The Royal Keeper of the Keys and Robin's former mentor, Lord Sheridan announces that King Richard has been killed in battle. Prince John orders a hasty coronation at Nottingham and forces the Archbishop to preside over it. Can Robin unveil a hidden secret before John is crowned King? Meanwhile, Isabella tries to capture Guy.
Tropes
- Aborted Arc: After this episode, Allan shows no further romantic interest in Kate, despite some lengthy setup earlier in the season. Doubles as Ship Sinking.
- Always Second Best: Prince John makes it very clear that this is how he feels about his brother Richard while looking down at his fake corpse.
- Blaming the Victim: Guy tells Isabella that her unhappiness in marriage is her own fault, though it’s been established she was only thirteen-years-old when he married her off to a man who (when he finally turns up in the next episode) is clearly a dangerous sociopath.
- Broken Pedestal: Sheridan, the man that trained Robin, eventually turns against King Richard out of resentment at being put out to pasture.
- Chained to a Bed: Guy. By his sister. Who then refers to him as "a present for Prince John."
- Chekhov's Gun: In the first scene, Allan is using a mirror to shine a light into Much's eyes as he practices sword-fighting with Robin. In the climactic scene this idea is readapted when the outlaws use polished shields to dazzle light into the congregation and make them believe King Richard has returned.
- Complaining About Rescues They Don't Like: Kate’s annoyance at Allan for trying to rescue her from Sheridan is perhaps justified since it gave away the fact she was deliberately distracting him, but later she outright yells at Much for saving her while Sheridan had a knife held to her throat and no visible means of escape.
- Cool Crown: The MacGuffin of the episode, one that Prince John holds in reverence.
- Crocodile Tears: Prince John puts on a display of these when the coffin of his late brother is brought before him.
- Death Faked for You: A variation in that King Richard's death is faked without his knowledge or permission, and for the sole purpose of stealing his throne.
- Department of Redundancy Department: The locational subtitles are usually this at the best of times, but this episode feels the need to inform the audience the characters are at Kirklees Abbey twice, in scenes that take place directly one after the other.
- Dirty Coward: Prince John has no qualms about hiding behind a woman and cowering on the ground when Robin Hood takes aim at him.
- Dirty Harriet: Kate does this in a seedy pub, acting as a drunken tavern wench in order to distract a man that the outlaws want to rob.
- Dirty Old Man: Sheridan's interactions with Isabella and Kate are incredibly slimy and lecherous.
- Foreshadowing: Isabella here demonstrates knowledge of poisons and potions, which will come back into play in the Grand Finale.
- The Glomp: When Robin arrives back at camp after retrieving the crown, Kate throws herself into his arms.
- Hand Gagging: Sheridan clamps his hand over Kate's mouth when he takes her hostage.
- Holy Ground: On seeing outlaws and guards getting ready to fight, the Cardinal insists that blood not be spilled in Kirklees Abbey.
- I Kiss Your Hand: Sheridan does this to Isabella. The gesture is not appreciated, especially when he moves in to kiss her cheeks directly afterwards.
- In the Back: Robin shoots two lackeys in the back this episode — a guard outside Kirklees Abbey and a prison jailer.
- Instant Sedation: Isabella dabs some valerian onto a cut on Guy's hand and he almost immediately passes out as it enters his bloodstream.
- Laser Hallway: Not actual lasers - even this show isn't that bad - but this episode features a hallway of ropes that, if disturbed, set off hidden crossbows.
- Loophole Abuse: On seeing the outlaws draw their swords to fight the Nottingham guards, the Cardinal cries out that they cannot shed blood in the house of God. The outlaws obediently sheathe their swords, and begin to fist-fight instead.
- MacGuffin: King Richard's crown, without which Prince John cannot be crowned king.
- MacGuffin Melee: The climax of the episode sees outlaws and soldiers alike scrambling for King Richard's crown.
- Oblivious to Love: Kate's crush on Robin is obvious to all and sundry by the end of this episode... except to Robin himself.
- Out-of-Character Moment: Allan walks in on Kate playing the part of a lusty tavern wench with Sheridan and jumps to the conclusion that she’s in trouble. As the gang’s resident con-artist, you’d expect him to pretend to be an overprotective brother or tavern worker (or, you know, just remember it’s all a set-up) but instead he inexplicably yells: “this isn’t part of the plan!” Sheridan is instantly aware that he’s being conned, and the whole operation is ruined.
- Protagonist-Centered Morality: In the cold open, Sheridan stabs a man In the Back after he's completed his work on a wax sculpture of King Richard, thereby telegraphing his villainy. Across the course of the episode, Robin cold-bloodedly kills two men — a guard at Kirklees and a prison warden — by shooting them In the Back, which isn't questioned or dwelt on at all.
- Psychological Projection: Guy tells his sister her unhappiness with her marriage is her own fault. This isn’t a particularly fair thing to say to a woman who has been trapped in an abusive marriage since she was thirteen, and is clearly Guy projecting his own self-loathing onto her.
- Remember the New Guy?: Sheridan apparently trained Robin in warfare, suggesting a significant relationship, but he's never been seen or mentioned before.
- Villain Has a Point: In one scene, Sheridan defends his decision to back Prince John by telling Robin: "if [King Richard] cared about the country, he'd be here."
- The Voiceless: Isabella has a female attendant in this episode, who appears in several scenes and reacts to events around her, but never utters a word.
- Worthy Opponent: The reason Sheridan doesn't have Robin killed outright, but transported to Hull to be put on the nearest ship.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: The moment the artisan has completed the wax figure of King Richard, Sheridan stabs him in the back.
