Reference

In "Once Upon a Time," Emma plans to use Mr. Gold as part of her scheme involving Excalibur. Emma, having embraced her role as the Dark One, needs someone pure of heart to pull the sword from the stone. She believes Mr. Gold, who was once known as Rumpelstiltskin and is inherently tied to such dark magic, can help her in this endeavor. Despite his reluctance, Emma involves Mr. Gold in her plan as she believes he possesses the qualities necessary to achieve her goal.

For a more detailed breakdown, you can explore this E! Online article which highlights Emma's manipulation of Mr. Gold in the series.