Merlin: Excalibur

[janne_d]

I ♥ Uther. Now there's something I never thought I would say.



This really was Uther's episode and Tony Head completely owned it. Uther was afraid and self-sacrificing and acknowledged past mistakes and made me feel so sorry for him when he talked about his wife. And considering how much of a bastard I found him last week, that is really something. I love that he finally let Arthur know he loved and was proud of him at the end, particularly when he said it was his fault if Arthur didn't know that he meant more to him than anything - that was a lovely moment and the playfulness afterwards really showed a connection between them. Beautifully played by them both.

And how much backstory did we get there? Fantastic. Arthur was conceived because of magic and that killed Igraine, and so Uther's hatred is all wrapped up in his guilt and makes so much more sense. It's not what I had assumed - I always thought that when Arthur been born there had a been a choice whether to save him or his mother and that Nimueh had chosen him against Uther's wishes. But I like the idea that there had to be a balance to creating life, and that Gaius had warned against the plan.

Lots of lovely interplay between Gaius and Uther too, with Uther first in denial and then anger, and finally rebuilding the friendship before he went off to die.

That really was what made the episode - Uther would die to save Arthur. The dismay on his face when Arthur threw down his gauntlet was perfect, but I never saw the sacrifice coming. It was nice to see Uther comment on Merlin's loyalty to Arthur and tell him to take care of Arthur after he was dead - and I would think Merlin now has a lot more respect and some very complicated feelings for Uther as a king.

Poor Arthur must have been going insane in his chamber though - he obviously wanted to prevent anyone else dying. The look between Arthur and Merlin when Owain was saying he wouldn't need luck - they knew he was probably going to die and Arthur was hating it and trying so hard to give him the knowledge he needed to win.

And then there was Merlin, as usual prepared to do whatever it took to keep Arthur safe. I loved the look on his face when the Dragon burnished Excalibur (and nice that they called the episode that and never actually said it in the script), so much awe. And then he was so desperate to make up for Uther having used it - it was perfect that it ended with the sword going into the lake, though it is a shame that Arthur never even saw it first.

And OMG, next week! I think I need to go write that second "Arthur finds out about the magic" idea I had before it gets completely jossed!

Comments

[pyrae.livejournal.com]

*flails* I have so much work to do that I really can't afford to watch this until much later, but I am so excited for it!

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

It is very, very good. I was actually on the edge of my seat at points.

[pyrae.livejournal.com]

So unfair!

[pyrae.livejournal.com]

I JUST SAW IT. WOOHOO.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Yay! Isn't it completely and utterly splendiferous?

[tipsywitch.livejournal.com]

off topic: I LOVE YOUR ICON. Please could you tell me who made it and is it snurchable? It's the first one I've seen with Holy Grail quotes.

[pyrae.livejournal.com]

It's from here, with a bunch more Monty Python quote icons. :D They're all gankable with credit.

[tipsywitch.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Those are hilarious. Why does LJ have such a small limit on icons? *sniffs*

[ionaonie.livejournal.com]

OMG, I can't wait to see this episode. It's downloading as we speak.

My flist has exploded and I want to know why *g*

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

You will understand the explosion very shortly then :-) It is a really good episode, as good as last week's and possibly even more tense in places.

[ionaonie.livejournal.com]

This is a dreadful thing to admit, but I have yet to watch last weeks episode. I'm going to watch them back to back. Yay *g*

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Wow. Good luck - try not to die of tension overload or anything.

[drjenny88.livejournal.com]

I loved this episode, it had everything I could have hoped for and more.
There was so much delicious backstory and ASH just made it his own :)

I have a sneaking suspicion that the BBC are just teasing us about next week and that Arthur doesn't actually find out about the magic, but we shall see.

[darknyss.livejournal.com]

My suspicion is less sneaking and more sitting next to me and poking me going "come on, you know they're not gonna do that so soon" *poke* "dontcha" *poke* "total tease" *poke*.
But hope springs eternal, donnit.

[drjenny88.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I mean, Bradley James has said in interviews that he hopes Arthur someday finds out, so I doubt we'll see the realisation happen this series, as they've finished filming and that comment would make no sense otherwise.
But, yeah, we can always hope.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

But he could have been lying...

[drjenny88.livejournal.com]

That's true :P He might not have wanted to give the game away.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

I don't konw if they will do it this soon, but I really hope they don't drag it out until it makes Arthur look completely stupid (the Lois Lane effect).

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

It was soooo good. Man, I love ASH.

I can't decide if they are teasing or not. Chances are high that they are, but I still want to get my version written before then, just in case!

[torakowalski.livejournal.com]

This ep made me cry in two places, I'm such a sap today! This programme is way more awesome and tense than I expect from my Saturday teatime viewing. I think I bit a hole in my hand during the fight scenes.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

This programme is way more awesome and tense than I expect from my Saturday teatime viewing

I know! What happened to shiny pretty happy Camelot?

I was transfixed by the fight scenes - I had to clutch a blanket.

[thisissirius.livejournal.com]

I AM STILL SO EXCITED

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Eeeeee!

[neptuneskisses.livejournal.com]

I agree - that's a lovely analysis of Uther's character and feelings throughout the episode. And I too just loved Merlin's awe over the burnishing of Excalibur - Colin Morgan is really a beautifully expressive actor, especially when you think he was having to work against green screen (or whatever they call it!) in those scenes. We're lucky that the show has such good actors in it :-D

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

I just loved Uther in that. And I'm still surprised that I did.

Colin Morgan is really a beautifully expressive actor, especially when you think he was having to work against green screen

Oh, yes. He was amazing there - he must have some imagination. I think all the actors in Merlin are really good and it is so nice.

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

Hi! Newish Merlin fan here, and friend of fajrdrako's. I've just friended you and wanted to say hello. :)

I thought this was one of the best episodes yet. I have a thing about dysfunctional father-son relationships, so Uther's admission that Arthur is more precious to him than anything and Arthur's comment about thinking his father has always been disappointed in him really got to me. Beautifully acted by both of them too. We've come a long way from insufferable Uther and arrogant prat Arthur in the first episode!

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Hello! I thought I recognised your name...

I think this was one of the best episodes too - I really liked that we finally got the backstory of Uther's magic hatred. But that scene between him and Arthur was by far the best moment.