Waiting (im)patiently/Thoughts on 2x08

[varlyns_gambit]

I'm waiting for Merlin 2x08 to load and it's rather boring. Even having my new-and-first Imogen Heap album on repeat is not helping. Okay, maybe it is a little. (Side note: I stumbled onto a fanmix for Arthur that had an Imogen Heap song that I'd been sort of relating to him and M/A. I felt awesome by association.)
So I've decided to catalogue

Comments

[tertius96]

I was under the impression that Uther knew a life would be taken, but was willing to pay the price--provided the life taken was HIS OWN.

We saw allusions to this in the episode "Le Morte d' Arthur" (last episode of season 1)when Merlin thought he offered his life in exchange for Arthur's and his mother fell ill instead. Uther offers his life, not realizing that the "old magic" would take whatever life it wanted (or, perhaps, whatever life is inconsequential to future events?).

Anyway, Uther quite logically thinks that Camelot would be better served by the arrival of a vibrant young ruler (though a child-king) rather than an aging, vulnerable, heir-less commander. He feels that if he cannot produce an heir, his reign is finished anyway--best to ensure a future for his kingdom than risk its downfall. He makes the bargain with Nimueh. And gets more pain and suffering than he ever bargained for.

He feels like he's been cheated. Fueled by his anguish and shame, he does away with magic (or so he hopes). He brings up Arthur to hate magic as well--perhaps in hopes that his son, Camelot's "new beginning" will not make the same mistakes he did.

SO...yeah. Uther's willingness to sacrifice himself out of righteous duty to Camelot got turned around, making him look like a selfish fool. I'd be pissed, too.

Ygraine was never part of the deal! How could he possibly have known what was going to happen?

[varlyns_gambit]

First up: hi there! Nice of you to drop by and share what you were thinking. :) Especially since this post was basically me being overly emotional and super protective of Uther.

Second up: My response is way too long, so I understand if I frighten you away. :P You could probably skip to the last paragraph and be alright.

I guess that we might have to agree to disagree on this: that Uther knew a life would be taken and assumed it would be his own, as Merlin did in 1x13. This is only because from my recollection of "Excalibur" (I haven't watched the ep in ages and haven't got it on hand to check), Nimueh implied that she hadn't known Ygraine would die and that the consequences hadn't exactly been explained to Uther. Possibly, he just didn't listen properly. For me, Uther didn't know but he could've, if he'd not been obsessive/selfish, worked out that using magic-with-prices-to-pay was not a good idea.

I do, however, really like your reasoning, especially how you described the fact that Uther felt cheated and what he does to Arthur and Camelot as a result. The idea of righteous duty failing, leaving Uther as selfish and ignorant and wanting to lash out, is also a really compelling.

Your theory on the old magic taking only lives inconsequential to the future is amazing. That is just so clever and it's what I'm going to believe from now on.

I think I might just have to keep thinking about this Arthur's birth issue, actually. Perhaps I'm just too attached to Uther and the idea of the original combination of Uther, Gaius, Nimueh and Ygraine being that of friendship and love and all kinds of awesome until it all fell apart; I can't separate my wishes from what's happening.

Ygraine was never part of the deal! How could he possibly have known what was going to happen?
Exactly my position too! Whatever the situation preceding Arthur's birth and Uther's decision actually was, Uther never meant to hurt Ygraine. I don't think this episode reinforced this enough.