Comments | crabby_lioness: Merlin Episode 9: What Color is Your Fairy Tale?

crabby_lioness

Merlin Episode 9: What Color is Your Fairy Tale?

Feb 19, 2009 21:10

This episode packed a lot of punches into a very short time, so this essay has a lot of play-by-play. Sorry about that.

We begin with Nimue turning a dead knight into a zombie. Cut to Arthur's 21st birthday party and investiture as Crown Prince, which if I remember correctly means he will no longer have to have a Regent appointed when his father ( Read more... )

merlin

Comments 17

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crabby_lioness February 20 2009, 10:54:37 UTC

Sorry, there's a lot going on in this episode. I sat there watching the counter honestly shocked at how much they packed into so little time. Did you get "Uther as ghost/zombie" and "Nimue as terrorist"?

taversham February 20 2009, 06:51:15 UTC

*wanders in ( ... )

crabby_lioness February 20 2009, 10:52:44 UTC

Violence is an extreme form of physical communication, and in both the instances of Arthur with Merlin in this episode and Uther with Morgana last episode violence is being used to emphasize a similar point, to wit, "You've found my last nerve, now back off." While I don't think Arthur had any intention of using it, there's a world of difference between waving a sword in someone's face and punching their arm. One is a threat, the other is not. I've seen things like that done IRL, and in many ways it's a silent plea for help. It's a way of saying, "Please shut up and take me seriously." Not a very good way, mind you, but that is the intent ( ... )

taversham February 20 2009, 18:03:46 UTC

Well, yes, there is a a difference between waving a sword in someone's face and punching there arm. I meant more that there is a a world of difference between waving a sword in someone's face as a warning and having your hands around someone's throat as a definite threat, in the same way that there is a difference between a punch in the arm and a punch in the face. Even though arm!punch and sword!wielding are not similar, nor are face!punch and throat!grab. Perhaps the punching was something of childish example, but I couldn't really think of anything else to convey what I thought was a difference between a milder "I want you to stop" and a more clear "If you don't stop, bad things will happen". The difference between warning and threatening.

"Still, it says something about Arthur's opinion of Merlin that he didn't just order Merlin out of the room.Isn't that acknowledgement of their relationship to an extent? That Merlin is allowed to speak to his master in such an 'unservient' manner. And that Arthur listens to what he has to say ( ... )

taversham February 20 2009, 18:05:55 UTC

Gah, that second "there" should be "their", obviously... *headdesk*

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crabby_lioness February 20 2009, 15:18:17 UTC

Crowns cost money, I can see why they would not have had a seperate one made.

archaeologist_d February 20 2009, 13:07:44 UTC

Well I liked the summary because the thoughts that went along with them made more sense ( ... )

crabby_lioness February 20 2009, 15:22:42 UTC

In Episode 5 Merlin and Arthur only talk once, when Merlin is finding out what Lancelot needs to do to qualify.

mossylawn February 20 2009, 20:09:12 UTC

the inconsistence of the writers just kills me. honestly, first the crown, then the 25 years of anti-magic terror that apparently happened right after arthur's birth (who turns twenty one, apparently), arthur giving off hints that he knows about the magic (like in the'mark of nimueh') and then acting all oblivious. ooooh.

episode 10 is one of my favs, so i can't wait for your thoughts on it.

crabby_lioness February 20 2009, 20:19:44 UTC

The crown I can live with. If Arthur's got Druid contacts then he already knows about magic but can't risk Uther finding out. It's the 20/25 year gap that annoys me.