Board Thread:Rant and Rave/@comment-28162607-20170818082458/@comment-25926288-20170818140848

Well, I think Belle and Rumple ended up that way would have been palpable if they didn't have contradictory writing in 6A. 6A had Rumple go from over the top threats to "I'm scared, Belle" every other episode.

6x01: Belle refuses him. Rumple is sad that he already had a porr relationship with his son.

6x04: Rumple is threatening and controlling (which is normal him) out the wazoo.

6x07: Belle goes to Rumple, Rumple is "afraid".

6x08: Rumple is threatening and controlling out the wazoo.

6x09: Rumple is conflicted, stopped.

6x10: Rumple wants to do what is right.

So, basically, it appears that half the writers were told "Make Rumple pure evil" and the other writers were told "Make Rumple conflicted". I wonder how this fell through oversight. Even Bobby was against how Adam and Eddy (more so Eddy) handled that. Then they cut like half of Belle's scenes, lol.

This is why I'm adamant that most of the cast don't need to return because as seasons continued, they sort of regress.

Like I don't ship anything or love-love-love Hook like some, but that conflict with Emma made no sense. Hook kept secrets from Emma pretty much every season and they made it through. Then, randomly Emma gets mad. I am happy that Jane Espenson wrote that dialogue (I think) because that idea could have been handled a lot worse.

The whole season was filled with conflicting approaches, but I'd take the potential it had over the potential of 4 and 5.