Mr. Gold

"You fell in love with me because there was the man and the beast. Neither exists without the other."

- Mr. Gold to Belle French

Mr. Gold, also known as the Dark One and the Crocodile, 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 is the Storybrooke counterpart of Rumplestiltskin.

Trivia
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Etymology

 * His name is a reference to both the original fairytale and Mr. Gold's Enchanted Forest persona. In both, Rumplestiltskin is able to spin straw into gold.
 * The contract that Rumplestiltskin has Anna sign, and Fendrake's contract with Rumplestiltskin, both include the following excerpt: "Third parties can assume the [sic] Mr. Gold has full powers to negotiate this contract.".
 * On Twitter, episode writer Jane Espenson stated a first name has never been established for Mr. Gold.

Character Notes

 * Has a few gold teeth.
 * He has a noticeable limp and walks with a cane, much like he did before he was cursed with the Dark One's abilities. Being in a Land Without Magic, Mr. Gold is unable to use his powers to placate his disability. However, once magic was brought to Storybrooke in "A Land Without Magic", he no longer needed it, but chose to keep using it. Then, in "The New Neverland", he rejects the cane in order to move on from his past self.
 * Like Rumplestiltskin, Mr. Gold treats names as important. In many cultures and some beliefs about magic, to know someone or something's "true name" gives you power over that person or thing.
 * Owns and operates a pawnshop, where a number of objects from the Enchanted Forest are kept.
 * He greatly dislikes nuns.
 * Mr. Gold is a licensed attorney, a quality which allows him to broker many of his Storybrooke deals. He alludes to having enough legal experience to represent Mary Margaret in a criminal trial.
 * He has been called an imp in reference to the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale.
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Production Notes

 * For his part of Mr. Gold, Robert Carlyle wears heavy eye-make-up to make his eyes look similar to his Enchanted Forest counterpart, Rumplestiltskin. It is meant to be the one, single visual connection between the two characters.


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Props Notes

 * The box that Belle opens in Hook's ship contains gold coins and a bell.

Set Dressing

 * Like his son Neal and his grandson Henry, who both collect clocks, Mr. Gold's pawnshop is filled with them.
 * According to the "do not disturb" sign, the hotel that Mr. Gold is staying at in New York City is called Hotel D'or, which is French for "Gold Hotel".

Costume Notes

 * The necklace Mr. Gold procures out of thin air and gives to Lacey is the same necklace from Belle's nightmare in "The Crocodile".
 * During their honeymoon, Belle and Mr. Gold dress in similar clothes as their counterparts in the dance scene from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. They also dance to an instrumental version of the title song.
 * The tie worn by Mr. Gold in "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter", at the sheriff's station in "Desperate Souls", in "Heart of Darkness", and when he is reunited with his "son" in "The Return", is the same tie Henry puts on when he becomes Mr. Gold's assistant.


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Reawakened: A Once Upon a Time Tale

 * As the elevator inside the clock tower stops, Mr. Gold tells Emma that Regina had him take over for her. Unlike the events of "A Land Without Magic", Regina is not tied to the chair by Mr. Gold, and instead she runs off to the hospital to watch over Henry.

Appearances
Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.