Braveheart 1995

In the tumultuous 13th century, Scotland’s fate was forever altered as the death of its king left a power vacuum that King Edward I of England (Patrick McGoohan) - notorious for his moniker “Longshanks” - seized to conquer. The Scottish nobles, torn apart by infighting and lack of unity, proved no match against the cunning English monarch.

It was in this climate of treachery that young William Wallace witnessed the brutal slaughter of Scotland’s noble class at the hands of Longshanks, who had invited them under the guise of a peace treaty before betraying their trust. Wallace’s own father and brother narrowly escaped death, returning to their village forever changed by the horrors they had witnessed.

Wallace’s childhood friend Hamish (Brendan Gleeson) stood by his side as he grappled with the trauma of that fateful day. The villagers, outraged by Longshanks’ treachery, rose up in defiance, but were hopelessly outnumbered against the English forces.

As Wallace’s uncle Argyle whisked him away to foreign shores for an education, years passed and Longshanks granted his nobles land and privileges in Scotland, including the odious right of Primae Noctis - the license to claim a newlywed Scottish woman as his own on their wedding night. The English strategy was clear: breed out the Scots from their own lands.

Upon Wallace’s return home, he sought to leave the tumultuous past behind, falling deeply in love with childhood sweetheart Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack) and secretly marrying her to spare her the indignity of sharing a bed with Longshanks’ son. Wallace also declined to join the Scottish army, opting instead to build a life, raise a family, and till the soil - seeking peace in a world torn apart by war.

Meanwhile, Longshanks cemented his hold on Scotland by marrying off his son Edward to Princess Isabelle (daughter of the King of France), a union marked by an unspoken understanding: Edward’s lack of interest in state affairs would leave Isabelle to navigate the complexities of court alongside Longshanks and his advisors. The arrangement was a clever ruse, as Edward’s openly gay nature meant no heir would ever be born into the royal family.

The spark that ignited Wallace’s rebellion came when an English soldier attempted to defile Murron’s honor. In a fierce display of defiance, Wallace fought off multiple attackers, attempting to flee with his beloved. Though he escaped the village, Murron was captured and brutally executed by the ruthless village sheriff, who proclaimed that assaulting the King’s soldiers was akin to assaulting the monarch himself.

In retribution, Wallace launched a solo assault on the English garrison, taking out soldier after soldier. As the villagers joined forces with him, they slaughtered the invaders, culminating in Wallace’s swift execution of the treacherous sheriff. The seeds of rebellion had been sown, and Scotland would never be the same again.

As Wallace’s defiance against the English monarch spreads like wildfire, a tidal wave of Scottish clansmen flock to his banner. Stephen, self-proclaimed King of Ireland, intervenes in a timely manner, rescuing Wallace from a treacherous assassination attempt orchestrated by one of their own countrymen. News of this daring rebellion soon reaches Longshanks, who prepares to depart for France, leaving Edward in charge of containing the insurrection.

Meanwhile, Princess Isabelle, long stifled by Edward’s emotional detachment, finds herself captivated by tales of Wallace’s unyielding passion and fight for love. She learns that his English adversaries had attempted to ensnare him at Murron’s grave, only for him to valiantly outmaneuver their trap and lay her mortal remains to rest in a secret location.

As the Scottish warrior seeks the counsel of Robert the Bruce, scion of noble Robert the Elder and chief contender for the throne, he finds himself torn between admiration for Wallace’s unwavering commitment and his own father’s Machiavellian machinations aimed at securing the crown for his son by submitting to English rule.

With his army now victorious at Stirling, Wallace orders the fabrication of lengthy spears to counter Longshanks’ formidable heavy cavalry. In a rousing call to arms, he inspires the Scots to fight as free men, untethered from their noble and lordly identities, for the very concept of freedom itself.

Following the battle, the Scottish nobles engage in a contentious struggle to appoint a monarch, but their divisions prove insurmountable. Wallace, aware that the English will undoubtedly return, sets his sights on invading England and engaging them on their own turf. He imparts wisdom to Robert, reminding him that men follow courage, not mere titles.

With this plan in place, Wallace leads his army to sack the fabled city of York. Longshanks, meanwhile, returns from France and exacts a gruesome revenge upon Edward’s gay lover, casting them from the castle window to their untimely demise. Recognizing Edward’s failure to quell the rebellion, he dispatches Isabelle, Princess of France, as an emissary to negotiate with Wallace.

As Longshanks’s plan unfolds, he hopes to incite Wallace into killing Isabelle, thereby sparking war between Scotland and France. However, Wallace remains steadfast, declining the lavish bribe (a chest overflowing with gold and promises of titles and estates) sent by Longshanks through Isabelle. Despite being rebuffed, Isabelle finds herself captivated by Wallace’s unwavering dedication to his cause.

Meanwhile, Longshanks prepares a formidable army to invade Scotland, fueled by his determination to crush the Scottish resistance once and for all. Warned of the impending invasion by Isabelle, Wallace implores the Scottish nobility to take immediate action against this existential threat. However, they are more concerned with their own personal interests than the fate of their country.

As Longshanks leads the English army into battle, Wallace faces him at Falkirk, where he is betrayed by his supposed allies Lochlan and Mornay. The Scots suffer a crushing defeat, leaving Wallace wounded and on the brink of capture. In a moment of desperation, he charges toward the departing Longshanks, only to be intercepted by Robert the Bruce, who has been secretly observing the battle from afar. Bruce shows remorse for his own inaction and ensures Wallace’s safe escape from the clutches of the English.

Enraged by Lochlan and Mornay’s treachery, Wallace exacts a brutal vengeance upon them, before waging a protracted guerrilla war against the English occupiers. Robert the Bruce, determined to join forces with Wallace, sets up a meeting in Edinburgh, only to discover that his father has conspired with other nobles to capture and deliver Wallace to Longshanks.

Seething with betrayal, the Bruce disowns his treacherous father and instead chooses to follow his own path. After a passionate tryst with Wallace, Isabelle takes her revenge on the terminally ill Longshanks by revealing that she is pregnant with another man’s child, intent on ending Longshank’s line and ruling in his son’s place.

As the English magistrate brings Wallace before him, he is tried for high treason and condemned to a gruesome public torture and beheading. Despite being brutally hanged and mutilated, Wallace refuses to show any sign of weakness or submission, even as cries for mercy arise from the watching crowd. In a final act of defiance, Wallace shouts “Freedom!” just moments before the executioner’s axe falls.

As the blade descends, Wallace glimpses a vision of Murron in the crowd, her radiant smile filling him with courage and resolve.

As Robert the Bruce (character) rode onto the sun-kissed expanse of Bannockburn, a sense of foreboding settled over the fields like a shroud. The year was 1314 AD, and the weight of history hung heavy on his shoulders as he prepared to accept English rule. But just as he was about to gallop forth towards the enemy lines, the Bruce’s steed halted mid-stride, its rider frozen in contemplation.

It was then that the echoes of a bygone era seemed to resurface, whispers of a legendary leader whose defiance had inspired a nation. The Bruce’s eyes gleamed with a fierce determination as he gazed out upon his troops, his voice carrying across the landscape like a battle cry: “Remember Wallace! Fight for our freedom, just as they fought alongside you!”

The English forces, caught off guard by this sudden turn of events, reeled in shock and disarray. The Bruce seized the opportunity, rallying his men with a warrior’s passion. With valorous cries and clashing steel, the Scots charged forward, their cries of “For Scotland!” mingling with the clash of arms as they fought for their very independence.

And when the dust settled, it was clear that Robert the Bruce had emerged victorious, his army having vanquished the English and secured their hard-won freedom. In this moment, the echoes of Wallace’s courage seemed to fade into the distance, replaced by the triumphant cries of a nation reborn.