Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-1333438-20150514015210/@comment-6175354-20150514134145

Mesmermann wrote: He was still the Dark One when he was outside of Storybrooke. The vessel controls the Darkness, not the other way around. Which is part of the reason, Merlin tethered the Darkness to a human soul.

Rumplestiltskin was in control of all his actions, and he even said so. Being the Dark One, only gave him magic and protection. The only thing is that being the Dark One possibly, amplified his negative qualities. However, it never once stripped him of his free-will.