Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT For Whom The Belle Tolls
By Cindy McLennan | Season 2 | Episode 11 | Aired on 01.13.2013
Storybrooke Town Line. Belle is holding Bae's shawl. Rumpy pours the remaining potion on it and tosses the bottle aside. Any moment, I expect a Native American to appear with a tear rolling down his cheek. When I make the mistake of saying so at home, the kids (of course) do not get the reference, but Scott laughs.
Belle puts the shawl around Rumpy's neck. When he crosses the line, magic washes over him, but he's okay. He remembers himself, Belle, Bae and everything. There's more touching talk between them, but I'm still not in the mood. Rumpy says he so wishes she was coming with him. That's as dumb as it was at the top of the hour, particularly since he then said that he had to make his journey on his own. Belle says it doesn't matter. Rumpy will find Bae, and she'll be there waiting when he returns. At that, Rumpy leans in to kiss her, but Hook appears out of nowhere and shoots Belle then whispers, "I wouldn't count on it."
Belle falls across the town line and into Rumpy's arms. The amnesia spell washes over her. Rumpy calls out her name, but Belle cries, "Who is Belle?" Rumpy looks down in horror at the blood on his hands. Enjoy your metaphor. Still brandishing the weapon, Hook assures Rumpy that Belle will live. "She'll just have no idea who you are."
On his knees at Belle's side, Rumpy weeps as he looks up at Hook. "What you've done cannot be undone." I don't think we have to accept this as reliable narration, by the way. Things just look bleak to Rumpy.
Hook shouts that now Rumpy finally knows how it feels, then tempts the "crocodile" into doing his worst. Saying he intends to, Rumpy raises his hand and conjures up a fireball. Before he can hurl it at Hook, a car comes speeding toward them. Rumpy dives on Belle and rolls her out of harm's way. The car crashes right into Hook and sends him sailing in the air. He lands on the roof, then slides off into a ditch. The car careens out of control and crashes into a tree. Thunder rumbles. Lightning flashes. Through the rain, we close in on the car's Pennsylvania license plate which reads 2KFL 138. Who can it be, now? I've seen people make note of the "sylvania" part of Pennsylvania. I quite like the spec attached to it, but I think some of it is spoiled, so I'll say no more and leave you to ponder.
I am still not crazy about the Belle/Rumpy romance. I do love a redemption story. I do love that Belle believes in him. I just don't feel her reasons. I never thought she saw enough good in Rumpy (back in L'enchantement, when she lived with him) to have this much faith. I'm also just having trouble with the final scene. Yes it was shocking and sad. I hate to see Belle not remember herself, but it's still a little... contrived. I mean, why did she go to the town line with him? She can't drive, so I can't see her taking the Caddy back. I would expect Rumpy to take the car on his journey, since he doesn't even know where he's going, plus he's got the limp, except he didn't cross back over the line to kiss Belle or get in the car. I feel we got a little bit of ends justifying the means, where this plotting is concerned.