Rumplestiltskin

"All magic comes with a price!"

- Rumplestiltskin's iconic phrase

Rumplestiltskin, also known as Rumple, the Dark One, the Crocodile, and briefly as the Savior and the Light One, is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. He debuts in the first episode of the first season. He is portrayed by starring cast member Robert Carlyle and guest star Wyatt Oleff. He is the Enchanted Forest counterpart of Mr. Gold, and the main reality version of Rumplestiltskin.

Rumplestiltskin is based on the character of the same name from the fairytale "Rumpelstiltskin", and the Beast from the fairytale "Beauty and the Beast" and the Disney film Beauty and the Beast. He is also based on the Crocodile from the story "Peter Pan" and the Disney film Peter Pan.

Trivia

 * -|Character Notes=

Etymology

 * His name, which was given by his father, represents the hideous incident that he caused.
 * Contrary to the original fairytale, his name is not "Rumpelstiltskin" but "Rumplestiltskin".
 * Rumplestiltskin is known as Mr. Gold since long before the Dark Curse was cast. He is referred to in this way in some of his contracts, including the one he has Anna sign and the one Fendrake the Healer gives him.

Character Notes

 * Rumplestiltskin appears in the title card for "In the Name of the Brother".
 * There have been a few hints about Rumplestiltskin's age on the show. According to Robert Carlyle, Rumplestiltskin is three-hundred years old by the time the Dark Curse is cast. However, the show itself has hinted that Rumplestiltskin is just a couple hundred years old: In "Going Home", his father says, "What are you now? A couple hundred?". In "Family Business" and "Murder Most Foul", Hook (who knew Rumplestiltskin from before the latter became the Dark One) refers to himself as two hundred years old.
 * According to Adam Horowitz, Rumplestiltskin has been the Dark One for a little bit less than two hundred years.
 * Rumplestiltskin treats names as important, and describes them as his "stock and trade". In many cultures and some beliefs about magic, to know someone or something's "true name" gives you power over that person or thing.
 * Rumplestiltskin once transformed a butcher into a pig.
 * Before he was imprisoned, Rumplestiltskin fought Cora and won. It is implied Cora came close to winning.
 * During his lifetime, Rumplestiltskin owned some sheep dogs.
 * According to his son, Neal, Rumplestiltskin always believed in fate. He used to tell his son, "There are no coincidences. Everything that happens happens by design and there's nothing we can do about it. Forces greater than us conspire to make it happen.".
 * He once made a deal with Don Juan.
 * According to Hades, Rumplestiltskin killed more than Regina over the years to the point he's called the supplier. Additionally, Hades implied that Rumple is his favorite Dark One.
 * Rumplestiltskin speaks French, something that he briefly demonstrates for the Count of Monte Cristo.

Storybook Notes

 * Henry's storybook contains a retelling of a scene from "Desperate Souls":

R     umpelstiltskin was a mild- mannered and curiously unremarkable man who lived a rather unremarkable life. Along with his wife and young son, Baelfire, he lived in a modest wooden hut on the outskirts of the village, making his living by spinning wool into the thread that he would barter or sell to the people thereabouts. Rumplestiltskin's fortunes were to change that beautiful day that the Duke’s soldiers rode into the village They were rounding up all men and children of a serviceable age, garnering recruits to fight in terrible, never-ending Ogre Wars. Young Baelfire saw a young girl, a cherished childhood companion being wrestled from her parents. Not [obscured] he ran home to tell his father. "Papa, Papa," Baelfire gasped, out of breath, [obscured] come to take Morraine away!" [obscured] rose from the spinning stool; [obscured] he limped outside.There

was a commotion down the land, past his neighbour's stable. The soldiers were dragging a young girl from the arms of her distraught and pleading parents. "Please do not take our Morraine," the mother beseeched, her arms outstretched. The guard was unshakable. "Your daughter is strong and will make a fine soldier!" "But there must be a mistake," her father responded. "She is only thirteen…" "I am under orders from the Duke", replied the guard. "The wars have taken a turn-for-the worst and the age of those we seek has been lowered – by decree!" As the guard was about to hoist the young girl onto his horse, her father pulled out a knife from his [illegible word]. "Stop! You cannot have her!" he bellowed, thrusting the blade aimlessly into the air. All of a sudden, the father ceased wavering and [illegible word] motionless, like a statue, bound as if by some [illegible word] and abysmal power. Everyone gathered thereabouts gaped and looked towards to the [two illegible words] over to where a dark hooded man on a black horse was enacting a diabolical spell.


 * -|Production Notes=

Production Notes

 * The role of Rumplestiltskin was written specifically for Robert Carlyle.
 * Rumplestiltskin's voice is inspired by Robert Carlyle's son. According to Robert, his son was wandering though the house making high-pitched voices and sounds. The actor thought this voice would fit Rumplestiltskin, because there is a childlike quality to the character, and Rumplestiltskin enjoys gleefully tricking people.
 * According to Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, every time we meet Rumplestiltskin in Fairy Tale Land, he is in a slightly different time period, and therefore Robert actually uses a slightly different voice every single time.
 * Originally, Rumplestiltskin's iconic phrase was supposed to be "Magic always comes at a price", but Robert said it wrongly and it stuck that way.


 * -|Cultural References=

Fairytales and Folklore

 * His spoken phrase, "Tick-tock, dearie, tick-tock!", is a reference to the crocodile who swallowed a clock from J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan".

Popular Culture

 * The scene where Rumplestiltskin teaches young Cora to spin straw into gold is an homage to the famous clay sculpting scene between Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore in the movie Ghost.
 * He once made a deal with Don Juan, a legendary, fictional libertine.


 * -|Set Notes=

Set Dressing

 * Among the numerous pictures and cut-outs pinned to the wall in Henry's room are:
 * An illustration by the English artist and book illustrator Walter Crane, from the illustrated picture book Beauty and the Beast (1874). There are two different cutouts in Henry's room. The first one appears next to Henry's mirror in "The Thing You Love Most" and pinned to the wall at a 2 o'clock position over Henry's cuckoo clock in "We Are Both", but it is blurred and far away. It is seen more clearly in a Flickr set photo from Season Two. The other version can be seen clearly on Henry's wall in "Page 23" and "Is This Henry Mills?", although Beauty has been cropped off.
 * A cover illustration from the children's picture book Beauty and the Beast (2002) by the American children's book writer and illustrator Mercer Mayer. Note that the picture can barely be seen; it is clearly seen in a Flickr set photograph for Season Two.

Costume Notes

 * For the "Pilot", Rumplestiltskin's costume was originally going to be a medieval costume with an elaborate hood. However, Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis felt that he needed to look more sexy, like a rock star, so the costume was redesigned with crocodile skins, high boots and tight pants, an evil rock star kind of look.
 * It takes approximately two hours to dress Robert Carlyle in Rumplestiltskin's costume, twenty minutes of which is spent on his boots. It takes about one hour to remove the costume.


 * -|Goofs=

Goofs

 * In "Skin Deep", when Gaston knocks on the Dark One's castle door, there is a close up on Rumplestiltskin's face, in which his left eye's contact lens is missing.
 * In "Devil's Due", on his contract with Fendrake the Healer, Rumplestiltskin's name is misspelled as "Rumpelstiltskin", and he is mistakenly referred to as "Mr. Gold".

Appearances
Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.