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green_appleSo, I have thoughts. And opinions.
Let's start with the part where I found this ep way more enjoyable than the previous, yes? Maybe it's because it offers resolution instead of a half-assed cliff-hanger. Maybe it's because more emoting and less smirking does Morgana a world of good, maybe it's because the only one (as far as I recall atm) who got slo-mo was Leon... I don't know, I just liked it better.
The Good.
~Morgana. Of course. As stated above, less smirking seems to suit her, we already know she's evil, we already know she's got her own agenda, there's no need to keep on beating that horse every other scene. Also, she expressed, in as many words, the reason why she'd go dark at all in the first place, which is also the very reason why she would be terrible queen, it's all about her, her hurt, her revenge, her issues. We knew this already, she did make Tom's death All About Her, she did condemn a bunch of people to die because she wanted to stay with the druids and not come back to Camelot. This is why she would side with Morgause so completely.
Also, we see her manipulations take on a more calculated note here, before she always striked me as the kind of manipulator who does so because this is how they relate to the world, this is how they get things from it, not as a way to pull rank. Now, though, she's engaged Merlin in a pretty heavy power play because Merlin has no leverage whatsoever and they both know it. Important to mention, as well, is how she used her wit to get rid of the guards in the hallway, and IT WORKED, as opposed to other times when her plans have been less than successful. Maybe this whole Dark Side thing comes with added Strategy Lessons, I hope we get to see more of this, especially since Merlin hasn't outed himself to her and so magic showdowns don't seem to be on the menu anywhere in the near future, so battles of wits will have me in static fits of glee.
Um. She looks way hotter than Arthur when sword-fighting. I blame the outfit... aaanyway.
~Arthur taking charge, though not taking over his father's place, just rising to the situation. I think he was stellar here, taking control of both his men and himself, even through self-doubt he still did what he felt was the right thing. Which I approve of. I think he was already taking responsibility for all the things that could and would go wrong, which is to say, he was not fooling himself into thinking this was going to be his moment to shine. Even though it was, as Merlin pointed out. Though his stopping in the middle of the courtyard to reproach Merlin for his absence was a bit too much, I think, it didn't feel like the place to be playful and push forward something we already know, writers.
I got chillsin my pants when he pretty much ordered Uther to stop being a a child and stay effing put where he could do no harm. Yes. This. Hello Once and Future King, hello. Another look at this BAMF moment was him, in the front lines, fighting off the enemy with all his might and commitment, as opposed to Cenred whom never even dismounted his horse, not to mention how the order to call off the attack was never relayed at all (on-screen, anyway) and all we got to remember him by is him turning his back on his men and seemingly running into the forest. Nice parallel, Show, even Uther got his ass in line and went to get in the way do something.
On a shallow(er) note, HIS HAND IS SO FREAKING LARGE, you guys! I love his handson Gwen's. I do.
~Merlin, who was very well done today. I kinda wanted to cuddle him when he was moaning in pain in the cave, and then his cheeky smile at the Dragon which comes to prove that he's still a little boy not-so-deep-down. Aww.
And then he went on to be all 'I Shall Support You and Give You the Destiny Speech' to Arthur, because see? Merlin knows Arthur and knows how to be helpful, no matter what his boss says. Now, that 'it's not that you're wise, Merlin, it's just that, on occasion, you sound wise and so I will take this as wisdom' moment was the perfect place to be playful and bond with each other.
I love how he still can't wield a sword properly more than to keep another sword from cutting him to pieces. Please, show, never teach Merlin swordsmanship. Please. I also love how he went to Morgana and tried to appeal to her more humane nature, which might have worked were she not so wounded and fed up with being scared. Does this mean he still had hopes for her, at this juncture? If he did, those went right out the window the minute she claimed to be the one who brought down thescience class skeletons.
~Leon. I feel like I should make a mention of him because HI LEON FIGHTING AND BEING AN ACTUAL PART OF ARTHUR'S WAR COUNCIL AND STUFF, I mean, he even got to slo-mo it some. Which, as we know, means he's important enough for us to see him for extended periods of time, if you catch my drift. HI SIR LEON.
The Not-So-Good.
~Needs MOAR GWEN. Doing something other than being Arthur's emotional prop-up, preferably. I do appreciate this aspect of their relationship, but it's an aspect of their relationship, it's not the entirety of who she is and she is SO MUCH MORE, which we would get to see if we were given more of her. Get to it, show. Still, though, when she was on screen, I cheered inside because a) she was on screen and b) she was being all liquid-eyed and unwaveringly hopeful that I had no option but to fall at her feet in a poodle of endeared goo. ILU GWEN.
~20,000 soldiers? Seriously? And they got defeated that easily? I mean, when Cenred was banking on the inside's aid in order to take Camelot, I'm not sure it speaks so much to Camelot's strengths as it does to his own weaknesses. And if that was the point, then I WANT ANOTHER VILLAIN (though they'll have to banter with Morgause in that vaguely sexual, vaguely distrusting way, otherwise I'll dim them Not Cool Enough). However, in all fairness, Arthur's plan did have its merits, bottle-neck them and stay in your home turf, this will mean that regardless of numerical odds, you'll still have the chance of not being overwhelmed, unless they tire you out in which case all bets are off.
~Don't those cloaks get in the way of fighting? I did wonder that. The visual separation was made clearer by the red of the Knights capes against the black ofthe ninjas Cenred's army, but still, bit cumbersome, wouldn't you say?
Other Stuff.
~Does this mean that Igraine had magic? On some level? Also, is it me, or did her ring look very much like Arthur's? I think it did. Now, I doubt it's the same ring because, well, HUGE HANDS and all, but maybe it's a replica, or a family heirloom. I kinda want them to be, if not the same ring, very close to each other at least. It would be a nice touch. Like Dean's leather jacket, yanno?
~Is Morgana ever going to perform a spoken enchantment? I WANT HER TO, SHOW.
~Still on Morgana, but also on Morgause. I'm getting the niggling sensation that Morgause is, on some level, manipulating Morgana. It occurs to me that if those theories about Morgana's, er, familial relations are true, then maybe Morgause is not really her sister after all, and maybe she knows this and is taking advantage of Morgana's disinformation, it also occurs to me that I really should stop theorizing so soon into the season. I've never been right, anyway, so might as well just dismiss the whole thing. (Let's pretend that'll happen, yeah?).
~So, you order the people to prepare for a siege, bring them all into the castle grounds, presumably lock them up, and then act surprised when Merlin tells you that provisions are necessary? Was Arthur disbelieving the potential length of time they might spend in that situation, or was he just not thinking through the full implications of such an idea? Or am I misreading/missing something from the scene? Will have to rewatch.
~Does Cenred have to glower all the time? ::is annoyed by evil being expressed through half-hidden faces::, maybe if he pulled his hair back a bit, it wouldn't limit his vision field and so he could keep ditch the odd angling of his head altogether. His neck might appreciate it.
~WAY TO BE AN ASSHOLE UTHER. Completely neglecting to mention the part where Arthur sort of rocked like a boss in your stead is no way to be grateful and proud of your son, you know? Dude, she (you think) did something very important and necessary to insure Camelot's survival, but Morgana did not 'almost single-handedlly save the entire universe and everything we know and love' though maybe the ALMOST is his recognition of Arthur and his men's role in the whole thing. Not cool, old man, not cool.
~I really, really think Morgause is manipulating Morgana. Like, really.
~Next episode's preview. God, am I apprehensive about this one.
Thoughts?
Let's start with the part where I found this ep way more enjoyable than the previous, yes? Maybe it's because it offers resolution instead of a half-assed cliff-hanger. Maybe it's because more emoting and less smirking does Morgana a world of good, maybe it's because the only one (as far as I recall atm) who got slo-mo was Leon... I don't know, I just liked it better.
The Good.
~Morgana. Of course. As stated above, less smirking seems to suit her, we already know she's evil, we already know she's got her own agenda, there's no need to keep on beating that horse every other scene. Also, she expressed, in as many words, the reason why she'd go dark at all in the first place, which is also the very reason why she would be terrible queen, it's all about her, her hurt, her revenge, her issues. We knew this already, she did make Tom's death All About Her, she did condemn a bunch of people to die because she wanted to stay with the druids and not come back to Camelot. This is why she would side with Morgause so completely.
Also, we see her manipulations take on a more calculated note here, before she always striked me as the kind of manipulator who does so because this is how they relate to the world, this is how they get things from it, not as a way to pull rank. Now, though, she's engaged Merlin in a pretty heavy power play because Merlin has no leverage whatsoever and they both know it. Important to mention, as well, is how she used her wit to get rid of the guards in the hallway, and IT WORKED, as opposed to other times when her plans have been less than successful. Maybe this whole Dark Side thing comes with added Strategy Lessons, I hope we get to see more of this, especially since Merlin hasn't outed himself to her and so magic showdowns don't seem to be on the menu anywhere in the near future, so battles of wits will have me in static fits of glee.
Um. She looks way hotter than Arthur when sword-fighting. I blame the outfit... aaanyway.
~Arthur taking charge, though not taking over his father's place, just rising to the situation. I think he was stellar here, taking control of both his men and himself, even through self-doubt he still did what he felt was the right thing. Which I approve of. I think he was already taking responsibility for all the things that could and would go wrong, which is to say, he was not fooling himself into thinking this was going to be his moment to shine. Even though it was, as Merlin pointed out. Though his stopping in the middle of the courtyard to reproach Merlin for his absence was a bit too much, I think, it didn't feel like the place to be playful and push forward something we already know, writers.
I got chills
On a shallow(er) note, HIS HAND IS SO FREAKING LARGE, you guys! I love his hands
~Merlin, who was very well done today. I kinda wanted to cuddle him when he was moaning in pain in the cave, and then his cheeky smile at the Dragon which comes to prove that he's still a little boy not-so-deep-down. Aww.
And then he went on to be all 'I Shall Support You and Give You the Destiny Speech' to Arthur, because see? Merlin knows Arthur and knows how to be helpful, no matter what his boss says. Now, that 'it's not that you're wise, Merlin, it's just that, on occasion, you sound wise and so I will take this as wisdom' moment was the perfect place to be playful and bond with each other.
I love how he still can't wield a sword properly more than to keep another sword from cutting him to pieces. Please, show, never teach Merlin swordsmanship. Please. I also love how he went to Morgana and tried to appeal to her more humane nature, which might have worked were she not so wounded and fed up with being scared. Does this mean he still had hopes for her, at this juncture? If he did, those went right out the window the minute she claimed to be the one who brought down the
~Leon. I feel like I should make a mention of him because HI LEON FIGHTING AND BEING AN ACTUAL PART OF ARTHUR'S WAR COUNCIL AND STUFF, I mean, he even got to slo-mo it some. Which, as we know, means he's important enough for us to see him for extended periods of time, if you catch my drift. HI SIR LEON.
The Not-So-Good.
~Needs MOAR GWEN. Doing something other than being Arthur's emotional prop-up, preferably. I do appreciate this aspect of their relationship, but it's an aspect of their relationship, it's not the entirety of who she is and she is SO MUCH MORE, which we would get to see if we were given more of her. Get to it, show. Still, though, when she was on screen, I cheered inside because a) she was on screen and b) she was being all liquid-eyed and unwaveringly hopeful that I had no option but to fall at her feet in a poodle of endeared goo. ILU GWEN.
~20,000 soldiers? Seriously? And they got defeated that easily? I mean, when Cenred was banking on the inside's aid in order to take Camelot, I'm not sure it speaks so much to Camelot's strengths as it does to his own weaknesses. And if that was the point, then I WANT ANOTHER VILLAIN (though they'll have to banter with Morgause in that vaguely sexual, vaguely distrusting way, otherwise I'll dim them Not Cool Enough). However, in all fairness, Arthur's plan did have its merits, bottle-neck them and stay in your home turf, this will mean that regardless of numerical odds, you'll still have the chance of not being overwhelmed, unless they tire you out in which case all bets are off.
~Don't those cloaks get in the way of fighting? I did wonder that. The visual separation was made clearer by the red of the Knights capes against the black of
Other Stuff.
~Does this mean that Igraine had magic? On some level? Also, is it me, or did her ring look very much like Arthur's? I think it did. Now, I doubt it's the same ring because, well, HUGE HANDS and all, but maybe it's a replica, or a family heirloom. I kinda want them to be, if not the same ring, very close to each other at least. It would be a nice touch. Like Dean's leather jacket, yanno?
~Is Morgana ever going to perform a spoken enchantment? I WANT HER TO, SHOW.
~Still on Morgana, but also on Morgause. I'm getting the niggling sensation that Morgause is, on some level, manipulating Morgana. It occurs to me that if those theories about Morgana's, er, familial relations are true, then maybe Morgause is not really her sister after all, and maybe she knows this and is taking advantage of Morgana's disinformation, it also occurs to me that I really should stop theorizing so soon into the season. I've never been right, anyway, so might as well just dismiss the whole thing. (Let's pretend that'll happen, yeah?).
~So, you order the people to prepare for a siege, bring them all into the castle grounds, presumably lock them up, and then act surprised when Merlin tells you that provisions are necessary? Was Arthur disbelieving the potential length of time they might spend in that situation, or was he just not thinking through the full implications of such an idea? Or am I misreading/missing something from the scene? Will have to rewatch.
~Does Cenred have to glower all the time? ::is annoyed by evil being expressed through half-hidden faces::, maybe if he pulled his hair back a bit, it wouldn't limit his vision field and so he could keep ditch the odd angling of his head altogether. His neck might appreciate it.
~WAY TO BE AN ASSHOLE UTHER. Completely neglecting to mention the part where Arthur sort of rocked like a boss in your stead is no way to be grateful and proud of your son, you know? Dude, she (you think) did something very important and necessary to insure Camelot's survival, but Morgana did not 'almost single-handedlly save the entire universe and everything we know and love' though maybe the ALMOST is his recognition of Arthur and his men's role in the whole thing. Not cool, old man, not cool.
~I really, really think Morgause is manipulating Morgana. Like, really.
~Next episode's preview. God, am I apprehensive about this one.
Thoughts?
