whynot | can you find me space / inside your bleeding heart

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Current Music: Placebo, "Passive Aggressive"

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can you find me space / inside your bleeding heart

+ Outside my usual Chinese take-out place, there is a sign that says "No standing at any time except for trucks", under which someone has put a chair. Win!

+ Unnecessary crossover #32985: there's a UN-type organization for fantasy worlds, and they're having a summit on, uh, world peace or whatever. There are delegations from Narnia, Camelot, Archenland, the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom, Calormen, aaaand bunches of others. H-hilarity ensues?! Or how about the one where a delegation from one kingdom visits another and cautious alliances ensue, hilarity optional. Sexings a plus!

+ I have been into these two songs lately, and coincidentally they're both not about the speed of light, despite being titled as such. Lightspeed by Matt & Kim (omg ignore the terrible video) and Speed of Light by Asian Dub Foundation.

+ How do I kick some life into Memetime with Mordred & Morgana??

+ Penultimate S2 Merlin episode!

But before the liveblog, let's begin at the end. Here are some post-ep thoughts:

Gwen and Arthur would have forgiven Merlin for hiding his magic, but would they forgive him so easily for trying to kill Morgana? Even if killing Morgana was 'for the common good'? Gwen and Arthur don't take the idea of the common good very lightly, and they both have stronger and longer relationships with Morgana than Merlin does. I can't see them just dismissing Merlin trying to kill Morgana, if they ever find out. Plus, this is on top of Merlin lying to Arthur about the realness of his mother's apparition at Casa Morgause. SO MANY TERRIBLE LIES. Arthur's gonna be livid. He and Gwen, superlivid.

This episode is such a turnaround from 1x12, where Merlin had the same moral struggle with Uther ("If you don't kill them, many will suffer!"), but he chose NOT to kill Uther. What happened this time around? "Sorry, I tried to kill Morgana because my friend who usually talks me out of homicide was under an enchanted sleep at the time. Or perhaps I am just a sociopath. Whoops!"

Merlin's decision to kill Morgana will isolate him from his friends, unless he manages to keep his secrets forever. Which he might! BECAUSE APPARENTLY MERLIN IS TURNING INTO GAIUS. After all, Uther has already gone from calling him an idiot to a 'trusted ally'. Not gonna lie, I am pretty excited at this turn of events. Bring on dark!Merlin! I cannot wait until the shit hits the fan! \o/

I wanna see Gwen's reaction to Morgana's disappearance.

I wanna see the futurefic in which Merlin is a well-intentioned ALBEIT TERRIFYING despot of unspeakable power. THE PLOT (and its moral gray areas) THICKENS.

AND NOW FOR LIVEBLOG FOR REALS:

- Why weren't the knights of Ijdfslkfdlas attacking Merlin? Why just Arthur and his knights?

- Merlin throwing a sword to Arthur like Gwen threw Morgana a sword in the Lancelot episode! Yay callbacks!

- ALAS POOR KNIGHTS. I KNEW THEM, JULIAN JONES.

- Is Morgana wearing more eyeliner than usual?

- "HE IS NOT. ALL RIGHT." AND THEN ARTHUR SQUISHES UTHER'S FACE. Ahahaha Tony Head is hilarious. Bradley totally had fun doing this.

- AHAHAHA sleeping!Gaius magicked to be all creepily like ":D!"

- "ALL RIGHT. TWO PILLOWS." XD <3333 Arthur worrying about sleeping!Uther's dignity is the best. I know there's srs bsns going on but every time I see Uther, I GLEE IN LOL.

- The Dragon no longer trusts Merlin's promise!! <33 GOOD ON YOU, DRAGON. (MERLIN, YOU SHOULD DO LIKEWISE :-O)

- MERLIN D: PUTTING HUNITH AT STAKE D: GRABBING THE HEMLOCK D: The plot (and Morgana's eyeliner) THICKENS. I'm horrified and loving it!

- jfkldjflkd I HATE IT WHEN WOMEN TRIP WHILE THEY RUN AWAY AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE "STOP AND HELP ME, FRIEND!" JUST GET THE FUCK UP.

- MERLIN LEAVES HER BEHIND D: (XD)

- MERLIN WIPES A TEAR AWAY AFTER POISONING HER

- OH NO MERLIN AND MORGANA OH NO MERLIN AND MORGANA OH NOOOOO WHAT, MERLIN AND MORGANA OH NO NOOOOOOO D: D: D: D: D: D: D: D: He's all clutching her and making excuses OR WHATEVER and she's like GET THE FUCK AWAY, JUST GET THE FUCK AWAY YOU JUST TRIED TO KILL ME and they're both just D: D: D: in their own ways, oh my breaking heart. MORGANA'S FACE, AND HOW SHE JUST CAN'T BELIEVE MERLIN DID THAT BUT HE TOTALLY DID AND SHE'S LIKE D: D: D: AND I AM LIKE D: aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. He goes and does what even Uther can't do. :(((((

- So yeah, dark!Merlin is totally canon.

- "Her loss will forever be on my conscience, not on yours." OH UTHER. D: (XD)

- "CHOSE NOT TO USE HER GIFT FOR GOOD" WTF GAIUS. SHE WASN'T ALLOWED TO USE HER GIFT FOR FUCKING ANYTHING. SHE DIDN'T USE HER GIFT AT ALL. OTHER PEOPLE DID. I can abide you being morally sketchy, Gaius, but not being dumb. Unless you knew what was up but was just lying to Merlin for what you thought was his own sake??

- THE DRAGON THINKS THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH BARGAINS. Damn straight! \o/

- What's up with this cave? How is the Dragon gonna fly out of there? Where is the mouth of the cave?

- I don't want the Dragon to die next episode. :(

I'm gonna be scarce on LJ until sometime around Christmas or whatever. Whenever school/visa/work/housing things are worked out. Maybe I'll come back to freak out about next week's Merlin. I'd say I wouldn't, but I know myself.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Morgana's catching some of Morgause's eyeliner methinks! Did Merlin know that Morgana didn't intentionally cast the spell? He knew she was consorting with the druids, perhaps he thought she was rising up again? Morgana doesn't want everyone to die, just Uther, so I think her confusion was partly real. She must have figured something had happened, but didn't want to connect the dots? I don't know. Gaius's :D face was creeeeepyyyyyyy!

This UFN (United Fantasy Nations) summit, is it held in the Wood Between The Worlds? Except they might all forget why they're there and fall asleep. But all the worlds are in those ponds! Maybe Galadriel could build them a treehouse to meet in XD

Did Merlin know that Morgana didn't intentionally cast the spell?
That's true, he didn't -- he just assumed! Merlin is totally power-tripping here. Feeling bad and remorseful about it doesn't mean he's NOT playing god! He never thinks ahead because he never has to. He's beginning to do increasingly terrible things to the people he cares for. And he doesn't seem to care for the consequences! I can't not see this as Merlin's downward spiral into sociopathic megalomania! AND I LOVE IT.

Yeah, the lethargy might be a problem. Maybe they can meet somewhere more neutral like, I dunno. Like THE MOON. I DUNNO. And who's making alliances with whom??

He just assumed because the DRAGON said she was the source of it. Conniving Dragon! Merlin has changed so much. He'd never have done this last season. He's losing his way and he needs a proper mentor to tell him to buck his ideas up- not the Dragon with his own ends, and not Gaius who is past his time. He needs Arthur to know! If anyone could tell Merlin what to do, it'd be Arthur! Arthur'd give him a good slap and say Oh no you don't, Merlin, you git! And Merlin would say, Sorry, I needed that, and find out another way of doing this that doesn't involve poisoning one of his closest friends. Oh Merlin Merlin Merlin, it wasn't her fault!

I still want to see Merlin and Morgana ruling Camelot together cos homg teh hot. Merlin being all, It's for the best, in denial about Morgana's increasingly morally ambiguous ways, because she has him blinded with her pretty pretty hair.

A treehouse would make an awesome meeting place, hehe! Well of course Narnia and Camelot must ally, for many reasons, and Middle Earth can have representatives of all races, and the elves would fascinate Merlin and drive Arthur up the wall with their ethereal, vague ways =D

It's not that he's changed, I think, but that no one's ever stopped him. Like a spoiled child, Merlin continues doing whatever he wants to do and expects to get away with it. And he always gets away with it! It is the protagonist's accidental tragedy, maybe: by getting away with everything, he takes on villainous aspects. By the time anyone knows enough to want to stop him, will it be too late?!

And Merlin can bond with the benders and Arthur can bond with Zuko while Mai rolls her eyes at them.

In a semi-related thought, I like the difference between Nimueh and Morgause. Nimueh figured Merlin out pretty damn quickly, where Morgause still doesn't see it (as yet.) They're very different women tho. Nimueh was not afraid to get dirty and mingle with commoners, whereas Morgause is much more with the high birth and I guess has been treated with respect all her life, so she doesn't suspect that "mere servants" can be a threat because she doesn't and can't think like them. I'm sad Nimueh got blasted, I liked her =/

I meant to say in that previous comment that a treehouse ON THE MOON would be awesome. It'd be like the Justice League or something, super cool =D Can Sam and Dean Winchester represent for the apocalypse!Earth universe? They can roll up in the Impala and all the high fantasy types are all O.O what IS it!?! And Harry Potter can try and figure out how Merlin does magic without a wand, and they can try each other's spells.

Nimueh getting blasted was totally an undignified way for her to go and it was kinda disappointing. I don't think Morgause is afraid to get dirty. In fact she's more hands-on, more in the thick of things fighting everyone, whereas Merlin only directly confronted Nimueh in the finale. Nimueh's sneakier, and she smiles more. Morgause seems more direct in her anger.

OH TO LIVE ON A TREEHOUSE ON THE MOON. THAT WOULD BE THE BESTEST. But there are no trees on the moon on which to build treehouses! Maybe they can magic some up. The only tree on the moon! And the only house! People have too much fun with the low gravity too, I bet. Someone has to bang a gavel and be all like "STOP JUMPING AROUND AND GET INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM RIGHT NOW".

This is why I like discussing things with people, because you see things from different angles =) Yes, Morgause is more direct, I agree with you there. She isn't faffing around when she sends the ~~Ringwraiths~~ knights of thingumie after Camelot. It's a pretty direct statement, that. Still, I think Morgause takes servants and peasants for granted, and it'll be interesting to see how she takes the situation with Merlin (in season 3, I assume), and if she sees him as an actual threat or not (though she'd be stupid not to, seeing as how he forced her hand.) Nimueh tried to get rid of Merlin to clear the path to Uther, since she saw him as a threat from the beginning. I want Arthur to know so much! But at the same time, it's fun, him being so oblivious. If they do some pansy, weak reveal with Arthur having known/suspected all along, I will throw things. I was mad enough in Spider-Man 2 when Mary Jane found out Spidey was Peter, and was all, "I think I've always known." BULLSHIT. BE SURPRISED!! AAAAAARGGGHHH.

HAHAHA I love that, bouncy people on the moon ^_^ Some sort of magical space suits would protect them, right? Or they live in a bubble or atmosphere, like Sandy does in Spongebob Squarepants. Who would be the president/chairperson of the UFN? (it should really be Fantastical United Nations because FUN is a way better acronym!) Aslan? Dumbledore?

Ringwraiths! XD Sometimes Merlin is like, "Which famous story are we giving shout-outs to now?!" There was a lot of Harry Potter last year, I'll say. And now we got Shakespeare and LOTR! Yeah, I wonder why Nimueh knows about Merlin but Morgause doesn't seem to. Morgause was given to priestesses of the old religion, after all. I wonder what Morgause was like growing up.

Truth be told, I was ALL ABOUT Arthur secretly knowing about the magic, but 1x10 put rest to that, I guess. And of course, 2x08. I think in fics, I prefer for Arthur to find out quietly or to figure it out on his own, but on the actual show, I want something BIG.

omg XD. "DON'T FORGET TO PACK YOUR MAGIC SPACE SUIT WHEN YOU GO TO DISCUSS WORLD PEACE IN A TREEHOUSE ON A MOON" has possibly become one of my favorite sentences in the English language. "SAY HI TO THE ELVES FOR ME."

I never heard Merlin say "Wingardium Leviosa!" Although I think it's just a matter of time. I love the way Morgause says spells. She sounds almost like she's singing them. Do you think Nimueh and Morgause knew each other? They must have known of each other at the least. Maybe they didn't like each other. *minds runs away*

It HAS to be something big. It HAS to be dramatic. It can't be Arthur belittling Merlin by saying, "You idiot I've known for ages." It has to be Arthur utterly amazed at Merlin's sudden power. It has to be that, or I'll cry.

That needs to be on a teeshirt or something, lol =D Did you ever hear of an RPG called Milliways or something like that? That had tons of different fandoms in it.

Interesting question! Morgause must have known of Nimueh, I think, if she didn't know her directly. After all, they both have the Pendragon connection going on. But maybe Nimueh knew more about Morgause than Morgause did about Nimueh.

I've heard of the RPG yeah. I knew a couple in it. DID IT HAVE A UNITED NATIONS??

OH AND I HAD A THOUGHT. Maybe it's not that Merlin just assumes that Morgana did it intentionally, but maybe he didn't CARE if it was intentional! Even if he suspected Morgana was a passive conduit instead of an active aggressor, he chose to kill her anyway! JUST IN CASE. D:

Nimueh did seem to be a bit of a lone wolf, all by herself on the Isle of the Blessed, setting up her own death traps. Wasn't Morgause supposed to have been brought up by a bunch of priestesses? I'm assuming some place like Avalon. And they all knew she was of noble birth and treated her as such, especially considering they went to so much trouble to smuggle her out of Camelot.

I don't know, I was just reminded of it, I never actually played in it. But It WASN'T ON THE MOON, I know that much. I don't think it had a UN, they just met at this weird bar that was like the Restaurant at the end of the Galaxy.

Can he have suspected that doing that would force Morgause to stop her attack? He doesn't know they're half sisters, he can't have realised they were in it together, unless he saw Morgause and went, Ah, she has an ally now, or something? I don't know, I don't want Merlin to be so heartless when he cares about Morgana ;_; I blame the dragon, putting ideas of her evil in his head. It's clear where Merlin's priorities lie anyway. ARTHUR ARTHUR ARTHUR. Oh Merlin, it's bad enough that everyone treats you badly, but then you go and do something this dickish. =(

AUGH I just rewatched Morgana's attempted assassination and IT KILLED ME ALL OVER AGAIN X_X I was so angry when Merlin tried to pull the dying Morgana into his arms! YOU DON'T GET TO DO THAT, MERLIN. YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO GIVE HER SOME SEMBLANCE OF COMFORT AFTER YOU POISONED HER. OMG HE IS SO SELFISH AND WRECKED AND GUTTED. "I just poisoned you, but on the upside, I will hold you close as you die, as if to ease your pain." NO JUST NO. YOU DON'T DESREVE THAT, MERLIN. D: Oh BBC writers, are you TRYING to make Merlin a tragic hero?!

IF IT ISN'T ON THE MOON THEN WHAT IS THE POINT XD XD XD. Yeah, that's from the Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide series, the name Milliways and the Restaurant. I love those books.

That's the thing, is that there is no way for Merlin to be sure whether Morgana is really in on it or is just a hapless pawn. But he has no qualms about killing hapless pawns, apparently.

I just rewatched 1x10 yesterday for the fun of it, and Will's death scene still kills me ;_; You know what I was expecting, when Merlin pretended to drink and was all, "You have the last of it," and Morgana smiled gratefully, I was expecting her to say, "You're such a good friend, Merlin," and then he'd snatch it back and it'd be TOO LATE, but that didn't happen! He just... it hurts me! Of course this was all a way to get Morgana trained up in her magic so she can come back and have an epic battle with Merlin in s3, but still, it's such a shitty way of doing it. I hated the look in Merlin's eyes when he's looking at her and calculating what to do, all cold and determined, especially when he was leaving Morgana to be killed by the knight. Arthur will be so pissed if he ever finds out the truth. Or... will he? Because if Morgana comes back all super!bitch, he might agree with Merlin's decision. He could probably be talked into grudgingly agreeing it's for the best.

Still, Morgana was acting weird and awkward the whole time with Arthur and Merlin. She must have realised she had a part in what was happening, because she's not stupid. D= Morgana!

Merlin slices up helpless pawns all the time. Just cos there's no blood in this show doesn't mean he's not drawn his share of it. But a killing in the heat of battle is far different to cold murder.

Duh, of course it was the same bar *facepalm* I knew that, it's just been ages since I thought about it. THERE IS NO POINT IF IT'S NOT ON THE MOON. In a treehouse under a bubble of atmosphere. Batman is there. He can breathe in space.

Wiiiiillll. I have so much love for him, seriously, and when fics write him as a malicious douchebag it makes me sad and ANGRY. He was there with Merlin IN THE BEGINNING and that is an important and valuable thing T_T. One of my WIPs is an AU where he lives and goes back to Camelot to live with everyone else.

:((( I don't want Arthur to grudgingly agree without at first being terribly terribly angry. THAT'S HIS SISTER or close to it :( and Merlin just offs her like he's god or something, Merlin is totally playing god. And that is the thing, I can understand Merlin's motivations, but I don't know if I necessarily want them justified :( Does that make sense?

lol there are so many sadfaces in this comment. Honestly, I love this powertripping god-playing Merlin better than the klutzy well-meaning protagonist we're supposed to believe he is. He may cause me a lot more distress, but he has become a much more interesting character.

When I was discussing with other Narnia fen how Camelot OT4 is very like the Pevensies, the only parallel that I think didn't fit was Merlin to Edmund. I think Edmund is very smart, and that is what makes him a good right-hand to Peter. I thought Merlin was dumb as bricks. But I think I see now that the reason that Merlin makes a good right-hand to Arthur is not because he's smart, but because he's efficient, and ruthlessly so.

OF COURSE BATMAN CAN BREATHE IN SPACE XD Probably there's some device on his utility belt for it.

Yes, I love Will too! I loved him in Skins too, and when he died in Merlin I was like UNFAIR!!! He dies in EVERYTHING!!! But Will and Merlin playing in the woods, and Will being all, "Bet you can't knock that tree over," and Merlin goes, "Bet I can!" and then nearly flattens that grumpy old man! ADORABLE.

Yes, Arthur should be angry, but he's done a lot in the name of his king and country that ordinary people wouldn't (tho he's still very noble about it) but then, he has never tried to murder anyone (tho he tried to kill that guy for making fun of him that time.) I don't think he could bring himself to do it, not least because poison just isn't his style. I love Arthur, he's such a dope but I love his nobility and compassion.

Hmmm. Yes. Merlin has to one day wield a great deal of power (magical and position) and he can't let people walk over him. He has to be willing to do what Arthur can't/won't, because that's what he's there for. I don't know if he's quite playing god, but he's taking these desperate measures on the word of a dragon he doesn't trust, and because of his developing mistrust for Morgana- he must suspect it was her who tipped off the druids when Arthur was coming for them. He is indeed a more interesting character for it. Plus, she has this thing with Mordred (who I am sure will turn out to be Morgause's son) and Mordred creeps Merlin out. He must hate that Mordred knows things about him that he doesn't know. I know it'd annoy me! But efficient, exactly, he has to be that. He has to do the dirty work. LOL at him being dumb as bricks tho. I never thought he was dumb, just inexperienced, but he's slowly getting to be the clever, powerful warlock in the legends. And sometimes people have to die for the greater good.

I am sad for how Morgause is going to talk to Morgana, and what she'll say about Merlin ;_; Nobody ever knows the know truth.

Right?! I can see him being excited at getting the part in 'Merlin' and then he reads the script and is all, "DAMN IT. I die AGAIN." And his friends tease him about it, probably. But then he gets to the set and has happyfuntimes with the cast (I am still waiting for this RPF fic to pop up somewhere).

I think the difference is that when Arthur kills people, he doesn't do it in a sneaky way. He's too valiant and noble for that. He likes the honesty of blood spilled where he can see. Merlin though, he's totally willing to get his hands dirty in all sorts of ways behind the scenes. He is not really an advisor, more like a bodyguard. But you're right, maybe he is just inexperienced.

Has someone yet written the episode tag where Morgause nurses Morgana back to health in her lair and there is deep sisterly bonding? Mannnnnn.

Just want to say LUV your icon.

I don't know. I wish I'd never watched Secrets and Magic, because then I wouldn't known writer's intent and I would think that they had done all of this on purpose and that Merlin was going to have actual regret regarding what he'd done, Arthur was going to be horrified, we'd see Gwen's reaction, and it'd be mentioned that, oh hey Morgana didn't actually do anything.

THE DRAGON CAN'T DIE. WHO IS GOING TO KILL HIM? ARTHUR? WITH THAT TINY BOW.

I have this theory that the Dragon has been setting things up, ALL OF IT, from the beginning, because he is the force that wants these things to happen so he could get free (and he likes messing with them). Like Morgause awakens these monsters with the swords Merlin can use to free him? OH COINCIDENCE, REALLY?

Dragon was like, HM, I should tell Merlin that CAMELOT is in danger and that Arthur is going to die, when Morgause only seemed to want to kill Uther.

IF THEY WERE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE AND IT WASN'T PLOT HOLE RELATED I WOULD BE THRILLED, I TELL YOU. THRILLED.

Either way I don't want the Dragon to die. I've been a fan of his character for ages, it's the CERTAIN WARLOCK who is a couple crayons short of a box that is giving me some issues. DIDN'T YOU LEARN LAST SEASON NOT TO TRUST THE DRAGON, MERLIN? GO BACK IN THE NAUGHTY CORNER.

I wanna see the futurefic in which Merlin is a well-intentioned ALBEIT TERRIFYING despot of unspeakable power. THE PLOT (and its moral gray areas) THICKENS.

I may possibly be already planning to write this. Because I'm sort of convinced at this point (and had been thinking this for a while) that Merlin's inability to think things through (Morgana's got that too, they would have been perfect for each other and had pretty magical babies with no common sense) and his all consuming blinders when it comes to protecting Arthur from whoever is going to lead to the downfall of Camelot and the tragedy of the legend as we know it.

Yeah, I don't keep up with the Secrets & Magic. I've only seen clips here and there.

How can the Dragon NOT die of narrative inevitability?! Especially given how shoddy the narrative in 'Merlin' is. How are they going to get over the Dragon? Is there going to be reconciliation somehow? YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE CRUEL AND AWESOMELY HORRIBLE is if they imprison him again. The way Merlin is developing, he would totally do that. Is there going to be a reconciliation in which someone convinces the Dragon to go away?! HOW ARE THEY GONNA DEAL WITH THIS DRAGON PROBLEM.

I AGREE WITH YOUR THEORY OF THE DRAGON VERY MUCH. And XD I love how we both love the characters of whom people say "they're jerks!" but that's why we <33 them! OH DRAGON. So manipulative and ruthless and not in any hurry to help people who imprison him. I would be lying if I didn't say I'm kind of looking forward to his roaring rampage of revenge.

All in all, I'm really digging this moral dissonance, whether or not the BBC wants me to or not.

Merlin's inability to think things through (Morgana's got that too, they would have been perfect for each other and had pretty magical babies with no common sense) and his all consuming blinders when it comes to protecting Arthur from whoever is going to lead to the downfall of Camelot and the tragedy of the legend as we know it.
hfkdshfjsd ZOMG YES. YES. ALL HUBRIS AND HOISTED BY HIS OWN PETARD *___*. I'm kind of sick seeing Merlin's actions having no consequences.

- "CHOSE NOT TO USE HER GIFT FOR GOOD" WTF GAIUS. SHE WASN'T ALLOWED TO USE HER GIFT FOR FUCKING ANYTHING. SHE DIDN'T USE HER GIFT AT ALL. OTHER PEOPLE DID. I can abide you being morally sketchy, Gaius, but not being dumb. Unless you knew what was up but was just lying to Merlin for what you thought was his own sake??

WORD.

And, yes! to the dark Merlin. I think he's just going to keep these secrets for as long as he can because that's what he's been taught to do. Don't confront anything, just finagle and move people around the board to get what you want. But it does mean that his soul is becoming perma-crushed.

This is my biggest problem with Arthurian stuff. It traumatizes me! It starts out kind of okay and you think, this could go well, but really it's all one long downward spiral into the horribleness of destiny and the burden of duty and the achievement of one's dreams at the cost of everything else you hold dear.

At least we have Morgause.

Yes! I used to make parallels between Arthur and Merlin, and Uther & Gaius, but then I stopped because Merlin and Gaius are so different. I couldn't see how Merlin could become Gaius. BUT NOW I DO.

I'm actually kind of digging the tragedy and betrayal stuff. Things are getting interesting! Schaudenfraude?!

"Excuse me while I clean out my ears with this overly large q-tip my first officer has so thoughtfully provided for me just now," James T. Kirk says calmly, "but I could have sworn you just told us to go through a wormhole. Not just any wormhole, but a specific wormhole, because we're going to the Terran moon, only not our Terran moon, a different Terran moon. For a...summit?" He's just beginning to calculate the exact degree Spock's eyebrow is going up currently while standing silently behind him, before he remembers to add belatedly, "Sir."

"Yes. A summit. Of multiverses. After Nero's...transgressions..." yeah, that's a great word for wiping out a whole fucking planet. Fucking diplomacese, "a summit was called at the highest echelons of command with the aim to negotiate and sign a peace treaty. Between multiverses." The Admiral in the viewscreen juuuuuust manages to restrain himself from pinching the bridge of his nose. Kirk, for once, can sympathize.

"Westley? Westley!" He came running up at Buttercup's cry, already drawing his sword because he hadn't heard that apprehensive, fearful note in his wife's voice since they escaped from Florin six years ago. At the crest of the hill on their island, there it was: a whole fleet of bristling ships, drawing into the island's natural harbor.

"Florin and Guilder," he quickly identified the fluttering banners. "Hellfire, I--"

"Look...Inigo?" Buttercup said, pointing, and indeed, there was the flag of the Dread Pirate Roberts drawing into the bay at the head of the fleet.

They shared a look, and then Westley kissed her gently. "You know what to do."

Buttercup nodded, turning to run towards their little house on the other side of the island. Westley started down the side of the hill with a grim set to his mouth, sword drawn, at least confident that when he confronted the intruders, Buttercup would be safe with their daughter Waverly in one of the cliff caves.

++

That night, Westley and Inigo stood on the same hill, watching soldiers and sailors tend to small fires on the ships and going about the business of nightwatches. Westley had categorically refused to host either delegation from Florin or Guilder on the island, and uncharacteristically they had acceded and retreated back to their ships for the night.

"Universes beyond our own," Westley said, lifting his face to the luminous moon rising over the horizon.

"Indeed," Inigo said in roughly the same tone. Both men stood in relaxed stances, no longer as suspicious as they had been during the tense negotiations with Florin and Guilder, white flags notwithstanding. At least Humperdinck had been deposed at some pont and the current ruler was a much more decent sort - but outstanding warrants on one's head tended to make one wary no matter who sat on what throne.

Westley shook his head. "And they chose a pirate and a fugitive as our universe's representatives because...?"

"They did not want to risk any of their own," Inigo said, their mutual contempt for politicians coming through in his voice. He shrugged. "They are all cowards, and cowards naturally turn to those who are not cowards to do the dirty work for them."

Westley licked his lips. While he wasn't all that bothered by his fugitive status - as befitted one of the former Dread Pirate Robertses - an unconditional pardon and automatic citizenship in both Florin and Guilder would make things much easier for Buttercup and Waverly. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning. Miracle Max is already preparing his 'space-ship' potion on board the Revenge," Inigo replied.

"I should help Buttercup finish packing," Westley finally said, unfolding his arms. Inigo inclined his head gravely, and then they shared a look and a growing smile between them. The prospect of sailing off the charts of all known space and time would of course appeal to men of an adventurous bent, and maybe they were playing exactly into Florin and Guilder's hands, but there it was.

Sorry, got carried away. That was fun!

Never apologize for getting carried away with commentfic, not in these parts! For the record, I love all of this. *_* omg The degree of Spock's eyebrow and diplomacese!

"They are all cowards, and cowards naturally turn to those who are not cowards to do the dirty work for them."
How very Inigo.

<33!

I want Spock and Merlin to meet and have discussions about magic and science. Then the benders can get involved and complicate things (they think it is neither magic nor science), and then Gaius comes shuffling back from the buffet table where they have free coffee and donuts and HE gets involved and Spock gets a headache.

Nyota meets the Queen Susan when they are both early for the conflict resolution working group, and they take to each other right away.

The conference room was completely empty except for one occupant - and there weren't even any donuts or whatever counted as breakfast in whichever universe was arranging the incidental food for that day. Nyota frowned and checked the schedule on her PADD for the umpteenth time.

"Session 5, 0800 hours, right?"

"Indeed," the elegant-looking woman seated at the table said, also checking the bound parchment notebook in front of her. They shared a look of rueful smiles, a quick, silent give-take of mutual opinion on the distressing societal tendency to be tardy that apparently stretched across multiverses. Nyota liked her already.

++

"Oh god, and don't get me started on the miniskirt problem," Nyota was saying twenty minutes later, exasperatedly gesturing. "It's the freaking 2250s. I've brought it up, participated in mass petitions - and you know, the biggest surprise is Kirk of all people came out in support--" Susan raised an eyebrow at that, "--yes, exactly, that was pretty unexpected, but still."

"There's something about a woman in pants that frightens people," Susan observed while Nyota nodded vigorously. "My sister and I do what we please, but - especially at diplomatic functions - sometimes it is a priority not to frighten the visiting, tradition-bound kings."

"Or admirals," Nyota said, and they shared another rueful look.

"Not to mention it's a pain in the ass to ride a horse in a skirt," Susan added, surprising Nyota into laughter that got interrupted as a harried-looking diplomatic aide came into view through the glass walls of the conference room. His expression turned just shy of terrified when he spotted the two of them.

"Your Majesty, Lieutenant," he began, bobbing his head jerkily when he opened the door. "My apologies, but this session has been rescheduled for the afternoon, but somehow the change wasn't conveyed to everybody in time. Um...yeah," he trailed off nervously under the combined gazes of Susan Pevensie and Nyota Uhura.

"What is the new time?" Susan had produced an elegant-looking fountain pen from somewhere.

"1400 hours, or 2 o' clock."

"Thanks," Nyota said, entering the new time into her PADD. "Anything else we should know?"

"No, I don't think so," the aide said. "Sorry to run, but I have...?" he gestured vaguely, apparently frozen in the doorway unti Susan's gracious "Thank you" released him and he pivoted and vanished with mildly astonishing speed.

Nyota exhaled. "Well, I don't have anything else this morning."

Susan finished writing in her notebook and blew gently on the pages. "Neither do I." She looked up at Nyota, a smile playing around the edges of her mouth. "There's an open bar down in the eating area, I'm sure you noticed. I'm curious, what kinds of alcohol do they serve in your universe?"

And you know, Nyota was starting to see where the whole reputation for having princes throw themselves at Susan's feet came from. She smiled back. "Depends on who's bartending today. Come on, I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

*loves*

fhdlksjfd

Edmund isn't due for anything until after lunch, and he has his whole morning free. So does Peter, but Peter's modus operandi is to overwork himself, and the High King of Narnia is at this moment sequestered in his suite with a host of advisors, poring over interdimensional policies and being briefed on the homeworlds of the other delegations.

Peter can work that angle if he wants to. Peter is great at working the official angle. Edmund, on the other hand, knows that alliances equally fruitful can be forged off-court, during the receptions and the meals and the idle chatter that flies around between the passing of one resolution and the next. That is his angle.

"You're just looking for an excuse to drink before lunch," Lucy says accusingly and, well, that is Lucy's angle, is calling everyone out on their bullshit.

"It's part of my duty," Edmund insists.

Lucy sighs. "Look, we have to help the Fire Nation's amendment on allowable flammable items this afternoon, so don't get too sloshed."

"Me? Sloshed?"

"You," Lucy confirms as she turns to leave. "Sloshed."

+

There is something wonderfully decadent in drinking alcohol in the morning. It's something about the quality of light, something youthful in the way it plays merrily along the surface of the moon. Edmund sits at a table by the window, where he has a view of the lunar desert stretching into the distance, marred only here and there by the strangest-looking ships.

His breakfast companion is talking about ships.

"--and then it blew up!" says Jim, cheeks pink from drink. "And we won."

"Congratulations," says Edmund, and raises his glass to him.

"We couldn't have done it without -- well hey, speak of the devil! Look over at the corner table, Ed. We couldn't have done it without her!"

"Who?"

"Nyota Uhura, in the purple, with the ponytail," says Jim, pointing at her in a less-than-subtle manner. He grins and says, "She is my cunning linguist."

Edmund resists rolling his eyes. "Oh?"

"I once (well, maybe more than once) offered her the pleasure of my company, but, you know. She wasn't having any of it."

"I can't imagine why."

"She is dating my Vulcan," Jim says wistfully.

"Your Vulcan?" Edmund echoes warily.

"We should go over and say hi. Maybe she'll introduce us to her friend, huh? I love these summits, you get to meet all sorts of interesting people from everywhere. She's cute, huh?"

And only then does Edmund look over. Then he frowns, and says, in a suspiciously casual tone, "Jim, I can introduce you from here."

"Huh?"

Edmund smiles the smile he likes to use on particularly wily Calormene ambassadors, and says, "That is my sister."

"...Oh." Jim frowns contemplatively, looking for all the world like someone who is trying to figure out whether they are being reprimanded, and if so, for what. Edmund wonders what is going on in that head of his, and after a few seconds, Jim opens his mouth and reveals his innermost thoughts: "Is she single?"

When you're asked a question like that, and you're in a position similar to Edmund's, two balancing factors come overwhelmingly into play as you weigh your possible responses:

1) will it cause an international - or interdimensional - incident, and

2) will it be funny.

(If Edmund asked Nyota, she would have elaborated for him a few choice anecdotes about dear Captain Jim's previous "diplomatic" adventures across the stars, from which Edmund would have inferred two things: 1) Jim T. Kirk has stupid amounts of luck, and an extraordinary crew, watching his back, and 2) Kirk has long practice cultivating underestimation-making reputations.

But he didn't, and she hadn't.)

++

"When you turn around," Nyota suddenly said, "I just want to let you know right now - it's not personal."

Susan blinked at the abrupt remark, unrelated to their previous conversation, and noted the direction of Nyota's gaze just over Susan's right shoulder. The slight eye-roll was not lost on her either. She accordingly turned around to see the most amiable, friendliest-looking leer she'd ever experienced, and--oh. Edmund too.

James Kirk had been proper enough during the opening reception last night, but apparently formal protocol counted for nothing during mid-morning drinking sessions, as he proceeded to wave very cheerfully at her. Edmund predictably wore one of his enigmatic expressions.

"He's like that with everyone," Nyota said behind her, equal parts exasperated and affectionate. "Like I said, nothing personal. I think."

lol I 'm still loving this. Cycling the multiverse through the AUs! I wonder who Jim goes after next after Susan rejects him, or if he decides it's work work time for real. In related matters, Spock/Uhura/Susan y/y?

Spock/Uhura/Susan

Yes, but definitely in the context of a minor-to-middling disaster that disrupts the summit at some point. Some multiverse villain(s) crash the moon party, because what better time than when the forces of Good(ish) are all conveniently assembled in one place? Can't kill off any characters because that would disrupt the fabric of ~~space-time~~ canon, but it would be a prime opportunity to write Uhura and Susan fighting 15th century ninjas back to back, for example.

Also:

"Why is he even here?" The whining tone is somewhat uncharacteristic of Norrington, so Elizabeth replies patiently,

"He's here because Jack Sparrow is always here. He's woven in the fabric of all major events in our universe, remember? Also, Calypso thought it would be funny."

The aforementioned Sparrow beams with glee at the unexpected praise from the goddess of the sea, but it fades into a frown as he points at the glowering Norrington. "Then why the bloody hell is he here, too?"

Will says calmly, "Because he's the only one who wouldn't hesitate to kill you. Have to keep you in line somehow."

The Pirate King and the captain of the Flying Dutchman then proceed to link arms and stroll off casually to the next conference session, leaving the gaping duo behind.

Jim is about to knock on Spock's door when it opens and reveals:

"Yes, likewise!" Susan laughs. "We'll have to--er. Hello."

"Hello," Jim says suspiciously. He peers into the room and sees Spock straightening his shirt and Uhura putting on her earrings. He narrows his eyes. "Hello."

Everyone's grins suddenly become pastede on yey.

"Is there a problem, Captain?" Spock says.

Jim looks like he's torn between being pissed off and busy imagining what the threesome must've been like. "We're here to work, Commander!"

"We are at present off-duty," comes the calm reply. Spock pauses. "I believe this sensation I am experiencing is known as 'deja vu,' since I distinctly recall having the same conversation with you last night, but with the positions reversed. What was her name? If you are capable of recalling it, of course."

Jim splutters. Susan says delicately, "I see you're well acquainted with the troubles of having a crew that knows you too well, Captain."

At this moment, alarms go off everywhere, the lights in the hall go down and large yellow arrows start flashing in the walls. A large group of...something...roars past, brandishing sharp pointy things, followed by a column of heavily armed security guards.

"Was that...pirates?" Uhura asks in their wake.

"Zombie pirates," Jim says grimly, phaser already out. He narrows his eyes. "Dammit. I knew this day would come."

HAHAHA I ALSO LOVE THIS 'VERSE A WHOLE LOT \o/ ZOMBIE PIRATES VS. SPOCK/UHURA/SUSAN PEVENSIE FOR THE GODDAMN WIN

I....I do not even know what to say about the Merlin episode. Except presently Merlin would still make a very bad dark!person, because he still sniggers at Uther snoring and wants to dress him up like a woman.

I think that's what makes him so compelling, in that he is kind of an idiot savant, evil-wise. Just because he is a klutz and charming and boyish and loyal, it doesn't mean he won't DESTROY WORLDS. He can kill a bunch of people and still come home to stupid jokes with Arthur because he believes he did the right thing. No villain ever thinks he's the villain!

Hahahaha, so very, very true. He's got all this power and control over life and death and then he goes back to Camelot, makes a crap job of cleaning Arthur's bedroom, and calls him a prat. Oh Merlin. <33333

Seriously why is Morgana not allowed to, like, make decisions and follow through on them? MERLIN YOU COULD HAVE ASKED HER OR SOMETHING, SHE WASN'T GOING TO LET ALL OF CAMELOT DIE. Also, wtf, the Dragon can't die next episode??? Also if his goal in life is for the destiny of Arthur's reign, how does burning Camelot down help with that?

This episode was wicked entertaining and interesting in a lot of ways but AGH SO FRUSTRATING, I wish we'd seen more of Gwen (!) and Morgana had...I dunno, been more useful.

Maybe a new Camelot can arise from the ashes, idk. I don't want him to die, but the show has such a bad track record for keeping interesting characters alive. I wonder what this dragonlord is gonna do about it D:

Next episode I want to see a moment of Gwen missing Morgana. IT HAS TO BE THERE.

But if they kill the Dragon how will Merlin learn to save the world? D: D: D:

YES PLEASE

Also I am with you on Merlin turning evil. Stop it, Merlin! Someone other than Gwen needs to have morals on this show!

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