Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-188360-20140512144616/@comment-24674051-20140626171507

I ultimately think that Rumple IS the big bad. The entire curse is, after all, his invention. The fact that he used Regina (and was likely going to use Maleficent prior to that, since she was holding the curse) just shows how manipulative he is. He has been a part of just about everything that has happened (training and being rejected by Cora, training and rejecting Zelena, Training Regina, Bringing Magic to Storybrooke, being Pan's son, Killing Milah and causing Killian physical and emotional pain, and now some unknown connection with Elsa). I can't help but think that HE is ultimately the Big Bad behind all of this. (Although even he may not realize it yet, it could be just his Dark One persona that is causing the issues).

The only person that he truly loves is himself. Not to take anything away from either Belle or Neal, because he does have genuine feelings for them, but when it comes down to it, Rumple is out for Rumple and no one else.