Becoming the Dark One was the act of a coward. Well I'm no longer that man.(...) And that weak coward will not be the Rumplestilsktin the world remembers. My plan is to do whatever it takes.(...) But I also know that you don't do the right thing for a reward; you do it because it's right. I've been selfish for too long; living on stolen time. And now, I will finally face the unknown.
„
~ Rumple, sacrificing his life to save Wish Hook and kill his evil counterpart
Rumplestiltskin is the secondary antagonist-turned one of the major characters of the ABC original series Once Upon A Time, and is the fairytale identity of Mr. Gold and Weaver.
Rumplestiltskin is one of the most feared beings in Fairytale Land and is notorious for his deals. He is the major protagonist/anti-hero in the first three seasons (he is the secondary antagonist in season one and second half of season three, the latter in which while under Zelena's control), but gradually becomes the secondary antagonist in the first half of the fourth season after reverting to his dark and power-hungry nature, and one of the three main antagonists in the second half, being the leader of the other primary villains and the one who orchestrated the plot. However, in the first half of the fifth season, he reverts back to a redeemed supporting protagonist, though becomes an anti-villain in the second half. In season 6, he is a supporting antagonist/anti-hero before finally becoming a supporting protagonist and remaining as such in the seventh season. After Belle's death, he spends the whole seventh season trying to free himself from his status of Dark One, while avoiding falling back into darkness despite the great danger represented by Dr. Facillier. He dies in the last episode of the series after sacrificing himself to eliminate his irredeemable, malevolent dopplegänger from the Wish Realm, and finally finds Belle in the afterlife.
He is based on the titular character from the fairytale Rumpelstiltskin and takes the place of the Beast from Beauty and the Beast and the Crocodile from Peter Pan.
No.. I won’t betray my family I will do the right thing, I was destined to become the saviour.
„
~ Rumple relinquishing the power and ordering Gideon to spare Emma swan.
“
You’re nothing but a devil on my shoulder.
„
~ Rumple’s good side confronting his dark self
“
Because I have a job to finish and I have to do it no matter it takes, no loopholes and what needs to be done as a price, a price I’m willing to pay, I used the curse to find you bay, to tell you I made a mistake to make sure you have the chance of happiness and that happiness is possible, just not with me and I acccept that.
„
~ Rumpelstiltskin finally confronting Pan despite losing his powers.
“
I’ll do anything for you Son,
„
~ Rumplestiltskin reuniting with his son.
“
But I’m a villain. and villains don’t get happy endings.
„
~ Rumoelstilskin’s final words towards Pan before carving the dagger to sacrifice himself to save his family from Pan.
Powers and abilities[]
Dark One powers: As a Dark One, Rumplestilskin is an immensely powerful and dangerous wizard with many dark powers. After he regained his tenebrous status and powers, he became unimaginably powerful, almost unlimited and almost equal to that of a god.
Immortality: Rumplestilskin is immortal, not aging and being insensitive to all weapons except the Dark One dagger.
Resurrection: If Rumplestilskin is killed, he can be resurrected from the Dark Cellar in exchange for another life.
Superhuman strength: Rumpletiltskin has superhuman strength, being able to coerce people with ease.
Magic: As a Dark One, Rumplestiltskin is a very powerful sorcerer, much more powerful than the majority of the magical world. After recovering the powers of all the existing Dark Ones (so that makes himself twice, Nimue, Captain Hook, Gorgon, Emma Swan with in addition her magic of Sauveuse and probably others), that makes him a black sorcerer with a power almost equal to that of a god.
Prospective: Rumplestiltskin can see part of the future, thanks to the Prophetess who gave him his power.
Teleportation: Rumplestilskin can teleport at will with passages if he wishes, with or without smoke.
Telekinesis: Rumplestilstkin can move objects or people without touching them, he used this power to open a door, violently throwing people, or choke people.
Elementary control: Rumplestilstkin can control the natural elements at will.
Pyrokinesis: Rumplestilsktin can control fire, which he often uses to generate a fireball from his hand.
Phytokinesis: Rumplestilsktin can control plants, as when after telekinetically projecting Hook onto a barrier he immobilized him by growing plants around his limbs.
Heart ripping: Rumplestiltskin can rip people's hearts out of their breasts to kill or control them. He taught Cora, Regina and Zelena how to master this power.
Metamorphosis: Rumplestiltskin can change his appearance or that of others, as when he changed a miller into a snail, transformed Regina into a peasant or even that he transformed himself by taking the appearance of Regina to deceive Zelena.
Healing: Rumplestiltskin can heal his wounds or those of others in a purple halo, as when he heals himself from his sword wound simply by passing his hand over it or when he tries to heal Baelfire.
Protection charm: Rumplestiltskin can protect a place or an object, as when it protects its dagger.
Immobilization: Rumplestiltskin can freeze people with a hand gesture.
Sleeping: Rumplestiltskin can put a person to sleep with a hand gesture, like when he has put a whole group of Lost Children to sleep or Gideon to sleep.
Qualified swordsman: Rumplestiltskin is a highly skilled swordsman, although helped by his magic.
High intelligence: Rumplestiltskin is a great manipulator, and is able to carry out complex plans.
Trivia[]
In the series finale, Rumple ultimately fulfills his prophesied destiny and fate as The Savior.
His time as the Dark One is indirectly his mother's fault; so she not only made herself the evil he was destined to destroy, but also created a version of him that was pure evil. He even states that by severing him from his destiny as The Savior, she caused him to go through a life of cowardice.
His love for Belle kept him strong against the Darkness making him evil again; even refusing to burden another with immortality.
Rumple admitted to Wish Hook that he was finally paying the price for being the Dark One; agony of never being able to die and join his beloved.
Additionally, love for his sons (and recognizing the value in his extensive family) ultimately completed his redemption. He refused and killed his mother even when she offered to resurrect Baelfire, given he accepted they ultimately couldn’t be happy together, and chose to stop Gideon from killing Emma rather than gaining more power.