A true test of character comes not in testing oneself, but in trusting others
As decreed by King Uther Pendragon (Anthony Head), the time had come for Arthur (Bradley James) to be tested to determine if he was fit to be the future king of Camelot. But the test had to be one sent to Arthur in a vision and one that he must complete alone. Yet as any good king should surely know, his kingdom rests not solely on his ability to withstand a challenge, but upon the shoulders of every person willing to stand behind him and give his kingdom credence. After all, what would Uther be without his trusty physician and life-long friend Gaius (Richard Wilson), or Arthur without Merlin (Colin Morgan) watching his back, keeping him and the entire kingdom of Camelot safe from usurpers and villains alike? But willfully ignorant of the aid they receive, Uther and Arthur are determined to believe that the fate of an entire kingdom rests solely in their hands.
Self-deceived and woefully unprepared, Arthur chose to enter the realm of the Fisher King (Donald Sumpter) to find the lost Golden Trident. Following tradition to embark on this task alone and unaided, Arthur went in search of the lost world of the Fisher King. Even with the warning of the bridge-keeper Grettir (Warwick Davis) ringing in his ears that he could not accomplish the quest alone, Arthur stubbornly persisted.
However, Merlin felt duty-bound by destiny and would not dare let Arthur travel into the Perilous Lands to find the Dark Tower alone – especially after seeing that Arthur is wearing a new bracelet given to him from Morgana (Katie McGrath). For any gift from Morgana is not out of love and affection, but also more likely as a weapon to ensure Arthur failed. In fact, it was the Eye of the Phoenix, a stone that consumes the life-force out of the wearer; Morgana had intended to kill Arthur and take his place as the next rightful heir of Camelot.
Fortunately for Arthur and Camelot, Merlin’s insistence in protecting Arthur no matter where he journeyed compelled him to seek the aid of Gwaine (Eoin Macken) and they rushed to Arthur’s aid. As Grettir had forewarned, it would take the combined efforts of courage (Arthur), strength (Gwaine) and magic (Merlin) to defeat the lurking wyverns and retrieve the Golden Trident.
As was revealed, Arthur’s quest was merely illusory. The true quest was so that Merlin could retrieve the Fisher King’s true bequest. As the Fisher King explained, “This is why you were brought here. This is not Arthur’s quest, it is yours. Arthur thinks the prize is the trident, but the real prize is something far greater — water from the Lake of Avalon.” As the Fisher King gravely forewarned, “When all seems lost, this will show you the way.” However, in return for his gift, the Fisher King requested that Merlin give him the bracelet containing the Eye of the Phoenix so that he could finally be at rest; and with deference and sadness, Merlin granted his wish. For any true quest does not reward one with riches and rewards, but it tests one’s soul. Merlin had to learn that death can be a gift to those that seek it – and that perhaps water may be worth more than the price of gold.
In a world of magic, nothing is ever what it seems and even a future king’s quest is never just that either. Ultimately the test was not of Arthur’s strength and courage as a king, but in Arthur’s willingness to accept aid to accomplish his quest – a quest used to conceal Merlin’s own quest, which will one day be the salvation of Camelot.
What Worked
While Arthur and Merlin both had quests to complete, Gwen (Angel Coulby) had a journey of her own to fulfill – she finally learned the truth about Morgana. While Morgause’s (Emilia Fox) illusion worked to hide her true identity from inquiring eyes, it did nothing to conceal her true reflection in a mirror. Thus, startled to see Morgana conversing with Morgause, Gwen investigated and witnessed Morgana’s use of the dark arts. Horrified and frightened, Gwen turned to Gaius, telling him, “[Morgana] isn’t the person I knew. She’s changed, Gaius. I don’t think she means well to any of us anymore,” and Gaius regretfully confirmed, “I wish I could say otherwise, but I fear you’re right.” As if seeing Morgana consort with the enemy and practicing magic were not enough, Gwen later watched with horror at Morgana’s anger when Arthur returned safely from the Perilous Lands. Gwen could finally see the depth of Morgana’s evilness – Morgana not only had a black heart, but it had corrupted her very soul. With Gwen finally discovering Morgana’s treachery, perhaps now Arthur will listen to someone about who his dear cousin has become and the threat she poses to them all.
Seeing Gwen’s disillusionment and ultimate rage over Morgana’s deception was fantastic to behold. She had been noticing inconsistencies in Morgana’s demeanor and behavior for quite some time and to see her suspicions confirmed, she did not quiver in fear – but out of anger. How dare Morgana, who she had trusted and loved, inflict such pain and harm on them all? Watching Gwen’s rage begin to boil makes me wonder how dangerous she will ultimately be once she comes into power of her own –and as we have already seen, Gwen is not entirely powerless in her current position. Gwen is a fighter and she will not only fight for those she loves – she will fight for the man she loves. Morgana had better watch her back!
Also demonstrating a surprising depth of affection was Gwaine’s willingness to assist Merlin on a moment’s notice and risk life-and-limb to aid him in protecting Arthur. Merlin had mistakenly assumed that Gwaine was only acting to keep Arthur safe, yet was startled to learn that Gwaine had come to protect him. When Merlin asked Gwaine, “Why do you do this?” Gwaine had responded, “The same reason as you: to help a friend”; and Merlin quipped, “Arthur is lucky to have us!” Yet Gwaine then explained, “Not Arthur.” Gwaine had come to protect his friend and once Merlin realized what he meant, Merlin assured him, “I’d do the same for you.” To which Gwaine laughingly replied, “I hope so, you’re the only friend I’ve got!” It is of interest that Gwaine considers Merlin his friend and is more willing to die for him than for Arthur. It was also unexpected when, seeing Merlin’s distress over the Fisher King’s death, Gwaine immediately gave Merlin a hug. He not only saw that Merlin needed one and did not know or ask why, but he also did not hesitate to comfort a friend who was grieving. It bespeaks of a man who sees much more than he has let on. Gwaine sees Merlin’s true worth and all that he does to protect Arthur and yet asks no questions and provides a strong shoulder and sword as needed. It is a rare friend who would do as much. In a world where Merlin cannot trust a soul outside of Gaius, it is nice to see that Merlin has another friend who will lay down his life for him – even though he is but a mere servant.
Then showing remarkable transformation is Arthur. When Gwen came to caution him on his journey, it felt like an openly accepted thing for her to do. She did not hesitate to go to him and Arthur seemed to expect her. Thus, when Gwen said, “I know you have to go –”, Arthur hastened to assure her, “I’ll be careful”; and as Gwen inquired, “For me?” Arthur simply nodded and kissed her. It felt so open and confident. There was no hesitation. Arthur is finally acknowledging that this is as it should be: Gwen will always come to him as he embarks to travel away to express her worry about his safety, and he will always promise to be careful and to return to her. For a man who is on the verge of being kind, he recognizes that he must be decisive in his actions and bold in his declaration of who he loves. That Arthur and Gwen have already fallen into an expected pattern in their tentative relationship foretells of their deepening affection and awareness that nothing will ultimately come between them. The assurance and confidence between them is breath-taking. That we should all be so boldly loved!
Even Merlin’s impertinence with Gwen shows that even in his mind, there is no doubt. For when Gwen came up behind Merlin to peek into the church while Arthur was in prayer, she softly asked, “What’s he actually doing?” and Merlin replied, “Thinking.” When Gwen then inquired, “About?”, Merlin mischievously replied, “You.” To which she promptly gave him a gentle smack on the backside. Just like with the ease between Arthur and Gwen, there is an ease in the way Merlin accepts the relationship between Gwen and Arthur. The fact that they can tease the other also reveals how accepted it is – Gwen and Arthur – it is no longer a star-crossed wish, but a reality that has come true. Beware to anyone that dares to defy true love, for Arthur and Gwen’s love has been foretold since the beginning of time.
What Didn’t Work
It was unclear why the wyverns returned to attack Merlin and Arthur after Merlin had used the Dragonlord power to command them to leave Arthur alone. Surely, the command of a Dragonlord cannot be so easily set aside.
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
‘The Eye of the Phoenix’ was written by Julian Jones 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.
