William Wallace (Outlaw King)

William Wallace is an unseen hero in the 2018 movie Outlaw King.

Wallace became a rebel who opposed the English occupation of Scotland. After the Scottish defeat at Falkirk, the surviving Scottish lords all pledged fealty to the English King Edward. The last rebel standing, Wallace went in to hiding to recover from the battle and rebuild his forces.

Two years after Falkirk Wallace was captured by the English and put to a brutal death by drawning and quartering. His head was thrust on an English spike that was displayed in London, with crows coming by to have Wallace's head for dinner. The remaining parts of Wallace's body were taken throughout the kingdom to warn the people against further rebellion.

When Wallace's arm was nailed to a Celtic cross in Scotland, it's presence caused a riot by the Scottish villagers, who were furious over the death of their beloved national hero. Seeing this macabre display, and with his own father dead Robert Bruce decided the time had come to oppose the English occupation of his country.

Wallace's sacrifice thus motivated Bruce to begin his own rebellion, which was successful in forcing the English out of Scotland and maintaining the independence of Scotland for several more centuries.

Trivia

 * In a scene cut from the final film, Robert Bruce encountered William Wallace during a hunting trip. This scene included an altercation in which Wallace called Bruce a coward and traitor, and ended with Bruce helping Wallace escape the clutches of the nearby English.