#The Merlin Saga

[kairennart]

The Knight and the Fae part two

For @merlinrarepairfest

[femmehysteria]

I'm doing a series of "Best Character Named X" polls where all the characters have the same first name but are from completely different media, feel free to send in name/charcacter suggestions, I'm posting one poll a day, check my pinned post for active polls

[hoperays-song]

No because found family is being chosen. It’s someone seeing all your mess and all your flaws and loving you anyway. It’s support and acceptance and everything you never had but deserved. It’s loving you anyway despite the past and the future. It’s being worth so much to someone that when they see you, you are immediately wound into the constellation of their life and they never want you to leave. 

[idkaguyorsomething]

Best companion does not necessarily mean they have to get along with the Doctor the most, challenging each other in interesting ways could also count.

Explain in the tags who you voted for, with which incarnation, and why!!

[rosalie-starfall]

The Magical Miranda

There is Magic all around you if I do say so myself I have known this much longer than I've known you

[the-kingshound]

Decision - part 2 of ?

TW: suicidal/self harming thoughts, description of violence, grief.

Time has lost all kind of matter or significance. After having torn the masked person apart limb by limb, slowly, until your clothes and your hair and your skin drip blood, still tasting metal in your mouth, you have functioned in an empty shell. Their screams weren't satisfying, they wouldn't be enough for the pain caused. The wound on your abdomen is closed, but pulses and doesn't hurt nearly enough.

You took down Arthur and Saraah's bodies. You hugged them and dry heaved. You weren't able to truly cry. It hurt too much, to hold their cold boneless body, so you didn't allow yourself any more contact than necessary.

It is your fault.

You stay in the room where it all happened. An unbearable amount of time later, someone finds you, kneeling in a pool of blood like a broken useless doll.

"Oh, no..."

It's Merlin. He gets you out. He enchants the bodies you hold not to rot, preserving them. When your mind starts revolting and clawing at your chest, Merlin shushes you like a small child.

"Drink," he tells you, placing a tea in your hand. You do, only because the warm smell of it compels you to as intended.

Merlin keeps you sedated for a while. Sometimes you wake, groggy, laid inside his tent. He is either working on your injury, or making potions and teas. He makes you drink something that pulls you into consciousness again. And again. Perhaps he wants to spare you, but from the very first conscious inhale you take when you wake, pain devours you whole and doesn't stop until you fall into magic induced sleep again.

The fourt time you wake up, he does allow you too stay awake. For good measure, he puts a warm cup in your hand.

"That is just for the nausea," he explains, somewhat avoiding your gaze. As if he knew it was your fault, as if he blamed you and he SHOULD he should blame you-

"I didn't make it in time," Merlin confesses, taking a steaming mug for himself. This time, he is looking at you, and he looks so old and tired. Guilty. "Mordred alerted me. Told me where to look. But I was too late and now..."

He takes a small sip of his tea. "I never though I would have to live past my boy. I hoped I wouldn't. I am old enough, as you can see."

Your heart breaks. You want to throw up, to destroy the tent, to tear up the entire kingdom.

Merlin then places the pomel of a sword in your hand. You feel a wave of anguish, instantly washed down in favour of warm consolation. Excalibur grieves, and yet it tries to soothe your pain.

"Here. Hold it. It wanted to stay with you."

You swallow, and this time you might cry. For a brief moment you feel an intense desire to cut your throat with Excalibur but you know it will stay blunt.

You have to bring your King and your brother home.

[imagine-to-be-a-pike]

No longer you from epic x merlin

That's all, goodbye

[bkworm5]

Really love that Arthur is the Once and Future King because we imortalize him. We keep bringing him back through our stories. 

[antiphotogenicfilmographer]

what ever happened to production companies aiming to garner a dedicated fanbase/fandom for their shows and the support of these fandoms ensuring the security and success of the show for future seasons, which when made would bring even more people into the fandom.

but now companies like netflix don't care about growing dedicated fandoms and will only greenlight second seasons of shows if they are watched by a population of half a billion within their first month. which shows me that they only really care about getting the attention of the general public. tbh, i feel like if dr who or sherlock or supernatural or merlin were to have aired on netflix rn, they wouldn’t have been renewed. it sickens me how much media priorities have changed.

[princess-polls]

Round Three: C

[whenicarusflies]

say what you will be the underworld saga gives such merlin vibes

[minecraftstevebabygirl]

personally I think that every character can be classified by “at the end of Thunder Bringer in Epic the Musical what would they choose”

The basic gist here is whether they would make the extremely selfish choice to sacrifice their best friends and people’s they’ve been fighting alongside with for years for a chance at seeing their SO again.

We already knew from the beginning of Epic what Odysseus would choose, because he literally said in the 2nd song “I would trade the world to see my son and wife” and well. He sure did follow through

I’ve decided to analyze characters in fandoms I’m in and share my perspective on this.

Scum Villain: Shen Qingqiu has been shown on multiple occasions to sacrifice his own well being for the happiness of others, he is an extremely selfless individual despite the fact that he would tell you otherwise. On the other hand, Luo Binghe would undoubtedly kill every single person in the entire world for even the slightest chance to see Shen Qingqiu again and I don’t think I’m exaggerating here.

ACOTAR: I can only share my perspectives from reading the first 2.5 books so bear with me here (also the only couple I’m gonna talk about is Feyre/Rhys). Feyre cares enough for her friends that I believe she would be willing to sacrifice herself so they could live. As for Rhys, I think that he absolutely cares for his friends more than he does for himself, but I do believe that his love for Feyre is a fatal flaw and ultimately that would make him choose to sacrifice his friends instead of himself. This isn’t because of selfish reasons necessarily, he just would not want to force Feyre (and by extension, Nyx) to live without him.

Merlin: This one isn’t even hard. Merlin and Arthur are both selfless enough that if they had to sacrifice their own life so even one of their friends could live they would do that every single time, their own happiness be damned.

I could add onto this with my genshin ships but it’s a long enough post already so I hope everyone enjoys what I’ve come up with.

[fluffypotatey]

*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

[random-hooman]

Kinda disappointed that no one has made a Merthur animatic to "Open Arms" from Epic: the musical where Arthur is Odysseus and Merlin is Polites and it takes place after Arthur finds out about Merlin's magic but is still kinda wary of it and Merlin can see that and wants Arthur to not be afraid of it

(someone pls do this)

[fordkisser08]

Look me in the eyes and tell me this song isn't Taliesin delivering a prophecy about the downfall of the order and the events that lead to the battle of Camlann:

'I see a song of past romance' - Guinevere's love for Arthur turning into love for Lancelot

'I see the sacrifice of men' - Merlin litterly knowing because of his future vision that Vivian would seal him away if he pursued her and eventually teach her magic, his sacrifice for fleeting affection

'I see portrayals of betrayal' - both Lancelot and Guinevere betraying Arthur's trust, also applies to Mordred betraying his uncle by taking his throne

'And a brother's final stand' - I suppose when Kay kills Loholt who's Arthur's kid? I honestly didn't know what to put for this one

'I see you on the brink of death / I see you draw your final breath' - Arthur getting fatally wounded in the Battle of Camlann

'I see a man who gets to make it home alive' - he gets taken to Avalon to be healed

'But it's no longer you' - not only is he a changed man (not just the PTSD) but he's also alone, his wife is gone, his children are dead, his loyal (except for Lancelot and Mordred) knights who where practically his brothers are dead, and his only mentor is sealed away due to giving in to blind love

[aberfaeth]

what is elyaine?

elyaine is a beautiful dream that me and like three other people on ao3 share. it’s nothing and it’s everything. it’s can a loudly chaotic bitch and a quietly chaotic bitch bully each other relentlessly but the second one of them is in danger they get so earnest and protective and fall in love. it’s me beating canon with a stick until elyan characterization bursts out like candy from a piñata. it’s a fix-it for the entirety of merlin s5 and bits of s4 it’s a love letter to love in all of its forms it’s 5k of prose and like another 6k of notes chillin in my scrivener doc it’s magic it’s the moment.

(it’s elyan/gwaine from bbc merlin and it’s coming to an ao3 near you! someday)