Episode V.VIII – The Hollow Queen
Join us as we discuss The Hollow Queen
We are getting worryingly close to the end of Season 5, so please start thinking about any feedback you want to send in for the Season 5 Round Up. Remember there will be a seperate ‘BBC Merlin Round Up’ discussing all 5 seasons that we’re going to ask for write ins for, separately.
Contact Us before the 25th November with your Season 5 thoughts.
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6th September 2022 @ 2:08 pm
So I am completely like almost a year late on this and I’m not actually expecting a reply but I thought it was interesting that on the podcast a few times it’s been mentioned that Morgana’s obsession with killing Merlin (and kidnapping him, and torturing him, and emotionally wrecking him, etc., etc.) is strange because she doesn’t know about his magic and therefore she shouldn’t know that he is a legitimate threat. I actually have a thought about this that is slightly sad. I always read her ‘oh he’s a thorn in my side’ type rhetoric, right from Season 3 and the scene where she says something like that to Morgause as an excuse, rather than as her legitimate reason. I think that her obsession with hurting Merlin truly stems from his betrayal in the Fires of Idirsholas. I don’t think she ever recovers from it.
Think of it from Morgana’s point of view: she doesn’t know that Merlin was told that she was the vessel for the spell. In fact, she doesn’t even know that she IS the vessel; Morgause enchants her to sleep before she a) consents to participate in the plan, and b) gives her any real detail about the plan. As far as she knows, something terrible is happening and someone is trying to kill Uther and she risks her life to help save Uther, despite everything he’s done to her and people like her (see: directly threatening her life, throttling her, locking her up etc.). Remember that she helps Merlin drag Uther out of danger. She has no idea what’s going on. When Merlin poisons her, there’s really only one thing that could motivate him, as far as she knows: she has magic. From Morgana’s POV, arguably her closest friend, the person who knows her most private and dangerous secrets and who seemed to accept her, turned on her at the first sign of a magical threat, without trying to speak to her or considering that she might literally be protected by her magic, but not be causing it. As far as she can see, he simply assumes that it’s her fault because she has magic, and his response is to straight up murder her. That’s intensely personal. She trusted this man with a secret that could kill her and he used that knowledge as justification to poison her.
Also, Merlin’s choice is essentially to kill her on the chance that it saves Arthur. He sees both Arthur and Morgana at risk and he chooses to sacrifice Morgana. There’s a repeating pattern of characters choosing Arthur over Morgana that I’ve always found intensely sad. Gwen falls for him and so Morgana loses her; when she comes back in S3, her best friend has moved on. Merlin chooses Arthur. Gaius chooses literally everyone in damn Camelot except her. Annis chooses Arthur. Uther prioritises Arthur and chooses not to claim Morgana as his family. She’s constantly isolated in favour of Arthur. Merlin might just have been the first and most traumatic loss.
(I will also point out that he used hemlock, a poison that, to this day, has no antidote. Without a ventilator and 21st century medical life-support machines, that girl should be dead. From what she can know, he didn’t want her brought to the point of death but maybe revivable, he wanted her Deceased. I assume Morgause healed her with magic but like, honestly, Merlin could not have expected that to be possible.)
I feel like I’ve gone on a bit oops but essentially, yeah, I think that Morgana’s specific obsession with Merlin does make sense because it’s not partly political, like with Arthur, it’s primarily personal. I think this also explains why her plans re: Merlin are so centred on personally hurting him, rather than, as you said, simply sending someone in to slit his throat. When he’s brought to her in A Servant of Two Masters, she literally stops someone from killing him so that she can hurt him herself. She tortures him physically and then tries to make him do the one thing that would hurt him most: kill Arthur. (This also ties in to FoI, because in that situation Merlin chose Arthur’s life over hers and now she’s going to make him lose the person he sacrificed her to save.)
When she poisons him in The Hollow Queen, it’s violent and intimate and personal. Firstly, she uses poison, which is a direct reflection of what he did to her. She forces it into his mouth and watches him. She barely uses magic at all, except to get him on the ground at first which is fair since she might not be able to do it manually any more since Colin Morgan suddenly grew three inches and got Shoulders. She uses something that will make him suffer for as long as possible. And she pushes his body over that ridge herself, without magic. Even the way in which she tricks him into following her into the woods is a sick recreation of her experience with Merlin and druidboy!Mordred. Essentially, it comes down to her understanding of Merlin: i.e. she knows that Merlin will drop everything to help this innocent young boy that he’s known for thirty seconds—but not her. He will do anything to help anybody—but not her. It’s really fricking sad to me. She puts herself through watching him help a total stranger, knowing that he deemed her undeserving of his kindness; she forces herself to see, again, that he will help anyone, no matter what, even if they have magic—but, for some reason, not her. It must feel personal to her, which is I think why her attacks on Merlin are so personal in return.
Also, in this episode, compare Morgana’s plan re: Merlin with her plan re: Sarrum. Sarrum imprisoned her for TWO YEARS in a pit, and yet she’s willing to delegate that assassination to Gwen. She looks at her plan for the week, decides to get rid of both Merlin and Sarrum, and goes ‘mm yeah that’s too much, I simply don’t have time for both of those’ and chooses to prioritise killing Merlin herself over assassinating the man who, again, imprisoned her in torturous conditions for years. That, to me, really makes it seem like Merlin is still a more personal and important target. Sarrum she wants dead for his actions against her, sure, but she had no love for him beforehand so the trauma isn’t compounded by a previous relationship with the abuser. However, she loved and trusted Merlin before his betrayal and so her vengeance against him simply has to be carried out by her own hand.
Apologies I got very rambly here oops. I have a lot of thoughts about Merlin and especially Morgana and I was too awkward to share them while the podcast was still going so I’m putting them into the void now aha. I do absolutely love this podcast and I am dreading getting to the end, I’ve actually put off listening to it for a while to make it last longer. Thank you for all the hard work you guys have put into it.
21st September 2023 @ 12:56 pm
hey, don’t worry about being a year late. So am I! hahaha
Sorry, life got crazy for a bit with many new podcasts and those pesky real life things happening. But I’ve come back to this email notification in our inbox on a regular basis, because I absolutely love everything you’re saying about Morgana and why her revenge plans against Merlin are quite so personal (and ultimately doomed to fail, because she makes it too personal, rather than just slitting his bloody throat already!!!) and you’re right, it’s so sad, and you’ve laid it out in a way that makes it even sadder, putting every single time someone doesn’t chose her one after the other after the other after the other 🙁 And it’s all written beautifully and heartbreakingly, too! Except for this: “she might not be able to do it manually any more since Colin Morgan suddenly grew three inches and got Shoulders” which made me snort water out my nose LOL so thanks for that (ow! haha).
Apologies for being very very late, and thank you ever so much for sharing your (truly painful!!) thoughts about Morgana. Damn, they should have had you in the writers room to really eek all of this nuance out in the show, because yeah, it’s totally all there, as you point out, but it gets so overshadowed by MUAHAHA Villain-y, and that’s a huge huuuuge shame!
Hope you’re well!!
M Xx
26th October 2021 @ 8:32 am
Just did some quick maths on the list of destiny, where I added up the rank of each episode in a season (doubles got that number twice). It seems that even at this just past midway point, Season 5 is going to rank the worst. Even if the remaining episodes were perfect and would rank very highly (they will not) Season 5 would struggle to be better than a season like Season 3, which had tightly built episodes and some clear plot threads. It doesn’t even get its first rank until around midway down the list!
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5
7 3 1 14 22
8 4 2 16 28
10 6 5 17 31
11 9 5 18 34
15 13 12 19 38
21 20 25 23 49
24 26 27 29 52
41 36 33 29 53
42 40 35 30 53
43 45 35 32 360
44 46 39 37
47 48 50 37
51 48 54 55
364 344 323 356
26th October 2021 @ 8:37 am
Oh no my table published in a very ugly way! Just part of Season 5 shambles, I guess.
I will try horizontally:
S1 – 7, 8, 10, 11, 15, 21, 24, 41, 42, 43, 44, 47, 51 = 364
S2 – 3, 4, 6, 9, 13, 20, 26, 36, 40, 45, 46, 48, 48 = 344
S3 – 1, 2, 5, 5, 12, 25, 27, 33, 35, 35, 39, 50, 54 = 323
S4 – 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 29, 29, 30, 32, 37, 37, 55 = 356
S5 – 22, 28, 31, 34, 38, 49, 52, 53, 53 = 360
26th October 2021 @ 8:39 am
Haha no worries, I could totally follow it, but thanks for the neaten-ing it up 😀
27th October 2021 @ 10:39 pm
That’s fantastic and, really, just what I would do. So, this got me very excited. Also, I’m really not surprised by the result which is pretty sad.
But Go Season 3!
26th October 2021 @ 8:38 am
OUCH! But also, that makes a *lot* of sense, and if you’d asked me cold, I probably would have ranked them this way. I think S1 gets a lot of extra points in my head, purely because it’s how we all fell in love with this show, but yes, Ruth and I were just talking about this the other day, and said that rewatching Merlin S1, S2, and S3 is definitely the way to go, especially because the end of S3 is absolutely a place where the show could have ended, without leaving too many unanswered questions. Especially as you can “fill in” everything else, from legend.
24th October 2021 @ 1:07 am
This has become the ‘hair-combing’ episode for me as I’ve become quite fond of that comb scene over the years. It finally has the Arwen chemistry that’s been missing this whole time and has both a cute and suggestive edge. It’s the type of subtlety that I think other shows can learn from. Storytelling, however, is something that Merlin can learn from other shows, ahem.
Other highlights:
– Badass Merlin. That bit where he doesn’t need a sword. That bit where he rolls up his sleeves*.
– The intense poisoning performance
– Arthur’s hair before he found the comb*
*But for a Merlin episode, if my highlights are to do with Merlin’s/Arthur’s hotness that means the episode did something wrong…
And now to the concerns:
– Everything you guys mentioned. That bit about Morgana. How is this some throwaway, off-screen scene?
– I am not liking the separation between where Merlin is (knowing about Gwen, in a dark mode) and where Arthur is (completely oblivious or in comic relief mode).
– Ok, so I actually like the over-long Gwen dressing Arthur bit, how he ‘says a lot’ with just his eyes. Up until the whole ‘I was a servant’, ‘I want Merlin back’. Again, if this Evil Gwen thread explored real Gwen’s insecurities, the servant reference could work. Like she subconsciously felt she needs to prove that she’s a worthy queen and not just some servant girl who caught the king’s eye. And it comes through in her evil state. But then we have Arthur blatantly ignoring any implication of that, not taking a pause to consider if Gwen might be bittersweet about this. Instead he goes into comic relief mode about missing Merlin.
– Also, I don’t like this weird Merlin versus Gwen undertone this season. Merlin’s primary concern should be Gwen’s wellbeing, the fact that he suspects she’s hijacked by Morgana. This feels very familiar to the enchanted-Gwen business. Like the enchantment is something for the viewers to keep a character ‘good’ but what they’re actually exploring is if Gwen and Merlin truly became at odds because Gwen is now an aloof queen, controlling Arthur.
– I liked the working woman scene at the start, a reverse of the traditional husband coming home to wife scenario and the gillyflower detail. The rest of the scene is a little forced…and how long is that bath going to stay hot for?
24th October 2021 @ 2:48 pm
“Ok, so I actually like the over-long Gwen dressing Arthur bit, how he ‘says a lot’ with just his eyes. Up until the whole ‘I was a servant’, ‘I want Merlin back’. Again, if this Evil Gwen thread explored real Gwen’s insecurities, the servant reference could work”
– That’s actually really interesting, I hadn’t pegged that rewatching the dressing scene as that! Everything that Arthur’s saying in these few episodes unwittingly is only fuelling the mandrake magic over Gwen, or at least, might be what Gwen is hearing therefore testing him. She wants to make him feel uncomfortable and wants to hurt him (god knows what their prior sexy times were like), and in her head must think she was stolen away from a content servant life with her mistress who she thinks should be queen and forced to marry Arthur, a man who laughs at her behind her back. The fact Arthur jokes he wants Merlin back probably isn’t the right thing to say when his wife is there with him and apparently dressing him better than anyone else, yet he still wants his servant back.
However when Arthur replies to her ‘you were always more than a servant’, this should have made her pause, a slight break in the brainwashing shown in her face as she thinks about what he’s said for a moment, and how not what she expected if she thinks this man is horrible. If he had responded with a line that sounded more open for interpretation and the potential to appear insulting , Gwen suddenly tugging harshly on Arthur’s straps would make more sense…
24th October 2021 @ 12:07 am
Go, team! Another great episode. I laughed, a sighed, I shook my fists in frustration. Oh, Season 5, how I hate thee! Well, hate is a strong word, but I haven’t rewatched any of it so far.
That might change though because, unlike most episodes of this season, I actually remember it. Mostly for the fact that it tries to explain away the time gap as it affected Morgana and it’s possibly one of the things I dislike about this show the most. So, your powerful female antagonist was confirmed to be imprisoned and abandoned, then implied to be tortured and sexually abused…and this is still a family show?
The fact that the scene in which the Sarrum is boasting about how he treated Morgana had my jaw on the floor; Arthur has almost no reaction, and it’s his SISTER the man is taking about. His erstwhile friend, too, not to mention a woman who he probably had some expectation to marry, at one point. Like, seriously, Arthur, nothing? Where is the conflict?!
I agree that the Evil Gwen arc is strange and Angel Coulby’s talents wasted on it. However, I love it when Gwen and Morgana have screen time together. This time around I am really into this almost-cannon but mostly head cannon read that Morgana is dysfunctionally obsessed with Gwen. I like it the more I think about it. I mean, not in a creepy way 😅 just in a way that helps me make some sense of why Morgana might be so focused on Gwen when, in reality, she’s not the one Morgana needs to eliminate. (On another note, I wonder why Morgana didn’t just keep Gwen in the dark tower and try to ransom her for… something? But that’s what fics are foooor 🎶)
All my Morgwen love aside, this episode really could have benefited so much without all of the murder plotting. If it had happened earlier in the season and involved some genuine inner conflict on the part of the core cast about whether or not to ally with the Sarrum, I think it could have been really interesting. For Merlin and Mordred, there’s the horror of a allying with a man who treated a fellow magic user, former friend and a BABY DRAGON as tortured slaves. For (non evil, but also evil) Gwen and Arthur, there’s the moral quandary of allying with someone who stands in direct contrast to the ideals of Camelot (if those ideals were ever fully established).
As others have commented, this show does not do politics or political intrigue. I get that, it’s not GOT or The West Wing. But what this show has in spades is actors who bring depth and heart to all of their performances. I think they could have carried a simpler story that was more about the hard choices people have to make in the face of great challenges, and how different all of those choices are.
Love this podcast, love this community! Till next time I have something to say about S5 other than UUUUUUUUUGH
Xo
24th October 2021 @ 3:03 pm
Arthur not reacting to the sarrum creepily (in such subtle subtext) proudly saying how he kept Morgana as a caged animal he every now and then liked to sexually abuse is just so weird! Watching this as a kid, I never thought the sarrum did more than literally what he was quoting, that Morgana was simply kept in a pit and he thought himself powerful. Now the darker tone is so so clear, which makes Arthur’s indifferent reaction just so wrong.
It’s another example of a time the writers seem to prefer their characters forgetting all prior experience and relationships with each other and opt for a stereotypical goodies vs baddies plot so that it just takes all the mess out they don’t want to deal with. Though they make Gwen hate what she’s hearing and bale out understandably, I dunno if Arthur’s not asking any and all the right questions because he too is too disturbed to want the details or the writing deliberately wanted him not to be interested or remember that this woman the sarrum is talking about was the woman he grew up with!
Also interesting how now Arthur uses the word ‘hatred’ when describing Morgana. He used to look at her in pity, now it’s hate. Yet his tone and manner don’t match it. I can imagine Arthur ‘hating’ Morgana after the events of next episode, with the new knowledge, but not quite yet.
27th October 2021 @ 4:28 pm
Yes, Arthur could have had an emotional arc from pity to hate, and what would that mean for him and his golden king of Albion destiny? And for Merlin who is (ostensibly) trying to restore magic to the kingdom? That would have been very interesting! But it’s like they don’t know what to do with Arthur anymore. I feel like after the sword in the stone his character kind of stalled.
23rd October 2021 @ 11:41 pm
Now this episode, for me, is one of my favourites in season 5, mostly because we seem to get an earlier version of Merlin here. (Like you said, his portrayal this season is inconsistent.) Whereas last week, we had shrewd, calculating Merlin that does everything only for Arthur, here we go back to a version of Merlin that would have rescued Mordred in season 1. Hence Morgana draws the clear parallel between Merlin and his weak spot for the (druid) underdog. The interesting thing, of course, is that we haven’t actually seen this side of Merlin for a long time. We have seen him focused mostly on Arthur and ignoring the fate of the magical people so I guess it’s lucky that Morgana, although she was using outdated data, sent Daegal to Merlin on a ‘compassionate and aware of others besides Arthur’ day. But I also think it’s a little big-headed of Merlin not to wonder how Daegal heard of his druid sympathies and went to seek him out specifically when the only druid he has ever helped is Mordred and he is currently a knight in the castle. Surely Merlin does not have a reputation for helping others – not anymore at least. In season 1, certainly. If I were Merlin in this episode, I might wonder whether Mordred had tipped off Daegal (maybe insert some scenes where Merlin tries to question Daegal about his informant – that would give some meaning an substance to the ‘travelling while eating’ scenes) and that would keep Mordred and his story in the forefront of our minds and also help to further develop his story which we seem to forget about most of the time.
Anyway, all that being said, I love this earlier version of compassionate Merlin we see in this episode, paired with an older Merlin’s maturity and older brother care for Daegal. (Again, I think the casting of Daegal – like with young Mordred or even Gilli was done to call to mind an alternative or younger version of Merlin himself.) And of course, this episode also gifts us with some great Merlin Whump and another stellar Colin Morgan performance. What’s not to love?
I do love that when Gwen comes into her and Arthur’s chamber, the camera stays on her and she doesn’t immediately break out in a smile. We can see that she has to overcome an emotion (maybe aversion or disgust?) and prepare herself to act ‘in love’ with Arthur. (The same happens later with Gaius coming to speak to Arthur.) Perhaps Katie McGrath could have given a better villain performance as well if they had given her more space to do more than smirk at the camera?) In the same scene, I also adore the awkwardness of Merlin staring at the king and queen embracing, waiting to be dismissed by Arthur who, only when Merlin motions to him, remembers him to send him outside.
The musical cue when Daegal comes to Merlin is the Dorocha/ghost theme (I think first heard when the young girl came to report that her entire village had died in an attack by faceless screams) which I thought was very clever since it perhaps foreshadows that Daegal’s mother has died/ his sister is non-existent. Maybe it is also meant to indicate another yet-unseen threat originating with Morgana.
I think it’s actually really nice that when Arthur and his knights welcome the Sarrum, he doesn’t wear a crown. He is dressed in exactly the same way as his knights, stressing their brotherhood and equality. All that sets him apart is that he stands at the front of the v-formation.
Merlin’s eyeroll is the best and speaks for all of us being fed up with Morgana’s half-baked plans to kill Arthur or take the crown.
I don’t really understand why Daegal had to die in this episode – also, we’re again using Freya’s death theme to heighten the emotional impact.
Also, speaking of Freya, my heart breaks when Merlin says that he hasn’t got a girl. ☹ For me, that’s the saddest moment in the entire episode.
In terms of your question about how people in the Middle Ages took their baths, I think that they usually had dedicated ‘bathrooms’ (hence our modern name) which featured enough space for big tubs, ready access to water and also fireplaces. I know in many houses they were the same places as where they did the laundry on other days as those needed basically the same features. Certainly, richer people would often take their baths in so-dedicated places to avoid the lugging of water up the stairs and bathing in semi-cold water. But I also read that some people simply took their tub along on travels and bathed wherever it was most convenient. I also know that commonly in towns there might have been bathhouses or on fairs and markets there was sometimes a person offering hot baths to people for a fee (again, that would be offered in a tent with ready access to water and fire). If you visit a Medieval Fair, you still often get that as a curious and fun experience – in the Middle Ages (and, let’s be honest, for many centuries beyond) that would have been an essential service offered. (Incidentally, the fair/market also often offered to pull out your teeth with tongs if you had a toothache.) In the summer, of course, you could always head for a wash and swim to a stream somewhere. (Just because I want to be transparent, I wanted to mention that my expertise is part internet research, part my fondness for historical novels and history in general and part relying on the authenticity of historical movies and fairy tale films set in that sort of period and watched non-stop as a kid. So, you see, I am a veritable expert!)
24th October 2021 @ 1:02 pm
I love how you say Morgana is working on outdated information haha, yeah Morgana is waaaay behind, goes to show how long she hasn’t been connected with the others in Camelot since even season 3 when she no longer wanted to be around them and used what she knew about them before against them. Just like how she used what tiny little knowledge she knew about Gwen’s attraction to Lancelot in s1 (since as far as we know Morgana didn’t know that Gwen and Lancelot were imprisoned together in s2) to use Lancelot’s shade against Arthur and Gwen in s4. Now she’s using Merlin’s tiny connection to one druid boy rescue in s1 and giving her the directions to the druids in s2 to lure Merlin into the forest. To say that ‘Merlin has a weakness for druids’ based on those few flimsy times really illustrates how the writers didn’t show Morgana hanging out with these people enough in the early days..
“We can see that she has to overcome an emotion (maybe aversion or disgust?) and prepare herself to act ‘in love’ with Arthur”
-Oh wow I hadn’t thought about that. I did get an uncomfortable impression that Gwen would have to force her evil self to ‘make love’ with Arthur to keep up appearances, and we’d had no sense of their marriage being passionate and sexual before now, but yeah now you said it, it is interesting to see Gwen’s reaction to seeing the room all done up and having to very subtly hide her distain that she would have to have sexy times with a man she hates, and keep her face deadpan rather than visibly trying to hide disgust. I could never imagine Morgana hiding a facial expression that matched her real mood so much as well as evil Gwen does.
Love the term “faceless screams” referring to the Dorocha, it’s a very realistic and medieval way I could believe people would describe such a disturbing and odd thing they had no prior knowledge of or real comparison too. Very Game of Thrones even haha.
I actually dunno how I feel about Arthur not wearing his crown and not standing out from all his men, meeting with a scary leader like the Sarrum, I should like Arthur to show more ‘high king material’ about him, wearing his crown wouldn’t show per se he’s abandoned his morals of being equal with his men, but to keep up alpha male appearances to the Sarrum I just feel he should have stood out. He could be as casual as he wants in welcoming other leaders like Elena and Mithian to this place, but the sarrum is the exception who needs to see Arthur as intimidatingly as Uther.
“they usually had dedicated ‘bathrooms’ (hence our modern name) which featured enough space for big tubs, ready access to water and also fireplaces. I know in many houses they were the same places as where they did the laundry on other days as those needed basically the same features. Certainly, richer people would often take their baths in so-dedicated places to avoid the lugging of water up the stairs and bathing in semi-cold water”
-Absolutely what I was thinking. Its one of those times the show reveals how loosely it set itself between a thousand year period. If it’s meant to be 6th century and yet Camelot was really built hundred of years ago, its look would be so much more primitive and show way less thought into what luxuries royalty had, let alone basic human needs. Since then it has had many kings and maybe even roman ones, and Uther is meant to be the descendent of a roman ruler and would construct and extend his castle accordingly, I’d imagine the palace would have its own roman bathroom, where I’m picturing it not too different from the prefect bathroom in Harry potter, minus all the wonderful plumbing. Arthur and Gwen should more likely have their own ‘bathroom’ like you say, where multiple servants work to heat up and fill up, then empty, not one poor Merlin on his own.
27th October 2021 @ 10:43 pm
Hi – I just wanted to say sorry for not replying to your comment. I’m usually better than this but am on holiday right now and lack of routine has basically meant that I have engaged very little beyond my own comment. But I do regularly check back on comments and just wanted to thank you for yours and for so faithfully and astutely responding to so many (not just mine). 🙂
24th October 2021 @ 3:39 pm
-Also, speaking of Freya, my heart breaks when Merlin says that he hasn’t got a girl. ☹ For me, that’s the saddest moment in the entire episode.-
It is so sad because it strongly highlights Merlin is a “career man.” It breaks my heart that Merlin doesn’t have another life than the servant life, but the beauty and tragedy of it is his commitment to Arthur. I like this line, but it would have hit home more if Merlin had left Arthur in order to do something to protect him and then ended up injured, but unable to tell Arthur any of it. I know I said before it was nice to see season 1 Merlin again but it is really out of character this season. Also, never jumped on that Freya train….it always felt so forced to me.
27th October 2021 @ 10:44 pm
Also, never jumped on that Freya train….it always felt so forced to me. –
I really did…and in part I think it’s due to the fact that Merlin never got another love at all. Not once. So, like him, I am pretty fixated on his one lost love.
24th October 2021 @ 10:02 pm
thank you for sharing all of your bath knowledge!!!
also, in regards to arthur not wearing his crown… I totally see how it may strike people as weird, but I agree with you, it shows that they are a united front that would be hard to defeat. whereas arthur putting on his crown would feel like him jumping up and down to show just how powerful and in charge he is, which I think would actually backfire, especially when faced with an older ruler, who knew him as a kid. Arthur needs to feel in charge, without seeming to be dressing up to make sure he looks in charge, in my eyes.
M Xx
27th October 2021 @ 10:48 pm
whereas arthur putting on his crown would feel like him jumping up and down to show just how powerful and in charge he is, which I think would actually backfire –
I hadn’t thought about it that way…I simply liked it because it highlighted the kind of king Arthur had become especially since the Sarrum often makes comparisons between him and Uther and also tries to belittle Arthur by calling to mind a memory from when he was still a child.
Sorry for responding so late – have been on holiday which should give me more time to do all this but , strangely, doesn’t.
28th October 2021 @ 6:56 am
Yeah, I do see your side of it, too. There is a weirdness where for a while uther and Arthur were both running around with a variety of crowns every week, and now suddenly we’ve not seen the crown in months. (Which I’m not sad about, because it’s so so ugly!! Haha). And yes, the sarrum is a dick, and totally should be out in his place, but at the same time, I’m so excited that Arthur doesn’t rise to the bait of his little needly comments. Because a younger Arthur absolutely would have. – we so rarely get Arthur growth on this show, I get incredibly excited when we do! lol
28th October 2021 @ 6:57 am
Also I hope you had a wonderful holiday! Good on your for ignoring the internet while you’re away, that’s hugely important!! <3
28th October 2021 @ 8:17 am
It’s more like I stayed in places that actually had no Internet at all. But you have to love the Peaks anyway. 😊
Thank you!
28th October 2021 @ 8:18 am
That’s really true. Wow! Arthur’s actually learned something since the unicorn episode. That makes me happy. 😀
29th October 2021 @ 11:52 pm
It’s the little victories, right? Haha
22nd October 2021 @ 2:51 am
Hello Everyone!
Well, I enjoyed this episode more than I did the last one, so that was a nice surprise!
I, like everyone one else here, LOVED Colin’s performance! As I am watching it, I am constantly thinking “Omg! I love him! OMG! He is just so good!”
It is nice to see Merlin revert back to his old ways by doing what seems right and help others, but I find it hard to believe that Season 5 Merlin is just willing to leave Arthur. He has been SO obsessed with keeping Arthur safe at ALL costs that it seems strange he will just drop his duties with an Evil Gwen walking around AND when a KNOWN dangerous man is coming to visit. He does this all for a druid boy that he doesn’t even know… Does he do this because he thinks the boy knows he is Emrys and as the supposed OG of the druids/magical people, he can’t deny him help? ALSO! Why aren’t Gaius and Merlin doing ANYTHING to help Gwen? When Merlin was possessed and evil, Gaius and Gwen teamed up to break that enchantment! Why wouldn’t Merlin want to do the same for Gwen?? Merlin has been so CONSUMED with Arthur’s safety, yet he isn’t willing to try ANYTHING? We don’t see him researching…. or spying on Gwen or following her into the forest. Why isn’t he tryin spells behind her back like he did with the troll? It’s like he’s said, “Oh well! Gwen is evil! This is our life now! Guess I have to just deal!” At least when Morgana was going evil, he told Gaius “We need to watch her.” MERLIN, you are suppose to be the most powerful sorcerer and it is SEASON FIVE! DO ANYTHING! Come ON!
Oh! In the podcast, R&M were talking about needing a little more background story for Daegal. I was thinking it would have been nice if Morgana held an actual sister hostage or something and we saw that in the opening. I think it would make me feel a little more for Daegal and see why he is doing this other than for money. I understand he is ‘starving,’ but he actually doesn’t look that starving to me…
OK, done with my rant! Now for fun comments:
“Oh yeah? Get out!” (swoon)
Every time we see the Arthur and Gwen PDA scene, I think of one of my favorite Merthur memes and I giggle! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/575194183665496562/
Really hate Gwen asking Merlin to draw up a bath, but if it gets Merlin to roll up his sleeves… I’m willing to overlook it.
The scene where Arthur has looked “everywhere” for his comb and doesn’t find it while Gwen waltzes in and immediately finds it is the truest thing this show has ever shown about marriage!
I actually LOVE how hopeless Arthur is without Merlin and I laugh EVERY TIME when Arthur cons Gaius into helping him get dressed. I know it is silly and Arthur shouldn’t be this dumb, but I just love it!
Colin’s adorable smile when Daegal says Merlin is lucky to have Gaius just gets me every time! (swoon again!)
Also, I wish they would have brought George back to dress Arthur instead of Gwen. Just to have him back again….
When Merlin rolls his eyes, I wrote in my notes: Merlin is like ‘Of f’ing course!!!’
LOVE that someone knows Merlin has magic… if just for a little while…
My last note: Merlin seems to bury a lot of people…😢
REALLY looking forward to next week’s episode! Mordred is back! Arthur gets to know things! It’s great!
22nd October 2021 @ 4:13 am
Oh! My Spotify just started playing the very first episode of D&C when I was finished listening to this week’s and Ruth says in that first episode that Merlin (the show) makes her “so happy!” I couldn’t help but chuckle since it feels like lately both of you have not been fans! It’s almost like you are following Merlin’s arc here…. Happy go lucky in season 1 to angry and frustrated in season 5! 😄
22nd October 2021 @ 12:29 pm
Oh! I want to edit my previous post to say…
It’s almost like you are following Merlin’s arc here…smiling and happy-go-lucky in season 1 to rolling your eyes and angry and frustrated in season 5! 🤣
22nd October 2021 @ 6:24 pm
That is… depressingly true 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
25th October 2021 @ 8:41 am
—
The scene where Arthur has looked “everywhere” for his comb and doesn’t find it while Gwen waltzes in and immediately finds it is the truest thing this show has ever shown about marriage!—
This made me laugh out loud on the bus!! 😆
22nd October 2021 @ 12:49 am
I actually liked a lot of this episode in isolation. This version of Merlin is really good and works with the previous four seasons and I wish we got more of it. Oh and he’s really competent this week which is always great to see! The rolled up sleeves were a nice bonus.
It feels like a glimpse into an AU version of season 5 where Merlin is taking on Gaius’s role both as a physician and teacher. Merlin’s so supportive and nice to this kid and that is such a relief after the previous episodes and the Disir. He has that same resignation to his role and place in the world but seems a lot more proactive about it. If he continued with this attitude he would probably make better choices. Also my headcanon is that Merlin gets approached by druids and other magic people as a physician a lot which is why he’s not even questioning why Daegal asked him for help.
I see how Daegal’s lack of backstory would make his whole arc difficult but it didn’t bother me that much. Probably because I went in knowing a lot of what happens in this episode. His bonding scenes with Merlin were a bit weird but they manage to sell their relationship by the end of it. If Gaius was dead I could see him becoming Merlin’s apprentice.
The magic thing with Daegal can be explained by Merlin assuming he sneaked in using magic. I really liked him and would’ve loved to see more of him.
Angel Coulby is wonderful as always and evil Gwen is fairly competent in this assassination attempt. Her interactions with Sarrum were pretty interesting. It’s nice seeing more of Gwen and Leon’s friendship even if she’s evil. I love that they’ve carried forward the childhood friends thing with them and I wish we got more of it. There’s a lot of interesting stuff there with their respective ranks and being a part of the castle and Camelot from the beginning.
I really like the Morgana stuff this episode! Getting her backstory (as little sense as it makes) and seeing her reaction to it and giving her this bond with Aithusa and Gwen really humanises her and not murdering Daegal helps with that. I don’t even mind the terrible murder plan this time. She’s actually using her knowledge of Merlin and their history to lure him out and has no reason to believe that Daegal would want to or be able to save Merlin. Sure there’s easier ways to kill him but Morgana’s only got so many mortal enemies. Coming up with unnecessarily dramatic ways to kill people is her only hobby and if she actually killed him, who would she try out her new schemes with?
The impression I got from the dinner scene was Arthur not really believing the girl story and poking at Merlin because he’s suspicious. Maybe it’s in the performance but Arthur doesn’t seem as light-hearted as he should be in that section. Arthur must realise on some level that there’s something Merlin is hiding right? He’s not a good liar, disappears all the time, knows things he shouldn’t, pretends to be less competent than he is, etc. Arthur must suspect something because he never even tries to send someone to the tavern when Merlin goes missing.
Also in that scene with Gwen dressing him he could be sensing Merlin’s distress through that mental link they share. Which is why he’s this preoccupied with Merlin when he should be focusing on the treaty and Sarrum.
It is odd that we get no mention of any of Camelot’s other allies and what they think of this guy. I just can’t see Bayard or Annis or Mithian or Elena’s kingdom working with him. Maybe Odin would but it seems unlikely if even Uther didn’t like this guy. We really have no idea what this guy has that Camelot doesn’t if Arthur is this disturbed by his treatment of Morgana and his everything really. At least he’s relatively competent at assassination so that’s something.
Now the stuff that bothered me:
As soon as you look at it as a part of season 5 and the evil Gwen arc it falls apart. This episode just doesn’t fit with the end of the last episode and the entire premise would not work with that Merlin. There’s no way he would leave Gwen alone with Arthur under any circumstances after knowing that she tried to kill Arthur and is probably evil! He doesn’t even seem to react to evil Gwen for the first half!
I’m curious as to why this episode is in season 5 at all. There’s no mention of Saxons or anything to connect it to season 5 apart from getting more of Morgana’s backstory. You could replace Gwen with Agravaine and with some slight reworking it could be a season 4 episode. The stuff with “peace in the five kingdoms” and Arthur even considering this alliance would also work better there. So why is it here?
Another round of do the writers want me to dislike Arthur or do they not realise what they’re doing! The fact that Daegal’s ruse works implies a lot about Arthur and his relations with the druids that it really shouldn’t if Arthur fulfilled his promise to that druid boy in episode 4:10. His decision to form an alliance with this guy doesn’t help with that.
This could have easily been fixed if Gaius just told Arthur where he was and the rest would play out the same with everyone getting more and more worried. Evil Gwen would say something different and alleviate Arthur’s worries or maybe he’s too focused on the treaty to notice.
Okay on to my never-ending questions about Arthur and his POV. What does Arthur think happened with Daegal, Merlin and the assassin up there? The assassin has been killed with an arrow but there’s no second crossbow, Daegal has a knife in him and Merlin’s just sitting there clearly injured with this kid’s body. So what do they think happened? How did this kid get here and why isn’t security tighter after the last episode?
Isn’t the assassin the same guy from the swordfight? Why was he trying to kill Arthur? What was the treaty about and how is it affected by Sarrum’s death? Does he suspect Morgana again? Because that might help explain some of this.
On a related note does Arthur not remember that Gwen accused Merlin of killing him in the last episode? Merlin and Gwen already don’t seem that close this season and this has probably been true for the three years since Gwen’s coronation. So why is he acting like Gwen’s a more reliable source on Merlin than Gaius?!
Another question : since when does Arthur know what a high priestess is? Does he still think magic is evil and if so why isn’t he doing more to get rid of it? If not, why is he not trying to rethink his laws or trying to understand the plight of magical people like the druids?
And Mordred isn’t in the episode in any meaningful way but I’m still thinking about him. Does he have any opinions on Sarrum and this new alliance? Does this affect his loyalty to Arthur in any way? Or is he that committed to not using magic?
Does Merlin have any opinions on it or on the rumours that Sarrum apparently likes assassinating his allies? Does he have any feelings whatsoever about the guy who imprisoned and tortured Aithusa and Morgana? Have we forgotten about his reaction to Julius Borden and how did this guy capture and manage to keep Aithusa for that long?? I’ll stop now because the list is too long.
In conclusion it was a fun episode to watch even though it doesn’t make a lot of sense in season five. The actors are doing a wonderful job as always and I really appreciate that. We’ll thankfully be done with this arc in the next episode so looking forward to that. It’ll be good to have regular Gwen back!
Oh and the artwork is great as always!
22nd October 2021 @ 1:48 am
-Arthur must suspect something because he never even tries to send someone to the tavern when Merlin goes missing.-
YES!! Exactly!!! Why doesn’t Arthur send someone to the tavern?! He has GOT to know something fishy is going on with Merlin, but just doesn’t want to face it…so he doesn’t investigate!
22nd October 2021 @ 2:48 am
Arthur refusing to investigate because he doesn’t want to know makes a lot of sense! It would explain his obliviousness and those bizarre ironic comments he makes about Merlin not being able to keep a secret. I don’t think he ever suspects magic though.
22nd October 2021 @ 2:55 am
I have played around with wondering if he suspects magic… Sometimes I think he does in the back of his mind but doesn’t want to confront it. Other times, I think no… looking forward to discussing that more when the time comes 😀
22nd October 2021 @ 12:09 pm
I read this as ‘he has Game of Thrones to know something…’ which made no sense, but was very funny!! Haha
22nd October 2021 @ 7:46 pm
😂🤣
21st October 2021 @ 11:50 pm
Great episode guys, it was a lot of fun!! First I wanted to mention that I picked yarrow and rue to feature prominently in my Merlin tattoo because they are actually really pretty 😌 so it was fun to hear you talk about them in this episode. Speaking of those herbs – I wanted to learn more about your take on the whole poisoning scene. You guys joked about how this herbal tincture shouldn’t really be effective for poison. What I’m wondering is are we supposed to suspend our disbelief that these ground up herbs completely cured Merlin of a dangerous poison, or am I expected to believe it didn’t work and Merlin actually died here? Because I have always leaned towards the latter. In the past Merlin has seemed extraordinarily resilient at times. Most of those times can be explained away by luck, outside magic, or the aid of potions and cures. This time however, it’s harder to explain how Merlin survives. When I first watched this scene (years ago) I was convinced that this scene proved Merlin’s immortality. Not only does Merlin look like a corpse throughout these scenes but his magic is ‘flickering’ and not working which didn’t even happen when he was poisoned in ‘The Poison Chalice’. Merlin himself says, “There’s nothing!” when Daegel asks how he can save him. Maybe Merlin thinks the herbs will give him more time to attempt more magic? After Merlin takes the tincture he seemingly goes into what look like death throes but I guess could just be a seizure and then he goes still. I genuinely think he died here and because of his magical nature (made of magic) he comes back to life. It’s hard for me to explain all this away with ‘oh the tincture cured him’ so I’m left to wonder if the show intentionally wanted me to think that’s a load of shit and wanted me to believe Merlin died and then came back to life. Is this foreshadowing or am I really meant to suspend my disbelief THAT much? I wish we had more context for it all. I want to know Merlin’s thoughts about it – is he surprised that the herbs cured him? Does he assume his magic cured him? Maybe he went to the afterlife, came back, and just decided to repress it all and not confront the whole immortality thing just yet 😂 Your thoughts on any and all of this would be appreciated!
22nd October 2021 @ 1:09 am
I had similar thoughts when it came to Merlin’s poisoning, actually! It did look a bit like he died; and, to be honest, I also had similar thoughts way back with The Poisoned Chalice. Given that Merlin is named as Emrys right from s1, and Emrys means immortal and they must have known this, I am often left wondering if all of those near-death instances aren’t subtle winks to the audience who got into trouble of googling Emrys (remember, there was also that one instance when Merlin got blasted by a lightning in Le Morte d’Arthur, and he just got up like it was nothing!). It would be nice if it was. 🙂
That also gives me an opportunity to add to my original comment: I forgot to write that I really love the effect of flickering magic they went for with Merlin’s illness. It makes me feel for how broken he is.
22nd October 2021 @ 1:17 am
Yeah he looks super dead, it’s really upsetting. I agree, he’s had a lot of these near-death experiences and some are pretty unexplainable as to how he survived them! The magic flickering is great. And I just love all of Colin’a acting choices throughout the whole poisoning. It’s super visceral. I just rewatched the scene and at one point he goes to speak and gags instead which was a very nice touch lol. Colin always sells it but he’s apparently very good at pretending to die slowly and painfully!
22nd October 2021 @ 12:14 pm
It would explain daegal’s reaction to Merlin stilling after his fits. Of course holding someone whilst they have a seizure is traumatizing, I’ve had to do it and it takes it out of the both of you mentally and physically. But daegal appears devastated and before Merlin wakes he is just sitting there like ‘what do I do, do I bury him, I’ve killed him!’
Then Merlin wakes and daegal looks relieved and shocked like ‘hang on you were dead!’
We of course aren’t there so we assume Merlin just fell unconscious after the fit. Dunno if it was the maker’s intentions to hint at such things…
22nd October 2021 @ 3:11 am
-I genuinely think he died here and because of his magical nature (made of magic) he comes back to life.-
I cannot believe I didn’t actually think Merlin really died until it was mentioned. I guess I just thought his magic kept him right near the brink of death, but not quite over?? I actually love thinking he died here. Merlin absolutely is immortal and thank you to pointing it out and all the other ways he has possibly died or came close to it.
22nd October 2021 @ 11:31 am
“or am I expected to believe it didn’t work and Merlin actually died here?”
-I actually have a headcanon that Merlin has actually died a few times in the show, NOT mere near misses or saved in the nick. In case people still are blatantly unaware what the name ‘Emrys’ means, I shan’t spoil it, but a couple of episodes from now it shall be hinted at very strongly why Merlin is Arthur’s protector and his life is treated as throw-away. (Insert Michele do do’s here)
22nd October 2021 @ 4:25 pm
Yeah it’s not absolute because when we cut back to Merlin and Daegel after Merlin’s death throes, he is clearly breathing. But I just assume we didn’t get to see the coming back to life process because we cut away to the castle. I also headcanon that he’s died a few times! The biggest one for me is with the Dorocha obviously. I think Gaius said that no mortal has ever survived them. Yes Merlin needed some help from the water fairies (?) but everyone else died immediately after contact whereas Merlin was able to talk and move minimally while clinging to life. On first watch I hand-waved all this away but couldn’t ignore this instance with the poison. Other near-death experiences are mostly explainable but these two are something else.
22nd October 2021 @ 5:32 pm
This is definitely not something we can address in podcast just yet, however I’ve been quietly planning a discussion on this in either the S5 round up, or the entire show round up, as yes, I totally agree with you, and I think it’s super interesting to trace it back, after 5×13 and look at ‘when did it start?’ And ‘is this why he’s always seemed so crazy lucky??’
So yeah, hold fire on all of these thoughts, but in the mean time… yes, I’m with you! lol
M Xx
22nd October 2021 @ 11:55 pm
I understand! I look forward to the round-up discussion to hear y’all’s thoughts!
24th October 2021 @ 11:38 am
Re the Merlin dying/being immortal discussion it’s actually a pretty old discussion in the fandom! I’ll link the tumblr post it originated from below but totally it explains SO much about Merlin so I fully support that head canon https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/fishoutofcamelot.tumblr.com/post/622195905187201024/amp
24th October 2021 @ 3:56 pm
I absolutely love the headcanon dialogue between Merlin and the knights 😀 That’s totally how it would go 😀
24th October 2021 @ 10:11 pm
that made me laugh out loud, too!! XD
M Xx
25th October 2021 @ 12:23 am
Lol, I got so inspired by this discussion of Merlin’s possible death(s) that I wrote a little ficlet. It’s angsty, because obviously it is.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/34702405
25th October 2021 @ 2:28 am
Wow I’m so glad that ended nicely cause the Lancelot and Excalibur parts BROKE me omg 😭😭😭
21st October 2021 @ 9:44 pm
Hi! Thank you so much for the episode! I appreciate you guys and the podcast immensely; it has gotten me through these hard times and I hadn’t really been able to gush about my favourite show step by step with anyone else except here. To be honest, I get anxiety about appearing too vocal, I know my comments are horribly long haha 😅
–
Sometimes there are episodes that read like fanfiction, sometimes there are some questionable fanfics that sprout from certain episodes, and sometimes it’s both and yet none of it matters because the one shot of buff Colin Morgan walking towards me with rolled up sleeves telling me to get out is the hottest thing ever!
I’m actually okay with how the episode just jumps right into it with not much explanation. Rewatchers with all plot knowledge do find the lack of set up frustrating considering we know who this cloaked person is, but if I’m trying to get into the writers’ heads and imagine what this opening looks like to a new viewer, I kind of get why they did it this way. The story is trying to fool a new viewer for as long as possible that Daegal is a real druid who needs help and Morgana and Gwen are just using Merlin’s absence to play out their next plan back in Camelot, until Gwen says Merlin’s gone with the boy and we’re supposed to think ‘uh-oh, the boy is connected!’. Considering that Merlin knows Gwen is brainwashed to kill Arthur, just going off for the whole day is a little silly. We don’t like to think Merlin would be the type to let a little girl die in favour of sticking around Arthur to watch out for assassination attempts, but judging by last episode and his lack of care for Tyr, THIS Merlin would and nearly does. With the facts that this boy snuck into the castle easily, couldn’t hear Merlin in his head, and says at the end it was just for money, there’s not really any beginning context I needed to give me a good or bad inkling about this kid as a character over all. I watched a strange cloaked being climb the wall, meet the patrol and use a hidden key to get into the palace, and I felt nothing. I don’t think I ever wondered “who’s evillling now” at this person because he’s at Merlin’s door stating his name and motive before there’s any thinking time.
I agree that Merlin and Morgana, unfortunately at this late point in the story (which should be wrapping up and leading to a climax) are not equal adversaries and arch enemies to each other. At this stage we should be building to team Arthur & Merlin united Vs team Morgana & Mordred (nearly) united. I can’t think right now where would have been a really good time for Morgana to find out about Merlin’s magic/Merlin and Emrys being one and the same, but it should have happened waaaay before now. Morgana shouldn’t still be hell-bent on trying to get Arthur off ‘her throne’, but trying to get rid of Merlin, or least understand why this powerful sorcerer is “her doom” and on Arthur’s side. She clearly still only sees Merlin as the servant traitor who poisoned her, since her pay-back in this episode was to poison him too. They say that poison is a woman’s weapon of choice, but if the woman in question has magic, why the heck doesn’t she use more magic?! I can only headcanon for instance, that Morgana has decided to use indirect ‘mortal means’ to kill Arthur and take over, and then take it slowly to rule through Gwen until Gwen announces she’s letting Morgana in to deal with the ruthless Amatans who have ‘snatched a third of the kingdom’. A sorceress who used to be Camelot’s own daughter mustn’t look that bad next to a foreigner who impales people for fun. She’d be let in by Gwen and welcomed as a hero for defeating the sarrum’s hostile takeover, whilst getting juicy long drawn-out revenge on her captor? Is that the plan? That’s the only way I can make sense of all this.
I dunno if Gwen just meant the royal ‘we’ and that ‘all us kids caught frogs, remember?’, but I like to count it as her, Elyan and Leon who used to catch frogs specifically when they were little, since it builds on their relationships and history. This would mean Gwen is still not solely under Morgana’s control, she may hate everyone and think they hate her, but still referring to memories of good times with some of them shows her mind hasn’t been totally rewritten and implanted with false memories, as I would hope it would be so I could understand how the mandrake magic works (like hijacking Peeta)…
I’d be interested in seeing how this pre-opening scene went down, Gwen does not usually go out on patrol of the town and neither is it expected of her. Why is she there? It’s clear later she only needed to be there to make sure the boy was getting into the city alright for Morgana’s ambush plan, but would it have seemed odd or not to request she tag along with Leon this late night, and would Leon have thought it was not usual. Is he acting suspicious and authoritative about a mere boy because Gwen is there and he must protect his lady, or is this how he acts with anyone caught outside after dark?
None of this druid business would be a problem if Arthur had just announced publicly that druids were allowed in Camelot and should deserve respect, which he told no-one but a boy ghost who then ascended to the afterlife. We still have not been shown that Arthur’s reign has been a good and peaceful one to normal people, and okay, he’s understandably not completely sold on all magic users being trusted yet. But he did promise out loud that the druid people would be given respect and left alone. To us, he has not kept his promise. The news would have reached far and wide, all druid clans and even Morgana long before now if he had changed the ban on magic slightly to at least allow druids to practice freely. So Morgana would not have to hire a boy to lie to Merlin about not being able to get treatment in the city because he could be killed if he is seen. Like Ruth once said way back in the first Mordred episode, it’s not like these people have such distinctive features on show that they can’t easily cover up, that they would be pegged as druids on sight. When Daegal shows Merlin his symbol, Merlin shouldn’t need to leave (during a very important day!), he should just tell the boy he didn’t have to sneak into the castle since the king hasn’t had qualms with druids for over three years. But since that is not the case, the least Merlin can now do is tell Daegal to keep his symbol hidden, bring back his sister if she’s strong enough and see Gaius since Gaius will keep schtum. He’s “not the king, after all”. Why doesn’t Merlin question how a druid knows he is a sort-of physician, but NOT that he’s the great Emrys?
So, brainwashed Gwen sleeps with Arthur? Isn’t she evil at the moment? It’s not like she has troll breath to knock him out before anything happens. Arthur should sense something’s up with Gwen immediately if she changes her style to feisty ‘hate sex’. And you’re so right, Gwen shouldn’t be requesting that Merlin (not only her ‘best friend’ and not her servant) pour her a bath, this isn’t his job, she should have her own maids do that. Why doesn’t she have any women around her at all now since the start when Sefa left, courtiers or lady of the robes or otherwise. This is such an intimate job for the manservant of the king to do anyway for his master, doing so for his wife as well just when sexy times are about to happen is over stepping boundaries! And only now when Gwen is brainwashed do we get any kind of hint that her and Arthur’s marriage is sexual as well as romantic. For a moment you’d think the show was trying to fool kids into believing just smooching the other person would get them pregnant alone!
“How did you get in here?” “It wasn’t hard” – I actually believe you 100%, Daegal. Apparently there are no guards, no kitchen staff prepping for the morrow, and no other servants helping Merlin heat buckets for the queen’s bath. Nothing in a palace ever really shuts down at a certain hour, the royals can always demand what they want, when they want it, staff are up and around really early until really late at night, and then a swift shift change so there’s never no-one off-duty. Daegal should have been caught long before Leon saw him.
It makes an interesting game in this series pondering on how season 1 Merlin would act in certain situations now. Merlin is now such a serious, distrusting loner that it’s just so un-Merlin like to see a new comer at the door and tell him sharply to get out, and then want to refuse help even when he turns out to be a fellow magic user with dying family. Season 1 Merlin would be wary at first but otherwise very open to this stranger and jump at the chance to help a young child, especially when it’s a druid. It takes an awful lot longer to convince s5 Merlin to help anyone else now than before…
Merlin says the Sarrum arrives today and he appears to be the only servant who works in the castle, and still he doesn’t think he will be missed on an important day when his master will definitely need him from dawn until past dusk to prepare him for this important and terrifying man’s arrival. And Gaius also doesn’t even question how this boy knew to go to Merlin of all people. Nor does he offer to go meet this boy in Merlin’s stead, Gaius’ presence is not important during the Sarrum’s visit. Merlin’s more famous to the druids as Emrys than his given name travels as assistant to the court physician, who by now should also be known for being a ‘friend’ of magic. This could have been something the show established Alator had been doing all this time, spreading gospel news about Merlin to good magic communities and ramp up followers to the cause. More red flags Daegal isn’t a druid if he knows absolutely nothing about that.. But that’s an ep for another day 🤔
I’m loving all these sweet scenes between Arthur and Gwen, WHY is it only when she is brainwashed though?? How, after last night and this morning, does Gwen still think, even with her brainwashing, that Arthur hates her and is such an unfit husband and king that he should die? He’s shown her nothing but love, unless through Gwen’s eyes she’s seeing things play out differently than what we see, like Arthur has devil horns and is insulting her lewdly between compliments. Does she believe she was forced last night…? Here we are just seeing Gwen lovingly teasing Arthur and Arthur high on morning-after endorphins. Remembering Gwen is not Gwen here is just so weird to me.
Arthur needing Gaius to help him dress is one of the most stupid things the show has ever done. Skip!
I love how Arthur looks behind the door when he arrives at the physician’s chambers, like, at some point, Merlin must have hidden there aside from the time we see in ‘wicked day(?)’ and Arthur had actually caught him haha. Nice rare reference back to a previous episode.
I like that Merlin has a big brother vibe with Daegal, teaching him life lessons, making sure he’s fed, etc. This last season SHOULD make the main cast stand out as being the new older ones replacing Uther and Gaius, and they themselves having young ones to guide like Sefa, Daegal and Mordred. Arthur should be becoming a father/big brother figure to Mordred, Merlin could have become a guardian/big brother to Daegal, and Gwen could have still had Sefa as her maid/good friend.
It would be cool if, after hearing that certain saxon groups were settling in the area, that this Sarrum guy was actually a Saxon warlord, and Arthur is attempting to gain some sort of peace with one leader so they don’t invade further, OR to take them down in future. We have not heard of this Sarrum of Amata at all yet it seems he’s been a part of Albion for a very long time. What were the circumstances of the Sarrum’s visit before, when Arthur was ten? This is where flashbacks can come in handy sometimes, or just a bit more elaboration. The Sarrum says Uther held a tournament in Arthur’s honor, not for the Sarrum’s visit, so… Arthur’s birthday? What was Uther’s relationship with Amata like if Camelot is not allied with Amata now? Was the Sarrum such a piece of work that he rivalled Uther’s high kingship. You can’t throw us another flippin’ kingdom to world-build with NOW, show! You should be winding down and giving us back the people we already know for the big boss fight! Bayard, Olaf and Vivian, Godwyn and Elena, Alined, Lot, Odin, Annis and Mithian!
Little thought: If Gaius was long dead by now, and Merlin was the proper physician and needed to select an assistant himself, this episode could have ended differently with Daegal becoming Merlin’s new apprentice. Or maybe just at least Merlin saying when they get back to Camelot, Daegal can live with him and have a job, and then Daegal can end up dying anyway.
“Merlin has a weakness for druids.” And funny enough, you DON’T, Morgana…
It would make sense if the Sarrum had special manacles in his possession, explaining why Morgana could not use her magic to escape whilst she wore them nearly all the time, instead of ‘just not using magic at the risk her dragon gets hurt’. I get this is a family show (I keep needing to remind myself because my ideas get dark lol), but I have a headcanon that Morgana was captured by the sarrum and kept as his pet, along with Aithusa, in the pit where people of his kingdom come to leer at her from above. She complied because Sarrum was starting to hurt Aithusa when she fought so agreed to be chained with special manacles that suppress her magic. There’s attention to detail in Arthur’s bane Part 2 when Morgana wakes from her dream, reaches out to pet Aithusa and we can see the old wounds on her wrists. Maybe Morgana used her womanly wiles to seduce the Sarrum and when he has the manacles taken off her because he thinks he’s finally broken her, she uses magic to escape with Aithusa. Hence why he just says “not that my time with her was entirely wasted” not just referring to Aithusa’s stunted growth but him being a pervert and rapist as well as a merciless killer of women and children, and “A lapse on my part” referring to his stupid mistake of falling for Morgana’s trick. I like how it plays into the Sarrum’s character to completely ignore Gwen’s presence in the room, due to his rep as a misogynist who likes to murder anyone and just a downright human dalek. If Arthur strove to defeat Morgana, he could have used this meet to ask for tips on capturing her like you say, because he’s not completely up for killing her because she’s his sister…
Fun fact: Sarrum actor (the late) John Shrapnel’s ancestor, Lt. Gen Henry Shrapnel, is the inventor of the exploding cannonball, and so his name is why we have the word ‘shrapnel’ for fragmented shells and bomb parts.
If Morgana really reeeeeally wants this guy to die, and die horribly, why doesn’t she do it herself? Give him a taste of his own medicine, capture him and put him in a pit and leave him there forever. Hey I just want people to suffer. I want bloooood! (Roaring slave-trader Jarl voice)
Love Arthur watching as Gwen dresses him, his eyes say ‘sod the treaty! Undress me again, woman, we are staying in bed’. Something hinting that Arthur is liking Dom!Guinevere lol.
“Arthur would hang me”, Merlin, do you hear yourself right now? You don’t honestly believe that’s what Arthur would jump to now if he found out? Did the writers hold a crossbow to your head and tell you to say it? Blink once for yes!
Why does Gwen keep saying ‘my lord’? It’s always been a nagging thing for me, that even when in private, even when not brainwashed, Gwen calls Arthur ‘my Lord’. Is this habit, or an old-fashioned affectionate term, like in ‘pride and prejudice’ there was ‘mr bennett’ and ‘mrs bennett’ between husband and wife? I don’t like that Gwen calls Arthur a formal title whilst they are supposed to be in a loving marriage…
Poor Daegal, I am so conflicted with the ending being right and killing him off or that Merlin could have saved him and taken him on as a dogsbody.
I know that Merlin only knew him a day and they weren’t really friends, but when the camera stays on Merlin’s face looking at dead Daegal like that as the music swells, I can’t help but tear up a bit 🙁
Merlin could have talked about Freya! Arthur asks Merlin to tell him about the ‘girl’ and why he’s walking with a limp (cue all the poxy Merlin/Daegal fanfiction), and then it just cuts. I wanna know what he said, even just to get out of it! He could have described Freya and it wouldn’t be a total fabrication. “She’s beautiful with dark hair and dark eyes, she hates cats and loves water. There unfortunately isn’t a future for us” etc.
Why are Arthur and Gwen having a private dinner and yet sitting at opposite ends of the table?
I’m glad (well, not glad) you are both as frustrated with this ep as I’m sure everyone else is. Next episode is a mixed bag but I’m looking forward to it. Thanks again 😉
22nd October 2021 @ 3:19 am
-I love how Arthur looks behind the door when he arrives at the physician’s chambers, like, at some point, Merlin must have hidden there aside from the time we see in ‘wicked day(?)’ and Arthur had actually caught him haha. Nice rare reference back to a previous episode.-
I thought the same thing!
-“Arthur would hang me”, Merlin, do you hear yourself right now? You don’t honestly believe that’s what Arthur would jump to now if he found out? Did the writers hold a crossbow to your head and tell you to say it? Blink once for yes!-
So heartbreaking! I do wish the writers would be more mindful of what they make our Merlin say! Have they not been watching their own show?! Have they not seen the bromance we have been watching for five seasons!?
23rd October 2021 @ 11:48 pm
– “And only now when Gwen is brainwashed do we get any kind of hint that her and Arthur’s marriage is sexual as well as romantic.” –
That is such a good point! I did not catch that, and I am always watching shows with half an eye to how the writing is portraying sex and sexuality. Once again, this show is doing some problematic stuff with the sexy times…
24th October 2021 @ 12:30 am
“Love Arthur watching as Gwen dresses him, his eyes say ‘sod the treaty! Undress me again, woman, we are staying in bed’. Something hinting that Arthur is liking Dom!Guinevere lol.”
I think girls who can dominate Arthur were always his type! But, man I hate this implication that now that Gwen is Evil, they’re finally having fun in the bedroom. Remember that whole conversation we had in earlier seasons about sex-nagativity? Starting to ring true… I think all this would work if they established Gwen blinking in and out of her ‘real self’. Like all the moments with Arthur are ‘real’ then she goes evil sometimes. I think this ep would have been perfect to show this as there a number of Arwen scenes: like she could be a participant in some and distancing herself from Arthur in others. Then we could, you know, give Arthur the power of observation and he could detect something is up with Gwen.
24th October 2021 @ 4:55 pm
Yes it does seem that only evil women can show it off apparently. Morgause using sex to string along Cenred, Morgana using seduction to string along Agravaine, Grunhilde having a high libido at her age being gross, now Gwen being evil yet having to sleep with a man she’s brainwashed to hate. I get it being a kid show we can’t even risk having a scene where Arthur and Gwen are talking and holding each other in bed and the blankets are up to their naked shoulders to suggest a healthy loving expression of sexuality in marriage when Gwen isn’t brainwashed. But then again, why not?? The show has subtexted a lot sexier, darker stuff has happened off-screen (Uther and the troll, sarrum and Morgana) than showing/not showing younger audience that mummies and daddies can be lovey dovey to each other, and it doesn’t mean mummy is evilly seducing daddy.
24th October 2021 @ 10:03 pm
which would have actually been a nice lead up to ‘with all my heart’, considering Arthur is the only one who will be able to pull her back from the brink… hmmm
21st October 2021 @ 4:49 pm
I agree, this episode is better than the last one, though still messy. I love Daegal and I think he deserved better, and I love all the interactions between him and Merlin. You could feel how Merlin says to him things that he wished he heard when he was Daegal’s age, and it’s both sweet and heartbreaking. Also, Freya’s funeral theme is playing when Daegal dies and I’m not okay 🙁
My main sources of frustration are the hints of Morgana’s captivity, yet again, without any deeper dive into that time, with no explanation of how she got there, how she escaped etc. Also, the whole setup of Arthur negotiating with Sarum is so weird – I get it, this is a dangerous man and Arthur has to buy him off to be safe from him, so no wonder he’ll try to pretend a bit for his benefit. But I still can’t comprehend why Arthur doesn’t look more disgusted when Sarum says how he captured Morgana and twisted Aithusa! I mean, for all that is holy, Arthur isn’t a person who’d do something like that even to the worst enemy! And, given that he never was super good at pretending (unlike Merlin, for instance), I would expect at least a twitch from his face. But no, he looks all right, and it’s “evil” Gwen who’s disturbed instead, making me side with her immediately. Only… she then goes to Morgana and they plot to use Sarum to kill Arthur. I don’t know what the writers were thinking, but they are trying hard to make me lose my undying love for Arthur, and that’s not okay.
Side note – why is Sarum “the Sarum”? Is it a title, as opposed to a name? I know that Sarum is the old Latin name for Salisbury, is that what they are trying to imply? It’s weird.
That scene when Arthur and Gwen are getting to bed in the beginning of the episode! That is probably the only scene in the series where it’s directly implied that they’re going to have S-E-X, lol. It got me thinking. At first, I was like “it’s so sad that the one episode where Arthur and Gwen are super affectionate with each other as a married couple is the one where Gwen isn’t in her right mind”. Then I remembered A Servant of Two Masters, and our frustration that Merlin wasn’t in his right mind when Arthur hugged him. But back then, we could explain it by ugly queerbaiting. So why are they doing this again, but this time, with their perfect straight couple that they wanted to be canonical so badly? That’s curious. It makes me think that maybe there was no queerbaiting motives behind that hug, either, but maybe, that it was their shoddy attempt at building tension (“oh no, Arthur is showing love but the loved one is EVIL now, hear all the hearts breaking”). But another thing is, of course, that all those things are happening to poor Arthur. The guy is emotionally constipated because of his father’s upbringing and when he finally opens up he’s slapped in the face even when he doesn’t know it. It’s so painful.
Other miscellaneous notes:
Colin Morgan plays illness so naturalistic. It’s so good. I’m glad he was allowed to do that.
The fact that Merlin says Arthur would probably hang him for magic makes my heart break 🙁
Realistically, this episode should have ended with war between Camelot and Amata. How can Arthur prove that the assassin has been hired by Sarum? I mean, it’s a bit conspicuous when your supposed ally is shot right in the middle of signing the treaty?
Looking forward to next week. I feel like that might be a wild ride 😉
21st October 2021 @ 10:19 pm
That’s what I thought when rewatching it! Why there are never any complicated political endings to episodes in this series. By the many times Odin tried to assassinate Arthur and did succeed in killing Uther, THAT warrants war! yet to keep the peace and be the bigger man (or rather so the writers don’t have to muddy the waters with a big war subplot), Arthur chooses rather to leave the problem be and hope it goes away. He constantly lets a king killer get away! In ‘another’s sorrow’ Arthur says to Odin if he were to kill him, Odin’s men would get revenge, a war without an end. If Odin killed Arthur, all Arthur’s men would retaliate. Really? Well no-one ruddy did that the first ten times Odin tried to kill Arthur and then actually killed Uther so why now? Arthur seems like the chief of police in hot fuzz who lets a shop lifter go because its easier than filling in paper work!
This episode ends with the sarrum being killed, his men never seen again. It cuts, and we hear nothing from no-one about the situation. Nah lets go to dinner with Arthur and Gwen. What did Arthur think, did he think Sarrum’s own man shot his master, did he know that the boy saved his life because the sarrum was planning to kill him. If so, shouldn’t sarrum’s men and lands belong to Arthur? Like you say, aren’t sarrum’s men gonna do something once they heard their lord has been killed abroad?
Nah, just ends. Nevermind. Too much to focus on now, we have evil gwen to fill the season with!
22nd October 2021 @ 2:04 am
-It makes me think that maybe there was no queerbaiting motives behind that hug, either, but maybe, that it was their shoddy attempt at building tension (“oh no, Arthur is showing love but the loved one is EVIL now, hear all the hearts breaking”). But another thing is, of course, that all those things are happening to poor Arthur. The guy is emotionally constipated because of his father’s upbringing and when he finally opens up he’s slapped in the face even when he doesn’t know it. It’s so painful.-
YES!! I absolutely think they have done these two things to increase the drama and heartache. Absolutely!
21st October 2021 @ 10:11 am
I loved this episode so much. A lot happens. Daegal is my favourite one-episode side character. I loved the background of Gwen and Leon, how they knew each other as kids and went looking for frogs at night. So much to unpack in that. Loved the historical curiosity questions, my only answer is that a team of servants would use buckets of hot water and would walk all the way to the bath to fill it up. When we first see Merlin in this episode he looks very angry. I’ve noticed that in each episode now, he’s just getting angrier and angrier and I’m waiting for him in a scene to just either burst into tears or get into a fit of absolute rage. But it’s just not happening. Either that wasn’t added into the plot or Merlin has a lot of self-control that he channels into being absolutely miserable most of the time. There’s so much anticipation with Merlin’s mental state about to crumble but it’s always at the tip of the edge of each episode.
I love how costume changes, altercations with characters is such an exciting thing. Just a simple rolled-up sleeve with Merlin and I am LOVING it. I think it’s because it creates humanity and thought within that character, that they have an independent mind separate from the writers and the plot and yes, Merlin can actually roll his sleeves up if he should want to. I don’t know why but it was this episode when I noticed just how strong Merlin has become. I have a headcanon that Merlin’s been involved in much more activities with the knights in between episodes.
When you mentioned it being inappropriate for Merlin to help Gwen with the bathing, I understand what you mean because backtracking, Gwen indeed had her own female servant Sefa. So there must have been a moment where Gwen requested her. But now that Sefa is gone (Have no idea where she is either) they did not somehow have enough time to bring another female servant in for Gwen? That just shows how much Sefa was a plot character and not her own character and I am angry on Sefa’s behalf. Also, they have enough time to find Gwen a replacement. Do they not trust people now? If not, who was that random servant serving Arthur last ep? How does Merlin feel about this? Arthur is enough to deal with as one person to take care of and now Merlin has to juggle with serving two people which is his workload x2 now. Again, adds to Merlin’s stress I assume.
It pained me to see how dismissive and calm-angry he was with Daegal when meeting him. Season 1-3 Merlin would welcome him with curiosity and naive kindness. He looks so fed up at this point.
Maybe the reason Arthur was acting so puppy-like was a way of him wanting to normalize this moment so he wasn’t so stressed about the dangerous, morally bad, potential ally or it was just a nice domestic moment.
The Sarrum was very creepy to me, his shifty looks, how he was confident in his abilities, very close to insulting Arthur on various occasions. He just made me very uncomfortable, reminded me of Agravaine a lot with Gwen in that one scene. The worst was the feast scene, he’s just so uncomfortable. Amazing actor though, really portrayed the character well where the Sarrum obviously knows that his reputation proceeds him and knows how to play on that. His choice of words seems almost carefully picked out but also he had this very nonchalant way about him in the feast with Gwen and Arthur. He seems to shift to different aspects of himself. The King, The teacher, The uncle, The tyrant.
I loved the parallels with Merlin and Daegal. Daegal feels like S1 Merlin. Merlin sees that and is both helping Daegal the person but also has this self-care, ‘I see myself in you and I will help you how I wanted to be helped.’ Notice how he doesn’t do a Gaius with Daegal. This is a fantastic view into Merlin the mature, Merlin the teacher. The guide. This is a brilliant view into a lovely headcanon where all the wayward sorcerers visit Merlin and Merlin takes them all in as apprentices and teaches them magic. Magic teacher Merlin headcanon activated a lot this ep for me, so many possibilities. The two aspects of how he helped Daegal that stood out to me was his understanding and gentleness. There’s also patience, how he speaks to him is gentle and soft and he has this smile and it’s so sweet. Though what made me sad is Merlin’s view of Arthur in this ep. “Arthur won’t even notice I’m gone.” “He will kill me if he knew” “Have to it’s my JOB” What I love though, is how Colin expresses it. In a very not so much, ‘I actually really don’t like this guy’ to childlike sulking of, “I’m deeply hurt by how Arthur acts with magic, I’m hurt with what I have to do. I’m sad to think that Arthur actually doesn’t care about me at all.” It seems to me that Merlin is voicing these not as a truth but as an “I’m very cross and upset so I’m saying this in a self-destructive, everything is bad with the world, negative view.” I don’t think he means it in the truthful of truthful. I think he’s just hurting and that’s his reaction to all this, he just desperately wants to be proven wrong.
I liked the parallels between Merlin and Gaius and how Merlin is a physician now in all but title. A nice mirror to S1 Merlin and how far he’s come. But also how a different physician he is to Gaius, as well as this, is what Gaius’s physician education lessons have done to Merlin, made him into a competent, confident physician.
I could not get enough of Merlin and Daegal. The actors played off of each other so well. There’s also a sweet tribute on youtube with them called: Merlin & Daegal by coeursrebelles. Daegal craved a teacher and Merlin wanted to help someone, that’s what Merlin’s do best, helping people even though S5 Merlin is lacking in that. Merlin is the snack friend in the group. I felt that Daegal’s guilt was so well done, where he wants the money but there is this sense of ‘I can’t not do this, I’m going to then have to say no to a high priestess and a Queen.’ It’s almost like he can’t turn back. That he has to follow through with this. I just find it sad that Morgana is now picking starving boys to do her dirty work for her. We’ve said how Merlin has been a bad member of his magic community but Morgana is just getting more and more morally corrupt. I feel like this was a small saving grace for Merlin. Yes, Daegal does not have magic but he did pretend to have it and during that time and after the pretense, Merlin treated Daegal extremely well and was understanding. I feel like this shows just how caring Merlin can still be if he has time to help the people with magic in need. He was there, he was present and put his all to help Daegal. I think he’s improved and done better than last time, yes there’s a long way to go but the faith I think was put back into Merlin in this ep with how he helped those with magic in a positive way for the magic community even though Daegal lied, Merlin’s heart was still in it. He forgave Daegal.
I was very disappointed in Arthur and his choice of allies. Obviously, Arthur does not want this and I can understand why he’s doing this but it’s not right. What is more confusing is he knows it’s not right. What is implied here is that: Sometimes you need to ally yourself with bad, bad people to control them so they won’t turn to you and hurt you. But what’s showing is: I know this person is bad, I’ve voiced it but I’m going to be their ally anyway so they won’t hurt me even though this ally hurts allies as well. What is the point then? Just kill the Sarrum. Why ally with them? What would the 5 kingdoms treaty say about this? I don’t think it’s shown that the other kingdoms want this ally.
When Gwen got up in tears to leave the conversation in dinner, Angel’s performance was so well done. All the small and big gestures just wordlessly express layers of emotions and thought.
When you mentioned Arthur asking no more questions is a fantastic point. Just makes Arthur look more in the wrong. What’s next? Is he going to invite every single dangerous person to ally with? Why ally with someone just to ask questions. Why not just invite them over for tea? Also poisoned Merlin was traumatizing. Colin’s acting, while he was poisoned, was so realistic. So brilliantly done. How he held onto Daegal for support was great but I got the impression that he was almost using Daegal’s strength/life force to either ground him or provide him magical strength to heal himself. I also don’t think we’ve ever seen someone cough up foam before in the mouth in this show. It was very detailed and gruesome. Merlin’s pain was so well acted. The shaking, the dried poison spit around the mouth, the rough voice, the coughing and choking and passing out. Wow. I really felt for him. It’s not the first time he’s been through poison or a rough time but this was much darker and more serious. It makes me sad just how much Merlin goes through and suffers to help Arthur.
I liked the contrast of this episode proving a point with a parallel of Merlin: Arthur doesn’t like or care about me. // Arthur: I cannot physically and emotionally cope without him, I’m going to spend this episode worried about him a lot.
This ep showed that Arthur does in fact care and proves Merlin wrong without Merlin knowing it. Thank you for mentioning the very quiet dressing scene. I’m so glad other people noticed too. With the Sarrum, I feel like this isn’t the first time he’s had a conversation like this. He’s very suspicious like this has happened before to him because of his reputation and he’s a little more cautious this time. I’m surprised it took this long for Merlin to do an eye roll. The eye roll and walking back conversation made me chuckle.
Sarrum’s assassin felt like the Sarrum’s almost son in a way. They have this understanding between each other as well as competency. Like there’s a lot of history between them as well as trust. When Daegal tried to help Merlin not fall was so sweet. They have this partnership, a togetherness of we are here now, you are on my side, let’s go save the King together and I love how Daegal has been swept up in all this and has taken it one hundred percent on board. Makes me sad that he dies. Would have been nice if Merlin had a friend/apprentice to teach. Oh well. How he comforted Daegal was so sweet and sad. When Merlin is up there looking down, the music was an interesting choice. Like a: “It’s over but also slightly evil?” Also, Angel’s facial performance when she looks at Gaius, shaking her head and grimacing as she glares up WAS SO GOOD. So much anger and emotions. Loved it. I loved this episode so much. My heart went out to Daegal. Best side character. Also, what was Arthur implying with the limp bit? Because all I can imagine now is Arthur thinking that Merlin was sleeping with another man and his tone was almost jealous. Also earlier with him shocked that Merlin is seeing and emphasis a Girl. Like he can’t imagine Merlin doing things other than working, yet alone a romance.
21st October 2021 @ 7:57 pm
-It pained me to see how dismissive and calm-angry he was with Daegal when meeting him. –
Maybe Merlin was ticked he had to draw up a bath for an Evil Gwen when she should have her own servant when he was about to go home! And now some random kid comes breaking into the castle and all Merlin wants to do is go home and put his feet up for awhile! He’s in his thirties now… and so am I….so I understand this whole “Gosh! What now!?” Attitude Merlin has…. The man is tired! 🙃
-How he held onto Daegal for support was great but I got the impression that he was almost using Daegal’s strength/life force to either ground him or provide him magical strength to heal himself.-
I love your take on this!!! I am going to rewatch with that in mind!
21st October 2021 @ 9:04 pm
-Maybe Merlin was ticked he had to draw up a bath for an Evil Gwen when she should have her own servant when he was about to go home! And now some random kid comes breaking into the castle and all Merlin wants to do is go home and put his feet up for awhile! He’s in his thirties now… and so am I….so I understand this whole “Gosh! What now!?” Attitude Merlin has…. The man is tired! 🙃-
xD Great response. Haha. Very true! 🙂 Poor Merlin. It’s understandable. I didn’t know Merlin was meant to be in his thirties, that’s cool. I thought he was still in his late twenties.
-I love your take on this!!! I am going to rewatch with that in mind!-
Thank you! 🙂 That’s awesome. Please let me know your thoughts on this. Would love to discuss it.
22nd October 2021 @ 3:03 am
So, I thought about it again…. OK maybe he is late 20s like 28-29 or even possibly 30?? But even at that age I was tired and grumpy, so I still think it works?? Haha
So, I re-watched it, but also read what someone else posted about Merlin ACTUALLY dying and then coming back to life and some how I missed both your take and their take on him actually dying. I am not sure what is happening here! Maybe he feels this seizure or whatever it is that he experiences coming on and he is using Daegal’s strength to seize less violently? I guess I am not completely sold on him doing magic to drain Daegal’s life force since he couldn’t do magic before… I don’t know! All very interesting to think about!
22nd October 2021 @ 6:49 am
-So, I thought about it again…. OK maybe he is late 20s like 28-29 or even possibly 30?? But even at that age I was tired and grumpy, so I still think it works?? Haha-
Ok cool. Yeah it does work. Poor Merlin, he’s gone through so much. Probably thinking when is this ever going to end and it’ll be all peaceful again. I wish we could have seen those three peaceful years. There would have been a lot more of a happier Merlin.
-So, I re-watched it, but also read what someone else posted about Merlin ACTUALLY dying and then coming back to life and some how I missed both your take and their take on him actually dying. I am not sure what is happening here! Maybe he feels this seizure or whatever it is that he experiences coming on and he is using Daegal’s strength to seize less violently? I guess I am not completely sold on him doing magic to drain Daegal’s life force since he couldn’t do magic before… I don’t know! All very interesting to think about!-
It is very interesting! I think Merlin does die and given that he has Nimueh’s power of life and death, maybe he is able to help himself come back to life again, but I think it’s his body’s natural reaction to him coming back to life again with the power. I think that maybe the process of the poison was so damaging to his body he had to die to heal well enough to move around? By the time Daegal came back, he looked really close to death. I’m not sure. Yeah, maybe he is using Daegal as more of a grounding thing. But. There’s this moment where he asks Daegal to do it, he holds on, pauses, and waits for it to come, almost prepared for it before suddenly seizing. I’m not sure what that proves exactly but it’s interesting to see how he was almost expecting it. Maybe he felt it approaching and needed Daegal to ground him for support? I’m not sure.
21st October 2021 @ 9:58 pm
There’s many a fanfic where Merlin’s sexuality is cemented as ‘in his busy life he needs to get his kicks where he can and stableboys are usually casually available.’ So whether the show intended (which I don’t think they did) to hint that Arthur believes Merlin doesn’t like girls and turns a blind eye to Merlin’s other pleasures like crossdressing, its defo someone that shippers have latched onto when delving into ‘a limp means Merlin got off with a bloke when he should have been working’ fanfiction lol. I mean I’ve seen the merlin/daegal ones, not only do they know each other a day and ones a double agent, but Daegal’s underage! Shippers gotta ship but this ones just strange haha.
Strangely enough my head has been going to hunger games references a lot recently so I didn’t see a mutual understanding with the sarrum and his right hand man, as more I saw a master/obedient slave thing and the man is mute because sarrum made him an avox as a boy…
22nd October 2021 @ 7:11 am
-There’s many a fanfic where Merlin’s sexuality is cemented as ‘in his busy life he needs to get his kicks where he can and stableboys are usually casually available.’ So whether the show intended (which I don’t think they did) to hint that Arthur believes Merlin doesn’t like girls and turns a blind eye to Merlin’s other pleasures like crossdressing, its defo someone that shippers have latched onto when delving into ‘a limp means Merlin got off with a bloke when he should have been working’ fanfiction lol. I mean I’ve seen the merlin/daegal ones, not only do they know each other a day and ones a double agent, but Daegal’s underage! Shippers gotta ship but this ones just strange haha.-
It’s understandable too. Poor Merlin is so busy, he deserves to relax. I haven’t read any Merlin/Daegal but I understand what you mean.
-Strangely enough my head has been going to hunger games references a lot recently so I didn’t see a mutual understanding with the sarrum and his right hand man, as more I saw a master/obedient slave thing and the man is mute because sarrum made him an avox as a boy…-
Oh no! I didn’t see it that way at all. I just thought that the right hand man was more just the quiet type is all. Or maybe that he was born mute or was mute later for a natural disaster/Accident cause rather than torture. I saw the right hand man as being just a really well-trained man that was hopefully not mistreated to become such a capable knight. But the Sarrum is very harsh so maybe he has sadly abused his power and trained him very harshly. 🙁