Once Upon A Fan

Im loving that people are still debating this. lol

Shall we all agree that maybe his actions are not exactly pure but he does still have a good heart.  Even if hes a Villian or a Hero we will love him ANYWAY! Come on its Rumplestiltskin whats not to love. hehe

Yep, Goldie, you struck gold on a great topic thread! And we will love Rumpie no matter what. He's played by Robert Carlyle for crying out loud!

I don't see him as a villian. I see Rumpel as developmentally stunted, needing to grow/mature to face life and cope.  He thinks he's a coward, yet going in to the Duke's castle with a bad leg, no magic, possibly being attacked by guards, walking through fire and facing the Dark One all to save Bae is the most heoric act of season 1.  He needs to someday know his own inner strength and value himself as a worthwhile person.  There's been a lot of talk regarding Rumpel being some sacrificial character, like dieing to protect his loved ones. From a creative point of view, I think the whole "sacrifice equals death" plot has been very over used in TV and movies. I think the 'ironic sacrifice' is much more interesting.  My theory is he must come full circle. In Desperate Souls, he began with no perceived control, fearing losing Bae, because the irony of loving someone is that knowledge that you may one day lose them. He felt so helpless/weak, and he wanted the power to have control of the situation and save Bae. Having Belle and Bae...and any little Rumbelles that arrive, means that once again he has someone to lose. In having them, he must give up that sense of control, and find the strength within himself to cope with the fear of losing them, just as everyone has to.  The fear of losing those we love and realizing that sometimes we can't control that, is the sacrifice we all make for love, but it is the deal we take because love is ultimately worth it.  So, in my opinion, Rumpel's sacrifice should be learning to grow and cope with that fact and enjoy being with his loved ones, as long as he has them, regardless of fear.  Fairytales are about life lessons...that would be a very important life lesson to impart to the audience.

Teresa Martin at July 25, 2012 at 12:23 AM

Yep, Goldie, you struck gold on a great topic thread! And we will love Rumpie no matter what. He's played by Robert Carlyle for crying out loud!

Robert freaking Carlyle. Yes. I will love this character to whatever end.