Thoughts about 4x13
I'm so glad I no longer believed in a magic reveal at the end of the episode, otherwise I would have been so disapointed and angry I wouldn't have been able to appreciate the few things there were to.
Mind you, that doesn't mean I wasn't fuming about the lack of reveal.
The writers are shooting themselves in the foot. Repeatedly. And they seem to enjoy it. Problem is, part of the viewers doesn't because they are stupid enough to care about the show and about the main character. You know, Merlin.
It has come to a point that, while I enjoy and melt each time Arthur expresses openly his care, affection and trust for Merlin, it's a lot diminished by the fact that I wonder each time: "Would Arthur say that and feel that way if he knew?"
So basically, the moments between Arthur and Merlin which made me stick with the series so far are now tainted by the lack of magic reveal because it feels like their friendship is kind of a big lie. Makes me feel sorry for Arthur that the only person he still trusts is also lying to him, all the time. And it's all wrong because it makes Merlin the baddie!
And if there isn't a magic reveal in the first episodes of S5 - and I have to say I don't believe it'll happen - the writers are going to have to contrive everything so much, the character of Merlin himself could end up tainted and twisted beyond recognition.
I have one instance at the top of my mind:
Of course, in the writers' mind the character of Isolde had to die to make Arthur realise he has to forgive Gwen because LOVE is important (not that I cared at all) but it felt horribly wrong to see compassionate and kind Merlin stand like this and do NOTHING to at least try and save her (he did save Gwen so he's magically able to). It's starting to make him look like he's cowardly or worse, a bit heartless. He put his secret above someone's life, for fuck's sake!
If we remember that the show is supposed to be mostly aimed at kids, what kind of message does that send to them? That keeping a secret is more important than putting someone's life in danger?!
But that's not important for the writers. What was important was to have Gwen married to Arthur and crowned Queen at the end of S4. "Will you marry me?" WTF????
Instead of this bland repeat of the proposal scene, I would have liked to see Merlin telling Gaius what happened while he was away. Like: "I killed Agravaine and it felt both awesome and wrong to feel that powerful. Am I changing too much?"
But noooo.
I remember liking a lot Morgana's dream about Gwen being crowned Queen of Camelot and thinking that I couldn't wait for it to happen for real in the show. Yet watching the coronation I felt nothing, if only some kind of "let's get it over with" feeling. Thank god there was Merlin all gorgeous in his outfit in that scene (though that's too bad we didn't get to see the fitting pants and boots he was wearing).
If only Arthur's coronation and embracing his kingly role, and finally being married to Gwen, and Gwen becoming Queen could mean that the next season will finally concentrate on Merlin... But I've lost faith in the writers.
If there isn't a magic reveal in the beginnings of S5, what will be left? Merlin playing Clark Kent with no character development for him at all, no recognition?
They might as well have ended the show at 4x13. It wouldn't have been that bad of an ending, open for a reveal in our minds, instead of doing another season to butcher it all.
The way I see it, given the end of the finale, they could stop "Merlin" here, do a spin-off and call it "Morgana". Not that I would be interested in watching.
I guess that's my fault for caring so much about the show. Should have watched it casually and not really care about what it's becoming.
That's what I did with Stargate Atlantis. Stopped watching after they killed Beckett. Even my love for David Hewlett and Rodney McKay wasn't enough to keep me watching. Never looked back, never watched the rest.
For now, what will make me sit in front of my TV and watch at least 5x01 is Colin Morgan.
Now about the stuff I liked in this ep.
I loved the 20 first minutes.
- Merlin calling the dragon to do the dirty work. That growl at the end of the call did things to me. I emitted a few wild sounds of my own. So glad I'm not watching this with my family.
- Arthur openly worrying about Merlin. Arthur admitting to Merlin he couldn't bear to loose him (even if... see my rant above).
- Merlin's face off with Agravaine. That was a surprising choice to have Merlin killing Agravaine - even if it was stupidly completely spoilt by the trailer. It was obvious that once Agravaine knew about Merlin's magic, he couldn't survive in the show!
I thought it would be Morgana who would be the one to do the killing.
The whole scene was awesome, thanks to Colin. He barely talks but he doesn't need to. He conveys everything with his face, eyes and body. - and boy is he hot.
In case some people hadn't noticed that Merlin was no longer the naive boy who arrived in Camelot years ago, I think this definitely opened their eyes.
As a side note, I've found interesting that when Agravaine says "You are Emrys!", Merlin doesn't answer "Yes, it's me" but "That's what the Druids call me", as if he's not ready yet to fully embrace what he is.
- The whole Excalibur scene. I expected to hate it. Well, I liked it.
It didn't come as overly manipulative to me but I understand how it can be seen that way.
Merlin exposing Arthur to some potential big humiliation was a rather interesting reversal in roles! But it's not like he had a choice: Arthur probably wouldn't have bothered to try and lift the sword if there had been no one else but Merlin around. Merlin knows Arthur well enough to be aware of that.
I was moved by Merlin coaxing, encouraging Arthur. I didn't perceive it as patronising or manipulative. It reminded me of a father watching over his kid's first steps. And even if Merlin is younger than Arthur in the show, I really got that feel of wise Merlin guiding Arthur.
But it was also a bit painful to see Merlin helping Arthur accomplishing his great destiny but being a few steps behind, in the shadows.
They are treading a very fine line with Merlin's attitude and choices. If there isn't a magic reveal, he will end up appearing manipulative and using Arthur as his puppet. And Arthur will seem devoid of will and ideas.
Merlin lying through his teeth, inventing a whole story to have Arthur get Excalibur didn't sit well with me, even if it was made clear that Arthur didn't really buy Merlin's story.
As a side note: Arthur has no qualms wielding what is obviously a magical sword. Uther would have had it destroyed and probably having Merlin executed for knowing about it.
That's all I liked.
The ending of the episode is:
- Isolde dying with Arthur and Gwen going goo goo eyed at each other (Tristan entirely vanishes afterward),
- Arthur asking - again - Gwen to marry him,
- Gwen's corronation,
- Morgana being saved by Aithusa - in the most "WTF" scene ever, and not in a good way.
Hmmm, should the writers be reminded that the show's called Merlin?