Merlin Review: Series 1 Episode 13 "Le Morte D'Arthur"

By: Julian Jones

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet watched this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

             Ignoring for a moment the grammatical flub of the French in the title (all Mallory's fault, really) and the excess of shirtless, sweaty Arthur in the episode itself, let's talk about how amazing this series finale is. We've got beasts to slay, quests to go on, and an epic magic duel that threatens the balance of Life and Death itself...what's not to like?

             There are a few problems with pacing in this episode. Because there's so much to cram into the 42 minute running time, some plot threads are left unresolved (like how Gaius and Merlin, in the state they were in, got home from the Isle and why it took them half the time to get there that it did Merlin the first time) and sometimes the special effects on the Questing Beast are a bit sketchy (not to mention the fact that they got the lore wrong), but over all it was an enjoyable experience that was high on emotion and had a fairly coherent story.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- Again: why does Arthur bring Merlin on hunting trips if he's really so useless?

 - And poor Merlin...that knight lost his life just because our wizard it a hopeless klutz. Out of all the deaths in Merlin, I think this is probably the most senseless. Why didn't he (Sir Whatshisface) try to run? That creature wasted an awful lot of time with dramatic rearing and hissing; he could have gotten away.

- "Gaius, it's an old wives' tale." Haha...oh, Uther, you stubborn sod! Haven't you learned by now that it's NEVER 'just' an old wives' tale? When Gaius think's it's sorcery (even if he doesn't pronounce it right) you'd better listen.

- "At the very heart of the Old Religion lies the magic of life and death itself. The Questing Beast carries that power. One bite, you die, and there is no cure." I never felt like this whole Magic of Life and Death itself was explained properly. I get that the balance must be maintained and that to save a life you have to take one, but it's never explained or explored how the Questing Beast fits in with all of this. Oh well...

- It also bears mentioning that 'For the love of Camelot!' is a ridiculous battle cry. By the time you get finished saying it, your enemy will have run you through, stomped on your corpse, burnt you, and spat on the grave.  It just takes too long and sounds rather silly whenever it's shouted in the heat of battle. 'Eulalia!', on the other hand, is just epic.

- What I want to know is how skinny, clumsy Merlin managed to get Arthur back to Camelot all by himself. Has he learned Wingardium Leviosa or something like that? Can't be! I know the guards are fairly useless, but somehow I think even they would notice their prince floating by their noses...

- "He can't die. It is my destiny to protect him. We haven't done all the things we're meant to do." "That is a lament of all men." Ouch. So true!

- Much as Uther is an unmitigated jerk and stern, heartless totalitarian tyrant...I still feel like bawling whenever he stumbles across the courtyard carrying his son's fevered and dying form. It's probably Anthony Head. No, I take it back, it's definitely Anthony Head. He just brings such a presence and layers to the role that, even as I feel like chucking my remote at his head, I can't help but like him. It's obvious that, for all his bluster, he really does care and worry about his son. I guess we can just blame his attitude on the pressures of the job. It's not that easy, being king.

- The Isle of the Blessed? What blessed? Blessed by whom? That overgrown lizard is as cryptic as ever!

- I love all of the Merlin-Gaius scenes in this episode. The moment where the older man gives Merlin the rabbit's foot is just unabashedly cute, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I squee'd a bit the first time I saw it.

- "You're not going to die, Arthur. I'm telling you. Because I know that one day you will be King. A greater king than you father could ever be. It's what keeps me going. You are going to live to be the man I've seen inside you, Arthur. I can see a Camelot that is fair and just. I can see a king that the people will love and be proud to call their sovereign. For the love of Camelot, you have to live." 

- I still don't understand why it took so long for Merlin to get to the Isle this time, but he and Gaius made it there in a whopping record of a couple hours later. It just doesn't make sense.

- A shout-out should be made for the cinematography in this episode, though. The colors and scenery just shine through the different shots, especially during the Isle of the Blessed scenes. The moment where Nimueh conjures rain to fill the Chalice is especially beautiful. The music and everything just comes together perfectly.


- Well at least now we know where Nimueh spends most of her time hanging out whenever she's not playing the damsel in distress or smirking in creepy caves...

- Strangely enough, though, Nimueh does help Merlin out. One interesting thing I've noticed about this first series is how well the villain was done. Nimueh's only featured in a few episodes (instead of trying and failing every week) and she is a much more ambiguous villain than Morgana or Morgause will be. She just wants revenge on Uther for killing her friends and driving her from his court. True she's gotten to the point where she doesn't much care about collateral damage, but she doesn't waste her time doing in the small fry citizens if she can avoid it. She doesn't even try to kill Arthur. She wants him to become king. He's Ygraine's son (one of Nimueh's old friends) and she probably thinks that she can influence him to change things for the better.

- So Merlin takes the water from the Cup of Life (an object that screams to me 'generic Holy Grail') and races back to Camelot in record time. Gaius is not best pleased that Merlin traded his own life for Arthur, but you really have to admire just how dedicated to his destiny Merlin has become. He's gone from a naive peasant boy who barely tolerated his prat of a master and bucked his destiny to this young man determined to do whatever it takes to protect his friend.

- I think the scene where Arthur wakes up and sees his father sleeping at his bedside is one of the most touching things this series has ever done.

- And of course we have to fit in a couple of Arthur/Guinevere foreshadowing scenes. Though I'll admit that the early moments with this couple tend to be adorable. More actual talking, less sonnets and kissing scenes.

- The scene where Merlin goes to say goodbye to Arthur is a real emotional kicker and I think even the great oblivious prat himself noticed that something was wrong. One must wonder about how he quizzed Merlin later...

- Merlin falls asleep with Gaius' gift held in one hand.

- How long, exactly, does it take to get from Ealdor to Camelot? Everything we've seen before suggests that it takes at least two days...on horseback. Merlin's mother - sick and weakened by the curse - walks the whole way and yet somehow returns the very same night as her son? Nope. I'm calling foul.

- It was nice to see Hunith again, though.

- I know I've said it before, but it bears mentioning again; the one thing that this show gets consistently right is the character relationships and chemistry. This is due in a large part to the actors who, quite frankly, are probably the only saving grace of the series as they show what great actors can do even with borderline-shoddy writing and infuse the characters with such personality that you can't help but fall under their spell (no pun intended).

- Kilgarrah's little tantrum is pretty funny too. And I want to know why Merlin never uses magic like that super-awesome shield he conjures here. It seems like, as the series goes on, he uses less and less magic. Why? I don't know...budget issues?

- Gaius' letter to Merlin is pretty sweet...even if it does (via voice-over) accentuate the time difference between the different journeys to the Isle of the Blessed.

- And now we come to hands-down the best part of this episode: the scale. The writers really outdid themselves and gave us a finale that was both intimate and epic. It's all at once a story about family and friendship and sacrifice, but also includes some incredible and deliciously campy magic duels that actually looked pretty good. Seriously...I think the show blew its entire budget just on the SFX for this episode. And it's totally worth it because they look great.

- Michelle Ryan does a wonderful job as Nimueh too. You can just tell that she's having a ton of fun with the part and that passion really shines through. Especially for her obligatory villain's monologue.

- It must have hurt when she burnt Merlin's chest like that. That was a big fireball...I'll bet it scarred. (Maybe that's why he never gets another shirtless scene...)

- And did they imply that Nimueh had a bit of a crush on Merlin?! She did tempt him with the idea that they could rule the new world together...High Priest and Priestess and all that.

              This was a great season finale. We had sacrifice, family, romance, and an awesome magician's duel. I had been waiting for something like this and it was so satisfying whenever it happened. It contains some of the best magic you'll see in the series and ends on a touching but not soppy note. Le Morte D'Arthur is a 5/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?