True Love: Tracking the Durable Relationships of Once Upon a Time

It's not even close to Valentine's Day, but after re-watching episodes from seasons 1 and 2, and after reading up on the news for the upcoming season, I wanted to reflect back on the progression of the show's two most emphasized romantic relationships.

My purpose is two fold: First I want to take a brief look at the span of the show's two main romantic relationships to try to get an understanding of where they are now, as watching the seasons play out can get a bit confusing. Second, by looking at these these relationships, I also want to find fodder for understanding the show's concept of True Love.

So, with that in mind, I'll take you through a recap and brief analysis of the three biggies: Snow and Charming (Snowing), and Belle and Rumpelstiltskin (Rumbelle), and in my next post I'll include the triangle that is Emma, Henry, and Regina (which doesn't have a cute name...but you can make one up if you want).

SNOWING:

The Enchanted Forest That Was:

Charming and Snow met in the enchanted forest while Snow was an outlaw and Charming a newly-instated shepherd turned prince. Charming was on a journey with his fiance, Abigail, when they were robbed by Snow White. Charming pursues the thief, earns the nickname "Charming," and, while helping her survive the forest dangers, summarily falls in love with Snow, proving that a rocky beginning can result in a once-in-a-life-time romance, apparently.

But there are obstacles ahead. Realizing he can't forget Snow, Charming determines to leave his fiance (who is pleased by this), and Snow, who loves Charming, decides to get rid of her feelings for him after King George threatens her. Cue the forget-me-not pills (a la Arrested Development) and Snow's brief foray into darkness as a result of forgetting her true love. Luckily, Charming convinces her of his fidelity when he willingly offers to die for her; she kisses him (the second time) and this kiss returns her memories to her. They battle many more obstacles (including the infamous poisoned apple scenario), but are eventually reunited by Rumpelstiltskin's timely intervention, and they marry (once secretly and once publicly), and in due time have Emma, whom they immediately lose because of Regina's curse.

 Storybrooke: 

Regina's curse transforms Snow White into Mary Margaret Blanchard, a mild-mannered, mouse-like school teacher, and puts Prince Charming into a coma (as David Nolan) for twenty-eight years. When their long-lost daughter arrives, time begins working in Storybrooke, and Mary Margaret accidentally wakes up David (twice, once with a "kiss"), who, it turns out, is married to Kathryn (Abigail) (irony abounds!).  He and Mary Margaret succumb to their attraction for each other and begin an affair which gets out of hand; MM is framed for murder, and even though she is cleared, David's lack of belief in her, coupled with his inability to man-up about their relationship, causes her to break up with him for good. David decides to leave town. Fortunately for everyone, Emma breaks the curse.

Storybrooke After the Curse:

Once reunited, and working through a few of their marital problems (the one night stand with Whale, and the fact that their daughter is the same age as they), David and MM (Snow and Charming) resume their relationship, though they are briefly parted by the wraith incident. After Charming/David willingly submits to the sleeping curse, MM/Snow wakes him up (again!) when she and Emma return to Storybrooke. The Charmings then take a bit of a back seat to the action until MM/Snow tricks Regina into killing her own mother, Cora. Distraught at what she has done, MM/Snow eventually decides she prefers to be put out of her misery by Regina, who refuses to do the honors, preferring that MM/Snow suffer the knowledge that she too may be headed down the road to darkness. In the end, MM/Snow, Charming/David, and Regina are united in their efforts to save the town and rescue Henry. This leaves the Charmings on a boat to Neverland with several unresolved issues.

Brief Analysis: Where are they now?

A brief recap of the events of the first two seasons shows that, while their Enchanted Forest relationship has a tight and relatively resolved arc, their relationship post-Storybrooke is still more than a bit uncertain. As Mary Margaret and David, Snow and Charming violate the principles they fought so hard to hold onto in the Enchanted Forest by carrying on an affair behind Kathyrn (Abigail)'s back. Their new relationship begins in secrecy and lies, and effectively ends in betrayal for them both. Their relationship is, essentially, over as of the end of the cursed Storybrooke arc. When they suddenly regain their memories and embrace in the season finale, we are understandably overjoyed, but we should also be a bit a little unsettled. Though all of their actions are heavily mitigated by their circumstances, these two now have the experience of a nasty break up along with their happier memories of True Love. It may be this very experience of the dark side that makes it harder for them to make the same virtuous decisions as they did in the past. Included in that is the alarming state of Snow White's heart after Cora's murder (despite how justified we believe it may have been). The issue with the death of Cora, of course, is not that Snow White killed her, but the manner in which she did so. This was downright cruel, something on par with Rumpelstiltskin's snail crushing or Regina's disregard for Graham/Huntsman. This was Snow White's kick the dog moment and how ironic that her second "murder" also involved a box and a heart. What is interesting is that, unlike their cursed counterparts, Charming is well aware that Snow committed murder this time and still stands by her. We also have to contend with the fact that Snow was distressed enough to consider suicide (when she went to Regina), something that Charming hasn't really dealt with yet. It may be that he will have to convince her that True Love can heal any wound as well as break any curse.

S

 RUMBELLE

The Enchanted Forest That Was:

Rumpelstiltskin encounters Belle for the first time when her father entreats him to rescue their village (town/city/holdings?) from ogres. Rumpelstiltskin, for reasons unknown, agrees to do so in exchange for Belle becoming his housekeeper and maid of all work. Belle makes the bargain and comes to live with him in the Dark Castle. Their relationship gets off to a rocky start (much like Snow and Charming), however Belle and Rumpelstiltskin have an uneven balance of power that makes this slightly more complicated. Throughout her time in the Dark Castle, Belle becomes increasingly less afraid and more forthright with Rumpelstiltskin, who becomes decreasingly murderous and uncaring. Eventually this results in his realization that he is in love with Belle (probably around the time that she explains that she is looking for something more than good looks and superficiality in a mate - hint hint). In a rare moment of unselfish and disinterested love (it is implied), Rumpelstiltskin lets Belle go, believing that she will not come back. However, what he does not realize is that Belle is in love with him as well, and she comes to terms with this fact when confronted by Regina. Belle returns to the castle, kisses Rumpelstiltskin, and effectively breaks (or begins to break) the curse of the Dark One, proving that their love is True Love. Rumpelstiltskin catches on, stops the transformation, puts her in the dungeon (believing he's been tricked), and has a little break down. He eventually frees her, terminating their relationship again, but this time much more cruelly, implying that he was merely playing with her and that power is the most important thing to him. Belle confronts him about this, pointing out that his real problem is the lack of courage to believe he is desirable and lovable. She leaves. Later he hears that she's dead and lives out the remainder of the curse in a slow spiral into madness, while Belle, having decided (as a result of her brief adventures) that those things most worth having are hard won, attempts to return to him, but is captured and imprisoned by the Evil Queen.

Storybrooke:  

In Storybrooke, Belle and Rumpelstiltskin/Gold have no encounters until the very end of the curse. It is implied that Rumpelstiltskin/Gold has never forgotten (excepting while cursed) about Belle, even though he believes her dead. Belle is eventually reunited with him, having spent most of her time in the psych ward of the town hospital, but does not know who he is due to the curse. He seems overjoyed to have her back, but not to the extent that he is willing to give up his master plan to return magic to Storybrooke (which, admittedly, was not necessary to the larger goal of finding Balefire). The curse breaks, Belle remembers, and a heartfelt reunion ensues.

Storybrooke After the Curse:

Though their reunion is heartfelt, things begin to get sticky for them almost immediately. Rumpelstiltskin is bent on revenge against Regina for Belle's imprisonment (and, no doubt, for the years/months of trauma spent in thinking Belle was dead). Belle, having been bent on rehabilitating Rumpelstiltskin (and probably thinking his physical appearance coincided with the loss of his curse of being the Dark One), is shocked and dismayed to find that he hasn't really changed at all. Rumpelstiltskin manipulates the truth about Regina; Belle finds out and then decides to leave him. She does some thinking and comes back, once again determined to hash it out to the bitter end. But things continue to get progressively worse as Rumpelstiltskin refuses to share anything with her, prompting her to leave yet again, this time for good! However, after a talk with Charming/David, Rumpelstiltskin (for the second time) does the right thing in telling Belle everything (well, almost everything) about his quest for Baelfire. Belle decides the relationship might have a future after all and they start dating, but not living together. Their dating culminates in Belle facing the ultimate test of her loyalty (the "trueness" of her love) when Hook reveals that Rumpelstiltskin killed his own wife. Without much explanation, Belle accepts this on the grounds that she believes whatever he may have done in the past, Rumpelstiltskin really has changed and that "his heart is true" (whatever that means). Rumpelstiltskin is, understandably, awed that Belle is willing to stay with him even after learning perhaps the worst of his secrets (we hope), and Belle tells him (for the first time) that she essentially believes he is worth fighting pretty much any battle for. Unfortunately, Hook chooses this moment to relieve Belle of her memories (strangely, of all of them), and she reverts back to not recognizing Rumpelstiltskin (echoing the anti-love potion arch of Snow and Charming).

The Lacey Arc:

Rumpelstiltskin/Gold attempts to bring back Belle's memories, but with such a fresh rehabilitation, he falls off the wagon almost immediately and reverts to his old methods: intimidation, force, and deception. He kisses her, but similar to Snow and Charming's experience, this doesn't work. This results in Belle's utter rejection of him and the symbol of their relationship (the shattered tea cup). This is not helped by leaving Belle in Storybrooke while he goes off to find Balefire. He succeeds but at the cost of his life at the hands (hook?) of Hook, who poisons him. In a touching phone call, Rumpelstiltskin explains to Belle "who" she is, trying to build her confidence and assuage her fears about her own loss of memory, and, at the same time, telling her that he loves her. Belle is duly touched by this, though she still doesn't remember. When next they meet, she is much more open to reconnecting with him, and Rumpelstiltskin (perhaps softened by his son) is much more open to rehabilitating himself. Unfortunately, again, things take a nasty turn when Regina jogs Belle's false memories of herself as Lacey, the barfly. Though Rumpelstiltskin (as Gold), ironically with the help of Charming (who once came to him with a similar problem), attempts to win her over, but Lacey soon proves to be interested only in his dark side. At this point, Rumpelstiltskin gives up on reclaiming Belle and settles for Lacey (his motivation is unclear), bringing back the old Rumpelstiltskin with a vengeance until he hears of the death of his son. This effectively sobers him, and he eventually decides, when given the means, to bring back Belle because he "needs" her. It is implied that she, not Lacey, truly loves and understands him and what the loss of his son means. His new found unselfishness also leads him to commit to sacrificing himself to save Henry, leaving Belle behind for what he believes will be the last time.

Brief Analysis: Where are they now?

The Rumbelle arc can seem like a roller-coaster ride at first (just as Snowing seems deceptively straight-forward and resolved), but it actually makes sense if seen in a broad view. Belle and Rumpelstiltskin initially take a while to fall in love with each other, but once they do the rest of their relationship is built on a series of their overcoming obstacles, and this tests the "trueness" or fidelity/durability of their love for one another. Some of the major obstacles have included Rumpelstiltskin's cowardice and inferiority-complex (the result of past experiences) and Belle's desire for an easier relationship (who can blame her?). While Belle leaves the relationship (on purpose) no fewer than three times, each time she leaves and comes back is for a progressively more important reason: 1) his initial rejection and her initial realization that, if she wants him, she'll have to do a lot more than kiss him, 2) discovering that he hasn't changed despite the curse being "gone" (with the same realization as #1), and 3) realizing that he will never trust her, in which case she does not decide to return. Notably, the third time she leaves (and for the most significant reason), Rumpelstiltskin actively brings her back by proving that he does trust her. In overcoming each of these hurdles, their love actually matures and this make sense given the fairy-tale scope of the original stories. By the time we reach "The Outsider," they are facing some of the final hurdles of intimacy and trust, ultimately triumphing before Hook intervenes. The Lacey arc presents a few difficulties, not the least of which is that it could have been an opportunity for Rumpelstiltskin to thrive, but instead proves to undo a lot of his former "progress." However, if we consider that an intimate relationship has just been magically transformed into a superficial one, we can see the irony of the situation. It would seem to show that the stronger of the two is Belle, as Rumpelstiltskin effectively can't step into Belle's shoes in rehabilitating her once she goes dark. But since he is also one of the major villains of the show, this is understandable.

 Conclusions: True Love in the Context of Once

Taking both of these complex romantic relationships into consideration (and not including the wealth of info we'll get from examining Regina, Henry, and Emma's True Love relationship), there are several factors we can glean about how Once's qualifies True Love.

First, it seems that one of the most basic tenets of True Love (if not the most basic) is that it requires commitment and fidelity on both sides, though sometimes one partner may be more active and the other more passive in this regard. 

For example, Charming and Belle demonstrate active commitment and fidelity in their continuous pursuits of their loved ones, despite almost any obstacle. Their mottoes are "never give up" and "I will find you." They continue to believe in their partners and to encourage them to choose light rather than darkness. This is why David's doubting Mary Margaret during the fake murder arc is so unsettling. 

In usually (but not always) passive roles, Snow White and Rumpelstiltskin tend to be the receivers of love. However, they demonstrate "trueness" even in passive ways by their commitment to preserving the importance or memory of the loved one, even when they believe that person is lost. This is the significance of the cup for Rumpelstiltskin, and the reason that Snow White drinks the potion to forget Charming (thus, ironically, emphasizing his lasting importance). There is no telling why the couples function in these ways, but one factor may be that Charming and Belle (despite their intellectual strengths) tend to follow their hearts; whereas, Rumpelstiltskin and Snow White are more cautious and wary of the motives of others.

Second, True Love also seems to involve unselfish sacrifice and requires belief on some level. I don't apply this to True Love's Kiss, which I think of as a separate phenomenon, but in particular I'm looking at the fact that Charming is willing to sacrifice himself to save Snow (jogging her memories of him), while Belle is willing to risk her life to reclaim Balefire's shawl for Rumpelstiltskin. Thus far, Snow White and Rumpelstiltskin have not yet attempted to sacrifice themselves for (or taken a great risk on behalf of) their loved ones, but it may be that the opportunity hasn't arisen yet, and, as pointed out, they both tend to be more cautious. One thing Snow and Rumpelstiltskin have demonstrated, however, is that they are willing to fight for and rescue their counterparts.