ONCE UPON A TIME “Strange Case” Review

The Beast and the Man

Surprisingly, a character who understands who he is and embraces who he has chosen to be is Rumpelstiltskin.

In a season that is focusing on untold stories and evil doppelgängers, he stands apart from the madness because he accepts his personal darkness. While Jekyll sought to find a way for man to overcome the beast within, Rumple is both man and beast; he can’t be one without the other. He has given into the darkness and the seduction of power many times throughout the series and this is his second time as the Dark One, a power he has no intention of giving up again. He is a hard man to love, yet he also acknowledges the love and the light in him through his relationship with Belle. She is a constant reminder to him that there is goodness in him and he has the ability to be a better man. Though they are separated, Rumple continues to show his love to Belle by recreating their “Beauty and the Beast” dance in her dreams, giving her a tape of him reciting a Scottish poem for their unborn son, and putting a protection spell around the Jolly Roger to keep her safe. However, on the flip side, Rumple had to enter in her dreams because he can no longer wake her with true love’s kiss, he made Charming a deal that exchanged information on Charming’s deceased father for delivering the tape to Belle, and his protection spell around the Jolly Roger kept Belle from leaving the ship and almost cost her her life. His motives may be good, but the execution of these gestures drifts into darker territory.

For a show about hope and second chances, how do we make sense of a character who does not want to be fully redeemed? Part of the reason is character is fascinating is because of his dark, complex past, yet we want him and Belle to have a happy ending together because we fell in love with them all the way back in season one. He is capable of redemption; it happened in season three. However, he does not want it. He loves power too much to give it up. So at this current crossroad, all we can do is accept him. Rumple is not making excuses for his darkness, nor has he gone mad with power this season. Where Jekyll failed and Regina struggles, Rumple accepts all of himself and chooses his own path.

Do we believe that there is still a chance for Rumple’s redemption? Absolutely.

Until then, we as an audience accept that Rumple has been and will always be Rumple and we continue to watch his story unfold, both individually and how it intertwines with Belle’s.

Worth Mentioning

• This is not the first time Rumple has helped make a science experiment work. Back in Season 2, Rumple made a deal with Dr. Victor Frankenstein to help bring the dead back to life. All science needs a little magic.
• Anybody else think that the seer Jasmine met by the well is Jafar in disguise? If it’s not, that seer needs to ditch that staff she’s carrying around.
• While Charming and Emma were looking for Hyde and the Evil Queen in the forest, he tells her that his secret ingredient to his pancakes is nutmeg. Thanks for the tip! Joking aside, it was really adorable to see this father have a little hard time adjusting to the idea that his little girl and her boyfriend are moving in together. Though he now approves and supports Emma’s relationship with Killian, Charming will always be protective of his daughter. This show is about family, and it’s nice to have these quiet, sweet moments of levity.
• Why couldn’t there have been an archery lesson when I learned about Newton’s laws of motion in school?
• After a couple of weeks of asking where Violet and Baby Neal were both finally showed up in this episode. Ask and you shall receive!
• Killian and Belle have really become good friends with each other. Even though Killian is moving off the Jolly Roger, he gave Belle the conch shell just in case she needed help with anything. She has forgiven him and appreciated his companionship since her separation from her husband. They really have each other’s backs and I hope we see more of their teamwork this season.
• Can we get one scene next week of Emma, Killian, and Henry around a dinner table or attempting to watch a movie? I’m in need of some more domesticity for these three together. Please and thank you.