sorcerer.
just merlin
« canon: MERLIN. pb: COLIN MORGAN. age: 20. »
« network: posts and comments. logs: with merlin. misc: ask arthur anything! »
powers; skills; pets; equipment ♜
character name: Merlin (No indication of a last name, but he is also referred to as Emrys by the Druids.)
fandom: Merlin (BBC)
timeline: Post-Season 2
character's age: Approximately two years younger than Arthur. About 20.
canon powers, skills, pets and equipment:
Powers: Merlin is a warlock, a being borne of magic of the Old Religion, and is quite possibly the greatest sorcerer of his time. Except for that little thing where he might not have the best of controls over his magic when he’s first trying to learn a spell from his book, or that he actually does some of the undisciplined casting by the seat of his pants. His magic is a part of him, a skill that does not always require incantations and can be performed even when he is unconscious.
Merlin is a creature of magic, he is magic, so the mist may have interesting effects on his person. He is able to sense powerful magic being cast, and has a natural resilience against magic being used on him. He's been dealt magical killing blows in the past and has always recovered from them.
Merlin is able to move and float objects, conjure wind, light, fog, fire, lightning, rain, items and frogs, make fire dance and form shapes, briefly slow or stop time, give life to inanimate objects, duplicate objects, put people to sleep, cure deadly diseases and bestow supernatural properties to another’s weapon that would allow them to slay immortal or undefeatable magical beings. He can also wield his magic like an invisible physical blow, meant to send a person airborne to crash painfully into a hard surface or to blast his way through physical barriers. He will also use the same power to break branches, chains, or chandeliers. It is possible that his magic is able to do more, but is yet unexplored. On his extremely stressed days, he even has a brief grasp over the power of life and death.
Presumably the last of the Dragonlords, Merlin is also able to converse with dragons, having the ability to speak heart to heart with the creatures and compelling them to obey his commands. This power, passed from father to son upon the father’s death, is a recently acquired gift.
Skills: Merlin can sneak like the best of them, avoiding detection from even the sturdiest of knights. He’s also very skilled at polishing armour, sharpening swords, and maintaining all manner of battle regalia. He has some basic knowledge of anatomy, herbs and cures for maladies, all of which was peripherally taught to him by Gaius. Anything that involves maintaining a living on a farm, Merlin’s skilled at. Having grown up in Ealdor, it would not be unusual for him to have completed all the tasks necessary for a thriving farm.
Pets: Merlin has no pets, the closest being one of Arthur’s horses that he tends to ride when necessary.
Equipments: On his arrival, Merlin will be in possession of a rabbit foot given to him by Gaius (gifted to his mother, and later returned when she had finally recovered from her magical illness), a carved wooden dragon, a leather band that adorns his right wrist, one magic book, a cleaning cloth and polish (for those times when Arthur just can’t be arsed enough to polish his own boots), a couple of neckerchiefs, one brown overcoat, two pairs of pants, another overshirt and one leather belt, some food provisions he’d packed before leaving as well as minor first aid supplies in case Arthur was reckless enough to get hurt, a change of clothing for Arthur and a worn leather satchel to hold it all in.
non-canon powers: When necessary, Merlin can cast a teleportation spell that will transport him to a person, place, or object. This is what he uses to arrive in Anatole.
personality ♜
Merlin is an extremely contradictory man. Not what you would consider a “rough-tough save the world” kind of person, Merlin is lanky and pale, not physically strong or adept at sword fighting at all and is often mistaken for being simple and slow. This mistaken belief of his nature allows him to hide his magic from others, using it as an excuse and a cover. In truth, Merlin is rather creative, observant and resourceful, coming up with ideas on the fly and always managing to somehow save the day. He also possesses a very playful sense of humor, surfacing at the oddest of times- after his almost hug with Arthur for one, suggesting they put the King of Camelot in a dress to hide him from Undead Knights of Medhir for another. He smiles often and easily, very much personable to those who do not look down on him. If they do look down on him, well. He can get a bit snarky.
He can seem clumsy at times, tripping over furniture or dropping things, but can react with the necessary speed when deflecting a spell or dodging a falling object. He’s also adept at being sneaky, passing by bandits and guards undetected (or just knocking them out) when the need arises.
He also tends to be lazy with the unimportant tasks (his messy room can attest to that), oftentimes arriving late to his duties or forsaking them altogether and preferring to complete his tasks with magic. To be fair, he is usually assigned enough duties to occupy a whole team of servants, let alone himself. He also puts up with Arthur’s verbal and sometimes physical abuse, often snarking back and giving as good as he gets. This is probably due to his tendency to view rank with dereliction. He addresses Arthur without title, calls him a “prat”, and holds no hesitance when making friends with Morgana.
He also possesses a sense of rightness, uncompromising for the matters he feels most strongly about. He will stand against others if he feels they are wrong, regardless of rank or might. Instead of giving up on Lancelot when he finds out that only men born of noble families may serve as a knight, Merlin uses his magic irresponsibly to forge a Seal of Nobility for Lancelot, allowing him to get his chance at knighthood. He also helped Arthur smuggle the druid boy Mordred out of Camelot after much torn deliberation, against the dragon Kilgharrah’s warning that by allowing the child Mordred to live, he would be perpetuating Arthur’s death in the future. When Morgana’s powers begin to manifest past her control, he seeks out the location of the druids and sends her there, hoping that his friend will find the answers she seeks and disregarding Gaius’ wish and the consequences of the King’s missing ward.
Psychologically and emotionally, Merlin is very strong. He has been able to withstand so much personal loss, internalizing it to prevent those around him from catching onto his pain. His best friend Will’s death struck an incredible blow to him, the one person who knew of his magic in Ealdor besides his mother and the one who covered for him by claiming that he, and not Merlin, was the sorcerer when Arthur cornered them both. The near loss of Gaius, his mother, and Arthur only perpetuated determination and a drive to make things right in him instead of despair.
Merlin is loyal to a fault at the sake of all others. This shows when he confesses to being a sorcerer to the king in order to save Gwen’s life and when he accompanies Arthur to Hengist’s territory in order to retrieve a ransom held Gwen. He even keeps his silence about Morgana’s near betrayal when she plots to assassinate the king. However, his most strident loyalty is to Arthur. All he does is for Arthur and the prince’s future, willing to sacrifice all else to see Arthur safe until he ascends the throne and returns magic to the land. When death was certain after Arthur was injured by the Questing Beast, Merlin was willing to trade his own life to Nimueh in exchange for Arthur’s. His loyalty can also be contradictory. He has no qualms about abusing Arthur’s trust when it’s broken to save others that do not threaten Arthur, such as when he liberates food from Arthur’s plate rather than obtaining it from the kitchens, or when he steals Arthur’s keys in order to aid in Mordred’s first escape.
This does not mean that he hasn’t suffered any doubts. He becomes frustrated when his position with Arthur is threatened, as it had been with Cedric’s arrival. He also fears Arthur’s discovery of his magic, of the ramifications, and of Arthur considering him as an enemy to be feared rather than as a friend and loyal servant. He’d been ready to throw his destiny away when he met Freya, feeling suffocated and unrecognized for so long that he jumped at the chance to escape Camelot with her. He longs for acceptance and recognition of who he really is, magic and all; this allows for others to exploit Merlin through this desire, as was the case with Edwin when he lured Merlin’s trust by openly acknowledging Merlin’s magic and praising it. He also identifies, sometimes wrongly, with other magic users. To him, magic is a gift, something to be used for good. He does not understand the prejudice held by Camelot against it, even after he has witnessed its abuse time and again. It is also this longing for acceptance that allows him to be compassionate towards Morgana as she struggles with her own seer’s powers.
Merlin is simultaneously a terrible liar and a clever one. When forced to fabricate excuses during daily life, he tends to stutter, answer to the contrary, or just plain act shifty. This is evident when he offers his excuses to Uther Pendragon on his son’s absence, or when questioned about what he’s been up to by Arthur. But when the fabrication is necessary to preserve Arthur’s mental health and integrity, or the safety of Camelot, he is scarily adept at twisting a situation around to fit his purposes.
This is never more evident then when he pleads with Arthur to spare his father Uther after Arthur finds out the truth about his birth from the spirit of his mother Ygraine. He convinces Arthur that what he saw was an illusion, cropped up by Morgause in her quest to set father and son against each other. In doing so, he allowed Arthur to regress back to his hatred of magic instead of developing the budding understanding that not all magic was evil.
Whether this could be considered a weakness or strength is uknown; Merlin lacks a sense of remorse after murdering any witches, sorcerers, magical beings, humans or sidhes that threaten Arthur and his succession. The only time he’s experienced regret and indecision, torn by his choices is when his actions harms an innocent or someone he cares about. While he did hesitate to poison Morgana once he realized that she was the focal point of the sleeping spell afflicting Camelot and rendering everyone vulnerable to be killed, he ultimately did so only to protect Arthur and his legacy, and because he was told that Morgana would become a future threat to Arthur.
history ♜
The only child of Hunith and Balinor, Merlin grows up with his mother’s love and his father’s absence. Despite not knowing who his father is until very recently, Merlin is well taken care of by his mother, living the life of a country boy in Ealdor- a city on the edge of Cedred’s kingdom. While Cedred’s realm does not uphold a ban on magic, Hunith still fears the discovery of Merlin’s power, cautioning him to keep his secrets and to trust no one.
Merlin plays a pivotal role in the series; he is one side of the coin of destiny, with Arthur Pendragon being the other (as the enslaved dragon Kilgharrah is eternally fond of telling him). Merlin is sent to Camelot by Hunith in the hopes that he will find guidance from Gaius and a safe haven for his growing and somewhat erratic magical powers. It’s in Camelot that he first encounters Prince Arthur Pendragon, the once and future King that is prophesized to unite all of Albion and restore magic to the land.
The problem? Arthur is a dick, a royal one, with an ego the size of Camelot to match.
The other problem? Magic is outlawed in Camelot on the penalty of death; a beheading if you’re lucky, a purge by fire if you’re not.
It becomes Merlin’s duty to protect and direct Arthur towards his destiny as a just and noble King, something Merlin initially despairs at ever succeeding in, considering his request for another Arthur because “this one’s an idiot.”
But Merlin quickly sees the potential in Arthur, building the belief that Arthur will become a great king. It is because of this belief that Merlin sacrifices himself time and again to the well-being of Arthur, the first when he saves Arthur from a witch bent on avenging her son by impersonating Lady Helen and attempting to assassinate Arthur twice (the second results in him being rewarded a position in the royal household, becoming Arthur’s personal manservant- yippee oh joy).
When Knight Valiant arrives, bringing his shield of deadly magical snakes, it is the first test of trust between Merlin and Arthur. Merlin shows the first signs of dedication here, believing in the dragon’s words of destiny despite his initial doubts. Arthur also shows an unusual side, willing to take a servant’s words over another knight’s. In the course of trying to unveil Valiant’s deception, Merlin first acquires his ability to give inanimate objects life, turning a statue of a dog into a breathing rottweiler and a drawing on a shield into live snakes set on killing Arthur.
Merlin’s powers and knowledge base continues to grow with each conflict that arises. He harnesses the power of wind in order to help defeat the Afanc infesting Camelot’s waters, and the power to conjure light even while unconscious when Arthur is beset by giant spiders in a cave many miles away from Merlin.
It is when King Bayard of Mercia arrives in Camelot for union talks that Merlin proves how far he’ll go to protect his destiny. He knowingly drinks from Arthur’s poisoned chalice, proving he would give his life to keep Arthur safe. He was willing to do so again during the trials set forth by Anhora, the Keeper of the Unicorns, but was beaten to the punch when Arthur fooled him with the oldest “look over there” trick in the book and drank the “poison” himself. And again when he bargains with Nimueh on the Isle of the Blessed for Arthur’s life in exchange for his own. When Nimueh sneakily attempts to take Hunith’s, then Gaius’ life instead, Merlin kills her with lightning from the sky and restores the balance of nature- allowing Gaius to keep his life.
Merlin continues to grow in power and character, helping Lancelot slay a griffin by strengthening his lance with magic, enough to pierce through the armoured skin of the creature. He appeals to the dragon to burnish a sword made by Guinevere’s father, Tom, so that Arthur may have a weapon that would slay the wraith Tristan du Bois when the wraith descended on Camelot during Arthur’s coming of age and crowning ceremony.
The pattern continues- Merlin saving Arthur and Camelot from power hungry sorcerers like Cornelius Sigan, from assassins like Myror- sent to kill Arthur by another kingdom, from a troll posing as Lady Catrina bent on seducing Uther out of wealth and country, and even from Arthur himself when the prince strives to commit patricide and regicide once he discovers the truth of Uther’s involvement in his mother’s death. It is this last incident that highlights how dedicated Merlin is to Arthur’s mental well-being, even at the sake of Merlin’s own.
The death of his father, a Dragonlord named Balinor, hits Merlin the hardest. Possibly because the time they spend together is so short, or because Balinor takes a sword wound meant for Merlin, or even because the presence of Balinor is originally required due to Merlin’s actions in releasing the Great Dragon from its prison, allowing him to seek revenge on Uther by attempting to destroy Camelot. Whatever the case may be, Balinor’s death weighs heavy on Merlin’s mind even as he inherits his father’s Dragonlord powers and uses them to command Kilgharrah’s exile, once again saving Camelot. Arthur, of course, gets all the credit for this one.
Merlin continues to assist Arthur with magic, keeping his abilities a secret from nearly everyone while allowing others (usually Arthur) to take the credit for his work. But it is important to note that Merlin does not do all of this alone; he has relied on Gaius’ support and knowledge time and again, and has even resorted to asking the dragon Kilgharrah for help, even when he knows he cannot trust the creature. (Not that he always follows what the Dragon says, anyway.) Guinevere and Morgana has also played important parts in these quests, from helping him protect his mother’s land from bandits to his efforts in hiding and sneaking Mordred out of Camelot.
« canon: MERLIN. pb: COLIN MORGAN. age: 20. »
« network: posts and comments. logs: with merlin. misc: ask arthur anything! »
powers; skills; pets; equipment ♜
character name: Merlin (No indication of a last name, but he is also referred to as Emrys by the Druids.)
fandom: Merlin (BBC)
timeline: Post-Season 2
character's age: Approximately two years younger than Arthur. About 20.
canon powers, skills, pets and equipment:
Powers: Merlin is a warlock, a being borne of magic of the Old Religion, and is quite possibly the greatest sorcerer of his time. Except for that little thing where he might not have the best of controls over his magic when he’s first trying to learn a spell from his book, or that he actually does some of the undisciplined casting by the seat of his pants. His magic is a part of him, a skill that does not always require incantations and can be performed even when he is unconscious.
Merlin is a creature of magic, he is magic, so the mist may have interesting effects on his person. He is able to sense powerful magic being cast, and has a natural resilience against magic being used on him. He's been dealt magical killing blows in the past and has always recovered from them.
Merlin is able to move and float objects, conjure wind, light, fog, fire, lightning, rain, items and frogs, make fire dance and form shapes, briefly slow or stop time, give life to inanimate objects, duplicate objects, put people to sleep, cure deadly diseases and bestow supernatural properties to another’s weapon that would allow them to slay immortal or undefeatable magical beings. He can also wield his magic like an invisible physical blow, meant to send a person airborne to crash painfully into a hard surface or to blast his way through physical barriers. He will also use the same power to break branches, chains, or chandeliers. It is possible that his magic is able to do more, but is yet unexplored. On his extremely stressed days, he even has a brief grasp over the power of life and death.
Presumably the last of the Dragonlords, Merlin is also able to converse with dragons, having the ability to speak heart to heart with the creatures and compelling them to obey his commands. This power, passed from father to son upon the father’s death, is a recently acquired gift.
Skills: Merlin can sneak like the best of them, avoiding detection from even the sturdiest of knights. He’s also very skilled at polishing armour, sharpening swords, and maintaining all manner of battle regalia. He has some basic knowledge of anatomy, herbs and cures for maladies, all of which was peripherally taught to him by Gaius. Anything that involves maintaining a living on a farm, Merlin’s skilled at. Having grown up in Ealdor, it would not be unusual for him to have completed all the tasks necessary for a thriving farm.
Pets: Merlin has no pets, the closest being one of Arthur’s horses that he tends to ride when necessary.
Equipments: On his arrival, Merlin will be in possession of a rabbit foot given to him by Gaius (gifted to his mother, and later returned when she had finally recovered from her magical illness), a carved wooden dragon, a leather band that adorns his right wrist, one magic book, a cleaning cloth and polish (for those times when Arthur just can’t be arsed enough to polish his own boots), a couple of neckerchiefs, one brown overcoat, two pairs of pants, another overshirt and one leather belt, some food provisions he’d packed before leaving as well as minor first aid supplies in case Arthur was reckless enough to get hurt, a change of clothing for Arthur and a worn leather satchel to hold it all in.
non-canon powers: When necessary, Merlin can cast a teleportation spell that will transport him to a person, place, or object. This is what he uses to arrive in Anatole.
personality ♜
Merlin is an extremely contradictory man. Not what you would consider a “rough-tough save the world” kind of person, Merlin is lanky and pale, not physically strong or adept at sword fighting at all and is often mistaken for being simple and slow. This mistaken belief of his nature allows him to hide his magic from others, using it as an excuse and a cover. In truth, Merlin is rather creative, observant and resourceful, coming up with ideas on the fly and always managing to somehow save the day. He also possesses a very playful sense of humor, surfacing at the oddest of times- after his almost hug with Arthur for one, suggesting they put the King of Camelot in a dress to hide him from Undead Knights of Medhir for another. He smiles often and easily, very much personable to those who do not look down on him. If they do look down on him, well. He can get a bit snarky.
He can seem clumsy at times, tripping over furniture or dropping things, but can react with the necessary speed when deflecting a spell or dodging a falling object. He’s also adept at being sneaky, passing by bandits and guards undetected (or just knocking them out) when the need arises.
He also tends to be lazy with the unimportant tasks (his messy room can attest to that), oftentimes arriving late to his duties or forsaking them altogether and preferring to complete his tasks with magic. To be fair, he is usually assigned enough duties to occupy a whole team of servants, let alone himself. He also puts up with Arthur’s verbal and sometimes physical abuse, often snarking back and giving as good as he gets. This is probably due to his tendency to view rank with dereliction. He addresses Arthur without title, calls him a “prat”, and holds no hesitance when making friends with Morgana.
He also possesses a sense of rightness, uncompromising for the matters he feels most strongly about. He will stand against others if he feels they are wrong, regardless of rank or might. Instead of giving up on Lancelot when he finds out that only men born of noble families may serve as a knight, Merlin uses his magic irresponsibly to forge a Seal of Nobility for Lancelot, allowing him to get his chance at knighthood. He also helped Arthur smuggle the druid boy Mordred out of Camelot after much torn deliberation, against the dragon Kilgharrah’s warning that by allowing the child Mordred to live, he would be perpetuating Arthur’s death in the future. When Morgana’s powers begin to manifest past her control, he seeks out the location of the druids and sends her there, hoping that his friend will find the answers she seeks and disregarding Gaius’ wish and the consequences of the King’s missing ward.
Psychologically and emotionally, Merlin is very strong. He has been able to withstand so much personal loss, internalizing it to prevent those around him from catching onto his pain. His best friend Will’s death struck an incredible blow to him, the one person who knew of his magic in Ealdor besides his mother and the one who covered for him by claiming that he, and not Merlin, was the sorcerer when Arthur cornered them both. The near loss of Gaius, his mother, and Arthur only perpetuated determination and a drive to make things right in him instead of despair.
Merlin is loyal to a fault at the sake of all others. This shows when he confesses to being a sorcerer to the king in order to save Gwen’s life and when he accompanies Arthur to Hengist’s territory in order to retrieve a ransom held Gwen. He even keeps his silence about Morgana’s near betrayal when she plots to assassinate the king. However, his most strident loyalty is to Arthur. All he does is for Arthur and the prince’s future, willing to sacrifice all else to see Arthur safe until he ascends the throne and returns magic to the land. When death was certain after Arthur was injured by the Questing Beast, Merlin was willing to trade his own life to Nimueh in exchange for Arthur’s. His loyalty can also be contradictory. He has no qualms about abusing Arthur’s trust when it’s broken to save others that do not threaten Arthur, such as when he liberates food from Arthur’s plate rather than obtaining it from the kitchens, or when he steals Arthur’s keys in order to aid in Mordred’s first escape.
This does not mean that he hasn’t suffered any doubts. He becomes frustrated when his position with Arthur is threatened, as it had been with Cedric’s arrival. He also fears Arthur’s discovery of his magic, of the ramifications, and of Arthur considering him as an enemy to be feared rather than as a friend and loyal servant. He’d been ready to throw his destiny away when he met Freya, feeling suffocated and unrecognized for so long that he jumped at the chance to escape Camelot with her. He longs for acceptance and recognition of who he really is, magic and all; this allows for others to exploit Merlin through this desire, as was the case with Edwin when he lured Merlin’s trust by openly acknowledging Merlin’s magic and praising it. He also identifies, sometimes wrongly, with other magic users. To him, magic is a gift, something to be used for good. He does not understand the prejudice held by Camelot against it, even after he has witnessed its abuse time and again. It is also this longing for acceptance that allows him to be compassionate towards Morgana as she struggles with her own seer’s powers.
Merlin is simultaneously a terrible liar and a clever one. When forced to fabricate excuses during daily life, he tends to stutter, answer to the contrary, or just plain act shifty. This is evident when he offers his excuses to Uther Pendragon on his son’s absence, or when questioned about what he’s been up to by Arthur. But when the fabrication is necessary to preserve Arthur’s mental health and integrity, or the safety of Camelot, he is scarily adept at twisting a situation around to fit his purposes.
This is never more evident then when he pleads with Arthur to spare his father Uther after Arthur finds out the truth about his birth from the spirit of his mother Ygraine. He convinces Arthur that what he saw was an illusion, cropped up by Morgause in her quest to set father and son against each other. In doing so, he allowed Arthur to regress back to his hatred of magic instead of developing the budding understanding that not all magic was evil.
Whether this could be considered a weakness or strength is uknown; Merlin lacks a sense of remorse after murdering any witches, sorcerers, magical beings, humans or sidhes that threaten Arthur and his succession. The only time he’s experienced regret and indecision, torn by his choices is when his actions harms an innocent or someone he cares about. While he did hesitate to poison Morgana once he realized that she was the focal point of the sleeping spell afflicting Camelot and rendering everyone vulnerable to be killed, he ultimately did so only to protect Arthur and his legacy, and because he was told that Morgana would become a future threat to Arthur.
history ♜
The only child of Hunith and Balinor, Merlin grows up with his mother’s love and his father’s absence. Despite not knowing who his father is until very recently, Merlin is well taken care of by his mother, living the life of a country boy in Ealdor- a city on the edge of Cedred’s kingdom. While Cedred’s realm does not uphold a ban on magic, Hunith still fears the discovery of Merlin’s power, cautioning him to keep his secrets and to trust no one.
Merlin plays a pivotal role in the series; he is one side of the coin of destiny, with Arthur Pendragon being the other (as the enslaved dragon Kilgharrah is eternally fond of telling him). Merlin is sent to Camelot by Hunith in the hopes that he will find guidance from Gaius and a safe haven for his growing and somewhat erratic magical powers. It’s in Camelot that he first encounters Prince Arthur Pendragon, the once and future King that is prophesized to unite all of Albion and restore magic to the land.
The problem? Arthur is a dick, a royal one, with an ego the size of Camelot to match.
The other problem? Magic is outlawed in Camelot on the penalty of death; a beheading if you’re lucky, a purge by fire if you’re not.
It becomes Merlin’s duty to protect and direct Arthur towards his destiny as a just and noble King, something Merlin initially despairs at ever succeeding in, considering his request for another Arthur because “this one’s an idiot.”
But Merlin quickly sees the potential in Arthur, building the belief that Arthur will become a great king. It is because of this belief that Merlin sacrifices himself time and again to the well-being of Arthur, the first when he saves Arthur from a witch bent on avenging her son by impersonating Lady Helen and attempting to assassinate Arthur twice (the second results in him being rewarded a position in the royal household, becoming Arthur’s personal manservant- yippee oh joy).
When Knight Valiant arrives, bringing his shield of deadly magical snakes, it is the first test of trust between Merlin and Arthur. Merlin shows the first signs of dedication here, believing in the dragon’s words of destiny despite his initial doubts. Arthur also shows an unusual side, willing to take a servant’s words over another knight’s. In the course of trying to unveil Valiant’s deception, Merlin first acquires his ability to give inanimate objects life, turning a statue of a dog into a breathing rottweiler and a drawing on a shield into live snakes set on killing Arthur.
Merlin’s powers and knowledge base continues to grow with each conflict that arises. He harnesses the power of wind in order to help defeat the Afanc infesting Camelot’s waters, and the power to conjure light even while unconscious when Arthur is beset by giant spiders in a cave many miles away from Merlin.
It is when King Bayard of Mercia arrives in Camelot for union talks that Merlin proves how far he’ll go to protect his destiny. He knowingly drinks from Arthur’s poisoned chalice, proving he would give his life to keep Arthur safe. He was willing to do so again during the trials set forth by Anhora, the Keeper of the Unicorns, but was beaten to the punch when Arthur fooled him with the oldest “look over there” trick in the book and drank the “poison” himself. And again when he bargains with Nimueh on the Isle of the Blessed for Arthur’s life in exchange for his own. When Nimueh sneakily attempts to take Hunith’s, then Gaius’ life instead, Merlin kills her with lightning from the sky and restores the balance of nature- allowing Gaius to keep his life.
Merlin continues to grow in power and character, helping Lancelot slay a griffin by strengthening his lance with magic, enough to pierce through the armoured skin of the creature. He appeals to the dragon to burnish a sword made by Guinevere’s father, Tom, so that Arthur may have a weapon that would slay the wraith Tristan du Bois when the wraith descended on Camelot during Arthur’s coming of age and crowning ceremony.
The pattern continues- Merlin saving Arthur and Camelot from power hungry sorcerers like Cornelius Sigan, from assassins like Myror- sent to kill Arthur by another kingdom, from a troll posing as Lady Catrina bent on seducing Uther out of wealth and country, and even from Arthur himself when the prince strives to commit patricide and regicide once he discovers the truth of Uther’s involvement in his mother’s death. It is this last incident that highlights how dedicated Merlin is to Arthur’s mental well-being, even at the sake of Merlin’s own.
The death of his father, a Dragonlord named Balinor, hits Merlin the hardest. Possibly because the time they spend together is so short, or because Balinor takes a sword wound meant for Merlin, or even because the presence of Balinor is originally required due to Merlin’s actions in releasing the Great Dragon from its prison, allowing him to seek revenge on Uther by attempting to destroy Camelot. Whatever the case may be, Balinor’s death weighs heavy on Merlin’s mind even as he inherits his father’s Dragonlord powers and uses them to command Kilgharrah’s exile, once again saving Camelot. Arthur, of course, gets all the credit for this one.
Merlin continues to assist Arthur with magic, keeping his abilities a secret from nearly everyone while allowing others (usually Arthur) to take the credit for his work. But it is important to note that Merlin does not do all of this alone; he has relied on Gaius’ support and knowledge time and again, and has even resorted to asking the dragon Kilgharrah for help, even when he knows he cannot trust the creature. (Not that he always follows what the Dragon says, anyway.) Guinevere and Morgana has also played important parts in these quests, from helping him protect his mother’s land from bandits to his efforts in hiding and sneaking Mordred out of Camelot.