By: Julian Jones
**Spoilers**
If you have not yet watched this episode, please go and do so before proceeding
I am not a big fan of romance stories. I am not a big fan of one-note characters. And I am DEFINITELY NOT a big fan of one-note episode romances starring nearly one-note characters! So why do I like this episode so much...?
Probably for the same reason I love the rest of Merlin, despite the clichés and many, many plot-holes. There's just a campy, fantasy charm to this series that carries me through even the worst of episodes. The Lady of the Lake, however, is definitely one of the better ones. What's the story? Well a bounty hunter named Halig comes into Camelot to collect his money from King Uther for the druid girl he has captured and chained up in his cart. Merlin being Merlin (the wizard with the worst luck in the world) comes across this girl as she shivers in the rain and, being a sympathetic, dewy-eyed sap, frees her and offers her a place to hide. The girl tells him that her name is Freya and over the days that follow, the two of them form a friendship and eventually fall in love.
Like I said, normally this would be the sort of episode that I groan and roll my eyes to the kitchen and back over, but in this case it just works. Most of that can be attributed to Colin Morgan and Laura Donnelly who play their characters with such heart and charm that the performances alone create realistic and lovable personalities. I guess I'm just a sucker for a lovesick Merlin dancing around Gaius' rooms and humming (off pitch, I may add) while planning the best way to sneak off and see his new girlfriend. It's just too cute.
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:
- Right from the start of the episode, we know that something interesting is going to happen. A bounty hunter comes into Camelot, stopping at a tavern for some (very) greasy meat and booze while his prisoner shivers outside in the rain.
- That was his first mistake because Merlin, heading home from night rounds with Gaius, sees the girl and immediately forms a connection to her because he realizes that one day he could be the poor soul chained up and waiting execution. So later that night, against Gaius's orders (of course), he sneaks back and frees her from her cage. They run into the catacombs to hide just as Halig (the bounty hunter who must have taken a SWEET LONG time at dinner) finally emerges from the tavern.
- It's not exactly love at first sight. She's skittish and afraid of him, he just gives her his coat and leaves with promises of food tomorrow. So far, so good.
- Poor Merlin and Gaius don't have any decent food in their rooms at the moment (that apple was decidedly sad looking), so Merlin does the only logical thing and steals from Prince Arthur...leaving the apple and hunk of rock-like bread behind instead.
- He claims that it's only so that Arthur doesn't get fat.
- The stealing food theme only gets funnier as the episode goes on:
- I love the way Gaius always knows just the right thing to say to be both cryptic and foreboding. "I dread to think..." Come on, man! Could you be any more cheerful?
- I hate to think what Halig would have done to Merlin if Arthur hadn't come along to save him just at the right moment. For all Arthur pokes and prods and teases Merlin, he's really quite nice to his servant. And what does Merlin do? He calls Arthur fat. For the second time in this episode. And it's hilarious.
- "See? It's working!" I love the look on Arthur's face whenever Merlin skips out of the room after delivering that zinger.
- I've always wondered why Merlin didn't just steal food from the kitchens for Freya. Hmmm...
- Right from the first animal attack, it was fairly obvious that it was Freya who was doing the killing. The timeline just fit too well and, coupled with Halig's report of even the druids being afraid of her curse, the culprit was a no-brainer. But that didn't ruin the story. Rather, it heightened the tension as we all began to realize that our poor lovebirds were going to end in tears.
- The question was whether or not Freya was evil and just playing the damsel in distress or if she was really the victim.
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- The scene where Merlin accidentally creates a rose for her is just too cute.
- One thing I love about this couple is the sweetness and, dare I say it, innocence of their relationship. It's very refreshing and well done, I think.
- "And if this was done by neither a man nor beast, there's only one other explanation. It must be the work of a magical creature." Hmmm. I don't know about that, Uther. Couldn't there be some other explanation? Do you always have to jump to the 'magic and enchantments' conclusion? The fact that you were absolutely right in this case has no bearing on my argument whatsoever.
- I'm not ashamed to admit that I get a bit teary-eyed every time Merlin and Freya are envisioning the safe place that they can run off to together. Guess there is an incurable romantic hidden somewhere within the darkest recesses of my heart after all.
- "Being different's nothing to be scared of." And there's a quote that everyone should take to heart!
- Have I mentioned that Merlin in love is ADORABLE?
- It cracks me up that now Arthur thinks Merlin spends his spare time either (a) in the tavern or (b) stealing Morgana's clothes to play dress-up.
- To be fair, the color of that dress really did suit him.
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- It looks prettier on Freya, though. And Merlin makes sure to tell her so.
- It is here that Freya's character is changed from borderline-damsel-in-distress to fully-fledged, real personality whenever she tricks Merlin into leaving her alone so she can slip away without him because she doesn't want to take him away from his good life in Camelot. She doesn't want him to give up his life for a cursed girl who's probably going to end up accidentally killing him anyway. So she does what she thinks is best for him. I will forever love her for that scene and my heart just broke whenever she sadly smiled and said, "Goodbye, Merlin."
- The rest of the episode just builds and builds up to a sudden emotional climax where pretty much everything that could go wrong does (short of Arthur finding out about Merlin's magic) and it ends with the bounty hunter dead and Freya, in her were-panther form, being stabbed in the shoulder by Arthur.
- Merlin could tame Freya when she was a beast. I guess love really does conquer all.
- Some people have complained that a wound that left the beast healthy enough to fly shouldn't have killed Freya or wounded her beyond healing. I don't agree. One, when she changed forms back the wound probably would have stayed the same size...and her human form was considerably smaller than that of the beast. Two, she was stabbed through the shoulder. In the right angle and close enough to the chest, that can hit some major arteries, resulting in a bleed-out. And three, where exactly would she have gone for treatment? It's not like Merlin's exactly a whiz when it comes to healing spells or poultices.
- I love how Merlin remembered their dreams of a new home and made sure that the last thing Freya saw was them together in that beautiful place. He even dressed her in that fine gown.
- Yes. This episode is rough emotionally, even if you don't get behind the romance. Between Colin Morgan's crying skills and the great care put into contrasting with-Freya and post-Freya Merlin's moods, you're going to be feeling depressed by the end of it. But in a good sort of way. In a 'Fandom Feels' kind of way. If that makes sense...
- Poor Merlin! Freya will, in time, become just another name in the long list of people he's lost that he cared about. She does, however, remain his first and only love. He certainly never looks seriously at another girl again in the entire show.
- Here he gives her a burial fit for a queen, burning her in a boat (viking style) and forever binding her to the magic of the lake. It's one of the most beautiful scenes from the show and certainly one of the saddest.
- Gaius clearly feels guilty about having to tell Uther about Freya. But I can't blame him. She was killing people. He had no choice. At least in death she was set free from the curse 'to kill forever more'...
- What keeps this episode from being a total emotional train wreck, though, is the ending. Merlin, in a sharp contrast to his happy distraction from just days ago, is sitting on the floor mindlessly polishing Arthur's boots when Arthur comes in and sits down on the floor next to him. Now this is a very big deal. Not only is the Crown Prince sitting down next to a servant like they're buddies at a harvestfest, but he's also intentionally putting himself on the same level as his manservant. Why does he do this? Because he's noticed Merlin is down and is concerned. Granted he thinks it's because he threw a thing of cold water over Merlin a few days ago...but his heart was in the right place and he quickly makes Merlin (and us) forgive him for killing Freya with a kindly noogie to make Merlin smile again.
- It's the smile of satisfaction and the "There...that's better." Arthur gives at the end that really sells the scene. He's acting like a big brother.
This episode is one of Merlin's best. The story is beautiful, the characters spot-on and wonderful, the cinematography and colors gorgeous, and the romance is something that even I really enjoyed. There are no gaping plot-holes. Nothing too dull or too out-there happens. It is a tragic love story that helps to further develop all the characters' stories, as well as setting up vital plot points for later. The Lady of the Lake is a 5/5.
Like I said, normally this would be the sort of episode that I groan and roll my eyes to the kitchen and back over, but in this case it just works. Most of that can be attributed to Colin Morgan and Laura Donnelly who play their characters with such heart and charm that the performances alone create realistic and lovable personalities. I guess I'm just a sucker for a lovesick Merlin dancing around Gaius' rooms and humming (off pitch, I may add) while planning the best way to sneak off and see his new girlfriend. It's just too cute.
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:
- Right from the start of the episode, we know that something interesting is going to happen. A bounty hunter comes into Camelot, stopping at a tavern for some (very) greasy meat and booze while his prisoner shivers outside in the rain.
- That was his first mistake because Merlin, heading home from night rounds with Gaius, sees the girl and immediately forms a connection to her because he realizes that one day he could be the poor soul chained up and waiting execution. So later that night, against Gaius's orders (of course), he sneaks back and frees her from her cage. They run into the catacombs to hide just as Halig (the bounty hunter who must have taken a SWEET LONG time at dinner) finally emerges from the tavern.- It's not exactly love at first sight. She's skittish and afraid of him, he just gives her his coat and leaves with promises of food tomorrow. So far, so good.
- Poor Merlin and Gaius don't have any decent food in their rooms at the moment (that apple was decidedly sad looking), so Merlin does the only logical thing and steals from Prince Arthur...leaving the apple and hunk of rock-like bread behind instead.
- He claims that it's only so that Arthur doesn't get fat.
- The stealing food theme only gets funnier as the episode goes on:
- I love the way Gaius always knows just the right thing to say to be both cryptic and foreboding. "I dread to think..." Come on, man! Could you be any more cheerful?
- I hate to think what Halig would have done to Merlin if Arthur hadn't come along to save him just at the right moment. For all Arthur pokes and prods and teases Merlin, he's really quite nice to his servant. And what does Merlin do? He calls Arthur fat. For the second time in this episode. And it's hilarious.
- "See? It's working!" I love the look on Arthur's face whenever Merlin skips out of the room after delivering that zinger.
- I've always wondered why Merlin didn't just steal food from the kitchens for Freya. Hmmm...
- Right from the first animal attack, it was fairly obvious that it was Freya who was doing the killing. The timeline just fit too well and, coupled with Halig's report of even the druids being afraid of her curse, the culprit was a no-brainer. But that didn't ruin the story. Rather, it heightened the tension as we all began to realize that our poor lovebirds were going to end in tears.
- The question was whether or not Freya was evil and just playing the damsel in distress or if she was really the victim.
.gif)
- The scene where Merlin accidentally creates a rose for her is just too cute.- One thing I love about this couple is the sweetness and, dare I say it, innocence of their relationship. It's very refreshing and well done, I think.
- "And if this was done by neither a man nor beast, there's only one other explanation. It must be the work of a magical creature." Hmmm. I don't know about that, Uther. Couldn't there be some other explanation? Do you always have to jump to the 'magic and enchantments' conclusion? The fact that you were absolutely right in this case has no bearing on my argument whatsoever.
- I'm not ashamed to admit that I get a bit teary-eyed every time Merlin and Freya are envisioning the safe place that they can run off to together. Guess there is an incurable romantic hidden somewhere within the darkest recesses of my heart after all.
- "Being different's nothing to be scared of." And there's a quote that everyone should take to heart!
- Have I mentioned that Merlin in love is ADORABLE?
- It cracks me up that now Arthur thinks Merlin spends his spare time either (a) in the tavern or (b) stealing Morgana's clothes to play dress-up.
- To be fair, the color of that dress really did suit him.
.png)
- It looks prettier on Freya, though. And Merlin makes sure to tell her so.- It is here that Freya's character is changed from borderline-damsel-in-distress to fully-fledged, real personality whenever she tricks Merlin into leaving her alone so she can slip away without him because she doesn't want to take him away from his good life in Camelot. She doesn't want him to give up his life for a cursed girl who's probably going to end up accidentally killing him anyway. So she does what she thinks is best for him. I will forever love her for that scene and my heart just broke whenever she sadly smiled and said, "Goodbye, Merlin."
- The rest of the episode just builds and builds up to a sudden emotional climax where pretty much everything that could go wrong does (short of Arthur finding out about Merlin's magic) and it ends with the bounty hunter dead and Freya, in her were-panther form, being stabbed in the shoulder by Arthur.
- Merlin could tame Freya when she was a beast. I guess love really does conquer all.- Some people have complained that a wound that left the beast healthy enough to fly shouldn't have killed Freya or wounded her beyond healing. I don't agree. One, when she changed forms back the wound probably would have stayed the same size...and her human form was considerably smaller than that of the beast. Two, she was stabbed through the shoulder. In the right angle and close enough to the chest, that can hit some major arteries, resulting in a bleed-out. And three, where exactly would she have gone for treatment? It's not like Merlin's exactly a whiz when it comes to healing spells or poultices.
- I love how Merlin remembered their dreams of a new home and made sure that the last thing Freya saw was them together in that beautiful place. He even dressed her in that fine gown.
- Poor Merlin! Freya will, in time, become just another name in the long list of people he's lost that he cared about. She does, however, remain his first and only love. He certainly never looks seriously at another girl again in the entire show.
- Gaius clearly feels guilty about having to tell Uther about Freya. But I can't blame him. She was killing people. He had no choice. At least in death she was set free from the curse 'to kill forever more'...
- What keeps this episode from being a total emotional train wreck, though, is the ending. Merlin, in a sharp contrast to his happy distraction from just days ago, is sitting on the floor mindlessly polishing Arthur's boots when Arthur comes in and sits down on the floor next to him. Now this is a very big deal. Not only is the Crown Prince sitting down next to a servant like they're buddies at a harvestfest, but he's also intentionally putting himself on the same level as his manservant. Why does he do this? Because he's noticed Merlin is down and is concerned. Granted he thinks it's because he threw a thing of cold water over Merlin a few days ago...but his heart was in the right place and he quickly makes Merlin (and us) forgive him for killing Freya with a kindly noogie to make Merlin smile again.
- It's the smile of satisfaction and the "There...that's better." Arthur gives at the end that really sells the scene. He's acting like a big brother.
This episode is one of Merlin's best. The story is beautiful, the characters spot-on and wonderful, the cinematography and colors gorgeous, and the romance is something that even I really enjoyed. There are no gaping plot-holes. Nothing too dull or too out-there happens. It is a tragic love story that helps to further develop all the characters' stories, as well as setting up vital plot points for later. The Lady of the Lake is a 5/5.
What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?
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