Addendum to "Star Trek/Merlin"
Addendum to Fandoms in Trek AUs: Merlin.
Annotations that I decided to not add to the main post to not make it too long.
Further notes
About the blatant absences:
Initially the edit was short and it was easier to leave characters out. When I revisited it, and more characters were selected, it became harder to set a line. What would make a character ok and another not? These are the parameters I tried to stick to.
- non!human characters. Characters that, despite being apparently human, humans are not, but are magical creatures. Anhora and Sophia, for example, but the Fisher King as well.
- villain of the day. Back when I originally put this crew together in 2017, I made the decision to leave the non recurring evil/antagonists characters out, no matter how much charming or interesting (or even loved) they are (by either me or fandom). In the first 2021 repêchage only Mary Collins survived the axing (pun not intended) as she was perfect as transporter chief. Since then, a couple more made it into the edit (the one that are my favest or made more an impact or their characterization was interesting).
- royals. Every king (or queen) we see has been left out. The older belong to Uther's same generation and therefore established (off-edit) as admirals. The youngest (Cenred) is still a captain and their rivalry goes back to before the Excalibur. Of them all, Annis is the one I miss the most: Rodor is a nice father, for as little as we see him, and Godwyn likely won Best Albion Father for 20 years straight, but Annis is the only recurring between them and got more characterization as main character of an episode. I felt it would be quite outrageous if she were serving under Arthur, IMHO. I know, he should've been High King and what but, alas, he isn't in the tv show so he can't give orders to other kings.
About the positions and assignments:
I went about assigning the positions with a criterion in mind: split the characters in three categories that would then be assigned a department. All royal-borns went into command, magic was compared to science so all the magic users went into science and the rest, be them security (like knights) or servants and other miscellaneous roles are operations.
Science was then split into further two subdivisions: the medical department (that includes both the doctors and the nurses) and the (my headcanon) computer systems, and I tried to make a sense in assigning characters to a specific subdivision.
Onto the specifics, character by character:
- Uther Pendragon
I couldn't not include him. And the admiral that bosses the captain around was the only role he could play.
Back then when I made the first edit in 2017, aleniakalain raised the topic of Uther being allowed to hold the position of Liaison Officer of his own son. I figured that, given how Uther is inflexible - especially with his own son -, Starfleet knows that he will be Captain's Pendragon first and hardest judge.
Also, the Pendragons might be the "nobles" of Starfleet, those families that are part of Starfleet since it was founded and therefore has much power within the organization, so much that he can gain the role despite the blatant conflict of interest.
- Arthur Pendragon
Duh.
- Gwen
Arthur trusts her implicitly (well, after Merlin I guess) and, given that he was sure there couldn't be someone better than her to fill the throne after his death (and, well, she is her second even in canon)... the role of First Officer was a given.
She's a red shirt because she doesn't come from command - as she's a commoner. Also, in the 2260s/2270s it was common for the First officer to be also the head of a department (so says Memory Alpha, actually it's just that we had one workaholic example like Spock) and, given what we're shown (and told by her) in Lancelot, she is a weapons specialist.
- Merlin
Since I decided to make the connection between magic and science, the choice to put Merlin at the very top of the science food chain was a given, both because of his "Emrys" status that makes him revered by most of the magical world, and because he's the most powerful of them all. Also, he's curious and dabs in more than one specific branch compared to, say, Morgana who is more focused on a (dark) branch.
So yes, he's every-magical-one's boss and he's in charge of a whole department made of blue shirts. GASP. Morgause will be delighted. And Arthur would have something to say as well. If only fictional characters could talk live fic authors let them do in the early 2000s...
- Leon
Duh. No, seriously: if you need to ask me why I picked him for Armory Officer, you don't know Leon, else you would be aware of his penchant for weapons. No, kidding. He would be great at everything (Security Chief, First Officer to Arthur) but I though entrust him the Armory would be best.
He's also given the role to oversee the Tactical Systems, which means he's in charge of not only the weapons aboard the ship but the ship's weapons, like phaser banks and such. This way his role in this AU reflects that he's been in charge of the security of the city whenever Arthur was away and Camelot was attacked (which, like, happened every. fucking. time. The Council should've just taken the decision to chain Arthur to the throne, this way Camelot would still be standing).
More of his role at this post.
- Gaius
In the first version of this edit, he was given the CMO role - which was a duh! choice.
Now. Going by the "ordered by power and position in the magic hierarchy", Gaius is very low in the food chain - he knows magic, has a very deep knowledge of it, but raw power? Not so much. So I thought it would fit him better to be a nurse: Chapel does have a prominent position on the TOS Enterprise (Nurse Chapel appears to be a step higher, in the sickbay hierarchy, than M'Benga, who is a full-fledged medical officer), so it's not a punishment.
- Gwaine
Duh. No, seriously: if you need to ask me why I picked him for Communication Officer, you don't know Gwaine. Oh my, poor Arthur who gets to have Gwaine on the bridge at every.single.shift. I feel bad, not that I think about it.
- Morgana + Morgause
In the first version, Morgana was the head of the computer systems department, a subdivision of the science department because Merlin's still more powerful than her.
Now Morgause was moved away from her old role (nurse - can you imagine ending up in a sickbay where Nimueh the CMO and Morgause the head nurse rule? Yeah), I decided it was more fitting for her to be Morgana's superior than the other way, given that it's Morgause who teaches and tutors Morgana into the High Priesthood.
- Lancelot
Since he should be the best of Arthur's knights, what could he do if not the Security Chief?
- Freya
In the original edit she covered the "human!Ship" role and, after picking the Excalibur for this crew's ship, the role screamed for Freya. But I changed my mind, and the "human!Ship" will be an exclusive to the Enterprise. Freya then has been given the role of 0178 in Into Darkness, she's acts like a conduit between the systems and the commanding crew, monitoring the systems - she's the closes the character could be to a role of a "Excalibur" guardian.
- Percival
As any knight, if there isn't another role, they go to security. Percival came to Camelot following Lancelot, so it's perfect for him to be Lancelot's second.
- Elyan
Although we don't see him in this role, off-screen it's said that, upon returning to Camelot, he took over his father's blacksmith, making him the character - between them all - that made more sense in Engineering.
- Nimueh
She's the first High Priestess we're introduced to and, from what we're shown, the most powerful. Likely not, it's just that in the Season One every magical characters was shown doing magical feats bigger than during the other four season, but... hey, canon.
Also, if that isn't enough to justify her choice for the head of the medical department... one of her feats was basically healing from certain death Arthur.
- Mordred
Knight, so security. As an in-joke, I made him in charge of the security area, which means the brigs and their guests.
- Alator + Finna
He's a High Priest, and he could fit in sickbay as Nimueh's second. But then I thought about when he kneels in front of Merlin offering his loyalty, and I figured that he'd be a good second to Merlin. But then I thought that his role in the show is to extract a confession out of Gaius, so he could fit as counselor as well.
Finna refers to Alator as "master" and shares his loyalty and will to serve "Emrys", so I initially made her follow Alator under Merlin, but a step lower. So, when Alator was transferred to counselor, she replaced him.
- Geoffrey
No character, besides Arthur, had a more perfect position for them.
- Tristan + Isolde
Ah ah, these two. Imagine them making sure they honor the tradition of gossip queen at the bridge station that Chekov and Sulu have started.
I admit I didn't know who to pick for these two positions and these two fitted perfectly, for what we've seen of how they lead their lives. Isolde is the tactical and navigator because she's the most level-headed of the two, we know it (well, you don't need these characteristics to fill the position but whatever: Trystan leads by driving, she makes sure he doesn't go bump into a planet).
- Kilgharrah + Aithusa
Ahahahahahahahah. I just couldn't not include Kilgharrah and, when I decided how, Aithusa was to be featured as well. Let it be recorded for posterity that I was VERY tempted, when I reworked the edit, to make Kilgharrah a counselor (a la Deanna Troy of The Next Generation). I just let it go because then I wouldn't know how to place Aithusa - as they would be still from the same sentient race.
- Mary Collins
She is the first character who is shown to teleport, the only one who does it by using an object (compared to Morgana and Morgause who apparently do it on their own power), so it would make sense for her to be in charge of the teleportation method in the Star Trek world.
- Aglain
He helps and heals Morgana from the Serket's poison, also he's a pacific druid, and would fit good in a medical/healing setting. He's a druid leader so he's right for the position of second to the CMO.
- Will
When I decided to include him, I was puzzled: in which role he could fit? We don't get much of Will, we don't know what he does (someone tried to explain he could be a carpenter judging by the content of his hut), we see him fight not because he's got a training. So.
The choice of assistant engineer came more from comparing Will to Elyan than else. For some reason, it made sense to me that they followed the same path. Don't ask.
- Mithian
I really love her. If there hadn't been any chance for Arthur and Gwen to marry and love each other, Mithian would've been the perfect queen for Camelot and for Arthur so I wanted her in from the very first version of the edit. I trust, given that from what canon suggests she is the only child of King Rodor, she has been raised to become the ruler of Nemeth and so she should be as prepared as Arthur in that matter. Not to forget that in season 5 she shows she's very apt in tactical, since she manages to warn Merlin about Morgana despite Morgana's constant vigilance.
Of the little choice command division offers, for what she does in 5x04 tactical struck me as the right one.
- Elena
Her inclusion came in the revisited edition. I followed the same thinking pattern that applied for Mithian, command. We know she likes riding, and helmsman fitted. Yes, she and Mithian serve together.
- George
Ahahahahah. Seriously. For once George will have the privilege and honor to serve Arthur without Merlin's meddling. And this time, given that Merlin's not the first officer like Spock to Kirk, Merlin won't be (much) in the way.
- Edwin
Duh. Also, since we established that the sickbay is ruled by a very vengeful High Priestess... Edwin is just in his habitat.
He's one of the few villains-of-the-day I wanted to include when I revisited the edit: as most of the Season One villains, he's memorable and deserved to be here.
- Sefa
Actually it was included because I needed a number to even the edit (back in late 2021 when the graphic was still set in a two-columns format). She's a character that lasted little but deserved more, she wasn't evil, just loyal to her father.
Initially I placed her in communications, as Gwaine's second, but it was too high in the hierarchy given her serving role in the show (the Queen's maid) and her short stay, so I eventually demoted her to simple yeoman. She's young, she'll have time to raise the ranks.
- Iseldir
He's a chieftain of the druids, he's made non-violence his way of life. Like Aglain. But he appears even less willing to act and react. Also, not sure if Aglain is a step higher in the druid society. Anyway, since I had only a head nurse at this point, I placed him under Gaius.
- Helios
One of the last additions. He's a warlord, and would fit in security. But I already had too many of them, and I had this spot empty. He can still lead something, this way.
- Kara
I hate her. I don't understand her and I can't forgive her for being the reason Mordred betrays Camelot for Morgana. I can't forgive her because she was given a second chance but she threw it away (it can be understandable from her own point but, still, her choice doomed not only Arthur but also Mordred). Anyway. I really couldn't leave her out when I added the (almost) last batch of characters.
Her placement in security is a given, since she's a warrior. She's a druid, but we're not even shown her doing magic, so red shirt like Mordred she is.
- Alice
Duh. Gaius says her skills as medician have always been superior to his, so I decided to make her a full doctor, but with Gaius being the Christine Chapel of the ship, he's still higher on the field.
- Tyr
He works in the royal stables, the closest to an engineer comparison you could get - well, after working in a smithy I guess.
- Gilli
Another from the "minor characters" batch. He's somehow threated like someone who needed some tutoring from Merlin - not magically but to better himself and know his place in the world, so I put him in Merlin's department. A Merlin with magic chicks to tutor is a happy Merlin, after all.
- Vivian
She's obnoxious, we would all hate her if it weren't for the love charm that turns her into a victim. She was the very, very last to be added, in the latest three-characters batch with Iseldir and Finna.
I literally didn't know where to place her. She clearly was to be put into command, and command gives so little choice (in the TOS!Enterprise crew you can find like two characters who are command and aren't either helmsman or navigator, and they were clearly given the wrong color). So she was to be placed at the helm stations. But why would I subject the bridge crew, any bridge crew, to her lovely charm-free presence?
Kevin Riley, who is a gold shirt, gets transferred by Kirk to communication section so I thought... why not? Why don't give her the command of the communication room? So she can boss everyone but just away from the bridge?
- Daegal
Added with Gilli. Initially I was considering him for a nurse role, since we seem him in the healer role, then I thought that he was meant to be one of Merlin's apprentices (he would've been if Merlin had the chance). But I couldn't find a specialization within science (I could make her a botanist, I guess), but... well. Surfing Memory Alpha and, specifically, the Enterprise crew complement, I happened into the role of orderly (citation, "whose primary role was in assisting a doctor" but that doesn't require "a basic level of medical knowledge" like medical assistant). And bam!, perfect.
- Julius
This is clearly an in-joke. But one that makes sense. In canon he's set on breaking into the vaults, here he's in charge of making sure no one breaks into it.
About the ranks:
I tried to maintain the power hierarchy (both magical and within the Camelot society) of the tv show with the ranks assigned.
Gwen, as the queen, is second only to Arthur the King, so she's the only one given the rank of commander.
Lieutenant commander was assigned to two categories of characters: the ones born into royalty and the ones that represent the royalty in the magic world (Morgana, Morgause and Nimueh as High Priestesses and Alator as High Priest). Merlin, as the most powerful sorcerer blabla fits into the category as well. While Leon, unlike the rest of the knights, gets this rank because he's the only one of them all born into nobility and I think this detail had to be included.
All Arthur's (favourites)knights get a lieutenant, like Tristan and Isolde (who had been allies to Arthur). In this rank fall also the magic characters in the second level of power (the druids Aglain and Iseldir, Edwin and Finna) and other kind of chiefs like Hellios. Gaius and Geoffrey, who sit in the Royal Council, get the rank as well.
Mordred, as the last and youngest knight of the lot, gets a lieutenant junior grade, and he's the only one with this rank to underline his unique position.
Characters further down the magic or power hierarchy like Freya and Gilli are assigned ensign. Kara gets this rank because I felt she would be the kind of person to commit by applying to the Academy.
Then we get to characters that I felt could be non-commissioned, either because not part of the Camelot "family" or because belonging to the very bottom of the hierarchy, servants and common people. To reflect the differences in magic power I chose to play with chief petty officer, that was reserved for Mary Collins, and Alice, who's given a rank that allows her to be put at the head of a department, should necessity arose, and be at the same level of Gaius's "nurse", but way below the other characters who were given commissioned ranks in the medical field. Our favorite brass-cleaning servant George is a non-commissioned officer, to reflect his status as servant. But, since he's a damn bloody professional (and would deserve more), he has the highest rank for non-commissioned officers, like does Will - even if, for him, it's just out of sentimentalism, as Merlin's best friend and a characters we all cried for.
Petty officer, the lowest rank above crewman, is for servants like Sefa and Tyr (yes, Sefa was the equivalent of George, but I wanted to reflect she's been in the castle for few months, compared to George who is likely to be a "senior" servant) and a thief like Julius. I liked them better than mere "crewmember" that is the bottom of the enlisted personnel chain.
Daegal, who is a simple druid who's not even shown to use magic, gets the short stick and is crewman, 1st class to underline he's green and barely out of the trainee status, given that he's one of the latest characters introduced in the show.
Kilgharrah and Aithusa were given a rank as Crewman third class (the lowest) because reasons. I don't remember if it's canon or if I took the idea somewhere else, but yes, I gave ranks and serial numbers to the animals aboard the ship as personal pets.
About the surnames:
Only the Pendragons, and a couple of other characters, get a surname in the show so, for the sake of the AU, I had to pick surnames for most of the characters. Had to play with the legendary characters: it was fun doing research, if you ask me.
- Gwen and Elyan
Initially "Leblanc", from both Helyan le Blanc and Guinevere's name meaning, I later edited it into a Smith that made more sense given their specific status in the BBC's version of their characters. Research told me that at the time surnames weren't used, but you were known for where you came or your job and at some point a John the Smith would become Smith. So. Smith it is.
- Merlin
There could be many names to dab from in the legends, or I could use his mother's name as in Hunithson but, frankly, Emrys is there for a reason. For us fans to make it his surname when we need to (and cannot find another). Right? Also, I already have others that went by -son.
- Leon
According to Merlin Wikia, the character might be based around King Leondegrance, king of Cameliard.
- Gaius
This character might be based on Blaise (Blaze) - who according to some sources was Merlin’s mentor- so I picked Blaze.
- Gwaine
In the legends he's the son of King Lot, and Lotson could work.
- Morgana
I decided to give her another surname to not make it too glaring that Uther Pendragon is a very nepotist man.
- Lancelot
"Lancelot du Lac" is the title of a 1974 movie about his love story with Guinevere. Oh, yes, and the title of episode 4x09.
- Percival
I didn't find anything that could work as surname, besides the name of his father (son of Efwc - Efwcson?), but since he's the Grail hero I figured Grail could fit.
- Morgause
Initially I was going for the "le Fay" that wasn't needed for Morgana, but then... well. I was tempted by "Gormause" but I thought it was a bit too lame. Picked a King, but then reverted back because, why not? I don't know in other languages, but in Italy we do have people with names which are basically the singular of the surname (Mauro Mauri), so...
In the end I did choose to make it a composite surname with both King and Gormause with the use of the hyphen.
- Nimueh
I literally had no idea. Cara, if you don't remember, is the name she goes by when she comes to Camelot under the guise of an handmaiden to King Bayard. Apparently, Cara is an ancient surname originated in Sicily, so I decided to make it Nimueh’s surname.
- Alator and Finna
Those are the groups they're affiliated with: Alator is a Catha, and Finna is defined a Bendrui.
- Tristan
Couldn't find something that could work, so I stole the name of his kingdom, Lyonesse.
- Ysolde
Iseult of the White Hands isn't the same Ysolde from which the show's Ysolde was inspired from, but I couldn't find anything else to make a surname, so I stole Blanchmains from that one.
- Aglain
There was literally no other choice, as playing with "Druids" was already used for Daegal. He saves and cures Morgana from the venom of the Serket, so...
- Will
He did call himself "Prince of Ealdor", albeit jokingly to mock Arthur...
-Mithian and Elena
Ah, well. It was either use the name of their kingdoms or their fathers' and add a -son; I choose the former.
The "de" particle is a particle that, in the Middle Ages, was used to show geographical origin in the names of people of all classes. Not a nobiliary particle per se, but the closest that could be found in the English language, ad it was either that or the german "von", which was out place.
- George
It's lame, I know, but I couldn't resist. XD
- Iseldir
He's a chieftain of the druids. There was literally no other word or title to play with.
- Sefa
As there was literally nothing to cling to, her father's name got the honor - just without a -son this time.
- Kara
She was the hardest to find because there's literally nothing about her that could be turned into a surname. In the end I did have to pick this lame "Freedom" as the thing she claims to fight for.
- Vivian
There's no canon kingdom assigned to Olaf, so I couldn't go the Mithian/Elena route with her.
King was picked in the perspective of mentioning her father, who then would go by Olaf King.
- For the rest not mentioned above, the choice is self-explaining and you don't need to take a look at the Merlin Wikia to remember an obscure detail.
- Kilgharrah and Aithusa
I decided to give the pets the surname of their owners, like they do in some countries.
Annotations that I decided to not add to the main post to not make it too long.
Further notes
About the blatant absences:
Initially the edit was short and it was easier to leave characters out. When I revisited it, and more characters were selected, it became harder to set a line. What would make a character ok and another not? These are the parameters I tried to stick to.
- non!human characters. Characters that, despite being apparently human, humans are not, but are magical creatures. Anhora and Sophia, for example, but the Fisher King as well.
- villain of the day. Back when I originally put this crew together in 2017, I made the decision to leave the non recurring evil/antagonists characters out, no matter how much charming or interesting (or even loved) they are (by either me or fandom). In the first 2021 repêchage only Mary Collins survived the axing (pun not intended) as she was perfect as transporter chief. Since then, a couple more made it into the edit (the one that are my favest or made more an impact or their characterization was interesting).
- royals. Every king (or queen) we see has been left out. The older belong to Uther's same generation and therefore established (off-edit) as admirals. The youngest (Cenred) is still a captain and their rivalry goes back to before the Excalibur. Of them all, Annis is the one I miss the most: Rodor is a nice father, for as little as we see him, and Godwyn likely won Best Albion Father for 20 years straight, but Annis is the only recurring between them and got more characterization as main character of an episode. I felt it would be quite outrageous if she were serving under Arthur, IMHO. I know, he should've been High King and what but, alas, he isn't in the tv show so he can't give orders to other kings.
About the positions and assignments:
I went about assigning the positions with a criterion in mind: split the characters in three categories that would then be assigned a department. All royal-borns went into command, magic was compared to science so all the magic users went into science and the rest, be them security (like knights) or servants and other miscellaneous roles are operations.
Science was then split into further two subdivisions: the medical department (that includes both the doctors and the nurses) and the (my headcanon) computer systems, and I tried to make a sense in assigning characters to a specific subdivision.
Onto the specifics, character by character:
- Uther Pendragon
I couldn't not include him. And the admiral that bosses the captain around was the only role he could play.
Back then when I made the first edit in 2017, aleniakalain raised the topic of Uther being allowed to hold the position of Liaison Officer of his own son. I figured that, given how Uther is inflexible - especially with his own son -, Starfleet knows that he will be Captain's Pendragon first and hardest judge.
Also, the Pendragons might be the "nobles" of Starfleet, those families that are part of Starfleet since it was founded and therefore has much power within the organization, so much that he can gain the role despite the blatant conflict of interest.
- Arthur Pendragon
Duh.
- Gwen
Arthur trusts her implicitly (well, after Merlin I guess) and, given that he was sure there couldn't be someone better than her to fill the throne after his death (and, well, she is her second even in canon)... the role of First Officer was a given.
She's a red shirt because she doesn't come from command - as she's a commoner. Also, in the 2260s/2270s it was common for the First officer to be also the head of a department (so says Memory Alpha, actually it's just that we had one workaholic example like Spock) and, given what we're shown (and told by her) in Lancelot, she is a weapons specialist.
- Merlin
Since I decided to make the connection between magic and science, the choice to put Merlin at the very top of the science food chain was a given, both because of his "Emrys" status that makes him revered by most of the magical world, and because he's the most powerful of them all. Also, he's curious and dabs in more than one specific branch compared to, say, Morgana who is more focused on a (dark) branch.
So yes, he's every-magical-one's boss and he's in charge of a whole department made of blue shirts. GASP. Morgause will be delighted. And Arthur would have something to say as well. If only fictional characters could talk live fic authors let them do in the early 2000s...
- Leon
Duh. No, seriously: if you need to ask me why I picked him for Armory Officer, you don't know Leon, else you would be aware of his penchant for weapons. No, kidding. He would be great at everything (Security Chief, First Officer to Arthur) but I though entrust him the Armory would be best.
He's also given the role to oversee the Tactical Systems, which means he's in charge of not only the weapons aboard the ship but the ship's weapons, like phaser banks and such. This way his role in this AU reflects that he's been in charge of the security of the city whenever Arthur was away and Camelot was attacked (which, like, happened every. fucking. time. The Council should've just taken the decision to chain Arthur to the throne, this way Camelot would still be standing).
More of his role at this post.
- Gaius
In the first version of this edit, he was given the CMO role - which was a duh! choice.
Now. Going by the "ordered by power and position in the magic hierarchy", Gaius is very low in the food chain - he knows magic, has a very deep knowledge of it, but raw power? Not so much. So I thought it would fit him better to be a nurse: Chapel does have a prominent position on the TOS Enterprise (Nurse Chapel appears to be a step higher, in the sickbay hierarchy, than M'Benga, who is a full-fledged medical officer), so it's not a punishment.
- Gwaine
Duh. No, seriously: if you need to ask me why I picked him for Communication Officer, you don't know Gwaine. Oh my, poor Arthur who gets to have Gwaine on the bridge at every.single.shift. I feel bad, not that I think about it.
- Morgana + Morgause
In the first version, Morgana was the head of the computer systems department, a subdivision of the science department because Merlin's still more powerful than her.
Now Morgause was moved away from her old role (nurse - can you imagine ending up in a sickbay where Nimueh the CMO and Morgause the head nurse rule? Yeah), I decided it was more fitting for her to be Morgana's superior than the other way, given that it's Morgause who teaches and tutors Morgana into the High Priesthood.
- Lancelot
Since he should be the best of Arthur's knights, what could he do if not the Security Chief?
- Freya
In the original edit she covered the "human!Ship" role and, after picking the Excalibur for this crew's ship, the role screamed for Freya. But I changed my mind, and the "human!Ship" will be an exclusive to the Enterprise. Freya then has been given the role of 0178 in Into Darkness, she's acts like a conduit between the systems and the commanding crew, monitoring the systems - she's the closes the character could be to a role of a "Excalibur" guardian.
- Percival
As any knight, if there isn't another role, they go to security. Percival came to Camelot following Lancelot, so it's perfect for him to be Lancelot's second.
- Elyan
Although we don't see him in this role, off-screen it's said that, upon returning to Camelot, he took over his father's blacksmith, making him the character - between them all - that made more sense in Engineering.
- Nimueh
She's the first High Priestess we're introduced to and, from what we're shown, the most powerful. Likely not, it's just that in the Season One every magical characters was shown doing magical feats bigger than during the other four season, but... hey, canon.
Also, if that isn't enough to justify her choice for the head of the medical department... one of her feats was basically healing from certain death Arthur.
- Mordred
Knight, so security. As an in-joke, I made him in charge of the security area, which means the brigs and their guests.
- Alator + Finna
He's a High Priest, and he could fit in sickbay as Nimueh's second. But then I thought about when he kneels in front of Merlin offering his loyalty, and I figured that he'd be a good second to Merlin. But then I thought that his role in the show is to extract a confession out of Gaius, so he could fit as counselor as well.
Finna refers to Alator as "master" and shares his loyalty and will to serve "Emrys", so I initially made her follow Alator under Merlin, but a step lower. So, when Alator was transferred to counselor, she replaced him.
- Geoffrey
No character, besides Arthur, had a more perfect position for them.
- Tristan + Isolde
Ah ah, these two. Imagine them making sure they honor the tradition of gossip queen at the bridge station that Chekov and Sulu have started.
I admit I didn't know who to pick for these two positions and these two fitted perfectly, for what we've seen of how they lead their lives. Isolde is the tactical and navigator because she's the most level-headed of the two, we know it (well, you don't need these characteristics to fill the position but whatever: Trystan leads by driving, she makes sure he doesn't go bump into a planet).
- Kilgharrah + Aithusa
Ahahahahahahahah. I just couldn't not include Kilgharrah and, when I decided how, Aithusa was to be featured as well. Let it be recorded for posterity that I was VERY tempted, when I reworked the edit, to make Kilgharrah a counselor (a la Deanna Troy of The Next Generation). I just let it go because then I wouldn't know how to place Aithusa - as they would be still from the same sentient race.
- Mary Collins
She is the first character who is shown to teleport, the only one who does it by using an object (compared to Morgana and Morgause who apparently do it on their own power), so it would make sense for her to be in charge of the teleportation method in the Star Trek world.
- Aglain
He helps and heals Morgana from the Serket's poison, also he's a pacific druid, and would fit good in a medical/healing setting. He's a druid leader so he's right for the position of second to the CMO.
- Will
When I decided to include him, I was puzzled: in which role he could fit? We don't get much of Will, we don't know what he does (someone tried to explain he could be a carpenter judging by the content of his hut), we see him fight not because he's got a training. So.
The choice of assistant engineer came more from comparing Will to Elyan than else. For some reason, it made sense to me that they followed the same path. Don't ask.
- Mithian
I really love her. If there hadn't been any chance for Arthur and Gwen to marry and love each other, Mithian would've been the perfect queen for Camelot and for Arthur so I wanted her in from the very first version of the edit. I trust, given that from what canon suggests she is the only child of King Rodor, she has been raised to become the ruler of Nemeth and so she should be as prepared as Arthur in that matter. Not to forget that in season 5 she shows she's very apt in tactical, since she manages to warn Merlin about Morgana despite Morgana's constant vigilance.
Of the little choice command division offers, for what she does in 5x04 tactical struck me as the right one.
- Elena
Her inclusion came in the revisited edition. I followed the same thinking pattern that applied for Mithian, command. We know she likes riding, and helmsman fitted. Yes, she and Mithian serve together.
- George
Ahahahahah. Seriously. For once George will have the privilege and honor to serve Arthur without Merlin's meddling. And this time, given that Merlin's not the first officer like Spock to Kirk, Merlin won't be (much) in the way.
- Edwin
Duh. Also, since we established that the sickbay is ruled by a very vengeful High Priestess... Edwin is just in his habitat.
He's one of the few villains-of-the-day I wanted to include when I revisited the edit: as most of the Season One villains, he's memorable and deserved to be here.
- Sefa
Actually it was included because I needed a number to even the edit (back in late 2021 when the graphic was still set in a two-columns format). She's a character that lasted little but deserved more, she wasn't evil, just loyal to her father.
Initially I placed her in communications, as Gwaine's second, but it was too high in the hierarchy given her serving role in the show (the Queen's maid) and her short stay, so I eventually demoted her to simple yeoman. She's young, she'll have time to raise the ranks.
- Iseldir
He's a chieftain of the druids, he's made non-violence his way of life. Like Aglain. But he appears even less willing to act and react. Also, not sure if Aglain is a step higher in the druid society. Anyway, since I had only a head nurse at this point, I placed him under Gaius.
- Helios
One of the last additions. He's a warlord, and would fit in security. But I already had too many of them, and I had this spot empty. He can still lead something, this way.
- Kara
I hate her. I don't understand her and I can't forgive her for being the reason Mordred betrays Camelot for Morgana. I can't forgive her because she was given a second chance but she threw it away (it can be understandable from her own point but, still, her choice doomed not only Arthur but also Mordred). Anyway. I really couldn't leave her out when I added the (almost) last batch of characters.
Her placement in security is a given, since she's a warrior. She's a druid, but we're not even shown her doing magic, so red shirt like Mordred she is.
- Alice
Duh. Gaius says her skills as medician have always been superior to his, so I decided to make her a full doctor, but with Gaius being the Christine Chapel of the ship, he's still higher on the field.
- Tyr
He works in the royal stables, the closest to an engineer comparison you could get - well, after working in a smithy I guess.
- Gilli
Another from the "minor characters" batch. He's somehow threated like someone who needed some tutoring from Merlin - not magically but to better himself and know his place in the world, so I put him in Merlin's department. A Merlin with magic chicks to tutor is a happy Merlin, after all.
- Vivian
She's obnoxious, we would all hate her if it weren't for the love charm that turns her into a victim. She was the very, very last to be added, in the latest three-characters batch with Iseldir and Finna.
I literally didn't know where to place her. She clearly was to be put into command, and command gives so little choice (in the TOS!Enterprise crew you can find like two characters who are command and aren't either helmsman or navigator, and they were clearly given the wrong color). So she was to be placed at the helm stations. But why would I subject the bridge crew, any bridge crew, to her lovely charm-free presence?
Kevin Riley, who is a gold shirt, gets transferred by Kirk to communication section so I thought... why not? Why don't give her the command of the communication room? So she can boss everyone but just away from the bridge?
- Daegal
Added with Gilli. Initially I was considering him for a nurse role, since we seem him in the healer role, then I thought that he was meant to be one of Merlin's apprentices (he would've been if Merlin had the chance). But I couldn't find a specialization within science (I could make her a botanist, I guess), but... well. Surfing Memory Alpha and, specifically, the Enterprise crew complement, I happened into the role of orderly (citation, "whose primary role was in assisting a doctor" but that doesn't require "a basic level of medical knowledge" like medical assistant). And bam!, perfect.
- Julius
This is clearly an in-joke. But one that makes sense. In canon he's set on breaking into the vaults, here he's in charge of making sure no one breaks into it.
About the ranks:
I tried to maintain the power hierarchy (both magical and within the Camelot society) of the tv show with the ranks assigned.
Gwen, as the queen, is second only to Arthur the King, so she's the only one given the rank of commander.
Lieutenant commander was assigned to two categories of characters: the ones born into royalty and the ones that represent the royalty in the magic world (Morgana, Morgause and Nimueh as High Priestesses and Alator as High Priest). Merlin, as the most powerful sorcerer blabla fits into the category as well. While Leon, unlike the rest of the knights, gets this rank because he's the only one of them all born into nobility and I think this detail had to be included.
All Arthur's (favourites)knights get a lieutenant, like Tristan and Isolde (who had been allies to Arthur). In this rank fall also the magic characters in the second level of power (the druids Aglain and Iseldir, Edwin and Finna) and other kind of chiefs like Hellios. Gaius and Geoffrey, who sit in the Royal Council, get the rank as well.
Mordred, as the last and youngest knight of the lot, gets a lieutenant junior grade, and he's the only one with this rank to underline his unique position.
Characters further down the magic or power hierarchy like Freya and Gilli are assigned ensign. Kara gets this rank because I felt she would be the kind of person to commit by applying to the Academy.
Then we get to characters that I felt could be non-commissioned, either because not part of the Camelot "family" or because belonging to the very bottom of the hierarchy, servants and common people. To reflect the differences in magic power I chose to play with chief petty officer, that was reserved for Mary Collins, and Alice, who's given a rank that allows her to be put at the head of a department, should necessity arose, and be at the same level of Gaius's "nurse", but way below the other characters who were given commissioned ranks in the medical field. Our favorite brass-cleaning servant George is a non-commissioned officer, to reflect his status as servant. But, since he's a damn bloody professional (and would deserve more), he has the highest rank for non-commissioned officers, like does Will - even if, for him, it's just out of sentimentalism, as Merlin's best friend and a characters we all cried for.
Petty officer, the lowest rank above crewman, is for servants like Sefa and Tyr (yes, Sefa was the equivalent of George, but I wanted to reflect she's been in the castle for few months, compared to George who is likely to be a "senior" servant) and a thief like Julius. I liked them better than mere "crewmember" that is the bottom of the enlisted personnel chain.
Daegal, who is a simple druid who's not even shown to use magic, gets the short stick and is crewman, 1st class to underline he's green and barely out of the trainee status, given that he's one of the latest characters introduced in the show.
Kilgharrah and Aithusa were given a rank as Crewman third class (the lowest) because reasons. I don't remember if it's canon or if I took the idea somewhere else, but yes, I gave ranks and serial numbers to the animals aboard the ship as personal pets.
About the surnames:
Only the Pendragons, and a couple of other characters, get a surname in the show so, for the sake of the AU, I had to pick surnames for most of the characters. Had to play with the legendary characters: it was fun doing research, if you ask me.
- Gwen and Elyan
Initially "Leblanc", from both Helyan le Blanc and Guinevere's name meaning, I later edited it into a Smith that made more sense given their specific status in the BBC's version of their characters. Research told me that at the time surnames weren't used, but you were known for where you came or your job and at some point a John the Smith would become Smith. So. Smith it is.
- Merlin
There could be many names to dab from in the legends, or I could use his mother's name as in Hunithson but, frankly, Emrys is there for a reason. For us fans to make it his surname when we need to (and cannot find another). Right? Also, I already have others that went by -son.
- Leon
According to Merlin Wikia, the character might be based around King Leondegrance, king of Cameliard.
- Gaius
This character might be based on Blaise (Blaze) - who according to some sources was Merlin’s mentor- so I picked Blaze.
- Gwaine
In the legends he's the son of King Lot, and Lotson could work.
- Morgana
I decided to give her another surname to not make it too glaring that Uther Pendragon is a very nepotist man.
- Lancelot
"Lancelot du Lac" is the title of a 1974 movie about his love story with Guinevere. Oh, yes, and the title of episode 4x09.
- Percival
I didn't find anything that could work as surname, besides the name of his father (son of Efwc - Efwcson?), but since he's the Grail hero I figured Grail could fit.
- Morgause
Initially I was going for the "le Fay" that wasn't needed for Morgana, but then... well. I was tempted by "Gormause" but I thought it was a bit too lame. Picked a King, but then reverted back because, why not? I don't know in other languages, but in Italy we do have people with names which are basically the singular of the surname (Mauro Mauri), so...
In the end I did choose to make it a composite surname with both King and Gormause with the use of the hyphen.
- Nimueh
I literally had no idea. Cara, if you don't remember, is the name she goes by when she comes to Camelot under the guise of an handmaiden to King Bayard. Apparently, Cara is an ancient surname originated in Sicily, so I decided to make it Nimueh’s surname.
- Alator and Finna
Those are the groups they're affiliated with: Alator is a Catha, and Finna is defined a Bendrui.
- Tristan
Couldn't find something that could work, so I stole the name of his kingdom, Lyonesse.
- Ysolde
Iseult of the White Hands isn't the same Ysolde from which the show's Ysolde was inspired from, but I couldn't find anything else to make a surname, so I stole Blanchmains from that one.
- Aglain
There was literally no other choice, as playing with "Druids" was already used for Daegal. He saves and cures Morgana from the venom of the Serket, so...
- Will
He did call himself "Prince of Ealdor", albeit jokingly to mock Arthur...
-Mithian and Elena
Ah, well. It was either use the name of their kingdoms or their fathers' and add a -son; I choose the former.
The "de" particle is a particle that, in the Middle Ages, was used to show geographical origin in the names of people of all classes. Not a nobiliary particle per se, but the closest that could be found in the English language, ad it was either that or the german "von", which was out place.
- George
It's lame, I know, but I couldn't resist. XD
- Iseldir
He's a chieftain of the druids. There was literally no other word or title to play with.
- Sefa
As there was literally nothing to cling to, her father's name got the honor - just without a -son this time.
- Kara
She was the hardest to find because there's literally nothing about her that could be turned into a surname. In the end I did have to pick this lame "Freedom" as the thing she claims to fight for.
- Vivian
There's no canon kingdom assigned to Olaf, so I couldn't go the Mithian/Elena route with her.
King was picked in the perspective of mentioning her father, who then would go by Olaf King.
- For the rest not mentioned above, the choice is self-explaining and you don't need to take a look at the Merlin Wikia to remember an obscure detail.
- Kilgharrah and Aithusa
I decided to give the pets the surname of their owners, like they do in some countries.