Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-6175354-20161010033114/@comment-24304025-20161108135155

8Rob wrote: Do you think Rumple had something to do with James' death? Because he needed David to take his place Frederick was the best fighter in the kingdom and he would kill the Dragon.

Rumple foresaw Midas turning Frederick into gold and arranged for the vision to fulfill by getting Robin's Merry Men to quit honest life and go back to thievery. They assault Midas, which leads to Frederick being turned into a statue.

Midas needs a new fighter and James happens to be the guy.

Far-fetched, but we just need a small dosis of imagination to insert Rumple in virtually everything that happened in the show.