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sunflowers-insherwood · 4 years

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Allan A Dale Analysis - 2x05

Analysing Allan’s Experience of the Confrontation with Robin in Ducking and Diving

As I was writing my analysis on Allan in 2x06 (which is coming tomorrow!), I realised it was necessary to first investigate this confrontation between him and Robin, as it changes their relationship massively and sows the seeds for the motivations behind their actions in the next episode. This is a quite casual line by line analysis of their conversation in the bar at the end of 2x05 (Ducking and Diving), and is quite speculative, as I outline my theories but also alternative interpretations – mainly of Allan’s viewpoint. I wrote out the transcript for this conversation myself, so the punctuation is intended to show more the pauses/ emotions rather than be grammatically correct. Let’s dive straight in! (Wordcount: 3.5k)

X = owner of the Tripp Inn, A = Allan, R = Robin

X: You’re late, I was going to keep your money back. Silver, not gold.

As soon as Allan walks into the room, he looks to the back corner and all around to ensure Robin isn’t there already to find him. He’s on edge and doesn’t want to be found, but now trying to do the right thing.

A: You’re gonna tell Gisborne to keep this money. I’m not doing this anymore, alright, I’ve changed.

I’m never sure what to make of the motives behind Allan’s actions here. To me, his actions are more of someone realising that their time’s up: he’s a rat on a sinking ship trying to cover his tracks before it goes under. This obviously paints him in a pretty bad light, as the only reason he’s stopping being a spy is because he’s about to get caught. I find this more believable than a realisation that he’s actually done wrong, however, because I doubt that if he hadn’t felt threatened he wouldn’t have tried to stop working for Gisborne then. I think he would have eventually, but it would’ve taken him longer to realise the severity of his actions. Alternatively, the reactions of the others and his conversation with Djaq have sped up his realisation process significantly and he’s genuinely guilty about what he’s done. Perhaps it’s a mix of both. On top of this, if he thought it was certain he would get thrown out by Robin, I think his survival instincts would tell him to keep the money and run. He refuses it, signifying he feels really guilty about what he’s done, or that he thinks he can still get away with it at camp. Maybe he intends to refuse the money, and then tell Robin he was working for Gisborne afterwards, to prove that he’s stopped being a spy.

X: It’s a bit late for a conscience now isn’t it?

A: Yeah. Very late.

Again, this could mean two things: that he knows he’s almost about to be caught, or that he genuinely feels bad and knows that he’s been playing the double agent for too long. I’m more able to believe the first but I think even if you see him as simply covering his tracks, the sincerity of how this line is delivered implies there is an emotional conflict going down here too.

*Arrow fires into bag of money. X gasps*

A: Robin. *swallows* You’re early.

I think of this as an attempt at humour, perhaps more to himself than anyone else as he says it so quietly. Classically the comic relief of the gang (when Much fulfils this function it’s accidental in his sincerity, Allan is more purposefully cheeky chappy about it) he’s still trying to lighten the situation and break the silence. Robin doesn’t allow it and Allan instantly has to go to defend.

R: Leave us.

A: Stay there.

This is an indicator of just how scared Allan is of what Robin will do to him – he wants the bartender to stay there as a form of protection, as a witness to anything Robin might try to do to him, under the theory that with someone else there Robin won’t hurt him so badly. Allan feels completely cornered, as he knows he can’t really blag his way out of this situation and that Robin would probably overpower him in a fight. Does Allan think he’s about to die? Quite possibly.

R: GET OUT! I need to talk to my spy.

A: What was that with Will? You banished Will.

Allan’s first thoughts are on Will. This could be (again) interpreted in two ways: he’s purely confused about the situation and is trying to work out where Robin stands, or he’s genuinely concerned for his best mate in the gang (which is the interpretation I prefer, although I think it’s a mixture of both). We see how torn up Allan becomes when Robin accuses Will of being the spy that afternoon – he almost admits to being the spy then as he cries ‘no…’ and ‘Robin…’ when he hears Robin explain it was Will, hating the idea that Will would be accused on his behalf. Even if he’s willing to sacrifice the cause, he’s still loyal to his friends, or at least tries to be. It actually benefitted Robin to frame Will as the spy, as Allan and him are so close; I know this was a random choice but it actually worked to Robin’s advantage, making Allan feel worse and acting as an extra punch in the gut.

R: It was an act! Only she knew who was guilty. And I knew the spy would want to come here before me to cover his tracks. For all I knew, it could’ve been Will standing there. But it’s not. Is it? It’s you.

On a related sidenote, @chaoticbitheatrekid recently mentioned ‘i don’t know if this is just me, but i always felt that if Robin had to pick one member of the gang to get rid of, he would pick Allan’. Although he says here ‘for all I knew, it could’ve been Will standing there’, to me the ‘but it’s not… it’s you’ indicates that, maybe if he didn’t consciously think it was Allan, to him Allan was the most likely to betray the gang.

A: Robin, it was over, ask her! I made a decision.

Robin interprets Allan’s presence here as I did, as Allan trying to ‘cover his tracks’. However, Allan did come here purely to reject the money, and he has a point here: if Robin asked the bartender, he would find out Allan was giving it back. I don’t think this would matter to Robin even if he did ask however, as he would purely view it as Allan trying to save himself rather than the more sympathetic view that he’s genuinely regretful.

R: Then what’s this?

A: No, I was giving it back.

This is true, but again Robin doesn’t investigate it any further. He consistently refuses to listen to Allan’s side of the story – something that Allan will become extremely bitter for later.

R: So you betray me. You betray yourself, you betray your king, and for what. For a few silver coins. What have you told Gisborne, Allan?

Another example of the differences between Robin and Allan’s priorities: Robin’s mind almost instantly goes to the King, a person I don’t think crossed Allan’s mind during this entire process. Perhaps ignorantly (or he’s decided to ignore the idea), he’s assumed the only thing his betrayal will impact is the gang’s immediate success. He can’t see the bigger picture that Robin strives towards, as his motivations for being in the gang are less to help other people (which I think he enjoys, but wasn’t the reason he joined) and more as a fun way of survival among friends. Robin also mentions (in true teacher fashion) that Allan has betrayed himself, indicating that Robin did believe Allan was a good person, perhaps especially due to his progression from a shameless liar at the start of series 1 to a pretty sturdy friend in series 2. Allan’s actions could almost be viewed as a relapse into the lies and pickpocketing associated with his brother. Interestingly, Robin doesn’t mention the rest of the gang at all here, implying that he sees Allan’s betrayal as a direct attack on him and the King. Allan begins to internalise this view in 2x06, but I think if he were to explain who he betrayed, he would only mention the gang.

A: Mmm… nothing really.

Allan seems almost awkward here. ‘Nothing really’ is obviously his attempt to diminish what he’s done to appeal to Robin, but also furthers the idea that doesn’t think he’s done anything too serious (he knows betraying the gang was serious, but doesn’t think the outcomes have been that bad), and that he never had intentions for his betrayals to impact more than the gang’s monetary success. This wasn’t helped by Guy reassuring Allan when he agreed to working for him that nothing he said would be of any real weight to the people or wider actions of the gang.

R: Does he know about the camp?

A: No.

R: No. Does he know about Marian?

A: No!

Allan’s reactions to this part of his interrogation further the theory that he really didn’t think he was impacting much outside of the gang’s money – he grows almost appalled at the idea of telling the location of the camp and Marian’s secrets to Gisborne, like they never even crossed his mind, or they were so out of the question that he never would have imagined telling him. He seems offended by Robin’s insinuation that he would betray the gang so greatly, that Robin’s idea of him is so low that he thinks Allan would sell the very safety of his friends for money. Robin’s assuming of the worst instantly is another action that Allan will grow to hate later, and although it is harsh, in Robin’s defence he is quickly ensuring the safety of his gang, not only accusing Allan. Their fighting is entirely based on a lack of proper communication and interpretation. If not loyal to the cause, Allan is loyal to the people he loves, and that can be seen by his repeated protection of Marian in the later episodes. He never tries to harm any of the gang apart from Robin (2x06), but I think that is due to loosing part of his love and respect for Robin in this confrontation. If he doesn’t lose it directly, he definitely projects Robin’s hatred of him onto Robin and villainises him until he feels justified in attacking him later.

R: More lies?

A: NO. This was the last time, I promise. And I was wrong. But he captured me, Robin, he tortured me, I didn’t have a choice-

You can hear how earnest Allan is on that final no. I guess Robin, in the midst of his anger and paranoia, can’t read just how truthful he is being. But I don’t think I’d be able to either, to be honest. Robin then interrupts him from speaking, actively talking over Allan rather than listening.

R: EVERYTHING IS A CHOICE. Everything we do!

Up until Robin says this, Allan has been purely defending his corner and reassuring Robin of everything he hasn’t done, and trying to get back on the same page – but when Robin diminishes his experiences of being captured and tortured, Allan flips and instead starts on the attack. You can see this change happen as he takes a second to think, eyes narrowing with offence as he thinks of what to say back. And what Allan said next has a point, Robin is in a place of privilege as the leader of the gang because if he gets captured, he’s never left for long enough to get tortured, and the Sheriff prefers to go straight to threatening to kill him anyway. He’s too prized a prisoner to be treated badly. Allan’s experiences of being caught are very different: he was left for hours, unsure if anyone would come and rescue him, while being pretty consistently tortured both physically and emotionally. (It’s also interesting that Allan doesn’t tell anyone anything while being physically hurt, but once Gisborne starts preying on his insecurities, he’s bought quite quickly. He is exhausted at that point but it looks like Allan is emotionally hurting more than he lets on to the rest of the gang. Also, he makes it explicitly clear that he isn’t going to help with killing anyone or giving away condemning information, it’s only when Gisborne brings up the idea of little bits of information he becomes swayed. The way to get to Allan is by convincing him what he’s doing isn’t actually harming anyone, actually showing he’s good at heart.) When Robin tells him ‘everything is a choice’, Allan sees it as a complete disregard of the position of hardships he’s been in. Robin’s lecturing him on morals, but in his eyes, Robin has never been/ will never be in the same difficult position as he was. Before that statement by Robin, Allan’s been feeling guilty, and been reaching out to reconnect with Robin – but at the dismissal of his experiences, Allan’s guilt turns to anger.

A: That’s easy for you to say though, isn’t it, huh? You get the glory, you get the girl. Everyone loves you. And then when the King comes back you’ll get lands, property, a wife, EVERYTHING. And what will I have? You are always in the sun, Robin, and I am always in the shade.

I’ll cover this more in the 2x06 analysis, but Allan’s biggest fears are being in pain, deprived, and without security. This outburst is actually one of Allan’s most vulnerable moments (looks like he’s only able to admit to his fears in anger) as he shows all of his insecurities by stating everything Robin has that Allan wishes he did. These play on his being deprived – ‘you get the glory, you get the girl’, ‘what will I have?’ – and being without security – ‘and then when the King comes back you’ll get lands, property, a wife’. As much as Allan enjoys being in the gang, he knows that it cannot be sustained for long and worries about what will happen to him after it ends and, he assumes, everyone goes their separate ways.

R: Is that meant to be an excuse. Heh?

In his anger, Robin misses the vulnerability in Allan’s side of the story. (To be fair to Robin, if I just found out someone I trusted completely had been selling important secrets to my arch nemesis, I’d be blinded by anger too.) But because Allan’s only way of showing vulnerability is by attacking Robin, and Robin takes the attack personally, he misses the insecurities behind Allan’s motivation by taking what he says as an excuse, not a reason. In this moment, Robin exerts his fury physically, pushing Allan up against a wall and shaking him – Allan sees no way out and begins to work on the defences again, realising he can’t gain anything but further disconnect by attacking Robin.

A: Give me another chance, please. I wouldn’t have let Gisborne hurt any of us, I’d never have told him anything like that.

I think this plea makes Allan looks particularly weak, as we see him switching tactics the second he realises one isn’t working (showing how clever he actually is), but also insinuating how happy to shift the truth he is in order to get what he wants. It makes him look almost cowardly, and in Robin’s eyes just furthers the mistrust, as he ricochets from an attack to a plea for forgiveness. However, it’s also a truthful admission by Allan of what he wouldn’t do and where he very firmly draws the line.

R: Harmless lies, innocent betrayals? They don’t exist, Allan!

Robin’s morals are consistently a lot stricter than Allan’s, and at their relationship’s best, this leads to Allan being inspired and positively influenced by him, but at its worst creates conflict and leads Robin to believe he is better than Allan, lecturing him on what is right (see 2x06).

A: Robin, I’ve changed. How can I get you to believe that?

I see ‘Robin, I’ve changed’ as an agreement with Robin that ‘harmless lies’ and ‘innocent betrayals’ don’t exist, but as Allan has only just realised the severity and extent of the actions he believed to be harmless until so recently, he shows his agreement through saying his beliefs have changed. He’s still reaching out to maintain his connection and trust with Robin and in turn, the gang. (I think if it hadn’t been Robin who had gone to the Tripp Inn, it would’ve been a very different outcome. Much would’ve been similar to Robin, casting him out immediately, but taking the betrayal very personally. John would’ve been really angry but I think Allan would’ve perhaps been able to talk him down. Will has a wicked temper for Allan to reckon with, and I think as Will and Allan are so close and Will’s morals so strong, he would be quite personally offended too, so Allan would struggle to win him over, but after some time to cool off Will would’ve heard Allan’s side of the story. Djaq says multiple times she believes Allan is a good man and could have changed, so would’ve listened to his entire story and possibly even let him stay if she believed him. As the leader of the group, Robin sees the gang as his responsibility to keep safe, hence having to be extra harsh in order to make sure they are protected.)

R: You can’t. And the funny thing is, you might be telling the truth.

Here, Robin shows he is aware of how blunt he’s being with Allan, but has so little trust for him he can’t even begin to think he’s telling the truth. He admits that Allan could be being truthful, but that he’s refusing to give him a chance anyway. In 2x06, as Allan becomes highly bitter, saying ‘you should’ve given me a second chance’, it’s likely largely in reference to this moment, where Robin refuses to even consider his viewpoint. For now though, Allan is still trying to regain Robin’s trust.

A: I am!

R: And how am I supposed to believe you anymore?

A: Robin, I swear to you, on my life.

*Robin holds knife up to neck*

A: Don’t kill me. Please.

I don’t think Allan comes across particularly well within this conversation, but the only reason he’s acting in a way that can be seen as cowardly is because he’s doing what he can to fight for his life the entire time, shown as he at first asks the bartender to stay, and coming to a peak here as Robin presses the blade to his throat. His attempts to stay alive have to be spoken, as he knows Robin would overpower him and there’s nowhere to run. His fears of what Robin would do to him are confirmed and in this moment, he truly has no idea whether Robin will kill him or not.

*Robin jerks knife away*

Woohoo Robin doesn’t kill him!

R: You are lucky I’ve left you with a life to swear upon. Never, ever, let me set eyes on you again.

This kind of insinuates Robin thought Allan deserved to die, or at least deserved a worst punishment than just being told to never come back to camp. As we see in the next episode, this doesn’t go to plan and essentially forms the basis for Allan’s further descent and the height of their physical conflict, which is in 2x06.

*Robin stalks away, Allan is left to feel sorry for himself*

TO SUMMARISE:

- Robin continually refuses to listen to Allan’s explanations, instead seeing them as excuses

- He dismisses Allan’s experiences of being captured and tortured, instead lecturing him on morals that Allan thinks he can’t afford to have (this is the biggest hurt for Allan, I think – the complete dismissal of his experiences)

- Robin’s quick to assume Allan would betray the gang completely (admittedly it’s better to be safe than sorry in these situations)

- He knows he could give Allan a second chance but doesn’t even consider it, and tells Allan this (a major catalyst for Allan’s anger in 2x06)

- He separates Allan from the gang, meaning Allan can’t go back to camp to collect his items, and can’t explain to his friends his side of the story; they will only hear it through Robin, furthering the bias against him

- Allan tries to reconnect and reassure Robin, only attacking him once and playing defence the rest of the time

- He came to the Inn to cover his tracks but also to return the money, implying he’s doing everything he can to stay with the gang – and whatever the motive, he was about to stop working for Gisborne

- Allan didn’t think his betrayals were as severe as they were, he never imagined telling Gisborne anything more than when they were planning on targeting a certain area

- Allan and Robin’s inability to listen and respond to one another properly leads to a worsening of the situation and drives them both to the actions of 2x06, as Allan becomes more bitter as he reflects on the conversation and Robin still doesn’t understand Allan’s motivations properly

Thank you so much for reading if you’ve made it this far, I hope you enjoyed! Please let me know your hot takes and interpretations too – did I miss anything? My analysis on 2x06 is coming tomorrow so keep an eye out for that :)

#allan a dale #robin hood #bbc robin hood #character analysis #robin of locksley #ducking and diving #allan a dale analysis

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funkymbtifiction · 4 years

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Oh!! I just saw the ask where you mentioned you're re-watching BBC's Robin Hood. Does that mean you have plans to add enneagrams to your typings of them? How exciting that would be! If so, may I request your thoughts on Djaq's MBTI and/or enneagram? She and the other merry men are my favorite characters on that show, but I realize as side characters they aren't quite as well developed as Robin/Marian/Guy. Even so, I figure it couldn't hurt to ask/put in a good word for them. :)

Yes. I intend to update the existing types and add a few more.

I have a broad sense of the Merry Men’s MBTI types but am not quite sure of their Enneagram types yet -- of if they even face enough development to receive types. But I’ll talk through some possibilities here while you wait.

Djaq is an ISTJ. She is level-headed, sensible, and an expert on medicine thanks to studying her father and watching him work. She is far more inclined than the rest to notice details in their environment and attach meaning to them. She handles bad situations competently and quickly with Te pragmatism (such as when the sheriff kidnaps her and tries to convince her to create the black gunpowder due to her Islamic origins). I’m not sure about her Enneagram type, but it might be 9w8. She is far more likely to forgive and accept other people’s differences than the other characters -- she’s even willing to forgive Alan’s treachery and understand where he is coming from. 9s are non-judgmental and a social 8 wing would bring out her fierce determination to protect the innocent.

Will Scarlett appears to be an ISFP. He is driven by his emotions, which are often touched by the plight of the poor around him, and quick to act. He takes a lot of risks and even considers betraying Robin and looking after his own interests at one point -- only to turn around and do the right thing, because his Fi-dom morals cannot do otherwise. He bucks the desires and wishes of the rest of his band when he decides to poison the sheriff and only backs down from this when he believes Robin also will die. The loss of loved ones make him want to kick into instant action (Se). No idea about his Enneagram type tho.

Little John is an ESTJ. He’s a natural leader who makes rational decisions and who effectively held an outlaw band together before Robin joined them. But he also carries an enormous amount of guilt for having left his wife and son, betraying his family life to keep them safe (a rational decision) in the process. He shows a lot of traditionalism in his thinking and, from time to time, some lower Ne apprehension about the future and uncertainty about how things will play out; he can be fearful at times (such as distrusting the creepy mask and thinking it a sign of witchcraft). The series shows fear in him from time to time, but overall I think he’s an 8w9. He’s got anger issues, he can take an enormous amount of pain under torture without buckling, he has a gruff desire to protect others (social 8), and can be temperamental, but he’s also unwilling to engage in emotional conflict and tends to bow out of things that don’t concern him -- a numbing 9 wing.

Alan is an STP. He’s logical, somewhat amoral in his decisions, but able to adapt to any new situation that arises -- he has a low Ni desire to look after himself which makes him betray Robin, then he experiences inferior Fe guilt having done so and tries to worm his way back in among them; when that fails, he goes and joins Sir Guy’s men and proceeds to use what he knows of their tactics against the Merry Men. I think he’s more ISTP than ESTP, because his Fe doesn’t work as well as his Ni does. He’s good at reading between the lines and less impulsive than Robin -- his impulses are more reactions to external threats. I think he’s an sp/so 7. He wants to keep things, he wants to enjoy things, he wants to have a good time, but there’s also a desire to be part of the group and find safety among them. Probably a 6 wing, since he gravitates toward the protection of others and shies away from direct conflict.

Much is a hard man to type, but he may be ESFJ. Despite the fact that he is rather selfish, he seems apprehensive about the unknown, he out of all of them is the fussiest about his environment, he has an eternal monologue going on about his feelings about everything and the injustices he feels, and he is devotedly loyal to Robin, to an almost absurd degree. He is easily hurt, but also willing to serve the others by making the food and general care-giving. Tho he dreams of being an important person and having his own life, Much is also so used to serving Robin and calling him Master that he cannot break out of that mindset. I could see 2 or 6 for him. It might be phobic 6, as he’s fearful a lot of the time and rather co-dependent on Robin. He’s so loyal that even after Robin is totally cruel to him in the episode where his 8 gets out of hand, instead of kicking him to the wayside, Much goes to convince Marion to wait for him.

- ENFP Mod

#robin hood #mbti #question

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mygangtome · 6 years

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Do not be deceived by this charming moment, Gentle Readers! Blame is about to be laid!

@dreamersscape, granted, I have let your final question marinate for some time.

And before I speak, let it be heard and known that I LOVE ALLAN-A-DALE. In all his human disaster glory. Fight me if you don’t believe me.

I’m not going to tell another person they’re looking at a question like this wrong (it is an ethical question after all, so it makes sense that different people would see it differently).

But I must confess I see Allan as totally, wholly up-to-his-ears dirty in blame in the abuse, kidnapping, and murder of Marian.

Now, to be clear, I’m not saying that a court of law would legally find him culpable, unless perhaps a Good Samaritan law were in effect in Nottinghamshire (which, of course, it’s not). Allan’s actions in Season Two are, largely, in-actions, being passive in instances where choosing action could have saved the day.

Even in the kitchen, when Marian stops Robin from killing Allan, it is Allan’s in-action that is required/called for by Marian: don’t betray me. (Which is to say: DO NOTHING to betray me.) She doesn’t ask for protection, or even his loyalty. Hers is a requirement of ‘don’t’ rather than ‘do.’

So, what’s wrong with that? Allan doesn’t actively betray Marian. He doesn’t give her away, or proactively endanger her.

Well, if not legally culpable, moral culpability has something else to say.

In the spirit of the title of Chidi Anagonye’s unfinished book, “What We Owe Each Other”: Does Allan owe Marian? Does Allan owe Robin? How does Allan see his obligations to them/to being ‘a good man’?

Well, let’s be clear. Allan, by his own assertion, is stuck. When he fell in with good people, he acted as good man. However, he also continued to act good because of the positive rewards it brought him. We see this most clearly at the skivving off to Scarborough; though recall, that in falling in with Robin & Co. Allan escaped hanging (and dismemberment). When Allan believes his present reward system in helping Robin/gaining a Forest Family is set to terminate, he immediately falls back on his greatest hits: theft and escape.

Season Two starts with him still of this mindset. Yes, maybe the King is not imminently to return and Allan’s Forest Found Family to be lost to him, but Allan is high-key about getting paid [*for the record, @Robin, knowing the love languages of those around you/working for you can avoid you having to see them grossly betray and leave you. Give the man who really needs it to feel secure and valued some coin of his own, LORD HUNTINGDON (who has no personal interest money or wealth but who at one time had lots)]

Allan’s vocal about money, his lack of it, and he’s, obvious to anyone watching, about to act-out.

And yet, even in his ‘betrayal’ of the gang, before he is discovered, Allan is operating on some very specific self-imposed boundaries. There are things he’ll do for Guy (sending Roger of Stoke to his death, for one—but a man Allan doesn’t know and has no connection with—to whom he thinks he ‘owes nothing’), and things he won’t (tell Guy where the camp is). This, even after the torture that brought about what cooperation Guy has from Allan.

Allan is literally only willing to sacrifice knowledge that might make the gang’s outlaw life more complicated, not to risk the gang. Consider, even, that he also doesn’t tell Guy where Annie and baby Seth are. Allan is only there to give information when explicitly asked for it, and then only that he has deemed okay to pass on.

Allan, you see, in his own broken ethical code, believes he owes Robin.

Robin saved Allan from hanging in Episode One

Robin made Tom & Co. members of the gang, gave them a second chance, and was willing to rescue them at potentially great personal cost.

Robin has respect for Allan’s talents

Robin calls Allan his ‘brother’

Allan (in his own words) loves Robin

Owing Robin seems to mean owing Marian (who is Robin’s first concern), to whom Allan has a distant-at-best relationship even before he’s banished. And yet, Allan—of his own will and code—shows up at great personal risk at the camp to arrange for Marian to pull a con to make Guy think she’s at a convent.

Allan’s code tells him he owes Marian (Robin), and that he should work to keep her safe from Guy.

In the kitchen fight scene, Allan and Marian’s relationship takes on a new tie that binds when Marian dissuades Robin from taking Allan’s life.

Here, Allan gives Marian his word that he will never betray her. That he won’t give her away. He does not promise anything beyond NOT being the cause of her peril.

Perhaps this is how he rationalizes the fact that he does not assist Marian in escaping Guy once she’s revealed to be the Nightwatchman, and is locked in Locksley’s barn. (A situation, quite frankly, that Allan would have had little difficulty in subverting in the time he and Marian were arguing about his helping her). “Guy, I’ve caught the Nightwatchman!” as you have a sword at your side is NOT how you protect the woman you made a pledge to.

Half a handclap for trying to keep Guy from branding Marian with a hot poker before Guy knew who she was, but no points at all for failing to try and spin the situation by convincing Guy that Marian is simply impersonating the Nightwatchman, Allan.

Guy actually runs away, leaving the barn door open, the building unsecured. Lots of time for Marian and Allan to get out of Dodge. “I don’t have to do anything,” Allan tells her. “I’ve helped you wherever I can.”

Allan believes he should help Marian.

Marian tries to use Robin as a sweetener if Allan helps her, but she barely has time to start her pitch before Guy returns,

In 2x11, When Marian is caught out as the Nightwatchman, once back at the castle, Allan works very actively in preventing her escape (holding her and even picking her up to keep her from escaping after she built the fire) yet, then ultimately does risk himself to keep her secret, in a very ACTIVE, and not at all passive impersonation of the Nightwatchman, keeping her identity safe from Vaisey, and her safe from hanging. But doing nothing about her being trapped in the Castle (her identity now dangerously known).

Observe how easily Allan makes his escape in the Nightwatchman disguise. He could not have arranged something similar for Marian?

Note that when Marian thanks Allan for saving her life, he doesn’t say ‘we’re even now’. There is no reason to believe that Allan thinks his obligation to Marian is discharged (for her saving him from Robin)

The question persists from 2x11: Does Allan do this because he also finds this to be in Guy’s best interest? Has his loyalty at that point switched away from Robin and to Guy? Is it still in flux? Is Allan now agreeing to protect Marian because it’s what Guy would require/want?

Is Allan’s concern for Marian situational based on to whom she is most important? And from whom Allan’s survival is most imperiled? If that’s so, it explains why once Guy catches Marian, Allan doesn’t help her: Guy doesn’t want his help, Guy wants the Nightwatchman unmasked. And Allan taking no action helps bring that about.

At that moment, Marian loses any currency she had with Allan, if his believed obligations to her grow only from her value to powerful men that surround him.

If this is truly how Allan is thinking, he has strayed quite far from the ‘good man’ Djaq believes him to be.

And yet, Allan knows that Marian values him as a life, as a man with a potential to do good (she is always appealing to his potential to choose good)—not merely because of his connections with Robin and Guy. She directly opposes Robin when it is Robin’s will to kill him. She is the only resident of the castle that knows who/what he truly is, and yet she does not attempt to use that as leverage against him. There is no way he doesn’t know that she would oppose Guy or the Sheriff (physically if necessary) were they to try and have him killed.

But still we get the ‘going along with farting’ line.

What Allan owes Marian at that time (when she asks him to help her frustrate Team Castle’s attempt on the King’s life) is his mind. He owes her any thoughts of how to frustrate the assassination attempt on the king. But here we get another Roger of Stoke situation. Allan has no loyalty to the King (in the season one finale we see how much he fears Richard’s return), he was never going to be a Royston White shouting that he’ fought for Robin Hood and King Richard’. So Marian, who tries to incite him to action with news of the Sheriff’s scheme, needs a better motivation for Allan. What does he care if Richard is killed? A King a continent away he’s never met. Things are bleak in Nottingham. They were when he was with the gang. Now that he’s on Team Castle—well, Richard NOT returning is clearly the best option for that situation. And in his mind, he won’t even have to be the person to pull it off.

Marian’s pleas fall on deaf ears because she fails to successfully appeal to ‘which side [his] bread is buttered on’, to wit: “Allan, if you save the King and frustrate Guy and the Sheriff’s plans, I will tell Robin and get you back in with the gang, on salary.” Marian fails to understand Allan’s code and how he is motivated (similarly to Robin in never giving Allan any coin), and the results for her are catastrophic.

In order to carry on, Allan is deliberately embracing shortsightedness in his onscreen moments up to Marian’s kidnapping. He poo-poos her clearly viable belief that Team Castle are headed for the King, he calls her out of her depth for wanting to kill the Sheriff, even though he knows what she has been able to do as the Nightwatchman (ex. hold her own in fights with Guy).

From the moment Marian accepts Robin’s proposal, the dominoes begin to fall that lead to her murder. By preventing any of as many as ten situations, Allan (unlike Robin) could have circumvented Marian’s death. He is the closest to her, the most like an ally, the character who owes her the most.

And who fails to deliver on that in a way that would have protected her.

In 2x13 we see Allan awake while both the Sheriff and Guy sleep in the same room with him. He’s even got his sword. Kill either* of them in their sleep and steal the key to unlock Marian? Who he now has to know is being kidnapped to the Holy Land? Nope. Go to the barn, strike Marian’s shackles with his sword? Nope again.

[*the Sheriff is about to embark on a months-long odyssey to the Holy Land and back, so I assume he can be easily disappeared without worrying that Sir Jasper will order the razing of Nottinghamshire. Additionally, he’s at a distant inn in Portsmouth where nobody knows who he is, almost 200 miles from his post]

From what’s there onscreen, I hold Allan responsible for violating his own code toward Marian, as well as what I understand to ethically be what we owe each other. Granted, plenty of these issues are in point of fact plotholes or criminally unexplored motivations. But they’re what we’re given.

Now, @dreamersscape, don’t hate me.

Memories of better times. [ragged sigh]

a post by @nettlestonenell

#my gang to me 2018 #allan a dale #marian #lady marian #bbcrh #bbc robin hood #robin hood bbc

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robinhoodrevisited · 7 years

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Man of God? (pt.3)

Kingsbridge. Marketplace. (Marian walks with Tuck through the marketplace. She keeps a cautious eye on the crowded street in case any of the castle guard appear suddenly.) Tuck: (Smiles:) "You really shouldn't worry. Once we've spoken with Bishop Waleran you and your friends will be welcomed here with open arms, you'll see." Marian: "Well until then I'm not taking any- (Marian collides with a woman:) Ooof! I'm so sorry, I guess I wasn't paying attention. (The woman straightens and turns to face her:) Aliena? Oh my goodness! (The two women embrace as Tuck watches them smiling:) It's so good to see you!" Aliena: (Smiles:) "And you also, what brings you to Kingsbridge?" Marian: (Frowns slightly:) "Oh, we're on a mission." Aliena: "We? You and brother Tuck?" Marian: (Turns to Tuck:) "You know each other?" Tuck: "Of course, everyone knows Aliena's wool is the finest around." Marian: (Turning back to Aliena:) "Is that so?" Aliena: (Beams:) "Forty thousand sheep sold me their winter coats, would you believe it? It's cost me two hundred pounds but I'll make three. Even I lose my breath when I think about it." Marian: "That's wonderful. I'm so pleased for you. (Looks around:) You do this all by yourself?" Aliena: "No, Jack helps when he can but he's taken on more work to help keep us afloat. We need as much money as we can get, what with the baby and all." Marian: (Smiles:) "You're a mother? That's amazing!" (A red headed woman steps out from behind Aliena's stall, previously hidden from view. In her arms she holds a baby.) Ellen: "We've managed so far between us." Marian: (Gasps:) "Is this him?" Aliena: (Nods:) "Marian, I'd like you to meet Jack's mother, Ellen. (Marian nods to her:) And, this is Tom." Marian: (Cooing at the baby:) "I'm very pleased to meet you, Tom. (Straightening up, to Ellen:) You must be very proud." Tuck: (Steps in:) "Marian, you stay here, catch up with your friends. I'll go and speak with the Bishop and ask him to meet us back at the rectory." Marian: "Yes, alright, if you're sure?" Tuck: "Positive. I'll see you in a little while." (Tuck eyes Ellen warily then turns and heads towards the castle. Ellen notices the look but says nothing.) Marian: "So how's Jack taking to fatherhood?" Jack: (Coming from another direction:) "Like a duck to water. (Smiles:) Hello, Marian." (The pair hug as Ellen continues to watch Tuck.) Marian: (Pulling away:) "You're looking well." Ellen: (Her attention pulled back to the conversation:) "He's looking thin. You're not eating enough, Jack." Jack: (Brightly:) "You fed me too well, growing up is all Ma." Ellen: "You look exhausted." Jack: "It's worth every moment of it, trust me. But speaking of food, I've come to eat lunch with my wife." (Walks over and kisses Aliena.) Aliena: (To Marian:) "You'll join us, yes?" Marian: "Well I wouldn't want to impose." Jack: "Nonsense, the more the merrier." Aliena: "Exactly, Tom should spend some time with his cousin after all." (Marian smiles as Aliena begins to pack away her stall for lunch.)

Outside the Rectory. Some Time Later. (Allan, Much & Little John walk the grounds.) Allan: "I'm not being funny but Robin and Gisborne bicker like a couple of women." Much: (Glancing back:) "I still don't think we should've left them alone." Little John: "Oh leave them be. Allan's right, let them squabble between themselves, give our ears a rest." Much: "But what if words turn to fists once again?" Little John: "What if it does? (Frustrated:) What are we even doing here? We travel half way across the country for what? To aid the Celts? We should be home right now defending the people of Nottingham. People depend on us and we've abandoned them." Allan: "Yeah well it wasn't like we had much choice in the matter was it? Anyway we're here now. The sooner we do what we came here to do, the sooner we can leave." (The trio's conversation is cut short as the sound of horse's hoofbeats can be heard approaching. They duck behind a building.) Waleran: (On horseback to his guards:) "Remember men, we want Hood and his men alive. At least for now." (As Waleran and his guard pass, Allan peeks around a corner.) Allan: "Well that didn't sound good." Much: "We can't let them take Robin." Allan: "So what do we do?" Little John: (Gruffly:) "What we always do, fight!" (Little John roars and runs after the men on horseback as Allan and Much exchange looks before following.)

(Little John rushes and knocks two guards off their horses. Much sprints to them. Waleran stops his horse and looks back. Much kicks a guard down again as he runs towards four more mounted guards galloping down the road. Allan runs in and engages a fallen guard with his dual swords as Much grabs the banner of a horseman to pull him off his mount and Little John pulls off another.) Little John: (Yelling at a guard on the ground:) “Get off! Get off! Get off!” (Allan blocks an overhead blow with both swords held together, then blocks with his left sword and punches the guard with his right st. Little John knocks out the other fallen guard. Waleran turns his horse around as the remaining horsemen group together drawing their crossbows.) Waleran: “Surrender yourselves now or I’ll have no choice but to have you shot in the street like animals.” (Realising the odds just aren’t in their favour, the outlaws reluctantly throw down their weapons.)

Jack & Aliena's Home. Marian: (Incredulous:) "Arrested? But why? (Tuck says nothing unable to look at her.) I thought you said Waleran was supportive of our cause?" Ellen: (Stepping forward:) "If I may, I think I might be able to shed some light on Bishop Waleran's motives." Marian: (Turning to her:) "You know the Bishop?" Ellen: "For many years. I've long held my suspicions about him." Marian: "Suspicions? Ellen, please, tell me everything." Ellen: "It has to do with Jack's father. He had a secret, something to do with the ring he had. He wouldn't tell me what it was, only the King could hear what he had to say, he said. He asked me for a quill, paper, sealing wax and ink then locked himself away in the barn for privacy. I then went to my priest confessor for help. I told the priest of how Jack's father needed to speak with the King urgently. The next day Jack's father was taken from our home and accused of stealing the Kingsbridge prior's chalice." Marian: "What happened to him?" Ellen: (Looking to Jack:) "He was tortured and he confessed. Then his tongue was cut out. He was swiftly brought to trial. The prior who's chalice was stolen testified against him. The Lord of the district served as his judge and my priest confessor passed sentence. Jack's father was burned at the stake. (Ellen pauses to compose herself as Marian patiently waits for her to continue.) I cursed all three men that day. I told the Prior his church would burn down, the Lord that his children will die violent deaths." Marian: "And the priest? Can I assume he was Waleran?" Ellen: (Nods:) "I told him that he would climb very high... only to fall." Aliena: "What was the secret they didn't want him to tell?" Ellen: "I never learned. I found his ring though, the ring Jack still wears to this day. But no paper. (Glances over at Tuck:) So yes, I know all about Waleran and his true nature. Your friend over there fears me. And he fears the words I speak because he knows they are the truth." Tuck: (Finally looks over at Ellen:) "I don't fear you. I oppose what you stand for which is hatred of God and church and morality." Ellen: "I love God. Though I don't worship Her the same way as you do. My church has as many rules as yours and is a lot more forgiving. And, as for morality, I use love as my compass which Christ seemed to approve of, even if you don't." Jack: "Ma, that's enough." (Marian turns toward Tuck.) Marian: "You have to help me free them." Tuck: (Nods:) "I will speak again to the Bishop. Hopefully that will give you enough time to come up with a plan with Robin." Marian: (Confused:) "Robin? What do you mean?" Tuck: "He's still at the rectory with Gisborne. Only three of your friends were captured." Marian: (Scoffs:) "Do you think they know what's happened?" Tuck: "I couldn't say. I don't believe Waleran's men reached the rectory before your friends attacked them." (Marian's mood brightens a little at this curious stroke of luck.) Marian: (Turning to the others:) "I've got to go." (Aliena nods as Marian turns and leaves the room.)

Powis. Commander's Tent. (Djaq & Will stand together watching as the Commander reads the Great Pact of Nottingham.) Lexa: (Pacing the tent slowly:) "This is precisely what we need. Cold, irrefutable proof of these men's treachery. With this we can eliminate those who would stand with Prince John against the King." Clarke: (Skeptically:) "What do you suggest? You lead your army to each of the regions represented on the pact and demand that the people turn over their leaders?" Lexa: "And you have a problem with this?" Clarke: (Laughs nervously:) "How long do you think Prince John will allow that to happen before he retaliates? You leave yourself open to attack from several fronts." Indra: "Just more English for us to kill." Lexa: "That's enough, Indra. So tell us, Clarke, how does this end? Perhaps you've come up with a way to save your people?" Clarke: "No, only together can we do that. Your army was slaughtered by men loyal to the Prince. You have every right to respond. Every right to attack those towns and cities who would harbour your enemies. Or, you can bide your time." Indra: "Why should we wait? Blood must have blood." Clarke: "Really? Because the way I see it, the only way that ends is with everyone dead. (To Lexa:) The men who attacked your army will be expecting you to respond the way you always do. What if instead you wait for the right time to strike in the right way." Lexa: "You're suggesting I let the massacre go unavenged." Clarke: "I'm saying that if you attack those cities that you'd be playing right into the Prince's hands. He wants you to be seen as bloodthirsty savages. He needs you to play the villain to his conquering hero. And, pact or not, that's exactly how the people will see you if you bring your army to their doors. It's this endless cycle of violence that has kept our people and our nations apart for so long. So what kind of leader do you want to be? The kind who kills every chance she gets because that's your way? Or the kind who shows the world a better way? Someone has to take the first step. Let it be you. (Lexa turns away from her but Clarke follows:) You say you want peace, that everything you've done was to achieve that. Yet here we stand on the brink of another war. The King of England stands on the battlefield hundreds of miles away unable to find the strength within himself to end his war. Here you have the chance to end a war before it begins." (Lexa stares at Clarke considering her words.) Indra: "Commander, you can't seriously be considering this." (There is a long pause as Lexa's eyes never leave Clarke's.) Lexa: "I'm not considering it. (Will and Djaq exchange anxious glances and Clarke holds her breath:) I'm doing it." Indra: "Heda, please." (Clarke sighs in relief.) Lexa: "Indra, our people act as if war is easier than peace. If that's so should we not try and achieve the more difficult goal?" Indra: "Powis will not support you. Titus-" Lexa: (Sharply:) "Titus is my subject. They are all my subjects! (Indra stares up at the Commander then glances at Clarke:) Do you say they will defy me? (Indra slowly looks back up at her Commander but does not speak:) Will you defy me?" Indra: (Without hesitation:) "No, Heda. I will not." Lexa: "Then let it be known. (Turning back to watch Clarke as she speaks her next words:) Blood must not have blood."

Waleran’s Quarters. (Bishop Waleran is seated behind his desk, hands clasped together listening to Tuck’s pleas.) Waleran: “Brother Tuck...” Tuck: “Every day it gets worse. Injustice, cruelty, corruption. The people suffer and they starve. And you’d take their hope away from them?” Waleran: “Hood took that away from them the moment he sided with the Celts against his own people. He and the Princess both worship-“ Tuck: (Interrupting:) "Oh don’t give me that nonsense, Bishop! Why are you trying to demonise these men? These men who stand up for the oppressed.” Waleran: “I don’t care what you believe! I have done everything in my power to make Kingsbridge a Haven for its populace. The markets thrive, crime is almost non-existent and taxes go directly to the upkeep of the city. I and the lord God should be their hero, not this...outlaw. (Sighs:) Prince John wants them broken. Like it or not, the Prince rules England in his brother’s absence. I cannot harbour fugitives from justice and expect Prince John to allow Kingsbridge to remain intact.” Tuck: “So you bring false charges against them to facilitate their execution?” Waleran: (Finally losing his temper, rising to his feet:) “The Celts worship the devil! The Princess, Hood and his men are guilty by association. Hood and his men are to be burned at the stake for crimes against the church.” Tuck: “I am part of the church and-” Waleran: “Then why do you defy me? Obey me.” Tuck: (Taken aback:) “I obey God before you.” Waleran: “The church has rules and hierarchy.” Tuck: “I obey my heart-” Waleran: “Kneel before me, now. Or find yourself joining the heretics at the stake. (Waleran proffers his hand to Tuck expectantly. Tuck stares at Waleran a moment defiant. Then slowly kneels, taking the Bishop’s hand and kisses the ring.) Good. We’ll say no more about this, brother. You are dismissed.” (Tuck rises to his feet, turns without looking at the Bishop and leaves the room, a determined look upon his face.) The Dew Drop Inn. (Having hastily collected Robin and Gisborne from the rectory, Marian has filled both men in on the situation they now face. Needing a plan of action, the trio have found themselves inside a tavern sitting at a table in the corner with their backs to the wall, eating.) Gisborne: “So we’ve got a few fairly difficult problems. (Robin takes a drink from his cup.) One, we're down to half our number." Marian: "Two, Bishop Waleran is beloved by everyone here yet secretly supports Prince John." (Gisborne puts a bit of chicken in his mouth. Robin swallows his ale.) Robin: "Those aren't problems. Waleran may be popular but as popular as Robin Hood? (Marian rolls her eyes at his bravado:) I don't think so. And we'll free the lads as soon as we get inside the castle." Gisborne: “Which brings us to another problem.” Man: “Enough! That’s it!” (Robin and Gisborne both suddenly sit back to avoid a chair thrown between them. They both yell in irritation back at the patrons.) Robin/Gisborne: “Oi!” (They grab their cups from the table and stand up as two wrestling men fall into the table in front of theirs, knocking it over. Marian steps around their table, picks up one of the men and punches him with her cup as a roast chicken soars past her head. Robin punches the other man with his cup as he is getting up. Robin & Gisborne both duck behind the overturned table as the fighting continues among Marian and the other patrons. Food, cups and plates are thrown indiscriminately.) Gisborne: “Don’t you think we should help her?” Robin: “Nah, trust me Marian’s having way too much fun. Besides, I think I have a — (ducks a flying cup.) — I have a plan.” Gisborne: “I’m listening.” (Robin shields his face with his hands as Marian pushes a man past him into a post.) Robin: “You, er... you get arrested... (Robin ducks another cup as Gisborne makes a face indicating he already dislikes this plan.) ... get taken to the dungeons, find the others and then... I’ll bribe the guards. I’ll come and see you.“ Gisborne: “And then what?” (Puts his arm up to block.) Robin: “And then we escape!” Gisborne: “How?” Robin: “Well, I don’t know. I haven’t worked that out yet, have I?” (The sheriff’s guards enter to break up the fight and arrest the troublemakers. Marian shoves a man towards them. Gisborne stands, the danger passed.) Gisborne: “Forget it. It’ll never work.” Robin: “Why not?” (Stands.) Gisborne: (Sits back down in his chair.) “Because I’m not going to get myself arrested.“ Robin: “Why not?” Gisborne: “’Cause you’ll leave me in the dungeon.” (Sets his cup firmly on the table.) Robin: (Picks up his cup from the floor and sits down.) “I will not leave you in the dungeons. You have my word.“ (The guards force their new prisoners out the door. As Marian walks back to the table.) Gisborne: “You see, that’s where this falls down.” (The tavern is quiet now. Three guards stand near the door.) Robin: (A bit flustered:) “Well, all right. Well, I’ll get myself arrested then.” Gisborne: “Now that sounds like a better plan.” Robin: “And you come and get me out.” (Gisborne tilts his head and gives Robin a “would I?” look. Robin chuckles with a sneer, realising their dilemma.) Gisborne: “See, suddenly it’s not such a good idea, is it?” Robin: “You know, I’m not sure if I trust you yet. But we’re about to find out.” (Robin picks up a loaf of bread from their table as Gisborne stands up. To Gisborne’s surprise, Robin aims and is about to throw it at a guard, before Marian grabs his arm.) Marian: “Sit. Down. (Robin smirks then releases the bread and sits down. Marian looks to Gisborne who also takes his seat.) Let me guess, you were going to go with Allan’s plan and get yourself thrown into the dungeons?” Robin: (Defensively:) “Well we do need to get inside.” Marian: “Not by becoming an inmate! (Sighs:) Do neither of you know anything about castle security? Its weak points and where to target?” Robin: (Folds his arms:) “We weren’t all brought up living in one, Marian.” Gisborne: (To Marian:) “I’m assuming you do?” Marian: “I have some ideas, yes.” Robin: (Smiles:) “Good. Then you’re in charge.”

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jadelotusflower · 3 years

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Robin Hood Rewatch: 1x11 Dead Man Walking

It’s been an age since I did one of these, time to get back to it!

I always like the fleshing out of the Locksley villagers - Luke Cooper is helping out the gang by making weaponry, apparently keeping Robin swimming in recurve bows (does he go through that many?) Little Little John is his apprentice, and Luke suggests to Alice that they get married to share the tax burden. It’s not clear if he is in love with her, but he clearly cares about her and little Little John and the offer seems to be motivated by practicality.

Concussion Count: Robin x1, bring his total for the series to five.

Little John conveniently drops his tags as he’s captured, and so is taken in as an ordinary prisoner, which actually seems like a good thing? Better to fly under the Sheriff’s radar.

Aw, Little John doesn’t want Marian to recognise him.

“Drip...drip...drip. I can hear her heart bleed from here.”

Robin and Allan in disguise brings me so much joy. Allan’s guard name is “Nile” - lol.

And a cute Robin/Marian scene, with Robin playing it up as the guard, with Guy unaware but Marian very amused. Then another conversation fraught with double meaning.

Once again, Marian the Spy makes the plan/victory possible.

I very much enjoy this dynamic, I wish there were more Much and Djaq scenes.

I really enjoy Alice actually, she’s quite compelling.

Yeesh, a ten year old almost being shoved face first into hot coals is dark.

Is that Nutsy getting kicked in the nuts? LOL

Concussion count: Vaisey x1. Alice stopping John from murdering Vaisey makes sense, but why don’t they take him hostage? Strapping him upside down to the torture device has more narrative symmetry (and comedy) I guess.

I’m glad they resisted the urge to make Luke a secret villain/turncoat. He is a good man and I appreciate the lack of dick swinging over Alice. She forgives John, but has moved on and he accepts that they cannot reconcile, and it’s all very reasoned and mature (something we won’t be seeing in the next two episodes).

There’s great tragedy and pathos in Little John’s story, and all credit to Gordon Kennedy. It’s a hard role, because Little John is a character who is so internal, and he needs to convey so much with few words. He was really excellent in this episode.

#robin hood bbc #robin hood rewatch #1x11 dead man walking

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jadelotusflower · 3 years

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Robin Hood Rewatch: 2x08 Get Carter!

This is actually one of my favourite episodes of the season, partly because I really enjoy relationship angst, but mostly because we get multiple characters dealing with their trauma/grief. If we can't get these guys and gals into therapy, at least we get to see them talk (and hug) it out.

Also the best episode title they're had for a while - I have no doubt one of the writers is a fan, and Carter is so named only because they wanted to make this reference. The assassin seeking revenge for a dead brother is wholesale lifted from the plot of the film, and Joseph Kennedy almost has a passing resemblance to Michael Caine's look in that role.

"Get Carter - before Carter gets you!"

Carter is one of the only guest stars they actually will bring back later, and for good reason.

"Why don't you ever kiss my ring?" Vaisey, always making things creepy.

Marian is simmering with unrestrained anger, eager to get into the fight, while Robin is the one advocating for the watch and see approach, and it’s quite the role reversal.

The gang's reaction to her charging off is quite funny though, she knocks John over completely and Djaq throws her hands in the air.

Robin’s now getting a taste of what the rest of the gang have to put up with dealing with his recklessness.

Tying Marian up in the middle of a melee, however, is disgusting behaviour - while Marian was hot-headed throwing herself into the fight (nothing Robin hasn't done before himself), he knows that she can hold her own with a sword and doesn't need protecting. Tying her hands is the absolute worst thing he could have done, because how is she meant to defend herself? I can somewhat understand where Robin is coming from in this episode (even if he goes about it badly), but this is unjustifiable.

Clearly she gave that guard she clanked on the head amnesia, because he never reports back that Marian was fighting with the gang.

“I owe you my life”/“I won’t take it just yet.” Nice.

Scimitar is still missing in action.

Robin doesn’t want Marian to be seen in case she needs to return to the castle, when he’s spent the whole season urging for her to join the gang. I think he realises he made a mistake asking her to flee last episode without giving her time to deal with her grief, and wants to leave her options open. But telling her that she’s not ready to make the decision (about whatever she wants to go back), however correct, is patronising.

There's a fundamental conflict that Marian wants to be treated like a member of the gang, but doesn't want to cede to Robin's authority like the rest of the gang - in turn Robin expects her to follow his orders like the others, but isn't treating her like he would the others either - he would never tie them up to keep them out of a fight, and Marian has every right to pissed at him about it.

Djaq and Much having a little tête-à-tête about Carter - I just really enjoy that they’re often paired together in these gang scenes, they balance/play off each other so well. Just this pure platonic frazzled vs calm vibe.

Much just has this really great memory for faces - he was able to recognise fake Richard last season just from his profile despite wearing a helmet, and now he knows he remembers Carter's face from somewhere (or as it will turn out, Carter's brother).

Much really just does not let up, and I love that about him. "You'll be disappointed though, with uh, today's wound. I mean if you're planning to go back to the Holy Land and, uh, kill him." That not so subtle probing for information and Sam Troughton's delivery is always perfect.

"Wasn't me, was it?" Oh Much, so close.

“The crusty one” - lol

It's not explicit, but implied that Vaisey and Guy believe Edward was the one passing information to Robin, and Marian is cleared of any suspicion (paving the way for her return). Guess Guy never showed the Sheriff that hair dagger after all.

Vaisey is actually giving Guy some really good advice here, albeit laced with his usual cruelty and getting all up in Guy's personal space.

"Grow up Gisborne" - now I don't think it's deliberate on Vaisey's part to invoke a Marian parlance, seeing as she really only says this to Robin (and once to Much), but it's a nice little callback, however unintentional.

Marian asks for an apology (and deserves one), but Robin doubles down and doesn't come out of this exchange well.

Because his delivery is terrible, but he's otherwise quite correct - as skilled as Marian is, she’s used to relying on (and having to worry about) only herself and not work in a team, and look to a single point of command. But both of them have their backs up - they're two strong personalities and neither is going to give ground, reverting to the ideological clashes of season 1, except now in much closer quarters.

Robin's also not used to being challenged in this particular way, and in his frustration is reacting like a captain disciplining a soldier, not a lover helping their partner through their grief. I do wonder if the conversation would have gone differently if they'd been alone.

lol at the gang awkwardly standing around listening to Robin and Marian fight. Djaq trying to busy herself with her mortar and pestle as Robin and Marian argue around her.

A really great scene between Marian and John aka the camp dad. Marian really just needs someone to listen to her and appreciate what she's going through - Robin is too fixated on the dangerous way she's channeling her grief and not even trying to address the root cause. He trying to tell her what to do, not listen to what she actually needs.

On the other hand it's probably better coming from John, a neutral party without the emotional baggage she has with Robin.

Because Robin and Marian are really being driven by completely different motives - Marian by grief and therefore loss, and Robin by trauma and therefore fear. In her sorrow, Marian has lost all her fear of being discovered, in fact she wants to make it know she's with the gang, to finally be free to say which side she's on and fight openly, to make her father's death worthwhile, and can't understand why Robin is trying to stifle that.

"I thought you used to have your own men Little John?" So someone remembers Forrest and Hanton!

After Carter takes down the gang one by one, Robin takes down Carter in three seconds (including catching the long dagger Carter throws at him, and flinging it back) and it's lights out. Can you believe it's the first concussion of the season? (Notwithstanding the multiple head injuries Allan sustained last episode).

While Marian has been known to be punch-happy, the "he'll tell us more if he knows we're willing to hurt him" is just so (intentionally) out of character - it is however somewhat reminiscent of Robin in 1x08, wanting to get his punch and torture on with Guy. However rather than understanding where Marian is coming from, he pushes her away with the "go and cook something" jibe. This almost feels like he was going for familiar banter and miscued, but is also an asshole thing to say. When their positions were reversed in 1x08 Marian at least tried to reason with him - Robin is seems to be ill-equipped to do the same.

Allan just having a little snooze against the castle wall. He really seems defeated and depressed after last episode.

Marian's corset has a pouch to hold a dagger - or at least I hope there is because otherwise it's ouch time.

Leaving Marian at the camp is again a mistake on Robin's part - it excludes and isolates her from the gang, rather than trying to involve her so she can bond with them, engaging in their outreach to the peasants - who she helped as the Nightwatchman, but never really had the opportunity to come to know. It would remind her that they are not just fighting against the Sheriff but for the people, which in her frenzied grief she has perhaps lost sight of.

Instead, Robin's focus is on Carter, who he rather identifies with and so finds it easier to address his motives, and try and change them.

Carter is in many ways Robin’s dark mirror, what he could have become in the Holy Land if he chose a different path. It’s important that this happens right when Robin is backsliding - he’s trying to save his own soul as much as Carter’s.

Okay, let's talk about Marian’s forest gear - fashioned from the outfit she wore when she fled the castle the previous episode - but dear me it's awful. The grey culottes, rather than becoming trousers have now been turned into that corset, and her vest/skirt overlay have now become those trousers. Just baffling.

“I’m good with nuns” followed by Allan straight up knocking the Mother Superior over and stealing her ring is iconic.

Much gives Robin a sword to use going after Carter - still no scimitar.

I really love the confrontation/fight scene between Robin and Carter - it's very well choreographed and written, but we also see the best of Robin's character (after seeing some of the worst earlier).

Carter's brother is called Thomas - Allan's brother was called Tom. Lots of dead brothers in this show (including Djaq's).

The story of Carter's brother Thomas dying because he "stopped listening" and led a raid against orders is a little on the nose, but gives context to Robin’s fear for Marian’s safety in part triggered by his war trauma - someone charging in against orders and then dying in his arms.

But it shows Robin as a man who, even when Thomas' recklessness had cost not only his own life but others of Robin's men, was still moved to instruct the stretcher-bearers to make Thomas the hero, and himself the negligent captain, in order to comfort his family.

The fight is fairly even, and although Robin gets the upper hand in the end, it's only partly his skill - rather his true strength is in reaching the man inside the assassin, and then surrender and allow Carter to take his revenge if that's what he wants, and despite his fear, trust that there is good still in him, and that he can leave behind the life as a killer as Robin has done (tried to do).

This scene is the core of why I really love Robin as a character. He's riddled with PTSD and a reckless bravado, he's at time emotionally stunted with those he loves, makes terrible mistakes and often says the wrong thing, but he also has this great heart and compassion that allows him to reach people, to understand and help them, even at the risk of his own life. He's trying.

"He was a hero - just not on that day" is quite a poignant line.

Much and Djaq together again, just saying.

Robin finally finds out that Roger of Stoke was intercepted. I had assumed he'd figured that out once he knew Allan was a traitor but okay.

Poor Much crying out for Robin's attention - he's got his own trauma from the war and wants to talk about it, to commiserate with Robin about what they went though, but Robin can only cope by not talking about it, not even thinking about it.

Much makes a good point that Robin should have listened to him about recognising Carter, but it comes across as jealously over Marian and Robin misses just how deeply Much carries his hurt.

One of Robin's biggest flaws is that he's overwhelming in his affection, compassion, and understanding for strangers, but takes those he loves for granted - Carter's response to grief was the same as Marian's, but Robin listened to Carter, consoled and comforted him, while keeping Marian at arm's length. Perhaps because strangers don't ask for anything beyond that - it is the granting of kindness, but not the sharing of self. It's the latter Robin truly fears, but what Much and Marian deserve (although tbf Marian has problems with this as well).

“Either I’m part of your gang or I’m not” is a valid point, and Robin's still not happy even when she agrees to stay behind!

But she disobeys him, and saves his life. It's a rite of passage - almost all of the members of the gang have this.

Allan looking rather distressed as Guy is about the chop off Robin's head, and he makes a small movement just before the swing (as does Much).

Guy again pushing Marian past the point of discomfort - she left, wrote him a letter asking him to leave her alone, straight up told him to his face to leave her alone, and still he persists.

Her kissing Guy (to distract him from seeing Much and Will) is really the only time she sends mixed signals, but Guy's whole energy seems to be just to wear her down until she agrees to be with him and it's gross. It is however kind of amusing that he tries to be authoritative and forbid her from leaving, and she immediately walks away.

Robin and Marian are back in playful banter mode, although I wish there had been a deeper discussion (and that Robin had apologised in return). It doesn't quite feel like the conflict between them has been resolved, it really is just a "truce".

But I do like that it's Marian who reaches out to Robin at the end of this episode, because up until this point it's Robin who has been (somewhat) the one making overtures - asking her to join the gang, telling her he needs her, telling her he loves her, while Marian's been more reserved. This feels like her acknowledging that sometimes she needs to take the first step.

This was a long one - but as a I said, I really love this episode!

#robin hood bbc #robin hood rewatch #rewatch #2x08 #get carter!#long post #lots of rambling here sorry

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jadelotusflower · 4 years

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Robin Hood Rewatch: 1x07 Brothers in Arms

I love Allan with his pearls. Excellent casting on Tom as well - there’s a real family resemblance, chemistry and a complicated history that comes across well in very little screentime.

Another Peak Creep scene x2 with Guy that makes my skin crawl - first with Eleri to take the necklace, then with Marian to gift it. Edward is nowhere to be seen, so his promise the previous episode didn’t last for very long.

Djaq is Not Impressed with the people of Nettlestone selling their goods on the assumption Robin will return them, and I have to agree.

What was the props department thinking with this necklace, I ask you?

This riding outfit of Marian’s is one of my favourites, but I’m undecided about the hood up look.

Robin is a bit of a dick in this scene with Marian - it goes beyond their usual banter into the start of ugly jealousy, and needling Marian about things she has no control over. Although to be fair, his offer to find Eleri another necklace was concern for Marian’s safety rather than wanting her to keep a (supposedly) pretty thing.

Edward’s shock and then awe and delight at Marian kicking Tom and Co’s collective asses is very sweet.

The juxtaposition of Allan begging Robin for one more chance for Tom, to Much kicking him awake to tell him they’ve left is kind of cruelly amusing. To this day, I’m unsure whether Tom and Co did actually abandon the gang, or whether it was another attempt to prove themselves. Because they “took everything” (clothes, money, horses), but then claim to be acting in the name of Robin Hood to rob Lucky George. The latter adds another layer of tragedy to the whole thing, so I lean towards that.

Allan having to make the case to let Tom and Co hang is heart.break.ing, and the choice between the safety of his found family over the life of his brother.

I really love that it’s Marian that Robin goes to for counsel - and it’s interesting that for once she doesn’t give him advice, but rather validation. Which he sees as an opening for a romantic overture and tries to kiss her, which Marian deflects back as an attempt at distraction rather than a genuine advance. Robin plays along and takes the L, but I don’t actually think it was about that at all - you can see him react when Marian calls him a good man, so he takes a chance and when rejected, retreats back to defensive position.

But her victory is short lived, because when she goes to the castle she finds Guy’s sergeant being tortured, and it must be running through her mind that only a few episodes ago she was all “no one has had their tongue cut out because of me” and now... It’s a harsh lesson.

I remember being so shocked the first time I saw this, that Tom and Co had already been hanged. It’s a clever, dastardly move that keeps the Sheriff as a genuine threat.

This is such a good scene. Djaq’s calmness here, arranging for Tom’s belongings to be collected, comforting Allan and sharing her own grief is just so well done. Anjali Jay is such an underrated actress.

“A moment ago you would have me hanged and now you want to marry me?” There’s So Much going on in this scene - Guy’s anger and Marian’s distress, about to confess all until Robin arrives with the necklace, Guy seizing the advantage and literally backing her up against a wall to pressure her with a proposal, Marian’s stoic acceptance and Robin’s despair outside, powerless to do anything. It’s also the first time we learn that Robin and Marian were betrothed before he left (and I wish we’d subsequently gotten more details about that or a flashback episode).

The visual storytelling is also quite neat - earlier the scene at the window kept Robin outside, but it still felt like they were growing closer, Marian sitting on the sill and leaning slightly out, and then watching him leave with a smile. This time he has the casement shut on him and he’s left out there alone.

#robin hood bbc #robin hood rewatch #brothers in arms

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jadelotusflower · 4 years

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Robin Hood Rewatch: 1x08 Tattoo, What Tattoo?

aka Robin wants to do a war crime.

It’s been a while, but I’m back on my rewatch. This is actually one of my favourite episodes of the whole show, so get comfortable, this is a long one. Also, I welcome comments/discussion on any of these posts - I’m always up to talk Robin Hood!

Flashback time! 1191. Now, we’ve had the current date set as 1192 by earlier episodes and this is the story of How Robin Got His Scar - assuming that he must have spent some time convalescing before returning to England, he can’t have been back more than a year at the absolute most.

There’s no point talking about historical accuracy on this show - my approach is that any story ostensibly taking place in our history is that it’s an alternate universe, and this is an easy way to ignore when things don’t square with real events.

Robin fights with a broadsword in this scene, not his scimitar, and we never find out how/why he got the latter.

For plot reasons, Robin neatly slashes through Guy’s tattoo instead of cutting off his arm.

Okay, Richard’s birthday was 8 September. The attempted hanging in the first episode was 26 April, so it’s been less than five months? Actually, I think this works fine.

In an earlier episode I lamented that we never saw the bright green shirt again, but I was wrong, Robin’s wearing it under his hoodie and it had very frayed hems. I do think the show does a pretty good job of using costumes for the gang that actually look like they live in a forest and show significant wear and tear.

This is one of my favourite Marian’s costumes - it’s beautiful!

I never noticed before, but after Guy announces the engagement, Edward takes Marian’s hand and it’s very sweet.

The possessive way Guy holds up Marian’s hand to show off the ring is...yikes. And don’t the guests sound enthused!

Nobody ever brings up that it was Robin ignoring the signal because he just had to stick it to Guy and take the ring is the reason Djaq is captured, and they really should have. That said, I do like him being cheeky and kissing Marian’s hand before depriving her of the ring.

Guy could very easily have freed the dagger holding his sleeve with his other hand - but he wanted Robin to know it was he that almost killed him in the Holy Land. Just like Robin could have easily escaped, but instead waited for Guy in the forest - this confrontation has been brewing all season - so let’s get into it.

Guy starts with saying that the King has enemies because he wants peace, and “there will never be peace with the Turk.” So we assume that his motivations are with the warmongers - to scupper the peace talks with Saladin so the Crusade continues and Jerusalem is conquered. Which...doesn’t really make sense with what we know of Guy, that he would care about claiming the Holy Land, and this stance is actually contradicted later. It makes more sense that they would want to keep Richard in the Holy Land so Prince John can usurp his power while he’s away, and Guy can maintain his position. I think we can assume that is the case, and Guy is just deflecting/pushing Robin’s buttons with the war talk.

And of course, the confrontation is only ostensibly about Guy’s treason, secondly about dick swinging over Marian. Guy gets kicked in the face (for the second time this season!) and only stops his throat getting slit by the timely arrival of the gang.

Djaq is cool, calm and collected the entire episode, despite no doubt being reminded of her time in slavery.

“That’s what you taught us.” Robin told the gang all about the articles of the Geneva Convention, but like many a self-righteous superpower, thinks they doesn’t apply to him if a breach is “necessary.”

I jest, but Robin actually does stay his hand initially and listen to the gang. He does knock Guy out, but I don’t think we can hold that against him. Concussion Count: Guy (Total: Robin x 1, Guy x 1)

It’s kind of understandable that the gang are skeptical of Robin’s claims it was Guy who tried to kill the King - it can’t have gone unnoticed that Robin has war-related trauma, and just that morning a nightmare of that very event. It would seem convenient indeed that he suddenly claims he remembers Guy as the assassin, right after the engagement to Marian was announced.

I’ve said this before, but I really think it’s a strength of the show that it is prepared to Go There with Robin as a deeply flawed protagonist. Because the gang is 100% right, and he is 100% wrong - Djaq’s life should take precedence, and he is in no state of mind to be making life and death decisions.

Concussion Count: Guy and Robin (Total: Robin x 2, Guy x 2)

Confrontation Round 2 - ding ding!

Robin is straight up manipulative of Much to get himself untied and it hurts to see - there’s a real power differential to their relationship that Robin takes advantage of. Much knows more than anyone else how damaged Robin was by the war, he knows there’s this other, brutal, side of him that can triggered (”earlier...you were not yourself”), but he still loves his friend, he wants to believe in his promises, and he’s spent his life following Robin’s instructions and those habits die hard. He does try to do the right thing - he talks in a soothing voice (”you’ve had an upset” is so Soft), tries to get Robin to sit down and talk it through, but he is too far gone.

“I will kill you whether you talk or not.” Guy doesn’t believe him, and throws his earlier words back (“show me an argument ever settled with bloodshed”) but Robin is deep in his cold rage and when Much tries to intercede we get the heartbreaking “that is because you are also simple” which really, really hurts. Now, obviously we can explain Robin’s behaviour as a trauma response/ptsd episode, but not excuse it, because it really is a cruel thing to say, targeted to hurt Much the most and push him away, and all the “I did not mean it”s in the world doesn’t change that. It’s a disturbing pattern; that Robin will say something cruel in anger or frustration, then immediately take it back and say he didn’t mean it - but the thing is, a part of him did mean it, must mean it, because he said it - it may be a dark fleeting thought, those unkind things we all think sometimes, but Robin gives voice to them and causes hurt, and that can’t be undone.

Again, I give credit that this is a show that doesn’t always cast its hero in the best light - he does screw up, he does say the wrong thing, he does make poor decisions despite his good heart. Robin is such an interesting, complicated character - heroic but with another side to him, a capacity for cruelty and violence that most of the time he keeps in check, but every now and then he can’t stop it rising to the surface, can’t keep that dark side of himself contained, but can only try to push it back with regret.

He then shifts from trying to kill Guy to trying to torture him, and obviously it’s all very thinly veiled social commentary, but this was 2006, and as I’ve said in a previous post social commentary is why we retell stories like this.

As I said above, Guy contradicts his earlier reasoning with “what kind of king deserts his people to fight someone else’s war in a foreign land?” but I think this is more the fear talking, with that red-hot sword close to his face, trying to appeal to Robin’s kinder/protective nature. To which we get another yikes line from Robin - “if you were his people he was right to desert them.” I don’t think Robin believes this, he’s deflecting Guy’s very good point to try and justify torturing him.

But in the end, he can’t justify it, at least not without making it a fair fight. And it’s a good fight! Well acted and choreographed, visceral and emotionally intense - they way they get progressively sweatier and dirtier and more exhausted, the way the music shifts from the jaunty theme to silence to those haunting strings - one of the best sequences of the show, imo.

Guy continues to throw out arguments that I don’t think he holds himself, but rather what he thinks will appeal to Robin - “it’s not England’s war, it’s Rome’s” was the exact point Robin made in the first episode (”Is it our Holy War? Or is it Pope Gregory’s?”). When Robin rightly points out that Guy’s assassination attempt broke the ceasefire, and Guy responds that “there will always be war” and he wants a King that will fights for England’s gain, not the Pope’s. That, I think, is close to his true motivation.

We get confirmation that religious conviction is why Robin went on crusade, but that it was meeting those of other faiths and realising the Holy Land should be shared, not conquered, that turned his heart. This seems to be the primary cause of Robin’s trauma - that he fought in an unjust war, made under false pretenses, and that he was not a warrior for God, but a murderer. While Much is obviously also scarred from the war, I think he handles it better partly because it wasn’t his decision to go, he was just following Robin, and he didn’t have his faith and understanding of the world shattered like Robin did. Also, he’s selfless, he’s a caretaker, so I think he buries his own trauma deeper and it doesn’t bubble to the surface as much as Robin’s does but comes out in sadness rather than anger.

UTTER EXHAUSTION.

Guy’s taunts become more pointed - calling out Robin’s glory seeking and loss of status, then turn to Marian, and it seems his obsession with her (other than being The Only Noblewoman in Nottingham) is in part to have everything Robin once did - his lands, his title, and the woman to whom he was betrothed - especially taking into account the backstory of season 3. It’s rather gross the way he speaks of Marian (“do you think I won’t laugh every time...”) although I suppose you could argue that it was a targeted attack on Robin and not how he actually feels.

It’s interesting that at this point, Guy accepts that Marian is sympathetic to Robin and still has contact with her - he’s not entirely clueless.

Concussion Count: Guy (Total: Robin x 2, Guy x 3)

The scene between Robin and Marian is also very good - he does throw her “everything is a choice” back at her somewhat petulantly, but it shows that he listened to her, and took what she said to heart. Marian, like the gang, assumes the accusation against Guy is about her engagement, and they have two tense conversations at once (”you took his ring/you took his ring” is rather deft).

I feel for Marian here, because she’s in a bad situation forced into marriage with Guy, and it would be made so much worse if he’d done what Robin says. She’s trying to make the best of it.

Everyone’s reaction to “I like her/I think I love her” is priceless, and I will defer to this commentary on this excellent post. Also a shoutout to @angel-in-a-big-blue-box’s tags #I also love how marian's stepping back like 'I don't understand. Y'all just voice your feelings like that? #You don't passive-aggressively snark at each other?’ SO TRUE - neither can fathom actually being this direct - Robin snarks that “everything is a choice” about running off into the forest, when he means “choose me” but can’t say it.

Concussion Count: Robin (Total: Robin x 3, Guy x 3). Both of them about to develop CTE at this rate.

I’ve said it before, but for all his faults, Robin admits when he’s wrong.

Will’s awkward little “Djaq” and Allan’s grin and nod is so cute.

I would have liked a longer conversation between Robin and Djaq tbh, her “and you gave him up for me?” is perhaps a trifle too magnanimous of her, but it’s a nice little coda with the gang all sitting down together and forgiving Robin.

#robin hood bbc #robin hood rewatch #1x08 #tattoo what tattoo?

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robinhoodrevisited · 8 years

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The Search Continues (pt.2)

Nottingham Castle. Dungeons. (The Jailer is leading the Sheriff and Gisborne downstairs to visit the Fool.) Sheriff: “We know McLellan and the Fool spoke together so something was said about the ring of Lardner.” Gisborne: “Maybe it’s got some kind of coded inscription on it.” Sheriff: “No problem. We’ll just torture the Fool until he tells us.” (They reach the cell and find the door wide open. The Jailer peers incredulously inside, then turns to the Sheriff.) Jailer: “He’s disappeared.” (A dove is sitting on one of the iron bars of the door.) Sheriff: (Whispers:) “Disappeared? (The Sheriff glances back at Gisborne, then back slaps the Jailer.) I know that, you blithering oaf!” (The Sheriff glowers at Gisborne, then leaves. Gisborne glares at the Jailer, then follows. The dove on the door tilts its head and blinks.) Locksley. A peasant’s cottage. (Gisborne bursts into the cottage.) Gisborne: “Know anyone called Lardner? (The peasant woman shakes her head, holding her young boy’s head close and rocking him in fear.) Have you ever known or heard of anyone…(Gisborne lifts ups her left hand, revealing a pearl ring on her finger….) or anything called Lardner?” (Gisborne rips the ring off and leaves.) Locksley. (Allan addresses a woman walking through the village.) Allan: “Lardner’s ring? What is it? (The terrified woman shakes her head.) What is it?” (Gisborne’s men bring an old woman forward. Gisborne holds up a ring and walks up and down the line of peasants.) Gisborne: “Tell us where it is or we will take every ring in this village.” (Gisborne tosses the ring into a bowl on a table behind him,where it clinks against others as Will and Djaq watch from behind a fence.) Djaq: “Must be some kind of ring tax.” Will: “Allan’s with them.” (Allan and the men go around taking rings from every finger as Gisborne slowly walks down the line, watching.) Old Woman: “Leave me alone! I don’t know anything!” (Allan tries to pry the ring off her hand, but it won’t come off. He lets go and she waves her hands helplessly. Gisborne storms over.) Gisborne: “Right. You’ve had your chance. (Gisborne grabs her hand, holds it up to the villagers and brandishes his curved dagger as she wails and pleads.) Lose the ring or lose the finger. (Gisborne places the old woman’s hand on the table.) Somebody knows where Lardner is.” (At the mention of the name “Lardner,” Djaq’s mouth widens. She turns to Will.) Djaq: “Did he say Lar’d-nar?” Will: “Does that mean something to you?” Old Woman: “I don’t know anything!” (Djaq stares at Gisborne with knowing eyes. Allan pulls a conveniently located hourglass from under the table and sets it on top.) Gisborne: “So, when the sand runs out… (raises his curved dagger) … the finger comes off.”

Djaq: “Can we risk it?” Will: “Yeah, we have to. I’ll take them the long way round, lead them away from camp.” (Gisborne raises his knife, and starts to bring it down when Djaq stands up.) Djaq: “Stop! (Everybody turns to Djaq. Gisborne still has hold of the woman’s wrist.) I know who Lardner is. And I know about his ring.” Will: (Folds his arms.) “Let the woman go.” Gisborne: “You’re in Robin Hood’s gang, aren’t you?” Will: “Let the woman go!” (Gisborne raises the woman’s arm, then visibly releases it.) Gisborne: “Now… tell me about Lardner.” Djaq: “You’ll have to catch us first!” (Will and Djaq run towards two horses tethered nearby.) Gisborne: “Get after them!” (Gisborne’s men scramble to the chase as Will and Djaq reach the horses. Djaq quickly untangles the reins from the post, but Will can’t untie the white stallion. Gisborne’s men hop over the fence.) Will: (Impatiently to the reins:) “Come on!” (Glances at the approaching guards. The guards draw as they get near. Will gives up on the knot and pulls out his hand axe while keeping his back to them. He looks behind him and ducks as the first man swings his sword at him and hits the post instead. Will stands up behind the man’s sword arm, swinging his axe into the guard’s stomach. He reaches back as the next man attacks, and elbows him in the face, sending him to the ground. He turns around and sees Djaq running away on the horse with Gisborne, Allan, and two other men in pursuit. He starts to run after them, but is knocked down by a guard, who holds his knife at Will’s throat. Will drops his axe as Djaq rides away with Gisborne, Allan and the two men on her tail.) Sherwood Forest. Outlaws’ camp. (Much and Little John must have been practicing, because Much has his sword out and Little John is holding his staff defensively upright. Much notices Robin and Marian returning, smiles and taps his sword against Little John’s buttocks. Little John puts his staff away as Marian takes the bow and quiver from Robin. Robin heads straight for Much.) Robin: (Taking off his knife belt:) “Much, when we were in the Holy Land, do you remember anybody called Lardner?” (Marian hands off the bows and quiver to Little John, then takes off her cloak.) Much: “No. Why?” (Heads for his bunk.) Robin: “Because I have to find him. (Marian crosses next to Robin to hang up her cloak as Robin hangs up his knife belt next to it. He turns around and puts one hand on a beam overhead, looking around as behind him Marian ties off the curtain which hides their wardrobe. Much pulls his scabbard off the bunk and starts to sheath his sword.) Where’s, er, where’s Will and Djaq?” Much: (Pointedly, a bit miffed:) “They said they’ve gone to get some honey.” (Pushes his sword home.) Little John: “They’ll be back soon.” Much: (Tosses his scabbard on the bunk and puts his hands on his hips. Suspiciously:) “If that’s what they’ve gone for. (They all look at him questioningly. Little John folds his arms.) But why does it need two of them, hm? (Raises each index finger up.) "Honey” is one of those things.“ (Marian looks at Robin, puzzled.)

Robin: (Chuckles.) "What things?” Much: (Stepping up next to Little John:) “Well, what do you call it when you use a sweet innocent word but what you really mean is something else?” Little John: “A lie.” Much: “No.” Marian: “A euphemism?” Much: “Euphemism. (Points at Marian.) Exactly. (Looking pointedly at Robin and Marian:) Yes, there’s a bit too much "honey” going on round here, if you ask me. (Marian smiles shyly and Robin laughs silently, looking up. Marian glances at him.) Will and Djaq nipping off together… (crossing in front of Little John:) …you two going for long walks in the forest.“ Little John: (Quietly to Robin:) "He’s jealous.” Robin: (Nods and raises his eyebrows at Little John, smiling broadly. Mouths:) “Yeah.” (Smiles at Much.) Much: “What happened to fighting for justice and rebelling against the Sheriff? We should be [swings a fist] sticking together. (Marian stares at Much, not knowing how to reply.) Instead we’re splitting into couples. Anyway, while you two’ve been off gallivanting, we’ve had to, er—” Robin: (Interrupting:) “We haven’t been "gallivanting.” Much: “I know what you’ve been up to.” Marian: (Seriously:) “We’ve been burying a corpse in the forest.” (Much looks back and forth between Robin and Marian.) Much: (to Robin:) “Is that a euphemism? (Robin bursts out laughing as Marian blushes.) My point is, to be perfectly honest… (Much puts his arm round Little John.) … I don’t fancy mine much.” (Marian chuckles.) Clarke: "Aw, Much. You'll always have me." (Everyone turns to see Clarke entering the camp.)

Sherwood Forest. Near Locksley. (Gisborne, Allan, and Gisborne’s men gallop after Djaq. At a fork in the road, Gisborne holds up a hand to stop and walks his horse round in a circle, looking for tracks on the ground. He looks down the left fork.) Gisborne: “That way!” (Gisborne gallops off and the rest follow. Djaq comes out from behind a tree and runs back to camp.) Outlaws’ Camp. Robin: "Princess. (Bows:) We are honoured." Clarke: "Very funny. (To Marian:) So I see you've settled in nicely?" Much: (Cutting In:) "Oh yes, but there's still plenty of room, now that Allan- (Little John nudges Much with his elbow at the mention of Allan's name.) Yes er..well. Who wants breakfast?" (Much heads over to the kitchen to start meal preparations.) Robin: (To Clarke:) "Any news on when we can expect the siege to take place?" Clarke: "No. (To Marian:) But your help was invaluable." Marian: "Glad I could help." Robin: "I'm uneasy about this, Clarke. Are you sure we can trust the Commander not to kill the Sheriff once she has him prisoner?" Clarke: "Lexa knows what's at stake for all of us. She's given me her word that Vaisey won't be harmed once we take the castle." Little John: (Bitterly:) "Not that the devil deserves mercy." Robin: "Be that as it may, John. It's just not worth provoking the Prince, whatever Lexa might think." Marian: (Noticing the pensive look on Clarke's face:) "Hey, is everything all right?" (Clarke looks to Marian and seems to want to say something then reluctantly decides against it.) Clarke: “I’m fine. Just starved. (Changing the subject:) Do we have any honey?” Further on in the forest. (A riderless horse gallops across the path of the Fool, who is coming down the slope to the road.) Fool: (Holding his hands up to the horse:) “Whoa, whoa, whoa, there, horsey. This is my lucky day, this is. (Puts his hands on his hips and smiles. Gisborne and company arrive and stop. The Fool’s face falls.) Or it was.” (Grabs the horse’s bridle and pats its shoulder.)

Sherwood Forest. Outlaws’ camp. (Robin, at the cache, has pulled a ring from a sack and is looking at as Marian and Clarke try to appease Much.) Marian: "Honestly, Much it was delicious." Clarke: (Agreeing:) "Truly, superb." Much: "Really? (Both women nod.) Well thank you, ladies. (To Little John:) Nice to know my cooking is appreciated by some people." Little John: "They're just being polite, Much. It's called manners." Much: "Well whatever you call it, the rest of you would do well to learn some manners. (As he sees Clarke about to go clean her plate:) No, please! Allow me." (Much leans over and takes away both Marian and Clarke's empty dishes. Little John looks knowingly over at them and both women give him their best innocent smiles. Little John chuckles to himself as Djaq returns.) Djaq: “Robin?” (Robin hastily puts away the sack and turns to Djaq.) Robin: “What’s happened?” Djaq: “It’s Gisborne. (Much, Little John, Clarke and Marian gather round.) He’s at Locksley, terrorising the people.” Robin: “What?” Djaq: “He’s searching for Lardner’s ring.” (Robin and Marian look at each other, amazed and concerned.)

#bbc robin hood #robin hood #lucy griffiths #jonas armstrong #keith allen #lara pulver #toby stephens #joe armstrong #richard armitage #anjali jay #harry lloyd #sam troughton #gordon kennedy #eliza taylor

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robinhoodrevisited · 8 years

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Dungeons, Deceit & Dead Dan

Sherwood Forest. (Two men are walking along a forest path. Robin, hidden behind a tree in a cloak of leaves, watches their progress, slowly spinning round behind the trunk to its other side to get a better view. The older man stops a moment as a startled bird suddenly flutters. Will stands by a tree, cloaked in a thick, woven fabric resembling bark, his mud-caked arms raised parallel to the trunk. He pulls the cloth from his dirt-streaked face to take a peek at the travellers. Much lies on the ground under a leaf-riddled net. He opens his eyes at the sound of crunching leaves. The two strangers start to climb a rise towards what resembles a dead tree stump as Allan raises his head from behind his bark-like muddy arms, picks up a rock, smiles, and throws it behind the pair before ducking quickly behind his arms again. The two men glance behind them as the stump rises: Little John with Djaq sitting on his shoulders wearing a long, brown cloak. Together they look like a tall, furry, antlered monster and they roar and yell. The frightened travellers turn and run for their lives. Little John and Djaq laugh, then they and Allan start pursuit. Robin, having shed his disguise, stands on a boulder with his drawn bow and follows the men with his arrow. They continue running and Much yells and charges behind them, wearing a crown of protruding branches, diverting his victims onto the proper path. Robin waits for the right moment, then lets his arrow fly into a distant tree trunk, cutting a rope. A weighted basket falls, lifting a net directly in front of their prey, who run right into it. Much, yelling all the way, stops behind them.) Much: “This is an ambush!” Robin: “Oi! A little of what you have could be a lot for the poor of Nottingham!” Luke: “We are the poor!” Dan: “Let them take what they need, Lukey! (Will catches up the gang and stops, recognising the voice.) Will: “Dad? (Will goes to hug the men through the net.) Dad!” Dan: “Will!” Will: “It’s me!” (Will, Dan and Luke laugh at the strange but happy reunion. Much comes over to greet Dan. The gang all smile except for Djaq, who is confused, the only one not to have met Will’s family, however briefly in Allan’s case.) Djaq: “Will, you know these people?” Will: (Still laughing:) “I’d like you to meet my father, Dan Scarlett, and my little brother, Lukey.” (Luke steps forward and puts his hands on Will’s shoulders.) Luke: “I’m not little.” (They put their foreheads together.) Will: “My big little brother, Lukey.” (Robin, smiling, comes down to join them.)

(The gang walk back to camp with Dan and Luke. Robin talks to Dan as Will and Luke have a light shoving match behind them.) Robin: “So what brings you back to Nottingham?” Dan: “We’ve come to take Will back to Scarborough with us.” (At the sound of the news, Will catches up his father.) Will: “What? (Dan stops.) Hey? What about asking me if I want to come?” (Robin pauses, looking back, then walks on, leaving them to sort it.) Dan: “We’re your family! (Luke turns around in exasperation, drawing his hands down his face.) Your auntie Annie and us.” Will: “Well, I’ve got a family here, too, Dad.” Luke: “We were sure you’d come and find us. Didn’t you miss us?” Will: “Yeah, but… (a pause)… I’m with Robin now.” (Follows Robin.) Dan: (Mimics:) “I’m with Robin now.” Son, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you!” (Follows Will. Luke gives a disheartened sigh and follows, too.) Sherwood Forest. Outlaws’ camp. (Clarke looks up from rummaging through the food store to see the gang arrive back at camp. Robin sits on the floor with a small piece of parchment on a stone slab. He dips his quill repeatedly into the ink bottle, thinking, halfway through a message. He adds something as the gang clean up from their disguises and their day’s work. Allan and Will are standing near the entryway, picking dirt out from beneath their fingernails, Allan debating whether or not to question Robin, as behind them Luke and Dan hang up their cloaks and look around at the construction marvel that is the camp. Noticing the Scarletts, Clarke smiles and heads over to them. Allan makes up his mind and steps over to Robin.) Allan: “What’s that?” Robin: (Looks up. Facetiously:) “It’s a letter.” Allan: “Yeah, but to who?” Robin: (Seriously, without looking up:) “It’s to the King.” (Drops the quill into the ink bottle.) Allan: “What about?” Robin: “The Sheriff and the Black Knights.” Allan: “Who’s delivering it?” Robin: “An old friend. (Looks up, smiling, knowing Allan will make fun of the name.) Roger of Stoke.” Allan: (Poshly:) “Roger.” (Robin laughs as Little John passes between them to put away the rolled-up net.) Allan: “Where are you meeting him?” Robin: (Impatiently:) “How many questions have you got, Allan?” Allan: “Yeah, all right, I’m just curious.” Robin: (Bends back over his note.) “I’m meeting him in Nottingham after the money drop.” Allan: (Noticing a second letter on the table:) “What about that one?” Robin: “That’s for Marian. I’ll deliver that one personally.” (Winks.) (Djaq passes Allan, going about her business, and Much hands Allan a purse. Dan stands looking at the structure as Allan goes to the entryway behind Will.) Dan: “This craftsmanship is good.” Will: “See, I’ve got a life here.” Clarke: “It’s true, Dan. Will’s been invaluable to all of us.” Dan: “All that says to me is that you could earn a decent living in Scarborough.” Will: (Slams down his rag.) “Dad, I’m an outlaw! (Robin looks up at Will.) I stand up for what I believe in.” Dan: “What? And I don’t?” Will: (Shakes his head.) “It doesn’t matter.” Dan: “Yes, it does. Tell me.” Will: “You let the Sheriff cut off your hand!” Luke: “That was to save me and you!” Will: (Puts his hand on Luke’s shoulder.) “I know. I didn’t mean that.” Dan: (Remorsefully:) “Yes, you did.” (Sits down, wrapping his cloak round himself. Clarke moves to stand beside Dan, squeezing his shoulder sympathetically. Robin is watching the exchange, arms folded. Luke walks out past Dan.) Will: “Robin, can you tell my dad I’m a grown man now. I make my own decisions.” Robin: (Gently:) “Well, a real man listens to advice, Will.” (Will nods and smiles in frustration, thinking he has no allies, and walks off. Robin watches him.) Dan: “Thanks, Robin.” Robin: “But Will does have a life here. (Will stops and looks back at Robin.) And you should see it before you take him away from it. Come to Nottingham tomorrow. Let us show you what we do.”

Nottingham Town. Night. (In the upstairs window of a house, Sarah looks out at the horseman walking through the street.) Sarah: “Look! It’s him! Jess, it is the Nightwatchman. (Sarah runs downstairs as below, Jess opens the door. The Nightwatchman leans down from his horse and hands her a bag before moving on to the next house. Sarah helps her daughter open the bag.) Let’s see. What did he bring? (Looks up at the rider at the next door.) God bless you, Nightwatchman.” (At the end of the street, the mysterious masked stranger stops, pushes back his hood and pulls off his face-scarf.) Joseph: “And that night… (pulls off the mask)… the angel of the Lord went back and forth.” (Nods in satisfaction and walks his horse forward.) Nottingham Castle. Sheriff’s quarters. Sheriff: “Hmm. (The Sheriff is looking in the mirror. He pulls out his fake tooth. He turns aside and puts the tooth in its place in the third skull of a row of three, and the door opens.) Ah. (Glances at Joseph entering, then looks along the row of skulls, deciding which tooth to wear next.) The Nightwatchman. (Joseph stands uncivilly close to the Sheriff, pulling the mask off his head.) So, how was your evening’s generosity?” Joseph: (In the Sheriff’s face:) “Satisfying. They all took the bait, like rats.” Sheriff: (Chuckling quietly:) “Good. (The Sheriff steps aside, but Joseph keeps close to him.) Shouldn’t you be, er… measuring [turns into Joseph’s face again] or whatever it is that you do?” Joseph: (Staying in the Sheriff’s face:) “Scientific analysis.” Sheriff: “Quite, hm.” Joseph: “Well, I’m waiting to be accidentally caught in the quarantine.” Sheriff: “Ah… yes. The erm…pestilent poor of Pitt Street. (Chuckles.) Off you go.” (Joseph leaves as the Sheriff scowls and Gisborne raises his eyebrows.) Gisborne: "Are you sure we can trust that man?" Sheriff: "Trust? Do grow up, Gisborne. (Glances at Gisborne:) I trust no one. (Returning to his skulls:) However, he will provide an adequate distraction for Robin Hood. And, once the trap has been sprung, your men will be free to enter the forest and continue their hunt for the Celt's base of operation." Gisborne: "Further reconnaissance won't be necessary, my Lord. (The Sheriff turns his attention back to Gisborne.) I've narrowed it down to an area of the forest as yet explored by my men. To go any further would be suicide." Sheriff: "I don't understand, you mean you're still yet to find their camp?" Gisborne: "We've gone as close to it as we can without being detected. The trebuchets shall make up the distance." Sheriff: "Ah yes, the weapons you insisted we buy. (Snidely:) Tell me, Gisborne, will three of these machines be enough? Because you know how I just love spending money!" Gisborne: "Trust me, my Lord. Once they are in position the Celts will have no escape. Surely their deaths will more than cover the expense?" Sheriff: (Turns away from Gisborne:) "Just make sure they all die." Gisborne: "Yes, my Lord." Sheriff's Quarters. Exterior. (Listening by the door with a sombre look on her face is Isabella. Concerned by what she's just overheard, she heads off to find Clarke and warn her.)

Nottingham Castle. Dungeons. (Marian reaches the foot of the stairs and is stopped by a guard with a halberd. A man screaming in torture can be heard echoing in the distance.) Marian: “Please. (Marian sees Edward in a cell with parchment and an old, stripped quill.) Please, Jailer, let me see my father.” Jailer: (Walking in from down the tunnel:) “Can’t be done. I’ve told you.” Edward: “Marian, I am well.” (The Sheriff, walking past the open upstairs door, stops and listens.) Marian: “I will speak to the Sheriff.” Edward: “Do not worry.” Sheriff: “Speak away, my dear.” Marian: (Turns, startled.) “Sheriff. (Climbs the stairs to him.) This punishment hurts my father, not me.” Sheriff: “Oh, I don’t know. I think it hurts you both." East exterior corridor. (Marian follows the Sheriff down the corridor.) Sheriff: "It is efficient, make you think before you undermine my authority again. Which… (stops…) trust me, is in your best interests.” (Walks on.) Marian: “Please. (Hurries after him.) Please, Sheriff. There must be something I can do… (They all stop at the courtyard steps. Looks plaintively at Gisborne.) Guy?” Sheriff: “It’s no good making those big eyes at him. He doesn’t want you any more. (Tempering her frustration, Marian bounces on her feet and glances at the courtyard.) Tell you what, you read this announcement for me, and we’ll see if we can get Daddy some dinner.” (Goes down the steps.) Marian: (Calling after the Sheriff:) “You mean you haven’t fed him? (Gisborne steps to her with a disapproving look at the Sheriff’s remark. Marian turns to him and Gisborne follows the Sheriff down the steps.) Sheriff!” (Follows them both.)

Nottingham Town. Marketplace. (The gang, each with a purse in hand, gather with Dan and Luke south of the market, ready to make their handouts.) Will: (to Dan:) “You see? These people need us.” Dan: (Grumpily:) “Ha! We need you, too. Your family.” (Sarah comes running down the marketplace carrying Jess.) Sarah: “Help me! Somebody please help me! (Robin runs to her. Sarah sees him.) Robin! Robin, help! It’s Jess. (Robin scoops Jess into his arms.) She’s got something. I think it’s the pestilence.“ Robin: “Let me see. (Will, Dan and Luke come over.) Will, get Djaq.” (Dan looks at Jess as Will runs off.) Dan: “There’s no swellings. How long has she been like this?” Sarah: “Just since this morning.” (At the castle gate, the Sheriff, Gisborne, Marian and two young trumpeters assemble.) Sheriff: (Leans to the trumpeters.) “Toot, toot-toot, toot.” (As fanfare plays, Isabella quickly steps out of the gates and walks into the marketplace. The townsfolk gather round and the gang turn their attention to Marian as she steps up on a small platform, parchment in hand. Robin glances up at her with concern and curiosity.) Marian: (Quietly:) “People of Nottingham.” Sheriff: “Louder.” Marian: “People of Nottingham!” Sheriff: “Gooood.” Marian: “On behalf of the Sheriff, I make the following announcement. The pestilence has come to Nottingham.” (The crowd murmur.) Sarah: “Oh, my god, Jess. That’s what it is!” Dan: (Quietly:) “No, it’s not.” (Clarke stands looking on in concern as Marian continues reading. Suddenly, Isabella grabs Clarke by the arm and leads her down an alleyway.) Alleyway. Clarke: "What in the-" Isabella: "I've got news from the castle, you don't have much time." Clarke: "What's happening, tell me." (Isabella begins to recall what she overheard earlier to Clarke as we cut back to Marian.) Castle Gate. Marian: “Do not be afraid. It is confined to the houses in Pitt Street. There will be a quarantine placed around the street. No-one is to pass through without permission. No-one is to pass food or medicine—” Dan: “What? There are young ones suffering. (Steps away from the gang and out into the street.) They can’t be cut off with nothing!”

Marian: “To do so risks spreading the infection and will be punished by death.” (Marian realises what she just said and scowls back at the Sheriff, who looks back, tilting his head unperturbed.) Sarah: “What are we going to do? She’s gonna die!” Dan: “No, she isn’t. That’s not what she’s got.” Robin: “Sarah, take Jess home. (Robin hands Jess back to Sarah.) Djaq and I will come soon. Be careful.“ Marian: “We will not be cowed by this infection. Business will continue as normal. All workers -” Much: (Over Marian’s line:) "What’s Marian’s game?” Marian: “are to report to the castle for duty…” Robin: “She’s just doing what she’s told.” Marian: … “at their usual hour.“ (Finished, Marian steps down and the Sheriff takes her place. Robin and Much quietly step to the side of the street and join Djaq amongst the crowd.) Sheriff: “Now, you may hear cries for help, pleas for mercy... medicine. “Help me, help me, help me!” A word of advice...” (The Sheriff looks around to make sure the people are watching, then puts his fingers in his ears, frowns as if he can’t hear anything, then chuckles. Dan menacingly shakes his head. Will looks for Robin, then goes over to him.) Will: (Infuriated, while the Sheriff is speaking:) “Robin, we’ve got to do something. He’s condemning the whole street to death.” Sheriff: “Go forth, in peace, to love and to serve your sheriff.” (Finished, the Sheriff turns to step down. Dan yells out to him and Luke starts to stop him, but quickly changes his mind.) Dan: “Sheriff, this is not right!” Robin: (Taking a step forward:) “Dan! Dan!” (Much pulls Robin back, not wanting him to be noticed.) Sheriff: (Turns back to the crowd. Quietly:) “What?” Dan: “I’ve just had a look at a young lass and it’s not t’ pestilence.” (Luke goes over to Robin, who ushers him off the street with Much and Will following.) Sheriff: (Quietly to a soldier:) “Get that man to shut up.” Dan: “I’ve seen the pestilence before in Scarborough. (Will shadows his father through the marketplace behind the crowd and stalls as Dan starts walking towards the Sheriff.) These people must have food and water (Robin and Much hop over tables in the marketplace, following Will.) and medicine!”

Sheriff: “I said shut up!” (Dan stops and Will slows, his eyes on his father.) Dan: “I’ve shut up for you once before, Sheriff. It cost me my wife, my hand, and the (Will reaches Little John, who is watching from the marketplace, too, and clenches his fists round a standing shelf.) respect of my son, so I’m not shutting up any more. Now why are you saying this is the pestilence—“ (Dan is stabbed from behind by a soldier. A woman screams. Little John immediately grabs Will as he tries to run to his father.) Will: “Dad!” (Marian turns around at the commotion, unable to see what’s occurred. Much grabs Luke as he tries to run to Dan. Robin turns around and puts a hand on Luke’s shoulder as well. The Sheriff looks on smugly. The soldier pulls his knife out of Dan, who shudders as Will watches, wide-eyed and horrified. The crowd murmur. Dan falls to his knees, then onto his face, dead. Will is shocked into stillness and Little John loosens his grip.) Sheriff: (Pointing at the soldier:) "Well done! (The soldier holds his knife out at the crowd.) Hysteria… panic… in times of crisis, not very helpful. It will not be tolerated!” (Will’s eyes widen at the Sheriff’s misleading statement, then his temper flares and he claws at Little John to get free. Robin and Much run over to help, as do Allan and Djaq.) Robin: “Will! Will, you can’t go up there!” Will: “I’m going to kill him now!” Gisborne: (Pointing to the soldiers in the courtyard:) “You heard the Sheriff! Set up those barricades!” (The Foreman starts shouting a constant chain of orders.) Much: “There’s too many of them, Will!” Robin: “It’s suicide.” Will: “I don’t care!” Djaq: “Will!” (Djaq puts her hand on Will’s chest and he immediately calms down and looks at her as she gently shakes her head at him.) Foreman: “Pick up those barricades! Move ’em! Come on, move yourselves!” (Robin releases Will and turns to watch the soldiers taking the barricades into town. Two other soldiers drag off Dan’s body as Luke watches, despondent and alone. Will sees him and rushes over to him as the townsfolk scatter.) Robin: “They’re setting the barricades up right now! There are people in there, our people, and they need us. (Will hugs Luke fiercely. Turns to Djaq.) Djaq?” Djaq: “Of course.” (Djaq passes in front of Robin, then circles behind the gang to wait as behind her, Will pulls Luke onto a bench and holds him close.) Little John: (Unsure:) “Robin, pestilence.” Allan: “I’m not sure either, to be honest. (Robin starts to push past Allan and Much, but Allan stops him.) Listen, I’ll tell you what. I’ll do the letter for what’s-his-name, Roger of Stoke.” Robin: (Reaching for his belt:) “Good thinking. (Pulling out the note and handing it to Allan:) Here. Go. (Looking from Little John to Will:) The rest of you, I can’t ask you to risk your lives, but if you do come with me, then do it for Dan. Now come on.” Pitt Street. (More barricades are put up as the gang run up another way to Pitt Street. Little John bursts past a soldier setting up the last barrier.) Joseph: “Let me through! I don’t live here! I was just walking this way! I’m from Leicester!” Soldier: “Sheriff’s orders!” (The soldier reaches through and pushes Joseph back into Robin behind him.) Joseph: (Turning around:) “This has got nothing to do with me!” (Joseph runs off and Robin watches him go. The gang are now barricaded inside Pitt street along with all the other sufferers of the ��pestilence’.)

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robinhoodrevisited · 8 years

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All Things Considered... (pt.6)

Sherwood Forest. Commander's Camp. (Clarke, the outlaws and the entire village stand around watching as the ritual of 'Death by a thousand cuts' is carried out. Gustus stands bound against a tree as one by one warriors take turns slicing into the flesh of the condemned man. The outlaws watch in stunned silence as the Commander finally steps forward.) Gustus: (As Lexa stands in front of him, encouragingly:) "Be strong." (Clarke watches Lexa closely as she steels herself to do what she must. Lexa draws her sword slowly from it's scabbard and stands sideways on to Gustus. Pointing her sword toward Gustus's chest she speaks her final words to him.) Lexa: "Your fight is over." (Turning the blade so that the point is vertical, Lexa pushes her sword into Gustus's chest and steps into it, running him through. A small gasp is the only sign of emotion to come from the Commander as she withdraws her blade. Much is the first to say something, turning to the gang and Clarke.) Much: (Determined:) "Right, we have to get out of here and help Robin. Right now." Clarke: (Nods:) "I'll speak with Lexa."

Nottingham Town. (Marian finishes crying and forlornly leaves her secluded spot wearing the stolen dress. She pushes her hair back from her face and suddenly Robin, who is looking for her, pulls back a sheet hanging on the line and steps out in front of her. Marian stares in disbelief for a moment, then Robin smiles at her. She smiles and rushes into his arms.) Marian: “Robin!” Robin: (Facetiously:) “Who died?” Marian: “You did. The Sheriff said you were dead.” (Robin is immediately serious and turns to walk out through the town, each keeping an arm round the other.) Robin: “The Sheriff. The Sheriff is plotting to kill the King with his friends, the Black Knights. They’re already dividing England between themselves. You can’t go back into the castle.” Marian: “We must get word to the King: Nottingham is not safe.” Robin: “It’s not just Nottingham. (Both stop walking. Robin turns to face Marian, who has a look of consternation on her face.) The Black Knights… the Black Knights, they’re everywhere. They’re taxing the poor of England to pay for an army of mercenaries.” Marian: “Well, we must stop them. I must go back to the castle.” (Marian turns to leave, but Robin rushes to her, grabs her arm and pulls her back.) Robin: “It’s too dangerous!” Marian: “Robin! Having a spy on the inside when there is a coup being plotted is useful.” Robin: (Angrily:) “No! For once just listen to me!” Marian: “And my father is in there. Robin, I have to go back.” Robin: (Apprehensively:) “Marian, I can’t protect you in the castle.” (Marian puts her left hand round the back of Robin’s head.) Marian: “Two minutes ago I thought you were dead and I would have given anything for another chance to be with you.” (Robin puts both hands behind her neck in return.) Robin: “Well then take that chance, and come with me.” Marian: (Pauses a moment.) “Listen.” Robin: “What?” (Marian gives Robin a long kiss.) Marian: “Yes, when the King is home, safe.” (Marian turns and goes back to the castle as Robin anxiously and reluctantly lets her go.)

Nottingham Town. Marketplace. (Robin is looking for his gang when Gisborne jumps up in front of him from a table where he has been waiting.) Gisborne: (Facetiously:) “Hood, you left without saying goodbye. (Four of Gisbome’s men appear and fall in line behind Robin, arrows nocked in their bows. Robin looks around. Nodding at his men:) Take aim.” (The men draw. Robin glances behind him and puts up his hands.) Robin: “What? No more public humiliation, Gisborne? (Gisborne smiles and chuckles silently.) Eh? No more beating and berating?” Gisborne: (Seriously:) “The Sheriff doesn’t want to say goodbye, either. He just wants you dead now. (Robin glances back at the archers. He has a panicked look about him, unable to see a way out.) See you on the dark side. (Turning to leave, to his men:) Shoot him.” (A war cry is heard. Gisborne turns back around in time to see Much with his shield running round the corner at Robin. Much raises his shield and does a spinning jump as Robin ducks down behind him. Much lands to face the archers as they shoot, catching their arrows on his shield. Gisborne draws and runs forward as Much tilts back his shield and looks at the arrows, completely shocked at his fortuitous success. Little John steps up onto the porch of the building next to Gisborne’s men and charges at them staff-end first, yelling.) Little John: “Ahh!! (Little John puts the end of his staff through two of the bows and pulls them out of the archers’ hands, then drives the butt of his staff into each man in turn.) So it’s [stabs with his staff] goodnight from [stabs with hisstaff] me…” (Little John kicks a man in the head as Will comes up behind the two remaining archers. He catches the bow of one with his broadaxe, pulling him forward into a wall, then ducks the second man swinging his bow at him.) Will: ”… and [stabs the archer’s stomach with the knob] goodnight [stands and swings the axe blade into the archer’s helmet] from him.” (Will and Little John nod at each other.) Gisborne: “Guards! (Much snaps round to face Gisborne, bringing his arrow-laden shield over his head as Djaq comes up behind Gisborne and taps his shoulder with the hilt of her sword. Gisborne whirls around.) What?!” (Djaq flings powder into his face. Gisborne turns away and groans, holding his eyes.) Djaq: “Pepper. Ouch!” (Jumps over to join her gang.) Robin: (Mischievously:) “You see, Gisborne, that’s why I didn’t say goodbye. (Gisborne flails around, moaning with his eyes squinted closed. Softly:) Because I didn’t want to see you cry.” (Robin laughs as Gisborne looks up, blinking with red and teary eyes, swinging out blindly with his sword.) Much: “Time to disappear?” Robin: (Nods.) “Yeah. My gang, this way. Come on!” (Robin pushes Gisborne out of the way with his foot, then runs off through the town with his gang on his heels.)

Sherwood Forest. Commander's Camp. (Having stayed behind, Clarke stands beside Lexa as they watch the funeral pyre for Gustus burn.) Clarke: (Glancing at Lexa:) "I'm sorry this had to happen." Lexa: "Gustus believed he was protecting me. That was his job. (Lexa looks at Clarke.) You think me uncaring, cold? (Clarke shakes her head.) I lost someone special to me once. (Looking back into the flames.) Her name was Costia. When your Uncle and his armies attacked my home village, she was captured. Because she was mine, the Prince's soldiers tortured her, killed her and cut off her head." Clarke: (Weakly:) "I'm...sorry." Lexa: (Continuing:) "I thought I'd never get over the pain. But I did." Clarke: "How?" Lexa: "By recognising it for what it is: Weakness." Clarke: "What is? Love? (Lexa nods:) So you've just stopped caring...about everyone? (Lexa nods again.) Even after everything, after I was hunted and sold into slavery...I could never do that." Lexa: "Then you put your people in danger. (As Clarke looks to her:) I saw the man who took Costia. I saw his face as he rode out of our village." Clarke: "The Sheriff?" Lexa: (nods:) "He will die by my hand. The dead are gone, Clarke but the living are hungry." Clarke: "But the living can't survive on vengeance alone." (Lexa does not answer this but looks at the fire one last time before turning to leave.) Lexa: "You are welcome to stay here, Clarke. You and your friends are now under my protection." (As the Commander walks away, Clarke's 'thank you' dies on her lips.)

Nottingham Castle. Dungeons. (Allan is tied to a post with his head hanging down. He is suddenly splashed with a bucket of water, but his only reaction is to turn his head away miserably.) Gisborne: “Been having fun? (Allan hangs his head again without looking at his captor. Sets down the bucket with a bang and folds his arms, facing Allan.) Hood was here, did you know? Didn’t try and rescue you. (Allan looks up weakly.) So, I was thinking… one chance to live.” Allan: “I’m not helping you kill Robin. I’m not helping you kill anyone.” Gisborne: “Yeah, I respect you for that. So let’s look at this another way, shall we? An exchange… as we go along. A little information, a little money, a conversation.” Allan: (Thinks it over.) “What sort of conversation?” Gisborne: “Oh, a harmless one. If I need extra guards on a building, you let me know. If I need to reroute a convoy—that sort of conversation. I am not robbed… Robin is not killed… You’d be doing us both a service. (Looks down into Allan’s face, then lays a heavy hand on his shoulder and steps behind him.) You and I, we’re the ones who make our supposed betters look good. And they take us for granted. But what happens when they move on? Then it’s our turn. You want to help the poor, help yourself first. (Holds up a purse on his palm in front of Allan’s face.) Make provision for the future. (Walks to face Allan, keeping the purse between them.) You will never be named; you will never be implicated. This is just between you and me. You be my eyes and my ears. And then when all this is over… (holds up the purse by its strings…) you will have money and position, and you can help the poor to your heart’s content. You can even continue fornicating with my sister.” (Gisborne continues to hold the purse up as he raises his brows and turns away. Allan watches him go, then leans his head back on the post and closes his eyes, thinking.)

Sherwood Forest. Outlaws’ camp. (Having recounted all the day’s events to each other, Much is standing in his kitchen.) Much: “Well, it’s not the end of the world, is it? After all that, I mean, Marian’s all right, basically… (a bit excitedly:) and we’ve got a camp.” (Djaq is sitting on a suspended bench next to Little John, who is squatting by the fire. Will, with a cup, is sitting opposite them. Robin is perched next to Will, lost in thought with a fierce look on his face, not reacting to anything being said.) Will: (Solemnly:) “Much, the Sheriff and the Black Knights are going to kill the King… take over England.” Much: (Sighs.) “True. It is the end of the world. (Will briefly sneers at Much while slightly tipping his cup. Much takes a step towards Robin as Will takes a sip.) Well, if we have learned one thing today, it’s that you’re never going to Nottingham alone again, ever. Because if you had died… especially now—” Robin: (Interrupting, turning to face Much:) “If I had died… today, Much… (stepping towards him)… or if I die tomorrow, you will carry on without me.” Much: “How? We are Robin Hood’s men.” Robin: “No. You are Robin Hood.” Much: “What?” Robin: “You are Robin Hood. (Pointing at Djaq:) And you are. (Pointing at Little John:) And you are. (Glances back at Will.) All of you.” Much: “We’re not though, are we?” Robin: “Listen to me. Listen. We are not just six outlaws in the forest. (Allan nervously approaches camp.) We are the spirit of England, and that is Robin Hood. And that, lads… that is this country’s only hope.” (Allan sighs and enters behind Robin.) Djaq: (Sardonically:) “That and our new alliance.” Little John: (Raises his cup.) “We are Robin Hood! Come on.” (Little John hands Robin a cup from the kitchen.) Allan: “’Ey up, lads.” (Djaq sees Allan’s bruised and cut face.) Djaq: “What happened to you?” (Robin gives Djaq a severe look.) Allan: “Oh… tricked one punter too many.” Much: “Oh, I could have told you. (Much hands Allan a cup as Will notices Djaq looking suspiciously at Allan. Djaq quickly glances at Will with just her eyes.) We are Robin Hood.” Allan: (Puzzled:) “What?” Much: “Just say it.” (Allan glances aside uncertainly.) The Gang: (Proudly while raising their cups, except Allan, who does so aimlessly:) “We are Robin Hood!” (Allan realises the purse tied to his belt has been exposed by his raised arm. He brings it down so the cloak can hide the purse once more as he switches hands holding the cup, then takes a drink.)

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robinhoodrevisited · 8 years

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Trust Issues (pt.3)

Nottingham Town. Marketplace. (Robin casually circles Rose and puts a nut into his mouth.) Robin: “This the Sheriff’s work?” (Robin takes another nut from his hand and pops it into his mouth, stepping in front of her. Rose speaks in a slightly Welsh accent.) Rose: (Annoyed:) “Just go away. (Robin stops, surprised her attitude.) Look, I don’t want any sympathy and I don’t want any manky food thrown at me. So unless you’ve got a better idea, go away.” Robin: (Circling her again:) “Well, how about I rescue you?” Rose: (Scoffs.) “No thanks.” Robin: (Stands close to her. Softly:) “I am Robin Hood.” Rose: (Looks at him.) “Really? (Robin takes a step away and pops another nut into his mouth.) No thanks. I’m taking the punishment for me children. They were caught stealing scraps from the castle kitchens. (A boy and a girl appear in between tables under the marketplace’s awnings. to the children:) Go on, shoo! (The children scamper off.) I’ve got to stay or they get it. It’s just for a day. So do me a favour and get lost.” Robin: (Walking to her side:) “If you and your children need extra food, my men and I can help. (Robin slips a small coin into her hand behind the post.) Every few days we bring those in need a little food and money. I can add you to our list… if you give me your name.” (Glances at the castle sentries.) Rose: “What? You think because you’ve given me a coin I’m going to tell you my name?” Robin: (A flustered sigh. Looks behind him.) “I have to go. You don’t have to give me your name. (Walking away:) Just be in the market on Thursdays. My men’ll find you.” (Disappears between the tables.) Rose: “Hey! (Robin turns around and comes back.) Rose. My name’s Rose. (Robin nods and leaves.) Thank you.” (Smiles slyly, watching Robin go.) Nottingham Castle. Sheriff’s quarters. (The two children from the marketplace enter. The Sheriff claps once, stepping away from the birdcages.) Sheriff: “Excellent, my tiny tricksters. (Bends down to them.) Now, where’s Gisborne, hm? Tell Gisborne it’s show time! (The Sheriff wiggles their shoulders and they giggle.) Good. Very good.”

Sherwood Forest. Outlaws Camp. (Much has arrived back at camp and is relaying Robin's instructions.) Will: "Yeah but Allan's better at thinking of ways into the castle than I am." Much: "Well Robin said we have to figure out a way of getting over the wall." Djaq: "Where is Allan?" Much: "Oh I don't know, off sulking somewhere." Djaq: "Okay, well what about-" Little John: (Spotting the Princess:) "Clarke!" (The gang all turn to see Clarke walking towards their camp. Djaq and Will running to meet her.) Will: (Smiling:) "We lost track of you back at the castle, we were worried that-" Clarke: (Raising her hand:) "I'm fine. I've been with Octavia and Lincoln at their cave." (The three walk back towards camp.) Djaq: (Puzzled:) "But the last time we saw you, you were with the Commander." Clarke: (Nods:) "That's why I'm here. I've been asked to come and collect you all." Much: "Collect us, what for?" Clarke: "The Commander has granted us a truce. Today we all meet to formalise it. (Looking up to Little John:) I thought we could bring some of your home made booze, John. To share at the meeting." Much: "You're going to try and broker peace by giving them some of that stuff?!" Little John: (To Much, Annoyed:) "Oi. (To Clarke, Warily:) Where?" Clarke: "Back at their settlement. I was hoping to bring Marian and Edward with us after I came and got you. Where's Robin?" (The gang all look at each other, not sure where to begin.) Just outside Camp. (Octavia and Lincoln stand waiting for Clarke to return with the gang. Indra paces angrily near them, giving each a dirty look. Meanwhile on horseback, the Commander sits waiting alongside her bodyguard, Gustus.) Lexa: "Stop worrying, Gustus. Like you've always told me: 'all alliances are risky.'" Gustus: "This is not the same as uniting the twelve clans. The English are different. They're more like the Prince and his men than us. It could kill our coalition." Lexa: "Our coalition, or me?" Gustus: "You are the coalition, Commander." Lexa: (Considers this:) "Then do your job and protect me."

Nottingham Castle. Dungeons. (A ragged-looking prisoner is tugging at Allan’s leg.) Allan: “What? What? What?! What do you want?!” (Allan pulls his leg away from the prisoner and steps to the door, then sees Gisborne approaching.) Gisborne: “So tell me, where are your friends?” Allan: “What are you talking about? (Gisborne turns and heads for the stairs, stopping when Allan speaks.) Oh, not this again. You think I’m one of Robin Hood’s men, don’t you? The one who looks like me, what’s his name? Erm… Allan, right? No, no, my name’s Tom. Tom!” (A guard drags another prisoner between Gisborne and Allan, followed by the jailer.) Gisborne: “Don’t insult me. (Steps back to Allan.) What’s happened? Robin Hood kick you out, hm? (Allan looks aside.) Tricking working men in taverns doesn’t sound very Robin Hood to me.” Allan: “I told you, I don’t know Robin Hood.” Gisborne: “Show me some respect and maybe we can talk about a deal.” (A guard approaches.) Soldier: “Sir Guy, Sheriff says it’s show time.” (Gisborne raises his eyebrows at Allan as the Jailer stands behind him, then turns to go.) Gisborne: (to the Jailer:) “Torture him.” (The Jailer works a key loose.) Allan: “Hang on. Hang on! I admit, all right? I’m Allan A Dale.” (The cell door opens.) Gisborne: “Too late.” (The Jailer grabs Allan and pulls him out.) Allan: “I want a deal! You said a deal!” Gisborne: (Smiles.) “Too late. No need any more.”

Nottingham Town. Marketplace. (The executioner is sharpening a broadaxe. The castle gates open and the portcullis is raised. The children, being escorted by two guards, Gisborne and the Sheriff come out. Marian follows last. A drum sounds a sombre, repeating triple beat. The townsfolk all stop and form a circle to watch. The sentries at the gate cross their halberds in front of Marian and she is forced to stop. The Sheriff steps past Rose and smiles, ready to address the crowd. As he is about to speak, the drum sounds again and he glowers back at the drummer. The drumming stops.) Sheriff: “People… my dear people, these two young scallywags here think because they are children they can escape justice. (Tuts, wagging a finger.) They have committed a crime! One of my men saw fit to take pity on them and their mother and allowed her to take a punishment for them. Very generous… but misguided. (Holding his hands up:) They must lose a [grips his wrist] hand. (The townsfolk mutter in horror.) It is the law.” Rose: (Hysterically:) “No. No! My children, no!” Sheriff: (Grimaces at the noise.) “Ah… ah, motherly compassion. Very sweet, charming. Bring out the equipment.” (As Rose protests, the executioner continues sharpening the axe, a guard and a peasant man set a large wooden block in the middle of the marketplace and two more guards bring the children forward.) Rose: “Please, they’re children. They meant no harm. Please don’t take their hands, please!” Sheriff: “Shutup! (Rose sobs as the executioner puts a cabbage on the block and chops it easily in two with the axe. The Sheriff laughs.) Come along. Chop, chop. (Gisborne smirks. The children’s hands are clamped down to the block as the Sheriff gets out a parchment and reads.) I, Vaisey, Sheriff of Nottingham, hereby pronounce sentence on little tiny Billy and tiny little Jane, blah-di-blah-di-blah. Chop off their hands!” Rose: (Hysterically:) “Somebody save my children!” (Robin, standing on a nearby rooftop, shoots two arrows simultaneously into the block by the children’s hands. The townsfolk cheer. Marian impulsively smiles at the sight of him.) Robin: “Touch those children and there’s an arrow in it for you,Sheriff!” Sheriff: (Pointing to the executioner:) “Do it!” (The executioner raises the broadaxe and Robin shoots it out of his hand. Another arrow follows, landing in the side of Rose’s post and severing the rope binding her hands. She raises her hands in front of her face in amazement.)

Robin: “Rose! Children! Run!” Rose: “They can’t! Help!” Marian: (Suspecting a ruse, quietly imploring Robin:) “No, Robin, don’t go down.” (Robin lets himself down a rope to the ground with his knife clenched in his teeth. Marian unhappily watches him. He takes out a guard with a kick and a swing of his scimitar, then runs into the marketplace. He grabs the sword arm of a charging guard and kicks him back, then turns, knocks aside the sword of another, kicks him in the chest, then drives the hilt of his sword into his back. He takes the knife out of his mouth. Robin tosses Rose the knife and she catches it.) Gisborne: “Now!” (Several cloaked guards who have been waiting around the marketplace pull off their disguises, draw their weapons and surround Robin with their swords pointed at him. Rose and Gisborne smile smugly. Robin turns from side to side, ready to face the newcomers with his scimitar, but 18 swords are too many for him. Marian watches miserably, helpless to intervene. Rose swaggers to Gisborne’s side. The Sheriff stands between them.) Robin: “Clever. Very, very clever.” Gisborne: “Put down your weapon, Hood.” Robin: (Drops his scimitar with a clatter. to Rose:) “So… tell me… are these even your children?” Rose: “Children? (Shudders in abhorrence. Robin shakes his head slightly, realising the ingenuity of the trick.) Now…you show me your face… and I’ll show you mine.” (She pulls off some fake skin from her nose and cheeks as Robin stares and the crowd mutter, then she pulls off her wig and some false teeth to reveal the woman Robin robbed in the forest. The townsfolk gasp. She smiles smugly as the Sheriff steps behind her.) Sheriff: “Did I tell you I had a sister, Hood?”

Sherwood Forest. Warrior's Settlement. (The group of warriors, outlaws, Clarke, Lincoln and Octavia move along the dirt road, lead by the Commander. As they reach a fenced off area, Lexa stops her horse and dismounts.) Sentry: "Open the gate!" Gustus: (Turns towards the outlaws:) "Weapons." (Little John grips his staff tighter and Much looks nervously around as Lincoln steps forward.) Lincoln: (Handing over his dagger:) "We need to disarm before we enter." (Clarke steps forward and places her knife into the large box a warrior is holding. Taking her lead, Will relinquishes his axe to Gustus. Much and a reluctant Little John follow suit. Gustus moves to stand in front of Djaq who does not make a move to disarm. Silently, Gustus begins to remove the Saracen's weapons from her person himself. Djaq's eyes are cold and distrustful of the man before her. Once Gustus is satisfied that the gang have been fully disarmed, he turns to the Commander.) Gustus: "Commander, all clear." (Lexa nods then turns and leads the way as Indra and Gustus follow close behind. Looking to Will, Clarke nods and begins to follow the Commander also.) Further inside the Camp. (Moving deeper inside the walls of the camp we can see that although the clans could not have settled here for more than few months, there is no denying that the camp could easily be considered a village in it’s scale. The voices of the camp's inhabitants can be heard welcoming the Commander back.) Man: "Commander! Commander! Welcome back!" (As they draw closer however, many of the people notice Clarke and the outlaws and grow angry.) Woman: "Why have you brought them here?" Man: "Death to the English!" Another Man: "Murderers go home!" Much: (To Little John:) "Oh, I knew this was a bad idea." (Lexa continues into the village but is stopped by an enraged villager.) Villager: "The English took everything from me!" Gustus: "Stand aside" Villager: (Shaking his head:) "Murderers are not welcome here." (Lexa looks at the man then over to Gustus and nods. Taking his cue, Gustus moves forward and begins to assault the villager. Beating him viciously as the Commander looks on. Clarke rushes forward and speaks with Lexa.) Clarke: (Pleads:) "Commander, stop him, please! (Looking around at the gathered villagers:) They'll blame us for this too." (Lexa glances at Clarke before acquiescing.) Lexa: "Let him live." (Gustus immediately stops beating the man and other villagers rush to his aid, helping him to his feet. Turning to address the gathered masses.) Lexa: "These Englishmen and women march with us now. Anyone who tries to stop that, will pay with their life." (Clarke looks around at the warriors who show nothing but deference to their Commander. Pleased by their silence, Lexa turns and continues into camp.) Djaq: (Flatly:) "Quite the warm welcome."

Nottingham Castle. Dungeons. (Allan is tied to a post.) Allan: “Listen, listen. We can sort this out.” Jailer: “Shut it!” (The Jailer punches him in the stomach and circles him.) Allan: “How about a little bet, eh? You a betting man? How about a little wager?” (The Jailer slaps him, then leans an arm on Allan’s shoulder.) Jailer: “That’s no, by the way.” (Isabella arrives and walks into the cell.) Isabella: “That’s enough! Leave us.” Jailer: “I can’t leave the prisoner unguarded Milady, Sir Guy said-” Isabella: (interrupting:) “To enrage his sister so much that she beats you to a pulp?” Jailer: “No, I must’ve missed that part.” (He leaves, hurriedly.) Isabella: (Stepping towards Allan:) “Are you hurt?” Allan: “Me? Nah, he hits like Much.” Isabella: “I’m sorry this is happening to you, it’s my fault.” Allan: (Shakes his head:) “It was my own fault - conning people out of their money in broad daylight was asking for trouble.” Isabella: “Maybe, but I know the reason behind it.” Allan: (Looks to her then realises what she means:) “It’s nothing to do with that.” Isabella: “I don’t find you less of a man because you’re poor, Allan. (Allan looks down.) Lord knows my husband had plenty of money and he was a monster.” Allan: “It’s not just that... It’s about my future, everything. (Looks up at her.) When the King was coming back it made me think about what I’m gonna do once I’m pardoned. (Laughs) If I’m pardoned.” (Isabella nods and slowly walks around Allan, bracing herself for his reaction.) Isabella: “That’s why I told Guy about us.” Allan: (His head snapping up:) “You what?” Isabella: “I had no choice! The Sheriff suspects that I killed my husband. It’ll be only a matter of time before he has me hanged unless I can do something to convince him otherwise.” Allan: (More than a little annoyed:) “So what, you thought you’d sacrifice me to your brother?” Isabella: (Putting her hands up in front of her to placate him:) “Not sacrifice… utlilise your…considerable talents. Gather information and relay it to my brother for payment.” Allan: (Takes a moment:) "I’m not being funny, but that’s the worst plan I’ve ever heard of.” Isabella: (Sighs:) “I will speak to Guy, I will get you out of here I swear it.” Allan: “Yeah, well I’d say ‘Break a leg’ but seeing where I am I don’t want to give the jailer any ideas." (They both look at each other and eventually Allan winks at her, Isabella smiles slightly, knowing things are alright between them, then turns and leaves the cell.)

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