Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-30890500-20161229204421/@comment-25926288-20170105021148

Avatar Beta wrote: I hope he does turn good again and stays that way. As my  most favorite character, I want him to get a happy ending. IMHO, he deserves it far more than Hook and Regina ever did. Noone deserves happiness more than any other. (Yeah, I'm trying to argue an opinion.) Rumple has done as much bad as was done to him (like everyone in his life "abandoned" him). Rumple takes the road of the "addict" or the backslider. Regina takes the role of the self-righteous. Hook takes the role of the complacent.

So, all three have potential to go dark at a given moment, but it differs. Rumple goes back often as that's what he's use to, even when he has what he wants. Regina barely surpresses it, while also not giving anyone else the chance, even when she has what she wants. Hook has what he wants, so he's fine. Thus, if every one of these three lost everything, they'd all be in the same boat. EQ is literally what Regina was struggling to hold back. Hook (depsite questionable writing choices) differs from those two simply because he has no drive. If Rumple tossed Emma down a well, you'd be sure that Hook will try to exact revenge, unless someone stops him. He's just learned that hurting their loved ones isn't good.

All in all, Rumple needs to learn and exhibit that he chooses good despite not having everything. He hasn't yet. Regina is edging over the fence. Hook has learned that (unless someone royally screw over again then we'll have to see.).