Should Rumplestiltskin forgive his father?

Young Rumple with his father in Neverland, before his father turned into Peter Pan

Young Rumple with his father in Neverland, before his father turned into Peter Pan

Peter Pan in cave telling Rumple he does care for him

Peter Pan in cave telling Rumple he does care for him

Rumple’s father chose magic over his son — the magic of being able to fly and the freedom he thought that would bring, the magic of becoming a boy again without responsibilities. When Rumple became a father, he also chose magic over his own son — the magic of being the Dark One and the power he thought that would bring, the magic of getting back at those who had humiliated him.

And so the cycle perpetuated itself through the generations, just as cycles of abuse are often handed down from parent to child.

In Think Lovely Thoughts, Pan accused Rumple of being just like him. Rumple denied it, but I think Pan was at least partially right.

In the cave, Pan told Rumple that he never stopped thinking about him and that he cared about him. I think he was telling the truth. Pan had no motive that I can see to lie at that point — Pan had the real Pandora’s box and had nothing to fear from Rumple.

Should Rumple (assuming he escapes from the box) forgive Pan? I understand why he wouldn’t want to — but would Rumple be better off if he could forgive his father? Would he be more at peace, more able to leave the painful past behind him? Would achieving that peace improve Rumple’s relationship with Bae/Neal?

Forgiveness, people say, is good for the soul. Could forgiving his father help Rumple heal himself from the evil acts he committed in his Dark One days?

Or do you think that Pan’s deserting young Rumple is not forgivable? Or is Pan unforgivable in any case because he tricked Henry and intended to kill him?

What do you think? (No spoilers, please.)

8 responses to “Should Rumplestiltskin forgive his father?

  1. I think Rumple should forgive him; forgiveness is more for the broken than the breaker. The person who really keeps hurting is the one who won’t forgive. But I also don’t think Rumple was all that much like his father. He tried to find Bae to make up for letting him go, and despite his evil deeds as the Dark One, he has always loved his son and wanted to get him back. Pan lied over and over again – I think he just wanted Rumple gone from Never Land (or “on his side” again) because he knows Rumple is the only one who can destroy him. Rumple’s father always acted out of selfishness – Rumple acted out of fear.

  2. Great comment. Thanks. I agree with what you say about forgiveness — at least in theory, LOL, as it can be very hard to put into practice.

    You’ve convinced me that Rumple really is different from his father. Great distinction about fear versus selfishness. Rumple did have a Pan-like moment when he let Bae go, but it was only a moment — a few seconds, at most — and he has regretted it for the rest of his life.

    I’m still not sure about Pan’s motives when he told Rumple he wanted to reconcile, and I can’t decide whether or not Pan was sincere. Did Pan really fear Rumple’s power at that moment? Pan was able to take control of Pandora’s box easily enough, so it seems like he was more powerful than Rumple and that Rumple wouldn’t be able to destroy him. Although Rumple did almost get him in the end — would have trapped him if not for the switch.

    • My darn cable went out and I just got it back on today. :( I do get what you are saying about Pan not really having anything to fear in that moment, and I would really like to think he is sorry and has changed, but I just keep coming back to all the lies and stuff during the entire time Rumple was on the island. My ex-husband wasn’t a very nice person and he used to do some pretty awful things. He was always sorry after he’d done them, but then he’d turn around and do it again! I finally realized he wasn’t sorry for what he’d done, he was sorry he’d been caught. I kind of feel the same about Pan, but I hope you are right and I am wrong! That would be the (hem, hem) fairy tale ending, wouldn’t it? lol

      I do think that it’s interesting how they did the character of Rumple’s father. He sounded so much like the Dark One that I wondered if the guy who plays Rumple wasn’t actually voicing the character. I realized he wasn’t, but the guy who played Rumple’s dad did the voice really well, and he also had that little giggle/titter that the Dark One has. Should be interesting to see how things play out in Storybrooke.

  3. In this series since Pan/Rumple’s father has come into play, they have shown how much of a trickster or conman he can really be. I personally don’t believe that Pan was 100% honest because really, is he ever? I agree though, that he really had no true reason to lie to Rumple about anything because he did have the Pandora’s box. unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like he really needs a reason to be deceitful or dishonest. I also agree with Kris that maybe Rumple really is the only one who can defeat Pan…. alone, that is. Maybe if Emma and Regina and everyone who does have a little magic left in them got together and joined hands and stood against Pan, even without the help of Rumple, it could be possible they could defeat him. And just for the record I also think that maybe Rumple should forgive his father. But I don’t think he will do it in hopes that Baewill forgive him, I think it might have something to do with the defeat or undoing of his father as Pan. It already seems like Bae is on his way to forgiving his father.Because as Kris said, they are different. They made the same mistake, but one relished in it while the other tried to make things right.

    • Hi. Your comments got trapped somehow in the spam filter. I just noticed them now and released them.

      I’ve come around to agree with what you and Kris are saying — that Pan and Rumple made the same mistake with their sons, but that afterwards they felt and acted differently.

      I’m still not sure whether or not Pan ever regretted — if only for a few moments — the choice he had made.

      Maybe we’ll find out tonight (in the winter finale).

  4. Kris, though I have been hoping for a happy ending for Pan and Rumple, I think you may be right. Pan does seem to be the kind of person who is never sincerely sorry for what he has done — who doesn’t have much or any empathy for how his actions affect other people — who just doesn’t care except went it inconveniences him in some way. Except for that one ambiguous scene with Rumple in the cave, Pan has never showed any consideration or compassion for anyone else. I was hoping that scene showed a different side of him, but it would be out of character for him if it did. I guess we’ll find out soon.

    • Marj – I had nothing to do this afternoon, so I just went back and watched last week’s episode in preparation for tonight, and I noticed something I hadn’t before. When Pan has Snow, Emma, and Regina tied up to the remorse tree and he threatens them, Regina just laughs him off. She says he knows he has no power until he absorbs Henry’s heart. I’m wondering if that is why he was remorseful (or at least appeared to be) with Rumple in the cave. He knew he would be powerless until he had absorbed Henry’s heart and wanted Rumple out of the way. You are right – we should find out soon. :)

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