Colour me surprised...
I never thought I`d say this, given the givens, but I flat-out loved a LOT out of the Merlin Series Finale.
In the end, it wasn`t what I expected when the show began and it wasn`t the ending of my dreams either but
It WAS an episode focused utterly and totally on the love story of Arthur and Merlin. Even though both got a totally sad ending. But I guess that`s a staple of British shows. If it had been a US one, I think Arthur would have lived and him and Merlin would have had their Albion together.
Btw, nice going with the dragon claiming that Merlin (and Arthur) HAVE built this prophesized land. *cough* Not wriggling out of this one, writers.
But still, we got a magic fucking reveal. And though it came years too late for my taste and only in the eleventh hour here, I loved how it was done. Arthur didn`t immediately jump into acceptance but got to have a somewhat believable process. And I found it pretty clear that this wasn`t about magic but about the person closest to him in the entire world always lying to him.
Still, their interaction were so tender and honest and soft. No yelling. They even reminisced about their past while in the midst of feeling this terrible hurt and betrayal.
Merlin finally got the recognition he wanted from the person he wanted. And Arthur was allowed to finally learn who his best friend really was.
Always and forever the episodes that worked best were the ones that focused on the two of them, possibly on some quest together and this was kinda like that.
I liked that the thing with Mordred and Arthur was done quickly, in the beginning. It felt right within the flow of the episode.
Gwaine`s death seemed a bit pointless considering the plan to take out Morgana was heroic but stupid.
Morgana`s ending also was fitting with all that came before.
Gwen as the queen - predictable but ultimately pointless.
The show has made it so that Camelot only matters for Arthur and Merlin being there. When they weren`t, it was pretty much just a stone castle somewhere.
And I think for a little BBC show, they were as close to making Merthur canon as humanely possible. All the touching, their words, the "just hold me" - indeed it was between them and hey, Bradley managed to pull it off as something Arthur would say then and there - and the emotion between them.
I...I kinda...am speechless now. I was prepared to hate this episode and a lot of the stuff I thought was going to hate was still there but by pulling it back onto the heart of things between Arthur and Merlin? It was as concilliatory an ending as possible.
So cheers to not ruining my Christmas this year.
In the end, it wasn`t what I expected when the show began and it wasn`t the ending of my dreams either but
It WAS an episode focused utterly and totally on the love story of Arthur and Merlin. Even though both got a totally sad ending. But I guess that`s a staple of British shows. If it had been a US one, I think Arthur would have lived and him and Merlin would have had their Albion together.
Btw, nice going with the dragon claiming that Merlin (and Arthur) HAVE built this prophesized land. *cough* Not wriggling out of this one, writers.
But still, we got a magic fucking reveal. And though it came years too late for my taste and only in the eleventh hour here, I loved how it was done. Arthur didn`t immediately jump into acceptance but got to have a somewhat believable process. And I found it pretty clear that this wasn`t about magic but about the person closest to him in the entire world always lying to him.
Still, their interaction were so tender and honest and soft. No yelling. They even reminisced about their past while in the midst of feeling this terrible hurt and betrayal.
Merlin finally got the recognition he wanted from the person he wanted. And Arthur was allowed to finally learn who his best friend really was.
Always and forever the episodes that worked best were the ones that focused on the two of them, possibly on some quest together and this was kinda like that.
I liked that the thing with Mordred and Arthur was done quickly, in the beginning. It felt right within the flow of the episode.
Gwaine`s death seemed a bit pointless considering the plan to take out Morgana was heroic but stupid.
Morgana`s ending also was fitting with all that came before.
Gwen as the queen - predictable but ultimately pointless.
The show has made it so that Camelot only matters for Arthur and Merlin being there. When they weren`t, it was pretty much just a stone castle somewhere.
And I think for a little BBC show, they were as close to making Merthur canon as humanely possible. All the touching, their words, the "just hold me" - indeed it was between them and hey, Bradley managed to pull it off as something Arthur would say then and there - and the emotion between them.
I...I kinda...am speechless now. I was prepared to hate this episode and a lot of the stuff I thought was going to hate was still there but by pulling it back onto the heart of things between Arthur and Merlin? It was as concilliatory an ending as possible.
So cheers to not ruining my Christmas this year.