This week, she also gets the lion’s share of the magic, with a flaming sword special effect being added to the repertoire and nobody gets thrown across rooms by a wave of her hand.Īngel Coulby, as Gwen, gets something to do other than look lovingly at Arthur and mop sweaty brows. Having spent too long not saying much, this episode sees Morgana at her most venomous and McGrath relishes every moment. Katie McGrath is revelling in her role as Morgana, though she appears to be a cross between Helena Bonham Carter and the woman from the Scottish Widow Insurance company adverts of old. Merlin may be a ‘simple minded fool’ and the ‘worst servant in the five kingdoms’, but Arthur is a ‘cabbage head’ and, by the end of this episode, he knows it and begins to make amends.
#Merlin season 5 episode 1 summary series
The moments that he shares with Colin Morgan’s Merlin continue to be where the series really shines, as the pair slip from two friends to lord-and-servant and back again seamlessly.
The weight of responsibility is at the core of this episode, with Bradley James playing the King with melancholy and humour. Even without a sword, Arthur manages to beat the champion, chooses to avoid further bloodshed, and gains Annis’ respect as a result. The sword now bears the ‘weight of a thousand ages’ and it’s up to Merlin to save the day once again, albeit in a rather understated way. Squaring off against Annis’ champion, a snarling giant of a man, Arthur is putting up a good fight, though the tide is turned when Morgana casts her magic. With Agravaine theatrically taking the King’s sword, Morgana enchants it and has it returned to the King, who is blissfully unaware that his fate is now in the hands of the woman that hates him and everything that he holds dear. Clearly, she’s never met the King before otherwise she’d know Arthur’s champion would be!īack over at Annis’ camp, Morgana unveils her plan to ensure that Arthur will not win, and that she deserves the crown of Camelot. Despite Merlin stumbling in on proceedings and nearly being executed, Annis agrees to the terms and tells Arthur to choose his champion.
#Merlin season 5 episode 1 summary trial
Sneaking off in the middle of the night to the enemy camp, Arthur plans an alternative to the battle, asking for trial by combat. He believes that his actions were the wrong ones from the start and, whilst he is responsible for what he does, there has to be another way to resolve things than the heavy bloodshed of battle. The eve of the battle leads the new Knights, through Elyan, to reaffirm their faith in Arthur giving him the momentary lift that he needs to start questioning his own actions, taking Merlin’s offer of counsel. Whilst Arthur wallows in self pity as a lonely leader, the Lord revels in his pantomime villainy, taking over Morgana’s series three smirking trait, as he smirks his way through every evil acts that he commits. But Agravaine is insistent there is no distinction and he must be kingly at all times.Īs if losing his lover isn’t enough to depress him, he spurns Merlin’s offer of a friendly ear. Arthur fights for his right to do what he wants to do, desiring to separate his role as King from his role as a young man. Meanwhile, Agravaine continues his slimy machinations, convincing Arthur that he cannot continue to see lowly Gwen as the people won’t accept her. Together they air their hatred of the Pendragons, the things that they have lost and their similarities, before Morgana announces that she wants to help Annis destroy Arthur and Camelot. She’s ready to send an army to lay siege to Camelot, and is quite happy to have help from Morgana, who has left her shack and made her way to Carleon’s kingdom.Īnnis knows she is a witch and the ward of Uther, but she’s there as the daughter of Gorlois not Uther.
The knight turns out to be King Carleon (Steven Hartley) and his execution doesn’t go unnoticed, with Queen Annis (Lindsay Duncan) declaring that Arthur will pay for the death of her husband and this threat to her home.
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