Episode V.XII – The Diamond of the Day, Part 1
Join us as we discuss The Diamond of the Day, Part 1
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As mentioned in the podcast:
Thinky Thoughts about: Doctor Who
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21st November 2021 @ 10:25 pm
Almost midnight but I might still make it in time. I’m surprised by how much you didn’t like it. Well, mostly Ruth. Because I really enjoyed this episode. Surprisingly it was fairly easy to watch it in isolation and honestly, the way it is rising the stakes so unbelievably high really worked for me. I still remember being super tense when watching it the first time and being so scared that Merlin couldnāt get his magic back. Especially because I was spoiled about the end of the last episode. I was so sure that among all the doom, this would also be part of it and the episode made me believe it, which is something the show has struggled with before. The episode really benefited from the fact that you know there is just one episode after this, so anything could happen to Merlin.
Colinās acting in this is just from beyond this world. Incredible. What I always found most memorable about this episode the pure fear in Merlin without his magic. It establishes so well how itās just every part of him. Loosing something youāve had all your life can destroy you and you can see Merlin breaking from it. When the bandit attacked Merlin and he didnāt know what to do without his magic is just so powerful. Seeing Merlin that scared and vulnerable just breaks my heart.
Some lighter notes: when Merlin speaks to Arthur through the crystals, and Arthur wakes up und just the first thing he says āMerlinā, presumably waking up after having just had Sex with Gwen, is just hilarious to me. The three of them really just are in a polyamorous relationship you canāt tell me otherwise, because Gwen is just way too chill about Arthur having Merlin on his mind after that xD
āMove towards the lightā I just thought Merlinās father told him to die. That would have been quite a turn of events.
21st November 2021 @ 9:54 pm
I did it – well, one half of it. For the sake of Destiny and Chicken, I didnāt chicken out of watching the finale, part 1. I was so close though.
I always thought that the man Morgana robs of his magic was targeted by her not just to ātry outā the slug but because he betrayed her. I watched this scene again, wondering how I came up with that idea but then I noticed that when the sorcerer realises what Morgana is about to do, he doesnāt say, āWhy? What have I done?ā Instead he says, āIām begging you, Morgana, not this.ā Those words sound like someone who immediately knows they have been found out and are condemned because of some guilt or betrayal, begging for a different sentence and thereby admitting it. At least thatās how it seemed to me. Morganaās threat to his family also seems to suggest this reading.
Of course, then Mordred says the thing about ālosing a powerful allyā and Morgana doesnāt contradict him and says it was worth it because now they know how the war can be won. Itās all very confusing – so I guess I always ignored the M&M conversation because I was already convinced of the sorcererās guilt.
Naturally, itās ironic that Morgana says this display was necessary to win the war. But just before she says if she wants someone dead, she puts a sword through their gut. Later on, the guy delivering the slug simply walks into Camelot and Merlinās room. No problem. Why doesnāt the guy simply wait for Merlin to come back and to fall asleep half-drunk on his bed and then, you know, stab him through his gut?
By the way, I have thought back and I think we have only seen Morgana stab someone once in 3.1 when she stabbed the soldier who saw her coming back from a nocturnal meeting with Morgause to ārefreshā the mandrake mud. And then she did it so badly that the man almost survived to give witness if Merlin and Gaius hadnāt been stupid enough to leave their patient, giving smirky Morgana the perfect opportunity to finish off the guard with poison. Maybe this is why Morgana has ruled out stabbing as an easy solution? It failed her once and she has abandoned it for good?
I commented on 2.12 on Merlinās choice of using poison to kill Morgana instead of, say, a sword or his magic, wondering whether it was a subconscious choice to keep his magic pure and showing his reluctance to kill his then-friend Morgana by using a method that was by no means fail-safe and, probably, had an antidote ready-made that Merlin knew Gaius had stored away on his shelves somewhere. This made me think about Morganaās reluctance to actually kill Merlin, instead opting to rid him of his magic and incarcerating him in a cave. Is this a subconscious reluctance to kill a former friend? Is it a remnant of awe and fear of Emrys, this legendary magical figure that, surely, she would by now have heard stories about, at the very least from Mordred since last episode?
While I am okay with Morganaās spell to enclose Merlin in the mountain (itās taken from legend and shows her power), I have many issues with the slug. I know it is meant to show how disgusting and depraved Morgana has become. But it is just so undignified and while Morgana is evil and crazed, I also think it would have been good to come up with something a little bit more darkly powerful, mystically beautiful, glamorously tragic. Kind of like Morgana herself. Arthurian legends are always beautiful, despite being often tragic and depraved and sad. But always beautiful and complicated. But a slug? Morgana at this point reminds me a lot of what Mr Ollivander says about Lord Voldemortās feats: Terrible but great. That is Morgana as well and we have often given her spells or artefacts or creatures with more weight and significance which she has then misused: the charmed necklace, Aithusa, the Dark Tower, the mandrakes. All these have connotations of power and mystery and danger. But a slug? You forgo stabbing in the gut for THIS, Morgana?
They could have given her anything to get rid of magic: a spell, another significant artifact that would have allowed Morgana to demonstrate her significant, dark power and use that, eventually, to stress Merlinās infinitely greater power by his defeat of her spell or charm without resorting to something as ridiculously underwhelming and inane as a magic-eating slug!
Maybe she could have acquired and misused one of Morgauseās crystals (from the Crystal Cave) which her sister originally used to scry on Arthur and Uther (in 2.8). Maybe, with the right, twisted magic, they can rob (or suppress, in Merinās case – because I assume thatās what happened? Maybe?) And then we could have a much clearer explanation why the Crystal Cave is able to return Merlinās magic. We could have honed in again on Merlin and Morgana being opposites. It might even explain why Morgana waited for Merlin in the cave to challenge and mock him, knowing that he would come to seek to re-claim his magic. (Then we could get rid entirely of Eira and the weird sudden, romance of Gwaineās.) She might taunt Merlin that even if he knew the spell to reclaim his magic from the crystals, he cannot use it because his magic is gone and then she imprisons him in the cave, thinking she has confined him until his death so near his salvation and yet unable to access his magic in order to use the crystals. And then, because Merlin IS magic, he regains it anyway, twisting her cruel plan into a triumph for Emrys rather than his death. Wouldnāt that be neat?
Just a short note on Eira and Gwaine. Yep, once again a treacherous female (now with bleached hair and straightened fringe)- but she is so pointless and the trope so overused (and offensive) that her character and the writing itself sounds bored with her. Also, we are once again making the point that romantic love trumps all (like last episode). Really, Gwaine, just because you met her shortly and she slept with you, all other loves, such as your friendship to Merlin (okay, you kind of lost that at the start of season 4, didnāt you) or the love for your king? Wasnāt Arthur the one noble you thought was worth dying for (3.4)? Also, like it did to Merlin in 2.9, romantic love seems to make people, men, in particular, lose their reason and sound judgement. (Why donāt we just call ALL these women Eve since they are all deceptive and we blame them for all the bad decisions of the men! I mean, Morgana quite literally wears a snake necklace and seems to have a particular affinity to snakes. ARG! Iām so frustrated. This show isnāt 50 years old, for goodnessā sake! Wasnāt there someone, anyone, around that could have pointed out what a terrible, terrible patriarchal message they were sending out? This is so wrong. ā¹ But then, thatās not the only thing they got completely wrong, is it. I guess in the face of all these other, monumental issues, the deceptiveness of women, comparatively, is only a small bone to pick.)
In reference to my point from last week where I said that Morganaās throne room looks like a dark and perverted version of Arthurās, it is very interesting that Mordred now often stands behind Morgana like Merlin does behind Arthur. They both have their magical back-ups and both are, in some ways, very similar to each other but also diametrically opposed. Again, a vision of what Camelot would be like under Morgana. (Not that we are ever told that, like you pointed out. Or what kind of kingdom Arthur envisions. Or even what kind of kingdom he has now. Lovely speeches but hollow at the core. I knew it: itās a TV tell, after all.) Also, later in the episode, Morgana and Mordredās teamwork (however underwhelming) give us a glimpse of how much better Arthur and Merlin would be if they worked side by side for the good like they do for evil.
There is one single reason why I like the tavern scene. Remember when Merlin, after being re-hired in 1.2, says Arthur could buy him a drink as apology and Arthur scoffs and says that he ācanāt really be seen buying drinks for his servantā. Well, guess thatās changed – and this is a rare glimpse of the kingdom we hoped (and were told) Arthur had established through his rule. Itās very heart-warming but, of course, appears out of nowhere and is, naturally, contradicted by Arthurās judgement and reaction every time he has been told that Merlin has gone to the tavern. OR was Arthur simply annoyed that Merlin went to the tavern without him?!
Of course, I also love the line that Arthur says just after Merlin has enchanted the dais for the first time: āEnjoy this moment, Merlin. While it lasts.ā And then we cut to the man carrying the slug to his bedroom which will rob him of the ability to enchant dais or anything else. Nice double meaning there created by the writing and the editing.
Can I just wonder why, if Gaius and Merlin knew that Mordred would have told Morgana of Merlinās powers and she would strike out soon, Merlin has not gone and actively tried to prevent that? I mean, I am not saying, go to Arthur, confess your magic and figure something out together. No, because that would be too obvious. But surely, if someone knows they are about to be attacked by someone who has successfully infiltrated the castle many times (herself or through spies), they are going to take action and pre-empt this with an action of their own? Clearly, Arthur seems to think thatās the right way, as he rides out to meet Morgana at Camlann before she has a chance to besiege Camelot. Maybe, if Arthur had done a Merlin and stayed put and Merlin had done an Arthur and become proactive, this story could still have ended well.
SPOILER How cruel and tragic the irony that Merlin, robbed of his magic, looks around helplessly at all the injured people from the fallen garrison in this episode before Gaius reminds him that his skills as a physician are still valid. And then next episode, having regained his magic (and discovered his true self), he remains helpless in the face of a fatal injury he simply cannot heal. SPOILER END.
It’s even more ridiculous that Merlin doesnāt take a sword with him to the Valley of the Fallen Kings when you consider what he said in 5.8 to the bandits he met IN THE SAME PLACE who laughed at him because he didnāt have a sword. With his magic, he doesnāt need one. But now heās lost itā¦Sigh!
The end of the little scene between Arthur and Gwen in the courtyard, when they take each othersā hands and just hold them tightly: I love that so much. Itās just a tiny detail it speaks of so much mutual affection, understanding, closeness, intimacy. I think this may be the first time this season I have really believed their relationship and see a mature version of the Arthur and Gwen we got in earlier seasons. Itās so lovely.
The scene when Merlin cries and screams in desperation in the cave is so heart-breaking. But what I really want to draw out here is Colin Morganās ability to pace himself out as an actor to give his character development and this moment special emotional significance. Despite often getting scripts very late in the day, he somehow managed to get this moment across as his most desperate in a whole five seasons (so far) – he has never screamed like this ever before.
In the scene where ghost-Balinor appears and speaks to Merlin, I donāt so much mind who appears to him here. However, what I really do mind in this scene is that I donāt really get it. I remember watching this for the first time and being really, really confused. So, Merlin will always be as he will always be? Why? Is that a dragonlord thing? But SPOILER as we will see in 5.13, āalways beā means something very different for Merlin as it does for Balinor. Does that mean all dragonlords continue after death and only Merlin, who is magic itself, LIVES forever? SPOILER END What does that mean āYou are magic?ā We havenāt even properly shown that Merlin is the most powerful sorcerer to ever live (TV TELL!), only repeated it many times over. SPOILER Just next episode, Gaius will affirm that Merlin is indeed the most powerful sorcerer but he will also tell Merlin that even his healing magic isnāt strong enough. I think itās even in the same scene. WHAT? SPOILER END. So, why are we setting the bar higher for Merlin when we havenāt even properly shown him fulfil the Emrys role? Or is āYou are magicā just a more dramatic way of saying: you are more powerful than anyone? And then when Merlin goes āinto the lightā, we are not actually shown what happens and I donāt think the producers really know what happened. Balinor says, āMove into the light, your destiny awaits.ā WHAT is this destiny? Is it the one weāve been hearing since 1.1.? Is it a new one? Why arenāt we told?
Yep, so basically, I was and still am confused by the word salad of Balinorās advice as big words and concepts are mentioned in passing only and never fully explained. Yet the real questions, such as: Is Merlinās magic, when it is gone, only just supressed? Or is it gone but sleeping a little bit on the ground will fill him with magic? Is he going into the light to learn how to commune with and draw upon the source of magic in earth, sky and sea continually to enhance his own powers which are of the same kin? Also, one big question that I really wanted them to answer: apart from Balinor being a dragonlord, his parents werenāt really special and, as far as we know, he was conceived normally. (Was he?) So how come Merlin ended up being magic itself, a son of earth and sea and sky? Or, if magic is the fabric of this earth and Merlin was born of this magic, doesnāt that imply that ALL people are magic? Surely all are of this earth and so all should be made from its fabric? Maybe Merlinās fabric justā¦has less washed-out colours?
I also realised that, especially in the light of the final episode, Balinor may have given Merlin his most difficult task yet: Donāt let go, Merlin. Do not give in. Donāt accept defeat. Let hope into your heart. Trust in what will be. Heed the words of your father. Merlin was just thinking about the battle ahead – Balinor was probably thinking of the long game. (Also, when will people stop trying to tell Merlin what to do and let him stand on his own feet? According to Balinor, he always stood tall on his own feet so why wouldnāt people just let him be? The Merlin we had in season 1 might have done a better job at all of this than the Merlin now who has learned never to take a step unless Gaius, the dragon, a prophecy, a ghost-father have directed him to do so because he imagines he must follow in their footsteps, as he says to Balinor.)
There is so much tragic beauty and hope and Merlin-unburdened-as-he-used-to-be in the fact that his first spell after regaining his powers is a butterfly. I adore the butterfly!
22nd November 2021 @ 4:13 pm
ā Morgana and Mordredās teamwork (however underwhelming) give us a glimpse of how much better Arthur and Merlin would be if they worked side by side for the good like they do for evil. ā
Cue all of the millions of stories in which Arthur and Merlin are the most badass battle couple ever <3 <3 <3
TV Tell still makes me laugh, btw š
ā OR was Arthur simply annoyed that Merlin went to the tavern without him?! ā
AWWW he just didnāt wanna be left out!!!! ššš
ā I think this may be the first time this season I have really believed their relationship and see a mature version of the Arthur and Gwen we got in earlier seasons. Itās so lovely. ā
Completely agree. Itās lovely that we seem to have redound most of our characters, here at the end.
ā Just next episode, Gaius will affirm that Merlin is indeed the most powerful sorcerer but he will also tell Merlin that even his healing magic isnāt strong enough.ā
Oddly enough, a Gaius wonāt even affirm it. He says āthere are some that believeā. He doesnāt even include himself in that statement. Itās super odd! And yes, not even he can fix it. And therefore, cause Gaius says so, Merlin wonāt even tryā¦ ARGH!!!
ā Or, if magic is the fabric of this earth and Merlin was born of this magic, doesnāt that imply that ALL people are magic?ā
I donāt think we actually say this in the episode, but I always assumed that the first dude that got slugged in the face could have also gone into the Crystal cave to re-gain his magic, as it is the birth place of magicā¦ if he is strong enough to deal with being in the Crystal cave and not go insane, I guessā¦ which makes sense, until I remember Ruth pointing out that Morgana wasnāt bothered by the crystals in the leastā¦ which now makes all of this equally salad-y. SIGH.
ā Merlin was just thinking about the battle ahead – Balinor was probably thinking of the long game.ā
I would agree butā¦ why? Why does Balinor know what lies ahead? Does he know the future, because heās a ghost? Or because heās in the Crystal cave, where the uber magic happens? š¤
23rd November 2021 @ 9:50 am
Thanks for replying. I am assuming you’ve already recorded the finale? How do you feel? Are you both okay?
TV Tell still makes me laugh, btw š –
Sometimes I laugh and sometimes I cry (well, grumble), depending on how frustrated I am by the show.
AWWW he just didnāt wanna be left out!!!! ššš –
Yes, maybe Arthur’s been misunderstood this whole time.
Oddly enough, a Gaius wonāt even affirm it. He says āthere are some that believeā. He doesnāt even include himself in that statement. Itās super odd! And yes, not even he can fix it. And therefore, cause Gaius says so, Merlin wonāt even tryā¦ ARGH!!! –
That’s so true. Gah! Can Gaius, for once, stop trying to selfishly protect himself and just fly his true colours for Merlin’s sake? I mean, Arthur already knows he knew of Merlin’s magic? He can only execute him once so why not say that Merlin, in his own opinion, is the most powerful sorcerer?
And therefore, cause Gaius says so, Merlin wonāt even tryā¦ ARGH!!! –
I don’t know if I wrote this in a comment here on on another episode: basically throughout the seasons, Merlin has lost more and more autonomy. That’s why we have him be hostile to Mordred but not proactively do anything about it. And this is the worst! (Because Gaius is the worst!)
Why does Balinor know what lies ahead? Does he know the future, because heās a ghost? Or because heās in the Crystal cave, where the uber magic happens? š¤ –
Well, how does anyone know anything? How does the dragon know what Merlin is (apparently) destined to do? How do the druid or Catha prophets know? Is it all a pack of lies that basically ruined a young man’s life?
23rd November 2021 @ 12:21 pm
–I am assuming youāve already recorded the finale? How do you feel? Are you both okay?–
honestly, I haven’t had enough time to decompress as I’m desperately trying to wrangle the comment section, edit the episode section, finish the art work, all of which needs to be done before Wednesday when I’m flying home to visit my family for the first time since 2019 so there’s additional packing, worrying about weather and suitcase weight and weather and have i put on too much pandemic weight to fit into the clothes I still have at my dad’s house?!? And have I filled in all the paperwork and have I got the correct documentation that will allow me on the plane and than afterwards OFF the plane, which really, is the more worrying one. Y’know, the usual… ::facepalm:: So yeah, it’s not even really sunk in that this is the end of D&C. and of course, it isn’t, because we’ve still got like 5 other episodes to record before it’s even Christmas haha so all around, it’s all a bit weird.
Sorry, that was probably more than you wanted to know hahaha
–Thatās so true. Gah! Can Gaius, for once, stop trying to selfishly protect himself and just fly his true colours for Merlinās sake?–
I really wish I knew what they thought they were writing with Gaius’ character, and whether 10 years on, they still think they achieved it, or whether they also sometimes look back at the show and go ‘ah fuck, we really screwed this up…’
–I donāt know if I wrote this in a comment here on on another episode: basically throughout the seasons, Merlin has lost more and more autonomy. —
I’m not sure, I’m in comment frenzy at the moment hahaha but I did very much enjoy all of your thoughts in regards to Merlin now breaking free of Gaius, the dragon, and everything else that’s hanging over him, and finding his way back to himself. the boy who just wanted to help people, in any way he could. makes me happy…
— Is it all a pack of lies that basically ruined a young manās life?–
lol maybe, yeah… we should have a PODCAST CONTRAVERSY! in which you defend ‘BBC Merlin: A Pack of Lies that Ruined a Young Man’s Life’ and Vlahos defends ‘Arthur Pendragon: The Real Villain of BBC Merlin’ hahaha I think we’d have fun!
23rd November 2021 @ 9:55 am
When you asked about what happened when Merlin steps into the light because we donāt get anything, my mind immediately remembered this bit in a version of the season 1 trailer. Itās a completely on its own acted part, not clips from the show. Merlin is standing as the camera circles him super fast, he is in awe of watching all these swirly gold lines moving rapidly around him. Then as the trailer ends the camera zooms in on Merlinās face, he puts his finger to his lips in a āsshā, and he looks directly at us and his eyes glow gold.
Itās on YouTube I believe.
This is exactly the kind of thing we could have seen from Merlin stepping into the light. Gold (magic and knowledge from the cave) whirling around him and then streaming into him and restoring him, changing him (not into dragoon).
23rd November 2021 @ 11:42 am
that sounds amazing! actually, so amazing I almost don’t want to search for it, because right now the image in my head is SO COOL, i fear however cool this actually is, it won’t live up to what my brain has conjured up hahaha
21st November 2021 @ 4:43 pm
Oh, this episodeā¦gah. I havenāt been able to rewatch it (I moved to an apartment that doesnāt have internet yet so maybe soon Iāll rewatch!) so Iām going off of memory here. Just a few things I remember really stuck out to meā¦
1.) I agree about the WTF?! nature of Morgana having a dragon fire forged sword. Totally out of nowhere! I remember thinking, āWell, isnāt that convenient?ā In a sort of eye rolling way.
2. *Spoilers* disliking the hints about immortality dropped in the crystal cave. It feels so out of nowhere because it 100% is out of nowhere.
3. Groaning when Dragoon busted out of the cave š«
Iāve got nothing other than those clear takeaways, a year after watching it!
Great episode, as usual ā„ļø
21st November 2021 @ 9:57 pm
It feels so out of nowhere because it 100% is out of nowhere. –
The funny thing is that Balinor say to Merlin that he should believe what he knows in his heart to be true. However, if that was so, they ought to have seeded in this revelation so that we, the viewers, should also already suspect ‘in our hearts’ that our hero might suffer from some serious longevity. But I don’t think there has been any indication of it so it’s really sudden. I’m kind of surprised, Merlin doesn’t go, “What now?” when Balinor says that. Or does his 5.8 eyeroll to camera. That would have been both funny and apropriate.
29th November 2021 @ 3:39 am
āSuffer from serious longevityā š well said!
20th November 2021 @ 7:28 pm
Loved reading everyone’s comments! It must be overwhelming how many there are, but I love hearing what people have to say, including how they would prefer things to have gone.
So one particular part of this episode that really bothered me was the scene between Gwen and Arthur in the tent. Throughout the episode, she fails to say anything intelligent and swiftly falls into a comforting and insignificant role, and this scene is meant to be a sweet love-y moment between them and it is just so… awkward…
I swear these two had chemistry before! In the Queen of Hearts, I just remember their last conversation was so gorgeous. Obviously they had to lose that sweet sweet forbidden love aspect, but all I’ve learnt from this couple is that marriage makes you boring… which isn’t true! Their marriage might as well have been the end of their relationship for me because I get almost no enjoyment out of them as it is. I think this is mostly due to the show not putting in effort- but I’ll wait to talk about that in the roundup episode!
20th November 2021 @ 7:38 pm
Also Morgana is so quick to trust Mordred again? I know she has this affinity with him that is really precious, I just wish that the show cared about more than just having these two ultimate baddies being teamed up. I think we could play more into how broken she is by this point- on some levels she feels stronger than ever with her army and increasing power, but her careless nature with her allies means she has lost many people- she has lost her humanity. I suppose Katie staring at the ground pretty much sums this up in fairness.
21st November 2021 @ 3:22 am
When I have googled in the past, I saw that Bradley James and Angel Coulby dated (or are still dating?? Not sureā¦). Did this happen while they were shooting Merlin? If so, we could see if Joeyās (from Friends) theory is true about actors/actresses having lots of chemistry on stage when they arenāt involved with one another and then zero chemistry when they start dating/sleeping together. š¤£
But in all seriousnessā¦. Totally agree with you about Arthur and Gwenās relationship, though I sense more of the old Gwen in this episode than I have the past two seasons.
21st November 2021 @ 10:02 pm
I think the thing about Bradley and Angel dating was just wishful thinking and false rumour like Colin and Katie’s romance. Whenever I see a site claiming it, there are no actual sources or reasons cited. Most simply post a few pictures of them together which could have been taken at any random press event or, you know, while they were hanging out as friends.
22nd November 2021 @ 3:53 am
Awwā¦.bummer! ā¹ļø They are adorable together!
If they have never dated then I guess Joeyās theory is wrong. Haha
20th November 2021 @ 4:30 am
This episode was… alright. I am not surprised about my response because usually I rate the first part of a two-parter lower anyways. I want to apologize in advance if this is all gibberish. I really need to stop writing my comments after a long day’s work….
One of my main issues with this episode is how underwhelming Merlin being trapped in the cave seemed. I did not realize Merlin was really that hurt until Michelle pointed out the battle sign. I know he has rocks on him and is a little beat up, but he doesn’t come across as being close enough to death for me. I was honestly more scared for Merlin in S1 when he was poisoned, in S4 when he was attacked by a dorocha and in S5 when he was tricked by Daegal and poisoned again by Morgana. I think maybe it has to do with makeup? Also, I don’t feel Colin is playing it as intense as before. Either way, I wish, like someone (can’t remember who) mentioned in the comments before me, that Merlin was visually getting sick and almost dying from losing his magic since he is magic itself. It would have been more impactful since we know Colin can play sick Merlin so well. I think the scene where Morgana is taunting him would have been better as well if we knew Merlin wasn’t feeling great, but standing up to her. It would make more sense that Morgana would trap a weak and actively dying Merlin in the cave rather than a Merlin with no magic. OR BETTER YET why don’t we have Morgana stab him!?! That would have been absolutely amazing! She stabs him and leaves him to bleed out… have him actually die and then the cave heals him! SPOILER: They could have even mirrored Morgana’s eventual death by Merlin’s hand here. Oh! I just got really excited about this!!!(Side wondering: Was Merlin still immortal when he didn’t have magic??)
I really wish I cared more about Balinor and Merlin’s interaction since Merlin is my favorite character, but I don’t. Why do I not love this part of the episode?!?! I think it is a combination of me not feeling Merlin is really in danger and not being emotionally attached to Balinor and his generic fantasy lingo (How does he know Merlin “stands tall on his own two feet??” He barely knows Merlin unless he has been spying on him in ghost form the past few years….). I am not sure who I would want instead…. not Freya because she is my least favorite character. I almost just want the voice of the old dude that was in the crystal cave the first time or I guess the voice of Killgarah would have been nice if we had established he actually died. OH! Wouldn’t THAT had been a better way to spend the minutes wasted on Eirya and Gwaine? Merlin watching Killie die…. or finding him dead…. Merlin could have tried to find Killie first before resorting to the Crystal Cave….
Oh! Strongly dislike Dragoon being Merlin’s “true self.” They should have kept him young Merlin….but with a staff…. or something….
I know everyone has been mentioning fulfilling the “golden age” prophecy as the goal of this show, but that hasn’t been it from the beginning. It is about the magic reveal. This show has always been about a guy with a big secret (magic) lying about his true self (That later morphed into lying to his best friend about his true self). The Arthurian legend was just the vehicle/plot device these writers chose to tell that story. Sadly, I wish they had taken the time and put in the thought and care needed to spin a wonderfully multi layered tale, but they didn’t. At least for me, once I accept that this story is about Merlin’s lie to Arthur…. it is so much easier to enjoy! š AND if you accept this, you realize we succeed in our goal based on the “next week on Merlin” clip. Which brings me to the bromance! ā¤
Like I said last week, this tavern scene has got to be my absolute favorite bromance moment! I have watched this moment in isolation multiple times because it just makes me so happy! I like to head cannon that Arthur was getting a bit stressed about the war, so Merlin and Percival convince Arthur to go out to the tavern to blow off a bit of steam. Ruth! I thought you would be happy they aren’t in chainmail!! I absolutely love how cocky both Merlin and Arthur are while playing this dice game. The banter and shit talking just warms my heart! š¤£ Even though it is a bit on the nose, I do enjoy the bit of irony/foreshadowing given by Merlin’s line “I knew you’d discover my secret in the end. There is just no fooling you, my lord.” (SEE the point is the magic reveal!) Love that Merlin cheats (just like the first time they met and were fighting in the market) and I love how sore of a loser Arthur is since he is use to always winning. My absolute favorite is when Merlin shrugs and does this “Ah, f$%k it!” expression and bets it all.
I wrote in my notes here that it may be a little late to be asking this question…. but do people in the show notice magic user’s eyes changing?? I think Gwen might have mentioned it once, but it seems really unlikely that they ACTUALLY notice…. I mean Merlin should have been found out ages ago if that is the case…
Also, LOVE how hammered Merlin is when he gets home and like Ruth, I ADORE how he steps up on maybe a bench at the end of his bed?? and then just flops down. My affection for Colin just reaches unmeasurable heights….
Bravo to Colin and his performance when he is in the hallway with the wounded. His breathing is fast and shallow. He looks scared and nearly panicked.
I realize that Merlin is probably right in that Arthur is going to go regardless of what Merlin says to him, but how about Merlin and Gaius bring that paper with the prophecy from Alator to Arthur and read it to him. Maybe then he would reconsider?
Back to the bromance….the scene where Merlin tells Arthur he isn’t coming is like a break up scene. We all say things we don’t mean when we break up…. still Arthur shouldn’t have been such an ass. Amazing performance from both Bradley and Colin here though….
Overall, I think it is safe to say that I don’t give two poops about ANOTHER battle or ANOTHER treacherous woman or ANOTHER dragon sword… I have always been someone far more interested in intimate interactions between two people and the psychology behind, so it is safe to say I both love and hate the last episode. Here we gooooooooooo……….
20th November 2021 @ 11:36 am
“Merlin and Gaius bring that paper with the prophecy from Alator to Arthur and read it to him. Maybe then he would reconsider?”
I couldn’t imagine that doing much. Sure Arthur will take it into consideration but he is a warrior, and warriors are not scared to die in battle, in fact they expect to.
Arthur’s never been a superstitious person, sniding at those who believed the disir judgement coin or that the valley of fallen kings was cursed or haunted. If Merlin showed him the paper, he’d probably think it was faked or fantasy thinking from the evil side.
20th November 2021 @ 3:06 pm
You are probably rightā¦. But maybe he would change strategy and avoid Camlann??
20th November 2021 @ 2:54 pm
Just as you are, I am now obsessed about the idea of Merlin gradually losing his health without his magic. Oh the drama potential!
Also, you don’t realize how happy it makes me when I see you don’t think this show was supposed to be about the golden era, either! I totally agree. If anything, it’s about the failure to bring the golden era, and, most importantly, about Merlin hiding. I kind of realized it by the end of s1 upon my first watching, and that definitely made the whole experience more enjoyable, if heartbreaking. I guess it’s the expectation of the genre (a family show, full of adventures, fantasy etc.) that probably builds up the expectation for a glorious happy end? Maybe. I feel like I’m going to go on and on about it with the series roundup, so I’m sorry in advance for anyone who’s going to be fed up with me š
20th November 2021 @ 3:42 pm
Iām so glad you agree!!
I, unfortunately, didnāt discover this show until about a year ago and so all the seasons were out and done. I remember before I finished it, I saw some gif or meme that basically told me what was going to happen and so I have never watched this show assuming it would be a happy ending. I am not sure how I would have felt had I been watching it ten years ago when it was on TV.
I am one who enjoys Tragedy though and especially a story that involves moral conflict and characters I love making the wrong choice and an ending that isnāt āand they lived happily ever after.ā As I age, I feel those stories ring more true (regardless of if they are set in a fantasy world or not). More talk about this in the round-up thoughā¦. Hahaha
20th November 2021 @ 10:22 pm
I, too, discovered Merlin just over a year ago. I didn’t know how it would end exactly, but some mid-way s1, I learned that the magic reveal doesn’t happen until the very end. I remember being upset about it, then getting over it and realizing “oh, so they want to tell a different story than what I thought”. I think that possibly, binge-watching makes that easier to see? I have no idea how I would have interpreted it if I watched it weekly, either.
And I totally agree about the tragedy. Of course I sometimes need a feel-good movie with a happy ending, but the tragic, or bittersweet, endings speak to me much more. I like it when characters fail sometimes. As long as it doesn’t feel completely pointless and bleak.
21st November 2021 @ 4:31 am
I agree with you to an extent that the show is more about the lie about his true self then the prophecy, and I absolutely enjoy the show much more when I focus on the relationship between Merlin and Arthur rather than the actual plot, haha. But I also think they sort of failed on that front too – it feels like particularly in the last two seasons, they forgot that Merlin hiding his magic was a key plot/character point, except for maybe the Death Song of Uther Pendragon. There is a lot of potential here that they didn’t explore, even with Mordred – why didn’t we have more focus on the fact that Mordred knows Merlin in a way Arthur does not?
Alas, more to ponder in a roundup!
21st November 2021 @ 10:11 pm
it feels like particularly in the last two seasons, they forgot that Merlin hiding his magic was a key plot/character point, except for maybe the Death Song of Uther Pendragon. –
Absolutely, and I think it stems from their fear or unwillingness to actually set out what magic, amgic users, Old Religion etc. all means in this world. If they had done the worldbuilding groudnwork, Merlin’s secret magic and the prospect of its possible reveal could have been an easy through-line to achieve. Because they didn’t get the foundations down properly, they usually forgot to continue builing on that particulat house.
22nd November 2021 @ 3:56 am
-why didnāt we have more focus on the fact that Mordred knows Merlin in a way Arthur does not?-
Totally would have loved that! I am still fascinated by the thought of Merlin and Mordred becoming reluctant magic pals and then Mordred betraying Merlinā¦ if onlyā¦
21st November 2021 @ 10:09 pm
I am not sure who I would want instead –
I know it woudl have been difficult to achieve on film without voice-over or such like but I would have really liked if Merlin had no one appear to him and he could, for once, have figured things out by himself and made his own decisions, showing himself to stand on his two feet and being the most powerful sorcerer of all time.
22nd November 2021 @ 3:59 am
Now that you mention the option of no oneā¦. I think I would have rather gone with that too! I am not sure how you would show that, but totally agree that Merlin making his own decision and becoming truly Emrys on his own would have been awesome!
23rd November 2021 @ 9:53 am
I think this is basically why Merlin is slowly, slowly being isolated by destiny until, well, the end of the series. He NEEDS to stand on his own feet and be his own man (Emrys) but being in Camelot and hiding and having Gaius and the dragon tell him what to do and being sorely focused on Arthur has prevented this. Now, he has to…I just wish our Merlin didn’t have to be broken in the process.
19th November 2021 @ 9:41 pm
I actually took notes while watching this episode because there is so much to think about! This was the episode that originally cause me to search out D&C- not wanting the heartbreak I went searching for a good podcast . . ..
I love the opening scene-I don’t think it’s meant to perfectly make sense; it’s meant to a fourth wall breaking bit of fan service. Which honestly, I think every good finale of TV needs a little bit of – we’re still just watching a TV show and some nostalgic entertainment is fine by me. The fourth wall break of “Enjoy this moment while it lasts” and āI knew youād discover my secret in the end, there is just no fooling you my lordā totally get to me. And on that note, Merlin’s clumsy drunkenness doubles for me as a great nod back to this character trait.
The slug scene is terrible -how bout we cut that to 15 seconds, cut Eira, and include some more character development for Mordred?
Per your discussion of measuring magical power and how this show fails at it – I have renewed appreciation for the success Harry Potter has at differentiating magical power for us. Sure, its 7 books and thousands of pages….but this show could have done a LITTLE better.
Back to Eira – doesn’t it seem like the main lesson of this series is “don’t trust anyone!” sometimes? Very disheartening for a family show, haha.
There is not too much I can add to the conversation about Arthur’s hated line but I will say that I absolutely LOVE Colin’s acting in that scene. As we’ve said many times before, that man knows how to play “about to cry” better than anyone I’ve seen. This hated line does bring up a series question for me though that I’ve had before, which is that I wonder how much we are actually supposed to love Arthur and Merlin’s relationship – there are multiple times in the series where it seems like you are supposed to realize that in fact, there are gaping holes in their supposed amazing friendship. Ugh. Will ponder for the roundup.
Why did Morgana and Mordred seem surprised Merlin was going to try to get his powers back? Rolling my eyes over here.
Gwen and Gwaine’s trust of Merlin is both awesome and tragic yet again, that Merlin feels like he can’t trust these characters back. Both characters are written as if we came straight from S3, and skipped the last two years of nonsense, which I appreciate.
I love that we get solid Gwen and Arthur time, sad that it’s only now!
LOL at Merlin creeping on Arthur and Gwen in bed. It’s a beat too long for me before his awesome speech.
On the whole I liked this episode quite a bit. I think the problems in the episode are not episode specific; they are season specific. The acting from multiple characters really brings this episode up for me. The problems are frustrating for sure, but I also continue to think 90% of the problems are fixed if they rewrote episodes 1-10 of the season, which feel like part A, and 11-13 feel like the time they realized they needed a coherent story. They did the best they could to fix their own mistakes….
I have so many series roundup thoughts building and I can’t wait but also am sad to reach the end of the podcast. As always thanks for the humor as well!
20th November 2021 @ 4:33 pm
-Per your discussion of measuring magical power and how this show fails at it ā I have renewed appreciation for the success Harry Potter has at differentiating magical power for us. Sure, its 7 books and thousands of pagesā¦.but this show could have done a LITTLE better.-
Totally agree!! I feel like the writers of this show arenāt fantasy fans. Had they been, they would understand we need some sort of world building and rules as Ruth and Michelle discussed on the podcast. Fantasy fans tend to be very critical, analyzing everything and asking way too many questionsā¦. If they were fans, they would know that!
19th November 2021 @ 1:31 am
I have no idea what to think of this episode. It’s just very underwhelming. I didn’t even dislike the episode until the end. Up until Merlin coming out of the cave I would have considered it an underwhelming but okay episode but after that scene it dropped to the bottom of the list. I don’t know what I was expecting. A cape would have been ideal but anything would have been preferable to Dragoon showing up.
It’s becoming very clear that these writers have run out of ideas because this is the second last minute love interest/traitor in a row. I do love the unintentional comedy of the amount of people who keep infiltrating Camelot.
It was nice to see Arthur be competent and do his job. His speech was very nice. We’re on round 529 of does the show want me to hate Arthur or do they think his actions are okay? It’s especially weird this episode because shouldn’t they remind us of why we love Arthur so that next week is more effective?
I can understand Gwen’s desire to be with Arthur in case he dies but it’s so unbelievably dumb I couldn’t take the danger seriously. We have all of this build up about how this battle will decide the fate of Camelot, doom, etc. and then Arthur and his council just agree to take the ruler and sole heir to the throne in case Arthur dies out of the most secure fortress into an incredibly dangerous situation. I appreciate the sentiment and romance but the carelessness and stupidity of it all drove me to distraction. If Arthur is going into this battle where he will probably die then Gwen’s safety is the most important thing to ensure the future of Camelot! Wouldn’t it have shown more competence and been more tragic if Gwen wanted to go but decided she couldn’t??
Merlin losing his magic should not have been this underwhelming and easy to fix. I know I’ve said this about pretty much every episode this season but it should have been a longer arc with more intent. I genuinely have no clue what the point of it was. This whole thing just reinforces the idea that Merlin only has value as long as he has magic and is Emrys. And that’s a really interesting direction for his story but I don’t know if the show is trying to do that. Is it supposed to be triumphant or tragic? Do they know what they’re doing to this character at all? I think the worst part is they’ve already done this exact thing with Merlin’s character much better in The Darkest Hour two parter.
The whole thing would probably have worked much better if Merlin was alone the whole time. There’s also a nice parallel to the beginning of the series. It would have added to the helplessness and despair and we could have had the exact same goodbye with Gwaine and Gwen in Camelot. However it was nice to have Gwaine back and their goodbye was lovely.
I also don’t get bringing in Balinor at this point. I kind of get why Balinor is here but we’ve seen him for half an episode and Merlin knew him for two days. Now if we had properly killed off Kilgarrah earlier in the season then we could have used his voice to do the exact same thing and it would be a lot more impactful. Wouldn’t it work a lot better if we had Kilgarrah save Merlin one last time? This cryptic destiny stuff would also make a lot more sense coming from him.
(I know he shows up again so if they had John Hurt why not use him here where it actually makes sense?)
I really liked Merlin’s first conversation with force ghost Balinor. In the moment where he repeats “always will be” I think he realises the implications of that and luckily passes out before he can process it. I also really like the crystal stuff, it seems to imply that Merlin is using his mental link to Arthur and it’s nice to have that back. Merlin summoning a butterfly was just lovely.
That scene with Morgana slugging the druid was actually pretty good removed from everything else. It was creepy and horrifying and very effective. It does make me wonder why any magic user would work with her after she did something like that. Also I did not realise that lighting and extinguishing the fire was supposed to establish Merlin’s power until listening to the podcast. I thought they were special magical flames. It is pretty disappointing that we don’t get a proper reaction from Morgana about Merlin being Emrys. They could have gotten rid of that girl and given more time to this.
Okay is Merlin still a dragonlord without his magic? In The Last Dragonlord Gaius and Balinor differentiate between magic and dragonlord abilities so is it separate from his magic? Could Merlin just send Aithusa to torch the Saxon army without regaining his magic? I know it’s not the story they’re telling but Merlin could have set a dragon on these people at any point in the whole season. Merlin not even considering that option is another bit of unintentional characterisation that actually fits with Merlin’s character.
I think the quality of the dialogue has been degrading this entire season and I’m not quite sure why. It’s particularly noticeable in this episode, apart from a handful of scenes the dialogue feels cliche, boring and generic high fantasy dialogue. There’s nothing specific to the situation or characters. Like most of force ghost Balinor’s dialogue with a few exceptions felt like generic old wise dude dialogue and not what Balinor would say to his son. To be fair we don’t know the guy, maybe he always talked like this.
I’ve complained a lot about this episode but it’s not that bad (If you remove Arthur’s one line and the ending). I really appreciate the unnecessarily dramatic tone and yet another overcomplicated Morgana plan. Mordred finally has new clothes and a shiny new sword which is really nice.
This episode was just set up and I’m actually looking forward to the next episode. It’s going to be sad and make me cry but we haven’t had a bad season finale yet so I have moderate hopes for next week! And the artwork is particularly gorgeous this week!
19th November 2021 @ 7:23 am
Thank you for the cape comment, I genuinely laughed out loud at that!! Hahaha
ā We’re on round 529 of does the show want me to hate Arthur or do they think his actions are okay? It’s especially weird this episode because shouldn’t they remind us of why we love Arthur so that next week is more effective?ā
I think there is a big disconnect, where the show thinks that Arthur is fantastic, and that theyāve made it very clear that Arthur is fantastic, and therefore they donāt need to do anything to convince the viewers. As a viewer, I disagree. So do you. And I am sure so so many many othersā¦ this will be something weāre gonna talk about in the round up A LOT I feelā¦
ā I appreciate the sentiment and romance but the carelessness and stupidity of it all drove me to distractionā
Thatā¦ is such a fair point!! Oops? Haha I totally got caught up in the romance of it all. But alsoā¦ I guess a kind of āfairness of warā in these days? Same that I pointed out that morgana was cheating by attacking in the middle of the night. Thatās not what youāre supposed to do. You bring your armies. You face off at dawn. Then you fight. One of you wins. The other turns tail.
I think for me, the reason why it didnāt occurred that it mattered where Gwen was, was the same reason as that it didnāt matter whether Merlin had a sword-wielding friend after he was done at the Crystal cave. Either he gets his magic back, and heāll be fine. Or he doesnāt, and theyāll all be dead. – either Arthur beats Morgana, and theyāll all be fine. Or he doesnāt, in which case Morgana will take over Camelot and kill everyone. So if she kills Gwen when she finds her at camp in Camlann, or two days right later in the castleā¦ eh. Wonāt make a difference. Gwen canāt hold the castle by herself, if all the knights have been slaughtered at camlann. Best she could hope for is to run away and hide, and rightly, she didnāt want that. She chose being with Arthur and putting her full trust and her life in his hands over running away and potentially surviving, by herself, after all her friends have died. And it paid off.
ā¦ see? Iām already getting swept up in the romance again!! Iām such a sucker for this stuff!!! š¤¦āāļøš
ā The whole thing would probably have worked much better if Merlin was alone the whole time. ā
Considering itās almost a third of the episode (not in actual screen minutes I donāt think, but in the part of the episode the scenes are stretched across) I feel like it may have been a bit difficult to have Merlin on his own the entire time, but I kind of agree. Balinor didnāt hugely work for me. I remember the excitement in fandom when that rumour cropped up, and not really getting it then, either. As you say, it feels underwhelming to me. Itās sweet, and nice for Merlin.
But yeah, Colin Morgan is an amazing actor, and I would have loved to see what he would have given us, if he was stuck on the scene/cave all by himself!!
And yes, Killi would have made sense, and I do also wish that they actually had him actually die, because the āIām old and dyingā and then just leaving, and then 5×13 is, if nothing else, super confusing!
ā Okay is Merlin still a dragonlord without his magic? ā
Yeah, I would say. Especially with the additional realisation that Merlin is magic, and therefore always will be/have magic.
But yes, even before that I would say he could still dragon Lord.
They do a weird weird thing with the dragons (overall, but especially here at the end) where weāve taken Killi out of play, because āit would be too easyā (for him to torch the Saxons / for him to just eat Morgana / for him to fly Arthur to the lake) – but we were too chicken to do it, by actually killing him. And then we bring him back, anyway. For kind of no reason, but immediately undermining why we didnāt bring him back to do stuff earlierā¦ grrr.
And same with aithusa. I can get on board with the notion that a dragonlord can speak to all dragons, but cannot necessarily control someone elseās dragon. So Iām okay with merlin being able to send Aithusa away, but not being able to command him. Cause otherwise why didnāt he forbid him from hanging out with Morgana right at the start of S5? But why donāt we say any of this? Nothing in the show speaks against it, but it also doesnāt speak FOR it. Everything feels unintentional and, as you say, purely accidental when they do something that fits with the story, a character, or one of the 79 head canons weāve all had to inventā¦
But yeah, to me Aithusaās injuries, damage, stunted growth and development has left him similar to Wyverns, which are basically primitive dragons, and also listened to Merlin telling them to F off, but then came back 3 minutes later to try and kill merlin and Arthur. Clearly he could speak to and chastise them, but not issue them orders and enforce his willā¦
I say āclearlyā when, once again, Iām just making all of this up, because the show didnātā¦ haha
And thank you for the kind words about the artwork!!! š
21st November 2021 @ 10:21 pm
Merlin losing his magic should not have been this underwhelming and easy to fix. I know Iāve said this about pretty much every episode this season but it should have been a longer arc with more intent. I genuinely have no clue what the point of it was. This whole thing just reinforces the idea that Merlin only has value as long as he has magic and is Emrys. –
I think the reason it is so underwhelming is because they are never really clear on what actually happens or whether his magic was gone or only suppressed or how the Crystal Cave is helping him. We are not even shown what Merlin experiences ‘in the light’. And, like you, I dislike the implication that Merlin, without his magic, is worth nothing. It would have been so awesome (and would have said so much about their friendship) if Merlin had accompanied Arthur to battle anyway, despite his lack of magic. But his loyalty was still there. And then, somehow, he could have been given back his magic just at the right moment? That would have been awesome!
Now if we had properly killed off Kilgarrah earlier in the season then we could have used his voice to do the exact same thing and it would be a lot more impactful. Wouldnāt it work a lot better if we had Kilgarrah save Merlin one last time? – And then, in the next episode, I wouldn’t constantly be screaming at Merlin to ‘just call the dragon already! This is a time-pressured mission and you’ve literally got a fast, flying dragon at your command.’
22nd November 2021 @ 4:02 am
-And then, in the next episode, I wouldnāt constantly be screaming at Merlin to ājust call the dragon already! This is a time-pressured mission and youāve literally got a fast, flying dragon at your command.ā-
Ohā¦.the frustrationā¦. š¤¦š¼āāļøš¤¬š„ŗš©
22nd November 2021 @ 1:52 pm
Literally came here to say OOOOH THE FRUSTRATION! See you beat me to it lol
23rd November 2021 @ 2:09 am
š¤£š
18th November 2021 @ 9:57 pm
So sorry last week, I didnāt want to sound like the nerd who stands up at comicCon and tells the panel they were wrong about a line said in blah blah episode actually being in another blah blah at blah minutes and seconds in. Your excellent point still stands, it was more an establishment that Arthur at two different times has talked about the fairness of a trial when we had barely seen him demonstrate it, and when he does, it contradicts what he preaches. Just like what Kara says. When it’s personal, he suddenly cares.
So the very first thing to call out here, is that the writers do not ever want to deal with showing Morgana going through all the emotions and reactions to finding out Merlin is Emrys. Dunno how long itās been since last episode for the characters, but either way the show did not wanna deal with Morgana right after Mordred tells her. Sigh.
Out of all the creatures on the show, the Gean Canach (or sucky slug) is the weirdest. Unlike most other beasts, this one seems to have been made up for the show instead of being plucked from myth. Unfortunately in that case, as an original idea, I actually wanna know more about it. Gaius says, as he always does, that this thing was considered extinct due to the purge. Uther clearly didnāt care for knowing the use of magical artifacts and people, he just wanted it wiped out. Until it benefits him. He has a vault full of stuff he must have kept for a rainy day or leverage to lure out more magical people, and you guys point out that the gean Canach is such a creature that Uther had slaughtered(?) when it actually could have really helped his cause to use this giant slug (in a literal term, not a substituted swear word) to make people non-magical. But I believe itās very consistent that he would rather have executed people than to make them ānormalā. As a torture method he could have them choke on giant slug, but have them killed anyway because they did still break his law. And being seen as a hypocrite clearly didnāt bother him. If others in the court questioned him, I can imagine Utherās argument said in a Thanosy voice stating āI used the magic to destroy the magic.ā
What could have worked better however, is if the slug had a different effect on the practiced magic user to someone who has magic running through their veins. For Merlin I can totally believe having his magic taken in the attack would shock his body and temporarily stop his heart or stop his lungs from getting air. With this man in the first scene, looking dead and then gulping in air doesnāt match with someone who maybe should have just had mental magic knowledge sucked from his memoryā¦
As you said, Merlinās symptoms of āmagical absenceā are not synced with Ariās since because with Merlin itās like loosing blood or falling very ill, which I think we should have seen more of going forward. Merlinās desperation to get his magic back surely shouldnāt be just on not being able to help Arthur, but because his health is deteriorating without it.
As for the man at the start, Ari, Iām not too bothered about how he seems to do what we have seen Merlin do any times, strong and impressive magic. I get by this by thinking in this world, magic is best used to control elements and fire is the hardest to wield and bend to oneās will. Merlin shows his raw imbedded power by not blinking an eye or saying a word (sometimes) when lighting or extinguishing fire, also powerful educated people like Morgana, Ruadan and Alator. Ariās gift to light and put out the fire pits should be impressing other magic users in the room, but thereās only Morgana, Mordred and a few mortal saxons. Youāre right in pointing out that since we get no reaction either way from anyone when he performs magic, nor when he canāt, the whole things seems dumb.
For the first time in the show, but not for the first time in MANY a fanfiction, Merlin is actually at the tavern! Having a guyās night with his friends and coming home drunk!
Arthur seems to be having more leisure time as a normal man during a tense time for war, than he has in the entire show. Going on so many picnics with Gwen, hunts alone with his besties, gambling at the commonersā local pub! Arthurās behaviour and mind set has not changed throughout the whole season. To him itās still all sunshine and glitter and no high stakes or danger and death lurking near. This type of tone for this scene could have been placed at the start of the season, and here, replaced by a similar yet somber drinks night with his men, swapping adventure stories, reminiscing over past quests, having deep conversations with friends he might lose soon, in contrast to the gambling one. Merlin can still come home drunk and unprepared for the slug attack. Only this time, he would have chugged down many ales due to the depressing evening, not coz he just had such a great time.
Only Percival ever seems to have the night off when the others have to work. In season 4 finale, Percival was at the Beltane feast and the others were on duty and were out there when Helios invaded. Here again, Percy baby gets to be a casually dressed bouncer/bodyguard to his king as they play dice in a pub surrounded by strangers. Perhaps to stop any roudy drunk men from following the king home and beating him up for his gold? Hardly contextualized here really haha.
Little observation: If you watch the way Merlin casually tosses all his coins into the dish, by intention or by complete accident on the showās part, the coins scatter into the perfect shape of a triskelion. Watch it back, I swear! š
āGaius, you should get your head seen to.ā Many rewatches later and Iām still squinting at the screen trying to see the wound. Okay we canāt show much blood, but Gilli had a giant gash on his arm, that giant guy in s4 gained a cut on his face, etc. Gaius has been bludgeoned round the head by a nearby pummel stone and thereās nothing there!
The way the dragon always said, was that Mordred is big trouble, and so is Morgana. Together united in evil, they would be a forced to be reckoned with, unstoppable only by a worthy magical adversary like Emrys. Oh no! They are now stood side by side! They are holding hands, their head bowed, they are incanting a spell. Their eyes glow gold. Oh the Humanity! No one stands a chance! What are they about to do? Create a giant swirly fiery vortex? A lightning storm? Rain of blood?…. oh a fireballā¦. A fireball thrown at a garrison that is already on fire. Mmm.
The way I see it, is that Gwaine and Leon were sent to this place as a routine stop-over for a few nights. Iāve not ever really questioned why they were there, but what if they werenāt? Eira is later revealed to be a spy (who tells Morgana the most generic stuff she could have figured out by herself), but she had to hope to ensnare the penis of one of the knights to do so. If Gwaine hadnāt been there, would she have died? If Gwaine hadnāt been there, would she have hoped someone else would bring her back for her to seduce? They already had a dude earlier sneak into the castle to plant the slug box. Getting into Camelot to spy is a little lame when that same man could have already snuck in, dressed as a servant or knight and stuck around to spy. However, any plot that gives our sweet Gwaine a little time in the spotlight for the last time is better than none I guessā¦
Though only fanfiction has made Gwaine into a womaniser, this is the first time we see Gwaine (not counting his first meeting with Gwen) actually spend time with another woman, let alone have a girlfriend. If we had the attack on the garrison earlier in the season and Eira had been around for longer, it wouldnāt seem so weird that Gwaine has been sharing a bed with this girl since almost immediately after rescuing her from getting raped and her being the sole survivor, and then feeling so betrayed after a day of knowing her. Establish that he regularly requested duties at the garrison since he became a knight to visit this girl or something. They seem very familiar with each other already so it seems to be another one of those āfix with a line or twoā situations.
Mordredās blade being forged in a dragonās breath is stupid. Not just what it means in terms of āoh no, there canāt be two blades like this, Excalibur loses its specialness and symbolismā, coz Iād even forgotten Arthur has Excalibur. Itās not a magic sword, itās just a sword, itās boring. But now even Mordred has one. A dragon sword that SPOILERS, will have no bearing or extra effect on Arthur compared to if it was a normal blade, not really. And who told Morgana about forging dragon breath swords? Aithusa canāt speak and Mordred surely canāt know anything about what dragons do. I get why Morgana might want this for Mordredās weapon. She clearly also wants him to be the slayer of her brother, never mind not knowing the prophecy, she wants Arthur to gain a fatal wound that, even if his friends turned to magic to heal (like with Uther), it wouldnāt work. But how Morgana suddenly has this nugget of info I fail to see.
Oh so now Gaius believes in the prophecy. Before he was all ānothing is set in stone, thereās many realities and we shape the futureā blah blah blah. Now he does think Arthur will die because itās in prophecy. Also does Merlin believe at this point Kilgharah is dead? He never talks of him again since the Kindness of strangers. We could have just gotten a couple lines where Merlin says here āIām going try the crystal caveā and Gaius asks why not call the dragon for advice or to take him and Merlin responses with āI would but Iāve been trying to call for him over the last few weeks to see is heās okay, and he never comes. He must be dead now.ā
I have this strange vibe that Mordred wasnāt driven by hate as we thought. The show makes out he was out to get Arthur based on his feeling of ābetrayalā that Arthur would not let him leave with his murdering girlfriend and killed her, and that Mordred would Arthur to get revenge. But! There is a deleted scene where Mordred shows he has second thoughts and voices them to Morgana, and it was my belief that Mordred knew to some extent that he was merely a pawn in a prophecyās game and did not have the strength to fight it.
Watching the two deleted scenes through, I laughed at Morganaās way of trying to convince Mordred to stay his course, by reminding him they are fighting against fear and tyranny (oh the irony).
With the scene where Eira tells Morgana Merlin was going to the valley, Mordred tells Morgana that he might be heading to the crystal cave. He knows of the cave, heās a Druid, it would be in his education to know about it. Surely, he knows that since that cave is where magic began. So in the deleted scene where Morgana tells Mordred that Merlin is now trapped in the cave, as she turns away, Mordred has a strange look on his face. Itās not just regret, itās not hesitation. It looks like knowing. Knowing that Emrys would soon meet them on the battlefield. At least this is how I interpreted it.
Could he have fooled Morgana into trapping Merlin in a place he cannot be trapped in, coz Mordred knows the cave would give Merlin his magic back (surprised Morgana didnāt). Heās sick of it all and well past his anger towards Merlin and Arthur and knows if heās to play out the prophecy he will at least do something ānot evilā, maybe he thinks Merlin will get to the battle in time and stop fate. He of course must know āemrysā means immortal, itās the language of his peopleā¦
Okay, Hereās what you might be thinking; āwell if Mordred found out somehow (perhaps during the missing years) his destiny is to kill Arthur and he doesnāt want to, why donāt he just…. not?ā Well not that simple is it! As we know from before, trying to change what you know, makes it so. And Mordred knows heās trapped. What if he went against Morgana without going against her…?
Oh boy! The scene where Arthur says the most hated line in all Merlindom. This would have been such a nice time for all the jokes and their usual way of speaking to each other to just cease. Where Arthur, after seeing how Merlin is, how Merlin says he would be coming with him, would put down his scroll, offer to Merlin to sit at the table with him, and talk to him straight. To just say āMerlin, donāt worry. I know things are looking dyer right now. And I donāt expect you to join me in battle. Weāve known each other years now, youāre my best friend. I never meant all the coward jokes, you know that right? Iāve always seen you as the bravest man I ever met. I understand you also have duties for the physician. But this time I know you are not telling me something. Iām not going to pry, but the least you can do is give me some credit.ā One last drink together, a hand shake, an awkward smile, SOMETHING.
Arthur could actually insist Merlin stay in Camelot, he could say āsee you after the battleā, he could ask āIs this about your motherā because maybe they donāt know if Morganaās people have attacked Ealdor and Merlin needs to borrow Gwaine to go see sheās alright.
This could be the last time Arthur sees Merlin and he instead leaves saying the most uncharacteristically horrible line that he knows isnāt true. Gwen gets that Merlin would never leave Arthur unless it was so important, why write Arthur this way!!?
Thereās a popular headcanon where Gwaine always knew of Merlinās magic, but because of his indifferent man-of-the-world view of magic, and trust in his bestie to one day confide in him without drawing it out, he never has to let it be known. āI hope you find what youāre looking for.ā The handshake (not a hug??), Gwaine looking like heās about to cry. He expects to die in battle and never seen his friend again but just hopes Merlin gets what he wants to be happy š
Merlinās desperate cry of Gwaineās name during the attack breaks my heart. It really shouldnāt be as impactful at this point, but it is. Merlinās been vulnerable before, heās prepared for it before by at least arming himself. As you guys said, this is the time Merlin doesnāt bring a sword yet we do know that he is at this point handy with one. But I still see and feel Merlinās pain and sheer fear of being moments from being stabbed because his confidence and Merlin-ness has been shattered by impending war, uselessness and being without magic, its destabilizing him. Which is why the cave part is to remind him he cannot lose what he has, to shut down his fragile broken human side for now and let the great magical Emrys take the wheel.
I love how the show emphasizes the colours we come to know to represent magic in this universe besides earthly colours; blue and gold. Characters with the bluest eyes are known to have magic, practice magic or have been touched by magic in some way. And when they use magic, their eyes glow gold. In the crystal cave episode in season three, I donāt remember the crystals looking this blue, which might mean they are working their own magic right now, healing this poor man and opening up the rift so he can speak to his father. I would have loved to see other souls turn up to talk to Merlin (like in Harry Potter), Will, Lancelot, etc. Not freya because sheās a water spirit and sort of alive, and only can be seen using Avalon water. But even the ghost Balinor glows blue, and the butterfly Merlin conjures after healing is a brilliant blue. I do like how ghosties and visions in this world are blue yet solid-looking. Itās other-worldly but part of the world. In the cave, the rules of time and space have been warped to exist all at once and not at all.
Poor servants who had to carry all the heavy wooden furniture from Arthurās room to the battle field.
The crystals showing flashes of moments from the series with the dramatic music, Oh my god. I remember watching this years ago for the first time and screaming. When a finale of a show starts taking you down memory lane, you know this is the end and I got so nostalgic and emotional.
Why doesn’t Arthur or anyone wear a helmet?
I also donāt understand how Merlin could not have exploded out of the cave looking like himself. Old man dragoon was a guise, a face he put on because he didnāt want to be recognised. Heād stayed hidden for so long, heād forgotten who he was and now the crystal cave has given him a new lease of life, all the power, all the confidence, itās time to stand in front of everyone and reveal who he is. No, him coming out of the cave with his old face on makes out he STILL needs to hide his identity when he steps out onto the battle field. Whatās the point of this? I would have loved to see young Merlin burst out of the cave and he wears an updated outfit, a combo of his servant garb and his Emrys robes, and his eyes are just permanently glowing gold. His magic is him, his magic is inside him, his magic is not his appearance.
Sorry this got long again. Great podcast as usual. See you next week. Iām so glad we are all here together. At the end of all things.
19th November 2021 @ 8:03 am
Haha no, I didnāt feel like you were being *that* person at comic con, and Iām sorry if we made you feel like that! You were right to point it out, because we have been conflating it. And yes, as you say, it actually makes our point even more that it isnāt one (could be throw away / accidental) line, itās several instances and therefore exponentially more problematic. Oh, showā¦ lol
ā But I believe itās very consistent that he would rather have executed people than to make them ānormalā.ā
Thatās a BRUTAL, but very fair point I think. Wouldnāt it have been great to have this as part of the conversation between Merlin and Gaius? And as Ruth said, really use it to connect the brutality that Uther has to what Morgana is doing, and thereby separating Arthur? SIGH.
ā is if the slug had a different effect on the practiced magic user to someone who has magic running through their veins. ā
But is this actually the distinction weāre making for sure? I donāt know. I *still* donāt know!! Could Ari have regained his magic, if he was taken to the Crystal cave? Because we say that Merlin was born of magic, sure, that totally makes him special. But he wasnāt born in/of the Crystal cave. Itās not like weāre taking him back to his magical placenta. Weāre just taking him back to a (potentially one of many) magical charging stationsā¦ gosh, I wish we understood more about magic in this showā¦ this show *about* magic lol
ā Arthur seems to be having more leisure time as a normal man during a tense time for war, than he has in the entire show. ā
Sort of makes sense to me (in a complete laymanās, I-donāt-know-what-Iām-talking-about kind of a way) because youāve got a war brewing so youāre gonna be assembling men, outfitting them, issuing them with weapons, forging more weapons. Non of which Arthur is doing by himself.
What youāre not gonna be doing is holding feasts, welcoming visiting dignitaries, having your standard weekly council meetings, judging flower garland competitionsā¦
Like, with the farm, I attended a huge country fair annually. And while youāre prepepping and thinking about it throughout the whole year, in the two week lead up all standard operation stops, and 90% of your focus is on this one huge event. But it does kind of mean that while youāre inanely stressed, you also – confusingly- find yourself with spare time on your hands, while youāre waiting for 75 things youāve set in motion to do their thingā¦ so yeah, while country fair does NOT equal warā¦ I kinda get it lol
ā This type of tone for this scene could have been placed at the start of the season, and here, replaced by a similar yet somber drinks night with his men.ā
Very nice! Veryā¦ night before the battle in His Fatherās Son, which is probably in my top ten scenes of BBC Merlin EVER.
ā Watch it back, I swear! šā
Hahaha youāre totally right! Love it!
ā Gaius has been bludgeoned round the head by a nearby pummel stone and thereās nothing there!ā
I did the same amount of squinting, and thereās a tiny spot of blood just in his hair line. But we remember Merlin in Anotherās Sorrow, which is the e perfect comparison because the head wound is in exactly the same place! And I totally get that with the white wig it would be more extreme, so you couldnāt use the same amount of blood. But yes, use enough to make us realise there actually IS blood!
ā Gaius asks why not call the dragon for advice or to take him and Merlin responses with āI would but Iāve been trying to call for him over the last few weeks to see is heās okay, and he never comes. He must be dead now.āā
Wouldnāt that have been nice? And wouldnāt that have upped the drama and OMG moment in 5×13. As opposed to making us all go āso why didnāt you call him earlier?!?ā š¤¦āāļø
20th November 2021 @ 4:25 pm
-And wouldnāt that have upped the drama and OMG moment in 5Ć13. As opposed to making us all go āso why didnāt you call him earlier?!?ā š¤¦āāļø-
This is something I am DYING to discussā¦.
20th November 2021 @ 4:16 pm
-SPOILERS, will have no bearing or extra effect on Arthur compared to if it was a normal blade, not really. –
Waaaaiittt! But it doesā¦.. isnāt that why Merlin canāt heal him??
20th November 2021 @ 10:24 pm
Yeah, I thought so too… something to discuss next week I guess!
24th November 2021 @ 12:49 pm
Well we never even see Merlin try many attempts and get so confused that his magic gets pushed out. We just see him stay with Arthur, reveal his magic, then sit away to sulk.
He’s come out of the cave stronger than ever yet he never seemed frustrated that something was not working with Arthur’s wound, Gaius somehow knew and had to tell him.
I guess what I mean by mordred’s magic sword having no bearing or effect in comparison to a normal sword is that he slices and kills whoever is in his way and then conveniently it takes Arthur days to die, even with a fragment lodged.. it stopped being immediately deadly.
18th November 2021 @ 6:48 pm
Oh my gosh here we are finally. Not much to say except I am probably going to cry, par for the course with this finale every time I watch it. Ouch.
19th November 2021 @ 6:21 pm
Okay, back with some more coherent thoughts after having re-watched the episode.
In the tavern scene, Arthur saying “Enjoy this moment, Merlin…while it lasts” and then the immediate cut to the dark corridor with the knights marching through and then Morgana’s guy dropping down from the ceiling…the symbolism/foreshadowing of that line is a bit on the nose, but the contrast is effective, especially with the music.
I too hate the “Always thought you were the bravest man I ever met…guess I was wrong” line, but it does really show how much Arthur relies on having Merlin by his side, as he has been in every quest and danger up until now. Arthur is not the sort of person to say that outright, so the writers chose to show how hurt the character is by having him lash out with another hurtful comment. Ouch, but fair.
Gwaine comes with Merlin to the Valley. Merlin goes “I can’t tell you that, Gwaine,” when asked what he’s looking for. Genuine question: WHY can’t he tell Gwaine?? I can’t think of a single practical reason. This is Merlin’s friend, whose loyalty was always to Merlin before Arthur in S3 at least, and now that Morgana knows Merlin is Emrys, is there any reason for him to be as cautious? The only reason I can think of is that SPOILERS Merlin telling Gwaine now might diminish the emotional impact of what’s to come next week. **spoilers over** But I guess it also portrays how secretive and closed-in Merlin has become, that it’s his habit to tell no one about his magic, despite there being no reason to hide it from his friend anymore. (Well, that and the fact that the show forgot that Merlin and Gwaine were friends for 2 seasons. But they’re remembering it now, so that doesn’t entirely hold up.)
I’ve got to agree with everyone praising the beauty of the Crystal Cave season. Just gorgeous. However, I never had considered before how powerful it would have been if it hadn’t been Dragoon/Old Emrys, but the true Merlin, finally wielding his full power. And YES, I agree wholeheartedly–a dark dramatic cloak that could have hidden his face would have been much better. Oh well.
Also, Queen Guinevere is Gwen again! Being knowledgeable, helpful with supplies, in a somewhat practical outfit for once…took you long enough writers, but I’m so glad she’s back I can’t really be mad.
That’s all for now. Thanks guys and looking forward to next week *sobs*
20th November 2021 @ 4:29 pm
-Also, Queen Guinevere is Gwen again! Being knowledgeable, helpful with supplies, in a somewhat practical outfit for onceā¦took you long enough writers, but Iām so glad sheās back I canāt really be mad.-
Totally agree! Itās the Gwen we all fell in love with!
18th November 2021 @ 3:50 pm
Oh huh. Well. I mean.
I like this episode. Like, a lot. Yeah, I don’t care for Eira, and I HATE that “guess I was wrong” line. But… I like this episode.
(there is also a non-zero chance that I won’t be capable of handling any criticism of the part two, I am still, after 15 months, very emotional about it and probably the only part I am capable of criticizing is Eira, the rest is sacrosanct and I go into a fight mode immediately. So just, a fair warning I guess)
This episode is really important to me, because I feel like it’s a crucial point in Merlin’s character arc. For a very long time now, Merlin has been on this path of tragic downfall into paranoia, self-loathing and unhealthy obsession about Arthur. First seeds of that appeared as early as late season 2 and early season 3, I think – but in s5, it was already in full bloom (if you can call it that). But in this episode, Merlin has a bit of a last-minute uplifting moment – thanks to Balinor. The exchange between Merlin and his father gives me that one ray of hope in an otherwise very bleak ending; it gives me hope that maybe Merlin will be all right in the end, no matter what happens. That his spirit will survive.
On a surface level, what Balinor says to Merlin might be interpreted as trite or cliched – basically just telling him to believe in himself – but it stops being that when you realize MERLIN HAS NEVER HEARD THAT BEFORE. No parental/authority figure has ever told him to not be afraid, to trust in himself. Not Gaius, certainly not Kilgarrah, not even his own mother. Balinor doesn’t talk about prophecies or destinies (except when saying in the vaguest of senses “your destiny awaits you” – but it feels like “Arthur awaits you” or “your future which is of your own doing awaits you”, not “that elaborate story concocted for you that is supposed to take over your life awaits you”). Balinor only says that Merlin IS magic. His magic is shown to be something natural, elemental – as it has always been – and fundamentally good. This whole scene makes me wonder how different Merlin’s story would have been if Balinor was there for him – to tell him that more often, to convince him he’s not destiny’s pawn, or a monster.
Merlin asks “how do I find myself again?” – a very symbolic line. This is not just about the loss of magic. This is about Merlin’s whole life. He has lost himself. He has denied who he is. Condemned magic in service of some vague prophecy. He needs to find himself again, and I think Balinor was the only person who could have helped at this point.
I can’t believe you didn’t mention the butterfly scene and its beauty. It’s glorious, and it’s the epitome of all that’s been said between Merlin and Balinor. Merlin has found his purity again, his wonder. The fact that the first thing he does to feel if he has his magic back, is to create that beautiful butterfly… it’s like back in the day, when he used to create smoke horses. When everything was a bit simpler. That butterfly is what Merlin’s magic really is, at its core. The tragedy of the show is that it so often had to be used to kill, or to destroy.
It’s also so important that only after the encounter with Balinor Merlin is finally capable of looking into the crystals and using them to his advantage, rather than detriment and doom. He regained confidence in himself, and thus, the future is finally not a threat to him.
I could go on and on about it, but I have some soundtrack nerdgasms to go through, so:
– When Merlin says goodbye to Gwaine (btw, I think Gwaine realized in the end that something’s up with Merlin, possibly magical. Also, Merlin’s reaction to the bandits without his magic is heartbreaking. Kudos to Colin) – we have a trumpet theme, playing in the perfect fifth. They used this interval for Gwaine in the show in the past. Very chivalrous and heroic, and I love the fact that it’s been associated with a seemingly un-heroic knight.
– When Merlin tries to get out of the cave and screams – we have complete silence. Chilling. (also, btw, I know Morgana burying him in the cave is kinda stupid – but I guess that element was too much like the legends for them to change it. Too iconic)
– When Balinor says “you are magic itself”, we hear Freya’s theme. ALMOST the Golden Era theme, but not quite. There won’t be a golden era – too late for that – but at least Merlin will find himself. That’s why I call BBCM a tragedy with a sparkle of hope.
– the soundtrack before Arthur’s battle speech is a rare hark-back to s1, to Le Morte d’Arthur (that haunting vocal when Uther carried Arthur’s body through the courtyard). A chilling reminder of what is about to happen…
Sorry if I came out a bit combative in this comment. I realize that there are a lot of nonsensical elements in this episode. But I kinda always felt that this was a part of BBCM? And I don’t see that this episode is any more egregious for that than most BBCM episodes. Always happy to discuss š
18th November 2021 @ 4:05 pm
I’m so glad you also liked the Balinor Merlin scene. I love Balinor here. He’s so good to Merlin in so many ways, a loving father figure. I also love that he chose to do a butterfly out of anything else he could have done, says so much about him. I adore Merlin.
18th November 2021 @ 8:47 pm
Thank you, I was trying to place where we’d heard the chilling vocals of the looming battle before! I knew it had been a while since we heard it. Totally meaningful when it came from the first episode we were truly faced by Arthur’s possible death (I mean, on his bed looking death in the face kinda thing)…
19th November 2021 @ 8:47 am
I donāt think you were being combative at all. And youāre right in saying that many episodes of the show have nonsensical elements, absolutely.
For me, what makes this more egregious is that this double episode finale is the last 90 minutes of Merlin were ever going to get. And any hopes that weāve spent 5 years building up are either going to be fulfilled or crushed, right here, right now.
Which means that on one hand the episode has to stand by itself and make internal sense, be well written, well directed, and well acted. But on the other hand, it also has the weight of 63 other episodes on its shoulders. And while I wouldnāt put that on a random episode mid show (Iām not gonna blame Goblinās Gold for not fixing mistakes they made in season 1, 2, and 3), this is the season finale, and the series finale. That makes it a different beast as far as Iām concerned. These two episode do need to wrap up everything youāve done in the show so far, or they miss the mark.
Also, I donāt mean to activate DanFightMode (though it does make you sound like a Mortal Combat character, which is cute!! š and I hope not to, but I do want to try and explain where Iām coming from.
I think the Merlin journey youāve been able to track across the seasons (which culminates for you here in the cave with Balinor) makes sense the way you lay it out, and thereās absolutely nothing that speaks against it, and if thatās your head canon, I can see how this episode and that scene specifically really worked.
The show doesnāt say anything that denies your interpretation. But to me, the show doesnāt tell me thatās what they meant to do all along, either.
I feel weāre gonna spend a lot of the round up talking about intended and unintentional consequences and character beats, and how they influenced the show, but also how theyāve lead to the fandom for Merlin being as rich, varied, and long lasting it has been. The fascination factor is incredibly high in this show, but the frustration factor is through the roof, and thatās the most fertile fandom soil! lol
The butterfly scene is the perfect example of what I meant above.
Yes, Merlin has made frivolous pretty things with his magic multiple times in the show, and yea, itās the first thing he does here, when he gets his magic back. Itās lovely, and itās whatās led to the rich variety of fanfic and head canons where Merlin on a regular basis leaves Camelot to go and just play with his magic out in the woods. Or the stories in which suppressing his magic leads to a sort of build up where itās leaking out of him. Or all the stories where Merlin and Arthur finally kiss for the first time, and when they pull back Merlinās made flowers bloom everywhere in Arthurās room and try as he might he canāt undo them. Thereās also one of my favourite Modern AU/Merlin has Magic/Royalty AU/Coffeeshop Fic (all the glory rolled into one!!!) where Merlinās magic is modern day appropriate (sedated and kind of lame lol) but then Arthur kisses him and Merlin *glows* and itās precious!!! Anyway, sorry, I digress.
It makes sense that fic writers delighted in those hints in the show, and took them and ran with them, because the show never elaborated on it.
And yes, it is tragic that Merlin had to use his magic for violence, destruction, and death this entire time. Hence the hundreds of stories where that takes a psychological toll on him. Or where he levels and entire army once in the big culminating battle at the end of the fic, and almost looses himself in his magic – look into the void and the void will look into you – style, Where Arthur only *just* manages to bring him back. Or all the Dark!Merlin fic because yeah, how easy would it have been for him to go further and further and further and then tip over that edge? How much damage on his psyche can one man put up with, before it becomes too much? Again, incredibly rich grounds for fandom to grow in!
My problem is that BBC Merlin the show at no point suggests to me that Merlin the character feels that using his magic to destroy and to kill is an issue. That if given the chance, heād do nothing but make smoke horses and spark dragons. The show doesnāt make me feel that Merlinās magic is being prevented from itās āintendedā use. Or that using it for violence is dirtying itās purity. Or even damaging to Merlin as a person.
One can absolutely head canon it that way, because nothing speaks against it in the show. But to me thereās also nothing that speaks for it. Meaning that I donāt feel confident in saying āand now the show has led me to this place, where Merlin finds himself and the true purpose of his magic, and who he really is, and thatās wonderful and what they always meant to do.ā
Does that make sense? š
I will now go and hide, in case Danger!Dan comes after meā¦ š
<3
19th November 2021 @ 4:29 pm
Yes, it kinda makes sense š And I’ll try not to be an Avenger š The question for me always is – what would the show need to do in order to make it perfectly clear that something is not just a headcanon? On the example of Merlin’s magic: would he need to talk to Gaius about it, for example? Say ‘this drains me, this is not what my magic is for’? Or is Colin’s performance enough? This show has periodic issues with lines that were written too much for the audience’s benefit, and I think they do struggle with maintaining the balance at times. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why we feel like we can’t accept something as canon because there were no lines about it. As you might have guessed by this point, I like it when there is some ambiguity š I like interpreting things for myself, and if my interpretation is different from yours, that’s totally okay – there is no right or wrong when it comes to interpretation š
That being said, it is true that the show has been a little inconsistent when it comes to Merlin using his magic for killing. The early seasons treat killing enemies rather lightly. He’s just fighting, he needs to kill, that’s it. It leads to many interpretations of how Merlin is able to kinda “switch his emotions off” in that moment – but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect him; or, how he only starts caring once he’s forced to kill or attempt to kill somebody he actually cares for (probably starting with that attempt at Morgana’s poisoning). Would it be better for the show to establish one version of events? Or, a similar reaction to a murder every time? I would argue that no, it wouldn’t. We’re dealing with one man’s psychology here – and that, unlike, say, a worldbuilding element that needs to be established as a rule (e.g. what difference is there between magic and old religion?), has no real rules set in stone. Merlin himself might not entirely know how his brain works, just as we don’t always know in life. And it leads to many possible interpretations, which, for me, is always a perk!
That being said, if for you Merlin’s reactions throughout the show are out of character in any way, it’s fine. That means you have a different interpretation of the character š
I guess what I’m trying to say is that there’s a difference between say, a worldbuilding fluke which needs to be fixed, and a character’s psychology which doesn’t work in easy rules. I hope I’m making sense š
19th November 2021 @ 9:45 pm
“I guess what Iām trying to say is that thereās a difference between say, a worldbuilding fluke which needs to be fixed, and a characterās psychology which doesnāt work in easy rules. I hope Iām making sense” š
I get where you are coming from and have struggled with that idea as I rewatch and listen to the podcast. I do think the best shows don’t spoonfeed every point to us – a good show writer/runner knows their audience is smart and trusts them to understand the canon of that moment. That being said, this show is inconsistent in what they do explicitly tell us (my best example is Aithusa – how can we begin to even understand what the purpose is here with this character?), so I often don’t know if they were trusting the audience to interpret, or if it was an oversight in the writing.
20th November 2021 @ 1:09 am
That’s definitely true. I guess that lack of consequence is also one of the reasons why many people get frustrated by some of the characters’ actions, saying it’s writers not doing a good job, while others simply interpret it as a human trait and just another characteristic of this particular person. Probably the most stark examples are Arthur and how he forgets his lessons (which feels like a writing mistake, but also in many cases, you may interpret it as a realistic, non-linear human growth), and Gaius, who, it seems, was supposed to be a wise mentor figure – except they wrote a rather realistic portrayal of someone who’s lived through the times of terror and is transferring this trauma to his protegee. And they sometimes almost acknowledge that. Almost.
Ah well. That’s why I love the Death of the Author. Who cares what they were thinking? I mean, it’s fun to wonder sometimes, but it’s infinitely more fun to just take the end product and run with your wildest interpretations š
22nd November 2021 @ 2:43 pm
I completely agree with you that the show (and many other TV shows) often suffers from over explaining and adding lines for audience benefit. But generally I only find that egregious if youāre treating your audience like dumb dumbs who canāt remember things from one episode to the next, or when youāre having to put in lines that are jumping up and down about a thing the shows needs you to remember right here right now, because that suggests it wasnāt seeded well enough, or a last minute change of mind that as writers you figured you can justify, if your audience remembers this one tiny (at the time totally unimportant) detail, hence the reason to be jumping up and down about it, for audience benefit.
ā On the example of Merlin’s magic: would he need to talk to Gaius about it, for example? Say ‘this drains me, this is not what my magic is for’? Or is Colin’s performance enough? ā
I will always campaign for āShow, donāt Tellā, so for me it totally needs to be in Colinās performance. But itās not as easy as saying to Colin āmake sure you get across that Merlin right now in this episode isā¦ XYZā. It should be something thatās in your character creation, from the very start. Basically you should be able to have a character sheet with the core characteristics and values of each person in your story.
Not saying that characters donāt change as they grow, of course they do, but they change and grow from the point that we meet them, and development should all be based on what the concept for your character originally was. Or dramatically veer off from what that character concept original was, due to things that happened to them.
Itās not about characters being static and having the exact same reaction to things happening every time. Instead they should have reactions to things that fit where they are in their journey, based on who they are at their core, and the growth they have gone through.
So with the magic, a way I would go for seeding that into the character as a trait is to show reluctance over using violent magic, looking for ways around killing, and showing an emotional reaction to death when it is unavoidable. And that reaction can absolutely be different each time, depending on whether it happens at the height of a battle, when itās a loathed enemy thatās killed many of your loved ones, when murdered comes after a long search for an alternative way out and concluding that this is the only wayā¦ because no, a character isnāt going to have the same reaction to the same situations, even if they repeatedly encounter them in their lives. Which is also why tracking a characterās journey is so important, so as the creator you are always able to say āthatās how this character handled this situation three years ago, but now, after everything theyāve learnt and gone through, they would do this other thing insteadā.
22nd November 2021 @ 7:06 pm
I agree. The thing with me though is that I didn’t see the subsequent reactions to killing in Merlin as vastly OOC, or changing in an illogical way. I think the only exception was Merlin killing the Sidhe/pixies, which he treated unusually lightly (I guess because they weren’t people? But they sure looked like people, Merlin…). Other than that, I didn’t see a problem – but to explain my point I’d need to write a long-ass essay, and I’d rather spare you that š
19th November 2021 @ 6:06 pm
Really good point that hardly any has ever told Merlin to just believe in himself. Gaius did say recently, “The only one who ever doubts your powers is you”, but that’s Gaius, and, well, Gaius sucks. He’s so two-faced about so much relating to Merlin and Merlin’s powers that it totally makes sense Merlin would have to hear the message from Balinor for it to really sink in.
19th November 2021 @ 9:28 pm
“This whole scene makes me wonder how different Merlinās story would have been if Balinor was there for him ā to tell him that more often, to convince him heās not destinyās pawn, or a monster.”
OMG, yes, this is another heartbreaking element to the story that I sort of forgot about in the mess of the last two seasons, but I jotted it down for the series roundup. You could have a long discussion from this show just on the impact that our parents have on who we are and who we become. It makes me think that sometimes, Gaius is the worst sort of purposely – he is a teacher and a guardian and loves Merlin, but it is not the same as truly having his father in his life.
20th November 2021 @ 4:41 pm
-Merlin asks āhow do I find myself again?ā ā a very symbolic line. This is not just about the loss of magic. This is about Merlinās whole life. He has lost himself. He has denied who he is. –
**nodding excitedly as I sip my morning tea**
21st November 2021 @ 10:41 pm
I agree. Also, I think that in some way, this is why next episode SPOILER he gets a bit of a reset to pre-season one, as in, he has to learn to be a magic user without Arthur in a still magic-hating world. He has to reclaim the vision and wish for magic’s freedom with which he initially came to Camelot and, this time round, has to foreground THAT in his endeavours. You remember the first time we see Merlin, walking on that sandy path towards Camelot to find a purpose for his magic and a place to fit in? I can imagine him, after 5.13, walking like that into another place, reset on his path to bring freedom for magic users and himself. Only, our post-season 5 Merlin would obviously look a bit ‘worse for wear’. However, I can imagine that this is what he would do with the reset and the ‘finding of himself again’ that he received in the Crystal Cave.
Remember how we talked about Merlin in the fisher King epsiode, as a champion or knight for magic? And how the Fisher King said that the quest was really Merlin’s, giving him his own value and narrative and purpose apart from Arthur? I think (hope) that this is the destiny he discovers in the Crystal Cave, this is the identity of himself he ‘finds again’ and, although he is given a few last days with Arthur, it is an identity, destiny and purpose he has to pursue himself without any Arthurian distractions.
I don’t know if any of this makes sense but it fills me with a bit of hope and a clearer vision for what Merlin has done post 5.13 – if only the show had given us some idea of that.
21st November 2021 @ 11:20 pm
Wow, you described it so well š this exchange with Balinor also makes me a bit hopeful when it comes to what Merlin might have done post-finale – maybe he really did go on somewhere else to father another legend… not forgetting about Arthur of course, but also, not beating himself over the head for what happened…
23rd November 2021 @ 9:58 am
I actually think the final, final scene implies exactly that: Merlin is wearing practical clothes and a bag that looks like he is just going home after a day of purposeful work (helping wherever and whomever). Then he pauses by the lake, implying that he has not forgotten Arthur but then moves on to his home or more of his work.
22nd November 2021 @ 4:11 am
That is definitely a nice thought! A lot better than my depressing image of Gwen going on to legalizing magic (and marrying Sir Leon) and Merlin just isolating himself from Camelot and the politics of the court to live in the Cave and then later as a homeless man in modern day.
I hope you are right and I am wrongā¦
23rd November 2021 @ 9:56 am
See, I think this is what must have happened. Because Merlin has always had a weak spot for people and an urge to help them. And being away from Gaius and the dragon will now free him to make those decisions again (like in 1.3 when he wanted to help the plague victim and Gaius told him not to) and will become more proactive.
20th November 2021 @ 6:34 pm
ā the soundtrack before Arthurās battle speech is a rare hark-back to s1, to Le Morte dāArthur (that haunting vocal when Uther carried Arthurās body through the courtyard). A chilling reminder of what is about to happenā¦-
I appreciate you sharing your music knowledge! I am so ignorant when it comes to that kind of stuff! Love this insight! š
20th November 2021 @ 10:31 pm
Thank you so much š
18th November 2021 @ 3:29 pm
Feeling sad that this is the second last one, it’s been such a lovely time listening and discussing things in the show with everyone. I felt bad for Ari. Especially the mention of his family. I wish that we got to see him more. He seems like an interesting character. When he walked in confidently and then that confidence turned to fear, really felt for him even though heās a villain. Morganaās: āAgain.ā Made me jump. Itās interesting that the creature takes the victim’s breath away as well. Just adds to the lore and what it can do. I liked the line: āYou know I canāt.ā I like how he tries to assert himself again. Great acting. The way he reacted to the mention of his family was so sad. āShe survived many a ceilingā Bit made me giggle. Brilliant. Loved it. xD
I liked how Mordred stepped in to defend him, how he pitied Ari. I like the costume change to show heās on Morganaās side now, yet he still holds onto his morals. I donāt know what it is about me, but I just love the scenes where knights/guards patrol the castle, it just adds so much richness to the story and world, that there is a whole world outside of the camera lens. It made me laugh when the guy with the creature sneaked under that guard, likeā¦I could hear his footsteps easily, why didnāt the guard turn around?
Oh yes, here it is. My favorite scene of all time. The famous tavern scene between Arthur and Merlin with Percy is wonderful! I love everything about this, their dynamic. Iām trying to keep the previous ep ending Merlin in mind. Heās defeated there but here, heās happy, possibly drunk but happy. Heās like: āWhatever happens, happens, Iām just going to enjoy myself.ā I think this is the first time in a while we have seen them like this, very much how they usually are before the plot got serious. This has season 1-3 Merlin and Arthur. How they truly are when Merlin is not burdened by destiny. Theyāre so happy, it makes me so happy. Theyāre so relaxed and I just missed cheeky Merlin.
Justā¦ the emotion on their faces is priceless, they arenāt hiding their feelings. Percival looks on in such complete and utter fondness. Gosh, I love it. I adore how Merlin tunes Arthur here and everyone in the tavern is laughing along. And the way Merlin draws a tear on his face, priceless. Thereās so much that can be said with Merlin using his magic so recklessly. Either heās given up all hope and just does not care if they find out or not. Or heās drunk and is more reckless as a result, either way I love it but it does feel sad in a way but also just shows how much he uses it and how often and how skilled he is at hiding it.
Question, with the magic sound when he does his magic, do you think people hear it? Or is it just something theyāve added in for us? 4:49 look at Arthursā surprise on his face, I love this man. And Percy, how heās just so happy and smiling. Show why do you do this to me? On the second last episode? Why? The way Merlin looks at Arthur when Arthur says: āEnjoy this moment, Merlin.ā Awww. I love how thereās no concept of space between them. Iām sorry but the way the assassin guy jumped down from the roof makes me laugh every time. Also I donāt like Gaius but I even was shocked that he knocked Gaius out with a rock, ouch.
āI knew youād discover my secret in the end, thereās just no fooling you, my lord.ā Best line. Best line. It’s fourth-wall-breaking, a nod, just perfection. Though why is he saying: āMy lord.ā Instead of King? Iām confused. I wonder what the tavern people must be thinking but I love how positively they are reacting to Merlin and Arthurās dynamic, warms my heart. The coin scene made me giggle. āItās like that is it?ā Nod and raised eyebrow. HA. I love how it shows their personality, how Merlin grabs each neat pile and throws in the last. Where Arthur being a hardy knight just blam! Puts his hand on the table and pushes the coins away. Merlin is more into the details and Arthur just gets it done. So much to read as people.
Also some of the suggestive actions uh. Where interesting but Iāll take my mind out of the gutter. When Arthur smiled so so fondly when Merlin won, oh my word what a beautiful expression, heās such a great actor. Just that quiet fond smile he does could mean so many things, I think heās just happy Merlin is happy. And oh is Merlin happy here. So bittersweet. If it wasnāt for knocked out Gaius, Merlin drunkenly walking in and falling is the best thing ever. I actually didnāt notice Gaius the first time I watched it when Merlin got up. Donāt know how I missed it. I loved how Merlin sensed it before it appeared and here is when things get serious. Aww. The way Merlin also gasps and scurries away to the corner breaks my heart and how Gaius looks after him and saves him? Wellā¦good job, Gaius. Took you long enough. How Merlin is more concerned with Gaius was so sad. Heās trying so hard to stay awake. Also how strong is Gaius that he could lift Merlin onto the bed?
Maybe Merlin is more affected by it is because he is more magic than human and thus needs magic to sustain himself? And maybe not having magic took a physician toll on his body.
I found the. āThat she failed.ā A bit too on the nose but this scene was shocking. Felt so bad for Merlin. The way he trembles before it cuts to the next scene and how Gaius is in utter disbelief. Glad theyāre keeping calm. I always liked how Richard said the line: āIt devours the magic of others.ā It was like a realization. Ah, the side story of Gwaine. Breaks my heart. Such a bittersweet scene where Merlin watches on at the wounded knights and how Gaius helps him by saying heās still a physician.
Gwaine is so sweet and soft to her, how he looks at her. Aww. Also FINALLY. Gwen has a voice! She actually has lines, sheās there, sheās present, sheās amazing. This is the Gwen I know. Amazing scene with her in it. I loved the weight of the issue and the tension weighing the characterās down in this serious discussion. I loved how it shows the maturity of the characters, these arenāt S1 Prince Arthur and servant Merlin, this is experienced King Arthur and servant/advisor Merlin. How they handle it is so good. Though Iām sad Merlin doesnāt have a seat here.
When Percy said āCamlann.ā I loved how it wasnāt said with importance. They trusted the audience to know and understand better with Merlinās reaction. āI know Arthur better than I know myself.ā Breaks my heart every time.
Iāve always wondered which room Gwaine is when heās with her after they had sex. Itās not like Elyans, so maybe itās her room? I just love how he seeās Merlin as a friend and isnāt afraid to admit it. When Merlin had laid out everything neatly for Arthur was so sad. It was like a goodbye and a: āIāll do better now that this is the last time, Iāll take it seriously now.ā Arthurās slow realization that Merlin wonāt be coming, the build-up and tension was amazing. Merlinās expressions, his emotions and heartbreak and desperate need for Arthur to understand all in his words and body language breaks my heart every time, brilliantly acted. I know Arthur is hurt here but surely, he should know that Merlin would have a good cause to not go. Merlin has faced dragons with Arthur, immortal armies. This is nothing compared to that, Iām surprised Arthur didnāt see that and delivered a line that infuriated me. But I understand Arthurās side, heās hurt and heās lashing out and is confused. Canāt he see how Merlin doesnāt want this?
I do love how Arthur asks. āMy journey.ā Implying: āNot our journey?ā Ugh. So good. How Merlin apologizes and does the weak excuse of Gaius wanting him to do errands. How he looks like a child thatās done something wrong. The way Merlin says Arthurās name after Arthur says. āItās fine, I understand.ā BREAKS MY HEART. Itās so sad, speaks volumes. ādonāt do this, no your wrong, please donāt do this, Iām sorry.ā And the music they play in this scene, so good. I love this episode for the amazing acting, amazing scenes with the characters, the angst is great.
I love how Gwen goes to Arthur, ready to ride with him. Such a good scene. Oh yes. The Merlin and Gwaine scene. One of my faves. Loved them talking about her. The gentle banter is so sweet. What breaks me in this scene is when we and Merlin realize how vulnerable he is without magic. This is honestly such a small but overlooked scene. I find it so so important to the whole entire show. See it from Gwaineās pov. Merlin has gone on countless dangerous journeys with them and has managed to survive it well on his own two feet. Itās almost expected at this point. So when Merlin is cornered, about to be killed and Merlin covers his head with his fists and is in a fetal position and screams for Gwaine. Firstly, heart-breaking. Shocking and amazing performance. How Gwaine immediately helps him, brilliant. But again, this is the first time Gwaine has heard Merlin call for him for help. Merlin has not really appeared this mortal in front of him before. Heās always survived the others on his feet and calm. What must he be thinking at this point? What I love is he does not judge Merlin for this. Poor Merlin is so shaken.
The way Katie rides the horse in that scene after is so beautifully shot, I want to draw it. The way Merlin says goodbye to Gwaine is so sad, how Gwaine is crying. How Merlin wants to tell him but doesnāt. Why Merlin? Why not? Actually why not? You are at the brink of war right now, Gwaine was friendly to the Diamere. What is stopping you from telling him? He just wants to help. I donāt get it. He has kept the secret for so long that he actually canāt bring himself to say it? The way they said goodbye was so sad. Gwaine is crying and Merlin doesnāt even hug him? Or comfort him? How Gwaine looks at him. How he gives him his sword? Breaks my heart.
The scene with Merlin and Morgana in the cave is so long-awaited with what they talk about. How Merlinās shaking and trying to keep calm. āFace me.ā Gets me every time. So cool. Merlin getting trapped and scrambling desperately then giving up and the scream is so sad. So beautifully acted.
I love how Arthur and Gwen donāt buy into Gaiusās excuses. But why does Gaius give Gwen more information than he does Arthur? Arthur is kept in the dark more. I loved how Gwen asked the right questions. When Arthur and the knights arrived and Arthur says. āThis is it.ā Had such a morbid, mortal way of seeing it. Made it feel like the characters weāve known for so long are meeting their possible death spot.
I loved how they brought Balinor in again. I love the parallel with him and Uther. How Balinor is strong but in a female gaze sort of way. Heās soft-spoken, gentle and loving and wise. I love him so much. āHeed the words of your father, who loves you.ā Iām done, this is it. Iām content. Iām happy. So beautiful. I love how they both whisper talk to each other. āYou are son of the earth, the sea, the skies, you are more than a son of your father.ā Makes Merlin feel like a creature of the old religion again, gives him such magical importance, so brilliant. I love the idea that Merlin isnāt entirely human. I love how Balinor brings hope back in and how he tells him to sleep, so beautiful.
So sad when Gwen asks. āWhat is it.ā And Arthur hides his face like heās going to cry. Just wanted to hug him. I love their scene here, how she holds him. Iāve been waiting for this ever since Gwen wasnāt evil anymore. Sad that it happened into the 2 part finale but Iāll take what I can get. Iām so happy the crystal cave came back. I love it. I love how Merlin manages to connect with Arthur, makes me think that Arthur has a bit of magic within him or maybe Merlin is just that magically strong now or they just have a special bond, so special and strong they can connect like this now.
I love how seriously Arthur takes Merlinās ādreamā speech. He could easily, easily pass it off as a dream. But he misses him so much and I think heās matured in a way where he respects magic more that he trusts that this moment wasnāt a dream. I love how he woke and said his name. Poor Gwen is so confused but so comforting to him. How Arthur immediately gets out of bed. Poor Gwen. I just love how seriously Arthur takes it and gets into action immediately. There is an intimacy between Arthur and Merlin that can be read here.
I love the scene where Arthur is talking to Leon, Gwaine and Percy, the setting, the lighting, so good. Again, it enriches the story and world. I donāt think weāve seen our characters in this kind of setting before. Has a level of importance about it.
I love the music they play as they find the path. Arthurās speech is amazing. It felt so finale-like. This is it. I love the pause Arthur does before he says. āWe do battle.ā Amazing speech. It feels like a climax with our beloved characters, a āthis is it, the moment we have been waiting and building up to and for.ā Moment. So epic. How Leon watches his King speak. Hauntingly beautiful. This whole ending scene is amazing.
With the crystals it shows how mature Merlin is. When he first enters the crystal cave, the crystals are so powerful that they overwhelm him to almost insanity. Here heās calm, almost like he now knows how they work and how to control them, I love how he searches around and spots the one and calls for itās power. The crystals arenāt overpowering him anymore, heās mastered them. Love how to find Arthur he has to go through the past to the present. I love how when he talks to Arthur, he is so drawn and focused in that he doesnāt blink or shift his eyes around. Heās so zeroed in. Love it.
I am disappointed that Merlin steps out as old Emrys. Whatās the point? Is that his final form? But thatās his final form in the future, heās still young here. Makes no sense. Why disguise yourself now? Morgana already knows Emrys and Merlinās physical forms. Why not be young Merlin? Weāve followed young Merlin since season 1 and in the most important finale, we get dragoon? No.
18th November 2021 @ 8:35 pm
Tbh, I used to think the gold in the eyes was for our benefit, until in season 3 Gwen says Morgana’s eyes were ‘on fire’, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the sound was audible too, but I bet it’s just for us. It’s that same sort of sound we hear after the dragon says Merlin’s name at the very start of every episode. A sort of ethereal fantical sword shwinging sound, I doubt others would hear that and think ‘sorcery!’ before they saw the act haha.
It is annoying that Merlin doesn’t ever get a seat. Nevermind his magic, his advice and Arthur’s preaching of equality show be enough. Even Gaius sometimes has a seat and he contributes nothing. It’s often been stated that Merlin doesn’t have a seat because he counts just being in the room, that he can still be involved in hearing what other servants shouldn’t, that he is an extension of Arthur. However in this season, especially the last few eps, Merlin could not feel less like a part of Arthur, he is so separate now it’s so tragic and now his non-place at the table looks cruel.
Love how you mentioned the parallels to Uther’s ghost. It really is interesting how now both Merlin and Arthur have spoken to the ghosts of their fathers and where Uther is berating Arthur about ruining his kingdom and doing what he felt was right, Balinor is giving his son nothing but praise and pride and a good pep talk.
And yes Merlin IS more. This is why he and Arthur go together and were chosen by destiny. Arthur is a mortal born of magic, and Merlin is pure magic born of mortals. As long as they exist, magic and ideals of humanity cannot truly die out.
19th November 2021 @ 4:41 pm
“And yes Merlin IS more. This is why he and Arthur go together and were chosen by destiny. Arthur is a mortal born of magic, and Merlin is pure magic born of mortals. As long as they exist, magic and ideals of humanity cannot truly die out.”
What a lovely way to say it š
21st November 2021 @ 7:01 pm
-However in this season, especially the last few eps, Merlin could not feel less like a part of Arthur, he is so separate now itās so tragic and now his non-place at the table looks cruel.-
Exactly!
-It really is interesting how now both Merlin and Arthur have spoken to the ghosts of their fathers and where Uther is berating Arthur about ruining his kingdom and doing what he felt was right, Balinor is giving his son nothing but praise and pride and a good pep talk.-
Very true š I love how loving Balinor is to Merlin, that he’s a soft and gentle father to a son. So sweet.
-And yes Merlin IS more. This is why he and Arthur go together and were chosen by destiny. Arthur is a mortal born of magic, and Merlin is pure magic born of mortals. As long as they exist, magic and ideals of humanity cannot truly die out.-
Beautifully said. š
20th November 2021 @ 4:54 pm
-Thereās so much that can be said with Merlin using his magic so recklessly. Either heās given up all hope and just does not care if they find out or not. Or heās drunk and is more reckless as a result, either way I love it but it does feel sad in a way but also just shows how much he uses it and how often and how skilled he is at hiding it.-
I didnāt read this scene as Merlin āgiving up hope.ā I think it is the second option you mention, heās had a few drinks and is relaxed and truly having fun! Merlin has had years of practicing hiding magic from everyone and so I donāt think he is worried about anyone finding out. He just does it because he is relaxed and wants to have a good time! I do wish the show had sprinkled in a bit more of Merlin using magic for simple things like this through out the past few seasons. We got it a lot in the beginning of the show, but then I guess he listened to Gaius and decided he should only use his magic for great things?? But then why does he try to use magic to get his cup of water after he has been slugged? It would have been nice to see him use simple magic in the comfort of his home occasionallyā¦ Just a bit more consistency would have been niceā¦.
21st November 2021 @ 7:07 pm
-I do wish the show had sprinkled in a bit more of Merlin using magic for simple things like this through out the past few seasons. We got it a lot in the beginning of the show, but then I guess he listened to Gaius and decided he should only use his magic for great things??-
Right? Would have loved to have seen that too. Would have made for much more fun character and world-building moments.
– It would have been nice to see him use simple magic in the comfort of his home occasionallyā¦ Just a bit more consistency would have been niceā¦.-
Very true š
18th November 2021 @ 11:32 am
I think we are looking at this story in the wrong angle. In this show Arthur and Merlin are just tools for fulfilling the prophecy:
Why Arthur? Because he is a person who will put his country and people above his own life, and because of that, his people love him and follow him. He believes in equality, so commoners can enter the cabinet (round table) and maid can become queen. Gwen will be the person to bring the golden age to this land. But she can only do that as the Queen of Camelot, and with the help of people chosen by Arthur (or Merlin).
Merlin must keep Arthur alive until the above becomes possible. And Arthur must die, because who knows how long he will have to wait to legalize magic, his mission has been completed.
Merlin’s tragedy is that he puts Arthur’s life above the ultimate goal and is too attached to him emotionally. Because of this, I fear that he will not enjoy the golden age he helped build, and will always wait for his friend to return to his life.
18th November 2021 @ 2:59 pm
Great points, this actually makes me feel a bit happier about the prophecy situation, even though I love a tragedy.
18th November 2021 @ 8:13 pm
Magic and witchcraft laws weren’t repealed until the 1950s, so there was quite a wait š
18th November 2021 @ 11:15 pm
But who started the magic ban? Uther? If not, Gwen might have started the golden age, but it did not last forever, and at some point, magic was once again forbidden.
19th November 2021 @ 12:26 pm
According to ye olde Google there was still much hatred and laws against witchcraft hundreds of years later. It’s hard to guess in this Merlin universe whether Gwen ever brings magic back, so neither can we guess how long it lasted.
Saxons do eventually take over anyway so whether her reign is too busy for the magic stuff put on the back burner or she did legalise it we can only guess. Would it have lasted until her death, or until over a thousand years later when some schmuck declared witchcraft laws… š¤