“Merlin is Emrys! A man destined for greatness. A man who will one day unite the
powers of the old world, and the new, and bring the time that the poets speak
of. A time of Albion”
After Morgana’s defeat at the hand of Emrys last week over the Fomorrah, she realises that he knows all of her and Agravaine’s secrets, and it dawns on her that he must be being fed information from Gaius. Deciding it’s time he was taken care of, once and for all. She visits the wizard Alator (Gary Lewis) and enlists his help in kidnapping Gaius who she hopes willlead her to Emrys.
Meanwhile in Camelot Agravaine is doing his level best to throw suspicion that Gauis is the traitor and decidedly tells an unsure Arthur that he must be questioned. Why Arthur lets Agravaine boss him around is beyond me, but at least we get to see the devious expressions that Agravaine exhibits. During the questioning of Gaius in which it is put to him, ‘Do you agree that magic should be banned? Yes or no?’ Gauis does his best to answer a yes but meaning No! Undeterred, Agravaine and Arthur agree that Gaius is hiding something but Arthur says they have no proof. The look on Agravaine’s face; you could almost see the “dammit” in his expression.
With Merlin kept busy sharpening the dagger of a gift for Arthur, Alator and his manservant strike to kidnap Gaius while Agravaine does his best to incriminate him and make it look like he has fled. Arthur is torn between his trust of his uncle and that of the faithful court physician and a visibly upset Merlin. Merlin decides to find Gauis himself, with the help of Sir Gwaine. Sir Leon and Gwaine are the only knights who have been given much build up and screen time, so I’ll say it now, my money’s on Gwaine dying by the end.
Alator concentrates on using magic to coerce Gauis to reveal the identity of Emrys which, under duress, he does. Luckily Morgana just happens to have gone walkabout at the crucial moment when Alator learns of Emrys’s true identity and his wish to return magic back to the kingdom. Seems the wizard also wants the same as Merlin and attacks Morgana and kneels before a shocked Merlin when he vows to be of service to Merlin as he
attempts to rebuild Albion. The dragging out of Morgana learning about Merlin is getting a little tedious. Even if she did know and told Arthur, would he believe someone who has tried to destroy him and Camelot? Plus it would create more Spectacular battle scenes between the pair. I’m guessing that’s been saved for the big finale.
The one with a target on his back, Gwaine, did a good impression of Tim – nice but dim – when he fell for Agravaine’s story of using his dagger to test for breath to see if Gaius is alive, when he really intended to slit his throat. Poor Gwen, yet again resigned to having two scenes and one of them just mopping Gaius’s brow. Angel Coulby has been criminally underused this year. Especially considering the possibilities with the importance of her
character to the legend and to Arthur.
The final scene displayed the lovely father/son relationship between Gaius and Merlin, when Gauis revealed that he fears letting Merlin down, and then the nice touch of Gaius and Arthur. It was clear that Arthur sees Gaius as a father substitute now that his own father has died. Gaius basically admitted he loved him as his own and made him see that sorcery was not the cause of his father’s death, and that many people make up his kingdom: “One day you will learn, Arthur, one day you will understand, just how much they have done for you.”
Moments to suspend your disbelief:
ยป When Alator turns up in a cloak and his man-servant walks about shirtless. As if nobody is gonna notice that?
ยป Alator releases the horse which was seen, but surely the witness would also have said it had no rider or Gaius?
ยป Merlin knows where Morgana lives, why doesn’t he just tell Arthur and job done, she’s captured and no longer a threat.
Thought it was an enjoyable episode; if they sort out the role of Gwen it would be even better. Arthur talking with Gaius seems to have been the start of his enlightenment to what the future may be like. Agravaine has exposed himself to suspicion even more, and it looks like Arthur has finally twigged his uncle is up to no good. I’m still enjoying the character of Agravaine, I think he’s a great comical baddie but in a good way. Morgana take note.
