(Untitled)

[ruby_caspar]

FANDOM: MERLIN

Title: The Beginning in the End (2/2)
Word Count: 10, 458 (this part), 16,688 over all (yikes!)
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Character death, bad writing...

SPOILERS this is my take on what the spoilers for the end of season 3 might mean, so there are definite POTENTIAL SPOILERS within. However, it is all pure speculation on my part, so

Comments

[marindamar]

Whoa. If this is “bad writing”, as you indicate in your warnings, I hope I never read something "good" from you - it would probably kill me, since THIS already left me so breathless. ;)

The pacing, the dialogue, the characterization - everything was just so spot on, so *real*, I’m having a hard time reminding myself that this has actually NOT happened on the show (yet). This was so wonderful, I WANT it to happen on the show, exactly that way, using exactly those words.

I loved the way you handled A/G and the triangle with Lancelot, and especially the resolution. :) Arthur’s outburst in the first chapter was something I’ve been expecting and hoping to see on the show for a while now. I really hope they’ll soon take Gwen to the point where she’s no longer talking herself out of this but finds the strength to believe not just in Arthur, but in *them* as well. I know where she’s coming from, but for someone otherwise so courageous, someone who can instill so much faith in others that they are “changed forever” (not just talking about Lancelot here), she could use a bit of her own medicine and have faith in herself and what she could have with Arthur. It was lovely to see her take that step here. BTW, loved the image of Queen Guinevere escorted by Camelot’s finest knights riding towards Arthur and her not even being aware of the power she holds over these men, as devoted and loyal to her as they are to Arthur - a very nice look into the future.

Arthur’s journey in this is the logical conclusion to everything that came before. This is what he was meant to become, and you interweave the series elements/developments with the legend so well, it’s impossible to distinguish when he stopped being the tv character and became the legend we’ve known and loved for centuries. When I think of the (young) Arthur of legend now, I see the Arthur as he is presented here. This is how it could have begun.

Then there is Arthur’s relationship with Merlin: I was so thrilled with Merlin the dragonlord openly showing Arthur this power and using it to save Camelot. The joy of being able to do that so freely was palpable - which made it even more heartbreaking when Merlin revealed his secret later on and lost it all. I love what you’ve done here: Arthur’s dismissal is brutal, the rift seems irrepairable - but it also holds so much potential, I’m seriously hoping the TV show takes the same brave step and shows us this kind of separation. Come on, we all know neither of them would make it too far without the other and that fate would reunite them sooner than later - but wouldn’t it be fascinating to send them off on separate paths for a while, let them grow a bit in power and understanding (especially Arthur - he needs to come to terms with his stance on magic and free himself from what his father hammered into his head for decades) and then, with Camelot in danger again, get thrown back together and overcome this rift? To finally have all secrets out and allow them to develop the friendship that will help them create a new Camelot? I’m getting giddy just thinking about it.

I really, really hope you’ll write the sequel that is already bouncing around in your mind, no matter what else happens in the series - you’ve set up too much to just let it all go unresolved. :)

[ruby_caspar]

Wow. I mean - just wow, thank you so much! I'm so happy you liked it and thank you so much for the insightful feedback! I agree with everything you say about the show, especially Merlin and Arthur. I don't think the show would ever split the two of them up (physically, at least) for more than an episode or so, since their relationship is the lynch-pin of the entire series, but I agree that it would be really interesting to see. They say that there will be big changes for next season - I really hope that Arthur finding out about Merlin is one of them, as I want the writers to leave themselves enough time to actually explore the changes that would bring to their relationship dynamic, and I worry they won't. I do think Morgana will end up going rogue (how could she not) and I think that she, at least, has to know about Merlin before she leaves... I'm so excited for the end of the season! :)

Anyway, thank you again! I started writing the sequel today - it's slower going than this one was, as this was completely mapped out in my head whereas I'm feeling my way a little bit more with the sequel, but it should be up soon! ^^