vanessarama

Bloody hell, this was a fantastic episode. THey really did a good job of making you feel more and more closed in and trapped as Merlin, Arthur and Morgana's options shrink and disappear one by one. The acting was as superb as ever; that poisoning scene, man, it nearly killed me. Merlin's desperate, terrified, agonised attempt at stoicism as he turns away from her, swiping away tears; Morgana's face, utterly terrified and shocked at his betrayal; the way he can't stop himself coming forward to hold her while she dies, and her lack of understanding about why this is happening. Gaahhh.

Merlin and Morgana both have magic; both of them were born with it; both of them have to hide it. Both of them are impulsive, warm-hearted, hasty. They react differently, largely because of their different upbringings and surroundings.

Morgana has evidently been stewing in her own bile for some time. She rails against Uther and the fact that she has to hide who she truly is. I don't think she's thought any further than "things would be so much better if Uther wasn't around", though. I certainly don't think she's thought about how Uther's downfall might be brought about, or what that would mean for Arthur, Gwen, Merlin, Gaius, the rest of the people she's known all her life. Even herself, beyond the magic. Morgana is inherently self-centred; she does have concern for others and care for them, as long as it doesn't infringe on her. She's also too short-sighted to think about the potential consequences of her actions. That shallowness and narrowness of vision is what Morgause exploits. Morgana threw her lot in with Alvarr even though he told her he'd bring down Uther and all who serve him; she surely knows this means all the innocent people in Camelot as well as the people who love her. Telling Morgause that she once wanted to kill Uther was a huge mistake, allowing Morgause to exploit that weakness.

Merlin has had to hide who he is for much longer than Morgause; but Merlin at least has the hope, given to him by the dragon, that things will be different if he is only patient. Merlin's also luckier than Morgana in that he's got a purpose; protect Arthur, and things will be better when Arthur is king. That is what keeps him going. Morgana has no such luxury which is what makes it such a shame that Merlin never confided in her (although frankly, I wouldn't have confided in her either). The other major difference is that Merlin thinks about the consequences of his actions, or at least is learning to do so, such as when he stopped Arthur killing Uther because he knew it would destroy Arthur, even though Merlin himself would be better off with Uther's death.

The really terrible thing is that both of them are exploited by others, neither of them trusts one another and as a result they betray one another. Morgana has no idea that Morgause is using her to destroy Camelot; she is terrified at the robo-knights and the sleeping sickness. It doesn't seem to cross her mind that this is what she signed up for when she threw her lot in with the anti-Uther brigade. She doesn't trust Merlin enough to confess what happened with Morgause in the woods, even when it clearly gets to the point where Arthur and Merlin (if not all three of them) are going to perish.

I am expecting some Merlin hate to spring up in the fandom after this episode, but Merlin has no idea whether Morgana is being used or whether she is consciously complicit. He doesn't trust her enough to ask her directly about his growing suspicions. Without Gaius the only guidance he has is from the dragon, who is (I believe) an unreliable and untrustworthy source. Merlin delays action for so long that his options shrink to two; kill a friend he cares about but believes has betrayed and doomed them all, or let another friend (and potentially everyone in Camelot) die. He acts the way he's been told to, and the only way he sees open to him, and it nearly destroys him.

And Arthur; bravest Arthur ever, desperate to the point of insanity to save his father, trusting Merlin more absolutely than before. Although I have to say, how many times did Merlin do magic right next to Arthur in that episode? If Arthur doesn't know he surely must suspect now. Surely.

And at the end, Uther is lamenting his failure to guard the woman who claims to want him dead. Oblivious Uther is oblivious.

Also, as

true_statement pointed out, sleeping Uther = comedy gold. I reckon Tony Head had a ball doing this ep.

All round one of the better ones they've done this season, although I think again the acting and production values outclass the writing. Nothing new there though.