OoC 彡 Application
Player Name: Kisha
Player LJ: astronomia
Email and/or AIM: new_sun_flare_gamer at yahoo dot com/tasogare sage
Timezone: EST
Other Characters: Tenth Doctor[d3], Chris Skelton, Harley Quinn, Argentine, Fujioka Haruhi.
Character: Merlin a.k.a. Snazzlefrazz a.k.a. A. Bracadabra a.k.a. Not Sam Neill
Series/Fandom: BBC's Merlin
Deviance: 1
Age: 19 ish
Gender: Male
Species: Human (of the ~old religion~)
Canon Used: Just the Merlin TV series! If I get the spin-off materials, assuming there are any, I'll decide then how they fit in. Okay apparently there is! I just need to get them eventually and decide from there. Oh and BBC's Merlin is not the historical one at all, so uh. Yeah. Just throw that right out the window. He is also sadly not Sam Neill.
Appearance: Dumbo? But adorable and from the middle ages. Also not an elephant. There will be a picture here when I unlazy and put it on tinypic.
Psychology: When you first look at Merlin, you'll probably wonder how the hell this big eared dork grows up to be the wise and powerful wizard of legend. Well, he does. It's destiny! A dragon said so and they don't lie about that. He may be a big eared dork for now but he's already showing his potential as one of Camelot's greatest magicians.
But more to the point, right now he's a dork. A big, happy dork. He's a country bumpkin who was used to the quiet way of life, spending days out in the fields and chilling with his friends. He's no stranger to hardwork from his peasant upbringing and sets about his tasks with a simple, determined ease. When he has a job, he'll finish it. That isn't to say he doesn't slack off sometimes. Even he'll crack under too much weight. But in general, he'll do what he's told with only a few complaints beforehand. Well, more than a few. It depends. He still spends most of his time working.
Despite his previously simple life, he's adjusted well to life as a servant in Camelot. In fact, you wouldn't really notice that he doesn't belong there. Merlin is a people person and greets everyone with a smile and a sincere hello. He is incredibly kind and compassionate, feeling the plights of others. When someone is in trouble, he tries to help them and he'll go out of his way to take the responsibility on himself to fix their problems, even if it means being sneaky, lying or something dangerous. He won't do anything, of course, but he's very selfless. He wants to help and see people happy. Merlin just can't help getting involved. In fact, he will actively make himself involved and work his hardest to help.
He can be very honest to the point where it's painfully obvious anytime he lies. He can't really be secretive at all without stammering and changing the topic in obvious ways. Most people write it off as him just being awkward, because it does come off as socially awkward. The fact that he's clumsy and don't really think before he acts or speaks adds to this, meaning he often retracts statements or tries to reword himself constantly. This earnest sort of failing on his part just makes it harder to tell when he's hiding something and when he's just being tongue-tied.
Now, let's go to why he was sent to Camelot, because it's a bit important: Merlin has magic. He has a lot of it. He's had it for a long time and it has always, always been a secret. Uther's hate-on for magic means if Merlin ever revealed himself, he'd be executed. Thus it's no surprise that he has to go to great lengths to hide his gift. This also means he constantly feels singled out from everyone else. He is isolated and no amount of being outgoing can quite satisfy his longing. You see, he wants someone to know and still love him anyway. His dear friends don't know and he thinks if they did, they would turn him in. It's something he is painfully aware of and part of him is bitter that his friends don't really know him. No one does. All of his caring for others, all the things he does for them with his magic and they can never know because they would kill him. It's a hard thing for someone so desperate to care and be cared for to swallow.
Which brings us to one of the most important people in his life: Arthur. Yes, the once and future king, Arthur Pendragon. Merlin is Arthur's servant and he is fiercely loyal and devoted to him. He saves his life again and again and handles the tasks Arthur gives him to the best of his ability. Despite his snarky comments, he takes pride in what he does for Arthur and defends his position as Arthur's right hand man. But more than his servant, he is Arthur's friend. He sees the sides of Arthur that not everyone gets to see. He knows Arthur is a prat but he sees him wrestle with his responsibilities: to his people, his father and to himself. He treasures Arthur's company and considers him a good friend, offering his advice and counsel and supporting him. He truly believes that Arthur is a good hearted person and will be a great king. It is his honour and duty to protect Arthur and help guide him to his destiny.
Speaking of destiny, Merlin is bound up in it. He is very aware that the fate of Albion, Camelot and Arthur depend on him. On top of his servant duties and his work with Gaius, he does have to protect Arthur and help him save what basically amounts to their entire world. It is a heavy burden, another thing he can't share and yet another thing that distances him from everyone else. In this case, however, it helps fuel his loyalty to Arthur and his devotion to their people and their kingdom. In this way it also lends to his natural self-sacrificing and helpful state. He is serving a higher purpose and he is willing to toss away his life without a second thought for Arthur - or for Gaius or his mom or anyone he cares for, really. Even then he'll take risks for the others. While he really shouldn't die and doesn't look forward to it, more than anything, he must help Arthur.
Still, he's a young man and he isn't perfect. While he's kind, he's often very sarcastic, quipping at Arthur especially and speaking without really thinking. He has mastered the art of a deadpan servant. Arthur also has the ability to bring out the snotty brat in him and they aren't beyond being tricky idiots together. They'll sneak out of the castle, defy rules and occasionally be a bit nasty to others - poor Morgana and that rat stew - but it's a friendship thing. They are truly friends, despite class and position differences and they are still very much in the stages of growing up, with all the immaturity that comes with it.
As some final notes, Merlin will take lives if he must in self-defense but only as a last resort. He refuses to murder anyone. He does get frustrated and lonely and wishes someone could share in his burden and his secrets and just be himself. Most of the time, though, he manages to just be cheery and outgoing with wit that is balanced by flailing retractions. He does have some issues, not knowing his father and being away from his mother. He loves Gaius deeply, though, and feels he is a perfect father to him. He will use his magic to help others but will usually try to find other means first or just talk things out with them. He's very compassionate and is driven to help others but Arthur's safety will always, always come first, before Merlin's own life.
Other Skills/Abilities: Merlin is destined to be the most badass sorcerer that ever lived, so you can bet he's got some powerful magic. He's still young and refining his ability but he's adapt at a variety of spells. While he can command magic without the use of words or phrases, this seems to be a lesser, wilder sort of magic and the words channel and direct the spells. These spells seem to be flexible and suit many occasions. He can enchant objects to do his bidding - like doing his laundry - or slow down time. He has offensive and defensive magic, able to conjure shields of air or throw flames and mystical energy. He can also transfigure or change things, like bringing stone statues into flesh and blood or turning glass to water and so on.
He is also a dragonlord but as I am not pulling him from the end of season two, that doesn't really matter. (For the record, all it means is he's got ~deep ancient magic~ that allows him to communicate with dragons and control them. Sort of what it says on the tin.)
In non-magic news, he's...a good servant? Like seriously, that kid can do a lot. He's a faster learner, he can read and write and is generally a jack of all trades, even if he isn't especially good at most things.
Also when he uses magic, it's a bit obvious, since his irises turn gold for some reason. He also has magic senses! He can sense you doing things. If they are magic.
Other Weaknesses: Despite all magic, he is human. He can be wounded, fall ill, die, and so on with the same ease as all humans.
HE IS ALSO VERY WEAK TO ALCOHOL. He gets so much as a whiff of the stuff and he's off dancing and singing and fail flirting with the bar wenches. He's a happy drunk at least? But a very easy drunk. It's canon, yo.
History: Merlin begins his epic life in the non-epic but traditional hero way of being from a small and unassuming village. He was born in Ealdor, a small nothing village within a kingdom just outside of Uther Pendragon's own. This is important for later plot reasons. That is where he grew up, just living the simple folk's life of farming and sitting around with his boyfriend best only friend, William, and being devoted to his mother, Hunith. She's a single mother with his father being unknown! Could that be another plot point? Perhaps.
However, Merlin was born with the gift of magic and so things were difficult for him from the start. Magic is not exactly loved in the kingdom because of war and junk - this show is vague, okay - and so people with these gifts must hide them. Merlin has never been able to really control it properly, though he uses it with ease, and only his mother and William knew. Isolated? You know it.
But Hunith knew of course that this meant Merlin was destined for Great Things and so she sent him to the big city, New York London Camelot to live and learn with the royal physician, Gaius. He's the kindly old mentor, for the record. Merlin, being the sneaky sort, immediately and accidentally reveals to Gaius he has magic. Gaius, however, is a cool father figure and accepts Merlin, promising to help him learn to control his magic and harness it to its full potential.
Also Merlin hears voices in his head the whole episode. We'll get to that in a minute.
Merlin quickly discovers Camelot sort of sucks. His first impression? A public execution of a magic user. Yeah. His second impression? The prince is a royal douche. Yeah, you know, that prince Arthur guy? Destined to rule over Albion as the Once and Future King? He's a douche. Merlin stops him from bullying servants for lulz and gets beat up and thrown in the stocks. Good job, Merlin. That's how he meets Gwen, though! That Guinevere chick of legend? That's the one! She has a crush on him and it's cute.
Of course, then Merlin has to be himself and mouth off to Arthur yet again. Arthur and Merlin fight and Arthur decides there's just something about Merlin that gives him a funny sort of feeling. You know, in his head.
Hijinks happen! Okay no really basically Gwen from Torchwood's actress tries to kill Arthur and Merlin uses bullet time to save his life. Uther decides that the best thank you for such a wonderful and selfless act is the give Merlin to Arthur to be his personal manservant. Neither of the men are amused. Uther probably is, though. He's a douche.
There's one more important beginning note. Remember that voice in his head? That was a Dragon. He doesn't seem to have a name, just call him the Dragon. The Dragon is of the old religion and is sealed under the castle. He hates Uther with the fiery passion of ten thousand burning stars and you really can't blame him. Actually pretty much everyone in the series with magic hates Uther and 99% of the series is, "if only Uther wasn't a douche about magic, no bad shit would happen ever." That said, Uther is a douche about magic, so let's continue. The Dragon basically tells Merlin to devote his mind, body and soul to Arthur since they're destined to be together and rule Britain as King and Queen Wizard.
It's not gay at all, what do you mean. But anyway with me so far? High School AU Arthurian legend, basically. Got it? Good. Let's go on.
The next episode is important but can be summed up easily enough: Sir Valiant is a cheating douche who plans to use magic to kill Arthur in a tournament. Merlin goes, "bitch please" but Valiant goes, "YOU LIE" and stuff looks bad. But then it turns out Merlin was right because duh he's the main character and Arthur decides to trust Merlin, because Merlin seems like a good servant after all.
Then we get introduced to the season one villain: Nimueh. You know, that one. Yes. She has a hateon for Uther which is rather well deserved, considering he was an epic douche to her. You'll see later. Anyway, she wants to destroy Camelot and sends a plague. Gwen's father gets hit with it and Merlin uses magic to cure him, because he's sweet like that. Cue backfiring as Uther goes SORCERY!!! and blames Gwen and her father for everything. This is also one of the first times Merlin tries to confess he has magic and Arthur goes, "oh Merlin, you've been hitting the booze again." But the bros plus Morgana - she's not really important yet but you know, that Morgana - go and fetch the cause of the plague, which bears Nimueh's seal and thus saves Gwen from execution while Uther freaks.
Flash forward to Nimueh's next dastardly plan. Uther is having a party as him and this other king form a peace pact. Things are going well until a 'servant' a.k.a. Nimueh informs Merlin that the other king has poisoned Arthur's goblet. Merlin goes NOOOOOOO and Uther decides Merlin can test the poison. If it's poisoned, Merlin was right and he dies! If it's not, he gets severely beaten! Good times.
Of course it is poisoned and Merlin spends the episode in a fevered coma mumbling Arthur's name as he pants and writhes on the bed. He also makes glowing orbs of protection for Arthur and to guide Arthur on his epic quest to save his servant. He does manage to find the antidote! Just Uther is a douche and throws Arthur in the dungeon for trying to save the worthless life of a servant. Luckily, Gwen ninjas the antidote to Gaius and Merlin is saved! Arthur and Merlin have an awkward, touching moment and Nimueh says, "Curses! Foiled again."
But enough of that, let's meet Lancelot! He's sexy. Stupid sexy Lancelot. He woos Merlin by saving him from a deadly beast. He is just a poor commoner, you see, with the noble aim of protecting all and living his life by the good and pure justice of stuff. He's pretty epic. Merlin falls for him and decides to hook him up with Arthur so Lancelot can be an awesome knight.
There is the minor problem of Lancelot being a peasant and only nobles being allowed to be knights but Merlin just forges a document! Nothing could go wrong! Things do in fact go well until they discover Lancelot isn't a noble. Who saw that coming? Uther throws a hissy fit and Arthur goes, "D: but he's sexy." Sadly Uther finds no man sexy. Unless it's Gaius.
Arthur tells Lancelot to leave and never return but then a beast appears and everyone rides off to fight him. Lancelot demands to ride with them and when he can't, Merlin sneaks him there. Now the beast is magic, so it's basically suicide without magic, but Lancelot charges in anyway. Merlin gives him a little magic boost and Lancelot realises it. He knows he can't give Merlin credit but he still privately acknowledges him as amazing and awesome. While Arthur tries to get him to stay, Lancelot declines, saying he must ride off into the lonely sunset to seek justice and become a better man and deserve respect and noble junk. During all this, Gwen was pretty wooed, for the record. No one is surprised, right? Arthur, Merlin and Gwen all stand by and watch him ride away as they sigh and go, "Oh, stupid, sexy man." He'll be back.
Okay this is going to get long fast so here's more summing up. A guy named Edwin comes to town claiming he can cure any illness. It just so happens Morgana has fallen ill! Yes, he did it. I know, shock. It makes him look very good when he cures her and of course everyone fawns over him. It's actually all a plot to get back at Gaius, since Gaius sort of betrayed magic people for Uther. Merlin, too, likes Edwin for Edwin says he can use his magic well and for good. While Edwin obviously turns out to be a douche that is killed - by Merlin, for the record, in a magic faceoff - Merlin still uses his magic for good to save Uther from Edwin's illness, thus also clearing Gaius' good name. Hurray!
The Gates of Avalon isn't hugely important. Basically, Arthur has the love-whammy put on him from some vicious sidhe who need to sacrifice a prince to get home. Merlin spends most of the episode covering for Arthur's affair until he realises it is magic!!! Then he saves him from drowning. Though this episode does feature more hints that Morgana has magic. That is important for later.
Let's meet Mordred now. Mordred is a little druid boy who is naturally a bit persecuted because Uther hates all magic ever. His mentor/father/dude is killed and he himself wounded. That's when Merlin finds him. See, Mordred calls out to him using his mind and he can't ignore that. He hides him with Morgana, who quickly develops an eerie bond with him. Yeah, you know, like in the legends. Merlin asks the dragon for help but the dragon tells him Mordred is an evil mofo, which Merlin doesn't believe because he wants to think Mordred is like him. Awwww. Morgana tries to smuggle Mordred out but gets caught. This causes more of a rift between her and Uther, which is understandable since Uther wants to execute him and Morgana thinks that is bullshit. Luckily, Merlin to the rescue! With Morgana, Arthur and Gwen helping. Hurray teamwork!
Except the dragon tells him that if Mordred lives, he will grow up to kill Arthur. Nice, huh? Merlin is apprehensive, which is completely justified, but decides in the end, after listening to Mordred's mental cries for help, that he can't let him die. And so Mordred is saved and returned to roam free with the druids, though he vows that he will see 'Emrys' again. Oooooh, spooky.
Another important bit of legend comes into play now! Excalibur, the amazing sword of amazing. Once again, Nimueh decides to try to get back at Uther, this time by reviving a knight from the dead with the sole mission to slay him. The knight keeps throwing down challenges by other knights accept them. And get killed, because it's a damn zombie. This is bad enough until Arthur decides to jump in on it. This means Merlin must save the day! He goes to the dragon and asks for a zombie killing sword and is given Excalibur. The only condition? Don't let Uther use it. This seems simple enough until Uther drugs Arthur to keep him from going to his death and takes up the sword instead. He unsurprisingly wins and Merlin has to break it to the dragon that Uther has the sword. The dragon throws a hissy fit and demands Merlin dispose of it, which he does by throwing it into a lake. Good job, Merlin.
Now let's get serious for a moment: Merlin's home town gets attacked by raiders. His mom comes to Camelot, injured, looking for help. Obviously, Merlin gets her an audience with Uther, who regretfully says that Ealdor is within another kingdom, one they have a strained peace with, so he cannot do anything without stirring up a war.
Merlin decides the only course of action is for him to go back home to defend the village best he can. What he wasn't prepared for, however, is Gwen and Morgana to join him with weapons and armour. They say he has always been there for them and so they will be there for him now. At first, Arthur allows them to go but during the night he finds their camp and joins them.
Once they reach the village, Arthur decides to train the men while Morgana and Gwen prepare weapons and armour the best they can. They meet some resistance from Merlin's old bestest best friend ever, William, the only person who knows he has magic besides his mom and Gaius. Oh and Lancelot but he's off somewhere being noble.
Anyway, Will distrusts Arthur and is also suspicious that Merlin claims him a friend when he can't even safely tell Arthur his secret. That hurts but Merlin just presses on and enjoys the company of his friend. The raiders send a dead body as a message and Arthur is naturally worried. Gwen and Morgana encourage him to teach the women to fight as well and later at night Arthur wonders why Merlin ever left this place. Obviously, Merlin can't tell him, just driving home Will's point.
Then, battle! They use traps and tricks and fight bravely but it doesn't go well. Will tells Merlin that he knows the only way they'll win this is if Merlin uses magic. Eventually, he agrees and no surprise, they do indeed win. Except Arthur saw. Before it can be confronted, however, the dying leader of the raiders shoots at Arthur. Will takes the shot and it is fatal. This part is really sad and cannot be properly described in a history but suffice to say Will passes away, not before clinging to Merlin and telling him Arthur will be a great king with his help.
At William's funeral, Arthur says Merlin knew that Will was a sorcerer and scolds him for not warning Arthur, since magic is only a danger. This obviously does nothing to comfort Merlin's pain and doubts. His mother, however, assures him that when the time is right, Arthur will know and accept him.
More importantly: unicorns. That's right, the next adventure involves unicorns. Arthur and Merlin are out on a regular hunt in the forest when Arthur sees a unicorn. In awe of this majestic, magical creature, he shoots it dead and cheers. That's our Arthur.
Merlin is naturally upset - especially after seeing a mysterious figure for a moment - but Arthur tells him to quit being a girl and takes the horn to Uther like a happy puppy bringing the ball back. Except very soon after, all the crops in Camelot die overnight, leaving them in a sudden famine. The water all dries up, as well. Gaius proposes it is magic and Uther agrees, telling Arthur to put Camelot on a curfew and to execute anyone caught looting for food.
Later that night, Merlin and Arthur run into the mysterious figure again, who warns that this is all Arthur's doing for unleashing the curse - he did kill a unicorn, after all, jesus - and that only by proving he is pure of heart will the curse lift.
Then a chance appears! Merlin and Arthur catch someone looting the granary. When he begs for mercy for his starving children, Arthur allows him to go and even gives him a bag of grain. The next day, water returns! Hurray lifting curse! They decide to go seek the old mage dude in the forest for more tasks but run into the looting man again, who was apparently just a thief. He provokes and insults Arthur, who attacks him and thus fails the next test. For his failure, all the remaining food in Camelot rots.
Now Uther, being the level-headed sort, decides to hoard what's left for his knights and tells Arthur not to feed any of their people. Arthur isn't down with that and so Merlin seeks the old man to beg for one final test. It is given and Arthur accepts, because duh. They end up in a maze where they are separated and randomly end up by the ocean with a test!
There are two goblets, one with poison and one without. They can only each drink from one goblet. They argue for a while with Arthur demanding to protect Merlin and Merlin demanding to protect Arthur and it's sappy and adorable. Merlin realises they can pour the drinks into one goblet to save one of them and Arthur decides to do it and kill himself to save Merlin. Merlin goes NOOOOOOOOO but it turns out unicorns are douches and Arthur is just sleeping. The curse is lifted and everyone is happy and hell even the unicorn comes back. Hell yes.
This next adventure is more dramatic and Morgana centric. Also Tom, Gwen's dad, gets killed. Because Uther is a douche. See, Tom gets caught helping a sorcerer. He didn't know he was but, well, he was. Uther decides he'll get a 'fair' trial where he'll be found guilty and executed. To be even kinder, he demands anyone who so much as looked at this sorcerer be dragged in and put on the same 'fair' trial. Morgana is, suffice to say, rather pissed hearing this. Uther tells her to get back in the kitchen and make him a sandwich.
That night, Tom tries to escape with Morgana's help. The guards are ordered to execute him on sight and guess what they do when they see him? Yeah. Gwen is devastated and Morgana is ready to choke Uther with his own salad fork. Except he probably doesn't eat salad. Uther probably thinks they're made of magic lettuce.
Morgana basically does tell Uther to go choke on a salad fork and die a slow, painful death as he is an idiot and she hates him. Uther, knowing he must apologise and calm Morgana's rage, is deeply regretful. No, actually, he isn't. He says, "ho, don't you talk back to me" and locks her up in the dungeons. Such a reasonable and kind king!
While Morgana is civil disobediencing it up, Gwen is threatened by Tauren, the sorcerer, to find his alchemy stone or else he'll sort of slit her throat. Morgana happens to have it. Gwen is thoroughly distressed. Arthur gets Morgana bailed by promising she'll be a good girl and Gwen confesses to her the Tauren thing. Morgana, possibly still a bit angry at Uther, decides to take the stone to the woods and meets with Tauren, where she proudly declares her wish to help him assassinate Uther.
Where the hell is Merlin, you ask? Being a stalking lurker in the trees! He overhears Morgana and flips a nut. He then spends the episode rather torn on what to do. On one hand, Uther is an epic douche. He's basically caused all the problems in the series so far and ruined everything and Merlin knows Arthur can't become a great king until Uther is dead. On the other hand, Uther would be dead and that is murder. ...Okay, it's not that huge of a decision but he's all moral. He asks around and pretty much everyone except the Dragon thinks it isn't right to kill Uther, even if people would be better off with him dead.
The Dragon, for the record, only ever gives two pieces of advice: Protect Arthur and get Uther killed. So you know where he stands here.
But Merlin decides to protect Uther and goes to the assassination spot. Morgana and Uther are sitting around, reminiscing about Morgana's dad and how awesome he was as Tauren's men sneak up on them. But then Uther is all, "I love you Morgana and you're amazing and special and I owe you everything D:" and Morgana goes, "... D: well shit, guilt me why don't you." So she saves him by stabbing Tauren! Hurray?
At the end, Merlin is left confused, even though everyone is happy with him. Yeah, we're right there with you, Merlin. Right there with you.
Season finale! Remember how Merlin once spent an episode in a coma? Okay well this time, Arthur gets struck by a magical beast's venom and so he's the one in a death coma now. Everyone is utterly devastated and even more so when they learn there is no cure. Merlin can't stand knowing there isn't a cure, however, and goes to the Dragon. The Dragon tells him who to go see and that there will be a ~steep price~. But here, you get to see how devoted Merlin is. Merlin was basically assured it would be his life for Arthur's and he just rolled with it.
Guess who the person he's going to go see is? Nimueh! She's pretty cool with it. She just warns him of the consequences and Merlin accepts the trade. She gives him the water of life and wishes him well. Seriously, Nimueh is actually pretty cool. I mean she wanted to kill Uther but Uther is a douche. Otherwise it's like, "Well whatever, as long as it follows the codes of magic, yo."
Merlin returns with the water and of course, Arthur is fit again after drinking it. Gaius is upset and wonders what price Merlin will pay but Merlin assures him nothing matters as long as Arthur is safe. So cute. That night, Merlin sleeps with a charm Gaius gave him for luck. This is important.
Because you see, the next day, it shows the curse didn't hit Merlin! It hit his mom. Oh, snap. She's sort of dying in an epic painful fashion and Merlin decides this just does not fly with him. He goes to the Dragon and yells at him for tricking him but the Dragon is like, "whatever I said someone would die and you're being a prat." Merlin, maturely, yells he'll never fear the Dragon and will leave him to rot in the darkness. The Dragon is pissed! Good job burning that bridge, Merlin. Surely that won't come back to bite you in the ass!
Deciding the only way to fix it is to give his life properly this time, he makes one last stop to Arthur. They have a really touching chat with Merlin saying he will be Arthur's (servant, you pervs) until the day he dies. Okay it really is that gay. I don't blame you for thinking it. I thought it.
Anyway, he gets home only to discover Gaius has already left him another touching note to say goodbye, as he's giving his life instead. Everyone just wants to give lives! Jesus. Merlin goes out after him and by the time he reaches Nimueh, it's too late. He and Nimueh get into a magic battle! Merlin kills her. Nice, Merlin. Nice. This death, however, allows Gaius to be brought back. So basically, this season ends...more or less happily. Weird. Except Merlin murdering someone. But whatever.
Okay now the first episode of season two? I hate it. It's so OOC. Anyway. Blah blah a thief hears of cursed treasure that was discovered in the tombs below the castle and decides to get at it by becoming Arthur's new servant. Arthur is basically beyond an epic douche to Merlin and fires him and junk because some new guy appears randomly and says Merlin smells funny. Yeah really. So stupid. Blah blah the thief gets the treasure and surprise! It's cursed! He gets possessed and summons demons which can't be defeated and Arthur's life is in danger, so guess who Merlin has to go see?
The Dragon. Who is, you know, not happy. Anyway, he promises to help if Merlin promises to free him someday. Merlin agrees, unhappily, goes back out to face the possessed dumbass. He wins, of course, despite a, "join me and together we can rule this land blah blah" speech. Arthur realises he was a total and epic douche to Merlin and promises to never do that again. He was totally drunk. He didn't mean to be abusive! More than usual. Really, he won't forget an entire season of character development ever again. Merlin takes him back of course. He luffs him.
Uther, meanwhile, decides magic is even worse than he remembers it being! So he vows to increase his hunt and persecution of it. Surely, this won't build up into something bad. Of course not.
Canon Point: After that terrible excuse for an episode that is Cornelius whatever's episode a.k.a. just post-02x01.
Reality Description: Welcome to anachronism land! - I mean Camelot! Ignore the toaster over there. It's actually a magic metal box which heats bread.
But really, this is Camelot. It's your typical medieval village with clay and stone and wooden houses with those thatched roofs and junk. There's catacombs all over the place and water reserves underground and about a billion different dirt paths snaking through the city with a relatively nice stone square outside the castle for parties and executions. Yes, castle! I'll get to that in a minute. Of course, there's regular folk and tradesmen and merchants from outlying villages. But see, Camelot is the New York City of medieval times. This place is packed and bustling. Carts coming in and out, horses and shops and just about anything you could ask for. If it exists in this ancient world, you can find it in the sprawling city of Camelot.
Now, that castle is the crowning glory of Camelot. It's a pretty spacious deal with lots of normal castle things. It's got a dungeon and balconies and guards everywhere but seriously anyone can sneak in. The guards are useless. All the rooms are furnished with tapestries and luxurious beds and sheets, with the finest clothes and furniture and rugs and whatever else you can imagine. Uther, Arthur and Morgana live here. Merlin practically does, when he's not at home with Gaius or mucking out the royal stables. There are dining halls and turrets and winding paths. Really: think medieval castle of glory and you've got it. Just no round table (yet).
Gaius' house thing is possibly located in the castle or rather close to it. He is the royal physician after all. It's actually pretty nice. A large main room and a relatively spacious bedroom. The bedroom is Merlin's and it is usually messy. The large open room has a dining table and tons of books. Shelves of them! Lots of potions and herbs and test tubes - yes, test tubes - and bowls for mixing. There's a cot that Gaius sleeps on. It's also fairly messy but less messy than Merlin's room. It has an upper level which you can reach by ladder or stone steps where books and various research are kept.
Outside of Camelot, there's fields and rivers and lakes and rolling grassy hills and valleys and forests and tons of other villages dotting the kingdom. It's all very Welsh countryside, so you know. The land is covered with magical beasts, though they're rare enough that you don't usually run into them. Druids live in the forests to hide from Uther's magic persecution and beyond Uther's kingdom are dozens of other kingdoms.
Also Camelot has a lot of tournaments and jousting and junk. Like seriously. Tons.
Obviously, Uther is important. He's the king after all. He mostly does king stuff. Merlin spends most of his time with Gaius, helping clean and running errands and delivering medicines. Gwen, Morgana's lady in waiting, is a good friend of his. She lives in the old blacksmith's house. Her dad was blacksmith but Uther made him dead, so. Morgana herself is also Merlin's friend and they have a good strong bond, with Morgana feeling she can rely on him. Arthur will be apped soon so whatever. He's prince prat of pratiness. And a jerk. And stuff. And then there's the Dragon, who lives in a giant cave under the castle and is chained and grumpy and vague.
Player LJ: astronomia
Email and/or AIM: new_sun_flare_gamer at yahoo dot com/tasogare sage
Timezone: EST
Other Characters: Tenth Doctor[d3], Chris Skelton, Harley Quinn, Argentine, Fujioka Haruhi.
Character: Merlin a.k.a. Snazzlefrazz a.k.a. A. Bracadabra a.k.a. Not Sam Neill
Series/Fandom: BBC's Merlin
Deviance: 1
Age: 19 ish
Gender: Male
Species: Human (of the ~old religion~)
Canon Used: Just the Merlin TV series! If I get the spin-off materials, assuming there are any, I'll decide then how they fit in. Okay apparently there is! I just need to get them eventually and decide from there. Oh and BBC's Merlin is not the historical one at all, so uh. Yeah. Just throw that right out the window. He is also sadly not Sam Neill.
Appearance: Dumbo? But adorable and from the middle ages. Also not an elephant. There will be a picture here when I unlazy and put it on tinypic.
Psychology: When you first look at Merlin, you'll probably wonder how the hell this big eared dork grows up to be the wise and powerful wizard of legend. Well, he does. It's destiny! A dragon said so and they don't lie about that. He may be a big eared dork for now but he's already showing his potential as one of Camelot's greatest magicians.
But more to the point, right now he's a dork. A big, happy dork. He's a country bumpkin who was used to the quiet way of life, spending days out in the fields and chilling with his friends. He's no stranger to hardwork from his peasant upbringing and sets about his tasks with a simple, determined ease. When he has a job, he'll finish it. That isn't to say he doesn't slack off sometimes. Even he'll crack under too much weight. But in general, he'll do what he's told with only a few complaints beforehand. Well, more than a few. It depends. He still spends most of his time working.
Despite his previously simple life, he's adjusted well to life as a servant in Camelot. In fact, you wouldn't really notice that he doesn't belong there. Merlin is a people person and greets everyone with a smile and a sincere hello. He is incredibly kind and compassionate, feeling the plights of others. When someone is in trouble, he tries to help them and he'll go out of his way to take the responsibility on himself to fix their problems, even if it means being sneaky, lying or something dangerous. He won't do anything, of course, but he's very selfless. He wants to help and see people happy. Merlin just can't help getting involved. In fact, he will actively make himself involved and work his hardest to help.
He can be very honest to the point where it's painfully obvious anytime he lies. He can't really be secretive at all without stammering and changing the topic in obvious ways. Most people write it off as him just being awkward, because it does come off as socially awkward. The fact that he's clumsy and don't really think before he acts or speaks adds to this, meaning he often retracts statements or tries to reword himself constantly. This earnest sort of failing on his part just makes it harder to tell when he's hiding something and when he's just being tongue-tied.
Now, let's go to why he was sent to Camelot, because it's a bit important: Merlin has magic. He has a lot of it. He's had it for a long time and it has always, always been a secret. Uther's hate-on for magic means if Merlin ever revealed himself, he'd be executed. Thus it's no surprise that he has to go to great lengths to hide his gift. This also means he constantly feels singled out from everyone else. He is isolated and no amount of being outgoing can quite satisfy his longing. You see, he wants someone to know and still love him anyway. His dear friends don't know and he thinks if they did, they would turn him in. It's something he is painfully aware of and part of him is bitter that his friends don't really know him. No one does. All of his caring for others, all the things he does for them with his magic and they can never know because they would kill him. It's a hard thing for someone so desperate to care and be cared for to swallow.
Which brings us to one of the most important people in his life: Arthur. Yes, the once and future king, Arthur Pendragon. Merlin is Arthur's servant and he is fiercely loyal and devoted to him. He saves his life again and again and handles the tasks Arthur gives him to the best of his ability. Despite his snarky comments, he takes pride in what he does for Arthur and defends his position as Arthur's right hand man. But more than his servant, he is Arthur's friend. He sees the sides of Arthur that not everyone gets to see. He knows Arthur is a prat but he sees him wrestle with his responsibilities: to his people, his father and to himself. He treasures Arthur's company and considers him a good friend, offering his advice and counsel and supporting him. He truly believes that Arthur is a good hearted person and will be a great king. It is his honour and duty to protect Arthur and help guide him to his destiny.
Speaking of destiny, Merlin is bound up in it. He is very aware that the fate of Albion, Camelot and Arthur depend on him. On top of his servant duties and his work with Gaius, he does have to protect Arthur and help him save what basically amounts to their entire world. It is a heavy burden, another thing he can't share and yet another thing that distances him from everyone else. In this case, however, it helps fuel his loyalty to Arthur and his devotion to their people and their kingdom. In this way it also lends to his natural self-sacrificing and helpful state. He is serving a higher purpose and he is willing to toss away his life without a second thought for Arthur - or for Gaius or his mom or anyone he cares for, really. Even then he'll take risks for the others. While he really shouldn't die and doesn't look forward to it, more than anything, he must help Arthur.
Still, he's a young man and he isn't perfect. While he's kind, he's often very sarcastic, quipping at Arthur especially and speaking without really thinking. He has mastered the art of a deadpan servant. Arthur also has the ability to bring out the snotty brat in him and they aren't beyond being tricky idiots together. They'll sneak out of the castle, defy rules and occasionally be a bit nasty to others - poor Morgana and that rat stew - but it's a friendship thing. They are truly friends, despite class and position differences and they are still very much in the stages of growing up, with all the immaturity that comes with it.
As some final notes, Merlin will take lives if he must in self-defense but only as a last resort. He refuses to murder anyone. He does get frustrated and lonely and wishes someone could share in his burden and his secrets and just be himself. Most of the time, though, he manages to just be cheery and outgoing with wit that is balanced by flailing retractions. He does have some issues, not knowing his father and being away from his mother. He loves Gaius deeply, though, and feels he is a perfect father to him. He will use his magic to help others but will usually try to find other means first or just talk things out with them. He's very compassionate and is driven to help others but Arthur's safety will always, always come first, before Merlin's own life.
Other Skills/Abilities: Merlin is destined to be the most badass sorcerer that ever lived, so you can bet he's got some powerful magic. He's still young and refining his ability but he's adapt at a variety of spells. While he can command magic without the use of words or phrases, this seems to be a lesser, wilder sort of magic and the words channel and direct the spells. These spells seem to be flexible and suit many occasions. He can enchant objects to do his bidding - like doing his laundry - or slow down time. He has offensive and defensive magic, able to conjure shields of air or throw flames and mystical energy. He can also transfigure or change things, like bringing stone statues into flesh and blood or turning glass to water and so on.
He is also a dragonlord but as I am not pulling him from the end of season two, that doesn't really matter. (For the record, all it means is he's got ~deep ancient magic~ that allows him to communicate with dragons and control them. Sort of what it says on the tin.)
In non-magic news, he's...a good servant? Like seriously, that kid can do a lot. He's a faster learner, he can read and write and is generally a jack of all trades, even if he isn't especially good at most things.
Also when he uses magic, it's a bit obvious, since his irises turn gold for some reason. He also has magic senses! He can sense you doing things. If they are magic.
Other Weaknesses: Despite all magic, he is human. He can be wounded, fall ill, die, and so on with the same ease as all humans.
HE IS ALSO VERY WEAK TO ALCOHOL. He gets so much as a whiff of the stuff and he's off dancing and singing and fail flirting with the bar wenches. He's a happy drunk at least? But a very easy drunk. It's canon, yo.
History: Merlin begins his epic life in the non-epic but traditional hero way of being from a small and unassuming village. He was born in Ealdor, a small nothing village within a kingdom just outside of Uther Pendragon's own. This is important for later plot reasons. That is where he grew up, just living the simple folk's life of farming and sitting around with his boyfriend best only friend, William, and being devoted to his mother, Hunith. She's a single mother with his father being unknown! Could that be another plot point? Perhaps.
However, Merlin was born with the gift of magic and so things were difficult for him from the start. Magic is not exactly loved in the kingdom because of war and junk - this show is vague, okay - and so people with these gifts must hide them. Merlin has never been able to really control it properly, though he uses it with ease, and only his mother and William knew. Isolated? You know it.
But Hunith knew of course that this meant Merlin was destined for Great Things and so she sent him to the big city, New York London Camelot to live and learn with the royal physician, Gaius. He's the kindly old mentor, for the record. Merlin, being the sneaky sort, immediately and accidentally reveals to Gaius he has magic. Gaius, however, is a cool father figure and accepts Merlin, promising to help him learn to control his magic and harness it to its full potential.
Also Merlin hears voices in his head the whole episode. We'll get to that in a minute.
Merlin quickly discovers Camelot sort of sucks. His first impression? A public execution of a magic user. Yeah. His second impression? The prince is a royal douche. Yeah, you know, that prince Arthur guy? Destined to rule over Albion as the Once and Future King? He's a douche. Merlin stops him from bullying servants for lulz and gets beat up and thrown in the stocks. Good job, Merlin. That's how he meets Gwen, though! That Guinevere chick of legend? That's the one! She has a crush on him and it's cute.
Of course, then Merlin has to be himself and mouth off to Arthur yet again. Arthur and Merlin fight and Arthur decides there's just something about Merlin that gives him a funny sort of feeling. You know, in his head.
Hijinks happen! Okay no really basically Gwen from Torchwood's actress tries to kill Arthur and Merlin uses bullet time to save his life. Uther decides that the best thank you for such a wonderful and selfless act is the give Merlin to Arthur to be his personal manservant. Neither of the men are amused. Uther probably is, though. He's a douche.
There's one more important beginning note. Remember that voice in his head? That was a Dragon. He doesn't seem to have a name, just call him the Dragon. The Dragon is of the old religion and is sealed under the castle. He hates Uther with the fiery passion of ten thousand burning stars and you really can't blame him. Actually pretty much everyone in the series with magic hates Uther and 99% of the series is, "if only Uther wasn't a douche about magic, no bad shit would happen ever." That said, Uther is a douche about magic, so let's continue. The Dragon basically tells Merlin to devote his mind, body and soul to Arthur since they're destined to be together and rule Britain as King and Queen Wizard.
It's not gay at all, what do you mean. But anyway with me so far? High School AU Arthurian legend, basically. Got it? Good. Let's go on.
The next episode is important but can be summed up easily enough: Sir Valiant is a cheating douche who plans to use magic to kill Arthur in a tournament. Merlin goes, "bitch please" but Valiant goes, "YOU LIE" and stuff looks bad. But then it turns out Merlin was right because duh he's the main character and Arthur decides to trust Merlin, because Merlin seems like a good servant after all.
Then we get introduced to the season one villain: Nimueh. You know, that one. Yes. She has a hateon for Uther which is rather well deserved, considering he was an epic douche to her. You'll see later. Anyway, she wants to destroy Camelot and sends a plague. Gwen's father gets hit with it and Merlin uses magic to cure him, because he's sweet like that. Cue backfiring as Uther goes SORCERY!!! and blames Gwen and her father for everything. This is also one of the first times Merlin tries to confess he has magic and Arthur goes, "oh Merlin, you've been hitting the booze again." But the bros plus Morgana - she's not really important yet but you know, that Morgana - go and fetch the cause of the plague, which bears Nimueh's seal and thus saves Gwen from execution while Uther freaks.
Flash forward to Nimueh's next dastardly plan. Uther is having a party as him and this other king form a peace pact. Things are going well until a 'servant' a.k.a. Nimueh informs Merlin that the other king has poisoned Arthur's goblet. Merlin goes NOOOOOOO and Uther decides Merlin can test the poison. If it's poisoned, Merlin was right and he dies! If it's not, he gets severely beaten! Good times.
Of course it is poisoned and Merlin spends the episode in a fevered coma mumbling Arthur's name as he pants and writhes on the bed. He also makes glowing orbs of protection for Arthur and to guide Arthur on his epic quest to save his servant. He does manage to find the antidote! Just Uther is a douche and throws Arthur in the dungeon for trying to save the worthless life of a servant. Luckily, Gwen ninjas the antidote to Gaius and Merlin is saved! Arthur and Merlin have an awkward, touching moment and Nimueh says, "Curses! Foiled again."
But enough of that, let's meet Lancelot! He's sexy. Stupid sexy Lancelot. He woos Merlin by saving him from a deadly beast. He is just a poor commoner, you see, with the noble aim of protecting all and living his life by the good and pure justice of stuff. He's pretty epic. Merlin falls for him and decides to hook him up with Arthur so Lancelot can be an awesome knight.
There is the minor problem of Lancelot being a peasant and only nobles being allowed to be knights but Merlin just forges a document! Nothing could go wrong! Things do in fact go well until they discover Lancelot isn't a noble. Who saw that coming? Uther throws a hissy fit and Arthur goes, "D: but he's sexy." Sadly Uther finds no man sexy. Unless it's Gaius.
Arthur tells Lancelot to leave and never return but then a beast appears and everyone rides off to fight him. Lancelot demands to ride with them and when he can't, Merlin sneaks him there. Now the beast is magic, so it's basically suicide without magic, but Lancelot charges in anyway. Merlin gives him a little magic boost and Lancelot realises it. He knows he can't give Merlin credit but he still privately acknowledges him as amazing and awesome. While Arthur tries to get him to stay, Lancelot declines, saying he must ride off into the lonely sunset to seek justice and become a better man and deserve respect and noble junk. During all this, Gwen was pretty wooed, for the record. No one is surprised, right? Arthur, Merlin and Gwen all stand by and watch him ride away as they sigh and go, "Oh, stupid, sexy man." He'll be back.
Okay this is going to get long fast so here's more summing up. A guy named Edwin comes to town claiming he can cure any illness. It just so happens Morgana has fallen ill! Yes, he did it. I know, shock. It makes him look very good when he cures her and of course everyone fawns over him. It's actually all a plot to get back at Gaius, since Gaius sort of betrayed magic people for Uther. Merlin, too, likes Edwin for Edwin says he can use his magic well and for good. While Edwin obviously turns out to be a douche that is killed - by Merlin, for the record, in a magic faceoff - Merlin still uses his magic for good to save Uther from Edwin's illness, thus also clearing Gaius' good name. Hurray!
The Gates of Avalon isn't hugely important. Basically, Arthur has the love-whammy put on him from some vicious sidhe who need to sacrifice a prince to get home. Merlin spends most of the episode covering for Arthur's affair until he realises it is magic!!! Then he saves him from drowning. Though this episode does feature more hints that Morgana has magic. That is important for later.
Let's meet Mordred now. Mordred is a little druid boy who is naturally a bit persecuted because Uther hates all magic ever. His mentor/father/dude is killed and he himself wounded. That's when Merlin finds him. See, Mordred calls out to him using his mind and he can't ignore that. He hides him with Morgana, who quickly develops an eerie bond with him. Yeah, you know, like in the legends. Merlin asks the dragon for help but the dragon tells him Mordred is an evil mofo, which Merlin doesn't believe because he wants to think Mordred is like him. Awwww. Morgana tries to smuggle Mordred out but gets caught. This causes more of a rift between her and Uther, which is understandable since Uther wants to execute him and Morgana thinks that is bullshit. Luckily, Merlin to the rescue! With Morgana, Arthur and Gwen helping. Hurray teamwork!
Except the dragon tells him that if Mordred lives, he will grow up to kill Arthur. Nice, huh? Merlin is apprehensive, which is completely justified, but decides in the end, after listening to Mordred's mental cries for help, that he can't let him die. And so Mordred is saved and returned to roam free with the druids, though he vows that he will see 'Emrys' again. Oooooh, spooky.
Another important bit of legend comes into play now! Excalibur, the amazing sword of amazing. Once again, Nimueh decides to try to get back at Uther, this time by reviving a knight from the dead with the sole mission to slay him. The knight keeps throwing down challenges by other knights accept them. And get killed, because it's a damn zombie. This is bad enough until Arthur decides to jump in on it. This means Merlin must save the day! He goes to the dragon and asks for a zombie killing sword and is given Excalibur. The only condition? Don't let Uther use it. This seems simple enough until Uther drugs Arthur to keep him from going to his death and takes up the sword instead. He unsurprisingly wins and Merlin has to break it to the dragon that Uther has the sword. The dragon throws a hissy fit and demands Merlin dispose of it, which he does by throwing it into a lake. Good job, Merlin.
Now let's get serious for a moment: Merlin's home town gets attacked by raiders. His mom comes to Camelot, injured, looking for help. Obviously, Merlin gets her an audience with Uther, who regretfully says that Ealdor is within another kingdom, one they have a strained peace with, so he cannot do anything without stirring up a war.
Merlin decides the only course of action is for him to go back home to defend the village best he can. What he wasn't prepared for, however, is Gwen and Morgana to join him with weapons and armour. They say he has always been there for them and so they will be there for him now. At first, Arthur allows them to go but during the night he finds their camp and joins them.
Once they reach the village, Arthur decides to train the men while Morgana and Gwen prepare weapons and armour the best they can. They meet some resistance from Merlin's old bestest best friend ever, William, the only person who knows he has magic besides his mom and Gaius. Oh and Lancelot but he's off somewhere being noble.
Anyway, Will distrusts Arthur and is also suspicious that Merlin claims him a friend when he can't even safely tell Arthur his secret. That hurts but Merlin just presses on and enjoys the company of his friend. The raiders send a dead body as a message and Arthur is naturally worried. Gwen and Morgana encourage him to teach the women to fight as well and later at night Arthur wonders why Merlin ever left this place. Obviously, Merlin can't tell him, just driving home Will's point.
Then, battle! They use traps and tricks and fight bravely but it doesn't go well. Will tells Merlin that he knows the only way they'll win this is if Merlin uses magic. Eventually, he agrees and no surprise, they do indeed win. Except Arthur saw. Before it can be confronted, however, the dying leader of the raiders shoots at Arthur. Will takes the shot and it is fatal. This part is really sad and cannot be properly described in a history but suffice to say Will passes away, not before clinging to Merlin and telling him Arthur will be a great king with his help.
At William's funeral, Arthur says Merlin knew that Will was a sorcerer and scolds him for not warning Arthur, since magic is only a danger. This obviously does nothing to comfort Merlin's pain and doubts. His mother, however, assures him that when the time is right, Arthur will know and accept him.
More importantly: unicorns. That's right, the next adventure involves unicorns. Arthur and Merlin are out on a regular hunt in the forest when Arthur sees a unicorn. In awe of this majestic, magical creature, he shoots it dead and cheers. That's our Arthur.
Merlin is naturally upset - especially after seeing a mysterious figure for a moment - but Arthur tells him to quit being a girl and takes the horn to Uther like a happy puppy bringing the ball back. Except very soon after, all the crops in Camelot die overnight, leaving them in a sudden famine. The water all dries up, as well. Gaius proposes it is magic and Uther agrees, telling Arthur to put Camelot on a curfew and to execute anyone caught looting for food.
Later that night, Merlin and Arthur run into the mysterious figure again, who warns that this is all Arthur's doing for unleashing the curse - he did kill a unicorn, after all, jesus - and that only by proving he is pure of heart will the curse lift.
Then a chance appears! Merlin and Arthur catch someone looting the granary. When he begs for mercy for his starving children, Arthur allows him to go and even gives him a bag of grain. The next day, water returns! Hurray lifting curse! They decide to go seek the old mage dude in the forest for more tasks but run into the looting man again, who was apparently just a thief. He provokes and insults Arthur, who attacks him and thus fails the next test. For his failure, all the remaining food in Camelot rots.
Now Uther, being the level-headed sort, decides to hoard what's left for his knights and tells Arthur not to feed any of their people. Arthur isn't down with that and so Merlin seeks the old man to beg for one final test. It is given and Arthur accepts, because duh. They end up in a maze where they are separated and randomly end up by the ocean with a test!
There are two goblets, one with poison and one without. They can only each drink from one goblet. They argue for a while with Arthur demanding to protect Merlin and Merlin demanding to protect Arthur and it's sappy and adorable. Merlin realises they can pour the drinks into one goblet to save one of them and Arthur decides to do it and kill himself to save Merlin. Merlin goes NOOOOOOOOO but it turns out unicorns are douches and Arthur is just sleeping. The curse is lifted and everyone is happy and hell even the unicorn comes back. Hell yes.
This next adventure is more dramatic and Morgana centric. Also Tom, Gwen's dad, gets killed. Because Uther is a douche. See, Tom gets caught helping a sorcerer. He didn't know he was but, well, he was. Uther decides he'll get a 'fair' trial where he'll be found guilty and executed. To be even kinder, he demands anyone who so much as looked at this sorcerer be dragged in and put on the same 'fair' trial. Morgana is, suffice to say, rather pissed hearing this. Uther tells her to get back in the kitchen and make him a sandwich.
That night, Tom tries to escape with Morgana's help. The guards are ordered to execute him on sight and guess what they do when they see him? Yeah. Gwen is devastated and Morgana is ready to choke Uther with his own salad fork. Except he probably doesn't eat salad. Uther probably thinks they're made of magic lettuce.
Morgana basically does tell Uther to go choke on a salad fork and die a slow, painful death as he is an idiot and she hates him. Uther, knowing he must apologise and calm Morgana's rage, is deeply regretful. No, actually, he isn't. He says, "ho, don't you talk back to me" and locks her up in the dungeons. Such a reasonable and kind king!
While Morgana is civil disobediencing it up, Gwen is threatened by Tauren, the sorcerer, to find his alchemy stone or else he'll sort of slit her throat. Morgana happens to have it. Gwen is thoroughly distressed. Arthur gets Morgana bailed by promising she'll be a good girl and Gwen confesses to her the Tauren thing. Morgana, possibly still a bit angry at Uther, decides to take the stone to the woods and meets with Tauren, where she proudly declares her wish to help him assassinate Uther.
Where the hell is Merlin, you ask? Being a stalking lurker in the trees! He overhears Morgana and flips a nut. He then spends the episode rather torn on what to do. On one hand, Uther is an epic douche. He's basically caused all the problems in the series so far and ruined everything and Merlin knows Arthur can't become a great king until Uther is dead. On the other hand, Uther would be dead and that is murder. ...Okay, it's not that huge of a decision but he's all moral. He asks around and pretty much everyone except the Dragon thinks it isn't right to kill Uther, even if people would be better off with him dead.
The Dragon, for the record, only ever gives two pieces of advice: Protect Arthur and get Uther killed. So you know where he stands here.
But Merlin decides to protect Uther and goes to the assassination spot. Morgana and Uther are sitting around, reminiscing about Morgana's dad and how awesome he was as Tauren's men sneak up on them. But then Uther is all, "I love you Morgana and you're amazing and special and I owe you everything D:" and Morgana goes, "... D: well shit, guilt me why don't you." So she saves him by stabbing Tauren! Hurray?
At the end, Merlin is left confused, even though everyone is happy with him. Yeah, we're right there with you, Merlin. Right there with you.
Season finale! Remember how Merlin once spent an episode in a coma? Okay well this time, Arthur gets struck by a magical beast's venom and so he's the one in a death coma now. Everyone is utterly devastated and even more so when they learn there is no cure. Merlin can't stand knowing there isn't a cure, however, and goes to the Dragon. The Dragon tells him who to go see and that there will be a ~steep price~. But here, you get to see how devoted Merlin is. Merlin was basically assured it would be his life for Arthur's and he just rolled with it.
Guess who the person he's going to go see is? Nimueh! She's pretty cool with it. She just warns him of the consequences and Merlin accepts the trade. She gives him the water of life and wishes him well. Seriously, Nimueh is actually pretty cool. I mean she wanted to kill Uther but Uther is a douche. Otherwise it's like, "Well whatever, as long as it follows the codes of magic, yo."
Merlin returns with the water and of course, Arthur is fit again after drinking it. Gaius is upset and wonders what price Merlin will pay but Merlin assures him nothing matters as long as Arthur is safe. So cute. That night, Merlin sleeps with a charm Gaius gave him for luck. This is important.
Because you see, the next day, it shows the curse didn't hit Merlin! It hit his mom. Oh, snap. She's sort of dying in an epic painful fashion and Merlin decides this just does not fly with him. He goes to the Dragon and yells at him for tricking him but the Dragon is like, "whatever I said someone would die and you're being a prat." Merlin, maturely, yells he'll never fear the Dragon and will leave him to rot in the darkness. The Dragon is pissed! Good job burning that bridge, Merlin. Surely that won't come back to bite you in the ass!
Deciding the only way to fix it is to give his life properly this time, he makes one last stop to Arthur. They have a really touching chat with Merlin saying he will be Arthur's (servant, you pervs) until the day he dies. Okay it really is that gay. I don't blame you for thinking it. I thought it.
Anyway, he gets home only to discover Gaius has already left him another touching note to say goodbye, as he's giving his life instead. Everyone just wants to give lives! Jesus. Merlin goes out after him and by the time he reaches Nimueh, it's too late. He and Nimueh get into a magic battle! Merlin kills her. Nice, Merlin. Nice. This death, however, allows Gaius to be brought back. So basically, this season ends...more or less happily. Weird. Except Merlin murdering someone. But whatever.
Okay now the first episode of season two? I hate it. It's so OOC. Anyway. Blah blah a thief hears of cursed treasure that was discovered in the tombs below the castle and decides to get at it by becoming Arthur's new servant. Arthur is basically beyond an epic douche to Merlin and fires him and junk because some new guy appears randomly and says Merlin smells funny. Yeah really. So stupid. Blah blah the thief gets the treasure and surprise! It's cursed! He gets possessed and summons demons which can't be defeated and Arthur's life is in danger, so guess who Merlin has to go see?
The Dragon. Who is, you know, not happy. Anyway, he promises to help if Merlin promises to free him someday. Merlin agrees, unhappily, goes back out to face the possessed dumbass. He wins, of course, despite a, "join me and together we can rule this land blah blah" speech. Arthur realises he was a total and epic douche to Merlin and promises to never do that again. He was totally drunk. He didn't mean to be abusive! More than usual. Really, he won't forget an entire season of character development ever again. Merlin takes him back of course. He luffs him.
Uther, meanwhile, decides magic is even worse than he remembers it being! So he vows to increase his hunt and persecution of it. Surely, this won't build up into something bad. Of course not.
Canon Point: After that terrible excuse for an episode that is Cornelius whatever's episode a.k.a. just post-02x01.
Reality Description: Welcome to anachronism land! - I mean Camelot! Ignore the toaster over there. It's actually a magic metal box which heats bread.
But really, this is Camelot. It's your typical medieval village with clay and stone and wooden houses with those thatched roofs and junk. There's catacombs all over the place and water reserves underground and about a billion different dirt paths snaking through the city with a relatively nice stone square outside the castle for parties and executions. Yes, castle! I'll get to that in a minute. Of course, there's regular folk and tradesmen and merchants from outlying villages. But see, Camelot is the New York City of medieval times. This place is packed and bustling. Carts coming in and out, horses and shops and just about anything you could ask for. If it exists in this ancient world, you can find it in the sprawling city of Camelot.
Now, that castle is the crowning glory of Camelot. It's a pretty spacious deal with lots of normal castle things. It's got a dungeon and balconies and guards everywhere but seriously anyone can sneak in. The guards are useless. All the rooms are furnished with tapestries and luxurious beds and sheets, with the finest clothes and furniture and rugs and whatever else you can imagine. Uther, Arthur and Morgana live here. Merlin practically does, when he's not at home with Gaius or mucking out the royal stables. There are dining halls and turrets and winding paths. Really: think medieval castle of glory and you've got it. Just no round table (yet).
Gaius' house thing is possibly located in the castle or rather close to it. He is the royal physician after all. It's actually pretty nice. A large main room and a relatively spacious bedroom. The bedroom is Merlin's and it is usually messy. The large open room has a dining table and tons of books. Shelves of them! Lots of potions and herbs and test tubes - yes, test tubes - and bowls for mixing. There's a cot that Gaius sleeps on. It's also fairly messy but less messy than Merlin's room. It has an upper level which you can reach by ladder or stone steps where books and various research are kept.
Outside of Camelot, there's fields and rivers and lakes and rolling grassy hills and valleys and forests and tons of other villages dotting the kingdom. It's all very Welsh countryside, so you know. The land is covered with magical beasts, though they're rare enough that you don't usually run into them. Druids live in the forests to hide from Uther's magic persecution and beyond Uther's kingdom are dozens of other kingdoms.
Also Camelot has a lot of tournaments and jousting and junk. Like seriously. Tons.
Obviously, Uther is important. He's the king after all. He mostly does king stuff. Merlin spends most of his time with Gaius, helping clean and running errands and delivering medicines. Gwen, Morgana's lady in waiting, is a good friend of his. She lives in the old blacksmith's house. Her dad was blacksmith but Uther made him dead, so. Morgana herself is also Merlin's friend and they have a good strong bond, with Morgana feeling she can rely on him. Arthur will be apped soon so whatever. He's prince prat of pratiness. And a jerk. And stuff. And then there's the Dragon, who lives in a giant cave under the castle and is chained and grumpy and vague.