So, here's my thoughts on the first two episodes of Merlin Series 3. Please be aware that there are spoilers in here and if you don't wanna know then don't look.
SPOILERS
First off, I believe that Uther's paranoia is going to increase merely because he isn't listening to anyone anymore, including Gaius. He says he doesn't have time for friends-that's a good indicator of how bad things have become.
As I stated before, Morgana is only back in Camelot to cause trouble, and she seems to get that Merlin doesn't trust her right from the off.
Merlin's main worry (and rightly so) is about Morgana telling Uther that Merlin poisoned her last year, and while Morgana SAYS she understands, note that she doesn't include herself when she says, "You were just protecting your friends." Merlin wants to believe she's still good but in this episode he finds out he can't trust her.
Morgana has also become great at bullshitting people. Just saying.
Arthur is showing far more affection for Morgana than before-possibly because she's been missing. Last series he wouldn't have hugged her the way he did here. It also may indicate that he's more comfortable with hugged and being hugged (proof that he's grown up a smidge.)
Arthur's swordwork has also improved.
It's interesting to see Arthur taking on the king duties, even temporarily. He's still got that deep underconfident streak we've seen before, and it hinders him a touch here when the kingdom needs a leader and he just can't step forward and do it. It's not because Arthur's afraid-it's because he doesn't believe he can.
Morgana being rotten to Gwen might get her in trouble with Arthur (or Gwen will go to Merlin and spy for him.)
Morgause is SO sleeping with Cenred.
Cenred's got a paid army here. Paid armies are A)expensive B)not entirely reliable-if you start to lose they might take off.
So, Uther's Sin Reveal Number One: He drowned magical people, including little kids.
The Bloodguard protect Morgana and Morgause. Betcha they're easy to plow through, though. Wonder if Merlin's gonna have to.
Merlin feels pity for Uther in his time of crazy and pulls the blankets up over him. What a sweetie, huh?
Either Morgana's hearing has gotten better or her weak magic can detect when someone's following her, because she LET Merlin trail her all the way out to her meeting with Morgause. His penchant for stalking her EVERYWHERE gets him in trouble this time. Guess he won't be doing that again.
Note that even in a panic and while running for the hills, Merlin realizes that using magic around Morgana and Morgause is a stupid idea. It's his ace in the hole-the longer that detail stays mum the better. It gives him an edge they don't know he has (yet.)
Morgause is already questioning Merlin's motives. Not that he's talking. She knows there's something going on but can't quite make the leap to superbly magical being. I say go look him up. She's gotta have access to one of the books written about the kid...
Well, they didn't put Merlin in the dungeon but the nasty silvery magical chains were close enough, I guess. Adding the circids into the mix really upped the ante, and once poisoned, Merlin's Dragonlord powers just kind of take over and make him call for Kilgarrah, who saves him.
By the way, has anyone made sense of where Morgause got her Rock of Seeing Muchly? I have a feeling that chunk of stone has a relationship to the Crystal of Neahtid we saw last year, save for hers can see the present and that one could see the future.
Episode 2
Of course, like Morgana's poisoning of last year, Merlin needs time to get over it.
Loved Arthur's bitching because Merlin was missing and he had no socks and no breeches.
Morgana causes smoke in a stone castle. So why are Leon and the others worried so much? Guess there might be wooden supports somewhere...
Uther must think she's one of his nightmares or something-he has to see Morgana tightening the noose on the mandrake...
Merlin and the dragon have a very mature, very adult conversation. And note how they're almost at eye level here. Merlin regrets his mistakes but the dragon's all "Well, that's who you are and it'll be your downfall and you're okay, you know?" This is the first scene where we see Merlin really HAS moved forward as far as character growth. He has matured big time.
I also might note that I said, "Go, Thwart, Be Awesome!" while watching him flying back to Camelot on his realio, trulio, little pet dragon...
Arthur is wearing his mother's ring. We saw it on Igraine's hand here and then we see it on Arthur's later.
Merlin does his usual handling of magical objects he doesn't understand and doesn't have time to assess by whipping the mandrake root in the fire and covering his ears when it screams. Subtle and effective, however.
Leon looks freaked (oh, you're a regular. They're not gonna kill YOU, Leon!)
Merlin yells at Arthur about the state of his room. I LOVED this scene to PIECES.
Morgana's WTF look when Merlin reappears unchained and alive is simply priceless.
She threatens Merlin with "I know what you did last year and I can go tell Uther, so keep your trap SHUT about my evil plot, MKAY?" I wouldn't be threatening him, however, seeing as the more powerful magical one here is him and he can kick your ass.
Arthur finally decides he has to make a decision despite his doubts. He looks very small in Uther's chair for some reason. When they walk out of the meeting, Merlin's all bouncy and gives him a pep talk, and tries to advisor-ize him. Arthur's having none of it, however, if his "God help me" is any indication to go by.
Morgana with her big stick thing. She's not real sure this will work, but Morgause is trusting her not to screw up.
Arthur likes pickled eggs. Huh.
I have to say I really loved Merlin and Arthur's conversation here. Last week was very far back from where we were last series. This conversation makes it four steps forward again. This is really the moment I have been waiting for since I started watching this series-it had Arthur needing a pep talk and Merlin giving him one and telling him how awesome he's going to be and them insulting each other like always. Keep it coming.
It's also interesting that this particular conversation comes not at the end of the series, but pretty near the beginning. Makes you wonder how far they'll be at the end of this round of episodes.
I am not going to say this is like Helm's Deep or Pirates of the Caribbean because everyone is saying that.
Morgana didn't clonk Gaius because it would have been too obvious if she'd knocked him senseless in her chambers, an area where none of the battle happened to be.
And she summons an army of the dead. Whoo!
Merlin, of course, goes off to beat Morgana up.
Merlin is VERY close to confessing his magical abilities here. It was on his tongue, you could SEE it. However, this is neither the time, place, or person to be having these confessions with, and I still think that if she knew, Morgana would have him turned in for sorcery in a heartbeat because he's always in her way (and she'd be mad that he didn't tell her before on top of that.)
This marks the third time that Merlin has stopped Morgause. And first time he's hit Morgana with a ceiling. Morgause is getting more suspicious all the time, here. Ceilings don't fall in by themselves, you know...
Cenred's army runs away cause he's a chicken. Guess Morgause will have to find someone else to sleep with now.
How many people believe that she is going to be pretty pissed that Morgana failed her? I wonder if there's a small crack forming in that sisterly bond now that she screwed up Morgause's big plan?
Poor Merlin doesn't get credit for stopping the skeletons-she does. And ooh, the look of hatred there is definitely an indicator that these two are going to have their little war right under Uther's paranoid nose.
Next week: Goblins and a bald Uther and Gaius spitting drink in Leon's handsome face.
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