cynthia39100

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babygirl

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merlin s2ep4 the moment when Merlin and Arthur are talking on the river

am I the only one who was hooked by the way arthur spoke about his love? he didn't directly say gwen's name and i didn't notice him saying "she" and this monologue can be dedicated to merlin??? or am i thinking too much?

I’m totally hooked by that monologue. Bradley James played it beautifully. The desperation and longing is perfect.

Unfortunately he did say “her” multiple times haha. The canon romantic pairing in the show is no doubt Arwen. I’m always a merthur platonic soulmate supporter especially when it comes to canon, so it doesn’t bother me too much. But you can always put the monologue in a merthur fic if that’s what you prefer.

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Merlin rewatch -- S2E7: The Witchfinder

This scene is so good!!! Love the efficiency Arthur handled the whole thing. Love that he just bodily lunged at Merlin without hesitation. He didn’t even let Aredian touch Merlin. And he proceeded to drag Merlin out of the throne room without a beat of pause, like Merlin weighed nothing. No one dared to stop him and he told off the guards with such a stable voice. His protectiveness was so present. If he couldn’t save Gaius at least he couldn’t let Merlin be locked up.

The best part for me was this one look from Arthur when Gaius was confessing. Everyone, Uther, Merlin, Gwen, Morgana, were all sad and distraught, and all stared at Gaius or the witchfinder. Whereas Arthur's eyes were intense and alert, and instantly shot to Merlin's direction. And his gaze fixed there! never wavered.

Interestingly, in the next shot Merlin's eyes also flickered at the last moment, which I hadn't realised before. It's possible that he was looking at the front in general. There were a lot of people there. But the way it's cut made me think that Merlin and Arthur heard the confession and automatically searched for each other's eyes. Which was super cute.

Merlin being hauled out of the room like a labrador. Cute. I love the way Merlin hung to Arthur's arm with both arms and his long shirt sleeves. Made him look like a child. Everything in this scene was perfect.

[S2E7] [other episodes]

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okay but the fact that merlin ends up apparently doing things on the regular that are absolutely not in the purview of the prince's personal servant (cleaning the stables/doing laundry/etc.) makes me think that either

arthur told him to do those things to either tease or punish him, but he didn't realize that merlin doesn't actually know he's not supposed to be doing them. for anyone else high enough to be arthur's personal servant, doing something like cleaning out the stables would be an insult, but for merlin, who isn't trained or used to the castle pecking order, how the hell would he know? and at a certain point, merlin is so unbothered beyond some eyerolls that arthur is honestly a little embarassed. how do you tell someone after weeks, "oh yeah, you don't have to do that. i was just fucking with you the whole time."? can't do it. can't. now arthur is just hoping merlin never finds out.

arthur doesn't actually know what his personal servant is supposed to do. he does things like use them for target practice so they try to not be his servant as quick as possible, so they've never been around long enough (and he's never had enough interest in them) to actually know what they do and do not do. so along comes merlin, who ALSO doesn't know what a prince's manservant does, and arthur just waved vaguely and told merlin to get to work. laundry? that sounds right. SOMEONE has to be doing arthur's laundry. that sounds manservant-y. so yeah. sure. go do laundry.

meanwhile all the other servants know merlin isn't supposed to be doing their jobs as well, but tbh they're just gonna confused about why he is in the first place, and he technically outranks most of them, so uh? go ahead? knock yourself out in the stables, Personal Manservant of the Prince, Who Should Not Be Here.

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1x07 | 2x06

Bonus - Live Boyfriend Reaction:

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Jercy anyone?

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Headcanon that when Merlin started working for Arthur, he didn’t know what over half the names of things were—not only the parts of armor, but also just things around the castle and noble/city life—so he’d just make up names for them. When Arthur would ask for something, he’d have to describe what it was he wanted if Merlin didn’t recognize what the thing was by name, and then Merlin would go “oh, you mean the (weird name he came up with)!” and go get it. It always frustrates and annoys Arthur, and he tries to correct Merlin every time. Merlin eventually does learn the names of most of the stuff but still calls everything by the names he came up with because he knows how it annoys Arthur. Arthur still tries to correct him sometimes, but after a few years has accepted that Merlin’s not gonna stop and is doing it on purpose. Arthur will sometimes ask for something and Merlin will “correct” him with “you mean the (wacky name he came up with for it)” and Arthur rolls his eyes throwing something at him or cuffing him over the head as Merlin ducks away with a grin to get what he asked for. Eventually it gets to the point that Arthur adopts Merlin’s names for things without really realizing it. It just saves time. It gets to the point that Arthur will be talking to his knights or some noble or royal and he’ll end up using Merlin weird name for something. No one will know what he’s talking about and ask him to repeat himself. He does and they still look at him confused. He goes to explain what he’s talking about because he’s used to doing so with Merlin, and halfway through his explanation he realizes he called it Merlin’s stupid name and clears his throat and calls it by it’s proper name, a slight blush on his cheeks. No one calls him out on it or says anything to his face because he the prince and then the king, but Arthur stil complains to Merlin about what happened and “this is all your fault!!” while Merlin is grinning and laughing until Arthur has enough and throws something at him.

I just really want these two to have a language together. We get them having “prat,” “dollophead,” “cabbagehead,” etc. but I want it to extend to random objects too. Arthur adopts Merlin’s insults in canon and throws them back at Merlin occasionally, so I wanna see them do it with other stuff also. I think it’s be so funny and cute. Showing that Merlin really has a big impact on Arthur even down to the vocabulary he uses—changed irrevocably forever after. No longer the arrogant prince but the king Merlin made him, using vocabulary from the people rather than just the nobles and royals, setting him apart from his predecessors.

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These are a few of my favorite pills...

NEXT TO NORMAL at Wyndham's Theatre (2024) 📹: @mttztrading, @callmelasagna

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Merlin rewatch -- S3E8: The Eye of the Phoenix

Iconic scene that showcast the trio's dynamic🥰

Arthur and Gwaine finally got into the chamber and found Merlin safe and sound (a little giddy even).

Arthur being his emotional constipated self wasn't going to do much but I like the delighted "Merlin!", the blink-and-you'll-miss-it smile and the friendly slap~~ It looked dismissive but if you squint hard enough it's actually like a less intense version of that scene after Merlin survived from the Dorocha. He was happy to see Merlin up and alright I’m sure.

Then Merlin and Gwaine shared that small look like they were shaking heads at Arthur and then, being Gwaine, he gave Merlin a nice proper hug <33 They were very alike in this regard, while both had secrets and darkness within, they were tactile and quick to show affection.

Then the iconic...

Merlin looked super in love here lol I normally don't see them as romantically involved in show but this is probably the one time I think Merlin seriously looked love struck. In context I think it’s because he was still a bit dazed after the encounter with the Fisher King, but still.

Anyhow, it’s true that Merlin was fond and indulgent of his king while Arthur was oblivious and a prat. Gwaine was being the long suffering here lol shaking his head while Merlin just tilted his head "what can you do?"

[S3E8] [other episodes]

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Merlin rewatch -- S3E8: The Eye of the Phoenix

Arthur's pretty chill in this episode I feel.

There’s the scene at the bridge:

The first thing he did when he spotted Grettir was putting away his sword, and he remained respectful throughout the conversation. In contrast Gwaine raised his sword instantly.

(tbf, it could be that Gwaine was with Merlin so he was in protection mode, while Arthur was roaming around alone with a fantastical questy mindset).

Such a dork <3. Just took words in their literal meanings lol.

It's just a comical beat, but it also showed how not tense and not on guard Arthur was, facing this mysterious figure who was guarding the supposedly magical land.

He even got this nice, gentle smile when Grettir came to shake hands!

When Grettir mentioned magic, while Arthur rejected the idea, he didn't jump up and down at the word, only calmly expressed his disagreement. "I don't condone the use of magic.” Then Grettir talked about different realm, different rule, and Arthur seemed to really take in those words. He still wouldn't seek help from magic, I don’t think, bit the information was at the back of his mind for him to utilise should the need arise.

He even thanked Grettir like a good boy he was~

When Grettir disappeared into thin air -- a blatant occurrence of magic, Arthur just looked and shrugged and kept going 😂It seemed like Arthur just accepted it as a thing in this place that he was going in and it wasn't his business. I really like his kind of taking things in stride without thinking too much or making a fuss. Maybe it’s for the benefit of the quest, or that’s just how he was when left alone/free of princely duty.

In other scenes too:

Arthur did caution Gwaine but it wasn't at all harsh, just a gentle nudge. He didn’t shout “He’s the King!” like some previous instances, just that it’s his father and yes he knew his father was wrong but he’d appreciate if the insult happens away from his earshot.

When Merlin was hiccuping non-stop and seemingly not understanding the meaning of "alone and unaided", while Arthur was preparing a serious possibly-deadly quest, Arthur was quite patient too. He was annoyed but he did explain to Merlin with proper words instead of throwing things or yelling. An accomplishment eh lol.

The only time he was not chill was when Merlin got to him in the Perilous Land, but it's Merlin, and his most important quest as a prince was interrupted (sort of disqualified too), I think he's allowed to be a bit of a prat xd

[S3E8] [other episodes]

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Merlin rewatch -- S3E8: The Eye of the Phoenix

Some nice Merlin and Arthur moments~

It's just servant's job but dressing someone is still very intimate and I love the extra solemnness here~

Arthur’s last attempt to claim that “alone and unaided” really meant alone. He gave up after this.

Love the little smile the two exchanged before Arthur rode out. it was casual and intimate and so fond

(compared to the previous formal salute Arthur gave to Uther and Morgana, which I also love.)

It’s nice that at this point Merlin hadn’t been that paranoid and obsessed with Arthur’s safety, so he smiled at Arthur encouragingly, trusting that Arthur could deal with the quest alone (if not for the bracelet), and let him go.

Merlin was so happy to see Arthur~~

Love Merlin’s knowing grin and little nod! Arthur was shouting "Merlin" angrily and Merlin could just read the safe sign there, knowing that Arthur gave up on chasing them away and back to Merlin-must-follow-me-everywhere state.

Happy reunion~~

Arthur’s nice, happy smile before he acted like a prat again. Gorgeous shot of them riding happily together~.

[S3E8] [other episodes]

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Merlin rewatch -- S3E8: The Eye of the Phoenix

Gwen got quite some nice scenes this ep <3

There’s Mergwen friendship!

“Thinking about what?” “You”

Arthur was doing "serious business" and these two were having fun lol They were adorable. They actually had more friendship moments in s3 than I remembered. It's nice while it lasted.

"And you're going to stay here and watch?" "Gwen! This is one of the most important days in a prince's life!"

Gwen's suspicious eyebrow. Her face was so funny. She knew Merlin wasn't going to last all night lol

~~~

A quick reminder of Arwen <3

“I’ll be careful.” “For me.”

A nice private goodbye. The beauty in s3 was that now they were more sure of each other's feelings, there were this kind of bits and pieces that weren't part of a big story, just their everyday romance. Gwen was gorgeous in this shot!! Stealing kisses in the empty hallway is what we have secret relationship for~~

~~~

And some revelation…

I'm glad that Gwen actually found out about Morgana's magic since Morgana's the worst spy ever I swear. Someone had to catch up. I love that Gwen wasn't swayed by Gaius' gaslighting at all and Gaius relented at once. But then I wished it led to more plot development instead of a one-off awesome Gwen... Just another person who didn't tell Arthur important things.

[S3E8] [other episodes]

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Merlin rewatch -- S3E8: The Eye of the Phoenix

Since the Courage, Magic, Strength thing was introduced in this ep, I hope they gave Gwaine and Arthur more bonding time...

It's fair enough that Gwaine said he came only because of Merlin and Merlin was his only friend since this conversation was for Merlin and Gwaine and Arthur weren't exactly friends. But Gwaine was willing to risk his life to help Arthur in the melee. There was care and respect there. I just hope it was explored a little more in this ep so that the trio didn't seem to be Gwaine & Merlin (+Arthur) and they wouldn't be antagonistic in so many fics.

And I know it's meant to be funny and friendly(??), but it's unfortunate that the little time Gwaine and Arthur were in the same room were mostly Gwaine looking at Arthur's pratty behaviour (or how Merlin indulged that) annoyingly.

… right after so many scenes with Gwaine and Merlin laughing and messing around together or exchanging looks about how much of a prat Arthur was being (which he was, but he also trusted Merlin and Gwaine not to use it against him, and Merlin's exasperation was always with fondness while Gwaine hadn't had enough relationship with Arthur to be perceived like that.) I could see how Gwaine seemed to only tolerate Arthur for Merlin's sake...

“Go on then. Don’t be such a princess.”

The only scene these two properly interacted. It's quite cute, the way Arthur pushed up his glove was funny. But because how annoyed Gwaine seemed to be with Arthur before this, it seemed prickly, not the friendly kind of jibes.

At least the farewell scene was quite nice.

[S3E8] [other episodes]

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Merlin rewatch -- S3E8: The Eye of the Phoenix

Gwaine showed more of his sadder side in this ep, his loneliness and the strong desire for a deeper connection. He still smile but not as much and as carefree. He allowed Merlin to see more of him.

"Help a friend." "Not Arthur."

I like this little nod after he (wordlessly) told Merlin he came here because of Merlin alone. He usually smiled and laugh so much that when he quieted down it hit your heart with full force. It shifted the tone to a far more serious and heart-felt one.

“You’re my only friend.”

I just love Eoin's sutble shift of expression. He managed a smile for a second then it faded to a grimmer, less self-assured face again. It beautifully showed the weight in that line, his conviction and his insecurity. He needed Merlin to know how important Merlin was in his life (cause Merlin needed to see that he had a life outside of Arthur) but he also feared it to be burdening, not be reciprocated.

And here, he put down his carefree facade just a little and agreed to Merlin’s “You can’t always live like that," merely said “yeah, but it’s fun trying.” He needed a home and a family 😭

At least he had Merlin now even though Merlin only went to him when Arthur was in trouble outside of Camelot 😂 It’s still great fun!

[S3E8] [other episodes]

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Merlin rewatch -- S3E8: The Eye of the Phoenix

The realm of the Fisher King is probably the most magical/mythical in the whole show for me, visually and narratively. It just looked so real, with the set, props, lighting, make-up/costume, music, and the actors, everything going together perfectly.

Story-wise, the fact that the story of Fisher King wasn't a myth (for the audience) that Merlin was living through, but a myth in Merlin’s world, was very intriguing. Plus, Fisher King wasn't trying to influence Merlin in any way, simply called upon Merlin to fulfill his wish. It made the whole event firmly wrapped in its own bubble. It's enjoyable and mysterious and it’s fine to be left unexplained.

But also it’s not completely detached, because the Fusher King mentioned “the arrival of a new time, the time of the once and future king” . It’s a succession of history and legend. And possibly responsibility, from the Fisher King to Merlin and Arthur.

If only we get to see that promised golden age

[S3E8] [other episodes]