How did Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves end?

Summaries

• Robin Hood decides to fight back as an outlaw when faced with the tyranny of the Sheriff of Nottingham.

• After being captured by Turks during the Crusades, Robin of Locksley and a Moor, Azeem, escape back to England, where Azeem vows to remain until he repays Robin for saving his life. Meanwhile, Robin's father, a nobleman loyal to King Richard the Lionheart, has been murdered by the brutal Sheriff of Nottingham, who helped install Richard's treacherous brother, Prince John, as King while Richard is overseas fighting the Crusades. When Robin returns home, he vows to avenge his father's death and restore Richard to the throne. Even though Maid Marian, his childhood friend, cannot help him, he escapes to the Forest of Sherwood where he joins a band of exiled villagers and becomes their leader. With their help, he attempts to cleanse the land of the evil that the Sheriff has spread.

• After escaping from a dungeon after being captured by the Turks during the crusades, Robin, son of Lord Locksley, and a warrior Moor named Azeem return to England only to find Robin's father has been murdered by the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham and has taken over his father's lands. Unable to be helped by maid Marian Dubois, sister of Robin's friend Peter, who died trying to help Robin and Azeem escape. Robin vows to avenge his father and flees to the Forest of Sherwood, home to a band of outlaws who have been banished from their villages by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Combining the forces of the outlaws, Robin and his men set out on a crusade against the Sheriff of Nottingham and defeat the Sheriff and his henchmen, who bids to take over the throne of England's rightful ruler King Richard and put a end to the corruption that has infested the English countryside.

Spoilers

The synopsis below may give away important plot points.

Synopsis

• Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner), an English nobleman who joined Richard the Lionheart's army in the Third Crusade, is captured and imprisoned in Jerusalem along with his comrade Peter. Robin engineers an escape, saving the life of a Moor, Azeem (Morgan Freeman) in the process; Peter dies in the attempt and has Robin swear to protect his sister Marian (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). Robin returns to England with Azeem, who vows to accompany Robin until the debt of saving his life is repaid.

  In England, with King Richard away, the cruel Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman) rules over the land, aided by his cousin, the Guy of Gisbourne (Michael Wincott) along with the witch Mortianna (Geraldine McEwan) and the corrupt Bishop of Hereford (Harold Innocent). At Locksley castle, Robin's father (Brian Blessed) is lured to the gates and captured by the Sheriff's men after refusing to join them.

  Robin returns to England to find his father dead, his home in ruins, and the Sheriff and his men oppressing the people. At his family castle, Robin finds his father's elderly servant, Duncan, who was blinded by Gisbourne. They travel to Marian's family home where Robin tells her of his brother's bravery in Jerusalem and gives her Peter's ring. Gisbourne suddenly appears and a furious chase ensues. Robin and Azeem's horses are unable to outrun their pursuers so they ride into Sherwood Forest, an area believed to be haunted. There they meet a band of outlaws hiding from Nottingham's oppressive rule, separated from their families. They are led by John Little (Nick Brimble). After a short stave battle in a river where Robin outwits the much larger and stronger John (whom Robin gives the semi-mocking title of "Little John"), Robin and Azeem join up with them.

  Also among the bandits is Will Scarlet (Christian Slater), who is later revealed to be Robin's illegitimate half-brother. Robin eventually assumes command of the band, encourages his men to fight against Nottingham and trains them to defend themselves. The band builds a small community in the forest, with most of their homes high up in the trees. Robin makes a visit in disguise to the local cathedral to speak to Marion and the bishop. The bishop tells Robin that his father had taken to devil-worship -- Robin refuses to believe him. As he leaves, he runs straight into the Sheriff and slashes him on the cheek with a small dagger. Robin escapes on horseback, taking a sack of bread back to the men in the forest. Robin's provocation of the Sheriff will also place their families in danger and Little John is less than encouraged now that the Sheriff will hunt them to the death, however Robin says they can use the Sheriff's fury to their advantage and wage a minor war to regain their homes and reputations as decent men. When the Sheriff retaliates by razing the homes of the outlaws, Robin rallies everyone to a higher cause: they will rob all the local lords loyal to the Sheriff and give their wealth to the poor. The Sheriff, having already ordered a bounty on Robin's head, raises it several times in the hopes the poor will turn against Robin, however they remain loyal since Robin and his outlaws give all the wealth they steal to them. The Sheriff speaks with Mortianna who tells him to send a chest of gold to other warlords around England.

  Robin and his men attack the convoy delivering the gold. One of their early captures is Friar Tuck (Michael McShane) -- the stout friar had been traveling with Gisbourne and a small detachment of his men. Robin's band uses the natural foliage of the forest to distract Gisbourne's men away from the large horse cart carrying Tuck and a large supply of alcohol. Gisbourne is later unable to find the bandits and several of his men who were killed, the bodies having been camouflaged very effectively on the forest floor. Guy of Gisbourne is later coldly killed by the Sheriff for his failure when he returns with the news. Robin politely asks Tuck if his men can have the barrels of ale and mead that were captured. Tuck is quite defiant at first but is taught humility when Robin makes him haul the cart back to their hideout in place of the horse. Tuck heartily agrees to become their holy man. Tuck also strikes up a newfound friendship with Azeem despite his being a Moor and an enemy when Azeem successfully aides Little John's wife Fanny in a difficult delivery of their newest child.

  Marian and her handmaiden are stopped by two of Robin's men while riding through Sherwood. Robin's men are easily subdued by the much craftier Marian, who forces them to take her to Robin. Robin shows Marian around the compound and Marian stays overnight

  Finally, the sheriff has had enough. Hiring Celtic warriors to bolster his forces, he uses Duncan to track down the outlaws' hideout and initiates a massive attack which destroys the forest refuge. Robin's forces are able to rout the ground assault very effectively, causing the Celts to retreat. While Robin's forces cheer their victory, they suddenly see that the Sheriff has another assault planned with flaming arrows and catapult projectiles which quickly destroy their compound. Robin himself rescues Fanny and her newborn from a burning shelter but the rope he swings from snaps and he falls into through a roof.

  The Sheriff has also kidnapped Marian prior to the battle when she tried to summon help from France. The sheriff proposes to Maid Marian, saying that if she accepts he will spare the lives of the captured woodsmen and their families. Nevertheless, several of the rebel fighters including Little John's son Wolf are to be executed by hanging. While they are tortured by the Sheriff who wishes to know if Robin survived the assault, Will agrees to act as a spy and lure Robin into a trap.

  However, despite information to the contrary, Robin and a handful of his most trusted aides did survive the assault. Will returns and is immediately set upon by Little John, enraged over the capture of his son. He stops when he sees that Will has several horrible scars across his chest, evidence that he'd been tortured by the Sheriff. Will tells them about the forced marriage of Marian to the Sheriff and that those who were captured in the forest will be executed before the ceremony. Robin plots an assault on the Sheriff's castle to rescue them, even allowing Will and Little John's willful wife to take part.

  On the day of the sheriff and Maid Marian wedding and the scheduled hangings, Robin and his men sneak their way into Nottingham castle in various disguises. Positioning themselves strategically around the compound and using barrels of gunpowder supplied by Azeem, start a furious battle that frees the prisoners. The original plan was to just free their friends and retreat, but then Azeem reveals himself and his willingness to join Robin and fight the sheriff, finally convincing the peasants to revolt. Robin finds his way into the Sheriff's chambers where the traitorous Bishop (who is found later and killed by Friar Tuck) has just finished the marriage ceremony and the Sheriff is about to rape Marian to impregnate her with a male heir. In a ferocious sword duel Robin kills the sheriff, avenging his father. With his guard down, Robin is attacked by Mortianna, who charges with a spear. Azeem, having broken through the bolted door, rushes in and throws his sword, slaying Mortianna and fulfilling his vow to Robin.

  Robin and Marian profess their love for one another and are married in the forest by Friar Tuck. Their wedding is briefly interrupted by the return of King Richard I (Sean Connery), who agrees to bless the marriage if he's allowed to give Marian away, and thanks Robin for his deeds.