Okay…before we get into the recap, I have to do a little shameless self-(and also Jess and Jen) promo for our brand new Merlin inspired anthology, If Ever I Would Leave You: Arthurian Stories for a New Generation.
Jess, who’s awesome, btw, suggested that we do Arthurian themed stories since we all love this stuff so much, and I’m so freaking glad we did! I just love the finished stories, and I’m so damn excited about antho! Also, Kris Norris made this beautiful cover for us!You can check out the book here and here. And here’s a peek at the cover.
Okay – recap time!
The episode opens with an ominous looking castle in the distance against the backdrop of an equally ominous looking sky. This can only mean one thing. Evil is afoot. And evil’s name is Morgause. And Morgause is wearing her Country Music Awards dress to cast a spell to bring some crusty, ancient knights back to life. It works.
The next morning , there’s a peasant in Uther’s court warning Uther about the goings on at the ominous looking castle and Uther’s all bored and dismissive, practically rolling his eyes. But he sends Arthur and the guard out to investigate the ominous looking castle anyway.
Gaius gives Merlin the details about the Knights of Medhir and Morgana finds a note in her chamber from Morgause telling her to meet Morgause in the woods. That night, Morgana sneaks out of the castle and meets Morgause in the woods. They discuss bringing about Uther’s downfall and Morgana agrees to help. Morgause casts some kind of spell on her. The next morning, Morgana wakes up in her bed looking confused.
Gwen tends Uther who’s fallen ill, then Gwen goes to Gaius because she’s not feeling well. Meanwhile, Arthur, Merlin and Camelot’s guard finally make it to the ominous looking castle and are predictably attacked. Also, predictably, Merlin and Arthur are the only ones who make it out alive. They ride back to Camelot to discover that everyone except Morgana has been magically roofied.
Arthur races off in a panic to look for his dad. Merlin tells Morgana he knows that she’s not affected because she has magic and then lies to Arthur about why she’s not affected. Merlin goes to Gaius chambers and tries different magical spells to wake his ass up – they don’t really work – but they are entertaining in a creepy sort of way.
Meanwhile, Morgause, looking particularly stunning in her armor, leads the Knights of Medhir on an attack on Camelot while Merlin, Morgana and Arthur frantically play hide the king by dragging him all over the castle. Merlin gets separated from them and heads down to ask the dragon for help. The dragon is pissed that Merlin has promised to release him and hasn’t yet, so he’s not talking. Merlin swears on his mother’s life that he’ll keep his promise. And the dragon tells him that the only way to break the spell, kill the already dead knights and wake Camelot is to kill the spell’s vessel which just happens to be Morgana.
Merlin and Arthur are both starting to succumb to the spell, and things are looking particularly hopeless, so Merlin grabs a bottle of hemlock from Gaius’ chambers and poisons his water bag with it. Arthur fights his way out of the castle to get a cart that was left in the courtyard when its driver fell asleep, and Merlin convinces Morgana to have some of the water before he finishes it.
Morgana drinks and immediately feels the effects. Merlin is incredibly traumatized by having to kill his friend and holds her as she’s dying. Morgause busts in and she and Merlin have a pissing contest about whether or not he’ll tell her what poison was used so she can save Morgana. He wins, she calls off the undead knights, he reveals the poison and Morgause magics her and Morgana out of there – to her secret evil lair, I assume.
The knights all stay dead this time, everyone in Camelot wakes up, and over supper Gaius tells Merlin that he didn’t really have a choice about poisoning Morganna. And that pisses me right off because maybe Morgana wouldn’t be turning to dark magic if someone had been supportive of her – even if they had to hide it from Uther. So you know what? Fuck you, Gaius! Fuck you very much!
Merlin realizes he has a promise to keep and leaves the table to head down to the see the dragon, carrying a wrapped sword. It’s a sword from one of the undead knights. With the knight’s sword and a spell Merlin cuts through the ginormous chain imprisoning the dragon and frees him.
The look on Merlin’s face says it all. This will not end well.
Also, the previews involve a lot of screaming and Camelot burning. So…you know.
And now, the questions.
1. If I’d written this episode…I would have made the costumers give Morgause a new dress. One that didn’t look like she’d stolen it from Miranda Lambert’s concert bus.
2. The thing I loved/hated most about this episode. Merlin having to poison Morgana actually broke my heart a little. I’m not sure if that goes under loved or hated. I did hate that even though Morgana agreed to help bring down Uther, Morgause cast a spell on her without her consent and she seemed lost and horrified by how everything was going on. That’s a shitty thing to do to your sister, Morgause.
3. Something you’ve never noticed about this episode before. So many things. First off is Morgana’s heavy eye makeup halfway through the show signifying her descent into evil. Second, is the fact that Morgana seemed pretty lost as to what was occurring since Morgause cast the spell on her after magically knocking her ass out. Third is the way Gaius was all, “whatever-she-got-what-she-deserved” – that pisses me off. If he hadn’t spent the first few seasons lying to her about her abilities and making her think she was crazy and that no one cared, maybe we wouldn’t be here right now.
Below…lack of evil eyeliner and abundance of evil eyeliner
4. Favorite Costume. Gotta give it to Morgana’s green dress.
5. Here is Proof of some random head canon I’ve created. I didn’t create this, but I concur with it. Morgana and Morgause are supposed to be half sisters. However, they appear to have a lot more going on.
6. What Merthur moment did Jess have the naughtiest thoughts about? I’m guessing when Arthur was impressed by Merlin’s good ideas. And also when Merlin had to get a little rough with Arthur to keep him awake.
7. What made Jen lose her shit (in a good or bad way) in a bad way? I shall show you with a picture I’ve already posted. Because it was that good.
Jess’ take on the episode is
here, and Jen’s is
here.
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Well, Bronwyn Green, I happen to think you're pretty freaking awesome yourself!
Glad I wasn't the only one pissed at Gaius. I mean, I appreciate him trying to comfort and upset Merlin, but a “you did what you had to do; one life for the many of Camelot” would have been sufficient, don't you think? Why talk like Mogana chose evil? When she was painted into the evil corne by…oh yeah, Gaius.
Urgh!