Bravehearts

In 1280, Longshanks tightens control of Scotland after the king dies without an heir. Wallace witnesses brutal executions of nobles and suffers the personal losses of his father and brother who resist English rule. He is taken in by his uncle Argyle and raised away from the center of conflict.

As the power balance shifts, Longshanks grants land and privileges to loyal nobles and negotiates a marriage for his son with the French princess Isabelle. The move consolidates English control over Scotland and fuels resentment. Wallace remains mostly out of the limelight during this period.

Years later, a grown Wallace returns to his homeland and quietly marries his childhood friend Murron MacClannough. The couple hopes for a peaceful life, but the shadow of English rule looms large. Tensions rise as English authorities tighten control in the countryside.

When a soldier threatens Murron, Wallace intervenes to protect her, but she is captured and executed. Her death ignites a local uprising as townspeople overthrow the Magistrate, torch the English garrison, and strike down the lord of the land. The flame of resistance spreads quickly through the region.

Longshanks orders his son to quell Wallace while he campaigns in France, but Wallace survives an assassination attempt and defeats a royal army at Stirling. The Battle of Stirling proves a turning point, lifting Scottish morale and signaling a broader uprising. Wallace becomes a symbol of resistance.

Wallace leads a bold raid into England, sacking York and beheading the Duke of York, sending his head back to Longshanks as a stark message. The brutal raid shows that the rebellion has moved beyond Scotland and threatens English power. The English crown grows more determined to crush him.

Back in England, Longshanks chastises his son and redirects Wallace's momentum by sending Isabelle to negotiate as a distraction. Isabelle travels to meet Wallace, is moved by his cause, and warns him of her father-in-law’s calculated moves. A dangerous alliance forms between the two.

The climactic Falkirk battle features Irish mercenaries defecting to Wallace, but two nobles bribed by Longshanks hold back their cavalry. The result is a closely contested engagement that showcases shifting loyalties and treachery at the highest levels. Wallace narrowly survives and presses onward.

Wallace learns that Robert the Bruce, a noble with a claim to the crown, has aligned with Longshanks. The revelation deepens treachery and tests Bruce's own conscience as the war intensifies. Bruce vows to abandon his treacherous path, signaling a possible shift in loyalties.

With Isabelle's aid, Wallace eliminates Mornay and Lochlan, who betrayed him for bribes. He foils an assassination plot against himself, further consolidating his resistance. The conflict escalates as Longshanks' grip weakens and Wallace's legend grows.

A pivotal meeting in Edinburgh leads to Wallace's capture. The truth about Robert's father is revealed, driving Robert to renounce his father and break with the treasonous path. The political chessboard becomes even more dangerous for Wallace.

In England, Wallace faces brutal execution. Isabelle reveals that she carries Wallace's child, while Longshanks dies at the moment Wallace shouts freedom. The personal tragedy intertwines with the political fate of Scotland.

During the aftermath, a vision of his wife Murron rekindles the last spark of resolve as Wallace endures death. The memory of his loved ones sustains the resistance, even as the regime collapses around him.

In 1314, Robert the Bruce, now king of Scotland, leads the Scots at Bannockburn. He invokes Wallace's memory as inspiration and orders a final rally. The victory cements Wallace's legacy and ensures ongoing resistance to English rule.