When it came to Baelfire and Rumplestiltksin, I think the Blue Fairy actually said it best.
“You are that part of him that keeps him human, that little light that still glows. It’s his love for you. ” (1×19)
Baelfire = hope for Rumplestiltksin. That was the driving force of the show and the heart of the entire series. Take away Baelfire and you remove a core essence of hope, not just for Rumple, but for the entire show.
[adrotate group="5"]
"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy