#arthur cannot kill merlin. he cannot do it. not even for Camelot | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sneakyboymerlin · 11 months

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I have said it before, but Kilgharrah has a parallel-opposite arc to Morgana. His character is redeemed in the same streak of episodes where Morgana goes from an ally to a major villain. While Kilgharrah was often self-serving and manipulative in the first 2 seasons, this changes by the end of season 2 because Merlin chooses to show him mercy after incapacitating him. It’s the first real kindness that Kilgharrah has experienced in well over 20 years. Whereas, when Merlin shows Morgana mercy by making the deal with Morgause to save her after she’s been incapacitated, Morgana returns more vengeful than ever. Back to Kilgharrah, though…

Not only does he indebt himself to Merlin, he comes to see Merlin in an entirely new way. Before, when he would call Merlin kin, it was in the most literal sense—both are creatures of magic, cut from the same cloth, and should be allies. But now, they’ve formed a bond from that kinship (and in a literal soul connection sense, too, no less). Kilgharrah’s plea strikes Merlin with so much force because they’re both now the last of their kind, and Merlin cannot help but consider and understand what Kilgharrah has been through, despite the destruction he’s caused, because it’s happened to Merlin, too. When they see each other next, this is what they have to say:

Merlin: I didn't think you'd answer my call.

Kilgharrah: Merlin, I could not resist a dragonlord, even if I wanted to.

Merlin: I’m grateful, thank you.

Let’s focus on that: “…even if I wanted to.” Kilgharrah did not want to resist Merlin’s call for help because he’s come to care about Merlin in his own way. This development is easily traced back to Merlin’s show of mercy. It cannot be stressed enough: this was the first kindness Kilgharrah had been shown in over 20 years, after rotting away in a dungeon when he was betrayed in every way possible, suffering from the grief of his entire species going extinct on Uther’s orders. And with this one show of mercy, Merlin changed the heart of a creature that everyone had already dismissed as a monster (the same way Merlin sees himself), one who sought his revenge by razing an entire city to the ground. From the start, Merlin treats him as a person: “Why are you doing this? You’re killing innocent people!” No one who saw him as a mere beast acting on its true nature would ask a moral quandary of him. And in the end, this path leads to Kilgharrah being spared, and Camelot repeatedly being saved as a result.

Kilgharrah’s sincerity in his care for Merlin is consistent in later seasons, and is seen in more than just his rescues. In 4x02, he plainly urges Merlin not to sacrifice himself, despite the fact that Arthur’s life (and thus, Kilgharrah’s ultimate freedom) hangs in the balance.

Merlin: Arthur intends to sacrifice himself to heal the Veil. It is my destiny to protect him; you taught me that.

Kilgharrah: Merlin, you must not do this.

He shortly follows this with something we’ve known since Merlin mended the rift between them in 2x13:

Kilgharrah: From the moment I met you, I saw something that was invisible. Now, it is there for all to see […] It will be an empty world without you, young warlock.

Having failed to convince Merlin to let someone else be the sacrifice, Kilgharrah commends him. Not only that, Kilgharrah mourns him.

This is all to say that Kilgharrah’s actions in seasons 1 & 2 should not be the sole focal point for our judgment of him, when he undergoes such an extreme change of character. Furthermore, there is no reason to believe that Kilgharrah’s faith in the prophecies is anything but genuine. Alongside his newfound care for Merlin, his ultimate goal is his own freedom, and he believes that Arthur is the key to that.

Kilgharrah: We need Arthur to live […] Your destiny is to protect the young Pendragon until he claims his crown, and when he does, magic can be returned to the realm. Only then will I be free.

This logic is in line with what occurred in 5x13. Kilgharrah wouldn’t have said or done any of what he does in 1x13 if he did not believe that Arthur’s ascension to king would lead to his own freedom (even if it didn’t take immediate effect). Arthur’s place on the throne made room for an end to the wars, namely the one on magic. Kilgharrah did not make these prophecies up, nor is he the only one to believe in them. Alator and Finna possessed knowledge of the same prophecies, and both believed in Emrys’ vision/mission.

Kilgharrah had great knowledge himself, and tried to share that with Merlin to pave the best path, but he was not all-knowing, and he tells Merlin as much himself. Kilgharrah is merely a messenger, believer, and interpreter. So, he still believes the prophecy has come to pass, even if Arthur did end up dying anyways. The five kingdoms could now be united and magic restored to the land once the war was ended upon Morgana’s death. The prophecy was fulfilled within Arthur’s lifetime, despite the success of Arthur’s Bane. It did not go as Merlin expected, nor how Kilgharrah expected, but it still… went. This is what he means when he says, “No young man, no matter how great, can know his destiny.”

The idea that Kilgharrah simply played Merlin, when he was depending on Arthur as much as any creature of magic, and when he genuinely cared for Merlin as kin, is bad faith conjecture. How they got to the end point still mattered to him (i.e. Merlin must protect Arthur so that he has a chance to fulfill the prophecy), because that potential only existed through Arthur, and they all continued to suffer until that time came. Regardless of the age at which Arthur died, though, he was destined to fulfill these prophecies and return at Albion’s time of need. This, Kilgharrah knew. So is it any wonder that he maintained faith in it even after Arthur died? Especially after Arthur died, proving the prophecies true once again?

Kilgharrah: Merlin. There is nothing you can do.

Merlin: I've failed?

Kilgharrah: No, young warlock, for all that you have dreamt of building, has come to pass.

Merlin: I can't lose him! He's my friend!

Kilgharrah: Though no man, no matter how great, can know his destiny, some lives have been foretold. Merlin... Arthur is not just a King— he is the Once and Future King. Take heart, for when Albion's need is greatest, Arthur will rise again.

No, Kilgharrah did not predict the exact ending, but he did his best to help Merlin bring about the best possible outcome, and he said what he could to comfort Merlin when he was grieving Arthur. Kilgharrah was genuine, and his motives were in alignment with Merlin’s by the start of season 3.

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pendragoon1112 · 2 years

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I need more fics about Arthur legalising magic but struggling.

I imagine it would be incredibly hard as majority of his kingdom currently fears and despises magic. And possibly those who don’t, like the Druids, are worried it might be a trap.

Then there’s the issue of riots and protests and murder attempts on the king by those who truly hate to consider bringing magic back to Camelot.

It’s absolutely exhausting. Piles and piles of paperwork, long nights researching magic, countless meetings with his council, (with majority of its members being in favour of uther’s ideals)

But all the while, Arthur pushes through all of this because he cannot let Merlin down. And Merlin is with him the entire time, always looking at him with such blinding pride in his eyes that Arthur thinks he really doesn’t mind how difficult this is.

Merlin saves him from more than one murder attempt. Perhaps his food has been poisoned and Merlin wastes no time in finding who dared touch Arthur’s food and making them pay.

Perhaps the two are simply walking through the courtyard and some anti-magic citizen sees the lack of guards around arthur and takes his chance. The man launches a knife, fast and precisely aimed at Arthur. Merlin easily moves arthur out of the way without magic. He’s been doing this since day one, not a big deal. But this time, merlin can’t hold back the complete and utter rage and most likely would have killed/tortured him had Arthur not held him back, reminding him that no one else can know about his magic yet.

Arthur is often at his desk, working away at repealing the ban, sometimes forgetting to take care of himself too. Despite what Arthur says, Merlin is actually a great servant when he wants to be. Merlin makes sure that Arthur is eating enough, frequently bringing his favourite foods to his desk even without being asked. He makes sure arthur is resting enough, forcefully peeling Arthur away from the paperwork and unceremoniously dumping him in his bed.

They do this together. Merlin is Arthur’s primary source of information on magic since any remaining books had been destroyed during uther’s reign. They consult the druids that Merlin is sure they can trust.

It’s an incredibly gradual thing. Over time magic eases it’s way back to Camelot, and those who once feared it, begin to accept or even love it.

And when Arthur is sure that his kingdom is ready, he announces Merlin as the court sorcerer. This is a surprise to Merlin, because he and Arthur definitely did not discuss this during their months and months of planning. He tries to not cry, but the happiness is overwhelming and he can’t help himself. Merlin doesn’t think he’s ever loved Arthur as much as he does during that moment. And when they’re finally back in the privacy of Arthur’s chambers, Merlin let’s him know just that.

#merthur #Merlin #Arthur pendragon #bbc Merlin #bbcm

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applepie4 · 12 days

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i'm rewatching bbc merlin and let me summarize the first episode for you

2:00 - Merlin arrives in Camelot all sweet and happy hoping for a better life and the first thing he witnesses is a man getting beheaded because he used magic.

5:00 - He meets Gaius and literally 5 seconds after Gaius discovers that he has magic.

6:10 - Merlin: "I was born like this!"

7:50 - Hunith's letter saying basically "My son is special and he cannot stay in a small village where people talk. So I send it to you to guide him". I am absolutely fine.

13:10 - Gaius: "If they show you doing magic, they'll kill you".

15:00 - First encounter with Arthur. "What would you do to me?" "Oh, you have no idea" (that's a totally normal conversation)

22:20 - "I could take you apart with one blow" "I could do take you apart with even less" (okay, fam, just take a room)

25:00 - "If I can't use magic, what have I got? I am just a nobody and I always will be. If I can't use magic, I might as well die." (I am normal about this)

25:50 - "Why was I born like this? I'm not a monster, am I?", "Don't ever think that.", "Then why am I like this?" (sounds familiar?)

36:45 - "Gwen, believe me, I am not ordinary" (can I get this sentence tattooed)

Now, am I saying that the tv-show was explicitly written so that magic was a metaphor for queerness? Not necesserily and not the entire show, otherwise the story of Morgana would mean that embracing your queerness is evil and that the correct way is hiding it (like Merlin).

The show had also so much queerbating and was constantly swinging between moving scene between Merlin and Arthur where they look 1 second away from kissing and the love story between Arthur and Gwen (or even Arthur and Morgana, at the beginning, and some hints of Merlin and Gwen).

This show was far from perfect but it had many progressive aspects (they made Gwenivere black before Netflix and Disney did it with other princesses).

But I remember it fondly because it spoke to me. It told me that queerness was a sort of power, of magic, and that one should be proud of having it even when you have to hide it.

#merlin bbc #bbc merlin #meta #mine #merlin rewatch

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fluffypotatey · 9 months

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*smashes in like the Kool-Aid man*

PENDRAGON SIBLINGS YOU SAY????

I have. So many Feels. About Themst™

The complexity?? The layers?? The angst?? Hello??????

Their relationship is just So Much, because you are right, it's all tangled up in miscommunication and missed opportunities, and so many problems that can be sourced back to Uther "War Crimes" Pendragon, who wouldn't know a healthy relationship if it bit him on the ass.

If Merlin and Arthur are two sides of the same coin, then Arthur and Morgana are edges of the same blade.

Because it's the lonely childhoods, the shared grief, the friendship, the vulnerability, the fondness, the teasing, the envy, the jealousy, the almost romance, the protectiveness, the betrayal, the loss, the hurt, the refusal to let go and the desperate hanging on, and the love, the love, the love.

Indifference is the true opposite of love.

Hate is love that's gone rotten.

“If Merlin and Arthur are two sides of the same coin, then Arthur and Morgana are edges of the same blade.” oh fuck….

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FUCK

WAIT HOLD ON WAIT LEMME PIGGYBACK ON THAT BESTIE @0hheytherebigbadwolf (tagging you bc it will be a couple days after you sent this ask)

(Also, for anyone wanting background context on what me and bestie are bouncing off on: voilà)

OK OK SO

we are all familiar with King Uther being the greatest (worst) dad of all time, correct? places such high expectations on his “only son and heir” whilst never officially acknowledging Morgana as his daughter until the very end?

F+ father of the year :)

he is not above sending his children into the dungeon if they disobey him as seen here:

(Jfc he even put Morgana in chains like wtf)

also, he is not above using emotional guilt towards them when he deems it necessary (aka one of the only times he actually acknowledges them as his children)

UTHER (1x02 Valiant) I trust you will make me proud.

UTHER (1x08 The Beginning of the End) I’ve treated you like a daughter. Is this how you repay me?

UTHER (1x12 To Kill the King) You are the daughter I never had.

UTHER (2x08 Sins of the Father) You would believe a sorcerer’s lies over the word of your father?

not to mention that when Arthur or Morgana try to reason with him or argue with him since they are the only ones with the status to do so, he pulls rank

UTHER (1x12 To Kill the King) May I remind you that you are speaking to your King [...] Take care, child, or I’ll have you restrained.

UTHER (2x08 Sins of the Father) I am your king and your father. You will show me some respect!

UTHER (2x06 Beauty and the Beast) We live in dangerous times, I cannot allow you to undermine my authority.

UTHER (3x10 Queen of Hearts) You have caused this to happen, Arthur. My decision is final.

ngl i could include more but i have already spent hours searching for shit (YOUTUBE WILL DIE BY MY HAND THAT STINGY BITC—) but y’all get what i mean: Uther is an abusive fucker and it has messed up the conditions of Arthur and Morgana

now, about the double edged blade…..

as previously established, Uther is a fucking dick and wants his children to obey him but also adore him. with this behavior, the Pendragon siblings react in two ways: with anger & contempt or submission and remorse

way #1

i’m gonna start with Morgana because anger is the easiest to pick out throughout the show. in the first episode of the first season, our introduction to Morgana’s character is her lecturing Uther about executing the man Merlin witnessed upon entering Camelot (such a warm welcome for Emrys, mh?)

MORGANA I just don't think chopping someone's head off is cause for a celebration. That poor mother. UTHER It was simple justice for what he'd done. MORGANA To whom? He practiced some magic, he didn't hurt anyone. UTHER You were not around twenty years ago, you have no idea what it was like. MORGANA How long are you going to keep punishing people for what happened then?

early on, it is easy to pick up on Morgana’s resentment and anger at Uther, who she believes is blinded by his fear of magic and his need for control (which she isn’t wrong about). also, we find that she isn’t one to back off when poking the bear (Uther). she does it constantly in seasons 1 & 2

MORGANA (1x03 Mark of Nimueh) Why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers? Like an idle king!

MORGANA (1x08 The Beginning of the End) How can this child be your enemy? He's just a boy. UTHER He is a Druid. MORGANA Is that such a crime?…What have these people done to you? Why are you so full of hate?

UTHER (2x04 Lancelot and Guinevere) How many men would you have me sacrifice to save a servant? MORGANA As many as it takes!

to be honest, i wouldn’t be surprised if screaming, arguing and berating Uther about his morals and ethics is her way of proving that she is not weak or submissive to his actions. i mean, Morgana grew up in a household the complete opposite from her time in Camelot. Gorlois, the man whom Morgana considers to be her father and one and only family member, was said to be “just” and “kind” and someone that Uther even considered a good friend who openly kept him in check. Morgana, until the age of ten, understood parental love and empathy unlike Arthur, who spent his whole life without any good or healthy substance of it.

the culture of Camelot and Uther’s wrath is not something Morgana was ever able to fully acclimate to as Uther himself pointed out in 1x12. She “was at odds with [him] since the beginning” and could never picture herself as a Pendragon (point further proven in 4x05: she looked revolted when Queen Annis compared her to Uther) because she didn’t share in their idea of magic = evil and a king = absolute control.

ironic in terms of future plot events, isn’t it :’)

way #2

compare that to Arthur: man’s respressed af. keeps all his emotions under lock and key if they are anything but haughty and serious. y’all, Arthur even says it himself how he “[can't] disagree with Father [Uther] in public.” whenever Arthur finds himself at odds with Uther, he holds his tongue and waits until he can disobey secretly (2x05 when he leaves to rescue Gwen, 1x08 when he helps Morgana sneak out Mordred in the dark of the night, 2x08 when he sneaks out to meet Morgause for more info about his mom, etc). it is only the rare moments when Arthur feels impassioned enough to speak up without fearing any retribution does Arthur talk back at him (so satisfying 👌)

ARTHUR (1x03 Mark of Nimueh) [Morgana’s] right, Father. You hear the word magic, you no longer listen.

ARTHUR (2x08 Sins of the Father) This is what fuels your hatred for those who practice magic. Rather than blame yourself for what you did, you blame them….You hunted her kind like animals! How many hundreds have you condemned to death to ease your guilt?!….You speak of honour and nobility! You're nothing but a hypocrite and a liar!

ARTHUR (3x10 Queen of Hearts) You can't forbid my feelings any more than I can. I won't deny them any longer, I love her. I love Guinevere.

we can even compare how the two react to Uther’s violence towards them

(ahahahahahaaaaa what a wonderful dad)

on the left, you see Arthur’s face right when Uther crushes the morteus flower needed to heal Merlin (his manservant/friend/????) and on the right, is Morgana after Uther discovers she was harboring a Druid child in her chambers and she refuses to listen to his reason.

notice how both faces are remarkably similar 👀

however, Arthur’s look of shock and dismay come from his hope that Uther would do the right thing. that he would help save Merlin’s life from dying of poison. that he wouldn’t use this as a method to teach Arthur “what it means to disobey and cross the king.” he truly did hope, just like he always does with the people he holds close. Arthur cannot help but hope and trust that those close to him will not betray him and yet so many do. hence the remorse

looking at Morgana, her shock comes from the fact that this might be the first time Uther reacted to her words and actions in a physical manner. my suspicion is that most of the time, all Morgana previously got was Uther reprimanding her and yelling at her to stop questioning his methods (bc, let’s be real, she was the favorite child.) never has he lifted a finder on her like Arthur and i have proof (cue transcript!)

AND! and, Arthur is constantly warning Morgana about not angering Uther any further because of the consequences she might face (consequences this boy is very familiar with) when Uther deems it necessary to “teach” his children obedience.

UTHER (1x04 The Poisoned Chalice) You have to learn there's a right and a wrong way of doing things. I'll see you're let out in a week. Then you can find yourself another servant.

UTHER (3x10 Queen of Hearts) You have caused this to happen, Arthur. My decision is final [...] This is for your own good. - UTHER She will die. The enchantment will be broken. You'll see I was right.

UTHER (2x08 Sins of the Father) I am protecting you from your own foolishness!

so educational 🥰 but see, because Uther presents his punishments as lessons, Arthur himself views them as just a fucked up but meaningful way of his father’s concern because “yeah, I am the first born son and only heir to the throne. of course I need to learn not to do silly things like disobey, talk back to him, be my own person.” <- I’m paraphrasing here

Arthur does and has never seen a way out of the life thrust upon him by Uther (see 3x06). succeeding Uther as king, marrying a noblewoman of high standing for heirs and alliance strength was always expected of him. Arthur never saw a way out of this. even when he and Gwen were in their secret relationship phase, Arthur had to remind himself that this would never last. he loved her and knew she loved him, but there was always that reminder (that sounded a lot like Uther) in the back of his head telling him that it would never last so long as he was prince. he had a duty (constructed by Uther) to serve Camelot and going against his father would mean (in his eyes) that he is going against Camelot (as Uther always presented it to be).

so unlike Morgana, he did not kick and scream but stood firm because that was what he believed was stronger. if he stayed in his lane and did his part, then he would be a good king, maybe even a better one than his father, for Camelot. however, the show proves that differentiating himself from Uther actually made him the better king and more respected, but this is not the meta for that. I am getting side tracked.

OK: so we’ve established parental issues between the two siblings. now onto their very complex, complicated yet beloved dynamic

sO, as i mentioned in this post (because i am lazy and too tired to copy/paste the evidence from there), these siblings do care for one another. they just go about it in the most hilarious and repressed and in-denial way (hilarious to me 😤)

when we meet them, it’s established that these two have known each other for some time. enough for them to bicker and have banter, you know, as you do with a Pendragon. also, should add, neither character are ever aware they are blood-related until s3 (because of some weak-ass bitch named Uther), so you have that very, uh, interesting subplot in s1 that everybody forgets about until you rewatch it. (honestly, I have so many questions. number 1: why???? number 2: it’s only in s1—was it scrapped??? is it like it never existed???? what was its purpose to the plot??? bbc explain yourself—)

however, despite how much it is shown that they do care for one another, they’re relationship in s1 is still undefined and vague as if they also don’t know how to accurately define what the other means to them. it’s very similar to the whole “i really love this person so much but is what i’m feeling platonic, familial, or romantic?” because….you know, guy and girl besties who are close are typically expected to grow romantic feelings for each other, so tbh i would not be surprised if both mistook their love as romantically inclined in the beginning bc, reminder, neither of them were aware they were siblings until much later.

[and this is ALL i am saying on this subplot. i do not want to cause any negative discourse, so if anyone has a few choice words about it, either keep it to yourself or feel free to talk about it with people you know. personally? not a fan of the ship and never will be, but i am not here to post about that.]

anyway, have some featured receipts showing Arthur and Morgana slipping up and showing how much they care for each other.

SEE!!!! LOOK AT HOW THE CARE!!!! SEE HOW THEY WORRY FOR THE OTHER AND WISH TO PROTECT THEM FROM HARM!!! (and see how even when they’re on opposite sides there is still that same love. just more warped and corrupted T^T)

^worried/protective Morgana

^Arthur’s face after Merlin informs him that there’s an intruder heading to Morgana’s chambers

Morgana is very aware of Arthur’s trusting nature. Arthur is very aware of Morgana’s empathy and righteous nature. they understand each other so well which is why Morgana knew just how to harm Arthur in later seasons and why Morgana’s betrayal hit Arthur so hard. it’s also why he never stopped trying to reach out to her in s4 & s5. as @merlinemrys said in this lovely post, the show’s driving force is love. love of all kinds. whatever conflict it is, love is there at the center of it all and, in Arthur and Morgana’s case, it does not save them (just like how love does not save Merlin or Arthur from what lies ahead, as the op of the post pointed out).

that is what makes their relationship/love be like a double edged sword!! that is why they are edges of the same blade!!! they protect and fight for what they believe in and for the people they love, but the same blades cut deep and twist their wounds into a lasting scar.

it is because of Arthur’s love for Morgana that he cannot help but hope and mourn the woman he once knew. it is because of Morgana’s love for Arthur that her feelings of hatred are so strong and ugly.

like honestly,

look at them T^T compared to before

their relationship is so tragic T^T because we knew them before it all went wrong. we knew they cared and understood each other. we knew that for some time, they only had each other to rely on for a friend, a crutch, a breather for when the royal life was too much. both of them were fighters and strive to honor their values. both of them had once leaned on the other for support, had wanted nothing but happiness for each other.

fuck, they didn’t even get the chance to really be siblings because they found out too late, and by then Morgana was on a war path and Arthur only found out at the last minute.

like fuck, man

two sides of the same blade: forged with love, yet used for blood

screencaps brought to you by me, @sourdough-morbread, and farfarawaysite

#i will spare you the gorey details of me trying to fine decent screencaps & screenshots for this fucking post or else i’ll get pissed again #(i am considering whether it is worth it to go to war with youtube)#special thanks to my bestie mor for being there for me at the gorey times and helping me find more screenshots #fucking love you bestie 💕💕💕💕#also only including s1-2 bc i am tired and they are the ones where we get pendragon siblings not trying to kill each other #forgive me for always bringing up uther and the pendragon sibs’ upbringing with him it will happen again #also after hours of rereading transcripts and rewatching clips of bbc merlin: it is so obvious that uther cared and treated Morgana like hi #own child more than Arthur. like jfc he let’s her get away with so much stuff he is way for gentle with his words towards her #when he realizes that he was too cruel or rude like bro…..where tf was that for arthur #it just adds to the complicated sibling dynamic because there is the added jealousy and resentment of knowing a parent loved another more #literally most of Morgana’s time with Uther was her at odds with him and yet he views her as his child more #well no ducking dur that Arthur ‘i-would-do-anything-to-receive-my-father’s-love-attention-and-pride’ Pendragon resents Morgana for #always being the one Uther goes easier on and finds ways to turn a blind eye for like wtf #also during my research i was reminded of how done dirty Gwen’s story was by bbc #loses her father to a king fearful of magic barely gets to mourn him bc she now has to keep up the smithy and her maid job; reunites #with her brother who’s been AWOL for some years and still they don’t get a moment to talk about their dad and mourn TOGETHER #her storyline is pushed aside by s4 bc now she’s fulfilling the role of Arthur’s love interest and oh yeah they still need to incorporate #the lanceot/guinevere scandal and then banish her for some episodes without even letting her brother be mad about it like ?????#anyway #continued saga of fluffy rereading transcripts -> uther: ‘it’s been a long time since Ygraine…since anyone’ me: ducking liar >:(#[sir leon begins the slow clap] king you dropped this 👑IT IS 1AM HELP 😂#place your bets on where my laziness for evidence came in! (I honestly don’t know lol scavenging evidence is all a blur)#spent 2 days on this post lol #me: ok i think that’s enough evidence for this argument…………ok maybe ONE more won’t hur—#me after day 2: ….am i done???? am i free????#pendragon siblings coming behind me with a steel chair: nah mate!#me: FUCK THERE’S MORE #bbc merlin #merlin meta #pendragon sibs

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theroundbartable · 8 months

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Hi! I want to share a merthur prompt that's been on me mind for a long time, but cannot write cause english is not my first language and I'm afraid to make mistakes. I would love for you to write it, but if you only share the prompt for someone else to do it, it's fine too.

You know how in the arthurian mithology Arthur wasn't raise as a prince to begin with but was discover later? Not only that, but Utter was the one who order Merlin to hide him, so he took him and made other family raise him.

Well, inspired on this I though what if our BBC Merlin did this? I imagine inmortal Merlin after the events of camlam, mad with grieve, tired of waiting for Arthur and cursing destiny and fate, would come to the conclusion that it was the prophesy he tried to fulfill that ended up killing and condeming Arthur. So, as soon as he learns how to, he travels back in time just when Arthur is about to be born. He kidnaps baby Arthur and gives him to a nice couple in Ealdor who he knows can't have children and will raise him well. He doesn't care about destiny anymore, he just wants Arthur to be happy and safe.

Obviously this has consecuences: Utter's hate towards magic becomes worse because he did not only lose his wife to a sorcerer but his son and heir as well. Search parties look for the lost prince for years without success and Utter is force to acknowledge Morgana as his daughter since he refuses to marry again, let alone have another heir. He won't stop looking for his son though no matter how much his council pleads him to.

Meanwhile, little Arthur meets little Merlin and become inseparable friends. Merlin from the future smiles, watching them from afar. He's been looking after Arthur all this time, making sure he won't be found and that he's safe. Suddenly he notices his body is starting to be less solid and realise that sooner or later he's going to disappear because there can be two Merlins coexisting in the same time. Not wanting to leave Arthur unprotected, he decides to orquest secret encounters with his younger self in the woods disguise as Dragoon/Emrys to start giving him magic leasons so he can control his magic better, ergo protect Arthur when he is not around. However, Arthur follows Merlin one day to see where he always goes of to and he discovers his best friend has magic. He takes it well though and even asks "Emrys" to teach him too. "Emrys" says something along the lines "You don't have magic I can work with but you defenitely have strength and courage. I can teach you to be a Knight" and he does. From then on he gives them not only magic and knight leasons, but education in general.

The day "Emrys" knows he is going to die/disappear he meets with Merlin, who is a teen by then, privatly one last time. With all the power he has left he transfers all his memories to Merlin. Overwhelm but over all angry teen Merlin shouts at adult Merlin, who is not in disguise anymore, "How dare you! You had no right to take that away from him! His right to the throne! He could've have better life, he could...". Adult Merlin argues back "Being prince is what made him miserable and got him killed in the first place!". They fight a little more, but in the end Adult Merlin says "Look, if you think is best to bring Arthur back to Camelot and reveal he is the lost prince is your choice. I already gave you all the information you need to be beware of the dangers and consecuences. Don't let any prophesy lead your choices and protect him" and he banishes soon after. Teen Merlin is left without knowing what to do.

He doesn't have to do anything though. Essetier kingdom falls, maybe do to war or a plague, i don't know, and Merlin, Arthur and their parents are force to flee to Camelot. They arrive at the Citidel and... that's all I got 😅 Sorry. I suppose at some point Arthur is discover and chaos ensues, but I don't know how it would happen.

OP, I just want to say.... i already know you're underestimating yourself. This summary looks awesome. I love the idea. And I have no doubt that you can flesh this out.

I'm not going to write it, because you can make this a 300 k story and people will absolutely read it and they will love it. I know this, because I absolutely would. Don't worry about your English, it's more than fine. (There are some spelling mistakes, but that's to do with typing, not actual problems with grammar.)

Look, I'm not an English native myself. I'm German and I started off with stories that made little sense in consistency. I was 12 when my first comment (my brother) told me it sucked. And he was right but that didn't stop me. The level on writing I see in this little summary is what I would have aspired my writing to become at the time. You have nothing to be insecure about.

Don't be afraid to write your own story. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Trust me on this. You will do better than you think. And if you want, you can always message me if you need any help. I would love to read your version of the whole story.

Seriously, I mean it. You've given me enough text to see it. It would be a great gift to the fandom if you tried. :)

#bbc merlin #merlin #merthur #merlin bbc #fanfiction #faq #op your mind #writing #if anyone agrees #please help me convince op #answer

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trekscribbles · 4 months

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Prompt: Thief

From the Land of Myth Discord Server: One Word Writing Prompt Game

Word prompt provided by BronteHeart

"That boy is a thief!"

The accusation echoed through the courtroom, unchallenged and unanswered. The cook who'd hurled it stood red-faced before the throne, with Merlin looking uncharacteristically meek beside her. He waited with his head bowed, his hands clasped firmly before him, not daring to lift his gaze from his feet.

Arthur didn't like it.

"What has the boy stolen?" his father asked, signaling his own servant to bring more wine. He was distracted today, and disinterested in such a petty case. Both boded well for Merlin, as long as the idiot didn't say anything to incriminate himself.

"Three rabbits," the cook said. "The very best in Camelot, raised by my own hand and intended for the king's table."

"And what proof do you have against Merlin?" Arthur cut in. It was a good moment—his father had turned to have his goblet filled, and he liked it when Arthur took charge of things.

"He was the only one who had access to their cages after I left last night," the cook said. Her manner was haughty, which would have set Arthur against her even if he hadn't known the accused. She was one of the most important workers in the castle, after all, and Merlin had only been there a few weeks. Uther would have taken her word over Merlin's and been done with it.

Arthur should have done the same. Instead, he folded his arms and said, "Merlin. Did you steal the rabbits?"

"No, sire."

At least he had the sense to use titles in front of the king. Arthur returned his attention to the cook. "Were his quarters searched?"

The woman hesitated. "Yes, but—"

"And were the rabbits found?"

"No, but—"

"Do you have any idea where Merlin might be keeping them?"

She swallows. "No. But I'm certain he—"

"I'm afraid that, without proof, I cannot issue a punishment." Arthur kept his head turned away from his father, trying not to read into the continued silence from the throne. "Should new evidence be found, I shall reconsider my ruling. Until then, I must dismiss this accusation."

The cook stared at him, but she had more sense than to argue. With a somewhat sullen curtsey, she mumbled an acceptance of his judgement and turned away.

"You are too lenient," Uther said, and Arthur suppressed a wince. "A night in the stocks would have wrung the confession out of him."

Arthur let his hands fall to his sides. "That was the last case for today. If you do not require my presence here any longer, I am due at the training fields."

His father dismissed him with a wave, and Arthur strode from the room. Merlin, who had stayed where he was in the middle of the room, hurried silently after him. Arthur led the way into the hall, nodding to the guards to close the great doors behind them.

"Thank you," Merlin said softly, once the guards had shut themselves in the throne room and left him and Arthur in the empty hall. "For believing me, I mean. I wasn't sure you would."

"I don't believe you," Arthur said, crossing his arms again.

Merlin blinked at him. "But... you—"

"I don't think you stole the rabbits," Arthur said. "But I'm sure you had something to do with it. So go on, out with it. Where are they?"

Arthur expected sheepishness, or possibly guilt. Maybe another attempt at a lie. Instead, Merlin raised his chin and said, "I released them into the forest."

Now it was Arthur's turn to blink. "You..." he said weakly, but was unable to think of anything else to say. "Why?"

Merlin looked away, a petulant expression crossing his face. "You wouldn't understand."

"Merlin."

"They were just... the cook kept saying how she was going to kill them, and they just kept looking at me, and their eyes were so big, and..." He trailed off, still not meeting Arthur's gaze.

Arthur took a calming breath. "So you released what was meant to be the king's supper because you thought they were too cute to eat?"

There was a pause, and then Merlin made a motion that was half nod and half shrug.

Arthur wanted to be angry. He wanted to feel the righteous wrath the cook had felt—which his father would have felt, had Merlin confessed before the throne. Instead, he felt a bubble of something light and unfamiliar rising up in his chest, something which may have turned to laughter if he didn't choke it out quickly enough.

So he twisted the sound that wanted to be a laugh into a cough and started down the hallway. "Fetch my armor," he said, clearing his throat for good measure.

Merlin took an unsteady breath. "You're not going to bring me back to your father?"

"You didn't steal the rabbits," Arthur said. "That's the crime I was asked to judge, and I've given my verdict. There's no use revisiting it now. But Merlin..." He turned to look over his shoulder, taking in Merlin's bright eyes and disbelieving smile.

"Yes?" he said eagerly.

Arthur sighed. He had a feeling he was going to regret the inexplicable fondness threatening to attach itself to his new manservant.

"Maybe avoid the rabbit cages from now on."

#merlin #bbc merlin #arthur pendragon #land of myth discord #one word writing prompt #writing prompt game #fanfic #ficlet #mini fic

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albentelisa · 3 months

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Hi! Here's an interesting what if ask.

What if Douxie was the one to join the Arcane Order instead of Morgana?

Hi! That one would change the past events for sure.

As we are talking about Moppet Douxie here, I feel his motivation will be very different from Morgana's. So, in an attempt to impress his master, Douxie goes to the forest to practice his magic in secret. That is where he meets Nari, who suggests she'll help. Douxie has no idea that Nari is from the Arcane Order or that she's Merlin's enemy, so he agrees. Under her tutelage, he progresses quickly, but it's still not enough to get approval from Merlin. Eventually, Bellroc and Skrael join those sessions, suggesting that Douxie simply needs to invent some kind of rule-changing magic. After lengthy brainstorming and countless failed attempts, Douxie comes up with a magic rite that temporarily gives trolls sunlight immunity. From his point of view, it's actually a good thing as trolls are often captured because of their weakness against the sunlight. Alas, he doesn't know that Bellroc contacts Gunmar behind his back and shares the rite with him.

Camelot is in panic meanwhile as bloodthirsty trolls attack villages during the day, which should be impossible. Arthur suspects a powerful wizard is involved and starts an investigation together with Merlin. They find out it was Douxie easily (as he's rather naive). Arthur corners Douxie at the cliff, determined to kill him, and Merlin just watches despite Douxie's pleas. Unlike Morgana, Douxie doesn't lose his hand, but he's slashed across the chest and falls from the cliff.

The Arcane Order finds and resurrects him, making Douxie their champion. Merlin's betrayal hits Douxie the most, so the Order has no problem convincing him to fight against humanity. Douxie's magic is more powerful now, so he can make his rite more permanent.

Meanwhile, back in Camelot Morgana learns what happened to Douxie and is enraged because of her brother and master's actions. She encounters Merlin, accusing him of being a horrible master, and storms off.

The kingdom is in panic though as more and more Gumm-Gumms attack, seemingly immune against the sunlight. Some people also report that they saw a young wizard with the troll hordes. Merlin realizes that Douxie is alive and intends to stop it.

But first, he needs some way to defeat Gunmar and his hordes. The problem is that his amulet should be useless against sun-immune trolls. Merlin realizes that he needs Morgana's help for that.

And he is right, as Morgana has been trying to create a counter to Douxie's rite using her shadowmancy. When Merlin approaches her, she is against the idea of cooperating at first but ends up agreeing for the sake of the people in Camelot.

The amulet is also different in this AU. It summons not only the Daylight sword but the Nightshade one as well (which is made of Morgana's shadow magic). However, Merlin simply cannot just cooperate as he is scared that Morgana can possibly switch sides as well (he finds her way more unstable than Douxie). So Merlin seals the bigger portion of Morgana's shadow magic inside the amulet. Morgana realizes it in the end, but it's already too late.

So Morgana still has some magic, but it's below the average level and she cannot do much. Deya still becomes the first Trollhunter, and Merlin goes to fight and seal Douxie.

The events influence the present too. The Janus Order are good guys - they are trolls who willingly accept Morgana's magic to enter the human world. Morgana also uses different magic, so there are no kidnapped kids. The Janus Order protects the world from shadows. Some of them join forces with Trollhunters but it's glared upon because of what Merlin did to Morgana.

Bular is still the only one from Gunmar's forces who stay on the surface. However, he also recruits more aggressive trolls, who wish to rule humans. Much like with Morgana in the canon, Douxie's mind stays awake even when he is sealed. Back in Camelot times he also managed to gather wizards displeased with Merlin and Arthur and hostile towards humans. They become Hex Tech later (with Zoe as their leader) - and is the organization that helps Bular and his army of trolls to stay hidden.

#tales of arcadia #toa #toa au #what if scenario #dark douxie #good morgana #hisirdoux casperan #toa merlin #toa morgana #text post #ask box #anon ask

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adhd-merlin · 3 months

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merlin S1 rewatch: episode 8

this is a thing I was doing do you remember? do you remember this was a thing I was doing

it’s been like 3 months since I re-watched episode 8 (and 9!) so I’ve just re-re-watched it. Just now.

Would you let something terrible happen if it meant you'd stop something even worse happening in the future?

A fascinating ethical dilemma. Would you pull the lever in the trolley problem? Would you travel back in time and kill baby Hitler?

It isn't just Mordred’s life for Arthur’s, but Mordred’s life against the Golden Age and the freedom for magic people that Arthur is supposed to bring, so I understand why Merlin felt torn. There’s no clear-cut answer, which is what makes this storyline so compelling.

Anyway, let’s start with my main grievance – Mordred’s powers.

Merlin tells Gaius that he heard the Druid boy’s voice inside his head, to which Gaius replies:

Yes, I've heard of this ability. The Druids look for children with such gifts to serve as apprentices.

In this episode, Mordred mind-speech is a special ability that sets him apart from other children. By season 5, any random Druid can use it, to the point that Merlin is surprised when he tries to communicate with Daegal telepathically and the boy cannot hear him. The episode hints to Mordred’s magic being remarkable, even dangerous (like when he magically shatters a mirror in a fit of rage), but by season 5 Mordred barely even uses it.

I am fascinated by Mordred’s backstory and disappointed that the writers forgot their own set-up, or decided to ignore it.

I only knew Asa Butterfield from Sex Education, so it was weird to see him as young Mordred. He did a good job at looking mysterious and vaguely threatening, though it must be said he spent most of the episode unconscious.

Who was the Druid accompanying Mordred? The Merlin Wiki transcript names him as Mordred’s father, which is not in the credits (where he's only named as “Cerdan”). I didn’t get father-son vibes from their interactions, but maybe it’s just me. My impression was that he was some kind of mentor. Apparently I saw Mordred and decided he was an orphan. Don't ask me why.

We see Arthur trying to challenge his father (in private) multiple times, but he still spends a good chunk of the episode as an antagonist. He searches for Mordred when his father demands it and he’s willing to let him die, even if he’s not pleased about it. It’s only when Morgana begs him that he caves in (30 minutes into a 43-minute episode).

Uther is a fascinating portrayal of an emotionally abusive parent. I wonder what he would have done if Morgana had “come out” to him – because he clearly cared for her, in his own fucked-up way. At least enough not to want her dead. Acceptance would have been out of the question, but I’m not sure he would’ve had her executed. Probably attempted to make her go through some kind of “conversion therapy”. He did keep Gaius as his physician after all, after making him vow never to use magic again (not that Morgana would ever have accepted it).

Now Arthur, I believe, would’ve accepted Morgana if she had told him she had magic. He’s so obviously fond of her, despite all the sibling bickering.

We get the first mention of the name Emrys – from Mordred, then confirmed by Kilgharrah.

Morgana saying she couldn’t live with herself if anything happened to Gwen or Merlin is such a !!!! statement considering what will happen later in the series

You are a guard of Camelot minding your own business when suddenly someone knocks you out. Just an ordinary Tuesday. You don’t get paid enough for this.

Arthur telling Mordred (as he's freeing him from his cell) “Don't be scared. I've sent word to your people” -> HOW??? literally how. How does Arthur know where the Druids live. how did he get in contact with them. many such questions

Mordred glaring at Merlin when he finally comes to his rescue is so funny. “I had trouble getting out of the castle” he's like bitch you did NOT!

Mordred’s name drop at the end is so epic. Even if you aren’t familiar with Arthurian legends (I wasn't), the music and Kilgharrah’s warning to Merlin make this moment sufficiently ominous and tense (and if you already know who’s going to kill Arthur, you will have guessed the boy’s name already anyway)

Arthur returns Mordred to Iseldir. The next time we see young Mordred is in ep 2x03 (The Nightmare Begins) and then again in episode 2x11 (The Witch’s Quickening) — in neither of them he is with Iseldir anymore, though Iseldir is still alive, given he reappears in S3. WHAT HAPPENED. Mordred’s childhood is a compelling mystery. I like the idea of there being different Druid clans with different beliefs about Emrys and Arthur’s destiny – and possibly Mordred’s, too. Not every Druid recognises Merlin as Emrys or thinks of him as a savior, after all (see Sefa and Kara). Is this why Mordred was (perhaps?) abandoned by Iseldir? Did he find out something about Mordred's role in Arthur's death? It’s an interesting idea. To me.

#rewatch1.jls #merlin's body count: still 4

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ambriel-angstwitch · 8 months

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Abstract (Psychopomp) through the lens of Merthur

Sometimes it returns Like rain that you slept through That washed off the world

Memories and feelings of Arthur come unbidden like the rain that comes when we sleep, no one can stop it and it isn’t expected.

The streets looking brand new I will not be great But I'm grateful to get through

Now this ties to early Merlin. Everything in Camelot was new to him. He didn’t desire to become some great sorcerer he just wanted to control his powers to survive. Later he only wants for Arthur to be ok not caring what he has to sacrifice.

The feeling came late I'm still glad I met you

Merlin did not like Arthur at first, but they formed a bond and cared for eachother deeply despite the rough start and their differing status. Though perhaps after Arthur died Merlin once again came to regret meeting Arthur due to all the pain it wrought but after further time apart he realized that he’s still glad he met Arthur despite all the pain being with Arthur had been the greatest part of his life.

The memory hurts but does me no harm

Though the memories of Arthur hurt due to his loss they cause no real harm for they also bring joy to remember those times a sort of bittersweet.

Your hand in my pocket, to keep us both warm

They have canonically slept next to eachother for warmth. Also there’s a sort of beauty of the line where the first lover provides protection from the wind with their pocket whereas the other provides their own body heat. That sort of mutual betterment and protection of eachother is something Arthur and Merlin potray time and time again.

The poor thing in the road it’s eye still glistening

Merlin has always had compassion for the animals the knights kill on hunts. He hates to see animals killed for entertainment.

The cold wet of your nose, the Earth from a distance

Merlin and Arthur used to so close that they could feel the coldness of eachothers noses. But now Arthur (Merlin’s world) is at a distance he cannot surpass.

See how it shines x4

This could be referencing the glistening eyes of the dead animal from the pre-chorus

Sometimes there's a thought like you choose what you're doing But it comes to nought when I look back through it

Sometimes there are things in life that people choose, but in Merlin’s life there were many things that weren’t conscious choices things that were simply his nature and destiny, his magic, his love, ties and dedication to Arthur.

I remember the view street lights in the dark blue. The moment I knew I'd no choice but to love you

There was a moment in time that Merlin realized he cared for Arthur not just because destiny told him to but because he loved him whether that was just another part of destiny who’s to say but it wasn’t ever something that he made a choice on it was just how it was. He loved Arthur.

Darling, there's a part of me I'm afraid will always be Trapped within an abstract from a moment of my life

Even though Arthur has died and is in that land he’s still present in his mind and memories. He’s still trapped in those moments in Camelot and waiting for Arthur to return

#hozier #bbc merlin #merthur #unreal unearth #merlin emrys #abstract (psychopomp)#merlin bbc #arthur pendragon #bbc merthur #king arthur #merlin x arthur #song analysis #song interpretation

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kindlythevoid · 7 months

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Imagine, if you will, if in the battle of Camlann, Arthur hits Mordred’s blade away.

Imagine that Mordred hits Arthur somewhere else, say, in the thigh.

A piece breaks off, but Arthur has time. Merlin gets him to the Lake and they say they cannot stop it, only delay it. But he has time. Lots of time. Time to get to know Merlin again, time to legalize magic, time to spend with Guinevere. And he does.

He gets weaker over the years: they forbid him very quickly from anything more strenuous than light training with his knights after he has a stroke during a tournament. But he gets time and they’re able to calm him when he gets restless. Him and Guinevere have children. Three: two boys and a girl.

Melora is first, nearly nine months after Camlann. She has the eyes of her father and Morgana’s hair, but she’s all Gwen on the inside. Arthur roars after her as she shrieks through the great halls, calling after Merlin to help her slay the fearsome dragon chasing her.

Next is Finnr, who is a spitting image of Arthur and Guinevere quietly thanks God that she gets this picture of him even after he’s gone. Gaius says he isn’t sure whether he’s more like Igraine or Gwen. Arthur beams and follows Finnr as he tugs at his arm to go visit the town because a new book is out and he wants to read it to Mildred (or Millie, as he calls her at such a young age).

Thomas is last, as the years go on and Arthur flags in his strength and begins to come to terms with the fact that he may not have much more time left. Thomas looks exactly like Guinevere, and reminds them of brave Elyan. Arthur can’t do much, but he listens intently to all of his stories and does what’s he can to be around. Melora and Finnr whisper tales of Arthur of old, and of the gossip they’ve heard over the years on why he’s slowing down when Mother and Uncle Merlin can still keep up.

Soon Arthur is confined to his room, much like his father before him, and he grows anxious because of this. Gwen and Merlin and Leon and Percival all assure him in their own way that he is nothing like his father and he has done all he can. They have family meals in the parents’ room now, instead of the dining hall, and despite how pale and weak their father has gotten, he is still fair and kind with his children and listens to their stories.

One day, he summons Melora and Finnr and sits them down and explains. He tells them that Finnr may be his first son, but Melora is his firstborn, and he wants to ask her if she would like to become Queen of Camelot. She thinks about it. And pulls Finnr away and discusses with him. And approaches their father with a new proposal. When Melora comes of age, she will be Queen, and when Finnr comes of age, he will be King. And should Melora or Finnr get married, they will decide who shall stay and who shall go then, if they go at all. Arthur mulls it over, but already a smile is breaking out and he pulls them close and whispers how proud he is of them and how much he loves them.

Later that night, Uncle Merlin calls them down to his own chambers and weaves a long tale fraught with danger and loneliness and heartache. It is the tale of Morgana Pendragon, their aunt who was killed before they were born. Melora and Finnr sneak into Thomas’s room and they each make a promise to never betray one another, to always be siblings.

Thomas is five when Arthur is finally confined to his bed. Melora is ten and Finnr is nine. In one of his lower points, Arthur asks them quietly if he’s been a good father. They are confused: how hasn't he been? And they ask Mother and she tells the story of a very lonely prince with an angry, sad king trying his best as a father but failing nonetheless. Melora and Finnr haven’t ran to their parent’s room in years, but they do that night, and make sure that Arthur is safe and secure between the people who love him.

Arthur knows he is dying. He’s spent the last month in bed, but this week he knows is his last and he’s been calling people in all week, thanking them quietly and spending time with his loved ones. Guinevere lies on his chest and listens to his ragged breathing, even as his arm wraps around her in an attempt to keep her next to him. The last day he calls in Merlin, alone, even though he’s always been there.

He thanks him for the time he’s given Arthur. Thanks him for saving his life, in more ways than just with magic. They reminisce about old times and Arthur can see the tears Merlin is trying so hard not to cry. And then, softly, Arthur apologizes to him. Tells him that he is sorry for his behavior in his past, sorry for the insults, sorry that he had to do it on his own for so long, sorry that he’s leaving him. And Merlin can’t help but cry, but he’s laughing, too, because of course the clot pole would find a reason to apologize when he’s the one that’s dying. And Arthur tells him that he’ll never be alone, even if Arthur is dead. He has family here. Merlin switches with Guinevere.

But there isn’t much left to say. They’ve said it before, alone at night in their room. They’ve said it a thousand times in a million different ways over the last near eleven years. It’s more than they could have hoped for and less than they ever wanted. She reassures him that Merlin is welcome and that she’ll take care of the children and Camelot. They whisper how much they love each other when she leans her forehead against his. And they smile.

The children are last. Thomas doesn’t understand yet, won’t until his daddy’s already moved on, but he’s content to babble stories and play with the blankets on the bed as Melora and Finnr try to be brave and not cry. Arthur tells them that he’s proud of them, that he will always be proud of them, just as he will always love them, to never doubt that. He pulls them close and hugs them as Melora cries into his shoulder.

He may be dying, but he is content, and he hopes that they will be too, in time.

Guinevere wakes up around midnight to hear Arthur whisper I love you into her hair before breathing his last. She cries as she hugs his body before sending for Merlin.

#bbc merlin #arthur pendragon #finale what finale #arthur x gwen #arthur and merlin are platonic soulmates #kiki writes #just yelling into the void #battle of camlann #what if #OKAY I'VE HAD THIS IN MY NOTES AND THEN MY DRAFTS FOR WEEKS #WAITING FOR THE COURAGE OR THE EDITING IDK #SO UNEDITED AND WITH MY OWN OCS IDK IDK #I FIGURED IT'D BE BEST TO POST THIS ON BBC MERLIN'S 15th ANNIVERSARY!!#so here's some writing #some random ocs #no i don't remember who millie is #i think maybe just a villager oc??#and also some #arthur x gwen children #idk if this is how this works #hence the ~keep reading~#idk guys just enjoy #AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BBC MERLIN THE BEST WORST SHOW!!#(no i don't have any political evidence for whatever the kids say maybe I'll fix it later maybe I won't maybe I'll find evidence #the future is full of possibilities!!)

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sneakyboymerlin · 2 months

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if gwaine found out about merlin's magic, destiny, and the reason for his behavior towards mordred, what do you think he would do, regarding merlin and merlin's relationship with him? would he meddle at all? would he try to get merlin to realize that he (merlin) has more to life than what his 'destiny' is. and therefore mordred probably does too?

i read a fic recently where it was like. "merlin realizes he has failed at his destiny and so reconciles w/mordred because he figured mordred too can fail at his destiny" but i dont know if the whole "merlin failed at his destiny" thing sits right with me. so much of it was on him, by the dragon and the fandom, but its supposed to be "two halves of the same coin" for a reason--they are supposed to be equals yet everyone is content to keep merlin delegated to the role of serving arthur and only arthur, rather than valuing himself as well, and arthur is just as much as fault for magic not coming to camelot because arthur is king and is very much still prejudiced against magic for the most part. thats not on merlin. at a certain point you have to realize that arthur is a grown man he cannot be coddled forever, especially as a king?

Easy answer: he’d fuck Merlin against a wall.

Complex answer: I think for Merlin, he already knew that it was possible for Mordred to fail in his destiny… if Mordred died, at least. As far as he was concerned, only one of them could fail/succeed, because just as Merlin was destined to protect Arthur even though he hated him at first, Mordred was destined to kill Arthur even if he did seem to like him. Merlin’s goal is essentially to make sure Mordred fails in his destiny so that he can succeed in his own. Kilgharrah warns Merlin from the start that the only way to ensure this is to kill him, or so Kilgharrah thinks.

I believe that both of their destinies were going to inevitably be fulfilled at some point. If Mordred died, he could still be Arthur’s Bane because we’ve seen a Druid ghost come back to seek revenge against Arthur. And even at his most accepting, Arthur was still pretty lukewarm towards magic, seeing “good magic” as an exception to its default “evil” state (as expressed in 5x05 and 5x09). Therefore, everything with Kara could still happen even if Arthur welcomed the Old Religion back to Camelot, since he doesn’t understand the true extent of his bias.

If Gwaine found out about Merlin’s magic, I think he would have some divided reactions. For one thing, he is pretty much unquestioningly loyal to Merlin and would most certainly accept Merlin as “one of the good ones” among sorcerers. The problem with this: he may believe that sorcerers are bad by default, much like Arthur does. He would probably not question Merlin’s judgment of Mordred much, though we never see Gwaine’s stance on prophecy/destiny, but he would notice the toll that this prophecy is taking on Merlin, as he’s shown to worry over Merlin when he’s aware of his distress (see: seasons 3-5). His prioritization of Merlin could lead to him minimizing the importance or overall possibility of the prophecy. However, he doesn’t take threats to Arthur’s life lightly, either, so it’s kind of hit or miss there.

Ultimately, for all that Merlin can try to advise him, it’s up to Arthur to fix his own biases. Merlin can’t do it for him. If Merlin stood by and did nothing, the end results would be more or less the same as when he tries everything—though maybe Arthur dies a decade or so earlier. Whereas if Arthur accepts magic, then maybe something changes. But the prophecy implies that the perfect balance comes from some equivalent effort between both Merlin and Arthur… which doesn’t happen, because Merlin is putting in all of the effort, and Arthur isn’t pulling his own weight.

On the bright side, if Gwaine knows about Merlin’s magic, maybe he gets to stick by Merlin’s side through the whole finale?

#merlin emrys #merwaine #mergwaine #merlin meta #bbc merlin #asks #not safe fw #sorry

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dialux · 11 months

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I’ve spent the past couple weeks enmeshed in Merlin ALLLLLLLL over again, but rather than simply reading fic/looking at art, I went back to source material and watched half the tv show which was a) an excellent decision, everyone’s fucking gorg, b) an excellent decision, the show’s actually so good, c) a HORRIBLE decision, because now I have opinions on what the show should have been.

So! Without further ado: Enjoy Dia’s Merlin Plotline (For Five Seasons).

Season One: Pretty much the same as canon. Merlin learns about Nimueh, who is the primary antagonist, and we get to know all the characters we know and love. The season ends with Merlin returning from defeating Nimueh, entirely certain that he cannot/must not ever reveal his magic to anyone in Camelot.

Season Two: ALSO pretty much the same. But this time, when Merlin and Arthur go to the crystal cave, Arthur learns about Merlin’s magic- and Morgana’s. Shaken and distrusting, Arthur returns to Camelot to confront his father, but before he can, Morgause attacks. Arthur goes with Merlin to Kilgarrah’s cave and offers to ease his sentence if he tells them how to defeat the undead. Kilgarrah refuses, furious that Merlin dared to bring a Pendragon to him, but tells them that the only way for Arthur to survive is to kill his own kin. Arthur goes to Gaius to ask for help, where Gaius tells him that Morgana is his sister. Arthur refuses to kill her and Merlin defends him, but Gaius drugs them both and then poisons Morgana. In the aftermath, Morgause and her army disappear with Morgana, Uther is severely weakened by Morgana’s departure and starts passing many of his duties onto Arthur’s shoulders, and Arthur tells Gaius that his position is forfeit in the royal household. Because Merlin supported Arthur’s decision not to kill Morgana- and was drugged himself by Gaius- they build a tentative accord between each other, and he remains as Arthur’s manservant.

Season Three: Arthur and Merlin have reached a shaky balance with respect to Merlin’s magic, though there are still hiccups. They keep searching for Morgana, though without much hope; Gaius is training a few apprentices to be his successors. Arthur is, functionally, regent, and courting Gwen. The first half of the season is Arthur and Merlin settling into their new roles, with Arthur learning more about magic and Merlin supporting Arthur in his expanded duties. About halfway through the season, Morgana returns to Camelot, and her miraculous survival seems to rejuvenate Uther, who takes back many of his responsibilities. Arthur and Merlin still believe Morgana can be redeemed, but their methods of doing so are not immediately effective. Arthur clashes repeatedly with his father, unwilling to be as passive as in the past. This culminates in Arthur deciding his father’s imprisonment of Kilgarrah is unjust, and trying to identify the last surviving dragonlord to keep Camelot safe even after Kilgarrah is freed; Merlin later tells him that it’s his father, and they set out to find him. When they return from their quest, they learn that Morgause has attacked again, aided surreptitiously by Morgana, and the only way to beat back this army of the dead is through dragonfire. Merlin releases Kilgarrah and Morgause is defeated. But Kilgarrah then turns on Camelot and brings down half the castle, trying to reach Uther; Merlin, in full view of the court, commands him to stop. Uther demands Merlin be burned alive for sorcery. Arthur refuses, citing Merlin’s choice to protect Camelot rather than let the dragon destroy it, but Uther refuses to heed him. Arthur, Merlin, and Gwen flee from Camelot that very night.

Season Four: On their way out of Camelot, Arthur, Merlin, and Gwen are chased down by a furious Morgana, who insists on joining them. The four of them spend the season living, alternately, as vagabonds, mercenaries, and hedge knights; they meet up with Lancelot, Gwaine, Elyan, Percival, etc. The season is full of Merlin learning magic (hatching dragons!) through a variety of sources, wandering Albion, and understanding all that has been lost since Uther’s Purge. Arthur and Morgana learn the difficulties of being a commoner and Arthur gains a new understanding of Gwen; Gwen, however, starts to have second thoughts about her relationship with Arthur now that Lancelot is back in the picture. Arthur’s uncle Agravaine comes to join their party, but Merlin and Morgana immediately suspect him as working on Uther’s behalf. This culminates in Agravaine finally revealing that Morgause is not dead but has partnered with King Odin and promised him Camelot; they have been slowly poisoning Uther since Arthur left to weaken Camelot’s defenses. Arthur and his band of knights- and the army Merlin, Morgana, and Gwen have spent the season gathering- return to Camelot to save Uther. But they are too late. Arthur returns to Uther freshly buried, a kingdom in disarray, and his own people distrusting the army he brings home. To bring them all together, Merlin tells the people to go to Lake Avalon, where he asks Freya to part the waters; a sword is revealed to be embedded within the stone. Arthur pulls Excalibur out of the stone, gains his confidence and inspires his people, and kills Morgause.

Season Five [First Half]: Having defeated Odin, Arthur has established Camelot as a place for magic to thrive and shine. Merlin hears of magic-users in Essetir being taken as slaves by the king, and insists that they must try to stop it. Merlin and Gwaine go to Lot’s kingdom in disguise and accidentally perform a coup; Merlin rules in Arthur’s name before Arthur comes to claim the lands as his own. In Essetir, he meets Mordred, who was captured by slavers after fleeing Camelot. Though uneasy, Merlin takes him under his wing and trains him, both in magic and, through Gwaine, in combat. Meanwhile, Caerleon, fearing Camelot’s growing military might, attempts to attack Arthur, but is repelled; Morgana then names him as High King on the battlefield, and all four kingdoms kneel to him. The tensions between Lancelot, Gwen’s, and Arthur grow daily, but the growing needs of Camelot mean they can none of them address them properly until Lancelot decides to go and help rule Essetir instead of standing in Gwen’s and Arthur’s way. Arthur and Gwen decide they should get married, and she is crowned as High Queen over Albion. Morgana is officially named Arthur’s heir.

Season Five [Second Half]: In the second half of the season, there’s a time jump. Mordred is a knight and a sorcerer, and all of Albion is at peace. Merlin is now the established court sorcerer and physician; Arthur’s knights are all acting as regents in various fiefdoms across Albion. Magic is a force for good and evil; Merlin has built schools for learning and pockets of entirely magical villages have cropped up. But Morgana’s dreams are uneasy, and when she tells Merlin, the two of them go to the crystal cave to get some more clarity. On the way back, they stop in Essetir, just in time to save Lancelot from an assassination attempt, though Merlin has to put him in a coma. Against Arthur’s advice, Gwen goes to Gaius and learns of a magical object called the Holy Grail, which could relieve all wounds and turn a life immortal. As High Queen, Gwen then issues a challenge to all of Albion for the Holy Grail, promising riches beyond all imagining. Arthur and his knights, called to by honor, go on the quest. Merlin returns from Essetir with Lancelot’s body and tells Gwen the Holy Grail is nothing other than the Old Religion’s Cup of Life, but it has been destroyed by the Druids when they learned of Morgause’s intent to steal it. Mordred then tells them that the Druids didn’t destroy it, but hid it instead, in a place with many magical trials; Merlin, and Mordred head out to overcome them. On the way there, they meet Arthur and his knights, and they join forces. Mordred is compelled by a vision on the way there and stabs Arthur with Excalibur; Merlin manages to grab the cup and come back, but Arthur refuses to take the water, instead insisting Merlin give the water to Lancelot. Merlin takes Arthur’s body to Avalon, where Freya, Morgause, and Ygraine are there to receive him. They bury him with honor and send Merlin off with the knowledge that Arthur will rise again. Merlin returns to Camelot with the Cup of Life and revives Lancelot. Gwen has exiled herself to a monastery to repent for her mistakes, but Lancelot tells Merlin that he will go after her, though the choice will be hers in the end. Morgana is crowned queen. Merlin serves as her advisor, but at the end of her reign, he retires to Avalon, where Arthur lies still, and places the entire lake under an enchantment, set to be broken only in the time of Albion’s greatest need.

#merlin #litlammak #trying to make a tragedy a little ittle bit less tragedic iykwim #also: morgana redemption arc s4!#and more time spent as commoners for both arthur and morgana! the STORY of king arthur is one of a kid!!!#a normal middle class kid!!!! who becomes king.#coughs: check your privilege and all that

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jakeonao3 · 1 year

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you try so loud to love me (I cannot seem to hear): merthur, 1k words

“He can never know I’m in love with him. Telling him I have magic is one thing but telling him I’m in love with him is out of the question.” Merlin said at the druid he was talking to in the woods just outside the castle.

After sorting out their problem – said problem being that the Once and Future King still didn’t know about Emrys being Merlin, about them not ruling Camelot together, and that had brought them here, to the druids wanting Merlin to confess his feelings towards Arthur to the man in question – so, more like problems, and by sorting out he means saying he’ll never tell him, the druids left Merlin in the clearing they were in.

As soon as the druids were out of sight and earshot, Merlin sighed and sat on the grass. He couldn’t tell Arthur he had magic, let alone that he loved him. Both of those things would end their friendship, and Merlin didn’t know what he would do without Arthur by his side. Without being able to protect him, even if he would never know about it.

The sound of leaves shuffling made him turn around only to see the man he was thinking about, Arthur. Arthur was there. Oh my Goddess, how long had he been there? How much did he hear?

Arthur walks up to him, and Merlin just stares at everything but him, praying to the Triple Goddess, the Disir and the Old Religion that Arthur didn’t hear a thing.

When he’s close to Merlin, Arthur says, “Merlin.” It doesn’t have that usual tone of fondness and exasperation it always does instead it seems to be partly angry and partly- Merlin doesn’t know.

Merlin finally looks up to his king, still sitting on the floor.

“Arthur, what are you doing here?” He tries for casual but knows he’s missed it by a mile. His breaths coming more rapidly now.

Arthur is still looking at him as he says, “I followed you because I wanted to know where you actually are when you and Gaius say you’re at the tavern.” A pause then, “I heard everything, Merlin.”

Merlin’s eyes widen before he stands up and tries to walk backwards to get away from him, breaths coming more and more shortly. He doesn’t even realize he’s talking saying I’m sorry all over again, apologizing for something out of his control, let it be the magic or the love, he didn’t choose any of it, it just happened.

“I’m sorry, I’ll leave. Please don’t kill me. I don’t want to die.” With tears in his eyes, he realizes that he couldn’t live with the thought of Arthur hating him and banishing him, so he says, “No wait, please kill me here, with your sword. I don’t want Gaius to see me burn, I don’t want to be banished, I can’t live with the thought of you hating me, so please, kill me now.” While he was saying all of this, he managed to get in front of Arthur, only inches separating them.

Arthur slowly lifted his hand and put it on Merlin’s cheek. “Merlin, you idiot.” He placed a small peck on his lips and then said, “I could never harm you, or banish you for that matter. I’m in love with you too. And for the magic, did you really think I didn’t know? I’m not that dense, you know?” Merlin gave him a skeptical look. “Are you not angry? About my magic, about me lying to you for all these years, about me being in love with you?” There was a pause where he thought back about what Arthur had just said. “Wait, you’re in love with me?” His eyes widened and Arthur took it as a good moment to place his lips on Merlin’s once again. This time Merlin kissed him back – after a second of shock – and what a joy that was. He had imagined kissing Arthur, but the fantasies were nothing compared to the real thing.

He was so caught up in the kiss that when Arthur pulled back, he chased him with his lips, getting out a moan from Arthur. Merlin liked it so much that he walked him back until his back was against a tree trunk.

At this point, they were making out like teenagers. Tongue sliding against tongue. Teeth biting on lips and so on.

This time it was Merlin who broke the kiss by putting his hand on Arthur’s chest and holding him there. Arthur was looking at him with so much love that he didn’t know how he never noticed it before. He placed one or two more kisses on Arthur’s lips just because he could, and finally stepped back.

“We should head home.” Arthur loved the idea of taking Merlin to bed and be his in all the possible ways, so he said exactly that. Merlin smiled at him and responded with “I’ll take good care if you, my love.”

And with that they headed back to Camelot hand in hand, happier than they’d ever been.

#merthur #merthur fanfic #merthur fanfiction #Arthur Pendragon #arthur x merlin #merlin x arthur #merlin #merlin emrys #merlin bbc #bbc merlin

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