You know that Harry Potter quote about having to make a choice between what is right and what is easy? It applied to Voldemort then, but I’ve always found to be one of those quotes that can apply to absolutely everything in life. Well, this is me, making that choice. The choice has been made.
I can’t with Rumbelle anymore. I just can’t.
There’s healthy relationships, there’s people with issues, there’s people who shouldn’t be together, and then there’s Rumplestiltskin and Belle, existing in their very own made up category. What they have is not a healthy relationship, not even close. It’s a co-dependent mess of pretty sentiments and terrible actions masquerading as romance. And I’m done pretending this is a relationship I can support. I’m done.
I don’t ship Rumbelle. I don’t even want to talk about Rumbelle. And, though I will talk about them (that’s kind of the whole point of this) I will never again refrain from being honest. This is the breaking point. I’ve given the writers plenty of leeway, plenty of chances to prove me wrong. We all have our limits, and this is mine. No matter what you do, I will never be in favor of this relationship. Please stop. I beg you.
I WAS DOING YOU A FAVOR
Source: Tumblr
My issues with Rumple are old and well-documented. He loves power more than he loves anything else, be it Belle, his unborn child, or Baelfire. And a man like that, a man who can’t ever let go of his control, not even for those closest to him, can never be a hero. The writers tried to confuse us, but time and time again, even when he had all the incentives not to, Rumple has chosen power over anything else. He’s the villain of this story, plain and simple.
But this hour wasn’t about Rumplestiltskin, not really. He came clean last episode, and as despicable as he might be in general, I actually appreciate that he did. The character couldn’t work as the man struggling between good and evil, not anymore. Especially considering we all knew the struggle wasn’t even real – he was always going to choose power in the end.
But, and here’s the important part – she didn’t fall in love with the beast because of who he was, she fell in love with the fantasy that she could change him. She saw into his heart, found some goodness, and decided it was her job to make him be the man he could be. And when she failed once, and then again, she blamed herself for the failure, not him.
This would be concerning in and of itself, but the flashbacks this episode make it doubly so, by proving that Belle’s idealism has and probably will continue to have serious consequences. Maybe she was right about the ogre then, but the level of naivety that she displays, and the way she judges anyone who displays even a shred of pragmatism, has caused more problems than it has solved. Being a hero is about doing the right thing, yes, but it’s also about doing the hard thing, about putting others above yourself, about the greater good.
And that’s why Belle is no hero. She’s too in love with her way of looking at the world, with the ideals that she learned in a book. Maybe it’s because she hasn’t really lived, she hasn’t faced the tough choices.
Not yet.
Hades offered her a deal in this episode – a deal she didn’t take. And in a way, that’s understandable. It was too cut and dry. Sacrifice someone. The Belle we know couldn’t do that. But then again, the Belle we know hadn’t really been faced with a life or death situation before, hadn’t been forced to discover what she would do for someone she cared about. Now she has. And we all saw how that turned out.
The way ahead for Rumbelle is clear. They can’t be a couple while remaining on different sides of the hero/villain divide. They need to see eye to eye. It’s just that we always thought that would mean Rumple had to become a hero. Maybe it’s not that simple, though. Maybe it’s about Belle getting in touch with her villainous side.
I’m not saying I like it, but hey, at least we’d get to stop pretending that Belle’s enabling of Rumple is a good thing, an understandable thing. At least we’d stop with this loves forgives all mentality. It’s either that or a complete and final separation for this couple. At this point, the writers have backed themselves into a corner. And they have to blast something off to get out.
LOVE IS WORTH IT
Source: Tumblr
It sounds ironic considering I just said love doesn’t, or shouldn’t forgive all, but when Snow states that love is worth it, we all believe it. Yes, the whole Underworld rescue mission was misguided at best. Henry? Who brings their teenager to hell? Who, after living twenty-eight years without her parents would risk leaving her little brother in the same position? How could Robin leave Roland and his newborn baby to save a man he was never really close to?
And yet we believe it, because these people have made us believe it. Because that’s what this show is all about. Hope and family and love. Real love. True love. And Robin, Regina, Emma, Hook, Snow, Charming and Henry are the antidote to the Rumplestiltskin and Belle of it all. They prove that you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to try your best, not be selfish and believe.
Sounds like a contradiction? Well, it isn’t. Regina and Hook are no longer villains. They’ve earned their spot in this happy little family. Rumple hasn’t. And, if this chapter proves anything, is that he never will. Now we just have to wait and see what side of the divide Belle will fall on.
It’s not looking as clear cut as before.
Other things:
- Don’t you just love how David always treats Snow like an equal? It gives me hope to see a relationship where both parties can care for each other AND respect each other without playing into stereotypes or gender roles. Snow and David might not have gotten as much screen time lately as they did in the first few seasons, but they’re still, without a doubt, the couple everyone else in this show should look up to.
- I would watch an entire hour of Hook and Regina trying to out-sass each other.
- Getting to the Underworld is apparently the easiest thing in the world. Why did they need to bring Rumple again?
- I know this time there’s a reason why Robin is not around, but God, WHY IS ROBIN NEVER AROUND?
NEXT, ON ONCE UPON A TIME
What did you think of the episode? Did you enjoy “Her Handsome Hero”? Share with us in the comments!
Once Upon A Time airs Sundays at 8/7c on ABC.