Belle

'''"No one chooses my fate but me."

- Belle  Belle' is a recurring character on Once Upon a Time''. She débuts in the twelfth episode of the first season, and is portrayed by Emilie de Ravin. She is originally from the fairytale Beauty and the Beast.

Season One
Rumplestiltskin is called to Maurice's castle to offer a deal. He offers to protect the town- in exchange for Belle's servitude. She is taken to the Dark Castle and is promptly thrown into the dungeon. Throughout her stay at the Dark Castle, Belle forms a friendship with Rumplestiltskin. He later allows her to go to town, saying he expects her never to return.

While walking in the forest, the Evil Queen's carriage stops on the road. She informs Belle, to her delight, that true love's kiss can break any curse. She then returns to Rumplestiltskin (much to his surprise), in order to kiss him.

Although his curse visibly appears to start disappearing, he believes the Evil Queen was behind it, trying to take his powers away. Refusing to believe Belle's claims that she truly loves him, he imprisons her in the dungeon, later telling her to leave his castle and never return.

It is later claimed by the Evil Queen that Belle's father shunned her when she returned home, and locked her in a tower, forcing her to undergo an exorcism of sorts. The Queen also claims Belle killed herself by jumping from the tower.

However, Belle is later seen at a pub as the eight dwarves are celebrating. One of the dwarves, Dreamy, tells the others that he's feeling strange. While the others scoff, because dwarves didn't get sick, Belle is the one who figures out that Dreamy is in love. After being prompted, Dreamy tells her about how his love, a fairy named Nova, had been talking about going to Firefly Hill.

When Dreamy asks her what love is like, she replies that it is the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world—but also that it doesn't last forever. She adds that she's already had her heart broken enough, and tells him to seize the opportunity and to be with Nova the one he loves while he still has a chance.

Dreamy leaves the bar, to his brothers' suprise.

When Rumplestiltskin gives James the vial of true love to hide he admits to the prince his relationship with Belle describing her has a "brief flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness".

Trivia

 * Belle's Storybrooke counterpart has been held captive by Regina Mills in what appears to be Storybrooke Hospital's psychiatric ward. Her counterpart's name, and story, is currently unknown.
 * Belle is a French word, meaning "beauty."
 * When she is first seen, she is hugging a book to her chest. This is a nod to Disney's depiction of Belle. Another nod to the Disney depiction is that most of the outfits she wears throughout Skin Deep are based on those from the Disney movie. Also, Belle chips one of Rumplestiltskin's tea cups, in reference to the character "Chip" who was a little boy turned into a tea cup in the Disney depiction.
 * When Gaston comes to look for Belle, Rumplestiltskin turns him into a red rose. This rose refers back to the traditional fairy tale - the Prince receives a rose from the witch who turns him into the Beast. An enchantment on the rose keeps it in bloom, and the Beast only has as long as the petal remain to undo the curse.
 * She is the third Disney Princess to appear on the show.
 * In the Disney movie, Belle's eyes are brown.

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