Merlin - The Diamond of the Day Part Two
Dec. 30th, 2012 02:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
daibhidcThis is it, the last episode ever. And it's pretty good.
Well, the Battle of Canlann was over pretty quickly. Mostly thanks to Emrys standing against a stormy, bronze-clouded sky like a 1970s paperback cover. And the final battle between Arthur and Mordred was decidedly un-epic. But in a way, that's the point; this isn't an epic conflict between two mortal enemies; it's a horrible situation between two basically nice people who feel the other one has forced them into this position. I was really hoping they'd have the opportunity to talk things out, even though I know that's not how the story goes. It's not like that's ever worried Merlin before, after all.
But suddenly we need to be faithful to the legend, so they kill each other. And with the battle over, the bulk of the story is Merlin taking Arthur to Avalon, in the hopes the Sidhe will be able to heal him. (If this was Doctor Who the Sidhe would turn out to be the same race as the blue woman from "Arthur's Bane" and we'd all go "Ah! That's what that was about!" But it isn't, and we never even see the Sidhe.)
The point of the episode is that Arthur finally learns Merlin has magic, and gradually goes from denial, to feeling betrayed and angry, to acceptance. (Best line, during the transition from anger to acceptance: "So you're not an idiot. That was another lie", where it really isn't clear how serious he's being.) And it's right that the end of Merlin is about Arthur and Merlin's friendship, and not epic battles with evil sorceresses (although there's a bit of that as well, including the death of Gwaine).
Back at the palace, Gwen also learns Merlin has magic, and jumps straight to acceptance, with a sense that she may have suspected all along. Because, as I may have mentioned before, she's the only character who ever notices anything.
Merlin killing Morgana turns out to be even more prefunctory than Arthur killing Mordred. And one last appearance by the Great Dragon, who assures Merlin that Arthur will return in Britain's hour of greatest yadda yadda...
And then a lorry drives past the scene! And we're in modern Glastonbury, with a genuinely aged Merlin striding across the road, presumably waiting for Arthur's return. Very nice.
Mythwatch: The whole "Arthur goes to Avalon and will return" bit, obviously. In the legend, his funeral boat is traditionally steered to the island by the four, or possibly nine, Sisters of Avalon, led by Morgana. Obviously, that doesn't happen here. Avalon is pretty clearly Glastonbury Tor (which was an island before the fens were drained) a concept which originates in the 12th century.
In the legend, Excalibur is returned to the lake by Bedivere, or possibly Girflet. Neither of them ever appeared in Merlin, and anyway the concept of Arthur's loyal "first knight" is better represented by the title character.
Well, the Battle of Canlann was over pretty quickly. Mostly thanks to Emrys standing against a stormy, bronze-clouded sky like a 1970s paperback cover. And the final battle between Arthur and Mordred was decidedly un-epic. But in a way, that's the point; this isn't an epic conflict between two mortal enemies; it's a horrible situation between two basically nice people who feel the other one has forced them into this position. I was really hoping they'd have the opportunity to talk things out, even though I know that's not how the story goes. It's not like that's ever worried Merlin before, after all.
But suddenly we need to be faithful to the legend, so they kill each other. And with the battle over, the bulk of the story is Merlin taking Arthur to Avalon, in the hopes the Sidhe will be able to heal him. (If this was Doctor Who the Sidhe would turn out to be the same race as the blue woman from "Arthur's Bane" and we'd all go "Ah! That's what that was about!" But it isn't, and we never even see the Sidhe.)
The point of the episode is that Arthur finally learns Merlin has magic, and gradually goes from denial, to feeling betrayed and angry, to acceptance. (Best line, during the transition from anger to acceptance: "So you're not an idiot. That was another lie", where it really isn't clear how serious he's being.) And it's right that the end of Merlin is about Arthur and Merlin's friendship, and not epic battles with evil sorceresses (although there's a bit of that as well, including the death of Gwaine).
Back at the palace, Gwen also learns Merlin has magic, and jumps straight to acceptance, with a sense that she may have suspected all along. Because, as I may have mentioned before, she's the only character who ever notices anything.
Merlin killing Morgana turns out to be even more prefunctory than Arthur killing Mordred. And one last appearance by the Great Dragon, who assures Merlin that Arthur will return in Britain's hour of greatest yadda yadda...
And then a lorry drives past the scene! And we're in modern Glastonbury, with a genuinely aged Merlin striding across the road, presumably waiting for Arthur's return. Very nice.
Mythwatch: The whole "Arthur goes to Avalon and will return" bit, obviously. In the legend, his funeral boat is traditionally steered to the island by the four, or possibly nine, Sisters of Avalon, led by Morgana. Obviously, that doesn't happen here. Avalon is pretty clearly Glastonbury Tor (which was an island before the fens were drained) a concept which originates in the 12th century.
In the legend, Excalibur is returned to the lake by Bedivere, or possibly Girflet. Neither of them ever appeared in Merlin, and anyway the concept of Arthur's loyal "first knight" is better represented by the title character.
