#it's bradley james's favourite episode btw

[adhd-merlin]

16 and 17 for the Frankie ask game

"frankie ask game" lol. yes please! thank you 💗

16 - Least favourite episode(s)

Off the top of my head -- the troll episodes. Absolutely bizarre storyline. Why was it even a two-parter. (Although it does contain one of my favourite scenes, namely Merlin randomly popping out from under Arthur's bed). I don't like scatological humour so the farting jokes in the goblin episode were also painful for me to sit through. These episodes were mainly aimed at a younger audience so it makes sense that they were... the way they are, it's just a big tone shift.

The Lamia episode isn't that bad in comparison, and I actually don't mind the emotional whump, it just felt really really pointless, especially compared to the other episodes in the series.

A Herald of the New Age is actually a good episode but I think it's awfully placed within S4, to the point that I always forget it exists. It comes right after the whole Gwen & Lancelot drama, which gets picked up again in the following episode with Arthur's engagement to Mithian and it just... I don't know. I feel like it should have been put somewhere else. I don't dislike it but it's in the wrong place and it bothers me.

17 - Favourite character to write/draw

I've written almost exclusively Merwenthur, most of it from Gwen's POV (I think?) but Arthur's POV was the easiest out of the three, for some reason. Possibly because he loves Gwen and Merlin both, and so do I.

I've written a grand total of one (1) Merwaine fic but writing from Gwaine's POV was extremely fun. He's a fun character!

If it's favourite character to write about/describe, then probably Merlin. Especially when he's being shifty and/or weird. Which is probably why Arthur's POV works so well.

↳ ask me questions from the frankie ask game

[irregularjohnnywiggins]

Thirty Days of Arthurian Characters - Day 1: King Arthur

Well, to welcome in the new year, I figured I might as well do this. This is all based on the @fuckyeaharthuriana Thirty Days of Arthurian Characters. Starting us off with King Arthur, let's get to it!

Why you like or don't like the character

In general, I really like Arthur. Part of that is generally the fact that without Arthur we wouldn't have an Arthurian mythos to play around with, but there's still a lot about Arthur to like - in particular, his attempts at treating everyone equally, even if it does epically bite him in the ass later, is still a good place to start from. He has his flaws, but I'm in general fond of him.

Your favourite characterization in novels

...Do comic books count? Fuck it, I can do what I want. Really, even if he only really shows up in two issues, his characterization in Demon Knights is probably my gold standard for Arthur as a Warlord - strategic, regal, and still courageous enough to face Lucifer down without blinking.

Aside from that, his characterization in the Warlord Chronicles, of a man desperately trying to hold Britain together and constantly backing down on his own morals to do so is a perfect reflection of what ultimately leads to Camlann in my version.

Your favourite characterization in TV/Film

Honestly? Bradley James in Merlin is still my favourite Arthur. It's the little things in his performance - how clearly against Uther's excesses he is from the beginning, his clear affection for Morgana - especially that bit in the background of the Mordred episode, I believe, where he immediately goes for his sword when Uther looks like he may attack her. Series 1 in particular has a lot of great Arthur Moments. Y'know, until Merlin pantsed it up again by showing a resistance to deviate from the Status Quo at all, resulting in Arthur being more and more idiotic as time went by.

Your favourite art/illustration about the character

Again, gonna have to go Demon Knights on this one.

The actor/actress you wish could play the character

I always wanted to see Richard Madden play Arthur. This may (or may not) be a reflection of my childlike desire to see the 'good king' of GoT play the quintessential 'good king'. I do however think Madden would be great, especially in the role of a young Arthur.

One headcanon about the character

I rarely see Arthur as a character who would willingly accept the crown - I'm much more of the opinion that he took up the crown because it needed doing. Honestly, I may play up his humility to the point that it's much more an inferiority complex than anything else - for as much as his foster family was loving, growing up for seventeen years internalising that you'll never amount to anything only to have the rug pulled completely out from under you wouldn't exactly leave you in the greatest mental state.

(This may or may not have been intentional, btw. I will explain more in my Merlin entry)