Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-26971388-20160505192841/@comment-24674051-20160522034633

I do think the writers are well aware of their poor treatment of Belle. If you go back to 5a, Belle (for some unknown reason) accompainied Merlin, Killian, and David to Rescue Lancelot and Merida. During the course of the rescue, Belle came up with the perfect spell for Merlin (from a book naturally). Merlin commented on how clever she was, and Belle's response something to the effect of "It's about time someone noticed".

She's had rather shoddy writing up to the present, but I'll give a small pass for 5B, since Emilie was pregnant for much of that half of the season. I think in 5B she had probably the best interaction she's had with the others (and it was still not well done).

Given the assumed focus for 6A being untold stories, combined with the fact that Emilie is no longer pregnant (even though Belle is), I am hopeful that untold stories is something right up Belle's alley and the others realize that she (rather than one of the witches) is the best resource they have to completing operation:Storybook (or whatever Henry decides to come up with).