@bumblebearr about my "I don't think s5 gwen is badly written" tag (don't want to be annoying by adding to this post)
look it's been ages since I watched S5 so this is based on my vague recollections of it but I never really got the complaints about how they "ruined" gwen's character in S5?
she's is certainly underutilised, and she spends about 1/3 of the season in thrall to morgana, but when she's there and she's herself, I don't think she acts that OOC?
the two complaints I've seen most often are: a) she seems more distant towards merlin after she becomes queen, and b) she doesn't do much to change things regarding the magic ban (I think? or maybe that she doesn't do much as queen in general)
to which I say, a) yes, it sucks that we don't get many gwen/merlin interactions, but to me it makes sense that gwen becoming queen would change things for them. like, she's busy. also, S5 merlin has isolated himself and is fighting a one-sided psychological warfare with mordred which takes up most of his free time, probably. honestly I don't think he's that close to arthur, either.
and b) I think she acts as can be expected by someone who grew up in a place where magic is maligned and feared. ultimately she was raised in a similar environment to arthur. the only person she ever got close to who turned out to have magic – to her knowledge, at this point – is morgana, and well you know how that turned out. (I also think much of the criticism arthur receives for his conduct as king isn't entirely fair but that's another post)
overall, I liked s5 and I liked s5 gwen. the dark tower episode is the gayest episode in the entire series (argue with the wall) and morgana’s manipulation is fascinating because I do think she exploited genuine feelings of guilt and regret that gwen had about morgana and used them to bind gwen to her. I mean, clearly she was brainwashed, but I think gwen's horror and sorrow at learning about morgana's imprisonment and torture at the hands of sarrum was real. she was her friend!!
also, it's interesting (and kind of funny) to see how blindly arthur trusts gwen and how easily she could've manipulated him if she wanted. and married gwen & arthur's interactions are cute <3
there's also that beautiful moment in the final episode when gwen puts two and two together and tells gaius she's pleased that "dragoon" is with arthur. which tells you she likely already had suspicions (gwen 🤝 gwaine <- I'm a "gwaine knew" truther)
I don't know, I understand wanting more of gwen in S5 but I never got the "badly written" complaints. I'm a s5 defender. let women be evil, let women kill. have some fun
