#merlin and arthur love and appreciate him tho

[randomfansstuff]

can somebody give me some good merlin fics but like with good arthur characterization I'm begging

[soni-dragon]

Eye of the Pheonix is actually one of the best merlin episodes because:

merlin and Gwen besties shenanigans; “what’s he actually thinking about” “you”

cold open to the most tender merthur scene

Merlin sleeping outside all knight for arthur

Hiccuping scene and arthur getting so annoyed

“But the perilous lands are… perilous”

“The task is meant to be completed alone and unaided” the start of the best continuing joke of all time

Putting the rest under a cut cause it’s long

Little morgwen moment in the market i love (one of the last we get….)

Cute arthur and gwen scene! Hehe

This is just the shipping episode of all time everyone wins

“You’ll need help” and the first thing merlin does is go find gwaine

smiles “hello, gwaine” “ah, merlin :)”

Immediately puts an arm around merlin

Throws merlin off a roof. this is what merwaine is all about :)

Gwaine is still Gwaine and not whatever the writers did to him after becoming a knight

Bridge guy (Grettir) is great and Arthur’s “no I’m prince arthur of camelot” i love you you’re so dense sometimes

“You need strength and magic” and then gwaine and merlin come along and NO ONE seems to think two seconds more about the implications

“ive been to almost every tavern” “so have i” you’re telling me merlin spent all that time looking for specifically gwaine to help him when he knows arthur is in danger

ANOTHER MORGWEN SCENE (ik morgana just wants her to leave) but we weren’t completely robbed

Arthur not realizing that he feels like shit and thinking hmm that’s weird, this is THE dense, damsel in distress arthur episode

Gwaine is two feet away are you really telling me he didn’t hear bridge guy call merlin Magic

“Strength has arrived the trio is complete” immeidate sword draw

But also the establishment of them as a trio i really love and they never did anything else with it

Gwaine with the flowers :))

THE ENTIREY OF THE FIRE SCENE

*THE* MERWAINE SCENE EVER

“a pheasant” gwaine please

“Why do you want to do this?” cause he’s in love with you merlin

“Same reason as you” (hesitates) (eye contact) “help a friend”

“arthurs lucky to have us”

…

“not arthur” SCREAMING

we’re back to the fond looks

gwaines tiny nod of assurance when merlin looks at him like ??! after he says not arthur

“youre the only friend i have” and i couldnt bear to lose you

Gwen finding out morgana has magic

“she’s changed” break my heart why don’t you (i dont want you to change) BRING HER BACKKK this is making me miss the arc morgana could have had so badly

They caught up to arthur SO FAST goes to show how arthurs going through it

Not wyvern they have four legs actually (tho their designs are cool)

This would have been such a good episode for gwaine to learn merlin is a dragonlord & has magic

Arthur conveniently is knocked out (as always) when merlin does cool magic stuff to save him

When merlin orders them to go and they bow their heads and walk away they look like kicked puppies

The famous arthur waking up to merlins silly little smile and being 100% not appreciative

whatthehellareYOUdoinghere? why can’t you ever just say thanks? augh THANKS!whatforcompLeTlYrUiNiNgThEqUeSt?!

i am supposed to be doing this ALONEEEE

“Are gwen and morgana here too? we going to have a surprise party?” i love you sassy arthur and yes you absolutely should have a surprise party

Do you want us to help you or do you want to do this ~aloneeee~

MERLIN!

The little smile and nod like yeah they got him

“this is a quest merlin not a treasure hunt” well it is sort of- “MERLIN.”

How is that one stone completely sound proof

The cockroaches are icky but y’all have gloves its not that bad you couldn’t even feel them

Set up with the water of avalon and something that actually follows into later episodes

“Merlin.” + arthur doesn’t want to show he actually cares about him vs. gwaine pulling him into a hug

“look what i found” merlin and gwaine shared looks of no you didn’t

The trios conversation at the end i love their dynamics + merlins pause and genuine thanks

Eoin macken looking pretty <33 (he always does)

Merlins little overview of the quest hes so excited awww

Immediate shift to sassy merlin the Duality

I wish Gwen knowing about morgana’s magic would have been explored more i want to see her join gaius and merlin in plotting and going on little quests

Anyways yeah to conclude i miss Gwaine sm :(

[toomanyfanficsbruh]

4x08 -> Lamia

Something about this episode is just so funny to me.

I love Percy tho, he's just so soft and sweet.

The bros being so on Lamia's side is just so funny. Like, they're so petty??? They're such idiots. I love these knights with all my heart <3

Arthur being the cutie he is 🥰

I absolutely LOVE learning new things from Gaius. Like, he'll just know and he explains and I'm like "ooh!! New info!! Yay!!"

I also totally appreciate Gwen and Merlin’s friendship in this episode. I'm missed it so much during the past few seasons since Gwen and Arthur have started 'courting'. So, yk, this is such a episode to callback to their friendship and ability to work together :)

Stupid agravaine. He doesn't deserve a capital letter. He sucks. I hate him.

Leon! Leon no!

Gwen going to save Merlin!! I love her so much!!

Merthur 😭😭 "it's almost good to see you" He says while loking at Merlin with those pretty blue eyes of love 😭😭😭 stop

At this point, Arthur is just so used to Merlin insulting him 😭 "

As much as I'm not a fan of Arthur and Gwen, I do love the ending scene of this episode. I love that they will always have eachother's side no matter what.

[merlinfic]

group ask for lost fics #45

Hi y’all! Below are a few lost fics that us mods just can’t seem to find. That being said, we’re hoping that you lovely followers are able to help! If anyone knows any of the fics below please reply below if you know of a fic!

Note: previous group asks and all lost fics!

Anon 1 asked:

I’ve looked for this particular fic for a long time now, but it was a modern day Christmas fic in which Merlin and Arthur are together and Uther disapproves <<>> I can’t quite remember specifics other then Arthur being jelly of Merlin dating someone else? Or something to that effect anyway long story short they wind up together in the end and Uther gets past his bias X’D I’m sad to see you guys go, but I’m so grateful for all the fic recs that have been left <33333

Anon 2 asked:

hi! thank you so much for all your hard work over the years and helping to keep this fandom alive, ive got a lost fic. i dont remember much but there was a noble of some kind who was mistreating servants and he tried to mistreat gwen and merlin stepped in for her and then arthur came to save the day. thank you !! <3

miraniel asked:

Combed all the tags I could think of & still can't find this fic, worried it's deleted: Merlin, Gwen & Gwaine r captured by bandits/minions looking for Emrys. Merlin casts a protection spell on Gwen before they're caught. Evil sorcerer tries to take Emrys's power by absorbing it into a (staff? crystal?) but absorbs Merlin's soul too. Rest of fic is about getting M's soul back in his body. At one point, he & Arthur share a body. I think Kilgarrah fixes them in the end. Ty SO much! Love this blog!

Anon 3 asked:

hello! do you perhaps know what fic those quotes are from? do you know how much i love you? do you know that i would do anything for you, anything at all? crown and kingdom and anything ever promised to me, i’d give it up, i’d give it all up—tell me, do you know? / and arthur loves him, he loves him so much that he fears his chest will splinter open and spill all of it into the space between them.

Anon 4 asked:

there was this fic i read some while back where merlin was a royal, and arthur and merlin were like bffs. i think arthur was the head knight?? there was a particular scene were merlin got a dragon tattoo on his back. i wonder if you might know which fic this is? thank u so much

the-tortoise-lady asked:

Hi :D I adore you people!! I'm looking for a fic set in Camelot, where Merlin is hurt (I think it was something with his leg? Not sure tho) and then Arthur spends a lot of time with Merlin, caring for him a bit? And there's one moment I remember when he's reading to Merlin and they're all cuddled up on some sort of sofa and there's a lot of emotions and feels? And fire in the fireplace? It's definitely Merlin/Arthur I think, I guess there also were some love confessions? I just sadly can't seem to find it.. I know that I read it on ao3 I hope you can find it (no pressure tho please!!) Lots of love and appreciation and a big thank u from me :)

Anon 5 asked:

Hi, I hope you have a nice day :) I've scoured the internet and also your page for this specific fanfic that I read a while back. Essentially Arthur finds out about Merlin's magic and holds him at swordpoint. They stand right next to a cliff and Merlin startles which makes him fall off. Merlin then discovers his own immortality, when he wakes up at the bottom of the cliff. But him being kept alive does not mean he is healed of his injuries. He puts himself back together for months down there if I remember correctly. The druids show up to help at a certain point I think. Please help me, I loved that fic so much :(

thelady-mary asked:

Hello, I just wanted to say that I'll miss this blog DEARLY and everything you guys did here, it means a lot to me, truly. Ok, so I've ADHD and I can't describe things for shit so I'll put the fanfic I'm looking for as a list. 1- it was some sort of 5+1 type, with multiple chapters, I remember that includes some jealousy and he knows about the magic. It was like Arthur was learning little things about Merlin that he started to love. 2- the things that he learn (and what I remember) was: Merlin's body hair grows really fast and he said that Gaius believe it was an outlet for his magic, they're traveling and M forgot his blade (the thingy that shaves beard) and he has this beautiful beard and long wavy hair by the end of the week, when they come back A is occupied with stuff and didn't saw M all day, but at the end he's back with short hair again saying that Gwen and George helped him with his chores so he could get a hair cut and shave; also A talks about how he recently learn that dyes are expensive and wants to know how M have such a colourful wardrobe and he says he only have two tunics because his mom helped a merchant out once and he gave her two pieces of fabric with she made the tunics and his neckerchiefs; Merlin knows how to write beautifully, calligraphy and all, M gets sick in this part and they communicate via little notes send it via George who told A that he was hesitaning into giving him M's note on the beginning because he thought it was improper, A keeps one that says "I believe in you" because he needs it emotionally; Merlin can compose music and he did compose and wrote an entire play (or just one song, I don't remember much), he dedicated one song to Arthur. 3- Arthur makes an announcement talking about love and union, looking directly at Merlin, hoping that he would understand that it was more or less about his feelings for him. 4- the song dedicated to Arthur it was about a Knight falling in love with his servant (and I believe running away with him, but don't quote me on that) 5- Arthur believes that the song is about Lance and Merlin's relationship, since is about a knight and not a King, and decided to go after him thinking his heart belongs to another. 6- Merlin confess that he wrote the song dedicated to him and ask what he thought about it, but Arthur is still under the wrong assumption and says that he liked the "song about the boat" better. 7- Merlin is devastated and I remember Arthur seeing him with Lancelot, with him giving him comfort 8- I don't remember how, but they confess to one another and have a little fight over the song part. And this is all I remember, I'm sorry if is really big or even impossible, but I'm desperate.

Anon 6 asked:

Hello! First of all, thank you for the years you've spent helping so many of us with finding fics, it really is very appreciated. Now, I've been wondering whether to ask or not for help with finding this fic for a while, but knowing you're going to soon close it up made me get over my shyness and just ask. The fic has Gwaine, Merlin and Arthur out doing... Something, and Merlin is forced to use his magic. Gwaine takes the fall, and Arthur banishes him to the nearby kingdom. I specifically remember Gwaine hugging Merlin and making him notice thar Arthur only drew out his sword after thinking it wasn't Merlin the sorcerer. The next part (I can't remember if it was a new chapter or a new part, sorry) has Arthur needing a sorcerer's help to decurse a land, I think, so the the knights of the round table all go to retrieve Gwaine. He and Merlin try to keep the lie up a bit, but then the truth comes out. That's all I remember, I hope it's enough. Thank you a

As always, this post will be updated if/when any fics are found!

[tiodolma]

i always wondered why bbc morgana following bbc uther's legacy was her downfall. BBC Uther was one of the most successful rulers in the merlinbbc universe. like. sure he genocided a lot of people but... kudos to him that war crime had more lasting effects than anything morgana, merlin or arthur had ever seen or even accomplished?

like. that kind of impact was yeah evil from a moral and ethical standpoint, but politically it was so damn effective? Imagine doing something that people are still praising you for for the next 20 years??? Imagine doing something which causes your enemies to stay disunited and distrustful of each other for more than 2 decades? That's like peak king-shit. Every ruler would want what uther was able to accomplish on his enemies.

Why wouldnt a fledgling ruler want to follow a bit of it? Why wouldn't a rising political leader/insurgent/usurper not want to learn from bbc uther pendragon? He's legitimately a ruler one can pick a lot of strategies from.

If you don't admit learning from Uther Pendragon then you are an idiot, seriously. There is no political leader more worth studying (in success and impact) as Uther Pendragon

Moreover even Arthur tried so so so so so hard to make uther proud and to continue his legacy too. Arthur just didn't have the brains and drive like Morgana did.

Merlin as well, tho in denial, was very much an Uther himself. All those secrets, those lies, all those hidden crimes and betrayals he harbored and committed just to hold up an entire dynasty, those are UTHER-isms as well. I may get thrown rocks for this, but BBC Merlin subconsciously took a lot after Uther himself (and you dont have to be surprised about this, BBC Merlin was never BBC Uther's Enemy.)

i think what people criticize Morgana for was using "hate" to drive her just like what uther did. While Merlin and Arthur used "love" like what Uther did.

That means both sides committed horrible atrocities lol

Morgana was just more upfront about hers. Because of this she gained followers who appreciated that brutal honesty, cruelty and drive for retribution.

while Merlin and Arthur just hid theirs under the guise "We only want what's best for everyone" and paraded that as justice. (and that had some followers too)

Morgana's real downfall was that she didn't know her true enemy/rival because that guy (BBC MERLIN) did not know, love and understand himself until it was too late either.

Love did not win the game. It was misinformation that triumphed them all.

[onceandfuturemoron]

have you met our youngest?

I want a Merlin and Sherlock crossover where magic exists and Merlin is the youngest Holmes. And because of him Eurus has someone to play with and favours Merlin and teaches him everything.

unlike his older siblings Merlin's actually a very sweet and friendly person and always smiles, makes small talk, is friends with everyone. (Just typical merlin).

he definitely got bullied in school tho but Eurus was there so not to worry;)

Also Arthur is the prince of Wales and Merlin becomes the minister of magic and is literally the leader of all the magic users around the world but he goes by the name "Emrys" because he doesn't want to put his family in danger (cause he has so many enemies). And they're dating:))))

In addition to Merlin x Arthur, John x Sherlock, Mycroft x Gregory, Eurus dates Morgues and Morgana dates Irene:)

I want a Christmas at the Holmes's when John gets to meet the whole family for the first time and is really confused at seeing the fucking prince of the Wales cuddling up with his boyfriend's little brother who apparently is the greatest sorcerer to ever walk the earth. Greg is amused (he's been dating Mycroft for longer so has met the family before) and pats him on the shoulder and explains everything since Sherlock forgot to mention it all.

John also finds it amusing after he sees how Merlin treats his older siblings. Gives them hugs, kisses on the cheek, telling them jokes and they actually smile and laugh and joke and hug and kiss Merlin back.

John has soooo much fun and sits to gossip and shittalk about the others with Greg and Merlin and Morgana and Irene:) and he gets a liking to Merlin really fast especially when he sees how much he looks like Sherlock:) (they look so much alike. I'm dead)

so you see? I want a fic of a genius Merlin in a family that show him love and appreciation and spoil him. Give me. I need thisssssss.

[essiekuko]

taaaalkingg

the urge to jst redownload instagram to do my cfl rants abt posts again :( cause i cant just do that with tumblr

i shld know its a draft for a reason, i keep making new ones but i have to remember the POST LIMIT 😔😔

um. so. i js went back editing all my actual posts thinking i was editing my drafts, to add in new stuff i wanted 2 post. and it worked surprisingly well

wait arcane s2 is out. how did i not know. i cried so hard to that in yr 10 what. its probably mid tho cause netflix fell off (they were never on)

bbc merlin's king arthur was literally born 2 die AND i need him

i used to not like oh say can u see by lizzy. i just needed to listen to it in full to rlly love and appreciate it

okay wel that is uhh a lot (°ロ°) ! im definitely going to pick out just the ones i like, and maybe if i listen to more i'd add them in. her titles are so cute, like 'tv in black & white'. these little keywords are like so glamourised, i think, the key aspects of the decades lana likes. kind of like a little kid in a way if u think abt it. and lana always said she never got taken seriously as lizzy grant, which is so sad.

who TF is that. lmfao

[sourdough-morbread]

Role Reversal AU: Daegal is the son of Dindraine, the Court Priestess of Cornwall. He is a brave and loyal boy who insists on coming on any and all adventures Merlin goes on, regardless of how dangerous it is. Merlin and Arthur gave up on him staying years ago and started training him. 

[ladyofthelake]

I was tagged by @acciomerlin28 @miofrommars and @pendragonpants Thank you lovelies <3

This or that Merlin edition!

Merlin or Arthur // Merthur (instead of bolding Merthur I wanna write it big enough so that it can be seen from space) or Morgwen // good!Morgana or evil!Morgana // Will or Deagel // Camelot or Ealdor // Uther or Agravaine // The Tavern or The Stables // Gwaine or Percival // young!Mordred or knight!Mordred // Gaius or Kilgarrah // Mithian or Sefa // Magic or Royalty

I’m gonna tag: @arthurpendragonns @epic-sorcerer @thegreymoon @hall-of-merlin2  @merthumblr <3 and anyone who sees and wants to :)

[reginarubie]

Hey have a couple for the ship thoughts questions:

Sansa and margs

Sansa and Dan

Jon and Dan

Dan and missandie

Jon's dad and mom ( for some reason I'm blanking on their names, all I can remember is R+l=j)

Ned and cat

Ned and asha dayne ( the rumoured lady that Ned loves ad beded but settled for cat)

Jamie and cers

Jemie and Brienne

Tyrion and tysha?? The one that truly loved him but he believed his family and treated her like... left her

-

Merlin and Arthur

Arthur and Morgan

Arthur and Gwen

Gwen and Merlin

gwen and that knight

steve Harrington and Nancy wheeler

Nancy wheeler and Jonathan

El and Mike

El and will

Will and Mike

nancy and Robin

Crissy and Eddie

Robin and Steve

Joyce and jim

Hi anon!,

For the series send me ships and I'll give my brutally honest opinion:

part I

part II

Let's go ahead and since in your ask you've divided it by fandoms let's do the same in my reply! A little premise, this doesn't meant to offend in any way the shippers of any of the ships I will be brutally honest about.

Ship what you wanna ship and enjoy what you wanna enjoy. This is just my opinion on why I like or not these ships.

ASOIAF

SANSA AND MARGAERY

To be brutally honest I don't hate it outside of canon.

In canon even though it can be considered one of the purest relationships Sansa lives (and it's because it's depicted by her POV) I really hope it never happens in any circumstances.

Albeit growing fond of Sansa we can't forget that Margaery is a manipulator who is doing the dirty job by gaining Sansa's friendship and loyalty to further forward her family's ambition and tho it's an ugly game the one they are playing, and as she is herself says in show!verse, because I can't recall that happening in book!verse at all, “women in our position should make the best of their circumstances” it makes the way Sansa honestly feels about her and their friendship sound even more like a fraud.

Sansa considers Margaery her truest friend in Kings Landing after Jeyne is taken away from her, and thinks that her presence and unfailing kindness changed everything for her. Because Margaery made her feel appreciated and loved and wanted, completely opposite as how Sansa has been treated as a pariah.

And all the while Margaery has been instead manipulating her to get through her, the claim to Winterfell and the North for her family at which point with a queen on the throne and a Warden of the North in the family, their riches and being the granary of the 7K, the Tyrells would have become virtually unstoppable.

I don't doubt Margaery grew fond of Sansa (what's not to grow fond of, of a girl who puts in jeopardy her life to tell you the truth, a truth you already know, about the king you're supposed to marry only so that you are spared the abuse she suffered?) as did Garlan who took the time to comfort her at her marriage feast.

Still, I feel like Margaery was succeeding in what Littlefinger has been trying to do all along. Using the right key she was managing to gain Sansa's loyalty and a Stark loyalty is a powerful thing (especially with the might of the North at their back).

It makes every moment shown between them in the show or in the book sound even worse and sour in my mouth.

Tbh Sansa is going to realize exactly how easily the Tyrells framed her for Joff's murder, uncaring if that threw her even further in the mouth of the lions (for however knowing of it Marg was). She'll probably always think fondly of Margaery for the kindness she has shown her, because that is who Sansa is, but I doubt she's ever going to trust her implicitly like she did in KL ever again in canon.

Sansa is afraid she's never going to be loved in any capacity beyond what her claim means to the people around her, it's why, I believe she's going to appreciate Jon all the more in canon because boy is out there defending her claim only because it's hers , no matter which last name she sports, going against his own ambition (which he himself describes as hunger) to instead defend her.

So... on a scale 5/10 in canon because of all manipulation going on. Outside of canon I am all for supporting relationships and as far as I am aware that is the nature of their ship outside of canon so: good for them!

By Dan I'm going to assume you mean Daenerys. So let's go ahead.

SANSA AND DAENERYS

Okay, time to be brutally honest here.

Had Daenerys be a male, Sansa would've been meant for her. It's why the whole Jon/Sansa and Young Griff/Sansa make historic sense.

Sansa is based off several historical figures, but mostly she's based off Elizabeth of York and Elizabeth Tudor.

The heir to the dynasty which has been overthrown returning with the might of three dragons, and the girl (the eldest surviving child) who is the heir apparent to another great family/dynasty with two brothers presumed dead, the daughter by a lord beloved by the kingdom and beloved she herself. Soft and feminine, but with a will of steel. With a dubious relationship with her uncle (LF is her uncle by marriage).

It makes historic sense.

But in canon GRRM has gone with a different twist of this story and has created two Elizabeth's. Sansa and Arianne. I am a firm believer that Young Griff might really be Elia's son, and I think a marriage alliance with the Martells through Arianne would make sense, tho I think in the end Arianne is going to end up with Daemon Sand (a bastard with a valyrian name, would you look at that?). Kind of like Jon, who I refuse to believe might be considered trueborn, because in the show they might have given him several part of Young Griff's plot in the books and Sansa.

Also I believe that both the North and Dorne are going to go free (the swords of the northerners and the dornish are the only ones that are not in the Iron throne, which is symbolic and might mean they will break off the 7K and be the queen/princess guiding their people and beloved by them), beyond their romances.

To top of that, in canon, Martin has taken every care in the world to make Sansa and Daenerys as similar as he can, whilst making them completely different and setting them up to become moral and political rivals. He made Daenerys to be Cleopatra and Sansa to be her Octavian.

I actually wrote an entire post based mostly on show canon, but it also applies to book canon (even more actually) in which I give clues as to why they've been set up from the beginning to become political and moral rivals (might actually upgrade that one with visual clues and textual clues in the book at one point). You can find it here.

I think that the greatest part of Daenerys tragedy is that hers is the story of how an abused and how the trauma she endured has turned her to what she is slowly becoming. Had she had a better example to learn of, someone to look up to that might teach her the right ways she might have turned completely different. Had she known the real love of her family, she might have turned out differently. Had she had been able to get the help she needed to overcome her trauma and the coping mechanisms she had to use to survive, she might have turned out completely differently. But as it is, it didn't happen and that's the root of her tragedy.

And I think that that is also what differentiates her from Sansa. She's not a bad girl to start off, just like Sansa isn't...both suffer terrible abuse and survive but they have had different examples in their life and when Sansa knows plenty well the difference between love and fear, in Daenerys' journey they often overlap, which makes them fundamentally different in their core and ends up pitting them against one another.

So in canon -10/10; outside of canon, it can be very fun to write and read.

[I myself have a couple of fics about them, tho I've not dedicated near enough time to them as I should've. One is a twisted version of Robin Hood with Daenerys as Robin Hood and Sansa as lady Marian, and another is a modern AU.]

JON AND DAENERYS

In canon (both show!verse and book!verse) I believe that if it happens it's going to be about Jon pulling a 007 on us all, like he already did with Ygritte and the wildlings. It makes textual sense because again, Martin has taken all the care in the world to ensure that Jon and Daenerys are at the opposite side of the spectrum when it comes to rule.

Also, the answer to Jon's prayers and dreams is Sansa, not Daenerys. So a bit like the Jon/Arya ship it would take away everything he wants from him to ship him with Daenerys and at the same time Jon is not Daenerys type at all.

As I've already said and actually spoke about in another meta, in Daenerys' life love/power/fear overlap and her type is the rogue, dangerous men capable of doing anything, even killing without any remorse (Drogo and Daario).

BookJon is several time more interesting than showJon, he's petty and clever and politically astute (I mean, boy managed to get the Iron bank to give the Watch a loan whilst drunk and seventeen; and he swapped two children, possibly putting them both in peril in a desperate attempt to save them from an horrific death) also I think, after all he did to save Mance's son was to make sure neither baby could be sacrificed at Melisandre's call; when he gets whiff of Stannis sacrificing Shireen at Melisandre's counsel (or doing so because spurned by all of Melisandre talks about kingsblood) he is going to trust Daenerys even less, especially if what has been shown in the show (her meeting Kinvara and having the red priestess starting to claim she is the princess who was promised and Melisandre being in Dragonstone when Jon gets there or wherever they will have that encounter) happens in the books as well. Which I believe it might, since dragons are fire made flesh and the red priests and priestess think that fires washes all sins and terrors away.

So, beyond Jon loosing everything he ever wished for, it would go against Jon's own character ever falling in love with her, but it would be completely in character for him to go ninja undercover on her and do whatever it takes to get the dragons to defend Winterfell, the North and his family. What more, Jon is by now, bleeding out dead in the snows of Castle Black and as per my theory about resurrected characters in asoiaf (on which I am working on to post, I promise, to anyone still waiting for it) Jon died a Stark defender, that is the core of his identity and that is what he'll be in his most pure form when he returns to life, especially after being in Ghost for so long.

Also, the way they depicted in the showverse might actually be pretty telling of what may happen in book canon and that's terrible.

Also, not only would Jon loose everything he ever wanted, but the way I've seen this ship depicted (not that I've given it way too much attention beyond what I've written for them in historical AU) it always kind of makes Jon blend in the background and Daenerys get everything she wants sometimes even stepping on what Jon cares for, which is what they gave us in show canon. To Jon the most important part of his identity are the Starks. He is the youngest child biologically speaking, but he is one of the big brothers of House Stark, and that is his core. He died because he wanted to break millennia of neutrality of the Watch to save his sister. And often this ship ends up suppressing this side of Jon.

So -5/10 both in show canon and book canon.

DAENERYS AND MISSANDEI

I'll go ahead and assume you meant only show verse, because we've got more than enough of Daenerys with Irri in the books to be sick with it, and with the way Daenerys stops it not because Irri doesn't enjoy it but because her not enjoying it was blatant enough that her kisses tasted of duty; she didn't stop because she felt like it was wrong to use another human being that way, but merely because she herself did not enjoy being kissed as if it was a duty.

Show verse Daenerys and Missandei had that gal-to-gal friendship depicted with Daenerys even braiding Missandei's hair, which I don't think ever happened in the books, tho I may be wrong. And Missandei is the only one Daenerys goes back for to KL, even tho she lost a number of other allies (The Sand Snakes and Yara Greyjoy), so I can see why some people may find it appealing to their tastes for the way the show depicted it, plus they're both hot and determined young women.

Why I think it shouldn't be applied in the books? It'd make it essentially grooming on D part.

In the books to begin with Missandei is a child, younger than Daenerys whom Daenerys says she wants to protect, whom she takes into her service after buying her from the masters in Astapor and whilst (besides the slaves at the end of Dany X in AGOT) Missandei is the only other former slave Daenerys frees but she does so with the intention of gaining her loyalty long enough to gather information from her about the Unsullied and how to move once she had bought them. Which subsenquentially spurns her to make them ever loyal only to her, slaves in all, save in name, because she never truly frees them, what she does it overlap the concept of freedom with that of dracarys and being the dragon's, all with the scourge still in hand.

So, I can see some of the appeal in show verse and it's pretty wholesome as far as Daenerys' relationships go in being depicted in the show 6/10

RHAEGAR AND LYANNA

Talk about another man grooming a child into a relationship. Okay, I'll hold off the gun because we aren't given too much context here, but what we've got is that Rhaegar was a twenty-four years old man with wife and children, obsessed with a prophecy who essentially eloped with a girl of barely fourteen years of age.

Now whilst such an age difference wouldn't have been the greatest possible in that historical context what makes it worse is that Lyanna was a highly dedicated to her family and romantic young lady and that Rhaegar was already married and with two kids.

What happened was that either he abducted her (like Robert claimed) or persuaded her to elope with him (like the show would suggest). Possibly he married her in some kind of secret marriage (which would defeat the point of not causing a fucking war and would bastardize his children, which it's hinted that it's not what he wanted, since he believed Aegon, his son by Elia, to be the Prince who was promised) or not, but then he sired a child from her, didn't account for his crime and let his father execute his wife/lover's father and brother thus provoking a war and alienating his wife/lover from her family. He then took her and secluded her in a fucking tower in Dorne (the homeland of his left behind wife just to be even more of a jerk) not even once trying to amend the problems he had caused.

What we know of Lyanna as per reverse, is that she was fiercely loyal to her House and loved her father and brothers (the only line we know by her was “That is my father's bannerman you are kicking!” when she defended Howland Reed at Harrenhal and she then entered the tourney secretly to avenge him) and we have to believe that that same girl would just accept her husband/lover secluded her in Dorne and fought against her family and accept her father and brother had been brutally killed?

Not bloody likely.

What I think more likely is that Rhaegar might have taken a fancy to Lyanna because of her youth and her determination, for she might have reminded him of Visenya's temperament and since he wanted to recreate the whole Aegon and his sisters, with Elia unable possibly to carry more children he decided Lyanna would do for a mother, endangering a girl of fourteen whom may have been on her first cycles.

He might have then seduced her, which most handsome man of the 7K, a prince and basically fancying her for what other suitors may find disgraceful? Tho, we'd have to assume Lyanna didn't care that he had other children, tho she cared that Robert had sired a bastard girl before marriage, which again doesn't make any sense. But let's say Lyanna was young and easily seduced by such a man.

He very clearly then actually abduct her and seclude her in a tower whilst pregnant, alone and away from her family, warring in her and her father's name.

It appears to me that the only good thing coming from that particular ship was Jon. And believe me, Jon is not going to take well his parentage, even if he ended up being trueborn, because he prides himself of being Eddard Stark's son tho lowborn, I don't think the same might be said for Rhaegar.

-1000/10 we respect no jerk in this household and Rhaegar left his wife and children behind unprotected (his daughter died screaming for her dad, under whose bed she had hid... the same dad who left her behind to groom a girl barely older than her), and secluded a fourteen year old girl whom he had gotten pregnant, alone in a tower in Dorne to fight a war he lost, all for the sake of a damn prophecy. The jerkometer hits the stars with him. He can choke for the way he treated both Elia and Lyanna and his children.

Good thing he sons have taken after their mothers and the men who raised them more than him.

NED AND CAT

10000/10 would recommend. And this is my shipper heart speaking.

Tbh though they are one of the most wholesome and truest, healthiest relationship in all of asoiaf, even with the matter of Jon's parentage to settle between them, they loved each other. They learned to love each other and build their family, a family they died to protect. Trusted and respected each other.

I mean Neddie boy turned from lethal, dangerous direwolf to tail-wagging puppy the moment he saw his wife in KL, and noticed she had been attacked by the way she held her hands, that's the degree of attentiveness we want in a man, okay?

Cat last thought was the fact that Ned loved her hair and that she didn't want it ruined even in death. Ned was her rock, to the point that even dead he was her support system.

Ned defended her by justifying her actions in taking Tyrion in custody as if commanded by him and Ned-I-know-better-than-that-oaf-of-my-best-friend-the-king, idealistic Ned Stark listened to his wife when she told him to trust LF. Dumb move, but still it gives you the degree at which they trusted and relied on each other.

With their fragilities and flaws they are one of my most beloved ships in asoiaf.

NED AND ASHARA DAYNE

We know next to nothing to this, saved that people gossiped about it, and about the fact that Ashara might have been Jon's mother. May it be that it happened, may it be that it didn't.

I think that even if it did it was heartbreaking, sad and bittersweet.

I am sure that if Martin were to give us more info, or write about it it'd be pretty real and cutting in its depiction/mirroring of the time and context of asoiaf.

So, on trust I give it 7.5/10.

JAIME AND CERSEI

For how it's written like this fated, hateful, passionate and destroying relationship I have to tap my hat to GRRM and give it a 8/10 on the manner of how much I like the way it was written...meh. I think it's pretty interesting and that it is the root of much of the problems Jaime and Cersei actually face.

In a scale of how much I enjoy it, tho, I'd give it a 4/10, BUT with the theme of rape not withstanding which would crush it down at -1000/10.

Sorry I am more for healthy, supporting relationships, as much as possible in every fiction and context. But if it's someone else's cup of tea, good for them.

JAIME AND BRIENNE

Reverse Beauty and the Beast story, in which the one who looks like a beauty is a beast and the one who looks beastly is a beauty. Pretty interesting to read, also because I think its root is that Jaime sees bits of the himself he sacrificed for his father and the people of KL in Brienne's vision of the world.

Still...read again the whole bath scene and consider it closely (I did a step-by-step with Tyrion and Sansa wedding night here) is it really worth being shipped?

In some contexts it doesn't bother me much...in canon I think it's going to be heartbreaking for Brienne.

3/10 I'm giving it a 3 merely because despite sexualizing her internally during the bath scene, Jaime doesn't actually act on that, and returns to save her because he has dreamt of her and because the sodding idiot is so foolish he has followed her in the Riverlands like she was his guide-light. And in other context could be pleasing to read about.

TYRION AND TYSHA

I have actually written a series of several metas about it, you can find the first installment here, the others will be linked at the end. Anyway, I honestly hope Tyrion never finds her.

Since departing KL his whole mantra has been searching for Tysha and at every stop they make, even in a brothel where he rapes a young girl who looks like Sansa, he asks after her and asks himself “where do whores go?” which is what Tywin told him.

I hope he never finds her, because Tysha was no whore, no matter what they did to her. They were the whores in the equation, so I dearly hope he never finds her, because Tysha was not a whore to begin with. Tho, I'd really enjoy her freezing him out once he returns to her with that arrogant brazenness he has, which will lead him to realize he is exactly like the father he hated so much.

100/10 Tysha living off her life peacefully and freezing Tyrion out if he ever finds her.

-1000/10 their ship. I hope Tyrion ends up realizing he never found Tysha because he searched the wrong places all along.

And that was it for asoiaf. Let's step in the next one, Merlin!

MERLIN

So, I am assuming we are speaking of Merlin the tv series and not the legend, because then it'd get very messy, albeit interesting.

MERLIN AND ARTHUR

Just kiss already.

1000/10 whatever way we wanna see it, romantically as a friendship or simply two people caring for each other, the chemistry was off charts for starters (like c'mon “do you walk on your knees?” “No” “Let me help you” and all the “I could take you apart with one blow” “I could take you apart with less than that”...I mean and all in the first minutes of the pilot?) and it was just that pure.

Arthur thinking Merlin was the bravest man he knew. Braver than his father (who he idolized for a long time) braver than himself and braver than all the knights he was surrounded by. Arthur thanking Merlin, noticing Merlin's moods and believing in him. Accepting him also for his magic in the end and Merlin being satisfied with only being his servant for his whole life, Merlin never telling him the truth not because he thought Arthur may kill him, but because he didn't want to put Arthur in the position he had to chose between their friendship and the kingdom he was governing and the beliefs he had...

... it's just so wholesome and heartbreaking. There's a video on youtube with the parallels of the entire series and there is one with Merlin getting his hair messed by Arthur and then him passing by his resting site in the modern day bowing his head like he did that one time... I'm not okay, alright?

[Forgive me as I go cry in a corner for the next thousand years]

ARTHUR AND MORGANA

That one was really well delivered.

If they ended up with a last desperate, passionate kiss I would've found it believable that was how good they have depicted that love/hate relationship and whilst there was some chemistry and hints at it in the earlier seasons, I think one thing the show runners got right was their siblings energy.

10/10 if they went that way it would've be believable and c'mon everyone loves star crossed lovers who became each other enemy because of differing views and ideals and ended up killing each other. Twisted love story, here I come.

ARTHUR AND GWEN

My two favs in the same ship, am I gonna ship it? Honestly? Hell yeah!

1000/10 would recommend. Funny, dorky and passionate and romantic all the same time. Also pure enough that to their knowledge Gwen did cheat on Arthur (tho she never could explain why and no one explained to them her head had been tampered with, despite her snapping out of it almost as soon as it happened) and he forgave her, took her back and she forgave herself and they were true to each other. Honestly, heartbroken on their end.

Albeit how believable it was the way they depicted and delivered I am forever simping over Arthur fucking Pendragon naming her his heir (thus making the dynasty a dynasty by which standards both male and females could inherit) because he had faith in the world she had to build. And sad over my fav Guinevere finally have the power to make the changes she always advocated for, but loosing everything she held dear (her friendship with Morgana, her first love and the love of her life as well as Merlin, because we all know how griefstricken he must've been) to gain it, and still persevering with the grace and strength she had all through it all. No wonder Arthur fell in love with her.

Also, I don't know if you mean Lancelot or Leon for Gwen and the knight. So I'll give my opinion on both:

Gwen and Lancelot, 8/10 sweet and supporting but marred by Lancelot deciding to move away instead than staying with her and Gwen not asking as the supporting woman she is.

Gwen and Leon, 9/10 I feel like they would be the kind of people that might end up together when the love of their life has passed away and find comfort in each other, and love, albeit different, still strong and supporting. I can see them grow old together with Arthur not in the picture anymore.

Then, onto Stranger Things we go, I must say something tho. I am not this great fan of ST so my opinion is only based of what little I've seen on tumblr and on the few episodes I've seen. So it's not going to be as elaborated as the one we've seen until now, because I know the show less and thus I'm going mostly by feel and not by analysis.

STRANGER THINGS

NANCY AND STEVE

Soft, sweet, dorky and funny. 10/10 would ship them by what little I've seen. Tho I don't see them having a very long term, as in endgame, relationship. Friendship and support, crush? Seriously, of course. But somehow I get the impression at some point they would grow a bit apart romantically, but I might be wrong. Still I'd watch it gladly. So gimme it.

NANCY AND JONATHAN

Feels like it makes sense, good chemistry might be the actors who are together, I think?, anyway it seeps into the characters so it makes it believable. Also Jonathan seems like the kind of gloomy kid who has a heart of gold and would break generational abuse patterns. So 8/10 but only because I feel like the funny, dorky side of it might be a bit missing.

ELEVEN AND MIKE

They seem cute, still don't convince me for some reason. Feels a bit wrong to me. Don't ask me why, I've not seen enough to tell you clearly, just...they feel off, like they don't belong together romantically. Though it may be one of those slow-burn ships that gets more and more believable as time passes.

6/10

ELEVEN AND WILL

Sorry, I don't know why but it bothers me a bit, I find it...wrong? I don't know, by what I've seen they're better off as friends and I don't see that much chemistry between characters, the actors are adorable when they're out of character, but inside the story from what little I've seen... friends I can see, lovers...not so much. Again might be my impression is wrong because I've not seen the whole thing so I don't know.

It doesn't feel right to me.

5/10

NANCY AND ROBIN

From what I've seen cute and funny and easygoing as well as soft. Totally would love to see it if they ever went in that direction. Even if it's not endgame it feels plausible for that to happen, wether it be a one-sided crush, only a crush never acted upon or a love story.

8/10

CRISSY AND EDDIE

Again, by what I've seen between the serie and tumblr... YES! Give me more, now!

10/10 would love to see more of it.

ROBIN AND STEVE

Always gave me the vibe of partners in crime. Funny to watch, don't think it has any romantic hues, but even only for their dynamic as friends I'd watch several episodes in a row. So I'd give it a 7/10.

JOYCE AND JIM

Tbh I don't really have a disposition either in a sense or another with this one. A couple of badass shots, but I don't really have enough to form a brutally honest opinion, so I guess... 6/10?

MIKE AND WILL

Now this one has potential. I feel like whether they'll play it one-sided, both sided but doomed, or endgame it feels plausible and credible.

It feels cuttingly real. So 100/10 on ground of it feeling plausible, credible and the kind of love that even when unrequited might be enough to send you off the rails.

I think I've gotten them all. Feel free to point out if I missed one, sorry again if the brutally honest opinions on Stranger things are neither that brutal, neither opinions truly, but I'm not really into it, I've watched it sparsely and thus know almost next to nothing about them.

Hope you enjoyed and thank you for the ask!

[ai-katsuu]

F7 flirting with their partners hcs (rsea ver.)

Merlin

oh,,,where,,,do i start,,,

snow is definetly the cooler one in the relationship

she never stumbles on her words, is never nervous, and only loves magic boy with all heart

sparky-sparky-zappy boy, on the other hand, is that one guy who tries to be cool, and is confident at flirting until he actually does it

now he claimed to be a full time romantic in the movie but i have a feeling since he found true love with snow, his confidence on his moves dwindled down due to nervousness bc he actually rly likes her a lot and cares what she thinks of him not just presently, but in the future as well

one look at her is all it takes to bring him down :))

see the song lyrics: “flash! bam! alakazam! i got a look at you!”

“good morning snow white, you’re looking-”

“oh hey merlin! sorry one sec, whats up?” 

“i-,,uh-,,you uh,,smell pretty. i mean no, wait, you look pretty today. imsosorry...”

Jack

this boy is immersed in french culture so it would be no surprise if he was one of, if not the most romantic when it came to flirting

when it comes to audrey he is relaxed and can be himself around her, so nervousness is not on the table unless he has something big planned

when i say he is the most romantic, i mean he executes his words and moves with such ease. short, brief pecks in the hallway, light hugs every now and then. they are very natural and smooth!

though this would of course bring up some pda from him which everyone groans at

i think the only time he would get slightly embarrased is when he pulls a move on her only to be brushed off by her either due to her being focused on something else or she didn’t hear him the first time. he doesnt like repeating himself,,,

“mon amour, i value my breath so it would be nice if you didn’t take it away every time you walked by.”

“...”

“...”

“...hm..? wait let me just finish....okay done, what did you say?”

*sad whimper from jack* “...nevermind..”

Arthur

HIMMM

If you haven’t read Arthur and Gwen’s story please do bc he flirts with her at almost every given opportunity 

his moves have definitely improved since he tried to woo red shoes 

he loves to humor her all the time, sometimes acting a little stupid just for her amusement

gwen is the more shy one in the relationship so most of the time its arthur making all these cute gestures of affection towards her

he would bring her flowers, take her on adventures, and be a complete gentleman towards her

he knows she gets embarrassed and flustered so easily so he doesn’t push it with words 

he’s a true representation of a knight

“arthur! could you help me reach that book up there?” 

*grabs it and presents it to her on one knee* “milady” <--- she giggles after and its adorable these two omg-

Hans

needless to say, hans fully believes the motto of ‘cooking your way into her heart’

he shows his love and appreciation for briar through all of the meals he cooks. she is always the first one to try them as she loves tasting new kinds of recipes everyday

putting aside meals, he would often teach her how to cook as well. she did her fair share of cooking during her time in the forest but they were never as good as hans cooking

so they would have lessons in the kitchen and usually, briar is pretty good at it!

however this does lead to hans staring at her movements, lovestruck that he’s doing his favorite thing with his favorite person in his favorite place. and this does lead to some disasters in the kitchen.

“so i let that sit for another thirty minutes and...hans?”

“mhm..?”

“hans. the pot your stirring is on fire. you look like a crazy witch and her cauldron of death.”

Pino

Pino is essentially the eldest among his brothers and he has the most experience in life 

For him though, he didn’t flirt for fun in the past. He always thought those words and actions had to be saved for someone special, someone who really understood him and their relationship. And this was Gretel.

He shows his affection by reminding her about her health when she’s working too much. For flirting, he would use their mutal love on mechanics and make this cute little robot that walked up to her and gives her a little scroll that said, “i love you :>”

she laughs and appreciates all the little things he gives her. 

He doesn’t do any cheesy lines, rather he would just be happy if Gretel walks by and he would hug her out of nowhere. He is very romantic and sweet when it comes to her.

but then there is the issue of her older brother^^ hans watches them like a HAWK. pino is a little intimidated but still respects him. gretel isnt having any of it though.

“cara, i need some help. can you come to my room late-orrr it could wait. nevermind.”

“i swear to god hans i will murder you right now if you don’t stop.”

Noki

TSUNDEREEE

goldilocks is always the one showing affection towards him most of the time while he just shyly receives it. 

if they are alone he is basically down for any light and fluffy affection/flirting towards her

hates pda tho and wont hesitate to physically push her off (not with a lot of force thought) he scolds her a lot for having no shame while she just counterpoints him. 

goldie doesn’t think much of it and neither does noki until one time she actually started to tear up and cry bc she had hit her head on the side of a table. 

though he didn’t mean to hurt her, noki’s heart drops and he’s immediately all over her. he is SO SO guilty and showers her in affection and whatever she needs. he becomes such a loving and perfect boyfriend to her, whether they are in public or not

though goldies reaction was real, she knew EXACTLY how he would react and doesn't waste this opportunity to ask him for stuff he wouldn’t normally do

“mind holding my hand to the market?”

“sure. as long as you’re alright and you lean on me if you feel dizzy, okay?”

Kio

kio is genrally a very nice, kind, and helpful person 

but like his older brother, he is on the receiving end of affection from his own partner, peter pan

unlike noki, kio doesn’t mind pda but instead immediately shuts him down wheter they are lone or not

usually with a quick, ‘yeah, no.’ or ‘ew’ but trust me he loves them!

when he does show affection though, peter goes crazy and his brain fries out

 he does have his fair share of flirting! though it is very rare but he knows exactly what he is doing and in reality, is actually very smooth with it.

kio will give unexpected kisses, ruffle his hair, and even some occasional light uncharacteristic spicy stuff that leads peter to be flustered and wanting for more

kio is SO confident through it all, smugly smiling until it’s reverted back to a fake annoyed frown when peter chases after him

“w-wait! do that again please!”

“gross no, go away.” 

[itsacruelsummerwithyou2]

so i just finished reading “The Guinevere Deception” by Kiersten White, basically a feminist Camelot adaptation and i loved it (spoilers below)

“Guinevere” (quotes because it’s her false identity) was a fantastic character. she was powerful and intelligent while still being flawed in ways actually acknowledged by the story

Guinevere’s female friends, specifically Brangien, Dindrane, and Lancelot (who of course may become more than a friend in the sequels) were interesting and compelling in their own right. each had their own personality and strengths, and were vital to her both in fighting and magic and in structure and society

i thought all 3 potential love interests were really interesting, and i loved how Guinevere had a different relationship with all of them. there was little of her and Lancelot, but enough to get me excited to see it develop in the sequels.

Arthur, as the “good” option, could have easily been boring or unlikable as many characters of his type tend to be, but he, like every other character, had a balance of good and bad and seeing him reconcile his relationship with Guinevere and with his kingdom was interesting

tied with Guinevere, Mordred was my favorite character. despite being the “bad” option, he wasn’t really a YA “bad boy”. he was genuinely caring and often felt like Guinevere’s closest ally, which i think is what made their chemistry so amazing. i also think being caring is what made him “evil”, he simply cared about nature over Camelot, unlike Guinevere and Arthur. i could see him becoming more fully villainous throughout the series, but i really liked his character

i appreciate the book not falling into the “shaming women who do feminine work” period piece trap, as well as all of the love interests being genuinely good to Guinevere and having faults without actually mistreating her

ok who do we think Guinevere really is (don’t tell me if it’s revealed in the second book for sure tho)? basically all i know about the versions of the characters outside this book comes from Once Upon A Time and the season and a half i watched of Merlin, but i’m thinking maybe she’s Nimue? again all i know about Nimue is that she’s a sorceress with some type of connection to Merlin and is evil in both of those versions, and this character clearly has some darkness in her. i also think the Lady of the Lake is Guinevere’s mother, obviously they have some type of history together and Merlin referred to the Lady of the Lake as “my love” in their scene together

to sum up: this was a GREAT book and i’ll probably buy the sequel this weekend

[coinofstone]

2x13 The Last Dragonlord

I really appreciate that this picks up 2 days into the dragon's scourge. We were shown that Merlin knew what would happen if he set Khilgarrah free; he chose to do it anyway. There was no reason to pick up ten minutes later when everyone is scrambling trying to get a defense together while Uther demands to know how he got free. The little time jump that puts us right into the thick of it was exactly the right creative call imo.

Why IS the dragon going after Arthur? And how does nobody hear him yelling at Merlin about his magic?

Arthur taking off his gloves and sitting down in a pained relief while Uther goes off about 'rid ourselves of this aberration' is a mood. He's fighting off a damn dragon all night and then doing admin all morning while his dad is there all fresh and clean and conveniently ignoring the fact that it's HIS pet that's got out and is murdering people and destroying the castle. Like how about you do whatever you did to capture it in the first place, again?

Lol @ Gaius 'Bee tee dubs I've known who your pops is this whole time, he's not only alive but also a Dragonlord, which isn't something I thought fit to you tell you in all that time you were having campfire chats with the great dragon Uther's kept chained up in the basement for twenty years! Safe journey!'

Wtf with Arthur's magical moving bed. What were they thinking with that staging. Also, this is why you don't throw pillows at ppl. He throws his pillow at Merlin and now he must lay there pillowless.

Merlin's known his dad for five minutes and he's already lying to him about his boyfriend.

Balinor said, 'let Uther die, let Camelot fall' and Merlin is like, disappointed? But wtf did he expect? Dude lives in a cave cuz Uther's pursued him so far in an attempt to rid the world of Dragonlords. Like why would his indifference shock you?

Arthur's just blatantly flirting with Merlin in that campfire scene.

Merlin wins the award for 'most awkward and drawn out familial confession ever'

I do feel for Merlin. He's so awkward and hopeful and clearly romanticizing the perceived 'missing piece' in his life/upbringing, as tho it were a magic fix for everything that's ever gone wrong in his life. It's painful to watch, partly because Colin plays it so well.

Arthur and Merlin were gone for at least as long as the dragon had been attacking Camelot when they left. At the point when they retuned Camelot would've been under attack for the better part of a week. Kind of shocked Uther didn't have a bunch of knights turn deserters, thinking Arthur's been sent away to preserve the royal lineage.

Arthur's just blatantly flirting again. It's hard not to think he's being so free with his affection because he's fairly goddamn certain they're both going to die. I guess the argument could be made that facing a dragon who is literally burning your castle down around you might've just put things in perspective for Arthur - but really, I doubt it. They're heading back to a Camelot that's been under siege by an unkillable, fire- breathing, flying beast, for days, after having left the only man on earth who could've saved them, who refused to assist them. And Arthur is sitting there downright giddy teasing Merlin. That, my friends, is the *true* face of defeat. The further example is when Arthur is suiting up to go try and fight the dragon in a clearing outside the castle, and he's like, sort of trying to say goodbye to Merlin but also kind of flirting and playing up their usual banter - it's gallows humor, clearly. And the way he melts and doesn't even put up a token objection when Merlin says he's going with him. JUST MAKE OUT ALREADY but it's very much like that absurdist - I don't want to say nihilism, but essentially, acceptance that the odds are overwhelmingly NOT in their favor, and that they're probably going to die and nothing can be done to save them or Camelot. Once you reach that point, you've really only got two options: a) die mad b) live. Arthur really seems to be taking the latter approach, and I'm here for it.

Gotta admit, it was very courteous of Kilgharrah to come meet the knights in that clearing instead of just flying over them to take another pass at destroying the castle with Uther inside it.

That dragon said 'tonight, I'm have bbq knight'. Also I've always kinda given them shit because Leon supposedly went out with them for this, and all the knights lined up to get flambéd yet Leon is ever present in following seasons - but if you actually watch carefully it's Arthur, Merlin, and another knight that get knocked off their horses by the dragon's tail. I may or may not have rewound that part half a dozen times just now to be sure. Looks like two knights on the ground unconscious by Arthur's side.

So. Okay. I understand finding his dragon voice and I understand the whole inherent- language thing, I understand Merlin showing the dragon mercy and letting him go, I understand everything said between them and that's all fine. What I don't understand is how in the holy hell Merlin let him go without demanding answers. Answers to why he wanted to destroy all of Camelot, when he'd spent the last however many years helping Merlin save it, and save Arthur, in order to bring about their destiny. Answers to why he didn't just fucking kill Uther, why attack the lower town? Why attack Arthur who again, he'd repeatedly helped Merlin save, because he's supposed to bring peace and magic to Albion etc? Like HOW IN THE FUCK are you really just gonna let the fucker fly off without explaining himself? Maybe it's just me.

HC: Arthur was so relieved and elated when Merlin told him he'd dealt the dragon a mortal blow, Merlin came over to help him up off the ground but Arthur pulled him down and rolled him over in the grass instead.

Uther watching from the window like a maiden in a tower 🤦‍♀️ get fuuuuuuucked

Big season finale and no commentary track? 😕 probably cuz it was too gay to ignore the gay so they thought it best to just not say anything.

DVD extras in lieu of commentary track:

My favourite part of any of these BTS things are the little tidbits about the horses. And the terrible jokes.

I'm a little bit freaked out by how much Johnny Capps looks like my city councilman? I've never seen him before. If he was in the first season's extras I didn't notice him.

Why is "Cast and crew introduction to S2" on the last disc of the box set?

Googling instead of watching and I've discovered these guys did Atlantis after Merlin, which is a show I randomly started watching and fell in love with and was devastated when it got canceled so quickly.

The "secrets and magic" special feature seems to be an episode-by-episode BTS thing, which I wish I had known earlier as I would've just gone back and forth to watch the feature after the corresponding episode. Since it's too late for that now, and the runtime for the entire feature is nearly three goddamn hours, I'm just going to slog through one single separate post for the entire thing. It'll be posted late tonight or tomorrow. But I'm 1000000% checking the S3 extras BEFORE I start watching the season.

[northernscruffycat]

BBC Merlin s1e4: The Poisoned Bisexual

My intellectual thoughts on this ep are under Da Cut xDDD 0___o    ^0^

what i love about this series is that when they put it on netflix they kept it crusty as fuck. none of that hd business here

uther's going to a dilf convention? why'd he bring his son?

merlin: why do i have to do the servants work? fred elliott: bITCH UR A SERVANT merlin: keeps whining

merlin is such a fucking bisexual mess

arthur made merlin dress up in some weird outfit. it's clearly a kink

THIS SHOW IS SO CHEESY. THE CHEESIEST CAKE. it's like doctor who back when it was good

girl who met merlin literally this afternoon: merlin i need to speak to you, i don't know who else to tell

RANDOM MAN STOMPS THROUGH IN THE BG. they both stop to look at him and then carry on talking

wow this other evil king vastly overestimates how much uther cares about his son

MERLIN FUCKIN LEGS IT AS SOON AS HE HEARS ARTHUR'S ABOUT TO BE POISONED

merlin: don't drink the poison!! arthur (mildly annoyed): merlin WHOT are u doing? :/

arthur: i'll handle this. OH SILLY MERLIN HAVE U HAD A GIN??? >:0

uther be like "nah i wanna kill this guy myself, so i'll get merlin to drink the poison instead :)"

arthur's actually worried merlin will drink poison tho

i mean........ arthur didn't have to position himself directly over merlin like that

i'm actually surprised that the cocktrice looks less silly than it does in my little pony. i expect silliness from bbc merlin >:(

AAAAWWWW YISSSS this is the ep where arthur goes on a gay quest to cure merlin from poison

uther doesn't understand arthur's gayness

arthur: i can't stand by and watch him die uther: then don't look EYYYYOOOO MY MAN UTHER LANDING THE ZINGERS

morgana: bitch u gay, just go already

who is this evil pool girl anyway?

gwen (about merlin): he's getting hotter i mean if that's what ur into

gwen: she had dark hair. very beautiful everyone's just bi i guess. except arthur, he's gay

i want a version where everything is the same but morgana has been replaced by the persona 5 morgana. just for the lulz

sweaty merlin: arthur... arthur... arthur...

I TAKE IT BACK, THE COCKATRICE DOES LOOK RIDICULOUS guess they still had all the cgi from walking with dinosaurs lying around

WHAT

WHAT

ARTHUR JUST FLUNG HIS SWORD AND THERE WAS A RIDICULOUS SLICING SOUND AND I GUESS HE KILLED IT. i love this show

fred elliott has had a long day and he's tired

this whole scene with arthur in the cave is incredibly gay

Extreme Flower Picking (ASMR)

uther immediately arrests his own son

arthur: arrest me if u want but plz give my bf this flower ;0;

UTHER KILLS THE FLOWER IN FRONT OF HIM. what a king

merlin has reached maximum sweaty now

awww no, not bread and cheese. if merlin was here he'd be whining rn

that guard be like "well i like bread :)"

ohhh fred elliott just did magic

can u imagine if fred elliott accidentally killed merlin and that was the series over

merlin: WAKES UP AND IMMEDIATELY STARTS WHINING

yeeeeah gwen get that snogging in there! u go girl!

i appreciate that arthur went on a gay quest for merlin and when merlin wakes up the first thing he does is swoon over gwen snogging him

is uther/fred elliott a socially acceptable ship?

did uther and arthur just have a nice father-son moment?

ARTHUR BEING TSUN OVER SAVING MERLIN

this was an incredibly homoerotic scene

next ep is lancelot, who i know a lot of folks stan, so i'm looking forward to meeting him

[tiodolma]

Who do you like more, Eva Green's Morgana or Katie McGrath's? 🙆

Thank you for the ask! @the-king-and-the-druidess

I have been pondering this myself for a few days now, especiallg with all the camelot x merlin shenanigans happening in my asks.

I like the Morgans I’ve seen so far. They all have qualities that make them the best in different categories.

Most accurate backstory and relationshit with merlin - Excalibur 1981 Morgana (Helen Mirren)

Best in becoming "loosest woman to ever live” - Starz Camelot Morgan (Eva Green)

Best in politics - Eva Green

Best sister/adversary to Arthur - for now Katie Mcgrath but I honestly think the Morgana from Mists of Avalon wins this even though I havent seen it.

Most compelling and logical backstory/reasons for war- Katie Mcgrath (coz her story deals with racial persecution and not just the "women=bad” narrative)

Best in fun shenanigans - Katie Mcgrath.

Katie’s is my fave adaptation coz she got to do all the really fun morgana stuff (minus the sex). Fun traditional Morgana stuff like:

Being really into fabrics

Loving apples

Necromancy

Healing/caretaker

Benevolent and smart

Loving Mordred

Acted as counsel to arthur for a time

Chasing after Merlin hungry for his knowledge, trust and also magic (first honestly then eventually in order to spurn him)

Sullying Guinevere’s honor/revealing gwencelot to arthur

Torturing and the unjust imprisonment of Guinevere and the knights for little reason

Loads of court intrigue

Takeover camelot more than once

Use old crone persona

Use birds for her plans

Healing people just to torture them again

Employinh other/younger girls to seduce knights and spy for her.

Build a community of loyalists sympathetic to her

Playing with Lancelot in a shtty manner

Taunting Gwaine

Having a lot of familiar arthurian allies working with her like morgause, agravaine and mordred

That self-righteousness and feminine fury

Her plans keep getting foiled so she comes up with even better more convuluted plans

Virtually unkillable (until that cop-out execution at the end of DotD)

Like i said before, i appreciate how they jampacked what little i know of legendary morgana into bbc’s adaptation.

Though i dont think this next part is faithful to traditional arthurian morgana, the tyranny part was a good bonus for me coz it’s very accurate to what radicalism/insurgency looks like irl. Plus with BBC Merlin’s premise, it really really works.

Imho The magic ban/persecution actually gave katie’s morgan le fay character more depth coz she now had more solid justification for the awful things that she does...compared to in the legends where it’s basically “morgan le fay retaliating really badly or exacting her sadistic brand of justice when she did not get what she wanted or when she was slighted.”

Also.... I just appreciate the dualistic nature of Katie’s Morgana the most. Katie played her hatred and rage with so much humanity, pain, loneliness, desperation and sadness. Hers is one of the coolest acting performances I have ever seen. (s5 especially)

Tbf tho she had been blessed with 5 seasons to really truly embody the essence of morgana from the legends (except all the sex and being an actual mom). Eva green was also good at this but with only one season given to her, eva green didnt get to play around as much as katie did.

The only thing that was missing was really katie’s morgana taking arthur’s body to avalon. (Mists!Morgana wins this one).

[missbrunettebarbie]

All the AOS endgame ships. And Claire/Douxie/Jim.

Daisy/Sousa

I really like them for a number of reasons: 1 he makes Daisy happy 2 they are hot together 3 the trolling!!!! Plus, I loved how it enchanced the narrative. Their scenes together are very cute and the first time when I actually watched instead of lurking in the tags was the time loop episode which was great for the ship.

P. S. In another episode of "TVD scarred me for life" I now see Steggy-Daniel as Stelena-Caroline with Daisy playing Klaus' role, lmfao!

Jemma/Fitz

The finale did a miracle for me, making me lile Fitzsimmons. Well, sort of. I certanly don't resent them anymore, even find their last scenes with Alya very cute. Idk how I'll feel when I will rewatch the whole show, even the two seasons I skipped. We'll see.

Sidenote: They were totally AOS's version of Pepperony+Morgan, weren't they? My God, the Endgame trolling was real xD.

Mack/Elena

It's cute and I am glad Mack got such an amazing ship. They were at their best in season 4, imo, but even in season 7 they got their moments: aside from the finale, I loved the episode where they meet Mack's parents back in the 80's.

May/Coulson

I count it because of what you told me of season 5 finale. Honestly, I really liked how much May was into him (the real him, not the LMD one, even if season 7 did provide some nice moments for the half-LMD ship). And seeing Coulson with May always made me like him a lot more. As with Yoyomack, I feel they were at their best in season 4. Tho, I am curious how I will feel during the rewatch.

Claire/Douxie/Jim

Cuties!! Clearly, Jim/Claire is the best ship in the whole verse, but I loved how soft both of them were with Douxie. And the parallels between the new trio and Morgana/Merlin/Arthur made me really appreciate the dynamic. I really wish that the movie will be kind to them as I want more content.