Did Rumple steal Beowulf’s thunder to impress Baelfire? (Photo property of ABC’s Eike Schroter)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Over the past six seasons, Rumpelstiltskin (aka Mr. Gold) remains one of Storybrooke’s most complex residents.
Sure, he kidnapped children, broke families, maimed pirates, and tutored three powerful women in the ways of dark magic. But, like all magic…it came with a price. He lost the trust of those closest to him: Baelfire (Neal) and Belle. However, the Dark One has a chance to redeem himself. While the heroes of Storybrooke are too busy keeping an eye on Robin of Locksley or trying to erase episodes from their past, an older Gideon (his son with Belle), has returned and is prophesied to murder Emma Swan. Gideon was manipulated by his wicked grandmother (and Rumple’s mother), the Black Fairy, to carry out the deed.
Can Rumple help his son escape the dark side? Or will Gideon force him to help him murder the Savior? Read on to find out!
During the first Ogre Wars, many residents of the Enchanted Forest were hesitant in combating the giant monsters and wanted to flee. However, there was one leader that forced them to face their fears and lead them into battle. The leader named Beowulf reasoned: “If we run, they will kill everyone!” He also showed them their secret weapon: a blade called Hrunting. Filled with light magic, whoever carried the sword into battle, will be hailed a hero. Beowulf lead the charge against the ogres, and it was a disaster. Many men died, and Beowulf found the lead monster. Just as the lead ogre was going to kill him, Rumple appeared and slaughtered all of them!
Rumple celebrated his victory with the townsmen, Beowulf tried to humiliate him and revealed that he became the Dark One and foresaw that Rumple would pay the price for using dark magic. Baelfire admitted to his father that the Baker’s Son harassed him. As Rumple was about to torture the Baker, villagers came to Rumple’s home and asked him to look for Beowulf and their missing family members. While Rumple stated that he did not hunt monsters anymore, Baelfire advised his dad to prove that he cannot use magic to save them.
Both Baelfire and Rumple searched for the Grendel; they got into an argument about Rumple’s addiction to the Dark One Dagger’s magic. He decided to trust Baelfire with the dagger. The father and son crossed the swamp and found both the bodies of the missing townspeople, and it turned out that Beowulf framed the Dark One.
Baelfire confronted Beowulf and just as he attacked his son! He stated that no one would believe them because they were worried that Rumple would attack them. As he left, he pushed Baelfire to the ground, and the angry son demanded that Rumple stopped Beowulf at all costs. At Bae’s command, Rumple killed Beowulf. The men decided to use the dagger to protect themselves, but Rumple decided not to let Baefire go into the world of darkness and gave him a memory potion.
Back in Storybrooke, Archie found Hook drinking rum at Granny’s. Hook stated that Charming gave him his blessing, but revealed to the therapist that he killed Charming’s father back in the Enchanted Forest. Archie encouraged him, to tell the truth to Emma and he needed to see the light. Meanwhile, Gold, Belle, and the Blue Fairy searched for Gideon. After Gold had lashed out at the Blue Fairy, Gold revealed that Gideon was looking for Hrunting. Gideon headed to the Sheriff’s Office and found the blade. Gold found Gideon and the remaining piece of the sword.
As Gold knocked out Gideon, Robin snuck into Regina’s crypt and stole a box. Just as he was about to find out about the contents of the box, Regina confronted him. Regina stated that Robin of Locksley’s hiding spot was the same location that Robin Hood used when he was alive. Robin of Locksley angrily reminded Storybrooke’s mayor that “he was not that man.” Regina wanted to apologize to him for putting pressure on him. Robin put down his bow and arrow to accept the apology but did not want Regina to regain the items that he stole. He also offered to meet her at her house later. As Regina walked away from the forest, Robin kept an eye on his prize.
Gideon woke up tied up in the Clock Tower and Gold advised his son not to destroy the savior. He warned him about embracing darkness for good. Gold stated that the Hrunting would not work and Gideon argued that he needed to kill Emma to defeat the Black Fairy. Gold countered that dark magic would lead to heartbreak.
Meanwhile, Zelena received an unwelcomed visitor: Robin of Locksley. The wish realm Robin revealed that he was looking for a way to break out of Storybrooke and thought that he would a common ally with the former Wicked Witch. While Zelena stated that she is not a “grand theft witch” anymore, she did agree that she needed to get Baby Robin needed to escape from the town.
At the Clock Tower, Gold asked for Gideon to reveal what the Black Fairy did to him. He stated that the Black Fairy tortured him through torturing his friends. Gold explained that the Black Fairy left his door unlocked on purpose. After hearing the tale, Gold gave Gideon a memory potion. However, Gideon caught his father in a lie and stole the dagger from him.
Under the dagger’s control, Gold revealed that the Blue Fairy forged the Hrunting. Gideon ordered him not to try to stop him. As Gold pondered his fate, Regina tried to stop both Robin and Zelena from breaking the protection cell. Robin angrily stated that she forced him to reform and could not live up to her high standards. The spell did not work, and as Zelena belittled her sister, Regina stated that she owed it to her late lover to give Robin of Locksley—his actual chance of happiness.
The Blue Fairy was shocked when Gideon appeared in front of her eyes. He forced the Blue Fairy to use all her magic to bring Hrunting back to form. Gold caught up with the duo and revealed that he did not want another son to go to the dark side, so he killed the Blue Fairy himself. With Hrunting back to normal, Gideon gave Gold his dagger back.
Belle confronted Gold about the Blue Fairy and revealed that Gideon does have the sword. Belle was impressed that Gold chose their son first over his powers. As they hugged, Hook decided to tell Emma the truth about killing her grandfather, but she told Hook that found the ring and would have said: “Yes.” Hook proposed to Emma, and she said: “Yes!”
As the duo celebrated, Zelena went down to the Crypt, apologized to Regina, and returned the cobra queen to the crypt. The sisters were shocked to find that the Evil Queen escaped and Regina’s vicious half tracked down Robin and proposed an alliance.
Next week, The Evil Queen and Regina face off for the final time!
