Le Morte D'Arthur Written by Julian Jones, Directed by David MooreThis is the last episode for season 1 of MerlinThis episode begins with Arthur, Merlin and some of Camelot's knights hunting. They come across a beast with the body of a leopard and the head of a snake. As they are fleeing from it, Merlin trips and falls to the ground. The beast rears up, ready to strike, but Arthur and another knight grab Merlin and continue to run. The other knight falls to the ground. Arthur, Merlin and the remaining knights get to a safe distance and Arthur asks who they are missing, to which Merlin answers 'Sir Bedivere'. They then hear a scream from where Sir Bedivere fell.
As Arthur is reporting the incident to his father, Gaius states that it sounds as if what they encountered was the Questing Beast. Arthur counters that that is a myth, but Gaius stays firm in his assessment. He tells those present that the Questing Beast only shows itself in times of great upheaval. Uther scoffs at this and orders Arthur to kill the beast. When they are alone, Gaius once again appeals to Uther, stating the last time the Questing Beast had appeared was just before Ygraine (Uther's wife, and Arthur's mother) had died. Uther angrily and arrogantly tells Gaius that he had defeated the old religion, therefore he no longer listened to it's warnings. In private, Gaius again cautions Merlin against the Questing Beast, as it holds the power of life and death - one bite from this beast, and the victim dies, and there is no cure.
Morgana dreams of Arthur and the Questing Beast, and wakes in a frantic panic. Gwen tries to calm the inconsolable Morgana - but she runs out to the court yard, where Arthur has gathered his knights to prepare them to search for the beast. Morgana screams his name and tries to stop him from going, but is intercepted by Merlin, who tells Arthur he will see that the guards will take her to Gaius. As she is dragged away, Merlin watches with a worried look on his face.
As Arthur's group are pursuing the beast, Merlin and Arthur become trapped by it in a cave. The beast once again moves to attack , Arthur pushes Merlin back and tries to fight it, and is bitten. Merlin uses his magic to lift Arthur's sword, and spears the beast with it, and it dies. Merlin then rushes an unconscious Arthur back to Gaius.
Gaius states that there is nothing he can do for Arthur, and that no magic can save him. Uther runs to his son's side, and both Merlin and Gaius try to reassure him that they will do anything to save him. Arthur's knights carry Arthur through the courtyard to his room, as Morgana watches from her window. Merlin refuses to let Arthur's fate be sealed, so he goes to the Great Dragon and tells him that he will do anything to save Arthur. The Great Dragon tells him that he (Merlin) does not know what to do, but that the dragon can possibly help him. He speaks to Merlin of the old religion, saying that it is the magic of the earth itself, and that it shall be around long after Man's time. The Dragon tells Merlin that he must travel to the Isle of the Blessed - where he can bargain for Arthur's lifeand that the young Pendragon must live - no matter what the cost.
Merlin tells Gaius of his plan to travel to the Isle of the Blessed, and Gaius becomes distressed, and begs him not to go. He states that the Questing Beast chose Arthur, so it must be his time to die - once again, Merlin refuses to accept this, stating that Arthur is his friend. He asks Gaius to keep Arthur alive until he comes back, and rides off towards the Isle of the Blessed the next day.
As he rides off, an unconscious Arthur (being watched over by his father) becomes restless and distressed, much like Merlin did in
The Poisoned Chalice, once again suggesting a bond between the two. Arthur is soothed by Uther.
In the next scene, Gaius is watching over Arthur when Gwen comes in to relieve Gaius. Once alone, Gwen tells Arthur that she knows that he will wake, as he is destined to be a great king - a better king than his father. She says that imagining him as the king of a free Camelot is the thing that keeps her going.
When Merlin finally gets to the Isle of the Blessed, he is confronted by Nimueh (last seen in
Excalibur) and Merlin exclaims disbelief that it was she that the Dragon had sent him to. Nimueh states that she had tried to kill him before she knew his importance - and that Arthur was never destined to die at her hand. Nimueh states that for Arthur to live, another life must be taken. Merlin says that he would sacrifice his own for Arthur's. Nimueh smiles maliciously, but concedes - and gives Merlin water from the 'Cup of Life', stating that that would revive Arthur. When Merlin rides back to Camelot and gives Gaius the water, he asks Merlin whose life he bargained, and Merlin doesn't answer.
Merlin and Gaius administer the water to Arthur under the watchful eye of Uther. As they are leaving, Morgana grabs Merlin's hand, and in a trance like state, tells him that 'this is only the beginning'. Merlin uneasily pulls himself away. Arthur wakes, and a jubilant Uther goes to tell the court that the prince lives. Gwen enters his room to change the linen, and Arthur mentions that he heard Gwen speaking to him when he was ill, and teases the embarrassed Gwen. That night, Merlin sits on his bed, contemplating the fact that he may not wake in the morning.
In the middle of the night, a hooded female figure makes her way through the paths of Camelot, to stop at Gaius' door, and Morgana suddenly wakes from another nightmare.
Merlin jubilantly wakes the next morning, only to find Gaius leaning over a huddled figure on his floor. Despite Gaius' protests, Merlin goes to stand next to him and sees his mother, Hunith, on the floor, covered in boils and gravely ill. Gaius asks who Merlin met at the Isle of the Blessed, and Merlin tells him that it was Nimueh, and that he had bargained his life, not his mother's.
A furious Merlin goes to confront the Great Dragon, accusing him of knowing this would happen. The Dragon tells him that his mother would not die in vain, and that soon creatures of the old religion, like he and Merlin, shall be free. Merlin states that he is nothing like the Dragon, and that because of this betrayal, he will make sure the Dragon is never freed. The dragon rages against Merlin , and shots a fireball at him, which Merlin blocks with his magic. Merlin hisses that the Dragon will never see him again, and leave the enraged magical beast.
Gaius is waiting for Merlin when he gets back to his room, and he tells him that Hunith is sleeping. Merlin resolves to return to the Isle of the Blessed, and confront Nimueh once more, and sacrifice himself for his mother. He goes to Arthur to say goodbye. He tells Arthur that he knows who he is; a prat, and a royal one. He also tells Arthur that if he gets another servant, not to get a bootlicker. Arthur, perturbed, asks if this is Merlin trying to leave his job, to which Merlin answers he'd happily serve Arthur until the day he died. He also tells Arthur that he is a great warrior, and will be a great king - but that he needs to learn to listen as well as he fights. Merlin leaves a pleased but confused Arthur with the final advice of 'Just... don't be a prat."
Merlin returns to the room in which his mother is in to find Gwen watching over her. She states that Gaius needed to run an errand, so she offered to look after Hunith, and that she is sorry for Merlin's pain. Merlin tells her that she has a good heart, and to never lose that, and the confused Gwen leaves.
At Hunith's bedside he says he will make her well again, and she tells him that Merlin is a good son, and that she will miss him.
Come morning, Gaius has not returned and Merlin finds a letter from him downstairs. In the letter Gaius writes that he has gone to the Isle of the Blessed in Merlin's place, as he is old and he does not believe his life held much purpose. He advises that Merlin will one day be the greatest warlock of all time if he follows Gaius's advice to be cautious with magic, and concludes that Merlin has been like the son he never had, that knowing him has been his greatest joy, and dying for him, an honour. Horrified, Merlin sets out after Gaius at once, as a scared Morgana watches.
At the Isle of the Blessed, Gaius greets Nimueh with the title "My lady". Nimueh expresses disbelief that Gaius would sacrifice himself for Merlin, and that he is asking for her help. She calls him a traitor who did nothing to stop Uther expelling sorcery from Camelot, and killing their friends. Gaius explains his belief that Merlin is the only one who can return magic to the kingdom and will, with Arthur, make a better world. Merlin arrives just as Gaius has died. When Merlin passionately confronts Nimueh about killing his mother and Gaius, Nimueh says the Old Religion does not care who lives or dies, only that the natural balance of life and death is restored; however, Merlin retorts the choice is not that of the Old Religion, but rather that of Nimueh abusing her power. She wants Merlin to join her but he refuses to unite with such evil magic. They engage in a magical battle and Nimueh emerges victorious, having seemingly killed Merlin, and sadly muses that together they could have ruled the world. However, Merlin, who is still alive, rises and emphatically tells Nimueh: "You should not have killed my friend!" She is struck by lightning conjured by Merlin, and dies. Merlin starts crying over the seemingly dead Gaius, who is then revived, as Nimueh's death meant that he could live.
In Camelot, the Great Dragon rages against Merlin in his cave as Morgana wakes panic-stricken from another dream.
Key points to this episode:
- Uther's very obvious love for his son.
- Gwen's faith in Arthur
- Arthur's selflessness when his friends are in trouble, which is also seen in Merlin
- Merlin's dedication to his loved ones - he is willing to sacrifice magic, and his own life, so that the people he cares for can live
- We start to see Merlin as advisor to Arthur emerge in this episode
- The Dragon's agenda is revealed
- Morgana's dreams are becoming more pronounced, and taking more of a toll on her
- Gaius and Merlin's relationship and the dedication they have to eachother
- The death of Nimueh
- Also, Merlin shows how powerful a sorcerer he really is - and that he now has power over life and death
Well, that's it for Season 1 - Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed the recaps, and Merlin Season 1 will be shown on SyFy on Sunday 28th of March as a marathon, and Season 2 is set to air in April : http://www.syfy.com/merlin/
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