Largely inspired by @nomorezerocomments & @justleaveacommentfest.
As of this moment there are 68,344 fics on Ao3 in the Merlin fandom tag, and 9,741 of those have 0 comments, some which have hundreds and hundreds of kudos and even bookmarks but no comments.
There's plenty more that only have a few comments and yet are beloved by fandom. And this is just from a quick glance at ao3, I'm not even counting fanfiction.net, LiveJournal, here on Tumblr, and all the other fanfic places I'm not thinking of right now!
The goal of this is to (of course) comment on fanfic but also to interact with the community. Reblog fanfic, fanart, fan videos, edit, and all the other lovely things each other has made, as well checking up on fandom friends and just have a good time with each other.
And after all with the holiday season upon us, comments are the best gift to the fellow people in the community!
When will it start:
October 1!
When will it end:
January 10! So that it hopefully covers most of the holiday season for everyone!
Rules:
Comment on any Merlin fandom fanfic and tally up your comments!
Everyone is in charge of keeping track of the fics you commented on and how many comments you've left. This will work on the honor system as this is supposed to be as laid back as possible.
Show love to those fanfics that have 0 comments or barely any comments at all!
Show love to short fics/one shots, rare pairs, Gen fics, comment on those smutty fics that you never comment on!
No check in's, no sign ups, just commenting!
No AI fics! No AI comments! No AI at all!
What do I win:
The fandom old prize of Bragging Rights and having fun with your Community
But also if anyone wants to offer any fan creations as a prize incentive, I can throw some in for some extra fun 😃
Extra things to do:
Make a rec list of your favorite fanfics and/or the fics you've commented on and tag me in it so we can share them!
Send/tag me in your fics that you think deserve some more love
Send/tag me those fics that have 0 comments and let's work as a fandom to decrease those 9,000+ fanfics without any love
Any questions suggestions about anything? Send me a ask!!!
And Down the River's Dim Expanse by horsecrazy
M, 14k, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
?
For Us To Review by RangerJedi67
G, 2.6k, Leon & Arthur Pendragon, Gen
?
Disillusion (a remix of Light Pollution) by Linorien General Audience, 1041 words, Gen Epistolary
this fic is restricted. url: https://archiveofourown.org/works/56609266
Kiss me on the mouth and set me free by GuiltyScarl3t
M, 1.4k, Lancelot/Arthur Pendragon, Lancelot & Arthur Pendragon
Canon Divergence AU
Storm House by cynthia1314
G, 2.6k, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon, Gen
Modern Setting AU
Less than Discreet and More than Delightful by Excited_Insomniac
E, 15k, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
Modern Setting AU
The Totality of Partial Impressions by s0mmerspr0ssen
E, 44k, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
College/University AU, Roommates/Housemates AU, 1990s AU
Please, just one more try by griffonskies
M, 9.0k, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon
?
Wait For Me by thetreeofwillow
M, 10k, Leon/Merlin
Canon Divergence AU
The King and The Butterfly by fabledfrog
T, 7.6k, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Gen
Detectives AU
everybody needs a hobby by ravenwilds
G, 1.2k, Gen
Modern Setting AU
A masterlist of all round-ups can be found here.
If you want to make sure you never miss a FF rec, or would like to participate and share your own favourites; join us on the Discord TheMerlinLibrary! Happy reading!
About the FF round-up lists:
Recs are listed in the order they were posted on the Discord; the order does not imply any sort of ranking.
The pairing given in this list is the main pairing of each respective fic – please read the tags for any possible minor or side-pairings, as well as any potential warnings or triggers.
Pairings and Eras are given as tagged in each respective fic. (?) signifies that the tags were unclear and I do not know enough about the fic to fill the gaps.
Round-ups are compiled on the weekend of the week after the respective theme of the post (when the new theme has already been anounced), to avoid omitting potentially belated FF recs.
The weekly round-up is not a guarantee!
I'm running this alone, so it can only be posted for weeks when I have enough time on my hands to compile a list. If you'd like to help out, feel free to contact me on Tumblr ( @zaharya ) or Discord. Thank you to @ravenwilds for helping me out with this round-up, and to Chel for writing a whole-ass bot to make it easier!
okay sooo.... about that merthur fic ur talking about... THE NAME, GIVE IT TO ME GIRL that freaking show was and STILL IS one of obsessions and I NEED more it's never enough when it comes to my boyysss
STOP I LOVE U SM FOR THIS
this is the fic that i was referring to in the post !! it’s super well written & the plot is so creatively detailed 🤍 i love how the author characterizes merlin and arthur bc their dialogues and monologues actually feel like they’ve been taken from the show itself & i am fucking obsessed
okay, this is my first lot of fic recs for @merlincommentfest - fics I have commented on since 1st October and particularly recommend. If you like longer fics, this is the place to find them. They’re all Merthur and aall explicit this time, sorry if that’s not your thing.
No one mourns the wicked by asilentherald 151,956 words Explicit
Merlin and Arthur are taking part in a performance of Wicked that Morgana is putting on, as Elphrida and Galinda. But almost no one in the cast is actually doing it for love of the musical, and the mixture of the ulterior motives and the fact that, as someone who has never seen a performance of the show, my personal head canon of ‘Popular’ has Arthur performing it to Merlin makes this one of my fave fics ever.
Broken chains by Loopstagirl 124,713 words Explicit
Warning: non-con (not Arthur/Merlin), violence
Uther gives Arthur Merlin as a sex slave. Sorcerers have their magic bound through a collar. Arthur wants to refuse but realises worse will come to Merlin if he does. Merlin starts by wanting to and trying to kill Arthur but gradually realises he’s not the bad guy here.
Walk with me by Cookie 99,097 Explicit
A story in three parts. Part 1 has canon Merlin and Arthur transported to 1987 where Arthur meets someone who will change his life. Part 2 is after they go back to canon times, and how the 1987 meeting affected it. Part 3 is modern days. The three parts wind together in a really clever way.
Charting stars on a stained glass ceiling by mornmeril 80,017 words Explicit
Fantasy setting. Merlin works in a coffee shop when Prince Arthur’s coffee is poisoned with a love potion for him to fall for the first person he sees - Merlin. But who did it, why, and how can it be fixed? And meanwhile, is Merlin going to have to pretend to be Arthur’s boyfriend when the bloke is a prat?
We are all diamonds by Footloose 134,304 words Explicit
Arthur is a Deaf businessman taking over his father’s business after his parents die in a plane crash. Merlin is a burnt out opera singer who knows sign language and is brought in to help Arthur on a one off basis, but who becomes mixed up in more as it turns out that not all is as it seems within the business and with Arthur’s usual signer…
Relationships: Leon/Merlin, minor queerplatonic Merlin & Arthur
Rating: G
Warnings: No Warnings Apply but it's omegaverse if that's not your cup of tea
Read on AO3
"Wait, Merlin, you're gonna be a dad?!"
It was too early for this. Granted, he had been up for four hours already, bit that didn't matter. Leon deserved far more than he was given, but what else was new.
Surely he must have misheard, it was no secret that Merlin swore to never have kids. They didn't need any of his crazy he said and the people he fell for usually tended to be on the same boat.
"They'd be doomed. Truly, utterly doomed. They will lose themselves and sacrifice every piece of themselves until there's nothing left all for one thing and one thing only. And at the end, they won't even be able to tell if it was worth it or not. Because they've become a completely different person only a shell of who they once were," he once said.
(Twice actually, when Leon once spilled to him how he was constantly afraid of dying. Not because he was scared of death, but he was scared of no longer being able to fulfil his duty to Camelot. He had already always been seen as weaker on the grounds of being a beta. A dead beta could serve Camelot even less.)
And although the pack sometimes jokingly referred to Merlin and Leon as the Mom and Dad of the group, it was simply that; a joke. Merlin, because without him they'd either die due to eating poisonous berries or resort to eating raw meat and despite what he claimed in his rambles sometimes, he didn't want them to die either.
Leon because someone in this damn pack had to stop everyone from sacrificing themselves.
This included Merlin.
Especially Merlin.
Sometimes Leon wondered if the sorcerer was immortal after all and had placed a spell on them because with the amount of near death experiences they always found themselves in, it's a miracle that they're still here.
Speaking of the sorcerer, Merlin's voice brought him back to the present.
"Don't call me that. It's not like I'm gonna raise it or anything."
Leon was confused. He felt like an intruder. He probably shouldn't hear this but leaving would definitely draw attention to him.
"Of course you're gonna raise it, Merlin. You're really just gonna send it away, on its own?"
He was sure the thought alone would be considered treason but sometimes he just wanted to shake his king until all the pieces went back to where they once were.
"Yes! It's what I did last time!"
This conversation became more confusing by the second. There was an obvious explanation here but Leon seriously didn't want to believe it.
His heart felt like he had just completed a double training for a second and he wondered if his claims of his heart giving out because of his pack mates would came back to bite him in the ass.
"After last time you should especially know just how stupid that idea was. Come on, Merlin, what would your ancestors say to you abandoning your-your own kin!"
"Well, they're all dead so they can't judge me for it!"
Okay, Leon was definitely missing something.
Because Merlin's mum Hunith, as well as Gaius were pretty much alive-
Aaand they were both betas…
There had to be some other explanation. It was just like the poetry situation, his mind had come to one conclusion that later would turn out to be completely false.
Not that Arthur was a bad guy or anything. He just thought Merlin could do better.
...Leon really had to stop thinking these treasonous thoughts or he might just lose his head one day.
"He's made a good point, you know."
"No he didn't, shut up Gwaine"
"Hey, that's our thing!"
"I can tell who ever I want to shut up, now shut up, Merlin."
"Mmh, on second thought-"
Leon pressed his lips tightly together so as to not burst out laughing. Merlin's humour always did that to him. There was nothing the man could say that wouldn't make him laugh. He was so much more lenient on him than anyone else but with Merlin it didn't feel like an attack on him in general, more like a friend who could see your flaws and made you aware of your mistakes sometimes.
"In all seriousness, Merlin," Arthur went on, all tension and anger having flooded away, taking on a much softer tone, "You are not alone. You have us."
The king cleared his throat. "And you have me, Merlin. I know now. You don't have to hide any longer. I will always be there. No matter what you need, just say it and you'll get it."
Leon felt like he couldn't breathe.
Of course it was Arthur. It was always Arthur. Arthur was the reason Merlin did what he did, became who he became, a person he hates himself for because a younger him would have punched him without hesitation.
But it was Arthur. Nobody else. There was nobody else Merlin would do this for, he clung onto that one promise so desperately that he stopped believing he could have chosen anyone else.
The realization stung. It was Arthur's... He should be happy for them. But the only thing that made him feel some sort of emotion is the pain that came from biting down on his lip.
It was silent for a while. Again it was Merlin who broke it, whispering, as not to break the spell. "Thank you, Arthur. That really means a lot. You know, I still really wish sometimes I could have done better by Aithusa right from the beginning."
A-Aithusa?!
He straightened himself up so quickly, he banged his head against the wall he was hiding behind, sudden enough that he couldn't suppress the yelp coming from him.
"Leon?!"
"Ohh, has someone been spying on their sweetheart?"
"Show your face, coward!"
...Leon really wasn't paid enough for this. Rubbing his forehead, he stepped out and walked towards them.
And sure enough, a big, dark green egg with almost a cone shape on the top laid in Merlins lap.
Everything made so much more sense now.
Sometimes he had the feeling Arthur was so focused on Merlin that he didn't notice just how much of a fool his own knights could be. Leon didn't get in because he was lucky, he knew his strengths, was skilled, but sometimes he couldn't help but think it anyway.
He tried to turn away because his face heated up rather embarrassingly.
Unfortunately his pack was the absolute worst and took this as a challenge and tried to make him look at them.
"Leon, your face is as red as Gwaine's ass after he got his ass whopped by me during training, how much did you hear and what the hell did you think we were talking about."
"Elyan, you are so mean."
"And you are so easy to make fun of."
He tried to came up with an excuse, but nothing came to mind.
"Leon. What did you think we were talking about?"
One look at Merlin and he knew that was the wrong decision. Merlin looked at him like he was a riddle that he would solve any second from now.
And Leon had survived a lot of things he shouldn't have survived. A dragon attack, immortal armies and his former king almost making a troll his heir.
Seeing the moment of realization mirrored on Merlin's face was worse than all of these combined.
"Oh gods, guys, Merlin knows! Come on, Merlin, say it! What is it that Leon thought?!"
Merlin slowly opened his mouth, eyes still starring right at him. "I told you! I even told you multiple times! How could you think that?!"
It wasn't Leon's best moment admittedly, but after a life of living om the edge constantly, having to defend himself for every action, for being the only beta Camelot knight, he couldn't help himself to explain, "Gwaine said you were going to become a dad! What was I supposed to think?!"
He regretted it the moment he said it. Everyone looked at him suddenly with raised eyebrows and a face that said they wished he was kidding.
"You thought what?"
"Wow. Holy shit, our dumbness has rubbed off of him I think. We did it, guys!"
"Who did you think the other parent was?!"
It was reflex. He hadn't meant to look at Arthur.
But it it was long enough for the others to realize anyway.
A sea of laughter broke out with the two mistaken new parents gaping at him.
"Leon, how could you?! I thought you knew me!"
"Did you seriously think I'd cheat on my wife? With my best friend no less?!"
"Don't get me wrong, I don't think there's anything I wouldn't do for Arthur to keep this dunce alive, but come on. Have you been in his chambers when he's in rut?! I didn't even subject Mordred to that while he was still alive!"
Seriously? That's how they acted? He was so close to telling them that nearly everyone in Camelot thought they were doing it.
On the other hand, he was sure that if he'd told them, they would go on a rant about how they're not romantically involved, that their friendship simply exceeded what was expected in a friendship. That they were more than friends. They were each others destinies.
Destinies that wouldn't even think of kissing the other.
So Leon kept his mouth shut. Because he was a hero who didn't want everyone to have to go through this rant another time.
Instead, he swallowed and presented his best mask. In another life, he would have become an actor for sure.
"I know it was foolish of me to assume. The conversation you held without seeing the evidence didn't allow me to think of another option. But yes, this predicament makes a lot more sense than the alternative. I am truly sorry."
"You better hope you are," was Arthur's mumbled reply.
Merlin however only studied him with narrowed eyes.
"Give me your cloak."
'What,' was all his brain was able to come up with. To everyone's surprise, he handed it over anyway. Even Leon's.
"What do you need my cloak for?"
He swallowed as he saw Merlin taking it, rumpling it up, so close to his nose he surely had to smell Leon's scent on it.
Then Merlin placed the egg in it, wrapped it up so it was fully covered and then put it in the bag beside him.
"Okay, now I'm curious myself what we're doing here."
Merlin shot Gwaine a look.
"We aren't doing anything here. I'm going to hatch this egg. If anyone wants to be there while I do so, you are free to join me on the one condition that you don't get into my way. Otherwise, I will let it breathe fire on you."
Without waiting for an answer, he turned around towards the door, leaving them in confusion.
Leon was the one who freed himself out of his stupor first, catching up to Merlin and the others following closely behind them too.
"I'm really sorry, Merlin. I really tried to think of another explanation, it just seemed like my head wasn't in it. I know that-"
"Leon, it's fine. Next time, think more with your head, not your heart," Merlin laughed, warming up Leon's chest and causing him to smile too.
Merlin continued, "You think I should call this dragon 'Merlin', since I am apparently the only one with any sense around here?"
That caused Leon to laugh as well. "Ah, don't expect the others to not call you 'Merlin 2' then."
"They'd do that, wouldn't they?" Merlin laughed again and Leon's grin grew wider. "Well, alternatively, I could name them 'Sophos'. It means intelligence."
"Mmh, a good name then. Could be very useful to have at least someone with that quality around."
Merlin's eyes twinkled, looking right at him, the picture of content. "Yes, I think so too. Though, I must say, I am very fond of 'Ayape' as well. Maybe the next one I find."
Leon knew there was more to this, could feel the strings between them tugging at each other. He simply had to ask. "And what does Ayape mean?"
(3904 words) by paladinstormblessed
Chapters: 1/1
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Characters: Arthur Pendragon, Merlin, Sir Geraint, Gaius
Summary:
A re-write of the confrontation scene in S2 E1 between Merlin and Cedric, but Arthur was conscious (debatable) and overheard their entire conversation. What better way is there to find out your best friend is a sorcerer?
AO3 easy trick: sometimes when I want to leave a comment on a fic but I dont know what to say specifically I'll just paste my favorite line(s)/little paragraph and then write something like "I loved this so much/this fic is amazing" or even just a string of hearts.
writers love knowing what lines stuck the most and this way you don't need to elaborate too much of your own
Also it helps writers know what parts of their writing resonates most with people. I’ve learned a lot about what works in my stories by virtue of people reacting to specific scenes and lines and even tropes.
If you want a widget to help you with this, may I introduce to you the ao3 floating comment box (my beloved) - it follows along as you read and can add whatever you highlight into the comment box (already italicized) so you can just react to it right there! It’s super easy and I love leaving comments like these - mainly because they’re my very very favorite comments to receive! https://64.media.tumblr.com/3c15a3436ed071c20d311dd154eb77fa/tumblr_okj82kw7P11w23p3eo3_640.gifv
Here’s a guide on how to install it! You only have to set it up once and then it will forever be in the top left corner of any ao3 page you go to, ready to be pulled out for use https://www.tumblr.com/bourbon-ontherocks/640598977638727680/tutorial-on-how-to-install-the-floating-commenting?source=share
💬 12 🔁 363 ❤️ 549 · Tutorial on how to install the floating commenting box on AO3 · So for those of us who love live-commenting fics, ther
In the spirit of encouraging people to comment on fanfics while also making it easier to do so, I feel obliged to share a browser extension for ao3 that has quite literally revolutionized the comment game for me.
I present to you: the floating ao3 comment box!
From what I've seen, a big problem for many people is that once you reach the comments at the bottom of a fic, your memory of it miraculously disappears. Anything you wanted to say is stuck ten paragraphs ago, and you barely remember what you thought while reading. This fixes that!
I'll give a little explanation on the features and how it works, but if you want to skip all that, here's the link.
Edit: Yes, this also works on mobile!
The extension is visible as a small blue box in the upper left corner.
(Side note: The green colouring is not from the extension, that's me.)
If you click on it, you open a comment box window at the bottom of your screen but not at the bottom of the fic. I opened my own fic for demonstrative purposes.
The website also gives explanations on how exactly it functions, but I'll summarize regardless.
insert selection -> if you highlight a sentence in the fic it will be added in italics to the comment box
add to comment box -> once you're done writing your comment, you click this button and the entire thing will automatically copied to the ao3 comment box
delete -> self explanatory
on mulitchapter fics, you will be given the option to either add the comment to just the current chapter or the entire fic
The best part? You can simply close the window the same way you opened it and your progress will automatically be saved. So you can open it, comment on a paragraph, and then close it and keep reading without having the box in your face.
Comments are what keep writers going, and as both a writer and a reader, I think it's such an easy way of showing support and enthusiasm.
It is October and thus: spooky season! Who is ready for some dark, creepy or goosebumps-inducing Merlin fics? Be it a quest undertaken on Samhain or ghosts haunting Camelot, these fics are sure to get you into the Halloween mood.
Today's gen fic rec theme: Spooky, Scary, Haunted
↓ Find the list of fanfic recs under the cut! ↓
⚬ Merlin Choose Your Own Adventure Game by FriendlyNeighbourhoodWriter, rated T
https://archiveofourown.org/works/45199480
summary: Have you ever felt frustrated that the characters made that one dumb decision? Ever wanted to just yell at the screen so they choose differently? With this story, that power lies in your hands!Set in an alternate universe where Merlin revealed his magic and became court sorcerer, Arthur has been attacked by something. It is up to Merlin to figure out what this is, and how to save his best friend. But the choices he makes depend on you as a reader. You are in control, and Merlin will act according to what you tell him to. So... choose wisely!
⚬ Darkness Like a Second Skin by VikingSong, 22k, rated T
https://archiveofourown.org/works/51119401
summary: Merlin had expected the Dorocha to kill him; he never considered that the voices of the dead might demand something far worse. As a dead foe lies through Merlin’s teeth, compounding Merlin’s own lies, Merlin’s friendships crack and crumble around him. Perhaps the only way to battle the vengeful, icy darkness within is to shed his lies and step into the light.
⚬ Feeding Grounds by N16, 14k, rated G
https://archiveofourown.org/works/42480024
summary: There’s something in the forest near Camelot. A manor that has never been there before. A manor that shouldn’t be there now. And within that manor, an ancient darkness waits. When Arthur and his men are forced to take refuge in the house for a night, the hunt is on. An evil force sets its sight on Emrys and his king, and it won’t rest until it has its prey. And this time, Merlin's magic is more likely to doom Arthur than to save him…
⚬ Black Cat by s0mmerspr0ssen, 4k, rated T
https://archiveofourown.org/works/42040827
summary: A cursed cat arrives in Camelot, Merlin tries his very best to stop it from wreaking havoc on the castle, and Arthur believes Merlin has gone crazy.
⚬ The Last Laugh by Gingeraffealene, 4k, rated K
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13731331/1/The-Last-Laugh
summary: The consequences of a ghostly rumor inconvenience Merlin and, therefore, the Prince. Will Arthur's attempt to put rumors to rest succeed? Is the castle haunted or is there a magical trickster lurking about? Who will have the last laugh? An adventuresome night in the hallway should answer all those questions. Just a bit of spooky fun for Halloween.
⚬ The Longest Night by Camelittle, 2k, rated G
https://archiveofourown.org/works/10896549
summary: Samhain Eve is a bad time to be away from home. So Arthur and the Knights tell stories, to pass the time. When everyone finds Gwaine's tale a bit hard to stomach, Percival has a bright idea. How about asking Merlin to take a turn?
⚬ The Power of Words by jaqtkd, 3k, rated T
https://archiveofourown.org/works/2528975
summary: It's Samhain night and the party from Camelot are sitting around a large camp-fire and telling each other scary stories. Odd things start to happen when Merlin takes his turn, and the line between fact and fiction soon becomes blurred.
⚬ We Daren't Go A'Hunting by wryter501, 15k, unrated
https://archiveofourown.org/works/37482931
summary: "We daren't go a'hunting, for fear of little men..." ~ "The Fairies" by William AllinghamOn Samhain the veils between various worlds thin, and strange things can pass through - beings who wish to assimilate Arthur, and Merlin, into their troop... but for very different reasons. And Merlin's magic doesn't work on them...Takes place in-canon after season 2, does not reveal Merlin's magic - but it does reveal other secrets.
⚬ Slumbering Magic by salted_popcorn, 1k, rated G
https://archiveofourown.org/works/38990196
summary: It felt like a cool bath in Summer, the taste of freshly baked custard tarts, the smell of lavender in Guinevere's hair, the sound of Merlin's laughter. It felt like nothing and everything all at once. It is the golden age of Albion. The citizens live in peace and prosperity. Magic has been restored and friendships have been mended. Everything is not okay.
⚬ Whispering Your Name by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle, 23k, rated T
https://archiveofourown.org/works/19874179
summary: The Dorocha. They are the voices of the dead, my child. And, like the dead, they are numberless. Or: A different take of the dorocha. Instead of them being faceless screams that attack you, they are actually figures of the dead. Merlin doesn't quite realize how much death affected him until him and the knights go to close the veil.
⚬ The Devil's Table by Stealth Dragon, 30k, rated T
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8504943/1/The-Devil-s-Table
summary: Arthur and Gwaine rescue Merlin from the clutches of slave traders only to find themselves trapped in a strange castle whose residents have up and vanished. There's something in the castle that's after them, and to make matters worse, Merlin is already injured and can't use his magic.
⚬ Into The Dark by kriadydragon, 16k, rated T
https://archiveofourown.org/works/1022118
summary: Merlin is a medium with a past he can't (and may not want to)remember. Arthur is a ghost hunter looking for answers as to why hismother killed herself for no known reasons. Both are rivals, but willhave to work together when their quest for answers gets them more than they bargained for.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 2/2
Fandom: Merlin (TV)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin & Sir Galahad, Merlin & Morgana, Emrys - Relationship, Arthur & Emrys
Characters: Merlin (Merlin), Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Morgana (Merlin), Sir Galahad, Knights of the Round Table (Merlin), Knights (Merlin)
Additional Tags: Magic, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Arthur Finds Out About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Merlin's Neckerchief (Merlin), Protective Merlin, Merlin is a Little Shit, BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Good Morgana (Merlin), Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Knights - Freeform, knights of the round table - Freeform, merlin is Emrys, Merlin is magic, There is a lot of explaining left to do lmao
Series: Part 42 of Merlin's magic
Summary:
Long ago, long before Arthur was born, magic had been a constant in the life of Camelot.
And Albion in general.
Magic is neither good nor bad. It chose who wielded it. And nobody had ever been able to reject this gift. This power.
But just because nobody ever could before, doesn't mean there would never be a first.
And that is the beginning of Arthur Pendragon. And why magic decided to serve him.
Largely inspired by @nomorezerocomments & @justleaveacommentfest.
As of this moment there are 68,344 fics on Ao3 in the Merlin fandom tag, and 9,741 of those have 0 comments, some which have hundreds and hundreds of kudos and even bookmarks but no comments.
There's plenty more that only have a few comments and yet are beloved by fandom. And this is just from a quick glance at ao3, I'm not even counting fanfiction.net, LiveJournal, here on Tumblr, and all the other fanfic places I'm not thinking of right now!
The goal of this is to (of course) comment on fanfic but also to interact with the community. Reblog fanfic, fanart, fan videos, edit, and all the other lovely things each other has made, as well checking up on fandom friends and just have a good time with each other.
And after all with the holiday season upon us, comments are the best gift to the fellow people in the community!
When will it start:
October 1!
When will it end:
January 10! So that it hopefully covers most of the holiday season for everyone!
Rules:
Comment on any Merlin fandom fanfic and tally up your comments!
Everyone is in charge of keeping track of the fics you commented on and how many comments you've left. This will work on the honor system as this is supposed to be as laid back as possible.
Show love to those fanfics that have 0 comments or barely any comments at all!
Show love to short fics/one shots, rare pairs, Gen fics, comment on those smutty fics that you never comment on!
No check in's, no sign ups, just commenting!
No AI fics! No AI comments! No AI at all!
What do I win:
The fandom old prize of Bragging Rights and having fun with your Community
But also if anyone wants to offer any fan creations as a prize incentive, I can throw some in for some extra fun 😃
Extra things to do:
Make a rec list of your favorite fanfics and/or the fics you've commented on and tag me in it so we can share them!
Send/tag me in your fics that you think deserve some more love
Send/tag me those fics that have 0 comments and let's work as a fandom to decrease those 9,000+ fanfics without any love
Any questions suggestions about anything? Send me a ask!!!
And it begins! (Or already has begun depending on your time zone) Go and be free! Unleash your commenting needs! And remember—
Main commenting goal is to decrease the 9,755 fics with 0 comments!
Give some love to those fics that aren't in English!
Give those Gen fics, femslash fics, and rarepair fics a chance!
All fanfic from everywhere—any site, any corner of the Internet (except if GenAI was used) is accepted!
Don't force yourself to read/comment! This goes all the way till January 10! So there's plenty of time!
Read a fanfic and don't know what to comment?
Whether it's a long detailed comment or a "I liked this", "Reading this again!", "Eating this!", "This chapter is my favorite!", "!!!!!", a good ol' keyboard smash, complete gibberish, or a string of emojis; any and all comments are appreciated!
Also using the tag #commenting help for any posts I find that talk about different ways (like inputting images) to help if anybody needs it!
Read a fanfic and don't like it/don't want to comment?
Perfectly okay! Don't feel forced to comment on anything you don't want to! The back button is your friend 💕
Not your cup of tea but still well written or something you want to share? Send it in as a ask, submission, or make a post of your own and mention me so we can share it with everyone!
Want to read but can't find a fanfic?
I'll be using the tag #fics open for love for any and all fanfic that gets submitted, I get mentioned or tagged in! (I will tag all relationships and characters!) As well as the tag #fic finding help for other posts that talk about navigating finding fanfic easier/finding older fanfics as tagging used to not be as a lot of people know it now
Remember commenting isn't the only way to participate and have fun! You can—
Make rec lists (Favorite fics, fav femslash fics, fav Gen fics, fav rarepairs fics, LiveJournal only fics, fff.net only fics, new fics that you've read for this fest etc)
Share/rec individual fanfiction (It can be an old favorite, share your daily/weekly reads etc)
Share/reblog/create headcanons, fanart, spin off fanfics, edits, fan songs, playlists fan vids, pod fics, or any fan creations of existing Fanfics!
Author but not much of a reader?
Send in some of your own fanfics that are your favorites, have 0 comments, or think deserve more love!
Make a daily/weekly (however often) showcase of your fanfics! Show them off and talk about your favorite parts that you wrote, what you did or inspired or your thought process behind certain parts of it (random art you drew for it? Share it! A playlist you made for it? Share it please!)
Do you have a ton of comments in your inbox that you want to reply to but haven't gotten around to? Reply to those comments!
Someone/Lurker who's a reader but doesn't/can't comment?
Perfectly okay! I have Anon on for everything so if you want to send in the fics you read so that other people can read and comment on them too that's also an option!
If you still want to rant and rave or discuss a fanfic but can't for whatever reason feel free to do it if/when you send in a ask or submission, or feel free to send a ask in whenever you want!
If you're participating quietly and don't want/can't do any of the above options; you're still amazing, you're lovely, I'm glad you're apart of this fandom and I hope you have fun!
What else can I do!
If you want to send in a ask and say "I'm up to this many comments now!" Do it! I want to know!
If you want to rant about a comment you left or a reply you got back from the author go ahead!
If you want to talk about a comment you Received on a fic of yours please do!
Wanna talk about anything anyone's ever said about a fan creation you've made? Yes share all the stories!
Send asks (anon or not) to your favorite authors or the author of your favorite fanfics and let them know you still love it or it's your new favorite thing!
Any other fun things that can be thought of that I can't think of right now!
Just remember to tag me @merlincommentfest so I can see your rec lists, showcases, fanfics, updates, how many fics you've read so far, and whatever else you want to share and reblog it here!
Whatever you end up doing have fun! Interact with your other fandom communities just the same if you want! Check in on fandom people/friends, send messages, send asks, anon or not! Do whatever makes you or someone else happy and give yourself a little mental Good Noodle star on a sticker sheet and enjoy our little community! ⭐
And it begins! (Or already has begun depending on your time zone) Go and be free! Unleash your commenting needs! And remember—
Main commenting goal is to decrease the 9,755 fics with 0 comments!
Give some love to those fics that aren't in English!
Give those Gen fics, femslash fics, and rarepair fics a chance!
All fanfic from everywhere—any site, any corner of the Internet (except if GenAI was used) is accepted!
Don't force yourself to read/comment! This goes all the way till January 10! So there's plenty of time!
Read a fanfic and don't know what to comment?
Whether it's a long detailed comment or a "I liked this", "Reading this again!", "Eating this!", "This chapter is my favorite!", "!!!!!", a good ol' keyboard smash, complete gibberish, or a string of emojis; any and all comments are appreciated!
Also using the tag #commenting help for any posts I find that talk about different ways (like inputting images) to help if anybody needs it!
Read a fanfic and don't like it/don't want to comment?
Perfectly okay! Don't feel forced to comment on anything you don't want to! The back button is your friend 💕
Not your cup of tea but still well written or something you want to share? Send it in as a ask, submission, or make a post of your own and mention me so we can share it with everyone!
Want to read but can't find a fanfic?
I'll be using the tag #fics open for love for any and all fanfic that gets submitted, I get mentioned or tagged in! (I will tag all relationships and characters!) As well as the tag #fic finding help for other posts that talk about navigating finding fanfic easier/finding older fanfics as tagging used to not be as a lot of people know it now
Remember commenting isn't the only way to participate and have fun! You can—
Make rec lists (Favorite fics, fav femslash fics, fav Gen fics, fav rarepairs fics, LiveJournal only fics, fff.net only fics, new fics that you've read for this fest etc)
Share/rec individual fanfiction (It can be an old favorite, share your daily/weekly reads etc)
Share/reblog/create headcanons, fanart, spin off fanfics, edits, fan songs, playlists fan vids, pod fics, or any fan creations of existing Fanfics!
Author but not much of a reader?
Send in some of your own fanfics that are your favorites, have 0 comments, or think deserve more love!
Make a daily/weekly (however often) showcase of your fanfics! Show them off and talk about your favorite parts that you wrote, what you did or inspired or your thought process behind certain parts of it (random art you drew for it? Share it! A playlist you made for it? Share it please!)
Do you have a ton of comments in your inbox that you want to reply to but haven't gotten around to? Reply to those comments!
Someone/Lurker who's a reader but doesn't/can't comment?
Perfectly okay! I have Anon on for everything so if you want to send in the fics you read so that other people can read and comment on them too that's also an option!
If you still want to rant and rave or discuss a fanfic but can't for whatever reason feel free to do it if/when you send in a ask or submission, or feel free to send a ask in whenever you want!
If you're participating quietly and don't want/can't do any of the above options; you're still amazing, you're lovely, I'm glad you're apart of this fandom and I hope you have fun!
What else can I do!
If you want to send in a ask and say "I'm up to this many comments now!" Do it! I want to know!
If you want to rant about a comment you left or a reply you got back from the author go ahead!
If you want to talk about a comment you Received on a fic of yours please do!
Wanna talk about anything anyone's ever said about a fan creation you've made? Yes share all the stories!
Send asks (anon or not) to your favorite authors or the author of your favorite fanfics and let them know you still love it or it's your new favorite thing!
Any other fun things that can be thought of that I can't think of right now!
Just remember to tag me @merlincommentfest so I can see your rec lists, showcases, fanfics, updates, how many fics you've read so far, and whatever else you want to share and reblog it here!
Whatever you end up doing have fun! Interact with your other fandom communities just the same if you want! Check in on fandom people/friends, send messages, send asks, anon or not! Do whatever makes you or someone else happy and give yourself a little mental Good Noodle star on a sticker sheet and enjoy our little community! ⭐
Largely inspired by @nomorezerocomments & @justleaveacommentfest.
As of this moment there are 68,344 fics on Ao3 in the Merlin fandom tag, and 9,741 of those have 0 comments, some which have hundreds and hundreds of kudos and even bookmarks but no comments.
There's plenty more that only have a few comments and yet are beloved by fandom. And this is just from a quick glance at ao3, I'm not even counting fanfiction.net, LiveJournal, here on Tumblr, and all the other fanfic places I'm not thinking of right now!
The goal of this is to (of course) comment on fanfic but also to interact with the community. Reblog fanfic, fanart, fan videos, edit, and all the other lovely things each other has made, as well checking up on fandom friends and just have a good time with each other.
And after all with the holiday season upon us, comments are the best gift to the fellow people in the community!
When will it start:
October 1!
When will it end:
January 10! So that it hopefully covers most of the holiday season for everyone!
Rules:
Comment on any Merlin fandom fanfic and tally up your comments!
Everyone is in charge of keeping track of the fics you commented on and how many comments you've left. This will work on the honor system as this is supposed to be as laid back as possible.
Show love to those fanfics that have 0 comments or barely any comments at all!
Show love to short fics/one shots, rare pairs, Gen fics, comment on those smutty fics that you never comment on!
No check in's, no sign ups, just commenting!
No AI fics! No AI comments! No AI at all!
What do I win:
The fandom old prize of Bragging Rights and having fun with your Community
But also if anyone wants to offer any fan creations as a prize incentive, I can throw some in for some extra fun 😃
Extra things to do:
Make a rec list of your favorite fanfics and/or the fics you've commented on and tag me in it so we can share them!
Send/tag me in your fics that you think deserve some more love
Send/tag me those fics that have 0 comments and let's work as a fandom to decrease those 9,000+ fanfics without any love
Any questions suggestions about anything? Send me a ask!!!
UPDATED APRIL 2025 (previous version | oldest version)
the links broke again so this time we're trying the tumblr image links and hope they don't spontaneously break (as has been known to happen) 🤞
Are you frustrated you can't leave second kudos on AO3? or third kudos? or whatever-who's-counting kudos?
Well, have I got the html for you!
Plop any of the codes in a comment (by copy&pasting the code under Keep reading - scroll to the bottom of the post) to make an author's day and show your appreciation!
bonus: cookie kudos
SCROLL DOWN TO GET THE CODES (under the cut)!
Feel free to spread and use these as much as you like, however you like!
[ if you enjoy them, consider supporting my ko-fi ]
I've received a lot of good suggestions for more variants but can't keep up with them all, so here are some resources to make it easier to make your own.
PSD for easily editable text (there is a color fill layer for adding a bit of white where the stroke doesn't cover small holes. I recommend cropping excess empty space out before exporting as PNG)
and here are PNGs of the kudos button for any other editing needs, with and without white stroke:
Use your favorite image host, copy the direct image link, insert it between the quotation marks in the code, add alt text, and you're ready!
<img src="[DIRECT IMAGE LINK]" alt="[ALT TEXT]">
(you can add any image or gif to a comment like this as long as you have the direct image link btw)
if you post your kudos images, I'd be grateful if you'd link back to this post so other people can find the resources too 💗
When you paste into the AO3 comment box, make sure the quotation marks are straight:
NOT curly:
simply deleting and re-typing them in the ao3 comment box should fix this!
Many of the old image links from the original post are broken. I cannot fix them. Please use the new codes going forward ❤️
Second kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/7a59d6a32ace63cdcce3911d529f8b88/08d1854086a423d0-e6/s250x400/3e75997487cf31a3ddd8d9314e78d3d63985ec7d.png" alt="second kudos">
Third kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/867894b77aae146acc60c681d556e02f/08d1854086a423d0-16/s250x400/83741777e69d723c92497dbc8909c1989bcfd8ac.png" alt="third kudos">
yet another kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/05ec40eaf2f6948ddcfd58e7b3f6289f/08d1854086a423d0-4a/s250x400/30f9e4560583a7e145ba9869c1650ee79cd989eb.png" alt="yet another kudos">
ALL the kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/ae814ede90f2637ce1e58decbe783dc1/08d1854086a423d0-1e/s250x400/c52bf3d8f978b90f9fa00fee6d748fab31ba74d2.png" alt="ALL the kudos">
Heaps of kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/79486036ed102d1d6bbdcfdde40cfce0/08d1854086a423d0-97/s250x400/562c7913b5c04a0be3ae88aefb0c7b52a677de98.png" alt="Heaps of kudos">
Kisses your forehead kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/59d6eef76163bef189aab485c889d938/08d1854086a423d0-f7/s250x400/9afad07e80307757b08a752ae93d0ca30bd75f13.png" alt="Kisses your forehead kudos">
Reading in public kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/2c2ef21138ac15cd86c940e18f026f18/08d1854086a423d0-9e/s250x400/1089607ba50414159c44322a09159017251b34db.png" alt="Reading in public kudos">
This is the sole reason my sleep schedule is being ruined kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/b6c7385c4b2a18d2bdd7b2f7809f7679/08d1854086a423d0-96/s250x400/34d3bdd8263439d9ebff3a630c4ff785221da2d2.png" alt="This is the sole reason my sleep schedule is being ruined kudos">
Should be sleeping kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/fc26ea389c37ea36f7842bc7b9af0ddf/08d1854086a423d0-61/s100x200/f0959d6bfc6e5c7ced8e95bd4732a175f1b153a1.png" alt="Should be sleeping kudos">
Should be working kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/960404eda62b6161dfc5293ffbd60067/08d1854086a423d0-16/s250x400/1285e4b0e3a224a697ed7e2361ceeae383b297b3.png" alt="Should be working kudos">
Read the whole fic in one go kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/dcc0ff353b88330dcc32d0ce42126472/08d1854086a423d0-c7/s250x400/fe64765f47a12175372d9bbc69897c03b90e173a.png" alt="Read the whole fic in one go kudos">
what about elevenses kudos:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/33235fdbdca4deb1f0332efe25278473/08d1854086a423d0-41/s250x400/3790c6b7c260468371f54c5d30194b07941ecbb2.png" alt="what about elevenses kudos">
You've already left kudos here!:
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/3d7f5de5f16d1740360d9b264fc31d46/08d1854086a423d0-ae/s250x400/bdbfed76d384df20c1b8972f99de791e172c5c4b.png" alt="You've already left kudos here!">
You have already left kudos here. :) (red AO3 box):
<img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/f3ab87c7fa67958f45798af8f83fef41/08d1854086a423d0-27/s500x750/978088884e0431616ff413f1401706617cf5c447.png" alt="You have already left kudos here. :)">
Other links
answered asks about broken kudos links
all answered asks/fulfilled requests/misc related to this post
Largely inspired by @nomorezerocomments & @justleaveacommentfest.
As of this moment there are 68,344 fics on Ao3 in the Merlin fandom tag, and 9,741 of those have 0 comments, some which have hundreds and hundreds of kudos and even bookmarks but no comments.
There's plenty more that only have a few comments and yet are beloved by fandom. And this is just from a quick glance at ao3, I'm not even counting fanfiction.net, LiveJournal, here on Tumblr, and all the other fanfic places I'm not thinking of right now!
The goal of this is to (of course) comment on fanfic but also to interact with the community. Reblog fanfic, fanart, fan videos, edit, and all the other lovely things each other has made, as well checking up on fandom friends and just have a good time with each other.
And after all with the holiday season upon us, comments are the best gift to the fellow people in the community!
When will it start:
October 1!
When will it end:
January 10! So that it hopefully covers most of the holiday season for everyone!
Rules:
Comment on any Merlin fandom fanfic and tally up your comments!
Everyone is in charge of keeping track of the fics you commented on and how many comments you've left. This will work on the honor system as this is supposed to be as laid back as possible.
Show love to those fanfics that have 0 comments or barely any comments at all!
Show love to short fics/one shots, rare pairs, Gen fics, comment on those smutty fics that you never comment on!
No check in's, no sign ups, just commenting!
No AI fics! No AI comments! No AI at all!
What do I win:
The fandom old prize of Bragging Rights and having fun with your Community
But also if anyone wants to offer any fan creations as a prize incentive, I can throw some in for some extra fun 😃
Extra things to do:
Make a rec list of your favorite fanfics and/or the fics you've commented on and tag me in it so we can share them!
Send/tag me in your fics that you think deserve some more love
Send/tag me those fics that have 0 comments and let's work as a fandom to decrease those 9,000+ fanfics without any love
Any questions suggestions about anything? Send me a ask!!!
