#even when he believes uther was right :(

[arthurslesbian]

fuckinggggg mr tell arthur nothing gaius

[wordsinhaled]

remember in the SECOND EPISODE of merlin when gaius was all, "merlin, i’m sorry but your word counts for nothing because you’re a servant and no one will care what you have to say"

and then merlin came to arthur and arthur was all SWEAR TO ME THAT WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE and THEN I BELIEVE YOU and then he went to his father and assembled the whole court so that merlin's concerns would be heard, because he shared them

remember when even after not being able to substantiate the claim and firing merlin he still believed that what merlin said was the truth. remember when even after being sacked and sent away merlin came back to warn arthur

remember when arthur was all “my father will never apologize to me for being wrong” and then turned right around and APOLOGIZED TO MERLIN (his manservant!) and ADMITTED HE WAS WRONG. remember when uther was all, you care about some manservant's opinion??? and arthur was all, well yes, obviously, because merlin's a fucking person. remember when arthur saw merlin as a person when all his life merlin has felt different and other and confused about who he is and what he is

and also, again, all of this was in the SECOND EPISODE

remember when in the second episode arthur already showed he'd be a better ruler for albion than uther ever was, even back then when arthur was still so young at heart and had so much learning and growing still to do

remember when this all foreshadowed how he would take (and even ask for) merlin's perspective and advice later, during crucial moments for the kingdom

okay. and also since i'm here

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT YOU, MERLIN in the first episode (the first episode!!!)

and

the way merlin is all "you have the wrong person" this and "arthur's an idiot" that but as soon as he hears confirmation that arthur is his destiny he's THROWING himself in harm's way (literally) for arthur, he's cheering for arthur in tournaments, he's worrying about him

arthur is the one who started a second confrontation at the marketplace - not merlin. because he was curious about him. because he wanted him in his life and didn't even understand why yet

because he can feel it; they can both feel it

THEY'RE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN!!!! soulmates!!!!!!

okay, and listen. listen

thinking about arthur's journey from anger to acceptance to gratitude once he learns about merlin's magic, and how on some level you'd think that would change their dynamic forever because arthur would feel he could never make it up to merlin for all the ways he'd saved and supported arthur and the kingdom. and maybe arthur might feel that way for a while. but the fact of the matter is that arthur has always treated merlin as more than his manservant. from day one. FROM DAY ONE

merlin would have served arthur for the rest of his life!!! he would have been his court sorcerer!!! okay! he was ready for that! he was ready to see arthur white-haired and wise in his old age and he would have been at his side then still helping him dress even though he doesn't need to anymore, arthur's got other servants for that, and merlin's got other duties now, and arthur would say, shouldn't you be in your tower, dollophead? even while shrugging into the jacket merlin holds out for him, and merlin would respond i should, my lord even while fastening the clasps of arthur's cloak and it would be everything and nothing like old times

god, do you ever just think about THEM and have a whole Situation because... THEY

[gdn019283]

Why I believe Arthur isn’t attracted to women and my not so deep analysis over it (this is my personal opinion, and a mess, so bear with me)

Hear me out.

Not only Arthur is a very constipated man over pretty much everything, doesn’t show or openly says what he feels, especially in the first two seasons, but he doesn’t even have friends, except those that he is supposed to have because he is a regent, and later a king. His father is even worse, thought him nothing if hatred and repression, so we can say he sucks at socialisation, and I may or may not be projecting here, but I know what it feels like to be out of your bubble and enter the world feeling completely out of yourself, which is why Arthur is attached to the hip with Merlin, and is he so enamoured, attracted, shocked with him during their first encounter.

Back to my point, he is socially awkward, but I don’t believe that is the reason behind why he acts the way he acts towards every single woman character in the TV show. (his own bloody wife included)

Arthur doesn’t like women, repertory A:

First kiss with Gwen. Lovely, I always smile when I see it, but why. Like, Arthur thought he was going through with his death, just received a token of affection that no one had ever dared give to him, felt appreciated, like a beaten kid who receives his first hug, and thought: “Okay, well, might kiss her too, isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?” , dipped for a peck, and FLED RIGHT AFTER. His face showed no emotion, he basically just gave a shrug when he realised he and Gwen couldn’t be together and went on with his day. And honestly, if it wasn’t for the amazing soundtrack, I would just stare at the screen with a flat face during their first kiss. You can feel the difference between this scene and the one where Lancelot saves Gwen and tells her to run, and they kiss before they part, and THERE you can feel the longing, understand why there had to be a parting kiss. Arthur almost feels relieved that Uther won’t let him stay with Gwen after he survives, but whatever.

Repertory B:

Arthur, even if enchanted, stills asks Merlin for advices on “feelings” and “girrlllss”. This doesn’t need explaining.

Repertory C:

Men can be shy, obviously, even with women, but, as I cited above, Arthur has no idea how to socialise. His friends, hell, even his relationship with Morgana, wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for Merlin. So explain to me why Arthur doesn’t even look at Gwen until he has to, and goes around NOT CARING about women, unless Uther is the one throwing them at him, and then caves when a pretty man appears on the screen. I also believe this is the directors’ fault, who tried so hard to make the relationship between Gwen and Arthur real, that they just made a gay show, but Arthur, when he had more worrisome things to think about, he didn’t care about women, or girls, or courtship, in the slightest, until Elena gets in the picture and he has to think about marriage and a future with his queen, again. I firmly believe Arthur chose Gwen not because he loved her romantically, but because to him, she was the best choice amongst everyone else.

Repertory D:

The Knights of the Round Table. Arthur, a prince that throughout all three seasons has an hard time even speaking openly to Merlin without making fun of him, or to Gwen, suddenly fights his father over Lancelot (because he admired him quickly, and couldn’t understand that because of his sexuality, he felt very comfortable around a thoughtful man like him), drools over Percival the first time he meets him, probably thinking of how nice it could be to jump the giant like a tree, and has a love hate relationship with Gwaine, because Gwaine is everything Arthur envies. Free, open, and in a close relationship with Merlin, (a man) that Arthur forbids himself to have. (also, nice hair)

Repertory E:

Mithian. Arthur doesn’t spare a glance at a single woman in the show. He does it with Gwen (poorly) because he feels he needs to, and once again avoids marriage, and acts like a complete panic around Mithian in the entirety of the episode where she is introduced. He can’t take her compliment when he meets her the first time; he doesn’t realise that standing outside a woman’s chamber for that long can mean something else; he is affronted of having burped in front of her, not because he likes her and she is a woman, but because Arthur’s ego is too huge; this man has no clue over: “how to act around women”, because to him, women are people he isn’t attracted to. As simple as that. He finds Morgause irritating and not beautiful, like many others, because to him, she is just another very good warrior who has beaten his ass.

Repertory F:

Arthur doesn’t have sex with Gwen (oh, hot take). We never see them languidly stare at each other (unlike the eye fucking that happens between Merlin and Arthur. That’s not sexual tension that can be cut with a knife, it’s a wall of homosexuality where Arthur often bangs his head on) Yes, this show was very chaste, but definitely not intended for kids (see innuendos), so how could someone who should be close to Gwen, in any way possible, doesn’t recognise that his wife is bloody enchanted and she is trying to kill him? No, you don’t need to have sex with someone to understand that they want you dead and that they drastically changed their personality, but my brother in christ, this just proves me that Arthur was attracted to the idea of a peaceful kingdom, ruled together with an intelligent, fierce, and good woman by his side, rather than attracted, attracted to Gwen per se. The rest of the time he just followed Merlin around like a puppy. He married for love? I believe he married his best friend Gwen so that he didn’t have to go through the process of having kids. The heir had never been the problem. If it was for Arthur, he would have married Merlin the instant he met him in the market during the first episode.

Repertory G:

Do we see Arthur openly complimenting the women in the show? No. Also, because it’s not the point of the show. The point of the show is the homosexual relationship Arthur has with his serv—(he does it with Gwen and probably Mithian, because she is objectively beautiful, but I can’t remember other instances)

Last but not least:

Merlin.

Separately, Arthur, and here I’m adding Gwen, too, are both complex and well thought characters, lacking many things and contradicting themselves during the show, always because of how they were badly written in a lot of episodes. The Arwen scenes are lovely, but they don’t bring out anything. They don’t make you hope, giggle, despair, cry, because to me, there is nothing there to be tragic over. They just needed to fill a gap so that the people who didn’t like the idea of Merlin and Arthur together romantically would have something else to watch. Which is also the main ship of the show and it makes everything more hilarious, because they fucked it up so bad, LMAO.

The more you try not to make something gay, you just make it even gayer that what you had originally planned.

I had so many other points, but my ADHD said no. So if you want to add something else, feel free to do it!

[kirbybecomesastarwarrior]

Happy Father's Day~ (for the Dads of KBASW)

Did you think I would be late for Father's Day (like last year)? Hahaha yes!

King Dedede & Banadana Dee:

I've kept King Dedede's Arc pretty hush (since it does dive into pretty dark territory) and Bandee is extremely integral to his change. And you can understand why Dedede's incredibly attached to Bandee (vice-versa).

Bandee is one of the only ones who believed in the king and stayed by his side. And King Dedede growing a drive to change... wanting to become someone worthy of Bandee's trust and loyalty.

After Escargoon quits on him (which affects & hurts him greatly), he promises to do everything he can to "treat dis boy right!"Which results in King Dedede treating him more like a son than his right-hand man.

King Fisher, Prince Fluff & Falspar:

As I've said before Fisher King adored his son to bits and pieces ... and gave his life just for the chance to be a father. And never regretted having Fluff... if his accident is what leads him to have his son then he doesn't regret that either.

(Basically, a near-death experience was what led him & his wife to be unable to have children... an accident that Falspar was blamed for by Uther & the Ancients to save face...)

After the whole debacle with the Grail & Faspar wants to make it up to Fluff, (even though Fluff has already forgiven him). However, that's not good enough for Falspar so what does he do...

This is basically Falspar's walk of penance (similar to his counterpart Sir Percival)... And he does this by finding out what happened to Fluff's mom for him. They were both able to give each other the closure they needed: Falspar with the King Fisher incident with the Grail & Fluff with the disappearance of his mom...

Falspar becomes a second father to Fluff he's affectionately called Uncle Parry by him (Fluff). Falspar's laid-back nature was just what Fluff needed in his life. Being there for Fluff gave Falspar this unspeakable sense of fulfillment... finally understanding what the Grail meant... and King Fisher's attitude of gratitude for him.

Fisher was always thankful to Falspar for his accident because it's what led him to have a son... and Falspar in turn becomes grateful to Fisher because of his son (Fluff).

(Gah~ still weeping)

Sir Arthur & Meta Knight:

As I've said before, when Meta Knight was born he was sent through the dream fountain as a living bomb by Nightmare. He (MK) would not obey him and saw him as a failed experiment so he expelled him hoping he could do a little damage... believing he would die on arrival.

He was wrong... Meta Knight's creation was blasphemy and the fact he didn't have a warpstar was proof of that. He was an astral that was born out of the creation of Void.

And of course, Sir Uther tried to execute him immediately... but Sir Arthur wasn't having it. Everyone saw a monster, but all Sir Arthur could see was a frightened little boy begging for someone to save him... (it was a feeling all too familiar when he dealt with Sir Uther's cruelty).

Not only that he couldn't bear to see another innocent being accused of treason *cough* Celestine.

Using all the knowledge & the lessons he's had (with Celestine/ Merlyn) he manages to convince the Ancients to spare Meta's life and allow him to take the baby in. And his new status as "holy knight" protected him so Uther couldn't do anything to override his decision.

However, the old toad had one last (pathetic) try and exclaimed, "IF YOU KEEP THAT SPAWN OF NIGHTMARE YOU WILL NO LONGER BE MY RIGHT HAND AND I WILL DISSOWN YOU!"

Uther had assumed he'd come crawling back believing he still had Arthur under his thumb. (Little did he know Arthur had changed a long time ago.) Instead, he turns to his old mentor "Then I would formally like to abdicate my position as your right-hand man."

Arthur turns back to Meta and scoops him in his arms wrapping him in his cape (the red cape). "And besides I'll have my hands full and won't be able to properly take care of this one."

"WHAT!?"

He walked away from his cruel master and never looked back. Meta Knight always saw Arthur as his savior, but in reality, it was Meta Knight who saved him.

After Celestine's death (or that's what he thought), Arthur was really struggling, and even more so after she was erased.

Being one of the only people who remembered her, apart of him thought she might have been a figment of his imagination. But he didn't care "Even if she was just a dream... then she was a beautiful dream..." and as long as Merlyn existed... so did she.

He held on to the memory of her for dear life... "that there was always something to live for... "Meta Knight was that something to him.

Kirby & Meta Knight:

Guys, I don't think I need to explain the last one that much cause... come on it's "Meta Dad."

(I'd expand on this more but then we'd be here for hours/ also that would be spoilers to KBASW: The Knightmare's End... I really got to finish the next chapter)

Basically Sunshine heals old lonely war veteran~

The whole father-son relationship between Kirby & Meta Knight is two outsiders finding this family within each other... and then in turn being able to make a safe space for everyone and each other.

Their Father-Son relationship ultimately made each other grow closer to their respective destinies. With Kirby becoming a Star Warrior and Meta Knight becoming the leader of the GSA,

So anyway I hope you enjoyed the dads of KBASW!

[overlyspecific]

Part 5 of Merlin Hood

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12

Flashback to Magic Reveal!

Even with the number of times that Arthur called Merlin an idiot, he didn’t actually believe it. At least, not fully. Sometimes he was late waking him up in the morning or he would clumsily drop his lunch and have to go get another, but he was reliable most of the time. Today, however, Arthur had not seen his manservant at all.

When George arrived with lunch, Arthur nearly bit his head off.

Arthur: Where is my useless manservant?

George: I don’t know, sire. No one has seen him all day.

Arthur: If he’s at the tavern again…

Arthur barged out of the room and definitely didn’t angry stomp all the way to Gauis’s chambers. To his credit, Gauis doesn’t even look up at Arthur when he barges in.

Gauis: Oh Arthur, Merlin’s just out at the-

Arthur: If you say tavern, I personally put Merlin in the dungeon until there is snow on the ground.

Gauis:…

Just as Gauis is trying to think of a different excuse, Merlin barges in covered in chicken feathers and holding a struggling rooster.

Merlin: *not noticing Arthur* Gauis, I swear, cant they ever make it easy? Do they realize when they come up with these stupid plots that theres a poor overworked manservant that has to go collect whatever random ingredient and study the perfect spe-

Gaius: *cutting Merlin off before he can say anything incriminating* Oh, Merlin, you’re back. Prince Arthur was just looking for you.

Merlin: *eyes wide* Arthur! What are you doing here? *the rooster in Merlin’s arms tries to take that opportunity to escape, but Gauis takes it from Merlin*

Arthur: *rubbing a hand over his face* Merlin, the day I know what all you get up to when you aren’t with me is a day I fear for my sanity.

Arthur starts to leave the Physician chambers, but remembers why he was there.

Arthur: Merlin, I expect you to be up in my chambers in the next twenty minutes to get me dressed or have you forgotten that there is foreign royalty visiting?

Merlin: *a little too sweet to be sincere* of course, sire.

Arthur returns to his chambers with Merlin following soon behind. Merlin starts to dress Arthur for the feast.

Merlin: *working mostly in silence, quietly humming to himself* raise your arms.

Arthur: *obeying so Merlin can put in ceremonial shirt over his head* You’d tell me if you were in any kind of trouble, right?

Merlin: *surprised by the question* Of course, but what sort of trouble would I get into anyway?

Arthur: I’m serious, Merlin. Half the time I don’t know what you are up to and you come back with these ridiculous excuses everytime. what am I supposed to think?

Merlin: I appreciate the concern, but its nothing really. I’ll tell you if I’m ever in any trouble.

Arthur: You’re a bad liar, you know.

Merlin: I know.

Tension fills the room with things unsaid and Merlin quickly finishes dressing Arthur.

The two make their way down to the feast only a few minutes late. When they open the door, however, the prince and his manservant are shocked with what they find.

The long feast table is filled with royalty and nobility wrapped in fiery green ropes. The servants are similarly tied to the pillars of the room slightly out of sight. The visiting queen is at the front of the table next to Uther with her arms outstretched. She looks up at the sound of the door opening.

Lady Canterlily: *smiling wickedly* Prince Arthur, what a pleasure! *she whispers a spell and Arthur is tied to a chair and slides across the floor to join Uther and Morgana at the head of the table.*

Merlin: *suddenly serious and pulsing with authority at seeing the royals helpless* Let them go!

Lady Canterlily: Oh silly me, I forgot to take care of you too dear. I’m sorry, you servants are always so forgettable. *she whispers a spell and Merlin is tied to a pillar* Now that everyone is here, let’s get this party started.

Merlin struggles against the ropes, but he knows there’s no way out without magic and Arthur is looking over at him with worry in his eyes.

Uther: You wont get away with this! You will be brought to justice and burn on the pyre!

Lady Canterlily: Oh, like how to murdered my family? Like how you burned my helpless daughter? She didnt even have magic! Really she wasnt much younger than your son here. *she walks over to Arthur and reaches her hand out to him* How would you feel if your family was murdered, King Uther?

Lady Canterlily starts a spell directed at Arthur, but she is flung into a wall. Everyone looks around for the culprit, but everyone is still tied up. Lady Canterlily gets up slowly and looks around too.

Lady Canterlily: *suddenly scared, but trying to hide it* Emrys, show yourself!

Nothing happens.

Lady Canterlily: *approaches Arthur again saying a spell more quickly this time. Before it can hit him though it dissolves into golden light* Emrys! *she looks at every person at the table but they are all still tied and and are looking for the second magic user as well*

Arthur takes the commotion to look over where Merlin is tied up. Merlin isnt there. Lady Canterlily follows Arthur’s eyes to the pillar.

Lady Canterlily: It isnt possible!

Merlin: *appearing from behind a pillar* Forgetable, wasn’t that what you said?

Lady Canterlily: You can’t be the powerful Emrys! *shouts a spell*

Arthur: *watches as the green fiery ropes rise up to wrap Merlin back to the pillar* Merlin, lookout!

Merlin: *makes eye contact with Arthur and smiles apologetically before raising a hand up and closing his eyes. The ropes dissolve into golden light exactly like what happened to the curse meant for Arthur* I’m sorry for the sake of your sanity, Arthur, I guess that day is today. *when he opens his eyes, they shine the same golden light*

Lady Canterlily screams in frustration and Merlin continues to make his way to her at his own pace. With each step, the magic seems to flow off of him in golden waves. Lady Canterlily stumbles back in fear.

Lady Canterlily: It cant be you, you’re just a servant!

Merlin: *arm outstretched, just a couple steps away* Let’s just say I go above and beyond. Now, release them before i make you.

Lady Canterlily: Emrys! Why do you protect them? They kill every one of our people without any mercy!

Merlin: I dont protect them. I protect the once and future king. Now release them or you will see just how much i will do to protect him.

Lady Canterlily: *knowing she wont win in a magic fight against Emrys, takes out a dagger and holds it to Arthur’s neck* Emrys, please listen! We will never be free under their rule. I’m doing this for you. Help me kill them and we will rule instead. We will bring magic back as it’s supposed to be. We will be free!

Merlin: I can’t let you kill him. If you kill them all and take the throne, it wont change anything. You will go to war with the other kingdoms and the people will not follow you. So many people will die and Camelot will crumble to the ground. Plus, I kinda like having that prat around. Now, release him or your next breath will be your last!

Lady Canterlily: They will be punished, even if its the last thing I do! *she shouts a spell at Merlin

Merlin: *yells a spell back at the sorceress, but the spell catches him before he is done and he drops to the ground choking*

Lady Canterlily: Now where was I?

Before Lady Canterlily can answer her own rhetorical question, the entire feast hall begins to shake. Where Merlin was choking on the ground a minute ago, there is a blinding orb of golden light sending pulses outward toward the room. Everyone’s hairs stand on end at the table and when they look at the sorceress, there is a flash of golden lightning before nothing remains. The green fiery ropes dissolve from the people in the room.

Merlin: Well that was dramatic *Starts to fall unconscious from using so much magic and Arthur doesn’t hesitate to catch him*

Uther: Guards, seize him!

Morgana: Uther, he just saved all of our lives! You can’t kill him. Arthur, say something!

Arthur just looks at his manservant sprawled in his arms, but is frozen in shock. When the guards come to take Merlin away, he pulls him away from them.

Uther: Arthur! Let go of the sorcerer. The guards will bring him to the dungeons.

Arthur: *suddenly aggressive* No! *catches his father’s expectant look* I’ll take him down myself. He is my problem, after all.

Uther: Very well.

Arthur followed closely by several guards hauls his unconscious manservant out of the feast hall. He catches Morgana’s murderous expression as the door close behind him.

Wooo! That was a long one, sorry about that. Next part will be stay in the past for Merlin’s magic trial, but then we will go back to present time.

[reggieslocket]

i think it would have been more believable for morgana's character if she was a little hesitant when it came to arthur or gwen because even though i get she hates uther and even merlin for what he did at the end of season two and she has every right i still would've liked to see her show her previous compassion and soft side when it came to her brother and best friend in a "i don't want to hurt you but if you don't get out of my way you leave me with no choice" kinda way because essentially arthur and gwen didn't do anything to wrong her in the past so all that hatred for them feels so sudden and illogical

[merlingenrecs]

The truth comes out—and Merlin doesn't end up on the pyre! Perhaps there is anger, a heated conversation or some temporary distrust, but ultimately all goes well. Perhaps we even get a glimpse of what a Golden Age might look like?

Today's gen fic rec theme: Magic Reveal Gone Well!

↓ Find the list of fanfic recs under the cut! ↓

⚬ A Better Man by TheActualAuthor, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/43646655 summary: Arthur’s cursed by a witch to experience his worst fear.

⚬ Almost, but not quite by Marti1297, 2k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/39236688 summary: Finally, Arthur starts to realize strange things happen around him, and he comes to an unexpected conclusion.

⚬ a drop of truth by WinglessCrows, 6k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/15636450 summary: Arthur has a truth serum, Merlin lies more than he tells the truth. Who else would Arthur use it on?

⚬ Allow One To ‘See’ by mollrach13, 30k, unrated https://archiveofourown.org/works/16729350 summary: When the King is attacked in his tent on patrol and falls into an unending sleep everyone is worried. What they don't know is that Arthur is fine. In fact he is standing right here next to them, watching them all fret over his prone body. To stave off the boredom whilst a cure is found Arthur takes to wandering the castle and soon discovered a hidden side of Camelot he never knew about.

⚬ Truths Emerge by s0mmerspr0ssen, 22k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/52211941 summary: When Caerleon attacks Camelot, more than one secret is uncovered. In the face of a hopeless battle, will Arthur make the right choice?

⚬ Crown of Light by s0mmerspr0ssen, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/52211941 summary: About four weeks after he had married Gwen, Arthur awoke with a strange, golden light around his head. Naturally, it freaked Merlin out.

⚬ darkest before dawn by merlinemrys, 1k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/48216928 summary: Arthur: I never knew my mother because of it. My father died because of it. I lost my sister to it. So tell me, Merlin, what has magic ever done for me? Merlin: What haven't I done for you? – In the hours before Mordred's execution for using sorcery to save Arthur, Merlin finally snaps.

⚬ I’d Die For You by Fulgance, 4k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/934552 summary: "You know I'd die for you, yeah?" – "It certainly looks like we're headed that way," Arthur says dryly.

⚬ The Reveal byArgentNoelle, 1k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/6645151 summary: How long, Merlin wondered, had Arthur known? He hadn’t seemed surprised at all.

⚬ How Water by LadyAJ_13, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/20817572 summary: Leon shuffles, a move so unlike him that Arthur is immediately concerned. “It's about Merlin, sire.” He wonders what he's done now. Something stupid no doubt, insulted a noblewoman or broken something valuable. A day in the stocks might be required to make the aggrieved party happy. But then, that's not unusual enough for his most capable knight to be fiddling with his sword scabbard. “I believe he has magic.”

⚬ Just a Hint of Magic by Drag0nst0rm, 1k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/28462047 summary: The thing was, most sorcerers didn't know enough spells to actually put up much of a fight. So when Arthur first noticed Merlin had magic, he wasn't too worried about it.

⚬ The Truths He Can’t Deny by N16, 10k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/33923860 summary: Merlin had always known this day would come. An innocent girl. An arrest for sorcery. Except now it's Arthur sitting on the throne in judgment, not Uther. It was always going to happen, but it wasn't supposed to happen like this.

⚬ Treason by N16, 10k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/27763306 summary: Arthur knows four things: Merlin committed treason. Merlin is loyal to him. Merlin wants to tell Arthur the truth. Merlin is scared Arthur will kill him. All he needs to figure out now is what on earth his servant has actually done.

⚬ Greater Love Hath No Man by N16, 8k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/37562236 summary: Once upon a time, Merlin had been so in love with Gwen that he'd confessed to sorcery to save her from the pyre. That moment seemed like a million years and a million lies ago. But that one lie was a loose thread, and now one tug might unravel Merlin's entire tapestry of deceit. Fortunately, Merlin can always count on Gwen.

⚬ A Scar Like a Vision of Grace by nsowlwrites97, VikingSong, 3k, rated T http://archiveofourown.org/works/56321101 summary: “Please,” Arthur tried. “Let him go. If you want the book–”The man holding the sword to Merlin’s neck smirked. “Oh, that? That’s just a bonus. No, king. We’re here for this.” And without another word, he slid the sword across Merlin’s throat.

⚬ The Hand of the Enemy by N16, 45k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/27567688 summary: When Arthur accepts an invitation to a nearby kingdom where magic is free, he hopes to establish an alliance despite their differences. Instead, he and his knights find they’ve been invited under false pretenses, and the queen may succeed in turning friend against friend to accomplish her own aims.

⚬ Who I’ve Been by TheActualAuthor, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/41350509 summary: Arthur glances at him, but doesn’t stop to reprimand, “I told him I didn’t know what he meant. Then he spoke of many things. Said I was a figure of prophecy and legend.” His voice twists around the words, mocking them, “Said I was to rule all Albion. I was about to call him out as some sort of sorcerer’s trick, trying to trap me into oaths or pride, when he began to speak of another. A man I knew well, supposedly, who walked in my inner circle.” The king takes a sharp breath and raps his knuckles on the table, making Merlin jerk his head up, “I have little doubt he meant those who stood with me at the table. When the others come, I am going to eat with them, my men and my favored. And when we are done, I will speak to them of this, and I will know who has been lying to me all this time.”

⚬ Stains Unseen by reelin_writer, 2k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/33212869 summary: During the routine bandit ambush, Gwaine is mortally wounded. Merlin saves him with magic, and instead of exploding at the reveal, Arthur is overcome with guilt. Merlin has been dealing with the trauma of taking a life--alone. Nothing, not even the new powers Merlin has, can keep Arthur from wanting to protect the younger man.

⚬ Behind Me, Beside You by TheActualAuthor, 3k, rated G https://archiveofourown.org/works/37246459 summary: Arthur glares at him, “I have no love for magic, they will not help me.” His eyes narrow, “How do you know the way to their camps? We’ve been searching for their borders for years.” “I have friends among them.” He hedges. The king stares at him a moment, then sits down with a weary air, “So you also have betrayed me.”

⚬ A Moment of Truth by sakarrie, 5k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/35432824 summary: Even though Merlin knows it's finally time to tell Arthur the truth, he can't stop his hands from shaking. He knows being a sorcerer is a death sentence, yet here he is—about to tell the King of Camelot. But Arthur deserves to know, and Merlin can't keep hiding from his best friend.

⚬ Stay by wryter501, 13k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/39378669 summary: A different direction for episode 4.7 "The Secret Sharer". Alator goes to Camelot not to find Emrys for Morgana, but with another plan in mind... Why has Emrys failed so long in his prophetic task of restoring magic to Camelot, in guiding and instructing Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King? Fate seems to have handed Alator the chance to right the course of history gone awry - and he's going to take it. He's going to use Gaius to find Emrys - and then they're going to have a serious conversation. But even the best-laid plans of a canny warrior-sorcerer can be diverted... Alator finds more than he anticipated, plotting ambush in iron mines of Kemeray...

⚬ The Serving of Servants by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle, 80k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/20239129 summary: When a new position is made in the royal household to oversee the servants, Arthur didn’t think much of it. It was only days later when he noticed the mysterious injuries appearing on frightened servants that the prince decided to go undercover and to find out what is going on. Meanwhile, Merlin thinks the newest servant is a mess. Or: Arthur learns what it is like to be a servant and learns some interesting thing about his own servant.

⚬ Golden Is The Dawn by TrekScribbles, 9k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/54962341 summary: When Arthur finds out that Merlin is hiding a baby dragon, he devises a plan to get rid of it. But when Merlin is captured by a band of slavers, the dragon might be Arthur's only hope of getting him back.

⚬ Faithful Are The Wounds of a Friend by VikingSong, 5k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/33734425 summary: Arthur catches sight of a scar on Merlin’s back which he can’t explain, so he asks each of the members of the Round Table if they’ve seen it, too. They have...but it wasn’t the same scar.

⚬ Curiouser and Curiouser by VikingSong, 12k, rated T https://archiveofourown.org/works/28588263 summary: Gwen knew Merlin wasn’t in the tavern each time Arthur thought he was...but it was Merlin, so she’d never worried about her friend’s harmless lies of omission. That is, she'd never worried until the day Merlin disappeared to ‘the tavern’ with a freshly-paralyzed fomorroh still lodged in his neck. With the threat of the dormant serpent hanging over their heads, suddenly those lies didn't seem so harmless anymore. Or: Gwen is the primary keeper of the one (1) brain cell in Camelot, which she wields to great effect in missing-scenes-turned-canon-divergence in 4x06, "A Servant of Two Masters."

[arthurthepeoplesprincess]

Merlin fandom try not to act like the Knights of the Round Table were secretly pro-magic activists challenge (impossible). Why do you act like they weren’t grown ass men who willingly chose to work for the system oppressing magic users?

it wasn’t a secret to anybody that one of the obvious job requirements was occasionally murdering people.

But but you don’t get it! When the magic reveal happens, they’re all going to be protecting babygirl Merlin against bad alpha Arthur (as if they weren’t all following the same fucking system).

You can’t possibly believe these people actually give a fuck about magic. I’m so sorry but that’s ridiculous.

Controversial opinion, but when you think about it, Arthur was actually the least worst of them all because, unlike the rest of them, he was the only one who had no choice in doing this job. He was canonically groomed into becoming a child soldier and was brainwashed and abused directly by the fucking dictator himself. He canonically said that if he had a choice in his life, he wouldn’t be here, and if I’m not mistaken, he was the only one of them to ever question if the system was wrong. The rest of them were just going with it with no second thoughts and didn’t give a fuck at all.

A lot of people fail to remember that 1) Uther is the only family Arthur ever knew, 2) his only family also happens to be the narcissistic tyrant who we saw committing all types of atrocities, 3) he was isolated (he didn’t even have friends before Merlin arrived), and 4) he was only fed lies and half-truths his entire life.

Like, is it crazy that he was brainwashed?? No?? Why do you act like he was like that solely because he’s an annoying brat lol.

And imagine this: after all that brainwashing, where your abuser drills 'Magic is evil' in every possible way, he unfortunately gets proven right multiple times (82.05% of the times Arthur was aware of magic being used, it was used in a harmful way, based on a meta made by anarchycox, thenerdyindividual on AO3).

So, considering all the brainwashing, the abuse, and magic being used to hurt Arthur or someone he loves or the entire kingdom, he still has it in him to try and think that maybe there’s good in everyone, that maybe Uther was wrong.

Do you know how crazy that is?? I want you to stop and think: would you do that if you were in his situation? Because I’m definitely not going to, but maybe I’m just an immoral person lol.

And also, stop acting like Arthur wasn’t doing anything when he became king. He stopped the mindless murder of anyone who had magic and only punished those who used it to do harm and that was after a trial.

You might say that this is just the bare minimum, which is somewhat correct but not entirely because 1) Arthur only ruled for four years, meaning he didn’t have time, 2) there were tensions and wars started by Uther that he was trying to undo, meaning the magic situation wasn’t the only thing going on, and 3) the entire population had been brainwashed for 30 years and was terrorized by Morgana’s followers very recently. Like, sure, it’s definitely a good decision as a newly crowned king to just suddenly repeal the laws and no one would mind not Uther's followers, not the nobles, and certainly not the average citizen, right?

Also disclaimer: this is neither me hating on the knights nor saying you can’t like them, nor is it me excusing everything Arthur ever did or saying that he was 100% innocent, because he definitely wasn’t. It’s just me saying that maybe you should consider his trauma and point of view before making him into the bad villain and then believing that the knights were better people, because they definitely weren’t.

[larluce]

Merlin as Arthur's familiar/Arthur's shapeshifter falcon AU

@dsabian , @theroundbartable , @theplatanitosqueal , @stressed-but-chill , this part is quite long.

LINK TO THE OTHER PARTS: PART 1 , PART2 , PART 3 , PART 4 (You're here) , PART5

Morgana, Arthur (with Merlin on his shoulder) and Uther having a family dinner. Gwen and other servants enter to serve the food.

Uther: Does the bird really has to be here?

Morgana: Oh, let him be. He's very well behaved. Even more than Arthur.

Arthur: I'm very flattered you think so highly of my manners, Morgana.

Merlin: (chirps)

Morgana: See? He agrees.

Arthur: Shut up, Merlin.

Uther: (thinking) Am I the only one that thinks is weird they treat this animal like a person?

Arthur: (takes a bite of his food) Hum, what is this? A pigeon?

Merlin: (chirps loudly, horrified, and flies away, leaving the room)

Uther: Arthur, control your bird! He left feathers on my food!

Arthur: Sorry father. (worried) He isn't normally like this, I think something upsetted him.

Morgana: Maybe is because you're eating a bird?

Arthur: No, that have never bothered him before and small birds are part of merlins' diet.

Morgana: Wait... (turns to Gwen) Gwen, what type of bird is that on Arthur's plate.

Gwen: I'm not sure... (turns to other servant girl) Gladys, you were with the cook when they prepared the food right? What kind of bird is that?

Servant girl: I don't know, it kind of looked like a falcon but it was too small too be one.

Morgana: You mean like a merlin?

Arthur: (pales) Fuck! (stands up) I'm sorry father. I need to go (leaves)

Morgana: Yeah, me too. It was a nice dinner, your majesty (leaves too)

Uther: But you barely touched your plates! (sighs, to servants) Take this away, and make sure you don't cook merlins for dinner next time, for gods' sake.

In Arthur's chambers. Merlin is in his human form crying, while Arthur and Morgana try to comfort him.

Merlin: He was just two years old!😭 He was barely starting living.

Arthur: (hugs him close, patting his back) I'm so sorry, Merlin.

Morgana: (puts a hand on his shoulder) Are you sure is Claws?

Merlin: I'll recognise him anywhere. (snifs) He had just started his first nest with his mate.

Arthur: Wait, he had a partner? 😧

Merlin: And five little eggs. (breaks the hug abruptly) OMG! I need to tell Brownie what happened to Claws!

Arthur: Go, meanwhile I'll talk to the hunters so this never happens again.

Merlin: (smiles) Thank you, Arthur.(kisses him on the cheek) I'll be back as soon as I can. (turns into a bird and goes flying through the window).

Arthur: (in shock with a hand on his cheek) 😳😳

Morgana: I'll try to get Claws' rests, so maybe we can do him a proper funeral when Merlin comes back.

Arthur: (snapping out of his trance) Right, good idea, Morgana. I'll meet you at your chambers in an hour.

Later. Arthur shouting at the hunters.

Arthur: What were you thinking?!😡

Hunter1: (scared) Bu-but, sire. You told us to get rid of it.

Arthur: Yes, but you were supposed to bury him somewhere in the woods, not get him cooked!

Hunter2: We were going to, but the cook saw us and thought it was todays dinner-

Arthur: I don't want to hear your excuses! (threathening) No one must know about this, specially Merlin, this stays between us. Do you understand?

Hunter1: Yes, sire!

Hunter1: Yeah, we won't mention this to your.. uh.. pet.

Arthur: Now, get out of my sight!

Hunters: Yes, sire! (leave)

Morgana: (enters, in disbelieve and furious) I can't believe you!

Arthur: (turns to her, nervous) Oh, hi, Morgana! 😅

Morgana: Don't "hi" me. You killed Claws! You murderer!

Arthur: You're talking like I've just killed a person. He was just a bird.

Morgana: He was not just a bird to Merlin and you know it! Did you think about how devastated he would feel?

Arthur: He was never supposed to know he died, just that he disappeared!

Morgana: yeah, because that's ten times better, isn't it? Are you even hearing yourself?

Arthur: Morgana, stop. I feel bad enough already.

Morgana: As you must! 5 merlin chicks are without a father thanks to your sick jealousy!

Arthur: (Guilty) I didn't know he had a family. (thoughtfully) How do you compensate a female bird for killing the father of her eggs?

Morgana: Don't. She'd probably just take your eyes out.

Arthur: (sighs) Will you tell Merlin?

Morgana: No, that would just crush him more. Your secret is safe with me.

Arthur: (relieved) Thank you.

Morgana: But you better start acting on your feelings for Merlin before you start killing the entire merlin race!

Later at Claws funeral in the royal garden. Morgana puts Claws bones in a box and Arthur buries it while Merlin watches in grieve.

Morgana: I'm sorry I could only save the bones. The servants tend to eat the royal leftovers.

Merlin: It's okay. If he wasn't eaten his dead would've been in vain. (turns to Arthur) Was he delicious?

Arthur: Ahm... yeah?

Merlin: (smiles, sadly) I'm glad. He was a nice friend. He didn't care I wasn't enterily a bird though he didn't quite understand it.

Morgana: Did you know Arthur thought he wanted to mate with you?

Arthur: (flustered) Morgana! 😳

Merlin: Oh, he did propose me to mate with him once.

Arthur: What?!

Merlin: Yeah, he did the most beautiful flying dance I've seen, but I just couldn't see him like that. So we stayed friends. It surprised me a lot, normally merlins just leave after I reject them, but he never stopped hanging out with me, even when he found his mate.

Arthur: What a nice friend (thinking) That flirtatious bastard.

Merlin: Anyways, I need to go now. Brownie needs me to hunt her food since she's incubating her eggs still and can't leave her nest.

Arthur: (guilty again) Right, send her my condolences.

Morgana: Mine too.

Merlin: (kisses Arthur's cheek again and leaves in his bird form).

Morgana: Well, that went well.

Arthur: Morgana.

Morgana: Yeah?

Arthur: I need to learn how to fly.

[thesorcerersshadow]

“you have to show everyone that you were right and they were wrong.”

i’m so fascinated by what gwen says here because there are ways in which it feels almost antithetical to a more surface level reading of her character (that does, at times, feel like the one the show wants us to engage with.) she doesn’t say that exposing valiant is the Right Thing To Do or appeal to a sense of honor or justice in the broader sense, even though i’m sure she does think that and believe those values apply here.

what she says here is… so self-interested, on merlin’s behalf. she believes him pretty implicitly (she asks once if he’s telling the truth, he says yes, she doesn’t question it) and her main reaction is “you have to do something to prove you were right.”

and i think part of that comes from just, like, really liking merlin right away / seeing the good of humanity in him (something i will maintain forever is mutually a big part of what they see in each other) and being offended on his behalf, feeling that he’s been Wronged. so like, justice is at play in her mind here, but it’s on a far more personal, intimate level than just being about Doing What’s Right.

and i also don’t think it’s a reach to say gwen might be doing some projection here. it might not have been on the same level/with the same stakes, but how many times do you think gwen had to bite her tongue when she knew she was right about something? morgana is kind to her as an employer at this point—far kinder than many nobles would be to their servants. but there is still and uneven balance to their dynamic, and even if morgana is willing to hear her out about certain things, in front of other nobles, in front of court, in front of uther—gwen knows her word doesn’t count for much, either.

[inalandofsadclowns]

I'm not ready to shut up about

Merlin: Well, I think I might be able to help.

Arthur: You, Merlin? You haven't the faintest idea what it takes to become a knight. Courage, fortitude, discipline...

So Arthur mistakenly thought Merlin offered to become his knight and this was his reaction. Once again, the obvious counterargument would've been the First Code of Camelot, according to which only noble families' members could become knights.

I find it fascinating Arthur's first reaction when he thinks Merlin is contemplating knighthood is not the code. The Code! Merlin, you, a peasant, could never-

No. He instead goes on listing all these virtues (some of which Merlin is not lacking and Arthur is aware but not the point). Arthur simply doesn't share Uther's principles! It's episode five and he DOES NOT believe that only nobles are worthy of his trust. And sure, we'd known this since Valiant, but this reaction here – it's proof that his first instinct is to judge a person by their qualities instead of their class. And he's like this even subconsciously. It's like he'd be uncomfortable even to joke at the expense of his people. Like here, he tries making a real argument about Merlin – which is clearly faulty and complete nonsense and comes from a place of gay panic – but you see that he puts in the effort.

And it's not like Arthur is offering to knight peasant. Not even considering it, straight up denying the possibility. But not for the (politically) correct reasons!!

Later he even speaks up on Lancelot's behalf – mind you, soon after the identity fraud – and tries to convince Uther to knight him anyway-

No I can't emphasize enough...he said pardoning Lancelot is not good enough- He directly told Uther that he must restore Lancelot to his rightful place, as a knight of Camelot.

Righful place. You must.

Like- That is bold. Unhinged. Treacherous, even.

HE'S.NOT.LIKE.UTHER.

He never was.

[merlincersei]

Merlin BBC UK TV Show - Opinion Piece Part 23 - Who Is Arthur Really Talking About In This Scene?

Time and again when I revisit this particular scene between Arthur and Merlin (referenced below) I can't help but notice how much "Merthur" has been implicitly queer coded in this show.

______________________________________________________________

The scene I am talking about is in the Season 2 Episode 4 titled "Lancelot and Guinevere" .

This episode can be summarized as follows:

Gwen is mistaken for��Morgana and is kidnapped by Hengist. Uther refuses to pay the ransom or send a rescue party to save a servant. Arthur defies his father and sets out with Merlin to rescue Gwen. ______________________________________________________________

After Arthur and Merlin escape from the Wilddeoren, they have the following scene:

While the casual viewer will look at this scene and state it is Arthur confessing his love for Gwen, however LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT THEME PLAYS FROM 0:55 SECONDS ONWARDS IN THE BACKGROUND OF THIS SCENE.

The theme it plays is Merlin's Arrival to Camelot:

Now ask youself why would the show put in "Merlin's Arrival to Camelot" theme in the background of a scene where Arthur is confessing his love for Gwen?

Especially when Arthur and Gwen already have a theme song called Gwen & Arthur Romance Suite.

Shockingly, the Gwen & Arthur Romance Suite is actually played in the background of a scene between Gwen and Lancelot when they kiss for the first time and Gwen states " As long as I live, my feelings for you will never fade."

Refer scene at 1:22 in the clip below:

____________________________________________________________

Going back to the scene between Merlin and Arthur, dont you think Arthur's description of Gwen can also be used for Merlin.

[EXT. FOREST, STREAM – DAY] [Arthur and Merlin wash off the Gaia berries by a stream.]

ARTHUR Gaia berries worked. Huh.

MERLIN You didn't know if they worked?

ARTHUR Not for sure.

MERLIN Now you tell me?! Oh! Oh, what's that Wildren eating? It's all right. It's just Merlin. You trying to get us both killed?

ARTHUR I'm sorry. I shouldn't've risked your life like that.

MERLIN Well, they do say love makes you do strange things.

ARTHUR What are you talking about?

MERLIN Why can't you just admit your feelings for Gwen?

[Arthur scoffs.]

MERLIN It's so obvious. A blind man could see it. Is it really that hard to admit you like her? Just say it. (MERLIN THEME STARTS TO PLAY)

ARTHUR I can't! How can I admit that I think about her all the time. Or that...I care about her more than anyone. How can I admit that...I don't know what I'll do if any harm comes to her?

(DID ARTHUR NOT RISK HIS OWN LIFE FOR MERLIN IN SEASON 1 EPISODE 4 THE POISONED CHALICE.

DID ARTHUR NOT FOLLOW MERLIN TO EALDOR IN SEASON 1 EPISODE 10 THE MOMENT OF TRUTH FOR A MERE SERVANT)

MERLIN Why can't you?

ARTHUR Because nothing can ever happen between us! (HOW TRUE! BBC SIMPLY WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED MERTHUR TO HAPPEN!) To admit my feelings knowing that...hurts too much.

MERLIN Who's to say nothing can happen?

ARTHUR My father won't let me rescue a servant. Do you honestly believe he'd let me marry one?

(IN SEASON 1 EPISODE 4 THE POISONED CHALICE. UTHER FORBADE ARTHUR TO RESCUE MERLIN AND EVEN HAD HIM IMPRISONED WHEN HE BROUGHT BACK THE CURE FOR MERLIN)

MERLIN You want to marry Gwen?

ARTHUR No! No...I...I don't know...It's all talk, and that's all it can ever be.

MERLIN When you're King, you can change that.

ARTHUR I can't expect Guinevere to wait for me.

MERLIN If she feels as you do, she'll wait for you.

(IN THE END OF THE SERIES, IT IS MERLIN WHO HAS BEEN WAITING FOR ARTHUR FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS!!)

ARTHUR We don't even know if she's still alive.

MERLIN No, she is. We will find her.

ARTHUR Come on. We've got a long trek ahead. Oh, and Merlin...if you dare tell anyone about this, I promise I will make your life a living hell.

MERLIN You mean, more than you already do?

ARTHUR Yeah.

MERLIN We could talk about your feelings while you walk.

ARTHUR Shut up, Merlin.

______________________________________________________________

I also managed to get a snapshot of a commentary Bradley James and Colin Morgan did for this particular episode and it is available on the DVD. Bradley's commentary is indeed very telling.

I REST MY CASE !!!

[stevesnightmares]

I don't understand how some people can watch BBC Merlin and, when they are done, complain that it didn't make sense because Merlin didn't fulfil the prophecy. You are the one who doesn't understand the story that is being told. This is not like in Percy Jackson, where we get prophecies and, by the end, we see them come true, even if in unexpected ways. Merlin created his own path with every choice that he made, with every action he took. He could've fulfilled his destiny, he could've saved Arthur and brought on the golden age of Albion, but by making certain choices he wasn't able to fulfil that destiny. He had the ability to do so, but didn't.

In season 1 episode 8, "The Beginning of the End" we are immediately told that Merlin will not fulfill his destiny, he will not protect Arthur and see him bring about the golden age of Albion.

KILGHARRAH If the boy lives, you cannot fulfil your destiny. MERLIN What's he got to do with my destiny? You said it's my destiny to protect Arthur. KILGHARRAH Then you have the answer you seek. MERLIN You're telling me that little boy is going to kill Arthur? KILGHARRAH It seems that is up to you. MERLIN No. You can't know that for certain. KILGHARRAH You have it in your power to prevent a great evil. MERLIN There must be another way! The future isn't set in stone! KILGHARRAH You must let the boy die.

By saving Mordred, Merlin sealed Arthur's fate and signed his death. He made a choice and that choice had its consequences.

Another clear example of Merlin's choices affecting, well, everything, is in season 2 episode 8, "Sins of the Father".

Merlin's goal is to make Arthur see that magic isn't all bad, to make the genocide of magic wielders stop, to bring magic back to Camelot so that he and every other magic person can live freely as themselves.

When meeting with Morgouse, Arthur begins to go towards the right path.

ARTHUR What if my father's attitude to magic is wrong? MERLIN You really think that?

ARTHUR Perhaps it's not as simple as he would have us believe. Morgause is a sorcerer, she has caused us no harm. Surely not everyone who practices magic can be evil.

He's starting to see that maybe not everyone who uses magic uses it for evil, that magic users can be good.

ARTHUR You speak of hunted her kind like animals! How many hundreds have you condemned to death to ease your guilt?

He's also seeing that Uther hates magic because of personal reasons and not because all magic is really bad.

This was the perfect opportunity, the perfect opening to bring Arthur on the right side. But what does Merlin do?

MERLIN Morgause is lying! She's an enchantress. She tricked you. That was not your mother you saw. That was an illusion. Everything...everything your mother said to you...those were Morgause's words. This has been her plan all along! To turn you against your father. And if you kill him, the kingdom will be destroyed! This is what she wants!

He tells Arthur that it's all a lie and that the sorcerer is evil, that once again those who use magic only want to see Camelot fall.

ARTHUR I am indebted to you, Merlin. I had become...confused. It is once again clear to me that those who practice magic are evil and dangerous. And that is thanks to you.

He solidified Arthur's belief that magic is evil and bad.

My point isn't to decide whether Merlin's choices were good or bad, right or wrong, we follow him, we see why he does what he does, how much he cares for Arthur and for others, we see his flaws and his shortcomings and we can't blame him for any of his choices because all of them, even the most misguided ones, were all done in good faith.

The point is that that's what the show is about: a young warlock in his quest to save Arthur and how his choices bring him to his failure. From season 1 he was doomed to fail because of his choices. At least that's how I see it. People were expecting to see Merlin fulfil the prophecy and some claim that he did, but imo the whole show is about how his choices doomed him and made him not fulfil his destiny.

UTHER You [Merlin] have proven yourself to be a trusted ally in the fight against magic.

[gdn019283]

“The Death Song of Uther Pendragon,” 05x03, has to be one of my favourite Merlin episodes (it opens the gate to so many theories)

I rewatched it today, and a lot of things and questions came to my mind:

1) What would have happened if Arthur had summoned Ygraine, instead of Uther?

Following the rules, Arthur should have been able to summon every spirit he wanted. If Ygraine had been able to respond to Arthur, I believe things would have been very different. She would have been proud of Arthur, who would have changed things for the better, and therefore the plot line of the entire show. Ygraine has only ever been the one to make Arthur see what was right in front of him, even more than Merlin, like when Arthur had tried to kill Uther in the second season, and accused him of his hypocrisy, once he knew of how his mother had died, and since the second person Arthur trusted the most, Merlin, told him that what Morgause had shown him was a lie, Arthur believed him, reinforcing the idea that Uther was a good man.

2) If it would have been possible to summon anyone, then why did Arthur choose Uther, of all people?

Even if the answer seems obvious, I don’t think it actually is. Arthur had always known one person that was meant to be family and who technically didn’t betray him. He still felt guilty for choosing magic to save Uther, and it was actually what brought his father away from him, the only parental and father figure (as horrible as he was) who Arthur had ever had. His choice was also influenced by the date, since it was the day after the celebration of his coronation, and the same day Uther died. The moment Arthur meets Uther in the Spirit World, he tells him, even as he fights with him, that he has so much more to say to him. I think Arthur wanted nothing more than validation, something he had never had, and hoped he could find in the same man who had told him, seconds before he died, while being held in his son’s arms, that he knew Arthur would make him proud. The last moment Arthur had with Uther was the only one in his entire life where Uther had actually rewarded him and his duty with kindness and sincerity. Which means, at least in my opinion, that Arthur had hoped that that was the man he was about to meet in the Spirit World. That rare man who had sacrificed himself to save his only son and who had called him Arthie and to whom he had said he was proud of. But it wasn’t that man, and Arthur left the Spirit World feeling disappointed.

3) But what if it wasn’t possible to actually summon Ygraine, or certain, specific people?

When they go back to Camelot, Arthur and Merlin ask Gaius about the Horn of Cathbhadh and they found out that summoning spirits has always been a ceremony, a tradition, even one that Gaius had multiple times attended, held by High Priestesses, meaning that many different people could have been able to participate, which explains while even a commoner or someone without magic or practice could use the Horn, like Arthur did. Later on, after Arthur meets Uther and Merlin confesses what they had gone to do to Gaius, telling him of his fear that Uther may have left the Spirit World, Gaius tells Merlin that those same High Priestesses trained for years before using the Horn, which makes me believe there were so many rules to follow and accept, which brings us to the question. What if one of these rules was to know in your heart who you’d believe had passed away and went into another realm, and who got stuck into the Spirit World?

4) Therefore, what if the Spirit World is actually a place where spirits, who have either undone/unfinished things in life, or are bitter, cruel, and with many grudges and anger inside, or had died in an unjust manner, get stuck there forever?

We have no explanation of it or of how it works, and no one else tried to blow the Horn, but that would explain why Arthur didn’t think of his mother first, Ygraine, instead of Uther. He thought it more simple and less dangerous, since he had no knowledge of magic and didn’t want to ask anyone, not even Gaius, about it (not knowing Merlin had magic, and still, even he had no knowledge of these practices) to summon someone, who deep inside his heart, he knew was still stuck, somehow, in the between of the Worlds, of the Dead and of the Living. This means that Arthur somehow knew that Uther had something he thought was unfinished, or even going more far, we might think Arthur sort of hoped it, and not only to see Uther again because he was his father, but to be right about his character and himself, as a sort of bitter sweet victory, as if Arthur wanted to say to Uther: “If you’re still here, if I’m able to see you, talk to you, you might have done something terribly wrong, which makes me right, because you have never actually been a good and just man, like you painted yourself to be.” It opens a great theory about where Arthur actually went to after his death, since he was burned and mourned by Merlin and sent into the Lake of Avalon.

Another thing I believe further proves my theory, is that all the people in the show that we see dying, are buried in a boat and burned in a lake. Now, I have no idea if it would have been unusual or even disrespectful to burn Uther and send him on a lake, but even Elyan, and Lancelot, two honourable knights with high status, who before were simple commoners, were burned and sent on a boat in the lake when they died.

All, except Uther.

I want to believe that it was a sign to show Uther the disrespect he deserved.

Others may think that it’s the opposite, that Uther was the king and had to be held on an higher position, and therefore buried in the same castle he had conquered, but it wouldn’t make sense, since Merlin buried and said goodbye to Arthur in the same way as the others.

It makes me think that all who had died in the show are free of the Spirit World, unlike Uther.

It also opens so much theory about where did Morgana, or Mordred go.

6) Did people’s beliefs matter?

If the majority of people had supported Morgana and Mordred in their conquest to kill King Arthur, maybe their support would have been enough to make Morgana and Mordred free, to be free in the after life. We also have to remember Mordred was buried, much like Balinor, under rocks, because it was illegal to do otherwise for sorcerers, to be buried in another way.

7) All these people, buried in another way, in an unjust way, like for sorceres, who didn’t even get a burial, but were killed unjustly, where did they go?

I like to imagine they are stuck in the Spirit World too, and take revenge on Uther in any way the can, knowing none of them will ever die again. Uther’s punishment is to live in an endless loop of what he had put magical beings, humans and non, under, while he, a tyrant, reigned.

5) If this is the case, this must mean, in order for the summoning and the ceremony to work in the Living World, there had to be rules in the Spirit World. Did Uther know these rules?

As soon as Arthur entered the Spirit World, taking in consideration the theory that is just a layer of another world, slightly pulled away from the Living one, where some can see the progress of humanity but not so clearly, as if looking through a damp glass, Uther was able to not only spit everything he hated about his son to him, but he also warned Arthur that he had seen the kingdom he had built and that he disagreed on, which is another proof to my theory that those who are like Uther, or simply left to death in an unfair way, without an inch of respect, are somewhat stuck in the Spirit World and damned to see what happens outside of it, but without the ability to stop or intervene in anything they witness (it would explain why Uther hadn’t discovered Merlin’s magic before, since his goal has always been the one to watch Arthur and how the kingdom progressed, in order to protect his legacy, as he puts it in the episode). Not only Uther told Arthur he had watched him, but he warned him that he had to go, otherwise he would have been stuck into the Spirit World forever. This means that Uther knew that there were bounds and rules and that summoning someone with the Horn of Cathbhadh could be dangerous, if a person didn’t know the exact rules.

8) Has Uther seen someone else being summoned?

In this episode, Gaius says the Horn has been saved before the Purge and never been used since. But someone else could have used it, even a simple person, who longed to see their dead lover and blew the Horn. Because of the Purge, many traditions had been forgotten and the use of the Horn could have been forgotten too, used only by simple people who found it or hid it, and who didn’t know what they were doing, but later found out about what it could do, once one of them, out of curiosity, blew it, and summoned a spirit. If the High priestess were people who were born as magic did, and had held these traditions for centuries, it would also explain why ghosts existed. Many people had been left out wandering without a chance to go back into their Spirit World. Uther may have seen, in a world where he wandered endlessly too, someone else being summoned before him, or met someone else who knew all of these things before him.

Which only means one thing:

The last thing Uther Pendragon did before Arthur would disappear from the Spirit World, was to manipulate him until the last moment, and hurt him in doing so:

With the knowledge Uther had, he may have understood that the person who summoned a spirit could have freed it by looking back at it. Uther was a tyrant, a bitter and cruel and murderous man, who without doubts, tried to kill Arthur in the same episode, in the name of his legacy and of “his” kingdom. Uther cared more about something that he couldn’t even rule anymore than his own and only son, manipulating Arthur to no end, so that he would do what Uther wanted him to. His last words to Arthur, that irremediably made the latter turn around, were: “I will always love you, Arthur.” It sounds as if Uther grasped at the little thing he had, knowing that those words would have made Arthur turn. Uther wanted to get out of there, and did not mean a single word he said to Arthur. To Uther, in that precise moment, Arthur was a mean to escape.

9) But what if the Spirits had some saying in being summoned, and refused to appear?

Arthur simply sounded the Horn and Uther appeared, which opens the door to so many possibilities. Uther had agreed to meeting him, but some other Spirit could have also refused to meet the people who had summoned it, and the Horn basically wouldn’t have worked.

10) What if the spirits simply got more bitter with ages of being stuck into the Spirit World and without nothing to do then relive their deaths, or past mistakes, and getting tired of it?

The spirits got stuck in their world for centuries and forgot why they were there or what they did, while they had lived, and just got so much anger inside themselves, they didn’t know anything else except that feeling, like those who believe the theory that every ghost is bad, and does bad things, because it wants to protect their surroundings, or does it because it doesn’t know anything else. Uther may have being fuled with even more hatred than ever and his true feelings actually came out once he got out of the Spirit World, showing himself to Arthur for who he truly was (Uther has always showed Arthur his tyrant personality, but it feels as if we had been the only ones to see it, until Arthur finally did too)

What if Merlin, at the end of the episode, smuggled the Horn into his satchel, promising Arthur he would have put it into a safe space, and went to the Stones of Nemethon instead.

Suspicious, Arthur followed him, and frightened of another Spirit wandering into the Living World again, he jumped into the light with Merlin, who had summoned Balinor,

and Arthur watched everything unfold.

And Merlin, after 1500 years of waiting, found the Horn again, under rubble and rubble of the Camelot castle, as he had desperately searched for it, and decided, in the last attempt to meet Arthur again, to blow the Horn.

But as Merlin had suspected, the Horn didn’t work, and no one, not even a light, appeared in his way. Merlin blamed it on so many factors, on the fact that Arthur had been dead for too long, or because he was in Avalon, and with an heavy heart, and a weary sigh, Merlin turned around and walked away from the dried up Lake.

But the sound of the Horn had been loud enough to disturb the Once and Future King.

And Arthur woke up from his old sleep.

[kirbybecomesastarwarrior]

Papa Fisher

(Basically, this is the continuation of Fluff's Father... sort of with a few things changed) And despite Sir Arthur's warnings Falspar couldn't help but peek in after the meeting... (why was Arthur trying so hard to keep him away from this kid...wait a minute he's the spitting image of-)

Sir Arthur couldn't keep him away from Falspar forever after all Fluff had a letter for him. Falspar refuses to read it and reveals the person King Fisher was before. Claiming that King Fisher ruined his life and was branded "the fool" for causing the Fisher & Patchland's disappearance from the galaxy.

And goes on to say how terrible a man he was back then and believed his son (Fluff) wasn't aware of his past...

Only to feel instant regret after reading King Fisher's letter. It was a letter filled with endless words of gratitude. Thanking him for the accident because it's what led him to be better and... it's what led him to have his precious son.

(For those of you who have forgotten, Fisher couldn't have kids properly due to being torn during the incident. So he had to seek out Yin-Yarn knowing it would cost him his life but doesn't regret it because he loves Fluff so much...)- basically willingly gave his life so he could have Fluff...

Fluff reveals he and the entire kingdom knew of his past mistakes. And loved him anyway... He was remembered as a kind and wise King. Not only does Fluff come in the defense of his father but... THE GRAIL!?

The Grail is pissed and reveals the truth...

If you'd like more background information please look at the :

Fisher Saga Part 1 / Escaping Uther & the Council/ Is that a Grail!?

So I'm gonna leave this pie out on the windowsill and let it cool off...still keeping hush on the accident ironing a few details. (keep reading for some extra info)

Hope you guys stick around to see how it ends~

King Fisher Facts:

Fisher knew he wasn't going to live long enough to see Fluff be King so he'd let Fluff put on his crown whenever he wanted. And would get emotional every time he'd see Fluff in his crown.

Fisher named his son "Fluff" because having him fulfilled his life. (For it's the kindness we show to the people who truly care about us that makes us completely whole). <3

Fluff himself inherits the best traits of his father: Extremely hard-working, incredibly smart & witty, and a go-getter. Fluff inherits his sense of justice, kindness, and curiosity from his mother.

Since King Fisher knew he didn't have long to live (once he fell ill), he wrote a series of letters he wrote to Fluff. Letters to be deployed in certain scenarios: on his birthday (until he reached adulthood), "when my son becomes king," "when son falls in love," "when my boy has reached his lowest point," and etc.

Each letter had a magic seal so that Fluff could only open it and appear before him when the time was right time.

And this bit of information is for you Kirfluffers out there:

Fluff was able to confirm that he was in love with Kirby after a letter was magically deployed... (his dad was still with him helping him out with dating advice even after death...)

Kirby has three letters from King Fisher that are deployed; One when they're dating, one after they're married, and a thank you letter. (And address as to my son's life partner)

[arguablysomaya]

please, elaborate on merlin bbc propaganda and stuff

okay basically:

bbc merlin is a show taking place during a genocide

camelot for 20 years has been genociding and ethnically cleansing everyone who can use magic, including magical creatures. They were all either exiled, fled, live in refugee camps or in hiding, and a great many were executed and slaughtered. Generally speaking, life is inhospitable in camelot for magic users.

And the show makes no attempt to hide this fact, either. We see multiple times over the death and destruction this genocide has wraught, and how radicalized most of the remaining magic population is because of it. For the past few decades, camelot has essentially been doing 2 things: persecuting magic users, and defending itself from vengeful/liberationist magic users

the king (uther) believes that magic users are (stop me if you've heard this one) corruptive, shifty, and evil. he's always paranoid that a magic user will take their revenge on him. and in a way, he's right: there are in fact a lot of magic users eager to kill him, but given the whole Great Purge and literally drowning children thing, you'd thing the show would be a bit more sympathetic to their plight. Nope.

in come merlin and gaius, our two main magic users. merlin is the protagonist, and gaius his benevolent mentor, so the audience is primed to be on their side. only one problem: from bascially the beginning of the series, these two are nothing more than agents for the very state carrying out the genocide. they devote their time to wholeheartedly defending camelot, especially from magic users, something they are rightfully called traitors for. they actively intervene to prolong the lives (and therefore regimes) of both arthur and uther, despite neither king showing any real interest in freeing their people. gauis represents the "diversity" of a genocidaire state; as someone uther only keeps around so long as he shuns any involvement with magic except what helps uther carry put his genocide, gaius hides and rejects every marginalized part of himself that threatens his access to power. even as a member of the oppressed class, he aids and abets the oppressors every step of the way. merlin, as an extremely powerful agic user in hiding, follows suit. the thing is, like so many other minority collaborators, this doesn't actually buy them safety, since they are Other, they still have to walk around on eggshells knowing one wrong move could get their heads chopped off. but this action of defending a regime that would kill you without a second's hesitation is presented as noble and heroic in the show, when in reality it's stupid at best and evil at worst. merlin and gaius might save a token kid from being brutally murdered, but they will never let anyone take action, let alone take action themselves, to proactively stop the brutality.

merlin is literally the most powerful sorcerer alive. if he wanted to, he could create a more fair, more just, better world in a blink. instead, he spends his time pretending to be a hapless servent, messing around with his war criminal friends, and killing any freedom fighter who dares to even look at the prince or king. why? well, he believes in the institutions (and a prophecy that never comes true... lol). ultimately, merlin and gauis hold the same prejudices and stereotypes about magic users that uther does: that they're untrustworthy, dangerous, and that it would be better for everyone if all but themselves (the good ones) just died or left.

and all the people they're defending the empire against... are other oppressed magic users. the VAST majority of antagonists are either magicians or magic sympathizers. even in the context of a genocide, the show takes the firm stance that the architects of genocide (the literal kings who order it to happen) are just flawed human beings who still don't deserve to be killed, while when the people they seek to wipe out fight back, our protagonists will happily mow them down. the show has no problem with killing people,and even killing innocents is only worthy of a fingerwag. it's fighting for liberation that the show makes the real problem. even when uther finally dies the show plays it like something sad, as if anyone is supposed to feel anything but joy that this old tyrant genocidaire finally kicked the bucket after having been saved a million times over from getting his comeuppance. Every magic user that has genuinely good reasons to want to tear down the kingdom are all painted with the "crazy evil person" brush.

another thing is that this show likes to get ~quirky~ with their agents of the state. along with arthur and merlin come a colorful cast of characters like the knights that you can laugh and cry with. the only problem is that despite how lovable these people are, they're still actively carrying out and enforcing a genocide. it's a bit like those tiktoks of IDF soldiers dancing or proposing. i can't feel for these people because despite seeming like relatable people, they're still engaging in something horrific. you can't escape the fact that these people can only exist in the relatively easy capacity that they do because the empire they work for is brutally repressing and eliminating entire cultures.

but the thing is, this strategy actually works. the fandom is often so taken in by fun character interactions and shipping moments that you can often witness people literally look past, or even praise their acts of genocide. these characters are so charming with each other that you can look past how awfully they treat oppressed people. yay! the prevalence of merthur brings up too many idf pinkwashing parallels it's actually insufferable. i had hoped we left oppressor/oppressed person ships behind in the 2010s but guess it's still around

by the time he takes over as king, the "great, kind" arthur is essentially an IDF soldier who only realized that Killing Is Bad Actually when he's got crosshairs on a random kid. now Reformed (TM), he takes the brave stance that he should only kill the angry bad magic users who try to exact their revenge for the whole genocide thing on him, and the peaceful (more often than not, harmless) magic users should accept the merciful counterplan of ethnically cleansing themselves from the region, or continuing to live in refugee camps, but this time with less threat of massacre. in this show, the only acceptable answer to being genocided is to either lay down and die, hide forever, or displace yourself hoping the empire doesn't come and kill you anyway. fighting back, getting revenge, defending oneself, trying to change things: these are all reserved only for the genocidal state.

in other words, bbc merlin is the exact type of genocide obfuscation that most modern genocides engage in. the suffering of oppressed peoples, even innocents, is a footnote. when they suffer, sometimes it's presented as sad, and other times it's presented as deserved. meanwhile, the suffering of the oppressors, no matter how justifyable, is always landmark and deserves our full attention and sympathies, because the thing about the oppressors is that it's always their story.

(the last thing is a common fantasy problem, which is that when you create stories where different classes have actual, material, biological distinctions, it can end up justifying the oppression. in the real world, there is a very limited range of innate human abilities, and people from across the world are largely evenly matched. but in merlin, a sorcerer actually does pose an increased threat to those around them. in terms of allegory... kinda not the best thing to so without any real refutation to the idea that magic corrupts)

so yeah. that's why i don't fuck with this show even though it's enjoyable to watch.