Merlin 4x09 review

[ishtar79]

God, this episode. I don't even know how to talk about it, it's left me with so many conflicting feelings.

-First, to get this out: Angel was AMAZING through the whole episode, and the banishment/break-up scene in particular. So was Bradley, for that matter, but he gets a chance to do heavy dramatic stuff a lot more often. The whole sadness of the episode aside, I really do hope this sparks off a few A/G fics that explore all the conflict that resulted from its events.

-On a shallow note, I found both compelled!Gwen putting the moves on Lancelot and Arthur and Gwen's break-up scene (God, the emotional!porn) incredibly hot.

-I don't know how to feel about magic as a plot device to lead to the Arthur/Gwen/Lancelot love triangle. It is a bit of a copout, though on the other hand, I don't want to imagine all the fannish vitriol Gwen actually considering Lancelot out of her own free will would generated. I'm avoiding certain Merlin coms right now, because I'm sure there is plenty of gloating about Gwen being gone happening, and I can't deal with that crap.

-However I might feel about their decision to use magic to move this particular plot alone, the fact remains that pre-enchantment, Gwen made her choice abundantly clear. She was civil but distant with Lancelot, and while she still clearly appreciated him, her feelings for him had plainly changed. So imagine my frustration that not only did Arthur and everybody else buy into the ruse Morganna created, Gwen bought into it too, and now doesn't even trust her own feelings. In terms of storytelling, it's certainly interesting and not the expected route, but it still makes me want to stab things.

-I...feel like I should be madder at Arthur than I currently am. Don't get me wrong, I am not at all on board with him banishing Gwen ( “under pain of death”), but it certainly fits with how much harder he's been getting since becoming King, and I did fill what was driving his action was a genuine feeling of betrayal and devastation rather than male/royal pride. The way both he and Gwen sold the hell out of that scene really helped me deal more with that particular development-and I did love elements like him kicking everybody out before getting into it with her, telling her not to kneel before him and his apology after his outburst.

-Oddly enough, I'm currently a lot more pissed off at Merlin, because I spent the whole episode with the mantra “all this could have been avoided if Gwen knew about magic” playing over and over in my head. It's not that Merlin did anything objectionable this time: he even offered to tell Arthur about Lancelot being a shade, which is kind of huge for him (telling Arthur the truth about anything voluntarily?), but a simple exchange of information about shades and bracelets could have spared everybody a lot of pain. And I know that “keeping the magic secret” is part of the show's premise, but over the last couple of seasons, Merlin's secret keeping is coming off as more and more selfish, and ultimately hurting all those around him.

-I thought that everything involving Lancelot's ressurection/his interaction with Morganna I ship Morganna/zombie!Lancelot was really well-done. For a show with special effects that frequently fall into the “camp” category, they occasionally pull off big-time epic. And I like that Morganna is occasionally allowed layers this season. While she seems to have completely forgotten the bond she had with Arthur, Gwen and Merlin, it was nice to see her express ambivalence and even sympathy where Lancelot was concerned.

-There was something at the same time sad, creepy and disturbingly hot about shade!Lancelot. I did appreciate the fact we got a glimpse of real!Lancelot before his second (and probably final) death.

-Merlin dropping the plates when he heard Arthur's news, spying on the engagement and good-naturally teasing Arthur about his engagement present were rather cute. I probably would have enjoyed those moments a lot more in an episode that didn't emotionally kick me in the stomach (seriously, Merlin was supposed to be my feel-good show!)

-Seriously, where the hell was Elyan in this? All we got was that significant look he and Gwen exchanged, and he wasn't even there to say goodbye. Major sibling loyalty!fail. Next week had better address the effect this development had on him.

-Christ, they couldn't even give poor Gwen a HORSE? The sight of her dragging that heavy cart was both sad and kind of hilarious in a “WTF?” way. And Merlin just giving her the mournful looks instead of, I don't know, a helping hand? Or actually speaking to her? FAIL, MERLIN! Actually, FAIL, everybody who wasn't Gwen!

-I really hope Gwen headed off straight to Ealdor, and is now catching up Hunith on news on everybody, because you just know Merlin is not bothering keeping his mum up-to-date (beyond the occasional “Am good, eating enough, love you mum, bye!). Though this would lead to some long, awkward conversations (“So, how is that nice Morganna girl who was here last time?”)

Comments

[kabal42]

I have a lot of conflicted feelings too! Mostly along the line of why the hell Merlin hasn't just showed Arthur where Morgana and Agravaine meet ages ago so all of this had been avoided! *sigh* Your idea of at least telling Gwen about magic makes sense too. *sighs again*

I'm kind of annoyed that Gwen didn't get to have her own feelings here. Ok, really annoyed. Why can't she have conflicted feelings? I mean, she clearly was reluctant to move out of her home, she knows it will he hellishly tough to be Arthur's queen, that worry alone could have let to an incriminating scene with Lancelot. I'd have liked that better.
It's also way too clean that they can bring her back and have happily ever after marriage quite easily - with no Lancelot there to mess it up. Humpf.

I agree that Arthur was acting out a sense of betrayal and genuine hurt rather than pride. I tend to watch a lot through his eyes, so this one hurt to watch.

Your thought of where Gwen is is actually heartening.

[ishtar79]

I have a lot of conflicted feelings too! Mostly along the line of why the hell Merlin hasn't just showed Arthur where Morgana and Agravaine meet ages ago so all of this had been avoided! *sigh* Your idea of at least telling Gwen about magic makes sense too. *sighs again*

I think they tried to justify not telling Arthur with the whole "he won't take the word of servants over that of his uncle" excuse, but there are plenty of holes in that logic.

And yeah, poor Gwen didn't get to have any agency. I'm annoyed too-it's probably due to the whole "family show" thing, where nobody is allowed to have messy human emotions and still be considered a good person.

I did feel for Arthur a lot, even as I felt even more for Gwen.

My theory of where Gwen is will remain my head!canon until it gets jossed!

[kabal42]

I agree with what they were trying to do with the justification, I just don't buy it. As you say, plenty of holes in it.

Seriously, that's just stupid! Kids are WAY smarter than that - and if they're not, then they make their own sense of it. Children always have. That's why fairy tales used to be for all ages - there are layers there for everyone. Same with this. So boo on that.

Yeah, poor Gwen who doesn't even know what happened or how she could suddenly feel for Lancelot again. :-( It's so sad!

I love that head!canon so much I think I'll adopt it :-)

[mordyn4]

I couldn't watch it. But I'm reading everyone's posts. Sort of, through my fingers.

[ishtar79.livejournal.com]

I was spoiled before watching it too, which is just as well, given how much of a gut punch it was.

[thisgirl-is.livejournal.com]

I sympathise. I stopped watching and didn't go back for a week and a half. And even then I had to keep stopping it and go do something else for a bit before watching a little more!

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

I actually really enjoyed this. I agree that having it all being magically manipulated seems very convenient... but it was a take on the Camelot love triangle that I didn't see coming (and I had thought was impossible w/Lancelot dead and all)... so I'm always impressed by plot twists I didn't expect.

And I totally agree about Elyan! That entire scene, w/Gwen leaving, seemed so off without her brother even showing up to say good bye.

I really can't be mad at Arthur, he handled his pain pretty well. It is hard to be as forgiving as he was when you consider the betrayal.... But there is plenty of room for forgiveness (will someone find that bracelet??).

[thisgirl-is.livejournal.com]

I got part way through this and stopped watching. It took about a week and a half to go back to it and make myself watch the rest. I have an actualfax embarrassment squick, and knowing that Gwen was being set up to be caught in flagrante delicto was excruciating.

Yeah, Angel was really good in this. Sexy!Gwen was, indeed, sexy. It's a shame she doesn't have anything like that kind of chemistry with Arthur. (I'm not sure whether it's just that my slash goggles are super-glued on, but I just don't really see A/G.)

Well of course Gwen doesn't know how she really feels. She's just a serving girl, after all. It's notoriously easy to turn the head of a girl like that.

I'm not thrilled about the whole banishment thing, but given that he was being presented with execution as the best response, I can see where he's coming from. And the bit where Merlin's all "You can still change your mind" and he just says he can't trust her and he can't be her husband if he can't trust her kinda cracked my heart a little. I also loved the way he talked about being a husband in the same way you hear old-fashioned people talking about being a wife, like it's a life-role rather than just a corollary of marrying someone. Deep down, he's basically a complete romantic.

You know, in fairness, I don't think Morgana's at all forgotten her bond with Arthur, Merlin, and Gwen. I think she's angrier at them than anyone else precisely because of it. Let's face it, if anyone deserves her unending wrath (apart from Uther, who's in a league of his own), it's Gaius, who decided it was better to dope her up to the eyeballs and let her believe she was losing her mind than let her know the truth. But she's angrier at the others. I actually think that's deliberate.

Also, Morgana/zombie!Lancelot FTW. I am also trying to ignore the "What happened off screen while she was training him up" PWP plot bunny. And hoping it doesn't breed with the "Gwaine is still coming to terms woth not being allowed to touch Arthur's things Merlin anymore" one from 4.06. I can't even imagine the babies.

I lolled over the fact that probably no one will notice the magical floor painting in Gaius' rooms. It would be hilarious if someone random walked over it at some point and turned out to be a shade. Just "Whoops, random skeleton!person!"

I think those sweet and funny moments were absolutely critical, or the whole episode would have actually drowned in its own pathos.

I know he didn't say anything, but I got a fairly major 'fuck off' vibe from her. Whether it was a 'If you go for a tearful goodbye, I'm gonna cry, and you're gonna cry, and everybody's gonna cry' thing, or an 'I'm banihed and you can all fuck off with yourselves' thing wasn't clear, but she definitely wasn't looking for sympathy and hugs. Although a horse should not have been outside the realm of possibility.

Had this fic sitting in a tab until I'd finished watching the ep. It's really lovely. And I am done with my graceless heart (http://archiveofourown.org/works/284738).

*scrolls up* *scrolls down* Apparently I have a lot of feelings about this ep, and I need to blurt them all over your journal. Sorry?

Hmm. I have no Gwen icons. I will have to do something about that at some point.

[ishtar79.livejournal.com]

LOL, there's no need to apologise for long comments, really! I love reading your thoughts on the episode.

I definitely had a hard time watching the episode too-knowing what was coming was very uncomfortable.

Personally I like the Arthur/Gwen chemistry, but YMMV, obviously.

I can understand why Arthur did what he did, and even sympathise to an extent (and yes, he's a total romantic), but my heart still broke for Gwen.

I lolled over the fact that probably no one will notice the magical floor painting in Gaius' rooms. It would be hilarious if someone random walked over it at some point and turned out to be a shade. Just "Whoops, random skeleton!person!"

Camelot denizens are no the most observant. Merlin's not even trying to be subtle about doing magic anymore, and everybody is still all "LOL, that silly Merlin!"


See, I totally agree that Morganna has every reason to be mad at Gaius (and Merlin), but I find her burning loathing of Arthur and Gwen...perplexing. And yeah, her interaction with Lancelot had all kinds of shade of dirtybadwrongness to it.


I know he didn't say anything, but I got a fairly major 'fuck off' vibe from her. Whether it was a 'If you go for a tearful goodbye, I'm gonna cry, and you're gonna cry, and everybody's gonna cry' thing, or an 'I'm banihed and you can all fuck off with yourselves' thing wasn't clear, but she definitely wasn't looking for sympathy and hugs. Although a horse should not have been outside the realm of possibility.

I really need to rewatch that scene, but you're right, I don't remember her having the friendliest expression.

[thisgirl-is.livejournal.com]

"my heart still broke for Gwen." Oh, totally. Angel rocked that scene. And how awful, to know you've hurt someone like that, and you can't even explain why you did what you did.

"I find her burning loathing of Arthur and Gwen...perplexing." You mean the dear friends who muddled on perfectly well without her in a world that she couldn't live in? Who are happy, and getting on with their lives, and don't appear to give a shit that she's gone? Plus the fact that, although she loved Arthur, she couldn't trust him not to hurt her if he found out her secret. That's a pretty good reason to resent someone. Don't get me wrong, they've written her completely off the deep end, but I can see what they're getting at. It's sort of... an Emotional logic, rather than an Intellectual logic, if you get me.

I'm pretty sure that Merlin would have been hugs and tears all over if she'd indicated that she wanted that, but I think he's learnt some things from all that time round Arthur.

[ishtar79.livejournal.com]

You mean the dear friends who muddled on perfectly well without her in a world that she couldn't live in? Who are happy, and getting on with their lives, and don't appear to give a shit that she's gone? Plus the fact that, although she loved Arthur, she couldn't trust him not to hurt her if he found out her secret. That's a pretty good reason to resent someone. Don't get me wrong, they've written her completely off the deep end, but I can see what they're getting at. It's sort of... an Emotional logic, rather than an Intellectual logic, if you get me.


Ok, yes, put like that it makes a lot more sense. I just hate that we have to fanwank so many of Morganna's motivations. Her story had so much potential if it was done well, but her arc has been so erratic and generally poorly handled. It annoys me even more since I've read plenty of post-S1 fic that handled Morganna's turn to the Dark Side in such a coherent and satisfying way, so it's not like it can't be done.