Analysis of Merlin 211: The Witch's Quickening
Morgana - It Ain't Over Yet...
1.) What Happened to Her Powers?: There seem to be a lot of theories concerning why Morgana wasn't seen using magic. My biggest thing, right now, is that she can't - right now, her magic uses her. She doesn't know any spells at all, and unlike Merlin - who, in a loose enough environment, has had the chance to do this - she hasn't been able to experiment with her magic to figure out what she can do without actual spells. Magic is completely new to her at this point, and beyond her control. "What if magic isn't something you choose? What if magic chooses you?" - Anyone remember that?
2.) Merlin + Morgana: I suppose one thing that could've been done better is Morgana's griping about being all alone. She knows Merlin knows about her magic - he was the one who told her where the Druids were, and when to come back. She said so, herself, at the end of 203, that him knowing made her feel less alone. I suppose this is why the writers have been keeping her isolated from everyone else so far in the show, so that it would seem like Merlin and Morgana drifted apart and she's not sure if she can trust him. But, it was, admittedly, poorly handled - especially when also mixing in Merlin not telling her about his magic, as well.
Merlin - ...It's Only Just Begun
1.) The King's Ward: Merlin hasn't known what to do about Morgana. He's been following the only advice he's been given, and it backfired. It was stupid, but he was doing what he thought best. Most of the time, he was right. This time, he was wrong. It has often been attributed in legend that there's some kind of resentment/animosity between Merlin and Morgana - this is how it was made, apparently. I admit, I'm not fond of the way it was handled, but I'm guessing this is what the writers are intending.
For the record, though, Merlin isn't completely stupid in following the advice on Morgana based on what he knows about her. She tried to kill the king, before - and she's pretty much helping to try again, right now - and
2.) How Powerful Is He?: It is rather interesting, so far, that Merlin was the only one who could get the crystal working in the episode (though note that Mordred never actually got the chance to try it out). Not to mention, Merlin didn't really use actual spells, this episode - we saw more of him simply willing things to happen without spells. Maybe it was to set up a contrast between him and Alvarr? Who knows. But the show seems to be hinting at him being stronger and stronger, so let's just hope they keep that up.
3.) Stuck Between A Rock, A Hard Place, and Sheer Impossibility: The Dragon. Merlin is bound by a promise to release the Dragon - and it is somewhat implied that the magic is binding it somehow - and yet he has now seen that if the Dragon gets free, it will destroy Camelot. Gaius' words about how it's only one possibility is little comfort - especially since Merlin does know that the Dragon is rather self-serving, at times, and ultimately only cares about itself. Merlin no longer wants to release it, but he might have to - which would make his responsible for the destruction of Camelot. Oh, the poor boy.
Arthur - Ever The More Ambiguous
1.) Lying To Uther: Considering all the guilt Arthur must be feeling since nearly killing Uther, it's actually pretty big that Arthur lied for Merlin to save his ass. Yet again, it's good to see the S1 boys are back in full trust of each other again.
2.) I'll Clap You In Irons, Myself: This has caused many, many sparks in the fandom, as to whether or not Arthur knows about Merlin's magic. On one hand, it really is entirely possible that Arthur has no wish to lie to his father again, after everything that's happened. On the other - is it a subtle warning to Merlin, that Arthur doesn't want to know if he has magic? Yet again, the writers are keeping their options open - later on, they can either point to this as evidence that Arthur knew all along, or they can tell us we were reading too much into it and they were just having fun stringing us along. Clever writers. ;) (at least in this particular case)
3.) The Voices, The Footprints: It really does seem Arthur, despite all his usual assiness, actually values Merlin's input...right? Ah - not necessarily. The fact that he accepted means little - in the beginning, they have zero clues as to where the intruders are, and any direction they pick will be a blind guess at best. Merlin hearing them was basically as good a guess as any, with a slightly higher chance of being accurate. And later on, with the footprints - Merlin was the only one given directions, and as such, even if he was guessing, himself, it was better than nothing. The footprints, to Arthur, were better than 'better than nothing'.
4.) Guard This With Your Life: Might be important - while he sleeps, he doesn't ask one of the guards or knights to guard the uber-important crystal - he asks Merlin. While on one hand, this was likely just a plot catalyst, on the other, it could be another indicator for his trust in Merlin. Something to take into consideration, as well - if he knows about magic, perhaps he asks Merlin to guard it because he knows Merlin will be the one best able to guard it? You never know.
But all hope is not lost! He does seem to appreciate Merlin's initiative, and is quite quick to accept Merlin's words about the footprints. The way he accepts Merlin's input hints at how much he might value it, but the fact that he does says nothing.
Uther - Losing His Grip
1.) Oh, My Children!: The man's actually being put in a very tricky position. Even if he later 'rescinded', Arthur did challenge him on his persecution of magic, 'hunting them like animals'. Now Morgana challenges him, so blatantly, too. He's being challenged by those closest to him, and may possibly be setting a precedent for a larger picture of the cast/people in general starting to doubt the validity of his hatred of magic. Keep this in mind in the future!
2.) I Disown You: Now, this doesn't actually do anything technical/legal, as only Uther can disown his Ward - but, it does set up a personal dynamic. He has always treated Morgana like a daughter, but now she no longer accepts him for it. This may also be setting something up for Uther losing everyone to his hatred for magic.
3.) Uther Knows: He knows Morgana was the one who helped free Alvarr - but he does nothing. Now, part of it political - he would look ruthless executing his own Ward - and part of it is technical - he really can't prove it. BUT - it's also largely personal: he can't bear to kill Morgana. His love for his Ward outweighed his hatred of magic, at least just a little bit - enough to warn her, but not have her arrested or executed. Could this go further? Or will something Morgana does later be the last straw on the camel's back?
Gwen - Yup, Even She's Important
1.) Mostly About Morgana, Though: In that she proves how alone Morgana is - she hasn't even told Gwen about this. This is a large part of the reason why they're both alone. Though, this could also be the reason Gwen is drifting towards Arthur more and more.
2.) The Potion: People think that Morgana was being stupid and bitchy in manipulating Gwen into getting her the potion. But this was actually done for multiple purposes. a.) Maybe make Gwen feel a little better after Morgana snapped at her (and a little more understanding, if she thinks the nightmares have returned after Morgana got a period of blissful sleep. b.) It was actual quite typical for masters and servants, getting the servant to get you something if you were busy with your own thing, whether it be tax reports or brushing your hair. c.) An alibi - Morgana could claim to have been in her chambers at the time Alvarr escaped, and Gwen could testify that, "she was asleep - I gave her a potion!"
Mordred - Creepy and Adorable as Ever
1.) Never Forgive, Never Forget: Okay, so - this is the beginning of something huge, here. This is not going to be the hatred with which Mordred will bring down Camelot. This is going to be a catalyst for brewing resentment - Mordred will us this to do something against Merlin/Arthur, who will then strike back, making all negative feelings get worse and worse. One thing to remember, though, is that ultimately, Mordred didn't actually kill Arthur just out of revenge. There was usually another reason behind it - usually to do with greed and wanting a part of the kingdom (though in these cases, he is also Arthur's bastard son). As they have gotten rid of that plotline, they have to come up with another, better reason for Mordred to kill Arthur - or at the very least, use this hate to fuel greed and a variety of other later-to-come emotions to turn him into a mass of darkness and dark emotions/spirituality to kill Arthur and bring down Camelot.
(Though incidentally, he only ever actually weakens Camelot in the legends, and later on, the kingdom is destroyed by King Mark.)
And All The Rest - A Few General Extras
1.) The Eyes: Now, something I've been noticing is the color of various sorcerers' eyes whenever they do magic. So far, Nimueh and Sigan's eyes went black when they did magic, while Merlin went gold. Morgana's eyes went gold, Morgause's went red, and so far, we haven't actually seen what color Mordred's eyes change to, as he always closes his eyes to concentrate. Now, Alvarr's eyes change to gold.
This seems to be a bit of a commentary on the innate evilness of the characters. So far, it's been simple - Merlin good, Nimueh/Sigan bad. Morgana? She is not innately evil. She is forced to turn to the wrong side by circumstance. But notice her hesitance when Alvarr says they'll have to kill everyone under Uther - she only wants Uther dead, not anyone else. She only wants to be free, and has no actual interest in grandiose justice or revenge, not anymore. She's not evil - she's misguided, at least for now.
Morgause? Apparently, caught in between. She only wants Uther dead, too, but for different reasons entirely. Also ambiguous - but leaning towards evil, hence the red. Mordred? Again, we don't know. The boy isn't actually evil, so far - he's desperate. He's had his family ripped away from him again and again, and has just been betrayed by Merlin, while seeing Arthur (for the second time, I might add) take his father-figure away from him - and, Arthur's father killed Mordred's father. Remember that. Alvarr? I'm starting to lean towards, 'not innately evil, but not really sane/rational, either'. He wants Uther dead, both for his parents, and so magic in general can be free. But it's a fine line between rebellion and massacre, and Alvarr can no longer see it.
I don't know if the eyecolor thing is intentional or not - I, personally, rather hope so.
2.) The Crystal: Something which people seem to have been ignoring, as of late - the Dragon said the crystal could tell the future, among other things. I do sincerely believe we haven't seen the last of this crystal in the show, and hopefully telling the future will not be its end in fanfic.
3.) The Security in the Vaults: Yes, it was on display. Why? So the guards could see every five minutes whether or not it was there. If it was 'hidden', then at best, it would be checked a few times a night, leaving a thief a few hours to get out of there, and at worst, no one would ever know it was stolen because no one ever checked it. The valuable stuff was kept right out in the open so the living security cameras - the guards - would be able to keep an eye on it.
The Fandom Stuff - Subtle Fanservicing Is Back!
1.) Arthur Likes It Rough: C'mon, we have proof - he had Merlin pinned to a wall by the neck! Now the question is, does Merlin oppose erotic asphyxiation? He mostly seemed more concerned with talking at the time than anything else, which seems that he doesn't mind the actual choking part...hm...:D
2.) But There Are The Sweet Moments: Arthur seems to always know if/when Merlin is scared. He can tell by Merlin's talking. ^_^ As such, he's not really sure why he brings Merlin along for these expeditions, as he spends most of them concentrating on watching Arthur's back terrified. But we know why. ;)
3.) Protective!Arthur: We all love him, and we got to see him again, lying to Daddy dearest for Merlin! ^+^
4.) Ooh, the Dark!: Well, this is also a guarantee that relationships between Merlin and Morgana or Merlina and Mordred will have some darkish element indeed. Yay for darkfic! :D
Trailer Dissection of Merlin 212: The Fires of Idirsholas
1.) What Happened to Her Powers?: There seem to be a lot of theories concerning why Morgana wasn't seen using magic. My biggest thing, right now, is that she can't - right now, her magic uses her. She doesn't know any spells at all, and unlike Merlin - who, in a loose enough environment, has had the chance to do this - she hasn't been able to experiment with her magic to figure out what she can do without actual spells. Magic is completely new to her at this point, and beyond her control. "What if magic isn't something you choose? What if magic chooses you?" - Anyone remember that?
2.) Merlin + Morgana: I suppose one thing that could've been done better is Morgana's griping about being all alone. She knows Merlin knows about her magic - he was the one who told her where the Druids were, and when to come back. She said so, herself, at the end of 203, that him knowing made her feel less alone. I suppose this is why the writers have been keeping her isolated from everyone else so far in the show, so that it would seem like Merlin and Morgana drifted apart and she's not sure if she can trust him. But, it was, admittedly, poorly handled - especially when also mixing in Merlin not telling her about his magic, as well.
Merlin - ...It's Only Just Begun
1.) The King's Ward: Merlin hasn't known what to do about Morgana. He's been following the only advice he's been given, and it backfired. It was stupid, but he was doing what he thought best. Most of the time, he was right. This time, he was wrong. It has often been attributed in legend that there's some kind of resentment/animosity between Merlin and Morgana - this is how it was made, apparently. I admit, I'm not fond of the way it was handled, but I'm guessing this is what the writers are intending.
For the record, though, Merlin isn't completely stupid in following the advice on Morgana based on what he knows about her. She tried to kill the king, before - and she's pretty much helping to try again, right now - and
2.) How Powerful Is He?: It is rather interesting, so far, that Merlin was the only one who could get the crystal working in the episode (though note that Mordred never actually got the chance to try it out). Not to mention, Merlin didn't really use actual spells, this episode - we saw more of him simply willing things to happen without spells. Maybe it was to set up a contrast between him and Alvarr? Who knows. But the show seems to be hinting at him being stronger and stronger, so let's just hope they keep that up.
3.) Stuck Between A Rock, A Hard Place, and Sheer Impossibility: The Dragon. Merlin is bound by a promise to release the Dragon - and it is somewhat implied that the magic is binding it somehow - and yet he has now seen that if the Dragon gets free, it will destroy Camelot. Gaius' words about how it's only one possibility is little comfort - especially since Merlin does know that the Dragon is rather self-serving, at times, and ultimately only cares about itself. Merlin no longer wants to release it, but he might have to - which would make his responsible for the destruction of Camelot. Oh, the poor boy.
Arthur - Ever The More Ambiguous
1.) Lying To Uther: Considering all the guilt Arthur must be feeling since nearly killing Uther, it's actually pretty big that Arthur lied for Merlin to save his ass. Yet again, it's good to see the S1 boys are back in full trust of each other again.
2.) I'll Clap You In Irons, Myself: This has caused many, many sparks in the fandom, as to whether or not Arthur knows about Merlin's magic. On one hand, it really is entirely possible that Arthur has no wish to lie to his father again, after everything that's happened. On the other - is it a subtle warning to Merlin, that Arthur doesn't want to know if he has magic? Yet again, the writers are keeping their options open - later on, they can either point to this as evidence that Arthur knew all along, or they can tell us we were reading too much into it and they were just having fun stringing us along. Clever writers. ;) (at least in this particular case)
3.) The Voices, The Footprints: It really does seem Arthur, despite all his usual assiness, actually values Merlin's input...right? Ah - not necessarily. The fact that he accepted means little - in the beginning, they have zero clues as to where the intruders are, and any direction they pick will be a blind guess at best. Merlin hearing them was basically as good a guess as any, with a slightly higher chance of being accurate. And later on, with the footprints - Merlin was the only one given directions, and as such, even if he was guessing, himself, it was better than nothing. The footprints, to Arthur, were better than 'better than nothing'.
4.) Guard This With Your Life: Might be important - while he sleeps, he doesn't ask one of the guards or knights to guard the uber-important crystal - he asks Merlin. While on one hand, this was likely just a plot catalyst, on the other, it could be another indicator for his trust in Merlin. Something to take into consideration, as well - if he knows about magic, perhaps he asks Merlin to guard it because he knows Merlin will be the one best able to guard it? You never know.
But all hope is not lost! He does seem to appreciate Merlin's initiative, and is quite quick to accept Merlin's words about the footprints. The way he accepts Merlin's input hints at how much he might value it, but the fact that he does says nothing.
Uther - Losing His Grip
1.) Oh, My Children!: The man's actually being put in a very tricky position. Even if he later 'rescinded', Arthur did challenge him on his persecution of magic, 'hunting them like animals'. Now Morgana challenges him, so blatantly, too. He's being challenged by those closest to him, and may possibly be setting a precedent for a larger picture of the cast/people in general starting to doubt the validity of his hatred of magic. Keep this in mind in the future!
2.) I Disown You: Now, this doesn't actually do anything technical/legal, as only Uther can disown his Ward - but, it does set up a personal dynamic. He has always treated Morgana like a daughter, but now she no longer accepts him for it. This may also be setting something up for Uther losing everyone to his hatred for magic.
3.) Uther Knows: He knows Morgana was the one who helped free Alvarr - but he does nothing. Now, part of it political - he would look ruthless executing his own Ward - and part of it is technical - he really can't prove it. BUT - it's also largely personal: he can't bear to kill Morgana. His love for his Ward outweighed his hatred of magic, at least just a little bit - enough to warn her, but not have her arrested or executed. Could this go further? Or will something Morgana does later be the last straw on the camel's back?
Gwen - Yup, Even She's Important
1.) Mostly About Morgana, Though: In that she proves how alone Morgana is - she hasn't even told Gwen about this. This is a large part of the reason why they're both alone. Though, this could also be the reason Gwen is drifting towards Arthur more and more.
2.) The Potion: People think that Morgana was being stupid and bitchy in manipulating Gwen into getting her the potion. But this was actually done for multiple purposes. a.) Maybe make Gwen feel a little better after Morgana snapped at her (and a little more understanding, if she thinks the nightmares have returned after Morgana got a period of blissful sleep. b.) It was actual quite typical for masters and servants, getting the servant to get you something if you were busy with your own thing, whether it be tax reports or brushing your hair. c.) An alibi - Morgana could claim to have been in her chambers at the time Alvarr escaped, and Gwen could testify that, "she was asleep - I gave her a potion!"
Mordred - Creepy and Adorable as Ever
1.) Never Forgive, Never Forget: Okay, so - this is the beginning of something huge, here. This is not going to be the hatred with which Mordred will bring down Camelot. This is going to be a catalyst for brewing resentment - Mordred will us this to do something against Merlin/Arthur, who will then strike back, making all negative feelings get worse and worse. One thing to remember, though, is that ultimately, Mordred didn't actually kill Arthur just out of revenge. There was usually another reason behind it - usually to do with greed and wanting a part of the kingdom (though in these cases, he is also Arthur's bastard son). As they have gotten rid of that plotline, they have to come up with another, better reason for Mordred to kill Arthur - or at the very least, use this hate to fuel greed and a variety of other later-to-come emotions to turn him into a mass of darkness and dark emotions/spirituality to kill Arthur and bring down Camelot.
(Though incidentally, he only ever actually weakens Camelot in the legends, and later on, the kingdom is destroyed by King Mark.)
And All The Rest - A Few General Extras
1.) The Eyes: Now, something I've been noticing is the color of various sorcerers' eyes whenever they do magic. So far, Nimueh and Sigan's eyes went black when they did magic, while Merlin went gold. Morgana's eyes went gold, Morgause's went red, and so far, we haven't actually seen what color Mordred's eyes change to, as he always closes his eyes to concentrate. Now, Alvarr's eyes change to gold.
This seems to be a bit of a commentary on the innate evilness of the characters. So far, it's been simple - Merlin good, Nimueh/Sigan bad. Morgana? She is not innately evil. She is forced to turn to the wrong side by circumstance. But notice her hesitance when Alvarr says they'll have to kill everyone under Uther - she only wants Uther dead, not anyone else. She only wants to be free, and has no actual interest in grandiose justice or revenge, not anymore. She's not evil - she's misguided, at least for now.
Morgause? Apparently, caught in between. She only wants Uther dead, too, but for different reasons entirely. Also ambiguous - but leaning towards evil, hence the red. Mordred? Again, we don't know. The boy isn't actually evil, so far - he's desperate. He's had his family ripped away from him again and again, and has just been betrayed by Merlin, while seeing Arthur (for the second time, I might add) take his father-figure away from him - and, Arthur's father killed Mordred's father. Remember that. Alvarr? I'm starting to lean towards, 'not innately evil, but not really sane/rational, either'. He wants Uther dead, both for his parents, and so magic in general can be free. But it's a fine line between rebellion and massacre, and Alvarr can no longer see it.
I don't know if the eyecolor thing is intentional or not - I, personally, rather hope so.
2.) The Crystal: Something which people seem to have been ignoring, as of late - the Dragon said the crystal could tell the future, among other things. I do sincerely believe we haven't seen the last of this crystal in the show, and hopefully telling the future will not be its end in fanfic.
3.) The Security in the Vaults: Yes, it was on display. Why? So the guards could see every five minutes whether or not it was there. If it was 'hidden', then at best, it would be checked a few times a night, leaving a thief a few hours to get out of there, and at worst, no one would ever know it was stolen because no one ever checked it. The valuable stuff was kept right out in the open so the living security cameras - the guards - would be able to keep an eye on it.
The Fandom Stuff - Subtle Fanservicing Is Back!
1.) Arthur Likes It Rough: C'mon, we have proof - he had Merlin pinned to a wall by the neck! Now the question is, does Merlin oppose erotic asphyxiation? He mostly seemed more concerned with talking at the time than anything else, which seems that he doesn't mind the actual choking part...hm...:D
2.) But There Are The Sweet Moments: Arthur seems to always know if/when Merlin is scared. He can tell by Merlin's talking. ^_^ As such, he's not really sure why he brings Merlin along for these expeditions, as he spends most of them concentrating on watching Arthur's back terrified. But we know why. ;)
3.) Protective!Arthur: We all love him, and we got to see him again, lying to Daddy dearest for Merlin! ^+^
4.) Ooh, the Dark!: Well, this is also a guarantee that relationships between Merlin and Morgana or Merlina and Mordred will have some darkish element indeed. Yay for darkfic! :D
Trailer Dissection of Merlin 212: The Fires of Idirsholas