H is for... Hood, Robin

When offered the opportunity to meet anyone in history, the Doctor was positively scathing when Clara Oswald chose Robin Hood. He tried to point out to her that Hood wasn't real - only a myth. he was therefore shocked to discover a man who claimed to be Robin Hood when the TARDIS materialised in Sherwood Forest in the autumn of 1190. He attempted to rob the Doctor and the two fought a duel - the Doctor armed with only a dessert spoon. Back at his camp, the Doctor was convinced that Robin and his men were robots, or holograms, or aliens in disguise. He could not accept that he really existed. Robin then decided to take part in an archery competition organised by the Sheriff of Nottingham, despite knowing it was almost certainly a trap. Somewhat jealous of Clara's interest in the outlaw, the Doctor also took part - determined to get the upper hand over Robin. Both were captured by the Sheriff, who had an army of robot knights at his command. The rivalry between the Doctor and Robin continued in captivity. On escaping, the Doctor discovered that the Sheriff's castle was constructed around a spaceship. The Doctor tried to show Robin that he was a construct, designed to give people hope. He showed him computer archive images of himself as future generations would see him.
Robin escaped, whilst the Doctor was left to work for the Sheriff to help prepare the damaged spaceship for flight - using stolen gold for the repairs. Robin broke in and rescued him, along with a number of other captives - one of whom was Maid Marian. The Sheriff was killed following a duel with Robin - falling into a vat of molten gold. Robin helped the Doctor destroy the departing spaceship.
Later, the Doctor and Robin agreed that they both had a legacy of heroism and inspiration to others to live up to. As a parting gift, the Doctor reunited Robin with Marian.

Played by: Tom Riley. Appearances: Robots of Sherwood (2014).

• One of the images which the Doctor shows to Robin is from the 1950's TV series of Robin Hood, with the outlaw being portrayed by Second Doctor Patrick Troughton. An episode from this series is included as an extra of the DVD / Blu-ray of The Power of the Daleks Special Edition.
• The first mention of a Robin Hood comes in the 1370's, in the Piers Plowman poems of William Langland. Specific ballads about him, including his rivalry with the Sheriff of Nottingham, his archery skills, his gang of Merry men, and his championing of the poor, can be found from the late 15th Century. Shakespeare mentions him in the text of Two Gentlemen of Verona. The version of Robin Hood we know today comes mostly from Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe (1819).
• At the time, Tom Riley was best known for the fantasy TV series Da Vinci's Demons, in which he played a fictionalised version of the title character.