Meanwhile, this week's episode was mostly flashback to Guy and Robin's childhood. Episode 9 ended with Guy's escape into the forest so he's still running around like a crazy man when the story opens. He bumps into Robin and the two are about to slice each other to bits when they're suddenly downed by poison darts. When they awake, a robed man schools them in their personal history. When Guy's father, Roger of Gisbourne, dies in the Holy Land, his French mother, Ghiselaine, is left lady of the manor, a move that irks the local bailiff who'd like this opportunity to steal the lands. Malcolm of Locksley rebuffs the bailiff and voices his support for Ghislaine - because he's secretly bedding her. But when Roger returns unexpectedly (he was only captured), things go to the shits. For one, his wife's pregnant with Malcolm's child, and two, he's kind of a leper. Not exactly a great homecoming. His son, meanwhile, is getting upstaged by local brat Robin, Malcolm's son. Robin is a wimpy showboat who almost gets Guy hanged to save his own skin.
When Roger is forced to leave town because of his leprosy, Malcolm and Ghislaine plan a quick wedding for the sake of their child, their lands, but mostly their reputations - something that doesn't go down well with the kiddies. Guy is generally upset at his parents for letting things unravel without any resistance and Robin just gets another excuse to whine. On the wedding day, Roger once again returns unexpectedly to reclaim his wife, Robin cries 'Leper!' in a crowded village, and Guy faces off with his future step-father. Needless to say, things go down in flames, literally. Roger, Ghislaine, and Malcolm get trapped in a burning house as their children look on. After everything's been properly toasted, the bailiff runs the Gisbourne children out of the village and almost does the same to Robin. Luckily, our golden boy pays a visit to his mother's grave and everything is illuminated; he rushes back to the village, shoots a few arrows, and declares himself protector - and he's only 10. What ambitions! Fast forward to present day. The robed man reveals himself to be Robin's father who apparently escaped the fire. He appeals to his son and Guy to save their brother who is holed up in York, waiting to dangle. In a classic case of shoot and run, Malcolm hits them again with poison darts and flees the scene. When the boys finally come to, they decide to run off together into the sunset, which is in the direction of York.The introduction of another love triangle is not the most original route, but I think the writers did a decent job of piecing together a back story that fit into the general arc of the entire series. The episode itself was not the most compelling but it managed to be both functional and emotional, whatever you take that to mean. There was a good balance of plot devices, to be born out in next week's show (bringing Robin and Guy together, rescuing their brother with Isabella on their heels, collaborating with old enemies, possibly paving the way for a new Robin), and of characterization. This episode fills some of the character gaps previously alluded to but never addressed, especially with Guy. We know that he has some capacity for love and warmth - and not just because he's played by Richard Armitage - but that he's also inhibited by an overwhelming insecurity and sense of personal injustice. Guy's so grisly that he's never come off as one who enjoyed being evil for its own sake, unlike the Sheriff or Prince John; he'd just as well be the good guy if that meant power. And as if they needed more people to sympathize with
A last note on the acting. Richard Armitage manages to turn Guy into a sympathetic anti-hero you'd take home to mom, except that he kills people. Jonas Armstrong though.....I don't know, I've tried to give the guy a chance, 3 seasons' worth, but it's not working. He needs to demand a refund from RADA. Maybe it's just this show - I haven't seen his other work - but he has a total of 2 expressions: toothy grin and furrowed brow - which substitutes for angry, frustrated, sad, confused, and stern. He's not an entirely bad actor but I don't think I'm off base for expecting greater depth from the main character. Most of the time, Robin comes off pretty flat. For example, when the hooded man reveals himself to be Robin's dad, you'd expect a number of conflicting emotions to manifest at once. The joy of rediscovering his father must contend with the overwhelming sense of betrayal and abandonment, besides all of which he must reconcile with his father's relationship with Guy's mother and the fact that his brother is about to die. It seems, however, that Mr. Armstrong is only capable of handling one emotion at a time; he is disgusted with his father then seems to forgive him then is crying in his father's arms. Again, he's not terrible but he's not exactly subtle, which can be distracting when he's paired with better actors. His chemistry with the other outlaws is more palatable, however, though some also belong in the 'better actors' category. Because there's less antagonism, because Jonas-as-Robin doesn't have to juggle the archetypical good guy with the emotional nuance of a 'real' person??
