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Sunday 28 October 2012

Merlin 5.4 "Another's Sorrow" Review

Odin (Fintan McKeown) captures Rodor (James Fox) and Mithian (Janet Montgomery) with Morgana's (Katie McGrath) help.  As they plan on raiding Camelot as well as exacting revenge on Arthur (Bradley James).  Odin wants him for killing his son.  Which works both ways as Arthur seeks revenge on Odin for killing Uther.  Of course, let's all forget that Morgana had a hand in killing Uther too.  Mithian arrives at Camelot with her servant, Hilde.  Now anyone could recognize Morgana's chin, oh please.  She thought she'd do a 'Merlin' and don an old disguise with the use of magic, just as Merlin does with Dragoon.

Mithian arrives at Camelot, as said, doing her fainting act in the process, to be rescued by Leon (Rupert Young).  Mithian is attended to by Gaius (Richard Wilson) and then receives her audience before Arthur and Gwen (Angel Coulby) where she recounts her tale of escape and how her father needs help.  Of course Arthur won't resist the chance to help but also to exact revenge.  She later tells them she was captured too.

Merlin (Colin Morgan) once again warns him that this is too dangerous and once more Arthur ignores him.  Morgana has Mithian under lock and key literally and ensures she's not able to speak to anyone.  Even when Mithian manages to get away by taking the key from under a sleeping Morgana's hand, she is still caught.  Even Gwen can't help her.  Mind you, Gwen also has her reservations about Arthur and his rescue attempt and clears the air with him, reassuring herself that as long as he's going to help Rodor and not for any other reason, like say revenge again!  Does Morgana really need all this sleep?

Morgana accompanies them every step of the way and yet no one is oblivious as to how the old hag can keep up with them.  At one stage, her magic almost gives as she succumbs but manages to keep her old wig on and face!  Gaius examines her and finds she's in perfect health for an old hag and that she's in even better condition than he is, which he tells Merlin. still nothing dawns on them though.  Other than Merlin having his reservations before about the fear in Mithian's eyes and she and Hilde not being right.

Mithian tries to tell Merlin but Morgana doesn't let her guard down, always sneaking up on them.  Whilst in the woods, Leon also tries to tell Arthur to wait until Odin's patrol passes them as they are outnumbered, again Arthur refuses to listen to anyone else's counsel.  So where did Gwaine (Eion Macken) pop up from, as he wasn't seen with the others when they left.

Mithian gives Merlin her water bottle to fill and insists he fills her one up.  At the river, he sees 'Morgana' scrawled on a rock but too late, Morgana is already there and knocks him out with her powers, funny she still had any left.  Oh and Merlin rushing to warn Arthur like that, talk about giving the game away.  Arthur leaves Merlin behind with Gaius and Gwaine and continues with the rescue.

Gaius uses his magic to heal Merlin after sending Gwaine for firewood.  It takes him a lot of power and plenty of the lighting up of his eyes, but finally Merlin recovers and they head off to warn Arthur, with Gwaine following his trail.  Arthur enters the cave with Percival (Ian Hopper) and they are trapped by Odin.  Morgana revealing herself, "dear brother."   Merlin manages to get into the cave after a little use of magic and some sword fighting and sends Gwaine for the others.  Would've thought he'd be using a bit more magic.  Anyway he sets another quake in motion, seems to be his speciality and Arthur and Percival manage to fight them off.  Morgana once again being knocked back against the wall by Merlin.

Arthur and Merlin split up allowing Rodor and Mithian to take the other route and they fight Odin and his men.  Arthur wants a ceasefire and for him to return Nemeth to Rodor.  Finally setting this piece of an old story to rest, though to be honest many fans wouldn't even have remembered it or have been bothered with it.  But at least we got to see Arthur and Odin reach a tentative truce, let's see how long that lasts when Morgana finds out.  if she does.  Merlin is still weary of Morgana and her power growing with Gaius once again hoping it won't come to that.

It was a shame nothing more was made between Arthur and Mithian especially since Arthur was enamoured with her last season 4.11 The Hunter's Heart and was going to marry her.  He doesn't talk to Gwen about it and neither do the writers take it any further.  Clearly this is one story just about revenge.  Which is a pity as it's a wasted opportunity for Arthur's other feelings to be explored and it would have given Gwen something more to do than just walking about in her cleavage-revealing dress at court and then in her nightgown.

Morgana delighted in her antics this week in being just as cruel as ever, keeping a tight reign over Mithian, wonder if she knew about Arthur's intentions towards Mithian last series, also.  She could have made more of that to run waves between Gwen and Arthur.  The contrast between Morgana and Merlin when they disguise themselves in older attire and physique is enormous.  We see Merlin with still the strength of a young man and yet Morgana was practically stuck inside the body of an actual old woman, it appeared.  Thus probably highlighting their varied power.

Also another chance for Merlin and Arthur to have another heart to heart with Merlin once more telling Arthur he should not be on this rescue and Arthur saying much the same as always.  Think they need to move beyond this now and lay down some defining character points for the two.  Mithian telling Arthur the same thing Merlin does about Camelot being a stronger kingdom for having Arthur as king.

Yet it seems pointless that Morgana constantly requires help to come up with some sort of a plan to kill Arthur and ruin Camelot, or take it over, why not branch out on her own now anyway.
The death of Odin's son was in 2.2 The Once and Future Queen and Odin was meant to have killed Uther in 4.3 The Wicked Day.

Merlin giving Arthur an order that Mithian is not to be disturbed.
Arthur: "did you just give men an order?"
Merlin: "yes Sire."
Arthur: feels good does it?"
Merlin: "it's not unpleasant."  Merlin also calls him Arthur showing he's more confident in his friendship with Arthur who lets it go or doesn't say anything about him not calling him Sire.

Fintan McKeown was in Game of Thrones.  some good sword fighting scenes in this episode and Merlin asking Arthur to think about killing Odin.  He did that last season in 4.5 His Father's Son and Arthur went ahead and killed Annis's husband.  Here he actually stops and listens to Merlin.  Though he doesn't admit this to Merlin but tells Gwen that Merlin made some valid points and input.


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