This Character’s Resurrection In Once Upon A Time Season 3 Totally Ruined Peter Pan’s Fate

The third season of Once Upon a Time aired one of the most heartbreaking scenes of the whole series. The mid-season finale saw Peter Pan threatening to cast a dark curse that would torture the heroes for all eternity. The only way to stop Pan was for Rumpelstiltskin to sacrifice himself. So that’s what he did. Rumpelstiltskin used the dagger of the Dark One to kill Peter Pan, selflessly sacrificing himself for the safety of his family and loved ones. This scene was so heartbreaking as he had to sacrifice himself in front of his true love and his family.

His sacrifice was the most noble and heroic thing audiences had ever seen Rumpelstiltskin do. However, the character was brought back to life just two episodes later, taking away from the selfless act. As well as this, the resurrection of Rumpelstiltskin without Peter Pan makes no sense, as it broke the price of magic. The return of the popular character also went against the mythology of The Dark One, learned in season five of the show. After he was resurrected, the character went back to his dark and selfish ways, becoming one of the main villains of season four.

Rumpelstiltskin’s OUAT Season 3 Sacrifice Was Underwhelming Following His Resurrection

The Show Turned Him Back Into A Villain

Rumpelstiltskin’s sacrifice was aired in the eleventh episode of season three, titled “Going Home”. It felt like a natural ending for the character, so audiences were shocked when the character returned just two episodes later in episode 13, “Witch Hunt”. It was revealed that the character was brought back and was being held captive by The Wicked Witch of the west as her prisoner. When he was brought back to the land of the living, it was a life for a life, so his son, Neal unknowingly gave his life, so Rumpelstiltskin could live on.

Following the revival of Rumpelstiltskin, he became one of the biggest villains of the show, completely undermining his selfless sacrifice. He attempted to kill The Wicked Witch, he tried to kill Hook to use his heart for a spell, and he tracked down the author of the storybook to force him to write all the villains happy endings while the heroes suffer forever. All of these evil acts make it easy for audiences to forget about his selflessness in season three, as they make the act completely underwhelming.

If Rumpelstiltskin Returned, Peter Pan Should Have Returned Too

The Price Of Magic Was Taken Away, So The Magic Should Have Been Undone

Rumpelstiltskin only sacrificed himself because he needed to kill Peter Pan to save everyone else. It was the price of magic that was required for Pan’s death. This means that Rumpelstiltskin’s return to the show paints the question of why Pan didn’t return too. If Rumpelstiltskin was returned to the realm of the living, it meant that the price of the magic was taken away. Therefore, the magic it took to kill Pan should have been undone. This would have led to more problems for the heroes, but an interesting storyline that the show hadn’t seen before.

Pan eventually returned for three episodes in season five of the show, as well as a voice-over appearance. Although he did cause mischief in these episodes, attempting to kill Robin Hood and kidnap The Wicked Witch, he was defeated once again by Rumpelstiltskin. When he was defeated in season 5, it was a lot easier than the first time around. As the character was already dead and, in The Underworld, it meant that there wasn’t a price to pay for defeating the character.

The Vault Of The Dark One Holds The Power, Not The Host In Once Upon A Time

The Vault Shouldn’t Have Been Able To Bring Rumpelstiltskin Back To Life

In season five of the show, it was revealed that once someone becomes a Dark One, they are transported to the vault of the Dark One, where the dark power consumes them. This happened with both Emma and Hook when they became Dark Ones. This proves that the vault of the dark one is used to contain the powers of the Dark One, not the host himself.

Therefore, when Neal opened the vault of the dark one in season three of Once Upon a Time, it shouldn’t have released Rumpelstiltskin, it should have released the powers of the Dark One. In the show’s fifth season, it was also revealed that Rumpelstiltskin was in the Underworld after his big sacrifice, and a soul can only leave the Underworld if Hades allows it. After seeing Hades in season five, it’s clear he’d never willingly allow a soul to leave The Underworld. Therefore, it shouldn’t have been possible for Rumpelstiltskin to return from the Underworld and appear in the vault of the dark one.