lavender_sage

So, I’ve been writing about Robin Hood a lot lately (thanks for bearing with me 90% of my followers who have no interest in this decade-old show), and so far I think I’ve stayed away from the Robin/Guy rivalry, despite finding it endlessly entertaining. I’m sure if I’d been in the fandom as long as some of you, I’d be weary of it, but it’s such a carnival of passion (and, in some cases, illogical folly) I can’t help enjoying it. But it’s occurred to me that a lot of posts debating the relative merits and flaws of these characters use the vocabulary and strategies of literary criticism, like textual evidence and terms like “hero,” “villain,” “antagonist,” and protagonist. As an English teacher, I love to see that, but I think it’s a bit out place in discussions of this rivalry because people don’t choose favorite characters, or least favorites, on the basis of such objective criteria. These are kinds of evidence that tell me what a character does and says, what happens to them, what their role in the story is, and what kind of relationship they have with other characters. They don’t tell me how complex, sympathetic, or compelling a character is. These things are subjective; they’re based on the individual fan’s beliefs, values, experiences. It’s no one’s place, therefore, to tell fans they’re wrong, for example, for preferring the villain to the hero.

Under the cut for examples and controversial opinions.

I recognize that Robin is the hero; he opposes the forces of corruption, greed, and wickedness and gives help to the marginalized and powerless. He is smart, noble, loyal, courageous, and generous. And I can’t stand him. Because in spite of all his virtues, he’s someone who is very sanctimonious, often oblivious to the privilege he enjoys in terms of name, rank, race, and gender, and sometimes spiteful, petty, and needlessly cruel and mistrustful of those who love him. None of these things make him the villain or antagonist; they even add to his complexity. They also make me want to throw my wineglass at the screen whenever he’s on it. I don’t have to deal with people who order peasants’ tongues to be cut out or abandon their children in the woods, but I have to deal with white, straight boys from affluent families who think they have no advantages over anyone every day of my life. So, I’m always already tired of that shit, and it really sets me off when characters on shows I watch in my downtime for entertainment exhibit it. I understand that Robin is complex, and I’m probably failing to appreciate that complexity fully because I find him so off-putting. That’s why this paragraph is the longest thing I’ve ever posted about him. But, the way I feel about him is not Wrong.

And then there’s Guy. Oh dear lord, what a rap sheet this one has: attempted infanticide, murder, intimidation, harassment, attempted regicide, assault, and just general wickedness and depravity. My child is a problem child for sure. But he’s still my baby, because in spite of all these appalling flaws he has qualities that I really like. I love characters who have been through hell and still manage to keep hold of their humanity, even if it’s only by a thread. Even if 90% of Guy’s actions on the show were evil, the 10% where he is gentle, concerned, selfless, and loving would impress me. Because given the life he’s chosen and the things he’s done, there shouldn’t be any tenderness left in him. Even though it’s tremendously inconvenient for him, it’s still there. That hardly makes him any kind of hero, anti- or otherwise, but it makes him much more sympathetic to me than a character who is good 90% of the time because he faces so much pressure from those who believe in and support him that it’s almost easier for him to be righteous. I don’t think people who hate Guy are Wrong, but no amount of pointing to the bad things he’s done will convince me to agree with them.