#onceandfuturerewatch

[coinofstone]

Combining 4x12 and 4x13 The Sword in the Stone pts 1 and 2 into one post, no commentary tracks on either episode, unfortunately.

4x12 The Sword in the Stone pt 1

I really don't mean to question any of this homoerotic comedy gold, but why has Arthur got his chainmail on before his pants? Surely chainmail is a post-trouser application?

"No one likes to be called fat, Merlin"

Arthur sitting there moping over Gwen is the biggest self own. "I look for her in the room, and she's not there. Then I remember why." Yea cuz you threw her out you DUMBASS. Sick of TV trying to make me feel sympathy for dudes who played themselves.

Can you hear the music when you see this

Such a great shot. AND a great piece of music too.

Dear reader, you're probably expecting me to make a shit ton of hypnosis jokes, and you know, you're not wrong, but first - there is something pressing that needs to be addressed:

Behold, the most awkward handshake of all time. Eoin is literally going for his bicep instead of his forearm, what even is that?!? And poor Percival, he's got one injured dumbass hanging off him on one arm, and another dumbass trying to shake his other hand like he's never seen an arm before. It looks like he's reaching up into his armpit because of the angle 😂😂 I'm cackling watching this gif loop.

Same energy:

(Gif credit not found)

THIS is why Elyan/Percival is the superior side ship:

Look at that sweet sweet chemistry. I almost always see Percival paired with Leon or Gwaine in fic and I just... how on earth can you pass this up? These two are perfect together. That LOOK Elyan gives him and Percival's giddy face as he looks over at Merlin and Arthur 😍😍😍 it looks better in the video than I can reproduce in gif

Christ, he DOES play the bimbofication well, doesn't he? "Whatever you say I'm entirely in your hands." I feel like at the time that was the line that spawned a million fanfics.

Morgana that is a magic snake, not a pen

Agravaine is so fuckin creepy. I mean I'm glad it took this long for him to go full blown creepazoid but we ALL saw it coming. Even tho he's NOT her uncle it's still gross, he's twice her age and disgusting.

How many brothers did Ygraine have anyway? Tristan I guess we'll never know but why would Agravaine really want his sister's SON dead? Fuckin royals.

Is Arthur listening for woodworm?

Why is Tristan twice Isolde's age

I miss Simpleton Arthur, but at least King Arthur looks good fighting in those tight capris

Arthur's all moody about Agravaine betraying him and Merlin is so supportive. If I were Merlin I would've been dropping "I told you so's" left and right.

What I don't get, is if Merlin knew Gwen has been in Ealdor, why has he never told Arthur this?

Gotta figure the people of Ealdor are not gonna be too happy about their village coming under attack cuz King Arthur is hiding out there. He's not even their king 😂

4x13 The Sword in the Stone part two

It's weird to have what feels like a ending moment ten minutes in

Tristan is such a dick

Won't eating moldy bread just make Gaius sicker

Hey um... how did Arthur get his clothes back? Did he keep a spare set in Ealdor? You know, for all those times he visits Hunith with Merlin? What's that you say, I'm getting fanon confused with canon again? Am I though?

Actual scene from when Merlin was telling Arthur the Bruta coda:

Omgggg the way he looks at Merlin's mouthhhhhhhhh before he goes to try and pull the sword from the stone

This is probably the second most iconic scene in the series, after the round table scene

and yes, I realize I'm going to hell for this but I can't be the only pervert watching this and thinking about how incredibly ... phallic it is.

There's a whole other level of subtext to this. Not just the phallic imagery but Merlin literally leading a doubtful Arthur to this ... performance space in front of a crowd, where Merlin is in full control of what's about to happen - and he guides Arthur through the motions, encouraging and confidence boosting, until Arthur becomes the truest version of his self. I say Merlin is in control but that's not even entirely accurate, he's only in control of releasing the sword from the stone, but that in and of itself is of no consequence; the power in this scene lies with Arthur, in his faith in himself - which is what Merlin is really helping him reclaim; the sword is just metaphor.

But am I supposed to believe that this subtext isn't intentional? Especially immediately after Merlin had Arthur in a trance-like state where he became more pliant and willing to be led?

My god if I were involved in this fandom when this was airing this episode would've made me lose my MIND.

Daaaamn Leon coming on a bit strong there but okay.

Nice to know that Morgana Pendragon, last priestess of the Old Religion, powerful Socereress and current ruler of Camelot, freezes and whimpers in terror at the first glimpse of an unexpected octogenarian in her castle.

I never watched any cast interviews beyond the SDCC panel that was in the S3 extras but I really want to know where that little laugh Old Man Merlin does came from. That little 'heh' is just the greatest thing ever, I'm dying to know if he based that on anyone or anything in particular.

Hey remember in S2 when Morgana got a whole bunch of hairbrushes for her birthday? Bet she wishes she knew where those had got to now.

This brief moment between Gwen and Arthur is actually perfect. Arthur has for so long gone been brooding about how he loves her but he's angry, even though we, the audience, know he has no business blaming her, none of the fucking characters do, including Gwen. But Gwen has also been through a lot, and he's given her zero benefit of doubt the whole time. So watching her march up to him and angrily tell him that she still loves him, then walking away without letting him speak - him, the king, her, leaving the 'tho God knows why since you behave like such an ass' unsaid at the end. It's really a beautiful, perfect moment.

Arthur: what happened to you, Morgana?

Morgana:

We love a mirror corridor fight scene

Percival and Elyan tho 😍😍

"Hold me"

No parallels there, nope, not at all.

Arthur: will you marry me?

The castle staff: christ, not again

Merlin's got himself a new coat for the occasion and everything!

Why is it that Merlin never checked on Aithusa? Never even asked Kilgharrah about her? You'd think he would've felt some kind of obligation, as the last Dragonlord, towards her. Yes I'm going with 'her' don't @ me it's hc.

As per usual, if there's anything worth commenting on in the special features for S4 I will create a separate post.

[coinofstone]

5x03 The Death Song of Uther Pendragon

Arthur went out to collect firewood while Merlin watched over the dying lady 🥺

They saved a woman from being burned at the stake for sorcery and she repays them with a super powerful magic artifact

"He's always like this at the anniversary of his coronation."

"I thought it was a cause for celebration?"

"It is, but it's also the anniversary of Uther's death."

I would like to refer everyone back to my 4x03 post where I point out that Uther was stabbed on Arthur's birthday, which is also the anniversary of his mother's death. Uther would've died a day or two later. So within the span of let's say, half a week, Arthur's got his birthday, his mother's death anniversary, his father's death anniversary, and his coronation. He needs a hug. It's gotta be the hardest week of the year for him, every year. Speaking from personal experience, I know I wouldn't be anywhere near as upright as Arthur is, for all his thousand yard staring.

It's a very nice sarcophagus but what is going on with Uther's left leg?

No srsly wut is this

Is it reeeeally swollen? Did he break his ankle in the fight or perhaps when he fell?

Ok I'll stop being mean

The ONE time Merlin knocks

You think this was a sex thing? I think it might've been a sex thing.

Spirit!Uther, while traumatizing in his own right, still isn't as frightening as actual King Uther could be.

Oooof I have Things To Say™️ about this. The reason Arthur chooses to use the horn, to use magic, is because, "there isn't a day that goes by when I don't think of the thing I wish I'd said to him." But when he gets to speak to Uther, he doesn't actually get to say very much at all, because Uther immediately begins criticizing everything he's done as king. Arthur doesn't get what he sought at all, instead of an opportunity to tell his father any of the things he wished to say, he gets spoken to, harshly criticized. It's a major blow. And he says as much, when the single man tear spills over and he says "this can't be the last time I ever see you" - yes the line is foreshadowing Uther's haunting of Camelot but it's also signaling that Arthur's been traumatized; he went from having had his father mortally wounded in saving Arthur's own life, to having seen his father 3+ years into Arthur's rule as King of Camelot, and point blank being told Uther is disappointed in him. Not proud of him - actively un-proud. We don't really know what exactly Arthur wanted, if he'd hoped his father would've seen all the good his way of ruling had done and praised him, but I think it's pretty safe to assume that was on the wish list.

Be careful what you wish for indeed.

I AMUSE MYSELF. (I spent two hours figuring out how to create this please appreciate me)

Merlin's angry face when Arthur tells goin what Uther said is literally all of us.

I feel terrible for this but when Percival is leaving Gaius' chambers and he stops to look at the wall-torch, I immediately flash backed to Alice Troughton on commentary in S4 saying "Percival's a bit of a wuss isn't he?"

This is also awful but this episode kind of makes me miss the castle-centric contained episodes of S1

Never any guards around when you're being attacked by the ghost of your husband's dead dad, typical.

I understand Merlin bringing Guinevere to Gaius but putting her in Merlin's bed??????

The way Bradley and Colin both convincingly jumped when they turned around and found Gaius had snuck up right behind them kills me every time.

"Poetry". What he means to say there is, 'why didn't you just tell him we were fucking, since that would actually sound less gay'

So. Merlin took the ghost visibility potion but he can't see Utter knocking over barrels and shelves and things to trap in that store room.

Also why is there a pigeon in a windowless store room? Now I'm wondering why there aren't more birds randomly flying into the citadel, cuz they do have quite a lot of open windows... you'd think that might happen now and again.

Mmmmmmmm

Hmmmmmmm

Ooooof I love a bamf husband coming through to deal with a shit-for-brains abusive father... ghost.

^^actual canon scene

Was Tony shot entirely on green for this? That unearthly blue glow even in close ups where he doesn't look like he's on a green scene makes me wonder.

The 'horseplay' scene at the end was so full of sexual tension and d/s undertones that I literally do not want to say anything lest tumblr flag this post for content.

Commentary is Angel and Rupert. The two regulars who were in the least number of scenes in this ep. Since this post is already crazy long I'll keep this brief.

Aaaaand it's the first time either of them have seen this episode 😂 wow.

They've made 'horn' jokes and Rupert's gone full on tongue in cheek dad jokes.

They are also cracking jokes on Colin being all jacked up for S5 compared to previously when he was so skinny hehe... personally I ain't mad at him 😂

Fifteen minutes into the episode and Leon makes his first appearance

The little bottles and decor things in Gaius' chambers are part of a static set so they pretty much just sit there... Angel says that some of the contents have started to go moldy and they found maggots in one of them 🤢

They're talking about Gwen's new hair and while Angel is being really diplomatic, I get the impression she's as annoyed as I am by it. It literally doesn't match her own hair at all. But she also said some people saw her without the piece on and just said 'omg you cut your hair' so I guess 🤷‍♀️

The scene where Gwen is knocked out by a vase smashing her head - Angel says she was hit with the heavier bottom piece of it, which hurt more than she was expecting, and she wound up with a bump on her head from it.

Not a word about Colin picking up Angel 😢

They're talking about childhood pets and a beverage called lilt? Anyway Angel is really clever and Rupert's corny af but he's funny and I love them both.

Oh this is interesting: Rupert says he and the director talked about having Leon walking through the corridor hand in hand with the cook when he stumbles upon Merlin and Arthur's 'poetry lesson', but they weren't allowed to do that bc it would've been just a little bit too much, or a little too tongue in cheek. Which I'm taking to mean, would've accentuated the subtext of 'poetry' too much.

Angel and Rupert didn't know how they got Uther all glowy either, though Angel said it was probably lighting

Rupert says the line where Utter got caught off, what he was gonna say was "Merlin has ... been to the gym!" 😂😂😂😂😂

They really are great together doing these things

Rupert's story was the horse he had been riding all season had a foal, and nobody even knew she'd been pregnant. They just came out one morning and saw she'd given birth, and he got a call to inform him. That's kind of sweet. I wonder if he sent them some apples or something.

[coinofstone]

5x08 The Hollow Queen

What's Gwen doing out patrolling with the knights (jk I realize they're likely escorting her but it's still funny to think of her randomly deciding to join patrol when age wants to go for a walk or something)

I don't quite understand the correlation between the moon phase and frog catching but then I've never seen a wild frog in my life either. I did get kinda snooty when he said that tho cuz I'm like "she asked where you're going, not where you've been" 🤦‍♀️

Part of me wants to snark that this feels like it's about to be their first time actually boning, but the way Gwen casually calls for a hot bath... does she mean... after? Or....???

Stop he's like an angry barman 😂😍

Out of all the things I hate in S5, the way Gaius' chamber is lit is probably top 3, behind only the disrespect with which Gwen's character was treated all season and the fact that Arthur dies without restoring magic to Camelot, thus robbing us of the opportunity to watch King Arthur and Court Sorcerer Merlin handle various hilarious situations for at least a full thirteen episode season.

Yea this show is all medieval fantasy and whatever but Arthur, the grown ass man, not being able to find some very basic daily item that's right under his nose while standing helplessly in front of 'the clothing chair' and looking for someone to help him is tooooooo goddamn accurate.

There's no valid reason for this gif I just kept rewinding it so much I figured I might as well just gif it so I could watch it on a loop

Actually I guess I could use this moment to point out that since Arthur and Guinevere are married, we don't get the domestic morning scenes with Merlin walking Arthur up and helping him get dressed - presumably because they want to imply that Arthur's chambers is now *their* chambers, even though literally nothing has been done to it to suggest it's a shared space - beyond of course the one time we see Gwen's dresses hanging in Arthur's wardrobe and the extra changing screen. But there's no vanity, no second wardrobe ... it's really a very silly thing they're doing and I'm not entirely certain if it was intentional or overlooked or what. Sharing a bed chamber wasn't a common thing as far as I know, and even still a Queen needs a chamber of her own, even if the show wants to portray them as co-sleeping in Arthur's bed. It's just weird and inconsistent and I don't like it. Arthur's inability to dress himself, however - THAT I believe.

(Gif is from a S4 deleted scene)

Of course Morgana would tempt Merlin away from Camelot with tales of a Druid child in distress.

Gwen in that red queen outfit tho 😍

So, a couple things here. First off, this kid Daegal being like, "why are you being nice to me" to Merlin 😭 Second, Morgana leaving that kid alive is super ooc.

Merlin's little eyeroll when the kid tells him he thinks Morgana and Gwen intend to kill Arthur 😂

I love bamf Merlin

I don't particularly understand like... what Gwen is expecting to happen as Merlin is serving them dinner and Arthur brings up Merlin's girl. Like... she knows it's bullshit. At the end of the day despite everything that's happened, Morgana and therefore Gwen still don't know about Merlin's magic - they want him dead because a) Morgana knows he's thwarted her plans before and b) they know he knows or suspects Gwen - but how does she expect to play this off? 'Oh I assumed you were out shirking your responsibilities so I made up a girl to cover for you? Like??? What???

Commentary by Bradley and Alice

Wow they don't even record the commentary in order

Oh they actively cut the more 'suggestive' romantic scenes - like Arthur throwing Gwen onto the bed. That's like ... a lot more sensitive than I would've expected.

Omg Alice 😂 "what is it, Arwen? It's Arwen isn't it? Arthur/Gwen? Oh are you not with the speil? Merthur?"

Bradley: "I stay away from the spiel."

Alice: "oh come ON, Bradley get with the..."

Bradley: "I stay away from all that. For my own good."

Alice: "oh yea it probably is, actually."

Stop the name of the actor who plays Daegal is Alfie

I went to go follow Alice on Twitter and I spent an hour scrolling bullshit

They're saying Merlin wasn't cancelled, the BBC had asked for more but they said no because they'd planned to end it there

But they're also saying that S5 was great so I know they're lying on here

Bradley saying he wants to do theater but I don't think he's actually done any?

Omg Alice asking if he's seen Richard III and saying she went with Colin Katie and Rupert to see it but realizing they didn't invite Bradley and the awkward apology 😂😂😂😂

Alice said whose your favorite knight you can't offend then more than you have already 😂

Tomiwa was the smartest knight 😂

They're completely ignoring the episode and Alice is essentially interviewing Bradley with questions off Twitter

They had an awards thing at the wrap party? Oh it was awards made by Bradley it must've been for a joke

Alice just described the perilous lands episode as 'questy knighty' and suddenly I understand why I like her so much

[coinofstone]

5x02 Arthur's Bane pt 2

How does Morgana know Aithusa's name, if Aithusa cannot talk? Surely the only people who know her name are Merlin and Kilgharrah?

The Daimair is such a strange creature, even for this show. I mean yes, it looks like an alien, but that aside, why would this 'key to all knowledge' magical being, decide to hide out in caverns under a defunct castle? If her whole problem was being hunted by children of men, surely she'd have been better off in a regular cave like, in a mountain? I think they were going for a kind of bioluminescence like deep sea creatures have ... which would probably suggest that they're supposed to be a subterranean species - idk I don't think this character was very well thought out.

Arthur and Merlin pulling off the escape, but leaving all their fellow prisoners behind 😂

See, without that wet blanket Agravaine, we get more time for Gaius and Gwen.

How did Colin and Bradley both fit in that mining-bucket-cart thing?

Morgana looking at this slave dealer like 'why the fuck are you speaking, cockroach?' And he just instantly shuts up 😍😍😍

It's kinda funny to think of Percival needing only a single sword to get a slave uprising going.

Mordred, Knight of Camelot.

Merlin's like "if Arthur knew you had magic things would be different" meanwhile I'm like how the fuck does Arthur not know

Also, Merlin saved Arthur's life and became his servant, Mordred saves Arthur's life and gets knighted!

Commentary is Colin and Alex

They are CHATTY. I wasn't ready.

Ok so first off Colin is such an old man. They're talking about the fake snow and how it was so bright the day they were filming they were struggling because the sun was really bright bouncing off the white ground and he literally says 'you get snow blindness without even any snow' like my man, are you ninety?

Oh wow Alex was nearly bald when they filmed ep2, that's why they have the wrap on his head.

Alex watched the early episodes and focused on Asa's performance to bring as much into that as he could before kind of gradually moving away from it.

It's really funny when they first see the Diamair bcuz I think Colin never saw it before but they'd had the actress on set in a mo'cap suit, it was the politest 'wtf' I'd ever heard.

Colin said he felt naked without his neckerchief during the Saxon-disguise scenes 😭

Colin pointed out that all the magical characters in Merlin have an aspect of loneliness to them, which, now that it's been pointed out seems so obvious I'm mad I hadn't realized it myself.

They had a good laugh at Arthur walking up surrounded by a bunch of topless men and wondering what kind of party that was 😂

[coinofstone]

1x10 The Moment of Truth

When I first watched this series, i would laugh at the number of times i went "oh hey it's that guy!" Another thing Merlin and Supernatural have in common, seemingly every actor you've ever heard of has been on it. This episode in particular has two GoT actors (though Will is forever going to be Chris to me) and that one dude who's been in like every single TV production ever done in the UK. I just watched Humans and he has a very small role in there too.

I love this episode for soooooooo many reasons. Merlin's jealous ex. Merlin's mom. Team Free Will 2.0 - I mean, the way Arthur Morgana and Gwen come together to help Merlin. But I really love the theme of the episode, or maybe it's just the vibe I get from it: that thing about going home, being drawn back by circumstances beyond your control, and seeing your former world having moved on without you, getting along just fine barring the immediate crisis, and thus being able to return to your new world safe in the knowledge that it's where you belong now, and you don't have to worry about what you left. But I mean mostly it's the jealous boyfriends that I love.

I do understand Uther is in a difficult position, Ealdor isn't his territory and sending Knights of Camelot across the border could trigger a war. I honestly don't even fault him for that. But why will he not send a letter to Cenred and appeal to him on behalf of the village? It's not even suggested. Knowing Cenred from later on it's equally likely he'd retaliate by razing the whole village, offended that Uther would concern himself with affairs within Cenred's kingdom, or ignore the message altogether. In the same way I don't blame Uther, I feel for Hunith having to beg this man and call him "a good king and a caring man" knowing full well he'd burn her son alive if he found out about his magic. But, beyond that, how many other villages have been threatened by Kanen, but they don't have the resource of a son who works for the prince of Camelot?

Merlin walking around with that sword in the dark wood looks like me walking through my apt with a kitchen knife at 3am cuz I heard a noise

Kanen's men are all wearing zorro masks so you don't recognize them as guards or knights lol

Merlin and Arthur sleep top to tail so they don't wake up cuddling

Will is a day one Biden supporter

Will is so ready to drop kick Merlin out of the closet it's annoying

Literally everyone: Arthur loves Merlin so much

Merlin: he'll have me killed if he finds out about my magic - I'm only his servant

This awkward 'sorry my ex hates you' convo is the best

Woc fighting for gender equality as always. Love Gwen. And her telling Arthur off for being a snob. She's the best.

JUST KISS ALREADY jesus the Merthur tension is too much. I need Ealdor fics after this. Codas or just outside canon fics

Gwen is out here doing so much and Morgana can't even get a fire started. Like, really? She's handy with a sword tho.

Why a tornado of all things

Pls tell me someone had the sense to go finish killing Kanen after he shot Will.

Saying to a prince, "What are you gonna do, kill me?" as he's dying is the kind of 'fuck you' energy I aspire to.

Where are all these mythical children Ealdor supposedly has so many of? All hiding in the huts?

Hunith is the #1 Merthur shipper.

Oh God it's tfw doing commentary. Colin, Bradley, Katie, and Angel. This is gonna be a lot of laughing.

Katie points out that the wind only blows in one direction at Camelot cuz the flags always blow your same direction, Angel teases her and Katie claims it's her mom that noticed it.

Katie: the chemistry between [Arthur and Merlin] is undeniable, just look at you (during the scene on the rooftop where Merlin tells Arthur he's leaving for Ealdor.

LOL she keeps going on and Colin's like stop it you're just gonna be fueling websites or something, but it's said in laughter in a lighthearted way Katie McGrath #2 Merthur shipper!

Apparently there was an independent chicken who gave zero fucks on set and I just died laughing. Colin does a voice for the chicken. I'm easily amused.

Apparently Arthur putting his foot in Merlin's face wasn't scripted, that was a Bradley add on that got kept in😂

I don't usually suggest watching with commentary but this one is so funny my cheeks hurt from laughing

[coinofstone]

4x06 A Servant of Two Masters

Yaaaaaaas

If it weren't for the commentary, I never would've known that the reason this series never shows anyone get really wounded is because it was originally aimed at kids.

"Arthur is strangely fond of the boy" yeah I'll say

The intensity in this part

Honestly something about that gives me angry 11th doctor vibes. I can't even name a specific moment or episode, but something in Colin's performance has a very distinct Matt Smith feel to it when he's talking to Morgana here. I think it's to do with his voice and the lighting.

Katie and Colin have always been great together but this scene is special. She's evil, he's dying. There's this open animosity between them. It's great.

Also these two really need to just be cast as siblings in some spooky drama already

I think it's kinda funny how Colin's just kinda slightly too tall to be hanging from where they've got him tied up. Like the ceiling just isn't quite tall enough

**Why the fuck did tumblr just randomly decide to post this when I'm literally only 8 minutes into the episode. I HATE YOU TUMBLR**

Luckily I haven't added the tags yet so nobody will notice 😂

"Why are you so loyal to Arthur"

(vintage--lilacs)

"I already have a manservant. Alright he's shabby looking, he has appalling manners, he's extremely forgetful, he seems to spend most of his time in the tavern... but he is... .... my manservant. To be honest, I quite like it that way."

You will never ever convince me that Arthur wasn't about to say 'mine' there. Bradley played that intentionally and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.

Am I crazy or did they only give Gwen one dress for s4? I'm not a huge fan of her new look. I do like the dress but the hair and makeup I think is less flattering than the more natural look she had in previous seasons. I mean she's still gorgeous, but I think the intent was to make her look more mature or possibly higher in status? I don't think it quite hit whatever mark it was aiming for though.

Arthur finally gives Merlin a hug and Merlin is covered in mud. They did that shit on purpose 😂

Awww Gwaine's feelings were so hurt when Merlin wouldn't let him steal from Arthur's plate 😢

Mean Merlin is the funniest thing they've ever done

Leon's got a bright future in weapons dealing. Less so in detective-ing

Love a bit of nudity humor. And Gwen smacking Merlin upside the head with a metal pitcher 😂

The big magic fight between Morgana and old Merlin is actually kinda weak imo.

"Merlin, meet George" 😂

Gah Agravaine is so creepy

[coinofstone]

3x12 The Coming of Arthur pt 1

The title is such low hanging fruit I feel bad cracking a joke about it.

It's a quest episode! I love a quest episode. Srsly feel free to send me any and all Merthur quest fics. I can't get enough 😂

This is the episode responsible for the lovely Leon fanon headcanon that he's immortal. Always handy in an Arthur Returns fic.

Uther: you must go on this mission alone

Arthur: *brings Merlin*

I do love Merlin being being a smart alec and nagging Arthur while packing. Excellent banter.

Arthur said

Arthur threatening a young boy like this is such an ugly and uncharacteristic action it makes me angry.

Merlin tending to Arthur while he's sick and injured 🥺

Also I'm sorry but Merlin shows fuckin Gilli his magic but he's hiding it from fuckin Gwaine while Arthur is suffering? Silly.

Cenred's massive army makes me wonder if it's a result of his tolerance of magic or lower standards than the knights of Camelot, or some combination of both.

Poor Leon, though. He's just got back from near death in that forest and Uther sends him right fuckin back in 😂

Looks like they snuck in to Camelot via the dragon's cave. I doubt that was the intention but I still approve 😂

Knowing he's on a suicide mission, Arthur gives Merlin an out, knowing he'll never take it, knowing he doesn't even want him to: he still presents him with the choice.

How come literally everyone else gets a crown that fits them but Arthur walks around looking like he's wearing hand-me-downs?

Morgana might be evil but she looks damn good on a throne.

3x13 The Coming of Arthur pt 2

There's a post going around Twitter about ppl who nitpick at TV shows... this comment falls into exactly that category 100% but I'm sorry, I cannot just ignore the fact that Morgana's got these massive banners and an entire army's worth of uniforms, I mean look:

Every guard with the sigil on his uniform and half a dozen banners in the council chambers alone. That's to say nothing of the ones outside. I mean look at the sheer fuckin size of these things:

Look how tiny the ppl are next to em! They've gotta be at least 15 feet long, at least. Where did they come from? Were they all magicked into existence? Who designed that sigil? What does it represent? Is it Gorlois' banner? I HAVE QUESTIONS.

Leon isn't someone I've ever been particularly attracted to, personally, but his defiant shout of "Long Live the King" in the face of Morgana's threats, is sexy as hell.

Depressed Arthur is such a mood.

So. Gwen. Originally in 3x12 when Morgana essentially invited Gwen into the fold (insofar as a Queen's servant can be), it seems to be a set up, because Morgana has been treating Gwen like shit for ages, why would she suddenly want her friend back? Especially since Morgana knows something is going on between Gwen and Arthur - there's no way she believes that they were actually under the spell of some random sorcerer, that just doesn't make any sense. So you kind of assume - or at least I did - that Morgana is keeping Gwen close knowing that she'll be useful as bait or a hostage, just essentially as a person of value to Arthur. She's known Gwen for too long to actually believe she'd cross Arthur, there's just no way someone as machiavellian as Morgana doesn't see Gwen's 'loyalty' as a simple survival tactic. All of this is to say, when Morgana and Morgause eavesdrop on Gwen's conversation with Sir Leon, Morgana is just like, 'welp, she's betrayed me. Guess I'll kill her in the morning.' as though she was actually expecting Gwen to do anything else?!?! Like, why? It would've made so much more sense to just cut that line entirely and go straight to something like

Morgana: it's as we suspected, she's betrayed me

Morgause: yes, now she can lead us straight to Arthur

And it would've made so much more sense than the weird sort of purgatory they've implied where Morgana changed her mind about Gwen very suddenly the night before she took the throne. It's not a super important detail in the overarching story but it's another example of how carelessly their story has been handled.

Me rn:

I do love that they made Freya the Lady of the Lake, and that she kept her promise by telling Merlin how to defeat the army of the dead.

How Merlin really sees Kilgharrah:

Gwen really is the smartest of all of them.

I do love that Merlin's first undead kill with excalibur is entirely an accident lol

The subtext between Morgana and Morgause is really gross. I haven't said anything before because I generally don't approve of ship shaming but the not so subtle subtext gives me the heebies.

This is such a great shot

Everything about it, his woman at his left and his man at his right, his romantic rival opposite him on his wife's side, as directly opposite her as possible at a round table with an uneven number of placements. It's a really beautiful shot, fitting for an equally beautiful scene. It's a very moving scene, the music really adds the exact emotion you'd expect for this moment we all recognize... and I feel like the knights' oaths are very well matched. The snarky part of me wanted to make a 'call me maybe' joke about Percival, but he's so sincere I just can't do it. The moment of levity added by Merlin's banter with Arthur is really, really well paced. Honestly I think it's probably the next perfect, iconic scene since Gwen and Arthur's first kiss. Hats off to this crew.

(Don't worry dear reader, I'm sure I'll get back to complaining shortly)

Santiago is so dreamy. I'd share his bedroll any day.

I like that despite all the talk of equality and doing the thing Uther wouldn't approve of, Gwen still worries about the company seeing her and Arthur kiss. Like, he's planning an insurrection with a bunch of commoners and two dudes who've been officially banished from Camelot, but she's internalized the classism and the rules of royalty so deeply that even amongst friends she instinctively keeps their relationship hidden. I'm not sure how intentional that was but it's brilliant.

The fight big fight scene with Merlin just barely missing the cup while the knights are cornered, and Gaius showing up like the brilliant deus ex machina that he is, honestly makes the previous budget-slashed episodes more bearable. Because this really is great, even knowing it's great at the expense of those others.

Morgana's screeching is eerily similar to Aithusa's.

I wonder if they knew they were getting renewed for a fourth season when they wrote this. Because you know, it really could've worked as a series finale as well. An open-ended series finale, but a series finale all the same.

As a Queens kid, I cannot explain to you the joy it gives me to watch Arthur and Merlin just chillin on the steps to the castle as tho it were a stoop, which I suppose, in a sense... it kind of is. Ahhh youthful days.

Commentary is Jeremy Webb and Julian Murphy.

And this kids, is why we're watching with commentary! They've just explained that Morgana's sigil is supposed to symbolize the Rowan tree that's supposed to be at the heart of the Isle of the Blessed. That suggests she designed it herself, so there's at least one of my earlier questions answered.

They talk a lot about how Emila Fox was very pregnant when they were filming her in this season, and they shot entirely around it - and I can't help but feel anger toward Joss Whedon and his 'handling' of Charisma Carpenter's pregnancy during S4 of Angel.

One of them called the round table scene 'curiously moving' and I think that is really fitting. They'd had this in mind for about two years, which is probably why it's so extraordinary. That's a great gestation period for a scene as iconic as this.

One final tidbit: the sword in the stone was filmed in France, and made it back to Wales intact. I guess nobody wanted to take it out. That's kind of an interesting thought, like a little set superstition or something. It's kind of cute.

The DVD extras/special features will get a separate post if I feel I have comments worth sharing.

[coinofstone]

4x11 The Hunters Heart

"There's still some pleasure to be had here" might be the darkest line in the entire series.

Morgana not recognizing Gwen in that corridor is dumb

Omg the side eye Merlin gives Mithian 😂 we love a petty and over protective bff 😍

Arthur's so cute when he's smitten

But Merlin is even more adorable when he's being petty 😂

The way Mithian 'confronts' Merlin is also really adorable. But if she'd sussed out their 'unusual' relationship in the 5 minutes she's been in Camelot, it'll only be another few days before she's worked out Merlin has magic.

Merlin realised it's Gwen and just stands there.

How'd she turn back into a person?

Merlin lets Gwen refuse to come back to Camelot with him, which, fine. But he doesn't bring up the fact that Arthur isn't going to believe him about Agravaine?

Mithian said, 'look me in the eye and tell me you're not in love with your manservant'

Meanwhile Merlin is watching this like, #TeamGwen

But ALSO what is UP with that crown?

Does Bradley have a weirdly shaped head? Does the costume department just hate him? Uther had this gorgeous jewel encrusted yet masculine crown, so did Elena's father! But Arthur looks like the damn Burger King

Merlin trying to be all mysterious intrigue but then kicking over the peepee pot is literally the dumbest gag BUT I LOVE IT SO MUCH

Final thoughts: Arthur really HAS to marry Gwen now because after TWO cancelled engagements to visiting princesses, there's no way any other kings will agree to a marriage😂 My dude is only like 30 and he's on his third cancelled wedding, wtg