robin hood 3x10 redux; or, yes, it works (maybe even the bow), part 1

[railise]

When I saw so many reactions to "Bad Blood" saying that such a close previous history between Robin and the Gisbornes didn't fit, I was surprised, because I thought it fit very well. But my memory's not always that great, so I've spent the last few days going back and re-watching some key episodes. And after that, I still think that a lot of it

Comments

[roh_wyn]

This definitely implies a knowledge of Robin's adult self, and Robin rightly would be suspicious.

Right. I think this bit is a reference to Gisborne having gone to the Holy Land to kill King Richard...something that becomes evidence in 1x08, when Robin spots Gisborne's tattoo and remembers it from the "Saracen" assault on the king's camp in Acre.

I think you've done a great job with the analysis here. It creates the possibility that Robin and Guy may have known each other in the past, although I remain unconvinced for a number of reasons. (For example, if Robin and Guy did actually know each other, then why doesn't Robin ever warn Marian off with all the obvious stuff, i.e. Guy killed my father and his own parents by burning their house down, or his father was a leper, or something of that sort

[railise]

"This definitely implies a knowledge of Robin's adult self, and Robin rightly would be suspicious."
Right. I think this bit is a reference to Gisborne having gone to the Holy Land to kill King Richard

Exactly; I don't think it rules out the backstory, but it seems to have really bothered a lot of viewers.

I think you've done a great job with the analysis here. It creates the possibility that Robin and Guy may have known each other in the past, although I remain unconvinced for a number of reasons.

Thanks! :) Really, I think a possibility is all that can be worked with, since they did make it convoluted enough that it needs to be examined for it to make much sense.

why doesn't Robin ever warn Marian off with all the obvious stuff, i.e. Guy killed my father and his own parents by burning their house down, or his father was a leper, or something of that sort?

I agree; you'd think he would have said SOMETHING. But, he is known for not looking back at or discussing painful times. So that argument could be made, I suppose.

Also,

[roh_wyn]

Luke didn't recognize Robin, either. So, it would stand to reason that he wouldn't recognize the bow.

See, I watched the scene six times, and I'm convinced that Luke would have recognized Robin if he'd seen him properly the first time. But he's sort of looking down at the time, and is probably a bit freaked out to see his father in conversation with an armed stranger. So he rushes back inside and Dan has to call him back out.

Then again, maybe I'm just using all this as an excuse to rewatch every Will scene. ;)

[railise]

Then again, maybe I'm just using all this as an excuse to rewatch every Will scene. ;)
Lol, who needs an excuse?? ;)

And you could be right; that would make sense. I was honestly paying more attention to the interactions with Dan, Robin and Much when I studied the episode.

[bookishy]

Thanks for putting all of this together! I'd really love to believe that the writers were just playing it cool and subtle with such a loaded backstory, but then I have to wonder when the writers have ever been subtle. Reading this, however, the 3x10 backstory isn't quite as awkward a fit as I had imagined, and for that I'm grateful.

I'm still a little bitter that they thought the only way to maneuver Guy and Robin into working together for their season finale/bridge to a new season was to invent something in exposition and then have it told to them, while blowdarted, by a hooded man in the forest... but maybe this is a me problem for being surprised.

Still, I very much enjoyed reading this. I love it when other people do all the hard work :)

[railise]

Glad you liked it!! :) I don't think there was an exact story worked out, just perhaps that Robin and Guy had had a negative encounter in the past, or something.

I'm still a little bitter that they thought the only way to maneuver Guy and Robin into working together for their season finale/bridge to a new season was to invent something in exposition and then have it told to them, while blowdarted, by a hooded man in the forest

Yeah, that was kind of an unnecessarily-awkward setup, as was Malcolm drugging them AGAIN to get away. *sigh* Still don't get what was up with that one...

[medievalmuse]

I'll stew this over and form some coherent comments...right now I'm too mesmerized by the cleft thing in Jonas's chin that goes up to form an indentation in his lips to think straight. Will get back to you:)

[railise]

XD

Yeah, grabbing these screencaps took rather longer than was necessary, since I'd already jotted down the time markers but I kept getting distracted (as I usually do when watching this show, lol). Sometimes it was by close-ups, but just as often it was by the wide shots in which his butt is frequently featured. That man really does do amazing things to costume trousers. ;)

'Scuse me while I stick my head in the freezer to de-mush my brain... *wanders off*

[cherish4]

That man really does do amazing things to costume trousers. ;)

Hence why I do dearly love his new season 3 outfit!

Congrats on doing this by the way, shows real dedication and far more patience than I have!

[railise]

Or it shows that I spend WAY too much time on the computer some days, lol! (And thanks!)

So... since I'm not the only one looking, is it just me, or did his trousers seem a little looser in 3x10? And then I noticed that his face looked a little leaner, too (ohgod, there is no way I'm not going to hell, is there? XD). I hope he doesn't lose too much weight again; it looks good on him. (Not that he didn't look good before, mind!)

[misswed]

Well done! I've been a bit irritated with people constantly dissing Robin Hood this season and it's nice to see someone actually trying to support the show.

I also liked this episode and I thought it put a whole new slant on the rest of the series and I now want to rewatch it all with that in mind. hehehe.

Though I have to agree that the bow thing was a bit of a screw up. It can be explained at a stretch, but it's not really convincing. LOL

[railise]

Thanks! :) I'll admit to being disappointed in some of the aspects of this season, but I still love the show and the characters. (I even kinda liked the lion and the other over-the-top stuff, but I'm afraid to say that too loudly for fear of ridicule...lol)

Yeah... the bow thing is totally broken. But I'm trying to at least stick it back together with some chewing gum. ;)

Btw-- I LOVE your icon!! Even though he quickly turns it into a glare, I still giggle every time I see that laugh. :D

[punkfunkdisco]

I LOVED THE LION! And I'm not afraid to say it :D

(Sorry to butt in! But also - great work on piecing it all together, even though it's all very subjective and a lot down to interpreting reactions at least it's something!)

[railise]

lol!! Y'know, I actually like the lion MORE every time I watch that episode. :D

(And thanks!! :) )

[corrielle]

You are amazing for doing this. I found myself nodding vigorously at your interpretations of Guy and Robin's first meeting. I'd always thought it could be read as a meeting of strangers, with Robin simply being over-confident, but there's enough that ISN'T said that one could read a previous relationship between the lines as well, and I think your argument holds a lot of water, especially the comparison to how the younger versions of them act.

As for the Isabella stuff (which I actually find to be LESS problematic, not more, especially if Isabella was kept closer to her mother, she might have had less contact with Robin when they were younger...)

I doubt that she would have made that leap if she was just drawing on the stories being spread about him, since he's famously non-violent.However, Isabella does seem to be ready to think the worst of EVERYONE, especially men. (Really, I'm not sure what I think this leap of hers says about her knowing him before or not, especially since we get nothing about what little Isabella thought

[railise]

Isabella does seem to be ready to think the worst of EVERYONE, especially men.

Very true. I admit that I was really building a lot of the Izzy points here, though I tried to hold off the wild speculations running through my head, lol, and stick with what was on-screen.

we get nothing about what little Isabella thought about everything that happened in 3x10

And that's what's led to the wild speculations. Really, considering that she's one of the characters introduced by this group of writers, I'm surprised that they didn't give her a single line.

When I try to think about kids I knew, even kids I was very close to when I was nine or ten and haven't seen since, I have a hard time remembering their siblings' names (or if they even had siblings).

Huh! That's a fantastic point!!