Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-69.229.29.166-20130211193648/@comment-4839682-20130211212528

There's also the fact that, right before that scene, he was confronted with just how powerless he is in the Land Without Magic; he can't get what he wants the way he usually does. He's not all powerful Rumplestiltskin, he's the frail-looking cane-dependent Mr. Gold, and that's how people see him. He can't lose his temper like he generally does.

This is a man with serious power/control/anger issues, and he's used magic and deals to get his way for centuries. It must be frightening and frustrating indeed to be stripped of what you rely on to get what you desire.