Rumplestiltskin

"All magic comes with a price!"

-- Rumpelstiltskin's iconic phrase

Rumpelstiltskin is an extremely powerful but crooked and greedy wizard who is able to foresee the future. In exchange for the secret to completing the Evil Queen's curse, he now has riches and comfort in the real world, and the Storybrooke version of the Evil Queen, Regina Mills, has to give him anything he asks for as long as he says "please", because of a deal she made with him.

In the traditional fairytales, Rumpelstiltskin was an imp, who spun straw into gold for a girl in return for her first-born child. The girl was told she could keep her child if she could guess his name. When she finally did Rumpelstiltskin destroyed himself.

Origin
Rumpelstiltskin was once a normal widowed spinner with a son named Baelfire, whom he loved with all his heart and was his most treasured possession in the world. At some point before Baelfire was born, Rumpelstiltskin ran from a war that he was meant to fight in, and was forever labeled as a coward. When the kingdom finally had to resort to using children as soldiers in the Ogre Wars, Rumpelstiltskin and his son fled into the forest, only to be found and tormented by royal knights. After the knights left, Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire were approached a mysterious old man who offered them shelter in exchange for a small amount of food and company.

After listening to Rumpelstiltskin's story, the old man tried to inspire him to find another way to save his son, but Rumpelstiltskin was adamant that the only real choice was to run away. Knowing that Rumpelstiltskin could not run forever, the old man offerd him a more complete solution to his problems, informing him that the Duke of the kingdom had in his possesion a magical dagger, which he in turn used to control the Dark One, a terrifying entity with unmatched magical powers and was the most feared being in all the land. As such, if Rumpelstiltskin could steal the dagger, he, rather than the Duke, would have control over the Dark One, and could thus protect Baelfire and turn the Dark One into a force of good. Of course, Rumpelstiltskin realized that he would never be able to trully hold the Dark One as a slave because he would be terrified. The old man sympathized with Rumpelstiltskin, but reiterated that obtaining the dagger was the only way to protect Baelfire from being taken away.

Convinced that he had no other choice, Rumpelstiltskin plotted to steal the dagger by setting fire to the Duke's castle during the night. After stealing the weapon, Rumpelstiltskin ran back into the forest to meet Baelfire, whom he told to go wait at home while he summoned the Dark One. Upon calling the name on the dagger, "Zoso", the Dark One appeared. Though he attempted to act brave, Rumpelstiltskin cowered in the Dark One's presence, and when the entity implied that Baelfire was not truly Rumpelstiltskin's son, Rumplestiltskin stabbed the Dark One in a fit of blind rage. Upon getting a better look at the dying entity's face, Rumpelstiltskin discovered the Dark One was in fact the old man who had told him about the dagger in the first place. Shocked, Rumpelstiltskin asked why the old man would do such a thing as plot his own murder, to which the man told him that all the horrible deeds he was forced to carry out as the Dark One had made his life such a burden, that he welcomed death as a release. Cackling at Rumpelstiltskin's blind faith and desperation, the old man spat his last words: "Magic always comes with a price," knowing that now that price was Rumpelstiltskin's to bear forever, sealed with his own name replacing Zoso's on the dagger.

Rumpelstiltskin, now with more power than he ever dreamed, returned to his hamlet to humiliate and kill the knights who had harassed him the other day, all while Baelfire watched in horror as his father relished in their murder. When Baelfire asked his father the cause for his actions, Rumpelstiltskin stated that he had simply protected what belonged to him, and that he was no longer afraid, thus beginning his descent into evil. ("Desperate Souls").

Rumpelstiltskin's Deals
Throughout the land, Rumpelstiltskin quickly became known as a being of great power and fear, able to grant a person's deepest wishes and darkest desires with magical deals that proved to be worse than he would intially proclaim. These deals appear to transcend into the Storybrooke reality as well, with Rumpelstiltskin's counterpart Mr. Gold retaining a similar disposition for swindling people in desperate situations. In either reality, it appears that Rumpelstiltskin always benefits in the long term through his deals, despite short term set-backs brought about by altruistic individuals.

The Dark Curse in Exchange for Riches and Comfort
In exchange for the secret to completing the Evil Queen's Dark Curse, Rumplestiltskin demanded riches and comfort in the real world of Storybrooke, and that the Evil Queen has to give him anything he asks for as long as he says "please." It is unknown, but likely, that Rumplestiltskin's counterpart, Mr. Gold, remembers making this deal as it was initially his spell that he gave to the queen. ("The Thing You Love Most").

Marionette Potion in Exchange for Jiminy Cricket's Parents
In the episode, "That Still Small Voice," it is revealed that Rumplestiltskin had a business relationship with Jiminy Cricket, who would bring him possessions stolen by his parents during their travels as circus performers in exchange for Rumplestiltskin's gold thread. One day, sensing that Jiminy had become disillusioned with being forced into a life of deceit and thievery, Rumplestiltskin offered him the chance to escape by giving him a magic potion that would take care of his parents for good. In return, Rumplestiltskin only asked that he be given Jiminy's parents after they had taken the potion, as it would count as his fee. However, Jiminy's plan backfired when his parents switched Rumplestiltskin's potion with a bottle of rainwater they had planned to give to another swindled couple. After learning that the couple had been turned into marionettes through the potion, Jiminy left his parents and made another deal with the Blue Fairy to become a cricket in order to mentor the couple's now orphaned son, Geppetto. Meanwhile, Rumplestiltskin, true to his word, took possession of the marionettes, who were later shown to be owned by Mr. Gold in his pawn shop in Storybrooke.

Cinderella's Night at the Ball in Exchange for her Firstborn
In "The Price of Gold", Rumpelstiltskin destroys Cinderella's Fairy Godmother just afer she appears to soon-to-be-princess, stealing the Fairy Godmother's wand in turn. In exchange for something "precious" to Cinderella - which turned out to be her firstborn child - he uses the wand to bless her with a magical night at Prince Thomas' ball. He returns to claim his prize from the regretful pregnant Cinderella.

Rumplestiltskin's Freedom in Exchange for Prince Tomas
When Cinderella confesses the terms of her deal with Rumplestiltskin to Prince Tomas, he concocted a plan to trap Rumplestiltskin. Tomas gets a red quill enchanted by the Blue Fairy that will freeze and neutralize the magic of anyone who uses it. Cinderella tells Rumplestiltskin that she wants to make a new deal with him. She tells Rumplestiltskin that she is pregnant with twins, and she will give both children to Rumplestiltskin in exchange for good crops in Tomas' kingdom, if Rumplestiltskin will sign a contract using the red quill. (The deal is a ruse; Cinderella is not pregant with twins.) Rumplestiltskin warns Cinderella that she should not try to trick him because "all magic comes with a price," but he signs the contract nonetheless. The quill freezes Rumplestiltskin and he is imprisoned in the dwarves' mines. However, Prince Tomas mysteriously disappears. Rumplestiltskin tells Cinderella that the Prince wouldn't return to her until Rumplestiltskin's original deal was honored. ("The Price of Gold").

Cinderella's Release from Her Deal in Exchange for a Favor from Emma
An alternate year later, in Storybrooke, when her first child was born, he returned to claim his payment from Ashley. Ashley is discouraged by all the citizens of Storybrooke that she can't raise her child alone as she is too young and is not ready. Her boyfriend, Sean Herman, who fathered the child, is forbidden by his father to see her. She refuses to give up the child and is determined to change her life to keep her child, under the influence of Emma. Cinderella gives birth to her daughter, Alexandra, and Emma makes a new deal with Mr. Gold that if Ashley got to keep her baby, Emma would owe him a favor, but we do not know what it is yet. After Emma has made the deal, Sean returns to Ashley to help take care of the baby, symbolizing that Rumpelstiltskin's deal has been honored by the bail bondsman, Emma Swan. ("The Price of Gold").

Prince James in Exchange for the Location of the Fairy Godmother
In the episode "The Shepherd", it is revealed that King George was childless and wanted a son. Rumplestiltskin gave King George a peasant infant to raise as his son in exchange for an unidentified "pittance". Many years later, son is killed in a duel, after he had agreed to slay a dragon in the kingdom of Midas in return for gold that George's kingdom desparately needs. When King George asked Rumpelstiltskin for help, Rumpelstiltskin brings him the son's twin brother in exchange for the location of the Fairy Godmother. The twin brother takes on the identity of his slain brother: Prince James.

Potion of Forgetfulness in Exhange for a Lock of Snow White's Hair
In the episode "7:15 A.M." Rumpelstiltskin had made a deal with Snow White in exchange for a potion which would allow her to forget her memories of Prince Charming so that he would be able to fulfill his responsibilities to his father's kingdom. Curiously, Rumpelstiltskin only asked for a lock of Snow White's hair in return, no doubt to use in the future for his own goals.

Protection from the Ogres in Exchange for Belle
In the episode "Skin Deep" Rumpelstiltskin had made a deal with with Princess Belle that she should forever be caretaker of his estate in return for protecting her father's kingdom from the ogres.

Emma Swan's Allegiance After Being Elected Sheriff of Storybrooke
During Storybrooke's election for a new sheriff, Mr. Gold approached Emma Swan with a proposal for political support and fiancial backing during her campaign. Emma, angered by Regina's constant attempts at tryng to force her out of town, tentatively accepted Gold's deal, believing him to be the lesser of two evils. However, after learning that Gold staged a firebombing in the Storybrooke city hall in order to paint Emma as a selfless hero, Emma turned on him during a public debate with Sydney Glass, thus nullifying their arrangement. However, it is learned after Emma is elected that Gold had always planned for her to betray him, realizing that standing up to him publically was a greater feat than standing up to Regina as it painted her as being even more selfless. Either way, Gold reminded Emma that she still owed him his favor from the episode "The Price of Gold", and thus, actually had no choice in the matter when it came to bargaining her allegiance, as it was something Gold already owned. ("Desperate Souls"). Mr. Gold is still very aware of the deal they made. He tells her that he will asks for something important when the time comes (Skin Deep).

Mr. Gold and Regina.
Mr. Gold suggests that they make a deal. In which Regina would give back what she took in exchange for his true name. He tells her his name is Rumpelstiltskin. It is currently unknown if Regina gives back what she took. It is revealed she is holding Belle's Storybrooke counter-part hostage.

Gallery
Rumpelstiltskin/Gallery

Trivia

 * He used to be in love with Belle and was once known as The Beast from The Beauty and the Beast.


 * It is rumored Rumpelstiltskin's son Baelfire is Henry's dad. Rumpelstiltskin knew of the curse and sent his son away, just like they did with Emma.


 * Ironically, Rumpelstiltskin is given a deadline of three days to save his son from becoming a soldier in the Duke's army. In the original fairy tale, the girl Rumpelstiltskin spins gold thread for is also given a deadline of three days to guess his true name or else she must foreit her firstborn child. ("Desperate Souls").
 * He is seen spining gold in his castle in the episode Skin Deep.