Ep 2.12 .... woah
I may have allowed myself to be spoiled, so I thought i KNEW what was going to happen... but WATCHING it I was just blown away - fantastic acting on everyone's part, great story, interesting character development and interactions (although to be fair, mostly on Merlin's part since Gwen was locked out of the ep, Arthur was in some heroic 'save the day' stupor which stopped him seeing any magic and Morgana did a lot of standing around, twisting her hands together nervously and being frightened - which lets face it, is par for the course, only ONE woman may have something to do in any one episode and THIS WEEK it was Morgause's turn).
I don't really feel any particular love for the Morgause character (and apparently I'm one of the few), I mean I love emilia fox and she's playing a beautiful, strong, female character - and really well, with subtlety and depth but I don't actually feel ANYTHING for Morgause. She's just sort of there, sometimes. And I'm not sure I understand what she WANTS exactly...certainly Uther dead, but um...could she not do something from the safety of her lair? (and I'm assuming she has one) Something that wouldn't effect EVERYONE? Something a little more subtle? That doesn't put her little sis in danger from a well-meaning friend? There HAS to be a spell that can stop Uther's heart, a few well placed words...HELL, she could have chucked something together before she blew out of Camelot. He WAS just standing there, groggy too and undefended. I guess she was distracted by Morgana dying in her arms...which is understandable.
I'm never going to be able to watch this episode in it's entriety, no stopping and starting just straight through ever again (I didn't even manage it the FIRST time) because its depressing as hell. And it makes me sad and angsty and pissed off, really pissed off that Merlin is screwing everybody up - putting them in their already designated corners of the ring with his WELL-MEANING intentions. BLOODY HELL MERLIN! Share your God damn SECRET already! So someone can give you a good shake or a couple of hits upside the head (I can hear Arthur volunteering) . I am beginning to think that serving Arthur is like Merlin's penance or something for just generally causing a CLUSTERF**K every week and never failing to make things just that little bit worse before he makes it better. He just drives me INSANE.
Gwen really deserved to be given more to do, rather then look confused/concerned, then sleep and NEVER APPEAR AGAIN. It would have been interesting if she'd reappeared again to ask where Morgana was, or even just a glimpse of her staring out Morgana's sulking window WONDERING - come on it would have taken all of 4 seconds and could have been split in among the Arthur/Uther talk, with them talking over the top - adding to the drama and rippling effect this will have on ALL. I think they also could have spared a few sentences to have Gwen confiding in Merlin or Arthur about Morgana's strange behavior during the last few episodes - to sort of give it a thread that pulls it altogether, as well as bonding the OT3.
Arthur, Arthur, Arthur....he's brave, loyal, a good fighter, a good leader, selfless, handsome, strong and yet OH SO STUPID when it comes to Merlin using magic...WHY is that again? Because I'd really like an answer to that. I get why in the first series, because he was arguably more Prat then Prince back then but he has since proved himself ( at least in my eyes) as willing to accept change - he's fallen in love, defied his father a few times, stuck up for Merlin, listened to Gwen and Merlin's advice when it counted - he's becoming a better man, but he's not going to get there on a daily diet of LIES. In fact the lies could destroy all the progress he's made (THANKS ALOT MERLIN).
I just think that the show has run out its believeability licence on KEEPING THE MAGIC SECRET, Gwen would never turn him in (Uther's stringent rules cost her her father and almost her own life [Merlin!]) and I think she's grounded and sensible enough to just accept him AS IS - as opposed to the way his current behaviour (and is it just ME? Or has Merlin become WORSE at lying - "Moths!". "Rats!") all forces her to look at him like he's soft in the head. Arthur would be angry that Merlin's been lying to him, WHILE forcing him to be more open about what he thinks and feels, and it is a betrayal in a way - I can see him telling Merlin just to STOP, don't be magic. Like it's a choice, because he'd be afraid for his friend, so he also wouldn't blab the secret. And Morgana....well, lady's and gents that train left the station...maybe not DIRECTLY after 2.03 but I'd say by the end of the witchfinder it was gone. I didn't see Merlin fearing for Morgana's life (that was Gwen) to him it was just another clue to the sneakness of Aredian and the lengths the man would stoop. Although he saved her in the end by pulling the old 'hot sword in the hand trick' for the 1 millionth time, I still felt like he shouldn't have HAD to, Morgana so could have taken that guy, he WAS OLD - come ON Show! What was that?! And where did Gwen GO?!
A few Questions I was left asking myself:
- Just HOW LONG have those stairs been there in the Dragon's cave? And WHY haven't I noticed them before? (Ok, now I have to go back to see if they're there in earlier eps)
- Why not tell Morgana WHY he's murdering her? Surely, she deserves to know.
- How could she leave Gwen on the FLOOR, unprotected? And has Morgana been taking hiding lessons from Merlin? The Curtain?! Really? SO cliche!
- Why not stuff Uther in a wardrobe? It would be easier then lugging him around. I thought that would have been the first thing that occurred to Merlin rather then dressing Uther up in drag.
- Why didn't Merlin make sure Gaius was okay (and not silently drowning from the water over the head spell) before following after Arthur?
-Why is it IMPOSSIBLE for Morgana to do ANY magic in any of these KEY 'Magic is isolating me from my friends and family' episodes?
- Why DOES Morgana think Morgause is showing SUCH an interest in her?
-How can she think that Uther doesn't love her? And how unfair is it for her to put me on Uther's side?
- What on earth do all these KILL THE KING rebels think is going to happen afterwards? Who rules then? Are they actually trying to disestablish the monarchy? DO they want a democracy or are we looking at a dictatorship kind of situation with all the magic people in power? Wouldn't other kingdoms try and claim Camelot and then this all just becomes a big WAR with the People being the ones to lose out?
I don't really feel any particular love for the Morgause character (and apparently I'm one of the few), I mean I love emilia fox and she's playing a beautiful, strong, female character - and really well, with subtlety and depth but I don't actually feel ANYTHING for Morgause. She's just sort of there, sometimes. And I'm not sure I understand what she WANTS exactly...certainly Uther dead, but um...could she not do something from the safety of her lair? (and I'm assuming she has one) Something that wouldn't effect EVERYONE? Something a little more subtle? That doesn't put her little sis in danger from a well-meaning friend? There HAS to be a spell that can stop Uther's heart, a few well placed words...HELL, she could have chucked something together before she blew out of Camelot. He WAS just standing there, groggy too and undefended. I guess she was distracted by Morgana dying in her arms...which is understandable.
I'm never going to be able to watch this episode in it's entriety, no stopping and starting just straight through ever again (I didn't even manage it the FIRST time) because its depressing as hell. And it makes me sad and angsty and pissed off, really pissed off that Merlin is screwing everybody up - putting them in their already designated corners of the ring with his WELL-MEANING intentions. BLOODY HELL MERLIN! Share your God damn SECRET already! So someone can give you a good shake or a couple of hits upside the head (I can hear Arthur volunteering) . I am beginning to think that serving Arthur is like Merlin's penance or something for just generally causing a CLUSTERF**K every week and never failing to make things just that little bit worse before he makes it better. He just drives me INSANE.
Gwen really deserved to be given more to do, rather then look confused/concerned, then sleep and NEVER APPEAR AGAIN. It would have been interesting if she'd reappeared again to ask where Morgana was, or even just a glimpse of her staring out Morgana's sulking window WONDERING - come on it would have taken all of 4 seconds and could have been split in among the Arthur/Uther talk, with them talking over the top - adding to the drama and rippling effect this will have on ALL. I think they also could have spared a few sentences to have Gwen confiding in Merlin or Arthur about Morgana's strange behavior during the last few episodes - to sort of give it a thread that pulls it altogether, as well as bonding the OT3.
Arthur, Arthur, Arthur....he's brave, loyal, a good fighter, a good leader, selfless, handsome, strong and yet OH SO STUPID when it comes to Merlin using magic...WHY is that again? Because I'd really like an answer to that. I get why in the first series, because he was arguably more Prat then Prince back then but he has since proved himself ( at least in my eyes) as willing to accept change - he's fallen in love, defied his father a few times, stuck up for Merlin, listened to Gwen and Merlin's advice when it counted - he's becoming a better man, but he's not going to get there on a daily diet of LIES. In fact the lies could destroy all the progress he's made (THANKS ALOT MERLIN).
I just think that the show has run out its believeability licence on KEEPING THE MAGIC SECRET, Gwen would never turn him in (Uther's stringent rules cost her her father and almost her own life [Merlin!]) and I think she's grounded and sensible enough to just accept him AS IS - as opposed to the way his current behaviour (and is it just ME? Or has Merlin become WORSE at lying - "Moths!". "Rats!") all forces her to look at him like he's soft in the head. Arthur would be angry that Merlin's been lying to him, WHILE forcing him to be more open about what he thinks and feels, and it is a betrayal in a way - I can see him telling Merlin just to STOP, don't be magic. Like it's a choice, because he'd be afraid for his friend, so he also wouldn't blab the secret. And Morgana....well, lady's and gents that train left the station...maybe not DIRECTLY after 2.03 but I'd say by the end of the witchfinder it was gone. I didn't see Merlin fearing for Morgana's life (that was Gwen) to him it was just another clue to the sneakness of Aredian and the lengths the man would stoop. Although he saved her in the end by pulling the old 'hot sword in the hand trick' for the 1 millionth time, I still felt like he shouldn't have HAD to, Morgana so could have taken that guy, he WAS OLD - come ON Show! What was that?! And where did Gwen GO?!
A few Questions I was left asking myself:
- Just HOW LONG have those stairs been there in the Dragon's cave? And WHY haven't I noticed them before? (Ok, now I have to go back to see if they're there in earlier eps)
- Why not tell Morgana WHY he's murdering her? Surely, she deserves to know.
- How could she leave Gwen on the FLOOR, unprotected? And has Morgana been taking hiding lessons from Merlin? The Curtain?! Really? SO cliche!
- Why not stuff Uther in a wardrobe? It would be easier then lugging him around. I thought that would have been the first thing that occurred to Merlin rather then dressing Uther up in drag.
- Why didn't Merlin make sure Gaius was okay (and not silently drowning from the water over the head spell) before following after Arthur?
-Why is it IMPOSSIBLE for Morgana to do ANY magic in any of these KEY 'Magic is isolating me from my friends and family' episodes?
- Why DOES Morgana think Morgause is showing SUCH an interest in her?
-How can she think that Uther doesn't love her? And how unfair is it for her to put me on Uther's side?
- What on earth do all these KILL THE KING rebels think is going to happen afterwards? Who rules then? Are they actually trying to disestablish the monarchy? DO they want a democracy or are we looking at a dictatorship kind of situation with all the magic people in power? Wouldn't other kingdoms try and claim Camelot and then this all just becomes a big WAR with the People being the ones to lose out?