But now we have a DESPERATE Neal. One who thinks nothing of putting a 4 year old at risk (who, let’s face it, I will be SHOCKED if the kid doesn’t say “I believe” again and calls the shadow – seriously). The way he was going through that cupboard to find a portal was the act of a desperate man with everything to lose. That makes him VERY dangerous.
I agree. He is a desperate soul and when you’re desperate, you make decisions where you don’t think about the consequences until later. Rumple did this in Desperate Souls, season one when he made it his mission to control the Dark One by going after the dagger and not realizing until it was too late that by killing him, he would become the new Dark One. I hope Neal has a similar epiphany later concerning Roland. I expect that he will.