Merlin 3x06 and 3x07

[zahrawithaz]

3x06 and 3x07

Since I seem unlikely to catch up with the show at the current rate, I’m going to post some quick thoughts about these two episodes, which pair well together. They both make the Gwen/Arthur relationship central, boast almost equally hammy villains, and build on the new moral alignments of Merlin and Morgana from the opening episodes (

Comments

[emei]

Okay, unrealpolitik is my new favourite word. *adopts it*
It captures this crazy fantasy world perfectly, the strange blend of modern romance notions and the imagined medieval.

It's been really interesting to read what you've had to say about this season - though I don't think I've commented much, I've kept mulling over what you say about Morgana especially. I realised that the show hasn't been giving me the story I wanted - namely one about taking different paths towards change and showing how those differences can lead to conflict and animosity - while keeping both sides understandable and in some way equal.

I wanted a Morgana as an opponent who's believable, radical, potentially morally grey (in an "ends justify the means" sort of way) but still essentially sympathetic, who cares for the greater good. Which probably blinded me to a lot of her faults early on, and had me so disappointed in her turn to sheer villainess. So making myself see the consistency in her storyline (frustratingly off-screen but still making sense) is really interesting. It gives her both more agency and a more complex, flawed personality than I know I've been writing for her earlier: less feminist, more classist and individualistic.

The emphasis placed on the importance of queenliness is fascinating, too: all tangled up in ideas about romance and merit - almost like trying to add a bit of meritocracy to the monarchy.