Robin Hood Episode 5 Exclusive Clip Explains Why Nottingham Matters Most

MGM+ released an exclusive sneak peek at Episode 5, "Go Back to Them," of Robin Hood, offering one of the clearest explanations yet of the political tensions that shape the series' central conflict. The episode premieres Sunday, November 23, at 9 p.m. ET, and this new clip featuring Will (Henry Rowley) and Marian (Lauren McQueen) sets the stage for the dangerous alliances forming behind the scenes.

Across Episodes 1 through 4, Robin Hood has thus far shown Rob Locksley's (Jack Patten) evolution into an outlaw after his father's wrongful execution, his forced separation from Marian, and his growing defiance toward the Sheriff (Sean Bean) as he forms a fledgling band of foresters. The season also established the wider political tension surrounding Nottingham, and with 10 episodes on the way, the story will build toward its finale on December 28, 2025.

In the exclusive Episode 5 footage, Will breaks down exactly why the Sheriff and Queen Eleanor (Connie Nielsen) are locked in a quiet but consequential standoff. What begins as a geography lesson becomes a revelation about loyalties and the precarious balance of the English throne.

The clip opens with Will establishing the stakes through a simple analogy.
"Look here. You're Scotland. I'm London," he says, using Marian's position to map out the fractured structure of England. 

He moves through the regions, pointing out York guarding the Scottish border and Warwick and Coventry protecting the south, before landing on the one place that matters most: Nottingham. Nottingham, he explains, is not just another stronghold. It is the stronghold of the Midlands, the critical link between northern and southern England. With that central location comes immense influence.

"The sheriff's allegiances stabilize or destabilize the entire country," Will says, noting that King Henry intentionally appointed his cousin as Sheriff to maintain control.

The Sheriff will never support Queen Eleanor if she makes another attempt at claiming the throne. After listening, Marian suggests she needs an "ally," but Will counters, stating, "Or even better, a spy."

When she asks how he knows all this, Will's response is both self-praising and a warning: "I'm a good student. I pay attention and I listen carefully. I'd advise you to do the same."

With Episode 5 promising more shifting loyalties, deeper conspiracies, and the escalating clash between Eleanor and the Sheriff, this exclusive clip (see below) teases a turning point for multiple characters and possibly for the kingdom itself: