Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-6208134-20130130185920/@comment-7147685-20130313160403

Just so everyone knows, the creators/executive producers of the show confirmed in a podcast that Rumple was also cursed for the entire 28 years up until Emmas arrival. When Emma says her name to Granny, Rumple overhears it and this releases him from the curse. Emmas name was the key to freeing him just like it was written on the paper to break Emma/Snow/Mulan/Aurora from Rumples cell. That being said, Rumple could not have known when he was arranging the adoption that Henry was the savior's son. The only person within Storybrooke that does not have a cursed persona and can freely leave Storybrooke at anytime prior to Emma's arrival is Regina herself. (also confirmed by the creators in the podcast)