Board Thread:Show-Related Questions and Answers/@comment-29195016-20160729202138/@comment-5679696-20160729203925

Rumple was not looking for any way. He probably ended up learning about how easy it is to get a magic bean, the enchanted trees, mermaids, genies' wishes, etc. etc. etc. He was looking specifically for the Dark Curse, because he became obsessed with it after seeing the future. Once he foresaw the casting of the curse, he knew that was the only possible outcome.