Robin Hood 2.08 - Get Carter

[kat_lair]

Wooo, knives! He kills people for fun. Fun and money. And because he looks ridiculously hot when doing it, clearly. Well, the Sheriff seems to think so.

“Why don’t you ever kiss my ring?” *chokes* AHAHAHAA, OMG!!! I can’t believe they got away with that!!! KEITH ALLEN, ILU.

Marian clearly slept in the day they were doing the camouflage lessions, because wtf, why is she wearing a turquoise top that is going to stick out like a sore thumb?

Much in action is so stupidly hot once more. It makes me very happy. In my pants.

Carter killing guards (seriously, this must be the most high-risk occupation in all of Nottingham – how are they recruiting more men when the chances of getting killed by our own employer are even higher than getting killed by Robin Hood?) is omg so hot. Yes, I’m going to be very shallow about him. Mainly because I can’t find any depth to his character at all. Haha the other outlaws are fanboying Carter something hardcore.  Aaaand Robin was totally watching him walk away, there.

It’s not exactly domestic bliss for Robin and Marian, is it? Although there seems to be a serious trend of some rope-play showing up…

Much being suspicious is cool… I like him being all smart and confident. It was about time writers stopped using him as an easy comic relief. 

Sheriff is so bastardly. Toying with Guy’s feelings... He seems very invested in making sure Guy stops pining after Marian (though I’m pretty sure her legs are much better than the Sheriff’s…. um. Bad mental place.)

“I’ll give you a kiss… If Hood is dead, I’ll give you two!” haha, they are totally upping the subtext between these two. \o/

Djaq is all aaaawkward getting stuck in the middle of Robin and Marian’s little spat.

Yay for John being paternal. Awwwww…. I loved that scene between him and Marian. I think the two of them could really become good friends. 

Ooooh! Carter is taking them out one by one. Nice, if obvious, horror movie camera work there, complete with suspenseful music.

Haha Carter tied Will and Djaq together. And interestingly, Much and Marian too. And he assumes it’s Much, not Marian Robin worries about. “Your little sidekick from the Holy Land.” And the glance that give Robin’s weakness away is for both Much and Marian. I love the parallels drawn between the two and their respective relationships with Robin.

Sigh. I see what they tried to do with Marian’s sudden thirst for violence, but it just doesn’t work for me… It feels too artificial and unlike last episode, I’m not identifying with Marian’s feelings at all.

“Why don’t you go cook?”
“What, because I’m a woman?
“No because I’m hungry!”
Wtf, has Marian taken over Much’s cooking duties now?

Ooooh Allan, being roughed up by Guy again and pretending he doesn’t like it.

That is one stupidly weak knot Robin is tying there. No way is Carter going to stay put…

Notice Will with a baby in the background. Someone give that man more babies to cuddle!

I’m not sure Robin is the right person to talk Carter out of his sociopathy, because okay, Robin isn’t going around killing people in cold-blood, but he’s not exactly the most balanced person either when it comes to war trauma. Just remember that incident with Gisbourne and a hot poker last season.

Allan! Of course Allan is helping Marian, he’s completely her bitch now. Except when he’s Guy’s bitch. Or Robin’s. Or… Hold on, is there anyone here, whose bitch Allan isn’t? God, when did that man turn into such a needy sub?

Haha but he’s still clearly hardcore enough to attack nuns! It’s probably wrong that I found that scene hugely amusing.

*smacks Robin* I told you so, you moron. World’s worst knot! Of course Carter escaped that. Jesus, someone give this boy some tips in tying people up.

Every time Much draws a sword out, I get a little shiver. Oh Much, why aren’t the village girls flocking to you like bees to honey, I will never understand.

Come up with some new names, writers, honestly! Everyone’s brother is called Thomas, for fuck’s sake.

Yay for sword fighting and yay for Robin getting his ass kicked, and um, for Robin getting held in a headlock (what, it’s a good look on him, don’t tell me you don’t agree)

I’m mainly focussing on the pretty in this scene, because omg, the acting is so second grade it hurts my soul a little bit. And that hugging and crying is just not convincing at all, leaves me cold.

“Do as you’re told!” I sort of wanted Guy to smack Allan around a bit. But then that’s nothing new.

Did Robin just wink at Much?? He really, really did! \o/

God this story of Carter and Thomas is not stirring one genuine feeling *sighs*

“That doesn’t concern you.” Much you are so fucking hot when you’re assertive. Pls to be ordering people around more, m’kay?

 

And then… *explodes with JOY! PURE, UNADULTERATED JOY*

Okay, I’m a bit hazy on the exact dialogue here, because I was riveted to the screen, too busy squeeing to actually type up verbatim notes.

Much: “You never held me like you held him […]You never listened to my story.”
Robin: “I was there. Your story is my story.”

Much: “You never listen to me.”
Robin: “That’s not true.”
Much: “I said I recognised him from the Holy Land. You didn’t believe me […] Anything Marian says, you listen to.”

Robin: “Stop. Old friend, you have a special place in my heart.”

Robin: “Do I need to say it?”
Much: “No. No you don’t.”

YES YES, FUCK IT, YOU REALLY NEED TO SAY IT!!! OMG BE STILL MY MUCH/ROBIN FANGIRL HEART! I want this clip on youtube yesterday!

THANK YOU GODDESS OF SLASHERS FOR GIVING US THE FIRST GENUINE MUCH/ROBIN SCENE OF THE SEASON! \o/\o/\o/

Right, right, I’m going to talk about this more later. On with the rest of the episode first.

 

Oh Robin you cannot believe her! Marian is so obviously insincere about staying in the camp that an infant wouldn’t believe her.

Seriously, how stupid are the guards. Every time Robin’s men just walk in with just their hoods over their heads and no one recognises them. Surely there should be like medieval versions of mugshots being circulated? 

Much’s face when they have to leave Robin in the Sheriff’s room… *bakes hundred of cookies to feed him*

“Come home to me.”  God, Guy’s emoting is a bit OTT here, but otherwise the scenes between him and Marian continue to be more interesting than anything going on between her and Robin. 

Oooh, fake (???) kissing! \o/

Robin: “Kneel!”
Sheriff: “Make me!”
Robin: *knees Sheriff in the groin*
Hee!!

Oh Marian, you cocktease! I bet Guy is going to go and take all his frustrations out on Allan now… 

The fight scenes are exhilarating. Carter’s acting less so. 

Wtf, hand holding? *gags*

Next time: A Jester! The actor’s name deserts me completely (help me out?), but omg yes!” And for fuck’s sake, no marriage proposals, please.

 

***

 

Okay, okay., I’m going to have to talk about that Much/Robin scene some more. Warning for rambly second rate meta.

Firstly, let me just get this out of my system: ajkgalkghawraksdsfadsfjlkdfjk THEIR LOVE IS SO TRUE OMG.

*deep breaths*

This season has been seriously devoid of any meaningful Much/Robin interaction. Much has been used a comic relief in almost every episode and I don’t think anyone in the entire fandom (slasher or not) has found that nearly as amusing as writers though it would be. For this reason I’m overjoyed to see this new confident Much, who takes charge and talks back.

The extra glimpses into his and Robin’s experiences during the war are absolutely fascinating (and whet my appetite for more Holy Land fic). Much is clearly not over it and neither is Robin, because how can you ever be. Robin is right, something like that changes you, but I think it’s a testament to Much’s character, that out of all of them, he’s perhaps least changed by the experience. It takes something extraordinary to go though that and to come out with such purity of heart.  

Still, it’s clear that neither of them has had time to really process their experiences during the war. There was no time; they were practically thrown from one battle to another straightaway. And the fact that Much realises that maybe they need to take the time to talk about it… I think it’s not so much that he himself needs to talk about things, but that he wants Robin to do it. I don’t think Much has forgotten how out of control Robin got with Guy last season, and that happening again if the right trigger is pushed is not out of the question.

I loved how Much openly challenged Robin’s protestation to his “you never listen to me” because everything he said is true; Robin does dismiss Much too easily. And it’s really, really interesting how Much draw Marian into the argument. It wasn’t petty jealousy either, but a valid point. And not something Robin denied.

Still… When Robin asked if he needed to say it, I really wanted Much to say yes, to not give Robin the easy way out. Much carries his heart on his sleeve every fucking day when it comes to his feelings for Robin. Robin hides his behind jokes and slaps on the back and “but you know what you mean to me”.

And as for my own heart… It’s breaking ever so slowly, because slash-goggles aside, I don’t think Robin’s love for Much is quite the same or as all-consuming as his for Robin. Much would lay down his life for Robin, no hesitation and no regrets.

And at the end of the day, I’m afraid that’s exactly how it will go down for them two.