Robin's birthday party at a barn in Nettlestone turns sour when it transpires that the Sheriff has heard about the party and sent 100 mercenaries. At the castle, Gisborne announces to Marian that he is leaving for a while, and asks her to assure him that she will not play the Nightwatchman whilst he is away. Marian tries to find out from Allan where they are going, but all he has been told is that they are going to Portsmouth. Finding the outlaws' camp empty, Marian decides to take matters into her own hands.
Marian decides to try and kill the Sheriff (knocking Allan out and taking his sword) but finds herself on the wrong end of the blade. When he discovers what has happened, Allan accidentally slips up.
- Allan: Well, I wasn’t expecting it, was I? Or it wouldn’t have happened. Yeah, she's good, but I'm better![Marian winces. Allan catches his mistake too late]Sheriff: "She's good, but I'm better"? That means you knew she was capable of this! [to Gisborne] You knew, too, didn't you?Gisborne: My lord, please, I can explain.Sheriff: Well, you better had explain. Because SHE just made an attempt on my life!Gisborne: I recently discovered... that Marian was the Nightwatchman.
The Sheriff decides to take Marian to the Holy Land with him. Realising where they are really going, Allan presses Guy, who only tells him that his loyalty will be rewarded.
Throughout all this, the outlaws have been bickering back and forth in the barn, with Robin trying to keep them calm. As the night draws in, Robin makes a decision: if the mercenaries don't come to them, the outlaws will go them at first light. The outlaws agree to this plan.
- Djaq: Then tonight is a Kalila and Dimna night.Will: What?Djaq: You don’t have Kalila and Dimna?Much: Surprisingly, not.Djaq: Kalila and Dimna night you remember for your whole life. You must speak only the truth. You must ask all your questions, share all your dreams, confess all your secrets.
The Sheriff and company arrive at the Portsmouth Inn, and the Sheriff explains the plan with the mercenaries to Marian. At the barn, Djaq admits her love for Will, and he reciprocates. At the inn, Gisborne asks Allan if Robin and Marian are still in love with each other, and he cannot bring himself to answer fully.
At the barn, Little John admits that he hates himself for abandoning his wife and child, and believes he deserves to die. Much confesses that he feels unappreciated and misses the day when he and Robin were like "brothers in arms".
- Much: We’re not equals. The only thing that’s changed round here is you still treat me like a servant, you don’t treat me like your friend.Robin: That's not true.[The other outlaws look away]Robin: Is that true?
At the inn, Allan finally makes his decision and leaves for Portsmouth, forced to leave Marian with the Sheriff and Gisborne.
As the outlaws prepare to charge the mercenaries, Little John insists Robin has not spoken, but Much says to forget what he said earlier; he does not want him to die remembering him like that. Robin admits that he cannot bring himself to talk about what they saw in the Holy Land.
- Robin: In the Holy Land, the men we saw... in bits... and screaming... Every time I raise my bow, I see them. I hear them. And I know now, whether it was right or wrong... what we did in the Holy Land, it makes no difference. So I have to try... not to kill. I have to avoid killing. I mean, God gave me a gift with bow. I can kill with my eyes closed. I mean, I can kill a man from a thousand yards. And I have to try everything in my power not to. And that’s why I wasn’t there for you... in your hour of need, my friend. Because I have to let those memories go. I just have to be free.
As the outlaws prepare to leave, Allan arrives and tells Robin the Sheriff and Gisborne have left for the Holy Land. However, as he tries to get the outlaws to safety, his bluff is called. In the ensuing fight, the outlaws make it to safety. Allan tells Robin that the Sheriff and Gisborne have Marian, and they set off for the Holy Land.
Tropes
- Bond Villain Stupidity: Despite having Robin at his mercy, the Sheriff orders the mercenaries to capture him alive in order to display his corpse as a trophy, as opposed to just burning the barn down with everyone inside.
- Chekhov's Gun: Back in series 1, Djaq rescued Lambert's ledger on black powder. Now, it transpires that she's been experimenting with it secretly since then, and has created a bomb out of a pig's head that the outlaws use to intimidate the mercenaries outside.
- Continuity Nod: The Sheriff tells Marian that Guy was responsible for the last attempt on King Richard's life, which was the main issue of the last series finale.
- Erotic Dream: Or at least as erotic as one gets on a kid's show. Guy has a dream about Marian massaging his shoulders. It gets weirder when Marian turns into Allan...
- First Kiss: Djaq and Will kiss each other for the first time in this episode. As far as they know it's their Last Kiss as well, as they're about to rush the mercenaries outside.
- Everything's Louder with Bagpipes: In an attempt to mess with the outlaws' heads, the mercenaries have a bagpiper play his instrument outside the barn.
- Murder Is the Best Solution: On suspecting (not knowing, just suspecting) that the Sheriff plans to travel to the Holy Land to assassinate King Richard, Marian immediately decides to kill him.
- Mutual Disadvantage: The outlaws are trapped in the barn with no escape, but the mercenaries are under orders to capture Hood alive and (as far as they know) are facing more black powder bombs.
- Saying Too Much: Allan says of Marian "she's good, but I'm better", revealing that he knew she was capable of physical combat.
- The Siege: Robin and the outlaws find themselves trapped in a barn, surrounded by mercenaries.
