Merlin - The Changeling
Oct. 22nd, 2010 01:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
daibhidcHey, a folklore episode!
There aren't any changelings in Arthurian mythology, AFAIK, but they're solid British folklore, and this episode includes all the classic elements; flighty, a dislike of shoes, an inability to grasp the importance of manners and so on. The only difference was that she had a fairy inside her, rather than being replaced by one. It's been a while since we've seen Merlin's curious cross of flower fairies, proud elves, Nac Mac Feegle and Andorians, and I wonder if their re-appearance now, with Morgana's descent into villainy being this season's focus, is foreshadowing her becoming "La Fey"? (Speaking of whom, it now appears that even when she's talking to Gwen she's cruelly manipulating her - Moral Event Horizon ahoy!)
The episode was slightly remeniscent of the one where Uther is marrying an ogress, but with some important differences 1) Arthur doesn't love Elaina, and this is purely a dynastic match (and his rejection of it, with her agreement, pushes the Arthur/Gwen match one step further) and 2) Elaine herself is a nice person and this isn't her fault. The villain of the peice is her pixie nurse, played - of course - by Miriam Margaloyes. (Who was already at the top of my list for casting Nanny Ogg, but has just ascended even further.)
A good episode, with some gross-out scenes for the kids (Elaine has to eat frogs, apparently) and some nice continuity (Merlin still has that fairy staff from the last Sidhe episode).
There aren't any changelings in Arthurian mythology, AFAIK, but they're solid British folklore, and this episode includes all the classic elements; flighty, a dislike of shoes, an inability to grasp the importance of manners and so on. The only difference was that she had a fairy inside her, rather than being replaced by one. It's been a while since we've seen Merlin's curious cross of flower fairies, proud elves, Nac Mac Feegle and Andorians, and I wonder if their re-appearance now, with Morgana's descent into villainy being this season's focus, is foreshadowing her becoming "La Fey"? (Speaking of whom, it now appears that even when she's talking to Gwen she's cruelly manipulating her - Moral Event Horizon ahoy!)
The episode was slightly remeniscent of the one where Uther is marrying an ogress, but with some important differences 1) Arthur doesn't love Elaina, and this is purely a dynastic match (and his rejection of it, with her agreement, pushes the Arthur/Gwen match one step further) and 2) Elaine herself is a nice person and this isn't her fault. The villain of the peice is her pixie nurse, played - of course - by Miriam Margaloyes. (Who was already at the top of my list for casting Nanny Ogg, but has just ascended even further.)
A good episode, with some gross-out scenes for the kids (Elaine has to eat frogs, apparently) and some nice continuity (Merlin still has that fairy staff from the last Sidhe episode).
