Robin Hood 111: "Dead Man Walking"

In which Gisbourne ups his tax collecting, the Sheriff organizes a Festival, and a family secret is revealed.

Taxes, taxes and more taxes! And if you can't pay? Arrested! The excuse this time is "the King's levy", money to help pay for the war in the Holy Land. Unfortunately while pressing a cooper in Locksely for his taxes, Gisbourne's men happen upon a couple of Saracen war bows he's made for Robin's men... His arrest is made worse by their taking his apprentice as well, who turns out to be John's son! Of course John loses it, tries to free them, and ends up a prisoner himself!

Spoilers below

Robin Hood 110: "Peace? Off!"

In which Robin and his men help out a returning Crusader, and find themlseves embroiled in some international diplomacy and spy-craft.

There's a lot going on here, and at the same time nothing much to move the overall seasonal plot forward: PTSD. Superstitions (fears of Saracen "witchcraft"). Discussions of magic vs science. Kidnapping. Assassination attempts. International diplomacy...

Spoilers below!

Robin Hood 109: "A Thing or Two About Loyalty"

In which Robin must foil the Sheriff's plans to get his hands on a weapon of mass destruction.

This one's pretty straightforward: a friend of Gisbourne's has invented a black explosive powder (gunpowder!), which everyone is calling "Greek Fire" (because at the time gunpowder was still exclusive to the far East, and the only scary explosive Western man had witnessed was the Byzantines Greek Fire in the Eastern Mediterranean).

Boom!

Spoilers below!

Robin Hood 108: "Tattoo? What Tattoo?"

In which Robin spends a lot of time tied to a tree, and discovers the identity of a would-be royal assassin.

Robin awakes from yet another nightmare about his time in the Holy Land. This time the night a saracen assassin infiltrated the camp, stabbed him and left him for dead and went to kill the King. Robin managed to foil the attempt and in so doing sliced through a tattoo on the assassin's arm, leaving a distinct scar.

It so happens it's the King's birthday, and Much finds it galling that Gisbourne is throwing a feast in Locksley Manor! At said party he also announces to all that Marian has accepted to be his wife on the King's return.

Spoilers below!

Robin Hood 107: "Brothers in Arms"

In which the Gisbourne sets a trap for a spy in Nottingham Castle, a family member causes trouble, Marian kicks ass, an offer of marriage is made and a snake gets his comeuppance.

Two new characters move along the action in this episode, together with the Sheriff and Gisbourne's usual plotting to catch Robin: 

Carpetbagger Lucky George

• Lucky George, a slithery character in league with the Sheriff who visits villages ahead of the Taxman and offers the villagers pennies in exchange for their valuables, so they'll have cash to pay their taxes. Valuables Robin and his men of course later relieve him of (and return to their owners) as he passes through Sherwood.
• Tom, Allan's brother, a no-good conman and thief who starts off the episode trying to defend himself from angry villagers by claiming he's one of Robin's men and Robin will defend him (this to Robin's face, so rather amusing scene for all involved, except Tom).

Suspecting there's a spy in Nottingham helping Robin, the Sheriff orders Gisbourne to set a trap to flush out the spy (misleading information about a chest of silver traveling through the forest with no guards, told only to his sergeant so he could set it up).

Spoilers below!

Robin Hood 106: "The Taxman Cometh"

In which the Sheriff sets yet another trap for Robin, but gets more than he bargained for.

This story appears to be all original, although it does involve stealing of taxes and continues to play with disguises and trickery and people who are not what they seem in order to trick either Robin or the Sheriff.

Appearances can be doubly deceiving...

That and Gisbourne doesn't let up on his wooing of Marian.

Spoilers below!

Robin Hood 105: "Turk Flu"

In which miners strike, slaves are brought in to replace them, Robin attends an archery competition and the gang gets a new member.

It's time for one of Robin Hood's most famous adventures: the archery competition! Which as we all remember is usually a trap concocted by the Sheriff for Robin, whom he knows can't help but show up and win it. Various versions have involved various more or less elaborate disguises and daring escapes, this one of course does the same.

Instead of doing a traditional take on the competition, here it was incorporated in a more elaborate scheme to once again foil Gisbourne and the Sheriff, involving an iron ore mine, slaves and a good dose of prejudice and superstition. Plus some well-applied Saracen science. 😉

Spoilers below!

Robin Hood 104: "Parent Hood"

In which Robin and co. find a babe in the woods, and lose one of their own.

"For every man there is a purpose which he sets up in his life. Let yours be the doing of all good deeds."

Robin quoting the Coran to his men.

This is the episode where the series creators want to show us that not everyone is safe, that characters we care about can and will die.

But before we get to that (and after they find the babe in the woods), Robin continues to be a show-off when he tries to help Marian get food into a quarantined village (that the Sheriff wants to starve so he can use it as accommodation for his troops). Instead of just tossing the food over the wall he shoots it over with arrows grinning as the villagers yell "Bless you Robin Hood"!

Spoilers below!