Robin Hood 3x10 "Bad Blood"

I have some mixed feelings on this episode and I'm really interested to see how my opinion on it has changed now that I just rewatched the whole series and everything is fresh in my mind. Especially now that it's been a long time since I first watched it so I no longer have that initial shock of "wtf is this show doing?" anymore. Let's get started.

The one thing that I will say for this episode is they had great casting. They picked actors who genuinely looked like they could be the parents or younger versions of the regular actors.

Thoughts While Watching

• LMAO! The way Robin said "Really?" in that tone. He genuinely views Guy as too pathetic to even bother with right now.
• Okay so hooded stranger (I do remember who it is, by the way) says that he knows the root of the bad blood between them and that he knows the truth of how their parents really died. Cool. Except that before this point it was NEVER shown that their parents' deaths had ANYTHING to do with the cause of the bad blood between them. Now, I understand keeping things hidden for a plot twist and I understand that in-universe that can be explained away with a story of how the true cause of the hatred they have for each other would be too painful for them to discuss with others. But come on, really? We still need some foreshadowing or little hints thrown our way here or there, something. Literally the only thing we really have foreshadowing this episode is the fact that way back in the early days of season one Guy makes it known that he has no family lands (he says that there is no Gisborne), which clearly bothers him, and we see that he has jumped at the first opportunity to take Locksley and keep it and loves holding that fact over Robin's head. All that does fit with the story we get in this episode, if I remember correctly, and it would make sense after knowing this backstory why Guy was so obsessed with wanting to take Locksley from Robin, but that's pretty much all that we ever get. I'm convinced they had no idea they were going to go this route before season three. This backstory was retconned.
• Guys says "You know about the fire. So?" and Robin says "It was never a secret." Well....apparently it was a huge secret because we've never heard about it before. It was a secret hidden from the viewers. And honestly? I'm thinking a secret from the other characters too. You're telling me that Robin told all his gang members about the fire and about knowing Guy as a child and we just never saw it? You're telling me Marian knew about their past? Much knew and never said anything? Hmm? Like sure, the villagers may have known, but everybody else? And actually, that begs the question...did John know about Robin and Guy's childhood? Did Will (since his father knew Robin since he was a boy and likely would have told Will stories when Guy took over Robin's estate like "hey, that's that boy who...")?
• IT'S FLASHBACK TIME! We're going to "20 Years Earlier" which begs the question, how old are Robin and Guy now? I hope we get ages in the flashback so I know. I can't remember if we ever get them or not.
• They did a great job casting Guy and Isabella's mom and Robin's dad. They really look like they could actually be the parents of these characters. 
• So the hooded stranger reveals that Guy's mom and Robin's dad were having an affair, which Guy already knew about. Robin finds out for the first time, gets angry about it, then realizes it's true and that Guy has known the whole time. 
• Okay, so...what's her name? Ghislaine? Guy's mom is welcoming back crusaders from the Holy Land. So...I'm guessing they returned from the Second Crusade? I'm just trying to keep the timeline straight.
• Alright, so this guy asks her who will be the lord of the manor, she says there won't be a lord, there will be a lady. Season three keeps trying real hard to be feminist and they fell flat on their face with Kate but let's see how this works out. Anyway, Ghislaine wants to be Lady of the manor and remain in charge, presumably until Guy becomes of age (he already seems old enough in my opinion, especially for the Middle Ages), and this guy says that that's ridiculous because she's both a woman and French and that therefore, the lands should be returned to the Lord of Locksley, Robin's father. He also reveals that this village was awarded to her husband, Guy's father, for his services in the Holy Land. What is this village? Is this Locksley? Or is this Gisborne, which was at one point separate from Locksley? Did Guy's father have Locksley and Robin's father have Huntington or whatever? I know nothing about English lands, forgive me. I'm so confused. Robin's father refuses to take back the land from her.
• Little Robin is a little shit. He's harassing teen Guy. And little Robin is messing stuff up by setting that wheel on fire after his father told him not to shoot it. And some guy just got seriously hurt and might be dying and Guy's gonna get blamed because he took the bow and arrow off of Robin.
• Annnnd Robin just pulled the "it wasn't me" card even though it was definitely him and wants to let Guy take the blame even though Guy told him not to do it, tried to stop him, and took the bow and arrow off of him afterward.
• Guy's mom is really good at this medical stuff. I wonder where she learned this. Anyway, Robin comes rushing in to tell his father that they're going to hang Guy and is still too afraid to confess that he did it. Guy's mom stayed behind to help this man and Robin's father (Malcolm?) rushes out to stop the hanging.
• Sir Roger of Gisborne, Guy's father, shows up to stop the hanging and it's revealed that he's alive. This shocks the hell out Guy's mom and Robin's dad who both had received word that he was dead. Apparently he was just captured. Now those two are adulterers. The real question is: did they start the affair before or after they heard that he was dead?
• Annnd Guy's father gets stabbed through the hand and doesn't even flinch. Bad sign. Everyone saw it too. If it seems like I'm taking a lot of notes on this episode, it's because I want to remember everything important to help me form my opinion on it (and for future fanfic writing purposes).
• Back to the present! Adult Robin says he was truly sorry for what happened that night and calls it "a mistake, which I learned from. And it was one that made me a better man." Uhh...that's putting it lightly.
• Flashback again! It's revealed that Robin's mom is dead and probably has been for awhile. Robin confesses to his dad that he shot the arrow. Robin's dad tells him that one day he will be Lord of Locksley. So that village that Ghislaine has must be Gisborne, a separate estate. That eventually became part of Locksley? I'm guessing, since Guy said in season one that there is no Gisborne. So did the villagers of Locksley ever know the full story of Robin and Guy's childhood? I'm so confused. 
• This whole scene is giving me Mufasa and Simba vibes.
• I don't know, man...Robin never really does take responsibility when he does something wrong. He justifies it. I've been watching this show for three seasons and I've rewatched it many times over the years and that's just what he does. His reasonings are always justified to him and he judges everyone else by a different standard. We rarely see him admit he's wrong. Then his dad says that he should never let something terrible happen because he's too afraid to do the right thing. Now this is probably why he became Robin Hood and stopped the hanging of the Locksley Four and why he decided to be an outlaw to help the people and that's all great and fine. But what about the Crusades? Sure, he came home and made a fuss about how he thought they were wrong, but did he try to convince King Richard they were wrong? Did he stop supporting his king? No, he fought like hell to support King Richard, fought with him in the Holy Land until he was injured, even discussed the possibility of going back to war in season two, all after he had already come to the conclusion that the war was morally wrong. Does that sound like not letting something terrible happen because you're too afraid to do the right thing? Sorry, I just have issues with Robin. I love him, but I have issues.
• The hooded stranger keeps repeating to present day Guy and Robin that they "have to know the truth to save a life." I do remember what he means by this, by the way.
• Malcolm and Ghislaine are meeting up in secret in the forest after not seeing each other for awhile. I don't know what her plan is, if she wants to be faithful to her husband or continue this affair. Regardless, Malcolm explains that he knows her husband has leprosy and she obviously knows because she's been taking care of him and trying to keep it a secret so he doesn't get sent away.
• And now we know that she's pregnant and Malcolm is the father. Present day Robin and Guy are both pissed and don't believe him. They think the hooded stranger is the bailiff, who had spied on their parents in the woods. He reveals that they have a brother and they both stay and listen to the story, untied this time.
• Ghislaine says that she can't stay with her husband because he'll know for sure it's not his child. Malcolm suggests declaring his feelings for her publicly and marrying her. If her husband is discovered to be a leper, she can choose to declare herself a widow. If not, she'd likely be banished with him. 
• Malcolm suggests that she have the baby in secret, the baby is raised somewhere else for a short time, then she goes on a pilgrimage and comes back with the baby, claiming it's an orphan and she wants to raise it, and then he'll marry her and they can be a family. Sure...doesn't sound suspicious at all. I bet that happened all the time back then and everyone knew what was really up and gossiped about it. Anyway, she agrees to the stupid plan.
• Roger stayed up and waited for her. He knows. And he's so sweet about it! He doesn't attack her for it or anything. He says he's glad she has someone that will care for her when he's gone. He says he's grateful that she kept his secret and is letting him live out the rest of his days with her and the children and he's sorry that he left her alone to go off to war. It's all so sweet. But of course, it's not a secret. Malcolm knows and because of the stupid plan, now everyone will know. Then Roger says that all he asks is that Malcolm and Ghislaine put their affair on hold until he passes. She looks really broken up about it all, especially because she knows the stupid plan is already in motion, but she warns him that he has to run.
• Was him staying there putting Guy and Isabella at risk of getting leprosy? I don't know anything about it.
• It's the next day and they lead Roger out to an empty grave, which I guess was the custom when banishing lepers? I have no idea. They officially cast him out of the village and they give Ghislaine the option to either go with him or to declare herself a widow. He nods at her to declare and she does, but they're both crying. 
• This is way harsh. Why put him in the grave and make him crawl out? And Malcolm goes to help him climb out, which is just...awkward. Roger asks him to care for his wife and family.
• Guy is pissed at Malcolm because he knows it's his fault and he knows why he did it because he saw them together.
• Robin is such a little shit! He's taunting Guy and saying he won't go in his house because it's a leper's house and Guy loses his shit. Then his mom yells at him for his "behavior" that would make his father "ashamed," but really? Guy's reaction is totally fine and normal. It's Robin that needs discipline and Malcolm sucks as a dad.
• So did Vaisey know? Is that why he always taunted Guy about women with "lepers, Gisborne. Lepers..."
• And now it's revealed to the parents that the bailiff knows. He says that Ghislaine will give him her lands or he'll reveal their secret. Malcolm tells him to draw up the deeds, Ghislaine tries to protest because she wants the lands to pass to Guy, and Malcolm says if they marry on Saturday then her lands will become his and Guy will get Gisborne. Which, of course, we know doesn't happen and is the source of a lot of problems and hatred later on.
• Back to the present! Robin says that they never married, hooded stranger says that they only ever planned to marry but never did and that Guy knew about it. Robin looks like his whole life is a lie because he had no idea about any of this and apparently Guy knew the whole time.
• Back in the past! Guy followed his mom when she went to visit his father in the leper community in the forest. She still loved her husband and was visiting him in secret after she told Guy not to visit him. Guy confronts her, he reveals that he doesn't trust Malcolm's motivations, she defends him and reveals the plan to get married to Malcolm, and she tells Guy that it has to remain a secret until the wedding is over.
• Ghislaine collapsed with labor pains and Guy didn't know what was going on but ran to get help. But she wasn't showing. The baby is born, premature but healthy, even though she wasn't even showing. I know that she was wearing baggy clothes, but damn. I was as big as a boulder throughout my whole third trimester. But okay...I know some people don't show as much as I did and some people go the whole nine months without even knowing they're pregnant, I just don't see how it's possible. 
• Ughhh...the baby is born with an arrow shaped birthmark and she names him Archer. Rolling my eyes.
• Malcolm sends the baby to a safe place until they marry and can do the pilgrimage plan, but of course, things won't go according to plan here.
• Guy goes to visit his father in the leper village and he tells him that "Malcolm Locksley is forcing mother to marry him" and asks him to stop the wedding. Guy's father tells him he can't and won't stop it because his mother needs to remarry and Guy throws a tantrum and calls him a leper. Hmm...where have I seen this before? Every time a character calls their father out for being a coward and encourages them to stand up for themselves more, they get their father killed. That kid Rowan in "Turk Flu," Will, Marian, and Guy all did the same thing.
• Guy's father goes back to the village and little shit Robin tells the whole village that he came back. He was such a little asshole! I get why Guy hates him so much. I would too. Doesn't excuse literally anything that Guy has ever done, but I get why he hates Robin.
• Malcolm goes into the house to find Roger and Guy grabs a torch and starts swinging it at him. Then the whole house catches on fire and Malcolm tells Guy to get his sister and get out of the house. 
• Then Malcolm goes upstairs, finds Ghislaine and Roger together, warns them that the house is on fire, and pulls a sword like a fucking asshole (I see where Robin gets it, both of them are pricks) and tells Roger that he was told to leave the village and not return.
• Roger accuses Malcolm of trying to steal his wife and Malcolm comes back with a taunt about how Roger had abandoned her for years to go on the crusade. Malcolm tries to get Ghislaine to leave but she says she won't leave without both of them. Roger accuses Malcolm of planning to rip apart their marriage since he came back, Malcolm accuses him of risking his family's lives and health and that if he loved them he would've left, and Malcolm reveals that Ghislaine had been visiting him in secret. Then it turns into a full blown swordfight. Then Malcolm reveals that they had a baby and the swordfight grows more intense. 
• Now the stupid bailiff encourages the village to set the house on fire to get rid of the disease, little Robin starts screaming that his father is in there, and in the present, adult Guy says he should've ran into the house to save his mom. Then hooded stranger reveals what really happened. 
• Malcolm accidentally killed Ghislaine when she was trying to stop him from killing Roger, but I'm still not really sure how. He like backhanded her in the face when he went to lift his sword and knocked her on the ground and she hit her head? How did that kill her exactly? Whatever. 
• Anyway, back to the present, Guy is enraged upon finding this out and decides trying to kill Robin because Robin's father accidentally killed his mother is the right call here. 
• Hooded stranger tells Guy that Robin didn't kill Ghislaine and Guy counters that Robin didn't do it, but his father did, and since his father's dead then Robin will pay and the hooded stranger reveals that Robin's father isn't actually dead.
• Back to the past! Roger tells Malcolm to leave, holds his wife in his arms, and dies in the fire with her. Little Robin is freaking out outside and begging Guy to help him do something.
• Back to the present! Adult Robin is pissed that the hooded stranger would claim that his father abandoned him. He says his father would have never left him alone. Uhh...surprise, Robin.
• Dun dun dun...Hooded stranger is Malcolm! And he's got scars from the fire.
• Guy reveals that he's blamed himself for his parents' deaths his whole life because they died in a fire he accidentally started and now he's pissed and wants to kill Malcolm. Robin stops him and Guy says that he deserves to die because he's betrayed them both. Malcolm agrees and says he's felt suicidal for years but neither of the boys are feeling very sympathetic right now.
• Guy asks Malcolm why he came to tell them the whole story now after all this time and he says it's because he needs them to forgive each other so they can save their little brother.
• Back to the past! Guy accuses the bailiff and the townspeople (who all grabbed torches to add to the fire) of killing their parents, but the bailiff says that Guy is the one who started the fire, therefore it's his fault. He tells Guy and Isabella to go back to where they came from and that news of their father's "shame" won't have reached France yet. The bailiff says they aren't welcome anywhere near his lands. The guy that Ghislaine saved (the priest?) says that they aren't his lands at all as he's not a noble, but they are Robin's lands now. So what was once Gisborne will become part of Robin's estate. So...where exactly is Gisborne? What exactly is Gisborne? Where are these lands? Have we seen them? Is it just a neighboring village to Locksley or part of Locksley or a separate village? Was Locksley the same village? I wish I understood what was happening. I mean...I don't know what Huntington is either, but apparently Robin owned that too. And apparently he owned Bonchurch too since he was able to grant it to Much. So is Gisborne like another Bonchurch? Is Gisborne Bonchurch? I am just so frickin confused right now.
• Little Robin runs to his mother's grave where he spoke to his father earlier and remembers his father's words and decides to stand up for himself. The village and the priest all stand behind Robin's claims to both his father's and Guy's father's lands so Robin got to keep them. And Guy and Isabella got nothing. Which is crap. If Robin was old enough to inherit his father's lands then Guy was definitely old enough to inherit his father's lands. Why would the people only rally behind Robin's claim but not Guy's? I can kind of see why Guy never really had much love for the people. This does NOT excuse ANYTHING he has ever done because he is an awful person who hurt a lot of people who had nothing to do with any of it. I'm just saying, I understand why Guy had a lot of anger toward everyone.
• Back to the present! Robin says the story makes no difference because he can never forgive Guy since he showed no remorse for killing Marian, to which Guy says he has no idea what he's talking about. Robin says that Guy worked and killed for the sheriff for years, to which Guy counters that he would still be living under the sheriff's power if it weren't for him. Robin is confused and then it hits him that Guy is the one who killed the sheriff. Then Guy says that he intends to kill the new one too. And all Malcolm has to say to that is that they have to save Archer first. 
• Let's think about that for a moment. Guy says he wants to kill Isabella and Malcolm is like "okay, cool, but save Archer first." Malcolm wants to mend the rift between Robin and Guy, he wants them to save Archer, but he's just A-okay with letting Ghislaine's two kids kill each other. No effort on his part to mend anything between Guy and Isabella. He's totally okay with the woman who was almost his step-daughter being killed by the man who was almost his step-son. Just as long as his bio-kids are okay. What. A. Piece. Of. Shit. Malcolm hasn't changed or learned a damn thing. He gets no sympathy from me.
• So Malcolm has been trying to find Archer for years to tell him the truth and finally found him. He's in York jail and has been sentenced to hang. He tells Robin that he's dying and too sick to help Archer so he needs Robin and Guy to save him. 
• LMAO! "Look, I really have no desire to see you again." Great line from Guy. Love it.
• Robin and Guy wake up from their second attack from the tranquilizer and surprisingly, Guy is the one who brings up going to York first. Now the boys are off on a mission together!

Final Thoughts

Well...what can I say? I don't much care for this whole storyline. It's a hot mess. And I have more questions now than answers.

1. Where was Marian? She would have been born already, I assume. I always thought she was either around the same age as Robin or a bit younger. Maybe a toddler or small child? Was she just at Knighton or Nottingham (if her father was sheriff then)? I wish we could've seen her. Did she know Guy and Isabella as children too? We never got any indication that she did or that they knew her as children, but then again, we never really got any indication that Robin and Guy knew each other as children either.

2. Where was Much? I always thought that he'd been around the whole time and grew up with Robin. Not necessarily from birth, but from childhood. Maybe they reveal it in the next episode and I've forgotten, but did he know that Robin and Guy knew each other as children? I can't imagine that Much wouldn't have known this. And I also can't imagine that if Much did know that he'd be able to keep it a secret. And I can't imagine that Robin wouldn't have told him. This doesn't make sense.

3. Where was the Gisborne estate? What was the Gisborne estate? What ever happened to it? Why have we never seen it? Or have we seen it? Someone please explain. Did Guy ever get control of it again?

4. So...how old are they? I don't think they gave us ages. Guy looked to be about 13 or 14, certainly old enough to inherit lands in the 1100s. Which would put him at about 33-34 in the present day. Robin and Isabella both looked to be in the 8-11 range, putting them between 28-31 in the present day. If I had to guess. Are their ages ever actually revealed to us? And of course, that puts Archer at 20, even though he looks older than that when we eventually see him.

5. How many people supposedly knew that Robin and Guy knew each other as children if it wasn't a secret? I wanna watch the next episode to see Much's and John's reactions to this. Even if Much wasn't around yet, John had been in Locksley for years and certainly would've known Malcolm. 

6. How last minute was this storyline thrown together? Why couldn't they at least have put in something where Robin mentions knowing that Guy had a sister already when we first meet Isabella? Unless we're really meant to think that he forgot about her. 

7. Was this whole storyline for the purpose of introducing Archer in the hopes that the show would get picked up for a fourth season and he could be the star because Jonas Armstrong wanted to leave? Or was it for the sake of pushing Guy firmly into "good guy" territory and having him end up on the same side as Robin at the end because he's a fan favorite and they had to wrap up his redemption arc quickly?

I'm just so confused. This storyline wouldn't have been bad if they had started the show with the intention to do this and had left us with little bits of foreshadowing leading up to it but we barely got anything and it's obvious that it wasn't planned. It seems so thrown together last minute in the last few episodes of the show for no apparent reason.

Season three in general just kind of has trashy romance novel/medieval soap opera vibes. It has a totally different feel to it than the first two seasons. Especially the last episode and this one.