A blood sacrifice that broke our hearts forever
With three beloved heroes vying to be the blood sacrifice, we knew our hearts would be broken one way or another. We just never expected it to hurt so much. Arthur was willing to sacrifice himself to save his people. Merlin was willing to sacrifice himself to save Arthur for the good of Camelot. And Lancelot was willing to sacrifice himself because he made a promise to the woman he loved. All for the love of a woman. But in the end, one could argue that Lancelot was not merely honoring his promise to Guinevere, he did it because that was his destiny — Arthur and Merlin had not yet fulfilled their destinies yet, and this was his. Lancelot saw how determinedly Merlin was going to sacrifice himself to save Arthur because he believed that was his destiny. Merlin would always sacrifice himself for the greater good. When confronted with that selfless love, Lancelot chose to be that same kind of man — one willing to die for what he believed in. But I still choose to believe that Lancelot did it for Gwen. He would have never been able to live with himself and face Gwen if he had not done exactly as he had. Lancelot’s only wish was that Gwen be loved and happy, and he knew that she would be. That was Gwen’s destiny.
By far this was Morgana’s most dastardly plan yet. ‘Til this point, she had never successfully struck so close to home. She had temporarily claimed the throne by force last season, but the cost was minimal bloodshed for our heroes. This time, the tear in the veil between worlds required a blood sacrifice and there was no way getting around it. She not only took the life of one of Camelot’s greatest knights, she also found out her own destiny. It is not to rule Camelot as she believes is her birthright, but rather it is to die at the hands of her mortal enemy, Emrys. No one ever likes to know for certain who will be the harbinger of death in their life — but this is Morgana’s curse, to know exactly who will be her doom.
The fourth season of MERLIN is not about learning lessons, it is about stepping into the shoes carved out by destiny. Can we ever forgive them that Lancelot’s shoes were to be worn for so short a time? Lancelot, Lancelot, our hearts are broken. Like Lady Guinevere, we weep at your loss. You have touched our hearts and we shall miss you for eternity. May the lives you saved be worthy of your sacrifice.
What Worked
The scenes between Merlin and Lancelot were insightful and touching. We, along with Lancelot, saw how far Merlin has come in his journey to be the wizard worthy of protecting Camelot. Merlin never even hesitates to throw himself into the path of certain death and will always sacrifice himself for the greater good. It was eye-opening to Lancelot as he learned what it truly means to a protector of the realm. Even their moments of humor were wonderful, like when Lancelot said, “Arthur is right about you — you never do as you’re told,” and Merlin sheepishly admitted, “No.”
The bond between Merlin and Lancelot is one that will be missed. Lancelot was one of the trusted few that knew about Merlin’s magic and he never betrayed him. They were something that Merlin has precious few of — friends. That a prince’s servant and a errant swordsman managed to be friends through all the battles and trials they have gone through together is remarkable. Lancelot filled a void in Merlin’s life that Arthur cannot. Because of the openness and trust between them, Merlin and Lancelot achieved a friendship that will be rare throughout Merlin’s entire life. They could let down their guard with each other and talk amongst themselves as equals. Merlin could talk about his magic, and Lancelot could talk about his love for Guinevere. Such as when Merlin reminded Lancelot, “You do not have to continue on this journey with me, you know,” and Lancelot only replied with a laugh, “Try and stop me.” To which Merlin curiously asked, “Why? Because you’re a knight, you feel honor bound?” and Lancelot simply replied, “You wouldn’t understand. It doesn’t make any sense to me either.” Suddenly understanding, Merlin guessed, “Gwen?” Prompting Lancelot to reveal, “I made her a vow I would keep Arthur safe.” Even as Merlin tried to reassure him, “You don’t have to worry, I’ll keep him safe,” Lancelot could only reply with a sigh, “I made a vow, Merlin.” That was when Merlin finally appreciated the depth of Lancelot’s feelings and said, “You still think about her.” Knowing full well that a life with Gwen was not possible, Lancelot replied, “No, Arthur is a better man than me.” As Merlin tried to sympathize with the lost love Lancelot felt, he told Lancelot, “I’m sorry.” To which Lancelot resolvedly said, “Why? He loves her and she’s happy.” There is literally no other person that Merlin can be this frank and open with in his life. Even Gaius is not quite a peer with which Merlin can talk so plainly about the frustrations of living in the shadow of destiny. Only Lancelot can truly appreciate it as he is suffering a similar fate.
It was also telling that Merlin felt comfortable to introduce Lancelot to the Great Dragon, Kilgharrah. When the Dragon asked, “Who is your friend?” Lancelot never hesitated and said, “I’m Lancelot.” To which the Dragon finally recognized him and said, “Of course, Sir Lancelot, the bravest and most noble of them all.” Uncertain whether the compliment was earned, Lancelot replied, “I’m not sure that’s true,” and the Dragon merely said, “We shall see.” Lancelot may know Merlin as the boy who wields magic to protect Arthur, but what Lancelot never really considered was that Merlin had a destiny greater than he imagined. Once seeing Merlin with the Dragon, and the ease with which they talked and how the Dragon came when Merlin called to him, Lancelot suddenly saw that Merlin was not just a young man he befriended, but rather Merlin is going to be the greatest wizard of all time. It was with astuteness that Lancelot listened as the Dragon and Merlin discussed the blood sacrifice needed to repair the torn veil and the ease with which Merlin discussed his decision to be that sacrifice.
The pride that the Dragon bestowed upon Merlin by saying, “From the moment I met you, I saw something that was invisible. Now it is there for all to see,” and the warmth with which Merlin replied, “All that you see, old friend, is what you taught me.” Then as the Dragon observed, “It would be an empty world without you, young warlock,” that was the moment the bell in Lancelot’s heart was rung. He understood the message that the Dragon was giving him. The world needed Merlin. So later when Lancelot asked Merlin, “When we get to the Isle of the Blessed, do you really intend to sacrifice yourself?” and Merlin cautiously replied, “What do you want me to say?” Lancelot curiously said, “I look at you and wonder about myself. Would I knowingly give up my life for something?” To which Merlin firmly replied, “You have to have a reason — something you care about. Something that is more important than anything.” The seed had been planted. Lancelot would not only give his life to keep his promise to Gwen, the woman he loved; he discovered that his life had a higher calling. He needed to ensure that the destinies of Arthur and Merlin were preserved.
In the midst of such a momentous episode, where everyone seemed bound and determined to sacrifice theirself before someone else could, there was a fun moment embedded in when Merlin reminded Arthur, “You don’t have to sacrifice yourself.” To which Arthur simply replied, “I have to save my people.” When Merlin calmly volunteered, “I will take your place. . . What is the life of a servant to that of a prince?” Arthur dispelled his suggestion by promptly quipping, “Well, good servants are hard to come by.” Laughingly, Merlin respond, “I’m not that good,” and Arthur good-naturedly replied, “True.” The exchange was light-hearted, but there was a serious weight behind it, which was revealed when, after a pause, Arthur told Merlin, “One thing, look after Guinevere. I want her to be happy in her life. She deserves it.” Knowing full well that this meant more to Arthur than anything he could have asked, Merlin firmly assured him, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure.” Arthur was entrusting his most prized possession to Merlin, the woman he loved. It spoke volumes that Arthur entrusted Gwen’s future care to Merlin. That is how much he trusts Merlin – so much that he knows that Merlin would honor his request even after death.
While she was not present for much the episode, much of the episode revolved around Guinevere. She was first and foremost in the thoughts of both Lancelot and Arthur as they would do anything for her. Yet, in the end, only one was truly able to sacrifice himself to protect her. Lancelot honored his promise to keep Arthur safe for her, and Lancelot was able to save Gwen (along with everyone else) as he offered himself as the blood sacrifice necessary to repair the torn veil. So while Arthur offered tribute to Lancelot’s sacrifice, by reminding everyone, “It is not just [Lancelot’s] deed that we will never forget, it’s his courage, his compassion, his unselfish heart. He is the most noble knight I will ever know. He gave his life for all of us,” it was Gwen’s tears that caught our attention.
Gwen wept for Lancelot – the loss of a man who loved her so much that he would die for her. Gwen may have chosen Arthur to be the man she loved, but she also had a conflicted heart for she cared for Lancelot too. It was with anguish and a guilty heart that Gwen confessed to Arthur, “He didn’t sacrifice himself for Camelot. I asked him to look after you, and he promised me with his life — and he was true to his word.” That confession seemed to weigh on Arthur as he considered the meaning of what Gwen had revealed – that Lancelot had loved her enough to make such a pledge and that she had preyed upon his love to ensure Arthur was safe. It is interesting that Arthur left Gwen alone to grieve for Lancelot. Is it a sign that he respects her enough to let her say goodbye, or that he cannot face her as she weeps for another man? Arthur may always wonder if the woman he loves, has given him her whole heart or if a piece of her heart died with Lancelot.
The tear in the veil between the worlds may have caused more damage than unleashing the Derocha, it unleashed doubt – and doubt can be a seed that undermines a kingdom. Here’s to hoping that Arthur does not doubt Gwen’s affections. It would be a shame for Arthur to have gained respect for Merlin at the cost of love for Gwen. The entire episode played out to test and strengthen relationships, provide greater understanding at the cost necessary to preserve the safety of a kingdom and secure the future of a prophesied destiny, and the price of love. Utterly fascinating and we anxiously await the ripple-effects this season.
What Didn’t Work
Morgana’s attempt to kill Guinevere seemed ill-thought out. Surely, if she wanted to assassinate someone she would find a more effective way to kill them than to knock them unconscious and hope that a Derocha would finish the job. Very sloppy. As her mind fractures further with hatred and loneliness, Morgana failing to be the effective threat that we know her to be.
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
‘The Darkest Hour, part 2’ was written 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.