What is the true measure of man, whether prince or pauper? Is it honor, honesty, or how he treats others?
After realizing he was receiving special treatment because of his title, Arthur raged in frustration, “How am I supposed to prove myself if my opponents are not trying their hardest? . . . All of my life I have been treated like I’m special. I just want to be treated like everyone else! . . . It seems that pretending to be somebody else is the only way to get people to be honest with me.” This prompted Arthur to concoct a scheme to fool everyone so he could compete in the jousting tournament. Even when Gwen tried to dissuade him from competing by saying, “You would risk your life to protect your pride? You have nothing to prove — least of all to me,” Arthur stubbornly responded, “I have everything to prove — to myself.”
But is perpetuating a fraud really the way to assess one’s own character and value? For even while allowing another man to pose as the jousting champion, Arthur was still demanding others to treat him by his title. He still made assumptions that he as the Prince was entitled to better treatment. So while Arthur condoned to be treated as a mere equal on the jousting field, he still expected privileged treatment everywhere else. He expected his meals prepared, a bed to be made available, for his clothes to be fetched and cleaned, his bag to be carried and for his armor to be polished. If he were truly trying to assess his own character, he would not have asked for this special treatment while posing as a mere commoner.
And can he really know if Gwen loves him for the man that his is or the crown that he will one day wear? To truly know what other people thought of him and to be treated like an equal amongst them, he would have to actually allow them to treat him as one of their own.
Instead, Arthur only wished to be treated as an equal in one area — the jousting field. To him that is the only place where he can assess his measure of a man. But to the rest of the world, jousting is merely a foolish rich man’s game of false pride and reckless courage. The true measure of a man is in how he treats others and asks to be treated in return — and Arthur still has much to learn in how he treats others. He needs to understand that it is better to have others freely give, than to demand it or expect it simply because of his title.
In the end Arthur may have learned that he is competent on the jousting field and he knows that Gwen thought him rude and arrogant, but does he really know his own worth yet? As he himself admitted, he has much to learn.
What Worked
Gwen and Merlin were exceptional as the loyal servants willing to do anything their Prince asked. Gwen opened up her home, gave up her bed, prepared meals and only spoke her mind when permitted. But her silent outrage and indignation was glorious to behold. She is a strong, determined and generous woman who does not resent her position in life and is happy to live amongst the people. She is content. Yet for one brief moment she had a glimpse of true happiness. She may hope for a brighter future, but is wise enough to know that dreaming of one is foolish. Yet her wistful statement to Arthur, “perhaps when you are king things will be different,” belied her hopeful dreams.
Merlin on the other hand is frustrated to no end. He is not content to be a mere servant and resents being treated like one. He knows his value and wants to be appreciated for it. He also chaffs being asked to do more than he can possibly do. So watching him finally blow up at Gaius was also glorious to behold. It is not that Merlin wants everything to stop, he just wants someone to appreciate what he is going through – what he has given up and sacrificed in order to serve and protect Arthur. Thus, it was good to see Gaius finally acknowledge, “I have failed to appreciate how heavy your burden must be.” Merlin just needs to know that his sacrifices and efforts do not go unappreciated.
In a world where their entire lives are based on lies, it was interesting to see the burden of those lies weighed upon each of them. Arthur still wanted the credit and glory from winning the jousting tournament; Merlin wanted the credit of saving Arthur more times than he could count; Gwen wanted to be able to express herself and her feelings freely; Merlin and Morgana both wish to live in a world where they do not have to hide their magical abilities and fear for their lives because of it; and Gaius would like to live in safer world for all of them. But that time has not yet come and they resign themselves to the reality that they live in — all the while wishing for a better one.
The discovery of their feelings for each other was fun to watch as Gwen and Arthur both looked startled and unsure what to do once he kissed her. The heart wants what the heart wants, but they are cognizant of the fact that their stations have placed them in a very awkward, if not impossible, position as their love would be frowned upon and discouraged by King Uther. So it was with sadness and regret that Arthur said, “I must go” after he kissed her and later made excuses that his father would not understand if they were to pursue a relationship. But the confusion over what they feel and how to deal with it is charming and it will be fun to see how their love story unfolds.
What Didn’t Work
During the jousting championships last season, Morgana was a much more prominently featured character and her absence in this episode was keenly felt. Surely she would have wanted to meet the new reigning champion of the jousting tournament. So to not have incorporated her more into the storyline seemed like a missed opportunity.
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
‘The Once and Future Queen’ was written by Howard Overman and directed by Jeremy Webb. “Merlin” stars Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Katie McGrath, Angel Coulby, Richard Wilson and Anthony Head. “Merlin” airs Fridays at 10 pm on Syfy.
