#we could make a very long list about bbc merlin’s plot holes

[gdn7-dollopole]

These are actually the best guesses I’ve seen so far, and that I thought about too before. They’re the ones that make the more sense and I totally agree with these. Everything here has some logic (although, I don’t know why, I would say Elyan is older. Gwen has always had many responsibilities, by already having a job at court and helping his father and the business, even when there was Tom who looked after her. Given that Elyan changed once Arthur helped him, he got more mature, and Gwen probably always got angry with him, maybe because he was already supposed to be mature, since he was older. She got angry that he didn’t go to their father’s funeral, and Gwen expected him to be there as an older figure, someone who could give Gwen some peace of mind, and also, yes, the way Elyan makes fun of Gwen when they’re kidnapped, about her crush on Arthur, could be a sign of a younger sibling making fun of the older one, but I see it more as Gwen finally able to be her age again, without much responsibilities and weight on her shoulders, now that Elyan’s back, and so she gives in with the teasing, and that’s a sign that she’s younger. Also, there must have been some sort of rule about being too much young and without money to be able to travel. Yes, it’s the Middle Ages, but perhaps Elyan had some more savings given that he was older, and Tom let him go and travel. This is also BBC fault, because we have no other background for Gwen and Elyan’s family except that they have a father who’s named Tom and that they’re Blacksmiths. The reasons behind Elyan going away could be many, but maybe money and the feeling of not belonging at a certain age and thinking that because of that older age you can do everything you want, could be another sign that’s Elyan’s older. Maybe it wouldn’t make sense because an older sibling doesn’t “abandon” the younger with those many responsibilities, but actually, they would, especially because older siblings have to take care of the younger ones, they get tired at a certain point and they go away. Maybe Gwen never faulted Elyan either the first time he went away, thinking he deserved it, and changing her mind later, but we’ll never know it).

That’s my opinion though, this is all spot on for me.

one thing that messes me tf UP about bbc merlin is how there are no canonical ages🧍like it didnt even need to be confirmed in the actual show the producers and writers couldve just confirmed it… we can never win

(its borderline impressive how the show has managed to have so many plot holes/inconsistencies tho)

because of that, here are my guesses of each of the characters ages and the reasoning behind it

bbc merlin characters & their ages

arthur: the only character with a confirmed age— the purge started twenty years before s1, which was right after arthur was born. so he’s most likely either turning 20/21 based on him being named as crown prince

merlin: its implied that he was born some time near the end or after the purge (correct me if im wrong!), which means hes most likely 1-2 years younger than arthur. that means he would be 18-19 im guessing

morgana: i always got older sibling vibes from her, but what confirms it is the fact that she’s the natural heir to the throne. also uther and viviennes affair was during his marriage with ygraine and before arthur was born. so! definitely older. not sure by how many years— i kinda guessed maybe 2 years older and thats honestly not based on any evidence LOL its just the vibe. shes probs 22

gwen: i dont think theres any indication of her actual age, so i assume she would be around morganas age because shes her maid. or she would be a little younger than her because shes just so cutesy and sweet in early s1 :( like she was giving being younger than morgana but i dont think she was merlins age either. im also partially basing this on angel being like 3 years older than katie and bradley. so ill guess shes 22-23

lancelot: once again, no actual indication of age (screams) so i think hes probably 21. i literally dont know why i can just feel hes older than merthur LOL

elyan: bro. WHY DO WE NOT KNOW IF GWEN OR ELYAN IS THE OLDER SIBLING. gwen gives older sister, especially with her being the one to stay in camelot with her father while elyan wanted to travel. very much older-younger sibling dynamic. elyan always felt like the youngest of the knights (excluding mordred) but i dont why lol so ill say hes merlin age— so maybe 21 by s3?

gwaine: idk i always had the impression hes older than both arthur and merlin. i think he would be 24 in s3 then! there is not actual evidence based on this rip

percival: i fear we were not given ANYTHING about percival😭 i think hes probably also older than arthur, so by s4 he might be 25… idk…

leon: we know that leon was a part of arthur and morganas childhood, and that gwen and elyans mom was his familys maid (😔💔). hes also was a knight for uther and was arthurs first knight, which implies that hes a little older than arthur. most likely around morgana and gwens age!

yall i had to think long and hard about this LIKEE… part of the reason why is so that i have something to come back to when im writing a fic and need to get an idea on their ages JDJDJDN but also i wanna hear everyone elses thoughts and opinions on the characters’ ages!!!

[alyssa-orowane]

Fantasy tropes to avoid (and ideas to reinvent them)

Hello aspiring writers of Tumblr! How is it going?

This is my first post on here and I decided to dedicate it not only to the genre I am writing in, fantasy, but also to a crucial topic, which relates and affects every genre in different ways.

TROPES.

It's lazy to build stories on something that has already been written a million times before. I don't like tropes at all as a reader. If I wanted to read the same stereotyped story all over again I would just stick to the previous book I have read with that same plot, so I would also spare myself the trouble of learning the unpronounceable names of these new stereotyped characters.

On the other hand, as a writer it might be tempting to give in and use tropes. "Why not? After all everybody uses them and I am already SO busy writing the actual chapters of my story."

I tell you what: every time a trope threatens to slide into your story, crush the page and throw it across the room, yelling:

Seriously, though: tropes are just general, undeveloped ideas. That's what you need to do, develop them. In this way only will you ever be able to unleash their hidden potential.

Without further ado, may I present you three of the most common fantasy tropes and hints to reimagine them.

*Keep in mind that this is only my personal view on the subject and you can either agree or disagree with it.

1. The chosen one

This one is the most obvious one and I am also quite sure that you expected to find it on the list. Interesting, Watson: I guess that it makes this article stereotyped too…

Well we all know those characters. Those characters that were meant to be the one. The prophecies had spoken about them long before they were even born. They might as well be the only one capable of using magic or wielding a certain weapon. This character is either the only one who pushes forward the storyline or that one protagonist who does everything except choosing anything actively in the plot. There is no in between. Either way, they only possess notable qualities. Of course there is no trace of flaws. I mean, they are the hero.

Have a side-kick (or co-protagonist) be the chosen one instead

A great idea, if you really want to insert this trope in your story, is to use it to your advantage and surprise the reader with it. Who could ever expect that the protagonist was actually never the chosen one? Or that another character is the chosen one from the start?

To see this trope well recreated I recommend watching the BBC TV series "Merlin" in which a young sorcerer, Merlin himself, must help the future heir to the throne, the prince Arthur Pendragon, to fulfill his destiny and become the greatest king who has ever lived. Arthur has no clue of what has been foretold, nor that he even is at the centre of a prophecy. All of Merlin and Arthur's choices will determine either the glorious success or the tragic failure of the quest; all of this while Merlin hides his powers from Arthur and everyone else as magic is condemned in Camelot.

2. Overused fantasy Races

...which translates mostly into putting Elves, Dwarves, Trolls, dragons and any of the Tolkenian elements and creatures in your own story. Now, don't get me wrong. Tolkien is one of my favourite authors, hence I am always captivated by those fantasy novels that display these Races in their stories. But I don't want to read a copy, I want to read your own masterpiece.

That's exactly why you should:

Redesign the well-known fantasy Races and adapt them to your world and to your theme or just create brand new ones

Personally, I absolutely LOVE to craft new fantasy Races. I believe that it adds depth and realism to the world-building (which does not consist only of geography). Each civilisation brings their culture, their traditions to your story and that's what makes a world truly breathe. In my opinion, the purpose of fantasy is not to focus just on the epic deeds narrated or on endless battles enriched with magic and legends, though those are very important part of this genre and they must be just as equally developed. The reason why I write fantasy is to spread awareness around the vast variety of themes that coexist in our society nowadays, in the first place global warming, the racism that still today people experience, LGBTQ characters which are often unrepresented both in literary fiction and TV. What better genre than fantasy is there to represent diversity and multiculturalism? On these latter points I will never not be thanking and loving the works of Steven Erikson which are part of the high-fantasy series "Malazan Book of the Fallen". Diversity and the brand new variety of intriguing Races are a huge part of what makes Malazan such an awesome fantasy series. I refer to Steven Erikson as the main inspiration of my writing and I recommend you to give a try to his books, if you have the chance. I warn you though, that it is not any light or easy reading.

The other option might be to reinvent the well-known Races. Tolkien himself did not "invent" the Elves of Middle Earth, rather he made a legend of his own after having studied the myths and ballads of ancient civilities. Then he developed their language, their history and their culture as if they were a real existing population. Every single aspect of Tolkien's worldbuilding can be read in his Silmarillion. I think it is a must-read for anyone who is looking forward to reinvent the traditional fantasy Races or just to know more about them.

3. Unfailing magic systems

Magic can be anything you want. That doesn't mean, however, that it should be your escape point: stuff in your story should happen because of your characters, not only because of magic as it is simpler to put it that way. A magic system should be rational and engaging. The reader needs to be able to understand exactly how, when and why does magic work in your world. No, the answer should not be "because it's fantasy."

Set rules, limits and costs to the magic in your world

How do character gain magic abilities? Is magic accessible to everyone or is it elitist? Is it taught in specialised schools or is it something that resonates from within? Are wizards free to practice magic or is it banned? Or maybe are there only specific areas of magic that are prohibited? What is its source? Does magic come from higher beings or are spells more powerful the stronger the mage's will? Does magic need a catalyst (such as a talisman, a weapon etc.) to be casted? If not, do wizard recite spells? Do they need to trace specific symbols? Otherwise is it necessary to make specific hand gestures in order to release their powers? Does it exist only one system for all mages to use or are there multiple kinds? Last but not least, what are magic users in your world called? It's all up to you to decide. Ask questions and let each question lead you to another one. You need to know exactly how your magic system works and so does the reader.

What I love about crafting magic systems is the freedom to establish the boundaries and the natural laws that apply to your world, as magic is a huge part of the story if you're writing fantasy. Well, this could also lead to another question: is your world actually ruled by magic forces or do magic abilities have just a marginal role in the world building?

Remember that magic should not be used as an excuse to fill eventual plot holes in your story. Your magic system should function correctly and it should always stay true to itself. In other words, it must be believable.

And I can hear you thinking "but it‘s magic!"

Then guess what? You need to make the readers believe that magic is real!

First of all, set the rules, the limits and the costs that apply to your system. Having done that, you'll have finished most of the work that concerns the use of magic in your world. Most, not all. If you are a bit of a perfectionist like I am, consider the importance of developing your system furthermore by asking yourself questions, such as the one I have written above.

Rules: decide what makes your system work and what magic can be casted for.

Limits: decide what kind of tasks your magic system cannot perform.

Costs: decide from what kind of source is magic obtained from and, literally, what does it cost to mages to obtain their magic from this source (as Rumpelstiltskin of OUAT wisely says: "all magic comes with a price.")

The most excellent and well-rounded magic systems I have ever come across are the ones created by Brandon Sanderson in this "Mistborn" trilogy: allomancy, feruchemy and hemalurgy. All three magic system permit the magicians to use a wide range of abilities based on the metals they can "burn". Magic originates in the Shards and from Preservation and Ruin, two god-like beings. If you're already interested, I definitely recommend you to check Sanderson's novels out: they are a useful resource of inspiration.

I hope this post has somehow given you the inspiration to go and write right now. 
If you have questions about some of the points or requests for the next articles, don't be shy and send me a message! I will try to cover your topic as soon as possible and as best as I can (and I will also tag your profile, if you agree). 
Thank you all for your attention. Bisous^^