[Keb]

This could be really messed up…but since RH’s character was so killed for me in S4A I was practically headcanoning that the two were different men anyway…

[Keb]

Day 16- Least Favourite Crack Ship (Non-canon)

This is a hard one…I’m just gonna go with Belle + anyone who isn’t Rumple. At least as a romantic ship.

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]

Cuteness!

Anyway, I want to see Rumple redeem himself before Belle takes him back, but I want to see him win her back by the end of the show, one way or another.

He’s done very very bad things, but I don’t want him to be beyond redemption. I don’t want her to suffer forever because her heart went out to someone beyond redemption.

If it’s impossible for him to ever be redeemed, the story for his character (and, sadly, hers as they’ve set her up) is just as much over as if he were fully redeemed and fully good.

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]

Favorite Crack ship(s): Flook and Henrybon.

Flook probably tops it and definitely gets a lot more screen time (the floor is always there for Hook, though sometimes it cheats on him–it’s a bit of a loose floorboard). But Henry’s affection for food in general, and excitement over Cinnabon, is beyond adorable.

More screentime for Henrybon!

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]

That’s beautiful, Slurpeez.

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 guess for me what it comes down to is “Can someone be so flawed that they can’t redeem themselves?” and “so flawed that they can’t have love?”

I desperately need the answer to both to be no.

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]

Favorite Canon Ship: Rumbelle.

Longtime Beauty and the Beast fan…but between the chemistry of the actors and the power of their overall story, I couldn’t help falling in love with their falling in love. Besides, Belle’s my favorite character, so I want to see her have a happy ending (and see more of her in general). I really do believe that what that is for her, as a character, is to be with her True Love and share heroic adventures with him, not because They Are True Love and Must Be Together but because that is what she has said in the show that she wants/wanted.

Least Favorite Canon Ship: Outlaw Queen.

I was bugged by it from the start because I was very protective of Roland…but just when I was finally accepting that it was going to happen anyway, they brought Marian back. From thence forth it was just a big No for me. The way it played out in 4A was pretty much every turn off it could be for me–while I respect those who like it, they set it up in such a way that I don’t think I ever can.

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]

Here’s the thing, though: Can Belle have a happy ending without the man she loves as part of it? It doesn’t weaken her character in the slightest for her to want to be with her True Love, on terms she can live with as a good person.

I do think that taking away almost every loving moment Rumple could have had in S4A really hurt the character’s portrayal, and that was an A&E mistake. But in the cut scenes they showed us (and declared canonical, whatever that means if you don’t think it’s important enough to put in the show as it airs), there’s a bit more of the complex man we’re talking about. The one that’s worth seeing redeem himself.

Belle’s been punished a LOT for loving a villain. 9/10 bad things that have happened to her have been related to the fact that she loves Rumple. So after all that pain and suffering…what outcome do you want for her? Something less than true love?

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]

At this point, she can only take him back if we, the audience, trust that he HAS changed, and that her doing so isn’t enabling him to commit further crimes.

There IS a Rumple that means well, that wants to be a good person, hidden under the fear and lust for power. We see it in his admiration for Neal, David, and Emma. We see it in the Dark One who started off his career by ending a war and bringing home the children sent to fight it. We see it in the rare moments when he does the right thing without making a deal or double-crossing anyone. (We don’t see it much at all in S4A, though.) That’s the man that Belle originally sensed and fell in love with.

Keeping in mind that this IS a fictional story (otherwise we must equally condemn Hook and Regina to miserable ends for their crimes), it’s not unreasonable to hope for and want to see that man rescued and redeemed from his darkness and weakness. That could be an exciting story, and it’s what I’m hoping they have in store for Rumbelle. But for it to be satisfying, we’re going to have to see Rumple redeem himself, and it’s going to take a lot; I really can’t say at this point just what it WOULD take for it to be acceptable for Belle to be with him again, but definitely a surrender of his power is necessary.

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 right NOW Rumple doesn’t deserve her forgiveness. He’s going to have to earn it. And I, for one, want to see him fight that battle–to do it, he’s going to have to overcome all his demons and repair the trust he broke in her (and overcome her demons in the process). I don’t want them back together before it feels RIGHT and Justified. I don’t want it to just be Because True Love.

I want it to be because Rumple is willing to really fight for her.

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

[Author]

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