ONCE UPON A TIME Review: Lessons in Bravery in “The Bear and the Bow”

I Need a Hero

Rumple faced his own set of choices in this episode as well: become the hero Dark Swan needs him to be or let his cowardice get the better of him, and in doing so, allow his true love to die. Prior to Rumple’s stint as the Dark One, he wasn’t brave, but rather lived in fear of losing his son, which through his actions caused him to lose him anyway. Crippled physically and emotionally, Rumple used magic to change his fate, finally becoming free from his fear because he became the fear. However, his dependence on magic drove the very people he loved away. In the Season 4 finale, he lost that crutch. This season, and especially in this episode, he is finally given the opportunity to become the hero Belle believes him to be — a hero built by character not magic.

Yes, Rumple was quick to want to cross the town line with Belle and go on with their lives without having to face the threat of Dark Swan’s demands but I would argue that most people’s first reaction to a threat of that nature would also be to run. It certainly seems easier than having to face the pain head on, and the potential to fail. However before we act on those impulses, there is the second option, to be brave and face our fears and/or demons. Courage runs deeper than simply being brave. To quote Ambrose Redmoon, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.” Rumple was terrified, but his love for Belle, which runs deeper than anything he could face, is more important. He turns back and saves Belle from Merida in bear form. Through this act of true bravery he has deemed himself worthy enough to pull Excalibur from the stone. Rumple is finally becoming a hero that we can all believe in. A man who was once corrupted with darkness is now able to face his fears for the love in his life. What’s more, Rumple will be a force to be reckoned with because he has the experience of being the Dark One with which to anticipate Emma’s actions. In addition, he managed to make a deal with Emma in exchange for Merida’s heart. Rumple may have drawn Excalibur, but he became a hero in the process. Tim McInnerny said it best: “Courage is facing our deepest fears; heroism is facing them again and again.”

NEXT: Brains and Beauty