Question: when you banish your husband from the magically concealed town that you live in, where exactly does that leave the state of your marriage? I mean, you're still technically husband and wife, but perhaps there's some sort of magical barrier clause that help break down the rules? (I'm not that familiar with fairytale law, so help me out here if you know.) The reason I ask is because Rumple and Belle's marriage took a major hit during Once Upon a Time 's midseason finale "Heroes and Villains." But that's bound to happen when you discover that the man you love has been lying to you about his reformed ways. So now that Rumple has been exiled courtesy of Belle kicking some serious Dark One ass, it's time we start asking ourselves: Is Rumbelle done for good?
They certainly have a few issues to work through… like trust and betrayal and secret Sorcerer hats. (So you know, normal stuff.) But has the damage already been done? Belle is known to be a very forgiving woman, but even she is bound to have a hard time coming to terms with Rumple's devilish deeds as of late. So would OUAT actually terminate this popular 'shipping pair? As a dedicated Rumbelle supporter I'm inclined to say no. Call me naive if you want, but there's got to be a way for this relationship to be salvaged. The Beast belongs with his Beauty, and here's how it can still happen…
Rumple Gives Up His Powers… For Real This Time
Odds are, if Rumple found a way to prove to Belle that he was willing to sacrifice all of his power for her, then maybe, maybe she'd at least think about forgiving him. But at this point words really wouldn't be enough. He'd have to actually give up his Dark One abilities — something he has never been able to do in the past. It would be a great way to show Belle (and viewers) just how much he truly loves her. Enough is enough, Rumple. It's time to put your money where your magic is, dearie.
He Saves a Life
There's no better way to redeem yourself in someone's eyes than by saving the life of another right in front of them. And something tells me that would be just the spark Belle needs to ignite her belief that Rumple himself is still worth saving. Although knowing Rumple, he would probably be the one who put that person's life in danger to begin with just so he could save them and show everyone how much he's changed. But hey, semantics, right?
He Cheats with Magic
Of course, there's always the chance that Rumple will succumb to his usual habits and try to fix everything with magical means. Whether that involves mind control or some sort of memory potion remains to be seen, though I'd like to think that something like this would be considered too low even for the Dark One. Plus, I've heard that stuff tends to come at a hefty cost…
So don't give up on these two just yet, folks. Because as this show has proven time and time again, anything is possible when true love is involved.
#SaveRumbelle
Images: Jack Rowand/ABC; fuckyeahbelleandrumpelstiltskin/Tumblr; Giphy (2); Wifflegif; justrumbelledearie/Tumblr
