#NOT ME WRITING ALL THIS JUST TO SAY I DONT KNOW JDNKDNSKJ IM SO FUCKING ANNOYING

[nextstopparis]

So this is a random question and I'm not sure if you or any of your followers have an answer. There is a sometimes humorous thing about Merlin dressing Arthur. By humorous I mean when Arthur stomps around acting like he literally can't dress himself and makes Gaius help him. But to what extent does Merlin dress him? Merlin seems surprised when Arthur dresses himself but surely he's not helping him into his trousers and shirt every morning? I get armor obviously.

YEAH THE DYNAMIC IS REALLY ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!

bc you have scenes like 2.03

where merlin only hands him his sword, doesnt even help put the red thingy on (im not sure what its called im sorry skdjncsk) or help arthur take off his coat or whatever.

and scenes like 2.10

where arthur obviously dresses himself, and all merlin does is help him put on the red thingy

and even scenes in 4.06

where arthur manages to put on the whole ensemble (shirt, jacket, belt) all by himself while merlin stands there contemplating how he's such a shit assassin...

and 4.07 -

where arthur is very obviously capable of wearing his own shirt?? and again, someone (🤢agravaine🤢) helps him with the red thingy (although, in this case i feel like it's common courtesy being paid to the king or whatever)....

but then. despite those. they also give you THIS, FROM THE SAME EPISODE (4.07 deleted scene):

WHERE HE'S RUNNING AROUND THE DAMN CASTLE IN HIS NIGHT CLOTHES BECAUSE MERLINS NOT THERE

AND THIS from EARLIER THAT SAME SEASON (4.01)

"you're dressed?" "yes merlin, im not an idiot" I MEAN WHEN IT COMES TO PUTTING ON SHIRTS, I KNOW THAT BUT DO YOU???? also the way merlin asks, holding a specific shirt for him to wear makes it sound like??? he does help with arthur's shirts at least???

AS WELL AS THESE FROM 5.08:

where gaius and gwen are both fulfilling merlin's role, and both of them not only help with his armour, but as shown above, also help put on his shirts (or, in gaius' case.. tries to lol)???? when just a season ago he was capable of it himself??? and im not even counting the times that merlin evidently wasnt with arthur, but arthur was dressed on his own anyway????

SO LIKE ITS ALL OVER THE PLACE ANON I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE?? i think merlin helps him with his shirts, but they never really go into trouser territory (unless you count 4.04 but that was more Comedy so. idk?) for me to give an opinion abt that part. it always kinda just looks like they all wear the same trousers for everything but. what do i know. as far as the shirts are concerned though, the thing is that idk if it has always been that way, or if merlin just gradually began expanding his help?? like first it walk helping with jackets and armour and handing arthur stuff, and turned into helping him with his shirts? and over time arthur began relying on it so much that by the end he was almost incapable of handling it himself??? idk

in this post (the tags) i sort of talked about how arthur's incompetency, specifically in the 4.07 deleted scene (look at this post) & in 5.08, might mostly stem from the fact that he's panicking over merlin's disappearance than anything else but. he still very obviously like. EXPECTS merlin to be there to help put his shirt on (esp. because in 4.01 the interaction makes it feel like arthur dressing himself is something he's doing TO SHOW that he can do it? as if maybe merlin does dress him but just this ~one time~ he's like look. i can do it too im not dumb) so.

id say merlin began helping put on his shirts during the later seasons (maybe btwn s3&s4? i dont really remember any dressing scenes in s3 but i think it might make sense bc it was btwn those seasons that arthur sort of began leading camelot as regent/took on the responsibility of king, if in every way but name, so the stress of that caused him to start depending on merlin heavily/spurred merlin on to try and do little things to make it more manageable??) and arthur just sort of. really started relying on that? lol?

IDK IM SORRY THIS IS JUST A REALLY LONG WAY OF SAYING I DONT KNOW KJDNCKSN MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE KNOWS