In Defense Of Arthur (Because I Love Him!)
Just watched Ep 1 and am so excited about the Merlin return that I can't stop squeeing!! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyhoo, all the fans seem to be in a bit of uproar about Arthur's pratliness this episode. I get it, I really do. We all love Merlin and Colin does heartbroken faces far to well. He had about 60 'awws' from me as I watched. However, I think we are missing the point with Arthur and are judging him too harshly.
Here I lay out my Arthur defense, that he was in fact in character from the first series.
1: The friendly, teasing and affectionate banter was their from the start. Exhibit A and B - Merlin running in his room (GUH!, takes a moment to appreciate shirtless Arthur). Arthur bossing him about and falling into bed again was classic THEM. The whole "were you born clumsy" exchange was also classic affectionate banter from them. I argue that from the start of the episode, their snarky love was in place.
2: We as fans need to remember that Arthur has no clue about 99% of what Merlin has done for him. Yeah, yeah, we feel all sorry for Merlin because he does so much for Arthur and never gets appreciated. BUT Arthur doesn't know this. I think he knows about the original save from Mary Collins and the poisen drinking stuff (which Uther forced him to do) and thats it. Other than that, he just knows that he likes Merlin as a person and is struck by his loyalty. I argue that we can't expect him to just believe everything Merlin says just because we know that Merlin would give the world for him. I REPEAT ARTHUR DOESN'T KNOW THIS. This isn't Merlin's fault, but it isn't Arthur's either.
3: We all tend to act as though Merlin serves Arthur for fun, but it is actually his JOB. And he is pretty terrible at it a lot of the time! He is a great friend but not the best servant. As someone who has staff under me at times (I have just basically admitted that I am WAY to old to takethe show this seriously! Oh well...) Sometimes people you are friends with are crap at work and it is so bloody awkward having to tell them off. Arthur was in that horrible situation. Keep in mind, he is in the dark about 99% of Merlins help previously and in this episode he was extraordinarily inept at his job.
A: He fell off his horse because Medrlin didn't do up the saddle properly. This could have seriously hurt him. Yeah, I know he was framed but Arthur doesn't know that.
B: He is so late for his duties that Cedric has done them all bar the stables.
C: He fell asleep in the stables and lost all the horses, which then charged through the populace, risking injury. WE know it wasn't his fault but even Merlin couldn't explain it, so why should we expect Arthur to instinctively 'know' it wasn't his fault.
D: Arthur has not seen any evidence that their is anything wrong with Cedric and Merlin has been acting super jealous from the start. To Arthur it must look like he is blaming his own incompetence on someone else, who is new to Camelot and hasn't done anything wrong. Again, we have seen Cedric being a bastard but Arthur hasn't. Merlin having a random girly fist fight must have looked soooo weird to him. It would have appeared uncalled for to Arthur. An employer can't just let someone attack his other employees.
E: Merlin honestly did sound pissed (for those of you not British, I mean drunk!) when he told Arthur about Cedric. Honestly, Merlin does act like an idiot sometimes. Arthur has been privy to none of the Sagin magic stuff. All he has seen is Merlin doing a crap job and blaming another servant for it. This was the worst way to tell him. Rewatch it, he DOES sound like he's been on the cider!
All in all, it was not unreasonable for Arthur to discipline him by this point. To him it appeared that Merlin was beibg shit at his job and then trying to get others in trouble for it. It actually took a lot to make Arthur snap (Merlin attacking another servant.) Bearing in mind that he knew nothing about Cedric framing him, Arthur put up with a LOT of crap, dangerous work from Merlin.
4: Insult of the week clotpole! Heeee, I loved this! I also have too much time on my hands and looked it up. The 'clot' means idiot and the 'pole' means penis! Merlin basically called Arthur the medieval version of a dickhead or a stupid cock! I think Arthur did well not clouting him for that!
5: Yeah, Arthur was being pratly, but I think I've proven no more than usual. His responses to Merlin were not unreasonable given the information Arthur was privy to. AND he was the heroic Arthur we all love when the attacks happen! His non-apology at the end was classic Merlin/Arthur.
6: Merlins speech to Cedric at the end. I agree that he isn't treated as a slave. He does a job like all other servants and gets away with a lot. He does deserve recognition but he won't get that from Arthur while he keeps him in the dark about his true self. So this is also not Arthur's fault.
Fangirls of the jury, I concude the evidence. Arthur's pratliness was the same as usual but his and Merlins relationship was strained due to secret third party interference. The upset on both sides was justified. PLUS we have 12 more episodes to go! WOOHOO! I'm expecting lots of Merlin/Arthur bonding!
AN Did anyone else wonder how Merlin didn't jump Arthur when he walked in to find him shirtless?
Anyhoo, all the fans seem to be in a bit of uproar about Arthur's pratliness this episode. I get it, I really do. We all love Merlin and Colin does heartbroken faces far to well. He had about 60 'awws' from me as I watched. However, I think we are missing the point with Arthur and are judging him too harshly.
Here I lay out my Arthur defense, that he was in fact in character from the first series.
1: The friendly, teasing and affectionate banter was their from the start. Exhibit A and B - Merlin running in his room (GUH!, takes a moment to appreciate shirtless Arthur). Arthur bossing him about and falling into bed again was classic THEM. The whole "were you born clumsy" exchange was also classic affectionate banter from them. I argue that from the start of the episode, their snarky love was in place.
2: We as fans need to remember that Arthur has no clue about 99% of what Merlin has done for him. Yeah, yeah, we feel all sorry for Merlin because he does so much for Arthur and never gets appreciated. BUT Arthur doesn't know this. I think he knows about the original save from Mary Collins and the poisen drinking stuff (which Uther forced him to do) and thats it. Other than that, he just knows that he likes Merlin as a person and is struck by his loyalty. I argue that we can't expect him to just believe everything Merlin says just because we know that Merlin would give the world for him. I REPEAT ARTHUR DOESN'T KNOW THIS. This isn't Merlin's fault, but it isn't Arthur's either.
3: We all tend to act as though Merlin serves Arthur for fun, but it is actually his JOB. And he is pretty terrible at it a lot of the time! He is a great friend but not the best servant. As someone who has staff under me at times (I have just basically admitted that I am WAY to old to takethe show this seriously! Oh well...) Sometimes people you are friends with are crap at work and it is so bloody awkward having to tell them off. Arthur was in that horrible situation. Keep in mind, he is in the dark about 99% of Merlins help previously and in this episode he was extraordinarily inept at his job.
A: He fell off his horse because Medrlin didn't do up the saddle properly. This could have seriously hurt him. Yeah, I know he was framed but Arthur doesn't know that.
B: He is so late for his duties that Cedric has done them all bar the stables.
C: He fell asleep in the stables and lost all the horses, which then charged through the populace, risking injury. WE know it wasn't his fault but even Merlin couldn't explain it, so why should we expect Arthur to instinctively 'know' it wasn't his fault.
D: Arthur has not seen any evidence that their is anything wrong with Cedric and Merlin has been acting super jealous from the start. To Arthur it must look like he is blaming his own incompetence on someone else, who is new to Camelot and hasn't done anything wrong. Again, we have seen Cedric being a bastard but Arthur hasn't. Merlin having a random girly fist fight must have looked soooo weird to him. It would have appeared uncalled for to Arthur. An employer can't just let someone attack his other employees.
E: Merlin honestly did sound pissed (for those of you not British, I mean drunk!) when he told Arthur about Cedric. Honestly, Merlin does act like an idiot sometimes. Arthur has been privy to none of the Sagin magic stuff. All he has seen is Merlin doing a crap job and blaming another servant for it. This was the worst way to tell him. Rewatch it, he DOES sound like he's been on the cider!
All in all, it was not unreasonable for Arthur to discipline him by this point. To him it appeared that Merlin was beibg shit at his job and then trying to get others in trouble for it. It actually took a lot to make Arthur snap (Merlin attacking another servant.) Bearing in mind that he knew nothing about Cedric framing him, Arthur put up with a LOT of crap, dangerous work from Merlin.
4: Insult of the week clotpole! Heeee, I loved this! I also have too much time on my hands and looked it up. The 'clot' means idiot and the 'pole' means penis! Merlin basically called Arthur the medieval version of a dickhead or a stupid cock! I think Arthur did well not clouting him for that!
5: Yeah, Arthur was being pratly, but I think I've proven no more than usual. His responses to Merlin were not unreasonable given the information Arthur was privy to. AND he was the heroic Arthur we all love when the attacks happen! His non-apology at the end was classic Merlin/Arthur.
6: Merlins speech to Cedric at the end. I agree that he isn't treated as a slave. He does a job like all other servants and gets away with a lot. He does deserve recognition but he won't get that from Arthur while he keeps him in the dark about his true self. So this is also not Arthur's fault.
Fangirls of the jury, I concude the evidence. Arthur's pratliness was the same as usual but his and Merlins relationship was strained due to secret third party interference. The upset on both sides was justified. PLUS we have 12 more episodes to go! WOOHOO! I'm expecting lots of Merlin/Arthur bonding!
AN Did anyone else wonder how Merlin didn't jump Arthur when he walked in to find him shirtless?