So a bulk of the gifsets so far for my ‘Every Killian Jones Scene’ series covered the scene where Rumple goes to Killian on the Jolly Roger. And I often saw a lot of tags/comments about how people felt bad for Rumple in that scene and I respect that. I really do. Bobby’s excellent acting in that scene certainly helps in that regard.
But I just... do not agree with the sentiment. I honestly have never felt particularly bad for Rumple in that scene simply because Killian very clearly gives him the choice to actually take a stand for his wife, something Rumple chooses not to do. Which is why Killian walks away saying that Rumple needs to tell his son the truth - his father’s a coward. Because it is the truth.
And I guess, when you do see that scene for the first time in the way it’s intended to be seen (aka 2.04 came before all the rest of their dynamic and before some backstory was filled in), it paints Rumple in a more sympathetic light. Especially since he was the already established character in that scene and Killian was not - and at surface value, Killian does come off as a condescending bully to a certain degree. But even then, we already have the backstory of how Rumple ended up the Dark One and eventually abandoned Bae to hold on to his power, so even that view feels a bit shaky to me.
The things is now, we do have the full backstory on both of these men and how they came to be in the places they were at the point in their lives.
We have all of Killian’s backstory - he literally had his and his brother’s very freedom bartered away by their own father, where he then spent the rest of his childhood/young adult life as a slave who was mistreated by those he was property too. He was treated as literal property for his formative years. On top of that, the brother who stepped up to raise him became nothing more than collateral damage in a king’s corrupt bid for power. Which is how he became Captain of his own ship.
And we also now know that Rumple traded away Milah’s choice to have more children without her consent. He not only treated her as a bargaining chip because he was too scared to live without his son (a repeated theme for his cowardice, mind you), he then goes and confronts this man - who himself was seen as mere property and as a bartering chip - about her. Essentially acting like she is property that Killian has taken and must now return to her rightful owner.
Which is extremely rich considering we know that Milah went to the tavern of her own free will and chose to spend her time with Killian and his crew. It’s not like someone dragged her to that table to have drinks with him. Rumple literally tracks her down to that tavern where she is clearly enjoying herself and the guilt trips her into returning home. This time using their son as a bargaining chip to manipulate her into doing what he wanted her to do.
This is a tactic he then tries to repeat with Killian (using his young son to manipulate how a situation turns out). Who, again, was a child used as currency by *his* own father so said father could escape paying his debts.
So now not only is Killian standing there seeing this man beg for the return of his wife as if she belongs to him, but he’s also seeing him do the exact same thing with his son.
(We also know that Killian never saw Milah as property to be taken. That in the very same episode where we find out Rumple’s taken her choice from her, it’s Killian who not only comes to her defense against another man who doesn’t take her feelings into consideration, but also then respects her choice to not join him. And, using context, it’s safe to assume that the reason Killian is so cold and dismissive to Rumple right from the get-go is because he knows of the deal where Rumple traded away his own wife’s future without her consent).
And even still, Killian gives Rumple the opportunity to show, at the very least, that he is willing to put himself on the line for this woman he claims belongs to him.
And Rumple doesn’t.
(Also, again based on context, we know Killian adheres to good form and will very easily throw a fight against an opponent that doesn’t match his skill level - aka the fight with Emma at Lake Nostos. So based on that knowledge, I think it’s also safe to assume that Killian had no intention of harming Rumple in an actual duel. He was simply trying to prove a point).
And I know, centuries later, Killian views himself as the villain in that whole thing. But when you factor in Killian’s self-worth and self-perception and the additional backstory that comes along with him tied to his father and younger half-brother, it’s really easy to understand why he himself would misconstrue the whole event (especially considering the instigator of his darkest thoughts is literally the cowardly man he ‘challenged’ all those centuries ago who has a massive vendetta against him, even after Killian has moved on from his ‘quest for revenge’).
Anywho... just figured I’d express my feelings on this whole subject considering I keep seeing the comments and tags and it’s got me feeling some sort of way.
(And again, if you are one of those people who feels sorry for Rumple in that scene, that’s absolutely fine! You are allowed that interpretation 1000%! I’m simply expressing my thoughts on the matter after seeing so much of everyone else’s connected to the work I’ve made. LOL)
