#mostly about arthur

[igniferrus]

I can't believe the BBC's The Adventures of Merlin peaked at S01E04 "The Poisoned Chalice."

OBVIOUSLY I love the absolute absurdity of Merlin and Arthur trying to die for each other after knowing each other for like a week. Just for the vibes and for the Merthur implications, however; this episode is the one that does the characters and their interpersonal relationships the most justice, in my opinion.

Now with a read more, because this got out of hand, fast.

We start with the Gauis and Merlin father-son relationship, with them bantering in the hallways about work. Gwen and Merlin get to giggle together at the feast, and then we see their bond as Gwen worries over Merlin (and her blaming herself when he 'dies').

Merlin is also a wonderful sunshine boy in this episode. The weight of his destiny hasn't worn him down yet, he's still riding the high of finally understanding the reason he was born as he was. He perks up when Arthur tells him he's going to the feast, he treats the guests as guests (no immediate suspicion, trying to impress Kara/Nimueh), and we get to see some of his best cheeky moments - like calling Gaius out for making up a proverb, telling Kara he runs the castle, pestering Arthur about his smelly clothes and the food fights, and, of course, when he wakes up mock scolding Gaius for hugging Gwen, and then claiming not to be alive but his own ghost. He's still a silly boy, especially when he wakes up and says he doesn't remember what happened after drinking the wine.

But what I think this episode does particularly well is the Pendragons, especially Arthur.

We get Morgana ready to cut a bitch immediately when things go wrong at the feast, but also see her compassionate side when she allows Gwen to go tend to Merlin. Her relationships with Uther and Arthur are phenomenally well done. Uther scolds her (off-screen) for wanting to bash people about the head with ladles at the feast. But she also gets to stand up to him and show her displeasure at his choices.

When Uther rants at her after Arthur leaves, she agrees with his every point, sarcastically. His ordering Arthur to stay "worked like a charm" and "[her] lips are sealed" when he tells her to knock it off. She calls him out for oppressing Arthur and not letting him make his own choice, telling Uther "[He] can't chain [Arthur] up every time he disagrees with [Uther]" and "Arthur's old enough to make decisions for himself"

But Uther wins this argument (or is at least conceded to), because he asks Morgana if he should allow Arthur to make his own choices, if that means Arthur will die. And Morgana has no answer for him. Which is especially interesting as Morgana was the one to push for Arthur to go.

There is a lot to be said for Morgana and Arthur's relationship in the show as a whole, and this episode too. I could probably write a whole post about them just using The Poisoned Chalice. But I'll keep it to two main points here.

The first, and most important one, which I think is overlooked in a lot of people's take on their relationship, comes from a short line in a transition scene. There is a total of six pieces of dialogues, split between Morgana and Gwen, as Gwen fills Morgana in on the Merlin situation, which includes this bit:

MORGANA: Don't worry, I'm alright. How's Merlin? GUINEVERE: If Arthur comes back with the antidote in time, he'll be fine. MORGANA: Then he'll be fine.

Just like that. If Merlin's health relies on Arthur succeeding it is a forgone conclusion for Morgana. Arthur will not fail. She has enough faith in him that she is no longer worried about Merlin's fate. I don't think enough people consider this angle of their relationship. She knows who Arthur is. He is a good, capable man of honour. He will do what needs to be done. She never says this to his face, and actually implies the opposite when she thinks he won't go and rescue Gwen in a later episode, but that's sibling banter and desperation, baby! She's his older sister, she can't be seen hyping him up. Even when she gives him the chance to talk about his success at the end of the episode, she frames it as "bragging." C'mon. He just traveled to a place where few people come back from, defied his king, and still managed to save a man whose life was already deemed "worth less" that the cost of saving him. It's not bragging, it's a true achievement.

There has also been plenty said for Morgana being a guiding figure at first. When Arthur is stuck with indecision about going, when Uther has gotten into his head about this quest being an abandonment of his people, it is Morgana who encourages him to go, saying his people want and deserve a king who will do what is right. Which is all Arthur ever wants to do, despite the way Uther raised him.

Which brings us to the Uther and Arthur relationship. Uther prohibits Arthur from doing what is right. Calls into question his judgement ("jeopardise the future of this kingdom"? Realty, Uther?). Arrests his son. Locks him in the dungeon. Does his best to throw away all that Arthur sacrificed for to teach him a lesson about not doing things the "right" (Uther's) way. Continued to lie about Arthur's birth and magic, when given the perfect opportunity to come clean.

And yet.

Uther loves his boy. He wants to kill Bayard with his own hands, if it was true that he was going to harm Uther's son. Rants and raves to Morgana and Arthur leaving (and disobeying), putting himself in danger (could never say he's worried to his son's face, though). And in that moment, uses the exact justification he told Gaius wasn't good enough. When Merlin accuses Bayard of poison, Gaius claims "he's just a boy" and should be given leniency, which Uther refutes, saying Gaius should have taught him better. But when it's Uther's own (older) son, "he's just a boy" Morgana, not old enough to make his own decisions.

And at the end? When Uther does tell Arthur he's proud of him, despite it all? Arthur pulls this face, almost a kind of grimace. Like he doesn't know what to do with this information. How often does Uther say this? Not enough, obviously. Uther is a tyrant, a hypocrite, a terrible parent, and a father who cares so very deeply about his child(ren). The love is there, but it is not enough to redeem him. This, along with Beauty and the Beast (especially part two) are some of my top Uther episodes. Because they show how much he loves his boy, and it doesn't change anything. It cannot help either of them now.

Finally. Arthur Pendragon. My main man, in all forms, across all media.

He is at his best in this episode. In every conceivable way.

Aside from the excellent insight into his relationships with his family, in a way with more depth and nuance than most episodes, we get to see the Best Arthur, both physically and mentally.

As a man, he excels. He shows up for the diplomatic aspects of the position as Prince. His teases and needles Merlin, but it is less mean spirited than some episodes portray him. The silly hat is hilarious, but I also think putting Merlin in Pendragon red, with the family's crest emblazoned on his chest was a smart move. This is a new, incredibly untrained servant, with no idea of the decorum of the court. It wasn't Merlin's fault, but he really put himself in a bad light during the tournament by accusing Valiant and not being able to back up his claims, and he did recently confess to sorcery to the entire court...... Arthur all but putting his name on Merlin definitely would have afforded some protection if Merlin's trouble had been a little less dire. Calling Merlin an alcoholic may have been a bit harsh, but impugning Merlin's intelligence had already worked once in getting Uther to let him go, so I see why Arthur would stick with what works. Especially if defying Uther regularly gets him clapped in irons himself.

People routinely call Arthur honourable, and he really shows it in this episode. He tries to drink the poison himself to protect Merlin, after all his other attempts fail. He refuses to allow Merlin's sacrifice to go unrepaid. Even when he hears about how dangerous the quest will be, and that few who try it make it back alive, he says "Sounds like fun." There's no reality where Arthur doesn't want to go. Not even Uther pressing on Arthur's sore spots makes him want to abandon the quest, it just makes him wonder if he should. Also. On a time-sensitive quest that is more likely to kill him than not, he still stops to offer help to an apparently battered servant. It was the wrong choice, but the honourable one none the less.

He's so incredibly clever, too. I talked about my interpretation of his choice of Merlin's outfit already, but the scene with Gwen in the dungeon is so well-written. He's already in trouble. Uther has all but sentenced Merlin to die, twice. Once by forbidding Arthur from leaving the castle, and again when he crushes the flower to teach Arthur a lesson. The guards have to know this, along with the fact that the prince is out of favour enough to be in the dungeon for a week. And yet Arthur uses their perception of him, as a spoiled arrogant prince, to help Gwen smuggle the flower out. It is an exceptionally well-laid and executed plan. He has been studying to be a king (and kill) from birth. By necessity, Arthur is a skilled tactician. He wouldn't lead the army if he wasn't - Uther punishes failure harshly.

Arthur also gets to show off his physical skills in this episode. My man is STRONG and SKILLED. He carries Merlin from the hall to the physician's chambers. I don't know how long of a walk that it, but we've seen there are plenty of stairs up to Gaius' tower, and Arthur gets there without being out of breath. Incredible. Plus, in the cave, Arthur supports his entire body weight with one hand while hanging off a ledge AND waving a sword around to fight off a big spider. In chainmail. This man is Strong As Fuck. I don't think I could hang for very long, even using both hands, much less fight a monster.

We also get to see Arthur's skills with a sword. I've mentioned somewhere before that I understand Merlin was the protagonist and therefore got to be the hero most of the time, at the expense of Arthur. But damn. The cockatrice is the main reason why people don't return from this quest, a single drop of its venom is deadly. And Arthur takes care of it without a single thought. It lunges, he rolls under it, and then he THROWS HIS SWORD and spears it. How much did he have to practice to be able to throw a sword with accuracy, and enough power to be lethal? Absolute unit of a man. He fights off the spider mentioned above, and then climbs the cave wall to freedom. His arms must be so jacked. The only thing he can't carry is the weight of his father's disapproval.

This is also the only episode where we get to see Merlin and Arthur working perfectly together as they were meant to. In other episodes, Arthur is unconscious or unaware of Merlin's magic; or at the end, he is simply an audience to Merlin as the reveal at Camlann doesn't give them enough time to have a healthy Arthur and Merlin team up. Arthur only watches Merlin-as-Dragoon at the battle proper, or is too weak to do anything after.

But in this episode, Merlin, fever-ridden, dying, miles away in Camelot, is still able to provide Arthur magical aid in the cave. He lights the way, showing Arthur the spiders and the route to the exit. It is one of the few times Arthur is exposed to "good" magic. Could you imagine a world where the best swordsman in Albion and the most powerful warlock to walk the earth get to fight side-by-side? With Merlin providing magical support and Arthur the physical aspect? it would have been amazing, but this is the closest we come to it.

It also adds an interesting dimension to the idea of Merlin and Arthur being two sides of the same coin. Merlin's connection to Arthur despite the distance, knowing what Arthur is facing, should have been explored more. We only see it again when they are separated at Camlann, and Arthur wakes, seemingly knowing something isn't right with Merlin. Absolutely underused concept.

This has ended up criminally long, and didn't even cover everything I thought about during my rewatch of the episode. Thank you if you took the time to read all this.

[sparrow-in-boots]

if you lack a spare coat, then the large eldritch deity bestie hitching a ride on your body will do

[napolean-but-cringe]

People keep talking about the whimpering horror podcast men and how distracting it can be but as a (maybe) asexual person, all I ever heard were men in pain. Other people find the whimpering weirdly erotic while I hear a guy in desperate need of a Hospital and a Therapist

[thegoatsongs]

Arthur day reminded me of the time Newman explained his (frankly baffling) reasons for making Arthur Holmwood an unsympathetic serial killer in his AU.

(I don't even think the other characters praise him much. Lucy obviously does, because he's honestly a good boyfriend. She praises Jack Seward for being "handsome", not Arthur! His wealth isn't even exceptional, since Mina points out Quincey is rich, funds parts of the trip like their weapons, and gives her gifts. As for "nobility and decency", the one who gets praised for those most by others is Quincey.)

[intuitive-revelations]

Fun fact (relating to the "first same sex kiss" Deadline discourse):

If you include kisses that aren't lip-to-lip, Eleven and Rory arguably kiss each other 3 times:

4 times if you throw in the IDW comics too:

(For context, Amy and Eleven body swapped earlier in the story and have switched back at this point, but Rory doesn't know if it was successful.)

[luck-of-the-drawings]

OOH YEAH BABY ITS THE SURGERY EPISODE BABY!!! ME AND THE HOMIES NEED SOME NEW FACES FOR OUR NEW PLAN, AND WHO BETTER TO GET THE JOB DONE THAN THE TWO MOST EVIL PEOPLE WE'VE EVER HAD THE MISFORTUNE OF HAVING OUR LIVES VIOLATED BY? I MEAN IT WOULD BE FUNNY. IT WOULD BE FUNNY.

[justaz]

s1ep10 where everything is the same except theres a few other kids around merlin and the gangs age in ealdor and they have the most passive aggressive beef ever

merlin (explaining the tensions while covering his ass bc the villagers may not know about his magic but they know and he cant let arthur find out): and thats mary. she threw rocks at me when i was younger so i shoved a fistful of dirt in her mouth. i just didnt realize there was a worm in the dirt until she was spitting it all out and coughed up a worm. it had the effect of someone coughing up a frog. it fueled a bunch of rumors about me being a sorcerer

mary (after greeting the prince very respectfully): merlin. youre back. how lovely.

merlin, smiling: mary!! yes, of course i am. when i heard that ealdor was in danger i just had to come back and help. you know ive always had a knack for worming my way out of trouble so i thought if anyone can help, its me.

mary: how hopeful. i dont think ive ever seen you wield a sword. or any other weapon. you seem to keep to your…talents.

merlin: we never spent much time together so i cant fault you for not noticing my many other talents. contrary to what you think, i do like to get my hands dirty.

[nextstopparis]

do u ever think about “…for the kingdom you helped me build” “you could’ve done it without me” “maybe” ? do you ever think about that. do u ever think about how merlin literally could have just been a manservant with no powers at all and that convo wouldve still happened. hello. do you.

[funkylilso-n-so]

thinking about the time loop that the PCs basically got for free, no rolls needed - thinking about how the power of friendship is less powerful than the power of chronomancy - thinking about how the ultimate fantasy about high school is being able to go back in time and do it over right this time - thinking about the time quangle

[kaynes-secret-blog]

I love you aroace Arthur Lester

I love you gay Arthur lester

I love you bisexual Arthur Lester

I love you straight Arthur Lester

I love you severe case of hetcomp Arthur lester

[capesch-arts]

Rehearing Part 5 again and knowing that Adam Fry is one of many faces of the King, has led me to the conclusion that one of the things he likes from humans is Hamlet aldkdnfnfn

[muttsterion]

Recently got back in the saddle and started playing RDR2 again. Although I keep other horses with him I have such a soft spot for the big ol' raven black shire horse Hosea maybe or maybe not intended for Arthur to sell. I always keep mine and name him "Brutus" inspired by Hosea calling him a big brute and feels he just fits Arthur. A big reliable, rugged horse to carry the weight of the heavier loads just as Arthur carries the weight of caring for and being loyal to his gang to the very bitter end. Plus he's just a badass looking beast of a horse. XD

[chaos-has-theories]

“We should detour around the forest of Ascetir,” Arthur says, in that casual way that means he’s forgotten that anyone might disagree with him. “It’s dangerous to travel.” “Not anymore.” Merlin has his nose stuck behind a large map, trying not to look at Arthur. It's cowardice, plain and simple. He knows the path by heart: knows it from every single time he’s gone to visit his mother, or his friends. Knows it too from every clandestine meet up with the band of misfits who call themselves his court. “What, like the bandits all packed up and left?” Merlin can hear the rolling eyes in Arthur’s voice. Before he can stop himself, Merlin scoffs. “The Forest of Ascetir isn’t controlled by Camelot anymore. It’s perfectly safe.” It is, too. For travelers who stick to the paths; for the surrounding villagers who go to collect woods. For Merlin. Not usually for stuck-up heirs and dignitaries: But Merlin supposes that Arthur isn’t technically either, now. There’s a pause. When Arthur speaks, there’s an odd note to his voice. “What do you mean, it’s not controlled by Camelot?” Merlin sighs, rolls up the map, and meets Arthur’s gaze head-on. “Ascetir has been under the druids’ protection for years. It was on the list your father signed. It is officially part of Emrys’ lands, now.” Arthur goes very quiet. Then he grins as if he’s making a great joke, even if the smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Guess I should have just married Emrys, huh.” “Guess so,” Merlin says tightly, and kicks his horse into a trot.

I was looking for something else entirely but I'm in a posting mood. Have this scene from my highly unfinished König Drosselbart AU

[luck-of-the-drawings]

"I think this is the most inhuman; and human, that I've ever felt.." MUCH CAN HAPPEN IN A YEAR. IN FIVE YEARS. A DECADE. imagine how much can happen in a century. just ONE (1). How will you grow? what phases do you find? even in 5 years, you will find patterns.

[idkaguyorsomething]

me searching through bbc merlin fanart and fics for the heart of the show.

(IMAGE ID: Doomguy in a red area fighting off hordes of monsters, captioned “WHERE IS GUINEVERE”)

[isa-ah]

plurals who follow me. describe the headspace as u see it in ur minds eye 🫵