@ hjbau: I doubt Rumple wants to die, otherwise he simply could have tricked another desperate soul into killing him with the dagger just like Zoso did to Rumple in FTL. There was no need to go to such great lengths to enact a powerful curse just to die. I think it’s more likely Rumple wants to get back at the EQ, because he blames her for Belle’s supposed death (and perhaps other reasons we’ll discover later). Also, as Mr. Gold in SB, he is powerful without having to bear the ugly appearance of Rumple. At least in SB he gets to look polished and all glam. (not a real reason, just an observation).
"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