Eddy Kitsis: As you see with Rumple, who’s a very difficult man to love, he was haunted a lot. It was very hard for him to make the right decision, and he tried to exhaust every other option until sacrificing himself was the only one left”.
That is why I believe Rumple’s sacrifice won’t be in vain. Neal and Belle will survive. And I think Rumple will ultimately survive to get his happy ending, too.
PLUS, they don’t seem to think that Gold has changed – for god’s sake, they even tried to denigrate his sacrifice
I respecfully disagree. I think Eddy is saying that Rumple has changed, as demonstrated by his self-sacrifice to save his family.
"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