Thoughts on 4x10 - Spoilers

[minuialeth75]

As I was re-watching "A Herald of the New Age" yesterday - in which Bradley James is acting his socks off - I was struck by a thought at the end of the episode (I was crying too much to think clearly at my first viewing, obviously).

Comments

[jelazakazone]

Agh. No:( There has to be a reveal. If not this season, next season. And it had better be early. I don't think all the tension will die in the show if Merlin reveals his secret. But you make a very good point. Ugh.

[minuialeth75]

When I start to imagine all the very interesting directions the show could go for if there was a magic reveal, it makes me want to break something when I think it could very well never happen!

Just two instances:
1) The rapport between Arthur and Merlin would be completely changed but still the same in a way (the bantering, for instance).
Also, I'd so like to see Arthur in awe of Merlin!
2) They could dab into politics: Arthur lifting the ban on the use of magic and lots of people of Camelot not accepting this because they've always lived fearing anything magic. Merlin playing a role into making them accepting magic users because there are riots and magic users are persecuted by other people.
There could be some questionning Arthur's sanity. Serious stuff like that.

I want to see Merlin rising to his rightful place, damn it!

[jelazakazone]

Have you written any fanfic? I would love to see your take on what happens after Merlin reveals he has magic, not necessarily the reveal itself, but afterwards.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I have been spending a lot of time on these merlinadvent fics and all my thoughts are taken up with the fanfic:D

[minuialeth75]

I've just finished writing a short fic for the Reveal Meme, and I have another unbetaed one featuring Merlin's thoughts at the end of 4x03, but I can't see myself writing something as complex and as lengthy as a post-reveal fic. That would be the death of me!

[minuialeth75]

I'm not exactly assuming that the writers do their job with consistency. Just one instance in last week's episode: Arthur has obviously been traumatised by the attack he led on that Druid camp and by the children and women who died. That didn't prevent him from putting the blade of his sword on the neck of a Druid boy in 3x12.

I'm just hoping that at some point the writers are going to get their act together, lol. So that I don't feel - too much - the need to hang myself when I think about Season 5 and its er, plots.

[marindamar]

I have to say I’ve been expecting a reveal within this season ever since 4x03 aired, it was just never going to be a happy one. The way they set it up, with Merlin wanting to prove to Arthur that magic is good (instead of healing Uther in secret) and it all backfiring so spectacularly to the point of Arthur really starting to hate magic - it seemed like the perfect set up for a forced reveal followed by a MAJOR fallout between Merlin and Arthur

[minuialeth75]

The great friendship will break apart, and everyone will go their separate ways at first. But then you can spend S5 trying to mend what’s been broken and give Merlin and Arthur a chance to grow separately (Merlin’s been in Arthur’s shadow for too long, it’s almost gotten to the point of self-abandonment) and then, once they come back together, they will be able to form a new, stronger friendship based on honesty.
I like your version very much. I can't picture a reveal not going badly at this point either.
I can imagine Merlin going to the Druids - after visiting his mother in Ealdor for quite some time. And then Arthur needing him very badly for a big bad problem with an evil sorcerer and asking Merlin for that help.
Merlin would come back and they would be on equal ground.

The show could be awesome if they went that way.

[marindamar]

There's so much potential there, isn't it? I don't have too much faith in the writers, either, but they've been surprisingly consistent this season, and the show has gotten a more mature, wholesome feeling to it, so maybe they've really set up a longterm plan this time around? Knowing S5 was a go must have helped and they can have an uncertain, "The Empire strikes back"-like end to the season, because they know they'll be back, and with a vengeance.

I'm not looking forward to a rift between Merlin and Arthur, but as you said, there is no other way out, and I could bear it all if they gave us a good emotional blowup and had them reconcile soon after. And can you imagine what Colin and Bradley would do with some really good material like that? Or can you imagine how blown away Arthur will be by a confident, powerful, BAMF!Merlin? He'l be a bigger fangirl than all of us put together. Just thinking about it makes me drool!

[minuialeth75]

And can you imagine what Colin and Bradley would do with some really good material like that?
Oh.my.god. I'm so used to scenes between them being mostly banter, comedy or too briefly serious, or serious but with no real interaction (like the atonement scene in 4x10) that I hadn't considered how a badly going reveal!scene between them would look.
The screen would sizzle. I would stay open-mouthed for the rest of my life, lol.

[oriane_34w4]

I find your theory very interesting.

Actually, I keep wondering whether there has been some rewriting, after they have been told that the series was commissioned for another season.
I think it could explain why some good and interesting scenes have been cut.
Anyway... we'll see.