Merlin: Arthur's Bane, Part One [SPOILERS]
OMG MERLIN!!!!!!!!!!!!! *squeals* Still a young man!
Ooh, stairs! Merlin running!
Hello? Hello? Hellooooooooooooooooooooooo?
Don't run people over, Merlin.
ARTHUR! *drools* God you're looking good with your chainmail and your swishy red cape that is always redder than everyone else's! *liiiiiiiiiiiick*
Arthur: Oh god, you're back. Also, ew.
Merlin: You do realize he's married, don't you?
AQ: *snort* Like that ever stopped you.
Merlin: True.
Queen? Ah, searching for Guinevere. Queen Gwen!
Ah, bickering boys. How I have missed thee! *twirls*
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
QUEEN GWEN IS LOOKING AWESOME!
Aww, who's the pretty handmaiden? Is Merlin getting a piece of action on the side now that Arthur's gone and gotten himself married?
KNIGHTS! PRETTIES! ELYAN! LEON!
OMFG IT'S THE FUCKING ROUND TABLE FULL OF BADASSES!! Why is there an empty chair next to Gwen? WHY HAS MERLIN NOT PLANTED HIS SWEET LITTLE ASS IN SAID CHAIR?
Three years? JFC.
Shadows!
Gwaine! OMG, you look so cold! Feel free to come see me. I have no problem warming you up.
Gwaine: Oh, it's you.
AQ: You know, Arthur had a very similar reaction. You two must have more in common than lusting after Merlin.
Gwaine: I have nothing in common with the prat.
AQ: Whatever you say, darling. Come, let's get you warm. *smirk*
Eeek! GWAINE!
And a tower that looks suspiciously similar to the one tower that had Aithusa back when he was just a little eggling. Only, you know, without the snow.
PERCIVAL! WHO IS STILL WITHOUT SLEEVES!! All is right with the world! *dances*
Uh oh, growling things! RUNNING KNIGHTS! And apparently Gwaine is slower than everyone else because they're fucking gone.
WOLF!
*whimper*
Aww, Merlin's worried for his favorite knight! Go find him, Merlin! Bring him home and you can cuddle him back to health. And make sure none of his appendages have been frostbitten too.
Merlin: You have a dirty mind.
AQ: What? I was thinking about his fingers and toes.
Merlin: Oh.
AQ: What were you thinking of?
Merlin: ...
AQ: I have a dirty mind?
MORGANA! Damn, she's looking badass with her pretty furs (though I'm sure PETA is screaming).
NEW CREDITS AGAIN! OMFG!
Wolves as sled dogs? Awesome.
Arthur's Bane. Um, they think it's an object of some kind? Hah. I've been avoiding spoilers this year and even I know what Arthur's Bane is. Or should I say who. Anyone who knows the legends knows. But apparently prophecies aren't that specific. Or just some Druids are smarter than others. But whatev.
Morgana's hot. Just thought I should say that. Loving her curly hair and her looking over the shoulder move. She's such a badass and could totally kick this guy's ass. Because that's what she does.
Nothing but darkness for two years? Is that literal, or figurative? Do they mean she had no visions for two years and thus was 'in the dark' as it were?
Oh, poor Gwaine, always getting dragged about.
Teehee!
HEY! LEAVE MY POOR BABY ALONE!
Not so pretty? Of course he's pretty! Gwaine will never cease to be pretty. Because Albion is full of pretty people who can still be pretty even when they've gotten kicked around a fair bit. It's why Albion is so awesome. No other realm has ever managed it. PRETTY GWAINE WILL ALWAYS BE PRETTY!
Ahem.
Hiho hiho knights to work they go!
Ah, so the gang is pouring over maps. And Gwen's part of the council! YAY FOR WOMEN'S LIB IN ALBION! Gwen's not just a pretty face and gown here! Now, where's Merlin? Why is he not part of this council?
Damn, Gaius, they really worked to age you up this year. You look terrible. No offense.
Gaius: I'm probably pushing 95 at this point. I'd like to see how pretty you'd look at this age.
AQ: Pfft.
Gaius: What was that?
AQ: Erm, nothing.
Gaius: That's what I thought.
Oh, so Merlin's guarding the door? WTF?
Annis? ANNIS! I <3 Queen Annis!
And Merlin is as graceful as ever. *giggle*
Aw, Merlin being cutesy with the handmaiden. LOVE!
Arthur: I don't know what's so cute about it.
AQ: Quid pro quo here, Arthur. You've got Gwen, so Merlin should get a girl too. And a girl who is not evil and/or dead and/or cavorting with other dead friends of yours.
*cracks up* OMG! It's just not a normal day in Camelot if Arthur isn't bellowing for Merlin. HAHAHA! Seriously, I'll bet that the older servants don't even twitch when they hear it anymore.
Aww!
At least Merlin still rides at Arthur's side, even ahead of the other knights. There's that at least.
Knights of the Round Table. Bonds. Arthur, darling, you have a tighter bond with Merlin than you do with anyone alive. You've put Gwen and Gaius at the table. SO WHY THE FUCK IS HE NOT THERE TOO? He's more than earned it, FFS!
*snorts* As fucking if you wouldn't. Honestly.
OMG SHIRTLESS GWAINE AND PERCIVAL! HOLY SHIT I THINK I MAY DIE!!
Love Merlin eyeing the cliffs. He's an old pro at watching for ambushes now.
Uh oh, something bad ahead?
A... deserted village in the cliffs? Scatch that - a village of dead people. Eep.
Emrys... *shivers*
Oh that's it, Merlin, go into the creepy cave all by yourself. Real smart.
Ah, creepy dead guy. Hopefully he's not a zombie.
Huh, I've seen that mark before... HOLY SHIT! *flail*
Haunted for many years, since before Merlin was born? Ooh, scary.
*shudders* Arthur's Bane... fuck. Stop saying it!
Stalks him! EEEEK!
Act quickly, Merlin! FFS! Oh God.
Vision!
Fire! Destruction! Dead people! OMFG ARTHUR! MORDRED! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! *SCREAMS*
On second, thought, that can't be everything. It can't be that anticlimatic. The vision was cut short, right? Because the stories always tell that Arthur and Mordred destroyed each other. So Arthur went down, and was on his knees before Mordred when the vision was interrupted. That has to mean that Arthur will use his last bit of strength to take up Excalibur one more time and will stab the little shit in the fucking gut.
But still. OMG ARTHUR! MERLIN FUCKING SAVE HIM!! *sob* Especially since our boy doesn't look a day older than he does now. *sob* MY BABY DESERVES TO LIVE TO BE A SENILE OLD MAN!
Oh, Merlin... you look ready to burst into tears. As well you should.
Sleeping knights.
Watch over him, Merlin. You never know when you will lose him, your BFF.
Ah, good, call for Kilgharrah.
Is anything a chance meeting in Albion?
How can he not be cowed by his BFF's death? And besides, prophecy and visions are often more trouble than they're worth. The last time someone showed him something like this, everything Merlin did to prevent it ultimately caused it to come to pass. Seriously. Not cool.
I DON'T WANT ARTHUR TO DIE OMFG!!!!
Riding, riding.
QUEEN ANNIS! *squeaks* Troubled times? Damn straight.
Gwen! Apparently she doesn't like eating alone. Aw, how sweet.
Aw, Gwen's got herself a BFF. How adorable.
Saxons? Oh dear. Saxons are never good news.
I like this, Arthur and Annis conferring with each other. So cool. These two need to go into battle on the same side. They would both fucking kick ass and take names. Seriously.
Entertainment?
Merlin is Arthur's fool? Since when? *giggles* Clearly, Annis recalls Merlin's lame attempt at spying on Arthur when he went to see her last series. Teehee!
Arthur: Jump to it.
Merlin: You fucking owe me for this. Tonight. In bed. You and me. Get it? Got it? Good.
AQ: Can I watch?
Merlin: NO.
AQ: *pouts* Oh, fine, I'll hang out with Queen Annis. She's awesome like that.
Annis: Queen Gwen warned me about you.
AQ: What is with people warning others about me?!
Leon, what do you find so funny? *giggle*
Oh god, that grin! *dies laughing*
Oh, everyone is so eager to see Merlin play.
Oh, sweet! Love Arthur looking so dumbfounded. And Annis looks tickled pink! That was so cute! *beams*
Merlin, please, wipe that sad, devastated look off your face. I just enjoyed your show and it's made me happy. Don't make me sad again.
Okay, damn straight, that's true. Arthur is blind to many of Merlin's talents, like, say, saving his life at least once a fucking week? *headdesk*
Merlin, tell him, please. FFS.
My darling boys... this music is effing killing me.
Ah, handmaiden! Going to see your boyfriend? And Gwen thinks it's so cute!
On second thought, no, you're not. Because no one has clandestine romantic meetings in the forest like this. Only meetings of nefariousness happen like this.
And yep, I'm right again. Fuck. Handmaiden's giving out information! So much for her being Merlin's girlfriend. :(
Oh, fuck, it's him. Morgana's new Agravaine. And her name is Sefa. Cool.
Oh, a father and daughter. This can't end well. Fathers and daughters never do in this show.
Ooh, pretty mountains and mist!
Aww, Annis likes Arthur. So cute! *beams*
Gwen's wardrobe this year rocks. So glad they didn't just recycle Morgana's pretty dresses, but gave her her own style of prettiness. It's only the first episode, and we've already see, what, two dresses? How varied is the wardrobe going to be, I wonder?
Huh, Gwen's a good judge of character, seeing that Sefa's distracted. Arthur would have been oblivious.
Aw, snow. I'm cold enough as it is.
Morgana! Good to see you again!
Morgana wants to have it out with Arthur again?
Aw, the boys are giggling together, and Merlin sits off by himself, being miserable.
And Arthur saw! There's hope for him yet!
Merlin: Because each day might be his last.
AQ: *SOB* IT CANNOT BE ARTHUR'S LAST! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT!
Arthur: What are you screeching about now?
AQ: *cries* N-Nothing. Comfort Merlin.
After all this time, I would be shocked if Merlin didn't understand.
Aww! They're not just talking about the knights. They're talking about each other, and it's so sweet!! *squishes them and shoves them into a closet*
And here comes Morgana and her minions of evil.
Oh crap. They really camped at the bottom of a hill? ARE THEY FUCKING INSANE! I know practically nothing of tactics and even I know that's a stupid idea. You don't give the enemy a chance to use such momentum to come flying into your camp to be evil and badass! JFC!
SHIT MORGANA VS. ARTHUR!
Or, you know Morgana vs. a running Arthur.
Damn, Leon, you're badass! Oh crap! LEON! NO!
Where the fuck is MERLIN?!
Love this slo-mo fighting, btw. SO COOL!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ARTHUR! MERLIN WHERE TEH FUCK ARE YOU?!
Oh, there you are. Good job, get him away from everyone.
Ha, stupid bad guy got served for going after Arthur.
*giggles* They're such boys. *squishes them again*
MORE SHIRTLESS KNIGHTS!!
Ooh, strange light.
Holy crap, it must be cold and they're doing this all shirtless? JFC.
God, love that pose of Percival's. Teehee.
Arthur, he's only afraid for you, idiot. Losing you is possibly Merlin's greatest fear.
Merlin: What about threatening an ASS?
Arthur: I heard that!
AQ: So did I! I'll be sure to tell everyone! Gwaine will think it hysterical!
Arthur: Why don't you go home?
AQ: You'd be bored without me.
Arthur: ...
Elyan + Leon and Co. went back without Arthur? WTF? Are you fucking crazy?!
Yes, betrayal is a common thing in Camelot. Morgana, Agravaine, and now Sefa.
Crap, Arthur's still anti-magic? Will this ever go away?! *sob*
Oh, Arthur, you idealist. *weeps*
But at least he didn't roll his eyes when Merlin said he'd die at his side. There's that much.
More mysterious lights!
Cover for him? Hah, that's funny.
Creepy crawling through creepy crawling caves. Good times.
Ouch! So much for that.
GWAINE!
Heh, love Arthur's elbow in Merlin's neck. So adorable.
Uh oh, Morgana's cranky.
*bg* Merlin's hungry.
Oh shit. Didn't Chewie fall for the same trick?
Uh oh, Gwen's pissed.
Love Gwen's soft-hard approach.
Oh dear. Holy shit, Gwen's hardcore here. I wonder if she remembers being in Sefa's place on more than one occasion.
SHIT! They dropped Excalibur!!
*cracks up* Oh, my boys...
Uh, that's scary. ALIEN!!!!!!!!! There are aliens in Albion!!!!!!
*giggles* Arthur and Merlin and a rabbit.
Get your dirty boot off Exaclibur. Oh wait, that's not Excalibur! Where the fuck is Excalibur?!
Oh. My. God. It's fucking MORDRED!! *scream*
Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit. *SCREAMS*
Next Week: Damn straight Merlin fears you, Mordred. You've got that creepy stare and you keep staring at Arthur. Arthur running and fighting, Percival leaping and waving a sword. Morgana flinging people around, no doubt in a tantrum. Albion's great trial. FIRE! Kilgharrah frying people again, yes?
OMG MERLIN YOU'RE BACK WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN FOR SO LONG?!
Ahem.
Okay, so a huge ass time jump this year. This pisses me off, but that's no secret. I can handle a year. I'm used to that. But three fucking years? That's three years of missing the Round Table being formed! That's three years of missing Arthur getting used to being a married man and having to divide up his time between Gwen and Merlin unless they've developed a threesome. That's three years of Morgana sitting in darkness (well, two years, and then another year of something else, but why quibble?). SO MUCH WAS MISSED! WTF?
Okay, but that aside:
Gwen: Liking Gwen as Queen. She's competent, she's running things, she's bitching out the knights for being idiots for coming back home without finding Arthur and Merlin or their corpses. She manages to find and identify the information leak in the space of a day. It took Arthur six months at least to find the last two. I love that she pointed out that trust had to be earned, not paid for in blood. I wonder if that's going to be the signal to try and mend some fences on the magic front.
Merlin: Seriously, how is he not sick of having to tell half-truths? He sees a fucking vision of Arthur's demise (fucking Camlann) and yet he can't tell Arthur the full story. Why has this not been worked on in the past three years? Why is he still a fucking manservant when he's done more than anyone to earn a place at the Round Table? Oh, and I loved his juggling act. It was very amusing, and didn't feel at as demeaning as it could have been. Merlin could have been left to flub around for the amusement of everyone, but he instead got to act in a skillful, if silly, manner and got kudos for it.
Arthur: I <3 your new haircut, Arthur, and I love that you've formed the Round Table, but as I said above, get Merlin a fucking chair on it. Now. Also, loved his speeches about brotherhood and such. He's such an idealist, and Merlin's the realist who can't get through to him. I have a feeling that Arthur's idealism will be his downfall. Albion isn't ready for the good world he seeks to build. It will last for a brief time, and then fade away, leaving behind only faint memories and legends.
Knights: Percival and Gwaine shirtless? Best idea ever. Leon giggling and being adorable and then badass? So cool. Elyan crawling back to his sister without his brother-in-law? Not cool. Hopefully he'll redeem himself next week.
Annis: Was so thrilled to see her again. I love that Arthur is on good terms with at least some of his fellow rulers. You saw that so rarely with Uther. Usually there was mutual suspicion if not outright hatred. Heh, I damn near died laughing when she demanded that Arthur's "fool" entertain them. I totally think she was yanking Merlin's chain as much as Arthur's. *bg*
Morgana: As deadly as ever. And as pretty as ever. She and Gwaine totally need to make pretty babies or something. Perhaps in their next lifetime. I'm also curious as to why she spent two years in darkness.
Mordred: OMFG! So creepy! *whimper* And he remembers Arthur and how he saved his life once. But he still scares the crap out of me.
Next Week: There is chaos. Swords are flying, Morgana is flinging people around, Mordred is still staring at everyone creepily. *meeps*
MERLIN IS BACK BABY!
Ooh, stairs! Merlin running!
Hello? Hello? Hellooooooooooooooooooooooo?
Don't run people over, Merlin.
ARTHUR! *drools* God you're looking good with your chainmail and your swishy red cape that is always redder than everyone else's! *liiiiiiiiiiiick*
Arthur: Oh god, you're back. Also, ew.
Merlin: You do realize he's married, don't you?
AQ: *snort* Like that ever stopped you.
Merlin: True.
Queen? Ah, searching for Guinevere. Queen Gwen!
Ah, bickering boys. How I have missed thee! *twirls*
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
QUEEN GWEN IS LOOKING AWESOME!
Aww, who's the pretty handmaiden? Is Merlin getting a piece of action on the side now that Arthur's gone and gotten himself married?
KNIGHTS! PRETTIES! ELYAN! LEON!
OMFG IT'S THE FUCKING ROUND TABLE FULL OF BADASSES!! Why is there an empty chair next to Gwen? WHY HAS MERLIN NOT PLANTED HIS SWEET LITTLE ASS IN SAID CHAIR?
Three years? JFC.
Shadows!
Gwaine! OMG, you look so cold! Feel free to come see me. I have no problem warming you up.
Gwaine: Oh, it's you.
AQ: You know, Arthur had a very similar reaction. You two must have more in common than lusting after Merlin.
Gwaine: I have nothing in common with the prat.
AQ: Whatever you say, darling. Come, let's get you warm. *smirk*
Eeek! GWAINE!
And a tower that looks suspiciously similar to the one tower that had Aithusa back when he was just a little eggling. Only, you know, without the snow.
PERCIVAL! WHO IS STILL WITHOUT SLEEVES!! All is right with the world! *dances*
Uh oh, growling things! RUNNING KNIGHTS! And apparently Gwaine is slower than everyone else because they're fucking gone.
WOLF!
*whimper*
Aww, Merlin's worried for his favorite knight! Go find him, Merlin! Bring him home and you can cuddle him back to health. And make sure none of his appendages have been frostbitten too.
Merlin: You have a dirty mind.
AQ: What? I was thinking about his fingers and toes.
Merlin: Oh.
AQ: What were you thinking of?
Merlin: ...
AQ: I have a dirty mind?
MORGANA! Damn, she's looking badass with her pretty furs (though I'm sure PETA is screaming).
NEW CREDITS AGAIN! OMFG!
Wolves as sled dogs? Awesome.
Arthur's Bane. Um, they think it's an object of some kind? Hah. I've been avoiding spoilers this year and even I know what Arthur's Bane is. Or should I say who. Anyone who knows the legends knows. But apparently prophecies aren't that specific. Or just some Druids are smarter than others. But whatev.
Morgana's hot. Just thought I should say that. Loving her curly hair and her looking over the shoulder move. She's such a badass and could totally kick this guy's ass. Because that's what she does.
Nothing but darkness for two years? Is that literal, or figurative? Do they mean she had no visions for two years and thus was 'in the dark' as it were?
Oh, poor Gwaine, always getting dragged about.
Teehee!
HEY! LEAVE MY POOR BABY ALONE!
Not so pretty? Of course he's pretty! Gwaine will never cease to be pretty. Because Albion is full of pretty people who can still be pretty even when they've gotten kicked around a fair bit. It's why Albion is so awesome. No other realm has ever managed it. PRETTY GWAINE WILL ALWAYS BE PRETTY!
Ahem.
Hiho hiho knights to work they go!
Ah, so the gang is pouring over maps. And Gwen's part of the council! YAY FOR WOMEN'S LIB IN ALBION! Gwen's not just a pretty face and gown here! Now, where's Merlin? Why is he not part of this council?
Damn, Gaius, they really worked to age you up this year. You look terrible. No offense.
Gaius: I'm probably pushing 95 at this point. I'd like to see how pretty you'd look at this age.
AQ: Pfft.
Gaius: What was that?
AQ: Erm, nothing.
Gaius: That's what I thought.
Oh, so Merlin's guarding the door? WTF?
Annis? ANNIS! I <3 Queen Annis!
And Merlin is as graceful as ever. *giggle*
Aw, Merlin being cutesy with the handmaiden. LOVE!
Arthur: I don't know what's so cute about it.
AQ: Quid pro quo here, Arthur. You've got Gwen, so Merlin should get a girl too. And a girl who is not evil and/or dead and/or cavorting with other dead friends of yours.
*cracks up* OMG! It's just not a normal day in Camelot if Arthur isn't bellowing for Merlin. HAHAHA! Seriously, I'll bet that the older servants don't even twitch when they hear it anymore.
Aww!
At least Merlin still rides at Arthur's side, even ahead of the other knights. There's that at least.
Knights of the Round Table. Bonds. Arthur, darling, you have a tighter bond with Merlin than you do with anyone alive. You've put Gwen and Gaius at the table. SO WHY THE FUCK IS HE NOT THERE TOO? He's more than earned it, FFS!
*snorts* As fucking if you wouldn't. Honestly.
OMG SHIRTLESS GWAINE AND PERCIVAL! HOLY SHIT I THINK I MAY DIE!!
Love Merlin eyeing the cliffs. He's an old pro at watching for ambushes now.
Uh oh, something bad ahead?
A... deserted village in the cliffs? Scatch that - a village of dead people. Eep.
Emrys... *shivers*
Oh that's it, Merlin, go into the creepy cave all by yourself. Real smart.
Ah, creepy dead guy. Hopefully he's not a zombie.
Huh, I've seen that mark before... HOLY SHIT! *flail*
Haunted for many years, since before Merlin was born? Ooh, scary.
*shudders* Arthur's Bane... fuck. Stop saying it!
Stalks him! EEEEK!
Act quickly, Merlin! FFS! Oh God.
Vision!
Fire! Destruction! Dead people! OMFG ARTHUR! MORDRED! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! *SCREAMS*
On second, thought, that can't be everything. It can't be that anticlimatic. The vision was cut short, right? Because the stories always tell that Arthur and Mordred destroyed each other. So Arthur went down, and was on his knees before Mordred when the vision was interrupted. That has to mean that Arthur will use his last bit of strength to take up Excalibur one more time and will stab the little shit in the fucking gut.
But still. OMG ARTHUR! MERLIN FUCKING SAVE HIM!! *sob* Especially since our boy doesn't look a day older than he does now. *sob* MY BABY DESERVES TO LIVE TO BE A SENILE OLD MAN!
Oh, Merlin... you look ready to burst into tears. As well you should.
Sleeping knights.
Watch over him, Merlin. You never know when you will lose him, your BFF.
Ah, good, call for Kilgharrah.
Is anything a chance meeting in Albion?
How can he not be cowed by his BFF's death? And besides, prophecy and visions are often more trouble than they're worth. The last time someone showed him something like this, everything Merlin did to prevent it ultimately caused it to come to pass. Seriously. Not cool.
I DON'T WANT ARTHUR TO DIE OMFG!!!!
Riding, riding.
QUEEN ANNIS! *squeaks* Troubled times? Damn straight.
Gwen! Apparently she doesn't like eating alone. Aw, how sweet.
Aw, Gwen's got herself a BFF. How adorable.
Saxons? Oh dear. Saxons are never good news.
I like this, Arthur and Annis conferring with each other. So cool. These two need to go into battle on the same side. They would both fucking kick ass and take names. Seriously.
Entertainment?
Merlin is Arthur's fool? Since when? *giggles* Clearly, Annis recalls Merlin's lame attempt at spying on Arthur when he went to see her last series. Teehee!
Arthur: Jump to it.
Merlin: You fucking owe me for this. Tonight. In bed. You and me. Get it? Got it? Good.
AQ: Can I watch?
Merlin: NO.
AQ: *pouts* Oh, fine, I'll hang out with Queen Annis. She's awesome like that.
Annis: Queen Gwen warned me about you.
AQ: What is with people warning others about me?!
Leon, what do you find so funny? *giggle*
Oh god, that grin! *dies laughing*
Oh, everyone is so eager to see Merlin play.
Oh, sweet! Love Arthur looking so dumbfounded. And Annis looks tickled pink! That was so cute! *beams*
Merlin, please, wipe that sad, devastated look off your face. I just enjoyed your show and it's made me happy. Don't make me sad again.
Okay, damn straight, that's true. Arthur is blind to many of Merlin's talents, like, say, saving his life at least once a fucking week? *headdesk*
Merlin, tell him, please. FFS.
My darling boys... this music is effing killing me.
Ah, handmaiden! Going to see your boyfriend? And Gwen thinks it's so cute!
On second thought, no, you're not. Because no one has clandestine romantic meetings in the forest like this. Only meetings of nefariousness happen like this.
And yep, I'm right again. Fuck. Handmaiden's giving out information! So much for her being Merlin's girlfriend. :(
Oh, fuck, it's him. Morgana's new Agravaine. And her name is Sefa. Cool.
Oh, a father and daughter. This can't end well. Fathers and daughters never do in this show.
Ooh, pretty mountains and mist!
Aww, Annis likes Arthur. So cute! *beams*
Gwen's wardrobe this year rocks. So glad they didn't just recycle Morgana's pretty dresses, but gave her her own style of prettiness. It's only the first episode, and we've already see, what, two dresses? How varied is the wardrobe going to be, I wonder?
Huh, Gwen's a good judge of character, seeing that Sefa's distracted. Arthur would have been oblivious.
Aw, snow. I'm cold enough as it is.
Morgana! Good to see you again!
Morgana wants to have it out with Arthur again?
Aw, the boys are giggling together, and Merlin sits off by himself, being miserable.
And Arthur saw! There's hope for him yet!
Merlin: Because each day might be his last.
AQ: *SOB* IT CANNOT BE ARTHUR'S LAST! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT!
Arthur: What are you screeching about now?
AQ: *cries* N-Nothing. Comfort Merlin.
After all this time, I would be shocked if Merlin didn't understand.
Aww! They're not just talking about the knights. They're talking about each other, and it's so sweet!! *squishes them and shoves them into a closet*
And here comes Morgana and her minions of evil.
Oh crap. They really camped at the bottom of a hill? ARE THEY FUCKING INSANE! I know practically nothing of tactics and even I know that's a stupid idea. You don't give the enemy a chance to use such momentum to come flying into your camp to be evil and badass! JFC!
SHIT MORGANA VS. ARTHUR!
Or, you know Morgana vs. a running Arthur.
Damn, Leon, you're badass! Oh crap! LEON! NO!
Where the fuck is MERLIN?!
Love this slo-mo fighting, btw. SO COOL!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ARTHUR! MERLIN WHERE TEH FUCK ARE YOU?!
Oh, there you are. Good job, get him away from everyone.
Ha, stupid bad guy got served for going after Arthur.
*giggles* They're such boys. *squishes them again*
MORE SHIRTLESS KNIGHTS!!
Ooh, strange light.
Holy crap, it must be cold and they're doing this all shirtless? JFC.
God, love that pose of Percival's. Teehee.
Arthur, he's only afraid for you, idiot. Losing you is possibly Merlin's greatest fear.
Merlin: What about threatening an ASS?
Arthur: I heard that!
AQ: So did I! I'll be sure to tell everyone! Gwaine will think it hysterical!
Arthur: Why don't you go home?
AQ: You'd be bored without me.
Arthur: ...
Elyan + Leon and Co. went back without Arthur? WTF? Are you fucking crazy?!
Yes, betrayal is a common thing in Camelot. Morgana, Agravaine, and now Sefa.
Crap, Arthur's still anti-magic? Will this ever go away?! *sob*
Oh, Arthur, you idealist. *weeps*
But at least he didn't roll his eyes when Merlin said he'd die at his side. There's that much.
More mysterious lights!
Cover for him? Hah, that's funny.
Creepy crawling through creepy crawling caves. Good times.
Ouch! So much for that.
GWAINE!
Heh, love Arthur's elbow in Merlin's neck. So adorable.
Uh oh, Morgana's cranky.
*bg* Merlin's hungry.
Oh shit. Didn't Chewie fall for the same trick?
Uh oh, Gwen's pissed.
Love Gwen's soft-hard approach.
Oh dear. Holy shit, Gwen's hardcore here. I wonder if she remembers being in Sefa's place on more than one occasion.
SHIT! They dropped Excalibur!!
*cracks up* Oh, my boys...
Uh, that's scary. ALIEN!!!!!!!!! There are aliens in Albion!!!!!!
*giggles* Arthur and Merlin and a rabbit.
Get your dirty boot off Exaclibur. Oh wait, that's not Excalibur! Where the fuck is Excalibur?!
Oh. My. God. It's fucking MORDRED!! *scream*
Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit. *SCREAMS*
Next Week: Damn straight Merlin fears you, Mordred. You've got that creepy stare and you keep staring at Arthur. Arthur running and fighting, Percival leaping and waving a sword. Morgana flinging people around, no doubt in a tantrum. Albion's great trial. FIRE! Kilgharrah frying people again, yes?
OMG MERLIN YOU'RE BACK WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN FOR SO LONG?!
Ahem.
Okay, so a huge ass time jump this year. This pisses me off, but that's no secret. I can handle a year. I'm used to that. But three fucking years? That's three years of missing the Round Table being formed! That's three years of missing Arthur getting used to being a married man and having to divide up his time between Gwen and Merlin unless they've developed a threesome. That's three years of Morgana sitting in darkness (well, two years, and then another year of something else, but why quibble?). SO MUCH WAS MISSED! WTF?
Okay, but that aside:
Gwen: Liking Gwen as Queen. She's competent, she's running things, she's bitching out the knights for being idiots for coming back home without finding Arthur and Merlin or their corpses. She manages to find and identify the information leak in the space of a day. It took Arthur six months at least to find the last two. I love that she pointed out that trust had to be earned, not paid for in blood. I wonder if that's going to be the signal to try and mend some fences on the magic front.
Merlin: Seriously, how is he not sick of having to tell half-truths? He sees a fucking vision of Arthur's demise (fucking Camlann) and yet he can't tell Arthur the full story. Why has this not been worked on in the past three years? Why is he still a fucking manservant when he's done more than anyone to earn a place at the Round Table? Oh, and I loved his juggling act. It was very amusing, and didn't feel at as demeaning as it could have been. Merlin could have been left to flub around for the amusement of everyone, but he instead got to act in a skillful, if silly, manner and got kudos for it.
Arthur: I <3 your new haircut, Arthur, and I love that you've formed the Round Table, but as I said above, get Merlin a fucking chair on it. Now. Also, loved his speeches about brotherhood and such. He's such an idealist, and Merlin's the realist who can't get through to him. I have a feeling that Arthur's idealism will be his downfall. Albion isn't ready for the good world he seeks to build. It will last for a brief time, and then fade away, leaving behind only faint memories and legends.
Knights: Percival and Gwaine shirtless? Best idea ever. Leon giggling and being adorable and then badass? So cool. Elyan crawling back to his sister without his brother-in-law? Not cool. Hopefully he'll redeem himself next week.
Annis: Was so thrilled to see her again. I love that Arthur is on good terms with at least some of his fellow rulers. You saw that so rarely with Uther. Usually there was mutual suspicion if not outright hatred. Heh, I damn near died laughing when she demanded that Arthur's "fool" entertain them. I totally think she was yanking Merlin's chain as much as Arthur's. *bg*
Morgana: As deadly as ever. And as pretty as ever. She and Gwaine totally need to make pretty babies or something. Perhaps in their next lifetime. I'm also curious as to why she spent two years in darkness.
Mordred: OMFG! So creepy! *whimper* And he remembers Arthur and how he saved his life once. But he still scares the crap out of me.
Next Week: There is chaos. Swords are flying, Morgana is flinging people around, Mordred is still staring at everyone creepily. *meeps*
MERLIN IS BACK BABY!