Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-5094906-20150506222425/@comment-24674051-20150512143923

One thing that I see happening is that the Author is not the only job that is transferred to the Navengers. I think as part of Rumples transformation, he will be tasked with the job of Apprentice so that he can help the others find Merlin, and also be there to help Emma deal with hosting the Dark One. (Who better to help Emma than the one person that actually survived being a host for the Dark One).

Another key to passing on the mantle of the Apprentice is that, unlike the other magic users, the Apprentice is actually able to CAST magic in the LWM. (He opened the portal to the EF from the LWM, while still in the LWM, when he was with Isaac). That type of magic may be necessary in order to cross the realms and locate Merlin. So in a sense, Rumple would get what he wanted, just not in the way he (under the DO's influence) ever thought it would happen.