Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold

Rumplestiltskin is a single father of a thirteen year old son, Baelfire, living in a land where all youth are pressed into military service on their fourteenth birthday. His wife and Baelfire's mother, Milha, abandoned them when Baelfire was young tired of living as the wife of a coward. Rumplestiltskin is so desperate to keep his son, he kills Zoso, the current Dark One, and becomes the Dark One himself. With his new found power, he leaves his cowardice behind and enjoys people fearing him. Baelfire (Bae) makes a deal with Rumplestiltskin that if he can find a way for them to be together without the Dark One's magic Rumplestiltskin will do it. Bae is given the last magic bean by Reul Ghorm. The bean opens a portal to a land without magic, and Bae descends, but Rumplestiltskin is scared and refuses to go through. The portal closes around Bae and Rumplestiltskin realizes he's lost his greatest treasure. Reul Ghorm tells him there is no other way to travel between worlds and that he drove Bae away. As Rumplestiltskin searches for a way to get to the world Baelfire disappeared, he again meets Killian Jones, the pirate that stole his wife's heart. After confronting the couple for their deception, he rips Milha's heart from her chest and crushes it. He then chops off Jones' hand, creating a bitter enemy. He discovers there's no magic bean clutched in the hand of Jones as promised - he's been tricked. Throughout the years following Rumplestiltskin collects all kinds of treasures and amasses a fortune. He also tries to create all kinds of potions, such as a True Love potion, and curses, including the Dark Curse. Rumplestiltskin also makes deals to get what he wants, and sometimes the deals are extreme. He traded Sir Maurice peace in the Ogre Wars for his daughter, Belle. Belle and Rumplestiltskin fall in love during her time as his estate's "Caretaker", but he is afraid of losing his power and trusting in true love so he sends her away. However, Rumplestiltskin did truly care for Belle as he sets a cup she chipped during the beginning of her stay in a place of honor among his collection. The Evil Queen tells Rumplestiltskin that Belle's father shunned and tortured her driving her to commit suicide. Not long after, Rumplestiltskin is captured by Charming, Prince Thomas, and Cinderella. They put him in a special prison that keeps his magic from working. While he's there Snow White and Charming visit him to ask what they can do stop the Evil Queen's Dark Curse. He tells them their unborn child, Emma, is the key. The Evil Queen also visits to ask what she's doing wrong to enact the Dark Curse. He answers her question making his last deal in FTL, he bargains for riches and prominence in the new land and for Regina to do whatever he asks as long as says "please". Rumplestiltskin is still in this prison when the Dark Curse is unleashed.

In Storybrooke, Mr. Gold is a pawn broker, antiques dealer, and lawyer. He is also landlord to most of the businesses. As soon as Emma tells him her name when they meet at Granny's Bed and Breakfast, he remembers who he really is - Rumplstiltskin. Unfinished deals from FTL become Storybrooke deals, such as Cinderella's first born and saying "please" to Regina. Mr. Gold works with Regina as well as Emma in their battles against each other, and it is hard to tell who he wants to win out. He remembers Belle and what Regina told him about her father, and carries an intense hatred for her father, Moe French the Storybrooke florist who has no idea who he used to be or that he ever had a daughter, which erupts in physical violence after Moe steals the chipped cup on Regina's request. Mr. Gold is feared, distrusted, and generally disliked around town. Emma wins the election for sheriff by standing up to Mr. Gold. Though Regina realizes Mr. Gold remembers he's Rumplestiltskin, Henry cannot place him in his book, presumably because Rumplestiltskin is not in the book. Belle finds Mr. Gold once she's released from her cell under the hospital, and he is stunned and immediately welcomes her. When the curse breaks, Belle remembers who she is and who he is and tell him she loves him. He tells her he loves her too, but that there will be time for that later. He proceeds to the well and drops the True Love potion into it causing a purple cloud to engulf Storybrooke. Magic comes to Storybrooke.

Now that magic is back and Rumplestiltskin knows that it was Regina who had Belle all these years, he wants revenge. He summons a wraith to devour Regina's soul, damning her for all eternity. His plans are thwarted though when the Charming family intervene, bound by promise to Henry no to let Regina die. Rumplestiltskin's plans to find his son are also hindered when the Seven Dwarves, led by Grumpy, find out the hard way that leaving Storybrooke means losing one's FTL self altogether. This new curse is the price paid for bringing magic back to Storybrooke. Things just keep getting worse for Rumplestiltskin as Belle threatens to leave him if he doesn't change his manipulative and cruel ways.