Merlin 4.10 thoughts.

[marguerite_26]

Busy weekend was busy.

Also I am sick. Boo.

But I have thoughts on Merlin 4.10


I went in with low expectations, expecting a filler ep that I hoped wouldn't be terribly annoying and might have a few tidbits that would please me.

In the end I sorta… loved it. Idek… it made me go.. heh… I want to watch that again RIGHT NOW. Which Merlin rarely does for me. But yeah – I want to watch it a second time (haven't had a chance yet) just to catch all the subtleties of Arthur's secret being revealed. Like the fact that he knew what that place was right from the first scene.

He believed (didn't WANT to believe but did anyway) Merlin when Merlin said the place had been disturbed.

The fact the Arthur's guilt over Gwen was complicating everything because Elyan attacking him played on BOTH things he was guilty of (the slaughter of the druids and the exile of Gwen).

The fact that Arthur pretended to listen to Uncle Aggy and then lol… turn to Merlin and Gaius and said: tell me what to do. AWESOME.

Arthur was not blind. He saw the truth of it all and no one needed to direct him in his thinking or tell him how to handle the situation. As we saw in His Father's Son, Arthur will listen to advice, but will sometimes use none of it, but come up with a complete fresh and original path which no one considered because they don't know his mind.

YAY! For clever characterization!

Also - Arthur kneeling and crying and showing all his guilt (which he's clearly felt for years, and which also plays to his willingness to free Mordred) was just… wow. One of my favourite moments of the show so far.

And as much as I rarely cry during Merlin… I was all ;_; ARTHUR!!!! You are so messed up and complicated and have all this STUFF going on inside. You make me want to write all the fics.

Merlin and the knights defending Elyan (at various points) was also fabulous. As was Elyan's acting throughout. Very nicely done. Though I wish they had kept Elyan voice. >.>

I would have loved to hear it whisper "I forgive you" into Arthur's ear. *fans self*

Oh! And the gag with "Why does he have stew in his hair" "because he was reading" was HILARIOUS. Idek… just the line delivery had me giggling so hard, Mr. M had to pause the show or we'd miss the entire scene. : )

So lots and lots of stuff I liked about the ep, very little I didn't and basically ARTHUR YOU OWN ME.



In other news… merlin_holidays starts in about 13 and a half hours… \o/

Comments

[hermette.livejournal.com]

feel better, sweet girl. ♥

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

<3

tomorrow. maybe. gonna take some meds and head to bed with three fics from merlin hols tonight... it's only fair. right?

/feels no guilt for reading all the things early

[kerryblaze.livejournal.com]

Arthur will listen to advice, but will sometimes use none of it, but come up with a complete fresh and original path which no one considered because they don't know his mind.

SO TRUE!!

I hope you feel better quickly!

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

ty! <3

and yeah! I love that while Merlin will be a great adviser, ARthur's proving he's got a brain under that pretty head of hair.

[corilannam.livejournal.com]

Yes, I love so much the way Arthur is developing independent thought. He's not dependent anymore on anyone telling him what to think (not even Merlin), but he's learning what counsel to seek based on his own thought and instincts. I <3 this king.

And I loved him kneeling and crying. He was like a shaking tea kettle. All that emotion he's been repressing his whole life was just trying to boil over because he's so raw right now.

Can't wait for merlin_hols to start! And I hope you feel much better soon!

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

He's not dependent anymore on anyone telling him what to think (not even Merlin)
yes! this is so important! and shaking and crying. Man.. that ep. ;_;

[clawdine]

I just loved Arthur in this episode! And I cried buckets too!

This ep made me want to stab Uncle Aggy BAD though...

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

Uncle Aggy doesn't have much longer to last, i'm sure of that. (lol - 3 eps at most!)

so BRING IT ON.

[angelqueen04.livejournal.com]

OMG THIS! SO MUCH THIS!

Like the fact that he knew what that place was right from the first scene.

That totally didn't sink in until now, but you're right! Arthur knew what it was, and believed Merlin on how the place had been disturbed. It's so weird, Arthur actually knowing everything that's going on, when we're so used to everyone keeping him in the dark about half of everything that's going on.

I cannot believe how awesome this is. DO YOU SEE MERLIN, GAIUS?! DO YOU SEE HOW AWESOME YOUR KING IS WHEN HE IS IN FULL POSSESSION OF WHAT IS GOING ONG?! WE NEED MORE OF THIS!! *flails*

The fact the Arthur's guilt over Gwen was complicating everything because Elyan attacking him played on BOTH things he was guilty of (the slaughter of the druids and the exile of Gwen).

It kind of makes me wonder if there was something of Elyan in those attacks, that the spirit used some of Elyan's own guilt over not leaving with Gwen and used it to fuel the emotion needed to lash out at Arthur. The spirit might have been in control, but maybe it's possible that some of Elyan's own emotions were a part of this as well.

You make me want to write all the fics.

*bg* Heh, you won't hear me complain! I love your fics. ;D

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

Arthur knew what it was, and believed Merlin on how the place had been disturbed. It's so weird, Arthur actually knowing everything that's going on, when we're so used to everyone keeping him in the dark about half of everything that's going on.
YES! YES!!! That is what made this entire episode different.

ARTHUR held the key piece of information. YAY!!! I so need to watch it again.

[ourspacesongs.livejournal.com]

I love love loved Arthur in this episode, for basically all the reasons you said. I kinda want to go watch it again now too, and watch Arthur's reactions to everything throughout the whole ep.

SO EXCITED FOR merlin_holidays!

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

Yes, a re-watch would bring so much more to this ep! YAY!

[anna-unfolding.livejournal.com]

Great points about Arthur's complex leadership style. I loved how this episode rolled out into a couple different mysteries, too. I was like you; I almost skipped it, even, or... idk, delayed watching it. I didn't care for a ghost story episode. But it was full of awesome things, like Colin crying into the well UGH UGH UGH

I thought it was great how Colin got the line of "I thought you'd changed, that things would be different," when it's one of my biggest pet peeves of this show that they go through all sorts of bonding things and yet their relationship always reverts back to square one. I mean, that's not fair; we've seen more evolution later in the show, but still.

The fact that Arthur isn't letting him in as much as he even used to is deliberate and sad, and I am looking forward to seeing how it takes a toll on Merlin, who is so desperate for intimacy. It feels like this whole thing of going back to square one, relationship-wise, is now intentional on the writers' part, rather than simply crappy writing. And so now I am kind of excited about where they're going with the friendship, esp since they've allowed so much more bromancey/slashy subtext into the show this season.

I basically loved this episode, too, lol.

Plus, it is canon that the knights can hear each other call out in their bedrooms. [nods] we now have proof of it (from the Gawaine Elyan scene). :)

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

The fact that Arthur isn't letting him in as much as he even used to is deliberate and sad,

yes, but it's also a maturing of their relationship... they need to drift apart a bit to come back even closer. er... i hope anyway! :)

Plus, it is canon that the knights can hear each other call out in their bedrooms. [nods] we now have proof of it (from the Gawaine Elyan scene).

yes! very important information.

[hpremshslash.livejournal.com]

Aww get better soon!

Yes yes yes to all of this! Especially will sometimes use none of it, but come up with a complete fresh and original path which no one considered because they don't know his mind

Colin and Bradley are amazing actors. I love them so much.

I had to pause that part too! I started cracking up. Could not stop.

Also off topic, but does Mr. M ship anyone?

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

hee! when this show does comedy well, it does it really well. ;)

Mr. M ships Gwaine/taverns

:D

[mabonwitch.livejournal.com]

Arthur was just impressive this ep. But...we've had two eps in a row now, where Merlin is a rather critical half-step behind the plot. I keep wondering if that's going anywhere...

I loved Merlin insisting on telling Arthur because there had been too many secrets. And also that scene where Arthur turns around after Agravaine has left to talk to Merlin and Gaius!

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

.we've had two eps in a row now, where Merlin is a rather critical half-step behind the plot.

oh!!! what an excellent point!

possibly foreshadowing...

I loved Merlin insisting on telling Arthur because there had been too many secrets. And also that scene where Arthur turns around after Agravaine has left to talk to Merlin and Gaius!

YES YES!!! TO BOTH OF THOSE!

[kathyh]

come up with a complete fresh and original path which no one considered because they don't know his mind.

Yes, this, exactly. He did it at the end of Season 3 with the Round Table and he's done it several times this season. This is the king he needs to be, someone not dominated by his advisers, however well-intentioned, but able to pursue his own path. I'm so glad we're getting to see this now.

I really liked the episode too :)

Hope you feel better soon.

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

Thank you! (not really better but getting there)

This is the king he needs to be, someone not dominated by his advisers, however well-intentioned, but able to pursue his own path. I'm so glad we're getting to see this now.
yes, exactly.

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

Yeah, pretty much this. I loved it when I first saw it and kept thinking, oh, I like this, oh great switch, oh Bradley you are so gorgeous and talented and amazing.

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

yes.. all of that... great way to turn the tables on the Arthur knows nothing trope. :)