meta blog for bbc merlin;

rants & analyzing. i try to be as active as possible, but life gets in the way

[merlin-rants]

hello!

as you all may know this blog is.... heckin dead lmao. i really have not had the time to log on here and post and all that. and so,,, i’d really appreciate it ig you guys could go write something in my ask box so that i can reply to it.

at the moment i dont really have much in mind that is good meta for this blog, so this is really the best way i can revive this blog 

[shut-up-emrys-deactivated202005]

arthur did not have the right to be angry at merlin because he lied about his magic. sure, arthur had the right to be scared and upset–both of his parents died due to magic–but he had no right to be cross with merlin.

arthur did nothing to change the laws against sorcerers. he may have been nicer towards them, but his actions mean close to nothing if he does not apply them to the laws of his kingdom because even though he may have a kinder outlook on sorcerery, the laws of camelot still stated that sorcerers should be executed immediately if they are caught. obviously, this would have lead many people to hide their magic. merlin would have had to be extra careful since not only did he live in the castle, but he was also arthur’s manservant. any wrong move would have sent him to execution. and arthur knows this. he is very well aware of this. yet, he dared to say that merlin of betrayed him because merlin lied. of course merlin had to lie! he has to lie to protect himself. he had to lie to stay alive. and arthur knows this–he grew up living in camelot, watching uther execute sorcerers for who they are. he listened to uther ranting multiple times about how sorcerers cannot be trusted–arthur knows this better than anyone.

furthermore, arthur threatened merlin (sometimes with treason) when merlin opened his mouth to say something that would put him in danger (ex: bringing up gwen even though he knew it was a sensitive topic; arthur then threatened merlin that he would cast him away if he brought her up again). if merlin is being threatened by arthur for opening his mouth to voice is opinion and/or bringing up something arthur is sensitive to, then what would arthur do if merlin told him about his magic? if merlin is being threatened for something so minor, then what would arthur do if he found out merlin had magic? (note: i’m not saying arthur does not have the right to be upset with merlin when he brings up topics that are sensitive to arthur, but threatening merlin for doing so is very excessive and if arthur found out about merlin, then he could have done something worse than threatening him).

arthur did not have the right to be angry at merlin for hiding his magic. arthur knew better than anyone about the laws of camelot, and by knowing this, he shouldnt have been as angry as he was with merlin when he revealed he had magic. of course, arthur had the right to be upset, but he should have also realized how dangerous it was for merlin for living in camelot.

[merlin-rants]

a question that is almost on my mind is: “what if merlin had told morgana about his magic?”

since there isnt a direct answer to this, i came up with two possibilities;

one - if merlin had told morgana about his magic, then morgana would not have been so alone. merlin couldve helped morgana understand her powers and to control them. morgana coulve leaned on merlin for help, and vice versa. they coulve have been each other’s comfort. perhaps, both of them could have brought peace between the kingdom and sorcerers.

two - morgana couldve grown frustrated with merlin for not standing up for what is right. she could have yelled at merlin for doing “nothing” to help convince either arthur or uther that sorcery is not all bad. she could have gotten mad at merlin for keeping quiet for so long. perhaps, she could have found morgause on her own to rise against camelot.

i apologize if none of this does not make sense i wrote this really quick

[merlin-rants]

what did you think about sefa? i honestly felt that her story was still incomplete in a way.

first of all: i am terrible sorry for not answering this earlier! ive been very busy with school and stuff (i also moved main blogs which is why im not active here)

second of all: i loved her. honestly, her story was incomplete. i was hoping to see more of her but unfortunately, that did not happen. from what i remember (and you can correct me if im wrong) she ran away to find her father and after that... well, we dont know.

i think she was a lovely character that had so much potential - even though the show was heading towards its end by that point, she could have had her own little storyline of how she learned to trust camelot and arthur. i think that would have been very interesting to see.

i did not like the fact that the writers chose to get rid of her by having her run away especially before they completed her story. i feel like, once sefa was gone, there were mulitple questions raised. i was very confused as to how she did not return. and besides, what happened to her? was she captured? did she find a home? is she safe? who knows.

[hayleysstark]

GIVE US THE INTENSE ANALYSIS ON MERLIN AND KILGHARRAH YEEEES

may i just say, i am very glad you asked but i really don’t think you’re going to be, by the end of this. do you know how many Thoughts™️ i have had about one very stupid warlock and one very cryptic dragon???? do you????? do you know????? i could turn this into a fucking,,,,,, PowerPoint presentation if i cared to except i don’t and also i would never inflict PowerPoint on my followers, i love you guys far too much for that, i’m sorry for even suggesting it honestly

i AM sorry in advance for how long this is going to be, though, i’ll try to just reference key points, such as,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 

The Dragon’s Call

I legitimately don’t even know where to start with this, to tell you the truth - there is just so much to talk about here, and I’m honestly a bit overwhelmed - but I think, most of all, it’s incredibly important to note how easily, how effortlessly, Kilgharrah handles Merlin here. 

We don’t know yet how much Kilgharrah truly knows about Merlin as a person - all he ever mentions, in this interaction at least, is the destiny Merlin shares with Arthur - but Merlin gives himself away all too easily. There is such earnest desperation and hope on his face when Kilgharrah talks of fate. He lays bare the thing he wants more than anything else in the world–a purpose for himself and his power–and Kilgharrah immediately seizes this advantage. He dangles a “great destiny” in front of Merlin like a horse with a carrot, but he neglects the details and the specifics in favor of the big picture.

The only true instruction Merlin receives from Kilgharrah in this scene is “protect Arthur”. There’s some stuff about Albion, and freedom for sorcerers, of course, but Kilgharrah leaves it all a bit fuzzy, a bit scrambled. Clearly, he has plenty more to say on the subject, but he deliberately holds back. Like he’s going to clear it all up, yes, of course, but not tonight, no, maybe next time he sees Merlin.

And that’s exactly what he wants.

I know Kilgharrah’s cryptic, confusing, usually not-very-helpful advice is sort of treated a bit like a running joke, by the fandom and the series itself, but just think, for even a second, about the implications of it. 

Kilgharrah does not intend to tell Merlin everything he needs to know to fulfill the prophecy. Kilgharrah does not intend to tell Merlin even a fraction of everything he needs to know. Kilgharrah wants to keep Merlin coming back for more. Kilgharrah needs Merlin. Kilgharrah needs to earn Merlin’s trust. Kilgharrah needs to establish a relationship with Merlin if he’s ever going to get free of his prison. 

At this point in time, Kilgharrah does not care about Merlin. Kilgharrah does not care, even, about destiny, or Albion. Merlin is merely a means to an end, and so Kilgharrah treats him as such - gives him the bare minimum, gives him the slightest taste of what he wants, and pretends he’s doing Merlin an enormous favor the whole way through. 

Perhaps Kilgharrah expects Merlin to jump at this chance - after all, great destinies bring much glory - but that’s absolutely not the case, and, as Merlin gets blunter and blunter about his doubts and reluctance, Kilgharrah takes away all other options.

Kilgharrah tells Merlin that the prophecy is not something he can cast off or leave behind. It’s not something he can outrun. As a matter of fact, their very next interaction in Valiant has a similar exchange.

Kilgharrah cuts off Merlin’s escape routes. Kilgharrah wants to trap Merlin. Kilgharrah wants Merlin to feel trapped, fettered, bound to something he doesn’t even want. Kilgharrah does not want Merlin to have a choice, so Kilgharrah denies him this choice right from the start. Kilgharrah teaches Merlin that he does not get to say no.

And it only gets worse as S1 drags on. Nearly all of their earliest interactions follow the same pattern, every single time: Kilgharrah never gives Merlin the whole truth, and Kilgharrah never forgets to make Merlin feel special. 

And it works. It absolutely horrified me to sit through S1 at certain points - the pattern of malicious manipulation stood out to me so starkly, I couldn’t think how other people could even stomach it, to be honest. And even worse, you have to watch the hero wander right into the lions’ den, lay docilely down, and wait for the inevitable, because that manipulation fucking worked.

By as early as The Mark of Nimeuh, Merlin is clearly very at ease with Kilgharrah, visibly relaxed and even content in the caves with him. And it’s a horrific thing to see. If you recognize the pattern, if you recognize the way Kilgharrah draws Merlin in, it truly is a horrific thing to see. 

And it only gets worse. 

By The Beginning of the End, Merlin has started to take his destiny seriously–so seriously, he calls Arthur’s death “unthinkable”, so seriously that Kilgharrah advises him to kill a child, and Merlin actually takes the time to step back and consider it. This is where the true scope of Kilgharrah’s manipulation can best be seen, especially by the viewers who didn’t notice it, or just didn’t actively look for it in or after The Dragon’s Call.

As in The Dragon’s Call and Valiant, Kilgharrah cuts off Merlin’s escape routes. Kilgharrah traps Merlin. But it’s not like The Dragon’s Call, and it’s not like Valiant, not really, because this time, Kilgharrah is nowhere near as straightforward about it. He does not outright tell Merlin “you have no choice”–as a matter of fact, he is very quick to emphasize how much of a choice Merlin truly has. 

And how, if Merlin dares to make the wrong one, it’s going to be all his fault.

Again, this is where the full extent of Kilgharrah’s machinations fully comes to light. For all but Merlin.

Because Merlin continues to trust Kilgharrah right up until

Le Morte d’Arthur

The term “emotional rollercoaster” is, in all honesty, a very weak way to describe this episode, but it’s the best I’ve got, so that’ll have to do. So, to make sure I don’t just fuck off right here, rewatch this one, and cry literal buckets, the way I’d really like to, I’ll just jump right on in. (I already have this whole episode memorized by heart anyway.)

If the casual way Kilgharrah sent Merlin off on an actual suicide mission - in absolutely every sense of the term - wasn’t enough to tip Merlin off that the cryptic lizard under the castle couldn’t be trusted, well, don’t worry, because the rest of the episode certainly does that.

This is the moment when Merlin finally starts to see through Kilgharrah’s pretty words, this is the moment when Merlin finally starts to see the web Kilgharrah has woven all around him, and it is done absolutely brilliantly.

Kilgharrah has grown so confident–so complacent, even–in his control over Merlin, he makes no attempt, at any point, to mask his true intentions.

And Merlin never wondered, not even once, if Kilgharrah might have an ulterior motive, a deeper reason, to see Arthur succeed, to see the prophecy come to fruition. Merlin never suspected Kilgharrah of treachery or deceit. 

At first glance, this line is flat, unimaginative, unoriginal - you see it in every stereotypical fantasy series when the hero suffers a betrayal - but if you go back through S1 and you really pay attention to what’s led up to this, and damn, that line cuts deep. Because it’s true. It’s the truth. Merlin really believed Kilgharrah wanted the best for him. 

Merlin really believed Kilgharrah was his friend.

Because Kilgharrah played him like a goddamned fiddle.

And even now, Kilgharrah thinks he can pull Merlin right back under his thumb, he truly thinks he’s still got a hold on Merlin, however small.

When Kilgharrah sees he’s lost the emotional advantage he had over Merlin, he immediately finds another angle to work with - the magical connections he and Merlin share. And it backfires spectacularly.

This is the first moment we see Kilgharrah truly fail. And this is the first moment we see Kilgharrah lose all control, and lash out in wild fury.

This was not a calculated move. This was not part of the plan. This was not the way Kilgharrah wanted things to go from here. This is raw, uncontrolled, unrestrained rage. This does not fit into the grand scheme Kilgharrah has cooked up over all those years in the dark, this is something far more primal than that. This is an emotional reaction in the deepest sense of the term, and it’s Merlin who dragged such an extreme response out of him. 

But unlike in previous episodes, Merlin doesn’t come back and resolve it all. Things stay sour between them for–well, several weeks, actually, that’s my best guess, because we see in The Curse of Cornelius Sigan, Merlin’s outright refusal, at first, to return to Kilgharrah.

Gaius eventually convinces Merlin to mend fences with the dragon - Camelot will fall if he doesn’t, which certainly gives Merlin an incentive - but Kilgharrah’s help comes at a steep price now. 

It’s clear Kilgharrah has realized he doesn’t need to play Merlin anymore. He doesn’t need to hide what he really wants, and he certainly doesn’t need to do anything special to keep Merlin coming back to him. Merlin needs him. Merlin will come back so long as he still has a prince to protect. So Kilgharrah, with this newfound sort of freedom, goes to the opposite extreme. He tears Merlin down for the smallest thing, he criticizes Merlin for every last little failure, he sneers at Merlin’s resolute hold to his own morality, he blames and belittles Merlin, he is needlessly and openly cruel to Merlin at absolutely every opportunity.

In The Nightmare Begins, we see he refuses to help Merlin with Morgana, he insists Morgana is not to be trusted and he calls Merlin a fool for his attempts to help her with her magic. 

And, in The Witch’s Quickening, Kilgharrah reproaches Merlin for his failures with both Mordred and Morgana. (That’s honestly just a constant throughout S2 - Merlin does something, Kilgharrah tears him apart for it, Merlin defends himself and his decisions, Kilgharrah reminds Merlin of his promise to set him free, Merlin swears he will, and so on and so forth. I really don’t think we need to touch on every single interaction between them in S2, as many of them are largely the same.) 

But a few key points here….. 

The Fires of Idirsholas

Anyone notice how every season finale, with the exception of S4, marks a major turning point in Merlin and Kilgharrah’s relationship??? Because I fucking do. anyways, quick aside before we get into the more serious stuff

Merlin knows Kilgharrah well enough to know the dragon’s just fucking around, and honestly, that makes me so happy. one of them might be a scaly asshole and the other might be a magical bastard, but goddamn, their relationship still has its moments.

So this scene is,,,,,,,,,, honestly really important, I’ll just stick a bunch of screenshots in right here and dissect it as I go

Merlin acts rashly here, there’s definitely no doubt about that, but honest to God, this is one impulsive decision where you just can’t blame him at all. Kilgharrah has backed him completely into a corner–and, in keeping with his new attitude toward Merlin in S2, Kilgharrah doesn’t bother with subtlety, Kilgharrah doesn’t even try and rely on manipulation to get Merlin exactly where he wants him to be. 

It seems overt threats and brute force are the tools Kilgharrah has turned to, since he lost his command over Merlin in S1.

As we can see here, Kilgharrah does not bother to try and lightly nudge Merlin down the “right” path–why would he bother to be kind if he doesn’t absolutely have to be, after all? This is just the most complete turnaround from The Beginning of the End, and it’s absolutely astounding how smoothly, how neatly, the change in Kilgharrah comes about.

But, as we all know, the overt threats and brute force actually work. Merlin does exactly as Kilgharrah wants - he poisons Morgana, he steals a sword from the Knights of Medhir, and he frees Kilgharrah (anyone else remember the fUCKING MAGIC STAIRS THAT LITERALLY DIDN’T EXIST UNTIL MERLIN NEEDED THEM Or nah just me?? maybe Merlin magicked them up with his phenomenal cosmic powers i dunno either way i fucking hate it)

And this string of Nice Job Breaking It, Hero! decisions leads us to……

The Last Dragonlord

There’s a lot of ground to cover in this episode, honestly, but for now, let’s focus on how Kilgharrah knew Balinor. 

Let’s break that shit down, because it’s really fucking important, actually. Kilgharrah knew Balinor. To that end, he must have known Merlin. Maybe he knew Merlin’s ancestry right from the start, maybe he sensed it, even, through the telepathic connection he established with Merlin in The Dragon’s Call, or maybe, the moment he laid eyes on Merlin, he simply saw so much of Balinor there, and he put it all together, but however he worked it out, Kilgharrah knew Balinor, and Kilgharrah knew Merlin must be Balinor’s son. 

And Kilgharrah deliberately withheld this from Merlin.

And Kilgharrah rarely makes a move without reason. Kilgharrah has always got some sort of plan, some sort of scheme, some kind of angle to work, and that’s exactly what he has right here. 

Because, God knows, if Merlin ever met Balinor, if Merlin ever learned about dragonlords, if Merlin ever had any knowledge of the magical world Kilgharrah did not personally hand to him, it would give Merlin an advantage. However small, this knowledge would give Merlin an advantage.

And Kilgharrah cannot let him have that. 

i previously touched pretty heavily on this episode, and what it means for Merlin and Kilgharrah’s relationship here, so i’ll just reiterate briefly ~ 

Ever since Le Morte d’Arthur, Merlin and Kilgharrah’s relationship has headed for something serious, something major–if all the bits of S2 weren’t enough to foreshadow that, Merlin’s final promise to free Kilgharrah in The Fires of Idirsholas certainly did–and that incredible tension finally comes to a head here. When Merlin discovers his own latent dragonlord abilities. When Merlin “finds the voice” that he and Kilgharrah share. When Merlin realizes Kilgharrah’s soul and his are “brothers”.   

Oh, no, Merlin doesn’t forgive Kilgharrah here–and that’s what most powerful about it, in all honesty, it really just wouldn’t have packed the same punch, if Merlin had truly buried the hatchet here. But he doesn’t. The hard edges of his anger soften, he sees revenge is a pathetic and pointless thing to try and exact from Kilgharrah, and he sees he has laid unnecessary and unfair blame on Kilgharrah. But he doesn’t forgive Kilgharrah. Not at all.

And Kilgharrah doesn’t forgive Merlin. 

Kilgharrah comes to respect Merlin. Up until now, Kilgharrah has seen Merlin as little more than a child–foolish and naive and entirely dependent on others, too easily tricked, too easy to take advantage of, too quick to trust, too quick to love, too quick to give his heart away–and while that perspective isn’t necessarily unfair, it’s not the whole picture, either. Merlin isn’t just a child. Merlin isn’t just foolish and naive and gullible. 

And for the first time, Kilgharrah really sees that. Kilgharrah has believed, up until right this moment, that Merlin’s heart, Merlin’s compassion, Merlin’s love, would lead him to his death, to Arthur’s death, to the fall of Camelot, to the failure of the prophecy. Kilgharrah didn’t truly believe Merlin could achieve his destiny. Not until right now.

Because, for the first time, Merlin’s heart, Merlin’s compassion, Merlin’s love, serves Kilgharrah.

Merlin shows Kilgharrah mercy (and commands him to “do the same to others”) and in the face of such an unexpected and undeserved kindness, Kilgharrah finally sees Merlin in his entirety. 

And Kilgharrah comes to respect Merlin.

Something fundamental has shifted between them. Something has changed here tonight, and it’s immediately obvious right from their very first scene together in S3. 

If that - and the gentle, almost sweet way Kilgharrah cares for Merlin here - didn’t already indicate a serious shift in their dynamic, the rest of it certainly does. 

If The Last Dragonlord wasn’t a thing, do you really think Kilgharrah would ever have said Merlin “showed great courage” when he followed his heart? Yeah. Neither do I. Oh, and then Kilgharrah allows Merlin to ride upon his back all the way to Camelot.

What a blatant change from S2, don’t you think? But the conflict between Merlin and Kilgharrah isn’t entirely over. With two such obstinate, contrary personalities, it’s almost inevitable, to tell the truth.

But The Crystal Cave is, I think, the first true example of how Merlin, rather than Kilgharrah, holds all the power in their relationship now.

In S1, Kilgharrah convinced Merlin he did not get to say no.

In S3, Merlin proves Kilgharrah truly does not get to say no. Kilgharrah has absolutely no choice in this, Kilgharrah has absolutely no power or control or command here. It all lies with Merlin. And Merlin is so damned out of line.

Don’t misunderstand me. It’s wonderful that Merlin has finally learned how to handle himself around Kilgharrah. He has finally learned how to stand on his own and stick to his guns, he has finally proven Kilgharrah cannot lead him around blindly as in S1. 

But Merlin is out of line here. Merlin does mistreat Kilgharrah here. Merlin does abuse his power here. And that’s not okay. 

Kilgharrah isn’t the sole “bad guy” in this dynamic, and Merlin is not his helpless, defenseless victim. It’s not so simple as all that. The minute the power is placed in Merlin’s hands, he uses it. He is every bit as cruel to Kilgharrah as Kilgharrah has ever been to him. 

(something very interesting to note here: Merlin waits to see what Kilgharrah will do. He’s already given his orders, there is little more Kilgharrah can do, but Merlin is genuinely curious to see if a dragon can truly shake off his control. As we see in Kilgharrah’s acquiescence mere moments later, he cannot. this has nothing to do with anything, I just really like the little detail.)

Kilgharrah and Merlin never resolve this conflict, but the next time they get together, in The Coming of Arthur, things appear to be back to normal. There’s no lasting anger on either side. Kilgharrah even proclaims his loyalty to Merlin, and lets Merlin ride upon his back again. 

In The Darkest Hour, the year’s gap has clearly only served to strengthen Merlin and Kilgharrah’s relationship even further.

Kilgharrah’s confession here is powerful enough all on its own, but the soft, sorrowful way he says it really plays up how much he would truly miss Merlin, were he to lose him now. Even Kilgharrah in S3 hadn’t yet developed enough–or, in truth, softened enough–to grieve Merlin as he does here.  

And yet, for all of that, Kilgharrah’s character stays mostly the same, right up until the end of the series. Yes, he has come to care about Merlin now - he doesn’t even try to deny it - and yet, he still cares for himself and his own plans more. 

And he makes that pretty clear in Aithusa.

To be fair to Kilgharrah, Merlin’s hesitation here is merely that - a hesitation. He is going to go after the egg. He is going to rescue Aithusa. He’s already made up his mind. He just needs a little push, and Kilgharrah’s intention here is simply to provide him with that push.

But guilt didn’t need to be that push. Guilt shouldn’t have been that push. The inherent malice in a mention of Merlin’s father felt cruel. Like a step backward for Kilgharrah and his growth. Like he hadn’t changed at all since S1. 

And it felt right! Kilgharrah shouldn’t have to change the very essence of who he is, as a character, as a person, to prove how much he has grown. He has grown! By leaps and bounds, he has grown, and this is not an erasure of that growth, this is a reminder that all that growth will not turn him into a pure or wholesome or unproblematic character.

If you really need a further demonstration of Kilgharrah’s development over the course of the series, just look at his reaction when he hears Aithusa’s egg is still out there somewhere.

This is not an act. This is real. Kilgharrah is overjoyed at the idea that he will not have to be alone any longer, and it astounds me, still, how truly open with Merlin he is here, how freely he expresses himself. Even as late as S3, Kilgharrah takes care to cloak and conceal his emotions even from his dragonlord, and to see him so candid is honestly a bit of a shock.

Kilgharrah has come to trust Merlin enough to be honest with him, to be open with him. For that alone, this moment is one of the most important the two share over the course of the series.

also, this episode is my personal favorite from S4, so have a rare glimpse of Merlin and Kilgharrah being happy together:

We don’t see much of Kilgharrah from here on out - in fact, we don’t see him in S4 at all after this - except his brief appearance in The Sword in the Stone ((which was hella rad, by the way, don’t ever piss one Merlin Emrys off or he will just call up a fucking dragon to rain down literal hellfire on you i guess)) - but the times we do see him are very important!

The Kindness of Strangers

Raise your hand if this episode just utterly wrecked you, because,,,,,,,,,, uh,,,,,,, yeah,,,,,,,, as the kids say,,,,,,,, “big same”,,,,,,,,,,

Merlin and Kilgharrah’s time together is actually very short, in this episode, but all the more poignant and impactful for that. It’s clear right from the first moment Merlin opens his mouth that the dynamic between the two of them has evolved yet again. Aithusa definitely planted the seeds for this new and stronger relationship, but it’s only here we get to see those seeds truly blossom.

So, yes, there are definite echoes of Aithusa here–Kilgharrah is honest, he’s candid, he’s open with his emotions, but unlike in Aithusa, he’s much freer with his affection for Merlin. Sure, he’s certainly had his moments (The Darkest Hour jumps readily to mind) but even so, he’s never been quite this quick to confess how much he’s truly come to care for Merlin.

And it’s a rare thing, really, to see Merlin so relaxed around Kilgharrah. It’s taken the two of them a long time to grow so comfortable with each other, and it’s wonderful to finally get to see it!

………oh, yeah, and then there’s this

So this is kind of branded into my memory (listen, I was already braced for Arthur’s death, okay, I did not expect to lose Kilgharrah, too, and if you think I didn’t cry literal buckets after this episode, you are fucking WRONG) but the bits that really stick out?

“What will I do without you?” “It is the cycle of life–no more, no less.”

The two of them have really just come such a long way, haven’t they? Remember in S1, when Merlin was merely a means to an end for Kilgharrah? Remember in S2, when Kilgharrah was nothing more than a necessary evil to Merlin?  

Now, Merlin cannot imagine his life without Kilgharrah and now, Kilgharrah tries to ease Merlin’s grief and sorrow in any way he can. 

Which, actually, is the exact same thing he does in 

The Diamond of the Day

Kilgharrah has just seen Merlin fail, in the worst and most enormous way possible. Destiny has finally come to fruition, and Emrys himself was not strong enough to stop it. 

And yet, Kilgharrah - who, in the past, has never hesitated to point out all the ways Merlin went wrong, no matter how Merlin feels in the moment - offers nothing but comfort, and the first glimmers of hope for the future.

A little hard to believe, isn’t it, that this is the same dragon we met in S1. damn it’s been literal years and i’m STILL shook over the drastic change in the two of them. 

Though the core of the characters remain largely consistent, the two of them truly just shape each other so much as the series goes on. 

Merlin would not be the person he is in S5 without Kilgharrah, and Kilgharrah would not be the person he is in S5 without Merlin.

thanks for coming to my TED talk ~ 

[whatthedruidscallme]

I know the line ‘I will protect you or die by your side’ means a lot and emphasizes just how far Merlin is willing to go for arthur but it still kinda…frightens me. He’s so singularly focused on arthur because it’s been burned into his brain that this is his job, and Arthur is clearly one of the best, platonic or not, relationships he’s ever had. Yes he’s desperate to save arthur’s life but it honest to God terrified me when he said this stuff. He didn’t say ‘I will always be there to try to save you’ or 'I will never stop protecting you’, he said 'i will protect you or die by your side.’ Like there was no grey area, either he fulfills his own expectations and saves arthur’s life or he doesn’t and there’s nothing left for him. And it freaks me out that if arthur had actually died right in the battle of camlann with no hope to save him, i really think it would have become less 'don’t be so reckless, merlin’ and more 'please don’t throw your life away like this, merlin’. He’s reckless because he thinks of his life as a way to keep Arthur alive, not something that actually belongs to him. As loyal as he is and as much as he loves Arthur, that line isn’t a reflection of it. It’s a reflection of how he ties his own self-worth to Arthur’s life span.

[shut-up-emrys-deactivated202005]

it’s terrifying how fixed merlin became on saving arthur’s life. that’s literally the only thing in his mind. it’s gotten to the point that it no longer is a goal, it’s an obsession. it’s beyond destiny and beyond friendship; if arthur isn’t safe then that’s it, there is no more meaning to merlin’s life - that’s literally how merlin perceives it. what’s even more terrifying is the risks he’ll take to save arthur. if needed, he will harm others in order to achieve his mission. saving arthur’s life is his top and only priority.

[beautifulsoulsaretaken]

so...Merlin rant...

Arthur knights MORDRED who he has known for significantly less time than he has known Merlin and Merlin has risked his life for Arthur and said that he would continue to do so for the rest of his life and he STILL WASNT KNIGHTED. AND DONT TELL ME ITS CAUSE HE’S A SERVANT. Gwen was too and we all know he loved Merlin more than Gwen. Bradley stated Arthur’s bromance with Merlin was stronger than his romance with Gwen. Also, it’s kind of obvious, when Gwen went missing he and a few others went on a secret search mission…when Merlin went missing he sent out EVERYBODY AND WOULD REFUSE TO QUIT.

update: ya’ll are right and have cracked the case. if he knights merlin he won’t be able to force merlin to be by his side 24-7 and he would be putting him in danger. i didnt see that cause all i want is my boy merlin to get some recognition :’)

[thepandragons]

Lancelot agrees

the success of this post and the fun I had making it and seeing the responses inspired me to make this account about our fav disaster gays

[vickytokio]

Also, there’s the fact that we know Merlin can fight, Arthur doesn’t.

You know when you see someone everyday for years and one day you see an old picture and realize how much they changed but to you they always looked the same? I think Arthur still saw Merlin as the skinny boy who couldn’t even catch the mace on their fight in the market, he never did realize how Merlin got super buff and kinda learned how to handle a sword

[thickynickyh]

Merthur 5x05 Analysis

OKAY SO, can we please talk about that scene in 5x05?! The one where Arthur and Merlin have that discussion about Mordred’s fate?

So everyone’s concentrating on the fact that Arthur asked for Merlin’s opinion on the matter, which yes is a really important aspect of the scene, and how awful it must of been for Merlin to choose but it’s SO much deeper than that.

Merlin was given the ultimatum of allow magic in Camelot (his destiny) or to allow Mordred to be killed. That’s how the scene went, right? But he didn’t choose either. He chose Arthur.

To have magic in Camelot would be his dream realised, his entire point of existence is to protect Arthur so he can live up to this point. Where Arthur will allow magic. And it’s right there, it’s in his grasp, all he has to do is say it! It’s also the perfect time to tell Arthur about his gift, he’s open to the idea of magic otherwise he wouldn’t even be considering it and that’s his BEST FRIEND.

The entire set up was perfect, yet he chose not to. Not to free himself and his people. But the opposite, let Mordred die.

His dream was attainable, it was right there. But he said no as Mordred’s destiny was still to kill Arthur. And he couldn’t let that happen. Yes, having magic legalised would have been an amazing bonus but in the end Arthur’s life is the only thing that matters to him. He has the weight of the world on his shoulders due to his destiny and this is his chance to lift it, but he’d rather have that then have Arthur possibly die. I mean look at his face, he knew what he had to do and it killed him but in the end, was there ever any choice?

And what’s so awful and tragic about that is if he chose to legalise magic, in the end, Arthur might’ve lived. Kara wouldn’t have been angry at Arthur giving her no reason to try and kill him, then Mordred wouldn’t have turned on him...

That scene is so iconic to me cos it just solidifies what we already knew. That Merlin cares about Arthur’s life more than he cares about anything.

[notquitehumanwrites]

Does anyone else obsess over why Lancelot accepts Merlin’s magic so quickly and easily? Uther brainwashed 98% of the population into believing magic is evil and? Lancelot just doesn’t just not turn Merlin in but completely accepts it?? With no questions??? Even Gwen is terrified of magic in the beginning and I distinctly remember a scene where Gwaine speaks out against magic. But Lancelot just is like “okay cool I won’t tell anyone but I can’t take credit for something I didn’t do.” Like???? I just want to know why Lancelot accepts Merlin immediately. Quite literally the only other characters who accept magic are Gaius(who uesd to practice magic), Hunith(Merlin’s mother, who says that she wishes he didn’t have magic), Freya(who was cursed), Will(Merlin’s best friend since childhood), and other magic users. Why does Lancelot accept Merlin so quickly. Does he have some type of connection with magic? Did he know someone with magic? What is happening here?? I am losing sleep over this please help.

[katemattias]

i think he just really tries to see good in everyone. you’d have to do something really horrible for lancelot to write you off. and merlin helped him so he was like ‘he used magic for good, i can’t possibly be mad at him, merlin is a sweet nugget’. also yeah maybe he knew someone with magic before or didn’t witness much hatred as a child

[notquitehumanwrites]

Yeah Lancelot definitely tries to see the good in everyone. I don’t want to know what you did to get Lancelot mad at you. But Gwen is like that too and shes shown to be terrified of magic. Why isn’t Lancelot afraid? Why does he not seem worried that he could get executed for his silence? Maybe I’m just being cynical. But I’m probably going to write a fanfic about this.

[katemattias]

i don’t remember for sure now but I think lancelot wasn’t raised in camelot? and gwen’s father was a blacksmith who did what he was told and she herself was a servant so I guess that sort of fear was ingrained in her, she saw horrible things, executions and all that, her position was very vulnerable bc a servant’s life was nothing for uther. she had to adopt that mentality, protecting herself from something potentially harming. i mean she wasn’t always rule abiding in the show obviously but still i guess accepting magic was hard. lancelot probably had less shit to deal with and also he’s a reckless gryffindor who didn’t care one bit about dying. he’d probably be like ‘execute away lmao i know I’m right✌’

[notquitehumanwrites]

Yeah the “execute away” is probably accurate. But Lancelot was raised in the kingdon Camelot just not the city of Camelot. So he probably saw less horrifying things than Gwen. It was still illegal though. And in the season 5 we see some villagers on the outskirts of the kingdom almost burn a lady for witchcraft. Anyway the idea is in my head now and it will not leave.

[merlin-rants]

maybe it’s because he moved around a lot? it would have helped him to hear and see things from others’ perspectives. lancelot is open-minded and caring and certainly doesnt seem like the type to judge others without knowing them. and yeah, he saw merlin do magic and trusted merlin. he knew merlin would not do any harm.

so maybe lancelot was against magic, and in that case he put his true feelings aside when he found out merlin had magic. because in lancelot’s eyes it’s just merlin, and he can’t do anyone any harm even if he has magic.

[mossjunkyard]

How is the Merlin fandom still alive??? 

not only that but it’s active?!?

How do you guys even do that?

[bisexual-merlin]

we stubbornly refuse to die out of sheer spite cause someone has to fix that ending

[dollopheadedmerlin]

Okay yes, but also there’s serious work put into this fandom by a lot of good people.

Fanfiction and Fanart is still actively being made, and it’s not just one-off “hey remember this show?” peices either. It’s entire comics and series. There are people who still make Merlin art REGULARLY.

It also is one of the LEAST dramatic fan bases that I have ever been in. Sure there’s a bad egg here or there, but there isn’t much “Merlin discourse” and when there is, it is often treated more like a fun and intelligent debate rather than a silly war.

There recently was also a Merlin convention @coinelot . Not a Merlin meetup, not a panel, an entire convention just to discuss and share the enjoyment of this show. Hard work went into hosting that convention, and it was entirely fan-run. People are putting hard work, effort, and passion into this fandom and it’s unlike any other fan community that I’ve ever seen.

And it’s far more impressive than Star Wars and Harry Potter and things like that because, though the original content was release YEARS ago, they’re still getting new content in the form of spinoffs and sequels. Merlin doesn’t have that. There is NO MORE official content to consume and yet here we are.

Obviously some of the credit also goes to the show itself. The cast, for example was largely made up of actors who hadn’t worked on HUGE projects before, so Merlin was their first BIG jig and they grew and learned along with their characters over the years that the show ran. So it makes sense that they may hold a soft spot for it. The cast and crew seek to regularly interact with one another and occasionally interact with fans as well. Because this show means as much to us as it does to them.

Then there’s the show itself. As much as everyone “hates” the ending, I personally think that it was one of the BEST tv show endings that have ever been written. It may not have made you feel HAPPY, but it made you FEEL a whole lot more than most television shows do. It reflects real life in the way that the story was never finished. Not a single one of the characters was their best self by the end of the show. And there’s obviously still more story to be told after the credits roll, but it hasn’t been written. It lingers in the back of your mind as you wonder what adventures await King Arthur and Merlin when their destiny comes knocking at their door again.

In a way the fans feel like Merlin. We were told from the very beginning that there was this great destiny to fulfill and that great things were meant to happen. But they never came to pass, not in the way that had been envisioned. So, like Merlin, everything feels incomplete and unsatisfying. All in all the good guys won in the end, but the cost was so great and the pay off so bittersweet that it feels like they lost.

It’s a tragedy with a happy ending. And an ending that isn’t over.

The Merlin fandom is still here because everyone who’s ever so much as TOUCHED this show has brought immense passion into the story, a story that we’re all still reading and re-reading and rewriting and just expanding upon until we run out of things to say. The show goes so far beyond what was on screen for us. And younger kids are still getting into the show since it was thankfully immortalized by Netflix. It’s a growing family that’s desperate to spread the passion. And we’re succeeding because we actually care about this story and these character SO, SO MUCH.

Long live the king.

[king-clotpole]

Honestly couldn’t be a better way to describe the fandom. I’m so shocked (in a happy way) at how big the fandom is after all this time. I grew up with the show but at that time there wasn’t social media and such a big fandom so to 6 year old me it was a show I loved but then after it finished it died down. I only just watched merlin for the second time this year and it’s because of seeing fan edits and fan art that I decided to watch the show. It’s because of all you wonderful people out there keeping the Merlin spirit alive that I’m enjoying this amazing show again and getting to enjoy it with so many fans and will continue to do so. Thank you everyone and thank you Colin and Bradley for giving us so much, we can only hope that they one day see how much we appreciate them ❤️

[1x20]

Uther, Arthur and Merlin: A Meta

First off, let me start by saying this: I think we can all agree that Uther’s a shitty father. If there’s one character that the show got right pretty consistently, it’s Uther’s. One of my biggest pet peeves, however, is when people portray him as an absolute monster. Let me explain to you why.

Disclaimer: Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, so I’m entitled to mine and you’re entitled to yours. I don’t hate you if you hate Uther, and I hope you won’t hate me for not hating Uther.

My main reasoning for this is that Uther clearly loves both Arthur and Morgana. Now again, Uther’s a pretty shitty father and treats both of them pretty unfairly, and I’m not excusing his treatment of them, but one of the key parts of Uther’s character (in my opinion) is that he loves both his children. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that if Morgana had confided in him about her magic, he would’ve accepted her.

Uther’s main flaw is that he’s misguided. Again, that is not an excuse for what he did, but he genuinely believes he’s not being harmful and is doing what’s best in his eyes. Uther banned magic because he believed it to be best.

What I’m going to focus on most, though, is Uther’s dynamic with Arthur and, as a result of that, his dynamic with Merlin (because let’s be honest, no one can talk about Arthur’s character without talking about Merlin’s).

Keep reading

[ueberdemnebelmeer]

S04E01 - The Darkest Hour, Part I

[mr-and-mr-pendragon]

@thegreymoon It’s so conflicting because he was a terrible person and he sure did deserve to die but he also loved Arthur and Arthur loved him and wanted his approval and affection. Morgana too, she wanted his support and respect. None of the horrible things would have happened if only Uther wasn’t a homophobic (anti magic?) jerk. But we’re still sad for him because of moments when he expresses what his children needed from him.

[thegreymoon]

I guess the issue is that I see Uther differently. While I do believe his children loved him, I don’t believe he ever truly loved his children. He reads like a typical, textbook narcissist to me and by definition, they aren’t capable of love. He loved what his children could do for him, yes, and how good they could make him look, but there was never any true love or support there. Even when he was ‘suffering’, like that time Morgana lay dying, it was still self-serving, selfish and all about him. He was feeling sorry for himself, not grieving for her. He was consistently abusive: physically and mentally, and he raised two profoundly disturbed, emotionally damaged adults. As a human being, he was also arrogant, selfish and cruel. Not to mention a hypocrite. Even the ‘love’ he had for his wife is laughable to me, he was cheating on her with a married woman (wife of his own friend, no less!!) while she was struggling to get pregnant! No wonder Ygraine’s ghost was so bitter and he kept seeing her face when he went mad! He’s just so gross in every way, and that is before we even touch on the outright genocide, murder and persecution to cover up his own failings. The only redeeming quality this man has is the fact that he’s being played by Anthony Head who is ridiculously brilliant, charming and hot, so all that charisma had to rub off on Uther too. I refuse to confuse the fact that I’m mildly attracted to Anthony Head with the character of Uther Pendragon. Uther Pendragon is a failure as a parent, as a husband, as a friend (Gorlois got screwed, obviously, but let’s not forget about Gaius too), as a king, as an ally and most importantly, as a human being. He is a liar and false at his word. He is utter scum and I don’t believe he loved his children for a second. He loved himself and fed them crumbs, taking and taking and taking. There are only two times (possibly three, if we count that one scene with Arthur nearly dying) in the entire show that I can think of when he expressed anything even resembling love towards either of his children without having something to gain from it or outright assuage his guilty conscience: one, when he drugs Arthur to fight Ygraine’s undead brother and afterwards tells Arthur that he’s valuable (also, I realise Agravaine was dumpster trash, but let’s all take a moment here to appreciate the fact that both of Ygraine’s brothers hated Uther’s guts with, I’m sure, good reason, and that one of them was even raised from the dead on the sheer power of that hate), and the other, when he gets stabbed for Arthur in season 4 (which he manages to shit all over when he returns as a ghost). Everything else was destructive, toxic, soul-rending abuse taking place 98% of the time. He was not above murdering babies to hide his wrongdoings (Morgause, even though I never really figured that one out… because, just why? 😶).

The only reason I’m sad in this scene is because Arthur is sad and I feel a lot of empathy for his (and Merlin’s and Morgana’s) pain. In conclusion, before I end up writing an essay, Uther can rot and I feel robbed that we never got to see Arthur fully reject him for Merlin, but I guess that’s what fanfiction and futuristic-Arthur-returns headcanons are for. (Again, big sorry to the OP for the Uther hatepost, the gifset is lovely and Arthur is a sad, adorable puppy that needs all the hugs ❤)

[vickytokio]

Jesus Christ, I love (1) @thegreymoon

Yes, this is such a neat explanation of all my issues with Uther. I love good!Uther fics because they give us what he could’ve been, and how Arthur saw him. The fact that Arthur loved him dearly mean nothing, as often the abused people don’t really process whatever abuse is happening.

[orthogonals]

I agree with everything said here, especially the analysis of @thegreymoon. I’d like to add that I think even IF Uther was an incredible parent to Arthur and Morgana, that one redeemable aspect of his character still wouldn’t absolve the fact that he’s a literal mass murderer who committed genocide just so he could assuage his own guilt. (To paraphrase from A:tLA, in a lifetime of evil, he didn’t add child abuse to the list. Yippee!) All the atrocities he’s committed— drowning children, driving the dragons to extinction, persecuting people who’ve done nothing except be born a certain way— read to me as textbook 20th century dictator, and my opinion could not give less of a shit if Stalin, despite everything he’s done, happened to be an amazing father (which he was far from). Many (all?) of the show’s conflicts essentially stem from people harmed by Uther’s regime wanting revenge for his crimes. And while I can understand how people going after Arthur for what Uther did might be a bit extreme at times, I’m disappointed that the show never really explored the moral ambiguity in defending/protecting Uther from the consequences of his actions. Both Merlin and Arthur constantly save Uther and keep him from harm, often resulting in the death of the perpetrator— usually someone simply consumed by grief and seeking their own brand of justice. The old lady in the first episode. Edwin. Alice. To some extent, Morgana. Sure, their pain had, in time, twisted into something ugly and terrible, and I’m definitely against fighting fire with fire. But faced with a despot like Uther, is it more immoral to assasinate him or to protect him (and, in the process, inflict more pain on people he’s already oppressed to the brink of sanity and survival)?

[fuckyeaharthuriana]

what are your opinions on bbc merlin?

Sadly, I am not a fan.

I enjoyed the first two seasons, but started to really dislike after season 3. In general I found the show clumsily written (there were a lot of plot holes, characters changed their personality based on the needs of the plot and similar/same actions were seen as comedic or dramatic based on the need of the show in that moment) and it treated its female characters absolutely horribly.

Still, I liked Guinevere a lot. I definitely enjoyed that she got to be the actual queen (as Arthur ruled for like... two years, and he did not bring the promised perfect kingdom, so that was on Guinevere after Arthur, and Arthur role was simply to marry Guinevere and then die, so that she could be the only queen).

[merlin-rants]

is mordred good or bad?

mordred’s heart was in the right place: he wanted peace and chose not to side with morgana when he found out how corrupted she became, even morgana promised sorcerers would win. mordred chose to betray her and not tell her merlin is emrys in 5x09. he believed arthur could change the law against sorcerers so would not have to hide who he is. he put his faith in arthur and merlin - he put his faith in camelot, the kingdom. he was old enough to understand that violence was not the answer and this war was unable to resolve anything.

however, at the end of 5x11 mordred rushed to morgana after arthur executed kara. he told her how wrong he was and reveals emrys’ identity. the kara plot was unnecessary but it was the reason why mordred finally sided with morgana and therefore it cannot be ignored. mordred begged arthur to spare kara’s life; arthur gave kara a second chance but kara refused to change. in result, she was executed. this was the moment mordred realised arthur would never change and that no matter what, magic would never have a place in camelot. he also realized that merlin was unreliable, thus leading him to feeling betrayed; he finally understood that merlin would not help him, no matter what (even if it meant that they wanted the same thing). mordred’s good intentions were gone when arthur executed kara.

feeling alone, he turned to morgana – the only person left that was on modred’s side. he realized being nice was doing him no good. he no longer had hope in merlin because he knew merlin had 1.) no intention of helping mordred and 2.) merlin had become a pawn of his destiny, meaning he would not act if it meant that arthur would be harmed.

he’s a neutral character - neither good nor bad. mordred had his faults. he had lost hopes and his dreams were crushed. perhaps if kara still lived, then he wouldn’t have turn to morgana for help.

[thegreymoon]

But Arthur didn’t execute Kara for magic, he executed her for murder and attempted regicide. Both Merlin and Arthur did everything they could to save her for Mordred’s sake, but she got up on her soapbox and showed no repentance. She wanted to be a martyr at any cost and there was no stopping her. Arthur’s hands were tied. 

Please bear in mind that even though he did not repeal the laws against magic, Arthur never actually executed any sorcerers under his reign and he even actively stopped people from killing them. If it was not for Mordred, Arthur would have gotten there. Also, the reason he didn’t repeal magic as fast as he could have was because whenever he got on that path, something evil befell him that was tied directly back to magic. 

Arthur’s closest experience of magic (that he knew of, thanks to Merlin, There-Can-Be-No-Place-For-Magic-In-Camelot) was Morgana betraying him, both his parents dying because of sorcerers, all magic users and their grandmother out to destroy him, various bloodthirsty monsters out for his blood and an angry dragon on a rampage intent on destroying Camelot. Where is the good magic that would have made Arthur change his mind sooner? Of course, we know that it was there because we watched the show from Merlin’s POV, but Arthur was consistently lied to. 

Of all the good reasons Mordred had (or could have had) to turn against Arthur, Kara was not one of them so all my sympathy for him went out the window. I have the same issue with Morgana, we could have had such a fantastic, motivated, sympathetic villain, but no, they had to go about it in the most ham-fisted way. If they had both gone after Merlin (at least initially, until Arthur gave them an actual reason to go after him too), I would have said, fine, he deserved it. But they both went after Arthur, when Arthur had done nothing but love and support them both. This is where both of them lost me. 

When it comes to Mordred, I’m mostly mad they ruined what had started out as such a great character. That line, ‘Until then, we go unmarked - in death as in life,’ was pure brilliance! I’m all here for a neutral Mordred, neither good nor bad, or a Mordred that is justified in killing Arthur. I really loved the character until those last couple of episodes, but the show really, really messed up. The Kara plot was simply horrific writing. They can’t do nuance to save their life.  

[merlin-rants]

i know the reason for kara’s execution was because she was determined to murder arthur. (i didn’t want to go into detail about it because that’s a whole different topic to discuss). what i meant to say is, in mordred’s eyes, in that moment, he believed arthur was executing kara for not only trying to murder the king, but for using magic. arthur knew how much kara meant for mordred and having her killed was a huge betrayal in mordred’s eyes.

nevertheless, i agree with everything you just said. 

If they had both (morgana and mordred) gone after Merlin (at least initially, until Arthur gave them an actual reason to go after him too), I would have said, fine, he deserved it. But they both went after Arthur, when Arthur had done nothing but love and support them both. This is where both of them lost me. the fact that both morgana and mordred went after arthur, when all he did was accept them and help them was understandable... to some extent. morgana going after arthur makes sense because she wanted to rule camelot in order to change its laws and make it a better place for sorcerers (which we then find out is a lie, because morgana was just power-hungry). mordred going after arthur... still makes sense, in a way, but not exactly.

Of all the good reasons Mordred had (or could have had) to turn against Arthur, Kara was not one of them so all my sympathy for him went out the window. I have the same issue with Morgana, we could have had such a fantastic, motivated, sympathetic villain, but no, they had to go about it in the most ham-fisted way. i agree! they could have had a great development into becoming villains, but that was thrown out the window with the whole “arthur did one (1) bad thing so im going to try and kill him now! im so evil haha!” in truth, morgana and mordred had the potential to be incredible villains. not being able to see that makes me sad.

When it comes to Mordred, I’m mostly mad they ruined what had started out as such a great character. i know! he had a huge potential to becoming a great villain. it was bbc’s fault for not thinking it through and deciding to throw in kara out of nowhere. I really loved the character until those last couple of episodes, but the show really, really messed up. The Kara plot was simply horrific writing. the kara plot... dont even get me started. it was disappointing.

i guess we can all agree on one thing when it comes to mordred: his storyline deserved better. they barely gave him any screen time to develop his character. he appeared once in season 1, once in season 2, and then the rest of season 5 but they never decided to focus on him until 5x11, which is where his character goes downhill.

[merlin-rants]

is mordred good or bad?

mordred’s heart was in the right place: he wanted peace and chose not to side with morgana when he found out how corrupted she became, even morgana promised sorcerers would win. mordred chose to betray her and not tell her merlin is emrys in 5x09. he believed arthur could change the law against sorcerers so would not have to hide who he is. he put his faith in arthur and merlin - he put his faith in camelot, the kingdom. he was old enough to understand that violence was not the answer and this war was unable to resolve anything.

however, at the end of 5x11 mordred rushed to morgana after arthur executed kara. he told her how wrong he was and reveals emrys’ identity. the kara plot was unnecessary but it was the reason why mordred finally sided with morgana and therefore it cannot be ignored. mordred begged arthur to spare kara’s life; arthur gave kara a second chance but kara refused to change. in result, she was executed. this was the moment mordred realised arthur would never change and that no matter what, magic would never have a place in camelot. he also realized that merlin was unreliable, thus leading him to feeling betrayed; he finally understood that merlin would not help him, no matter what (even if it meant that they wanted the same thing). mordred’s good intentions were gone when arthur executed kara.

feeling alone, he turned to morgana – the only person left that was on modred’s side. he realized being nice was doing him no good. he no longer had hope in merlin because he knew merlin had 1.) no intention of helping mordred and 2.) merlin had become a pawn of his destiny, meaning he would not act if it meant that arthur would be harmed.

he’s a neutral character - neither good nor bad. mordred had his faults. he had lost hopes and his dreams were crushed. perhaps if kara still lived, then he wouldn’t have turn to morgana for help.

[merlin-rants]

it’s quite annoying how bbc decided to not acknowledge the kiss between merlin and gwen in the later seasons (or even in the later episodes). i don’t know, i feel like their relationship in the first season was much stronger than it was in the later seasons; they were incredibley close. yes, they were still close in s2-s5 but there was some sort of a barrier between them – possibly because gwen and arthur got together. friendships were more focused on during the first season than it was in the rest of the series. merlin and gwen’s friendship was cute and sort of childish – merlin was a new guy in camelot; gwen was morgana’s servant and she had possibly lived her whole life in camelot. this new guy who had just told off arthur, the king’s son, intrigued her. especially since merlin seemed like he was filled with mysteries (which he was).

merlin and gwen were pretty much inseparable in the first season. they were really comfortable with each other. merlin saved gwen’s life and gwen had helped merlin in numerous occasions. they look like they can talk to each other about anything. and maybe it’s merlin’s obliviousness or gwen’s shyness that they never bring up the kiss because neither of them know what to do about it. but it’s never mentioned once in the future which is why it’s quite annoying.

[ueberdemnebelmeer]

S04E01 - The Darkest Hour, Part I

[mr-and-mr-pendragon]

@thegreymoon It’s so conflicting because he was a terrible person and he sure did deserve to die but he also loved Arthur and Arthur loved him and wanted his approval and affection. Morgana too, she wanted his support and respect. None of the horrible things would have happened if only Uther wasn’t a homophobic (anti magic?) jerk. But we’re still sad for him because of moments when he expresses what his children needed from him.

[thegreymoon]

I guess the issue is that I see Uther differently. While I do believe his children loved him, I don’t believe he ever truly loved his children. He reads like a typical, textbook narcissist to me and by definition, they aren’t capable of love. He loved what his children could do for him, yes, and how good they could make him look, but there was never any true love or support there. Even when he was ‘suffering’, like that time Morgana lay dying, it was still self-serving, selfish and all about him. He was feeling sorry for himself, not grieving for her. He was consistently abusive: physically and mentally, and he raised two profoundly disturbed, emotionally damaged adults. As a human being, he was also arrogant, selfish and cruel. Not to mention a hypocrite. Even the ‘love’ he had for his wife is laughable to me, he was cheating on her with a married woman (wife of his own friend, no less!!) while she was struggling to get pregnant! No wonder Ygraine’s ghost was so bitter and he kept seeing her face when he went mad! He’s just so gross in every way, and that is before we even touch on the outright genocide, murder and persecution to cover up his own failings. The only redeeming quality this man has is the fact that he’s being played by Anthony Head who is ridiculously brilliant, charming and hot, so all that charisma had to rub off on Uther too. I refuse to confuse the fact that I’m mildly attracted to Anthony Head with the character of Uther Pendragon. Uther Pendragon is a failure as a parent, as a husband, as a friend (Gorlois got screwed, obviously, but let’s not forget about Gaius too), as a king, as an ally and most importantly, as a human being. He is a liar and false at his word. He is utter scum and I don’t believe he loved his children for a second. He loved himself and fed them crumbs, taking and taking and taking. There are only two times (possibly three, if we count that one scene with Arthur nearly dying) in the entire show that I can think of when he expressed anything even resembling love towards either of his children without having something to gain from it or outright assuage his guilty conscience: one, when he drugs Arthur to fight Ygraine’s undead brother and afterwards tells Arthur that he’s valuable (also, I realise Agravaine was dumpster trash, but let’s all take a moment here to appreciate the fact that both of Ygraine’s brothers hated Uther’s guts with, I’m sure, good reason, and that one of them was even raised from the dead on the sheer power of that hate), and the other, when he gets stabbed for Arthur in season 4 (which he manages to shit all over when he returns as a ghost). Everything else was destructive, toxic, soul-rending abuse taking place 98% of the time. He was not above murdering babies to hide his wrongdoings (Morgause, even though I never really figured that one out… because, just why? 😶).

The only reason I’m sad in this scene is because Arthur is sad and I feel a lot of empathy for his (and Merlin’s and Morgana’s) pain. In conclusion, before I end up writing an essay, Uther can rot and I feel robbed that we never got to see Arthur fully reject him for Merlin, but I guess that’s what fanfiction and futuristic-Arthur-returns headcanons are for. (Again, big sorry to the OP for the Uther hatepost, the gifset is lovely and Arthur is a sad, adorable puppy that needs all the hugs ❤)

[vickytokio]

Jesus Christ, I love (1) @thegreymoon

Yes, this is such a neat explanation of all my issues with Uther. I love good!Uther fics because they give us what he could’ve been, and how Arthur saw him. The fact that Arthur loved him dearly mean nothing, as often the abused people don’t really process whatever abuse is happening.