Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25926288-20151207015752/@comment-6175354-20151208184702

Killian Jones wrote:

If he was truly a hero now that the darkness was gone, it would mean that rumple was never really corrupted, but was instead possessed by the darkness like a demon's victim. Now they showed it is really who he is. They reinforced the fact that losing Bae all those years ago was truly his fault and not the Darkness', and I also think that after this episode Rumbelle will not be endgame. Agreed.... Emma turning Gold into a hero, was nothing more than a loophole, to pull Excalibur from the stone. All she did, was take a page out of his book.

One of the best things about the Darkness mythology, is that the Dark One is not possessed. They are people who indulge in every selfish desire, and then try to justify themselves. So, it was wonderful to see Gold finally show his true colors. He will forever be the Crocodile, because choosing power and darkness is his true self. Besides, Rumplestiltskin is so much more interesting as a villain. Though it is pretty funny, that Hook foreshadowed this would happen, the entire arc, and no one listened to him.

I really hope that Belle's happy ending, is her finally leaving Storybrooke to see the world. She deserves better, than to be manipulated to no end, by her husband. That said.... it is worth noting, that unlike Merlin and Hook, Belle fell in love with the Dark One. She never knew Rumplestiltskin as a mortal, and when she finally saw that part of him, she did not like it.