Baelfire

Baelfire is the long-lost son of the feared Rumplestiltskin. In the olden days, Baelfire lived with his father, deemed the village coward, and his frustrated mother, Milah, who would go on to abandon her family in favor of a more adventurous and romantic life. In her absence, Rumple did his best to keep his darling boy from being taken off to fight in the Ogre wars, and eventually became the Dark One, much to his son's dismay. To try and get his father to go back to normal, Bae resorted to the use of a magic bean that would bring them to a land without magic. However, Rumple cowered out before they could make the passage, but Baelfire was unfortunately taken into the portal and estranged from his father. From then on, Rumple made it his life's mission to find his son.

Before the Curse
"You took my son, but I will get him back!"

- Rumplestiltskin

Rumplestiltskin, Baelfire's father, comes home to discover that Milah, Baelfire's mother, isn't home. He knows where to look for her and tells Bae to come with him to collect his mother. They arrive at a bar and Rumple tells Bae to stay outside as he goes in and finds Milah having drinks with pirates. One in particular, Captain Hook, ridicules Rumple based on what Milah has told him, based upon him being a coward. Baelfire walks in and sees his mother like his, and Rumple reminds his son that he was meant to stay outside. Milah is shocked to see him there and discretely stands up and leaves the bar with her son, not wanting him to see her as she is. The next day, Milah is "taken" by the pirates and Rumplestiltskin is unable to get her back, he therefore tells Balefire that his mother is dead.

When one of Baelfire's friends, Morraine, turns fourteen she becomes the right age to be forcibly entered into the Ogre Wars using the Dark One's magic. Bae warns his father about this and the two fear for the former's safety, as he will soon be turning fourteen. The two attempt to escape in the night but they're found by the guards who take the children to war. As punishment for abandonment, they threaten to take Baelfire before he is fourteen, but they're stopped when Rumplestiltskin begs and kisses the head guard's boot. An old beggar notices the father and son's issue so he tells them of a dagger that can kill the Dark One, giving the killer his magical powers. After learning the dagger is under possession of the Duke of the Frontlands, Rumple and Bae create a fire that burns down his castle. Before the fire destroys the castle, Rumple steals the dagger and escape with it. He later kills the Dark One, but it turns out that the old beggar was actually the Dark One and he tricked him into saving from living forever. When Baelfire's fourteenth birthday comes, the guards come to collect him, but they're stopped when Rumplestiltskin kills them all. Baelfire is horrified by his father's new magical abilities and evilness.

Baelfire is playing in the village when a donkey cart hits him and he scrapes his knee, he apologizes to the driver who yells at him until he realizes that he is the son of the dark one and frantically apologizes. Rumple walks out to see this and is ready to forgive the donkey cart driver up until he sees Bae's small cut, he then turns the apologetic man into a snail before stepping on him. killing him. Baelfire is very unhappy with this and refuses to allow his father to use magic to heal him, he then goes on to make a deal with his father, stating that if Bae finds a safe way to remove Rumple's powers, he will do it. The next day, Bae talks to Morraine about his troubles and she suggests that he talk to Reul Ghorm, a powerful being that can grant wishes, Baelfire later summons Reul to discover that she is the Blue Fairy, she hears his wish and gives him a magic bean that will take him to a new land with his father, a land without magic where the Dark One will be stripped of his powers. Baelfire, excited about this, tells his father of the bean, but he is unsure. Bae asks him if he's backing out of the deal, but Rumple refuses to. The two of them trek out into the forest and Bae throws the bean on the ground, opening a portal. He begins to jump down it but his father stops him, clinging on, too scared to go through. At this refusal, Baelfire calls his father a coward before falling down the portal without him. Rumple is dreadfully sorry and decides tha he will one day make a curse to make it to Bae's new land, assuring himself that he will get his son back.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the character.