Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-27060727-20170218051023/@comment-25926288-20170223154716

Emillian Swanones wrote: Eskaver wrote: Not to get controversial (as many know my stance on ship-related matters), no one should be surprised by Rumple and Belle working to get her to save their son. Nothing has shown them being back together, so it's speculative. In any case, if they did recommit themselves to a relationship it should come to noone's surprise. (It's exactly the case when people thought Hook would die and stay dead, which should shock no one that he obviously wouldn't stay dead.)

The writers don't view them as toxic and from their perspective, I can see that. They just push the line of what's acceptable further away. But alas, I don't want to derail the thread because all the major relations have toxic elements to them. I did know they would be working together, but the fact that they were holding hands and that Adam said he had hope for them makes me think they are back together. You're not wrong. They have three paths: death, redemption, or eternal separation. I think of it as the writers know about everyone ending happily ever after, but hit speed bumps along the way. If you ignore Rumple randomly threatening Belle, then it's actually more palatable. Then, it could easily be Rumple being overprotective to a fault, rather than Rumple being a controlling jerk.

Nevertheless, we'll have to see more in filming to add to this thought. So far, Rumple and Belle have been journeying to save their son and I don't think we know if they succeeded (which looks like they haven't).