Review of Merlin Series 5 Episode 3

[kore88]

So I am going to start this by saying I absolutely loved this episode; this has to go down as one of my all time favourites. I may be re-watching it already.

• So we open to Arthur and Merlin off together on a hunting trip. I absolutely love that even now Arthur is King, with knights and guards and whole retinues of people he still goes on private hunting trips with Merlin. I think it must be his time to get away from being a King, which is why I love that he still takes Merlin with him.


• Also the opening dialogue "No the last time you fell in a stream", however Merlin is completely dry already. Was I the only one imagining the things they could have been getting up to to help Merlin dry out?


• Then we have the scene where Arthur saves a sorceress from being burned alive. I think this scene is particularly important because to me it shows Arthur has developed a greater tolerance towards magic. Hopefully Gaius' words from the last season and Arthur's promise to the sprites of the druids is starting to take some effect. Even is he is not at the supporting magic yet, he isn't willing to have someone killed just because people say they are a sorcerer. I also thought it must be nice for Merlin to see that, rather than the horror of watching someone like him executed again he gets to see someone who almost certainly has magic (since she had the horn and all) saved by Arthur. Progress!


• Again in the next scene of once again Gaius explains the plot we have perhaps the most explicit reference I have ever seen Gaius make to Arthur about his past as a magic user. "long before the time of the great purge I took part in such ceremonies". Now in the next shot they even flick to Arthur's face and he barely reacts! Arthur seems to be a lot more accepting of Gaius past then he used to be, especially considering Gaius is talking about being involved in a ritual pretty damn high up in the magical hierarchy.


• Soon we have more delicious Merlin/Arthur banter. I love than even though Arthur has used the because I told you to because I'm King card he is still fully expect Merlin to disobey him and look under the bowl anyway. Also I believe the innuendo of Arthur trying to hide his horn from Merlin has been discussed already but still it has to be mentioned. Genius.


• Next they rides to the stones of Nematon, which despite what everyone else is saying are totally not Stonehenge! For one things there are far to few stones, for another they are missing the rather prominent feature of the actual Henge! Personally I think the writers just wanted a generic stone circle and decided that they just thought Trilithons look cooler. Plus in a land where people actually had magic they must have been a lot easier to actually build! Right time to shut the innner archaeologist up and get back to paying attention to the handsome men rather than the setting.


• "This is powerful magic" there is a tacit understanding that Arthur is going to use magic again and he does it anyway. I think this is another example that his stand on magic wasn't as severely affected by the "The Wicked Day" as we might have thought. Can you tell I am desperately clutching on to anything that might pave the way for Merlin being accepted.


• Merlin and Arthur bonds over their dead dads again. Which whilst touching that they have something in common to bond over did make me think about the fact that so many characters in Merlin have that. What Camelot really needs is a my father was killed support group Arthur, Merlin, Gwen, Elyan, Gwaine could all attend. Then the evil people of course Mordred, Morganna and now Sefa. Although it is interesting to note how many peoples dads were killed by, or as a result of something done by others in the group or each others dads (mainly Uther)


• The scene with Uther talking to Arthur was unexpected but when you consider Uther's character made sense really. It had me terrified for a while Arthur was about to go backwards but thank god that didn't happen.


• The parting moment "I will always love you Arthur" was touching until I re-watched it. That is what made Arthur turn back. Did Uther just say it because he knew it would free him?


• I must admit I liked the no looking backwards rule. It is a fairly standard rule when visiting the spirit realm, although it normally has the opposite effect.


• Merlin and Arthur have another heart to heart over a fire.I love how willing Arthur still is to confide in Merlin, even though Merlin's attempt to cheer him up don't work very well.


• Now all the spooky stuff starts helped out by a good old dose of pathetic fallacy. I thought the ghost scenes were done very well, Actually quite scary, but nicely distributed with enough comic relief to keep it enjoyable.


• Although I do have to admit I was wondering where everyone was in the castle, that seems so full of people in some episodes.


• I also think it's telling that Merlin seems to understand Uther better than Arthur does. It takes Arthur such a long time to grasp that Uther could be doing these violent acts against things just because they are opposed to is beliefs. It perhaps show that Arthur never understood or acknowledge to himself the depths Uther would go to. Perhaps that's why he idolised him so much, he could never allow himself to see the faults in his character.


• The ghost hunting scenes between Merlin and Arthur were brilliant. Considering the look on Gaius' face when they both jumped makes me imagine him sneaking up on purpose after being the one to rattle the door. But that's probably just the inner troll in me. Probably the same part that expected Merlin to start doing fake choking after Arthur drank his concoction.


•  I think "poetry" may forever become a euphemism in the Merthur canon.  


• "Camelot is a better place since you became king .... the people believe in you Arthur" Although Arthur clearly doesn't seem to acknowledge it right away I think we see Merlin's words gradually sinking in throughout the episode to help Arthur believe in his own convictions. I think it's a testament to how much his relationship with Merlin has affected his world view.


• The showdown between Arthur and Uther was everything I felt it needed to be. Uther sitting in the throne made it clear that he still clearly saw himself as King. "I love and respected you, but I have to rule the kingdom in my own way ... I can't rule the way you did". YES we finally have the closure that Arthur needed to become his own King and be free from Uther's influence. So much character development for Arthur!


• Ooohh the Merlin/Uther conversation. From the powerful and assertive way Merlin tells Uther to get away from Arthur, to the way he proudly says he is so much more than just a servant. I see this scene as Merlin being able to say everything he ever wanted to say to Uther. I think Merlin must get as much closure from this episode as Arthur. Although it is not the reveal we all hope for, it was still an incredibly important one at least for Merlin.


• "Merlin has ..." soo close but I agree with some others that it would not have been the right time. Although to my eyes Merlin was in a way dissapointed. Deep down he still needs Arthur to know.


• On a side note I was amused with Merlin wandering into the armoury. You are fighting a ghost that makes things fly through the air and you walk into the room full of weapons. Headesk. Also he doesn't seem to actually check there are no people in there before he uses his incredibly obvious spell. Some unintentional comedy relief for me there.


• Finally that ending scene. Oh the ending scene. We had some confirmation that Arthur is going to rule his way and his beliefs for how his kingdom should be. 


• More importantly we had the horseplay discussion "does that mean you are going to stop hitting me?" "when have I ever hit you?"  I think this addresses quite well my view of the issue of "Arthur hitting Merlin". To someone like Arthur who used to train in fighting every day and is a trained warrior he doesn't see it is hitting. He is geniunly surprised Merlin thinks it is hitting. It is as he calls it horesplay, I think it is his way of showing friendship. It is also his way of still being a bit silly and childish and relaxing. He is the king now but he is still happy to engage in "horseplay" with Merlin.


• And of course the glove, oh the glove. I happen to know people have already written fics about that glove (which btw I can't wait to read). Possibly the kinkiest end to an episode ever!

I will definitely be re-watching this episode, many, many times