Dear Merlin,
Not the character, the show. I adore the world you created and the characters you gave us.
I hate your flaws.
I hate that I can sit here and slowly unravel my love for you because your flaws are so huge I can see the center of the earth through them. I hate that you make me hate your title character because you make him an untrustworthy moron who listens to anyone significantly older than him. I hate that you've made him so secretive and closed off he can't even have real friends because he has a million dumb secrets he doesn't actually need to keep.
I hate that you take two strong female characters and squash them repeatedly into the background without regard to character development they need.
I hate that you make Arthur out to be a blind fool and expect us to believe he can safely unite all of Albion.
I hate that Gaius made it out of Series One. :| Seriously.
But I don't hate the fandom you gave us, dear show. I love this fandom. I love the good sides and the bad sides because even the bad sides can't compare to some of the extreme flaws presented in your show. I love this fandom and all it's produced and all the opportunities it gave us.
My hope for you is that in Series Three, you forget you ever had a reset button. That you take your female characters and give them some agency and moments to shine on their own. I hope you manage to let Arthur get through one episode without being knocked unconscious for the sake of "keeping the magic secret" and I desperately hope you let Merlin tell ANYONE who trusts and loves him about who he is.
Some Mild But Wavering Affection,
faynia
I hate your flaws.
I hate that I can sit here and slowly unravel my love for you because your flaws are so huge I can see the center of the earth through them. I hate that you make me hate your title character because you make him an untrustworthy moron who listens to anyone significantly older than him. I hate that you've made him so secretive and closed off he can't even have real friends because he has a million dumb secrets he doesn't actually need to keep.
I hate that you take two strong female characters and squash them repeatedly into the background without regard to character development they need.
I hate that you make Arthur out to be a blind fool and expect us to believe he can safely unite all of Albion.
I hate that Gaius made it out of Series One. :| Seriously.
But I don't hate the fandom you gave us, dear show. I love this fandom. I love the good sides and the bad sides because even the bad sides can't compare to some of the extreme flaws presented in your show. I love this fandom and all it's produced and all the opportunities it gave us.
My hope for you is that in Series Three, you forget you ever had a reset button. That you take your female characters and give them some agency and moments to shine on their own. I hope you manage to let Arthur get through one episode without being knocked unconscious for the sake of "keeping the magic secret" and I desperately hope you let Merlin tell ANYONE who trusts and loves him about who he is.
Some Mild But Wavering Affection,
faynia