Well, I think
that the druids are simply playing the Long Game in revenge against Uther.
I have to say- and yes, I know I'm biased by his unending sexiness- that I'm mostly on Uther's side when it comes to magic, and magic's place in a well-ordered kingdom. Because magic cannot be controlled except by other magicians, so if you've got people, humans, using magic, then you're going to have magical crime, and you're going to have magical crime perpetrated against people who are completely and utterly defenseless against magical crime. If you want to have magic in your kingdom at all, then you have to set up a magical police force made up of magicians, and have a royal court magician who's more powerful than any other magician in the kingdom, powerful enough to practically enforce laws against the use of magic to infringe upon the rights of others. And so you'll end up with two societies living in one space, and the one of them having the power to turn around and absolutely eradicate the other at any time with no resistance possible. Before Uther showed up, there was just plain anarchy and chaos and sorcerers magically doing whatever they wanted because they could. Surely there were many who just sat around helping the crops grow, but I'm also betting that those were mostly the less-powerful ones. So when he marches in and carves out his kingdom and sticks it together with blood and says "HERE IS A KINGDOM WHERE TOMORROW IS GOING TO FOLLOW YESTERDAY, DAMMIT." And the magicians say "hey, yeah right, like you're really going to rule us? Excuse me. We can just point at you, and say some funny words, and you keel over dead of brain-eating bugs." (In other words, "I could take you apart with one blow." "I could take you apart with less than that." Only, you know, on a rather grander scale.) I have a feeling that at first he gave the two-societies thing a try. And he had Nimueh by his side as his magical enforceress in case the sorcerers started deciding that they could just turn their muggle neighbors into fish and eat them. And he... trusts her, yes, because think of them as Old Skool Camelot Four, with Uther being Arthur, Gaius being Merlin, Nimueh being Morgana and Igraine being Gwen. Possibly with Gorlois being Lancelot, because hey, why not. Gaius doesn't have anywhere near the power that Merlin does, though, and Nimueh has power in spades. That's why Uther's got her on his side. But Uther, badass dark ages warlord that he oh-so-undoubtedly is, does not entirely trust Nimueh. Because she's powerful. Because she's more powerful than he is, if it comes down to a duel. Because if you are a dark ages warlord, trusting anybody is a bad idea, nevermind trusting someone who is physically more powerful than you are to obey your commands, nevermind trusting someone over whom you have no real control. So there's this doubt, in his mind. His finely-honed Dark Ages Warlord Senses are pretty much screaming at him that he needs to Watch Her Closely, because you cannot trust anyone that you cannot control if they decide to betray you tomorrow. But- y'know. He's king now, and Nimueh hasn't really shown signs of being untrustworthy. So, things are going okay, obviously everything's rocky and the kingdom's still entirely turbulent because he can't just carve order out of chaos without chaos going HA HA, ENTROPY'S ON MY SIDE, BITE ME. Uther needs an heir to help cement his kingship, because being king is not just about proving that you're the most cunning hardcore patrician badass to walk this green earth anymore. Now he has to provide security for his kingdom's future. And Igraine is barren. So.
Nimueh makes it so that Igraine can conceive.
Nimueh fails to mention somehow that Igraine will also die in the process.
Guess what that means? That lovely trust that Uther's been trying so hard to extend to her against his better judgement warrior instinct? Just snapped. He decides that two societies is not going to work in a land ruled by a muggle, because his ace-in-the-hole-sorceress-enforceress can't be trusted or controlled. The only other way to ensure order, Uther decides, is to only have one society here. One law. One police force. One king.
Cue Great Purge.
And then you've just got Uther left. Igraine- his heart, his soul- is dead. Nimueh is an enemy. His balancing forces are gone- the people who kept him human and moderated his Dark Age Warlord Knee-Jerk Reactions To KILL EVERYTHING Before It Kills You are gone.
Gaius stands by his side, because he's Merlin to Uther's Arthur- except that he doesn't have Merlin's power, not over magic and not over his king. Because Merlin has grown up in a land without magic. Merlin has grown up the only person around who can just do things with a wish, and feelings of alienation aside, this has made Merlin unbelievably confident. Merlin has grown up without fear. Ever. Merlin has probably never been afraid of anything in his life. He's no doubt encountered hardship, being a peasant and all, but he always knows, always always always, that there is nobody in his world who can force him to do anything. Nobody has power over him that he does not give them. He does what he is told only ever by choice. Crabby Lioness says that on some level Merlin knows that he's a tiger cub playing with kittens, which is a nice way of putting it. He doesn't hurt the kittens, and he listens to the mama cat, but hey, it's only because he wants to. So Merlin the Fearless wanders into the big city and meets Arthur and shows no fear. And doesn't develop any, either. Merlin doesn't know how to be meek, or obedient for obedience's sake. Merlin has never ever had to show somebody respect that he does not feel- he may choose to, to keep his secret, but he always knows that, if it comes down to it, he has an out. Which is why he talks to Arthur like an equal, and walks by his side, and completely ignores every single social convention of the time. Because for him, it doesn't matter. He can. Gaius can't. Gaius grew up a relatively weak sorcerer among a country of powerful warring sorcerers who did whatever they pleased. I'm guessing that all his life Gaius has basically survived simply by allying himself with what looked to be the winning side, because having a little power is probably even more dangerous than not having any at all, because you draw attention from the Big Bads but can't actually defend yourself against them. Uther demands his absolute loyalty, and promises him protection. And- so. But it does mean that Gaius cannot act as the one who tempers Uther's fire. (metted mixaphores. sue me.) Igraine and Nimueh probably handled most of that- I bet Igraine was all sweetly being his conscience, Nimueh was challenging him for the sake of it and constantly playing devil's advocate just to keep him from thinking he was always right, and Gaius was the voice of pure cool logic to keep the other three from always reacting emotionally. It doesn't work with only two of the four.
So... Uther may be a tyrant king who kills innocents out of paranoia. But the sorcerers aren't exactly trying to convince him that he's wrong, they're just wreaking havoc and mayhem and chaos, and killing helpless peasantry who have no defenses against them whatsoever in the process- exactly as they did before he came to power. Uther's purges, immoral as they may be, have made Camelot a safer place to live. Tomorrow follows today follows yesterday. The peasants grow crops, the artisans create, the merchants... commerce. (verbing weirds language.) There is peace within, and foreign powers recognize Camelot's might.
It is because of this peace that Uther has bought with blood that Arthur is able to grow up and reach for more. Uther and Gaius and probably everyone else who was around twenty years ago are bewildered that the younger generation think that they should have it better than they got it, but they got it good and the fact that they grew up having it good means that they're capable of looking around and going "this could be better. We could start paying attention to things like morals and human rights. Huh."
So. Uther will be hated for what he's done. But he's done good. He's taken a step forward- provided order, security- and also provided the opportunity for the next generation to take another step forward.
Nobody will think well of Uther. Not the older ones who remember how many people he killed, not the younger ones who will be full of comparisons which Arthur will win.
But life as an ordinary subject under Uther is far better than it was under his predecessors. And if life as an ordinary subject under Arthur is far better than it was under Uther, that's at least partially in thanks to the fact that Arthur didn't have to face the challenges that Uther had already beaten down.
Uh, so that's why I'm on Uther's side. But I started this with the intention of talking about ep. 8, so-
-here's where I'm going into pure speculation. I say the druids are playing a long game. Uther hunted them during the Great Purge, killed them where he could and drove them out where he couldn't. Because they're magical, and they're his enemies. They can't take him on in open war. He's hardcore and badass and let's not forget cunning. So they... uh, okay, look, I really don't know what exactly the hell they were hoping to accomplish. They seem to have accomplished it, whatever it was, but I can't really see that they've accomplished much except for driving a deeper wedge between the Camelot Four and Uther. But whatever they were trying to do, I believe that it was done with intent.
I say: they sent in the man and his son. The man's a sacrifice. A suicide mission. Mordred knows nothing of this, only that he's in danger and his father's just been killed. And Mordred has the ability to reach out with his mind. I do not believe for one leetle second that all he's doing is communicating telepathically with words. He is compelling them to help him. I will not be convinced otherwise AT ALL. I am readily convinced that it's not with evil intent- he's what, six? and his father's just been killed and he's wounded and he's terrified out of his head. So he calls out to the most powerful magical being around- Merlin. Merlin is curious, Merlin identifies with Mordred's plight, yes, because there but for the grace of everyone in Camelot apparently being really stupid goes Merlin, and yes Merlin is a goodhearted lad who will save a life where he can, but still- Merlin helps Mordred because Mordred called out to Merlin. And he takes him to Morgana- the second most powerful magician in the area. And Morgana lacks Merlin's defenses. She doesn't have Merlin's self-awareness, she doesn't have Merlin's mentors, she never had someone telling her that her seer abilities were a gift. She's susceptible in her ignorance. So Mordred throws out a tether to her and goes PROTECT ME AUGH and Morgana does. Gwen sees it- Morgana is a canny young woman, who does not throw away advantages lightly, and here she is betraying Uther (Uther!) for a stranger? Gwen has no magical ability whatsoever, and Mordred has no hold on her. But once Mordred's gained his strength back a little, he ensorcells Arthur, who, though he has no magical ability of his own, has a mystical bond with the most powerful magician around. And even Gaius is compelled to help him. GAIUS. WHO WAS NEARLY WILLING TO SACRIFICE MERLIN FOR UTHER'S SAKE. And then when Merlin listens to the Slash Dragon and refuses to help, Mordred makes him. (But first we have Arthur drawing his sword on his own men. ON HIS OWN MEN. Tell me that Arthur's not under the influence of something!) Mordred yells in Merlin's head until Merlin can no longer bear it, and returns to help. At which point Mordred is really really creepy and ominous at Merlin.
I say Mordred's controlling them.
Yeah, that was it. I want to talk about Uther/Morgana, but my left wrist is really hurting and I need that wrist, you guys, so... tomorrow, perhaps.
Goodbye.
I have to say- and yes, I know I'm biased by his unending sexiness- that I'm mostly on Uther's side when it comes to magic, and magic's place in a well-ordered kingdom. Because magic cannot be controlled except by other magicians, so if you've got people, humans, using magic, then you're going to have magical crime, and you're going to have magical crime perpetrated against people who are completely and utterly defenseless against magical crime. If you want to have magic in your kingdom at all, then you have to set up a magical police force made up of magicians, and have a royal court magician who's more powerful than any other magician in the kingdom, powerful enough to practically enforce laws against the use of magic to infringe upon the rights of others. And so you'll end up with two societies living in one space, and the one of them having the power to turn around and absolutely eradicate the other at any time with no resistance possible. Before Uther showed up, there was just plain anarchy and chaos and sorcerers magically doing whatever they wanted because they could. Surely there were many who just sat around helping the crops grow, but I'm also betting that those were mostly the less-powerful ones. So when he marches in and carves out his kingdom and sticks it together with blood and says "HERE IS A KINGDOM WHERE TOMORROW IS GOING TO FOLLOW YESTERDAY, DAMMIT." And the magicians say "hey, yeah right, like you're really going to rule us? Excuse me. We can just point at you, and say some funny words, and you keel over dead of brain-eating bugs." (In other words, "I could take you apart with one blow." "I could take you apart with less than that." Only, you know, on a rather grander scale.) I have a feeling that at first he gave the two-societies thing a try. And he had Nimueh by his side as his magical enforceress in case the sorcerers started deciding that they could just turn their muggle neighbors into fish and eat them. And he... trusts her, yes, because think of them as Old Skool Camelot Four, with Uther being Arthur, Gaius being Merlin, Nimueh being Morgana and Igraine being Gwen. Possibly with Gorlois being Lancelot, because hey, why not. Gaius doesn't have anywhere near the power that Merlin does, though, and Nimueh has power in spades. That's why Uther's got her on his side. But Uther, badass dark ages warlord that he oh-so-undoubtedly is, does not entirely trust Nimueh. Because she's powerful. Because she's more powerful than he is, if it comes down to a duel. Because if you are a dark ages warlord, trusting anybody is a bad idea, nevermind trusting someone who is physically more powerful than you are to obey your commands, nevermind trusting someone over whom you have no real control. So there's this doubt, in his mind. His finely-honed Dark Ages Warlord Senses are pretty much screaming at him that he needs to Watch Her Closely, because you cannot trust anyone that you cannot control if they decide to betray you tomorrow. But- y'know. He's king now, and Nimueh hasn't really shown signs of being untrustworthy. So, things are going okay, obviously everything's rocky and the kingdom's still entirely turbulent because he can't just carve order out of chaos without chaos going HA HA, ENTROPY'S ON MY SIDE, BITE ME. Uther needs an heir to help cement his kingship, because being king is not just about proving that you're the most cunning hardcore patrician badass to walk this green earth anymore. Now he has to provide security for his kingdom's future. And Igraine is barren. So.
Nimueh makes it so that Igraine can conceive.
Nimueh fails to mention somehow that Igraine will also die in the process.
Guess what that means? That lovely trust that Uther's been trying so hard to extend to her against his better judgement warrior instinct? Just snapped. He decides that two societies is not going to work in a land ruled by a muggle, because his ace-in-the-hole-sorceress-enforceress can't be trusted or controlled. The only other way to ensure order, Uther decides, is to only have one society here. One law. One police force. One king.
Cue Great Purge.
And then you've just got Uther left. Igraine- his heart, his soul- is dead. Nimueh is an enemy. His balancing forces are gone- the people who kept him human and moderated his Dark Age Warlord Knee-Jerk Reactions To KILL EVERYTHING Before It Kills You are gone.
Gaius stands by his side, because he's Merlin to Uther's Arthur- except that he doesn't have Merlin's power, not over magic and not over his king. Because Merlin has grown up in a land without magic. Merlin has grown up the only person around who can just do things with a wish, and feelings of alienation aside, this has made Merlin unbelievably confident. Merlin has grown up without fear. Ever. Merlin has probably never been afraid of anything in his life. He's no doubt encountered hardship, being a peasant and all, but he always knows, always always always, that there is nobody in his world who can force him to do anything. Nobody has power over him that he does not give them. He does what he is told only ever by choice. Crabby Lioness says that on some level Merlin knows that he's a tiger cub playing with kittens, which is a nice way of putting it. He doesn't hurt the kittens, and he listens to the mama cat, but hey, it's only because he wants to. So Merlin the Fearless wanders into the big city and meets Arthur and shows no fear. And doesn't develop any, either. Merlin doesn't know how to be meek, or obedient for obedience's sake. Merlin has never ever had to show somebody respect that he does not feel- he may choose to, to keep his secret, but he always knows that, if it comes down to it, he has an out. Which is why he talks to Arthur like an equal, and walks by his side, and completely ignores every single social convention of the time. Because for him, it doesn't matter. He can. Gaius can't. Gaius grew up a relatively weak sorcerer among a country of powerful warring sorcerers who did whatever they pleased. I'm guessing that all his life Gaius has basically survived simply by allying himself with what looked to be the winning side, because having a little power is probably even more dangerous than not having any at all, because you draw attention from the Big Bads but can't actually defend yourself against them. Uther demands his absolute loyalty, and promises him protection. And- so. But it does mean that Gaius cannot act as the one who tempers Uther's fire. (metted mixaphores. sue me.) Igraine and Nimueh probably handled most of that- I bet Igraine was all sweetly being his conscience, Nimueh was challenging him for the sake of it and constantly playing devil's advocate just to keep him from thinking he was always right, and Gaius was the voice of pure cool logic to keep the other three from always reacting emotionally. It doesn't work with only two of the four.
So... Uther may be a tyrant king who kills innocents out of paranoia. But the sorcerers aren't exactly trying to convince him that he's wrong, they're just wreaking havoc and mayhem and chaos, and killing helpless peasantry who have no defenses against them whatsoever in the process- exactly as they did before he came to power. Uther's purges, immoral as they may be, have made Camelot a safer place to live. Tomorrow follows today follows yesterday. The peasants grow crops, the artisans create, the merchants... commerce. (verbing weirds language.) There is peace within, and foreign powers recognize Camelot's might.
It is because of this peace that Uther has bought with blood that Arthur is able to grow up and reach for more. Uther and Gaius and probably everyone else who was around twenty years ago are bewildered that the younger generation think that they should have it better than they got it, but they got it good and the fact that they grew up having it good means that they're capable of looking around and going "this could be better. We could start paying attention to things like morals and human rights. Huh."
So. Uther will be hated for what he's done. But he's done good. He's taken a step forward- provided order, security- and also provided the opportunity for the next generation to take another step forward.
Nobody will think well of Uther. Not the older ones who remember how many people he killed, not the younger ones who will be full of comparisons which Arthur will win.
But life as an ordinary subject under Uther is far better than it was under his predecessors. And if life as an ordinary subject under Arthur is far better than it was under Uther, that's at least partially in thanks to the fact that Arthur didn't have to face the challenges that Uther had already beaten down.
Uh, so that's why I'm on Uther's side. But I started this with the intention of talking about ep. 8, so-
-here's where I'm going into pure speculation. I say the druids are playing a long game. Uther hunted them during the Great Purge, killed them where he could and drove them out where he couldn't. Because they're magical, and they're his enemies. They can't take him on in open war. He's hardcore and badass and let's not forget cunning. So they... uh, okay, look, I really don't know what exactly the hell they were hoping to accomplish. They seem to have accomplished it, whatever it was, but I can't really see that they've accomplished much except for driving a deeper wedge between the Camelot Four and Uther. But whatever they were trying to do, I believe that it was done with intent.
I say: they sent in the man and his son. The man's a sacrifice. A suicide mission. Mordred knows nothing of this, only that he's in danger and his father's just been killed. And Mordred has the ability to reach out with his mind. I do not believe for one leetle second that all he's doing is communicating telepathically with words. He is compelling them to help him. I will not be convinced otherwise AT ALL. I am readily convinced that it's not with evil intent- he's what, six? and his father's just been killed and he's wounded and he's terrified out of his head. So he calls out to the most powerful magical being around- Merlin. Merlin is curious, Merlin identifies with Mordred's plight, yes, because there but for the grace of everyone in Camelot apparently being really stupid goes Merlin, and yes Merlin is a goodhearted lad who will save a life where he can, but still- Merlin helps Mordred because Mordred called out to Merlin. And he takes him to Morgana- the second most powerful magician in the area. And Morgana lacks Merlin's defenses. She doesn't have Merlin's self-awareness, she doesn't have Merlin's mentors, she never had someone telling her that her seer abilities were a gift. She's susceptible in her ignorance. So Mordred throws out a tether to her and goes PROTECT ME AUGH and Morgana does. Gwen sees it- Morgana is a canny young woman, who does not throw away advantages lightly, and here she is betraying Uther (Uther!) for a stranger? Gwen has no magical ability whatsoever, and Mordred has no hold on her. But once Mordred's gained his strength back a little, he ensorcells Arthur, who, though he has no magical ability of his own, has a mystical bond with the most powerful magician around. And even Gaius is compelled to help him. GAIUS. WHO WAS NEARLY WILLING TO SACRIFICE MERLIN FOR UTHER'S SAKE. And then when Merlin listens to the Slash Dragon and refuses to help, Mordred makes him. (But first we have Arthur drawing his sword on his own men. ON HIS OWN MEN. Tell me that Arthur's not under the influence of something!) Mordred yells in Merlin's head until Merlin can no longer bear it, and returns to help. At which point Mordred is really really creepy and ominous at Merlin.
I say Mordred's controlling them.
Yeah, that was it. I want to talk about Uther/Morgana, but my left wrist is really hurting and I need that wrist, you guys, so... tomorrow, perhaps.
Goodbye.