Canon-fix: Morgana’s S3 change
An attempt to explain the sudden change that occurred to Morgana after the year spent with Morgause and how Morgana completely switched sides and turned against both Arthur and Gwen.
Something between an headcanon draft and a ficlet, about Morgana’s growing hatred towards Arthur and Morgause’s plans for her, set from the timeskip between the Season 2 and Season 3 and then during Morgana’s arch of Season 3.
Canon-compliant. Unbeta’ed.
Posted also at Dreamwidth, Tumblr, AO3 and SquidgeWorld.
About Morgana’s descent to darkness and betrayals
During the year spent learning the magic arts under the tutelage of her sister Morgause, the disillusion and sense of betrayal Morgana feels towards Merlin grows day by day. First is shock, then confusion, but it soon turns into anger, that festers and leads to darker thoughts. Morgause watches, as the force of Morgana’s once positive feelings for Merlin turn negative, hatred replacing love; Morgause wants Morgana focused on revenge, her heart hardened, so she fuels those powerful emotions.
If left alone, without the meddling of a source of manipulation such as Morgause... with the proper time and peace of mind, Morgana could’ve tried to understand what happened, to consider that there must’ve been an urgency behind Merlin’s heinous betrayal, that perhaps Merlin had been forced in what he did and deserved a chance to defend himself. A glimmer that, if properly nurtured, would’ve led to a need for confrontation, honest as much as brutal, to face Merlin and ask him why. (and perhaps be forced to face the hard truth: that she had been the cause of her own pain, that she was the first to betray, when she accepted to ally herself with Morgause’s plans, that Morgause had used her as the source of an enchantment - that Merlin had to resort to poison her in order to stop Morgause).
But Morgause is always at her side, whispering in her ears words that appease her need for revenge, her need to hurt to heal her hurting heart, drumming into her head that the boy is an enemy. Until Morgana feels nothing but hatred for Merlin.
Morgana feels fine there, on the Island of the Blessed with the only company of her sister. Return to Camelot is the last thing in her mind. She left behind people she loves - Gwen’s and Arthur’s faces come to her eye whenever she let herself think of the place she learned to call home. But she doesn’t want to get back to a place that is hostile to her and everyone like her. Why should she return where people like her are oppressed and forced to hide, when she can instead stay where she is and grow into the witch she’s born to be?
Camelot would welcome the ward of the king, but would hunt like an animal the witch she is. She could never get back to the life she was leading before, to hide who she is under the silks and velvet of the Lady of Camelot.
In Camelot there’s Arthur. Arthur has been a friend, and an ally at times. But Morgana doesn’t have much faith in Arthur and his openness - his mind has been corrupted by Uther, after all, and he wouldn’t reject a life spent hunting down magic users just because of her. If asked, forced, to choose between the easiness of adhering to Uther’s indoctrination and the hurdle of questioning everything he’d been always taught, he would pick the indoctrination - he would pick his father. Morgana could never find support in him.
At times her mind is set - Arthur would walk in the footsteps of his father, his reign forever shaped by Uther’s doings.
Other times she's hesitant and hopeful, her mind recalling when, although clumsily, he made an attempt to go against Uther’s teachings and challenge his own beliefs, when he took a stand or spurred into action to protect both her or other innocents unjustly accused and persecuted by Uther. She can’t forget that Arthur saved little Mordred, helped the boy escape Camelot and reunite with the druids. It’s in these times that she remembers herself that she could find an ally in Arthur. She knows that, with time, Arthur could become the change Camelot needs, that he could distance himself from his tyrannical father, if only gently and steadily pointed in the right direction.
Arthur alone, freed from his father’s strangling embrace. Only with Uther removed from his life, Arthur could finally see the atrocities, the tyrannies, Uther inflicted, and establish himself as the king that cast the looming and oppressive shadow away.
Uther’s hatred for magic infects Camelot and its people like a poison, like ivy that drains the tree around which it grows.
Morgause, always the pragmatist, suggests that, to save the infested tree one must kill, tear away, rip the ivy that’s strangling it.
*
Morgause doesn’t need to use magic. Her persuasiveness is a refined art that works excellently even on a woman as sharp as Morgana. For as much as she’s intelligent and clever, Morgana isn’t immune to subtle manipulation - and Morgause is a master in such a skill. Morgana is a goddess between mortals, superior to most of women of her status and education, but she’s flawed as much as the next girl of her age. Grown up in the protected environment of a court as the ward of the king, she has never been forced to watch her own back, and now such a luxury has become a weakness to exploit. Morgana is trustful - too much trustful. And she completely relies on a woman like her, born with magic, strong and independent that isn’t scared of challenging men in position of absolute power. Morgana has granted her complete trust to a woman she believes understands her own agony. A woman who supports her in her own growth. A woman who encourages her. A woman who has become her mentor.
A woman who also happens to be a sister Morgana never knew she had, and with whom she was deprived of the chance to grow.
Morgause feels affection for this woman who is her sister in blood and magic, the one who will become the next High Priestess of the Old Religion. But her mission comes first, even before the well-being and happiness of her sister.
Her heart has been hardened since a young age. She’s been taught everything about magic so to have the power to revert back Britain to the old order, to bring back the supremacy of the Old Religion, to return the High Priestess to their rightful place. Morgana is a tool in the war against those that want to erase the Old Religion from the lands, and Morgause will do everything to make sure Morgana fulfills her great destiny.
Morgause has ambitious plans for her sister.
She wants for Morgana to get to the top, even if Morgana herself isn’t interested, even if Morgana wouldn’t dream of thinking about it.
At the beginning the plan is simple: Morgana’s ascension to the throne as Arthur’s wife. Arthur will eventually have to disappear, to leave full powers in the capable hands of Morgana Pendragon the Queen of Camelot, but this is a detail that must never be shared with Morgana - the sentimental fool.
But Morgana is uninterested in Arthur, and refuses to even listen whenever Morgause makes an attempt to breach the subject; she cannot be talked into marrying the prince, she rebuffs the idea to seduce him, she rejects any prospect of making him fall in love with her.
Morgause doesn’t know how this is possible. She can’t find any reason to explain this lack of ambition from her own sister. Morgana is beautiful and charming, attractive, enticing, sharp and skilled: she should crave for the throne, she should believe it to be her birthright, and it would be a cakewalk for her to get it, if she only wanted the crown placed on her head.
Morgause tries to talk her into it by using the “magic” argument, explaining the need to ascend to the throne as the only way to bring magic back in Camelot - but every time Morgana just shakes her head and disagrees. Morgana knows that, if there’s a chance for magic in Camelot, that one lies in Arthur’s hands, but Morgana also insists that she can be at his side and guide him without the need to become her wife - a prospect that ergh. To her, Arthur is akin to a younger brother, she can’t think of him as a husband. And it’s not like she’s that much eager to get a husband to start with.
Forced to discard the original plan, Morgause doesn’t let Morgana’s refusal to abide by her schemes to discourage her. For a plan that must be permanently scrapped, there another coming. And Morgause is nothing but a good planner.
If Morgana doesn’t want to ascend to the throne of Camelot, then Morgause can find her another throne. One currently not taken, a reign held by a wife-less king, possibly young and easy to be lured into a marriage with a beautiful and cunning woman. A man who isn’t hideous to look at, equally cunning, and able to appease Morgana’s ambitions. There isn’t a selection of kings to pick from, but Cenred might be just what they need.
No one would cry over the death of someone like Cenred - too ruthless and fickle to elicit love and loyalty. There’s much to do, to lay the ground for Morgana’s ascension, to make her the legitimate queen of Essetir. Unfortunately, the first step is introduce Morgana to Cenred and convince him to make Morgana his queen. Sacrifices will be necessary, Morgana shall be asked to do things that she will abhor, but what is a sacrifice in the face of the takeover of a kingdom?
Morgause puts the plan against Cenred into motion. She expects everything to run smooth. She doesn’t foresee that Cenred would have a crush (or at least feel sexual attraction) for her instead - an unexpected development that complicates everything and that forces her to change her plans on the fly. Instead of introducing Morgana to Cenred and sneak her sister in Cenred’s bed, she offers Cenred a victory over Camelot instead.
If she succeeded, then she’ll ensure that Cenred repays her by offering Morgana the newly vacated throne as regent. If instead Arthur managed to save Camelot against all odds... well, as first act of his reign (Arthur will become king, for Uther will die, no matter what), he certainly won’t leave Cenred’s aggression unpunished and will descend on Essetir to claim Cendred’s life in exchange of Uther’s. Either way, there’ll be a free throne for Morgana to sit on.
Morgana will not be briefed on the wholeness of the scheme, she doesn’t need to know the smallest detail. Morgana is informed only of the plan that pertains to her role. She knows that an invasion will occur, that magic will aid Cenred’s army to lay siege to Camelot forces and take the impregnable city. To strike down Uther Pendragon. That’s all.
Morgause doesn’t trust her sister’s resolution and devotion to the cause to disclose the whole plan to her: in a sudden change of hearth, Morgana could back down at the very last minute and foil everything.
*
Morgana’s return to Camelot happens only when she’s ready enough to leave her forced seclusion and the protective closeness of her sister. With her magic under control and her spirit tempered.
Once in the city she’ll have to face both Uther and Merlin and complete control over her own emotions is necessary, in order to not jeopardize everything before the time it’s right for Morgause and Cenred to act. In no way, she can allow the hatred burning inside of her to find an outlet, to mark a gesture, a look, a word.
But it’s not just dealing with Merlin and Uther that requires Morgana to be prepared. Morgana returns to Camelot with a role to play, part of a bigger, dark plan that will be bathed in the blood of hundreds of people - oppressors as much as victims.
Morgana is ready. Her return goes as planned. She effortlessly establishes herself back in Camelot and in the court.
But Morgana hasn’t foreseen the corruption that following such a plan would do to her soul, hadn’t predicted the constant erosion of the compassion that always distinguished her. She doesn’t feel sorrow for the people who’ll loose their lives because of the plan, she doesn’t weep for the tragedies and destruction the plan will bring on the lives of people whose only fault is to live in the citadel.
Collateral damage, they are called. Necessary sacrifices for a greater cause. For what is the life of a peasant or hundreds, compared to the overthrown of the tyrant and the freedom for Camelot?
The plan is get rid of Uther in a way that won’t be ascribed to magic. First sudden madness, an affliction that is recorded to run in the blood of the Pendragons - the king will fall into a madness that will ruin him in the eyes of his people, loyalties will be tested. And when Uther is weaker the most, the aggression lead by Cenred and his army. Camelot under siege, an unstoppable force attacking from within - the tyrant will be broken, the tyrant will be struck down, in one way or another.
Morgana will then cling to Arthur, placing herself as his trusty counselor, the one he can lean into. And, under her guidance, Arthur will change his mind about magic. Morgana knows Arthur, she’s sure that Arthur, once crowned and with the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders, will search for a figure to support him - and who’s better than the woman who has grown up at his side like a sibling, the woman who knows his flaws and weaknesses, the only woman he ever opened up with? Morgana will be more than eager to offer herself as that shoulder he’ll look for, and she’ll steer him toward the right direction.
Regrettably Merlin, that snooping traitor, discovers of the plan before the time, before things are set into motion - they’re just lucky that, instead of revealing everything to Arthur, he investigates on his own. He is just a nuisance, a nobody compared to an High Priestess. Yet he miraculously survives the death schemed for him by Morgause and, when he shows up in the castle, ready to stop her, Morgana is forced to chance her strategy.
Morgana’s corruption has turned her deaf. Merlin’s pleas crash against her hardened will. But Merlin’s meddling blows the plan. Initially set to stop the invasion at the right moment, not a minute before Uther’s death, so to get in good with Arthur not as The Lady of Camelot but as The Witch, Morgana find herself forced in a role she didn’t want: Uther, against all predictions, survives, and she can’t do anything but play the hero who saved Camelot in front of Uther. Which isn’t the same thing. She might’ve wormed her way in at Uther’s side, his most trusted champion, she might now have Uther’s ear, but she cannot hold sway over his mind when magic is concerned - Uther cannot be influenced (or manipulated) into opening up to magic like she and Morgause planned with Arthur.
The plan has failed. Uther’s hold on Camelot is still strong and freedom is farther than before. Morgana can just resume her old position in the court and await for better times, and for the right opportunity to strike down Uther.
*
Morgause carries on her own manipulation on Morgana. Now Morgana is changed, once she’s tasted ambition she craves for more. Now Morgana wants that power for herself. Now Morgana listens, when Morgause hints at a reign of Queen Morgana. Sleeping agent isn’t a role fitting for Morgana: there isn’t much to do in Camelot, she can divert her attentions elsewhere.
Morgana is now persuaded on that story of taking Cenred’s throne. In Essetir magic isn’t outlawed, so it could be a good start for Morgana to bring back the rule of the High Priestesses on Britain. Morgana will start from Essetir, to bring the fight against those who hate and persecute magic.
Morgause guarantees her sister that she’ll work on that: when she’ll be finished, Cenred will eat from her hand, and soon Essetir will see a queen ascend to its throne, and Morgana the First its sole ruler.
But once again something unexpected changes everything. And Morgause well-planned schemes are overthrown.
Uther has a troubled confession at Morgana’s bedside and Morgana suddenly finds herself thrown into the Pendragon bloodline as eldest child and she doesn’t know what to make of that, how to react, what to think. Her world turned upside down, she turns to Morgause for support. And Morgause is more than ready to exploit this new revelation for her own purposes. Forget Cenred and Essetir’s throne, now Morgana has a claim to the throne of Camelot as firstborn of the king - Uther’s biggest secret will be Uther’s utter doom.
But Morgause stupid is not. Nobody will ever accept Morgana as new queen as long as Arthur is alive. Morgana might be Uther’s eldest child, but she was conceived during an affair, born from the womb of a woman that wasn’t the queen. Arthur is everything that Morgana isn’t: legitimate, delivered by the royal womb and, most of all, male. Even if they brought a civil war within the court by officially challenging Arthur’s right as heir apparent, few if not none of the families would take their sides. Not that Morgause cares for the loyalties of the spineless nobles that make Camelot’s court, but a reign doesn’t last longer without its nobility swearing loyalty to a king - or a queen. Magic and brute force can buy a throne, but not keep it.
Morgause never held Arthur in high esteem. Whenever he thinks of him, she feels nothing but a patronizing attitude. He might be a good warrior, skilled with the sword - still, she considers him inferior to Morgana and therefore unworthy to ascend to the throne in her place. Never, she will allow Arthur Pendragon to ascend and rob Morgana of her rightful place on the throne - not as the wife of a king, but as the true heir to the previous king. Arthur must go, in order to free the path to the throne for Morgana.
But to get what she wants, Morgause has to convince Morgana first - and Morgana turns out to be as stubborn and deaf as her father. Morgana craves for the crown, but her affection for Arthur is stronger than her ambition and lust for power. Blinded by her feelings, she doesn’t see Arthur as Morgause sees him - she doesn’t see the unworthy, expendable man.
So Morgause starts her insistent operation of persuasion, a brutal attack toward Arthur and all he is, so to incite Morgana to betray the prince.
Morgause is nothing but efficient and ruthless, especially when it’s time to manipulate someone into thinking what she wants. So she hammers away at Morgana, she insists on how Arthur is like Uther, how a son who has been raised to be his father’s heir will never be is own person, how it won’t be persuaded into open up to magic, how much a waste of time it would be to hold out any hope that he could ever deviate from the path traced by his father before him. And that, to finally bring magic back to its ancient glory and power, to restore it in the heart of Camelot, discontinuity is necessary. Arthur Pendragon is nothing but Uther’s Pendragon spawn - with him on the throne, Uther’s tyranny will never cease, oppression will continue. Discontinuity is mandatory - and whom better than Morgana, the illegitimate daughter born with magic and destined to greatness, to bring such discontinuity? Whom better than a witch queen, to restore magic within a court? She has the right by blood to sit on that throne, the right by blood to do with Camelot what it pleases her. But, to do that, Arthur Pendragon must be disposed of.
Morgana understands, but the noblest part of her soul still pushes back. For some unfathomable reason, Morgause’s rational argument doesn’t fully persuade Morgana and her soft heart. So to win her over, Morgause tells her sister about Ygraine, about that time when she gave Arthur Pendragon a chance to reveal his true heart. She tells about the meeting, of what Ygraine had revealed, of the atrocities and accusations Arthur heard. Did Arthur do something in the wake of those revelations? Did he act toward Uther his father after his mother told him the truth about his birth? No. And that’s evidence, proof that Arthur is past redemption. If not even such a terrible truth changed his mind on magic, what else could? How can Morgana hope to have him reevaluate what he’s been taught all his life about magic, if even that didn’t spur him into action? No, there’s no reason to hope and pointless is to wait.
Morgana is horrified by what Morgause claims to be the truth behind the Great Purge, the hatred that drove Uther’s campaign, the reason why Uther swore to eradicate magic from his kingdom and the other lands. And is even more horrified by Arthur’s choice to keep the secret, his choice to not face Uther and have him pay for his crimes. This revelation is such a shock, acts like a earthquake that rocks Morgana’s very foundations. If there was something she still held to was her belief that Arthur should be given a chance, that he deserved to show what laid in his heart.
Morgause proved that Arthur was as much as Uther inside as outside. Morgause tested Arthur, and Arthur failed.
And so Morgana the fair, the compassionate ward of the king, ceases to exist, and Morgause celebrates her victory. The slow descent toward darkness, started when Morgana accepted to be part of a plan that would cause the ruthless death of people whose fault was to either follow their king’s orders or not rebel against a tyrant, and hastened by the decision to stab in cold blood a sleeping man whose fault had been to sire her and keep the secret to protect his legitimate heir, is complete.
Loves vanishes from Morgana’s heart, only Morgause in her thoughts, only her sister worthy of her loyalty and affections, only their goal to drive her. No one will be spared, no mercy for her enemies, no hesitation for the others. Morgana has a target, and those on her path will be destroyed.
Arthur is the main obstacle on her path to the throne. Arthur is her enemy. Arthur will be wiped out.
And Gwen... she’s Arthur biggest weakness. And any weakness exists to be exploited.
Poor kind, fool Gwen, she’s but a pawn. She doomed herself when she decided to fall in love with Arthur. Morgana doesn’t hate her, but her goal comes first and even Gwen isn’t spared. If Gwen stands by Arthur, then Gwen will fall with him.
No one will survive Morgana’s rage. She will ascend to the throne. Even if, to do so, she’ll have to burn down Camelot and walk on its ashes.
Notes: I had this headcanon/canon-fix written (in Italian) in my own drafts/collection doc since ages. I did plan to eventually translate and publish my canon-fixes but never went and done it.
Katherynefromphilly’s recent post about this very topic prompted me to do it.
While I call these kind of things “drafts”, perhaps they could be called a first-version of a fic? I don’t know, I have many of these things - not a complete fanfiction but not a draft either.
Ruminations: Canon doesn’t explain the reason why Morgana suddenly wants Arthur’s death, something that can partially be explained only after the revelation of The Crystal Cave with Morgana’s (misplaced) claim to the throne and her need to remove the heir apparent so to become the next in line.
It’s also never revealed how Morgana returned so much changed from the year spent with Morgause: someone (the last one to raise the topic is Katherynefromphilly but others did at least in the years since I’m in the fandom and who knows how many before) speculated some kind of brain-washing by Morgause - perhaps with the same method later used by Morgana on Gwen in Season 5 episode The Dark Tower.
While I agree that such a magical tampering would be the easier, and most believable, way to explain Morgana’s 180° turn (and don’t dislike it as headcanon/canon-fix), my personal headcanon, written down as a draft some years ago, it’s the one you have just read.
There’s evidence that, for as much as she (should be) the sharpest and cleverest of the lot, Morgana can be easily manipulated by people clever enough to latch on her fears and wishes - as shown by Alvarr, who definitely isn’t as skilled as Morgause. So it would be child’s play for Morgause to gaslight Morgana and get her as brainwashed as to become her own pawn against her enemies.
I never bought the legitimacy of Morgana’s claim to the throne. While, as firstborn, she might have a right, she’s still an illegitimate daughter born from Uther’s affair with a woman that never became his wife and queen (or official concubine, if that’s the medievalism hill you decided to die on).
I can understand Morgause’s reasoning (“if we get rid of Arthur, Uther will be left wit no heir so he will be forced to officially acknowledge you as his new heir”), but not Morgana’s obsession that spurred out of a claim that she shouldn’t have (“I’m Uther’s daughter, I have the right to the throne and Arthur is usurping my throne”) about which she cries about later and until her death.
(Not to consider that, while non-canon, one of the authors in a recent interview/podcast revealed that - to them - Morgana was younger than Arthur. Thus making her claim to be the rightful heir to the throne even more baseless).
Something between an headcanon draft and a ficlet, about Morgana’s growing hatred towards Arthur and Morgause’s plans for her, set from the timeskip between the Season 2 and Season 3 and then during Morgana’s arch of Season 3.
Canon-compliant. Unbeta’ed.
Posted also at Dreamwidth, Tumblr, AO3 and SquidgeWorld.
About Morgana’s descent to darkness and betrayals
During the year spent learning the magic arts under the tutelage of her sister Morgause, the disillusion and sense of betrayal Morgana feels towards Merlin grows day by day. First is shock, then confusion, but it soon turns into anger, that festers and leads to darker thoughts. Morgause watches, as the force of Morgana’s once positive feelings for Merlin turn negative, hatred replacing love; Morgause wants Morgana focused on revenge, her heart hardened, so she fuels those powerful emotions.
If left alone, without the meddling of a source of manipulation such as Morgause... with the proper time and peace of mind, Morgana could’ve tried to understand what happened, to consider that there must’ve been an urgency behind Merlin’s heinous betrayal, that perhaps Merlin had been forced in what he did and deserved a chance to defend himself. A glimmer that, if properly nurtured, would’ve led to a need for confrontation, honest as much as brutal, to face Merlin and ask him why. (and perhaps be forced to face the hard truth: that she had been the cause of her own pain, that she was the first to betray, when she accepted to ally herself with Morgause’s plans, that Morgause had used her as the source of an enchantment - that Merlin had to resort to poison her in order to stop Morgause).
But Morgause is always at her side, whispering in her ears words that appease her need for revenge, her need to hurt to heal her hurting heart, drumming into her head that the boy is an enemy. Until Morgana feels nothing but hatred for Merlin.
Morgana feels fine there, on the Island of the Blessed with the only company of her sister. Return to Camelot is the last thing in her mind. She left behind people she loves - Gwen’s and Arthur’s faces come to her eye whenever she let herself think of the place she learned to call home. But she doesn’t want to get back to a place that is hostile to her and everyone like her. Why should she return where people like her are oppressed and forced to hide, when she can instead stay where she is and grow into the witch she’s born to be?
Camelot would welcome the ward of the king, but would hunt like an animal the witch she is. She could never get back to the life she was leading before, to hide who she is under the silks and velvet of the Lady of Camelot.
In Camelot there’s Arthur. Arthur has been a friend, and an ally at times. But Morgana doesn’t have much faith in Arthur and his openness - his mind has been corrupted by Uther, after all, and he wouldn’t reject a life spent hunting down magic users just because of her. If asked, forced, to choose between the easiness of adhering to Uther’s indoctrination and the hurdle of questioning everything he’d been always taught, he would pick the indoctrination - he would pick his father. Morgana could never find support in him.
At times her mind is set - Arthur would walk in the footsteps of his father, his reign forever shaped by Uther’s doings.
Other times she's hesitant and hopeful, her mind recalling when, although clumsily, he made an attempt to go against Uther’s teachings and challenge his own beliefs, when he took a stand or spurred into action to protect both her or other innocents unjustly accused and persecuted by Uther. She can’t forget that Arthur saved little Mordred, helped the boy escape Camelot and reunite with the druids. It’s in these times that she remembers herself that she could find an ally in Arthur. She knows that, with time, Arthur could become the change Camelot needs, that he could distance himself from his tyrannical father, if only gently and steadily pointed in the right direction.
Arthur alone, freed from his father’s strangling embrace. Only with Uther removed from his life, Arthur could finally see the atrocities, the tyrannies, Uther inflicted, and establish himself as the king that cast the looming and oppressive shadow away.
Uther’s hatred for magic infects Camelot and its people like a poison, like ivy that drains the tree around which it grows.
Morgause, always the pragmatist, suggests that, to save the infested tree one must kill, tear away, rip the ivy that’s strangling it.
*
Morgause doesn’t need to use magic. Her persuasiveness is a refined art that works excellently even on a woman as sharp as Morgana. For as much as she’s intelligent and clever, Morgana isn’t immune to subtle manipulation - and Morgause is a master in such a skill. Morgana is a goddess between mortals, superior to most of women of her status and education, but she’s flawed as much as the next girl of her age. Grown up in the protected environment of a court as the ward of the king, she has never been forced to watch her own back, and now such a luxury has become a weakness to exploit. Morgana is trustful - too much trustful. And she completely relies on a woman like her, born with magic, strong and independent that isn’t scared of challenging men in position of absolute power. Morgana has granted her complete trust to a woman she believes understands her own agony. A woman who supports her in her own growth. A woman who encourages her. A woman who has become her mentor.
A woman who also happens to be a sister Morgana never knew she had, and with whom she was deprived of the chance to grow.
Morgause feels affection for this woman who is her sister in blood and magic, the one who will become the next High Priestess of the Old Religion. But her mission comes first, even before the well-being and happiness of her sister.
Her heart has been hardened since a young age. She’s been taught everything about magic so to have the power to revert back Britain to the old order, to bring back the supremacy of the Old Religion, to return the High Priestess to their rightful place. Morgana is a tool in the war against those that want to erase the Old Religion from the lands, and Morgause will do everything to make sure Morgana fulfills her great destiny.
Morgause has ambitious plans for her sister.
She wants for Morgana to get to the top, even if Morgana herself isn’t interested, even if Morgana wouldn’t dream of thinking about it.
At the beginning the plan is simple: Morgana’s ascension to the throne as Arthur’s wife. Arthur will eventually have to disappear, to leave full powers in the capable hands of Morgana Pendragon the Queen of Camelot, but this is a detail that must never be shared with Morgana - the sentimental fool.
But Morgana is uninterested in Arthur, and refuses to even listen whenever Morgause makes an attempt to breach the subject; she cannot be talked into marrying the prince, she rebuffs the idea to seduce him, she rejects any prospect of making him fall in love with her.
Morgause doesn’t know how this is possible. She can’t find any reason to explain this lack of ambition from her own sister. Morgana is beautiful and charming, attractive, enticing, sharp and skilled: she should crave for the throne, she should believe it to be her birthright, and it would be a cakewalk for her to get it, if she only wanted the crown placed on her head.
Morgause tries to talk her into it by using the “magic” argument, explaining the need to ascend to the throne as the only way to bring magic back in Camelot - but every time Morgana just shakes her head and disagrees. Morgana knows that, if there’s a chance for magic in Camelot, that one lies in Arthur’s hands, but Morgana also insists that she can be at his side and guide him without the need to become her wife - a prospect that ergh. To her, Arthur is akin to a younger brother, she can’t think of him as a husband. And it’s not like she’s that much eager to get a husband to start with.
Forced to discard the original plan, Morgause doesn’t let Morgana’s refusal to abide by her schemes to discourage her. For a plan that must be permanently scrapped, there another coming. And Morgause is nothing but a good planner.
If Morgana doesn’t want to ascend to the throne of Camelot, then Morgause can find her another throne. One currently not taken, a reign held by a wife-less king, possibly young and easy to be lured into a marriage with a beautiful and cunning woman. A man who isn’t hideous to look at, equally cunning, and able to appease Morgana’s ambitions. There isn’t a selection of kings to pick from, but Cenred might be just what they need.
No one would cry over the death of someone like Cenred - too ruthless and fickle to elicit love and loyalty. There’s much to do, to lay the ground for Morgana’s ascension, to make her the legitimate queen of Essetir. Unfortunately, the first step is introduce Morgana to Cenred and convince him to make Morgana his queen. Sacrifices will be necessary, Morgana shall be asked to do things that she will abhor, but what is a sacrifice in the face of the takeover of a kingdom?
Morgause puts the plan against Cenred into motion. She expects everything to run smooth. She doesn’t foresee that Cenred would have a crush (or at least feel sexual attraction) for her instead - an unexpected development that complicates everything and that forces her to change her plans on the fly. Instead of introducing Morgana to Cenred and sneak her sister in Cenred’s bed, she offers Cenred a victory over Camelot instead.
If she succeeded, then she’ll ensure that Cenred repays her by offering Morgana the newly vacated throne as regent. If instead Arthur managed to save Camelot against all odds... well, as first act of his reign (Arthur will become king, for Uther will die, no matter what), he certainly won’t leave Cenred’s aggression unpunished and will descend on Essetir to claim Cendred’s life in exchange of Uther’s. Either way, there’ll be a free throne for Morgana to sit on.
Morgana will not be briefed on the wholeness of the scheme, she doesn’t need to know the smallest detail. Morgana is informed only of the plan that pertains to her role. She knows that an invasion will occur, that magic will aid Cenred’s army to lay siege to Camelot forces and take the impregnable city. To strike down Uther Pendragon. That’s all.
Morgause doesn’t trust her sister’s resolution and devotion to the cause to disclose the whole plan to her: in a sudden change of hearth, Morgana could back down at the very last minute and foil everything.
*
Morgana’s return to Camelot happens only when she’s ready enough to leave her forced seclusion and the protective closeness of her sister. With her magic under control and her spirit tempered.
Once in the city she’ll have to face both Uther and Merlin and complete control over her own emotions is necessary, in order to not jeopardize everything before the time it’s right for Morgause and Cenred to act. In no way, she can allow the hatred burning inside of her to find an outlet, to mark a gesture, a look, a word.
But it’s not just dealing with Merlin and Uther that requires Morgana to be prepared. Morgana returns to Camelot with a role to play, part of a bigger, dark plan that will be bathed in the blood of hundreds of people - oppressors as much as victims.
Morgana is ready. Her return goes as planned. She effortlessly establishes herself back in Camelot and in the court.
But Morgana hasn’t foreseen the corruption that following such a plan would do to her soul, hadn’t predicted the constant erosion of the compassion that always distinguished her. She doesn’t feel sorrow for the people who’ll loose their lives because of the plan, she doesn’t weep for the tragedies and destruction the plan will bring on the lives of people whose only fault is to live in the citadel.
Collateral damage, they are called. Necessary sacrifices for a greater cause. For what is the life of a peasant or hundreds, compared to the overthrown of the tyrant and the freedom for Camelot?
The plan is get rid of Uther in a way that won’t be ascribed to magic. First sudden madness, an affliction that is recorded to run in the blood of the Pendragons - the king will fall into a madness that will ruin him in the eyes of his people, loyalties will be tested. And when Uther is weaker the most, the aggression lead by Cenred and his army. Camelot under siege, an unstoppable force attacking from within - the tyrant will be broken, the tyrant will be struck down, in one way or another.
Morgana will then cling to Arthur, placing herself as his trusty counselor, the one he can lean into. And, under her guidance, Arthur will change his mind about magic. Morgana knows Arthur, she’s sure that Arthur, once crowned and with the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders, will search for a figure to support him - and who’s better than the woman who has grown up at his side like a sibling, the woman who knows his flaws and weaknesses, the only woman he ever opened up with? Morgana will be more than eager to offer herself as that shoulder he’ll look for, and she’ll steer him toward the right direction.
Regrettably Merlin, that snooping traitor, discovers of the plan before the time, before things are set into motion - they’re just lucky that, instead of revealing everything to Arthur, he investigates on his own. He is just a nuisance, a nobody compared to an High Priestess. Yet he miraculously survives the death schemed for him by Morgause and, when he shows up in the castle, ready to stop her, Morgana is forced to chance her strategy.
Morgana’s corruption has turned her deaf. Merlin’s pleas crash against her hardened will. But Merlin’s meddling blows the plan. Initially set to stop the invasion at the right moment, not a minute before Uther’s death, so to get in good with Arthur not as The Lady of Camelot but as The Witch, Morgana find herself forced in a role she didn’t want: Uther, against all predictions, survives, and she can’t do anything but play the hero who saved Camelot in front of Uther. Which isn’t the same thing. She might’ve wormed her way in at Uther’s side, his most trusted champion, she might now have Uther’s ear, but she cannot hold sway over his mind when magic is concerned - Uther cannot be influenced (or manipulated) into opening up to magic like she and Morgause planned with Arthur.
The plan has failed. Uther’s hold on Camelot is still strong and freedom is farther than before. Morgana can just resume her old position in the court and await for better times, and for the right opportunity to strike down Uther.
*
Morgause carries on her own manipulation on Morgana. Now Morgana is changed, once she’s tasted ambition she craves for more. Now Morgana wants that power for herself. Now Morgana listens, when Morgause hints at a reign of Queen Morgana. Sleeping agent isn’t a role fitting for Morgana: there isn’t much to do in Camelot, she can divert her attentions elsewhere.
Morgana is now persuaded on that story of taking Cenred’s throne. In Essetir magic isn’t outlawed, so it could be a good start for Morgana to bring back the rule of the High Priestesses on Britain. Morgana will start from Essetir, to bring the fight against those who hate and persecute magic.
Morgause guarantees her sister that she’ll work on that: when she’ll be finished, Cenred will eat from her hand, and soon Essetir will see a queen ascend to its throne, and Morgana the First its sole ruler.
But once again something unexpected changes everything. And Morgause well-planned schemes are overthrown.
Uther has a troubled confession at Morgana’s bedside and Morgana suddenly finds herself thrown into the Pendragon bloodline as eldest child and she doesn’t know what to make of that, how to react, what to think. Her world turned upside down, she turns to Morgause for support. And Morgause is more than ready to exploit this new revelation for her own purposes. Forget Cenred and Essetir’s throne, now Morgana has a claim to the throne of Camelot as firstborn of the king - Uther’s biggest secret will be Uther’s utter doom.
But Morgause stupid is not. Nobody will ever accept Morgana as new queen as long as Arthur is alive. Morgana might be Uther’s eldest child, but she was conceived during an affair, born from the womb of a woman that wasn’t the queen. Arthur is everything that Morgana isn’t: legitimate, delivered by the royal womb and, most of all, male. Even if they brought a civil war within the court by officially challenging Arthur’s right as heir apparent, few if not none of the families would take their sides. Not that Morgause cares for the loyalties of the spineless nobles that make Camelot’s court, but a reign doesn’t last longer without its nobility swearing loyalty to a king - or a queen. Magic and brute force can buy a throne, but not keep it.
Morgause never held Arthur in high esteem. Whenever he thinks of him, she feels nothing but a patronizing attitude. He might be a good warrior, skilled with the sword - still, she considers him inferior to Morgana and therefore unworthy to ascend to the throne in her place. Never, she will allow Arthur Pendragon to ascend and rob Morgana of her rightful place on the throne - not as the wife of a king, but as the true heir to the previous king. Arthur must go, in order to free the path to the throne for Morgana.
But to get what she wants, Morgause has to convince Morgana first - and Morgana turns out to be as stubborn and deaf as her father. Morgana craves for the crown, but her affection for Arthur is stronger than her ambition and lust for power. Blinded by her feelings, she doesn’t see Arthur as Morgause sees him - she doesn’t see the unworthy, expendable man.
So Morgause starts her insistent operation of persuasion, a brutal attack toward Arthur and all he is, so to incite Morgana to betray the prince.
Morgause is nothing but efficient and ruthless, especially when it’s time to manipulate someone into thinking what she wants. So she hammers away at Morgana, she insists on how Arthur is like Uther, how a son who has been raised to be his father’s heir will never be is own person, how it won’t be persuaded into open up to magic, how much a waste of time it would be to hold out any hope that he could ever deviate from the path traced by his father before him. And that, to finally bring magic back to its ancient glory and power, to restore it in the heart of Camelot, discontinuity is necessary. Arthur Pendragon is nothing but Uther’s Pendragon spawn - with him on the throne, Uther’s tyranny will never cease, oppression will continue. Discontinuity is mandatory - and whom better than Morgana, the illegitimate daughter born with magic and destined to greatness, to bring such discontinuity? Whom better than a witch queen, to restore magic within a court? She has the right by blood to sit on that throne, the right by blood to do with Camelot what it pleases her. But, to do that, Arthur Pendragon must be disposed of.
Morgana understands, but the noblest part of her soul still pushes back. For some unfathomable reason, Morgause’s rational argument doesn’t fully persuade Morgana and her soft heart. So to win her over, Morgause tells her sister about Ygraine, about that time when she gave Arthur Pendragon a chance to reveal his true heart. She tells about the meeting, of what Ygraine had revealed, of the atrocities and accusations Arthur heard. Did Arthur do something in the wake of those revelations? Did he act toward Uther his father after his mother told him the truth about his birth? No. And that’s evidence, proof that Arthur is past redemption. If not even such a terrible truth changed his mind on magic, what else could? How can Morgana hope to have him reevaluate what he’s been taught all his life about magic, if even that didn’t spur him into action? No, there’s no reason to hope and pointless is to wait.
Morgana is horrified by what Morgause claims to be the truth behind the Great Purge, the hatred that drove Uther’s campaign, the reason why Uther swore to eradicate magic from his kingdom and the other lands. And is even more horrified by Arthur’s choice to keep the secret, his choice to not face Uther and have him pay for his crimes. This revelation is such a shock, acts like a earthquake that rocks Morgana’s very foundations. If there was something she still held to was her belief that Arthur should be given a chance, that he deserved to show what laid in his heart.
Morgause proved that Arthur was as much as Uther inside as outside. Morgause tested Arthur, and Arthur failed.
And so Morgana the fair, the compassionate ward of the king, ceases to exist, and Morgause celebrates her victory. The slow descent toward darkness, started when Morgana accepted to be part of a plan that would cause the ruthless death of people whose fault was to either follow their king’s orders or not rebel against a tyrant, and hastened by the decision to stab in cold blood a sleeping man whose fault had been to sire her and keep the secret to protect his legitimate heir, is complete.
Loves vanishes from Morgana’s heart, only Morgause in her thoughts, only her sister worthy of her loyalty and affections, only their goal to drive her. No one will be spared, no mercy for her enemies, no hesitation for the others. Morgana has a target, and those on her path will be destroyed.
Arthur is the main obstacle on her path to the throne. Arthur is her enemy. Arthur will be wiped out.
And Gwen... she’s Arthur biggest weakness. And any weakness exists to be exploited.
Poor kind, fool Gwen, she’s but a pawn. She doomed herself when she decided to fall in love with Arthur. Morgana doesn’t hate her, but her goal comes first and even Gwen isn’t spared. If Gwen stands by Arthur, then Gwen will fall with him.
No one will survive Morgana’s rage. She will ascend to the throne. Even if, to do so, she’ll have to burn down Camelot and walk on its ashes.
Notes: I had this headcanon/canon-fix written (in Italian) in my own drafts/collection doc since ages. I did plan to eventually translate and publish my canon-fixes but never went and done it.
Katherynefromphilly’s recent post about this very topic prompted me to do it.
While I call these kind of things “drafts”, perhaps they could be called a first-version of a fic? I don’t know, I have many of these things - not a complete fanfiction but not a draft either.
Ruminations: Canon doesn’t explain the reason why Morgana suddenly wants Arthur’s death, something that can partially be explained only after the revelation of The Crystal Cave with Morgana’s (misplaced) claim to the throne and her need to remove the heir apparent so to become the next in line.
It’s also never revealed how Morgana returned so much changed from the year spent with Morgause: someone (the last one to raise the topic is Katherynefromphilly but others did at least in the years since I’m in the fandom and who knows how many before) speculated some kind of brain-washing by Morgause - perhaps with the same method later used by Morgana on Gwen in Season 5 episode The Dark Tower.
While I agree that such a magical tampering would be the easier, and most believable, way to explain Morgana’s 180° turn (and don’t dislike it as headcanon/canon-fix), my personal headcanon, written down as a draft some years ago, it’s the one you have just read.
There’s evidence that, for as much as she (should be) the sharpest and cleverest of the lot, Morgana can be easily manipulated by people clever enough to latch on her fears and wishes - as shown by Alvarr, who definitely isn’t as skilled as Morgause. So it would be child’s play for Morgause to gaslight Morgana and get her as brainwashed as to become her own pawn against her enemies.
I never bought the legitimacy of Morgana’s claim to the throne. While, as firstborn, she might have a right, she’s still an illegitimate daughter born from Uther’s affair with a woman that never became his wife and queen (or official concubine, if that’s the medievalism hill you decided to die on).
I can understand Morgause’s reasoning (“if we get rid of Arthur, Uther will be left wit no heir so he will be forced to officially acknowledge you as his new heir”), but not Morgana’s obsession that spurred out of a claim that she shouldn’t have (“I’m Uther’s daughter, I have the right to the throne and Arthur is usurping my throne”) about which she cries about later and until her death.
(Not to consider that, while non-canon, one of the authors in a recent interview/podcast revealed that - to them - Morgana was younger than Arthur. Thus making her claim to be the rightful heir to the throne even more baseless).