 After a prologue set in 1810, which introduces Major Brand (Mark Strong), a British officer serving with Richard Sharpe (Sean Bean), the plot fast-forwards to present-day 1813, where France is losing the war.Major Sharpe is teamed with Brand, now a Colonel renowned for leading a small band of soldiers operating far behind enemy lines.Wellington (Hugh Fraser) assigns them the task of blowing up a store of gunpowder vital to French General Calvet (Olivier Pierre).