Rumplestiltskin

"All magic comes with a price."

- Rumplestiltskin's iconic phrase.

Rumplestiltskin, know as Mr. Gold after the Dark Curse, is a main character on ABC's Once Upon a Time and he débuts in the first episode of the first season. Rumplestiltskin is known to be a powerful magician with a penchant for making deals but in the course of the series will prove to have a tragic past and to be the mastermind behind the events of the lives of most of the characters.

Creation
Rumplestiltskin is based on a character of the same name from the fairy tale, "Rumpelstiltskin". He also takes the place of the Beast from the fairy tale, "Beauty and the Beast" and the Crocodile from "Peter and Wendy".

The role of Rumplestiltskin was given to Robert Carlyle; it was written with Carlyle in mind, though the writers initially thought he would never accept the part. Horowitz recalled Carlyle's prison sequence, which was the actor's first day on the set as "mind-blowing...You could see Ginny actually jump, the first time he did that character. It was fantastic!"

Robert Carlyle revealed in an interview that it takes approximately two hours to dress him in Rumplestiltskin's costume, twenty minutes of which is spent on his boots. He also revealed that it takes about one hour to remove the costume. Robert's youngest son, Pearce, gave him the idea of how to do Rumplestiltskin's voice.

Personality
Originally, Rumplestiltskin is a quiet and humble man who despite having had some success in life he had to live in the shadow of his father's cowardice. Rumplestiltskin proves to be scared, but brave as he saw the opportunity to emerge from the shadow of his father, Rumplestiltskin willingly go to war, however, when a psychic tells him that he will die, leaving his unborn child to suffer chance to grow up without a father, Rumplestiltskin has second thoughts and returns home committing an act of self-harm.

Rumplestiltskin's love towards his son, and his family in general, is one of the most important traits of his personality and the largest, if not the sole motivation of his life. When do you think that the pirate Killian Jones took prisoner Milah, Rumplestiltskin, tried to intercede for the life of his wife, but physically incapable of consenting to the demands of the pirate, has to do a choice: die at the hands of Killian and his band of pirates, leaving Baelfire an orphan or go back, once again branded as a coward, but secure in the fact that his son is not an orphan; Rumplestiltskin back.

When a new war of the orcs, the army of the Duke begins to send the children of the kingdom in battle. Ignoring the official propaganda that is noble and brave to give his life for the country, Rumplestiltskin understand that to fight is to die, and there is no honor in sacrifice. At this point in his life, Rumplestiltskin, is scared and desperate, but willing to do what is necessary to save Baelfire and, following this instinct, Rumplestiltskin, alone, attacked the duke's castle and steals a magical dagger that allows him to kill the Dark One and gain its power.

During the early days of the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin is quite consistent with his original personality but soon changes, showing others the cruelty that he himself has suffered, using his power with arrogance and pride. (Even if you saved and brought the kids home from the war of orcs is implied that he did so only because he had promised to his son.) He says all he really wants is happiness and security for Baelfire but when you get a Baelfire Beanstalk that can take them to an alternate world free of the curse of the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin is unable to abandon his powers and accidentally leaves Baelfire in another world.

After the departure of Baelfire, Rumplestiltskin gets incredibly ruthless, lonely and vindictive. In this period continues to amass wealth and property in an attempt to get away from his old life. However, Rumplestiltskin, he regrets his actions against Baelfire and this regret is getting louder until it becomes an obsession that leads him to extreme acts in order to reunite with him. Over the years, Rumplestiltskin acquires its fearsome reputation as one that is inevitable agreements, without worrying too much about the consequences they have on others but more selfishly worrying to get what he wants. Although ruthless in its agreements, Rumplestiltskin warns anyone who wants to make a deal to be cautious, because there is no way out.

Rumplestiltskin is patient, willing to wait until it has everything you need to create and to break the curse. But Rumplestiltskin is still alone, turning to her spinning wheel for comfort, a recluse in a huge castle, until Belle enters his life. After meeting her even though her brain reminds him that he is essentially unlovable, dark soul, a beast, his heart still yearns for love. And even as he casts Belle from his house, believing that one day she despise him, he mourns his loss. After the departure of Belle (and presumed death), Rumplestiltskin puts his plan in motion, and it is in this period, which encourages Rumplestiltskin Blue, making offers to buy the ingredients of true love from him and Snow White.

In Storybrooke, its counterpart, Mr. Gold has an influence that seems to know no bounds. From real estate to politics and even in the personal lives of his neighbors, the knowledge and involvement of gold is virtually endless and the citizens of Storybrooke actually appear to be more intimidated by him than they are to the Queen. Always fresh and dressed with a touch of sartorial cosmopolitan, Mr. Gold exudes the kind of confidence that only comes from knowing you are the master of your domain. Mr. Gold also owns and operates the local pawnshop, where numerous objects of the Enchanted Forest, and where he spends most of his days taking care of the various items he has collected over the years and do business with the inhabitants.

He walks assisted by a cane, a remnant of his self-injury, a reminder of why he beat the curse, and the goal of his life. Mr. Gold, however, is still afraid of his impotence and sends Emma to recover the true love potion so he can unleash the most powerful magic of all of Storybrooke through the enchanted well and regain his powers. Over time, Mr. Gold is changed from the family and his relationship with Belle. His only constant is that he will do anything for the family; he is fiercely loyal, but also slow to forget the injustices done to him. All he wanted his whole life is family and the love and the tragedy of Rumplestiltskin is essential that it has not been able to get any of these for a long time.

Mr. Gold is a give and take relationship with Regina Mills, and he helps her by planting the idea in her head that tries to destroy Mary Margaret as she poses as a murderess. He found Henry for Regina to take, but he is not always on his side. After Emma arrives, just as he had predicted, he helps her to gain acceptance as the sheriff in town and he refuses to help Regina when she goes to him for help in destroying Emma.

Physical appearance
As a child, Rumplestiltskin, had a round face with soft, features, light-brown hair that appear blond to light, a bulbous nose, hazel eyes and a slender build. As an adult, in his middle age, Rumplestiltskin, has a slender build, but not as weak as may seem his hair becomes darker and lose the blonde highlights, his features became more pronounced as well as his nose, his eyes appear sunken in the orbits and show the hairs typical of an adult. His overall appearance as an adult can be described as "skinny."

As the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin preserves the appearance that he had as an adult human being, but as a result of the power he acquired his skin takes on a golden reflection that according to the brightness may appear as green or gray, his eyes dilate and become amber, her teeth rotten appearing yellow, his hair take on a reddish tinge and is dishevelled and finally his nails become black. After the Dark Curse, Mr. Gold is restored to his human form and the only differences are evident in his hair, which become partly gray, and his teeth, which appear much more carefully than they were before.

Powers and Abilities

 * Magic of the Dark One: Rumpelstiltskin was originally a simple human being without any kind of magical power, however, after killing the previous Dark One, Zoso, the name of Rumpelstiltskin took his place on the Dark One's Dagger and Rumpelstiltskin has earned all of his skills. His power seems to increase when he is in possession of a magical tool, like his dagger or wand of a fairy.
 * Immortality: Rumpelstiltskin has stopped aging when gained his powers and has proven immune to disease and other forms of human death. ( However, may be minor damage such as being cut by a sword, and will have to use his skills to heal. ) Apparently he doesn't feel the pain of his wounds, or at least has a great tolerance to it, as when he was stabbed he didn't have any kind of reaction.
 * Teleportation: Rumpelstiltskin can move from one place to another at will, disappearing into what looks like a purple smoke formation or red, however, he can also appear without creating the smoke effect.
 * Telekinesis: He is capable of manipulating objects or people without physically touching. He mainly uses this ability to harm others and when he uses this power he does it with a hand movement that mimics the action he want to perform.
 * Pyrokinesis: He is able to create and manipulate fire, often in the form of a fireball, effectively using it as a weapon against his enemies.
 * Healing: When he uses his healing abilities his hand will glow with purple and after having approached the wound, it will heal completely, leaving no visible sign, however, Rumpelstiltskin does not seem to be able to treat some types of poisons such as Dreamshade.
 * Transfiguration/shapeshifter: He is able to spin straw into gold, turning human beings into animals or changing the physical aspect of himself or others.
 * Strength and speed: Rumpelstiltskin has proven to be incredibly fast and strong in melee combat. When faced soldiers who wanted to take his son in his first moments as the Dark One, he was able to break a neck with one hand, and moved so fast that the soldiers were not aware of the situation and failed to react. While devoid of magic, Mr. Gold, proved to have great physical strength for a man of his age and size.
 * Arcane knowledge: Rumpelstiltskin has an almost infinite knowledge and understanding of spells, potions, and other topics related to magic, allowing him to do impossible things for common magicians. After the curse, Mr. Gold has an equally extensive knowledge in the field of law and legal.
 * Summons: He is able to summon objects or beings through the magic, often materializing it in one hand via a purple smoke. ( It is not known if he actually creates objects or transporting them from another place, but it is possible that both options are true depending on the circumstances. )
 * Heart extraction: Rumplestiltskin can remove the hearts of other living beings without killing them and use them to control the owner or kill them byt crishing the heart.
 * Perception: He seems to be able to sense when someone calls his name or when someone close to him.
 * Resurrection: If he dies without having passed the title of Dark One to another being, Rumplestiltskin can be resurrected by the Dark One Vault, if another person decides to open it, giving up his life as a result.
 * Technopaty: His magic also allows him to manipulate technology being capable of changing the security footage in jail from when he killed Zelena.
 * Seer Magic: After absorbing this power from the seer at the point of death, Rumpelstiltskin has become able to see fragments of the future. However, these visions are not accurate because they show a range of possible future and it is difficult to see what will actually happen.
 * Master Planner/Manipulator: Rumpelstiltskin is incredibly smart in all of its forms. As a human being was capable of processing a plan that allowed him to destroy a castle with only limited help of his son. As the Dark One, was able to manipulate the lives of many people of the enchanted forest so that the sequence of events would lead to the Dark Curse. After the curse as Mr. Gold, he remains as manipulate and capable of elaborate and carry on complicated plans to achive any goal.
 * Expert Swordsman: It has proved adept in the use of the sword, managing to overpower Captain Hook and Prince Charming, albeit assisted by his magical abilities.
 * The Dark Curse: Like all people affected by the curse, Mr. Gold, earn all the knowledge that a man in his position would possess and has not aged for 28 years in which the curse was in effect. In addition, because of a previous agreement, if he asks for something in Regina saying "please" she will be forced to obey. (After the curse was broken, Mr. Gold loses these abilities except for his knowledge and memories of the modern world.)

Weaknesses

 * Dark One's Dagger: Anyone who owns his dagger will be able to kill him, causing him to lose its status as the Dark One and the chance to rise again. In addition, anyone who owns the dagger also has full control over the actions of Rumpelstiltskin who is unable to disobey orders if not for a very short time.
 * Laws of Magic: Like any magician or sorcerer, Rumpelstiltskin is subject to the laws of magic, as a result he is unable to raise the dead, create love and time travel. (Despite this, he has broken the first rule when it was resurrected by his son and bottled true love, however, he took advantage of having bottled something that already existed and it remains unknown whether it is a violation.)
 * True Love kiss: Like all curses, Rumplestiltskin's curse of being the Dark One can be broken with a kiss of true love.
 * Leave Storybrooke: If Mr. Gold leaves Storybrooke, he will lose his magical powers, becoming mortal, and his memory of the Enchanted Forest will be deleted leaving only the character of Storybrooke. When he created a product to avoid losing the memory was able to get out of Storybrooke, it has been shown that removing the artifact causes disorientation and dizziness.

Before First Curse
Rumplestiltskin, a young boy, witnesses his father Malcolm get beaten up by a peasant when he attempts to scam him via a card trick, something his lowlife father is adept at. After giving him a straw doll and telling him to name it, Malcolm gets his son a job with a couple of spinsters, where Rumple discovers his talent for spinning at the wheel. They tell him that everyone knows of his father's shady reputation, and the only way he'll be able to escape it is by going to a new land. He is given a magic bean so that he's able to do this, and shows it to his father, asking where he'd like to go. Malcolm speaks fondly of the place he visited in his dreams as a child, and wants to go there, so the bean is dropped, a portal opens, and the two of them make their way to Neverland. Here, you can do anything so long as you can believe it, but Malcolm is disappointed when he's unable to fly, realizing that he'll need pixie dust to do so. Malcolm climbs a high tree in order to collect some dust from the flowers at the top, and whilst he's up there, he makes a deal with the island's only resident: the shadow. Rumple waits at the bottom, scared something terrible has happened to his father, but Malcolm soon returns, telling Rumple that he can't fly because he's not a boy. However, due to the deal he made with the shadow, he will be one soon, and leaving Rumple is the price for that. The shadow then takes Rumple away, causing the boy to drop his straw doll in the process, whilst Malcolm is turned young again by pixie dust, able to stay on Neverland for the rest of his days. Rumple is returned to the spinsters, who proceed to raise him and offer to make him a new doll. However, the child woefully states that Peter Pan (the name he gave his doll, and also the name that his father assumes as a child in Neverland) is gone. ("Think Lovely Thoughts")

When Rumplestiltskin is older, he marries a woman named Milah, and together they live in a village spinning and selling wool. One day, he is drafted to fight in the ogre war; excited to prove himself and show that he is not a coward like his father. However, in the training camp, the prisoner he is assigned to watch over as his first task—a Seer—indicates she knows of his fate, and would gladly exchange this information for a glass of water. She tells him that Milah is pregnant, and that his actions on the battlefield will leave his son fatherless. Skeptical at first, Rumplestiltskin eventually believes what she says and intentionally injures himself, so that he can get out of the war and be with his son, Baelfire. Once he returns home, Rumplestiltskin attempts to explain to Milah about the seer's prophecy, but she is astonished that he is gullible enough to believe in such a thing. Disgusted with his cowardice, she argues it would have been much more honorable for him to die and for Baelfire to have a dead father that fought in the war. ("Manhattan")

As the years pass, Milah grows more and more disillusioned and unhappy with the life she has with Rumplestiltskin. She drinks and gambles at the bar with a pirate captain, Killian Jones, and his ship crew men. He comes by to bring Milah home, to which she jeers and mocks him for his cowardly reputation. From outside, Baelfire comes in asking for his mother, and only then does Milah depart for her son's sake. At home, Milah tries to persuade Rumplestiltskin that it's possible for them to have a better life in another place where he doesn't have to live in the shadow of his reputation and they can travel the world. Instead, Rumplestiltskin pushes her to make the marriage work for Baelfire. She reluctantly agrees, but the next morning, he hears word of Milah's kidnapping by Killian. Rumplestiltskin attempts to rescue his wife, but is turned away by Killian when he is too cowardly to duel with him. Regretfully, he returns home to tell Baelfire that his mother is dead. ("The Crocodile")

When the kingdom resorts to using children as soldiers in yet another ogre war, Rumplestiltskin and his son flee into the forest, only to be found and bullied by royal knights. After the knights leave, Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire are approached by a mysterious old man who offers them help in exchange for a small amount of food and company. After Rumplestiltskin explains his reason for running away, the old man has a better idea and steers him towards stealing a magical dagger from the Duke's castle. As holder of the dagger, Rumplestiltskin can control the Dark One, a terrifying entity with unmatched magical powers who is the most feared being in all the land. He decides to steal the dagger with the hopes of protecting Baelfire and turning the Dark One into a force of good. However, Rumplestiltskin can't see himself keeping the Dark One as a slave as he is terrified of him. Convinced he has no other choice, Rumplestiltskin sets fire to the Duke's castle and makes off with the blade. Afterwards, he meets Baelfire in the forest and sends him home. Once alone, Rumplestiltskin summons the Dark One and cowers at the being's presence. When the Dark One taunts him about Baelfire not truly being his son, Rumplestiltskin stabs the entity in a fit of blind rage. Shockingly, he discovers the Dark One is the old man who told him about the dagger. The man briefs on all the horrible deeds he was forced to do as the Dark One and states death is welcome release and ominously warns Rumplestiltskin that "magic always comes with a price". Then, Rumplestiltskin's own name replaces Zoso's on the dagger, and he gains the powers of the Dark One. Relishing over his new-found status, he returns home to humiliate and kill the knights who harassed him and his son while Baelfire looks on in terror. ("Desperate Souls")

One day, Rumplestilstkin comes home with a gift, which is a knife for Baelfire, which belonged to one of his victims. Baelfire doesn't want gifts; he wants to leave, go out, and have friends. Unfortunately, Rumplestiltskin insists he cannot leave their house for his own safety since he is now the anointed "Dark One" before he roams off. But hours later Rumplestiltskin returns home and discovers Baelfire missing. He tracks him to a village, where the villagers explain that their children are missing as well, lured out of their beds by a Pied Piper in the night. This gives Rumplestiltskin a plan to confront the individual as he waits in the night until he hears the piper's call and moments later witnesses children climbing out windows and following the music. Rumplestiltskin then discovers a group of children masked and costumed, dancing wildly around a fire. He then tries to find Baelfire amongst the children, and confronts the Pied Piper, who is revealed to be Peter Pan, an old acquaintance of Rumplestiltskin's. After saying it has been a long time, Pan explains that only boys who feel unloved can hear his pipe, which is why Rumplestiltskin can hear him. Pan dares Rumplestiltskin to ask Baelfire if he wants to go back home with him or stay with Pan, stating that Rumple is afraid of what his son's answer might be. But Rumplestiltskin finds Baelfire, and uses his magic to take him back to their home. Rumplestiltskin tries to explain that Pan wanted to hurt him, as Rumplestiltskin has known Pan since he was a boy and that he betrayed him. Baelfire reveals Pan told him about the deal, that if he had been asked to go home, he would have, however, his father didn't ask. ("Nasty Habits")

Eager to fulfill his promise, Rumplestiltskin puts his new found powers to use by bringing about an end to the ogre war by walking into the middle of battlefields and brokering a truce between the warring parties. However, while this good deed brings Rumplestiltskin reverence and respect, the powers of the Dark One have corrupted his mind, causing him to continually hurt people and seek more power for fear that he would not be able to protect Baelfire from his enemies otherwise. As a downside, people begin to fear him due to his wealth and power, especially since Rumplestiltskin publicly demonstrates cruelty towards a peddler after Baelfire injuries his knee running into the man's wagon. Though Baelfire believes his father would not need so much power if he simply did not have any, Rumplestiltskin details the only way to rid himself of the Dark One's abilities is if someone killed him with the dagger. In a deal, Rumplestiltskin agrees to give up his powers, if there is way to do so without dying, if Baelfire can find a way. Baelfire comes back home with a magic bean given to him by the Blue Fairy so they can both go to a land without magic, thus making Rumplestiltskin without his powers. However, when the a portal is opened for them to jump into, Rumplestiltskin backs out of his promise to Baelfire, clinging onto his son's hand while the dagger keeps himself from falling in, until he finally lets go of Baelfire as the vortex closes. When he finally comes to terms with the fact his son is gone, Rumplestiltskin furiously calls the Blue Fairy and begs her to send him to Baelfire. She says it is impossible to do without any magical means, and accidentally lets it slip that a powerful curse can bring him to his son. From this point on, Rumplestiltskin vehemently swears to stop at nothing, even if it means sacrificing an entire world, to reunite with his beloved Baelfire. ("The Return")

Since Rumplestiltskin's loss of his son, the seer, now much older, appears before him once more and proclaims the future she foresaw for him many years ago has recently come to pass. With magical force, he demands information out of her about how to reach his son. Eventually, she allows him to take her powers so that he may learn to see into the future. By doing so, the burden of future sight is no longer in her hands. Just as the seer is drawing her last breaths of life, she sees into his future one last time. She speaks of how he find his son under the most unusual of circumstances, and a young boy who will be the key to the reunion. Alas, this boy will also be his undoing. Despite her warning, he doesn't see the boy as a true threat and decides to kill him when the time comes. ("Manhattan")

A time gap passes, and Rumplestiltskin is promised a magic bean by a man named William Smee. Rumplestiltskin agrees and promises the man eternal life in exchange, but if the bargain is not met, he will age him to dust. Before leaving the bar, Rumplestiltskin sees Killian Jones enter with his crew and stays to follow after them. In the alley outside the bar, Rumplestiltskin passes them and the pirates proceed to mock him. When Rumplestiltskin reveals himself, Killian recognizes him as the coward from his ship, but also as the Dark One. They begin a duel, with Killian nearly having his heart ripped out by Rumplestiltskin, until a very much alive Milah pleads on the pirate's behalf. He learns the truth of Milah's disappearance all those years ago, that the kidnapping was nothing but a cover story, and she willingly went with Killian because they fell in love. Rumplestiltskin is furious, but Milah offers him Smee's magic bean in exchange for both Killian's life as well as her own. They meet aboard Killian's ship the next day to seal the deal. Unable to hold back his inquiries, he questions her judgement in leaving their son behind. Milah admits to feeling guilty about her choice, which she made while miserable in the marriage with Rumplestiltskin. As the argument heats up, she denies ever loving him, causing Rumplestiltskin to rip out her heart out of rage. While Killian cradles a dying Milah in his arms, Rumplestiltskin crushes her heart to ash. Then, he procures the magic bean by cutting off Killian's clenched left hand. Though Killian stabs him with a hook, it has no effect on Rumplestiltskin, who departs unharmed. When he finally checks the severed hand, he discovers the bean is missing. ("The Crocodile")

In a deal with Jiminy, who wishes to be free of his parents, Martin and Myrna, Rumplestiltskin gives him a potion to transform them into another form. However, Jiminy's parents switch the potion to give it to a village couple, Stephen and Donna, which converts them into puppets. Afterwards, the puppets are retained in Rumplestiltskin's possession in his castle. ("That Still Small Voice")

Rumplestiltskin has a vision through his future-sight, which brings him to a miller's daughter, Cora, who is stuck in a room with straw after boasting she can spin straw into gold. King Xavier will give her death if she does not do it. Rumplestiltskin claims that he can help her, but for a cost. He shows Cora that he can spin straw into gold, and states that he will help her out if she gives him her first-born child, who will have great importance in the future he foresees. She agrees, but only if he teaches her how to spin straw into gold. He instructs that the key to making magic work is to give into the rage of emotion she feels at her worst moment. They bond over their similar, humiliating experiences. Her anger channels into magic, and turns the straw into gold. After Cora wins the hand of King Xavier's son, Rumplestiltskin visits her on the day before the wedding where they share a passionate kiss. Despite being fifth-in-line once she marries the prince, she has a change of heart and would rather have the genuine love Rumplestiltskin has given her. He decides to change the deal so any child they have together will be his. Cora readily agrees, but wants to learn how to rip out a heart, so she can have revenge on King Xavier. Following this lesson, they settle on meeting under a tree in the castle courtyard after Cora has extracted King Xavier's heart in a box, and then they will run away together. When she finally arrives, Cora goes back on their agreement as power is more important to her than love. Puzzled, he asks whose heart is in the box. Saddened, Cora admits it is hers as it is necessary to remove the love she has for him to focus on obtaining power. Infuriated at the betrayal, he demands payment for their deal, but Cora reminds him of the changed contract, and any child she has will never be his. ("The Miller's Daughter")

One evening, Rumplestiltskin is summoned by Regina, the daughter of Cora, when she accidentally says his name out loud from her mother's spell book. He exhibits knowledge about who she is as their families know each other in the past and future. To his surprise, Regina is a sweet-natured woman who doesn't wish to hurt anyone, particularly when he suggests she can kill Cora. He shows Regina magic mirror to another world and tempts her into getting rid of Cora with a simple push into it. On the day of the wedding, Rumplestiltskin manifests inside the mirror reflection to beckon Regina into going through with their plan, to which she obeys. Now free of her mother, she returns the spell book to Rumplestiltskin on her way out of the kingdom. Though Regina insists she doesn't need magic, he continually prods her over how it felt using magic. She admits, with much hesitancy, that she loved it, but has fears of turning out like her magic obsessed mother. Rumplestiltskin promises that is entirely up to her, and takes Regina under his wing as a magic protege. ("We Are Both")

To start with, he instructs Regina how to conjure a rock, which she has difficulties learning. Rumplestiltskin later spies her as she masters this technique, but upon closer look, it is actually a red-haired woman in Regina's clothes. The woman, Zelena, claims to be Cora's first-born child; something he refuses to believe until testing her genetics. Surprised by the unexpected, Rumplestiltskin teaches her magic, as he did with Cora, by helping her channel rage into power. As a cooling down period after exerting this much magical force, she is taught to think of a happy memory. When Zelena asks for an example, he tells her of his time growing up with spinsters who baked him meat-pies. After the lesson, she makes him a meat-pie as thanks, but he cannot stay since Regina still needs his help learning magic. At this, Zelena reacts with intense anger and repeatedly insists she should be the one casting his curse instead of Regina, to which he points out that her jealousy is literally turning her skin green. Realizing the potential danger, Rumplestiltskin masquerades as Regina to bait Zelena, who tries to kill her half-sibling. He disqualifies her from casting his curse since one one of the spell's main ingredients is the thing she loves most—him—and that makes her too dangerous. However, Rumplestiltskin is quick to change his mind after Zelena mentions she has a pair of slippers that can take him to a Land Without Magic. Zelena scornfully rejects his offer, and before disappearing, she promises that next time he will choose her. Soon after, he goes back to teaching Regina and she succeeds in finally conjuring. ("It's Not Easy Being Green")

The lesson moves onto teaching Regina to manifest a ball of fire. After he demonstrates, she tries to mimic him, but has problems keeping the fire from burning out. ("Kansas")

As he continues to train Regina in the dark arts, she cannot bring herself to learn how to rip out hearts as her mother did. Annoyed by her hesitation, he tells Regina to figure out what is holding her back. He discovers she is still pining after her dead fiancé, though it is not possible to bring someone back with magic. Instead, he does a bit of research by traveling to the Land Without Color to witnesses a doctor, Victor Frankenstein attempting to retrieve his brother from the dead. They come to a deal for Victor to teach him knowledge on revival while Rumplestiltskin leaves behind a horde of gold for him as payment. He comes to Victor again after the doctor's failure at revival due to scorching his brother's heart. Rumplestiltskin guarantees him a stronger heart if he will help fake a failed attempt to restore Regina's deceased lover. The doctor agrees, and Rumplestiltskin returns to the Enchanted Forest to turn Regina away from magic lessons since she can't let go of the past. At the same time, Rumplestiltskin procures items from a world traveler, Jefferson. Unknown to Regina, the two are working together to push her to call on Victor to resurrect her fiancé. Victor follows the terms of Rumplestiltskin's deal to crush Regina's hopes of regaining her past. Directly after, Rumplestiltskin takes on a new magic apprentice, Trish, though Regina cuts the lessons short by tearing out and crushing the girl's heart to prove to Rumplestiltskin she is ready for the dark arts. Satisfied with the end result, Rumplestiltskin takes her back, and in secret, gives Victor a heart as promised. They have a disagreement about the usefulness of magic, though Rumplestiltskin is quite certain Victor will discover magic is indeed beneficial. ("The Doctor", "In the Name of the Brother")

Regina resumes her magic lessons with Rumplestiltskin, but does not show up for one planned session. That night, while she is dining alone, he materializes in the seat across the table from hers. Regina voices concerns about continuing the lessons as she doesn't want her own future to end up like his, and when prompted, goes on the detail the unhappiness in her life. She talks about being Queen as well as feeling like a prisoner in a castle, having a husband whose only focus is on his dead wife and young daughter. With no freedom, she finds life intolerable. Rumplestiltskin interjects that leaving this life is not possible even though Regina thinks there are choices in having love or darkness. He states what she doesn't know is that darkness is what will consume her. Upset at his words, Regina orders him to leave. Instead, Rumplestiltskin explains further that once the darkness has started to eat away at her, it will progress until she is swallowed whole, and there's no way to fly away from fate. Before leaving, he sets up lessons for tomorrow and stresses she must bring the only thing inside herself, which is simmering rage. ("Quite a Common Fairy")

Some time later, Rumplestiltskin has amassed considerable wealth and a castle of his own, but grows lonely and sought someone to take care of his estate. Summoned by Sir Maurice to protect his town from a horde of ogres, Rumplestiltskin makes a deal to protect the kingdom in exchange for Maurice's daughter, Belle, to live in his castle forever as a caretaker. ("Skin Deep")

Annoyed at Belle's nightly crying sessions due to missing her family, he bursts into her cell to conjure a pillow for her. Though she thanks him, he remarks it's not for sleeping, but to muffle her cries so he can concentrate on his spinning. Suddenly, they discover a hooded thief with a bow and arrow stealing a wand. Caught in the act, the thief slips off his hood and shoots an arrow, which he claims always finds its target, at Rumplestiltskin. The Dark One dodges until the arrow hits in square in the chest, but a moment later, he surprises the thief by pulling the shaft out with no damage done to himself. Taking the thief as a prisoner, Rumplestiltskin flogs and tortures him on a daily basis. After one grueling session, he leaves the castle and returns to find Belle already set the thief free. Furious, he makes her tag along so she can watch him kill the thief. During the carriage ride, Belle tries to talk him out of murdering the thief so people will see he is a man, not a beast. She believes he loves something more than power. Rumplestiltskin agrees, but cackles that he loves his things most of all. They get out on a road to meet the Sheriff of Nottingham as Rumplestiltskin asks him for information on the owner of the thief's bow. The Sheriff is unwilling to say anything unless he can spend a night with Rumplestiltskin's "wench", referencing Belle. Rumplestiltskin refuses, and when persistently pressed, he rips out the Sheriff's tongue as leverage for him to spit out information. After shoving the tongue back in, the Sheriff tells him the thief's name is Robin Hood and where to find him. They spy Robin Hood waiting near a tree and then watch him run to the road when a carriage with a sickly woman lying in the back of the vehicle approaches. Robin Hood uses the wand to heal the woman back to health, and Belle is ecstatic he stole the wand for a good purpose. Rumplestiltskin ignores this and traps Belle in the ground as he readies his arrow aim. However, Belle pleads, upon seeing the woman is pregnant, that killing Robin Hood will make the child fatherless. Rumplestiltskin loses his will to kill as he is reminded of his own son. He purposely loosens the arrow onto the carriage, which scares off Robin Hood and his companion. When they get back to the castle, he brings her to a large library room, which pleases Belle very much. He denies the room is for her reading satisfaction, and only needs her to make everything spotless. Even so, Belle can guess he did it for her, and states there really is good in his heart. ("Lacey")

The Queen, Regina, vents her frustration to Rumplestiltskin about how the citizens of the kingdom don't love her, and they only want her stepdaughter Snow White as Queen. She proposes he teach her a spell to disguise herself so she can fool Snow White and get close enough to kill her. Rumplestiltskin doubts Regina can do it because it took her mother, Cora, a month to learn that spell, and Regina would only be able to change her hair color in a week's time. Regina wants to use any means, so she asks him to cast the spell instead. Because Rumplestiltskin is the one casting the spell, Regina will have no control over when the disguise comes off, and she will be magic less. Another deal is bargained, and in exchange, he wants her to cut off monetary ties with King George of the neighboring kingdom. She wonders why, and Rumplestiltskin retorts he needs the king bankrupt, but it is none of her business. By casting the spell, he turns Regina into a peasant, although to her own eyes, she still looks like herself, but to other people, she has an entirely different face. He warns amongst the commoners she may not like what she will hear them say about herself, though Regina insists it will not matter. Though Rumplestiltskin previously told Regina to call out his name whenever she wants the disguise to come off, he does not respond after she calls twice. When she storms into his castle, he jokingly remarks that she's come to be his maid, though it is a jest she does not find amusing and wants Rumplestiltskin to take off the disguise right this instant. As Regina gazes into the mirror, she is annoyed and ponders if Rumplestiltskin just wants her to admit he was right about what the commoners—that they will never love her. She sadly states it is true, to his absolute glee. He asks what she will do, and she vows to punish them all. Finally, he reverts her back to normal as Regina embraces herself as the Evil Queen. ("The Evil Queen")

The birthday of Baelfire, Rumpelstiltskin lights a candle in his memory in the library when Belle comes up to him and warns her to leave, however, she does not go away and after noticing the mantle of Baelfire gives his condolences and asks its age but Rumpelstiltskin says that he is not dead. At this point, he admits that it is the birthday of this person dear to him, and expresses regret for his past actions that tore their chance of happiness. Belle says maybe Rumpelstiltskin and his son will one day be together again, but Rumpelstiltskin , expresses his doubts about it. ("'Going Home")

Some time later, he is summoned to king's court, where King George begs him to bring his son, who has been killed in a tournament, back from the dead. Rumplestiltskin admits not even magic can bring back the dead, but tells the King that his dead son has a twin. As it turns out, Rumplestiltskin once procured King George a son from a poor farming couple and took one of their twin boys while the other grew up as shepherd. In return, he demands the location of King George's family fairy godmother as payment for getting the other twin, information which King George reluctantly gives. Rumplestiltskin goes back to the farm to collect the other twin, David, and convinces him to masquerade as King George's son. ("The Shepherd") Outside his castle, Rumplestiltskin sights his most hated enemy, Hook, and immediately begins suffocating him until the pirate's companion, Emma, tells him of how he will cast a powerful curse, which she breaks, and and will lead to his reunion with Baelfire. To keep the past unchanged and ensure the future, Emma and Hook need his help to organize a destined first meeting between Prince Charming and Snow White. After the trio enter his castle, Belle walks in to greet him and ask if he needs anything. Strangely, Emma knows Belle, claiming Rumplestiltskin mentioned her, though he did not. Rumplestiltskin shoos his maid away, and then hears Emma remark about the irony of him and Belle later falling in love, which he thinks is preposterous. Emma shows him storybook images of Prince Charming and Snow White's future, but the pages are blank. He states that they can find Prince Charming, under the alias Prince James, at King Midas' castle. Through a crystal ball, they see Snow White seeking passage onto Blackbeard's ship, but she doesn't have enough money. Emma theorizes Snow White must steal Prince Charming's ring to set the past back on track. After motivating Snow White to do so, Rumplestiltskin explains to Emma and Hook that he has a wand, which can recreate a portal, as it can replicate any magic that has ever been wielded. Before the pair sneak into King Midas' castle to check on Snow White, Rumplestiltskin casts a spell to disguise them as different people. Back in his castle, the Dark One discovers the wand can only open a portal by those who traveled through it. He prepares a forgetting potion to erase his memories of the future just as the twosome, with another person, arrive back. Rumplestiltskin explains the portal issue and hands the wand to Emma. Intending to "protect the future", he traps them in his vault, but Emma uses the wand to open a portal. Rumplestiltskin grabs onto her and demands to know what happens when he finds Baelfire. Emma states that his son forgives and loves him, but dies in order to save everyone. Shocked, he insists the future can be changed, but Emma warns that doing so may make things worse. She urges him to drink the potion, which he does while letting go of her. After she disappears into the portal and it closes, Rumplestiltskin, his memories erased, picks up the fallen wand and teleports out of the vault. ("Snow Drifts", "There's No Place Like Home")
 * -|Alternate Timeline=

After Belle has been his maid for several months, he allows her to go into town on the pretext of fetching him straw for spinning gold. In actuality, he expects to not see her again once she leaves; assuming she has the opportunity to finally leave on her own. Against Rumplestiltskin's assumptions, as well as her own, Belle returns to the castle to give him true love's kiss, causing him to begin reverting to human form. Shocked by her actions, he incorrectly believes Belle is working with the Queen when she stutters about learning from a woman that kissing him would break his curse. In a fit of anger, Rumplestiltskin locks her in his dungeon and later casts her out of his castle with the claim he values power above everything else. However, Belle challenges Rumplestiltskin, declaring that despite all his efforts to be powerful and feared, he is still a coward at heart for not being able to accept someone could actually love him, in the end power will only give him, "an empty heart and a chipped cup." Then, she leaves the castle for good. Some time after, the Queen visits Rumplestiltskin and goads him about his ex-maid's torturous fate at the hands of her father, who believed she had been sullied by the Dark One's evil ways, and sought out priests to cleanse her in a locked tower, which ended with Belle committing suicide. Visibly shaken by this knowledge, Rumplestiltskin calls the Queen a liar and tells her to leave. Left alone in his grief, he replaces a golden chalice on a pedestal with a teacup Belle had chipped on her first day as his caretaker; the only memento he still has of his lost love. ("Skin Deep")

To find the Fairy Godmother, Rumplestiltskin goes to the family manor of a maid named Cinderella, where the fairy godmother is in the process of granting her a chance to attend Prince Thomas's ball. He destroys the fairy godmother and takes her wand, much to Cinderella's shock. However, despite her angry protests, he convinces her to make a new deal with him instead—she can go to the ball, but will owe him something "precious". Cinderella agrees, signs the contract, and hurries off to the ball. ("The Price of Gold")

Some time later, he meets with Snow White, who wants him to give her something to forget the man she loves, Prince Charming. Rumplestiltskin plucks two hairs from her head, using one to create a forgetfulness potion for her, keeping the other as payment. ("7:15 A.M.")

After Snow White drinks the potion, she only cares about exacting vengeance on the Queen. One of the seven dwarves, Grumpy, drags her to Rumplestiltskin hoping he can fix it, but it's not possible. Instead, he sends Snow White on the road to becoming a murder by giving her Robin Hood's old bow to use on the Queen. On the same day, Prince Charming is ensnared into a deal with Rumplestiltskin in exchange for information on Snow White's whereabouts. Rumplestiltskin takes Prince Charming's cloak as payment, but in truth, he picks off a strand of the man's hair. Entwining the strand with Snow White's hair, he creates the elusive and rare form of true love in a bottle. ("Heart of Darkness")

Rumplestiltskin has further success in creating the Dark Curse and places a single drop of true love on the spell parchment as "a little safety value". Meanwhile, he approaches a struggling Prince Charming in the Infinite Forest, who can't seem to find his way out to reach Snow White. He steals Prince Charming's ring, enchanting it to glow when near Snow White, and suggests another deal. Prince Charming vehemently refuses, and draws his sword. Rumplestiltskin humors him with a fight, but with his powers, he easily defeats Prince Charming, and informs him they're after the same thing—he and Snow White being together. Then, he shows Prince Charming his true love potion. When asked what he knows about true love, Rumplestiltskin describes his own past love as "a brief flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness", though she died. The fragile nature of true love combined with its unequaled power, the ability to break any curse, is why Rumplestiltskin wants it to be protected. He instructs Prince Charming to hide the potion "inside the belly of a beast". After Prince Charming successfully puts the egg inside the body of a dragon, he surfaces at a beach shoreline near Maleficent's castle. Rumplestiltskin hands over the ring, and then uses his powers to give the latter a princely outfit to match with the occasion. Prince Charming asks why Rumplestiltskin is helping him so much. Mysteriously, the Dark One states he is a fan of true love, and what it creates. ("A Land Without Magic")

Having secured and enacted the deal with Prince Charming, Rumplestiltskin returns to his castle. While spinning gold at his leisure, he is visited by Prince Charming, who wants to bargain in helping a now curse-less Snow White to find the motivation to fight against the Evil Queen for the kingdom. However, Rumplestiltskin has nothing to give him. Instead, Prince Charming comes up with a plan of his own and manages to strengthen Snow White's resolve in battling for the right of the throne. Snow White, having the impression all this was possible because Prince Charming made another deal with Rumplestiltskin, decides she wants to pay the price of magic. In the forest, she summons the Dark One to explain her intention to reimburse him for his services rather than let Prince Charming do so. Rumplestiltkin inquires about the sword Snow White is holding, which she says is the legendary Excalibur of Camelot, and having pulled it out of proves herself to be true claimant to the kingdom. In disbelief, Rumplestiltskin shows her the sword is nothing but a forgery by using magic to dissolve it into dust. After spilling the truth that no deal was made between himself and Prince Charming, he rips a necklace from Snow White's neck as payment for wasting his time. ("Lost Girl")

Soon, a war ensues between Prince Charming and Snow White against the combined armies of the Evil Queen and King George. At long last captured, the Evil Queen is sentenced to death by the kingdom's war council, though Snow White is resentful of the decision. At the execution, Rumplestiltskin and many other citizens gather to watch, but at the last moment, the Evil Queen is allowed to live on Snow White's orders. In the evening, he gives Snow White an enchanted knife to test on an imprisoned Evil Queen to see if she is capable of changing her murderous ways. The Evil Queen fails the test by attempting to stab Snow White with the knife, which is magically rendered ineffective. In addition, whoever uses it will never be able to harm Snow White or Prince Charming in the Enchanted Forest. The Evil Queen, banished to elsewhere, is visited by Rumplestiltskin at a later date. She is deeply upset at never having the chance to kill her enemies again, though Rumplestiltskin stresses a particular caveat of the enchantment--they cannot be harmed in this land, but can in others. His words help her recall the effects of the Dark Curse, and she hurries off to Snow White and Prince Charming's wedding to announce her intentions of using it to destroy their lives for good. ("The Cricket Game")

At a ball celebrating Cinderella's wedding to Prince Thomas, Rumplestiltskin shows up, just long enough to claim his "precious" price as her firstborn child. Many months later, he meets with Cinderella again, whereupon she tells him she is due to have twins and wants to make a new deal. At first he does not believe her, but after warning Cinderella about the consequences of using magic against him, he eventually signs the contract with a quill filled with squid ink, which paralyzes him. Grumpy and Prince Charming load Rumplestiltskin up into a cart to take him away to prison, but Thomas mysteriously disappears. Upon confrontation, Rumplestiltskin states that Thomas will never return unless he receives her baby. Then, he is carted away to his prison in the dwarves' mine. ("The Price of Gold")

When Snow White becomes heavily pregnant, she also grows even more concerned about the threat of the Dark Curse from her former step-mother. Snow White and Prince Charming go to Rumplestiltskin, the only man powerful enough to counter the Queen's magic. Their escort warns them not to tell him their names, because it will give him power over them, but Rumplestiltskin already knows who they are. Rumplestiltskin agrees to give them information in exchange for their unborn baby's name, to which Snow White agrees, in spite of the guard's earlier warning. He tells Snow White and Prince Charming that the only thing that can save all the people in the land from the curse is their unborn child who will come back to save them all on her twenty-eighth birthday. As they turn to leave, Rumplestiltskin asks for their child's name. After a moment of hesitation, Snow White states the child's name to be Emma. To help himself to remember this vital piece of information, he repeatedly writes her name on a piece of parchment using squid ink. ("Pilot", "Queen of Hearts")

The Queen attempts to fulfill plans to use the Dark Curse, but her first attempt at casting it fails. She visits Rumplestiltskin to find out why, and his price for this information is to receives riches, comfort, and influence in his life once the curse takes effect, and that if he comes to her for any reason, she must give him anything if he uses the word "please". After the Queen agrees to this, Rumplestiltskin tells her that she must sacrifice the heart of the thing she loves most for the curse to work. ("The Thing You Love Most")

On the day the Dark Curse is cast, he expectantly waits for it to take effect. The Queen materializes outside his cage to gloat about her success with the Dark Curse and boasts at the knowledge he, like all others will be affected by it, will soon lose their memories of everything. He relishes in asking her how it felt ripping out her father's heart for the curse to work, but she doesn't answer as it is of little importance. Rumplestiltskin can tell despite her triumphant front, she is still unsatisfied with something. He stresses that Prince Charming and Snow White's child will foil her curse, to which the Queen plans to get rid of the baby. Additionally, Rumplestiltskin hints that now she has hole in her heart and will feel the need to fill it in the future. The Queen doesn't take his prophecy seriously, though he shouts she has underestimated the price of magic and will come back for his help someday. Soon after, the curse takes Rumplestiltskin and many other inhabitants of the Enchanted Forest to another land. ("Save Henry", "Pilot")

During First Curse
After the Dark Curse is cast, Mr. Gold becomes a pawnshop owner and rent collector in the town of Storybrooke. He walks with a noticeable limp while carrying cane to support himself. A few days later, mayor Regina storms into his shop to express dissatisfaction with her life, so he inquisitively points her in the direction of Dr. Hopper's psychiatric office. Instead, Regina wants to speak with him about a deal they made in the previous land as it hasn't turned out as she wanted. Puzzled, Puzzled, Mr. Gold has no idea what she is talking about. When Regina expresses unhappiness, he doesn't see why since she's the most powerful woman in town as mayor. She explains how frustrating it is for everyone to submit to her will because they must, and not because they want to. Again, Mr. Gold has no inkling of what Regina is looking for, and she leaves dejected. ("Welcome to Storybrooke")

After eighteen years have passed, Regina requests Mr. Gold's assistance in finding a suitable child for her to adopt as the agencies she looked up all have long waiting lists. He questions if she is ready to be a mother, though Regina attests it's something she needs. Mr. Gold agrees to procure an infant, but advises once she becomes a mother, it means putting the child's interests before her own. In a short time, he informs her of a baby from Phoenix who was previously placed with a family in Boston, but the adoption did not go through, leaving her with the open opportunity. Much later, she bursts into the pawnshop carrying the baby, Henry, in a crib while angrily confronting him over something she learned about the child's birth mother, who was apparently found in the woods eighteen years ago. Mr. Gold understands even less when she starts rambling on about things he apparently told her in a previous life. He takes these furious outbursts as the pressures of motherhood getting to her head. ("Save Henry")

In ten years time, Mr. Gold heads into the bed and breakfast to collect the monthly rent from the owner, Granny, and meets a new town visitor, Emma. Upon hearing her name, he regains his memories from his former life as Rumplestiltskin. ("Pilot")

At night, Mr. Gold takes a stroll and ends up in Regina's backyard as she is tending to her apple tree. He congratulates her for being in high spirits for banishing Emma, to which Regina replies that she has triumphed. Even so, he tells her not to get ahead of herself because he saw Emma and Henry together. Mr. Gold states that he would have been able to help her for a price. Suspiciously, she inquiries if Emma arriving in town was something he planned, but Mr. Gold asks her to drop the subject by saying "please", an enchantment that was part of a previous deal he made with Regina in their past lives. This forces her to obey him if he ends the sentence with "please". Mr. Gold walks past as Regina is unable to disobey his command. ("The Thing You Love Most")

A few nights later, Mr. Gold locks up his shop for the evening. After he is gone, a pregnant Ashley breaks in to steal back adoption papers she previously signed for her unborn child. When caught in the act by Mr. Gold, she pepper sprays his face; causing him to knock his head and pass out. By the time he comes to, Ashley is gone and so are the adoption papers. Putting on the mask of a concerned citizen, he asks Emma to help him find Ashley as it is dangerous for a pregnant woman to be all on her own. Emma tracks down Ashley as she is going into labor. After bringing her to the hospital, she gives birth to a healthy baby girl. Mr. Gold comes to collect the child, but Emma promises to owe him a future favor if he will leave Ashley alone. He agrees to the deal and leaves the hospital empty-handed. ("The Price of Gold")

One night, while Sheriff Graham, Deputy Emma Swan and Mayor Mills, as well as many other townspeople, are busy rescuing Archie and Henry from a collapsed mine, Mr. Gold remains in his shop. When leaving, he passes a couple of puppets resembling a young man and woman. ("That Still Small Voice")

One evening, Mr. Gold gives David directions to the Toll Bridge after he gets lost following Regina's instructions. David goes over to Emma's mobile from the Enchanted Forest, but then takes notice of a windmill. David stares at it, transfixed, and seems to gain some recollection of the windmill having belonged to him in the past. Mr. Gold smirks as David remembers his previous life pre-coma in the hospital as opposed to being Prince Charming. ("The Shepherd")

To prevent Regina from gaining the upper hand over him, Mr. Gold buries his magic dagger in the forest when he sees Sheriff Graham stumbling about. Graham tells him about the wolf and strange dreams he has been having. With a casual smile, Mr. Gold indirectly hints at Graham's previous life as the Huntsman by saying that some believe dreams are memories of a former life, which does nothing to calm the sheriff's nerves. ("The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter", "The Stranger")

After the sheriff's death, he offers Emma some of Graham's old things, which she declines. When he learns the mayor fired Emma, he brings over the town charter to her as it might help her contest Regina's decision to elect Sidney as the new town sheriff. Mr. Gold offers his assistance to Emma by becoming her benefactor. The next day, he purposely sets fire to the town hall building while Emma and Regina are inside. Emma carries Regina out from the danger and is branded a hero by the public. Mr. Gold is confronted by Emma with her suspicions about the fire. Emma plays right into his hand, beginning to feel guilt about winning the townspeople's favor through trickery, and at the electoral debate, she steps out of the running after publicly indicting Mr. Gold as the fire-starter. As planned, this is the exact path he wanted Emma to take so Regina would not gain the upper hand and become more powerful by setting Sidney as a puppet sheriff. He pays Emma a visit at the station the next morning to congratulate her on the victory, and lets her know everything was premeditated on his part. He explains the residents of Storybrooke had to see Emma is capable of standing up not only to the mayor, but himself, too. ("Desperate Souls")

When Emma is trying to help out two orphans, Ava and Nicholas Zimmer, from becoming a part of the foster system in Boston, she goes to Mr. Gold's pawnshop in hopes that he recognizes a compass that once belonged to the siblings' mother. Mr. Gold pretends to take out a paper with the name of the item purchaser, though it is actually blank, but states a man named Michael Tillman bought it. This leads Emma directly to the orphans' biological father. ("True North")

Mr. Gold meets Queen in the woods in order to conclude the acquisition of territory. While out of the woods, he meets Emma and Sidney and Mr. Gold tells them about his meeting with Regina; then he gone. ("Fruit of the Poisonous Tree")

On Valentine's Day, Mr. Gold is dissatisfied with Moe French's late rent fees, and takes away the man's flower delivery truck until he pays up. Regina attempts to start a conversation with Mr. Gold, but he dodges her with a well-placed "please". He returns home later in the day to see many of his home belongings are gone. He reports the robbery, to which Emma arrives to investigate. He relates what occurred with Moe earlier as a possible reason for the robbery. She manages to recover nearly everything, but Mr. Gold is furious that an item of utmost importance to him, the chipped cup, is still missing. Emma is unaware of which item is it, but promises to find it. However, Mr. Gold decides to take the matter into his own hands. That evening, he buys duct tape and rope from the pharmacy. While on line, he sees David is buying two Valentine's Day cards. Mr. Gold can tell each one is for a separate woman, though David lies. Briefly, he talks about love, which is a delicate flame that can snuffed out forever. Then, he kidnaps Moe into a van and brings him to an abandoned cabin for interrogation about the item's whereabouts. While physically beating him, Mr. Gold becomes emotional about the cup's significance, which is in memory of "her", and is enraged at the man for causing her downfall, though Moe has no idea what he is going on about. Emma breaks into the cabin to stop the assault. When she questions him about the "her" he kept talking about, his refusal to answer prompts Emma to arrest him for physical battery charges. While he is holed up in the sheriff department jail cell, Regina bribes Emma into spending free time with Henry while she speaks with Mr. Gold. Regina reveals she did indeed persuade Moe to rob him, but he did not take his precious belonging. She won't give it back unless he gives her an answer about his real name. At first, Mr. Gold sticks to the name he has always had in Storybrooke. When she presses further for a name he had in another place, Mr. Gold admits his name to be Rumplestiltskin. Satisfied with the answer, she hands back the cup and leaves. ("Skin Deep")

In a deal with Regina, Mr. Gold agrees to make David's wife, Kathryn, disappear so Mary Margaret will be blamed for murder if she pulls some strings for the District Attorney to drop the physical battery charges pending against him. Additionally, he gives Regina the suggestion that when Mary Margaret is arrested, she could slip a key in the cell for her to escape since bad things happen to those who leave Storybrooke. Just as Kathryn is driving out of town to Boston in pursuit of her dream in law school, he kidnaps her. In a room, she is kept alive with food and water, but he never allows himself to be seen by her. ("What Happened to Frederick", "The Stable Boy", "The Return")

A few days later, Mr. Gold is led out onto the docks by Leroy, who wants to sell his boat in exchange for five-thousand dollars. Mr. Gold is unimpressed by the asking price, and insists three-thousand dollars is more reasonable. As an alternative, Leroy requests waiving a month's rental payment for the nuns, though Mr. Gold gladly remarks that he wouldn't mind kicking them out of the convent for good. He refuses either deal with Leroy. ("Dreamy")

When Mary Margaret is arrested for the suspected murder of Kathryn, Mr. Gold offers to be her attorney. Emma is skeptical of his motives and advises Mary Margaret against trusting him. However, Mary Margaret knows that she will need all the help that she can get and accepts his help. He rejects money from Mary Margaret and simply claims that he is "invested in her future". Later, Emma relates to Mr. Gold her suspicions that Regina is framing Mary Margaret for Kathryn's murder. She is not only willing to do anything, but also go further, so Mr. Gold agrees to help her and concedes that fighting Regina and winning will be tough, but believes Emma is more powerful than she realizes. ("Heart of Darkness")

Regina follows through with Mr. Gold's advice and plants a key in Mary Margaret's cell. As he and Emma enter into the sheriff's station, Henry is sitting in the hallway and notifies them that Mary Margaret is gone. Emma goes on a search and successfully convinces Mary Margaret to return. The following morning, Regina is astonished to see Mary Margaret is still in the jail cell. To the mayor, Mr. Gold credits Emma's resourcefulness in the situation. Regina presses that their deal only occurred so she could get results. He assures that she will since Mary Margaret is still a murder suspect. Mr. Gold advocates to Emma that Mary Margaret's personality could get the charges dropped if the District Attorney sympathizes with the schoolteacher. In an interview with the District Attorney, Mary Margaret accidentally admits she "wanted Kathryn gone", which is taken as a murder confession. She is later taken away by the police for the trial, while Emma blames Mr. Gold for not trying harder to defend her. He asks her not to lose faith when there is still time for him to "work a little magic." Mr. Gold picks the perfect time to drug Kathryn and leave her unconscious at a field outside of town, to which she crawls all the way to the diner and is discovered by Emma. ("The Stable Boy")

Using Henry as a distraction, August tries to infiltrate Mr. Gold's back office in the pawnshop. Once caught, he feigns innocence, but Mr. Gold is suspicious. When news breaks about Kathryn being alive, Regina comes to him in a panic upon realizing all the fabricated evidence setting Mary Margaret up as a murder will point back to herself. She accuses him of breaking their deal since they both agreed "tragic" would happen to the woman. Mr. Gold attests Kathryn did suffer a terrible fate by being abducted, which fits the bill of their deal. He attends a party held in honor of Mary Margaret's return home. Emma has reason to suspect Mr. Gold was involved in Kathryn's kidnapping. Mr. Gold evades the probe by asking her if she thinks he is working with or against Regina. He questions her about August, but she knows nothing about him except that he's a writer. After leaving the party, he breaks into August's guest room at the bed and breakfast and is stunned to find a drawing of his magic dagger. At the nunnery, he spies on Mother Superior in deep conversation with August. Once Mother Superior is alone, he threatens the convent's status for information about what she and August spoke of. She acknowledges that August sought advice and counsel on how to approach his estranged father, whom he has not seen or spoken to in years. Shocked, Mr. Gold takes all this to mean August is possibly his long lost son. Anxious and unsure, he goes to talk with Dr. Hopper about how to approach his son. The doctor replies that, despite everything that may have happened between them, honesty is his best solution. Mr. Gold resignedly agrees. Mr. Gold catches up to August in the woods, and gives him an emotional apology. The two embrace as August forgives him and asks for the dagger as proof he's changed. He digs it out and gives it to August, who then tries to control him with it. Stunned, Mr. Gold quickly realizes this is not his son and threatens August until he coughs up a reason for trying to use the dagger as a cure for his own terminal illness. August demonstrates knowledge that a "little fairy" told him that getting Rumplestiltskin's magic was one of his two hopes for survival while the other option is to get the savior to believe in the curse, but did not think he was going to live long enough to see it happen. Mr. Gold decides to let him go, and relishes in the fact August is going to die anyway, but Emma believes in the curse, he himself will "get something out of it." ("The Return")

Emma hires Mr. Gold in order to help her gain custody of Henry, he agrees to help her. August calls Gold and tells him that he wants to meet him concering Emma. Mr. Gold is helping Marco in his shop when August walks in, immediately recognizing Geppetto as his father but not saying anything. After Marco leaves, August tells Gold that Emma is too focused on her custody battle and he needs Gold to push her towards him so that he can get her to believe. Mr. Gold agrees to give Emma a little nudge towards him. Emma goes to see Mr. Gold and he refuses her case, doing what he promised and giving her as nudge towards August so that he may make her believe in the curse. ("The Stranger")

Regina comes into his pawnshop in a huff over her apple tree dying. He casually remarks that she should change her fertilizer, though they both know the real reason is because Emma's presence in town is causing the curse to slowly weaken over time. She desperately wants to get rid of Emma so Henry will be hers alone, but of course, there is a catch. Emma can't be killed, lest the curse will break, so she decides to use the Sleeping Curse on her. Regina returns later to gloat about her success in the plan. Mr. Gold heeds there will be a price to pay for the use of magic, which occurs when Henry, not Emma, takes a bite of Regina's poisoned apple turnover instead and is befallen by the Sleeping Curse. ("An Apple Red as Blood")

While Henry goes into a coma, Emma starts to believe in the curse. She and Regina team up and request Mr. Gold's help in the matter. He informs them about a true love potion capable of reviving Henry, which is hidden in the belly of a beast Emma must defeat, and gives her Prince Charming's old sword for the task. Despite this, Mr. Gold has a hidden agenda of his own. He gags Regina and tricks Emma into throwing up the potion. As he opens to check on the bottle in his shop, the entrance bell chimes, indicating a customer has arrived. Mr. Gold hastily tucks the potion away and turns around to see the one person he has long believed to be dead, Belle, standing before him. Apparently, she was told by someone that Mr. Gold would protect her, and informs him that Regina kept her locked up all this time. She does not recognize him in the least, but he breaks down in tears and hugs Belle while promising he will take care of her. She follows along as he brings her to the wishing well as the curse breaks. Belle's memories rush back as she affectionately calls him Rumplestiltskin and declares her love for him. At the mouth of the wishing well, he pours the true love potion into its waters. Suddenly, purple clouds erupts from the well as magic is brought to Storybrooke. ("A Land Without Magic")

After First Curse
After the breaking of the curse, Belle pressures Mr. Gold to renounce vengeance on Regina and others who have wronged him. He promises, but his animosity cannot be contained. Mr. Gold goes on to mark Regina with a medallion and summons a Wraith to hunt her down. When confronted by Belle, he insists his promise was kept, since he will not kill Regina, but the Wraith will. Angered at his word games, Belle leaves; insisting she never wants to see him again. The Wraith fails to suck out Regina's soul after a portal is opened with Jefferson's hat through which the creature is sucked into another world. Afterward, Belle returns; concluding that she needs to be a civilizing influence in his life. ("Broken")

While Mr. Gold is in the shop, Regina storms in, looking through books and papers in the room. Regina tells him she needs "the book" and he chuckles at the fact she Mr. Gold refuses at first, stating that for Regina to regain her magic is "not in his best interest," but when Regina threatens to tell the truth of what happened to the Enchanted Forest, Mr. Gold uses magic, making the book appear and gives it to her, saying that the spells could be "rough on the system." As Regina storms out, he says that the way Regina is, holding the book, he can see the resemblance to her mother. Later, David enters the shop, causing Mr. Gold to bemoan the wasted money of a closed sign. David asks for help using the hat to find its owner, which Mr. Gold agrees to, providing that he will be left alone. He agrees, asking for the same courtesy. Mr. Gold inquires about the commotion outside and David reveals that if anyone tries to leave Storybrooke they will lose all memories of their Enchanted Forest selves. After David leaves, Mr. Gold reacts in a fit of anger, smashing the glass of his counters and displays. Then, he drives to the edge of Storybrooke and stares out at the border that binds him from going out of town. ("We Are Both")

Mr. Gold has not given up his goal to find his son and continues to practice magic. Belle discovers this and she asks him to explain what he is seeking to do. Mr. Gold only restates that "Magic is Power." Belle leaves the room and later leaves the house. Mr. Gold enlists the help of David Nolan to find Belle, however the people of Storybrooke are less than willing to help the man who has caused such misery. With the help of Ruby's skills in tracking, they follow Belle's trail to a flower shop owned by Moe French. Moe has kidnapped his daughter and arranged to have her cross the barrier so that she will forget about her true love and be safe from Mr. Gold's power. Mr. Gold uses magic to pull Belle back from the town border, but Belle has not changed her mind about his cowardice and tells Gold she does not ever want to see him again. Later, Mr. Gold sends Belle the key to the library and tells her she is welcome to stay in the caretaker's apartment upstairs. Belle says this will not cause her to change her mind, but Mr. Gold only says that he wants her to know the truth and explains the story of the loss of his son and that power has become a crutch that he cannot live without. He admits that he is a coward and has always been so. He says that he has lost so much that he loved, he could not bear to lose Belle without her knowing the truth. After saying goodbye to Belle, he turns to leave. Belle stops him, suggesting that they have a hamburger sometime. Later, Mr. Gold enters his basement where he has tied Smee up and asks him where his captain is. He learns that Jones escaped the curse and asks again where he is. ("The Crocodile")

Mr. Gold is in his shop, polishing his items when Dr. Whale enters, carrying a cooler, which contains his severed arm. Placing the container in front of Mr. Gold, Mr. Gold quips that "charging an arm and a leg" is only a figure of speech. Dr. Whale asks Mr. Gold to restore his arm. Before Mr. Gold does, he questions Whale's purpose in bringing Daniel back. Dr. Whale comments only that he hoped if he brought Daniel back, perhaps she would be able to return Whale to his home. Mr. Gold shrugs at the futility of Dr. Whale's plan. Dr. Whale again asks Mr. Gold to fix his arm, but Mr. Gold first tells him to "Say it", meaning he wants Whale to admit that he needs magic. Once Dr. Whale has done so, Mr. Gold restores his arm. ("The Doctor")

Regina calls Mr. Gold to Mary Margaret's apartment to help Henry Mills as he is tortured by dreams where he is in a room on fire. Mr. Gold chastises Regina for knowing so very little about a curse she cast. Fiddling with various bottles in his case, he pours one bottle into a pendant. Handing it to Henry, he explains that the sleeping curse puts the sleeper in a place between life and death until they are woken. However, the potion will allow Henry some control over the dream and he will be able to come and go at will. As he hands it to Henry, Regina asks the price. Mr. Gold smiles wryly and says that she could never afford such a house call; however, he is doing this for Henry on his own. ("Child of the Moon")

While Mr. Gold and Belle are having a hamburger lunch at Granny's Diner, Regina comes to inform him about Cora's presence in Storybrooke. He believes himself capable of handling Cora on his own, but Regina assures that their shared nemesis is a bigger threat to him now that he has someone that actually needs his protection—Belle. He joins David, Henry and Regina in the pawnshop. To Henry, Mr. Gold tells him about some squid ink in his old jail cell in the Enchanted Forest, which is capable of stopping Cora. In turn, he wants Henry to deliver this vital information to Aurora in the Netherworld. Henry tries to follow through with the task, but awakens since the connection with Aurora was cut off and she wasn't able to hear him. Upon discovering Henry is suffering from burns due to constantly returning to the Netherworld, David volunteers to be put under the Sleeping Curse and deliver the message. After Regina brews the curse, a spinning needle is dipped into the substance to enchant it. Lastly, Mr. Gold pricks David's finger on the spinning wheel and puts him under the curse. ("Into the Deep")

While David remains asleep, Mr. Gold convinces Regina that they should take steps to ensure Cora will not be able to make it through the portal to Storybrooke. At the mines, where all the magic diamonds reside, he absorbs their power via a wand. Next, they head to the designated site of the soon-to-be open portal, the well, and Mr. Gold uses the wand to create a trap that ensures the death of whomever tries to cross through. Henry arrives to witness what has been already been done, and while he pleads for Regina to stop it, Mr. Gold easily uses magic to render Ruby unconscious when she tries to get in his way. Regina relents to her son's wishes, lifting the barrier, just as Emma and Mary Margaret make it out of the well. Seeing as things are settled, Mr. Gold promptly leaves after removing the magic he cast on Ruby and heads back to the pawnshop. While David is awoken with Mary Margaret's kiss of true love, Mr. Gold is accused by Emma of pulling strings from the beginning; considering the name parchment found in his old jail cell. Mr. Gold states that Emma isn't his creation and only made use of who and what she is—the product of true love. She also asks about why Cora, when the witch had attempted to earlier on, couldn't pull out her heart. He reasons that it is because of the magic within Emma. ("Queen of Hearts")

In the aftermath of the "murder" of Archie, Mr. Gold and Belle are ready to set off for a picnic lunch when David, Emma and Mary Margaret arrive to the pawnshop needing his help to see if Regina is truly to blame for the death. Emma pegs him as a suspect, but he denies any involvement. He cooperates by giving her a dream catcher to extract the memory of Archie's dog, Pongo, who was the only one present in the office when his owner was killed. With a brief look into the dream catcher, Emma gains irrefutable proof that Regina murdered Archie, though all remain unaware that another person is actually responsible. ("The Cricket Game")

Mr. Gold continues to make potions to find one that will enable him to cross the town line without losing his memory. He tests his latest concoction on Smee by pouring the potion on the man's most treasured possession—a red hat—and then forcing him across the line. The potion is a great success, and he later tells Belle about his plans to leave town and scour for his son. He intends to use the potion on Baelfire's shawl and wear it to keep his memory intact. Regrettably, he only has enough potion to travel out of Storybrooke alone, so Belle cannot come with him. Later in the day, Mr. Gold receives a panicked phone call from Belle, who is hiding in the library elevator due to a madman attacking her. He leaves the pawnshop to save her and learns the man is his long-time enemy, Hook. Mr. Gold tells her about how Hook stole his wife, but neglects to confess the matter in which he himself caused his former spouse's death. They return to the pawnshop, discovering the shawl gone, to which a furious Mr. Gold sets out to track down Hook and retrieve the item. Before going, he hands Belle a loaded gun, in case she needs it, and instructs her to lock herself in the library. On the street, he apprehends Smee, though the man has no idea where Hook is. Even so, he turns him into a rat as punishment. Mr. Gold eventually finds Hook's ship and boards it just as the pirate and Belle are having a confrontation. In a fury, he beats Hook to a bloody pulp, but only stops at Belle's plea. They leave with the retrieved shawl and go towards the town line. There, Mr. Gold passes the town line with the shawl, enchanted with the potion, and begins saying goodbye to Belle when a gunshot is fired by Hook. Belle takes the hit on her shoulder, toppling over the line and into Mr. Gold's arms, but loses her memory. Angered beyond belief, he prepares to throw a fireball at Hook when a car crashes into Storybrooke. While he rolls himself and Belle away from the vehicle, Hook collides with the car. ("The Outsider")

Immediately after, Mr. Gold magically heals Belle's injuries, but this only confuses the terrified and amnesiac woman. Emma and her parents soon arrive to assess the damages. Mr. Gold tries to choke Hook, though David quickly stops him. Once Belle is taken into the hospital, he shows up in pursuit of her, but is denied any further entry when David and Leroy block his way. He puts up a struggle until Dr. Whale calms everyone down. Later, Mr. Gold visits an asleep Belle in her hospital room and tries using true love's kiss. She awakens in a screaming frenzy, still without her memory, to which a saddened Mr. Gold leaves. In the hallway, Dr. Whale updates everyone on the condition of the stranger who crashed his car into town. Since the man is bleeding internally, Dr. Whale is unsure what to do and asks Mr. Gold for magical assistance. Mr. Gold refuses, as he doesn't owe anyone anything, and suggests it'd be best if the outsider died so magic won't be exposed. Returning to the pawnshop, he looks longingly at the chipped cup when a box appears. Cora enters and offers him the contents of the box, a magical globe, with the capacity to find his son. He accepts the item and gives Cora what she wants—Regina's current whereabouts. They also agree to a truce, which she mischievously seals by kissing Mr. Gold, who is visibly shocked by her action. In another attempt to bring back Belle's memory, he enchants the chipped cup and repeatedly insists that she concentrate on it. She becomes agitated by his request, eventually hurling the cup against the wall, where it smashes into pieces. Heartbroken, he leaves once more. Mr. Gold moves along with his search for Baelfire by pricking his finger and letting a drop of blood fall onto the globe, which pinpoints his son's location in New York. Recalling that Emma still owes him a favor, he shows up at her family's apartment demanding that she fulfill it by leaving for New York by noon tomorrow. Ominously, Mr. Gold warns that if Belle is hurt while he is gone, they will all pay with their lives. ("In the Name of the Brother")

Mr. Gold returns to the apartment to collect Emma and learns that Henry will also be going. He dislikes her plan, but Emma refuses to leave Henry in Storybrooke with Cora running loose. As they drive out of town, the shawl protects Mr. Gold, as expected, and keeps his memories intact. While going through security at the airport in Boston, Mr. Gold is told that he must put the shawl and cane so it can be scanned. Terrified of losing his memories, he refuses until Emma promises she will keep it from happening. After complying, he feels his memories slipping, but they return once Emma returns the shawl to him. As they wait at their departure gate, Mr. Gold enters a restroom stall, and in a fit of rage caused by his earlier nervousness, he pounds a toilet roll dispenser until cutting his knuckle, but is not able to heal using magic. Finally, the trio board the plane and await take-off. Mr. Gold, however, continues to act jittery, though Emma assures him that they will find his son. ("Tiny")

Mr. Gold, Emma and Henry take a cab to Manhattan and step out in front of an apartment complex. They go inside and look through a list of resident names and room numbers, but he isn't able to discern which one is his son. Emma, using instinct, buzzes room number 407 that doesn't have a listed name. When the intercom switches on, she pretends to be a UPS delivery person, but suddenly, the line goes dead. They hear a shuffling sound and hurry outside to see a hooded man climbing down the fire escape and later take off running. Mr. Gold pleads for Emma to follow in pursuit and to make his son talk to him. While she is gone, he and Henry spend some time together. Henry is certain that no matter what happened between Mr. Gold and Baelfire, all that matters is he is here and wants his son back. Emma comes back, stating that his son got away, but that is not an answer he is willing to settle for. Mr. Gold breaks into his son's apartment; where Emma's peculiar behavior towards a dream catcher causes him to realize she knows something that he doesn't. As things get tense, Emma sends Henry out of the room. Her refusal to answer causes him to raise his voice and make threats, which is halted once Baelfire, or Neal, bursts in to stop it. Neal demands that Mr. Gold leave his apartment and Emma tries to intervene, but he doesn't relent. Hearing his son call Emma by her name, Mr. Gold realizes the two know each other. Before either can explain, Henry wanders in calling for his mother, Emma. Mr. Gold discovers that his son and Emma were together at some point in the past, and Henry is their son, but she never told Neal until now. Emma follows an upset Henry to the fire escape while Mr. Gold and Neal talk. Mr. Gold wants to make up for lost time by reverting him to fourteen years old, but the idea disturbs Neal. Though he asks for another chance to prove himself to be the father Neal once loved, his son bitterly recalls the unforgettable memory of when his father let him go into the portal. Neal coldly states that this time he will be the one letting his father go; much to Mr. Gold's distress and pain. ("Manhattan")

As Neal gets to know Henry better, Mr. Gold and Emma awkwardly trail after the pair as they walk the streets of New York. During a pizza stop, Mr. Gold asks Emma to convince Neal to come back to Storybrooke. She refuses as her one favor to him is already done. However, he attempts to show her how messy it will be if Henry, longing for his father, could leave Storybrooke just to find Neal. Emma defends her decision in not telling Henry that his father is Neal, believing she lied to protect him, but Mr. Gold compares her likeness to Regina. Once Henry and Neal have sated their pizza craving, the foursome head back to the apartment with plans of going to the museum next. Mr. Gold and Emma are left behind to wait in the apartment lobby when Hook shows up out of nowhere. Once Emma is thrown aside by Hook, the pirate pins Mr. Gold in place and stabs him with a hook coated in poison. Hook spews his hatred for him for taking away his happiness—Milah—and will now exact vengeance by taking Mr. Gold's life. As the killing blow is nearly dealt, Emma knocks Hook out. Neal hurries back, aghast at Mr. Gold's injury, and recognizes Hook. Mr. Gold is moved up to the apartment for resting, though he himself knows the poison is incurable. Emma proposes the only way to save him is to get back to Storybrooke, where magic exists, as soon as possible. Since Hook's ship is the quickest vehicle, Neal agrees to steer it. ("The Queen Is Dead")

Mr. Gold is taken aboard the Jolly Roger and lays in a quickly deteriorating state while Neal and Henry steer the ship towards Storybrooke's dock. Concerned, Emma checks up on him, and asks him about the power of his dagger and the means Cora and Regina have in controlling him with it so he will kill everyone. He affirms it is possible, and concedes Emma's hopes are now pinned on him bleeding to death to prevent the latter from happening. She justifies because they are now family—via Henry and Neal's father and son connection—she will save him, which Mr. Gold highly doubts won't have much success. Making it into the dock's port, David, Mary Margaret and Ruby hurry forward to help the hobbling and weakened Mr. Gold onto David's truck. At the pawnshop, he has Emma draw a barrier using invisible chalk. Mr. Gold also uses Mary Margaret's disdain for Cora to his advantage by presenting her with the enchanted candle, which is capable of taking a person's life in exchange for another. Though the candle typically works if the victim's name is spoken over the same person's body, the sacrifice's heart will do the job as well. Mr. Gold suggests saying the spell over Cora's heart and placing the organ back into her body to cause death. Mary Margaret toys with the idea of controlling Cora via the heart and making her kill Mr. Gold so both problems are solved. As opportunity would have it, Mr. Gold chooses to disclose his new-found patriarchal link as Henry's grandfather, and that the boy wouldn't like it if his grandmother, Mary Margaret, killed him. As Mary Margaret leaves, he teaches Emma how to enact a barrier spell around the building, though it is quickly torn down by the combined forces of Cora and Regina. Emma creates another barrier when she and Neal hide in the backroom in the pawnshop as a last line of defense to protect an ailing Mr. Gold. Accepting death, Mr. Gold phones Belle, describing her as the person he knows—a hero who helped her people, a beautiful woman who loved an ugly man, and a person who sees good in those without good. After hanging up, he and Neal reconcile as father and son. Cora crumbles the barrier, teleporting Emma and Neal away, before sauntering up to her victim. In his last moment, Mr. Gold questions if she ever truly loved him. Cora acknowledges her love for him, but states that he was her weakness, and ultimately the reason she took out her own heart. She prepares to plunge the dagger into him, but is interrupted by Regina pushing the heart into her chest. Moments later, Cora perishes in Regina's arms as Mr. Gold's chest wound heals completely. At first, Regina blames him for her mother's demise until realizing Mary Margaret is the real culprit. ("The Miller's Daughter")

Mr. Gold shows up at Regina's family mausoleum where she is currently burying Cora and the mayor seems insulted that he turned up. He professes that he merely came to pay his respects to her mother before placing a rose on the coffin, and Regina begins to talk about how she plans to kill Mary Margaret for killing her mother. Gold tries to tell her that vengeance will get her nothing, and certainly not Henry, but Regina assures him that she will have everything. Gold goes to the Charmings' apartment to warn them of Regina's upcoming attack and David tells the pawnbroker that he's going to help Mary Margaret as she saved his life, making him in her dept. Gold and David investigate Regina's vault and discover that a curse is missing, one that makes someone think they love another, and they deduce that Regina is planning to use it on Henry. Gold suggests that the only way to end this blood feud is by killing Regina, but Henry doesn't like this one bit, before running off. Still needing to protect Mary Margaret, Gold stays behind at the apartment, and, when Regina turns up, he stands in her way. Regina assures Snow that Rumple can't be her guard dog forever, before leaving. When Regina's curse plan is thwarted, Gold is able to leave, but before he does, Mary Margaret asks him how he is able to live with himself knowing all the evil he's caused, as she's currently going through this herself after murdering Cora. Gold tells her that he tells himself he did the right thing, and eventually, one starts to believe this.  ("Welcome to Storybrooke")

Mr. Gold dreams of murdering Henry, having been told that the boy will be his undoing, but feels guilty about it. The next day, he watches Neal and Henry sword fight in the park and is soon approached by Regina, who is surprised to discover that Rumple's son is Henry's father. Gold then goes and visits Belle in the hospital and promises to help her jog her memories, however, she is later visited by Regina who gives her her memories back - her cursed ones. When Mr. Gold goes looking for Belle, he finds her at a club called The Rabbit Hole, where he discovers she is a woman of loose-morals named Lacey, who has little interest in him. He goes to David to ask him how he managed to fall in love with Mary Margaret when cursed, and David says that Snow and Charming were still within them, just buried. With this, Gold returns to the club and asks Lacey out on a date, and she agrees to go with him. Later, the two of them are seen at Granny's Diner on said date where Lacey is surprised to discover that Gold is so much nicer than the rumors she's heard. He seems excited when Lacey shares a line that Belle once said, but this excitement soon fades when she goes to the bathroom and doesn't return. Gold finds her in the back alley making out with Keith, formerly known as the Sheriff of Nottingham, and gets rid of the latter, very disappointed in Lacey for what she did. She reminds him once more that she isn't the Belle that loved him, before leaving. Later, Gold is approached by Keith who tries to apologize, but Rumple removes the sheriff's tongue and begins beating him with his cane. Lacey strolls and by and sees this, taking pleasure in the fact that Mr. Gold is as dark as people say. Gold assures the girl that he's darker and she continues to watch in delight and he continues to beat Keith presumably to death. ( "Lacey" )

That same night, after Mr. Gold is done with Keith, he and Lacey stroll out into the parking lot side by side while chatting animatedly. Unbeknownst to either, Hook sees them from the clock tower. ("The Evil Queen")

Gold is seen with his foot over Dr. Whale's face telling him to kiss his boot, with Lacey standing nearby. He accuses Whale of staring at Lacey in a lustful manner, and as he's about to stomp on the doctor's face, Neal restrains his father, and Whale leaves. Bae points out how non-redemptive Gold has been since he arrived, and so he asks his son why he's still there, and Neal states that he's staying for Henry and no one else. Later, Gold is visited at his pawn shop by Mary Margaret and David, who tell him that Regina is missing. Gold is happy to hear this, but David points out that he's still owed a favor, and so the pawnbroker asks Lacey to leave the room as he tends to his business. He takes out a vile of Regina tear from his cabinets and asks for one of Mary Margaret's, to make his spell work. Snow consents and offers a tear, Gold then charms the vile to make a potion that when poured into Mary Margaret's eye, will make her able to see and experience everything Regina can. The Charmings then leave and Lacey appears, having heard everything and being very impressed that Mr. Gold can do magic. The two of them are still talking about it later and Lacey asks if he could keep her young forever so she can be immortal, like him, and he says he could, but that the immortal can still be killed. He tells her that he was told someone would be his undoing, and so Lacey tells him to get rid of him. Gold tells her that it's not that simple, but she reminds him that he's someone who would never let anyone stand in his way. Rumple is watching Henry play in the park and contemplates using magic to make his swing snap and cause him to go flying into the nearby, sharp rocks, however, he is halted at this when the Charmings approach. As Emma talks to Henry, Mary Margaret and David tell Gold that Neal was shot by Tamara and fell through a portal. They then tell him that Tamara and Greg are in possession of the curse's fail-safe and have the power to destroy the town and kill them all, but Gold doesn't care, blaming himself for Bae's death, and leaves in grief. He arrives at his pawn shop where the dwarfs are raiding his shelves in search of something of Sneezy's, explaining that Mother Superior concocted a potion to return the memories of those who have crossed the town line, if it is drunk from a treasured item. The dwarfs take what they're looking for, but before Grumpy leaves, he gives Rumple some of the potion to be used on Belle. Later, Gold shows Lacey the broken chipped cup and repairs it with magic, before pouring out some potion and serving it to her. Lacey then fades away and Belle returns, hugging Mr. Gold who apologizes, saying that he didn't want to wake her up to die. Soon enough, Emma and Regina stop the fail-safe and the town is turned back to normal, however, Gold and Belle witness Greg and Tamara jump through a portal - with Henry. They plan to use the final bean to find Henry and return him home, but when Belle tries to get on the ship, Gold tells her that he needs her in Storybrooke to cast a protection spell, to stop Greg and Tamara's people from entering town. She assures her love that she will see him again, before he boards the ship, deciding that Henry may be his undoing, but he's still his grandson. Gold then uses the magic globe he used to find Bae to discover that Henry is in Neverland. Hook throws the bean in the sea and sails Gold, Regina, Mary Margaret, David and Emma through it, although Gold warns them of someone they must fear on the other side. ("Second Star to the Right", "And Straight on 'Til Morning", "Dark Hollow")

As they sail towards the island of Neverland, Mr. Gold announces his intent of getting him back on his own and proceeds to list off reasons why Emma will fail in this mission; not believing in her parents, in magic, or even herself. He disappears from the ship to continue the journey alone on the island. In the jungle, he stumbles upon a campfire with a deceased Greg and finds Tamara, despite taking an arrow to the back, still alive and struggling to move. Mr. Gold heals her wounds and asks for Henry's whereabouts. She shakily describes Henry running off, and apologizes for everything, including what happened to Neal; swearing she had not known the true intentions of the Home Office. Though she begs for his forgiveness, Mr. Gold calmly declines and tears out her heart; crushing it to ash. Afterwards, Mr. Gold continues trekking on foot. One of Pan's Lost Boys, Felix, warns Mr. Gold will be making enemies with Pan if he desires to find Henry, and that path will lead to death. Unafraid, Mr. Gold boldly attests if that occurs, he'll be taking countless other lives with him as well; implicating Felix will be one of them, too. Before letting Mr. Gold walk off, Felix tosses him a doll figurine from Pan. The sight of it shocks the older man, who breaks down into tears as he holds the doll in his hands. ("The Heart of the Truest Believer")

Later, a more composed Mr. Gold lights a bonfire and uses the Dark One's dagger to slide away his shadow. Then, he instructs it to hide the dagger away. A noise attracts his attention and he sets down the doll to investigate. An unknown person steals the doll, to which he chases the thief down and pulls off the hood to reveal Belle. They talk about Mr. Gold's willingness to become the Dark One again if it means rescuing Henry. As she draws him into a kiss, he pulls away to confirm his suspicions that she isn't actually physically in Nevlerland, which she affirms. Belle answers his questions about Storybrooke and the protection spell easily enough, but he is almost certain she is a fake and asks who brought her here. Shockingly, she states that he did. Belle brings him to a cliff edge to sort out unresolved emotions. Mr. Gold's own past with his father continues to haunt him as he's become exactly like his own parent; cowardly and selfish. He also addresses the deal Pan offered for him not to interfere with anything relating to Henry. This will prevent the seer's prophecy from coming true, but it'll also leave Henry at the mercy of Pan. Belle reminds him of the regret he lived with after abandoning Baelfire, and it doesn't need to be repeated in Henry's case. Encouraged by her to let go of the past, Mr. Gold reminisces about the doll, which was the last thing his father ever gave him before he left. When she advises he must stop holding onto the past to prevent it from repeating again, Mr. Gold throws the doll into the ocean. Following a descent down from the cliff, Mr. Gold is once again on alert after hearing a sound nearby. He checks around and upon stepping forward, the doll falls onto the ground from the night sky; seemingly returned to Mr. Gold. Troubled, he sets it on fire and walks off, but is startled to see the doll, good as new, in the next clearing. He gives up, and tucks the doll into his jacket pocket. ("Lost Girl")

In preparation to sacrifice himself to save Henry, Mr. Gold rubs a black substance on his face. He talks to Belle about the necessity of putting back on his mask of a monster in order to save Henry. She regards his intentions as good, but warns a life of craven self-interest is a nasty habit he's never been able to break. Mr. Gold maintains things are different now because there's nothing left to live for with his son gone, and knowing he'll never truly see Belle again. Even if it is possible, he knows Belle will, in time, see him as a monster. On foot, he puts to sleep two Lost Boys on guard duty and pilfers a spear. Unexpectedly, he arms himself when someone runs into the area. Mr. Gold is bewildered to see what he believes is an illusion of Neal meant to be a reminder of his failures and also make him question his own decision to save Henry. He attacks the facade and begins choking him until Neal pleads by calling him Papa. This causes Mr. Gold to realize his son is not dead. Though it is Mr. Gold's intention to sacrifice himself for Henry, Neal has a better idea and kills a colossal squid by the lake. After Mr. Gold extracts the squid ink, Neal coats the shaft of an arrow with it. They storm Pan's camp when Mr. Gold puts all the Lost Boys and Henry to sleep. Pan catches the arrow Neal shots at him and becomes paralyzed as they take away a slumbering Henry. However, Pan brings up the prophecy to Neal. This causes Mr. Gold to disclose the prophecy to Neal, who in turn, begins to lose trust in his father. Neal wants proof Mr. Gold has changed by handing over the dagger. Mr. Gold explains how he got rid of it, but his answer further frustrates Neal, who believes he is making excuses. He attests to not being the same as in the past, and can be strong if his son has faith in him. Placated, Neal grabs Mr. Gold's hand in a gesture of trust, but then brings up how he felt being trapped in Neverland wishing his father would come to rescue him, and later realizing this was never going to happen due to his father's greed for power. Mr. Gold realizes too late that Neal secretly slid a piece of squid ink into his palm, which then freezes him. Neal leaves with Henry. Afterwards, the squid ink wears off as Belle materializes to give condolences for Neal’s lack of belief in him. Yet, Mr. Gold begins to doubt his own ability to go through with the sacrifice and again struggles with his nasty habit of selfishness. Belle reminds him again that habits can be broken, but Mr. Gold, not in the mood for talking, sends her away. ("Nasty Habits")

Mr. Gold makes an attempt to look into the future, though Pan rudely interrupts to inform him that time stands still on the island, and foresight is not possible in such a place. Vehemently, he promises that he may not be able to see the future, but can make one happen. Pan doesn't take him seriously and jests that he made Mr. Gold's favorite breakfast, eggs in a basket, which are cooking on a pan over the low campfire, to cheer him up. Mr. Gold is confronted with all the losses he has suffered, such as losing Neal again and his failure to save Henry due to his own lack of power to go through with the sacrifice. Pan proposes a chance for Mr. Gold to live by leaving the island. Mr. Gold doesn't want to abandon both his son and grandson, but Pan pointedly suggests that even if Neal and Henry are saved, they will never forgive him for his horrible deeds. Furthermore, Pan instigates Mr. Gold hasn't forgiven his father either and tries to persuade him to go back to Belle and have another child as this is the only future he can have without dying. In this moment of conflict, Belle comes to beseech him to come home to her, and if he does, they can start a new family together, which she yearns for. Puzzled, Mr. Gold doesn't see how Belle can want anything since she's a figment of his imagination. He begins accepting her hand so they can go back home, but suddenly, Belle begins choking. Out of the wilderness, Regina pops out while her hold on Belle's neck steadily tightens until the girl collapses and reverts to the real form of the Shadow before fleeing. Mr. Gold brushes off Regina's idea of teaming up as the only way to stop Pan is if he himself dies as well in the process. As much as she would not mind destroying Pan, Regina suggests they can find a way to contain him. Mr. Gold has just the item for the job, except it's sitting in his pawnshop. She reprehends him for not bringing it along, though Mr. Gold's whole plan all along was to sacrifice his own life to kill Pan. Regina mocks him for such an idiotic plan as his will for self-preservation is too strong anyway. To procure the item, Regina summons a mermaid, Ariel, from the ocean. Regina makes good on a deal to give Ariel human legs and the location of her past love, Eric, if she will help them. Ariel complies with their terms and is told to go to Storybrooke. ("Ariel")

To help Ariel find the way there, Mr. Gold draws a route to Storybrooke on the ground and then gives her an enchanted sand dollar to take to Belle. Through a hologram projection in the sand dollar, he gives Belle a hint about the location of the item needed to destroy Pan. He states that it can be found with strength of their love. Passing the time until Ariel's return, Regina asks Mr. Gold if he really believes Belle can succeed. He is certain she can, but Regina wants to be sure his feelings aren't blinding him. Mr. Gold attests that his feelings for Belle are enough to believe in her. She realizes he must really love her. He jokes she is jealous, but Regina denies being envious of Belle. Mr. Gold determines she actually covets not having someone. A splash interrupts the exchange as Ariel peers out from the water to deliver the requested item, Pandora's Box, to Mr. Gold. After Regina gives Ariel control over being human as a reward, Mr. Gold sends her off to Eric. Before she goes, Ariel notifies them about Pan's prisoner, Wendy, and the girl's brothers are in Storybrooke anxiously awaiting their sister. She pleads for them to rescue Wendy as thanks for procuring the box. Mr. Gold promises to try and asks her to tell Belle that they will indeed be seeing each other again. ("Dark Hollow")

Rumple is moving through the jungle with Regina, who is shocked to learn that Neal really is alive (her not believing this being the reason she left the others), and the two of them soon come across Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Neal, Hook and Tinker Bell, all of whom have begun trekking to Pan's camp in order to save Henry. Everyone turns on Rumple when Neal tells them of the prophecy and that Gold is there to kill Henry, but Rumple argues against these claims, handing Pandora's Box over to his son and promising not to use magic. He later offers to help cure David of his Dreamshade poisoning back in Storybrooke, believing he's able to do so after having been poisoned himself. When he begins to ask for a price in exchange, Neal tells his father that he will save David because it's the right thing for do, and beg for nothing in return. Rumple is begrudged with this, but agrees, and later takes Hook's sword in order to storm Pan's camp, where Regina knocks out all the Lost Boys. After realizing that Pan and Henry aren't there, they find out from Wendy, Pan's prisoner, that the demon child plans on taking Henry's heart in Skull Rock, killing him, in order to ensure his own immortality. Whilst Hook and Tink stay and guard the unconscious Lost Boys, and Mary Margaret and David begin trekking up Dead Man's Peak in search of the latter's temporary Dreamshade cure, Rumple, Regina, Emma and Neal make their way to Skull Rock. Gold is the only one able to pass Pan's protection spell due to the fact that he doesn't have a shadow like the rest of them, and Neal is forced to reluctantly hand over Pandora's Box so that Rumple can use it to defeat Pan. Mr. Gold then confronts his father, but learns that Pan switched the box in Rumple's hands for a fake, having the real one himself, being able to do so with the power of his belief. He then opens the real box, trapping Rumple inside. ("Think Lovely Thoughts")

Mr. Gold is trapped in the box until being freed by Neal aboard the Jolly Roger. Immediately, he asks for Henry's whereabouts, and learns the boy is safe. Neal sees his father truly cares about the well-being of Henry, and feels badly for not believing in him. When questioned about Pan being his father, Mr. Gold expresses fears that he turned out just like him by abandoning his own son and being selfish. Though Neal has always held a grudge against his father for that, he now recognizes Mr. Gold has changed for the better. They fly home on a sail powered by the Shadow. ("Save Henry")

Following a safe journey out of Neverland to Storybrooke, he and Neal have a joyous reunion with Belle at the dock. Neal hands him his trusty old cane, which Mr. Gold affirms is a reminder of the man he used to be, but not anymore. Peace resumes as Mr. Gold seals the box away in the pawnshop. Belle brings up the endless possibilities of his future now that everything is settled. Mr. Gold agrees, and states that the only future he wants is where they are together. The next morning, he drops by the diner to give David the elixir. Mr. Gold doesn't ask for anything in return, though notes that they are now family, so perhaps David will help him in the future. That same day, Mr. Gold exits his shop with Belle just as David, Emma and Mary Margaret rush over to ask for the box as they believe Pan is controlling the escaped Shadow from inside it. At the outside of the town border, Emma steps over the line as Mr. Gold opens the box to release Pan on the same side as her. Pan claims to be Henry, as the two switched bodies, and proves it by telling Emma something only the boy himself would know. They all regroup with Hook, Neal and Tinker Bell at the vault where Regina took "Henry" for protection, though the door is locked. Mr. Gold busts the door open with magic. Inside, Regina is found unconscious while one critical item is missing and now in Pan's hands--the Dark Curse. ("The New Neverland")

Mr. Gold shares with everyone of the only viable way to stop Pan's curse is for Regina, as the original caster of the Dark Curse, to undo it by destroying the scroll, though there will be a steep price for this. They plan to switch Henry back to his own body so he will be in possession of the scroll and bring it to Regina. Mr. Gold can perform the spell, but needs a strong outlet in order for it to work. Tinker Bell has knowledge of a powerful Black Fairy wand that Mother Superior kept, so she, David, Hook and Neal go to retrieve it from the convent nuns. David, Hook and Neal arrive back with the wand. Before getting started, Mr. Gold clasps a bracelet on Henry, which will absorb away Pan's magic, after their bodies are switched back. Henry's spirit travels out of Pan into his body, to which everyone goes to find him while Mr. Gold stays behind. When Pan finally awakens, Mr. Gold gives him a chance to express remorse. Pan disdainfully blames him for stealing away everything he ever wanted; whether it be his dreams, money, time and even hopes of bettering himself. Mr. Gold prepares to kill him with a sword, but Pan rips off the bracelet and materializes it on the older man's wrist. He is then magically thrown into a shelf as Pan taunts him about being a coward once more without his magic to hide behind. Pan stalks off to reclaim the Dark Curse scroll while Mr. Gold tries, without success, to take off the bracelet. In frustration, he almost decides to cut off his own hand, but then apprehends Pan while everyone else is frozen by a spell. Mr. Gold affirms to Belle and Neal how much he loves them, but can't be together with them. As a last line of defense, he summons his Shadow, who previously hid away the dagger, and stabs Pan as well as himself with it. Pan melts away in darkened smoke as Malcolm takes his place. He ignores his father's attempts to stop him, even when Malcolm insists they can start over as a family. Mr. Gold attests that he himself is a villain, and as such, can't have a happy ending. He twists the dagger to embed deeper into both their puncture wounds as a golden light erupts from the blade. The two are showered in the glow and disappear as Mr. Gold plants an affectionate kiss on Malcolm's cheek. ("Going Home")

Before Second Curse
Rumplestiltskin's body and his dagger are recreated from a black liquid, when Neal uses a key to open the vault of the Dark One. As an unexpected cost, which Neal is not aware of, he dies while Rumplestiltskin is revived. As his son perishes, Rumplestiltskin grabs hold of him as well as the dagger. However, he is not able to grip both at the same time, and the Wicked Witch snatches the dagger. Unwilling to let Neal perish, he absorbs his son into his own body to keep him alive. Enslaved to the Wicked Witch's orders via the dagger, she orders him to kill Belle. Just before he does, Lumiere entraps the Wicked Witch in flames. Belle flees with Lumiere in tow while Rumplestiltskin is forced to stay behind. ("Quiet Minds")

Imprisoned in a cage in his own castle, Rumplestiltskin busies himself with a spinning wheel. Belle, Prince Charming, Snow White, Robin Hood and Regina break in to ask him how to defeat Zelena, but he responds with gibberish and veiled speech. However, when Belle approaches, he recognizes her and provides information about the banished Good Witch of the South, Glinda, who may be able to help them. His only clue to her whereabouts is a door that can only be entered by the pure of heart. Shortly after, Zelena, discovering Snow White cast another Dark Curse to find Emma, drops a potion into the mixture to erase everyone's memories of the last year in the Enchanted Forest. Before the curse spreads, she drinks a substance to retain her memories, and then passes it to Rumplestiltskin. She gives him the option to remember losing his son, or be foolish enough not to take the potion and forget everything. Left alone, Rumplestiltskin chooses to ingest it; believing that with pain is power, but also vengeance. As he lifts the vial to his lips, Neal breaks free. While Rumplestiltskin is passed out, his son writes a note to Hook asking him to give the potion to Emma, and he then attaches it to a messenger bird. With his last bit of strength gone, Neal returns to his father's body; causing Rumplestiltskin to awaken. ("A Curious Thing")

During Second Curse
Imprisoned by Zelena, Mr. Gold is kept in a farmhouse cellar. When Zelena brings a plate of food, Mr. Gold grabs her arm and warns that she should have never brought him back. She laughs, stating that they have work to do, and leaves. Alone, he repeatedly recites, "You feed the madness and it feeds on you!" and laughs hysterically. ("Witch Hunt")

In passing, he frantically spins straw into gold with a mantra of cleaning his mind and soothing the soul, which his captor mocks him about. Zelena's taunts anger Mr. Gold, to which she unlocks his cell and enters; daring him to harm her. As much as he would like to, Zelena is in full control of him with the Dark One's Dagger in her possession. When ordered to sit down, he assumes Zelena is going to stab him with the dagger and become the new Dark One, but instead, she gives him a facial shave by using the weapon as a razor. Claiming that she needs him to keep up appearances, Mr. Gold later questions if that were so, it would make more sense if he is given a new shirt. Admitting little, Zelena only states that she is after something he has spent a lifetime waiting for. While still jailed, Mr. Gold breaks out of the cellar, leaving the floor littered with his spun gold. ("The Tower")

Following his daring escape, Mr. Gold disappears into the forest. Despite that he feels the pull of Zelena's command via the dagger, Neal helps him resist her. While heading to the pawnshop, Neal assumes control of the body and collapses. While he is resting up at the hospital, Belle begins looking into a strange marking on his palm. Once Neal leaves for the forest, he becomes dormant in the body as Mr. Gold re-manifests. Unable to quiet Neal's extra voice in his head, Mr. Gold screams in agony; alerting David and Emma to him. When a flying monkey attacks, intent on returning Mr. Gold to Zelena, he flees. Emma chases after him, but doesn't see him revert to Neal. With Belle's research, Emma discovers he and his father are sharing the same body, and she magically separates them. Mr. Gold, having gained his sanity back, tells her the Wicked Witch's true name, Zelena. As Neal's time nearly runs out, he thanks his father for showing him what it means to make a true sacrifice for loved ones. Heartbroken, Mr. Gold reaffirms his love for him as Neal responds with similar sentiments before passing away peacefully. Emma leaves to track down the Wicked Witch, but Mr. Gold is unable to leave his son's side until Zelena herself comes along to drag him back to the farmhouse cellar. ("Quiet Minds")

While a public funeral is held for Neal, Mr. Gold remains caged. When asked by Zelena if his son was worth the trouble of casting the curse, Mr. Gold assures her it was because Neal is family; something she could never understand. To the townspeople, Zelena outs herself as Regina's half-sister and challenges her sibling to a showdown on Main Street. Hoping to win Mr. Gold away from Zelena's influence, Belle enters the cellar to coax him into leaving with her. Just as Mr. Gold reaches for Belle's hand, he alerts her to Zelena's presence in the room; sending the girl running out of the cellar. He is then forced to deliver a message from Zelena to Belle's allies warning them to not interfere again or risk paying with their lives. After nightfall, Mr. Gold accompanies his captor to the face-off. Emma tries to goad the witch into a fight, though Zelena has Mr. Gold fling her away. Regina arrives, with Zelena attempting to steal her heart, but the witch departs upon discovering it is hidden elsewhere. Locked up once more, Mr. Gold spitefully attests that even if he had to choose again, Regina would still be his choice as the curse caster. Gleefully, Zelena reveals her master plan of resetting the past so he'd be forced to choose differently. ("It's Not Easy Being Green")

Sent out to do Zelena's bidding again, Mr. Gold menaces Robin Hood for Regina's heart by threatening Roland's life. Robin Hood has no choice but to comply, and Mr. Gold departs, heart in hand, for Zelena. Upon return to his cell, he is handed a suit from his captor and later made to sit down for a meal with her. During dinner, she tells him more about her time spell for changing the past using the collected ingredients—David's sword, Regina's heart and his brain. Zelena boasts that she can even help him find his son again by allowing Mr. Gold to come with her to the past. Mr. Gold remains skeptical, but outwardly expresses remorse for having once chosen Regina over her. To make up for the error of his ways, he seduces Zelena, though this is just a ploy to distract her long enough so he can reach the dagger. Unfortunately, Zelena catches on and quickly seizes the weapon before he can take it. She angrily berates him for losing his only chance of seeing his son again, though Mr. Gold asserts that Neal died valiantly to save him. Fed up, she forces him to return to his prison. ("Bleeding Through")

Since Hook is refusing to follow Zelena's orders of removing Emma's magic, she has Mr. Gold kidnap him. On the town roadside, Mr. Gold drives up and stops his car. Upon opening the trunk, he unveils a bound-up Hook to her. Zelena gives the pirate an ultimatum to do as she asks or Henry will suffer the consequences. Later, Regina breaks the second curse when she bestows Henry with a kiss of true love. ("A Curious Thing")

After Second Curse
While Mr. Gold spins more strands of gold to "clear his mind", Zelena transforms it into his brain as one of the ingredients she needs. In the barn, he digs a symbol on the ground for the time spell. When Emma and Hook storm the farmhouse, Mr. Gold is compelled into drowning the pirate; forcing the savior to resuscitate him and be drained of magic. In turn, this leaves Mary Margaret, who is in labor, unprotected due to Emma's magic barrier around the delivery room being undone. At the hospital, Mr. Gold follows Zelena in as she easily subdues all those who stand in her way. They stumble upon Belle, who refuses to back down against Zelena, but via the witch's magic, she passes out in Mr. Gold's arms. Though Mr. Gold doesn't wish to leave his beloved, he is forced to by Zelena's will. Zelena successfully makes off with the newborn as the last ingredient for the spell, however, a confrontation ensues with Emma and her allies. Mr. Gold orders Emma to seize the dagger so she can control him instead, but it is Regina who defeats her sister with light magic. Regina takes Zelena's pendant; rendering her powerless, which gives an irate Mr. Gold the opportunity to punish the witch for enslaving him. Instead, Regina seizes the dagger to compel him to stop, and she spares Zelena's life. Mr. Gold regroups with Belle, who received the dagger from Regina, and she relinquishes it to him so he can be forever free. Due to her immense trust in him, he promises to do the same. He returns the dagger and proposes to Belle, which she happily accepts. Without her notice, Mr. Gold switches the dagger; taking the real one while replacing a fake in the pawnshop. In secret, he later kills Zelena with it; accidentally triggering magic in her pendant, which activates the time spell. ("Kansas")

Afterwards, Mr. Gold places the weapon in the pawnshop cabinet and magically obscures it. Belle, unable to keep what she believes is the real dagger, tries to give it back to him. Mr. Gold insists he trusts her completely and then changes the topic to their upcoming wedding. She happily informs him that her father, Moe, has given his blessing to them. During the diner celebration welcoming David and Mary Margaret's newborn son, Mr. Gold and Belle walk in as Zelena's time spell is activated. He follows as Belle, David, Regina and Robin Hood to the sheriff department to discover Zelena missing from the jail cell. Regina suspiciously accuses Mr. Gold of wrongdoing, but he attests Belle has the dagger and wouldn't order him to harm Zelena. To prove it, David runs the security tape. Nearly exposed, Mr. Gold quickly changes the recording to give the appearance that Zelena used magic to turn herself into a statue, which shatters and melts away into powder. As a group, they agree to leave the time portal untouched, however, Emma and Hook enter through it to the past where they recreate a first meeting between Prince Charming and Snow White and then return to the present. Later, Mr. Gold witnesses David and Mary Margaret announcing they are naming their son after a true hero—Neal. During the marriage ceremony, Archie acts as pastor while Belle is walked by her father to her future husband. Beginning her vows, Belle recalls losing Mr. Gold to darkness, weakness and death, but has actually spent her life finding him. He talks about being unloved and unloving since love has always given him pain, but she was the one who brought light into his life. Mr. Gold promises to never forget what he once was and what he is now. Belle believes the monster in him is gone and though as a man he is flawed, everyone is too, which only deepens her love for him. ("Snow Drifts", "There's No Place Like Home")

Deals
Throughout the realms, Rumplestiltskin became known as a being of great power and was feared because of his ability to grant a person's deepest wishes and darkest desires with magical deals that proved to be worse than he would initially proclaim. These deals appear to transcend into the Storybrooke reality as well, with Rumplestiltskin's counterpart Mr. Gold retaining a similar disposition for swindling people in desperate situations. In either reality, it appears that Rumplestiltskin always benefits in the long term through his deals, despite short term set-backs brought about by certain individuals.

Quotes

 * Belle: I told you I'd see you again. Mr. Gold: That's the last time I don't listen to you.
 * I'm sure you'll make a…mother of some sort.
 * Now there's a hole in your heart and someday you will come to me to fill it.
 * Mary Margaret: Thank you. Mr. Gold: Well apparently that's the only thanks I need these days.
 * I've carried enough lies in my life to recognize the burden. She knows where Henry is.
 * I know with the strength of our love, you'll find it.
 * Regina: We have history together. Mr. Gold: That would explain the distrustful look on her face.
 * You're my happy ending. This is. Because it's my redemption. I can be strong son. If you have faith in me.
 * The Shadow (In Belle's form): You've always felt more comfortable behind a mask. Mr. Gold: You were the only one who could ever see past it. Past the mask of the monster.
 * I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you.
 * Roast swan. That's amusing. You'll get that later.
 * Neverland is a place where imagination runs wild and sadly, yours doesn't.
 * You don't believe in your parents or in magic or even yourself.
 * The boy is my undoing but he's also my grandson.
 * I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake you up to die, but I needed you.
 * Mary Margaret: But we'll die. You'll die. Mr. Gold: I've made my peace with that.
 * They didn't kill my son. I did. I brought magic to this world to find Bae and now he's dead. Magic always has a price and this is it but I'm prepared to die.
 * Lacey: You really can do magic. Mr. Gold: I think you might want to pour yourself another drink.
 * Never underestimate the power of a guilty conscience.

Trivia

 * According to Robert Carlyle, Rumplestiltskin is three-hundred years old by the time the Dark Curse is cast.
 * His spoken phrase, "Tick-tock, dearie, tick-tock!" is a reference to the crocodile who swallowed a clock from J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan".
 * He spins gold out of straw frequently, though it is of no worth to him. Instead, Rumplestiltskin claims he does it to forget what he lost. ("Skin Deep")
 * During his lifetime, Rumpelstiltskin has had some dogs. ("The Cricket Game")
 * Before he was imprisoned, Rumplestiltskin fought Cora and won. It is implied Cora came close to winning. ("Into the Deep")
 * Rumpelstiltskin once transformed a butcher into a pig. ("The Crocodile")
 * He once made a deal with Don Juan. ("Lacey")
 * On Twitter, episode writer Jane Espenson stated a first name has never been established for Mr. Gold.
 * He has a noticeable limp and walks with a cane, much like he did before he was cursed with the Dark One's abilities. Being in a Land Without Magic, Mr. Gold is unable to use his powers to placate his disability. However once magic was brought to Storybrooke in A Land Without Magic, he no longer needed it, but chose to keep using it. It isn't until he returns to Storybrooke from Neverland in The New Neverland after saving Henry that he chose to not use it to promise to Neal that he wan't going to become the man he was again.
 * Mr. Gold has a few gold teeth.
 * He greatly dislikes nuns. ("Dreamy"). In reality, he hates the Fairies (all becomes nuns in Storybrookke), because he considers the Blue Fairy to be the cause of his son's disparition.
 * Owns and operates a pawn shop where a number of objects from the Enchanted Forest are kept.
 * Mr. Gold is a licensed attorney, a quality which allows him to broker many of his Storybrooke deals. He alludes to having enough legal experience to represent Mary Margaret in a criminal trial. ("Heart of Darkness")