Robin Hood comes to Storybrooke

WARNING! Contains plenty of spoilers for Season 3B of Once Upon a Time which splits the action between Storybrooke (a year after the action in episode 3.11) and the Enchanted Forest (immediately after episode 3.11). In it we get to more of Robin Hood in the Enchanted Forest, and find out how he (and the Merry Men) ends up in Storybrooke and what his life is like there.

At the end of season 3A (Neverland arc), Regina was forced to undo the original curse that sent everyone to Storybrooke, resulting in all its inhabitants returning to the Enchanted Forest (except for Emma and Henry, let behind). While traveling through the woods on their way to Regina (a.k.a. the Evil Queen)'s castle, they run into Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men who help them when a flying monkey attacks.

"- Robin. Robin of Lockley. And these are a few of my Merry Men. 

- Snow White. 

- At last we finally meet! You know there was a time when our faces graced Wanted posters side by side." 

Robin meets Snow White and Regina

Delightful shudder as we realize Regina has finally met her true love! (as shown to her by Tinkerbell in s03e02 "Quite a Common Fairy") Of course neither one of them knows it... and they definitely don't hit it off to start with! :o)

Robin helping Regina

It seems that the Enchanted Forest is now being terrorized by the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West who has it in for Regina (family issues). She sends one of her flying monkeys after her, and it almost captures Roland, Robin's son, but Regina saves him. A result of which is that Robin realizes she's not all that bad and decides to follow her when she sneaks into her Castle to break the barrier spell so that Snow White and Prince Charming can lead their army in to defeat the Wicked Witch of the West (don't ask!). He says he owes her for saving Roland se he's determined to help her. Ensue witty banter between the two and some shared moments by sharing tales of loss (Robin talks of Marian, Regina of Henry).

In Storybrooke the townspeople are all shocked and scared to find themselves back in Storybrooke with no memory of how they got there (except that it was through another curse obviously), or what happened during the year they were away. In fact they only know it was a year because Snow is pregnant! Oh, and when Emma shows up to help them (called upon by Hook and with a memory jogged by a potion) she tells them she's been living with Henry in NY for a year. So now the mystery is how did they get back to Storybrooke? Who cursed them? What happened during that forgotten year in the Enchanted Forest? Oh, and why are townspeople disappearing all of the sudden?

With this new curse Storybrooke appears to have gained a few new inhabitants, including Robin and his Merry Men who find themselves trying to adapt to this "modern" world only to end up fighting off flying monkeys and watching as Little John gets turned into one! So it appears that the missing townsfolk all are all now flying monkeys. Oh my! The Wicked Witch is in town too, just not so green as before.

Merry Men in Storybrooke

In episode 3.15 "Quiet Minds" Robin and Regina "meet" for the first time, again! She's out inspecting the Wicked Witch's possible hideout, looking for clues, and he shoots an arrow at her!

"Robin: Apologies m'lady, I thought you were the Wicked Witch! 

Regina: And I thought you were a flying monkey. 

- I do hope my mistake hasn't cost me my head, your majesty. 

- So you know who I am. 

- Your reputation in the Enchanted Forest precedes you. 

- I didn't catch your name. 

- Robin of Locksley, at your service. 

- A thief. 

- Well, as we're tossing labels around, aren't you technically known as the Evil Queen? 

- I prefer Regina."

As they realize they're both looking for clues about the Witch...

"Robin: You've got yourself a partner. 

Regina: I don't remember asking for one 

- You didn't. 

- Have we met before? 

- I doubt I'd ever forget meeting you. Unless of course it during that pesky year no one can recall..."

They have a nice little romantic moment...  and then she sees his lion tattoo as he's offering her a drink and remembers Tinkerbell's spell to show her her new true love. She rushes away as fast as she can. But at the end of the episode she watches him playing with Roland in the woods and has an odd look on her face... there might be hope for her yet!



The rest of the season deals with the inhabitants of Storybrooke / the Enchanted Forest dealing with the Wicked Witch of the West (yes, from Oz! Turns out she's Regina's green with envy half sister), but for what interests us here, it's also about Regina learning to recognise the good things that are standing right in front of her, and learning to open up and trust Robin, resulting in her literally giving him her heart!

"You can't steal something that's been given to you"

So we have an interesting love story developing between Robin Hood and the Evil Queen...

Enjoying a second chance in ep. 3.21 "Snow Drifts"

Pity it's not smooth sailing for them. A shockwave hits the relationship in the final minutes of the season finale!

Straight from Sherwood:

• Robin Hood
• Little John -> becomes a flying monkey!
• Friar Tuck
• Merry Men
• mention of Maid Marian and her sad fate (but no details)