Leonato feels worried about the things that Claudio said about Hero if they are true. His brother Antonio tries to cheer him up by saying everything will be alright but Leonato says that the situation is different for the people who are actually experiencing it.
Don Pedro and Claudio come out and Leonato sees them, starts getting mad at Claudio for lying about Hero and killing her, he challenges Claudio to a duel despite his old age. Feeling embarrassed, Claudio and Don Pedro leave while pretending not to hear about the challenge from Leonato.
Benedick enters, Claudio and Don Pedro ask him to tell them some jokes but Benedick is serious saying how Claudio has killed an innocent woman and also challenged him to a duel. Dogberry and Verges enter with Borachio and Conrad, Borachio tells the three what Don John made him do, they were shocked and Claudio asks for forgiveness from Leonato. Leonato comes up with a plan on how to punish them.
Somewhere near Leonato's house, Benedick tells Margaret to call Beatrice. While waiting he thinks about the unfinished poem he has written for Beatrice. Beatrice arrives and they flirt here and there, Benedick tells Beatrice that he has challenged Claudio to a duel and is currently waiting for a response. Ursula interrupts and tells them that the situation about Hero has come to light
Claudio goes to the cemetery early in the morning to say his death poem to the supposed dead Hero as part of his punishment. He promises he would come back every year to read the poem, he leaves and gets ready to marry the niece of Leonato.
While waiting for the bride, Benedick asks Leonato if he has permission to marry Beatrice. The masked girls enter and Claudio vows that he will marry her when Hero takes off her mask they were all shocked, Leonato says since Hero's name has been cleared she could live again. After the wedding, they start to head to the ceremony but Benedick stops Beatrice asking her if she truly loves him, she says she's not sure and that maybe they are better off as friends both parties agree but Claudio and Hero beg to differ, they pull out an unfinished poem for each other and Benedick just goes for it and kissed Beatrice. At the party, they have fun dancing and that's where our story ends!