…and here is another reason I think pp=rumple: he told his son in “the return” I think, that he needed power or magic to protect him. Bae said “I wouldn’t NEED protection if you weren’t the dark one” or something like that. maybe Rumpel meant protection from neverland? maybe the HIM in neverland threatened to take rumpel’s children if he ever dares to grow up?
but that’s finding parallels from the movie “Hook” again…