Guy and Marian. He kills her. It sucks boulders. Feel the grief. Who hates Guy for doing this? I don't, but I should because he was a total pill about it. The Armitage weaves his crazy magic and makes it better. For the Armitage as well, I'm sure.
So, Guy loves Marian in his inimitable and dangerously dorky way (fatal attraction, perhaps?) and then, as she's trying to defend the King, she gets all spacey and in sudden rapture exclaims her triumphant and undying love for the weedy Robin. After leading Guy on for years. She stabs Guy in the heart with her words, and betrays Guy on such a massive scale in one fell swoop, when he has never betrayed her, that I can imagine he got a tad confused.
Guy doesn't take it well. Actually Guy lunges straight forward, it seems, and immediately drives his sword into her. Or she falls on it. Some think it was a final, erotically charged Freudian sexual thrust (find me that person and bring me their head!), the culmination (er, climax) of their raggedy, complicated relationship. Yeah, well, isn't that the easy peasy analysis? Not terribly novel or genius, in my opinion. Although I think the Armitage's interpretation and execution was. I stress, it was. Pure. Genius.I would rather die then marry you. I'm going to marry Robin Hood, I love Robin Hood.
Richard Armitage has stated that Guy's intention was to embrace Marian, but that his sword got in the way. This has thematic parallels to their relationship development through the series. http://robinhood.wikia.com/wiki/We_Are_Robin_Hood!
And, to my surprise, that is exactly what I saw on the screen.
Who lunges forward with deathly intent, to kill, with arms akimbo? Shouldn't he have been an unequivocal impaler? I remain shocked and amazed and fanning my face. Just the thought of such an original resolution to a dreadful, shallow, nasty, capricious shockarama from the brain dull Powers That Be called the 'creative team'...oh my! Genius, I tell you!*
*The Armitage tries to relate that acting choice on the DVD commentary. He gets as far as saying, "I didn't sleep for a week", but gets drowned out by the jolly crowd, something that happened consistently across the commentaries.
Follow the confetti to the rest of the FanstRAvaganza sites.
Tomorrow: I'm A Believer
Screencaps courtesy of the ever fabulous RichardArmitageNet.com
Gorgeous side banner by bccmee.
It's been a while since I watched and I confess I didn't notice his arm position - I just remember Marian goading him to the point of cruelty. A crime of passion is what I thought.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree with you, Richard and Mulubinba. Guy committed a crime passional while in a state of fugue. It was entirely accidental. (the actor should know, after all...)
ReplyDeletefitzg
I was always a fan of Marian and yes, she did use Guy and betray him....but Guy was the bad guy. Everyone is different, but my opinion is that it was a crime of passion. For a brief second Guy lost his wits and hurt the one he loved. I have read where Guy fans claim Marian deserved it..and so on...but in reality (coming from someone who has lost TWO real-life friends to "crime of passion") it is sick and unjustifiable. In reality, I would have never forgave Guy, no matter how cute he was or how sorry he felt. But this is BBC, so I forgave, especially after the audio book, The Witchfinders. I understand, but it doesnt change that it was wrong.
ReplyDeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteNothing justifies what Guy did ( I thought he was really icky and nasty especially in the first series- he was gorgeous, yet revolting). I guess I didn't make that clear.
My focus was completely on his acting choice, since this scene seemed to really distress him. It was a novel interpretation and twist, very original, in the face of an incomprehensible situation. For a moment there, I was able to inhabit Guy's being, experience that moment. The rest of the time Guy ran hot an cold. Here, everything about him coalesced. For me. I could buy it.
If it was a documentary and not a work of fiction, then Guy's actions would be horrendous. Also, I'm guessing I'm in the majority in believing that this was a mistake on the part of the writers and producers of Robin Hood. Frankly, between Spooks and Robin Hood, I'm not terribly impressed with the BBC.
ReplyDeleteI guess this has been a contentious issue in the past? Yes, it's a work of fiction, but if fiction bends the moral laws of reality, then it's just an alternate dystopic fantasy, not even worthy of the label of fiction as we understand it.
ReplyDelete@bccmee- It's a mistake and a travesty. The only way Guy could have done it was in a moment of craziness- temporary insanity. In our day, he probably would be convicted of manslaughter with extenuating circumstances. He did not plot or plan to murder Marian.
I'm not really drawn to bad boys yet I found Guy a compelling character because he was so revolting, yet showed glimpses of something sympathetic. Didn't want to mother him- just hoped that Marian would bring out the better parts of him that the Armitage hinted at in his performance.
Guy should have married Marian. Imagine the possibilities! The powers that be gave themselves a footbullet and deserve all the excoriation that Lucas/John got.
I think the Armitage pulled it out of the fire for RH, but nothing, just nothing, could salvage the brutalisation and annihilation of the Lucas North character.
As for real life, I'm no Marian, and I would have kicked Guy to the curb in seconds flat.
I think RA pulled it out the fire too. He feared he wouldn't act convincing if he didn't have a convincing reason. Kind of the ultimate "what's my motivation??!!!" Guy does seem in a fugue because of the delayed reaction to having stabbed her. He moves forward in angst, stay that way until it finally dawns what he's done.
ReplyDeleteThat script is a big mistake and I suspect in the hands of a lesser actor, TPTB wouldn't have been able to sale that bill of goods.
I hadn't heard of RA's rationalization for Guy killing Marian before. I'll add it to my selective memory list. (Along with Lucas remaining Lucas North.)
ReplyDeleteBrilliant post, Pi. I always thought Marian was a muppet, and a cruel one at that. Can't muster any real sympathy for her character. Guy might have been deplorable, but what was she? A saint? I think not!
ReplyDeleteLike the above commentators are saying, it's not real life. If it had been, Guy would not have been redeemable - he'd just be a homicidal SOB, no one you'd want to be anywhere NEAR in real life! (I'm not a fan of real-life baddies either.)
Will have to bear this post in mind next time I see that scene. Puts an interesting twist to it. :) Not to mention listen to the commentary when I finally get the DVDs! (Now there's a good argument for buying them, if ever there was one!)