We do routines and chorus scenes with footwork impeccable!

[vanessarama]

So. I liked it. I wish I had more "balanced" Merlin people to talk with; most fans and communities are either OMG SQUEE or OMG GRAR and I want people who aren't at either extreme but just happy to talk things over! Thank goodness for you, friendslist <3 I've blocked myself from the mean meme because I know it'll be full of OMG GRAR and I wish to avoid such things.

Myths and Stuff
I knew Excalibur made an appearance, but didn't know Merlin would be the one to wield it. I was actually waiting for the scene where Arthur was given the sword. Obviously yet to come! I didn't expect to see it in the stone; that was lovely and unexpected.

The round table here, I guess, isn't the Round Table; it's the preliminary Round Table. The inspiration for the Round Table :)

I didn't believe we'd get a magic reveal, although I know some people were hoping for it, so I was not disappointed there. I think that may be the climax of next season.

The scene with Freya was sweet but I was a little disappointed, mainly because of the *distance* between them; I was kind of hoping they'd actually get to be a bit more face-to-face. But that just makes it more poignant. Loved the tears in Merlin's eyes (and that they did not actually fall; it was the more poignant for that)

Morgana and Morgause
Morgana doesn't trust Gwen from the very beginning, of course. A betrayer sees betrayal everywhere.

Interesting that Morgana says to Gwen, "I forgot you too had suffered." She really has forgotten, and she puts it aside pretty much immediately, although Gwen's suffering at Uther's hands (losing a loved parent) infinitely outweighs Morgana's (having to hide her true nature). It's a characteristic Morgana shares with, and probably inherited from, Uther; their pain must be acknowledged and shared by all, and the pain of others doesn't matter. Uther lost his wife through magic and now makes all magic suffer; Morgana feels rejected by the non-magical world and so makes all the non-magical suffer. They're so alike.

Morgause was obviously the (literal) power behind Morgana's throne, and it has been left deliberately ambiguous whether she's dead or not. Either way it's been enough to unleash more of Morgana's magic. There was a very deliberate similarity between that scene and the one in 2.11 where Morgause cradles the dying Morgana. I think Morgause makes a much better (in story terms) opponent than Morgana alone would. Morgause is subtle and uses others, Morgana would barge right in if not restrained.

The killing of the peasants was unexpected; that is, while I've always thought Morgause thinks of non-magical people as like ants beneath her feet, and Morgana has come to hate them under her influence, I didn't expect them to be killed quite that way. Bang goes any lingering idea that Morgana still bears the care and nobility she did in season 1; there is simply no excuse for that slaughter. Even Uther, although he executed the innocent, would not have gone so far as to just mow down bystanders like that.

Uther
Is this the thing that will utterly push Uther over the edge in one way or another? I can see several ways it could go from here; we could get a small, broken Uther recognising his own complicity in Morgana's chosen path and grieving over the loss of a daugher he loved (arguably) more than anyone else in the world. We could get a triply fearsome Uther determined to wreak an even greater revenge on the magical community. We could get an Uther losing his mind completely with hallucinations and the whole shebang. I hope it's the first or third option, not the second. If it is the first option, I have the feeling Arthur will need to take control as prince regent at least. Uther seems pretty broken right now.

I loved the way Uther looked at Arthur when he came to rescue him, and Arthur's tenderness when he lifted Uther to his feet after the army was defeated.

Gwen and Gaius
Nice to see Gwen at the forge making the key, although I was a bit pissed off that otherwise she has to stay back at the castle and roll bandages.

I wasn't expecting Gaius to come in and save the day like that. With magic, no less. In fact, it was set up very much as if Gaius might die (Rohan thought he would, but I was spoiled).

The Knights
Awww, Lancelot has a boyfriend who's willing to put his life on the line for this kingdom he's only just walked into! And Arthur's going to knight him even though he's never seen him fight and knows nothing about him! How sweet. (This is me saying that I think Percival was a bit unnecessary :))

The little tete-a-tete by the fire with Merlin and Lancelot was very fanfic-like :D Also, Lancelot really really looked as if he really REALLY wanted Excalibur.

Gwaine always looks so surly. I love it :D

Arthur and Merlin
I like Merlin with a sword :D

Arthur, unlike his father and Morgana, turns his Pendragon angst inwards instead of towards others. And Merlin is the only person who's able to pull him out of it. It's flipped around the situation from last season's finale where Arthur missed the chatter and was needling Merlin into responding; Merlin gives Arthur the same back now - "It's rat!"

Nobody else in that cave had dared to try and snap Arthur out of it. I can easily see a time coming where Merlin is the only person whose guidance Arthur will trust, because he knows Merlin will tell him what he really thinks.

The scene on the steps, too. They speak the same language. They're going to end up like an old married couple with all these obscure in-jokes and codewords that nobody understands but themselves.

In conclusion: Show, I still love you :)

Comments

[msilverstar]

I like reading your reactions! I mostly watch so I can understand the squee and read the fic, so your points are always interesting. I liked the bromances and Gwen in trousers and Freya and Merlin using the sword.

All the rhetoric of equality was interesting, in such a British production. I think of that was very American, but obviously not. Especially intriguing since no one seems to challenge the hereditary right of kingship...

[vanessarama]

Yes, I liked that Merlin pointed out exactly how far Arthur's belief in equality goes, in that scene on the steps :) Rohan and I were making jokes about it all through - "I'm still King, though!"

I find the whole concept of national character/national characteristics infinitely fascinating (and relevant, because I am *always* being asked to compare America and Australia and their respective levels of generosity in radio interviews and so forth). I think the class system is still a part of the background level of culture in the UK, and it's really hard for those of us who didn't grow up there to see those invisible chains. My grandmother, who was "in service" as a maid in London until she got married, thought I was being educated "above my station", for example - I can't imagine someone growing up with parents born in the US being told that.

I get frustrated sometimes by the discussions where people blame Merlin for not telling Morgana about his magic, and talk about his male privilege, without understanding that in the world of Camelot Morgana herself has a massive amount of *class* privilege - to the point where she could very probably have Merlin killed or at least banished if she really wanted to. It's different but no less powerful.

I love that icon, btw :)

[msilverstar]

I don't really believe in national character (there are too damn many of all of us in every country down to Costa Rica-size), but I'm fascinated by what people believe about themselves, including how that's expressed in TV shows.