Robin Hood (TV series)/Recap/S03/E12 Something Worth Fighting for Part One

In the forest, the outlaws apprehend a messenger from Isabella to Prince John, who carries a message confirming that Isabella will be able to send three hundred men (along with food and supplies) to join Prince John's forces in the north so they can take King Richard by surprise - for he is returning to England within the month. As they wonder where Isabella has got three hundred men from, Little John and Much arrive: Isabella has taken a hundred men from Clun and another hundred from Nettlestone. The outlaws realise Locksley is next.

Arriving in Locksley, the outlaws take Isabella's men, including her new Dragon Blamire, by surprise and save the men, taking them to the forest. Archer arrives in Nottingham and attempts to convince Isabella that they are half-siblings; refusing to believe her mother would do such a thing, she orders him arrested, but he escapes. Back in the forest, Tuck tries to convince Robin that they should train the men to fight.

"Robin: Tuck, these men are farmers, they’re not warriors. Tuck: The Lord helps those who help themselves, Robin. Your protection weakens them. We are failing in our mission. We’re supposed to be inspiring these men to stand up and fight for themselves, giving them real hope. Robin: These men are terrified for their lives. They’ve forgotten how to hope. Tuck: Then, my friend, it's time we lit the flame in them again."

Back at the castle, Isabella opts to destroy Robin by breaking up the outlaws. She summons Kate's mother, Rebecca, to the castle, and offers her safe passage out of Locksley in return for planting half a locket (that was given to Isabella by her mother) on Robin's person, then giving Kate the other half.

"Isabella: Plant this on Robin. Then persuade Kate that he still loves me, his own true Isabella. [She holds up the other half] Then give her this. When she finds the other half on him, her faith will be shaken. And she’ll realise that a candle still burns deeply in his heart for me. Rebecca: I can't-- Isabella: Can’t? I don’t think you understand, you ignorant crone. Every last morsel of food, every animal, every grain of barley within a fifty-mile radius is locked up in my courtyard ready for transportation to the north. Hell is coming, Rebecca. I think you should save your family whilst you still can."

At Locksley, Rebecca gives Kate half of the locket, but Kate insists her claims about Isabella cannot be true. However, Isabella plants the other half of the locket on Robin. Back at the camp, the locket falls out of Robin's pocket, whereupon Tuck discovers it on the floor and Gisborne recognises it as Isabella's. At the Trip Inn, Archer meets a contact and bribes him for information about getting into the castle, just as Robin decides they have to take the castle. Gisborne and Archer's contact both explain about a secret tunnel the Sheriff had built following the failed mission to the Holy Land. The outlaws prepare to go down the tunnel, but pause to start gathering their weapons; Archer has a head-start on them. Robin struggles to convince Kate of Gisborne's loyalty, and cannot bring himself to say that he needs her more than her family does. Kate discovers the other half of the locket; putting them together, she now believes her mother's claim that Isabella still loves Robin.

Archer enters the tunnel and persuades Isabella to let him trap the tunnel in return for payment, as it is clear that Gisborne will soon be leading the outlaws down the tunnel. Isabella has given an order for Blamire to make a proclamation that Allan has been pardoned for services rendered to the Sheriff, which Little John and Tuck hear as they pass through Nottingham. Back at the camp, Robin notices Kate has gone just as John and Tuck return, and John confronts Allan, convinced of his guilt.

"Allan: I haven't done anything! I swear, I haven't betrayed you. Much... [Much stares at him for a moment, then glances at Robin, the doubt evident] Allan: You believe me, Guy. [John makes to attack Allan again, but Tuck pushes him back. Gisborne just shrugs] Allan: Tuck... Robin... [Robin looks at him angrily] Allan: So you think I’m a coward? Is that it, yeah? What, that I’ve... sold you out to save myself somehow, yeah? Much: You've done that before! Allan: I know! And every day I wish I could take that back, you know that! [This is met with silence] Allan: None of you? None of you believe me?"

Hurt, he makes to leave, but Robin ties him up, unwilling to take the risk; he promises him that once they have taken the castle, they will return and sort this. Back at the castle, Archer finishes preparing his trap for the tunnel. The outlaws set off for Nottingham; Robin, Much and Guy will take the tunnel, whilst John and Tuck have to stop the convoy of men and supplies for Prince John leaving the town. Unbeknownst to them, though, Allan has managed to escape his bonds. Tuck tries to persuade the villagers to join them in stopping the convoy, with little success.

"Tuck: Those of you who can ght must help us intercept the supply train. Those are your crops inside that castle. Your livestock, your brothers. Damn it, men, it’s time to stand up and fight! Take back what's rightfully yours! [All this is met with a lukewarm response] Little John: Brother Tuck! Tuck: They’ve been trodden on, John, and they’re taking it! If they would only stand together, they could defeat the sheriff. Little John: Defeating the sheriff is our job, Tuck. Even if it is the last thing we ever do."

In Nottingham, Robin, Much and Guy enter the tunnel. Isabella gives Archer enough money to ensure he can safely disappear; she promises that should he return to Nottingham, she will kill him. Back in Locksley, Kate returns to her mother, who admits that she planted the locket there on Isabella's orders. Realising Robin doesn't love Isabella, Kate leaves.

In the tunnel, the trap is sprung; the outlaws are sealed in by a balance trap that triggers two wooden gates. In the forest, Allan is seemingly planning on leaving, when he sees a large procession of wagons and soldiers making their way towards Nottingham. He is assaulted by two guards but fights them off, and changes direction, running to warn Robin of what is coming.

Outside the main gate, Tuck and John are alone until they are joined by the villagers, who have changed their minds; Tuck informs them that they will stage a peaceful protest, and give the Sheriff's men a choice of stopping, or carrying out a massacre. In the tunnel, limestone begins pouring in, burying the three prisoners. Robin, Much and Guy form a human pyramid in the aim of reaching the grille at the top so they might hold out longer. Back in the forest, Allan is racing for Nottingham, but to no avail - he is shot down by the guards, and is left lying on the ground just as someone he recognises steps over his body.

Back in Nottingham, Much and Guy are both sucked under by the torrent of limestone, leaving Robin on his own at the top as the stone continues to pour. As Archer makes to leave Nottingham, Blamire attempts to move the men and supplies out of Nottingham, but is stopped by Tuck and John's sit-in; as Tuck predicted, the guards cannot kill the defenceless villagers. Isabella finally breaks the impasse by shooting Tuck from the battlements, then Kate returns, screaming at the guards to "start with her"; Archer stops the guard from killing her, and then the villagers rise up in full force against the guards, taking Nottingham by storm. Archer and Kate free Robin, Much and Guy from the tunnel.

Isabella runs to Blamire, begging him to help her, but it becomes apparent that all is not what it seems.

"Isabella: The peasants are trying to get into the castle. You have to protect me. Blamire: Can't help. Sorry. Isabella: They're going to tear me to pieces. Blamire: Not my problem. I've got to be somewhere else. Isabella: I just gave you an order! Blamire: You've got no idea what's happening here, do you? Isabella: What? You can’t just leave me here to be massacred by this rabble. [Blamire makes to leave] Isabella: Please, for pity's sake, help me! Blamire: If you want to save yourself, hear this. Deliver Gisborne to the tunnel. Isabella: That doesn't make any sense! Gisborne is dead! Blamire: Goodbye, Sheriff. And good luck."

As he leaves, Kate arrives and confronts Isabella about the trick with the locket; a fight breaks out, which finally stops as Robin and the outlaws arrive.

Later, in the marketplace, Robin announces that he is charging Isabella with high treason in the name of King Richard, and that the castle now belongs to the people. However, the celebrations are halted when Much brings Robin and the others to the main gate, where a cloth roll containing something has been left. Unrolling it, the outlaws find it is Allan's dead body. At that moment, an army arrives and surrounds Nottingham, which Blamire is riding out to meet. Gisborne orders the gates closed and shouts to man the battlements, just as the leader of the approaching army comes into view...

"Blamire: My lord. Sheriff Vaisey: Blamire, you old tomcat. How the devil are you? Blamire: The plan is in place. Vaisey: Good... oh, this will be so much fun. [Robin turns and strides into Nottingham as Tuck and Much swing the main gates closed] To Be Continued..."

Tropes

 * Shoot the Shaggy Dog: Occurs in this episode. Poor Allan.
 * Training the Peaceful Villagers: Tuck argues that that is their true mission, as robbing the rich for the poor only makes the poor dependent on them.