Merlin Review, because how can I not?

[kriadydragon]

I don't plan on making this a regular thing, because I hate where reviewing episodes of any show tends to take me, but I felt the need to talk about this one because... dang! I heard they were going dark, and this one was pretty dark. I feel so bad for Merlin, who's pretty much darned if he does or darned if he doesn't. And the acting was friggin' brilliant because you could totally see how painful the decision was for Merlin. Poor guy just can't win.

But I am getting a little nervous. Merlin's destiny is starting to break him down and I worry about where that might take him. Then there's fandom. It often feels like that once a show starts making the characters and situations more complicated, then people become more prone to anti-character sentiments, and I worry about anti-Merlin sentiments popping up.

Then again, people would probably rather keep harping on the lack of reveal (yes, I am already tired of hearing about the lack of reveal. The reveal will happen when it happens). What I'm actually anxious to find out is what will happen to cause Mordred to turn against Arthur.

One theory I have - and I seriously hope this is the direction the show goes because I think it would be interesting - is that while Arthur slowly comes to accept magic, Mordred comes to turn against it. Then Arthur reaches the point where he lifts the ban on sorcery, Mordred isn't happy about it, thinks Arthur is bringing down Camelot (or that he's enchanted) so decides the only way to save Camelot is to take him out.

Or

It's actually Arthur's death that brings about the return of magic, and Merlin's destiny was actually, and unwittingly, to set things in motion that would lead to his death. In which case that would shatter Merlin and he would go insane so I'm seriously hoping that's not the direction the show goes.

Or

In Merlin's quest to protect Arthur, Arthur and Merlin become more and more at odds to the point that Arthur is no longer listening to Merlin. Maybe it even reaches the point where he banishes Merlin - maybe this will be how the reveal plays out - and Merlin isn't there to save Arthur. Or maybe he is! Saving the day at the last minute (which would be awesome if it wasn't for the little obnoxious bit that it is legend that Mordred kills Arthur. Then again, Arthur was also supposed to be Mordred's daddy *shrugs* It could be that Mordred turns against Arthur but it's not until many, many, many years later that he actually kills him, and there's peace and happiness and Merlin the court sorcerer until that time).

It's fun speculating :D But I do hate seeing Merlin moving deeper into a darker place.

Comments

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

You know, I hadn't thought about it but the lack of reveal does make for some excellent angst moments. Although I look forward to the reveal as well, the show's going to have to come up with something new for Merlin to angst about or it's not going to be as fun :D (my word we're cruel to Merlin, aren't we ;)).

Without that hope I believe Merlin would have felt he had take Mordreds demise more actively into his own hands earlier on. The fact that he didn't help it along even shows that however bad things seem for Merlin, he's still trying to be 'good'. It's one thing to refuse magical healing and allow a natural death, but another to murder, after all.

Yeah, I do get the feeling that outright murder is something Merlin is trying to avoid. Not that standing by and doing nothing could be considered any better but there is something a heck of a lot darker about taking the initiative to actually kill someone. And that, too, is what also makes this season rather sad, because Merlin is toeing the darkness line a lot more but you know he doesn't want to cross it. He's trying hard to be the better person but is beginning to realize that, to keep Arthur safe, that might not be possible.

And a lot of people have been making the excellent point that Merlin choosing magic wouldn't have been any better, because it wouldn't have been any better. Even had Mordred lived had Merlin chosen magic, it would still be something forced on Arthur rather than Arthur accepting it. It would still be something he would be wary of, possibly even more wary since he was forced to accept it, constantly having to worry about magical attacks and whether thwarting those attacks would mean going back on the deal. It just... wouldn't have worked.

I've really been enjoying these discussions :D I do think the writers did something interesting with this episode and it makes me even more curious to see where they take it.