Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-11058666-20150826195114/@comment-25926288-20150831015149

Rumple in S4 was not well-executed, I completely agree. Rumple wasn't torture happy in season 2 and 3 because he didn't torture anyone (Robin was in a flashback, not in the present day.). Pathetic......well, that's objective so I won't argue that.

Now, Rumple in season 4 is how another person put it, Not!Rumple. Season 4 made it look like Rumple always lied, make hasty and random plans, and was completely selfish. Remember that time he sacrificed himself? Yep, I don't think the writers do. (Joking for those that don't get it.)

My idea besides the numerous others is that that was the Darkness walking around with vague traces of Rumple's personality and of course his form.

Well you should separate season 3 in two parts, 3a he was totally fine, on the road to redemption and sacrificed more than ever. Then, Not!Rumple camed back and fooled everyone into thinking that it was him.

Yeah, there's my theory. The Darkness took Rumple's form and vague remnants of Rumple's personality and while Rumple tried to resurface the Darkness pushed him back under and tried to fool everyone so that the Darkness could be free from the dagger. Yes, just an ingenious plan by the Darkness and Rumple wasn't really there since season 3a.