Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25926288-20160321010032/@comment-27257290-20160327013933

Eskaver wrote: Well, you can disagree, but that's the textbook....or in this case, dictionary definition. Can't argue that it's not true and that's why you put "real bravery".

I'd argue that both option would be brave. Killing the man takes bravery, especially since he wields magic. But it also takes bravery to choose to do the right thing even though it's not likable.

But in some cases, sitting and accepting your fate as David did when faced with the warlord Bo Peep was declared as cowardice, which it was.

And the bravest thing wasn't "finding a better way", courage is defined outside of morals and that was the more moral thing to do, maybe the smart thing to do, but it wasn't the bravest thing to do.

In layman's terms, being courageous isn't the same as being heroic. I'm not disagreeing with the dictionary definition. Not that such a complex, abstract concept as bravery can be defined in a few words as a dictionary attempts to. I'm using what I've seen in Once Upon a Time, and in other stories about the philosophy of bravery, to construct my opinion. But I still think that your definition of courage fits in with what I have said anyway. Rumple was indeed not deterred by the danger or pain of losing his son when he spared the healer, therefore the dictionary only confirms it as a brave act.

I agree both options have some bravery to them, but I believe Rumple's decision took a greater strength. However I don't think the healer having magic is relevant, since he seemed to be allowing Rumple to kill him (possibly because he didn't think he would).

And I agree on the example of David giving in to Bo Peep, but then he only had his own life to lose when he stood up to her, and he was taking the fight to the one causing trouble, rather than taking the easy way out - e.g. stealing from someone else to pay her off.

And as for "finding a better way", my point wasn't that it being better made the choice courageous, my point was that the better way was likely to be more difficult. I had already made the point that I think the easiest option is rarely the morally better option. I think facing the difficult choice is what's brave because you face the fear of failure.

And I'm not trying to be ironic here, but the dictionary says that heroism is the same as courage. But without looking that up, I already believed that they are one and the same anyway.