Step back into the adventurous world of The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin as the escapades of the legendary highwayman take an unexpected turn in Episode 2. Following his miraculous escape from the gallows, Dick Turpin finds himself thrust back into the spotlight, with the men of the Essex Gang hailing him as a hero. However, amidst the adulation and admiration, the female member, Nell, remains unconvinced by Dick’s charms. As the group navigates the aftermath of Dick’s escape, Episode 2 delves deeper into the charming character of the notorious highwayman, revealing a surprising side of his personality that sets him apart from the other gangly highwaymen. As Dick grapples with his newfound leadership role within the Essex Gang, we watch him come into his own slowly yet surely. Despite facing ongoing threats from their adversaries, including the relentless pursuit of the injured Wilde (from being hit by a cartwheel), the gang’s antics continue. From witty banter to clever innuendos, the show’s playful tone ensures that laughs are never far away. So buckle up and prepare for another wild ride with Dick Turpin and his motley crew as they navigate the unpredictable landscape of 18th-century England, one cape at a time.
Spoiler Alert
Why does the Essex gang try to rob the unrobbable coach?
Though a commendable leader, Dick falls short in the realm of highway robbery. While his male comrades remain indifferent, Nell harbors a vehement disdain for their chosen leader. Dick’s leadership leads to the guys robbing a meager warlock, making them a laughingstock amongst the highwaymen. Complicating matters further, lacking any arrangement with Wilde, they are left in the dark regarding which carriages to target for hefty robbing. I’ve honestly heard the words “unrobbable” and “imbecile” enough times for a lifetime in episode 2. Amidst the exclusive gathering of highwaymen at the pub night, where gangs convene to exchange secretive insights, the Essex Gang finds themselves ranked a dismal 49 out of 50, owing to their meager encounter with a poor warlock. Meanwhile, Dick defies conventional expectations, immersing himself in the art of knitting, much to the absolute shame of Nell. Indulging in peppermint tea and embracing a vegan lifestyle, Dick deviates further from the stereotypical image of a highwayman. On the other hand, at the top of the hierarchy stand the formidable Hellhounds, under the leadership of Leslie Duval (I love this name, though). In his characteristic manner, Dick provokes Leslie by extending friendly courtesies, leading to a daring challenge: to procure an emerald of monumental proportions (the size of a monkey’s fist, whatever that may be in your eyes) from the supposedly “unrobbable” coach.
What Happens to Honesty?
As fate would have it, the unsuspecting Essex Gang ventures forth to lay claim to the coveted emerald, unaware of the curse shrouding the coach. The coach makes a halt as if expecting the gang, and Honesty is the unfortunate soul who ends up grasping the jewel with bare hands, only to vanish and immediately reemerge as the coach’s driver who is cuffed there for eternity, or at least till someone else tries to rob the unrobbable coach. The gang is stunned, but the previous coachman mockingly tells the gang that only fools (imbeciles, of course) would try and rob the “unrobbable” coach. Having been the fool himself, he revels in his newfound freedom, leaving Honesty stuck in an eternal limbo—until Dick, the mastermind, conceives a daring plan. Witnessing the foolish turn of events, Nell severs ties with the Essex Gang, drawn to her forever hero, Leslie, oblivious to the plans he has for her. Meanwhile, Moose is overjoyed at the prospect of accompanying Dick, envisioning a new duo of “best friend boys” for the two of them alone. In his confusion, Dick seeks out his dad for advice, but of course he finds no guidance, only disdain, making him realize that his answers lie within.
What Is the Legend Behind the Emerald?
Dick makes his way to the warlock he previously robbed for details about the emerald and the coach. The warlock is skeptical about speaking to the duo because they threatened to rip his head off (or eat it, something like that), but Dick convinces him to help by sewing up his cape to the perfect length so he’s free to roam as he wishes. What a kind soul. The warlock tells Dick that the legend of the emerald says that a baron purchased this emerald, the size of a monkey’s fist, for his beloved wife. While she traveled with it, a highwayman killed her in pursuit of the gem, leaving the baron completely devastated and furious. He then got a sorcerer to curse the coach and make sure that the highwayman who killed his wife would forever be punished. You know, one highwayman equals all highwaymen, and thus was born the legend of the “unrobbable” coach. Now, the only way to save Honesty is by obtaining special mittens created by the baron to pick up the emerald. Another cursed place awaits Dick and Moose as they find the dead Baron and Baroness’ ghosts.
Dick tries to converse with the baron, but Moose, who should’ve been named Honesty, tells the baron that they’re highwaymen, messing with Dick’s plan. Fortunately, the baroness shows up, and Dick realizes that he needs to become the marriage counselor for this special duo in order to save the day. It works. Dick reminds the baroness that the baron does what he does out of the purity of his heart and his love for her. She tells him to give Dick the mittens, and it seems things are perfectly aligned for the Essex Gang, minus Nell, of course.
How Does Dick Get Nell Back in the Gang?
Nell’s entry into the Hellhounds isn’t as easy as she imagined. Leslie wants her to compete with other expectant highwaymen to become a part of the gang or die trying. There’s one other woman who is just as good as Nell and doesn’t buckle under pressure. Nell manages to ace all the tests except for the last one, where she must either tell a romantic short story to Leslie or give him a target to add to his book of targets. Previously, Dick tried to get Nell to join him on his quest to get Honesty back and join the Essex Gang. While Nell said she wouldn’t do it, he still gave her the special balaclava. This hat had a secret message hidden in it. Dick gets Nell to bring Leslie and his gang to try and steal the emerald. When they arrive, he’s wearing the mittens, or so we think. It’s actually mittens that he knit himself and not the special ones, so Leslie ends up picking up the emerald with the wrong mittens, making him the new driver of the coach (keep your job close, but your hobbies closer, kids). Not only do the gang get Honesty back, but they also have the Emerald and Nell. The Essex Gang moves up the ladder to number 19, while the Hellhounds are now off the charts. Eliza, who watched everything from the bushes like a creepy man, has already doubled her readers from 3 to 6 (an accomplishment). At the end of episode 2, we’re left with Wilde taking up the task of catching Dick by himself because nobody else can do it for him. I suppose episode 2 sheds light on the beauty of being different yet perfect. Although Dick’s got his non-highwayman-like quirks, they make him a better highway robber and a better leader. Ultimately, Dick is the best version of himself, and the Essex Gang are thriving.
