#and if you want to write femslash they're really your only canon option

[donttouchtheneednoggle]

Why I don’t think Gwen and Morgana’s friendship was actually that great

Ok so

I think my issues with Morgwen post s2 are pretty understandable right?  Morgana kidnapping Gwen, hunting her through the woods, trying to get her burned alive, TORTURING AND ENSLAVING HER (although some people still manage to read that as cute and shippy???). It's all bad shit yes? But even before that, they did not really have the greatest friendship.

And the reason for that? Balance.

(Please don't take this as a 'why you should not ship Morgwen'. Ship what you like, this is just why I don’t. Also don’t get me wrong they’re really sweet at times and i definitely see it, it’s just not for me.)

Ok so Gwen is the best friend you could ever hope for. None of why their relationship kinda sucks is because of her. She is kind, generous, supportive, and does far more than what she is paid to do. And that’s where the problems start. 

She stays up with Morgana night after night with her nightmares, she is constantly doing emotional labour for her, and always keeps her own feelings to herself. Now of course friendships aren’t some sort of transactional agreement, but there needs to be some reciprocity. And Gwen never once goes to Morgana when she needs help, she always chooses to go to Merlin or Gaius and later Arthur. Morgana is never her choice to willingly confide in. She does not feel like she can talk to Morgana in the way Morgana can talk to her. 

And I think this is due not in small part to their difference in station, and the fact that at the end of the day Gwen is her servant. And I think Morgana likes to forget that as much as possible and call them friends (and it’s understandable! Because who has she got other than Gwen? Arthur, who she can barely exchange a civil word with? He’s a sibling, not a friend. But sis… your friend is hired), but Gwen never forgets.

Also! They never had fun! Merlin and Gwen were always fucking around and going on adventures and being silly with each other, but you barely even see Gwen and Morgana laughing with each other! In all their more chill scenes Gwen is either cleaning or being Morgana’s therapist. Not so fun for her.

It's not that Morgana doesn’t care about Gwen; she is kind, asks after her welfare, fights for her when she is in danger. But that’s kind of the bare minimum?? For someone in your employment let alone friends. I honestly think that because of M*rthur the bar is so low that Morgana just kind of... walking over it has everyone going they're so in love!!!

And that’s another thing that contributed to the imbalance of friendship between them: Morgana is incredibly selfish. And this is never shown more clearly than in the case of 1x12. 

Now I’ve seen people before use this as a she was so angry that Uther would do this to Gwen and Tom! Isn’t she wonderful! But Morgana A. sort of unintentionally had a hand in Tom’s murder and never told Gwen, and B. immediately made it about herself. She was furious of course for Gwen but she never stopped to think or ask what Gwen wanted like Merlin did. 

She immediately made plans to murder Uther (which I wholeheartedly support don’t get me wrong) but without ever thinking how much more of a strain it would put on Gwen if Morgana’s 'sort of' father died and she had to comfort her and squash down her own grief even more, and that’s even before she knows that she is the reason Morgana did it. She never once stops to think of the impact on the person she purports to do it all for, she just immediately takes a horrible terrible thing and makes it all about her and her feud with Uther.

And that’s not even getting into the classism. I know this is a feature of s3 onwards Morgana, but I just can’t see why she would suddenly start thinking like this if she didn’t before somewhat. She literally calls Gwen a simple minded peasant. And even before, as soon as she's struggling with something she has no qualms in snapping at Gwen, and even after she’s revealed herself as blatantly evil she takes Gwen’s allegiance for granted like she’s got nothing better to do or no one else to love and be loyal to. In season 5 she takes Gwen because she is traumatised and lonely and feels entitled to the same unwavering unreciprocated love and support she used to receive from her, and she doesn’t care that she had to force it (and literally tells Gwen that she should be grateful bc she has OBVIOUSLY never had it as bad as her!)

Clearly s1-2 Morgana is better than Arthur, but at the end of the day they both grew up with the same privilege.

In conclusion Gwen gave Morgana a hundred times more than she ever got back, and I think Gwen knew it. Her friendship with Merlin was far more healthy and fun for her and it was that that she always fell back in in times of need, never Morgana’s. 

@zoingfandom voila​