(no subject)
Huh. I started out rolling my eyes pretty firmly at this ep (which was about what I was expecting to do), but then I ended up enjoying it?
- Aargh, never have I more wanted Arthur to know what Merlin did for him, though. After all that desperate, determined hobbling in the woods and castle, it would have been nice to see Merlin get some of the credit for saving Arthur's life (it's not like Arthur would even need to know it was with the help of magic).
- I thought the ep started out as pretty confusing: if Daigal's story had been genuine, how would he have known about Merlin? Simply because he's a druid? But even then, why would he think Merlin could help his sister when he seems quite surprised at Merlin's medical skills later? And Morgana took quite a chance assuming Merlin would help him just because he's a druid (though nice that they remembered a storyline from S2).
I was also a little confused as to why she'd suddenly want him dead that desperately, but I guess it's because Gwen suspects she knows about him?
- Is it weird that I really enjoyed Gwen this ep? Well played, Angel Coulby. Also, I thought the A/G in this ep was both adorable and compelling (the whole comb thing was adorable, in particular) - I'm not sure what it says that it's at its most entertaining when Gwen is under a spell, but I'll take it.
- All weirdness and logic fail aside, part of me is enjoying the Gwen/Morgana closeness. Morgana genuinely seemed to be treating Gwen as more of an ally than a pawn here, and gah, Gwen crying on her behalf. (Is this supposed to mean Gwen isn't under an actual spell, though? I have no idea how they're going to talk themselves out of that one, although I guess it'll probably end up getting reduced to something simplistic.)
More logic fail aside, Morgana's story was pretty sad (although I thought Morgana was somehow supposed to think it was all Arthur's fault??), and it seemed like even Arthur felt for her. Interesting that they chose to give her a heart again at this stage (that she would undergo such suffering for a creature she cared about), although I'm not sure if I'm supposed to hold out hope that they are going somewhere with that or not. (Where is Aithusa, though? And where was the dragon when Merlin got poisoned?)
- I laughed when I was supposed to at all the clothing antics. Heh at Arthur not being able to get dressed without Merlin, and at Merlin apparently having a gentler hand than Gwen, in this particular instance. Gwen strapping Arthur in gave me flashbacks to S1 when Morgana did. :(
- And, oh, Merlin. :(( I thought I was used to all the Merlin angst by now, but my heart broke for him when he was lying there dying, all alone. And he has to know that no one in Camelot came for him. Merlin seems to be going to an increasingly angry, desperate place in general - we rarely see him genuinely smiling, and it's a relief every time he does.
I'm not really sure why he was so cranky with Daigal when he first approached Merlin in the kitchen - it seemed to go against character, but then it does seem to fit in with Merlin seeming both more and more self-confidant and harassed at keeping Arthur alive and working towards his destiny.
Interesting, too, that for Merlin, it seems the golden age hasn't yet arrived, and that he does seem to still hope for the return of magic - I keep getting confused by where the writers stand on this point, exactly.
I was frustrated when Merlin didn't tell Arthur Gwen had been lying, but thinking about it, OK, for once it may not be entirely lazy writing (although I'm sure it's that, too) - telling Arthur to distrust his wife without a shred of proof would effectively put him in a difficult position. Still. I am enjoying the tension between Merlin and Gwen, though.
(Merlin's eyeroll when Daigal told him they were going to kill the king made me laugh, though. BUSINESS AS USUAL, THEN.)
- I'm also not clear on why they made Arthur lose that fight against the Sarrum's man? Is he supposed to have lost on purpose? Is this supposed to make us feel how scary the Sarrum is? IDK, I thought this was a bit random and disappointing. Arthur's supposed to be a great warrior; he already doesn't notice most of the stuff going on around him - at least give him this. (As a sidenote, Arthur did look particularly hot/adorable, this ep. No complaints there. :P)
- I didn't think I felt much for Daigal, so I was surprised at how sad I was for him when he died at the end. Oh, bb. :( (And, the one person who finds out about Merlin's magic gets sent off again...)
- Random - but nice use of music during the ep, too. I also felt like we got to see both different corridors and different angles of familiar rooms, giving the ep a bit of a different feel. Whatever my thoughts on the writing, S5 has been looking rather pretty all round.
Joky moments aside, I thought this was quite a dark ep. It affected me more than some of the previous eps which were clearly supposed to be more dramatic.
I think it's probably Merlin seeming increasingly frustrated, and, I don't know, cornered, somehow - he pretty much put himself in the position he's in re: Arthur and magic, and that must be even more grating, especially as he feels so confident in his magic, now, and is clearly ready to become Emrys to the outside world, as well. I guess whether he'll actually get the chance is another thing altogether, but, yeah.