Peabody's Adventures of the Hermit of Boston

**Peabody's Adventures of the Hermit of Boston** is the season finale of the third season of *Peabody's Jamming Adventures,* and the thirteenth episode of the overall series.

## Synopsis

In this season 3 finale, Mr. Peabody reads Sherman the story of Markham, the gentle and lonely bell of Boston's Cathedral of the Holly Cross.  At the urging of hilarious church mouse pals, Simon, Melissa and Buckingham, Markham defies his evil guaradian Regina and ventures from his tower to the joyous Freedom Trail Festival below.  But the crowd turns cruel Mark because of the way he looks.  After anothe outcast, the hippie Danielle rescues him, Mark finds himself battling to save the people and the city he loves - while reminding us to see people for who they are, rather than how they appear.

## Plot

In a framing device, Mr. Peabody reads the story of Markham to Sherman, who initially dismisses the contents.

The movie opens in 20th century Boston, Massachusetts with Ringo, a hippie puppeteer, telling a group of children the story of the Hermit of Boston. The story begins in 1967 as three hippies sneak illegally into Boston but are ambushed by a squadron of soldiers working for Madame Regina, the councilwoman and de facto ruler of Boston. A hippie woman attempts to flee with her baby, but Regina, thinking the woman is carrying stolen goods chases her. She manages to evade her briefly to arrive at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. She pounds on the door, begging for sanctuary, but Regina catches up to her and grabs the bundle from her arms, kicking her away in the process and causing her to fall and fatally strike her head on the steps of the cathedral. Frollo then realizes that the “stolen goods” was her infant son, who is deformed, and declares the baby "a monster." She spots a nearby well and attempts to drop the baby into it, but the deacon, Mr. Noah, appears and stops her. Regina tries to claim that the baby is an "unholy demon" that she's "sending back to the netheworld, where it belongs." Mr. Noah accuses her of murdering an innocent woman and attempting to murder an innocent child. Regina denies that she is in the wrong, saying her conscience is clear, but Mr. Noah declares she can lie to herself all she wants, but she cannot hide her crime from "the eyes of the Holy Cross" (the statues of the saints outside the cathedral). Fearing for her soul and in order to atone for her sin, Regina reluctantly agrees to raise the deformed child as her own, hiding him in the Cathedral's bell tower and naming him Markham. She notes that someday the child may be of use to her.

Twenty years later, in 1987, Markham has developed into a kind yet isolated young man employed as the Holy Cross's bell ringer. He keeps three church mice, Simon, Melissa and Buckingham as his only company. He is constantly told by Regina that he is a monster who would be rejected by the uncaring outside world. Though he believes Regina, he still yearns to go outside for even a single day. Every year Markham looks forward to seeing the Freedom Trail Festival, but this time the thought of the festival leaves him depressed, as he never gets to attend. Markham's friends insist he go as he loves the festival and would have fun. Markham reminds them he can't leave the tower because Regina has forbidden it. After some prompting, Markham almost leaves, but Regina arrives at just that moment to bring him lunch. While reviewing the alphabet, Markham accidentally lets slip that his thoughts are on the festival, and Regina becomes angry that Markham wants to go to the festival. Markham points out that Regina goes every year. Regina explains she goes because she is a public official despite hating every second of it. She reminds Markham that nobody would like him because of his appearance and how after his mother "abandoned him," he would have been treated poorly had Regina not taken him in. Before leaving, Regina reminds Markham that the bell tower is his only safe haven. Despite these warnings, Markham still wishes to see the city and plans sneak out of the Cathedral to attend the festival.

Meanwhile, Captain Dorian, who has been away at war, has returned to Boston to serve as Regina's new captain of the guards. He is charmed by a hippie dancer named Danielle, performing with her pet dog Neptune. When she is accused of stealing the money she earned by dancing, Dorian distracts and humiliates Juan and Roberto, the guards who harass her. After Dorian pulls rank on the guards, they escort him to the Justice Foundation. There Dorian meets with Regina, who after hearing about his war record expects Dorian to be the perfect replacement for her last captain, who was "a bit of a disappointment." Regina explains that Dorian's job will be to help her eradicate the hippies from Boston--a task he has been attempting himself for the past 20 years. Regina has heard of their safe haven called Basement Exotica and shows Dorian that she intends to destroy it like the bugs under a stone. Dorian uncomfortably acknowledges Regina's point. A cheer from the crowd beneath the Holy Cross reminds Regina that duty calls, and she orders Dorian to accompany her to the festival.

Markham sneaks down to the town square and finds he has a front row seat to see the master of ceremonies, Ringo, announce the start to the Freedom Trail Festival. Markham tries to stay out of sight, but is followed and harassed by Ringo until he accidentally stumbles into Danielle's tent. She helps him up and compliments him on his "mask." Regina arrives at the festival escorted by Dorian and his guards, and Dorian has the guards disperse through the crowd to keep an eye on things. Regina sits in her designated booth, only to be startled and irritated by Ringo, who announces Danielle's dance performance. The crowd is smitten by Danielle--none moreso than Regina, Dorian and Markham. After the dance, Ringo announces the contest for Emperor of Rebels, and Danielle pulls Markham onto the stage to join the contest. She and the crowd are shocked to learn that Markham's face is not a mask, and Regina is angered to see that Markham has disobeyed her to attend the festival. At first Markham is embarrassed and tries to hide his face, but Ringo quells the alarmed crowd by reminding them they were looking for the ugliest face in Boston and found it. Markham is crowned Emperor of Rebels and paraded around the square, receiving cheers, praise and kisses.

The joy is short lived, however, when Roberto interrupts the celebration by throwing rotten fruit at Markham. Other soldiers follow suit, and the crowd quickly joins in, tying Markham down so that they can continue to mock and humiliate him. Markham calls out desperately for his mistress to help. Regina ignores Markham's pleas, even holding back Dorian's attempt to stop the cruelty. The crowd only stops when a kind Danielle frees Markham from his restraints and openly defies Regina. She then throws Markham's prop crown at Regina, deeming her to be the biggest rebel. The councilwoman immediately orders her arrest, but she escapes with help from the crowd, her fellow hippies, acrobatics and a few illusions, which Regina refers to as "witchcraft." Regina then confronts Markham and sends him back inside the Cathedral before ordering Dorian to bring Danielle to her alive.

Danielle follows Markham to find him, but she is followed by Dorian. The two engage in combat briefly, with Dorian defending while trying to convince her that he means her no harm. Dorian states he refuses to arrest her inside the Cathedral, convincining Danielle that he is friendly. After the two are introduced, Regina comes inside and orders Dorian to arrest her, but Dorian covers for her saying that she has claimed "sanctuary," and thus cannot be arrested as long as she remains in the Holy Cross. Regina finally leaves when Mr. Noah intervenes, but not before warning Danielle that her men will capture her the moment she attempts to escape the Cathedral. Mr. Noah advises Danielle to not anger Regina anymore. She then voices her frustration with the fact that not one person from the crowd helped Markham because he is different. Mr. Noah tells her that perhaps someone within the church can help her "right all the wrongs of this world." After watching everyone praying, Danielle prays for all those suffering, and in particular for her people, who are outcasts in society. Markham listens in on her prayer, but is called out by a parishioner. He stumbles and runs back to his tower, Danielle following and attempting to apologize for her part in exposing Markham's face to the crowd. Danielle demonstrates genuine kindness and praises Markham for his artistic talent, forming a friendship with the bell ringer. Markham shows her around his home, including his wooden city, the church mice, the bells (which he introduces by name), and the view from the top of the tower. He even invites her stay but she states that she cannot. He then states that she is nothing like the hippies Regina told him about. She asks how a cruel woman like Regina could have raised a sweet man like Markham. Markham explains that Regina took him in when no one else would because of his appearance. Danielle performs a palm reading on Markham's hand and tells him he's no monster at all. She then asks him if he thinks she is evil, to which he emphatically responds that she is good and kind to him. As gratitude for helping him in the crowd, Markham helps Danielle escape the Holy Cross. In return, Danielle invites him to leave the Holy Cross with her, but he declines because of what happened that day and says that the Cathedral is his home. Before leaving, Danielle promises to visit and gives Markham a map to the hippie hideout, Basement Exotica, in case he should ever need sanctuary outside of the Holy Cross.

After Mark returns to the tower, he encounters Dorian, who is searching for Danielle. Markham is angry to see a guard searching his tower and demands that he leave. Dorian explains that he is sorry for trapping Danielle in the church, and that he only wanted to keep her from being harmed. Before leaving, Dorian tells Markham to tell Danielle she is lucky to have a friend like Markham. Back in the tower, the three mice comment on how well he defended "his girl." At first, Markham laughs at that notion, thinking he has no hope for love because of his appearance, but shortly after concludes that if one person can love him for who he is, then he may have true happiness in his grasp after all.

Back in her quarters in the Justice Foundation, Regina plots to escape eternal damnation, blaming Danielle more and more for challenging her, and wishes that she would either be destroyed or be hers to enslave. Juan informs her of Danielle's escape, and Regina determines that Danielle will be given the choice to either be hers or to burn.

The next morning an exhausted Regina instigates a city-wide manhunt for Danielle. She orders Dorian to track down the hippies hiding throughout the city. Regina offers the captured hippies an increasing number of pieces of silver for information on Danielle, but no one gives her location away and Regina has them locked up. When Regina orders a miller's family to be burned alive inside their home for welcoming hippies, Dorian defies the councilwoman and saves the family when Regina sets the house alight. Regina orders Dorian executed for treason. Danielle, watching from nearby, slings a stone at Regina's horse, causing a distraction that allows Dorian to escape. After being hit by an arrow, Dorian falls into the river below and is left for dead by Regina, but he is rescued by Danielle, who takes him to the Holy Cross for refuge.

The manhunt yields no results, and Regina ponders how Danielle could've possibly escaped the cathedral, eventually concluding that Markham must have helped her.

Meanwhile, in the bell tower, Markham watches the city burn, worried for Danielle. Simon, Melissa and Buckingham assure Markham that Danielle is staying safe, and encourage him to tell her how he feels as he has much to offer. When Danielle arrives, Markham is relieved to see her. She introduces him to Dorian and begs Makrham to hide him until he recovers from his injuries. Despite his heart breaking as he watches Danielle and Dorian express their feelings for one another, Markham promises Danielle that he will protect Dorian. Neptune alerts them to Regina's approach, and Markham sends them out through a different route, then hides an unconscious Dorian underneath his workbench. When Regina arrives in the tower, she offers Markham a Boston cream pie and watches as Markham fumbles nervously. Regina hints that she knows Markham is hiding something. Noticing a wooden figure of Danielle that Markham made, Regina reveals she knows Markham helped Danielle escape and loses her temper at Markham, claiming that it's the hermit's fault that Boston is burning, and calling Danielle a hippie who is incapable of love. She clutches Markham by his shirt, but stops to recompose herself as she thinks Markham is under her spell, promising to free them both from her. As she leaves, the councilwoman bluffs that she knows where Basement Exotica is and intends to attack it at dawn with a battalion. After Regina leaves, Dorian requests Markham's help in finding the basement before Regina. At first Markham won't go because of his fear of Regina and jealousy of Dorian. Dorian is disappointed with Markham's attitude and leaves. The mice are also unimpressed with Markham. Eventually, Markham concludes that he has to help his friend, and he meets Dorian at the base of the cathedral to show him the amulet Danielle gave him. After Markham realizes that the amulet is a map, the two set out to find the Basement Exotica. Once inside, they are ambushed by hippies and are almost hanged by their leader Ringo, who accuses them of being spies. They are saved when Danielle intervenes and clears up the misunderstanding. Dorian warns the hippies that Regina plans to invade at dawn. Danielle urges everyone to leave right away and everyone starts to pack up. Danielle thanks Dorian for warning them, even though it was risky. Dorian tells her Markham is to thank. Suddenly, Regina's army appears and captures all the hippies. She gloats about Markham being useful at last, leading her to Danielle. She is also impressed at Dorian being alive and finds the place exotic. She tells the hippie there will be a jacuzzi the next day and everyone is invited to witness it. Markham pleads with his mistress to stop but Regina won't have it. She has her soldiers take Markham back to the bell tower and chain him there.

At dawn, Regina reads Danielle's crimes, charging her with witchcraft and declaring the sentence to be death by dissolving in a vat of acid called the Deadpool. She gives Danielle one last chance to choose her or the acid, but she spits in Regina's face and glares at her. Regina announces that Danielle has refused to recant and that she will be dissolved. Up in the bell tower, the mice try to free Markham, telling him not to give up, but he refuses to listen. They tell him he is stronger than stone, which gets through to Markham after a moment, and he determines to rescue Danielle. Regina poises her prisoner above the Deadpool, and Markhan shouts for her and strains at his chains until he breaks them. He then rappels down to the vat and frees Danielle, by this point unconscious from smoke inhalation, bringing her to the bell tower and crying, "Sanctuary!" As Regina grabs a sword and orders his men to seize the cathedral, Dorian escapes and ignites a rebellion among the people of Boston, who have had enough of Regina's tyranny. The Bostonians free the hippies and offer them weapons, and a battle ensues in the street between the citizenry and Regina's army.

Markham lays Danielle on his bed and starts to fight off Regina's soldiers by tossing bricks and various other items at them, releasing their grappling hooks, knocking down their ladders, and finally by pouring holy water through the cathedral's gargoyle spouts. Regina, however, still manages to break in and force his way past Mr. Noah. Markham, believing Danielle to be dead, breaks down in tears beside her body as Regina comes into the room to kill him with her sword. Markham, in his fury, disarms his former guardian, striking genuine fear into Regina. Markham tells Regina that people like her are the only reason the world is so "dark and cruel." Danielle regains consciousness and calls for Markham, and Quasimodo grabs her and recieves a small dagger from Melissa, igniting a fight of his own.

As they clash, Markham figures that Regina has murdered his mother as well as attepted to murder Danielle. Regina admits this, adding that she believes that hippies are "delinquents not learning to earn their own way," prompting Markham to add that Regina has "learned nothing." Regina disarms Markham and raises her sword in preparation to strike him, dramatically paraphrasing the Bible with, "Cast not pearls before swine!" At that moment, the alerted Danielle charges into Regina, causing her sword to go wild. A massive piece of a rooftop falls close to Regina and Danielle, demolishing the walkway beneath them. Both fall from the tower. Markham into action, catches Danielle, and sets her down safely in the tower, but Regina plunges into the holy water below. Afterwards, Dorian arrives and congradulates Markham on his victory. Markham then blesses Danielle and Dorian's relationship.

As the citizens celebrate their victory over Regina, Danielle gently coaxes Markham to join them. Markham reluctantly emerges from the Cathedral to face the populace again. Ringo then cheers Markham, who is hailed as a hero and is finally accepted into society. Markham, the Hermit of Boston, enjoys a victory lap around the square on the shoulders of his fellow Bostonians, overjoyed to be one of them at last.

Back to the framing device, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, having finished their adventures, sing a fabulous broadway style finale song, "Get it Right."

### Post credit scene

Buckingham chuckles and wishes the audience good night.

## Trivia

### Story Behind the Story

I, Jeff Meredith, have learned a lot of the history that took place in Boston, as well as the real Cathedral of the Holy Cross, so I based this story on *The Hunchback of Notre Dame.*

### Peabody's Side

With the Peabody crossover series waning, I resorted to making a framing device with Mr. Peabody reading a history lesson to Sherman, instead of showing him by WABAC.

### Connections

* Markham, Danielle and Dorian are played by Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, who famously co-starred in the Star Was Trilogy.
* Juan and Roberto are played by Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, who are famously nicknamed Cheech and Chong.

## Cast

Mr. PeabodyShermanMarkhamDanielleMadame ReginaCaptain DorianSimon, Melissa and BuckinghamJuan and RobertoRingoMr. NoahMarkham's MotherNarrated by David Ogden Stiers

### Songs:

* Peabody's Improbable History Alternate Theme Song
* A Place You've Never Been
* I Go Looney
* I Still Believe
* It's So Amazing
* Happiest Home in These Hills
* Take My Hand
* Get it Right Tonight
* End Title Song: A Dream in the Night by Clannad
* Exit Music: First Knight Credits by Jerry Goldsmith

## Full Movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWj5AUxItS4|Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZjD8BT6714|Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VmqWGxczMA|Part 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekej9TnS6tI|Part 4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeBK2NB29bg|Part 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e21m3IcRtXQ|Part 6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA38Oyn7u5g|Part 7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9u7zbUGENM|credits

## Promotional Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwfw50QA1sg|trailer