Our darkest secrets always come back to haunt us and threaten all that we know and love
The sorceress Morgause (Emilia Fox) arrived to test Arthur’s (Bradley James) pride, loyalty and honor. She laid traps couched in challenges and conjured illusions to sway the young prince to do her bidding — and nearly succeeded in her diabolical plan to get Arthur to kill his own father and topple the kingdom. Yet Morgause miscalculated believing she was the only one with a hidden agenda. Perhaps Arthur is more blessed than he knows as the fate of his soul is being so carefully guarded by Merlin (Colin Morgan). For in the end, it was Merlin who saved his soul. Time and time again, Merlin has saved Arthur’s life, but this time Merlin had to ensure that Arthur kept his unblemished good soul so that he would become the ruler that the prophecies foretold. As even Morgause herself said, “Arthur Pendragon, a great destiny awaits you. The battle for your soul is about to begin.” It was just fortunate that Merlin was there to ensure that Arthur stayed on the right path and did not shed his father’s blood. It was a role that Merlin never envisioned taking, but he learned the importance of not only keeping Arthur safe from physical attacks, but from emotional manipulation as well. Merlin is now the protector of Prince Arthur Pendragon — heart, mind, body and soul. It is a weighty and difficult task, but necessary all the same if Merlin and Arthur are to achieve their prophesied destinies.
What Worked
Pride and honor were but a few of the qualities challenged in the sword fight between Morgause and Arthur. As Uther (Anthony Head) wisely advised Arthur, “She killed five guards. You should not underestimate her.” But, unwilling to look like a coward, Arthur simply replied, “I cannot demand that my knights uphold the code and then be seen to break it myself.” While Arthur is correct that he should not be allowed to ignore the law that he and his father have asked others to uphold, they should always allow for the exception — and deceit as to the challenger’s identity should be grounds for revocation. For, ultimately, it was not Morgause’s sword fighting prowess that they had to fear. It was the knowledge that she possessed that made her more dangerous than any other previous challenger. She not only wanted to force Arthur to be tested on her playing field and under her terms, she also wanted to manipulate him by sharing the circumstances of his birth.
After Gaius (Richard Wilson) and Uther realized that Morgause knew how Arthur’s mother died, they agonized that she was going to use that knowledge to twist Arthur to doing her bidding. As Gaius told Uther, “You fear Morgause knows the true circumstances of Arthur’s birth,” and with a haunted look Uther replied, “I fear that more than anything.” For even Uther knows that a kingdom’s most prized possession is an heir to the throne as without a successor waiting to take over the moment the king dies, a kingdom will fall.
So, as Uther and Gaius worried about Arthur’s frame of mind, Merlin too worried how Arthur’s emotions were being played against him. Because Merlin too had lost a parent, he knew the powerful lure that Morgause offered. As touching as it was to watch Arthur and Merlin bond over their common handicap, it was nice to see that Merlin never lost sight of what really mattered: the battle for Arthur’s soul. When Arthur pleaded, “If you were granted the same opportunity, would you not want to meet your father?” Merlin warily replied, “Uther will never forgive you if he finds out you collaborated with a sorcerer.” Arthur then speculated, “What if my father’s attitude towards magic is wrong? . . . Perhaps it’s not as simple as he’d have us believe . . . surely not everyone who practices magic can be evil.” As much as these were the exact words that Merlin had longed to hear, he knew that Arthur was being used for some evil purpose. It was nearly a role reversal with Arthur wanting to believe magic could be used for good and Merlin being the skeptic and worried that magic was going to cause them more harm than good.
Morgause sprung her trap as she whispered to Arthur, “I can only imagine how it must feel to discover your father is responsible for your mother’s death. It is an unforgivable betrayal.” With those words ringing in his ears, Arthur set out to kill his father for being a hypocrite who sacrificed his wife’s life in order to have an heir. Yet knowing that Arthur would never be the same if he did, Merlin sought to intervene and pleaded with Arthur, “Killing your father won’t bring her back. You’ve lost one parent. Do you really want to lose another? . . . Morgause is lying. She is an enchantress. She tricked you. That was not your mother you saw. That was an illusion. . . That was her plan all along: to turn you against your father — and if you kill him, the kingdom will be destroyed. This is what she wants!” Listening for perhaps the first time ever to what Merlin had to say, Arthur stopped his attack on Uther. It was not that truth that stopped Arthur, but Arthur’s belief in Merlin. He believed in Merlin so much, he trusted his word implicitly. It showed the depth of their relationship that Arthur now actually listens to Merlin and does not discount everything he says as mindless gibberish.
Thus, it was all the more heart-breaking when Arthur apologized to Merlin and said, “I am indebted to you, Merlin. I had become confused. It has become clear to me once again that those that practice magic are evil and dangerous — and that is thanks to you.” With a forced smile and glint of tears, Merlin simply replied, “Glad I could help.” And so Merlin and Arthur’s friendship and reliance grows. That trust and friendship will be the foundation that makes Camelot a great kingdom one day.
Later when Gaius saw Uther leaving their chambers and asked, “Was that Uther? What did he want?” Merlin sadly admitted, “He wanted to thank me for being a trusted ally in the war against magic.” Gaius was nearly speechless and responded. “Uther should be grateful. Your life would be easier and safer it you’d let him die. You must have been tempted.” But Merlin thoughtfully replied, “Maybe for a moment — but Arthur would never have been able to forgive himself if he’d gone through with it. It would have destroyed him.” Such wisdom beyond his years. Merlin is indeed going to make a fine counselor to Arthur — when Arthur chooses to listen.
The growth demonstrated by both Arthur and Merlin in the space of one episode was nice to behold. They may want to be carefree young men without the weight of world on their shoulders, but when the time came for them to make difficult adult decisions, they stepped into those roles gracefully. It is fascinating to watch as they continue on their journey to becoming the Arthur and Merlin of classic lore.
What Didn’t Work
While initially funny that Merlin was forced to smuggle the rope around his waist in order to help Arthur escape from the castle, it was unnecessary to drag out the scene by having the rope end up being too short and Arthur falling in the mud. For the audience knows that Merlin could have easily used his magic to either lengthen the rope or leverage it to hold Arthur’s weight without dropping him. Humor should be used sparingly for better emphasis during dramatic episodes.
The same principle applies to the scenes where Arthur and Merlin were literally led around by a horse’s nose. It was funny when Arthur said, “Morgause told me that when the time comes, you’ll find your way” and Merlin exasperatedly replied, “So the horse knows where we’re going. Great.” But again precious story-telling time is eaten up by dragging the joke out. Make the joke and move on.
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
‘The Sins of the Father’ was written by Howard Overman and directed by Metin Huseyin. “Merlin” stars Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Katie McGrath, Angel Coulby, Richard Wilson and Anthony Head. “Merlin” airs Fridays at 10 pm on Syfy.
