Belle Gold (née French), briefly known as Lacey, is a fictional character in ABC's television series Once Upon a Time. She is portrayed by Emilie de Ravin, who became a series regular in the second season and onwards after making recurring appearances in the first season, and has become a fan favorite since her debut. She is both based on the character from Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, and the Disney princess of the 1991 film of the same name. Emilie de Ravin remained a series regular until the show's sixth season. De Ravin departed the main cast at the conclusion of the sixth season however she returned for one guest appearance during the fourth episode of the seventh season to give the character of Belle closure.
Video Belle (Once Upon a Time)
Character background
Early life
Belle grew up in the Enchanted Forest as the daughter of Sir Maurice (Eric Keenleyside) and his wife Colette (Frances O'Connor). She always had a close relationship with her mother, having been introduced to her love for books and taught different skills such as how to translate fairy language. Belle also had a childhood friend by the name of Samuel. However, besides this, not much else is known about Belle's life growing up. Nearing adulthood though, Belle is startled to learn that war is ready to breakout between her kingdom and the ogres.
Her father arranges for her to marry Sir Gaston (Wes Brown), a union that Belle openly objects, but she agrees to go out on a walk with him and she surprisingly takes a liking to him. This all changes when she finds him torturing a young ogre, but nonetheless she agrees to marry him when war does officially break out. At one point during the war, Belle and her family are forced to flee their castle; however, she and her mother spend time packing up all of their important books. This results in an ogre storming the castle and killing Colette, and Belle is left without any memory of the event. Needing to know the truth, she travels to Arendelle where she meets Princess Anna (Elizabeth Lail). Anna takes her to rock troll Grand Pabbie (John Rhys-Davies) who is able to retract her memories and put them into a pebble which she's instructed to brew into a tea. However, due to an encounter with the Snow Queen (Elizabeth Mitchell), Belle loses the rock and returns home empty handed. Maurice confesses to Belle the truth though, how Colette sacrificed herself to save Belle. This sets Belle on the track of becoming a hero, and she reveals to her father than on her trip she learned of a man who could help them: Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle).
Rumplestiltskin agrees to protect Belle's kingdom if she agrees to leave her life behind and live with him as his caretaker. Both Maurice and Gaston object to this, but Belle ignores their pleas and leaves with the Dark One. Right away Belle realizes that conditions aren't ideal, but a spark is shown when Rumplestiltskin shows pity on Belle when she accidentally chips a teacup. At one point during Belle's stay in the Dark Castle, she and Rumplestiltskin are visited by an intruder, Robin Hood (Tom Ellis), who the Dark One proceeds to torture for trying to steal from him. Belle lets Robin go without her master's permission, but when Rumplestiltskin sees that Robin was just stealing a wand to cure his sick and pregnant wife (Christie Laing), he spares the thief's life. Belle embraces Rumplestiltskin in a hug, seeing that there's a man behind the beast, and he later gifts her with a library. Belle and Robin Hood share an encounter sometime in the future where Belle meets the thief in his true form (Sean Maguire). One day Rumplestiltskin returns home with a stolen baby which he leaves to Belle to take care of. She's appalled and frightened by whatever he plans to do with the child, and so she sets out to unveil his plans and save the baby's life. This, however, was all part of Rumplestiltskin's plans to have her translate old fairy language, and he locks her in the library. The Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy) subsequently frees Belle, and she finds Rumplestiltskin using the child to summon the Black Fairy (Jaime Murray)... his mother. Belle is disgusted by the Black Fairy' treatment of Rumplestiltskin, but nonetheless shames him for stealing a child. She's later given permission to return the child to his parents, Jack (Nick Hunnings) and Jill (Tammy Gillis).
Belle and Rumplestiltskin's bond is further explored later on when Belle is targeted by the Queens of Darkness - Maleficent (Kristin Bauer van Straten), Ursula (Merrin Dungey), and Cruella De Vil (Victoria Smurfit) - who ransom her for Rumplestiltskin's magic gauntlet. The Dark One meets the three women at Demon's Bluff with the gauntlet, and is given no choice but to hand it over when he can't stand to see Belle strangled to death by Ursula. Belle one day is sent out to the market in order to pick up stuff for Rumplestiltskin when she stumbles upon her old friend Samuel, injured, and so she brings him back to the Dark Castle to nurse him back to health. As it turns out though, he was just there to steal Rumplestiltskin's dagger, giving him control over the Dark One, and so Belle betrays him in choice of her master. More sparks begin to fly in Belle and Rumplestiltskin's relationship as the former begins to have the Dark One open up more, both literally and figuratively. This includes opening up his nailed down curtains and convincing him to share the story of his lost son (Dylan Schmid). The Dark One agrees to tell Belle everything if she returns home from the market with straw, this being his subtle way of setting her free, having developed genuine feelings for her. Though Belle plans to not return at first, she runs into the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla) on the road and learns that Rumplestiltskin's curse can be broken with a kiss of true love. Knowing that she's in love with the Dark One and that he loves her back, Belle returns and attempts this, only for it to blow up in her face when Rumplestiltskin learns it was the Queen's idea. He lashes out at Belle and sends her back to the dungeon, only to end up kicking her out of his castle all together. Before leaving, Belle points out to the Dark One that power won't be enough for him - he'll always be left with an empty heart and a chipped cup.
Rather than return home to her friends and family, Belle starts spending her days in a local tavern where she eventually meets a dwarf named Dreamy (Lee Arenberg). After convincing him to go after his love (Amy Acker), he convinces her to seek out adventure, that being to join a group of men on the hunt for a beast known as the Yaoguai. She does just that, but when not taken seriously and kicked off the wagon, she sends the men in the wrong direction and proceeds to go out and hunt the creature herself. She winds up befriending the likes of a warrior named Mulan (Jamie Chung), and she is eventually able to track the Yaoguai down. However, as it turns out, all this time the beast has merely been trying to communicate with them. With the use of some fairy dust, Belle restores the creature to its true form: Prince Phillip (Julian Morris). While Phillip and Mulan go off together in order to rescue Princess Aurora (Sarah Bolger), Belle plans to return to Rumplestiltskin. She's unable to do so, however, when the Evil Queen arrives to take her prisoner. Regina goes on to have the Dark One convinced that Belle committed suicide by throwing herself off a tower, leaving him utterly heartbroken, when all the while she remains locked up in the Queen's castle. Belle is later sought out by Captain Hook (Colin O'Donoghue), an old enemy of Rumplestiltskin's who believes that the Dark One's former maid may know the key to his undoing. He plans to kill her when she proves otherwise, but Regina intervenes as she believes Belle to be a "valuable chess piece".
Season 1
When the Evil Queen enacts a powerful Dark Curse that puts everyone in the town of Storybrooke, Maine with false memories for the next 28 years, Belle spends that entire time locked away in the psychiatric ward beneath the town's hospital. Unlike the other townspeople, Belle was left a blank slate and set to serve merely as a prisoner in order to keep her away from Rumplestiltskin or, as he's known in Storybrooke, Mr. Gold. However, when time starts moving again and Mr. Gold regains his memories of his past life in the Enchanted Forest, he forms a vendetta against Belle's father, believing he drove her to suicide. Sheriff Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) has no choice but to arrest Gold when he beats Moe French nearly to death, but when behind bars, Regina returns to him the chipped teacup in exchange for confirming to Her Majesty that he knows the truth about the curse. She then proceeds to check up on a locked up Belle, who appears absolutely miserable.
As the Dark Curse is nearing its end with the Savior starting to believe, things start to fall apart for Regina. This includes her alliance with Jefferson the Mad Hatter (Sebastian Stan) who she refuses to hold up her end of a deal with when he procured her the poisoned apple she once used on Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin). Wanting to hurt Regina, Jefferson heads for the psychiatric ward where he breaks Belle out of her cell and instructs that she seek out Mr. Gold, insisting that he will protect her. Belle does just that, shocking Gold beyond disbelief as he spent all this time thinking she was dead. He embraces her with a hug, though she has no memory of him, but he assures her that she will. The two later head for the town's wishing well when the curse is officially broken. Belle's memories are restored, and she embraces Gold and declares her love, which he reciprocates. Gold puts their reunion on a short hold though, as he proceeds to drop a magical vial into the well, bringing magic to Storybrooke.
Season 2
Though Belle has been reunited with Rumplestiltskin, he continues to struggle with his dark impulses. Upon learning that Regina had locked Belle up for 28 years, he summons a Wraith to kill the Queen, resulting in Belle temporarily leaving him due to him being unable to give up his dark nature. She soon comes back though, deciding she can't give up on him just yet, and the continue to pursue their relationship. Belle moves in with Rumple, as she is oblivious to her father trying to find her; however, when he does, he attempts to force her over the town line to make her forget about her life with Rumplestiltskin, refusing to bless their relationship. This makes her both upset with him and Rumple, who she's learned is continuing to practice dark magic. Though she cut ties with the both of them, she eventually gives Rumple another chance upon seeing that he's attempting to change, giving her the town's library and setting her up with the apartment above it. They agree to then go out and get a hamburger, as Belle has never had one before. As Belle explores life in Storybrooke, she comes to befriend Ruby (Meghan Ory), who she helps out when it comes to controlling her turning into a werewolf during a full moon. Meanwhile, Belle and Rumple grow closer, as they continue to go out on dates such as lunch at Granny's Diner and a picnic at Rumple's pawnshop. However, interruptions do occur as the town is in a frenzy due to the arrival of Regina's mother, Cora (Barbara Hershey), who has become a new threat to them all.
Belle supports Rumple in his mission to find a loophole around the town line barrier in hopes of going out in search of his long lost son, but ventures out on her own when it is revealed that Captain Hook has made it to Storybrooke and attacks her in the library. She ends up rescuing Archie Hopper (Raphael Sbarge) from being held hostage on the Jolly Roger, facing off against Hook. Rumple appears and beats Hook to Belle's horror, as she begs him to show her that her faith in him is justified. After Rumple lets Hook live and prepares to leave town, Hook shoots Belle as revenge. This sends her tumbling across the town line, causing her to lose her memory, just as an outsider crosses into Storybrooke. Though Rumple is able to heal Belle's gunshot wound immediately, she's escorted to the hospital in order to be kept under intensive care while suffering from amnesia. Rumple attempts to get through to Belle by showing her the chipped teacup, a remnant of their life together, but a scared and confused Belle throws and smashes the cup. Heartbroken, Rumple leaves. Ruby visits Belle in the hospital but is disappointed that she doesn't remember who she is. When Belle recalls Rumple healing her wound with magic, as well as making a fireball to throw at Hook, Ruby acts as though Belle isn't making any sense. Belle knows what she saw though, sending her into a frenzy, thus forcing the need for her to be sedated. She later finds that she isn't alone in her beliefs, for she is approached by Greg Mendell (Ethan Embry) who reveals that he saw the same thing.
With Regina and Cora now conspiring together, Regina visits Belle in the hospital in order to find details on where Rumple's Dark One dagger is located. Rumple is later poisoned with Dreamshade by Hook, and on his deathbed Rumple calls Belle at the hospital in order to speak to her one last time, telling her that although she cannot remember it, she is a hero. Their call ends, but Rumple is cured when Mary Margaret sacrifices Cora's life for Rumple's. Belle is relieved when Rumple visits her, revealing that he's still alive, but their happiness doesn't last as Regina instills a new persona for Belle - a party girl with loose morals by the name of Lacey - who Rumple soon finds at the local bar, after being discharged from the hospital. The two don't initially click, but Rumple is soon able to make it work when he finds that Lacey is attracted to his dark side. They continue to pursue a relationship, with Hook learning that Rumple is still alive when seeing the couple out walking the streets. Lacey serves as a bad influence for Rumple, which goes noticed by Baelfire, now known as Neal (Michael Raymond-James), who Rumple has found and brought back to Storybrooke. Lacey soon learns Rumple has magic, as well as the ability to grant her eternal youth. She reacts positively and suggests Rumple do what he must to preserve their future, oblivious to the fact that it means killing his grandson, Henry Mills (Jared S. Gilmore). Belle's memories are eventually restored, however, in the midst of the destruction of Storybrooke. She embraces Rumple as they're prepared to die, but the town is soon saved, and Rumple must leave on a new quest to save Henry from Neverland. He leaves Belle behind, as he's fated to die on this mission, but Belle vows that she'll see him again.
Season 3
Rumplestilskin encounters a form of Belle frequently in Neverland as an illusion to act as a crutch to his cowardliness; she is later revealed as his father Peter Pan's shadow in disguise. In Storybrooke, Belle helps Ariel retrieve Pandora's Box to send to the heroes in Neverland as a method to defeat Peter Pan. Belle and Rumple are reunited when the group returns to Storybrooke after retrieving Henry, though Gold soon sacrifices himself to kill his father and save Belle and the others. However, Pan's curse remains and Belle, along with the other inhabitants are sent back to their original worlds. In the Enchanted Forest, Belle and Neal travel to the Dark One's vault. To the disapproval of Belle, Neal ignores the possible repercussions and unlocks the vault, resurrecting Rumplestiltskin but sacrificing himself. Belle is returned to Storybrooke when Snow and Charming enact a new curse to stop Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West, from taking their baby. In Storybrooke, Belle mourns Neal's death and eventually discovers Zelena's plan to change the past. She also discovers that Zelena is in possession of the Dark One's dagger and therefore is keeping Rumple captive and under her control. Upon Zelena's defeat at Regina's hand, Mr. Gold proposes to Belle after entrusting her with his dagger (though unknown to her, it is a replica) and the two are married at the wishing well.
Season 4
Belle and Rumple share a blissful honeymoon in the Sorcerer's mansion, where Rumple discovers the Sorcerer's Hat. Later, Belle helps Emma and the Charmings deduce the Snow Queen's ultimate goal. Belle eventually learns of Rumple's deception, banishing her husband from the town with the power of the dagger before he is able to kill Hook. While Gold is gone, Belle and Hook form somewhat of a friendship as they work together to find a way to free the fairies from the Sorcerer's Hat. Gold manages to return to Storybrooke with Ursula and Cruella de Vil, only to find Belle involved in a romantic relationship with Will Scarlet. In an attempt to threaten Gold, who is now working with the Queens of Darkness, Regina steals Belle's heart. Gold and Will work together to get it back, and Gold returns the heart to Belle and apologizes once again for his actions, telling Will that it is now his job to protect Belle's heart. As Gold's condition worsens, and he is consumed by the Dark One's powers, Belle confesses to him that she does not love Will. The Apprentice removes the darkness from Gold's heart, though he remains in a comatose state whilst the darkness is taken in by Emma Swan.
Season 5
With the other residents, Belle transports to the Enchanted Forest, taking Emma to Camelot in order to find Merlin and remove her darkness. However, weeks later, they return to Storybrooke with missing memories as to how they failed. During her time in Camelot, Belle's growing knowledge of spells helped to free Lancelot and Merida from King Arthur's prison. Belle subsequently helped Merida of Dunbroch win back her kingdom and save her three brothers from the other clans. In Storybrooke, Dark Emma awakens Rumple from his coma. Emma then steals Merida's heart and commands her to kill Belle in hopes that it will inspire Rumple to be a hero. Rumple insists that he and Belle leave town, but she refuses to run away from her life and the people she cares about. Dark Emma then transforms Merida into a bear that chases Belle through the woods until the bear is stopped by Rumple, who feeds it anti-transformation powder in order to revert Merida to human form. Belle witnesses Rumple embrace his newfound sense of heroism and remove Excalibur from its stone. After everyone's memory is restored and Rumple heroically faces Dark Hook, Rumple tells Belle that he is ready to finally be the man she deserves. Belle declines his offer to rekindle their relationship, stating that she has spent too long trying to heal his heart that she has lost track of her own. Upon the arrival of all previous Dark Ones in Storybrooke, Rumple sends Belle out of town so that she may escape the immediate threat and see the world as she has always wanted to. Belle accepts the offer and leaves, but returns once the threat is vanquished and tells Rumple that she wants to be with him because he has proven to be truly selfless, though she is unaware that Rumple has now reclaimed the powers of the Dark One.
Belle remains in Storybrooke when Rumple travels with Emma to the Underworld to rescue Hook, but is unaware that she is pregnant with their first child (although it is Rumple's second born child). It is revealed that, many years ago, Rumple promised his second born child to a healer back in the Enchanted Forest in exchange for saving Baelfire. Now the healer has died and signed the contract over to Hades, whom the baby is now owed to. After she is sent through a portal along with Zelena and her daughter, Belle learns the truth from Gold about his reacquired powers and her pregnancy as well as the contract, putting her life and that of their unborn child in jeopardy once again. Motivated by Hades, Gaston moves against Rumplestiltskin with plans to kill him, reuniting Belle with her ex-fiancé. After confronting Gold about his murder of Gaston decades earlier, Belle intends to help Gaston move on, only to learn that Gaston blames her for his death. In an attempt to rescue Rumplestiltskin, Belle inadvertently pushes Gaston into the River of Lost Souls. Consumed with guilt over what she did to Gaston, Belle places herself under a sleeping curse given to her by Zelena, believing it would give Gold enough time to save their child from Hades. Before falling under, Belle makes Gold promise to return her to her father. It later turns out that Gold's kiss of True Love cannot break the spell, for Belle had begun losing faith in him again. To keep her and his unborn child safe, Rumple places Belle inside of Pandora's Box.
Season 6
Belle remains in the sleeping curse she put herself in to protect her child. Rumple enters her dreamworld to try and wake her, but fails in doing so. Her son wakes her instead, and she once again rejects Rumple. As she seeks a new place to stay, Hook offers for Belle to stay on the Jolly Roger in repentance for attacking her in the past. Belle forgives him and accepts, realizing Hook is a changed man. Rumple casts a spell forbidding her to leave the boat due to a serious threat from Mr. Hyde. However, the spell puts her in danger when she cannot flee from the true threat, Dr. Jekyll. This further deteriorates Rumple and Belle's relationship. Belle briefly forges an alliance with Zelena in order to escape Storybrooke, but Rumple stops them before she can. In the episode "Changelings", the Evil Queen speeds up Belle's pregnancy and Belle gives birth to Gideon. She gives her son to the Blue Fairy, fearing Rumple will try to take the child as he previously threatened. But the Blue Fairy is ambushed by Rumple's mother, the Black Fairy. Gideon is taken to the Dark Realm where he grows up very quickly and develops a terrifying darkness. Rumple apologizes for his villainous actions and tells Belle that they need to start trusting each other in order to rescue their son. In the mid season finale, an adult Gideon arrives in Storybrooke and is shown confronting his mother and father in Gold's shop.
Gideon explains to his parents that he has arrived in Storybrooke to kill the Savior and take her powers for himself in order to defeat the Black Fairy and free the Dark Realm. Belle agrees to work with Rumple in order to save their son from the darkness growing inside of him and to prevent the looming "war" in Storybrooke. Rumple and Belle later learn that Gideon has been under the control of the Black Fairy, who has stolen his heart. After Rumple secretly forges an alliance with his mother in order to retrieve Gideon's heart, he returns the heart and Gideon happily reunites with his parents. The Black Fairy then casts her curse to start the Final Battle, which separates Belle from her husband and son and turns her into a recluse and a hermit, afraid to leave the confines of her home. This is in direct contrast to Belle's true nature and love of travel and adventure. In addition, the Black Fairy once again steals Gideon's heart and commands him to kill the Savior. To break the curse, Rumple kills the Black Fairy, and he and Belle happily reunite. Together they enter the mines to once again retrieve Gideon's heart and stop him before he can kill Emma. Upon finding the heart and considering the power he could gain from Emma's death, Rumple makes the decision to ignore his dark impulses and commands Gideon to let Emma live. The end of the Final Battle sees adult Gideon disappear and reappear to Belle and Rumple as the baby she originally gave up. Belle and Rumple celebrate their "happy beginning" together with the Charmings, Emma, Hook, Regina, and Zelena at Granny's Diner.
Season 7
One year after the events of the season six finale, Belle and Rumple are planning baby Gideon's first birthday party. Rumple gives Belle a travel book and promises her that he's going to give her what she's always wanted: an opportunity to see the world. Ten years later, along their travels, Belle, Rumple, and Gideon explore an ancient bridge above a river said to grant people's greatest wishes. Rumple reveals to Belle that he no longer wishes to have the powers of the Dark One, because he wants to live out a mortal life with her. He drops the dagger into the river, but it instantly reappears. Belle vows to help Rumple find a way to be rid of his curse forever. Eight years later, Belle, Rumple, and Gideon are living in a castle or large estate in an unspecified location. Belle and Rumple are ecstatic to discover that (a now 18-year-old) Gideon has been accepted into a prestigious academy. Belle then reveals to Rumple that she has discovered and translated a fairy prophecy, which states: "When the Dark One finds eternal love, at the sun's brightest set, where time stops, the path will appear to where the darkness shall rest." Rumple tells Belle that the place referred to by the prophecy is the Edge of Realms, the edge of all existence where the sun never sets and time passes differently. Belle understands at this time that "the sun's brightest set" means her own death, but purposely withholds this from Rumple because she knows he would do anything to prevent it. Belle decides she would rather live a long, happy life with Rumple rather than endlessly seeking another answer. The two travel to the Edge of Realms and decide to build their home there without the use of magic. Many blissful years pass, as Belle ages into an elderly woman and Rumple remains immortal. On her deathbed, Belle reveals to a distraught Rumple that only by letting her go may he finally find the answer to getting rid of the Dark One curse and ultimately reunite with her in death. Rumple tells Belle that he is too afraid to let her go, but she reminds him of their timeless tale. As she passes, Belle's final words to Rumple are: "You let me go once before, and we found our way back to each other. You're a good man, Rumple. Your heart is pure. You will find the answer you need to get rid of the dagger, and you will find your way back to me, okay? I promise."
Maps Belle (Once Upon a Time)
Character development and reception
The producers had planned to make the Belle character a recurring role in the series, but after sporadic appearances in the first season, she was promoted to a series regular in the second.
Had de Ravin not accepted the Belle role, she would've gone on to star in a television series called Americana; ABC decided to pass on the pilot in 2012.
de Ravin's fellow co-star on Once Upon a Time, Keegan Connor Tracy (who plays The Blue Fairy/Mother Superior), also played Belle in the 2015 TV movie Descendants.
References
External links
- Belle on IMDb
Source of article : Wikipedia
0 Comments