Merlin Episode 10: The Practical Exam
Confession time: I've always hated teen shows that revolve around sex and/or high school. One of the reasons I enjoy Merlin is because it breaks that mold. But just because there's no school doesn't mean there are no tests.
We've had nine episodes of the Camelot Four learning about themselves and flexing their muscles. The writers thought it was time to give the kids an evaluation. To make it a good evaluation, it was set somewhere else to make them stretch themselves a bit. And who better to evaluate the title character than the people of his own village. The results were -- promising, but highlighted just how much more they still need to learn and get their act together.
It was refreshing to get away from Gaius, Uther, Camelot and the Dragon. I love them, but they've provided the framework for all the stories so far, and it's time to see how our Team work outside that framework.
That said, my Inner Tactician did not like this episode. Normally it hasn't had a single problem with the fight scenes, but this time I kept getting distracted with thinking, "Why don't they...." although I suppose that's part and parcel with a practical exam. For instance, the central problem involved repeat thieves stealing backcountry farmers' food. My husband's grandfather and his neighbors were backcountry farmers and they had a solution to that. They'd figure out what food was going to be the thieves' next target and poison it heavily. Problem solved.
It's Merlin's home village and his mother comes to him for aid. He gets Arthur to finagle her an audience with Uther. (This is why the position of manservant to the Prince is an honor. It's about the access.) Uther is genuinely sympathetic but can't risk officially sending Knights into the other kingdom. That's a problem with a well known solution. You take a party that just happens to have a lot of off-duty Knights in it and they just happen to be going to visit buddies on the other side of the region and on the way they just happen to be set upon by a well-known band of brigands who just happen to get wiped out in the process. Oh, well. Seriously, the modern equivalent was so prevalent under Reagan with CIA "advisers" that it got to be an international joke. (Not that I approved of Reagan's targets 99% of the time, but....)
Prince Arthur expresses a wish to protect people regardless of where they live. It's a noble sentiment that King Arthur will act on, one that will bring him fame in the short term and his downfall in the long term. The Camelot Four take up the challenge.
In the village I kept thinking "Why don't they..." because by the Elizabethan era English villages will have gotten extremely good at defending themselves from attack, but that is almost 1000 years in the future. I must resist deducting points from them and Arthur for not knowing tactics that haven't been invented yet.
Production crew, the final melee was less than convincing. Maybe I just need to rewatch it, but....
How well do the Camelot Four do? They all score points for Woody Allen's "80% of life is showing up", and for being well provisioned, but they lose points for not bringing more manpower with them. Let's break down the individual scores.
Gwen: You are not stumbling over your words as much, and you are speaking up for yourself and others in public and in private. Very good. Keep up the good work.
But I hope someone did take the children out of the village at dawn. It's to save them from starving that the village went for help in the first place, and they've no place on a battlefield.
Morgana: Next time, carry a live coal in a firepot.
The rule for going off to fight brigands is the same as the rule for walking down Bourbon Street at Mardi Gras -- leave your jewelry at home. It's a good idea to have a reserve cash stash like that segmented silver necklace, but keep it out of sight under your clothes.
And don't pick on your adopted brother in public while on trips. It hinders other people's willingness to take either of you seriously.
Other than that, high marks for everything, including observation.
Arthur: Your first known independent command away from your father's troops and in an unfamiliar environment. Not bad. There were many things that you didn't understand when you got there, and many things that you had to improvise on the fly, but you had a steep learning curve and on the whole you handled it well. There's a world of difference between working with free farmers and working with soldiers, and while you made mistakes in expectations early on, you grasped the essential differences in the end. You did an especially good job of winning the trust and leading people who had no reason to trust or follow you. But next time, bring more manpower. You got lucky this time.
Don't respond to Morgana taunting you in public while on trips. It erodes your image of maturity.
You need to work on your diplomacy, both with your hostess and in other areas. Yes, as the military commander you had every right to be furious that someone there was capable of high-level magic and neglected to tell you about it. Had you known, you could have worked it into your battle plan and doubtless suffered fewer casualties. I understand your anger. But showing that anger around suspected magic-users who fear what you would do if you found out isn't going to make them trust you any quicker. That's another time and place where it pays to keep your cool.
I understand why you don't press Merlin to tell you the truth about his gift. If you knew, you would have to do something about it, and with the situation with your father such as it is there's nothing positive you can do about it other than urge him to hold on and wait it out. You might not believe it, but that's a problem common with many teens with -- difficult parents, not just princes. But you need to let him know you'll be there for him when he's ready. He's not your first magic-user,not with your contacts with the Druids. Find a way to remind him of that.
And eat your porridge. It's good for you.
Merlin -- Writers, what are you doing in my husband's classroom? Every year he sees the same pair of boys come through the door of one of his high school classes. The names will be different, but there will always be one boy who's not quite mature enough to stay out of trouble, and his buddy who is too good-natured ("will do anything for anybody") not to go along with him on whatever ill-thought-out scheme the first boy has dreamt up this time. You have to keep them separated until one of them, usually the good-natured one, grows up enough to say "no" or they'll constantly be in trouble. I completely understand Hunrith sending Merlin away now. My husband has to do the same thing by juggling schedules every year. Despite my other complaints about the show's writing, it usually does a very good job of portraying believable teens.
As for you young man, we need to talk.
I'm glad I got to see you being tested like this. Previously I thought you had a problem with figuring out if you could trust someone with your secret, but that's not really the case, is it? You have a broader problem with risk assessment in general. Your refusal to believe that the odds were as bleak as they were in spite of the evidence in front of you and the considered opinion of people with more experience than you kept you from coming up with a better plan to use your magic that could have resulted in fewer casualties. Let me be blunt: people you grew up with were hurt and probably killed because you refused to accept how bad conditions truly were and come up with a better plan.
This denial has to stop. There's a difference between turning a blind eye to an individual transgression and turning a blind eye to the reality in front of you. You can't figure out the best way to deal with a problem as long as your are blinded by a unrealistic assessment of it. And you can't know when, under what circumstances, and to whom to reveal your magic to unless you take an honest look at the situation unhampered by either hope or fear.
That said, you did a good job of using your magic to save the day in the nick of time in a combat situation, and of handling yourself in a combat situation in general. You might want to invest in a good pair of boots. I have a feeling you are going to be seeing more field experience from now on. The Pendragons are Roman Britons, and everyone knows the Roman reward for a job well done is a harder job.
Episodes 1 - 3
Episode 4 Review: Innocence at Camelot
Episode 5: (The Once and Future) Lancelot
Episode 6: (Death Is) A Remedy to Cure All Ills.
Episode 7: Deception for Dummies
Episode 8: Deception for Non-Dummies
Episode 9: What Color is Your Fairy Tale?
Episode 11: Today is a Good Day to Die