Translate

Friday 5 October 2012

Merlin 4.9 "Lancelot Du Lac" Review

Arthur (Bradley James) finally tells Agravainne (Nathaniel Parker) he wants to marry Gwen (Angel Coulby).  Merlin (Colin Morgan) drops the tray out of surprise, probably that Arthur is actually telling the one person who is not on his side.  Gwen has provided valuable support and counsel.  Agravaine thinks she's too much trouble to be his wife and Arthur tells him he must accept it.  Which means running off to Morgana (Katie McGrath) first chance he gets.  She's in new digs now and always needs help as I said.  For someone with magic, she can't do anything for herself."  About time she got out and about and came out of hiding.

Morgana: "it's like my dream."  One that can come between them.  She knows Gwen's secrets and can't have her on the throne.  The Dochraid tells her Morgana is destined to being back the old days and needs her help.  She shows her Morgause's present.  "The price of a soul."  Travel to the last of the five gateways separating their world and the world of the dead to the pool of Nemhain and cast the coin in raising Lancelot; who emerges naked.  Morgana needs his heart - not his sword.  Wanted Arthur's hand and Gwen won his heart.  Arthur trusts her and also Lancelot too.  Gwen was his before Lancelot's (Santiago Cabrera).  "You were her first love and you will be her last."

Arthur proposes to Gwen with Merlin listening in.  Morgana is sad, he was mighty once and now he's not.  Arthur plans a joust to celebrate the engagement, just like Uther did for his wife.  Merlin: "two days of sweaty men knocking the sense out of each other."  That's  aprospect! ha.  So Arthur couldn't have done something different to Uther.  How many jousts does that make now?  There were four before.

Arthur knows Gwen understands and Lancelot reveals himself and he remembers little when he entered the veil.  The Madhavi people found him and was found  in Cenred's kingdom which is what Elyan (Adetomiwa Edun) says.  (Hey but Cenred is no more so why is it still his kingdom?)    Arthur tells him how he can't offer enough thanks for his sacrifice on the Isle of the Blessed.  Merlin is glad to see him and he thinks he could have used magic to save Lancelot.  For all this talk of magic, he didn't sense there was anything out of the ordinary or strange about him.  Lancelot: "If any of us had magic Merlin, life would be a lot easier."  Finally Merlin realizes he's not Lancelot.  He was suspicious before but now he's sure.

Agravaine has to report to Morgana.  Gwen truly loves Arthur and she gives him the enchanted bracelet to "reawaken those feelings" between Gwen and Lancelot.  Which Lancelot gives to Gwen and she accepts it.  Huh accepting gifts from former beaus when she's engaged.

Gwen never thought she'd see him again.  That's nothing new.  He never used to be around that much anyway, not until he became a knight.  She felt guilty since he protected Arthur like she wanted.  Lancelot did what was in his heart and she will make a good queen.

Merlin looks up necromancy in books.  Gaius (Richard Wilson) explains it's the most dangerous of magical practices.  Merlin suspects Lancelot's been raised from the dead by Morgana.  Gaius calls it 'shades' summoned from rest by necromancer's art.  Merlin paints a symbol on the floor in a circle to see if Lancelot is dead.  He steps into it revealing his skeleton.  Gaius tells him they all wanted him back.  He's a shadow of his former self - a shadow with ill intent.  Gwen is drawn to him but doesn't know why.  But she still looks at him longingly anyway.  Percival (Tom Hopper) says people will like seeing Arthur and Lancelot together in the joust.

They joust and Lancelot lets Arthur go cos he has other plans.  Arthur:" noblest of my knights.  You just proved me right," and he was until Morgana bought him back and sullied his name.  Merlin sees Gwen enter Lancelot's tent and still he doesn't get it - why he's here.  Lancelot then meets with Agravaine and Merlin watches.  Yet he still does nothing until it's too late.  Agravaine wakes Arthur and he sees Gwen and Arthur kiss cos Merlin gets knocked out by Lancelot.  So much for his magic.  Arthur fights Lancelot in rage and Merlin uses magic to save Arthur.

Lancelot is imprisoned and Gwen throws her bracelet away in the cell.  Which no one found, conveniently, not even Merlin.  Agravaine tells Arthur he was made a fool of and "death's too good for him."  Er, yeah he's already dead!  He already died painfully, probably.  Arthur is alone with Gwen and tells her to get off her knees.  "What are you still doing on your knees.  Am I just your king?  I am to be your husband."  They were happy.  Gwen can't speak.  It's their wedding tomorrow.  Arthur is angry and Gwen means everything to him. Lancelot was dead and she had feelings for him and was drawn to him.  Arthur: "...only had to wait one more day."  Gwen pleads she only wanted to be his queen.  Would have thought she'd have said wife and not queen.  Uther would have demanded her death.  Arthur exiles her.  "I don't want to see you dead Gwen - but I don't want want to see you."  It's okay for Uther to have another child and engage in adultery but Gwen gets exiled for doing nothing wrong.

Gaius says if Arthur knew it wouldn't change what Gwen has done.  She betrayed him.  Agravaine gives Lancelot a note from Morgana.  Her wish is for him to kill himself.  Merlin knows Gwen is good, that it's Agravaine.  People will find Arthur is merciful and he will forgive her in time.  Arthur can't trust her and can't live like that as a king or husband.  Arthur: "Lancelot was a man of honour in more ways than one."  The burial is left to Merlin and he uses a spell to remove Morgana's magic and ensures his soul can rest and Lancelot finds peace.

A good episode but many holes and inconsistencies in places.  Merlin not picking up on Gwen and the bracelet.  It's magic, he should be a dab hand at that kind of stuff now.  Then Lancelot, one of the greatest knights as he's referred to and yet he's juts a zombie who ends it all.  Merlin couldn't help him either, except for the end scene when it's too late.

Merlin also buried a loved one in 2.9 The Lady of the Lake on a boat before setting it on fire and adrift.  The end scene was sad and Lancelot wakes long enough to thank Merlin for what he's done.  One of Colin Morgan's fave episodes.

Yes about those jousts, there was one in 1.2 Valiant, 2.2 The Once and Future Queen, 3.4 Gwaine, 3.11 The Sorceror's Shadow.

No comments: