Rumplestiltskin

Rumplestiltskin (also known as Mr. Gold) is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. He debuts in the first episode of the first season. He is portrayed by starring cast member Robert Carlyle.

Before the curse
In Rumplestiltskin's young age, his father is branded a coward and he is raised by spinsters. When he is older, he marries a woman named Milah. One day, he is called upon to fight in the ogre war, he is excited to prove himself and show that he is not a coward like his father. However, the prisoner he was 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 would leave him fatherless". At first, skeptical, 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. Milah was bitter over the life she had with Rumplestiltskin and arranged to disappear with Killian Jones, a pirate captain. Rumplestiltskin did attempt to "rescue" his wife from the pirates, but his cowardice overcame him and he was forced to return home to Baelfire and tell him that his mother was gone. When the kingdom finally had to resort to using children as soldiers in the Ogre Wars, 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.

During the curse
After the curse is cast, Mr. Gold becomes a pawnshop dealer and rent collector in the town of Storybrooke. Regina walks down the street to get a glimpse of the other residents' lives in the new land, and sees Mr. Gold hobbling down the opposite street with a noticeable limp and carrying a cane to support himself.

Several days after the euphoria of Regina's new life begins to wear off for her, she visits Mr. Gold in his shop. She states she is not happy, and Mr. Gold inquisitively points her in the direction of Dr. Hopper's psychiatric office. Instead, Regina says she wants to speak to Mr. Gold about the deal they made in the previous land, and how it's not what she wanted. Puzzled, Mr. Gold gives her a blank look and apologetically says he has no idea what she is talking about. Regina realizes Mr. Gold does not remember anything from his previous life. She paces the shop, and murmurs that she was supposed to be happy here. Mr. Gold reminds her she is the most powerful woman in town as mayor, and doesn't understand what is there to be unhappy about. Frustrated, Regina talks about everyone in town submitting to her will and doing as she likes, but they do it 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. Mr. Gold goes to the local bed and breakfast to collect the monthly rent from the owner, Granny, when he happens upon a new visitor to town, Emma Swan. Upon hearing her name, Mr. Gold's memories of his life as Rumplestiltskin return to him. He comments that it is a beautiful name and wishes Emma an enjoyable stay. When he leaves, Granny's granddaughter, Ruby informs Emma that Mr. Gold is the man who "owns" Storybrooke. Mr. Gold is in the mayor's backyard the night after Emma decides to stay in Storybrooke. He congratulates her for being in high spirits for banishing Emma, to which Regina replies that she has triumphed, while Mr. Gold tells her not to get ahead of herself, because he saw Emma and Henry together. He then says that he would have been able to help her for a price.

After the curse
After the breaking of the curse, Belle pressures Mr. Gold to renounce vengeance on Regina Mills and others who have wronged him. He promises, "I will not kill Regina." His animosity, however, cannot be contained, and he marks Regina with a medallion, which he then uses to summon a wraith to hunt her down. When confronted by Belle, he insists that this keeps his promise, 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. Afterwards, Belle returns later, concluding that she needs to be a civilizing influence in his life. Afterwards, Mr. Gold is seen in his shop when Regina storms in, looking through books and papers in the room. Regina tells him that she needs "the book" and Mr. Gold chuckles, stating "You need your Mommy's help." 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 now see the resemblance to her mother.