Summary
Robin Hood finally kicks into its highest gear in “I Choose You”, setting the stage for what is sure to be an exciting (though probably inconclusive) finale.
All credit to Robin Hood. It might have taken its time to get where it’s going, but Episode 9, “I Choose You”, feels like it has arrived at that destination. The stakes are the highest they’ve ever been, the character drama is at its knottiest, and the stage is set for what should be a pretty exciting finale, albeit one that I’m certain won’t end properly, since MGM+ will be angling for a second season.
And why not? There’s enough going on here that’s worth paying attention to, from the in-fighting among the outlaws, whose safety has become even more tenuous with King Henry II having dispatched one of his nutcase knights to hunt them down, to the drama at court, with Maid Marian finally realising that she’s caught in a web of particularly ravenous – though admittedly well-dressed – spiders. With Marian now, for the first time, an honorary member of the Merry Men, we’re finally arriving at a more classic take on the Robin Hood legend.
And membership of the Merry Men isn’t without stress, as Friar Tuck can attest to. After the ambush in the previous episode, Rob and his men kidnap Lord Warwick from his castle with the intention of torturing and killing him as a message to the Sheriff, but Tuck isn’t keen on the plan, which seems a lot like murder and barbarism for the sake of it, not to mention being very much against the teachings of Christ. It’s easy to forget sometimes since he slotted into the group rather nicely, but Tuck being a Norman and a Christian makes him somewhat distinct from the Saxons and their paganism.
Both positions are valid, though. Warwick was clearly established as being monstrous in his treatment of the Saxons, so there’s a strong argument to be made that the world would be better off without him, but there’s an equally sturdy case that senseless, indulgent violence and cruelty don’t equate to justice. It isn’t as easy as Saxons for, Normans against, either, since Rosemary, who has the most credible reason for wanting Warwick dead, isn’t able to take the life of a grovelling, unarmed man. A conscience, as it turns out, isn’t a uniquely Christian thing.
Drew Miller ends up killing Warwick anyway, but the point is made. Tuck walks away from the group, but his words resonate. And luckily, he doesn’t go far. He ends up being pretty well positioned to thwart the attempted assassination of Rob, carried out by the turncoat the Sheriff had embedded in the camp by having him pose as a humble farmer during the castle raid. After selling out the location of Rob’s secret base, the Sheriff instructs him to return and kill Rob quietly, which he’d have likely succeeded in doing if it weren’t for Tuck’s timely intervention. Killing in self-defence is, luckily, perfectly Christian, and it earns Tuck acceptance even from Little John, previously his most ardent detractor.
Meanwhile in Robin Hood Episode 9, Marian experiences a betrayal of her own – multiple, in fact. Eleanor uses the information she uncovered about Prince John and the Archbishop of Lille to confront him about his machinations for the throne, which tips off John that it was Marian who sold him out. In response, he assaults Marian, completely shattering her perception of well-mannered civility that had settled her into life at court. Immediately, she recognises that she is as much a plaything of the Queen as of her son, and decides to head out to reunite with Rob, whom she’s now much more amenable to since Eleanor revealed that the only terms of his deal with her were to ensure Marian’s freedom.
So, Marian, informed of the location of the outlaw camp by Priscilla, heads out to entreat with her boo. At around the same time, the Sheriff meets with Eleanor to share the same information about the camp’s location. But he’s too late. King Henry II has already dispatched his chief sadist, Guy of Gisbourne, to deal with the problem in the Midlands. His bright idea, endorsed by the Earl of Huntingdon, is to massacre everyone in a Saxon village in the hopes of drawing Rob out on principle. The Sheriff is horrified by this outcome, both morally and politically, since the move will only embolden Saxon rebellion and threaten his own position as the steward of the Midlands. Guy himself is slated to be named the next Sheriff of Nottingham once Robin Hood has been captured and killed, which means the Sheriff is inclined to prevent the knight from accomplishing his mission. Watch this space.
The massacre has the desired effect, though. Marian managed to get to Rob’s camp in time to confess her love and convince him to clear the place out, but after running into the remains of what was once a bustling Saxon village at the end of the episode, it’s obvious that Rob is going to become even more emboldened. The only difference now is that he has Marian on-side, which in itself might cause more in-fighting in the camp, given the romance knock-on effects this might have with Rosemary.
With this cliffhanger, and William Marshal having been sent by Eleanor to prevent Prince John from meeting with the Pope, albeit at the expense of his relationship with a now bitter and vengeful Priscilla, the stage is set for the finale. Based on this recent run of form, it should be a good time.
