Long before Snow and Charming ever met, a man named Rumplestiltskin lived in a small village under the control of a Lord who conscripted his people and their children to fight in an endless war and used his control of a powerful being known as The Dark One to enforce his will. When the time came for Rumple’s own son, Baelfire, to be pressed into service, he tried to run away with him—which, as the village coward, he was kind of known for. On the road out of town, the two of them meet an old beggar and are caught by some local soldiers. The beggar tells Rumplestiltskin that his only hope is to steal a dagger with The Dark One’s name on it from the Lord in order to take control of the evil creature. He does just that, and summons The Dark One who goads Rumplestiltskin into killing him with the dagger. By doing so, Rumplestiltskin assumes all of The Dark One’s power and his curse as it becomes clear that the old beggar was actually The Dark One in disguise.

Before long, the nearly limitless power overwhelms Rumplestiltskin and he begins to abuse magic to terrorize others, despite initially using it for good like ending the endless war. Baelfire just wants his old father back and makes Rumple promise that, if there’s a safe way that he can give up the power of The Dark One, he will do it. Baelfire calls upon The Blue Fairy and she gives him a magic bean that will transport him and his father to a land without magic where they can be happy together without his father’s curse. But Rumplestiltskin, terrified of losing his power, can’t go through the portal and Baelfire is sucked in. He vows to find a way to go after his son, even if it means concocting a Dark Curse to do it.