The Sheriff awakens from a nightmare about Robin Hood to find he has sleepwalked right into Sherwood Forest. Prince John's messenger, Jasper, arrives in Nottingham just as Gisborne discovers the Sheriff has gone missing.
- Jasper: You know the deal. Anything happens to the Sheriff, Prince John sends an army to raze Nottingham to the ground.Gisborne: Yes, but we don’t know if anything has happened to the Sheriff.Jasper: Yeah, but he’s not here! That’s all I need to know. The troops will be here by sunset. I’ve already sent the signal. Nottingham is about to be flattened!
Following an altercation with a mugger, the Sheriff aims to find Nottingham, but soon realises he is lost. Gisborne orders Allan to start a search. The Sheriff comes across a woman, Ceris, and her three children, who are planning to scam Robin Hood. At the castle, Marian suggests to Gisborne that he ask Robin Hood for help.
- Gisborne: We do not deal with outlaws!Marian: This could be our only hope. If I could get a message to him, if I could bring him here to the ca— [Gisborne turns to face her, she trails off] ...to the castle.Gisborne: You could bring Hood here, to the castle?Marian: I think so. Look, he will not want Nottingham razed to the ground, same as you.Gisborne: Very well. Do it.
At the camp, Allan tells Robin and the outlaws of the situation; despite Little John's reservations, Robin makes for Nottingham. Robin splits the outlaws up, telling John and Djaq to check the forest, Will to look in the town, and Much to come with him. Robin tells Much of his engagement to Marian. The Sheriff has teamed up with Ceris and starts planning to retrieve the Great Pact of Nottingham from Hood's camp by posing as a dying family. Elsewhere, John refuses to look for the Sheriff, as the poor come first. When John and Djaq come across the Sheriff and the rest of the "family", they are completely taken in.
At the castle, Marian refuses to run when Gisborne offers her the opportunity to get away. Allan tries - and fails - to reconcile with Will. Prince John's army is still approaching. Little John and Djaq decide they have to take the needy family to the camp, blindfolded. Jasper tells Gisborne that as a Black Knight, his life will be spared; however, he may only take Marian with him if he has married her by sundown. Allan and the castle guards begin arming everybody able to fight as the army prepares to destroy Nottingham; Allan and Will temporarily reconcile.
In the forest, Robin and Much are on the Sheriff's trail; coming across a man who earlier traded his clothes for the Sheriff's as part of his disguise, who said the Sheriff was looking for "important documents" in the forest, they realise the Sheriff is headed for the camp. Gisborne offers a rushed marriage to Marian, but she refuses to leave. At the camp, the Sheriff reveals his true identity, and Ceris' children knock Little John out. At the moment the Sheriff finds the Pact, though, Robin, Much and Djaq arrive.
- Sheriff: You can’t touch me, Hood, hm? Not unless you want your beloved, stinking, poor, whinging paupers to burn.Robin: Nobody's burning anything.Sheriff: Oh, you have to get me back to Nottingham by... sunset? And there’s nothing you can do about it![The Sheriff turns around and walks directly into Little John, who has been cut free by Djaq, and is punched out instantly]Little John: Confused, he will be.
As Robin rushes back with the comatose Sheriff, Gisborne walks out of the Nottingham gate, facing Jasper and the Prince's army.
- Jasper: And the woman, Marian, is she leaving with you?Gisborne: She will not abandon Nottingham.Jasper [chuckling]: Imbecile.Gisborne: And without her, my world may as well turn to ash.[He turns around and re-enters Nottingham]
As Gisborne returns, the townspeople are called to arms. As the troops pour into Nottingham, Gisborne reiterates his marriage proposal to Marian, as they can "steal that from them at least". At that moment, however, Robin drops the Sheriff off at Nottingham; Jasper and the troops stand down. The Sheriff initially plans to let Robin go, before realizing he does not, after all, have the Pact. Back at the camp, Little John apologizes for going against Robin's orders, whilst the others debate whether or not the Sheriff was really sleepwalking.
Tropes
- Everyone Has Standards: Whatever else can be said about him, despite the fact he himself will be spared, Gisborne really doesn't want everyone in Nottingham to be massacred if he can possibly avoid it.
- No Name Given: Downplayed; Ceris' name is never stated, and is only given in the end credits.
- Race Against the Clock: The Sheriff must be found by sundown or Nottingham will be destroyed.
- Rejected Marriage Proposal: Guy proposes to Marian in the attempt to save her life, knowing that allies of Prince John will be allowed to leave Nottingham safely. She doesn't take the offer.
- Suspiciously Small Army: The cameramen and editors try their level best, but all the camera tricks in the world can't hide the fact that Prince John's army is comprised of about twelve men on horseback. They do better when they can suggest an army from a great distance: the clouds of dust appear over a hill, or the lit torches held by the soldiers when the sun goes down (easily rendered with some CGI).
- Villain Episode: This episode is predominantly told from Team Castle's point of view; the outlaws don't show up at all until a good eight minutes in, and only get involved in the plot when Gisborne agrees to ask them for help in finding the Sheriff.
