Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-34563899-20180202235154/@comment-2153169-20180204210456

Eskaver wrote: I think there are two key moments of where their relationship soured.

1. When Rumple injured himself, Milah was upset. Rumple made a life-altering decision without her (as they should be partners). This is a bit overplayed though, as she adjusted and accepted their current status.

Milah’s sense of adventure is curved as she has motherly responsibilities and Milah grows a tad bit harder over time as Rumple grows a bit more doting with his son. But then...

2. Rumple gave away the chance at a second child through their marriage (a life-altering decision) without her. Instead of working it out, Milah decided to right that wrong...with more wrong (becoming abusive).

As Milah became distant and desiring change, Rumple became more focused on Bae and stability. I believe that Hook staged a fake-abductionof Milah, while Milah allowed for that mistake, she underestimated the cost (many years of her sons life). I think some paint her as running from her motherly duties, but I think she purposefully made the mistake to leave, but briefly, which didn’t happen. (Obviously, I doubt pirates can stay in town forever and there is a war going on and stuff.)

We would need a flashback in-between to see if her claim was true about wanting to come back earlier for Bae.

In their relationship, I think it was just Rumple making big mistakes and instead of continuing to work things out, Milah exited out of the conversation and relationship. Milah didn’t make a mistake in leaving Rumple. She made a mistake in the way she left (with Bae, after a discussion, and with an idea for the future).

However, Rumple was indeed a major antagonist in the previous seasons as he was solely focused on furthering his goals despite anyone’s wishes. Sure, Rumple helped people, but that’s far less than the more self-oriented actions he takes. I can agree with many of your points, but I noticed something.

You keep mentioning that Rumple made life-altering decisions without consulting Milah. On the paper, that can be true. But in their contexts, that's different:
 * The first one. Rumple was at the war, a seer told him he would die without meeting his son. Milah was away. How was he suppose to make that decision with her? That was impossible. And, from Rumple's pov, it is a perfectly understandable decision. His father abandoned him, he was raised by two old women, and never saw his dad again.

Rumple made clear that he wanted to be present for his son & his family, contrary to what his father did to him. He made the naturel choice: coming back to Baelfire. Plus, in his mind, he also thought that Milah would be happy to see him being back for his family. See how Milah welcomed him and treated him? She rejected him, she abused him and immediately told him that he should have died. Remember Rumple's reaction to what Milah told him? He was shocked: "You don't mean that". Milah never tried to understand or support him. While, from Rumple's pov, it was the only decision to make: be present for his wife and his son. It was just impossible for him to take that decision with Milah on the moment, and to know how Milah would react to it.


 * Your second point is easier. That was not really a life-altering decision. People must not forgot one crucial point: it was that or Baelfire would be dead. There was NO WAY that Rumple would sacrifice his son. And, make that decision with Milah? She was absent + asked Rumple to murder Fendrake. And her reaction? She rejected and abused Rumple. Again. She completely had zero care about the fact that Rumple saved their son's life. Her only point was to blame him for what he did. Again, it was that or Baelfire would die. What Rumple was supposed to do? Again, he made the right decision, the one that a father would do to save his child's life.

So yeah, on the paper, they are life-altering decisions. But, in the context of both situations, what Rumple was supposed to do? The problem, here, is not the decisions that Rumple made, more how Milah reacted to them; and her way to react was just the worst possible in both situations.