Belle French

"Do I know you?"

- Belle's Counterpart to Mr. Gold

Belle is a recurring character on Once Upon a Time. She débuts in the twelfth episode of the first season. She is played by starring cast member Emilie de Ravin and is the Storybrooke counterpart of Belle.

Season One
Belle's counterpart was checked into Storybrooke Hospital's psychiatric ward at some point in her life and has stayed there since.

When Mr. Gold beat her father Moe French for stealing from him, Regina Mills visits the ward she is held in. She opens the little flap that shows the room of Belle's Storybrooke counterpart, prompting the counterpart to look up. Regina looks at her and smiles. ("Skin Deep")

Jefferson disguises himself as hospital staff and sneaks down to the psychiatric ward to free Belle's counterpart. He tells her to go and find Mr. Gold, and to tell him that Regina held her captive. She goes into the pawn shop and tells Gold what happened. He is very shocked and even though Belle doesn't remember him, he promises to protect her. He leads her out into the woods, and (due to Emma Swan successfully breaking the curse), she remembers her life as Belle and tells Rumpelstiltskin that she loves him. She witnesses him creating the purple smoke that spreads across Storybrooke. ("A Land Without Magic")

Season Two
After Emma Swan breaks the Dark Curse, Belle is with Mr. Gold beside the well in the aftermath of magic being restored to Storybrooke. She tells Mr. Gold of her imprisonment and asks if the release of magic was to seek revenge for her capture. He states that it wasn't his intention, but he will use it to his advantage. She makes him promise not to use the magic to seek revenge. When he breaks his promise by releasing the Wraith to suck out Regina's soul, she leaves the pawn shop in tears of anger and frustration. After the Wraith disappears through a vortex leaving Regina unscathed, she returns and states that she will remain with Mr. Gold because he is still a "monster". ("Broken")