S05.E17: Her Handsome Hero

[Curio]

My guess when it comes to Gaston is that he was never a good person to begin with. Plus the show has almost constant take on revenge....dig two graves.

 

But you could also say that Rumple was never a good person to begin with (he said as much last episode), so why does Gaston deserve a far worse fate than a man who has probably committed many more crimes (and more severe) than Gaston ever has? Is it just because Rumple is a main character played by Carlyle? Because that's the only reason I can come up with. All of the reasons they give us on the show are toothless and end up becoming double standards.

[CheshireCat]

janett snakehole, on 11 Apr 2016 - 03:58 AM, said:janett snakehole, on 11 Apr 2016 - 03:58 AM, said:

I'm so glad that in context it was much better. I was worried about it, but it was followed up with him saying he believes in Emma so that was nice.

 

The B plot with Emma/Hook/Snow was nice enough, more interesting than the main plot (not by much), but it made them look silly. The dream premonition coming true and freaking Emma out makes sense, but then they were just hiding in the vault for hours? They had no plan (whats new?). Indefinite camp out I guess. lol And Regina just walking in means they didn't even barricade the door. It was all a convoluted way to introduce Ruby. Maybe it was also intended to introduce Emma's precognitive abilities if that's something that will be continued. 

 

I guess Regina could have magicked open the any baricades. But I've been wondering how she found them in the first place...

 

Answering the rest in the speculation thread

Edited April 11, 2016 by CheshireCat

[maryle]

For the 15 min I liked the fb with Belle and Gaston but it rapidly became the usual  recipe for elevate a  character or relationship  make another worst.

Here comes Gaston torturer of troll!

 I wonder what the character will be doing by season 10 ?

Big mistake I did was watching it after Outlander.

Really  dindnt  help fo appreciation of the show and the acting.

 The fact the acting from the outlander was splendid!

 But E. DeRavin acting cannot compare and I Just thought she looked frustrate or annoyed the all time. Could not felt the deep torment a mother or a woman should be feeling in this twist situation.

Even R.C.  (Loved his acting in 5a) looked  more like a director in front of a petulant student.

Neitheir for me sold the lovers at the crossing road story.

[Chaos Theory]

But you could also say that Rumple was never a good person to begin with (he said as much last episode), so why does Gaston deserve a far worse fate than a man who has probably committed many more crimes (and more severe) than Gaston ever has? Is it just because Rumple is a main character played by Carlyle? Because that's the only reason I can come up with. All of the reasons they give us on the show are toothless and end up becoming double standards.

This is why I don't read too much into morality. It will get you twisted in a circle every time on this show. Plus Rumple is a villian and he doesn't deserve anything he has but in a way that is part of his "charm" and he is essentially correct he has never said he was anything else. Just because Belle saw good in him doesn't mean there is any or any that doesn't revolve on his need to make her happy.

If you are looking for who is the better man Rumole or Gaston then you will find yourself in an unwinable war.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[DeLurker]

The only time I liked Belle was when she was paired with Arielle.  Evil Belle would just be Lacey all over again and that was a yawnfest.

 

I'm so over Underbrooke.

[Curio]

Plus Rumple is a villian and he doesn't deserve anything he has but in a way that is part of his "charm" and he is essentially correct he has never said he was anything else. 

 

It definitely is his charm, and I honestly don't mind Rumple embracing his inner evil and getting away with things occasionally if he gets proper justice at the end of the season/series. But with the way the writers framed this episode, I'm afraid Rumple is going to get a white picket fence life/happy ending with Belle and will never fully pay for his numerous crimes. I think most of us enjoy Rumple a lot more when he's being a selfish and conniving ass rather than trying to be someone he's not, and thats fun to watch up until a point, but there has to be some proper karma here and there. Otherwise, the heroes' pain and suffering just seems gratuitous in comparison.

[Mathius]

In the Disney film, Gaston is at the Beast's mercy, but Beast spares his life fully on his own without any input from Belle because he doesn't want to be a monster anymore.  When Gaston ungratefully attacks the Beast afterward, he ends up accidentally falling to his death.  It's total karma.

 

Here, the Beast has every intention of killing Gaston and is gleefully enjoying it, Belle has to trick then force him into stopping, and when Gaston attacks the Beast afterward (with every reason to given that said Beast is a remorseless psychopath), Belle tackles him and causes him to fall to his death.  It's not karma, it's Gaston being a victim of two awful people and dying (again) for their awful romance.

[InsertWordHere]

So show...In Underbrooke nothing grows except a bunch of trees and ferns in the forest.

One of those trees is Grandmother Willow. She's waiting for magical Virginia to catch up with the timeline so her unfinished business can be settled.

 

The rest are Old Man Willow and the huorns from Lord of the Rings, but they can't call them that because they don't have the rights. Treebeard is now a rock troll so he's not dead yet.

Edited April 11, 2016 by InsertWordHere

[Rumsy4]

Rumple wasn't even in danger. He's the freaking Dark One! If Gaston had threatened Belle's life becasue she refused to allow him the chance of taking vengeance, it would be different. Then, if Belle had pushed him into the River, at least there is the excuse of self-defense. This just makes her a hypocrite. 

Edited April 11, 2016 by Rumsy4

[BoPeeps]

The creators and writers have long hidden behind the broad strokes of magic and fairytales, good looking cast members and a handful of actors who can rise above bad material to cover up their mediocre story telling.

It is an insult to the loyal viewers. But, there we are.

This episode went absolutely nowhere and explained absolutely nothing, relying on drivel repeats of the same dialogue and *plot* points to get us through the season to what is hopefully a non-related but entertaining finale two hour *movie*

Nothing else left to say.

[KingOfHearts]

I'm still not even positive what to take from this episode. Who was supposed to be right? Belle, Rumple or Gaston? It's not like there has to be a black and white, multiple can be wrong, but I feel like there was some moral we were supposed to be hit over the head with. The characters couldn't shut up about it. Was it just a case of giving Belle the eggnapper treatment to make Rumple look better?

Anyone with any sense of morality could easily decipher what was wrong here. It's pretty obvious. But I'm curious what the show was attempting to say. The writing wasn't focused nor clear. It was like a bunch of different messages were competing for supremacy.

Edited April 11, 2016 by KingOfHearts

[YaddaYadda]

Was it explained why the Nevengers were trying to use the elevator? Couldn't they use the door in the sex dungeon of Emma's house? Emma should know how to use it now that Rumple showed her with Milah. Hook is dead so that would work...

They would still have to find a boat, but there should be more than one around there. It's this show and writers after all. 

 

The house is connected to the River of Lost Souls, it means they would need a boat to travel there.

 

But you know, Megara left them a map to where Killian was being held which likely would take them to where Hades dwells. I mean Killian was dragged from his cell to Hades. And he is dead so he could do what Milah did back in 5x14 and extend his aura to Emma and Co so that they can cross into the tunnels without problems.

 

The elevator was such a waste of time when the solution was standing right there next to them the whole time.

[Panopticon]

I have a new standard for enjoying television, at least temporarily. That standard is: was this as awful as the Sleepy Hollow finale? No? Then I enjoyed it.

 

I appreciated the moment when Gaston posed with Belle's book in the flashback and looked hilariously like the animated version.

 

I appreciated the opportunity to get the music from the animated version stuck in my head. I use antlers in all of my decorating...

 

I appreciated the continued presence of Snow White, monster-slaying badass, and her arrows.

 

I appreciated the continued indications that Snow and Emma, you know, love each other.

 

I appreciated Hook slipping between the love-driven guy who worries about how much sleep Emma is getting and the smartass who makes snarky comments and rolls his eyes in the background.

 

I appreciated the way everyone else in the scene exchanged glances when Emma announced that she doesn't have issues she might be dealing with in her dreams.

 

And I enjoyed seeing Red again. She was never a special favorite of mine but there's an old friend sensation when she turns up.

[Curio]

I'm still not even positive what to take from this episode. Who was supposed to be right? Belle, Rumple or Gaston? It's not like there has to be a black and white, multiple can be wrong, but I feel like there was some moral we were supposed to be hit over the head with.

 

I don't know if it was their intention, but I think this episode had no winners. They all suck and no on wins.

• Belle is a hypocrite and still deludes herself into thinking Rumple is the best option for her
• Rumple is an ass who doesn't care about disregarding his wife's wishes and embraces evil
• Gaston apparently doesn't like Ogres and is willing to deceive Belle (much like her husband...)
• Hades stalks Zelena and sends her creepy dead flowers
• Zelena cries all day and is easily swayed by creepy dead flowers
• Regina cares more about getting information out of her sister than she does consoling her
• Emma is a ball of stress who can't sleep and keeps everyone in the dark about Snow dying in her dream for some reason
• Hook is frustrated and snippy that the heroes are planning idiotic plans that fail while he's stuck doing look-out duty in the freezing cold
• Snow shot her one-time best friend with an arrow
• Red is unconscious after being shocked by Emma and Regina's magic spells
• Belle's parents force her into an arranged marriage

 

Yeah, this episode was depressing and we didn't even learn any good morals from it. 

[Shanna Marie]

One positive thing about the episode - I did like the flashback costumes on Belle, Maurice (on his horse) and Gaston.

Yes, I loved Maurice's outfit, in particular, but the flashback costumes all around were wonderful.

 

I wonder where this fit on the timeline because it doesn't mesh all that well with the earlier Belle flashback in which she had her adventure with Anna. This one must have come before, since I'd think that Belle would have had a different attitude about the urgency of fighting the ogres if an ogre had killed her mother, and didn't Maurice mention that Belle's mother agreed about the arranged marriage? And yet the way Belle talked about her mother to Gaston sounded a lot like her mother was dead. There was a sad wistfulness rather than a happy enthusiasm. Meanwhile, there was no hint or mention of a fiance in the Anna adventure. I guess Gaston's army wasn't enough to beat the ogres, or did they not get the help of his army until after the wedding?

 

I think there are subtle changes in Hook, which is probably a good thing. He shouldn't be able to go through everything he's gone through lately without being changed by it. There's a tone of weariness in his snark, and I think perhaps he's taking life -- his and others' -- more seriously.

[CheshireCat]

Curio, on 11 Apr 2016 - 2:27 PM, said:

 

• Regina cares more about getting information out of her sister than she does consoling her

 

Yes, so? I don't think she cared more about the information, she said she was there for both, ask how Zelena was and get information and I believe her and why not? Just because they've been told they're related doesn't give them an instant relationship. And in all fairness, up until now Zelena wasn't exactly willing to have a relationship with Regina anyway.

I have my suspicion that a lot of what was done in the episode was to represent Hades manipulation of counteracting the hope the heroes spread but it was very subtle - Belle failing to help Gaston move on and even shoving him into the river, Emma's dream/fear, the wall behind the elevator door, Emma and Regina causing Red to be unconscious (could be seen as them hurting rather than rescuing). In other words, I don't think they intended many wins to be in this episode. I guess, the B-plot does contain a win though - Emma, Regina, Snow and Hook don't give up and they decide to fight rather than hide. I don't know if they got through to Emma, but at least, Emma seems to have reconsidered her position. So, while everything around them seemed to falling back into hopelessness, they ventured out to fight. (and maybe one of these days someone has the mercy and will fight Regina's hat and shoves it into the River of Lost Souls, too...)

[Mathius]

You know, I actually liked the Hades blue fire hair scene in this episode because of Gaston's gloriously non-impressed reaction. Ha! I agree with most people: this actor for Gaston is leagues ahead of the old one.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Mathius

[KingOfHearts]

 

Yeah, this episode was depressing and we didn't even learn any good morals from it.

And that doesn't work on this show. It's never been about gray morals or fallibility. It's been about hope and good versus evil. I suppose since the flowers withered, this was a minor victory for Hades. This was intended as a loss for the heroes. But for me, personally, it's more complicated than that. 

 

 

Regina cares more about getting information out of her sister than she does consoling her

I realize Regina is new to the whole "positive influence" thing. But if she's attempting to bring Zelena into the light, it would be nice if she wasn't constantly shoving hero lessons down her throat or using her as a pawn. She comes across as hypocritical and pious. I'm sure she wants to have good intentions, but it's not helping Zelena very much.

Edited April 11, 2016 by KingOfHearts

[kili]

I'm still not even positive what to take from this episode. Who was supposed to be right? Belle, Rumple or Gaston? It's not like there has to be a black and white, multiple can be wrong, but I feel like there was some moral we were supposed to be hit over the head with.

 

I think I've cracked the code of what the writers were trying to tell us:

- Gaston was the wrongest .He is evil for torturing Ogres and all the deaths we've ever seen by Ogres are due to his actions (that's right - he might as well have killed Belle's Mom himself). He was also a bad suitor for Belle because he lied to her (even though he did eventually listen to her and let the Ogre go free and attempted to live by her life's lessons and got himself killed). He is irredeemable because he wanted revenge on Rumple (who killed him). He is punished for his sins by being forced to spend eternity in torment

 

- Belle is wrong, but learned her lesson. She thought that you always have to do good things. She learned that sometimes you have to do bad things to save the ones you love. So, she was correct to protect the Ogre and let him go free (without bothering to check if he had an evil intentions or to think that there might be repercussions). But, she learns in the end that sometimes you can't save EVIL people and you must toss them into a river of eternal torment to save your husband from the arrows  he can easily stop himself without breaking a sweat.  Rumple forgives Belle once she learns her lesson that Rumple was never an Evil person, he was just doing what he had to do.

 

- Rumple was the least wrong. He was correct that it is not evil to do evil things to protect the ones you love. If Hades offers you a deal to counteract a deal you made earlier, you take it even if you have to throw somebody in a river of eternal torment. Protecting the ones you love is the most important thing to do and any murders you commit doing it (or just because you feel like it) can easily be forgiven. (Unless you are Milah.  Then the opposite is true. Just thinking of trying to murder somebody to protect the ones you love is super evil and justifies throwing you into the river of lost souls by the guy who eventually does the murder years later when nobody's life is at risk). Rumple is rewarded by getting everything he ever wanted, except out of the deal with Hades because Hades is evil for wanting to enforce a deal and it is too early in the season to get rid of that story line.

[daxx]

The sheer number of people posting on the Once Facebook page that Belle did the right thing is so discouraging. I am losing all faith in humanity...

There are a few sane posters and one sane post had a lot of likes. So I guess there is that.

[KingOfHearts]

The sheer number of people posting on the Once Facebook page that Belle did the right thing is so discouraging. I am losing all faith in humanity...

 

 

Glad I'm not the only one who saw this. Sometimes I feel like this show brings out the differences in morality of people.

[Joanh23]

i just really don't care about Rumbelle, so this ep will not go down as 1 of my favorites! i think it could be interesting if Belle does become darker, but I'll be surprised if the writers go down that route.  I really liked the scene between Regina and Zelena - Rebecca Mader is continuing to kill it.  Also loved the scene in Regina's vault - I"m always a sucker for some Emma/Snow scenes and I love that Emma has all this support in her life now.  I'm excited to see Ruby back on the show.

[YaddaYadda]

Hades doing his flaming hair trick needs to stop because  yes, we get it, he can do that. Most everyone has seen it, and I'm assuming that anyone that has been stuck in the UW for any number of years probably saw him do that.

 

Please just stop. We saw it in the first episode, it was more than enough.

[Rumsy4]

I think the Show is trying to convince the audience that Rumple is right so they can keep Rumple evil and Rumbelle. In the real world, a lot of people think the wife needs to put up with whatever her husband does becasue "she made her bed and must lie in it". Rumple is telling the truth now, so Belle needs to accept him as he is. She knew what she was getting into, etc.. Because you know, you are not allowed to change your opinion on anything ever. All decisions you make when you are a teenager are final and binding for the rest of your life.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Rumsy4

[KingOfHearts]

Rumsy is right. The writers wrote themselves into a corner with Rumpbelle - either Rumple had to change or Belle had to accept his darkness for it to work. Since he isn't going to be redeemed, and A&E wanted Rumpbelle to continue, this episode had to happen. It'll only be interesting if they follow through with it, though. I'm okay with Belle going dark but I'm not with her treading the line with her whining.

Edited April 11, 2016 by KingOfHearts

[Helena Dax]

Belle turning intro a proper Mrs One could be interesting. At least, I can say that I like Rumple better now that he's owning his darkness. I mean, that "I want to become a better man for you, Belle. Just not today" was one of the best things of the episode, imo. 

 

Although Snow vowed to leave Mary Margaret behind some weeks ago, I didn't really notice it until this episode. Her words about revenge when she said that she'd go with Emma to the cemetery, the way she wanted to kill the "monster" instead of hiding... I think that was 100% Snow and 0% MM.

 

Hook's trust in Emma will always be wonderful. 

 

Poor Zelena looked like a carrot when she was talking with Regina. That orange light is awful, lol. 

Edited April 11, 2016 by Helena Dax

[KAOS Agent]

 

I'm still not even positive what to take from this episode. Who was supposed to be right? Belle, Rumple or Gaston? It's not like there has to be a black and white, multiple can be wrong, but I feel like there was some moral we were supposed to be hit over the head with. The characters couldn't shut up about it. Was it just a case of giving Belle the eggnapper treatment to make Rumple look better?

 

This is a show that branded Emma a murderer for pushing the woman who was holding a gun to her 12 year old son's head off a cliff. I'm not sure where they could get off trying to say that Belle was okay damning a guy to eternal torment "protecting" a guy who doesn't need protection. Rumpel could easily have caught an arrow or he can poof or he could freeze Gaston. He did none of these things. My question is whether he was setting Belle up to do this in support of his Darkness is okay mantra he's had going.

 

I also have some issues with this mirror that identifies a monster. Even if the ogre didn't have demonic eyes, it doesn't mean that it wasn't a scout out getting the lay of the land for an invasion. Soldiers aren't demons. They're just doing their job to aid in their cause. An ogre scout is going to be on Team Ogre. That doesn't make him an evil monster, it just means he's on the other side. Letting him go would be stupid in the extreme. I hated this story line because Belle's solution made no sense. How many innocent people died because of the ogre invasion? There's mercy and there's stupidity. Belle's just stupid.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I have a new standard for enjoying television, at least temporarily. That standard is: was this as awful as the Sleepy Hollow finale? No? Then I enjoyed it.

To quote Logan Echolls: "A bar so low we can step over it."

[Rumsy4]

I can't think of Belle as anything but stupid becaue her moral standards kept changing throughout the episode. At the very least, she is a very confused woman. And where the heck did she get that Rumple-lookalike dummy.

[Curio]

And where the heck did she get that Rumple-lookalike dummy.

 

I think that was the most disturbing part of the episode. I really don't want to learn more about Belle and Rumple's personal lives if it somehow involves a dummy lookalike of Rumple.

[YaddaYadda]

@OnceABC posted the clip of Belle shoving Gaston into the waters, and labeled it "Did Belle do the right thing or make a terrible mistake?" Clip cuts right after Gaston goes in, and Belle is looking as he basically disappears.

 

At the end of the day, I think Belle just needs to stop waffling, end of story. If she is Mrs. Dark One as Hades called her, she needs to be all in, and stop trying to make Rumple into someone he isn't. If she isn't all in, then she should walk away and retain her integrity or whatever is left of it.

 

I know I'm done rooting for her though.

[ABitOFluff]

I think that was the most disturbing part of the episode. I really don't want to learn more about Belle and Rumple's personal lives if it somehow involves a dummy lookalike of Rumple.

I remember reading Ronnie Spector's autobiography. While she was married to Phil Spector, he made he made her ride around with a mannequin of him in the passenger seat of her convertible. So...

[Mabinogia]

The only thing this episode succeeded in is making me finally write off Belle completely. I have tried so very hard to like her. I want to like her. I like the cartoon Belle, I like the actress. I think it is nice to have a character who sees good where others do not. It adds something to the storyline. But the ONLY person she sees good in is Rumple. The fuck?

 

Rumple represents everything Belle claims to be against. Rumple is basically a mass murderer. He does not have a forgiving bone in his body. He will only turn the other cheek when she is watching so he can still get some from his hot, young wife. He is sadistic and cruel. He take joy in tormenting people. He doesn't want to change. He can't go blaming being the dark one on all that he's done anymore because he's proven repeatedly that he is not going to try. He's the drug addict you have to finally give up on because he is pulling you into his hell. And Belle is happily shooting up with him.

 

I agree with whoever said that wasn't a Rumple lookalike but a Gaston lookalike dummy. The moment I saw it I thought it was Gaston, not Rumple. So the question becomes, why does she have a lookalike Gaston dummy? lol

[Camera One]

I thought Rumple was treating Belle with a really cavalier and superior attitude the entire episode.

 

How did Belle find them so quickly?

 

I don't get why Gaston showed up at the end and said "Has your father told you the good news?"  He's okay with Belle basically being forced to marry him?  It's not like they were friends after he lied about that Ogre, right?

 

So is Belle going to curled up in bed wracked with guilt next episode like Snow was, after she took the "easy way out" and killed Cora?  Snow also killed Cora to save the people she loved, so how was that the biggest mistake of her life and this isn't?  As mentioned above, what about Rumple gleefully predicting that he would make Emma dark by having her kill Cruella to protect Henry?  The "lesson" of this episode is completely counter to what they have said before.  Or maybe it's different standards for different people.

[Mari]

I thought Rumple was treating Belle with a really cavalier and superior attitude the entire episode.

 

How did Belle find them so quickly?

 

I don't get why Gaston showed up at the end and said "Has your father told you the good news?"  He's okay with Belle basically being forced to marry him?  It's not like they were friends after he lied about that Ogre, right?

Well, it's entirely possible it didn't occur to him she was being told she had to--until then, they got along fairly well, and there seemed to be some attraction.  He could have just figured it was a lovers' tiff, and she'd be pleased, as well.

[Mathius]

Actually, while she clearly did not love Gaston romantically after the Ogre incident and was conflicted about taking his hand when he offered it, she did still take his hand and actually smiled at him when she did it, and it seemed sincere.  Belle clearly forgave Gaston at least, since that was one of those big hero qualities she aspires to and the way Gaston was acting in that scene was courteous and kind again, so I think she figured that he was trying to redeem himself to her and she should give him another chance.  It's basically the exact same song-and-dance she later did with Rumple so often, except I actually believe Gaston could have actually succeeded in changing for the better had Rumple not killed him off.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Mathius

[Camera One]

I suppose that must have been what happened, but the transition was abrupt for me.  On first viewing, I assumed Belle and her father had not seen Gaston since the Ogre incident.  I mean, her dad had to tell Belle that "he still wants your hand", and she sounded surprised that Gaston's army would help ("You think they would assist?").  If Belle was still regularly talking to Gaston, you'd think they would have discussed some of this.  And if they hadn't talked, the whole "Has your father told you the good news?" seems presumptuous, if Gaston had no idea that Belle had forgiven him yet.  It just didn't seem to flow when I watched it.

[Mari]

Oh, it  really was presumptuous.  I just figured that Gaston was told she was so sorry she had insulted him, and was very glad they were able to get back together.

[Rumsy4]

I rewatched "Our Decay". I rolled my eyes when Belle refused to give Pistachio to Zelena saying, "no good ever came of trusting you." And yet in the next episode, she naively trusts Rumple, who just kidnapped Zelena's child to get out of his contract with Hades, and who has repeatedly broken her trust. Like Mabinogia says, the only person she sees good in is Rumple. 

[Watt]

I'm super confused about that scene anyway. Belle didn't seem predisposed to marry Gaston before just to help her family, so I'm not sure why she'd change her mind with the knowledge Gaston was not a nice guy. I thought maybe it was showing how she kind of liked him better knowing he was evil but instead it was probably just the writers trying to show how she's always seen the good in everyone. Either way she's stupid the writers are stupid and everything about Rumbelle is stupid

[ParadoxLost]

I thought Rumple was treating Belle with a really cavalier and superior attitude the entire episode.

 

I thought he treated Belle better than he has at almost anytime up until this point.  At least he was bluntly honest about wanting to stay the Dark One and that being as important to him as Belle and she would have to accept that. Better than stringing her along and knocking her unconscious.

 

At this point, I have to wonder if this is the sum total of what all Belle's wishy washy- ness has wrought.  Rumple no longer believes Belle will leave him if he doesn't try to change or does something evil because she has taught him by example that she will always forgive him.

 

Didn't notice this before but Belle blamed Hades for making her send Gaston into the river.  This is not going to be an Emma/Snow blaming themselves and struggling with their actions storyline with Belle.

 

I'm also thinking that this is who Belle is because focusing that much on what being a hero is points to it not being a natural inclination.

[Camera One]

I thought he treated Belle better than he has at almost anytime up until this point.  At least he was bluntly honest about wanting to stay the Dark One and that being as important to him as Belle and she would have to accept that. Better than stringing her along and knocking her unconscious.

 

Not lying to her was good.  But Rumple was practically mocking her, and she just took it.  That's a pretty bad way to treat your supposedly true love.  As you said, it's like he assumed Belle won't leave him. 

 

They kept bringing up Merlin saying maybe there's a someone that can control dark for good.  If anyone, that would be Emma, not Rumple, as he has demonstrated over and over again.

 

Look at some of the lines in this episode.

 

BELLE: So, you killed Gaston, my fiance, and never thought to tell me?

RUMPLE: It was an arranged marriage. I was doing you a favor.

BELLE: This... this was a mistake.  Once again, I've let my optimism cloud my judgment.

 

BELLE: We're going to help him.  We're gonna see to it that he finally moves on from this infernal place.

RUMPLE: Belle, please, he's not worth it.

BELLE: It's not just about him.  Hook said that when his brother moved on, that it affected Hades somehow.

 

------

 

In the dialogue, they hardly allowed Belle to hold Rumple responsible for murdering Gaston with no provocation.  Was it okay because Gaston was a torturer?  What right did Rumple have to decide whether Gaston was "worth it"?  Rumple declaring he was doing Belle a favor?  Was that supposed to be a joke?  

Edited April 12, 2016 by Camera One

[Mabinogia]

I thought maybe it was showing how she kind of liked him better knowing he was evil

 

 

I would love it if that is where they were taking the story. Belle is damaged. She's that good girl who is attracted to bad boys. Probably because she's not as good as she pretends to be and lives vicariously through the asshole she loves. I've gone from annoyed by how stupid she is to hating what a hypocrite she is. She needs to just admit that she doesn't want Rumple to change. She probably gets turned on by the fact that he will literally kill for her.

 

I totally forgot about Belle's hypocracy with Zelena that Rumsy4 mentioned. She really is a one villain girl isn't she? I think that is what bothers me most about her. She can't forgive Regina, she doesn't trust Zelena, but she marries Rumpelstiltskin who is part of the reason both Regina and Zelena went to the dark side. Regina because he chose to teach her and Zelena because he chose not to. He must have the biggest dick ever!

[Tiger]

Rumple and Belle are fucking trash.

[CheshireCat]

Rumsy4, on 11 Apr 2016 - 9:02 PM, said:

Like Mabinogia says, the only person she sees good in is Rumple. 

 

While an argument could be made that he is the root of the reason of why everyone is where they are today. (One could even argue that he bears some of the responsibility for Belle being held captive - had Rumple not used Regina and manipulated her she would never had had a reason to hold Belle) And Rumple very much continues to manipulate as he just demonstrated in this episode.

[tennisgurl]

I think it would actually be interesting if they fully committed to "Belle has a bad boy thing" or Belle is an awful judge of character" or some kind of interesting characterization. But, considering this shows VERY strange relationship with morality, I doubt we will get that. 

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

No One Whines Like Gaston On Once Upon A Time
Once Upon A Time revises the Beauty And The Beast story some more, as Belle learns it's hard to be good all the time when you're literally in Hell.

[Camera One]

Rumple is such a stickler for details and the "fine print" and he didn't realize that Belle pushing Gaston into the water wouldn't count?  He had his magic.  Why didn't he freeze the moment and push Gaston off himself?  Not to mention if Belle never said yes to Hades, why would the deal count?  I suppose one could mince words and say that Belle didn't tell Rumple the exact words Hades said, but it was still pretty much assumed.

[tennisgurl]

I swear, a magic lawyer would make a killing in this universe. 

[Rumsy4]

In the dialogue, they hardly allowed Belle to hold Rumple responsible for murdering Gaston with no provocation.  Was it okay because Gaston was a torturer?  What right did Rumple have to decide whether Gaston was "worth it"?  Rumple declaring he was doing Belle a favor?  Was that supposed to be a joke?  

 

It was him trying to weasel out of taking responsibility for his actions. And he does it in a sexist way, which Belle doesn't even get to call him out on. He is talking as though being a servant in the Dark One's house was a better fate than having an arranged marriage (which wasn't for him to decide anyway). 

Edited April 12, 2016 by Rumsy4