Belle

"No one decides my fate but me."

- Belle

Belle is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. She débuts in the twelfth episode of the first season. She is portrayed by starring cast member Emilie de Ravin, and is the Enchanted Forest counterpart of Belle.

Belle is based on Beauty from the fairytale, "Beauty and the Beast".

History
Belle's father, Sir Maurice, requests the assistance of Rumplestiltskin in a war he is losing against the ogres in his town of Avonlea. Rumplestiltskin offers to protect the town in exchange for Belle's servitude. Defying her father and fiancé, she agrees to the terms of the deal. Once at his castle, he shows Belle to her "room", which is essentially a dungeon cell. Later, she tries to make him tea, but when startled, drops a cup and accidentally chips it.
 * -|Before the Curse=

Longing for her family, Belle spends the nights crying. One evening, Rumplestiltskin cannot tolerate the weeping, and bursts in to make her stop. He conjures a pillow for her, which she thanks him for the gesture so she can sleep more comfortably, but he replies it's for muffling her noisy cries. Suddenly, a loud thud is heard, and both rush into the main room to see a hooded thief trying to steal a wand. The thief smugly boasts about the ability of his bow and arrow to never miss, and though Rumplestiltskin teleports away again and again, the arrow eventually hits him in the chest. This proves to be nothing but a farce, since Rumplestiltskin is immortal, so the arrow has no effect. He imprisons the thief and tortures him daily. Belle pities the man and while Rumplestiltskin is away, she frees him, not realizing he took the wand as well. Worked up a in fury, the Dark One makes Belle tag along in a carriage ride so she can watch him kill the thief. Rumplestiltskin questions what would people think if he simply let the man go unharmed. Belle insists if he did, people will see he is a man, and not a beast. She firmly believes there is good in his heart and that he loves something more than power. Rumplestiltskin agrees, but then giddily tells her that he loves his things more than power, much to her disappointment. In the woods, a sheriff stops them for trespassing on his land, though he recognizes owner of the bow and arrow Rumplestiltskin possesses. The sheriff won't cough up any answers unless allowed to spend a night with Belle, who he dubs Rumplestiltskin's "wench". Rumplestilskin refuses and rips out the sheriff's tongue to show he means business. After returning the tongue, the sheriff blusters that the thief's name is Robin Hood and tells them where to find him. The two walk on foot and spot Robin Hood waiting near a tree. They watch him run up to a cart carrying a sickly woman and heal her with the wand. Belle is relieved the man stole the wand for good intentions, but Rumplestiltskin is still out for blood. She is entrapped in the ground as Rumplestiltskin readies his arrow shot. However, Belle sees the woman get up, uncovering a pregnant belly, and pleads with Rumplestiltskin not to make the child fatherless by killing Robin Hood. Her words get through to him, and he purposely allows the arrow to hit the cart instead, which sends the couple scrambling away on horseback. Heading back to the castle, Rumplestiltskin shows Belle an extensive library. Belle is pleased because he is giving it to her at his own expense, but Rumplestiltskin gruffly states that she needs to make the whole room spotless and clean. Despite his reluctance to admit his kind deed, she happily attests that he does indeed have good in him, which catches Rumplestiltskin off guard.

Belle accidentally walks in on Rumplestiltskin lighting a candle. Despite that he tells her to go away, she approaches to set down a basket of flowers on the table. When he warns her a second time, Belle notes a shawl nearby. Immediately, she realizes the candle is in remembrance of someone and gives her condolences. Rumplestiltskin remarks that this person is not dead, though, and simply just lost. He sadly admits it is the person's birthday, and regrets his past actions tore away their chance to be happy together. Belle proposes that it's not too late. Though Rumplestiltskin hopes for the same, he thinks his own ending won't be a happy one.

Over the course of a couple of months, Belle slowly gets to know Rumplestiltskin and they develop a friendship. While on cleaning duty, she curiously inquiries about his motivations for spinning, which he says helps him to forget about the things he lost. While altering the castle's decor to bring more light in from the windows, she pulls the curtains a little too hard and sends herself cascading down from the ladder. Rumplestiltskin catches her in time as a surprised Belle thanks him, and he awkwardly puts her back down. Having gotten accustomed to the castle, she asks about the small clothing in one of the rooms, which he admits belonged to his son. Belle wans to get to know Rumplestiltskin if she won't get to know anyone else for the remainder of her life. In turn, he wonders why she accepted the deal. She explains it is an opportunity for herself, as a woman of her land, to show bravery. When asked about her fiancé, she explains that her idea of love is something "layered"—a mystery to be uncovered—and that she can't give her heart to someone as superficial as Gaston. Shortly after, Rumplestiltskin allows Belle to go to town to fetch him some straw as he expects her to run away from him. While she walks towards town with a basket, a carriage stops and the Queen steps out to walk alongside her. The Queen prods for information about whether she is fleeing from a master or lover. Judging from Belle's silence, she guesses the man in question fits both categories. Belle admits she could love Rumplestiltskin, but a darkness has taken root in him. The Queen informs Belle, to her delight, that true love's kiss can break any curse. She returns to the castle with a basket full of straw and asks Rumplestiltskin to tell her about how he lost his son. The topic is a sore spot for him, and he makes it short and vague. She leans in to kiss Rumplestiltskin, intending to break his curse, and pulls away to happily see the darkness lifting from him. However, once Belle mentions true love's kiss, he becomes extremely angry and demands to know where she learned this. She is confused by his reaction, and even more so when he accuses her of working for the Queen to strip him of his powers. Desperately, Belle attests to truly loving him, but he refuses to listen and throws her into the dungeon. Later, Rumplestiltskin kicks Belle out of the castle for good as he claims to value his power more than her. Belle calls Rumplestiltskin a coward for not believing she loves him. Lastly, she swears he will regret his decision, as there will be nothing left for him except an "empty heart and a chipped cup".

Belle spends her time at a local tavern when she overhears a dwarf, Dreamy, tell his fellow brethren about how strange he is feeling. Belle recognizes the symptom as being lovesick, to which Dreamy begins talking to her about a fairy named Nova who told him about going to Firefly Hill. Amused, Belle bluntly tells Dreamy that Nova is obviously inviting him to meet her there. When Dreamy asks her what love is like, she replies that it is the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world, but it does not always last forever. Additionally, she has already had her heart broken enough to know when someone is reaching out, referring to Nova's invitation to Dreamy. Belle presses him to seize the opportunity and be with Nova while he still has a chance.

The next day, she returns to the tavern and is greeted by Dreamy, who thanks her for the previous advice as he and Nova will soon be leaving together. Belle is estastic at the news. Suddenly, a group of men burst into the tavern to announce they will be heading to a far off land in search of a beast called the Yaoguai. Dreamy thinks it's the perfect opportunity for Belle to have a real adventure. Belle is more unsure since the only adventures she has experienced are the ones in books, which all have happy endings. Due to Dreamy's urging, she eventually gives in and is given a pouch of fairy dust by him. During the journey, she reads a book detailing the Yaoguai's whereabouts. Her traveling companions, particularly a man named Claude, give her a hard time about being a bookworm. She informs them the book will give them clues as to where to find the Yaoguai, and when pressed, lies and tells them the creature can be found by a lake. They kick her off the wagon to find the Yaoguai themselves, but Belle consults the book to track the beast to a mountainous cave. She approaches the den, but attracts the Yaoguai by stepping on a branch. Belle flees until a female clad warrior, Mulan, drives the Yaoguai off. Upset, Mulan berates Belle for startling the Yaoguai, which she spent months trying to find. Belle states she only wanted to help while the latter tells her to go away. Later, Belle stops by a village well to grab a sip of water and is accosted by Claude and his cronies for previously misleading them to the lake. They attempt to dump her down the well, but Mulan scares them away while sustaining a leg injury. Having a change of heart, Mulan proposes they hunt down the Yaoguai together. On the way there, Mulan can go no further as her wound is getting worse and entrusts Belle with the task of killing the Yaoguai. Armed with Mulan's sword, she heads into the valley and lures the Yaoguai into the village. After letting out a spray of water from a slashed pipe, the beast's bodily flames are doused out. To Belle's amazement, the Yaoguai collapses on the ground and scrawls the message "Save me". She opens her pouch of fairy dust, sprinkling it on the Yaoguai, who turns back into a human man, Prince Phillip. He is deeply grateful, to which Belle wishes for him to repay by taking Mulan to a doctor for treatment. She leaves them and begins making her way back to Rumplestiltskin. Instead, the Evil Queen captures Belle, after being tipped off by Claude, and imprisons her.

Kept as the Evil Queen's prisoner in a palace, Belle is shackled to a bed post and kept alive for an unknown period of time. Outside the room, Claude, employed by the Evil Queen, guards the cell. When a stranger approaches pretending to deliver food for Belle, a fight breaks out, in which Claude meets his demise at at the hand of Hook. He opens the door and claims to be rescuing Belle. When asked why, Hook explains she needs to help him kill Rumplestiltskin, who is holding her father captive. Belle does not believe him and states that she can talk and reason with Rumplestiltskin. When Hook does not budge, Belle admits she does not know how to kill him, and does not want to. Since she is not buying his lies and refuses to comply, Hook knocks Belle unconscious, and prepares to kill her when the Evil Queen walks in to stop him.


 * -|After Undone Curse=

After Regina takes magical preventive measures to undo Pan's casting of the Dark Curse, all the inhabitants of Storybrooke pay the price by returning to the Enchanted Forest and reverting to their prior personas. In a group, they manifest in the land of Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip. A plan quickly assembles for everyone to make their way to the Queen's old palace. Before they set out, Belle overhears Neal talking to Prince Charming and Snow White about going to his father's castle to find some way to Emma and Henry, but the couple insist crossing the realm is impossible as well as the fact neither will have any recollection of him. On the trek to the palace, Belle has hopes Neal will see his family again and also believes Rumplestiltskin is not truly gone since they did not see where his dagger went. Later, Friar Tuck, Little John, and Robin Hood of the Merry Men join their party. Belle has a cheerful reunion with Robin Hood as does Neal Cassidy. Upon arriving at the outskirts of the palace, Regina discovers a protection spell, cast by whoever is currently residing inside, is keeping them from going in. For the time being, Robin Hood suggests everyone can take shelter at Sherwood Forest.

As they depart for Sherwood Forest, a flying monkey attacks, sending Belle and various other members of the crowd scurrying back to witness the creature nearly knock into Neal, though Regina quickly dispenses of the being by turning it into a stuffed animal. In a group discussion, Belle shares knowledge about the flying monkey's origins in the land of Oz, so Regina determines the person in the palace is the Wicked Witch. A plan is set up to wait for Regina to bring the shield down and then mobilize the whole group into the palace. Once night falls, Grumpy gives the signal when he spots the dissipating barrier, meaning Regina was able to lower it, so everyone begins assembling towards their destination.

While gathered inside the palace with Regina, Robin Hood, Snow White and many other residents, Belle witnesses a reunion between a long-lost Princess Rapunzel, who Prince Charming helped rescue, and her parents.

Setting hopes on resurrecting Rumplestiltskin, Belle and Neal go to the old castle looking for information. As they enter a room, she lights a candelabra and accidentally awakens a person residing inside the object. Calling himself Lumiere, he explains how Rumplestiltskin cursed him after a broken deal. Belle promises they can restore him to his original form if he helps them bring back Rumplestiltskin. Lumiere points her to a large book on a shelf where she takes out a hidden key, which he states is for opening a vault and reviving the Dark One. She and Neal make plans to go to the vault, and Lumiere agrees to lead them there. The following day, under Lumiere's instruction, they head to a forest clearing. Directed to the center of the ground as the vault's resting spot, Neal begins uncovering it from the snow. When he expresses uncertainty, Lumiere boldly claims to have lived in the Dark One's library for two-hundred years, which Belle knows is a lie since Rumplestiltskin specifically made that room for her barely thirty years ago. Caught, Lumiere admits he was cursed by the Wicked Witch, who wants the Dark One alive so she can control him with the dagger. Though Belle warns Neal about the consequences should this happen, he stubbornly pushes the key into the vault seal. As an unexpected price, Neal must forfeit his life while Rumplestiltskin is resurrected. On the brink of death, he is saved when Rumplestiltskin absorbs him into his own body. The Wicked Witch retrieves the dagger from Rumplestiltskin and then orders him to kill Belle. Before he can, Lumiere entraps the Wicked Witch with his flames. Torn, she flees, taking Lumiere with her, and leaving behind Rumplestiltskin.

Trivia

 * The name "Belle" is of French origin derived from the same word that means "beautiful".
 * She is one of the few people in the Enchanted Forest who speak highly about Rumplestiltskin.

Appearances
Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.