Merlin 5.12 "Diamond of the Day, Part 1" review
My review for the first part of the series finale (I hate saying those words).
I'm surprisingly hopeful.
Also, what does this title even mean?
As painful as it was to watch that scene between Arthur and Merlin, I can see why Arthur would feel hurt. At this point it is just so much a given that Merlin will go with him into any danger that when he heard Merlin wasn’t coming this time it took him by surprise. He probably needed Merlin now more than he ever has, and he’s come to rely on him so much, that finding out he wasn’t coming just kind of broke his heart. He kind of felt betrayed even though we all know that’s not Merlin’s intention.
The problem was that Merlin brushed it off as an errand. In Arthur’s eyes, Merlin is making a lame excuse for not coming with him. HOWEVER, Gaius said that what Merlin had to do was important for all of them, so Gwen believed in Merlin. Merlin told Gwaine that what he had to do was important and that he had to trust him, so Gwaine believed in him, too. When it comes to Arthur, Merlin makes the mistake of giving him a lame ‘I have to cover up my magic’ excuse. He could have said he was leaving to do something important - something that would help Arthur - and that Arthur needed to trust him. And then I feel like Arthur WOULD have trusted him. Gwen trusted Merlin, Gwaine trusted Merlin, Arthur would have, too. But I think that Merlin was so hurt by Arthur’s comment he didn’t try to defend himself.
So yeah, Arthur was hard on Merlin, but I can kind of see where he’s coming from.
(WARNING: FANGIRLING AHEAD)
Dear God, the FAAAACES those two boys make! Heartbreaking without words! Arthur didn’t have to say anything, you could tell his world fell apart when Merlin said he wasn’t coming. Merlin ALWAYS comes, Arthur never doubts that he will. It’s so normal for Merlin to come with him, Arthur believes so much that Merlin is the bravest man he’s ever met, that he doesn’t question Merlin until he implies that he’s not coming. The look on Arthur’s face, and then the look on Merlin’s face! They were both in so much PAIN! My heart literally HURT from it. I actually had to stop the computer and scream for a good minute and a half before I could even think about hitting play again. The Merthur chemistry doesn’t come from any of the lines; it comes from Colin and Bradley. It’s just so intense. I’m going to miss it so much. :(
(END OF FANGIRLING)
This episode has given me hope for the finale. I have more hope now than I did two hours ago. When Arthur woke from Merlin’s message, I feel like he GOT IT. He knew it wasn’t a dream, knew it had to be something more, and he clearly trusted Merlin enough to listen to his not-dream voice in his head. Arthur TRUSTS Merlin, he really does, and I think that the faith that he lost came back.
The only thing that makes me a bit nervous is the part where he comes out of the cave as Dragoon. But I think that it’s not going to be a permanent thing; that it’s just something he needs to do in order to go into battle and save Arthur without all of Arthur’s men getting the wrong idea. I hope that when he saves Arthur, he will show him who he really is.
(WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE PROMO FOR THE FINALE)
As for the part where Merlin says “I’m a sorcerer. I have magic” and there’s no visual, I think it’s a good sign. He couldn’t be saying this as Dragoon, because Arthur wouldn’t understand it. It wouldn’t mean anything coming from Dragoon; Arthur would be like “That’s nice, and who are you?” He has to be saying it as young Merlin. As for whether he’s actually saying it to Arthur….I can’t imagine who else he’d be saying it to. There’s only one situation I can think of where Merlin is saying this to someone other than Arthur, and I just can’t think that they’d go down that road.
(END SPOILERS)
I think that Merlin CAN save Arthur, and he will. For some reason, this episode gave me hope. Maybe it was the heartbreak in Arthur’s eyes when he thought Merlin wasn’t going to be with him in the final battle. Maybe it’s the stuff that Balinor said. Maybe it’s the fact that Gwen and Gwaine and Gaius all have faith in Merlin, and now Merlin has faith in himself, too. Maybe it’s the look on Arthur’s face when he realizes that Merlin has come through for him in the end. Maybe I just want a happy ending so badly. But I honestly have more hope for the finale now than I did before this episode.
I could be wrong. They still have 45 minutes to crap all over my good feelings. But I went from yelling at the computer in PAIN when Arthur said “I guess I was wrong” to shouting with glee when Arthur heard Merlin’s voice in his head and knew it wasn’t a dream. Merthur gives me hope, just like it always has.
Hoping for a Merry Christmas for everyone!
Also, READ THIS if the finale is getting you down. It’s my take on how the show should end. I finished/posted it this morning before the episode aired. It’s basically a fix-it fic for an unaired episode, lol.
I'm surprisingly hopeful.
Also, what does this title even mean?
As painful as it was to watch that scene between Arthur and Merlin, I can see why Arthur would feel hurt. At this point it is just so much a given that Merlin will go with him into any danger that when he heard Merlin wasn’t coming this time it took him by surprise. He probably needed Merlin now more than he ever has, and he’s come to rely on him so much, that finding out he wasn’t coming just kind of broke his heart. He kind of felt betrayed even though we all know that’s not Merlin’s intention.
The problem was that Merlin brushed it off as an errand. In Arthur’s eyes, Merlin is making a lame excuse for not coming with him. HOWEVER, Gaius said that what Merlin had to do was important for all of them, so Gwen believed in Merlin. Merlin told Gwaine that what he had to do was important and that he had to trust him, so Gwaine believed in him, too. When it comes to Arthur, Merlin makes the mistake of giving him a lame ‘I have to cover up my magic’ excuse. He could have said he was leaving to do something important - something that would help Arthur - and that Arthur needed to trust him. And then I feel like Arthur WOULD have trusted him. Gwen trusted Merlin, Gwaine trusted Merlin, Arthur would have, too. But I think that Merlin was so hurt by Arthur’s comment he didn’t try to defend himself.
So yeah, Arthur was hard on Merlin, but I can kind of see where he’s coming from.
(WARNING: FANGIRLING AHEAD)
Dear God, the FAAAACES those two boys make! Heartbreaking without words! Arthur didn’t have to say anything, you could tell his world fell apart when Merlin said he wasn’t coming. Merlin ALWAYS comes, Arthur never doubts that he will. It’s so normal for Merlin to come with him, Arthur believes so much that Merlin is the bravest man he’s ever met, that he doesn’t question Merlin until he implies that he’s not coming. The look on Arthur’s face, and then the look on Merlin’s face! They were both in so much PAIN! My heart literally HURT from it. I actually had to stop the computer and scream for a good minute and a half before I could even think about hitting play again. The Merthur chemistry doesn’t come from any of the lines; it comes from Colin and Bradley. It’s just so intense. I’m going to miss it so much. :(
(END OF FANGIRLING)
This episode has given me hope for the finale. I have more hope now than I did two hours ago. When Arthur woke from Merlin’s message, I feel like he GOT IT. He knew it wasn’t a dream, knew it had to be something more, and he clearly trusted Merlin enough to listen to his not-dream voice in his head. Arthur TRUSTS Merlin, he really does, and I think that the faith that he lost came back.
The only thing that makes me a bit nervous is the part where he comes out of the cave as Dragoon. But I think that it’s not going to be a permanent thing; that it’s just something he needs to do in order to go into battle and save Arthur without all of Arthur’s men getting the wrong idea. I hope that when he saves Arthur, he will show him who he really is.
(WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE PROMO FOR THE FINALE)
As for the part where Merlin says “I’m a sorcerer. I have magic” and there’s no visual, I think it’s a good sign. He couldn’t be saying this as Dragoon, because Arthur wouldn’t understand it. It wouldn’t mean anything coming from Dragoon; Arthur would be like “That’s nice, and who are you?” He has to be saying it as young Merlin. As for whether he’s actually saying it to Arthur….I can’t imagine who else he’d be saying it to. There’s only one situation I can think of where Merlin is saying this to someone other than Arthur, and I just can’t think that they’d go down that road.
(END SPOILERS)
I think that Merlin CAN save Arthur, and he will. For some reason, this episode gave me hope. Maybe it was the heartbreak in Arthur’s eyes when he thought Merlin wasn’t going to be with him in the final battle. Maybe it’s the stuff that Balinor said. Maybe it’s the fact that Gwen and Gwaine and Gaius all have faith in Merlin, and now Merlin has faith in himself, too. Maybe it’s the look on Arthur’s face when he realizes that Merlin has come through for him in the end. Maybe I just want a happy ending so badly. But I honestly have more hope for the finale now than I did before this episode.
I could be wrong. They still have 45 minutes to crap all over my good feelings. But I went from yelling at the computer in PAIN when Arthur said “I guess I was wrong” to shouting with glee when Arthur heard Merlin’s voice in his head and knew it wasn’t a dream. Merthur gives me hope, just like it always has.
Hoping for a Merry Christmas for everyone!
Also, READ THIS if the finale is getting you down. It’s my take on how the show should end. I finished/posted it this morning before the episode aired. It’s basically a fix-it fic for an unaired episode, lol.