I am increasingly behind schedule in reporting on the Leveson Inquiry, the publication of the first report of the joint Coalition Government/opposition sponsored inquiry into the August Riots and other current subjects of importance, so writing about a fictional and mythological programme can be regarded as an indulgence but it is part of what I am and therefore in its own way a valid component of my public and private contemporary art project. Today Merlin and then a start on Leveson 8, then Boardwalk Empire, then The August Riots and then Leveson 9.
Previously I only reported on the first three episodes of season four of the BBC I Saturday evening prime time series Merlin and in this piece I intend to cover the next five or six episodes. I broke off at episode three because it marked the point when Arthur became King of Camelot, a kingdom which appeared to occupy a comparatively small area perhaps the size of a medium English County surrounded by a number of other King or Queendoms.
His relationship with the servant girl Gwen (Guinevere) appeared to have become more open although her status appeared left in the air, no longer a servant or was she and if so to whom? The prospect of her becoming his wife as in the legend remained open.
His relationship with Merlin as his man’s servant also appeared to remain the same which was not just odd but is irritating because in no other fictional setting would someone who had saved one’s life several times remain unrewarded in this way. I appreciate how he did this and the frequency mostly remained secret but the script writers have included saying more than one that Merlin had done so. Although programme is scheduled just before the watershed it has become more silly and formulaic.
It is known that Morgause, the bad black arts sorceress, has gone to where bad black arts sorceress go but Morgana, her half sister, and illegitimate daughter of the Arthur’s father, has gone into hiding after killing him with the help of Arthur’s uncle, Agravaine de Bois, who appears to have a position at the court similar to that of a Regent despite Arthur being crowned King. It was evident that the duo would become the threat and enemies in this fourth series with the question how would it possible to achieve ten stories before one or both were dealt with and still have a fifth series in the making.
The other issue which has dominated the series is would white magic become acceptable as the means of combating the black and would the last remaining dragon became acceptable given that Merlin was the Dragon Master and had freed him. To what extent would Merlin be able to develop his powers and become his own man and not dependent one Gaius, the court physician and Merlin’s mentor?
In Aithusa, a character who I cannot remember his origins, comes to Camelot with one of the three pieces of an artefact which will lead to the last known Dragon’s egg and he who releases the dragons controls them. This is of significant to Merlin who as part of his inheritance and panoply of growing powers is a Dragon master having freed the only known living dragon Kilgarragh as part of a deal to save Arthur and fulfil his own destiny which the dragon knows. Understandably the dragon thinking he is the last becomes excited about the possibility that the line will continue reminds Merlin of his duties as well as future power and presses him go save the egg and their respective futures.
Gaius knows of the arrival of the stranger and warns Merlin about getting involved although he does not know about Merlin’s reliance and subsequent control of the dragon. Merlin helps the stranger to gain possession of the second piece of the artefact or it may be the third held within Camelot and narrowly escapes detection. Arthur with Merlin, as the cook as well as personal man’s servant, for a small unit of Knight, the small number of Knights and entourage is always a puzzle given the dangers they usually encounter on such missions, set out to retrieve the missing treasure unaware of its significance.
My recollection is that some druids become involved and that Morgana has an interest in gaining control of the baby dragons for her own purposes but I may be mistaken and according to one reference source, I am.
As the series has progressed the plots have become thinner and more open to challenge, and in this instance the expedition appear to be able to track the villain unaware that he is also keeping an eye on them. He takes the opportunity of poisoning the soup stew of the day while Merlin is absent but Merlin is able to counter the problem and goes off on his own leaving the party to sleep off their near miss with death.
In the final scene Merlin narrowly prevents the egg being lost and is able to hatch and if I remember there are two possibly three baby dragons that go off with Kilgarragh to be raised in secrecy and peace. There is a spectacular explosion. It was this episode which led me to feel watching was not a priority so I record and look at episodes in batches and with the fast forward button to hand.
In the next episode His Father's Son Arthur, despite several admirable qualities, is none too bright, and at times positively stupid, falls into a trap laid by his uncle and against his own instincts and Merlin’s judgement, and executes a visiting King who is up to no good testing out Arthur strength.
The man who is executed turns out to be a neighbouring King which begs the question why Arthur and Merlin did not know and his wife played by the outstanding actor Lindsay Duncan) is understandably angry and upset and organises her army with the help of Morgana. The two hate the Pendragons with the inside help of Agravaine who is even more stupid that that Arthur into believing that his days are numbered as soon as Morgana gains which she believe is her rightful position.
His approach is to drive a wedge between anyone whose influence runs counter to his and his target is Gwinevere. Fortunately before the battle at which Arthur appears to command a large army which makes even more curious his going off with just as handful of retinue presumably to fit into the BBC budget, the knights who have come to the fore in the series express their faith and support which helps to overcome the doubts nurtured by his uncle about his ability to command better than his father. Merlin exerts pressure to find a solution which avoid bloodshed
Arthur bravely goes off to see the Queen and offers for dispute to be settled though a trial by combat which back in Camelot everyone agrees is a good plan until they realise that Arthur is intent on an all or nothing proving of his Kingship by being their champion. With the help of the dastardly Agravaine Morgana charms the Kings sword so that it becomes so heavy as to be unwieldy and thus ensure his downfall and being crowned Queen.
As can be anticipated the champion of the opposing forces is a Goliath of a man but who Arthur is able to match until Morgana uses her spell. Merlin works out what is going on and counters the influence so that Arthur wins fairly, spares the life of the other champion and wins the respect of the leader whose husband he executed.
In A Servant Of Two Masters the issue of Merlin’s role and relationship comes to the fore when they off again into wilds on their comparatively own when they encounter a numerically superior group of baddies. Merlin’s inability to use his powers to foresee has become alarming when he appears to be mortally wounded. The King is distraught and admits to Merlin what a fine fellow he is and struggles to keep Merlin alive and the baddies
running into the mercenaries again
These are no ordinary baddies but in the employ of Morgana of Agravaine and Merlin just about recovers to work out what is going on and creates a rock fall which enables the King to escape but Merlin is captured and Morgana who still does not know who Merlin really is nevertheless wants to used him in her plan to get rid of Arthur.
The King orders a party of knights to go and find Merlin which given all he has said and done is surprising that he does not go off himself with appropriate numbers. The series relies on the loyal viewers who are not watching the X Factor to ignore such inconsistencies. They expedition cannot find the wizard and conclude that there is a traitor in their midst.
Morgana decides on a new plan which is to insert a tiny hydra like creature into Merlin, reminding of a very different level of fantasy series who name presently escapes and I am too lazy in the first Friday dawn of December 2011 to research and whose purpose is to change Merlin into someone determined to kill Arthur.
Arthur who finds a new man’s servant unacceptable decides to this time lead a new expedition in search of the man who continues to risk all to keep Morgana and others from destroying the King and Camelot.
He finds Merlin with neither appreciating what has happened and Gaius do not also appear to notice anything to worry about even when he spots Merlin going off with some poison. Merlin is going to use the stuff on the food of the King. It is only Gwen who spots that Merlin is different, persuades Gaius and the two prevent Merlin from killing the King and bringing him back to normal but only on a temporary basis.
Now it is Agravaine, under pressure from the King who casts the blame for what has been happening on Gaius which results in at last Merlin waking up to the fact that Agravaine has been in league with Morgana. Gaius understands that Merlin has to break the creature in him at its source so the young wizard switches into the 80 year ancient figure that we have seen from time to time in previous seasons as well as the present one. Morgana believes that the old man is Emrys the previously mythical great wizard forecast to be her downfall, not realising that the old man is also young Merlin.
The two engage in the power battle we have seen from time to time in the form of lightening type bolts and eventually the creature inside him is destroyed and he departs leaving Morgana in quite a bad state. Why Merlin does not kill her there and then should be obvious.
It is Agravaine in The Secret Sharer who finds the unconscious Morgana who on recovery reveals that Emrys is aware of their plans which means their priority task is to find Emrys and destroy her rival. She decides that the best way to achieve this is to kidnap Gaius with Agravaine implanting the idea that it is Gaius who has been the traitor inside the camp. Meanwhile appears to have been given an additional post as secretary speech writer.
Morgana had enlisted the help of a new creature who appears to be a cross between a truth obtained by force as well as a truth seeker with insight and knowledge who she bribes to help her. The creature kidnaps Gaius and his disappearance appearing to confirm that he is indeed a traitor. His will is gradually broken down his will until he reveals the truth that Merlin is Emrys.
Merlin is horrified that the King believes the lies Agravaine has spread about Gaius being the traitor and confides in Gwen about the treachery of the Uncle. The two set about trying to find out where Gaius could have been taken while Morgana and Agravaine are also on their way back to Gaius and the creature with the intention of killing Gaius and Merlin once they know the identity and location of Emrys.
We then enjoy a further battle between Morgana and Merlin and where it is her bribed creature that intervenes and not only saves Merlin but fails to inform Morgana, declaring that he know that Merlin is Emrys and offers his fully support to enable the young wizard to fulfil his destiny. However again Morgana is left unconscious to fight on which is a puzzle!
I think that it is in this episode on returning to Camelot that when Arthur apologies to Gaius for doubting his integrity that Gaius take the opportunity to suggest to the king that not all magic, wizardry, sorcery white witchery and such like are forces for evil and which brings awareness there are many around him who are protecting him, whether he knows it or not.
The final episode of this report Lamia is something of an interlude. The wife of the head of a village in Kingdom comes to Camelot to report to Gwen nasty goings on.
This suggests that witchcraft, demons or such like are involved and through Gwen the King is involved and he wants to go off to help taking Gaius with him. But because of major health problem in Camelot Gaius persuades the King to use Merlin in his capacity as a trainee physician.
Merlin quickly discovers that there is something going on beyond his existing powers and sets off to return to Camelot to consult Gaius. At this point the party come across some more bad men who appear to be ill treating a girl who the Knights rescues and then appear to come under her power. She treats Merlin as the enemy turning the rest of the knights against him and insisting they must help the girl rather than help the village.
Meanwhile Merlin and Gwen have become effective prisoners of the knights and the Lamia as they reach her destination where one by one they fall to the treachery of the creature. Realising that Merlin is different from ordinary men the girl transforms into the creature and they do battle. It is Gwen who intervenes as the King and his party arrive believing that it is Gwen who has saved Merlin which in one sense is true. This does not prevent the King reverting to his usual treatment of Merlin. The village recovers and we await the climactic series ending
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