Deleted Scene #1

 

Gisburne’s Speech to Micel

 

 

Gisburne’s hatred of the Hood extends beyond their shared history to fundamental philosophy; Hood cares nothing for those around him, and they love him all the more for it, and Gisburne – to whom duty is paramount – despises him for it. This short excision, from Chapter V, has Gisburne excoriating Hood to the impressionable Micel.

 

 

GISBURNE CUT HIM off. “King Richard buggered off to the Holy Land with three quarters of your wage and left his brother to take the blame for the mess he had left! You speak of things you do not understand, boy. Prince John had not the power to raise such taxes.”

“But...”

Gisburne leaned suddenly towards him again. The boy backed away. “Do you want to know the worst crime? They have stolen men’s hopes. Tricked them into acts of loyalty, and made dishonest use of the belief that the world can be made better. And what will they do with that? Why, whatever they see fit. And we – fools that we are – will praise them to the skies as they rifle our pockets, and call them heroes, and sing songs in their honour. Die for them, even. And afterwards, they will pick our bodies of whatever meat is left. Hood is a cold-blooded murderer. Richard, too. I have seen the best of men die at their hands – yes, and women and children too. These are the men you hero-worship, boy. If, after that, you still wish to follow their example, then that’s your God-given choice. Just don’t let yourself believe you’re doing your fellow Englishmen a service.”