THINGS THAT ARE QUITE SPLENDID INDEED

[whynot]

YOU GUYS. OMG. EXCALIBURRRRRRR. *palpitations*


So, the episode opens up with Arthur's coming-of-age party, with Merlin and Gwen watching from the side and having this hilarious exchange:

Gwen: D'awww you liiiiike him!
Merlin: No I don't!
Gwen: Yes you do!
Merlin: Nuh-uh!
Gwen: Yuh-uh! Merlin and Arthur sitting in a tree!
Merlin: Shut up! Shut up shut up!

Okay, so it didn't go exactly like that, except for how it PRETTY MUCH DID.

THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE CONTINUE TO BE THE MOST FUCKING USELESSEST EVER. omg. Someone crashes through the window on a horse and they all just FUCKING STAND THERE. What is it exactly that you do as knights of Camelot anyway? Oh, right.

"...And I know no one braver." Oh, Arthur. XD

I know it makes the brain explode to think about this show too hard, but this "showdown at high noon" business is very confuzzling to me. Sooooo, you can just challenge anyone to a duel without explanation and they have to say yes lest they appear dishonorable? That's IT?

Uther said, "I am the king. You cannot tell me what I can and cannot do," and I was like, "<333333333333!!!!!111" My Uther love exceeds my Arthur love, in this episode. UTHER. So powerful and passionate and prone to bad decisions! I LOVE MY DOOMED KINGS.

Uh, and that scene where Merlin tried to roast the zombie knight, and then the knight, like, WHIRLS to glare at him and Merlin was like, "Meep!" and scampers away. Hilarious.

Arthur: "You know that conversation we had about knocking."
UM. WHAT. *PLOT BUNNIES, all over the place* Arthur makes a good point though; even in Episode 8, no one ever seems to knock or feel any hesitation about going into one another's chambers, even when the owner isn't there. Arthur was completely unsurprised to find Morgana waiting for him in his bedroom, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. Oh, Camelot. Your knights are worthless, but the night life must be fantastic.

Merlin: "I've stood there and watched you overcome every fear you ever faced. You have already proven your courage -- now you need to prove your wisdom." Yessssssssssss. Yesyesyes, to Merlin, and Arthur, and what they will become.

I am very glad to see that Nimue is the shit! Her previous shenanigans on this show have left me unimpressed, and I'm loving this backstory we get of her.

Merlin: "I'm sort of in a hurry." Impatient!Merlin is ADORABLE. Look at him, all arms-crossed and about to explode. Eeee!

Gwen: "You know I'd grant you anything." [Insert typical Gwen backpedalling here. GWEN <33. I officially heart you.]

Morgana: omg don't do it!
Arthur: "It's my duty."
Morgana: "I understand."
THAT'S IT?! MORGANA. You can make Arthur do ANYTHING, WTF. THIS SCENE WAS A LETDOWN. On the other hand, we can look at it as: there are some things that even Morgana cannot make him do. She knows this, and knows to not even try. His duty, his honor, and the responsibilities of his throne are heavy for any man, but Arthur reaches for them with both hunger and the ease of birthright.

UTHER/GAIUS FOR THE WIN. Especially when Uther says, "I have one other favor to ask," and then it FADES TO BLACK?! And then my brain went to a bad place.

Dragon: "It may surprise you, Merlin, that my knowledge of your life is not universal." Lampshade-hanging, y/n?

MERLIN: "BUT IF ARTHUR FIGHTS THE WRAITH AND DIES, CAMELOT WILL HAVE NO HEIR. I WILL HAVE NO DESTINY." CAN I SAY MORE THAT LARGE BLINKING TEXT DO NOT ALREADY.

Uhhhh, Gaius drugging Arthur and then having his way with him. Why so sketchy, Gaius? Oh well, THAT IS WHY I LOVE YOU (I THINK).

THE AMAZING MERLIN-PREPS-UTHER SCENE:
Uther: Are you having sex with my son?
Merlin: "You could say there is a bond between us."
Uther: Right. Carry on.

MY FAVORITE SCENE IS PROBABLY--
UTHER: "I'LL SHOW YOU FOOTWORK."
UTHER & ARTHUR hgjasjfd';ks';gld;kg;fd OMG KIIIIIIIIIIIIINGSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Uther being all fabulously stern like, "You are more precious to me than Camelot," and Arthur being all like, "...Really?" BECAUSE ARTHUR IS KIND OF DENSE, and all caught up in trying to prove himself. There's a dash of self-pity in how he always tries to prove himself. He can't always tell the little ways that people truly care about him, because he's had people fake-caring for him all his life. So then there is this great moment where Arthur just CAN'T HANDLE IT, and looks away, and is all like, "Be manly, self! STIFF UPPER LIP, THAT'S THE STUFF," and of course resurfaces with a casual and flippant, "Your footwork sucks, btw. Come train with the knights." Translation: I CAN HAZ FATHER-SON BONDING TIME?! OH KINGS AND HOW THEY TRY TO BE SUCH HARDASSES <33333333333333333333333333333. MOTHERFUCKING PENDRAGONS YAY

Dragon: "What is made cannot be unmade."
...Eerily similar to "what is seen cannot be unseen"? Are the writers throwing fandom a bone? I mean, ANOTHER one?

This episode was FANTASTIC. All my favorite scenes have to do with Uther, but I am also a-squee because I don't think there's been this much Merlin/Arthur innuendo since, like, what, Episode 4? Okay, maybe not, because Episode 4 was RIDICULOUS. Since a while, in any case.

I AM SO EXCITED FOR NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE where Merlin goes back to his hometown to have sex with his old boyfriend and then ARTHUR WILL POSSIBLY FIND OUT ABOUT THE MAGIC. I am a fan of the fanon that Arthur secretly already knows, but canon is probably not going to go this way. Either way: ahofdjsf;kg';ls'fg[dkhgpfd!!!!1111

THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING EVER. It is a two-minute 'Merlin' episode (for realz!: Uther being paranoid about magic, Merlin flailing in with dire warning, then being put in the stocks, even Arthur/Merlin touching) in the name of BBC Children in Need. It made me LOL for serious. UTHER'S CLOSING LINE <33333333333

This is also made of win & hilarity. An old-school Star Trek vid set to Monty Python's "Camelot."

In keeping with theme of things that are AMAAAAAAZING, Trail of Dead's new EP 'Festival Thyme' is BEAUTIFUL and you can stream it on their MySpace. I love all the tracks except the title track, and you can download 'Inland Sea' here.

Comments

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

he seems to be more of one in this ep. "WHO CARES IF ARTHUR DIES?" indeed.

gaius is being so sketchy. i mean. does he just go around drugging princes every day of the week and twice on tuesdays? no one answer that.

still back at GWEN OHMYGOD. they really need to use her more; she's adorable.

also, omg the special.

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

THE SPECIAL hfjlgasj;fd'ks';dglfd how about the time when uther is just all casually like, "oh a monster? go kill it, son," and arthur's like, "right-o!" XD

and there are these pictures of them posing in costume with teddy bears and i can't handle it omg i cannot.

I AM LIKE, SO not getting het vibes from this show, like AT ALL. are they fo' shiz trying to set gwen as merlin's love interest because all i'm getting is a BFF vibe. they pal around in the kitchens and maybe occasionally prank the cook or head steward in cute little ways. and arthur and morgana, they may do each other from time to time, but i dunno, they are more brother and sister (*shoves peter/susan tendencies under the rug*) in that they can be allies when they want to be, but they are childhood companions, and there are these layers of loyalty and betrayal between them. morgana's kind of always got her own plans and arthur is too stupid to care about them. uhhh i wanna read the fic where arthur and morgana compete for arthur's love.

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

uther. uther's love.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

i was going to say there.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

*giggles hysterically* and what about arthur and merlin with their hands ALL OVER EACH OTHER.

*cocks head to side* i could probably see merlin/morgana, though it's less romance and more...well. i cannot think of an adjective. or a noun.

...i want the episode where merlin from the future comes back to try and warn this merlin. oh my god. we need that ep! it is camelot, come on.

or. well. i mean, i could write it, but HELLO ON THE BIG TEETINY SCREEN.

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

merlin/morgana dynamic is more interesting to me! i can see what you mean that it's less romance, more like recognizing themselves in the other (eventually) maybe. they are both powerful and magical, but they have to sneak around, so maybe like allies.

that episode would lead to a metric ton of merlin/merlin/arthur fic, you realize.

YOU COULD WRITE IT, THIS IS TRUE

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

i am kind of starting to hate the word romance. *waves hands*

hmm. something like that, yes. allies with...questionable loyalties.

I COULD but then there are the hundred thousand words of narnia fic i am writing. OH NARNIA.

possibly it would begin something like this:


there is no one else in the room with him and he doesn't hear the door open, but what he does feel is the sudden gathering of magic in the air, so strong that it sends merlin sprawling, his vision suddenly blinded by gold, something roaring in his ears, every sense he has overwhelmed by pure power for a heartbeat, two, three --

and then it's gone. he opens his eyes to find himself on the floor, one of gaius' benches knocked over and books, papers, bowls, herbs spilled beside it, shattered glass everywhere where every bottle in the room has exploded. when he looks up, pushing himself up on his elbows, it's to see a stranger regarding him thoughtfully.

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

"i really do have huge ears," the stranger finally comments.


...sorry i couldn't resist. probably gaius comes in and is like OMFG MY LAAAAB and whirls on future!merlin "DID YOU DO THIS?! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" and when future!merlin tells him, gaius is stunned, takes in the destruction, sighs and says, "you haven't changed, have you."

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

*giggles* probably, yes.

and they have to, like, pass him off as the son of one of gaius's old friends or something, and uther starts out all, "a friend of gaius is a friend of mine," but morgana is suspicious and jumpy and arthur is pretty much, "why the hell is this guy watching me all the time?" and gwen gets increasingly nervous.

also the dragon throws a fit.

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

"this is not how it has been writ!" the dragon rages.

and merlin watches his future self with wonder, how unastonished he will become, how unimpressed, and he wonders what will happen to him in the interim that would give him such confidence.

"you make too much of what has and has not been writ," says his future self to the dragon.


...THERE IS A THEME IN OUR CRACKOVERS.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

SO THERE IS.

hmm. what would future!merlin look like? *muses*

"i don't like him," arthur says to uther one night. "he's always watching me."

"he makes me nervous," morgana says. she hasn't touched her food. "i don't like the way he looks at me, or at gwen. or at arthur."

merlin, standing in a corner of the room with a flagon of wine in his hands, has seen the way the older merlin looks at arthur: like something precious, something untouched, something sacred. he can't help but wonder why. because arthur is his destiny (and the other merlin's as well, apparently), but most of the time arthur's also just an ass, and he can't think what might happen to change that.

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

they can't call him future!merlin. PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO CALL HIM EMRYS.


"boy," says the stranger, and arthur whirls around, hypersensitive to the man's strange aura and how he moves about camelot with unwarranted familiarity.

"you are a guest here," arthur says immediately, "and you will address me properly, my good sir."

"well yes," he replies, "but if i called you a prat, you'd only order me to the stocks, wouldn't you?"

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

*giggles* that is going to end so badly.


gaius comes upon the man -- emrys, he calls himself -- standing at one of the windows that overlooks the courtyard below, watching merlin and arthur together.

"they're so young," emrys says as he approaches. "it's hard to believe that we were ever so young, so innocent."

"yours must be a strange camelot," gaius says, stepping up beside him.

emrys laughs, but it's soft, bitter. "i suppose you would call it such," he says, "or rather, i suppose you would have called it such, once."

"once?" gaius says. "am i dead then?"

"yes, for many years," emrys says, "and by god it is good to see you again, but that's not what i'm speaking of."

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

"what do you think they're talking about?" asks arthur.

merlin follows the line of arthur's gaze to the window, and sees emrys and gaius returning their gaze. emrys turns to gaius and says something, and gaius laughs.

"who knows what crotchety old men do to amuse themselves," merlin shrugs.

"there is something about this emrys," arthur muses. "i cannot put my finger on it."

"do you remember," merlin says, "that is what you said to me when i first came here?"

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

"why are you here?" gaius asks. "is it because of arthur?"

"isn't it always because of arthur?" emrys says in return.

gaius warns, "i cannot let you kill him."

"i would never hurt him," emrys says, and then softly, "and some days i think that i am the only one."

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

bed, i am working on crosstree and grail and i think our arthur characterization doesn't work as well anymore. apparently arthur is more than just a douchebag, canon says. so. i'm gonna take the lead a little here, see what happens or something?

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

go for it. silly canon, mucking around with our characterization.

LASS OH MY GOD I JUST FIGURED OUT WHAT TO DO WITH DUST 5. it was going to be lowkey, but who needs lowkey when you can have AWESOME?

also, hmm, do you think the actor that plays merlin would go for a suitable eustace? and maybe the actress that plays gwen for jill?

meanwhile, my other drama is whether or not i cut the bit about the centaur troop that left narnia when rilian ordered the ban. i think i did, damn it, which means they'll be coming out of nowhere.

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

ahaha i can see colin morgan being a eustace, yes. suddenly eustace just got a lot cuter. i've always envisioned jill to be blonde, but who are we to judge when it comes to canon/fanon compliance.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

*trolls through imdb looking up british actors* hmm, no, i don't think she's much of a jill, on second thought.

ahahahaha the voice actor for the dragon is also ollivander from hp.

hmm, tirian (http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~webstej1/images/rome_ep16_3.jpg)?

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

i want longer hair for him!

MAYBE A WEASLEY BOY?

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

i looked! they are all too robust-looking. even christopher rankin (http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f143/chrisrankin/Rankin.jpg), the guy who plays percy.

*frowns* i don't know why i do this; i'm the least visual writer ever. *sigh*

...oh my god, tirian is DAVID WENHAM (http://fanzone50.com/DW/). obviously.

[twoskeletons.livejournal.com]

I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT TIRIAN IS FARAMIR

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

although. shorter hair. different armor. but TIRIAN IS FARAMIR.

hmm. sean bean is mathin terblanche, the captain of the red company, think. and eric bana is osumare seaworth.

still don't know who jill is, though. you know. these actual canon characters.