If I were to watch the last 2 episodes of this season
alone, they would both be 5 fangs, no question (depressing ending aside – but I
do like the reference to the Once and Future King and that old English myth
that, yes, one day Arthur will return when Britain – Albion – is in its darkest
hour. And then, presumably, lose his shit when confronted with a car and be
thoroughly baffled by an Iphone. Still, it’s an iconic legend). They included
so much of what I’d wanted to see for so long and were, in the true fashion of
Merlin season finales, extremely epic.
The problem was that the 11 episodes before that contained a lot of foreshadowing of those last 2 episodes (which would have worked far better for a whole new season but seemed a bit over the top for there to be 11 episodes of foundation for 2 of content). And the rest was very much more of the same. Evil Morgana who is still evil and still hates them all (she may have upgraded to a level of suffering as well – but she’s suffering and evil now and the vague attempts to present her as sympathetic are quickly backed away from and more evil is brought in). Arthur and Merlin who have the same fun relationship which, yes, is fun and maybe there’s more trust there but it’s still a well established and plateaued relationship. Same with Merlin and Gaius. Great relationships – but already well established and not going anywhere else.
I’m also tired of Morgana always finding evil
kings/mercenaries/whatnot to ally with. How does she even recruit them? “Hey,
I’m Morgana, here’s my resume of repeated dismal failures. I have no resources,
no money and I promise to treat you like shit under my boot for the entire time
we’re together. Let’s be besties!” I don’t believe for a second “I am the
unacknowledged illegitimate daughter of Uther” or even “I have nifty powers –
and still fail constantly”) is really carrying this much weight. Nor her “I’m
the high priestes!” yes hon, but you’re also 100% revenge driven which, from
what we’ve seen, most magic users aren’t best pleased about (hence why most of
her allies AREN’T sorcerers). I’m actually getting a little tired of Morgana as
the big bad because the story isn’t changing and hasn’t changed for 2 seasons.
Every episode Morgana throws some magical doohicky at them: it fails, woe. Next
week we try again. Is this Heptarchy Pinky and the Brain? It has a lot of
interesting moments, but once Morgana evolved to “complete evil monster” almost
overnight nothing changed much from there and by season 5 it was getting stale.
I think it would have helped if things had developed or
been shaken up a bit. Like Merlin being able to openly use magic around Arthur
earlier (Merlin even had an opportunity to demand magic be legalised and he
chose to take a stab at letting Mordred die instead), or him embracing his
powers more or Morgana being developed beyond “I hate you all and you will all suffer,
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” And we had hints – Merlin standing up to entire bands of
men confident in his power, staring down the Dochraid. We had Mordred introduced
and a whole load of questions raised with it. Camelot has had peace and stability
and Arthur openly challenges and rejects his father’s methods of ruling. There
was a lot that could have been developed but instead only got some time in the
last 2 episodes, some of which felt either woefully rushed or like a terribly
wasted opportunity. Seriously, you’re going to give us 1 episode, 1, of
post-magic revelation Arthur and Merlin interaction? The big bad secret that
has lasted 5 epic seasons and this is all we get? Gah. And more which wasn’t
even developed just kind of waved then disappeared – the 3 priestesses of the
old religion, the white dragon Aithusa, the Diamair.
It’s frustrating because all through the season there’s
lots of foreshadowing of things changing. Of a new enemy, a new storyline, of
Merlin revealing his magic etc etc – but this is the last season. Season 6,
with all this behind it (and, perhaps, not so many storylines ended in the last
2 episodes) would have been incredible. But it’s not happening
Now let’s hit the big problem – Gwen.
She has been raised to Queen, they’re finally married! I thought
this season would be Gwen front and centre, maybe half a step behind Arthur and
Merlin. Instead for the first part of the season she has as much screen time as
one of the knights (possibly less) and she repeatedly plays the worrier trying
to keep Arthur at home.
Gwen does start getting more screen time – when she turns
evil. Now we have her playing almost exactly the same role that Morgana played,
(with Morgana stepping in as Morgause) spying, hiding in the background while
constantly plotting against Arthur. At least this time Arthur finally believes that
he has a spy on board (rather than dismissing Merlin out of hand as he always
does) but this is when he believes him? When it’s Gwen, his beloved wife? Now
he’s willing to listen to suspicion?
And after her redemption? To the plot box with ye, Gwen! You have had your relevant moment for the season! Yes she shows up again all epic for the epic finale, but there’s a couple of episodes after her cure where she barely exists. This season seems to reduce Gwen to an extra.
And it’s not like Merlin has a good record with women
villains already. Big bad season 1? Nimue. Big bad since then has been Morgause
and Morgana. In between we have had an inordinate number of magical women
seductresses, trolls posing as wives, fae posing as wives, lamia posing as
damsels, Freya the cat monster posing as a love interest, the maid Sifa as a
spy. Even princess Mithian came back to be a damsel who is forced to betray
Arthur. The last epic episodes? Had a woman whose name I never even bothered to
remember because the minutes she started making eyes at Gwaine I knew she was
an evil spy – and lo, I was right. Gwen was the one female character who wasn’t
evil or forced to betray Arthur and Merlin and turning her evil magically just
made it a full set. Oh wait, Merlin’s mother wasn’t evil. There we go.
Throw in the death of Elyan as well and we’ve reduced the
already lacking racial inclusion on the show as well. He didn’t get half the
drama of Lancelot’s death and the rest of the knights made it through.
There were, of course no GBLT characters this entire
season – or for the entire show. Which is something I find doubly frustrating
given the amount of uncritical slash fanpoodling there is of this highly erased
programme.
With Merlin gone I’m left generally happy with how it
went – it was a great series, with a lot of fun and some truly excellent
characters. I loved this show over and over and it had some of the most epic
episodes I’ve seen for a while. When I started to write this review I began to
praise the writers for recognising when a series had reached its end and not
stretching it out when it had no more to give – many a series has gasped along
when it should have been put out of its misery long ago. But this? I’m not so
sure, I think there was more there to give, a lot of potential unrealised and I
really wanted to see Merlin and Arthur working to preserve and enhance Camelot
after he knew of Merlin’s magic.
