#merlin like 'he will never love me'

[weaponizedducks]

in s2 merlin when gwen gets kidnapped says "I've never seen you like this about anyone." he's never seen arthur whenever merlin goes missing/gets hurt. every time without fail arthur either actively disobeys uther to go and search for a cure, risking death and getting arrested, or sends out an entire army to find him and then goes looking for him himself when they didn't find him. he was so whipped and merlin only didn't realise it because he was almost dead or missing whenever arthur went batshit

[justaz]

merlin who uses his magic everyday in ways that he doesn’t realize isn’t normal. magic helping him see in the dark so he can find his way in the woods or dark rooms with no problem. connecting with the woods around him so he always knows where he is and whats in the general vicinity which allows him to sense bandits just before they attack. using magic to keep warm in the cold or to cool down in the heat. confident and willing to go toe to toe with anyone bc he knows that regardless of what they throw at him, he could always win bc he could just use magic.

then somehow someway (post magic reveal) a sorcerer takes away merlin’s magic. or well just locks it away ig. but anyways merlin doesn’t have this part of him anymore and is left feeling empty, exposed, and vulnerable. arthur, the knights, and merlin going on a quest for answers to their problem and a way to get merlins magic back. but. but. but merlin is all jumpy and he’s rambling more than ever and is often reaching out to grab onto someone (usually arthur) and everyone’s confused and then they get ambushed and merlin freezes in the middle of the path like a deer. he’s watching everything go down around him with wide eyes until he’s targeted and one of the knights have to rush in to save him. afterward merlin is constantly holding someone and his grip is rather tight. he keeps looking around, his eyes scanning the trees around them over and over. when they try and settle down for the night, merlin wont leave the camp without an escort or two and when they’re trying to go to sleep, merlin is flinching at every noise in the woods around them and ends up shuffling over toward the person closest to him and laying pressed up against them.

arthur opening his mouth to tease and call him a coward when the word registers in his mind and he realizes that that’s what he’s actually seeing, merlin scared and defenseless. he ofc doesn’t realize the true depth of it all, i mean he knows merlin is missing his magic but he doesn't know that magic has always been a part of merlin, it makes him him. he’s had magic since he was born, he’s never known life without it. as he is now, he feels bare and exposed and blind and deaf and terrified. the knights are his defense rn and for the past few years, merlins been their protector so its a complete reversal of everything he’s ever known. he’s scared. arthur bites his tongue and lets merlin hold onto his arm and snuggle up close at night for some form of comfort and security. he doesn’t tease or mock and responds to his ramblings of fear with a level of gentleness the knights weren’t aware he even possessed. merlin slowly relaxing as arthur subtly comforts him without addressing it

[myoonmii]

I think the downright most horrific and brutal detail in the show is that Kilgharrah actually used Merlin to make sure Arthur's death happened with the pretence of protecting him

[chronicowboy]

i know insults are merthur's love language, i know that, but god if it still doesn't get me how both of them can make a scathing insult sound so goddamn tender. like, fuck, in the crystal cave when arthur gets hit by that arrow and merlin says: "listen to me, clotpole. i don't care if you die, there are plenty of other princes. you're not the only pompous, supercilious, condescending royal imbecile i could work for. the world is full of them. but i'm gonna give you one more chance." that's a love confession !!!

[jerys]

thinking abt merlin through the ages contending with the fact that arthur is still so present in the land. in mythology in legend in fairytales told to children in books and films and countless other forms of memory. throughout the world he is remembered still, and yes it isn't really him they're remembering, it's the legend of him, the myth, the heroic fool's gold shimmer of his legacy. but he's still here.

[youngpettyqueen]

did you know that there 8 actors who have been in all 3 members of the "sci fi trifecta" (Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who) and did you know that one of them is Siddig. in related news guess who's finally gonna listen to Doctor Who audios

[fluffypotatey]

I said once and I'll say it again, I don't really think late season merlin is a villain, but I do think season 1 and pre canon merlin would think his future self is a villain

agreed, anon, s1 merlin would be horrified at the decision and choices he made by s4-5

but yeah merlin isn’t a “villain” by s5. he falls into more of a gray area in my opinion. like, he is still a hero to me but just with a narrower view on his priorities and 10 years of dealing with your classic episodic enemies who want to kill Arthur

[groundbreakingdot872]

somebody call an ambulance

[morganafayes]

mercelot 😞😞😞😞😞😞🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕

[atopvisenyashill]

in light of spoilers should i say i don’t care about most lancelot and guinevere romances actually aksjdj

[camelotsheart]

arthur and morgana telling each other that they're not as different from uther as they'd like to think is such a raw 'i can stab you where it hurts' moment because they're calling each other out on the affection they had for someone who had mostly caused them harm throughout their childhood and adult life. they're calling out their inability to let go of a twisted love that had shaped them into the person they are, no matter how much they tried to stop uther from carving them in his image

[justaz]

im not a fan of modern merthur but the idea of them meeting in modern times and introducing themselves to each other and them laughing and bonding over their names being connected to the myth of king arthur and camelot is just so cute

[i-swear-to-merlin]

I don't know WHY i thought it was a good idea to watch the diamond of the day part 2 in the middle of the night

[ladyofthelake]

ahahahHAHHAAHAHhhaha having a fucking breakdown with Diamond of the Day on TV right now and like I decided to not be insane and to not fully watch it (since a xmas rewatch is more than enough pain)

but man EVEN HALF WATCUHHING I AM IN FUCKING AOGONY

[arthurslesbian]

i need a fic where arthur hears about morgana being kept and rescues her :(

[lovelukz]

hot take I REALLY love uther as a character. he makes for such an interesting antagonist to merlin because of how similar they both are in terms of duty and perspective—both kings in their own right. I really think the show would’ve dwindled without him and anthony head absolutely kills it in this role

The fact that Merlin is clearly uthers favourite servant is so funny to me. Because on one hand, utter dislikes Merlin as a servant, nm a person because all Merlin will ever be to uther is a peasant.

but the fact that he also see how devoted Merlin is to Arthur and honestly lets Merlin get away with a lot of shit. He flips between “ugh I hate Arthur manservant” and “you all should be as loyal as Merlin is, see Merlin, be Merlin”

Not to mention the whole magic thing. I hate uther, but unfortunately his character is really fun to laugh at.