#he remembers arthur

[gdn7-dollopole]

But what makes Merlin the perfect tragedy it’s its end.

Yet, it is not that end, it is not Arthur’s end. It is not the death per se. It is the wait. The end hurts more to us viewers because we witness Merlin’s grief. They could have hinted about the fact that he is immortal, that he lived long after what everyone knew.

But they didn’t stop there. We know Merlin has been waiting.

What hurts more is the pain we see in Merlin’s eyes as he stops on the side of the lake, in a place where that lake is no more, where that life hasn’t existed for ages, now. We hurt as Merlin hurts, because he remembers as we remember, because we’re conscious that we don’t know what is worse:

to die, or to watch the person you had adored most, you had loved most, die by something you should have had under control, while you still live.

And Merlin wishes, but he can’t have.

That’s what’s always going to hurt us. The tragedy could have ended like any other:

with a death, whatever it is deserved or not.

But there is something else to be added, there is a, “what if”, there is, “and now what, will Merlin wait forevermore, will he wish to die too, did he suffer unimaginable pain than what we could possibly imagine, because he has lived so long, he has loved so long, perhaps he has killed and healed so long, and yet, after all these centuries,

and the only man Merlin still thinks about, is Arthur.

Arthur’s death hurts not because he dies.

Arthur’s death hurts more because we know Merlin has died that day too.

But he’s patient.

And the ending reminds us of that.

It reminds us that Merlin is still there, hoping.

But we have no idea for how much longer he’ll wait, and if the years that have passed in which Merlin has hoped, will be repaid with Arthur’s return.

And that’s why the ending hurts more than Arthur’s death.

[molotovgrifter]

this made me feel ill. chapter 2 vs chapter 6.

[blueberryflavoredfeelings]

does the bbc even understand how much money they’d make if the made a Disney Enchanted 2007 style Merlin sequel where Merlin has been alive, moving from place to place, magicking himself young and aging then moving and magicking himself younger and aging then moving and suddenly Arthur pops out of a lake, completely unaware of current events and is walking around demanding his manservant, claiming to be King Arthur Pendragon and he either

a. Gets on the news somehow and Merlin, doing whatever he’s doing now, sees and drops everything because WHAT IS ARTHUR DOING HERE AND ALIVE

b. Meets Merlin who has been working as a detective somewhere -because that’s basically what he did anyway-solving things and helping people, the family business, and Arthur is dragged in, handcuffed, and plopped in an interrogation room or the drunk tank with the cop who found him saying like This wacko thinks he’s some medieval king, go deal with him, and Merlin scoffs and walks in, promptly dropping his files and spilling his coffee when he sees a disheveled and petulant Arthur, who goes Merlin, finally, get me out of here already, will you and Merlin starts crying lmaooo

or c. Meets Merlin who has been working at an ER because, again, he was physician adjacent, and someone drags a wet Arthur in, like Found this, it looks like he might hypothermiate deal with him, and Merlin sees him, drops his files, spills his coffee, and starts crying hahaha

because I’m thinking that’d be fun and probably everyone on tumblr and everyone who knows someone on tumblr would go bonkers over it

[twistedshipper]

MERLIN 1.02 Valiant // 4.13 The Sword in the Stone part 2

[thatgaywizardoverthere]

Arthur “Disaster Bi” Pendragon learning about true loves kiss as a cure like:

Gwaine: For fuck’s sake, he’s not enchanted every time he smiles at someone else, Arthur! He was literally just laughing at my joke!

Arthur, aggressively frenching Merlin on the council room floor: YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO CAREFUL OKAY-

[aramblingjay]

#5 times arthur breaks my heart

[noodles-and-tea]

Angel eyes

[myoonmii]

I keep thinking about Merlin’s love for Arthur and how it’s so clearly portrayed in the show to the point that it practically drives the plot of the show. However when it comes to Arthur’s love for Merlin it’s more subtle and sometimes difficult to even grasp, and I started thinking why that was, aside from the obvious fact that Arthur has a lot of trouble expressing his emotions affection or otherwise. I think it also lies in the fact that Merlin knows Arthur intrinsically throughout the show; he is one of the closest people to Arthur, and sees him for who he really is. Arthur admits as much.

Sure, Arthur knows Merlin but the main part of the plot is that he really doesn't know Merlin. Merlin wants him to desperately understand him and “see me for who I am” but he can't yet. And I think this subconsciously creates a barrier in the way in which Arthur can care for Merlin, and how Merlin can let himself be seen by Arthur.

Which is why I think he was also so hurt when the magic reveal happens because more than the betrayal of Merlin having magic, it was the betrayal of Merlin not letting Arthur see him for who he really is and for hiding a main part of himself. Arthur says it himself “why did you never tell me” that’s what hurt him the most.

I think the most damning piece of evidence for this is the fact that while we see snippets of Arthur’s feelings for Merlin thought the show, the biggest signs are in the last episode after the magic reveal; in which he finally gets to understand Merlin, and this time REALLY know Merlin, and as the barriers of what held them back from understanding each other truly fall away, Arthur evidently “falls in love with Merlin all over again”. We see him actually express himself to Merlin.

This is another reason why I think if anyone was ever to create another season of Merlin after Arthur’s return, it’s physically impossible not to make it about Merlin and Arthur acknowledging their feelings for each other. Because there is no way forward without them acknowledging how deeply they care for each other, obviously anyone is free to argue what kind of love that is, but its impossible not to see the deep love there either way.

They always knew they loved each other, just maybe never realising how much and what that means, because its almost second nature to everything that they do.

[sunnibits]

some people really need to learn how to knock

[justaz]

whats so funny to me is how merthur deal with jealousy and the knights’ knowledge of it. like arthur? he is so obvious. SO obvious to literally everyone but merlin. he’s pouty and then aggressive. the knights know this. as touched as they are by merlin’s compliments, they desperately want him to stfu bc every word of praise he gives them, is one more level of how enthusiastic arthur will be when he demands they spar with him.

merlin is literally the same but the knights never really see him get jealous. arthur is obsessed with merlin so there nothing really for merlin to get jealous of. until theres a repeat of cedric where arthur is annoyed by how often merlin has been shirking his duties and takes a new servant just to mess with him. and then merlin is glaring at the new serving boy when neither he nor arthur is looking at him, he is “super clumsy” around the new servant and “trips” on his way out of the stables after mucking them out and “accidentally” covers the servant in horse dung, and sets up scenes for the new servant to fail and thin arthur’s patience until he fires them. then he turns to merlin and is like “i need this done” and the knights expect merlin to act like arthur and jump at the chance to attach himself to arthur’s side, but merlin just smiles politely and says “oh im sure george/gwen/any other servant in camelot would be honored to do that for you, sire” and walks away

anyway i would love to see the knights who have to constantly suffer a jealous arthur sit back and watch a jealous merlin fight his foe in his own way. then watch the slight difference between jealous!merthur as where arthur would drag merlin with him everywhere, merlin can’t seem to get away from arthur fast enough. now arthur is chasing merlin around like a love sick puppy. the knights are in awe. the newer knights who weren’t aware before, now have to confront the fact that this insolent servant has the king of camelot wrapped around his little finger.

[arthursfuckinghat]

Sometimes, I'll be doing a mission with Dutch and everything is fine.

Other times, the light will catch his face in a way that makes me seethe.

I get reminded that Dutch got to age, he got to grow grey.

Did Arthur get that chance? Jenny, Mac, Davey, Sean, Kieran, Lenny, Molly? Did any of them get to grow old together?

Why didn't they, Dutch? Why didn't the gang survive? Why didn't they get the promised virgin lands in the west? Why did you outlive them?

Go on, Dutch, go ahead. I'm listening.

[gvaine]

[emositecc]

Yes he has! He doesn't like talking about it tho 🤫

[adhd-merlin]

I am obsessed with this

[amariram]

[filthytheodeckerkinnie]

I relate to Arthur Lester because I also get fucking angry at John every 10 minutes, and then swing violently the other way into loving him more than can be described