In which I ask a million questions

[jelazakazone]

Ok, people. Talk to me. I want to hear why the OTP thing matters. I know that there are tons of people who won't read a fic if it's not with their OTP. Why is that important? Do all other pairings seem OOC? I'm really curious about this. I like all different kinds of stories, although there are some stories I don't read because of characters,

Comments

[archaeologist_d]

If nothing else, at the end of the episode he must know that Merlin has saved Arthur or tried to. If not, Arthur would have been dead quite a few times - Arthur would never be able to stand up to Morgana's magic.

Mordred might think that Merlin distrusts him because of that episode with young Mordred.

I think Mordred has more power than Merlin. He's saved Arthur's life in a pretty spectacular way and Arthur knighting him is a way of welcoming him into the fold. It's clear that Arthur really trusts his knights.

It's also clear to Mordred that magic isn't accepted and that Merlin has been lying to Arthur for years about it. And that Merlin is unhappy and lonely and isolated because of it.

Yes, Merlin has Arthur's ear but if Mordred told Arthur that Merlin had magic, all that would go. Even in ep. 5.13, Arthur doesn't immediately forgive Merlin but says that he wanted Merlin to leave, that he wasn't sure what he'd do and that when he'd tried to take off Merlin's head that first day, he wished he'd killed him --- sure didn't sound like forgiveness to me, at least initially. So I think if Mordred had told Arthur about Merlin's magic, it would have gone badly for Merlin. Hence the power differential.

[jelazakazone]

But Mordred couldn't have known that Arthur would react so strongly, do you think? Also, if Mordred had denounced Merlin, don't you think that Merlin could have just denounced Mordred? I mean, you think Arthur would trust Mordred over Merlin because Mordred is a knight? It's an interesting idea.

[archaeologist_d]

I think Mordred is pretty perceptive and could see that Arthur would react strongly. Otherwise Merlin would have come clean ages ago. Yes, Merlin could denounce Mordred right back but Mordred has been living outside Camelot for years and has no real reason to stay - and must have places he could hide whereas Merlin has given everything to Arthur (otherwise Merlin would have left years ago).

In magic, I think Arthur would believe Mordred who he thinks has no magic over Merlin when he found out Merlin had been lying to him all those years. Once Arthur gives his trust, to be betrayed like that would hurt him to the core. Really his initial reaction to Merlin's confession in 5.13 is quite telling. I think Merlin had a right to be afraid, if not for his life, for his place at Arthur's side - which is more important to Merlin than his life.

[jelazakazone]

Hunh. Yeah. I don't know. I find it a very interesting dilemma. I want to believe that Arthur would question Mordred and be more compassionate with Merlin. I think I'd have to write a fic about it to see what would happen, but I really shouldn't touch that. LOL.