Robin Hood thoughts
So, having recently rewatched the Disney Robin Hood movie (the one where everyone is anthropomorphic animals) I am thinking about Robin Hood as a crossover character. He's had a lot of changes over the centuries; tying him specifically to the reign of Prince John didn't happen until about four hundred years after that event, for example. So, what are some of the core aspects of the character that make him Robin Hood?
He's English. While Robin's exact nationality is perhaps flexible, he exists within the conversation of what rights and duties Englishmen have. The further we get from England, the more you will need to adjust the political settings of the background and story.
He's a criminal. Robin Hood works outside the law, and often against it. He might reluctantly work with a law enforcement officer against a worse criminal, but he's suspicious at best of the system, and often considers it outright corrupt.
Despite being a criminal, Robin has a very strong set of ethical principles. He does not steal from people who can't afford it, does not accumulate wealth for himself but distributes it to those who need it, avoids needless killing (but won't hesitate to kill if he has to) and is courteous to women even beyond what is normal for his society.
Robin Hood is a trickster with a sense of humor. He enjoys playing pranks, but also laughs when the joke's on him. Some of his best friends are people who bested him once.
Robin's on the side of the little people. Even when the story for some reason makes him not a yeoman but a fallen noble, Robin Hood always stands for the poor and oppressed.
He's a good leader. Robin is charismatic, and quickly gathers a group of loyal and competent followers. While he's capable of doing missions on his own, he is also excellent at group tactics, logistics and strategy.
Robin Hood is a champion archer at a time when use of the bow was especially tied to the yeoman class. He can use sword and knife, but archery is where he truly shines, which is often a weakness as well, since he cannot resist an archery competition.
Robin is a skilled woodsman, living in the forest, poaching the King's deer, knowing all the paths and how to move without them. Once he's back in Sherwood Forest, you can't catch him.
Any other core traits you can think of? Other thoughts?
@krinsbez @nitpickrider
