Merlin Review: Series 2 Episode 13 "The Last Dragonlord"

By: Julian Jones

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

"Merlin, I am your father." "NOOOOOOO!"

        Yeah. My work here is done. That just summarized the episode for you. Good night! Au revoir! See ya!

       No, no. I wouldn't do that to you. But that is what this episode feels like sometimes. We've known for a while that Merlin lives with his mother and that his father wasn't in the picture, but I (and lots of others like me) just assumed that Daddy Emrys had long since gone to the happy Hogwarts in the sky. Apparently, we were wrong. Turns out, Merlin's dad was a Dragonlord (a specialist sorcerer who can speak and control dragons...this is starting to feel like Eragon) who fled from Camelot during the great Purge. This is where it starts to get interesting and where I really got excited about the episode. See, Merlin's father and Uther were once on good terms. Balinor was even hired by Uther to call Kilgarrah to Camelot because Uther said he wanted to talk to the dragon and to understand. Merlin's father had been opposing the purge, so he agreed. But Uther betrayed him and THAT was how the great dragon was captured. Balinor fled the country (presumably with the help of Gaius) and met Merlin's mother. They fell in love, but Uther's men pursued Balinor (funny how THEN Uther had no problem with sending troops into Ealdor...) and Balinor had to leave without ever knowing he had a son.

      Not a particularly original story, but it was one that I was very eager to see them tell. And this is just about one of the best season finales that this show has ever done. It's campy in places, yes, (and I STILL can't believe Arthur believed Merlin's story about the dragon being dead whenever there was no body) but the actors really shine and things are kept simple enough that it manages to be heartfelt and touching, despite the issues.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- This episode picks up right where The Fires of Idirsholas left off with the dragon terrorizing Camelot.

- While this is supposed to be dramatic and scary and all that, there are plenty of goofy moments in this part of the episode. Here's a little gem from the official wiki episode transcript: ARTHUR: "Guinevere!" [Gwen turns and sees her peril. She runs, Arthur runs to help her. Dragon swoops and catches Arthur, causing both of them to fall. Arthur grabs Gwen's hand and they run for cover. Merlin jogs out into the square.] MERLIN: *spell* 

Arthur's face is a treasure...

- Also, I love the way the dragon and Merlin are screaming at each other about his magic, yet none of the knights (or the proverbially useless guards) seem to notice.

- I'm slightly confused as to why, when the dragon was so determined that Merlin must rescue Camelot, that he's now trying to burn it to the ground. Attacking Uther's bedchamber I would get (seeing as how Uther was the one to trick and imprison him) but he's been going on and on about the prophecies about Arthur, so I don't get why he's attacking like this.

- I do love how Arthur's "I'll go alone." always seems to include Merlin too...

- Anyway, so, after the two boys stop for the night in an inn, they finally reach Cenred's country and start their search for the dragonlord. The only problem is that Arthur's shoulder wound is acting up and has become infected.

- I love how Gaius gave his mothers' rabbit foot to Merlin. He may always be scolding, but he does care. (I kind of wish the rabbit's foot and its significance had come back at some point too, y'know, maybe as a plot point?)

-  "All right, I know I'm a prince, so we can't be friends. But if I wasn't a prince...well, then...I think we'd probably get on." Stop waffling around and just admit it already, Arthur!

- The scene where Merlin meets his father is just heartbreaking. I really appreciate that there isn't really any dialogue. For once they play it subtle and Colin Morgan just KILLS it.

- In fact, any scene with Merlin and Balinor is just heartbreaking.

- "I had a life there. A woman. A good woman. Ealdor is beyond Uther's realm, but still he pursued me. Why would he not let me be? What was it that I had done that he wanted to destroy the life I built, abandon the woman I loved? He sent knights to kill me. I was forced to come here, to this! So, I understand how Kilgharrah feels. He's lost every one of his kind, every one of his kin. You want to know how that feels? Look around, boy. Let Uther die. Let Camelot fall." Balinor may be a bit of a rough jerk right now, but I really feel for him.

- Awww...Merlin's father made him a carved dragon!

- I confess I actually screamed a little bit whenever Cenred's men stabbed Balinor. It's just such a raw and emotionally-charged scene as he dies in Merlin's arms. What hurts even more is that Arthur doesn't know who Balinor is to Merlin and, in a misguided attempt to comfort the younger man, tells him that nobody is worth his tears. I think I need to borrow Clara Pond's shock blanket...

- Did the show burn up all of their SFX budget with the first two series finales? I love the scene with Kilgharrah and Merlin facing off...especially the moment whenever Kilgharrah bows to Merlin.

- Arthur really is oblivious. His spear was nowhere NEAR the dragon's heart and he should have known it, big shot warrior-hunter that he is! HOW did Merlin get that lie through?!

- The grin they share (and Arthur's little laugh) is pretty infectious, though.

- Sir Leon dies in this season finale. He totally dies. There's NO WAY he survived...unless he was laying there listening to Merlin scold the dragon and then just conveniently forgot it all afterwards.

- I can just see it now: "Guuuuys! I'm still ALIVE! Yoohoo! Merlin? Arthur? No. Nooo. Don't just walk off and leave me here. I'm not dead! I'm not dead!" 

- Love, love, LOVE the way that this season finale ends with Arthur and Merlin walking back into Camelot together, shoulder-to-shoulder. It's a really great image (especially since, as a servant, Merlin is supposed to walk behind Arthur) and seems to look forward to the day when they will rule Camelot side-by-side.

        The Last Dragonlord is a great episode and an action-packed, emotionally-charged series finale that more than builds on the promise of Le Morte d'Arthur. It gives us some more clues about Merlin's heritage and past, introduces some awesome new powers, and is infused with just enough humor to make it highly enjoyable. I give this episode a 5/5.


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