Rumplestiltskin

"All magic comes with a price." Rumplestiltskin is one of the main characters of Once Upon a Time. Rumple was once a normal man turned evil by the Dark One's magic. After losing his son, he became obsessed with making deals, and, more so, collecting in on them. In Storybrooke, after the curse, Rumple is Mr. Gold and owns a pawnshop, as well as the town itself. He is one of the only people who remembers his past life pre-curse.

Before the Curse
"Now you've made your choice, and you're going to regret it... forever. All you'll have is an empty heart... and a chipped cup."

- Belle When Rumplestilstskin had to fight in a meaningless war, when his fellow soldiers died on the field of battle, he ran away. Back home, his wife left him as she was ashamed of him, leaving him to raise his son, Baelfire, alone. ("Desperate Souls")

At the age of 14, children are taken away to fight in a pointless war. Rumplestiltskin fears this for his son who will be shortly turning this age. Rumple and Baelfire decide to run away but are faced by soldiers who out Rumple to his son as a coward, before making him kiss his boot. and kicking him. Rumple is saved by an old man who tells him that there is a way his son can escape the war, he tells him to rob the Dark One's dagger and kill the Dark One with it. Rumple ventures off to a palace to steal the dagger, he does so successfully and runs into the Dark One. Rumplestiltskin stabs the Dark One, realizing that he was the old man who led him there, Rumple gains the Dark One's powers. He returns to his home and makes the soldier that humiliated him kiss his boot, he then snaps his neck and kills the other soldiers. Baelfire isn't happy about this and Rumplestilstskin's name appears on the dagger. ("Desperate Souls")

Rumplestiltskin walks onto the battlefield and leads all of the children home. ("The Return")

Jiminy doesn't want to be a crook anymore so when he visits Rumplestiltskin to deliver him goods, he gets a magical potion from him. However, the plan backfires and teo innocent people are turned to dolls. Rumple keeps the dolls. ("That Still Small Voice")

Rumplestiltskin is now one of the most feared and magical people in the fairytale world, making Baelfire miss his old papa. A prime example is where Rumple turned a man into a snail and stepped on him for hurting his son, upsetting him greatly. Baelfire asks if, if he found a way to rid Rumple of magic, he would do it, Rumple agrees. Baelfire finds a solution from the Blue Fairy to go to a non-magical world. Baelfire meets his father and opens the portalm however, Rumple is too scared to go through it and subjects his son to it, after being called a coward by him. This left Rumple ashamed of himself and built his anger as he had nothing to love. ("The Return")

The parents of James and his brother trade one of their children to Rumplestiltskin in exchange for a farm. Rumple later trades the baby he owns to King George in exchange for an "abidance". ("The Shepherd")

Regina summons Rumplestiltskin in order to escape her wedding day, as her overbearring mother, Cora, is forcing her into a loveless marriage with King Leopold. Rumple offers to teach Regina magic just like, as it's revealed, he taught Cora everything she knows. Regina doesn't want to use any magic and Rumple tries to persuade her otherwise, handing her a book of spells, he also gives her a mysterious looking glass. Later, Cora binds Regina with magic for defying her, and Regina, envisioning Rumple, breaks free with her own magic and sends Cora into the looking glass. Later, Rumple talks to Regina and asks her how it felt, she says she never wants to use magic again because she loved it, Rumple is happy and offers to teach her everything, believing she can be great.

Rumplestiltskin helps King Maurice defeat the ogres in exchange for Belle, the kings daughter. The princess steps up and goes to live with Rumplestiltskin who throws her in the dungeon and makes her his house girl. When cleaning, Belle accidentally drops a cup, chipping it, she apologizes but Rumple tells her that it's just a cup. Belle and Rumple, unexpectedly, begin to bonde and learn of each others' pasts. Rumple decides to let Belle go to the market as a way to offer her an escape out of grattitude, as Belle walks, she is percepted by Regina who tells her to return to Rumple and break his curse with true-love's kiss. Belle retursn to Rumple, much to his surprise, and tells him she loves him, as they kiss, Rumple begins to lose his power and realizes that Regina is behind it. He then, furiously, locks Belle up in the dungeon, refusing to believe that anyone could ever love him. Sfter quite a while, Belle is set free by Rumple andgoes unseen by him for a long time. Regina stops by umple's house and tells a lie about Belle throwing herself from the battlements. Rumple is devastated and always treasures the cup that Belle chipped, as a keepsake. ("Skin Deep")

Snow White goes to Rumplestiltskin to get from him a potion that will help her overcome true love. He has a potion that will make her forget Prince James, she thinks that is a bit extreme but accepts the potion anyway in exchange for a piece of her hair which Rumple takes. ("7:15 A.M.")

Snow White goes back to Rumplestiltskin to get him to undo the potion, he tells her that it cannot be undone, except, perhaps with true love, the one thing he cannot bottle. Snow ventures to kill Regina and James visits Rumple who says Snow's location in order for Charming's cape, Charming obliges. Rumple lifts hair from the cloak and puts it with Snow's - he bottles true love, the most powerful magic of all. ("Heart of Darkness")

Prince James, on his quest for Snow White, runs into Rumplestiltskin in the forest who steals hos mother's ring. He enchants it so that it glows when nearer to Snow, James gets it back in exchange for a favor. Charming puts an egg containing love potion into the dragon maleficent. ("A Land Without Magic")

Rumplestiltskin kills the Fairy Godmother just as she is about to make Cinderella beautiful, he then strikes a deal with Ella and allows her to go to the ball in exchange for a mystery favor. Ella marries Prince Thomas and becomes pregnant, however, Rumple wants her first-born as her side of the deal. Thomas and friends decide to trick Rumplestiltskin to inprisonment. Ella lies and says she's having twins and wants to strike a new deal, however, when Rumple signs on the dotted line, he is frozen and soon arrested to be taken to a sepcial cell. Later, Ella discovers that Thomas is missing and knows Rumplestiltskin is behind it. He is locked up. ("The Price of Gold")

Regina goes to Rumplestiltskin in jail, wanting him to help her enact a curse that will take them all to the real world. He helps her in exchange for a nice life in the new world, Regina obliges. ("The Thing You Love Most")

Snow White visits Rumplestiltskin in prison and he tells her that her daughter is the one who can break the curse. In exchange for this information, Snow must tell Rumple her child's name. She tells him that the little girl is to be called "Emma". Rumplw now knows who to find the savior in. ("Pilot")

Season 1
"When two people both want something the other has, a deal can always be struck." Emma Swan decides to stay at Granny's Bed and Breakfast for the week and as she is booking a room, Mr. Gold, formerly Rumplestiltskin, walks into the B&B and welcomes Emma to Storybrooke, telling her to enjoy her stay. When he leaves, Emma asks Granny who he is, Granny tells her that he owns the place, Emma asks if she means the Inn, Granny says, "The town." ("Pilot")

Mr. Gold talks to Regina as she is tending to her apple tree, he informs her that he just saw Emma and Henry walking together and offers to get rid of Emma for a price. Regina refuses, telling him that she isn't in the business of doing deals with hi anymore. He reminds her of the deal she made to procure Henry and asks where she got that name, she doesn't answer. Regina asks Gold about Emma's past but he knows as little as she does. As he leaves, Regina gives him a meaningful stare which suggests that she suspects he remembers his life before the curse. ("The Thing You Love Most")

Rumplestiltskin is robbed by his pregnant employee, Ashley Boyd, and knocked out by her. Mr. Gold goes to Emma to ask her to find Ashley without the police getting involved because he wouldn't want the girl to get iun trouble. Afetr consulting with Ruby, Emma and Henry drive in the way of Boston to find Ashley's car and her in labor next to it, she is taken to hospital, Emma is livid when she discovers that Ashley was going to sell her baby to Mr. Gold and when Gold shows up, Emma refuses to let him have it. In exchange for this, Emma makes a deal with Gold stating that she owes him a favor. ("The Price of Gold")

When it is dsicovered that Archie/Jiminy got Geppetto's parents turned to dolls, Mr. Gold is seen walking past said dolls in his pawn shop. ("That Still Small Voice")

David is walking around Storybrooke with a map and asks Regina for directions to the Toll Bridge and Regina gives him false directions, leading him to Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer, he then asks Mr. Gold for directions but becomes fixated on an item in the shop, a windmill that he believes used to belong to him. He doesn't show up at the Toll Bridge. This appears to have been Gold's intent. ("The Shepherd")

Sheriff Graham is running through the woods, looking for a wolf, when he runs into Mr. Gold. Graham tells Gold about the wolf, how it apeared in his dreams and now in real life, and Gold suggests that dreams are actually memories from past lives. ("The Heart is a Lonely Hunter")

It has been two wees since the death of Sheriff Graham and Mr. Gold convinces Emma, the deputy, to step up to the role of sheriff. However, Regina has already appointed Sidney Glass as sheriff and Mr. Gold offers to support Emma in becoming sheriff by going over the twon charter and finfing a loophole. Emma then confronts Regina, telling her that she cannot appoint a sheriff, only appoint a candidate, meaning that the sheriff's positiong is open for campaign. Henry is worried to know that Mr. Gold is helping Emma as he knows it's dangerous to owe him a favor, and Regina is, too, furious with Mr. Gold for working against her. Mr. Gold sets fire to Regina's basement, knowing that Emma's hero instincts would kick in and that she would save. As the two emerge from the fire, Emma comes off looking like a hero, however, she is furious to find out that Gold started the fire as an aid to their campaign. During her speech, Emma admits that the fire was staged and outs Mr. Gold, she is elected sheriff and Gold tells her that it was his plan all along as people elected her because she stood up to him, and people fear Gold more than Regina. ("Desperate Souls")

Emma visits Mr. Gold in his shop and asks him to identify the origins of a compass, Gold checks his files and refers her to a Michael Tilman, Emma leaves and the document that Gold read from is revealed to be blank. ("True North")

Emma and Sidney are driving through the woods, following Regina, when their breaks fail them, having been tampered with. They run into Mr. Gold in the woods who admits to them that he sold Regina a plot of land out there. Emma and Sidney then discover that Regina plans to build a house there with town funds, however, this exposure backfires when Regina admits to building a children's playhouse on Mr. Gold's former land. ("Fruit of the Poisonous Tree")

Mr. Gold repossesses a florist's van the day before Valentine's Day, ruining business for him, but, Gold is later robbed by the florist. He consults Emma, the sheriff, who retrieves all of the items besides one which is the only thing that Gold deems important. Mr. Gold then kidnaps Moe, the florist and begins to beat him, asking him where the item is and who told him to take it, he then begins to say "she's gone" as he beats him, referring to Belle, Rumplestiltskin's slost love. Emma catches Mr. Gold who suspects Regina is behind the robbery, he is arrested for kidnapping and assault. Regina later visits Mr. Gold in his cell to return the item in exchange for information, Gold's real name, he admits to being Rumplestiltskin and Regina gives him his chipped cup, the one that Belle dropped before she "died" It is revealed later that Regina has Belle's counterpart locked up in the underground psychiatric ward, unbeknownst to Gold. ("Skin Deep")

When Leroy needs money to help pay the nuns' rent, he offers to sell his boat to Mr. Gold for $5000, however, Mr. Gold will only go for about $3000. This is a useless encounter though, as Leroy never manages to sell his boat due to Astrid discovering that he didn't sell the candles like he said. ("Dreamy")

Mr. Gold shows up at the sheriff's office just as Emma suggests to Mary Margaret that she get a lawyer as she has been arrested for Kathryn's murder. Gold offers his services as lawyer, Mary Margaret decides to hire him but cannot pay him, Gold offers to do it for free as he is "ivested in her future". Later, Mary Margaret finds a key in her cell and escapes. ("Heart of Darkness")

Regina walks into the sheriff's office, expecting Mary Margaret to be gone due to the impantation of the key, however, she is annoyed to discover that Mary Margaret is in her cell, after having been found and brought back by Emma. Mr. Gold tells Regina that his client is not to be seeing any visitors at the moment. Outside, Regina furiously asks Gold what she's doing in her cell, he says that Emma is more resourceful than they anticipated. Regina says that she only planted the key upon his suggestion and that she wants results, hence why she made a deal with him. Mr. Gold assures Regina that she will get those results. ("Hat Trick")

It is revealed that Mr. Gold and Regina had been plottinbg to frame Mary Margaret for a while, Gold did it in exchange for dropped charges. They planned how to get rid of Mary Margaret and Regina asked how she can trust Mr. Gold, he told her that he honors his agreements. Emma, Gold and Mary Margaret discuss the upcoming court case and Mr. Gold suggests that the use May Margaret's kind nature as a defence, they could win. During questioning, Mary Margaret doesn't help herself when she is irritated into admitting that she wanted Kathryn gone. When it seems that Mary Margaret is doomed, Mr. Gold reminds Emma that there is still time for him to work a little magic. It is then that Ruby bursts in, saying that she saw someone in the alley, Emma investigates only to find Kathryn has returned. ("The Stable Boy")

Mr. Gold finds August W. Booth in his office and wonders what he was looking for, her later asks Emma if she trusts him and she says that she trusts August more than him. Later, Rumple suspects that August may be his long-lost son, he visits Archie Hopper to talk to him about talking to his son again. Later, in the woods, Mr. Gold confronts August who admits to being his son, Gold is overjoyed and apologizes. The two of them go to dig up the Dark One's dagger, which hold's Rumple's power, however, August tries to control Gold with it, proving to Gold that August lied about being his son. Gold pins August up to a tree, holding the knife to his neck, August admits that he's dying and was sent to make the savior believe but failed. Gold lets him go and tells him to try again. ("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. ("The Stranger")

Regina becomes worried that her apple tree is dying and so goes to Mr. Gold. He explains it by telling her that the curse is weakening, this worries Regina, Gold tells her that if Emma were to die, the curse would be broken. Regina later goes back to Mr. Gold to gloat that she retrieved a poisoned apple from the fairytale world, Gold reminds her that all magic comes at a price and she tells him that he can pay it. ("An Apple Red as Blood")

Henry is dying because of the apple turnover baked with the poisned apple by Regina, Emma now believes and her and Regina must now team up to save Henry's life, they start by going to the only other person with magic, Mr. Gold, or, Rumplestiltskin. He reveals to them that he dapped the potion with a drop of true love, made from Snow White and Prince James (Emma's parents, hence why she is the savior) which means it contains some of the strongest magic. Gold tells them that he didn't use the whole potion and hid the rest in a golden egg which can be found with the maleficent dragon. Emma faces the dragon and retrieves the potion in the egg. However, when she is going up the lift, it stops, she climbs out of the top to see mr. Gold, he tells her that Regina tampered with the lift and abandoned her, Emma throws the egg to Gold and climbs up to discover that Gold was lying and has now ran off with the otion, having tied Regina up. Gold gets to his shop and an unexpected visitor shows up: Belle (who was earlier freed by Jefferson). She tells him that she was told to say that Regina locked her up, Mr. Gold promises to protect her, despite her not knowing who he is. The two venture to the well in the woods soon after Emma breaks the curse, they arrive, meaning that Belle remembers Gold/Rumplestiltskin and tells him that she loves him. He pours the love into the well creating a purple mist that spreads over Storybrooke, he says that magic is coming back and Belle asks him why, he tells her that it is because magic is power. ("A Land Without Magic")

Season 2
"Promise me you won’t give into your hate. Promise me you won’t kill her... Promise me and we can be together."

- Belle

Rumplestiltskin and Belle are still at the well after the purple mist dissipates and Rumple asks his true love what happened to her, she tells him that she was taken away and locked up by Regina, Rumple says that he cannot and will not let that stand but Belle makes him promise her not to kill her, he does. However, when Rumple and Belle return to the shop and he goes to get her some clothes, he retrieves the wraith's medallion from a box. Later, Rumple visits Regina in prison and, keeping his promise to Belle, does not kill her, instead, he gives her a fate worse than death by pressing her hand up to the medallion, marking her for the wraith. Later still, Gold is visited by Emma, Prince Charming and Snow White who come baring questions, he answers questions with questions, twisting Emma's words, when a sudden earth-tremor is felt, they look out the window to see Storybrooke fallen into dispair, they leave to fight it. Belle emerges and learns what Rumple did to Regina, she mentions how he always twists words and angrily leaves, hoping that he had changed. However, Belle returns and forgives him, happy to see that his most cherished item is her chipped cup. He tells her to leave, saying that he's still a monster, despite her wishes, however, Belle refuses, saying that that's exactly why he needs her.

Rumple walks into his shop to find Regina rifling through his books, hoping to find one inparticular. Rumple asks her what she's doing and she says that she wants to get her magic back, she notes that it is only her and him that know at that point that fairytale land still exists. Rumple asks her to leave and uses 'please', however, Regina tells him that his pleases have lost their punch, Rumple conjurs the book and gives it to her, the same book he gave to her when he trained her in the first place. Rumple is later visited by Prince Charming who wants something to help him find someone, he asls for something similar to the ring Rumple gave him to find Snow, however, Charming refuses to show Gold the item or tell him to whom it belongs, Rumplestiltskin gives the prince a potion, that, when poured said object, will allow it to find its owner. Charming and Rumple make a deal that each will stay out of the others' way. Rumple asks what happens when they leave Storybrooke, Charming tells him that people lose their memories of their magical selves and their Storybrooke selves becomes their only identity. When Charming leaves, enraged by the truth, Rumple begins to smash up his shop with his cane. Later, Gold is seen merely standing at the barrier around the town.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the character.