The balance has been restored.
LET'S TALK ABOUT MERLIN. I've finally seen through the end!
I've definitely realized that the show is at its least compelling for me when it focuses on solely Merlin, which is a pity since, uh, he's the title character. I am far more engaged when Arthur is central, or Morgana, or even Gwen or Uther. I actually love most when episodes are more ensemble driven, and everyone has a role to play.
I don't mean to start out on a down note, but I just watched the last two episodes back to back, and I liked "To Kill a King" SO MUCH MORE than "Le Morte D'Arthur". The latter had so much promise, and I was really excited for all the angst and drama and, um, ARTHUR (see title of episode) but instead it was just Merlin expecting everything to bend to his will again and stubbornly stomping around until he got his way. :-/ He never accepts the consequences of his actions (um, when Nimueh said "If only it were that easy" when he offered his life, didn't he REALIZE that his life wasn't the bargain?!) and just dashes ahead, so cocksure that everything will work out. And it DOES, which annoys me even more because he needs to learn! Rar.
So let's move away from that one, and instead focus on all the WIN WIN WIN, because I am REALLY impressed, overall, with some of the stuff this season achieved.
First, "To Kill a King". Um, WOW. I was gasping and crying and hands over my face so many times. Morgana is useless when the show doesn't feel like paying attention to her, but when it does, she BRINGS it. Her fierce anger about Uther's blind and heartless injustice toward Gwen's father, her bravery in standing up to him, was truly something. I loved her compassion for Gwen, and the absolutely implacable way in which she made her decision to commit the ultimate betrayal. It was an extremely questionable decision, obviously, but I really felt where her anger was coming from and understood her simmering hatred of Uther that stemmed from the death of her father. There was so much unspoken - I could tell that she and Uther had a genuine bond, but that the death of her father had always been a taint, just beneath the surface, and Tom's death truly brought that to the forefront. That, combined with Uther's continued acts of irrational hate and ruthlessness, just pushed her into this incredibly dark place. I loved her sweeping through the forest in that gorgeous green cloak, and standing still as ice as these rebels surrounded her with swords, offering her help in their treasonous plots. My eyes were huge as saucers, I swear. Then the conversation with Uther at the grave, her face as she realized that he is not evil, that he gets swept away by anger and often makes irrational decisions, but that he still has a conscience and in fact values her challenges to his iron fist, it was just really powerful. And how she looked after she stabbed the sorcerer to save Uther.... I got chills! That was really an incredible episode for Morgana.
Which is why it was all the more jolting to get to the finale, in which it was her job to just look sleepless and foreboding and wake up from nightmares. *hands*
Back to "To Kill a King" - I really loved EVERYONE in it. Arthur had some truly gorgeous character moments - when he freed Morgana from the dungeon, and then when he went to Gwen and told her that her job and home were safe, and that if she needed anything to ask, and that... he was sorry. That scene. His FACE. THAT is the Arthur that I love, passionately. THAT is King Arthur, right there. I hate when they make him into this insensitive... well, prat. It feels like they're trying to shoehorn two different characters into him and they need to make a decision.
[TANGENT: In fact, he's DEAN WINCHESTER. I feel exactly the same about both of them. They are both deeply honorable, good men, whose main motivating force is love, but their respective shows make them into, well, jerks quite a lot. And I really never like the moments when Dean is an obnoxious, crude horndog, and I don't like them out of Arthur either. /TANGENT]
I even loved Merlin in "To Kill a King". I loved that for once, he was genuinely conflicted about a decision, and considered it carefully, and asked advice of Gwen, and looked at things with an appreciation for complexity, without simply thinking in black and white as he often seems to do. I also liked that while he helped a little to save Uther, ultimately the climax revolved around Morgana, as it should have.
Gwen was also lovely, and heartbreaking.
Basically, that EPISODE. It might be my favorite of the season.
Let's talk about the dynamics of these CHARACTERS. More specifically, how EVERYONE FLIRTS WITH EVERYONE. It's like a hormone fest! We've got Arthur being jealous when guys look at Morgana, and the two of them bickering like schoolchildren with crushes (SO CUTE SERIOUSLY). There's Gwen and Merlin being all stupid and silly around each other, which is adorable to the EXTREME. Gwen and Morgana's affection for each other is just lovely. ARTHUR AND MERLIN ARE CLEARLY BOYFRIENDS ("Now we have truly seen what is in Arthur's heart"?!? SERIOUSLY!???) and I want to read SO MUCH FIC. There is stupid boyish teasing but there's also lots of life saving, and you KNOW how much I love the mutual savior nonsense (Sam and Dean? John and Rodney? YES PLZ). Baaasically they are just as gay as everyone says, which is HARD, but somehow they manage it!
And finally, ARTHUR AND GWEN. Their moments are few and far between - in fact, I can only think of two right now - but uh. There is really a SPARK there. Which is wonderful, because it's Arthur and Guinevere, so, yeah. Gwen has such unflinching faith and belief in Arthur, and in his potential to be a wonderful king. She believes in him more than he believes in himself. The scene by his bedside, when he was sick, was just gorgeous. I got all flappy. And later, when he woke up, when he was playfully trying to get her to say what she said to him when he was ill... I was squeeing, I'm not gonna lie. There is such obvious fondness in his face when he teases her. It's just very sweet and warm and genuine. I also love the scene from 1x10, when she snaps at him for not appreciating the food. She flails around adorably trying to apologize, and then he says, "Guinevere," in this fondly exasperated tone, and thanks her. I LOVE THAT SCENE. Then she tells him she believes in him and he gets his Serious Face on and his eyes are all blue and pretty and SIGH.
Speaking of episode 1x10, I think that was my favorite of the episodes from a Merlin/Arthur point of view. There was sort of a quietness to it, none of this Epic Questing or Beast Battling or anything. Simply... Merlin and his family were in trouble, and Arthur came to help, out of the goodness of his heart. There is so much quiet tension in Merlin's battle within himself - to use his magic to save the village, or keep his secret so as not to alienate Arthur (and possibly get himself killed and unable to help Arthur reach the throne). And Arthur is just magnificent, though he does stumble a couple times. But I absolutely love his speech to rally the villagers. I also love his response to Gwen's assertion that the women should be able to fight too - after a bit of chivalrous resistance, he says "It would be an honor to stand alongside you." SIGH ARTHUR. ♥_♥ But back to Merlin and Arthur - their preciousness!
Gwen: "Why do you think [Arthur] came here?"
Morgana: "Same reason we did. Merlin. Arthur may act like he doesn't care, but he wouldn't be here if he didn't."
Awwwwwww. Everybody wuvs Merlin! But seriously, it's pretty incredible that they're all taking this risk to fight a battle that is distinctly not their own. And Arthur is taking the largest risk of all - he is the Prince of Camelot, and if they get in trouble with the king of this other region, then his presence is definitely basis for an act of war.
[SIDE NOTE: I really really really like tunics. Particularly red ones. With v necks. On Arthur. NNNNGH. /SIDE NOTE]
[SIDE NOTE THE SECOND: What the hell is up with the fur wraps Morgana wears toward the end of the season? /SIDE NOTE THE SECOND]
I also love Arthur and Merlin's conversation near the beginning, when Merlin tells Arthur he's going back with his mother. Arthur is just like "Well, obviously." Because there simply isn't another option. Sometimes Arthur just dazzles me with the clarity of his moral compass. It only strays when he is forced to place his loyalty to Uther first. He's really such a compelling character, I can't wait for more! *chinhands*
SORRY, SORRY. Arthur and Merlin! I feel almost, er, bad for the fact that their relationship is not my focus? It's ADORABLE and GAY and BOYFRIENDY, but I am so compelled by the CHARACTERS in this show. But anyway, I want to say that it is SO HILARIOUS that Merlin's mother feels compelled to take up the mantle of the Slash Dragon when Merlin's away from Camelot. "Give him more credit than that, he LIKES you!" as if Arthur LIKING Merlin were the most admirable thing on the planet. Hee! And let's talk about Arthur and Merlin's little bedtime chat.
Arthur: "Sounds... nice."
Merlin: "You'd hate it."
Arthur: "No doubt."
They're both just so... dry and witty! The monotone teasing, mixed with a healthy dose of sincerity and a sense of confession, is just lovely. AND THEN ARTHUR MUSHES MERLIN'S FACE WITH HIS BARE FOOT. Ahahahahahahah you GUYS WHAT IS THIS. But the moment is totally muted by the fact that Arthur is trying to get Merlin to tell him why he left, and Merlin can't, and it's obviously so painful for him, and ugh, my heart! I REALLY want Arthur to find out Merlin's secret. I REALLY do. It will be such an intense drama, so much anger and betrayal and confusion followed by forgiveness and reconciliation and make up sex and understanding and closeness. I really really hope they pull that off properly. I have faith in Bradley James to do it, so it's just a question of the script.
And then,
Arthur: "You don't have a dog and then fetch the stick yourself. No offense Merlin."
Merlin: "None taken."
HEE.
Another thing I wanted to talk about was UTHER and NIMUEH. There was that episode, oh, which one... oh yeah, EXCALIBUR! Which was a PHENOMENAL episode, I must say. The wraith-knight was so creepy, and Arthur was so determined and brave and honorable, sigh my heart. (He's my faaaaaavorite, if that wasn't clear.) But UTHER! That scene where Nimueh finally confronts him was so intense and fraught with history and pain and hate and love. It was incredible how Nimueh was revealed to be not a simple villain but a woman whom Uther once clearly held very dear, and who was only carrying out his wishes when they took a tragic turn. Uther sought to use magic as a tool for his own ends, and he suffered for that presumption. He blamed Nimueh and took it out, viciously, on all those of magic. You can see both sides of this coin here. Uther, grief-stricken, lashing out and forever hateful as a result. "She was my heart, my soul." Such vulnerability from such a hard man. It is moments like that when I'm like, wow, show, A+++++ on snagging Anthony Head, because WOW. He is just phenomenal. And then Nimueh, simply trying to help a friend and then almost betrayed by the very magic she practices, breathes even, but betrayed more terribly by Uther himself and turning into a creature full of hate and vengeance. It is such a deeply tragic story - two good people torn asunder by a tragedy neither was truly at fault for, and both turned into twisted bastardizations of their former selves.
Wow.
I did NOT expect anything like that to come out of this show. I anticipated a frolicking, fun romp with two pretty gay boys wearing tunics and swinging swords and pulling each others' pigtails. Instead I get a story and a cast of characters that I find genuinely compelling. Awesome! I'm sad that there's a whole year until the next series, but I am glad it will return. I think that with time they will be able to truly hone what they have here. It's definitely got some rough edges, but I think they landed gold with Bradley James and Angel Coulby and Anthony Head and Richard Wilson, and Colin Morgan and Katie McGrath have great potential when they're given the right material, and the legend itself has so much to play with. Hurrah for Merlin! That was a great ride :)
Wow, that got really long! Someone come squee with me, and then point me to the fic! :D
I've definitely realized that the show is at its least compelling for me when it focuses on solely Merlin, which is a pity since, uh, he's the title character. I am far more engaged when Arthur is central, or Morgana, or even Gwen or Uther. I actually love most when episodes are more ensemble driven, and everyone has a role to play.
I don't mean to start out on a down note, but I just watched the last two episodes back to back, and I liked "To Kill a King" SO MUCH MORE than "Le Morte D'Arthur". The latter had so much promise, and I was really excited for all the angst and drama and, um, ARTHUR (see title of episode) but instead it was just Merlin expecting everything to bend to his will again and stubbornly stomping around until he got his way. :-/ He never accepts the consequences of his actions (um, when Nimueh said "If only it were that easy" when he offered his life, didn't he REALIZE that his life wasn't the bargain?!) and just dashes ahead, so cocksure that everything will work out. And it DOES, which annoys me even more because he needs to learn! Rar.
So let's move away from that one, and instead focus on all the WIN WIN WIN, because I am REALLY impressed, overall, with some of the stuff this season achieved.
First, "To Kill a King". Um, WOW. I was gasping and crying and hands over my face so many times. Morgana is useless when the show doesn't feel like paying attention to her, but when it does, she BRINGS it. Her fierce anger about Uther's blind and heartless injustice toward Gwen's father, her bravery in standing up to him, was truly something. I loved her compassion for Gwen, and the absolutely implacable way in which she made her decision to commit the ultimate betrayal. It was an extremely questionable decision, obviously, but I really felt where her anger was coming from and understood her simmering hatred of Uther that stemmed from the death of her father. There was so much unspoken - I could tell that she and Uther had a genuine bond, but that the death of her father had always been a taint, just beneath the surface, and Tom's death truly brought that to the forefront. That, combined with Uther's continued acts of irrational hate and ruthlessness, just pushed her into this incredibly dark place. I loved her sweeping through the forest in that gorgeous green cloak, and standing still as ice as these rebels surrounded her with swords, offering her help in their treasonous plots. My eyes were huge as saucers, I swear. Then the conversation with Uther at the grave, her face as she realized that he is not evil, that he gets swept away by anger and often makes irrational decisions, but that he still has a conscience and in fact values her challenges to his iron fist, it was just really powerful. And how she looked after she stabbed the sorcerer to save Uther.... I got chills! That was really an incredible episode for Morgana.
Which is why it was all the more jolting to get to the finale, in which it was her job to just look sleepless and foreboding and wake up from nightmares. *hands*
Back to "To Kill a King" - I really loved EVERYONE in it. Arthur had some truly gorgeous character moments - when he freed Morgana from the dungeon, and then when he went to Gwen and told her that her job and home were safe, and that if she needed anything to ask, and that... he was sorry. That scene. His FACE. THAT is the Arthur that I love, passionately. THAT is King Arthur, right there. I hate when they make him into this insensitive... well, prat. It feels like they're trying to shoehorn two different characters into him and they need to make a decision.
[TANGENT: In fact, he's DEAN WINCHESTER. I feel exactly the same about both of them. They are both deeply honorable, good men, whose main motivating force is love, but their respective shows make them into, well, jerks quite a lot. And I really never like the moments when Dean is an obnoxious, crude horndog, and I don't like them out of Arthur either. /TANGENT]
I even loved Merlin in "To Kill a King". I loved that for once, he was genuinely conflicted about a decision, and considered it carefully, and asked advice of Gwen, and looked at things with an appreciation for complexity, without simply thinking in black and white as he often seems to do. I also liked that while he helped a little to save Uther, ultimately the climax revolved around Morgana, as it should have.
Gwen was also lovely, and heartbreaking.
Basically, that EPISODE. It might be my favorite of the season.
Let's talk about the dynamics of these CHARACTERS. More specifically, how EVERYONE FLIRTS WITH EVERYONE. It's like a hormone fest! We've got Arthur being jealous when guys look at Morgana, and the two of them bickering like schoolchildren with crushes (SO CUTE SERIOUSLY). There's Gwen and Merlin being all stupid and silly around each other, which is adorable to the EXTREME. Gwen and Morgana's affection for each other is just lovely. ARTHUR AND MERLIN ARE CLEARLY BOYFRIENDS ("Now we have truly seen what is in Arthur's heart"?!? SERIOUSLY!???) and I want to read SO MUCH FIC. There is stupid boyish teasing but there's also lots of life saving, and you KNOW how much I love the mutual savior nonsense (Sam and Dean? John and Rodney? YES PLZ). Baaasically they are just as gay as everyone says, which is HARD, but somehow they manage it!
And finally, ARTHUR AND GWEN. Their moments are few and far between - in fact, I can only think of two right now - but uh. There is really a SPARK there. Which is wonderful, because it's Arthur and Guinevere, so, yeah. Gwen has such unflinching faith and belief in Arthur, and in his potential to be a wonderful king. She believes in him more than he believes in himself. The scene by his bedside, when he was sick, was just gorgeous. I got all flappy. And later, when he woke up, when he was playfully trying to get her to say what she said to him when he was ill... I was squeeing, I'm not gonna lie. There is such obvious fondness in his face when he teases her. It's just very sweet and warm and genuine. I also love the scene from 1x10, when she snaps at him for not appreciating the food. She flails around adorably trying to apologize, and then he says, "Guinevere," in this fondly exasperated tone, and thanks her. I LOVE THAT SCENE. Then she tells him she believes in him and he gets his Serious Face on and his eyes are all blue and pretty and SIGH.
Speaking of episode 1x10, I think that was my favorite of the episodes from a Merlin/Arthur point of view. There was sort of a quietness to it, none of this Epic Questing or Beast Battling or anything. Simply... Merlin and his family were in trouble, and Arthur came to help, out of the goodness of his heart. There is so much quiet tension in Merlin's battle within himself - to use his magic to save the village, or keep his secret so as not to alienate Arthur (and possibly get himself killed and unable to help Arthur reach the throne). And Arthur is just magnificent, though he does stumble a couple times. But I absolutely love his speech to rally the villagers. I also love his response to Gwen's assertion that the women should be able to fight too - after a bit of chivalrous resistance, he says "It would be an honor to stand alongside you." SIGH ARTHUR. ♥_♥ But back to Merlin and Arthur - their preciousness!
Gwen: "Why do you think [Arthur] came here?"
Morgana: "Same reason we did. Merlin. Arthur may act like he doesn't care, but he wouldn't be here if he didn't."
Awwwwwww. Everybody wuvs Merlin! But seriously, it's pretty incredible that they're all taking this risk to fight a battle that is distinctly not their own. And Arthur is taking the largest risk of all - he is the Prince of Camelot, and if they get in trouble with the king of this other region, then his presence is definitely basis for an act of war.
[SIDE NOTE: I really really really like tunics. Particularly red ones. With v necks. On Arthur. NNNNGH. /SIDE NOTE]
[SIDE NOTE THE SECOND: What the hell is up with the fur wraps Morgana wears toward the end of the season? /SIDE NOTE THE SECOND]
I also love Arthur and Merlin's conversation near the beginning, when Merlin tells Arthur he's going back with his mother. Arthur is just like "Well, obviously." Because there simply isn't another option. Sometimes Arthur just dazzles me with the clarity of his moral compass. It only strays when he is forced to place his loyalty to Uther first. He's really such a compelling character, I can't wait for more! *chinhands*
SORRY, SORRY. Arthur and Merlin! I feel almost, er, bad for the fact that their relationship is not my focus? It's ADORABLE and GAY and BOYFRIENDY, but I am so compelled by the CHARACTERS in this show. But anyway, I want to say that it is SO HILARIOUS that Merlin's mother feels compelled to take up the mantle of the Slash Dragon when Merlin's away from Camelot. "Give him more credit than that, he LIKES you!" as if Arthur LIKING Merlin were the most admirable thing on the planet. Hee! And let's talk about Arthur and Merlin's little bedtime chat.
Arthur: "Sounds... nice."
Merlin: "You'd hate it."
Arthur: "No doubt."
They're both just so... dry and witty! The monotone teasing, mixed with a healthy dose of sincerity and a sense of confession, is just lovely. AND THEN ARTHUR MUSHES MERLIN'S FACE WITH HIS BARE FOOT. Ahahahahahahah you GUYS WHAT IS THIS. But the moment is totally muted by the fact that Arthur is trying to get Merlin to tell him why he left, and Merlin can't, and it's obviously so painful for him, and ugh, my heart! I REALLY want Arthur to find out Merlin's secret. I REALLY do. It will be such an intense drama, so much anger and betrayal and confusion followed by forgiveness and reconciliation and make up sex and understanding and closeness. I really really hope they pull that off properly. I have faith in Bradley James to do it, so it's just a question of the script.
And then,
Arthur: "You don't have a dog and then fetch the stick yourself. No offense Merlin."
Merlin: "None taken."
HEE.
Another thing I wanted to talk about was UTHER and NIMUEH. There was that episode, oh, which one... oh yeah, EXCALIBUR! Which was a PHENOMENAL episode, I must say. The wraith-knight was so creepy, and Arthur was so determined and brave and honorable, sigh my heart. (He's my faaaaaavorite, if that wasn't clear.) But UTHER! That scene where Nimueh finally confronts him was so intense and fraught with history and pain and hate and love. It was incredible how Nimueh was revealed to be not a simple villain but a woman whom Uther once clearly held very dear, and who was only carrying out his wishes when they took a tragic turn. Uther sought to use magic as a tool for his own ends, and he suffered for that presumption. He blamed Nimueh and took it out, viciously, on all those of magic. You can see both sides of this coin here. Uther, grief-stricken, lashing out and forever hateful as a result. "She was my heart, my soul." Such vulnerability from such a hard man. It is moments like that when I'm like, wow, show, A+++++ on snagging Anthony Head, because WOW. He is just phenomenal. And then Nimueh, simply trying to help a friend and then almost betrayed by the very magic she practices, breathes even, but betrayed more terribly by Uther himself and turning into a creature full of hate and vengeance. It is such a deeply tragic story - two good people torn asunder by a tragedy neither was truly at fault for, and both turned into twisted bastardizations of their former selves.
Wow.
I did NOT expect anything like that to come out of this show. I anticipated a frolicking, fun romp with two pretty gay boys wearing tunics and swinging swords and pulling each others' pigtails. Instead I get a story and a cast of characters that I find genuinely compelling. Awesome! I'm sad that there's a whole year until the next series, but I am glad it will return. I think that with time they will be able to truly hone what they have here. It's definitely got some rough edges, but I think they landed gold with Bradley James and Angel Coulby and Anthony Head and Richard Wilson, and Colin Morgan and Katie McGrath have great potential when they're given the right material, and the legend itself has so much to play with. Hurrah for Merlin! That was a great ride :)
Wow, that got really long! Someone come squee with me, and then point me to the fic! :D