Baby dragons!!! (and other SPOILERS for Merlin 4.04)
We were bound to get a breather after the last episode, and we got it. And you know what? I liked it. It was sort of nice not to know exactly what's going to happen, or at least how for once and not dread the outcome.
There were two scenes, though, that nearly made me die of secondhand embarrassment. The first one with Arthur's trousers. Yeah, I'm sorry, whoever can spin it as slashy (as in Merlin being unable to live without seeing Arthur's arse on display) can do so, but I watched the episode twice, and both times caught myself looking away. It was humiliating. Personally, I'm so not into that.
The second scene was when the knights teased Merlin with the food. I get that it played well later in the episode, but as Merlin, whose healing powers for once worked, prevented them from even having indigestion as belated punishment, it just looked cruel. I kept thinking 'Really, Leon? Even you? Since when are you a bully? And really Gwaine? Since when are you siding with Arthur in this? What the hell, guys?'
But. I really loved the little Arthur/Merlin moments. Like exactly what must Arthur catch Merlin doing in his bedroom while he's sleeping to become even the slightest bit alarmed? At this point? I can't come up with a single variant. :D
Also, I really loved all the manhandling in the forest, and the fact that apparently for Arthur the command 'Take cover!' translates into 'Grab Merlin and shove him to safety.' Nice :D
I loved Merlin's conference call with the Druids. Loved it. Loved how he didn't ask stupid questions like 'Can you stop speaking in riddles and explain what you mean?' Because they wouldn't have anyway, and he'd just look stupid. He's learning. *g*
Loved how BAMF Merlin was in the final sequence. 'I am the Dragonlord.' Hell, yeah. Had strong flashbacks to the Sigan episode, except we can see here how Merlin had grown. He's so confident, it bursts off the screen. WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THAT.
Really not feeling for Gaius here. Sorry, but no. What the hell is he yelling for? If he didn't want Merlin to trust Borden, he should have explained exactly what he'd done to lose Gaius's trust. Gaius keeps forgetting that Merlin isn't 5 (it's easy at times, granted), and that he can't just tell him 'don't do that' without any explanation. Surely, he must remember how well that went the last time(s)? Or like, ever. So no, sorry, Gaius, but you brought this on yourself. He's true to himself, the ultimate play-it-safe kind of guy. I get it. But he should have realised by now that Merlin isn't, and no amount of shouting is going to make him change.
LOVED BABY DRAGON! ♥♥♥
ETA: re: the teasing scene with the knights. And yes, as someone pointed out elsewhere, if Lancelot was there, there's no way he wouldn't have stood up for Merlin or took part in that BS. No way. I miss my bb Lancelot... *sighs*
There were two scenes, though, that nearly made me die of secondhand embarrassment. The first one with Arthur's trousers. Yeah, I'm sorry, whoever can spin it as slashy (as in Merlin being unable to live without seeing Arthur's arse on display) can do so, but I watched the episode twice, and both times caught myself looking away. It was humiliating. Personally, I'm so not into that.
The second scene was when the knights teased Merlin with the food. I get that it played well later in the episode, but as Merlin, whose healing powers for once worked, prevented them from even having indigestion as belated punishment, it just looked cruel. I kept thinking 'Really, Leon? Even you? Since when are you a bully? And really Gwaine? Since when are you siding with Arthur in this? What the hell, guys?'
But. I really loved the little Arthur/Merlin moments. Like exactly what must Arthur catch Merlin doing in his bedroom while he's sleeping to become even the slightest bit alarmed? At this point? I can't come up with a single variant. :D
Also, I really loved all the manhandling in the forest, and the fact that apparently for Arthur the command 'Take cover!' translates into 'Grab Merlin and shove him to safety.' Nice :D
I loved Merlin's conference call with the Druids. Loved it. Loved how he didn't ask stupid questions like 'Can you stop speaking in riddles and explain what you mean?' Because they wouldn't have anyway, and he'd just look stupid. He's learning. *g*
Loved how BAMF Merlin was in the final sequence. 'I am the Dragonlord.' Hell, yeah. Had strong flashbacks to the Sigan episode, except we can see here how Merlin had grown. He's so confident, it bursts off the screen. WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THAT.
Really not feeling for Gaius here. Sorry, but no. What the hell is he yelling for? If he didn't want Merlin to trust Borden, he should have explained exactly what he'd done to lose Gaius's trust. Gaius keeps forgetting that Merlin isn't 5 (it's easy at times, granted), and that he can't just tell him 'don't do that' without any explanation. Surely, he must remember how well that went the last time(s)? Or like, ever. So no, sorry, Gaius, but you brought this on yourself. He's true to himself, the ultimate play-it-safe kind of guy. I get it. But he should have realised by now that Merlin isn't, and no amount of shouting is going to make him change.
LOVED BABY DRAGON! ♥♥♥
ETA: re: the teasing scene with the knights. And yes, as someone pointed out elsewhere, if Lancelot was there, there's no way he wouldn't have stood up for Merlin or took part in that BS. No way. I miss my bb Lancelot... *sighs*