UNCUT MERLIN 5x12 REACTION
Added 2021-07-02 22:42:51 +0000 UTC
Comments
I don't want it to end either... A lot happens in this episode and it is a very good set up for the last one. I would have adored an episode focusing on Arthur, Merlin and the knights just travelling together, on a hunting trip, telling stories around a firecamp, playing drinking games (because you just know Gwaine would definitely know plenty!). Going to the tavern together to relax after a hard battle. Oh man, what an episode that would have been, we were robbed.... At least we get that tavern scene at the beginning (or as I like to think Arthur taking Merlin on a date with Percival as chaperone XD) and it is everything we needed and more. Although, how drunk can Arthur be for not noticing Merlin's eyes turning gold while it's clear he's staring as said eyes during the entire scene ? XD Still, it makes for a great scene, with Merlin teasing his King and quite honnestly, Arthur seems to love every minute of it ;) Merlin being drunk is so adorable XD He's just so precious. So of course, after such a chill and fun scene, things could not only go downhill from there.... Also, I love how you pointed out that Merlin was actually at the tavern in this episode. And well, the only other times we saw Merlin in a tavern was with Arthur (2x13, when they're looking for Balinore), 3x05 (when they're getting a drink after a hunting trip and met Gwaine). The only time Merlin was at a tavern without Arthur was when he was looking for Gwaine in every tavern in the land in 3x08. The intro of the episode is quite dark. Morgana is so cruel to that man and I agree, Mordred feels really out of character when he's not trying to stop Morgana. His entire developpement in the episode conforts the fact that his entire arc was rushed during the season. It feels like we get a completely different character from the kind and loyal man we had the rest of the season. I get that he's grieving and seeking revenge but for him to do a complete 180 just doesn't make sense if we look at the rest of the season. Still, his scene with Morgana when they attack Stawell is really badass. And when Morgana gives him the sword, it's quite a satisfying moment too. I both love/hate that Morgana actually knows that a sword forged in a dragon's breath can kill anything. Because, that is one very powerful weapon, and it's really worrisome for our heroes that she has such a weapon... And I will repeat myself, but I hate the way they treated Aithusa... She was supposed to represent the hope for Arthur and Merlin uniting the lands into Albion. Now she's forged the most dangerous weapon against them.... If only, Merlin and Kilgharrah had taken care of her after she hatched..... When Merlin realised he can't use his magic anymore, it's really sad and we can see him feel vulnerable right after understanding what happened to him. It takes us back to the very first episode, when he told Gaius "If I can't use magic, I might as well die." (yep, he was very dramatic from the very start). This episode really shows how much he relies on his magic in his life, and to have it taken away was such a brillant move on Morgana's part. The scene that really translates how scared Merlin is, is when he gets attacked by the bandit and he pleads Gwaine to help him.... Our boy looks so helpless in that moment, it breaks my heart.... But of course, the worst thing for Merlin is that he has to abandon Arthur in his greatest moment of need.... If we think back to all their time together, Merlin has never left Arthur's side when he needed him there. And Arthur doesn't understand why Merlin is doing this now. Because Merlin knows how important this battle is, the most important in Arthur's life, and he doesn't get that Merlin won't be there. The moment he says "what do you mean my journey?" For Arthur, it wasn't even a question, Merlin would be there and this entire scene just shows how much Arthur relies on Merlin. I both love and hate that scene because we get Arthur actually saying how much he values Merlin, how he never thought of him as a coward, but the bravest man he's ever known. For the first time, he's actually serious when he says those words and there's no joke following (like so many times before). So it truly hurts when he says "I guess I was wrong." Merlin's face just shows how much he's struggling and how he hates that he has to abandon Arthur because he has never told him the truth and so Arthur couldn't understand the reason why Merlin has to leave him.... It's a very well done scene, the acting is just really heartbreaking and it never fails to make me cry.... And to make it even sadder, they added the sad love theme in the background (yep that's the Arthur/Gwen theme playing) and just.... so heartbreaking.... The scene with Gwaine at the entrance of the cave is also really hard to watch. I so wish Merlin had told Gwaine in that moment. I still believe that Gwaine figured it out by himself and was possibly waiting for Merlin to tell him. The scene in itself is really sad, it fells like a goodbye between two friends because they both know of the great battle and there's this possibility this is the last time they'll see each other.... So sad.... The scene in the cave bewteen Merlin and Morgana is one of my favorite scenes of them in the entire show. I love that it's so simple, no huge confrontation with a big duel of magic. The acting of both Katie and Colin are what make the scene so good. I only wish, it had been a little longer, with Morgana demanding answers as to why Merlin had never told her at the start, why he betrayed her and poisoned her. There is so much left unsaid, and it's quite frustrating they they didn't hash it all out. But it's still a brillant scene up to the point that Morgana doesn't kill Merlin when he's at its most vulnerable. Like you said, it would have been the logical thing to do. But nope, Morgana tapped him in the place when magic was born... Quite a stupid move on her part... Balinore being back in the episode was quite the emotional punch. Merlin seeking guidance in his most vulnerable state, and then his father shows up. A father that has been absent his entire life but who also gave him so much in the little time they had together in season 2. It's quite fitting that it's him showing up to guide Merlin. I also love how in a way this parallels with the season 4 finale, when Balinore tells Merlin he only has to belive in himself, that's exactly what Merlin told Arthur while he was pulling the sword from the stone. The scene with Balinore also confirmed two theories that the fandom had about Merlin's magic and that is that he was magic itself. It's just that throughout the show and from the very beginning, we get the sense that Merlin's magic is different, he's special. Gaius tells him so quite a few times, and there's the fact that the druid call him Emrys and that he's the greatest sorcere to walk the earth. There a second theory that kinda gets confirmed but I won't talk about it just yet since it's spoilery, but I wonder if you picked up on it. The fact that Merlin's first spell was to create a buttlerfly is just one of the many reasons he's my absoulte favorite character! He's just too precious for this world. And as simple a spell it is, it's also quite powerful because he's just created a life out of nothing. And the symbolism behing the buttlerfly is also quite good, because in a way Merlin was in a chrysalis and he has now broken free to be his true self, just like Balinore tells him that's what will happen when he walks in the heart of the cave. I also love that the second thing he does with his his magic is to reach out to Arthur, because we know that Merlin uses his magic mainly for Arthur. There are so many flashbacks in the chrystals, it's actully brillant and not at all random. Since I love editing fanvideos for this show, I actually looked at that particular scene frame by frame and well, there's so much foreshadowing in it, it's nearly telling us how it will all end. Of course, I won't wrtie it in this comment because of spoilers, but I just wanted to point out how absolutely brillant the editing in that scene is. Merlin's connection to Arthur is so strong that Arthur hears him in his sleep. I love how Arthur doesn't even question it. It's Merlin so he immediately trusts him and we can feel that he needed this before the battle, he needed to know that even though Merlin wasn't physically there with him, he still felt his support and that's what urged him on to battle. I kinda feel bad for Gwen, having her husband say Merlin's name as he woke up and then just leaving her behind without another word.... Speaking of Gwen, I love how she calls Gaius on the fact that she doesn't believe him about Merlin looking for herbs. She just knows that Merlin would have never abandoned Arthur for no good reason. Gwen is so observant and out of all the main cast, she's definitely the one that could actually figure out the truth about Merlin. Arthur's speech before the battle gives me chills and it's so emotional as well because we know this is the last batlle, the big finale is coming and we get these epic moments building up to it all. I also love how Merlin is watching him through the crystals until the end of the speech. Arthur probably feels him watching too. I also love how at the start of the scene we get the "Le morte d'Arthur" theme from season 1, the same theme that played after Arthur was bitten by the questing beast and we see Uther carrying his body in the courtyard. And then the music swells and becomes more hopeful as Arthur mentions their goal of uniting the lands and winning this batlle. Again, I'll repeat myself on this, but the music on the show is just so perfect and every theme is perfectly chosen to fit the atmosphere of the scenes. Then the battle starts with Arthur leading his men, Morgana overseeing it all, Mordred fighting as well and Merlin breaking out of the cave and on his way to Camlan. Man, so much going on and just one episode left.... I'm really not ready for that last reaction, it's been so great watching you react every week and I'm truly going to miss it. Until next week for the very last episode of Merlin.
Cynthia Jehl
2021-07-03 09:20:52 +0000 UTCAww going to be so sad when this is over, only 1 more episode! :'(
Megan Linart
2021-07-03 01:54:02 +0000 UTC
