scififan2009

I think Rumple makes a better mentor to Emma when it comes to teaching her magic.

Jiorjiina

If he didn't have any psychological damage from his childhood, the why is this thing about his father such a big issue for him?

I think while he was young and strong, he had hope that he could change his fate. Then he met the seer, and he lost that. And all the other things that were lurking beneath the surface, the fear of abandonment, etc all came rushing back.

It is possible, Jonathan, to have good periods and be happy for a while, even when you are depressed or suffering. It's not always black.

Rhonwen

That's very true. Working the guidance area at the school. You see kids from abused homes, not always physical abuse, or kids that have been bullied, or live in foster care and they go through periods of self loathing, fear, etc all because of the damage done to them. Then they will come in for counseling and they will be having a happy, good time with things. But the under the surface they are still traumatized and need to get past these issues.

I do see Rumple's issues with his childhood , his father, Milah's abandonment fo her famil, and prior hatred and cruelty towards him as all factors tht made him regress to the lonely, unloved lost boy that Pan told him he was. No matter how confident he seems as the Dark One, or when he was going off the fight he still carried and never resolved the past damage done to him.

I_Love_Siobhan_Magnus

He kept the straw doll for the same reason that Emma kept the key chain. Deep down he doesn't believe that abandoning him was a willingful choice made by his old man himself. Even if he was taught to accept the fact that he was forsaken and unwanted, he didn't lose his hope and he certainly wasn't as depressed and suffering as he is today on the island, otherwise he would be PP's right-hand man as a vital part of his legion of Lost Boys.

Rhonwen

you dont know that though. Everyone handles trauma differently. When he was younger Peter fooled him, Rumple said this. He was manipulated by Pan. Rumple was trying to be good then, and didn't agree with the choices Pan was making. Pan was bad then, at least that's what Rumple told his son. That he couldn't be trusted. SO why would he want to be with someone who did that to him? Not when he was younger and wantd to change his life.

He kept the doll as it was the last thing his father gave him. He longed for a father who loved him, not abandoned him. Rumple has always believed that he was unlovable, and being good at being abandoned.
We saw this as early as Desperate Souls. This was self loathing, and depression can be there underneath the surface.

DigificWriter

You can have a traumatic childhood and not be permanently psychologically damaged by it. Rumple, like Severus Snape, transcended the trauma in his past and channeled it in a positive direction (even if the path wasn't an entirely smooth one).

Rhonwen

That's true also. Another example on how people handle things differently. Rumple didnt have the support he needed. I do see Rumple letting go and forgiving his father, and moving in a positive direction. It's been happening even with all the bumps. Many of which still lie ahead.

Nothing on this show is easy or black and white. Each characters psychological make up is complex. That's why it's easy to sympathize and want redemption for so many characters

DR76

No he didn't. Pan made it perfectly clear in this episode that Rumpel still has anger issues about his father. And what exactly is your idea of "positive direction"? Manipulation? Murder?

Rhonwen

abandonment is traumatic. And Pan made it perfectly clear that Rumple grew up unloved by his father, lonely, and abandoned.
So yes he did have a traumatic childhood. Rumple is on the path of redemption, which all the villains on this show are attempting to do. Positive direction, is admitting your failings, letting go of the hurt and anger from the past. Which Rumple is doing. He is trying to do the right thing which that in itself is a step in the right direction or didnt you see the S2 finale where he could have stayed in SB with Belle, but decided he would do the right thing and save Henry?

OUATKatya

Trauma never really goes away. Even if we haven't thought about it in years, it still has molded us and shaped us into who we are. As adults, we have to make daily choices about what we want to do about it. Do we make better choices or do we regress? The truth is we do both. What I love about this show is that it's honest in showing that. No improvements are smooth or linear in an upward direction; no one is ever perfect.

I really enjoyed the emotional honesty of this episode. The characters had to admit some truths to themselves and each other. Season 3 has been very refreshing for addressing them.

Regina was awesome, too. I loved how she boosted Rumple up when he was down. Admittedly, she needs him to help her, but she seemed to realize he needed motivation to get out of the rut he was stuck in. She kept him from making the cowardly choice, too, that he would have eventually regretted. And in the end he seems to understand that he may yet be able to to have Belle and Neal and Henry.

baelfire24

I'm still wondering what Regina and Rumple's secrets would have been, if they went into the echo cave.

I want more Lana and Robert together. Love their scenes together. I still feel like they have a father/daughter relationship and they care for each other deeply (even through they don't admit to each other).

sourburst

I enjoyed this episode. I'm happy that Ariel finally got her opening and I loved her story. I simply adore their dancing scene, it was so cute and I admire Snow for pushing her and others towards love. I think the actress who plays Ariel is freaking gorgeous. Not too sure what I think of Regina pretending to be Ursula... I admire her copying lines from the animation.

Makes me wonder how long they're going to keep playing on the run ins between Regina and Snow.

I admire that Hook told Emma's parents first and that it came out in the end. I was unsure as to whether he would say anything after the last episode, but I am so happy.

I enjoyed the scene's with Rumple and thought his scene with Pan was great. I still feel like Pan hasn't shown his true colours yet. None of us know why everyone fears him so bad, he hasn't done anything to be feared about yet.

The scene's with Rumple and Belle are starting to annoy me because they aren't real. I want them to have a real scene. However, I know it can't happen anytime soon. Not surprising that the shadow was the imaginary Belle.

The secrets scene broke my heart on so many levels. Hook got to me, but Snows baby wish killed me.

I'm kinda sad they didn't fit Ariel going to Storybrooke in either.

DigificWriter

Rumple channeled his childhood trauma into striving to be for Bae what his father was not, and to be a good man. He got lost a little bit along the way, but is still striving towards those goals, and has not demonstrated the kind of psychological damage that we've seen in Regina.

Going back into the HP universe for another example, the difference between Rumple and Regina can be somewhat likened to the differences between Harry and Tom Riddle/Voldemort. Both Tom and Regina let their traumatic childhoods drive them to embrace a darkness that consumed them (either in whole or in part), whereas Harry and Rumple rose above their childhood trauma and channeled it into positive action.

Gwen107

I don't think you can compare Once Upon a Time to Harry Potter.

Grace52373

I think they were just comparing characters. Severus, Harry, and Riddle were all damaged during childhood just like Rumple, Regina, and maybe Hook.

As to making a positive direction, I think she means the Rumple of this season, who has been trying to make the right choices unlike his past. Sometimes I think these flashbacks work against these characters, because we keep being reminded of their past deeds, which makes most want these characters to be destroyed or locked up. Just a thought.