#The Diamond of the Day

[dont-let-me-eat-pears]

i call bbc merlin a comfort show as if it weren’t frustrating and traumatizing on like ten different levels, didn’t kill off almost every single character, and didn’t have the most disappointing, devastating, unforgivable series finale i’ve ever seen.

[artchael]

"The King is dead. Long live the Queen!"

DAY 13: END @merlinktober <- day 12 / day 14 ->

[earthshine-moon]

Merlin Parallels

“The more brutal you are, the more enemies you’ll create.” (1x01)

“I want his annihilation, Mordred. I want to put his head on a spike and watch as the crowd feast on his eyes.” (5x02)

“And allow him to grow more powerful, more dangerous until he strikes out against us?” (1x08)

(5x13)

“Are you ever going to change, Merlin?” (1x13)

“I don’t want you to change.” (5x13)

“Maybe that one’s worth dying for, eh?” (3x05)

(5x13)

[khruschevshoe]

There's just something very specific about homoerotic character-enveloping friendships from around 2010 where they're semi-aware that gay people exist but queerbaiting isn't quite a thing yet sp their relationship consumes the narrative and changes them both irrevocably forever and they end in tragedy but the ending is JUST open enough for the fic writers to wriggle into that just makes me go fucking FERAL

[adhd-merlin]

(x)

[inalandofsadclowns]

"Why did you never tell me?" was such a significant question from Arthur. It's saying "I am your friend, I would've wanted to know". It's implying Arthur haven't even considered that the law would be reason enough to keep Merlin from being honest about this. That Merlin was supposed to know Arthur would never execute him, no matter what he did. It's the grief of missing out on a crucial part of his best friend. Having lost all the days they could have spent together in Camelot, at the castle, in his chambers, on hunts, during battles, everything as before, except knowing everything. It's saying that whatever burdens Merlin had faced, Arthur would've wanted to help bearing them, but it's too late now. God. He just wanted to have him figured out.

[lesbianlefay]

EPISODE 1x01: THE DRAGON'S CALL || EPISODE 5x13: THE DIAMOND OF THE DAY PART 2

[achillesuwu]

Multiple people must have already when insane over this but : i'm chewing wall over the fact that Arthur never knew that Merlin was born with magic and

He.

Didn't.

Care.

He never asked when Merlin started, if he started, etc

Merlin choosing or not choosing to do magic was irrelevant to Arthur. The fact that Merlin is a sorcerer was enough. He was horrified about what he allowed to happen and it didn't matter that it was a choice or not. If Merlin is a magic user then it can't be monstrous, if merlin has magic then it can't be wrong.

The only thing left is the fact that Arthur's greatest failure is not being able to be the friend he wanted to be. The kind of friend Merlin was to him.

[ughmerlin]

10 YEARS OF THE MERLIN FINALE "The Diamond of the Day" ▸ 24.12.2012

[fixing-bad-posts]

I am holding you so gently

[solarg0blin]

Happy TENTH anniversary of BBC Merlin’s ending. In that time, not only has it remained a popular show, but it’s thriving. It outlasted the Queen of England. It remains in the top 100 for tumblr, and Alexander Vlahos still posts the yearly ‘I killed Arthur and Merthur is canon’ thing.

Y’all are like roaches in a nuclear blast.

EDIT: Vlahos does not post it yearly, and has since proven to hold some problematic views (x)

[dont-let-me-eat-pears]

a day may come when i stop crying over bbc merlin and all its heartbreaking character deaths and that ending. but it is not this day.

[blip-blip-blop]

my boy's a pretty crier, but he’s such an awful liar

[echoesofcamelot]

Hello, today I wanted to share with you my very own interpretation of this scene 👇 because it haunts me to this day.

The first thing we see after Kilgharrah says goodbye is the lake, and then Merlin slowly caressing Excalibur's pommel with longing.

Merlin is holding Arthur's sword. The sword Merlin made for him. The sword that made Arthur believe he could be king. The sword he has held so many times in so many battles. The pommel is still warm. Merlin is running his thumb over it, holding the ghost of Arthur's hand.

Oh, but this sword is more than Arthur's sword. It's a sword forged in a dragon's breath, the weapon that was able to kill Morgana. Possibly the only thing that could kill Merlin as well. Merlin is also holding a possibility. A key. He could use it. He could... He could follow Arthur once more.

Look at this terrible, terrible expression on his face as he looks at the blade. He's lost everything and he's got a way out at his fingertips. Literally.

And, for a moment, it almost looks like he is going to take it.

But Merlin wouldn't do that. Because if there really is a chance that Arthur will come back, then Merlin will be there for him. He will always choose Arthur.

So he decides to get rid of the sword. Because it's dangerous. It will always be a temptation.

And then.

Then this happens.

Look, I know it's supposed to be Freya. But, hell, no, it's not. I'm sure it's Arthur. I always assumed it was Arthur. It has to be. It's a very masculine forearm. And if you look closely at the shape of the fingernails you'll see that they look awfully similar to Arthur's.

This whole scene only makes sense to me if it's Arthur. So I'll always believe it's him, regardless of what the writers had planned. (After all, if you write, then you'll know that sometimes stories develop a mind of their own and find a way to tell themselves the way they are supposed to be, even if that goes againts the author's plans).

Because, look. Look at Merlin's reaction.

His features have lost all trace of hardness. There's sorrow, yes, and weariness. But there's also awe, and acceptace, and a new light in his eyes that almost seems like... hope?

That hand holding Excalibur is the proof that Arthur is really gone, and yet somehow he still exists. That hand holding Excalibur is Arthur's last goodbye, and a promise. I'm gone, Merlin, but I'm still here. And I will return to you some day.

It's right after this scene that we see Merlin finally saying goodbye to Arthur. He's seen he no longer inhabites his body, so he stops fighting, he stops denying. He accepts. He says goodbye. He lets go.

Arthur is gone, and Merlin is broken. He is saying goodbye to half of his soul. But he has seen Arthur's spirit, and he knows that a part of him is still alive. He knows for certain that his soul lives on.

And that is why I know Merlin will always have faith in Arthur's return. Because he knows that Arthur is truly there, somewhere in the lake of Avalon.

And, some day, he will return to Merlin.

[k4t-js-bcs]

"Just hold me"

just say that you're gay

[adhd-merlin]

did you ever really think about the merry-go-round of betrayal arthur went through during his last few days on earth? the sister he loved dearly attacks him with a whole army. his best mate ditches him in his hour of need. his former favourite knight meets him in battle and runs him through with a sword with zero hesitation. he wakes up and merlin's there?? and he barely has time to make sense of his surroundings before merlin says: "I have magic btw". then gaius comes to the rescue and arthur's like, "merlin is a sorcerer, wtf?! get me outta here", and gaius goes, "yeah, about that". that's years' worth of therapy packed in just a few hours