Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-26018039-20150329230148/@comment-27109205-20151024005310

I have to agree that Belle is seriously underdone. And it takes a toll on the story telling. You have this really strong actor in Robert Carlyle and his character has a ton of development. Frankly I'm really impressed at Emille Dr Ravin. Developmentally, Belle and Rumple are very lopsided characters. Belle's constant: "Promise me, Rumple that you'll be a boy scout today!!" Or "I know you will prove that you love me by keeping your realm-threatening Darkness, your undying power-seeking compulsion, and your thirst for bloody, agonizing revenge to yourself today, Rumple."

Or whatever other silliness they write for her. I guess I should use quotes because I obviously paraphrazed the above into absurdity, but that's how it comes across. Seriously, it is a bit much.

But even with all that, I'm impressed by Emille because I think that the two actors have created an electric chemistry. And that cannot be an easy thing to do when one character is at constant risk of overwhelming the other.

And it isn't like they don't have story potential for her. She was turned on by the bad green guy- but started pushing his Inner good guy even from the chipped cup episode. It seems that she is- at her core- a big ol' sucker for redemption. How did she get that way? What makes the potential of a love-fed "Dark-One-turned-Hero" so irresistible, that she ignores classic warning signs of addiction, abuse, and some kind of serious psychopathological disorder? What would turn an educated, well-read woman into such a sucker? His laundry?? As others have mentioned, she does not come across as smart. Well, chyaah! Rumple murdered Bae's mother. His first wife. Not because he was fighting her for his life or even a magic bean, but because of a moment of butthurt. No matter how many true love's kisses Belle gives him, Rumple's soul remains tethered to ancient evil Darkness. Because he wants it. And she STILL married him. Not smart. And she leaves when he lies to her, but the taffy-pull starts all over again. This needs to be reconciled. Seriously.

Four seasons of keeping Belle on a shelf except for when the script calls for Gold's strings to be pulled does not make a character that can hold her own in scenes with Rumple. A lesser actress would have been regarded as annoying by now. And the writing for her is certainly headed that way. As amazing as their chemistry is, their story will not sustain until she is fleshed out.