WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Green Knight, in theaters now.

Directed by David Lowery, The Green Knight is a retelling of one of the most famous stories of Arthurian legend that doesn't actually focus on the titular legendary hero. Instead, it's centered around Gawain (Dev Patel), nephew to King Arthur (Sean Harris), and the journey he goes on after entering a game with the fearsome Green Knight (Ralph Ineson).

The Green Knight is a visual treat throughout, full of impressive shots and amazing imagery. But none is as quietly powerful or memorable as the last dialogue-free section of the film, which explores the imagined future of a Gawain who abandons his quest to survive -- playing out as a miniature story, the Last Temptation of Gawain.

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Dev Patel in The Green Knight

The Green Knight focuses on Gawain's eventual quest to confront the Green Knight. After beheading the mysterious and mystical figure during a Christmas feast, Gawain is charged with finding him a year later to allow him to repay the blow. Eventually, a year later, Gawain embarks on his quest -- confronting a number of figures along the way, such as the treacherous Scavenger (Barry Keoghan), the ghost of a woman named Winifred (Erin Kellyman) and the manor of the Lord (Joel Edgerton) and the Lay (Alicia Vikander). It is there that the Lay flirts with him and eventually earns his affections -- betraying his honor and reminding him he's not a knight. She also gifts him with a green sash that is said to protect the wearer from all harm.

Reaching the Green Knight, Gawain is fearful of the blow to come. Readying himself, Gawain ultimately flees the figure, running into the woods. In a wordless sequence, he finds his horse and makes his way back to Camelot. He is welcomed back by his friends and family, most notably his lover Essel (Alicia Vikander). He's even handpicked by Arthur (Sean Harris) to replace him as King when he passes away. But this "honorable" station quickly turns the often well-intentioned Gawain into a cold and disconnected figure. When Essel gives birth to a boy, he does not wed her, but instead pays her for her services and takes the child away. He marries a princess, has a daughter, and rules over a decaying Camelot. The people turn on him, and wars soon take over the land -- leading to the death of his son on the battlefield.

Finally, with the enemies storming the gates, Gawain waits in his throne room. His mother (Sarita Choudhury) takes his daughter to safety, while his wife flees the impending battle. But Gawain remains atop his throne, uncaring and unfeeling until his head falls from his shoulders as it should have years ago. Gawain awakens back in the forest, kneeling in front of the Green Knight. This imagined future and fate shake him enough to reveal and remove the green sash. This earns the Green Knight's respect as he prepares to deliver a blow to Gawain's neck. It is not revealed whether the blow stays true to the original story, where the Green Knight only lightly cuts him and allows him to return to Camelot a changed man, or whether he follows through on his promise to remove Gawain's head.

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dev patel the green knight streaming

It's one of the most visually stunning sequences of the year, even when compared to the often-times ethereal and impressive imagery that preceded it in the film. Without any dialogue, this story of Gawain's (and Camelot's) eventual inglorious end is bittersweet, tragic and ultimately meaningful in its intent. It's effectively a recreation of perhaps the most memorable sequence from Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, recontextualizing one of Jesus' final moments as the imagined scenario of what would happen if he fled and lived a full and happy life -- only to return to the fate that was always awaiting him. It lends The Green Knight -- which has quietly incorporated Christian elements and imagery -- a deeper tie to that aspect of the legend, and serves as the final test for Gawain.

The fact that the sequence accomplishes so much with so little is truly remarkable, telling the story of a life without a single piece of dialogue, and yet conveying the joys of returning home and the bittersweet pride of ascension brought down by the weight of expectation, the pain of loss and the cold disconnect that can come as things fall apart. It conveys not just Gawain's story, but the tragedy of Essel and her lost love for him, the sad fate of his children and the final chapter of Camelot as a besieged land instead of a legendary place. It's a masterclass in subtle acting from Patel, visual storytelling on the part of Lowery and his team and one of the best scenes of any film released so far this year.

Don't miss this amazing sequence in The Green Knight, which is currently in theaters.

KEEP READING: The Green Knight Cast & Character Guide