3. It baffles me too! Even you don't follow interviews, I do think they showed it on screen in various ways this season. However, my husband isn't convinced, basically because he has a high opinion of Rumpel's powers of sneakiness and trickery.

I don't think the man we saw in "Welcome to Storybrooke" would have hunted Regina down at her apple tree and trolled her.

Completely agree! Once he was himself again he could not WAIT to troll and smirk at Regina.

9. I agree with this too. This was after all, not just black magic, but black magic specifically designed by Cora to blacken her heart. I would be more surprised if it didn't have an effect.