Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25926288-20151207015752/@comment-24674051-20151207195456

Ok, Gold becoming the Dark One again was always a predictable event. We didn't know when or how, be I think we all knew that it would happen.

We also know that Gold is a very resourceful person. They showed with the QOD arc that even with 0 magic, in a land without magic, he could find a way to manipulate events to his ends.

Gold is also very much "In the Moment". he is able to see things in the moment, and act upon them to twist them to his advantage. His deal the led to Emma taking him to NYC was as much in the moment as it was planned (the deal was spur of the moment, the use of the deal was planned). Swapping Daggers on Belle at the end of the 3b arc was an inspired move, he had absolutely no time to plan for it.

Some people claim that the writers pull stuff from thin air (or other places), and while there may be a certain truth to that claim, it's also true that Rumple has been set up to be able to recognize and act upon situations that present themselves with little to no advance warning or prep. He is THE master manipulator, and nothing he does NOTHING unless there is something in it for him. In fact, in the scene where Gold returned Excalibur to Emma, Emma (rightfully) questioned Gold about the lack of a deal. When Gold DOESN'T make a deal is when you should be worried.