for the hope of helping Rumple. Cora wasn’t willing to sacrifice marrying a guy she didn’t love and the power that came with it even to be with Rumple. I think that’s the key difference.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

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