Here is a fan theory I read about why the doll is likely associated with Baelfire’s childhood rather than Rumple’s own childhood. Based on what has been shown so far in the show, it makes a lot of sense to me.
Rumple, The Lost Boys, and the Doll
A lot of people are jumping to the conclusion that Rumplestiltskin might have been a lost boy, but this simply does not fit with canon.
What we know about Rumple’s past:
- When he was young, his father went out one night, claiming to fetch water but forgot the bucket. Rumple went after his father to bring him the bucket and watches as two men murder his father. They then notice Rumple and wonder what to do, finally deciding to “take him to the spinners.”
- Presumably, the spinners raised him and gave him his trade (his mother probably had died before then).
- Rumple grew up in the same village and came of age and married Milah.
- Rumple wanted to prove himself and free himself from the taint of his father who was a known coward (running away from his debts). He enlists in the ogre wars, and we know the rest.
There isn’t room for Rumple to be a lost boy. The doll might be from his childhood or most likely the doll belonged to Bae. Rumplestlitskin has just lost his son again, this time he believes for good (“dead is dead, dearie”). What else would make Rumplestiltskin break down like that? Not his own childhood, but his own child.
I totally agree with this the doll is just an image of Bae, to make Rumble feel bad or a voodoo doll of Bae since PP might need something to keep things exciting on the island how else could he control all the shadows?
Also remember Emma stating that only Hook and Regina have been to NL 🙂