vanessarama (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
vanessarama) wrote2009-10-11 05:21 pm
vanessarama) wrote2009-10-11 05:21 pm
Disordered Merlin thoughts
First, a few things I didn't notice properly about last week's episode until a rewatch.
I rewatched this episode withtrue_statement on Friday and I am now convinced that despite Merlin's best bad efforts, Morgana actually does now know he has magic.
It's all in the final scene between the two of them. There is so much clearly being said without words, but with glances and hesitancy and heaving breathless intensity. Morgana has evidently been exercising her brain and thinking about the conversation she and Merlin had in the Druid camp, this one:
MORGANA: These are my people; they're like me. I don't feel so alone here. Do you understand?
MERLIN: Better than anyone.
And when Merlin comes to visit her afterwards, there's this:
MORGANA: What was said at the woods -
MERLIN: You can trust me, Morgana, I won't tell anyone.
Morgana hesitates and then nods a few times, and then flashes a huge smile at him.
MORGANA: Thank you, Merlin. (pause) I know now who I really am, (pause) and it isn't something to be scared of. Maybe one day people will come to see magic as a force for good.
As she says that last line, Morgana has locked gazes with Merlin and raises one eyebrow, just a tiny bit.
Picking apart that piece of dialogue, why does Morgana say "What was said at the woods"? If she's talking about her own secret, that she's magic, shouldn't it be "What I said at the woods"? Nope. Morgana is saying "I know what we were both talking about in the woods, and I know you have magic", and when Merlin interrupts her, she takes that to mean "We'll keep each other's secrets; we must not talk about this".
Also, is Merlin beginning to get a smidgeon of future-telling? When he gets into the woods and lights that totally inexplicable fire, he gets a rush of Lost-style jungle whispers, much of which is jumbled-up dialogue we've previously heard between Aglain, Morgana and Mordred. But it clearly ends on Aglain saying "What would you like to know?", which is a line of dialogue which hasn't happened yet; Merlin hears it later while eavesdropping on Aglain and Morgana.
So what does that mean? OK, Druids don't always need to use their voices to talk to one another, but clearly nobody is talking to Merlin directly. Aglain doesn't even know who he is or that he's there. And the fact that the one clear line they singled out is a line that is yet to come - is Merlin beginning to get tiny bits of the same power Morgana has, to see/sense/dream the future?
Anyway. On to episode 4.
Again, I adored this episode. Shallow things first:
Worst thing about this episode: too much Merlin looking dorky and comically big-eared; not enough Merlin looking gorgeously angsty or angry or possessed.
Gaius got to hug Merlin again! Is this in Richard Wilson's contract - must cuddle Colin Morgan at least once per episode? Not that you could blame him...
Merlin's scarf/kerchief is disappearing! I think it's been absent more than it's been present this season. I want the scarf back!
I know there are people out there who believe Arthur's just showing himself to be a massive great Merlin-hating dick who's gone backwards in character development since s1, but I'm not seeing that at all. The Arthur I'm seeing has come a long way since season 1. He's quite aware that Daddy is wrong at least half the time, but also considerate of the respect he owes the crown and the pressure of politics ("I couldn't disagree with Father in public"). And he clearly didn't want to actually wipe out the Druids, and showed it in his face. He wanted to go get 'em, yes - remember, he thinks that they've kidnapped Morgana, and nobody ever dissuades him of that notion. But when he's telling his men to remember the King's orders and take no prisoners, the reluctance is painted all over his face and heavy in his voice.
Finally, the Arthur and Merlin relationship. Well. They are BOYS and therefore any affection between them is expressed in blokey, unspoken ways. Added to that is the fact that their relationship has always been characterised by snark and that Arthur is an emotionally crippled human *and* has been taught to be guarded from a very young age, as young royals must be. Of course Arthur won't let his feelings out as freely as Merlin does. So yes, there's lots of throwing water at him and telling him how useless he is; but there's also the formal apology for putting his life in danger, there's the way Arthur pushes Merlin behind him when faced with real danger like the ROUS-thing (forgotten what it's really called), there's the way there is humour and affection in Arthur's raised eyebrow or the tilt of his mouth. They have reached the point where they snark or snap or poke fun but they absolutely care about and trust one another underneath.
And what's more, they are *talking about feelings* now, which they didn't do much in the first season. Arthur tries to console Merlin even as he warns him off Morgana; if he didn't care about him, he'd just tell him to stay the fuck away from her or he'd get the sack. He tries to be nice in a very Arthur way. Merlin tries to get Arthur to talk about his feelings for Gwen. And then they go back into bloke mode. It's kinda endearing. I know many blokes like this; they are intensely fond of one another but they show it by scoffing and mocking and cuffing one another over the head and giving gag gifts, rather than by being all touchy-feely and nice.
And the other thing we need to remember is that Merlin is actually fairly crap at being a servant. Merlin's only real talent, apart from being rather sweet, is magic and Arthur doesn't know about that. Arthur could no doubt find someone who would polish his armour and serve him better and quicker than Merlin does. The only reason he keeps him around is that Merlin isn't a bootlicker.
Just look at the final scene of the latest episode; Merlin's deliberately oblivious "You've still got me", Arthur's nasty mutterings... and then watch them striding across that courtyard side by side, in perfect step, even swinging their arms in unison. Each irritated at the other, each with his secrets, but still in sync. Disharmonious harmony.
No Merlin next week because of car racing! Poo.
I rewatched this episode with
true_statement on Friday and I am now convinced that despite Merlin's It's all in the final scene between the two of them. There is so much clearly being said without words, but with glances and hesitancy and heaving breathless intensity. Morgana has evidently been exercising her brain and thinking about the conversation she and Merlin had in the Druid camp, this one:
MORGANA: These are my people; they're like me. I don't feel so alone here. Do you understand?
MERLIN: Better than anyone.
And when Merlin comes to visit her afterwards, there's this:
MORGANA: What was said at the woods -
MERLIN: You can trust me, Morgana, I won't tell anyone.
Morgana hesitates and then nods a few times, and then flashes a huge smile at him.
MORGANA: Thank you, Merlin. (pause) I know now who I really am, (pause) and it isn't something to be scared of. Maybe one day people will come to see magic as a force for good.
As she says that last line, Morgana has locked gazes with Merlin and raises one eyebrow, just a tiny bit.
Picking apart that piece of dialogue, why does Morgana say "What was said at the woods"? If she's talking about her own secret, that she's magic, shouldn't it be "What I said at the woods"? Nope. Morgana is saying "I know what we were both talking about in the woods, and I know you have magic", and when Merlin interrupts her, she takes that to mean "We'll keep each other's secrets; we must not talk about this".
Also, is Merlin beginning to get a smidgeon of future-telling? When he gets into the woods and lights that totally inexplicable fire, he gets a rush of Lost-style jungle whispers, much of which is jumbled-up dialogue we've previously heard between Aglain, Morgana and Mordred. But it clearly ends on Aglain saying "What would you like to know?", which is a line of dialogue which hasn't happened yet; Merlin hears it later while eavesdropping on Aglain and Morgana.
So what does that mean? OK, Druids don't always need to use their voices to talk to one another, but clearly nobody is talking to Merlin directly. Aglain doesn't even know who he is or that he's there. And the fact that the one clear line they singled out is a line that is yet to come - is Merlin beginning to get tiny bits of the same power Morgana has, to see/sense/dream the future?
Anyway. On to episode 4.
Again, I adored this episode. Shallow things first:
Worst thing about this episode: too much Merlin looking dorky and comically big-eared; not enough Merlin looking gorgeously angsty or angry or possessed.
Gaius got to hug Merlin again! Is this in Richard Wilson's contract - must cuddle Colin Morgan at least once per episode? Not that you could blame him...
Merlin's scarf/kerchief is disappearing! I think it's been absent more than it's been present this season. I want the scarf back!
I know there are people out there who believe Arthur's just showing himself to be a massive great Merlin-hating dick who's gone backwards in character development since s1, but I'm not seeing that at all. The Arthur I'm seeing has come a long way since season 1. He's quite aware that Daddy is wrong at least half the time, but also considerate of the respect he owes the crown and the pressure of politics ("I couldn't disagree with Father in public"). And he clearly didn't want to actually wipe out the Druids, and showed it in his face. He wanted to go get 'em, yes - remember, he thinks that they've kidnapped Morgana, and nobody ever dissuades him of that notion. But when he's telling his men to remember the King's orders and take no prisoners, the reluctance is painted all over his face and heavy in his voice.
Finally, the Arthur and Merlin relationship. Well. They are BOYS and therefore any affection between them is expressed in blokey, unspoken ways. Added to that is the fact that their relationship has always been characterised by snark and that Arthur is an emotionally crippled human *and* has been taught to be guarded from a very young age, as young royals must be. Of course Arthur won't let his feelings out as freely as Merlin does. So yes, there's lots of throwing water at him and telling him how useless he is; but there's also the formal apology for putting his life in danger, there's the way Arthur pushes Merlin behind him when faced with real danger like the ROUS-thing (forgotten what it's really called), there's the way there is humour and affection in Arthur's raised eyebrow or the tilt of his mouth. They have reached the point where they snark or snap or poke fun but they absolutely care about and trust one another underneath.
And what's more, they are *talking about feelings* now, which they didn't do much in the first season. Arthur tries to console Merlin even as he warns him off Morgana; if he didn't care about him, he'd just tell him to stay the fuck away from her or he'd get the sack. He tries to be nice in a very Arthur way. Merlin tries to get Arthur to talk about his feelings for Gwen. And then they go back into bloke mode. It's kinda endearing. I know many blokes like this; they are intensely fond of one another but they show it by scoffing and mocking and cuffing one another over the head and giving gag gifts, rather than by being all touchy-feely and nice.
And the other thing we need to remember is that Merlin is actually fairly crap at being a servant. Merlin's only real talent, apart from being rather sweet, is magic and Arthur doesn't know about that. Arthur could no doubt find someone who would polish his armour and serve him better and quicker than Merlin does. The only reason he keeps him around is that Merlin isn't a bootlicker.
Just look at the final scene of the latest episode; Merlin's deliberately oblivious "You've still got me", Arthur's nasty mutterings... and then watch them striding across that courtyard side by side, in perfect step, even swinging their arms in unison. Each irritated at the other, each with his secrets, but still in sync. Disharmonious harmony.
No Merlin next week because of car racing! Poo.