The Hangman's Noose

**The Hangman's Noose** is the eight episode of the second season of *Pennyworth* and the eighteenth episode of the series overall. It aired on Epix on March 28, 2021.

## Synopsis

 *While Salt sits down with the League to discuss peace, Alfred confronts Gully to do the same. And Martha finally comes clean to Thomas about her dilemma.*

## Plot

The war for England is close to reaching its end. Following the funeral of Lord Harwood, the leaders of the Raven Union and the English League
agree to meet for peace talks. However, these negotiations don't exactly go as planned. While Prime Minister Aziz , the Queen and the rest of the League anticipate a fair discussion, the Union's power-mad new leader, John Salt gives the League an ultimatum: he wants their full and unconditional surrender, or else he will unleash his "Stormcloud" weapon onto the citizens of London.

The League doesn't believe the Raven Union council will approve of the use of such a horrific weapon but Salt is quick to organize a vote, and every member gives their approval for "Stormcloud" to be used. Worse still, one of the council members is revealed to be Alfred Pennyworth's father, who is being kept alive thanks to advanced medical equipment.

Elsewhere, Martha finally announces to Thomas that she's pregnant. The CIA agent is caught by surprise, but he quickly realizes that it's good news. Not long after that revelation, Thomas insists that they should get married, which once again causes them to be at odds with one another.

Meanwhile, Bet Sykes and her sister Peggy kidnap Salt's girlfriend in an attempt to get back at him for the death of Lord Harwood.

As tensions between the Union and the League continue to rise, Alfred is stuck dealing with a personal matter. Now that he has chosen to stay in London, he must face Gulliver Troy. After growing tired of waiting for his old SAS Captain to find him, Alfred goes to him. In Troy's house, Alfred falls into a trap when he is cornered by the last two members of Troy's crew of thieves. In order to get even, Troy takes Alfred into the woods. After stabbing him in the chest, he gives Alfred a knife and a five-minute head start, after which he will start hunting for him. Alfred begs his old friend to talk things through, but Troy isn't exactly someone to be reasoned with. With no other option, Alfred starts running through the forest, knowing full well he doesn't stand much of a chance.

Fortunately, Alfred's loss of blood leads him to hallucinate the ghost of his old friend Bazza. Their talk convinces Alfred to save his energy and to better plan for Troy's arrival. When Troy finally catches up to him, Alfred in turn catches him off guard, and the two end up in a lethal knife fight. Alfred finally puts an end to the battle by springing a trap he built during the head start Troy gave him.

But while Troy expects his opponent to finish him off, Alfred decides to spare his life and leaves him in the forest. Dave Boy and Mary then track Alfred down and save him, and at the very moment, Alfred comes to the realization he's ready to stand for something and fight for what he believes in.

## Cast

* Ben Aldridge as Thomas Wayne
* Emma Paetz as Martha Kane
* Hainsley Lloyd Bennett as Bazza
* Ryan Fletcher as Dave Boy
* Dorothy Atkinson as Mary Pennyworth
* Ian Puleston-Davies as Arthur Pennyworth
* Polly Walker as Peggy Sykes
* Ramon Tikaram as Inspector Victor Aziz
* Edward Hogg as Colonel John Salt
* Harriet Slater as Sandra Onslow
* Jessye Romeo as Katie Browning
* Paloma Faith as Bet Sykes

Special Guest Star* James Purefoy as Captain Gulliver Troy

* Simon Manyonda as Lucius Fox

Co-Starring* Jessica Ellerby as The Queen
* Saikat Ahamed as Mr. Chadley
* Sally Tatum as Miss Dixon
* Tristram Wymark as General Nelson Thursday
* Faisal Mohammed as Monty
* Suzanne Boreel as Rita
* Noa Bodner as Speaker of the Raven Council
* Jessica Claireas Vikki Dufrench