Benvolio warns Mercutio not to start fights as they encounter Tybalt from the rival Capulet family in Verona. Tybalt insults Romeo, who has just married Juliet Capulet, but Romeo refuses to fight. Mercutio challenges Tybalt instead and is fatally stabbed. Enraged, Romeo pursues and kills Tybalt, then flees. The prince learns that Tybalt started the conflict and had Mercutio and Romeo killed, so he banishes Romeo rather than executing him.