As I saw it, Merlin was in a complete catch-22 situation, make that catch-222. I felt sorry for him more than anything else. I'm new enough to the show (and missing enough back-story) to not get everything but I think if anyone is to blame it's the dragon, not Merlin. I'm starting to wonder exactly who the dragon is and what his purpose is. I thought he was a good wise guy. Annoying in that he talks in riddles, but I could handle that since he's a dragon and that's kind of what they do. And he couldn't really go around telling everyone the future or exactly what they should do all the time, anyway. That would be dangerous and make for a boring story line. But now I don't know what his role is. Firstly, if a moral line was crossed, it was by him: you don't tell someone "You better kill Mordred next chance you get or else..." and get to keep the moral high ground. It was only Merlin's sense of loyalty to obeying the wisdom of the dragon that got him into this mess; he would never have dreamt of it on his own. Secondly, moral or not, it was particularly unlike the dragon to give so explicit a command. What happened to his talking in riddles and not giving direct answers? Thirdly, why did he even give Merlin the command? It only achieved to bring on the doom of Arthur he was supposed to be giving Merlin advice to avert more rapidly. Unless the dragon is more sinister than I had thought, nothing of what he did makes sense.
Onto Merlin, can I say in his defence that he didn't attempt (and I don't believe he could have attempted - destiny and loyalty to the dragon aside) to murder Mordred in cold blood? His "chance" only came because Mordred was mortally wounded and he was the only one who could heal him. While I know that on one level there isn't really a difference between killing someone and not saving their life when you have it in your power, I think on another the difference is significant. Circumstances came together so that Merlin found himself in a moral dilemma. He had been told "kill Mordred or else" by someone he trusted and then Mordred was practically killed without him having to do anything. Under any other circumstances he would have found his conscience stronger than the dragon's command, but in this situation, his conscience could be more easily appeased.
Finally, on the issue of magic, I probably shouldn't say anything since my own views on it will affect my judgement on the matter, but I think Merlin couldn't encourage Arthur to give in to the Dsir's command regardless of whether he wanted Mordred alive or not. Their demand wasn't simply that he allow magic to be practised again. Merlin would have jumped at the chance to encourage him in that. I think he would have even made the choice to save Mordred if that was what was at stake. But it involved embracing magic in all forms, including and especially the evil ones, and acknowledging what seems to me an evil goddess in the process. There was more at stake here for Camelot than magic or Mordred's life. It would have turned Camelot into the very thing it stood against. On a holistic scale, not just in terms of the practice of magic. I would have been rooting for Merlin to pass up the chance even had Mordred's life not factored into the story at all.
Onto Merlin, can I say in his defence that he didn't attempt (and I don't believe he could have attempted - destiny and loyalty to the dragon aside) to murder Mordred in cold blood? His "chance" only came because Mordred was mortally wounded and he was the only one who could heal him. While I know that on one level there isn't really a difference between killing someone and not saving their life when you have it in your power, I think on another the difference is significant. Circumstances came together so that Merlin found himself in a moral dilemma. He had been told "kill Mordred or else" by someone he trusted and then Mordred was practically killed without him having to do anything. Under any other circumstances he would have found his conscience stronger than the dragon's command, but in this situation, his conscience could be more easily appeased.
Finally, on the issue of magic, I probably shouldn't say anything since my own views on it will affect my judgement on the matter, but I think Merlin couldn't encourage Arthur to give in to the Dsir's command regardless of whether he wanted Mordred alive or not. Their demand wasn't simply that he allow magic to be practised again. Merlin would have jumped at the chance to encourage him in that. I think he would have even made the choice to save Mordred if that was what was at stake. But it involved embracing magic in all forms, including and especially the evil ones, and acknowledging what seems to me an evil goddess in the process. There was more at stake here for Camelot than magic or Mordred's life. It would have turned Camelot into the very thing it stood against. On a holistic scale, not just in terms of the practice of magic. I would have been rooting for Merlin to pass up the chance even had Mordred's life not factored into the story at all.
Reply
Leave a comment