A life of fear and loneliness will make one the perfect pawn for seduction and manipulation
There was once a lonely little princess who thought nobody loved her. So she rescued an orphan boy and promised to look out for him no matter what he may ask. Then one day he returned and he brought a friend, and they persuaded the lonely princess to steal a magical crystal. It sounded innocent enough, but that was the beginning of the end for the Lady Morgana (Katie McGrath).
Morgana may not have been a true princess, but as King Uther’s (Anthony Head) ward, she was treated as one. The entire kingdom of Camelot revered her and the king treated her as if she were his own daughter. But upon discovering her magical abilities, Morgana withdrew and isolated herself from those around her — not allowing herself to truly love and trust those who cared for her. Indoctrinated from birth by Uther that magic was bad and that those who had it were to be hunted down and destroyed, Morgana’s fear cocooned her from everyone she knew. It is thus a small wonder that when Mordred (Asa Butterfield) returned bringing with him the sorcerer Alvarr (Joseph Mawle) that Morgana would be drawn to them. Welcomed by them as one of their own and sharing in her darkest secret, Morgana was willing to do anything for them. Such a naive, young heart seduced and manipulated by loneliness.
If only Merlin (Colin Morgan) had been able to share that he too had magical abilities, Morgana may not have felt so alone and vulnerable to the evil mechanisms of Alvarr and Mordred.
What Worked
This was a wonderful showcase episode for Katie McGrath as Lady Morgana. She simultaneously dazzled and distracted everyone from really noticing the pain, hatred and fear Morgana carried within in, which gave her the perfect cover to aid the enemy poised to strike at the heart of Camelot.
When looking back at the beginnings of any great tale, one wonders how villains were created. Were they born that way, or did something happen along the way that pushed them down a darker path? In Morgana’s case, she was not born evil, but her innate nature was to cling to those she thought were like her. She allowed her fear to dictate her choices and she chose to turn away from those who she loved out of fear that they would reject her. She never gave them the chance to accept her for who she was, she just assumed the worst. So when Alvarr described the persecution he had suffered under Uther’s reign, Morgana whispered, “I too have known Uther’s cruelty.” Smiling with reassurance and acceptance, Alvarr said, “Magic is not a crime — it is a gift.” He then told her the very thing that Morgana wanted, “I wish to walk free and without fear.” Morgana was torn by her loyalty to Uther, but thinking that Uther would have her killed if he knew who she truly was, she hardened her heart and allowed herself to be persuaded.
But she was unaware of Alvarr and Mordred’s evil intentions and their plans to use her for their own purposes. For Morgana to have so easily agreed to steal the Crystal of Neahtid without thought of the consequences of arming an already powerful sorcerer was foolish. Surely she knew it would spark a war that would result in bloodshed of some of her nearest and dearest, Uther and Arthur (Bradley James), with perhaps Gwen (Angel Coulby) and Merlin caught in the crossfire. To not see beyond her own loneliness and fear has done the one thing Morgana never truly wanted: made her alone.
Interestingly enough, besides highlighting the frailties of human beings who feel unloved and unwanted, this episode also showed to what extent each of them would go to protect one another. Morgana was willing to betray her king and kingdom to protect Mordred and Alvarr. Merlin tried to protect Morgana by not admitting he saw her take the keys from Arthur’s room and revealing that she was the one who tipped Alvarr off about Arthur’s men coming to reclaim the crystal. And Gaius (Richard Wilson) and Arthur both tried to protect Merlin when Uther inquired about who was responsible for guarding the keys and who found the renegade’s camp. Gwen may not have yet had a larger part to play, but in time, she too will surely step up to protect those she loves as well.
But with our heroes all trying to be noble and aid one another, not so much can be said of the villains. Mordred, Alvarr and the Dragon (John Hurt) all had their own agendas which they wished to satisfy without regard for anyone else. For when Alvarr was captured, did Mordred return to save him? No, it was every sorcerer for their self. And we still do not know what the Dragon ultimately wants other than to be free. But from the vision that Merlin saw in the crystal, the Dragon will have a hand to play in the downfall of Camelot if given the chance. When Merlin asked about the crystal, wondering if it was some kind of weapon, Gaius could only tell him that “sorcerers of the past believed it held the secret of time itself.” That the crystal held knowledge of what is, what has been, and what is yet to come. When Merlin sought the Dragon’s aid, he merely laughed and said, “Once before I warned you about the Druid boy. It is his destiny to bring about Arthur’s doom. It may be that time is upon you. . . the ancient prophesies speak of an alliance of Mordred and Morgana united in evil. But this union must be stopped — whatever the cost.” With those words of prophecy ringing in his ears, the time has come for Merlin to make hard decisions. He must betray someone he cares for.
Morgana has already made her decision. She stole the crystal, she warned Alvarr and Mordred, she confronted Uther and condemned him to hell, and she provided the means for Alvarr to escape and bring death and destruction to Camelot. Despite watching her repeatedly make all the wrong choices, Merlin wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. He still cared for the girl who he knew, not realizing that she is no longer that cowering girl. Morgana is a woman who has chosen her path and who will stand by it. Merlin must now embrace his destiny and stand against her.
So as we watch Morgana rise up, we shall also see Merlin rise to stop her. He may not want to, but he must. It is as the Dragon foretold. The prophecies have already decreed that Mordred and Morgana will be his enemy, and now Merlin must arm himself accordingly. Yet paralyzed by the vision of the future he beheld in the crystal, Merlin continues to hesitate not knowing which decision will lead to that terrifying vision. As he confessed to Gaius, “what I saw has not yet come to pass . . . I am scared what the future may hold.” Gaius tried to assuage his fear by telling him the future was unshaped and they are the ones who have yet to shape it. “It is you, Merlin. The decisions you make, the actions you take — remember that.”
It is hard to allow one to succumb to fate or prophecy, yet in this particular tale, there is no avoiding the outcome foretold for centuries. An epic battle looms and Merlin can no longer pretend he is but a servant to Camelot’s future king. Merlin will rise to be the greatest sorcerer of all time. But in return, a price will be paid. Innocence will be lost, friends will turn foe, and hearts will be tested –and it will be glorious to behold.
What Didn’t Work
When Morgana rushed after Arthur to dissuade him from attacking the Druid camp, Arthur playfully misinterpreted her concern and said, “Morgana, I never knew you cared . . . I can look after myself.” While a fun bit of levity, given the platonic relationship between Arthur and Morgana, it is hard to believe that he would have suddenly leapt to the conclusion that she was suddenly now romantically interested in him. Arthur would have surely seen through such artifice and wondered about it.<
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
‘The Witch’s Quickening’ was written by Jake Michie and directed by Alice Troughton. “Merlin” stars Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Katie McGrath, Angel Coulby, Richard Wilson and Anthony Head. “Merlin” airs Fridays at 10 pm on Syfy.
