Robin Hood (1984–1986): Season 2, Episode 3 - Lord of the Trees - full transcript

Sherwood Forest and the neighbouring villages are celebrating "The Time of the Blessing", an annual forest tradition. Gisburne, left in charge while The Sheriff does his annual touring of the county, is alarmed by the increasing amount of poaching in the forest and thus invites his old war-friend Bertrand de Nivelle to Nottingham in order to put a stop to Robin Hood once and for all.

- John! Little John!
- Meg!

- I've got something for you, Meg!
- Flowers.

- Not so loud!
- Oh, John, you are beautiful.

I've picked them myself, you know?

Welcome to the Hern's celebration!

- Amen!

Ay - and amen too, Friar!

- We've invaded your.kingdom, Robin!
- Sherwood should belong to everyone.

- Even Guy the Gamekeeper?
- No.

- No.
- No.

- Not him!
- Come



Gisburne!

You are holding one of my servants!

I want him reliesed!
- He's been reliesed.

- When?!
- After he was sentenced.

- You sentenced him?
- Certainly. I caught him poaching.

- Gisburne...
His right hand, my lord.

- Gisburne...
- I would remind you that as Sheriff I

Sheriff! You're not Sheriff! My brother
appointed you his deputy!

And in my opinion,
he was out of his mind!

As Sheriff, my lord Abbot, I have the right
to administer justice as I see fit!

All right, Gisburne - all right.

It's obvious the whole thing's
gone to your head.

You've mutilated my servant
and I don't intend to let the matter rest.

And when my brother returns from London.
- I shall tell him!



- What are you doing here?
- I sent for them!

Alarmed by the sudden increase
in poaching no doubt.

No wonder they call
you Guy the Gamekeeper!

- Have they given you an explanation?
- They were about to,

Well?

I don't rightly know what
to say, my lord.

There's - there's always more poaching
this time of year.

- Always?
- Er - on account of The Blessing.

- The Blessing? What are you talking about?
- Never heard of it, have you?

- My lord if you interrupts once more.
- Go on. Go on!

It's - it's an old festival
the people of Sherwood keep

sort of a celebration like to the coming of summer.

Goes back - oh must be hundreds of years.
It - it - begins tonight.

Does it.

It's an old festival the people of Sherwood

nothing can be killed during the time
of The Blessing. No blood must be shed.

So they shed it beforehand is that
what you're trying to say?

Yes, my lord.

- And you let them!
- No, my lord! But it's hard to prevent.

- So you turn a blind eye to it!
- No, my lord!

I think you do.

You know when this orgy's about to take place
and so you keep out of the way!

- No, my lord, we don't!
- Be silent!

You say it
begins tonight.

Yes, my lord.

I wouldn't do anything silly Gisburne.

Sherwood's no place to be after dark.

- D'you think I'm afraid of shadows?
- No, I don't. But what about your men?

Soon, my lord Abbot I shall have
men who fear nothing.

Englisch beer.

De Nivelle!

Matt, come on here!

Boy, Get Robin!

- A spleandid place!
- Splendid.

- Bertrand!
- My old friend!

- It's been a long time!
- It has indeed.

Welcome to Nottingham.

You've been in the wars I see.

Yes.
That's why you are here.

- So you've a score to settle?
- Yes.

Later... we'll talk later.

- And you've put on weight!
- Not an ounce!

- You were a damned sight thinner at Argentan!
- We starved at Argentan!

- Maybe! But we fought like tigers.
- Like tigers.

Back to back!

Knee deep in blood! Ah ha!

- A sword maybe, my lord?

And the massacre at Montauban
remember that?

When you were trapped.
- Not me - that wasn't me.

- Yes - yes it was Bertrand.
- No Guy - you've mixed me up with someone else.

But.
I've never forgotten when we stormed Chauvigni

and you fell off the the seige ladder
and killed two of my men!

- It was you under that horse!
- No, Guy, no.

Anyway .
Here we are at your command.

Ready to serve you.

That's if you can afford it!

Come!

he's coming!

That's the old motto of the Nivelles.

- Who's that?
- Abbot Hugo de Rainault.

Your servant my lord.

- Bertrand de Nivelles.
- Yes - I've heard of you.

- One of the finest soldiers in Europe.
- And one of the richest.

True, my lord. Fighting's nearly as
profitable as praying!

- What are you doing here?
- Because my dear friend asked us here!

- Brabancon cut-throats?
- Watch your tongue, priest!

- Don't you talk to me like that!
- I'll speak to you how I please.

As I talk to any man. Even one in skirts!
- I'll have you excommunicated!

You're too late! It's already been done!

- How much are you paying 'em?
- That's his business!

- Exactly! I'm Sheriff!
- You'll never be Sheriff.

I want them out of Nottingham!
- We're here for a purpose - and we're staying!

I know your purpose.
Rape and pillage!

Who's to blame for most of the deer killed
in Sherwood?

- So that's it!
- With their help I'm going to kill Robin Hood

and everyone who supports him.

You're out of your depth, Gisburne!

And you're out of order, priest!

Excommunicated?

Maybe try with woman, John!

Right...

- You got me angry, Naz!

His isn't wrestling!
It works.

Robin! Robin!

Tom!
What are you doing in Sherwood?!

They were smaschin' everything!
-Gisburne...

- Strangers!
- Come on!

Brabancons...
Why did they do it?

It's their idea of a good time.
I welcomed them.

Gave 'em everything they wanted.
They drank too much. Went wild.

I couldn't stop 'em - thought they were going to kill us all.

Land pirates
he worst kind of mercenary.

It was men like these who
killed Scarlet's wife.

Which way were they heading?

Nottingham.

Well?

Why not, Robin?

Because they're mounted
and we'll never catch 'em.

He's right.

We'll get them.

I promise you.

I'm looking for venison.

You're wasting your time, my lord.
There's nothing here. I swear it.

You swear it, do you?

- What's that?
- An altar.

An altar? With antlers on it?

That's proof of poaching.

Those antlers are nigh on a hundred years old.

If you want the man who killed
that stag, you'll have to dig him up!

- You call this law?
- The only law.

My lord!

- Is this tree?
- with flowers...

So that's your hiding place!
- No, my lord.

The tree is sacred.

A holy tree!

No, my lord.
The tree is sacred to Herne!

- Nothing?
- Nothing.

No bows, no arrows
and not even a smell of venison.

You burn in hell
you damned heathens!

What a hero...

- I beg you, my lord.
- I'll teach you to worship trees,

You blasphemous villain!

He's cursed!

Herne

Lord of the Trees - let him see your power.

Let the terror of darkness hunt him down

and hold him in the coldness of death.

I'm not talking about poaching.

I'm talking about

paganism

Herne the Hunter
Really?

And what brought on this surge
of missionary zeal?

I'm supprised you are so tolerant
about it.

I thought the Church was supposed
to condemn the witchcraft?!

We are not talking about witchcraft, Gisburne.

As long as they come to Mass - have their children baptised
are married and buried as Christians

I'm not too bothered
what they get up to.

Leave well alone, Gisburne

or you might find the old gods
aren't quite as dead as you think.

Dead?
They've never existed.

That'll do!
Get a scribe.

I'm going to write to my brother!

That young man's gone much too far.

Relax.
Be all right.

By God.
I'll kill the man who did this.

Are you satisfied now?

- Which way?
Towards Elderford.

Elderford.

If we cross the stream
at Denley we'll cut 'em off.

Then let's go!
We can't!

We can't!

What do you mean we can't?!

It's the time of the Blessing, Will.

If you shed blood, then Herne's Blessing will
be denied and the harvest will fail.

You're Herne's Son.

- No bloodshed.
Why not?!

- Herne forbids it!
Tell that to the Brabancons!

Go to 'em Robin!

Tell 'em - it's the time of the Blessing.

Tell 'em we can't fight back,

Tell 'em we're powerless for two whole days!

- They'll raid every village!

- I know they will.
And you're going to let them?

We will capture them.

Unharmed.

May Herne the hunter
Lord of the Trees protect us!

Herne, protect us!

This seals the bond between us,
from the forest and you from the village.

Between the outlaws
and the opressed.

Blessed be!

Beautiful stream!

Beautiful forrest!

However...
we are wasting our time.

I'm hungry and very,
very thirsty.

Get back!

Take cover!
- Gisburne!

- Can you hear me, Gisburne?
It's Robin Hood!

I don't like the company you're keeping.

Pay 'em off and you can all
leave Sherwood.

- Alive?
Alive.

Why? Why let us go?

Because it's the time of the Blessing isn't it?

he knows...

Get them!

No wait!

They escaping!
After them, you idiot!

Come back, you fools!

Now!

No further!
You out of your mind?!

Why only two of them?!
Why show themselves?!

Come on...

- An ambush?
It has to be.

- A bloodless one.
- A bloodless one.

They are not fooling for it!

- Robin, why they've stopped?
Maybe Gisburne's learning to think.

That makes him dangerous.

So that was your Robin Hood...

And he's powerless until
after the Blessing.

We lead to Wickham and there we will
find out whether they hold their holly rights.

That could be interesting.

They're turning back!

Blessing?

How much for blessing for us?
Was it?

Father!

Soldiers!

Peter!
Come on!

Get inside!

You!

My lord.
Bring us food!

All you want, my lords.

Apart from venison!

No venison?

Don't you like handsome men?
Yes. D'you know any?

My lords - the mummers
the maskers have come.

Maskers?
A play, my lord.

Part of your heathen festival is it?

- They mean no harm in it.
- I'll be the judge of that!

He will be the judge!

In comes I,
St. George is my name.

With my great sword
I mean to win this game.

If I could meet the Saracen Knight here

I'd fight him and bite him
and stick my sword in his ear.

In comes I, the Saracen Knight
Just come from the foreign land to fight.

- I've come to fight st. Peter
- George...

George...?

If his blood runs hot.
I'll make it cold.

Battle to battle to you I call.
To see who on this ground shall fall.

Battle to battle with thee I pray.
To see who on this ground shall lay.

Doctor, doctor!
Where can a doctor be?

Can cure my son
who lies like a fallen tree?

In comes I - a doctor good.
And with my hand I'll stop the scarlet blood.

What can you cure?
Anything.

I can cure a magpie with toothache.

How?
Chop its head off.

I got a bag
to cure all ills.

Rise up!

I was dead
and now I'm alive.

It will be dark soon, Guy.

A pity you'll miss the Blessing

You're badly in need of one!
I'll kill the lot of you!

Singlehanded?

What about Gisburne and his mates.

You can't let 'em go.

You can't kill them either.

Why not?!
- They are our prisoners, Will!

-Then I'll do it!
- You can't kill prisoners

We I was a soldier, we killed
everyone we captured.

You've spared Gisburne twice.
Ain't exactly proved himself grateful?

If we kill Gisburne in cold blood
we'd be no better than he is.

What makes you think we are?

What about the men at arms we've killed?
How d'you feel about them?

If you kill Gisburne you'll be doing
the world a favour.

And as for that bunch
of mercenary scum

the sooner we send them
to hell the better.

We can't do it. Will.

Then you'd better come up with an answer
cos if you don't,

all these people are going to die.

Water!

- I don't intend having my throught cut!

De Nivelles!

Listen!

This way.

My friends.

My friends!

soon Herne will come before
us as he's done since the beginning,

to bless us
and make us fruitful

us and our animals and crops.

So, like we did last night
let us sit among the trees and await him coming.

Robin Hood!

No!
Not yet!

I'm going to kill their god in front of them.

He'll need more than
a doctor to ressurect himself!

Look there!

Take cover!
Quickly!

Run!

Quick!

De Nivelle!

Bertrand!
Bertrand!

Take the children!

Herne!
- You played your part well!

I know the forest.
Gisburne doesn't.

He's lost.

Please, let me finish him!

Leave him to the forest!

You see your god
become a man.

An old riddle
my children.

There is nothing to fear.
The Blessing has been made.

It will be dark soon, Guy.

It's the pity you missed the blessing.

You need one!

Gisburne.

Hear me
for I'm Herne, lord of the trees.

No.

Gisburne.
Gisburne.

Gisburne.

Gisburne.
Gisburne.

You leave well alone, Gisburne.

Dead?
They've never existed.

Gisburne!

I'm a Sheriff

- You call it law?

Sherwood is not a place to be after dark.

Gisburne.

Save me - save me!

Save you? What are you talking about?

The forest.

The trees.
The trees.

Save you from the trees?

Have you been drinking?

Gisburne.

No.

I warned you - didn't I, Gisburne?

I need a drink!

Remember us?

De Nivelle!

The devil knows, what happens to Gisburne.

What's that?

Beer is it?
English beer?

Smells bad.

What did you think of it?

- Taste any better?
- I don't think he liked it!

- But he'll still have to pay for it won't he?
- Go on - pay my friend.

- Are you deaf?
- Dumb then?

- Then speak up.
- No.

He can talk.
The ape can talk!

Pay my friend - eh?

He said - your money!

You are dead man, peasant!

I don't feel dead.

Stay there, Will!

Will! Get back!

I think I take you with me.

As a safeguard.

De Nivelle!

Listen to me and mark what I say. If any
Barbancons ever come to Sherwood again

I swear by Herne
the Hunter you'll be buried here!

Will...