List of Robin Hood (2006 TV series) characters

Robin Hood is a British television drama series, produced by Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC One, which debuted in October 2006. The programme uses the majority of the familiar characters from the traditional Robin Hood legends, notably featuring no appearances by Friar Tuck and Prince John in the first 2 series (although the latter was frequently mentioned as an off-screen character), though introducing them in the third series, portrayed by David Harewood and Toby Stephens respectively. Some have been given new back-stories or characteristics not evident in previous versions of the legend. A peculiar innovation of this version of Robin Hood is its anachronistic distortion of the ethnic make-up of 12th century England. It adds several characters of African and Asian origin, fully integrated into English society. While most of these characters are minor, two are members of the Merry Men.

Main characters

Robin

Robin of Locksley
Robin Hood character
First appearance	"Will You Tolerate This?"
Last appearance	"Something Worth Fighting For, Part 2"
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allan
Portrayed by	Jonas Armstrong
Information
Occupation	Outlaw
Title	Robin of Locksley, Earl of Huntingdon, and Hero of Acre
Spouse(s)	Marian

Generally known as Robin Hood, in the 2006 TV series he is portrayed by Jonas Armstrong, who is much younger than many of the previous actors to have played the character. Armstrong described his portrayal of Robin Hood as "A believable superhero... Like all leaders, he's an egoist and he's often quite arrogant. He's not an out-and-out hero...He has an undercurrent of darkness."^[1]

At the outset of the series, Robin has just returned to England after five years fighting in the Third Crusade as part of the King's Guard, during which he was honoured by King Richard and almost mortally wounded. He is Earl of Huntingdon, and Lord of Locksley Manor and its estate. In the early episodes, it becomes clear that his memories of the Crusades have affected him strongly, making him unwilling to take a human life. This is given as the main reason why he does not kill the Sheriff or Gisborne early on, even though it is clear that doing so would save many lives.

It is also shown that he had been engaged to marry Marian, an arrangement that seems to have been dissolved by his departure. He still has strong feelings for her when he returns and is pleased that she is still unmarried. She initially shuns him upon his return and rejects his attempts to charm her. They become closer over the course of the first series, Robin frequently visiting her at home under cover of darkness. He is devastated when she becomes engaged to Guy of Gisborne in order to keep herself and her father safe, and even contemplates leaving Nottingham on the day of her wedding to Guy.

A darker side of Robin's character is revealed when he realises that it was a masked Gisborne that he prevented from killing King Richard whilst in the Holy Land. This sends Robin into a rage and he attempts to kill Gisborne in his anger, compromising his own teachings and beliefs about killing only when necessary. Though prevented from killing Gisborne by Much and John, Robin still strives to prove Gisborne's guilt for the rest of the series.

When Guy stabs Marian, unaware that it is her disguised as the Night Watchman, she appears to die, despite Robin and Djaq's efforts to save her. Robin, utterly devastated, breaks down over her body and admits that he loves her. She survives, her "death" attributed to the shutting down of her body following the stab wound, and hemlock, applied by the treacherous physician Pitts. She decides to go ahead with the wedding to Guy, and Robin, furious and heart-broken, abandons his men.

Robin is very hot-headed, firing up at almost all the other characters at one point or another. He viciously rebuffs Much's attempts to comfort him and packs up to leave Nottingham. He stops in his tracks when he hears Much interrupting Marian's wedding and reaches the ceremony in time to see Marian leave Guy at the altar. He gives her a ride to the castle after Gisborne reveals his true colours. Just when the audience is led to think that nothing will happen between them (Marian gets off the horse and they go in different directions in a hope to save her father) he calls her back and they kiss. Robin gets his fighting spirit back, saving Marian's father Edward from being killed by the Sheriff and redeeming himself to Much by preventing the Sheriff from slitting his throat.

In series 2, Robin and Marian's relationship has developed, and after Marian's father dies, she joins Robin in the forest. Robin remains somewhat jealous of her relationship with Guy, convinced that she has some feelings for him. However, Marian remains faithful to Robin, and does get misty-eyed when he tells her that he loves her. In episode 9, Lardner's Ring, Robin plucks up the courage to propose to Marian again, which she accepts, but later finds herself back in the castle with Guy. In the final episode of series 2, he marries Marian as she lies dying. When she dies, he carries his deceased wife to her grave.

Series 3 begins three months after Marian's death, as Robin and the remaining outlaws return to England from the Holy Land. Robin, now bent on avenging his wife's murder, sends away his friends out of anger (and a personal desire to ensure they don't meet the same fate) and heads to Locksley to kill Gisborne. A fight takes place between the two which leads to Robin being thrown over a cliff. He is rescued by Brother Tuck, who tries to make Robin find his way again. A tired and broken Robin refuses his help, claiming that he has nothing more to give, having sacrificed everything, and that he has lost all faith in himself. However, when Robin learns that the gang has been captured and are to be executed, he and Tuck set out to rescue them. During the rescue, Robin manages to pin Gisborne to a wall. Initially intending to murder Gisborne, Robin relents when Guy actually begs for death. Realising that killing him would give Guy peace, Robin snarls at Gisborne to stay in his own personal hell and leaves him alive, contenting himself with merely slashing Gisborne's cheek. At the end of the episode, Robin is shown burying Marian's wedding ring under a tree, whispering that he will never stop loving her.

In episode 4, the gang is joined by a girl from Locksley called Kate, who is forced to become an outlaw and join Robin's gang when he rescues her from the Sheriff's new tax collector, Rufus. In episode 5 he meets the mysterious Isabella and seems to be attracted to her, but later learns that she is Gisborne's younger sister. He becomes closer to Isabella in episode 6, sharing a passionate kiss. He convinces her to help him steal Prince John's money, but her loyalty to Robin is questioned by the rest of the gang.

In episode 7, he and Isabella becomes closer after Gisborne finds out about their relationship. A fight begins which leads to Gisborne being tied to a tree. Isabella questions Robin about Marian after he mentions her to Gisborne, to which Robin replies that he wishes to forget. Seeing his pain, Isabella changes the subject as they both head to Nottingham to bring back the water to the people. When Gisborne captures Robin and Isabella and leaves them to slowly drown in a pit, Isabella shares with him a dream she had where they were simple farmers with four children, asking Robin if it is silly. Robin claims that it is perfect, yet it is obvious that the one he had in mind to share that future with is Marian. After they manage to escape, Robin discovers that Kate has been captured. He begins an attempt to get her out of her cell, but is stopped by Isabella, who claims that they don't have the time. She suggests that they escape, and make the dream she shared with him a reality. Robin tells her then that as much as he hates it sometimes, he is Robin Hood, and that that life is only a dream for him. He has tried to have it before, but it caused too much pain. An upset Isabella replies that she is not her, referring to Marian, and she wouldn't do that to him, but Robin has made up his mind. Gisborne and Prince John interrupt, and an angry and hurt Isabella turns her back on Robin and fights him beside Prince John, and earns his favour again. Robin and Kate manage to escape and open the channels for water. As Robin and his gang move back to the forest, he casts a longing look at a little family. In episode 9, Robin and Kate's feelings for each other grow a lot deeper when they kiss at the start of the episode and the end of the episode to show they have a connection.

In episode 10, Bad Blood, Robin is captured along with Guy by a mysterious hooded character. The man tells Robin and Guy the truth of how their parents really died. It is revealed that Robin's father and Guy's mother had an illegitimate child together whilst Guy's father was fighting in the Holy Land, but had to cover it after he returned, secretly carrying leprosy. Guy's father, Sir Roger, was branded a leper and his mother, Ghislaine, gave birth to a baby boy, named Archer. Guy also discovers that he did not kill his mother and father by starting a fire as he had previously believed, but his mother had died after intervening in a fight between Robin's father and Guy's father, and Sir Roger had stayed with her whilst she died. The stranger is then revealed to be Robin's father, whose face was disfigured in a fire, and he asks Guy and Robin to forgive each other in order to find Archer, who is now in York jail awaiting execution. They agree, and are seen heading off to York.

In episode 11, The Enemy of my Enemy, Robin takes Gisborne to camp, but not before having an argument and a fight about their parents and Marian. Initially willing to kill Gisborne again for Marian's murder, he relents after Gisborne replies that he doesn't want Robin's forgiveness as he hasn't forgiven himself. The gang intervene but are shocked when Robin prevents them slaying him, and tells them that Gisborne is one of them. John refuses to believe this and walks off, Allan following. Robin and Gisborne then travel to York, where Gisborne gets himself arrested so that he can find out where Archer is in the dungeons. Robin, meanwhile, gets a disguise and goes to the Sheriff of York, and convinces York to release Gisborne, However, as a guard takes Robin down to the dungeons, a messenger from Isabella informs York that two murderous criminals, Guy of Gisborne and Robin Hood, are here. Robin and Gisborne find their brother Archer, who has been having an affair with York's wife and is a master of alchemy, and make their escapes with the other prisoners. While escaping, they are discovered by the guards and a prisoner, who is a friend of Archer, is killed. The trio then get brought to the main hall where Archer betrays them, only to be caught again and put on execution. Before Gisborne is hanged, there is an explosion and Robin and Archer save Gisborne, who in turn helps John. At the end, Robin asks Kate to accept Gisborne, and she does.

In Something Worth Fighting For, Robin and the gang save several men of Locksley from being taken by Sheriff Isabella to help Prince John construct an army against the King. Robin, his gang, and the men retreat into Sherwood Forest. Robin then comes up with a plan to seize the castle and put Isabella under house arrest until the King returns. He and the gang then deliver food and water to the families in Locksley as they realise that it may be some time before they can do it again. As Robin visits Kate's mother, she plants part of a necklace given to her by Isabella on him and informs Kate that Robin is still in love with her. Kate later finds the piece of the necklace and leaves the gang to return home where her mother tells her she lied. Meanwhile, Robin, Guy, and Much enter the castle through a secret tunnel created as an escape route by the former Sheriff, but Archer has rigged it as a trap and the trio end up fighting for their lives but get submerged by limestone. They are then rescued by Kate and Archer, the latter of whom decides to join Robin's cause after he watches Kate, Tuck, Little John, and several men from Locksley risk their lives. The outlaws then manage to seize the castle and put Isabella under house arrest. Much then informs Robin that a body has been left on the castle entrance: the dead body of Allan A Dale, who has been slain. Robin then feels guilty, as he and the gang tied Allan up and accused him of being a traitor after Isabella announced that he had been pardoned of his crimes. The gang's mourning for Allan is cut short, however, by the return of Sheriff Vaisey who has brought a large army to attack the castle. Robin and the gang then retreat into the castle and await Vaisey's inevitable attack.

In the 2009 series finale, Isabella, while fighting Robin, slices his neck with a poisoned blade, though he survives long enough to kill her and the Sheriff and destroy his army. At the end of the episode, the dying Robin bids his gang a final farewell, speaking to each of them in turn, then staggers off to a glade in Sherwood Forest to die peacefully. As he lies dying, the ghost of Marian appears before him and the two embrace and enter Heaven. The gang retrieve Robin's corpse for a burial, and vow to continue fighting injustice in his name.

Maid Marian

Marian of Knighton
Robin Hood character
First appearance	Will You Tolerate This?
Last appearance	Something Worth Fighting For - Part 2
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allan
Portrayed by	Lucy Griffiths
Information
Occupation	Night Watchman
Title	Lady
Spouse(s)	Robin of Locksley

Maid Marian, portrayed by Lucy Griffiths, is the daughter of the former Sheriff of Nottingham. Marian is twenty-one years old, and in contrast to most Robin Hood legends, is not described as Maid Marian, but rather Lady Marian. "In those days [21] would be considered quite old to still be a maid," actress Lucy Griffiths explained in the Radio Times preview."^[2] She is engaged to Robin before he goes to fight in the crusades, but is visibly cold and aloof toward him on his return, although in episode twelve she admits that she considers him a hero even while calling him a fool. She is initially disapproving of Robin's outlaw status because she believes that the best way to injustice is to work inside the system. However, she aids him in his fight against the Sheriff by frequently spying for him and giving him inside information that she has picked up in the Sheriff's castle, and from Gisborne. Marian also fights the Sheriff in her own right, disguising herself as the Night Watchman and giving the poor food and supplies. Marian is beautiful and carries some status with her, as the daughter of Edward, the old Sheriff. For those reasons, Guy of Gisborne, a dispossessed lord and Vaisey's right hand man, falls in love with her quite obsessively. From the beginning, she frostily resists his attentions and gifts, unable to look past his murderous ways and cruelty, but as time goes on, her status and beauty aren't the only reasons why Guy wants her - he finds himself wondering if her pure heart and empathy could end his compulsive evil and bring about his redemption upon marriage. In the final episode of the first series, she is coerced by Guy into agreeing to marry him when King Richard returns to England. Though she does not love him, she does so to protect both herself and her father from his wrath.Marian is head-strong and no-nonsense, if often derisive of Robin's arrogance and cocky attitude towards her. But despite this, her ongoing love for him is evident as the series progresses, and they share many tender moments in secret. When King Richard appears to return to England (he is, in fact, an impostor), Marian must fulfil her promise to marry Sir Guy, and he immediately prepares their wedding. In one final act of defiance against him, she dresses as the Night Watchman and attempts to steal from him, but he stabs her as she makes her escape, unaware that she is Marian. Djaq cares for her and manages to revive her when she goes into cardiac arrest. Soon after, though, Marian apparently dies, and the penultimate episode of the first series ends with Robin mourning over her body and repeating his love for her.

However, it is revealed in the next episode that her body merely shut down as a result of a concoction that she had been given by Guy's physician Pitts. Regaining her health shortly afterwards, Marian is left without option and to protect her father, arrives to marry Guy. The wedding is interrupted by a frantic Much, who informs her that the King is an impostor, and that it is a ruse by the Sheriff and Guy to weed out the Sheriff's enemies. In the hope that she will forgive him, Guy admits that he knew of the plan, but Marian punches him and flees the wedding. Robin rides up on horseback to greet her and Much, and Marian rides off with him. When they arrive at the castle to expose the Sheriff's plot, she and Robin share a kiss. In the second series, Marian and her father are under house arrest in Nottingham Castle. Marian cannot travel out of the castle without an armed guard, although she has managed to avoid one due to Robin's men creating a diversion, or her being allowed a day off by Guy. With these methods of avoiding an armed chaperon, Marian manages to successfully deliver information to Robin.

In series 2, it is evident that Robin and Marian's relationship has grown stronger; however, Marian seems be stuck in a love triangle with Robin and Guy; Guy, who is still ignorant of her being the Night Watchman, and Robin's informer, still harbours deep feelings for her. However, she still remains faithful to Robin. She discovers several uses for her beauty and her role as a Lady, with the leading advantage being her ability to manipulate Guy's feelings for her. She keeps him believing that he still has a chance to win her heart, so she can stay close to him and get information to help Robin.When her father dies, she agrees to join Robin in Sherwood Forest, despite several heated arguments as to whether it is the right thing to do. However, although they argue at first, they eventually apologise and are able to see the bigger picture: it isn't about what makes them happy. It is about keeping Nottingham safe and looked after.In Lardner's Ring, episode 9, Robin proposes to Marian. She accepts his hand and his ring, although by the end of the episode, she is once more back inthe castle with Guy, as Robin had to pretend to be holding her hostage, at her suggestion. When he says she would have cried out, she tells him to bind and gag her. Later on, she hides the ring from Gisborne, wearing it only in private. In the final episode of series 2 (We Are Robin Hood!), Marian shields King Richard as Guy advances on the injured King. She admits her relationship with Robin and how she would rather die than be with Guy, to which he responds by attacking her, thrusting his sword into her lower abdomen. Only after this does Robin arrive, and Guy retreats with the Sheriff. Marian marries Robin while she lies dying. She then dies in her husband's arms and is carried to her grave. They bury her alongside Carter (who also dies in that episode) in the Holy Land, beside an oasis and a palm tree. After her death, Robin Hood says "There is no more Robin Hood! Robin Hood died with Marian in the Holy Land!" Marian returns in the 3rd series finale as a spirit. As the poisoned Robin lies dying, he sees a vision of her: in his dying moments, Robin allows his only love to lead him to peace.

Sir Guy of Gisborne

Guy of Gisborne
First appearance	"Will You Tolerate This?"
Last appearance	Something Worth Fighting For Part 2
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allan
Portrayed by	Richard Armitage
Information
Occupation	Outlaw former Sheriff of Nottingham Sheriff's deputy
Title	Sir
Family	Seth (son) Isabella (sister) Archer (half-brother) Squire Thornton (brother-in-law) Roger of Gisborne (father, deceased) Ghislaine (mother, deceased)

Sir Guy of Gisborne, played by Richard Armitage, is a dark, brooding man always clad in black leather. Guy is the Sheriff's second-in-command, and manages the Locksley estate in Robin's absence. He is reluctant to relinquish control over it and takes a dark satisfaction in being named its permanent lord after Robin is outlawed. His eagerness for land of his own comes from bitterness over having no actual Gisborne estate, and he contemplates renaming Locksley to Gisborne. it is revealed that Gisborne's mother was French, and that after his family lost their land they moved to France.

Guy fathers a child, Seth, with a servant girl, Annie, and later abandons him in the forest, only for the baby to be found and rescued by Robin and his men. In the words of the Radio Times, Gisborne is "the chief dispenser of the Sheriff's rough justice... seen killing a man in front of his own son."^[2]

As in other tales of the Hood legends, he is a suitor of Marian, but she does not return his affections. In episode seven of series one, he practically forces her into an engagement with him. It is later revealed that Guy is the masked assassin that Robin is wounded by in the Holy Land as he tries to prevent him from killing King Richard. Robin slashes his tattoo with a sword during the fray, and Robin realises that it was Guy when he sees his tattoo with an identical scar through it. A very angry Robin kidnaps and tortures Guy after he finds out, and attempts to reveal Guy's treachery to the public with proof, but so far has been unsuccessful: the Sheriff foils the plan by burning the tattoo from Gisborne's skin with acid.

Just before their wedding is due to go ahead, Marian disguises herself as the Night Watchman and attempts to steal a chest of money from Guy, which she describes to her father as "a final fling to make me more comfortable in my marriage". Unaware that it is his fiancée, Guy stabs her in the stomach with a poisoned blade. After being cared for by Robin and Djaq, she recovers for the wedding, but decides not to marry Guy at the last minute; she punches him and runs from the altar.

Gisborne is evidently not pure evil, as he lacks the Sheriff's sadistic glee and even seems at times to disapprove. When three young boys witness an incriminating event in Childhood, Gisborne attempts to spare their lives even though the Sheriff wants them disposed of. He risks his own life to help Marian when the Earl of Winchester demands Marian as part of a deal with the Sheriff in For England!. He does show remorse for his villainous ways in the final episode of the first series and lets Marian go after she goes to warn Robin of the Sheriff's plan.

In Get Carter, Guy breaks down and confesses to Marian his desire for a home and her love. She resists him at first, saying that she needs time to grieve her father's recent death. But when Guy is turning to leave, the two share a passionate kiss (though it is to protect a fleeing Robin from Guy's view), taking their formerly more platonic and strained relationship to an entirely new, if not dangerous, level.

In the series two finale, A Good Day to Die, Marian offers Guy her hand in marriage if he assassinates the Sheriff before he can oversee the murder of King Richard (though she does think that Robin Hood is already dead by this time). Guy instead alerts the Sheriff of Marian's offer and decides to wed her regardless of her approval. During the final battle within an abandoned Saracen town between Robin's men and the Sheriff's Saracen assassins, King Richard is wounded in battle and is left to the mercy of an advancing Gisborne. Realising that Guy is consumed with power and greed, Marian stands between Guy and the King, informing him that she loves only Robin. An enraged Gisborne finally snaps and runs Marian through with his sword, fatally injuring her, but seems genuinely shocked and upset by his actions, nearly crying. He flees the fort with the Sheriff on horseback, as Marian dies from her wounds.

In series 3 he continues to attempt to kill Robin, while being tormented by guilt for killing Marian (in the episode Total Eclipse he pleads with Robin to kill him and end his hell, though Robin coldly refuses, telling Gisborne he can stay there). His hatred for Robin seems to grow once he learns of Robin and Marian's marriage. He also grows increasingly antagonistic with the Sheriff until fighting and (so he thinks) killing him in Do You Love Me?. In the fifth episode of series 3, his younger sister, Isabella, arrives in Nottingham. It is revealed that Guy sold her into marriage at the age of 13 to finance his own career.

Guy is shown to have a close relationship with Prince John, who seems to hold him in high esteem. After Guy tells John that he considers him "a fraud, a fake, an imposter" and "a pretender", however, the prince-regent attacks Guy in a rage that ultimately climaxes with John falling into a pit, after telling Guy that his days as a free man are over.

Isabella captures Guy in The King is Dead, Long Live the King... by poisoning his wound.

Guy, after being captured by the newly made sheriff Isabella, is thrown in the dungeons and sentenced to death. Squire Thornton, Isabella's estranged husband who briefly takes power as sheriff, throws Isabella's feisty new companion, Meg, into the dungeons in a cell next to Guy's. At first Meg clearly states that she despises Guy, but after he helps her to quench her thirst and gives her some food she takes a liking to him. They also talk through things and get closer throughout the dungeon scenes.

After being released by Isabella, Meg feeds Guy before attempting to set him free by stealing the dungeon keys. However, Isabella notices the missing keys and catches Meg trying to free Gisborne, sentencing both to execution. The two then escape execution, because Robin Hood saves them after agreeing with Guy that Meg doesn't deserve to die. However, Meg is stabbed during the escape. Guy flees with the dying Meg in his arms, and after finding somewhere solitary he lays her down and the two kiss briefly. Meg then dies in Guy's arms.

Some days later, Guy encounters Robin in Sherwood Forest and a fight nearly ensues, but he and Robin are rendered unconscious by two darts. When he awakes, a hooded figure speaks of he and Robin having a half-brother, Archer, who faces execution. They are spurred on to rescue him when the stranger reveals himself to be none other than Robin of Locksley's father. In the immediate aftermath of this incident, Guy and Robin agree to work together to save their half brother, but their relationship is immediately strained when an argument over their parents inevitably turns into a fight regarding Marian. Robin and Gisborne angrily pummel each other and Robin is on the verge of killing Gisborne, when he relents after Gisborne remarks he will never beg forgiveness from Robin as he cannot forgive himself. Robin spares Gisborne from the gang's wrath and together they head to York, where they are successful in escaping with their brother Archer, but he is unwilling to form an alliance with Robin and the gang and decides to join up with his sister to get some money. In Something Worth Fighting For, when Allan A Dale is pardoned for helping Isabella, Guy is among the people who remind Allan that he has betrayed the gang once before and he is tied up so he cannot to give their secret away. Guy informs Robin that there is a secret entrance to Nottingham Castle constructed by the previous Sheriff, and that they can use it to seize the castle. He, Robin, and Much enter the tunnel but are trapped by Archer. The trio are then submerged in limestone and left for dead. Later, after Archer has switched sides (after seeing Kate, Tuck, John, and several men from Lockley risk their lives for their livestock, possessions, and freedom) he and Kate free Robin, Gisborne, and Much and they help the rest of the gang seize the castle. The gang are then informed by Much that there is a dead body at the entrance to the castle and it is revealed to be Allan's. The gang, including Guy, appear remorseful for accusing him, but their mourning is short-lived when Sheriff Vaisey returns to take back the castle and Nottingham. Guy then sees the army approaching and tells Robin to close the gates and man the battlements. The gang, including Guy and Isabella, then retreat into the castle as the battle begins.

In the end of the 2009 series, Gisborne refuses to abandon the outlaws and aids them in their final battle. Gisborne meets his end when the Sheriff and Isabella mortally wound him in a sword fight in a secret tunnel under Nottingham Castle, which is obliterated at the end of the episode. Gisborne tries to push Robin away from Isabella's blade, but only ends up placing himself in reach of the Sheriff and his sister, who both run him through without mercy. As he lies dying on the floor, Gisborne apologises to Robin for everything he has done to the outlaws, and the two old enemies make their peace with each other. In his final moments, Gisborne expresses regret that unlike Robin, he doesn't have someone waiting for him (though the fact that Meg should be waiting isn't mentioned), musing on his unrequited love for Marian, and thanks Robin for allowing Gisborne to die with a sense of pride in himself, having lived a life of shame. His final words, "I am free", likely mean that, in death, he finally escaped the living hell his life had become.

Vaisey, Sheriff of Nottingham

Vaisey
First appearance	"Will You Tolerate This?"
Last appearance	"Something Worth Fighting For, Part 2"
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allan
Portrayed by	Keith Allen
Information
Occupation	Sheriff of Nottingham
Title	Sire, Sir, Sheriff
Family	Davina (sister, deceased)

The Sheriff of Nottingham is the primary villain of the show. Keith Allen's portrayal was described by the Hollywood Reporter as "very camp in the Alan Rickman tradition of sardonic villains,"^[3] referring to Rickman's role as the Sheriff in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Cynical, sarcastic and with a dark sense of humour, he has many catch phrases, including "La di da di da!" and "A clue: no." He also has an explosive temper, usually triggered by Robin's interference or the repeated failures of Gisborne and other minions.

Vaisey becomes the Sheriff a few years before Robin's return to England, taking over from Marian's father Edward. He uses the position to become the leading figure in the Black Knights, a group conspiring to overthrow King Richard in favour of Prince John. As a plot device to explain why Robin does not kill the Sheriff, John insures the latter's life by promising to destroy Nottingham should he be killed. In Sisterhood, the Sheriff's sister Davina is introduced, with whom he displays previously unseen affection. Davina dies in his arms after an altercation with Robin, for which the Sheriff vows revenge.

Keith Allen lost one of his teeth while filming a fight sequence for the show.^[4] This was written into the script, with the Sheriff losing a tooth in the last episode of series 1. He takes teeth from skulls and places them in the gap in his teeth as a recurring gag in the second series. In the third series, Prince John plays the Sheriff off against Gisborne until Do You Love Me?. Gisborne and the Sheriff fight to the death in a brutal confrontation, both goaded on by Prince John and their own motivation (Gisborne blaming Vaisey for Marian's death and Vaisey believing Gisborne to have failed him). Vaisey is quite surprised by his and Gisborne's newfound hatred for each other, as during the fight, he comments that they once loved each other almost like father and son, implying there was more to them than two greedy and ambitious men out to gain power. The fight ends on the battlements where, as the Sheriff prepares to throw Gisborne to his death, Gisborne stabs him in the chest. The Sheriff collapses, seemingly dying, and warns Gisborne not to trust Prince John. His death is blamed on Robin, but it is shown at the end of the episode that the Sheriff may have survived; as his apparently dead body is carted away, his hand clenches into a fist. The Sheriff returns in the series 3 finale: after killing Allan A Dale to prevent him warning the outlaws of his return, he arrives at Nottingham with a vast army in tow, just as Isabella has been ousted by the outlaws. It is assumed that Vaisey has been planning this for some time, as he has his second-in-command, a former minion of Isabella's called Blamire, weaken the city defences and pave the way for his return. Blamire flees the city before Isabella's downfall and informs his master that "the plan is in place". Satisfied with this news, the Sheriff draws his sword and, remarking that "this will be so much fun", orders his army onto the attack.

In the last episode of series 3, the Sheriff easily smashes aside Nottingham's defences and storms the city. He orders the entire population to be slaughtered, especially Robin and Gisborne. It is unknown whether this attack is being done on Prince John's orders, or for Vaisey's personal vengeance. His main goal, other than Nottingham's capture, is to ensure Robin's death and personally kill Gisborne, who the Sheriff claims to have made in his own image and whose betrayal cuts him deeply. Though Vaisey succeeds in causing the deaths of Gisborne and Robin, Robin shoots a flaming arrow into Nottingham Castle, igniting the stored barrels of Byzantine fire inside. The Sheriff has just enough time to realise what is inside the barrels before they detonate, obliterating the castle. The Sheriff, Isabella, and his entire army are presumed to have perished inside the castle.

Little John

Little John
First appearance	"Will You Tolerate This?"
Last appearance	"Something Worth Fighting For Part 2"
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allan
Portrayed by	Gordon Kennedy
Information
Occupation	Outlaw
Family	Little John Jr (son)
Spouse(s)	Alice

Little John, played by Gordon Kennedy, is a former resident of Locksley. John is outlawed many years before the show; his wife Alice and his son Little Little John believe that he is dead until Dead Man Walking. Prior to meeting Robin, John is the leader of an outlaw band in the forest consisting of Roysten White, Forrest, and Hanton. The band captures Robin, Much, and Allan at the end of the first episode, departing from the traditional meeting of John and Robin where they battle with quarterstaffs over who can cross a river first. "We had a different version for their meeting and we had something so horrible going on in the episode that a jolly fight was entirely inappropriate," the programme's showrunner Dominic Minghella told the Radio Times.^[2] John dislikes Robin initially, but agrees to follow him when he realises that Robin can help Alice and the people of Locksley. He is a bit cantankerous and bad-tempered, but loyal to the group. He also acts quite fatherly to some of the younger members, such as Will and Marian (both of whom lose their fathers in series 2), and Kate when she leaves her family in series 3. He generally fights with a quarterstaff.

In the series three finale, Robin comes up with a plan to seize the castle for King Richards' return and he, Much, and Gisborne decide to enter the castle via a secret tunnel dug by the previous Sheriff. While the trio go down the tunnel, Tuck and John are tasked by Robin with entering the main gates of the castle, killing the guards, and seizing a goods train with the livestock and possessions of the Locksley villagers on board. Knowing that it may be some time before he and the gang can do another food drop, Robin tells John that the Lockley villagers must get their possessions back. However, realising that they are unwilling to fight to get them back, Tuck tells John that when the gates are opened they will sit in the road and block the way, forming a non-violent protest. John is shocked by Tuck's decision but reluctantly agrees. When Tuck is shot with an arrow by Isabella, John is ready to defend his friend, but Tuck stops John from attacking the guards. Kate then joins them and tells the guards that if they want to kill John, Tuck, and the men from Locksley then Isabella will have to kill her first. As the guards prepare to kill them, Archer saves them and a fight breaks out with Tuck, John, and the men from Locksley taking on the guards. They are successful and seize the castle for King Richard. While the gang celebrate capturing Isabella and the castle, Much finds a body and the gang discover it to be that of Allan A Dale, who the gang accused of being a traitor after Isabella pardoned him for helping her earlier in the episode. John, along with the rest of the gang, is then angry at himself for not believing Allan's claims of innocence, and he carries Allan's body into the castle as the gang retreat inside after Gisborne spots an army approaching on the horizon.

At the end of the 2009 finale, Little John, along with the remaining outlaws, promises to continue fighting injustice in Robin Hood's name after Robin's death.

Much

Much
First appearance	"Will You Tolerate This?"
Last appearance	"Something Worth Fighting For Part 2"
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allan
Portrayed by	Sam Troughton
Information
Occupation	Outlaw former manservant
Title	Earl of Bonchurch

Much, portrayed by Sam Troughton, is Robin's right-hand man and best friend. Much is known to be rather daft, forever hungry, and forever committed to both Robin and his cause. Much yearns for the quiet life: the warmth of the home fire and a little well-earned luxury. He often gets into scrapes (particularly in series 1), from which Robin has to rescue him. He is the voice of reason and the voice of fear; Much undercuts Robin's idealism. Much likes orderly living in the outlaws' camp and is usually the chef, complaining that he has to catch and cook the food. Much makes it obvious that he does not want be in the forest, but if he weren't at his best friend's side, he would wither and die.

Over the three series, Much matures somewhat during his life as an outlaw, due to the horrible situations that he witnesses. He is still best friends with Robin, and Much proves that he will always support his leader, no matter how unsavoury the mission. In the first series, he falls in love with his servant Eve, who is a spy for the Sheriff. He then promises that he will find her once peace and justice are brought to England. In the third series he develops secret feelings for Kate, who does not feel the same way and only considers him to be a friend.

In the 2009 series finale, Much is shown wanting revenge against the Sheriff of Nottingham for Allan's murder. He is shocked when he finds out that Robin has been poisoned and distraught when he makes his final goodbyes. He and everyone else in the gang vow to keep fighting in his name.

Allan A Dale

Allan A Dale
First appearance	"Will You Tolerate This"
Last appearance	"Something Worth Fighting For: Part 2"
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allen
Portrayed by	Joe Armstrong
Information
Occupation	Outlaw
Family	Tom (brother, deceased)

In contrast to the traditional depiction of Allan-a-Dale as a minstrel, Allan (played by Joe Armstrong) is an opportunist and pathological liar. In the first series' premiere, he is rescued by Robin after being caught poaching. He is later to be hanged, but is saved by Robin, whom he joins as an outlaw. He claims to have come from Rochdale, hence his surname. His brother Tom, also a compulsive liar and thief, is hanged by the Sheriff in Brothers in Arms.

In the second series, Allan becomes a reluctant informer for Guy of Gisborne, agreeing to spy on Robin for money and release from Nottingham's dungeon. After his betrayal is unmasked by Robin, he enters Gisborne's service. He provides Gisborne with vital information about the outlaws, but protects some secrets such as Marian's identity as the Night Watchman and the location of the camp (due to Marian's threats to kill him if he reveals this information). In A Good Day to Die, he leaves Gisborne to rescue Robin and the others, rejoining them in time for their voyage to the Holy Land.

At the starts of series three, Allan and the rest of the gang have been travelling for several months since they ventured off into the Holy Land, and an exhausted and heartbroken Robin (following Marian's murder) dismisses his gang, and calls Allan a traitor. During series three, Allan is reminded on numerous occasions that he once betrayed their loyalty, and throughout the series he tries to prove that he is back on their side. He takes to Guy joining the gang (in The Enemy Of My Enemy) better than the rest of Robin's team, but is a bit wary as to whether he can be trusted, though both Robin and Guy remind him that he was once a bad guy also. Allan also appears to have feelings towards Locksley villager Kate, but he backs down slightly when he hears that Much also has interest in her.

In Something Worth Fighting For - Part One, Sheriff Isabella tries to break Robin's gang down by making false accusations about certain members. She informs Nottingham that Allan has been pardoned for all his previous crimes by helping her. Realising that they have nearly been foiled on a few occasions, the gang are unsure whether to believe Allan when he claims his innocence. Realising they still have little faith in him, Allan tries to leave but is tied up by the gang. When the gang have gone to Nottingham to seize the castle, Allan breaks free and, finally fed up with the gang's mistrust of him, leaves to make his own way. Along the way he sees an army approaching Nottingham and, recognising its leader, decides that he has to warn the gang. He is discovered by several guards and manages to fight his way free, only to be killed in a hail of arrows (one to the leg and three to the back) as he makes a run for it. Before dying, he has enough time to recognise his killer; he is shocked to see an old face has returned (Vaisey, The Old Sheriff).

After being killed by Vaisey, his body is wrapped and left for the gang at the entrance to Nottingham Castle, where it is later found by Much. The rest of the gang gather around Allan's body and Robin is angry at himself for not believing Allan's claims that he is innocent. As they mourn their loss, Gisborne sees the old Sheriff and his army approaching on the horizon and shouts to close the gates and man the battlements. They then retreat into the castle, with Little John carrying Allan's body over his shoulders. They cremate Allan shortly afterwards, all deeply hurt by his death and guilty over their mistrust of him. At the cremation, Allan is referred to as "our loyal friend".

Will Scarlett

Will Scarlet
First appearance	Will you Tolerate This
Last appearance	We Are Robin Hood
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allen
Portrayed by	Harry Lloyd
Information
Occupation	former Outlaw
Family	Dan (father, deceased), Luke (brother), Jane (mother, deceased)
Spouse(s)	Djaq

The youngest member of the group, Will (played by Harry Lloyd) is the son of Locksley's carpenter. Prior to the first episode, his mother dies from starvation and his father loses a hand in punishment for Will and his brother poaching food to survive. In the first series' premier, he is to be hanged for stealing flour, but is saved by Robin, whom he joins in the forest as an outlaw.

In contrast with the traditionally hot-tempered Will Scarlet, this incarnation is generally slow to anger, quiet, shy, and often a voice of reason. He seems to get on best with Allan before he betrays them, perhaps because they share the same experience of nearly being hanged. He also seems to get on well with John, who seems to take the role of father to the younger outlaws, namely Marian, Will, and Kate. Because of his knowledge of carpentry, he often finds unique ways of helping the gang. He usually fights with two axes.

In The Return of the King, Will and Allan consider leaving the outlaws to go to Scarborough and stay with Will's family. However, Will and Allan decide against it, only to return to the news that Marian is dead.

In The Angel of Death, Will's father Dan is killed by the Sheriff. Mad with grief, Will sets out to poison the Sheriff, in spite of the destruction of Nottingham that would result. Only after he is led to believe Robin is dying after drinking the poison does he relent.

In A Clue: No, when the outlaws are led to believe that Marian is dead, Will is the only one seen with tears, perhaps because she may have still been alive if he and Alan had remained there to help the outlaws fight the sheriff and Gisborne.

In A Good Day to Die, he finds out that Djaq loved him from the very beginning and she thinks she's a fool for not admitting it sooner. They kiss and then fight for each others' lives. At the end of We Are Robin Hood!, he and Djaq decide to stay in the Holy Land. The last time he is seen he calls out to Robin and holds up his tag that marks him as a member of the gang, and they all shout "We are Robin Hood!"

Will Scarlett is not in the third series.

Djaq

Introduced in the episode Turk Flu, Djaq (played by Anjali Jay) is a Saracen who is being transported as a slave. Her true name is Saffiya, but she disguises herself as a boy by adopting her dead twin brother's name and appearance. Though Robin's outlaws are shocked when Will reveals that she is a woman, they permit her to stay.

Djaq's father is a physician, and she herself has considerable knowledge of medicine and chemistry, which she uses to serve as the group's medic and to create black powder. She expresses fondness for the entire gang of outlaws, even Allan following his defection. In A Good Day to Die, she and Will express their mutual love for each other; they remain in the Holy Land at the end of the second series.

Djaq is not one of the traditional characters in the Robin Hood legends, although she does follow in the latter-day tradition of a Saracen character being added to the band of outlaws. (See Nasir in Robin of Sherwood from the 1980s, Azeem from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in 1991, Achoo from Robin Hood: Men in Tights in 1993 and Kemal from The New Adventures of Robin Hood from the 1990s). She is, however, the first female Saracen character to feature in this role.

Royston White

One of the original forest outlaws, Royston White is introduced at the end of the first episode as part of Little John's band, portrayed by William Beck. Little John and Roy originally dislike the others, but, after persuasion, accept Robin's leadership.

In the fourth episode, Parent Hood, Royston is captured, imprisoned, and tortured by Sir Guy. The Sheriff arrests his mother Mary White and in exchange for her life Roy is instructed to assassinate Robin. He tries, but fails. In the gang's attempt to rescue his mother from being hanged at Nottingham Castle, Royston sacrifices his own life and is slain by the Sheriff's henchmen, while shouting "My name is Royston White, I fight for Robin Hood and King Richard!"

Tuck

Played by David Harewood, he is a warrior monk. Tuck trains as a priest at Fountains Abbey, but he becomes more and more disillusioned with the corruption of church and state and is eventually kicked out for his outspoken views. He travels as a monk across Europe, and his experiences from his travels and his years in the Abbey make him realise that time is running out for England: something has to be done now to stop the corruption.

An outspoken, passionate character, Tuck's left-field thinking can either be ingenious or make him a liability. At times he tells Robin his plans, but never asks for his approval. If he thinks his plan is the right one then he does it. This can annoy Robin, especially as Tuck's plans can go wrong. However, Robin can see the value in Tuck; he is strong and wise, an inspiring second in command. His passion for the cause is infectious and binds the outlaws strongly together.

Prince John

Prince John
First appearance	"Do You Love Me?"
Last appearance	"The King is Dead, Long Live the King"
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allan
Portrayed by	Toby Stephens
Information
Occupation	Prince Regent
Title	Sire
Family	Richard I of England, Eleanor of Aquitane

Portrayed by Toby Stephens, Prince John is an antagonist of the third series. He is the tyrannical ruler of England. Depicted as effeminate, paranoid, and narcissistic, he has a high need for admiration and is constantly demanding that his subjects tell him how much they love him. John is also noted for being as ruthless and sadistic as the Sheriff, ordering Locksley's church, full of adoring villagers, to be burned down while a wedding takes place inside. John is obsessively determined to usurp his brother Richard the Lionheart's throne and become King of England, a position which he feels greatly entitled to, particularly since he feels it was their father Henry II's wish that he, not Richard, become king. He is shown to possess a high level of charisma and intelligence, but a fiery temper as well. He reacts violently to criticism and is oblivious to why the people of England don't love him, despite his vicious treatment of them. In the second episode in which he appears, John appears to have succumbed to the fact that the English people have no affection for him, saying "If you won't love me, then by God, you'll fear me." He appears somewhat emotionally immature and is easily bored, often manipulating people for no reason other than his own personal amusement and exhibiting wild and unpredictable mood swings. His catchphrases are "Do you love me?", "Long live me." and "Bored now."

In The King is Dead, Long Live the King, it is revealed that John is consumed with anger and hatred toward his brother Richard, whom he sees as having usurped their mother's affection and overshadowed him. Despite his envy of Richard, John still holds himself to be absolutely superior to his brother and believes that he is destined for the throne. John has a waxwork made of Richard to try to fool people into thinking Richard is dead, so that John can become king. However, Robin Hood and the gang discover this and stop the coronation.

John is shown to be a capable swordsman, simultaneously engaging Robin and Guy (both highly skilled swordsmen) in combat, despite the historical King John I's supposed lack of military prowess, which earned him the epithet "Softsword".

Isabella

Isabella of Gisborne
Robin Hood character
First appearance	"Let the Games Commence"
Last appearance	"Something Worth Fighting For, Part 2"
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allan
Portrayed by	Lara Pulver
Information
Occupation	Sheriff of Nottingham
Title	Lady, Sheriff, Mistress
Family	Guy of Gisborne (brother) Archer (half-brother) Squire Thornton (husband) Roger of Gisborne (father, deceased) Ghislaine (mother, deceased) Seth (nephew)

Lady Isabella of Gisborne (formerly Thornton), played by Lara Pulver, is the attractive but power hungry sister of Gisborne. In her first few episodes she acts as a replacement for Marian as Robin's new love interest and 'spy in the enemy camp' at Nottingham, but later on this changes. She is very bitter towards Guy because he sells her to her husband, Squire Thornton, when she is thirteen in order to finance his own political career. Thorton is abusive and cruel to his wife to the point where she ultimately flees him. She is introduced in episode five of series three, where we learn that she has run away from her husband, and Robin saves her from being taken back to him. In episode 6 she begins a romantic relationship with Robin and begins to flirt with Prince John in order to compete for his favour.

In episode 7 of series 3 her relationship with Robin is discovered by Prince John and Guy. After escaping certain death, she tries to convince Robin to leave with her and start fresh somewhere else. Robin, however, refuses, as he is Robin Hood and can't abandon the people. He also tells her that he has tried to have a life with love and marriage, but it just caused too much pain. An angry Isabella turns on him and joins Prince John's side (after telling him how Gisborne is going to let her live) thus regaining the prince's respect. In episode 8, he appoints Isabella the new Sheriff of Nottingham after Gisborne is demoted and becomes an outlaw.

She briefly appoints a fellow feminist like herself, Meg, as her deputy. Meg grew attached to Guy while in the dungeons, so Isabella orders her to be beheaded along with Guy. Robin Hood saves Meg and Guy, but Meg later dies in the arms of Guy. Her husband, Thornton, also returns, seeking to get revenge on Isabella for abandoning him. After his cruel treatment becomes too much, she enlists Robin to get rid of him. Robin locks Thornton in an asylum with a threat to kill him if he returns, but he ignores the warning and returns, determined to wreak his revenge on Isabella. After cornering her in a chapel, Isabella begs for her life, seemingly convincing Thornton to be merciful, but this is only a ruse. As he patronisingly tries to embrace his wife, Isabella fatally stabs him in the chest, snarling that she should have done it long ago.

Isabella's half-brother, Archer, made her an enemy of the Sheriff of York after Robin and Gisborne went to York in order to free Archer from the dungeons.

In the episode Something Worth Fighting For, she makes an uneasy allegiance with Archer to kill Robin and Guy in a trap Archer has created within a secret tunnel. However, she treats him with nothing but contempt, furious and disgusted not only at the fact that her beloved mother had a bastard child, but that this child could be as devious and conniving as Archer. Isabella also persuades Kate's mother to plant half a locket on Robin's person (the other belonging to Isabella) to fool Kate into thinking Robin still loves Isabella. This plan fails as Kate's mother tells the truth. Isabella is eventually captured by the outlaws and barricaded inside the castle when Vaisey arrives with an army.

Isabella escapes her captivity in the series finale and joins Vaisey, giving her title as Sheriff up to him in exchange for her own life. She aids his attack through a secret tunnel into Nottingham and dispatches two of the most significant defenders: Robin and Gisborne, having simultaneously with the Sheriff fatally wounded her brother, and striking Robin with a poisoned dagger. As the outlaws retreat and the Sheriff marches through the tunnel, Isabella seems to give a remorseful last look at her brother's corpse, but stops when Vaisey remarks that there is no time for sentimentality. Ultimately, Isabella perishes when Robin detonates a store of explosive Byzantine fire and Nottingham Castle is destroyed with Isabella and the Sheriff inside.

Kate

Kate is a local girl from Locksley village. Her brother is sold to Irish warriors with drastic results (her efforts to free him end with her capture and his death at the hands of Gisborne). She is hot-headed and, although well-meaning, her outspokenness can have dramatic consequences for others around her. She is played by Joanne Froggatt. Much develops feelings towards her, and in Lost in Translation, after unhelpful advice from Allan (who also flirts with her), Much makes his feelings plain and she rejects him harshly. Her character seems to replace Djaq and to an extent Marian as the only female outlaw. Kate is jealous of Robin's interest towards Isabella. She gives him a kiss on the cheek after he rescues her. In episode 9, Robin and Kate kiss and she shares her feelings for him very clearly. At the end of the same episode Robin tells her he does care for her, though it is heavily implied that he doesn't love her as he did Marian, and doesn't believe he ever will. When Robin is dying at the end of the series, Kate tries to give him a final kiss, but he deliberately turns away from her and settles for just hugging her before he leaves to die alone.

Kate was generally disliked by fans of the series, who considered her a poor substitute for Marian and Djaq. Reasons cited include her unlikeable personality, her unconvincing relationship with Robin, her particularly high tendency to get captured or injured, and her inability to live up to the praise and compliments regularly given to her by the other outlaws.

Archer

Archer
Robin Hood character
First appearance	"The Enemy of My Enemy"
Last appearance	"Something Worth Fighting For, Part 2"
Created by	Dominic Minghella Foz Allan
Portrayed by	Clive Standen
Information
Family	Sir Guy of Gisborne (half-brother, deceased) Robin (half-brother, deceased) Isabella (half-sister, deceased) Seth (nephew) Marian (sister in law, deceased) Squire Thornton (brother in law, deceased) Malcolm (father, deceased) Ghislaine (mother, deceased)

Archer is the son of Lady Ghislaine, the mother of Isabella and Guy of Gisborne, and Robin Hood's father, Lord Locksley, making him half-brother to Robin, Guy, and Isabella. He gets his name from the distinctive arrow-shaped birthmark on his stomach. He is played by Clive Standen. Archer makes an enemy of the Sheriff of York and is sentenced to death after he claims he can turn useless metal into gold, along with being discovered having an affair with the Sheriff's wife. He is later rescued from York by Robin and Gisborne after the pair are informed by Robin's dying father that he is their half-brother. When Archer realises that both Robin and Guy gave up their money and land the minute they became outlaws, he is unimpressed and takes Robin hostage so he can escape, especially when he learns his half-sister is the exceedingly wealthy Sheriff of Nottingham. However, the plan fails, and Archer and the others have to rely on Robin's gang to save them from death.

After escaping from York, he heads to Nottingham where he meets his half-sister Sheriff Isabella, with whom he makes a deal to trap and kill Robin and Guy when they enter a secret tunnel —constructed by Vaisey— to reach and seize the castle. He is successful in doing this and Robin and Guy are nearly killed after they are submerged in limestone. Archer is then paid and told by Isabella to leave Nottingham forever, as she has nothing but contempt for him, because she sees his existence as defiling the memory of her beloved mother. As he leaves, he sees Little John, Brother Tuck, and the men from Locksley village sitting outside the castle blocking anyone and anything from leaving until they get their crops, animals, and possessions back. Seeing that Tuck, John, and the men are willing to risk their lives to fight for themselves, King, and country, Archer kills several guards, helps Kate free Robin, and then helps the gang seize the castle moments before Vaisey returns with a vengeance.

Archer is shocked and scared when Vaisey uses Byzantine fire to bomb Nottingham. He admits to being the one who sold Vaisey the ingredients in the first place, leading to an argument with Robin. When Robin is poisoned by Isabella, Archer finally sees what it is to be a true hero and becomes a member of Robin's gang. He and Tuck then create their own Byzantine fire. When Robin is about to die he helps him to reach Vaisey in time, Robin then kills Vaisey with his last bit of strength. Archer is amongst the mourners at Robin's funeral in Sherwood. Following the deaths of Guy of Gisborne and Robin Hood of Locksley, Archer vows to continue the fight against Prince John.

Edward

Edward is Marian's father, and the former Sheriff of Nottingham. He is replaced by Vaisey, but is able to attain status as the lord of Knighton Manor. Unbeknownst to Edward, his daughter is secretly the Night Watchman, a masked figure who delivers food, medicine, and supplies to the poor of Nottingham. Edward discovers this in Turk Flu. He is initially angry at Marian's deception, fearing for her and his own safety, but begrudgingly accepts who is daughter is in the following episode. When Edward discovers that King Richard is returning in the penultimate episode of the first series, he organises an uprising of loyal nobles to give evidence against the Sheriff in order to prevent the King's assassination. Unbeknownst to the nobles, the King is in truth an impostor, hired to aid the Sheriff in flushing out his enemies. However, Edward is warned of the plot, and prevented from giving evidence to a disguised Sheriff by Robin. However, the Sheriff still does not trust Edward and Marian, and has Gisborne torch Knighton Hall and place the two of them under house arrest. When Marian forces the Sheriff to give up black diamonds, the Sheriff imprisons Edward in the dungeons as punishment. However, Edward is able to escape the dungeons, and aids Robin in stealing the Great Pact of Nottingham, a charter forcing members of the regicidally treacherous organisation, the Black Knights, to sign their loyalty. However, Edward is stabbed by Canon Birkley, and gives the Great Pact to Robin. His last words are "it's good to dream."

References

1. ^ Rampton, James (2006-09-02–2006-09-08). "The Hood Life". TV & Satellite Week (IPC Media): 14–15. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Naughton, John (2006-10-07–2006-10-13). "Boyz in the wood". Radio Times (BBC Worldwide) 331 (4305): 12–16. 
3. ^ Bennett, Ray (2006-10-06). "Robin Hood". Archived from the original on 2006-10-29. http://web.archive.org/web/20061029213853/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/reviews/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003221261. Retrieved 2006-10-14. 
4. ^ "Robin Hood's nemesis". http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2006/09/09/robin_hood_tv_sheriff_feature.shtml. Retrieved 2008-05-03. 

External links

• "Characters and Actors" page on the official Robin Hood website at bbc.co.uk