Recap and Review of Merlin 5x03 (part 2)
I'm glad someone besides me finds this interesting and fun. Thanks! :D
[Review, Part Deux]
The Death Song of Uther Pendragon
Review, Part Deux
Wait, explain to me again why it takes Percival twice as long to take off his armor as everyone else? He wears half as much!
*logic fail*
Having Percival alone in the armory = *cough* convenient plot device *cough*
(*belatedly realizes this is TPTB's way of getting in Percival's shirtless quota ...nods in approval*)
And, really Uther...why Percival? Why not Elyan? I mean, he's useless on this show anyhow...
But seeing as Gwen's also gonna get Uther!Owned here shortly, I suppose the show couldn't take the chance of being seen as discriminatory?
WTF with this new set?!? We saw it all over 5x02 during Sefa's escape scene and now this episode, too. What was wrong with the OLD set? And WHY do the rock walls look completely different from the rest of freaking Camelot?!? Is this supposed to indicate how prosperous Camelot is now because they built new stuff?!? If so, it didn't work because it looks like CRAP compared to the Camelot we've seen in past eps...
Oh, and Percival's Spidey senses are apparently working, too, because he can sense a presense...just before he gets axed!
...but luckily just axed in the back and not from the show. *fangirls squee at random shirtlessness*
Okay, I tried to get a picture of the flying axe...but the CGI was so horrible for it that every screen cap I tried to get came out unrecognizable... *shrugs*
"I used to be an adventurer like you, but then I took an arrow to the knee..." (Wait...this already happened in 4x04!)
Okay, Percival...I get that you're a manly knight and all (and thick, if you go by Merlin's definition...), but I'm sorry, I didn't see any axes anywhere near you before you got hit... Man up and say so!
Percival mentions his Spidey senses experience to Merlin and Gaius before shrugging it off (because Knights of Camelot should always shrug off their instincts, don't you think?). However, the mention of it disturbs Merlin.
*gratuitous shot of Merlin's rarely-seen forearms*
"Merlin, I get the distinct impression there's something you're not telling me."
"No, why would you say that?"
Gee, Merlin...it could have something to do with this "Hi, I am guilty as hell!" look you're sporting!
And once Merlin fesses up that he and his buddy Arthur went to the Stones of Nematon (otherwise known as Stonehenge... Still trying to decide if they really filmed there or if it was CGI effects...) and that Merlin's Spidey senses were also tingling after the incident in the council chambers, we get the obligatory Gaius expository about the Horn and High Priestesses...yadda yadda yadda... and oh yes, whatever you do... Don't look back!
*Merlin mentally facepalms and curses the stupidity of Pendragons meddling with magic...*
And so, Merlin carefully approaches Arthur.
"At the Stones of Nematon, I think you may have released your father's spirit..."
(read - I know you did it, you big lovable clotpole, and I'm gonna end up getting stuck fixing it, aren't I?)
"Did you look back? As the Veil closed, did you look back at your father?"
Come on, Merlin. Did you really have to ask? YOU know he did it, WE know he did it...
...and Arthur knows he did it, as evidenced by the extreme look of guilt he's sporting here. At least he's owning up to it this time instead of trying to hide the evidence under an apple bowl.
*thinks*
Dammit, I knew it! Why didn't I Swefe nu his ass and steal the damn horn when I had the chance!
Merlin then tries to convince Arthur that Uther's spirit is haunting Camelot as evidenced by the chandelier falling on the Round Table and Percival getting axed.
"You told me how your father disapproved. He's angry with you, and that makes him dangerous!"
But, sadly, Arthur, despite having his ass handed to him by his father behind the Veil, doesn't think Uther is capable of doing things to hurt him. Can we say denial is not a river in Egypt, much?
*headdesk*
(Oh, and Bradley James is totally working this awesome red shirt!)
"I think he'd do anything to protect his legacy..."
Ooh, burn!
Harsh words, Merlin! But oh, so true...
The bitterness in Colin Morgan's voice as he delivers this line is sublime...Spoken just like a hidden warlock who was terrified of Uther for years and has no illusions about what kind of man he truly was.
Also? Merlin is smoking hot when he's angry!
(Damn that freaking dimple!)
Merlin's accusations against Uther actually hurt Arthur, portrayed brilliantly by Bradley James.
Really, the subtle emotions both actors portray in this scene are fantastic!
Meanwhile, in another part of the castle...
Gwen is looking pretty damn fine! This is definitely my favorite dress of hers so far!
However, you can clearly see the hair extensions she wears here, as they aren't the same color as her natural hair!
She's just minding her own business when...
...Papa Uther decides to give her a friendly "Welcome to the family" drag down the hallway before leaving her for dead in a burning kitchen storeroom.
Seriously, creepy music aside, this scene was pretty darn scary.
It's a good darn thing, then, that Arthur is a stubborn-headed clotpole, because otherwise Merlin would not have been around to notice the fire, Tospringe the locked door open and fireman's carry Gwen out of there.
Now we know what those extra muscles Colin Morgan is sporting this Series are for!
"You know this was Uther."
"We don't know what happened."
"So Gwen just mysteriously ended up locked in the kitchens which just mysteriously caught fire..."
Or in other words: Now do you see that your father's a homicidal maniac? And, oh by the way... I told you so!
Oh, and nice touch make up crew! Love the little detail of heat flush and soot from the fire on Merlin's cheek!
"I know how hard this is for you..."
Loved this line! There's a real feeling that Merlin gets Arthur and understands his struggles, here.
*After this significant look...*
"Gaius, what do you know about ghosts?"
And, Thank you, Jaysus! Arthur sees the light.
After more obligatory exposition by Gaius, Arthur learns that he's the only one who can send Uther back to the Spirit World by using the Horn of Cathbad again in Uther's ghost's presence, which of course, leads to this angsty brooding.
Again, well done Bradley James.
Brooding disturbed by Merlin dropping a silver platter, cups and water pitcher behind him.
Even though he denies it, Arthur totally startled from the noise and Merlin finds it amusing.
"Sorry."
"You're fortunate that I'm not easily frightened."
"Really? Because it looked like you jumped out of your skin!"
Heh.
"I heard something behind the door..."
Well, it only took ten years, but it appears that Merlin has finally learned Arthur's hand signals!
The noise behind the door ended up being a mouse, but...
Gaius appearing right behind them scared the bejeezus out of both of them! Hee!
"The potion will allow you to see Uther in his spirit form."
"Is it safe?"
"I can't say I'm entirely sure..."
Of course it is, Arthur. Because Gaius had to have made it from either straight ecktoplasm or flat Mountain Dew...
This moment looks very reminiscent of the table scene from Labyrinth of Gedref! (But Anhora had better hair!)
However it plays out as more of a game of Chicken...but with potions.
A hilarious moment ensues where Arthur refuses to drink his potion until Merlin's had his first.
*they salute each other with the potion bottles, but then only Merlin's hand raises before he realizes...*
"What are you waiting for?"
"To see if it's safe."
"So if I don't die...you'll take yours?"
"Precisely. Get on with it."
But Merlin's all about giving as good as he gets, so he "drinks" the potion (he's actually pretended to swallow and instead squirreled it into his cheeks here) and makes this hysterically nonchalant face like, "Yep, not a problem, dude. Go for it; I dare you!"
And waits for Arthur to take the bait before...
...he finally does swallow what has to be a disgusting tasting potion, based on his reaction.
Meanwhile, Arthur gives Merlin a look of death after discovering just how gross the potion is...
(It made me wonder how it stacked up with Katrina's potion that Merlin had to sample)
"Ugh, that is the foullest thing I've ever tasted!"
Merlin (all innocent): "Sorry, did I forget to tell you about that part?"
ROFLMAO! That might just be my favorite funny line of the night...
Now that the boys are all potioned up, they are off on their ghost hunt. Merlin startles badly before he realizes that he is seeing their own shadows on the wall...
He receives a hearty Gibbs-slap to the back of the head by an exasperated Arthur in response.
Moments later, the duo is happened upon by Leon (cracked up from the simultaneous greeting Merlin and Arthur gave the knight, hee!) No, they don't look insanely guilty here...not at all!
Yeah, it's totally normal for us to be sneaking around the castle in the middle of the night...
*facepalm*
Arthur rather handily lays the onus of explaining their nocturnal activity to Leon squarely at Merlin's feet, prompting this "Aw, come on...you've got to be kidding me!" look from Merlin.
"We're... Merlin, tell Leon what we're doing?"
Obviously Arthur did not learn his lesson about putting Merlin on the spot from the potions thing a few minutes ago, and that's about to bite him in the ass...
...because Merlin chooses the most ridiculous activity he can think of to be doing with Arthur in the middle of the night:
"I'm teaching him some poetry."
(Okay, I take it back...THIS is my favorite funny line of the night!)
Look at Merlin's face here; I dare you to tell me it wasn't done on purpose to embarrass the shit out of Arthur!
Leon's astonisment is only matched by his amusement. "Poetry?!?"
(Besides, we all know he secretly ships Merthur anyway...)
"I...love poetry..." Arthur sounds constipated, and his face says it all.
But Merlin doesn't stop there...oh no. He's just got to dig the hole deeper.
"I was as surprised as you are," he explains to Leon with a laugh. "He can't get enough of it!"
Dumbfounded, Leon can only reply, 'I'll...leave you to your poetry then, my Lord."
(and the Merthurs of the world rejoice at the fanwanking euphemism!)
~final part tomorrow~
[Review, Part Deux]
The Death Song of Uther Pendragon
Review, Part Deux
Wait, explain to me again why it takes Percival twice as long to take off his armor as everyone else? He wears half as much!
*logic fail*
Having Percival alone in the armory = *cough* convenient plot device *cough*
(*belatedly realizes this is TPTB's way of getting in Percival's shirtless quota ...nods in approval*)
And, really Uther...why Percival? Why not Elyan? I mean, he's useless on this show anyhow...
But seeing as Gwen's also gonna get Uther!Owned here shortly, I suppose the show couldn't take the chance of being seen as discriminatory?
WTF with this new set?!? We saw it all over 5x02 during Sefa's escape scene and now this episode, too. What was wrong with the OLD set? And WHY do the rock walls look completely different from the rest of freaking Camelot?!? Is this supposed to indicate how prosperous Camelot is now because they built new stuff?!? If so, it didn't work because it looks like CRAP compared to the Camelot we've seen in past eps...
Oh, and Percival's Spidey senses are apparently working, too, because he can sense a presense...just before he gets axed!
...but luckily just axed in the back and not from the show. *fangirls squee at random shirtlessness*
Okay, I tried to get a picture of the flying axe...but the CGI was so horrible for it that every screen cap I tried to get came out unrecognizable... *shrugs*
"I used to be an adventurer like you, but then I took an arrow to the knee..." (Wait...this already happened in 4x04!)
Okay, Percival...I get that you're a manly knight and all (and thick, if you go by Merlin's definition...), but I'm sorry, I didn't see any axes anywhere near you before you got hit... Man up and say so!
Percival mentions his Spidey senses experience to Merlin and Gaius before shrugging it off (because Knights of Camelot should always shrug off their instincts, don't you think?). However, the mention of it disturbs Merlin.
*gratuitous shot of Merlin's rarely-seen forearms*
"Merlin, I get the distinct impression there's something you're not telling me."
"No, why would you say that?"
Gee, Merlin...it could have something to do with this "Hi, I am guilty as hell!" look you're sporting!
And once Merlin fesses up that he and his buddy Arthur went to the Stones of Nematon (otherwise known as Stonehenge... Still trying to decide if they really filmed there or if it was CGI effects...) and that Merlin's Spidey senses were also tingling after the incident in the council chambers, we get the obligatory Gaius expository about the Horn and High Priestesses...yadda yadda yadda... and oh yes, whatever you do... Don't look back!
*Merlin mentally facepalms and curses the stupidity of Pendragons meddling with magic...*
And so, Merlin carefully approaches Arthur.
"At the Stones of Nematon, I think you may have released your father's spirit..."
(read - I know you did it, you big lovable clotpole, and I'm gonna end up getting stuck fixing it, aren't I?)
"Did you look back? As the Veil closed, did you look back at your father?"
Come on, Merlin. Did you really have to ask? YOU know he did it, WE know he did it...
...and Arthur knows he did it, as evidenced by the extreme look of guilt he's sporting here. At least he's owning up to it this time instead of trying to hide the evidence under an apple bowl.
*thinks*
Dammit, I knew it! Why didn't I Swefe nu his ass and steal the damn horn when I had the chance!
Merlin then tries to convince Arthur that Uther's spirit is haunting Camelot as evidenced by the chandelier falling on the Round Table and Percival getting axed.
"You told me how your father disapproved. He's angry with you, and that makes him dangerous!"
But, sadly, Arthur, despite having his ass handed to him by his father behind the Veil, doesn't think Uther is capable of doing things to hurt him. Can we say denial is not a river in Egypt, much?
*headdesk*
(Oh, and Bradley James is totally working this awesome red shirt!)
"I think he'd do anything to protect his legacy..."
Ooh, burn!
Harsh words, Merlin! But oh, so true...
The bitterness in Colin Morgan's voice as he delivers this line is sublime...Spoken just like a hidden warlock who was terrified of Uther for years and has no illusions about what kind of man he truly was.
Also? Merlin is smoking hot when he's angry!
(Damn that freaking dimple!)
Merlin's accusations against Uther actually hurt Arthur, portrayed brilliantly by Bradley James.
Really, the subtle emotions both actors portray in this scene are fantastic!
Meanwhile, in another part of the castle...
Gwen is looking pretty damn fine! This is definitely my favorite dress of hers so far!
However, you can clearly see the hair extensions she wears here, as they aren't the same color as her natural hair!
She's just minding her own business when...
...Papa Uther decides to give her a friendly "Welcome to the family" drag down the hallway before leaving her for dead in a burning kitchen storeroom.
Seriously, creepy music aside, this scene was pretty darn scary.
It's a good darn thing, then, that Arthur is a stubborn-headed clotpole, because otherwise Merlin would not have been around to notice the fire, Tospringe the locked door open and fireman's carry Gwen out of there.
Now we know what those extra muscles Colin Morgan is sporting this Series are for!
"You know this was Uther."
"We don't know what happened."
"So Gwen just mysteriously ended up locked in the kitchens which just mysteriously caught fire..."
Or in other words: Now do you see that your father's a homicidal maniac? And, oh by the way... I told you so!
Oh, and nice touch make up crew! Love the little detail of heat flush and soot from the fire on Merlin's cheek!
"I know how hard this is for you..."
Loved this line! There's a real feeling that Merlin gets Arthur and understands his struggles, here.
*After this significant look...*
"Gaius, what do you know about ghosts?"
And, Thank you, Jaysus! Arthur sees the light.
After more obligatory exposition by Gaius, Arthur learns that he's the only one who can send Uther back to the Spirit World by using the Horn of Cathbad again in Uther's ghost's presence, which of course, leads to this angsty brooding.
Again, well done Bradley James.
Brooding disturbed by Merlin dropping a silver platter, cups and water pitcher behind him.
Even though he denies it, Arthur totally startled from the noise and Merlin finds it amusing.
"Sorry."
"You're fortunate that I'm not easily frightened."
"Really? Because it looked like you jumped out of your skin!"
Heh.
"I heard something behind the door..."
Well, it only took ten years, but it appears that Merlin has finally learned Arthur's hand signals!
The noise behind the door ended up being a mouse, but...
Gaius appearing right behind them scared the bejeezus out of both of them! Hee!
"The potion will allow you to see Uther in his spirit form."
"Is it safe?"
"I can't say I'm entirely sure..."
Of course it is, Arthur. Because Gaius had to have made it from either straight ecktoplasm or flat Mountain Dew...
This moment looks very reminiscent of the table scene from Labyrinth of Gedref! (But Anhora had better hair!)
However it plays out as more of a game of Chicken...but with potions.
A hilarious moment ensues where Arthur refuses to drink his potion until Merlin's had his first.
*they salute each other with the potion bottles, but then only Merlin's hand raises before he realizes...*
"What are you waiting for?"
"To see if it's safe."
"So if I don't die...you'll take yours?"
"Precisely. Get on with it."
But Merlin's all about giving as good as he gets, so he "drinks" the potion (he's actually pretended to swallow and instead squirreled it into his cheeks here) and makes this hysterically nonchalant face like, "Yep, not a problem, dude. Go for it; I dare you!"
And waits for Arthur to take the bait before...
...he finally does swallow what has to be a disgusting tasting potion, based on his reaction.
Meanwhile, Arthur gives Merlin a look of death after discovering just how gross the potion is...
(It made me wonder how it stacked up with Katrina's potion that Merlin had to sample)
"Ugh, that is the foullest thing I've ever tasted!"
Merlin (all innocent): "Sorry, did I forget to tell you about that part?"
ROFLMAO! That might just be my favorite funny line of the night...
Now that the boys are all potioned up, they are off on their ghost hunt. Merlin startles badly before he realizes that he is seeing their own shadows on the wall...
He receives a hearty Gibbs-slap to the back of the head by an exasperated Arthur in response.
Moments later, the duo is happened upon by Leon (cracked up from the simultaneous greeting Merlin and Arthur gave the knight, hee!) No, they don't look insanely guilty here...not at all!
Yeah, it's totally normal for us to be sneaking around the castle in the middle of the night...
*facepalm*
Arthur rather handily lays the onus of explaining their nocturnal activity to Leon squarely at Merlin's feet, prompting this "Aw, come on...you've got to be kidding me!" look from Merlin.
"We're... Merlin, tell Leon what we're doing?"
Obviously Arthur did not learn his lesson about putting Merlin on the spot from the potions thing a few minutes ago, and that's about to bite him in the ass...
...because Merlin chooses the most ridiculous activity he can think of to be doing with Arthur in the middle of the night:
"I'm teaching him some poetry."
(Okay, I take it back...THIS is my favorite funny line of the night!)
Look at Merlin's face here; I dare you to tell me it wasn't done on purpose to embarrass the shit out of Arthur!
Leon's astonisment is only matched by his amusement. "Poetry?!?"
(Besides, we all know he secretly ships Merthur anyway...)
"I...love poetry..." Arthur sounds constipated, and his face says it all.
But Merlin doesn't stop there...oh no. He's just got to dig the hole deeper.
"I was as surprised as you are," he explains to Leon with a laugh. "He can't get enough of it!"
Dumbfounded, Leon can only reply, 'I'll...leave you to your poetry then, my Lord."
(and the Merthurs of the world rejoice at the fanwanking euphemism!)
~final part tomorrow~