2.02: The Once and Future Queen

[ctg]

The last night Merlin was brilliant. For once they didn't had sorcerer of the week but the producers actually made a bold choice by weaving assassin into the plot.

Then came the kiss. Oh how I loved it and felt that finally the Merlin and Arthur sage are moving on right direction. To me it was quite a surprise, although through the whole episode I expected something to happen between Arthur and Guinevere.

There isn't hardly any nickles or grumbles on this episode. I even wave the option to say something about the assassin race.

What do you think?

 

[Connavar]

Personally i thought it was too much about Gwen and Arthur and too little Merlin but i can live with that for a week since next week is about Witches,druids,more Merlin focus.

I doubt something will happen beteween Gwen and Arthur. I just hope Sir Lancelot stays away so the focus is Merlin,Arthur. Not the hole love triangle thing yet again....

What i liked about this ep was how Arthur wanted to prove himself to himself.

About the Assassin's race who cares, its a fantasy take on myth. Its not historical fiction. I find it lame how people in Imdb hate Gwen because she isnt white and not played the most beautiful girl in the world.

No problem with monsters,other fantastic beings but a person with color is unrealistic suddenly.....

 

[ctg]

You are right, absolutely right about that. Some other fellow could have said something about the assassin's crossbow, but let's just forget about those and concentrate on the plot and the characters.

What you say about the Merlin being on background in this episode is true, but when I think through my writing experience is that the main character doesn't always have to be on foreground. The other character perspectives (POV's) can carry the story without forgetting Merlin (main POV). In next episode it looks like it's all about Morgana coming to an age where her powers start to grow.

 

[Ursa major]

The existence of people of varied origins in Britain in the reign of Arthur (and earlier) is not anachronistic.

In spite of the nature of the sets and clothing, the tales are meant to be set in (vaguely) the time between the end of Roman Britain and before (and during) the first Anglo-Saxon settlement. If one takes into consideration that the term, Roman, was not reserved for peninsula "Italians", one should not be surprised to see people in Britain in that time period whose ancestors included those who might come from the edges of the Roman Empire and beyond, including sub-Saharan Africa.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

I doubt something will happen beteween Gwen and Arthur. I just hope Sir Lancelot stays away so the focus is Merlin,Arthur. Not the hole love triangle thing yet again....

What i liked about this ep was how Arthur wanted to prove himself to himself.

In this regard I thought old Lance doesn't arrive till long after the round table is established. To introduce him here would be a nonsense. (though that wouldn't stop them doing it)


Big problem with this episode.

Author, hero and chivalrous to his core and claims to want the accolades of his men because he's an upright and stand up guy chooses to deceive and betray everyone around him by lying and cheating at what was supposed to be the ultimate quality in a knight.

Suppose he hadn't been hurt and had gone out and claimed the applause he thought he deserves. He would have been castigated as a false night either because he cheated in the deciet, or because he claimed the prize he hadn't actually won.

Not to mention that entering someone that wasn't a night in a tournament was tantamount to a hanging offence by the justice of the time. Peasants are peasants and have no business wearing armour and waving swords about.


No sorry, another crock of crap in my opinion.

 

[Ursa major]

As I recall, "Lancelot" has already appeared in the first series (season); I'm sure he met Guinevere.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

True though how much that follows the original plot I'm not sure.

Well actually I'm pretty sure she was supposed to be the daughter of a northern Lord. Cumbrian or something of the sort.

 

[Connavar]

Thats why i like this version that are about Merlin.

Who cares about other versions and where Gwen is from according to the myths. Its a family fantasy series with its own spin.

I find Morgana the witch much more interesting than potential stories for Gwen.

 

[mygoditsraining]

The problem I had with last night's episode was the levering in of Merlin's magic at the climax; certainly it needed something to distract the viewer from the obvious lifts from A Knight's Tale, but it undermines Arthur as a character.

"I need to prove it...to myself" he groans, wounded but determined to fight on - a laudable notion, that fantastical idea of honour and pride that all knights have, from the lowest to, as it turns out, the highest. Then Merlin gets involved and saves him without his knowledge, betraying Arthur's honour and, ultimately, the viewer.

In terms of holes, you could walk through some of the larger ones in the series - like how did they explain away the competing knight who got his neck broken so the assassin could compete - but they aren't worth nickering over when the writers push towards an agenda of things they must put in every episode, whether it's needed or not.

 

[mygoditsraining]

hate Gwen because she isnt white and not played the most beautiful girl in the world.

She's pretty cute, I thought.

The race thing is a tricky one, though. Even thinking outside the setting (which might as well be Future-Camelot on one of Jupiter's moons for all the anachronisms, let's be honest here), there will always be a percieved imbalance, or perception of too much balance,* depending on whatever agenda the complainant wants to pitch.

Personally I'm far too busy playing "spot the actor crossover" from different tv shows.


*Balamory being one of the funnier ones - a tiny Scottish island with pretty muche very ethnic group represented thereupon. Who'd have thunk it?

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

The problem I had with last night's episode was the levering in of Merlin's magic at the climax; certainly it needed something to distract the viewer from the obvious lifts from A Knight's Tale, but it undermines Arthur as a character.

"I need to prove it...to myself" he groans, wounded but determined to fight on - a laudable notion, that fantastical idea of honour and pride that all knights have, from the lowest to, as it turns out, the highest. Then Merlin gets involved and saves him without his knowledge, betraying Arthur's honour and, ultimately, the viewer.

In terms of holes, you could walk through some of the larger ones in the series - like how did they explain away the competing knight who got his neck broken so the assassin could compete - but they aren't worth nickering over when the writers push towards an agenda of things they must put in every episode, whether it's needed or not.

Author was betraying his own honour long before Merlin got involved.

However, quite right, had Author done the manly thing and got himself killed like he shoould have, no dout that other Knight would be alive and well and winning the tourney. From there to go on and become the kings champion and marry Morgana and rule happily ever after. Thereby removing evil from the world.

It's betrayals like this that caused us to fail to recover the Holy Grail.

 

[ctg]

It's betrayals like this that caused us to fail to recover the Holy Grail.

It's in the Castle of Arrgh. The only thing he needs to is to pass through the hoards of French.

 

[Connavar]

What you say about the Merlin being on background in this episode is true, but when I think through my writing experience is that the main character doesn't always have to be on foreground. The other character perspectives (POV's) can carry the story without forgetting Merlin (main POV). In next episode it looks like it's all about Morgana coming to an age where her powers start to grow.

Thats why i enjoyed this last ep cause of the hole Arthur having to prove himself. Which is understandable his father is so protective of his heir that he doesnt even see him as a Knight that can handle himself. No wonder the other knights worry they might hurt him.

I dont mind the other characters's POV you want see their stories too. I find Morgan stories very interesting for example. Her magical powers make her a female Merlin to me. I keep wanting her to find about Merlin. She should really soon because of her visions. What she sees Merlin do for a simple servent.

 

[Pyan]

Well actually I'm pretty sure she was supposed to be the daughter of a northern Lord. Cumbrian or something of the sort.

Cornwall, actually - her father is King Leodegrance, owner of the Round Table, which comes to Arthur as part of her dowry.

Not that it really matters, of course - as mygoditsraining says, this series is really Anachronism Central.

BTW - anyone else spot Arthur's entire arm armour bounce a foot off the floor when he threw it off in disgust?

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

It's in the Castle of Arrgh. The only thing he needs to is to pass through the hoards of French.

Not to mention the black knight CTG.

Cornwall, actually - her father is King Leodegrance, owner of the Round Table, which comes to Arthur as part of her dowry.

Not that it really matters, of course - as mygoditsraining says, this series is really Anachronism Central.

BTW - anyone else spot Arthur's entire arm armour bounce a foot off the floor when he threw it off in disgust?

Ah so that's the origin of the table, a gift from a big cornish wheel.

 

[ctg]

I dont mind the other characters's POV you want see their stories too. I find Morgan stories very interesting for example. Her magical powers make her a female Merlin to me. I keep wanting her to find about Merlin. She should really soon because of her visions. What she sees Merlin do for a simple servent.

If my memory serves me well then I think she already knows about Merlin, just she doesn't know that she's going to be the one that makes Merlin to take a shape of a tree and therefore, undo him at the end.

What I think is that over the time, she going to get power hungry and she wants Merlin to teach her every spell in the book - note the similarities in their eyes as they do spells.

 

[Connavar]

Heh you guys know much more about the myths than me. I know about Morgana only from King Arthur films, Merlin tv show with Sam Neill etc

I like her i dont want her to go evil too soon.

I dont think she knows about Merlin yet and im pretty sure she havent seen him do magic yet. I think Merlin needs to trust someone else than Gauis.

 

[Alexa]

I dont think she knows about Merlin yet and im pretty sure she havent seen him do magic yet. I think Merlin needs to trust someone else than Gauis.

It's odd that she can see in the future and nothing about Merlin. Unless she doesn't want to admit it to anyone yet.

I agree Merlin needs to trust someone else, someone who doesn't deny the old sorcery power. Or trust the Dragon again.

 

[High Eight]

It's in the Castle of Arrgh. The only thing he needs to is to pass through the hoards of French.

And yon rabbit with the big, pointy teeth.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

I don't remember any rabbits - Are you sure you're not seeing things High Eight.

(But if there were, it woundn't be a frontal assault - Because... It's behind you)



Speaking of the Holy G though - When will that be introduced