At a pivotal moment in Braveheart, Wallace rides forth with the many men he has inspired to face their enemy on the field of battle. In this moment, his army joins forces with their other fellow Scotsmen, those not yet a part of the rebellion, those not there to fight. Rather, they are there to negotiate, accepting the enemy’s terms so they can retreat and live small. But just before they are bullied into compromising, William Wallace speaks:
WALLACE: I am William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my countrymen, here in defiance of tyranny. You’ve come to fight as free men—and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight?
VETERAN: Fight? Against that? No! We will run. And we will live.
WALLACE: Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you’ll live—at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take . . . our freedom!
Being entrusted with something valuable is a wonderful thing. There is an honor to it, and the conviction that I am enough. I’m enough to see it kept safe, and I’m enough to deliver it to where the owner wants it shared.
