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  • Set in the all-accepting past, Merlin is a show about: Merlin.

  • For those of you who don't know: Merlin is set in arthurian legend,

  • A time when king Arthur ruled over Albion.

  • Which is a nerdy way of saying England.

  • There's a lot of stories about king Arthur like:

  • The round table, the holy grail and Monty Python!

  • Merlin is an interesting show because it makes everyone young and ... good looking?

  • Well the writers also project their 2009 hipster fashion sense on Merlin.

  • Even though the year is like "negative seven or something"

  • But as BBC does with taking well established brands and making them

  • GAYER.

  • The relationship between Merlin and Arthur has been debated over being perharps...

  • not as straight as some would like to think.

  • "I'll have you for breakfast!"

  • Merlin, the titular character, is the new guy in town.

  • And as Merlin enters this new kingdom

  • he becomes apprentice to the court positions/gay mentor/exposition man Gayus.

  • He also has magic, which, acording to King Uther of Camelot

  • is a bad thing.

  • So bad, in fact, that he thinks people should be executed for it.

  • Along with Uther, there's his arrogant son, Arthur.

  • And his kind of daughter Morgana who also secretly has magic.

  • And also turns evil

  • When Merlin and Prince Arthur meet, they don't like each other.

  • At all.

  • It's like the beginning of one of those high school animes.

  • That I (uh) definitley don't watch and definitely wouldn't

  • know ANYTHING about. Since I... never watched one. Never.

  • *WEEB MUSIC*

  • To Merlin, Arthur was first introduced as some petty bully for a prince

  • that likes to taunt people lower than him.

  • Not a very good impression.

  • To Arthur, Merlin was this random dude that challenged him

  • Needless to say, they didn't really like each other.

  • Even though according to Arthur:

  • "There's something about you, man"

  • And so our story kind of begins now with Merlin

  • attending a kingdom event with his friend Gayus.

  • And he happens to save Arthur's life.

  • As thanks, Uther decides to give Merlin the previlege

  • of being Arthur's manservant.

  • It really is like a romantic comedy.

  • Meet Merlin! He is a lowly servant with big and magical dreams!

  • Meet Arthur! He's a stuck up prince!

  • But now, after saving the prince,

  • Merlin becomes his servant. FOR LIFE?!

  • Watch as these two rivals start to become friends!

  • And maybe... FALL IN LOVE?

  • This summer.

  • Merlin isn't happy about being this dude's servant.

  • He doesn't like Arthur at all.

  • So imagine his thoughts, when he meets a dragon that tells him something outrageous.

  • A dragon named Kilgharrah.

  • That tells him that Arthur is his ... destiny.

  • "Arthur is the once and future king, who will unite the land of Elbion."

  • "Right?"

  • "But he faces many threats.

  • From friend and foe alike."

  • "I don't see what this has to do with me."

  • "Everything!"

  • "Without you, Arthur will never succeed."

  • "Without you, there will be no Elbion."

  • Merlin can't take it.

  • He doesn't believe that Arthur is somehow his destiny.

  • And the dragon is giving him really vague answers to his questions.

  • "How can it be my destiny to protect someone who hates me?"

  • "The half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole."

  • "Ah, great. Just what I needed, another riddle."

  • "That your and Arthur's path lies together is but the truth."

  • "JUST GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER!"

  • I guess Kilgharrahs answers are just a bit too gay for Merlin. //quality joke right there

  • So, the question is:

  • How is it, that these two that hate each other become friends or - dare I say? - Lovers?

  • It's complicated.

  • At first, they don't like each other.

  • But DO have a few things in common.

  • First and foremost they're both courageous and strong willed people.

  • They both have destinies that they feel are over-bearing.

  • Arthur's to be a great king and Merlin's to have some role in that.

  • All these things help them see eye to eye.

  • In fact, in episode 4, they're already risking their lives for each other.

  • When the weekly life-or-death situation is happening and Merlin was dying from poison

  • the only thing that could save him is that special flower that's guarded by this venemous beast.

  • Arthur wanted to take that risk of his own life to save Merlin.

  • For a servant.

  • Towards the end of the first season

  • Arthur and Merlin are faced with two Goblet/challice/fancy cup things

  • It's like... It's like a princess bride situation

  • Except... both of them are willing to die for each other.

  • Willing to poison themselves, so the other could live.

  • Even though they're self-sacrificial for each other

  • there's still a disconnect between them.

  • There's the issue that Merlin is a servant

  • and Arthur is a prince.

  • And that they could never be friends.

  • "Alright, I'm a prince, so we can't be friends."

  • "Now if I wasn't a prince-" "What?"

  • "Well then ... we'd probably get on."

  • *Gay ass music*

  • This is the source of their troubles.

  • But over time, this will change.

  • For example:

  • Eye sex becomes a big thing between them

  • Now that we've established ... that.

  • Let's take a look at the facts.

  • *Elevator music*

  • Combined from a mix of destiny and

  • Arthur's overall good looks

  • Merlin eventually becomes attracted to

  • Arthur. Romantically? Platonically?

  • Let's keep that question up for our viewers.

  • "You could say ... there's a bond between us."

  • But we can't ignore the obvious here.

  • Merlin has magic and Camelot is

  • strictly anti-magic which brings us to our sub point.

  • *Elevator music pt2*

  • Throughout the series it's pretty obvious that magic is a metaphor

  • for being LGBT+. From just the overall

  • exclusion to the death penalty. It gets

  • in your face at times.

  • "What if... magic isn't something you choose?"

  • "Face it, man, we're really alike."

  • "I've always been taught... magic is evil."

  • "That it corrupts yourself."

  • "You don't know what it's like to be an outsider!"

  • "To be ashamed of how you were born,

  • to have to hide who you are!"

  • "Until then ... we go unmarked in death as in life."

  • It's not even "I practice magic" it's "I have magic".

  • Merlin has to deal with that shame

  • while at the same time using magic to

  • save Arthur's life and never getting

  • recognition. He speaks out about his frustrations;

  • "Do you think I sit around doing nothing?"

  • "I haven't had a chance to sit around and do nothing since the day

  • I arrived in Camelot! I'm too busy

  • running around after Arthur. 'Do this

  • Merlin!' and 'Do that Merlin!' and when I'm not

  • running around after Arthur I'm doing chores

  • for you and if I'm not doing that

  • I'm fulfilling my destiny.

  • Do you know how many times I've saved

  • Arthur's life?! I've lost count.

  • Do I get any thanks?

  • No I have four Griffin's which is uh,

  • bandits i have been punched, poisoned,

  • pelted with fruit and all the while I

  • have to hide who I really am because if

  • anyone finds out, they'll have me

  • executed. Sometimes I feel like I'm being

  • pulled in so many directions I don't

  • know which way to turn!"

  • however something about Arthur and the

  • so-called destiny that surrounds him is

  • so compelling that he is willing to put

  • up with the persecution in order to

  • serve Arthur, he becomes close to him

  • even with the servant and master divide.

  • "I willingly give my life for Arthur's."

  • "How brave you are, Merlin!"

  • "If only it were that simple."

  • "What do you mean?"

  • "Once you enter into this bargain, that cannot be undone."

  • "Whatever I have to do I will do!"

  • "His life is worth a hundred of mine."

  • Even though Merlin is just a

  • servant, he feels comforted by Arthur.

  • When Merlin's one-time romantic interest dies

  • Arthur is there to comfort him

  • "Something's been upsetting you, hasn't it?"

  • "Maybe."

  • "Was it when I threw water over you?"

  • "Wasn't very nice."

  • "It was a bit unfair."

  • "... like when you called me fat."

  • "Why was that, Arthur?"

  • "Because I am NOT f-"

  • "Oww!"

  • "Still think I need to get in shape?"

  • "Oww! Ow! No! Nonono!"

  • "That's better."

  • "Thanks."

  • Even if Arthur can be an idiot, he at least

  • cares about Merlin. And Merlin doesn't feel

  • so lonely anymore.

  • But then ... something great happens.

  • *Elevator music, The Wrath of The Sith*

  • Yes, it is great.

  • Arthur and gwen fall in love. If you

  • don't know Gwen is this other servant

  • girl who works in Camelot and is the son (daughter*) of

  • a blacksmith, is also a badass and is

  • local friend to Merlin and Arthur and

  • she's great. And although that may seem

  • like a bad thing for a love-struck

  • Merlin it helps him believe that maybe

  • Arthur can learn to love a servant.

  • His relationship with Gwen gives him hope.

  • Hope that Arthur can look beyond class

  • and love somebody for who they are.

  • The risks that Merlin takes for Arthur are

  • questionable to other people.

  • Morgause, the town lesbian asks why Merlin does all

  • this stuff for Arthur.

  • "You intrigue me, Merlin.

  • "Why does a lowly servant continue to risk

  • everything for Arthur and for Camelot?"

  • "You know the answer but you're not telling me, why?"

  • "Come on, time and again you put your life on the line!"

  • "There must be a reason."

  • "I believe in a fair and injust land."

  • "And do you think Arthur will give you that?"

  • "I know it."

  • "And then what?"

  • "You think you'll be recognized, Merlin,

  • is that it? All this so one day you can be a

  • serving boy to the king?"

  • "No."

  • "There's something more."

  • Even Morgause, the town lesbian can

  • see that this isn't about recognition

  • for Merlin. There's an underlying reason.

  • Love.

  • "Don't pretend you don't want to" ;)

  • Through all these sacrifices that Merlin makes for Arthur he

  • begins to see him and Arthur as a special

  • team like he could do anything with

  • Arthur. [Except get a different haircut.]

  • "I know you don't mean that, you're just

  • worried. You don't need to be."

  • "Look what we've got."

  • "What?"

  • "You and..."

  • "...me"

  • "Merlin, what exactly are YOU going to do?"

  • "I'm gonna be by your side, like I always am."

  • "Protecting you."

  • "God help me."

  • Merlin knows that Arthur doesn't see this and yet decides that he wants

  • to fulfill his destiny of loving Arthur

  • and being by his side as we're introduced

  • to new characters like Lancelot and

  • Mordred... and Gwen and Arthur's relationship

  • develops. This further influences Merlin

  • to show all these guys how it's done.

  • "You don't have to sacrifice yourself."

  • "To save my people."

  • "I will take your place."

  • "You know, there's one thing I don't understand, Merlin."

  • "You're Arthur's servant, nothing more, yet time

  • and again you proved yourself willing to lay down your life for him."

  • Particularily damning is

  • how Merlin is willing to give up his

  • principles for Arthur. For context

  • there's this dude called Mordred, that is

  • destined to kill Arthur. He's also one of

  • Arthur's knights and friends at the time

  • One day Mordred is dying and these folks

  • called the Fate say either legalized

  • magic or Mordred will die. And Arthur who

  • at this point is actually considering

  • legalizing magic to save his bro Mordred

  • asks Merlin for advice.

  • "If I do save Mordred, all my father's work will be

  • for nothing. Sorcery will reign once more

  • in Camelot. Is that what you'd want?"

  • "Perhaps my father was wrong, perhaps the

  • old ways aren't as evil as we thought."

  • "So what should we do?"

  • "Accept magic?"

  • "Or let Mordred die?"

  • "There can be no place for magic in Camelot."

  • Merlin, the most powerful sorcerer in the world had to choose

  • between his identity and his friend.

  • He chose Arthur above a world where he

  • could live freely, something that would

  • help himself and countless others. When

  • one values a relationship that much

  • there's something else going on besides

  • simple friendship. With Uther's

  • eventual death and Arthur's ascension

  • the Kingship and the changes to their

  • characters, whatever the hell is

  • happening in Arthur's head is a question

  • worth answering.

  • Let's look at the facts!

  • *Elevator music, A new Hope*

  • When Arthur meets his future lover he

  • sees him as a peasant and then when that

  • peasant becomes his servant that's all

  • he is to him. As seen before the classes

  • divides them as one of the reasons that

  • Merlin and Arthur have stated that they

  • aren't exactly friends but that soon

  • changes. The first time that he starts

  • being able to see servants as equals is

  • when we get a beautiful human being

  • called Gwen. When Arthur fell in love

  • with Gwen it showed Arthur and Merlin

  • that Arthur was capable of loving a servant.

  • "Is there something you want to say to me?"

  • "Don't let me stop you."

  • "You don't have any idea, do you?"

  • "No."

  • "About how rude and arrogant you can be!"

  • "This is my home and you are my guest in it!"

  • "I know you are used to more luxurious quarters but that

  • is not an excuse to be so rude!"

  • "You claim titles don't matter to you but

  • you behave like a prince and expect me

  • to wait on you like a servant, saying it

  • means nothing if your actions betray you!

  • What, can't you say please and thank you

  • once in awhile?!"

  • "Thank you"

  • Even when there is a class divide that doesn't stop Arthur from

  • willingly sacrificing his life for

  • Merlin. Even if he's reluctant to it but

  • that he cares for him

  • jeez I mean even when Arthur's talking

  • about Gwen it sounds like he's talking

  • about Merlin.

  • "Just say it!"

  • "I can't!"

  • "How can i admit that..."

  • "I think about it all the time?"

  • "Merlin"

  • "Or that I care about her more than anyone?"

  • "How can I admit that..."

  • "I don't know what I'd do if any harm comes to her."

  • "To admit my feelings knowing that..."

  • "Hurts too much"

  • And the comparisons to Gwen don't end there.

  • When Gwen's bro Elliot is gossiping with her

  • about Arthur he uses the fact that

  • Arthur would rescue her, a servant, as

  • evidence that Arthur loves her.

  • "Maybe Arthur can think of something."

  • "Arthur?"

  • "Prince Arthur."

  • "I came with him."

  • "Prince Arthur of Camelot?"

  • "Yes, Ellion, Prince Arthur of Camelot."

  • "Why would he want to help you?"

  • "Why shouldn't he?"

  • "Ha. Cause he's a prince and you're a servant?"

  • "He doesn't care about that sorta thing, he's..."

  • "You know."

  • "Chivalrous."

  • "Alright."

  • "So he's like that with all the maids in Camelot?"

  • "No."

  • "Yes."

  • "I mean..."

  • Hmm, so by those standards Arthur is in

  • love with Merlin as well or at least

  • cares for him more than usual and I

  • think slowly that care turns into...

  • respect. A small amount like say, hey good

  • job but you're still dumb so shut up and

  • make me a sandwich, Merlin.

  • I don't normally say things like this but, you did a good

  • job back there.

  • "Ya hear what I just said?"

  • "Alright, maybe I should give you some kind of reward?"

  • "What do you want?"

  • "Some peace and quiet."

  • Soon Arthur's disdain for servants and

  • people he thinks lesser diminishes. He

  • breaks the code of his father and starts

  • knighting people that aren't of noble blood.

  • *Gasps*

  • Calm down scandalous gasps of the Middle

  • Ages. Arthur start giving Merlin credit

  • he realizes that they're both brave,

  • strong, they're living in a destiny that

  • they can escape together. That's significant.

  • "We will defeat the Draka."

  • "We will, Arthur, together."

  • "I appreciate that."

  • "You're a brave man, Merlin."

  • And then, the turning point:

  • Ah yes, the turning point. It's those things

  • like the Battle of Saratoga and that

  • point in 11th grade when you stop being

  • emo that makes life interesting and for

  • Arthur that is Uther dying. Uther

  • his father is the one that imposed all

  • these ideals on Arthur the idea that

  • magic is bad

  • a king must be strong and unforgiving

  • the kingdom is more important than the

  • heart and that wearing the same haircut

  • for ten years is a good idea. But after

  • there's no one else to impose these

  • ideals onto Arthur he starts to think

  • for himself. That is not without his

  • friend's help.

  • "Arthur."

  • "Don't let anyone tell you what to do."

  • "You said you are your own man."

  • "You have a good heart."

  • He starts to realize that he

  • doesn't need those old age ideas. He

  • realizes that class isn't everything

  • and at that point where he feels the

  • most alone there's a moment when the

  • camera makes this sneaky but powerful move.

  • He looks at merlin and realizes that he isn't alone.

  • It's that first shot that smile of

  • reassurance that Merlin gives him. An

  • onward Arthur starts actually giving him

  • compliments and more importantly fully

  • reciprocating the eye sex.

  • "You have a very good servant!"

  • "You're right. I do."

  • "A servant who is extremely brave."

  • "And incredibly loyal, to be honest, not at all a coward."

  • When merlin is presumed to be dead in "A

  • Servant of two masters" Arthur cannot

  • accept that Merlin is dead and the

  • freakin king of Camelot goes by himself

  • to look for a servant! Guys this isn't a

  • one-time thing!

  • It keeps happening.

  • "Merlin."

  • "He knows the tunnels, he will find his way-" "I'm going back"

  • "For a servant."

  • "Were you worried about me?"

  • "No."

  • "I was making sure we weren't being

  • followed."

  • "You came back to look for me."

  • "Alright it's true."

  • "I came back for a friend and I was not going to leave you."

  • "Really?"

  • "That'd be stupid."

  • And now we're getting to another development in the Gwen and Arthur

  • relationship. Gwen is put under a spell

  • by Morgana and cheats on Arthur and

  • Arthur is definitely not having it

  • he basically banishes her and gets more

  • angsty than bringing the life and in the

  • end mashup playing a hot topic.

  • "How can I love someone who's betrayed me?"

  • *Wake me up on Marijuana*

  • Eventually Arthur gets out of his rut. With the dark

  • and sweaty help of Merlin of course. ;)

  • Merlin just actually makes up some

  • elaborate lie about a stupid sword.

  • It's not like that sword becomes

  • important or anything. And it's important

  • to note that out of all the people in

  • the world

  • Merlin was the only one who can help

  • Arthur spirit again. Even with Gwen beck

  • something is changing in Arthur when he

  • was feeling lonely without Gwen the only

  • thing reassuring him was his men and

  • that includes Merlin. He says something

  • interesting about his relationship to

  • his men and the fact that he says it to

  • Merlin is telling.

  • "You don't care."

  • "Only about my men."

  • "More than friends."

  • "More than brothers."

  • "No matter what lies ahead of me, I won't abandon them as I know they

  • would not abandon me."

  • "I understand."

  • "I wish I didn't ... but I do."

  • To say his men, specifically Merlin, is more than a

  • friend or brother is leaving a lot of

  • interesting different options. If it's

  • not romantic at least we know that the

  • bond that Arthur believes he has with

  • Merlin is more complex than just a

  • friendship. The fact that maybe they

  • aren't just friends is becoming apparent

  • to Arthur. After this there's an episode

  • where Arthur revisits his dad in the vague

  • and non referential afterlife and it's

  • important to note that Uther is VERY

  • ANGRY with Arthur.

  • "I don't want my people to respect me because they fear me. Then they will

  • not respect you at all."

  • "Your marriage should have served to form an

  • alliance with another Kingdom, you choose

  • to marry a serving girl."

  • "I'm married for love."

  • "I love Guinevere ... more than I can ... express."

  • "There are some things that are more

  • important that love."

  • Now, this will stick with Arthur. Even when he was most willing to

  • accept magic when Mordred was dying.

  • This kind of solidifies the fact that

  • Arthur shouldn't like magic.

  • This probably influences when Arthur

  • decides to execute mortars GF and

  • accidentally cause a war. So Mordred is

  • pissed that his love is dead and goes

  • and tells evil Morgana that Merlin is

  • actually a spooky wizard. So now that

  • they know that fact they go and plan for

  • a spooky war and so that Merlin doesn't

  • interfere with Morgana's plans for

  • victory they take away his magic. Now

  • naturally when you're the king of

  • Camelot going to war with hot topic

  • Wizards you want to have your 2009

  • hipster friends at your side but since

  • Merlin doesn't have magic and Merlin

  • needs to go to the heart of magic to get

  • his magic back

  • Merlin can't go with Arthur until he has

  • his powers.

  • "I have an urgent errand to run for

  • vital supplies that I can't obtain here."

  • "Vital supplies?"

  • "Yes."

  • "It's not that I'm-" "Nah"

  • "Arthur-" "You know, Merlin..."

  • "All those jokes about you being a coward..."

  • "I never really meant any of them."

  • "I always thought you're the bravest man

  • I ever met."

  • "I guess I was wrong."

  • OUHHHH

  • Now, to get his magic back, Merlin goes to the crystal cave when he

  • gets there he goes through the usual

  • motivational and spiritual realization

  • as the cave tells him big things like:

  • YA JUST GOTTA BELIEVE

  • Meanwhile everyone back at Arthur's camp

  • knows that Merlin is way too in love

  • with Arthur to chicken out last minute

  • "I'm not sure he believes you guys."

  • "I'm not sure I do either."

  • "I know how devoted Merlin is to Arthur, he would never

  • leave him at a time like this. Not for a mere errand."

  • So Merlin communicates Charles Xavier style

  • in gayness and medium and tells Arthur

  • what he needs to know about the incoming

  • attack and that he is totally not a

  • coward and Arthur after hearing Merlin's

  • voice leave his concerned wife without

  • really saying goodbye, just to listen and

  • go see Merlin. And um with the power of

  • love and magic Merlin returns to his man

  • in saves the day. Until:

  • Arthur gets stabbed but this ain't no regular sword

  • as it was forged in a dragon's breath and

  • will kill Arthur in a few days unless

  • Arthur can get to the Washington

  • monument in three days.

  • Thank you exposition man Gayus. And

  • Merlin is the one who has to take Arthur

  • but as this may be the last time

  • they're together

  • Merlin decides that this is the moment

  • to tell Arthur

  • "I'm so sorry"

  • I have magic

  • *sobbing*

  • "I'm gonna use it all for you, Arthur."

  • "Only for you."

  • "So, how does he react?"

  • *hrm*

  • Well I'm guessing, in acting terms that's supposed to express

  • Arthur's internal struggle to a man who

  • *hrm*

  • To a man who has been betrayed by his sister, being

  • called a failure by his father and

  • betrayed by Mordred and his wife,

  • what does he do in the face of another

  • betrayal? But Arthur realizes nothing has

  • really changed. He's quick to forgive

  • Merlin and when he sees that even with

  • his magic it's just the side of his

  • devotion, of his love.

  • "Why are you ... still behaving like a servant?"

  • "It's my destiny."

  • "As it has been since the day we met."

  • "I also do this..."

  • "Because you're my friend and I don't wanna lose you."

  • Arthur isn't even concerned that Merlin

  • practices magic but rather that he lied.

  • He doesn't really care about sorcery, he's

  • seen the potential and good it has he's

  • just hurt because his friend lied

  • "Why did you never tell me?"

  • "I wanted to but..."

  • "What?"

  • "You'd have chopped my head off."

  • "Not sure what I'd have done."

  • "And I didn't want to put you in that position."

  • And hearing that Merlin had actually

  • feared him hurts in more than being lied to.

  • "Some men are born to ... be servants, some happen to be in

  • great positions, others

  • to be great Kings.

  • "Me,"

  • "I was born to serve you, Arthur."

  • "And proud of that."

  • "And I wouldn't change a thing."

  • Merlin, the person who has felt conflict

  • over being subservient to Arthur is now

  • expecting that it's his destiny to be

  • with Arthur to support him in his time

  • of need and be at his side during death.

  • Arthur latches onto the same idea.

  • "All these years, Merlin."

  • "You never once sought any credit."

  • "That's not why I did it."

  • And Arthur begins to realize, with his abuse to magic people and the fact

  • that Merlin should have received

  • recognition he starts to see Merlin in a

  • new light.

  • He sees them as hope with love and the

  • reflection on everything he should have

  • done. Maybe he thinks that Merlin should

  • have been the one and Merlin with the

  • idea of entangled destiny's already

  • knows that.

  • "I don't want you to change."

  • "I want you

  • to always

  • be you."

  • But Arthur realizes that it's over.

  • Though Merlin, despite Arthur's complaints, does

  • not want to do anything but proceed.

  • Merlin, his devoted servant, can't let go

  • He doesn't want to see a world without

  • Arthur as if he had unfinished business

  • with Arthur and he's just realizing that

  • he could have a world with magic. After

  • an encounter with Morgana, Merlin finally

  • kills her and his hope for the future is

  • further solidified. But Arthur's giving up

  • with Arthur dying Merlin's hope for

  • himself and the future dies as well

  • Arthur starts to say his last words and

  • therefore no one else but Merlin.

  • *panting*

  • "All your magic, Merlin..."

  • "can't save my life."

  • "I can! I'm not going to leave you!"

  • "Just... just...

  • "Just hold me..."

  • *heavy panting*

  • "Please."

  • I think that the speaks for itself.

  • Wanting to be held by your lover as you die.

  • "You're not going to say goodbye!"

  • "No"

  • "Merlin."

  • "Everything you've done..."

  • "I know now."

  • "For me."

  • "For Camelot."

  • "For the kingdom you helped me build."

  • "You'd have done it without me."

  • "Maybe."

  • "I wanted to say something that I've never

  • said to you before."

  • "Thank you."

  • Isn't it telling, that Arthur's last words on this planet are 'thank you' to Merlin?

  • After an entire life

  • the last thing he wants to do is thank Merlin.

  • As Merlin holds the man he loves

  • in his arms he calls for Kilgharrah just

  • as a final desperation. Even the dragon

  • that dude that advocated Merlin to kill

  • a kid so that Arthur would stay alive is

  • now admitting defeat. But as Merlin is

  • mourning over the fact that Arthur

  • is dead, Kilgharrah gives words that Merlin

  • will always hold on to, more than disney on Star Wars.

  • "Arthur is not just a king."

  • "He is the once and future king. Take heart for

  • when Elbion's need is greatest,

  • Arthur will rise again."

  • And Merlin never forgets that. He sends him to the river,

  • says goodbye and Merlin never forgets

  • even after Gwen has become queen, after

  • hundreds of years, after the Beatles

  • became the last significant British

  • Invasion Merlin, lived to wait for the

  • day that Arthur would return. Now I don't

  • know about you but considering the fact

  • that people have died from playing

  • pokemon go it's pretty hard to not die

  • in hundreds of years.

  • just imagine the struggle, the arduous

  • task of staying alive all in the hope

  • that the love of your life might one day

  • rise again.

  • While Merlin as a show wasn't interesting

  • watching and at times made the romance

  • between merlin and arthur seem like a

  • compelling and possible future

  • it makes me wonder that the creator's

  • purposefully make a romance and never

  • show it through? Did they accidentally

  • create a romance? Let's take a look while

  • the creators have given half answers on

  • whether this was truly gay it's hard to

  • declare whether the creators have

  • malicious intent. Now for our viewers who

  • don't know queer-baiting is a phenomenon

  • where he show will bait that characters

  • are LGBT but never follow through on

  • their bait causing no representation for

  • queer viewers, disappointment and the

  • larger scale of people calling queer

  • interpretations of shows and media

  • delusional. While I think a queer

  • interpretation of Merlin is sound

  • especially considering the whole magic

  • is a metaphor for being LGBT thing the

  • creator's haven't exactly said that

  • magic is a metaphor.

  • They're not quick to deny it either an

  • article by hyperbole comments on the

  • creator's thoughts on the metaphor but

  • also the reluctance of the actors to

  • agree with them.

  • The article also points

  • out the tendency for the creators to

  • joke around with the idea and it's the

  • small things like this

  • amazon ad for the show that makes us

  • question it a little more but however way

  • you look at it this show is driven by

  • one thing: the relationship between

  • Merlin and Arthur.

  • Their emotions devotion and support to

  • each other in life and death but getting

  • to end the show is about the devotion

  • between these two men to deny that the queer

  • reading isn't a possible reading is to

  • deny the interpretations of thousands of

  • viewers. Maybe they were great friends

  • but it is just as valid to say that they

  • were in love. In a world where the media

  • says that it only takes a glimpse for a

  • man and the woman to fall in love,

  • why is it so hard to accept that queer

  • readings are more than expected? Even the

  • size of the mutual relationship the

  • dynamic of the show, it's allegorical

  • depictions of magic to an almost obvious

  • degree, just calls for a queer reading

  • from Morgana self-hatred to Morgan's

  • declaration, this show speaks to queer

  • people on a romantic and even a personal

  • level and to deny them that well that's

  • the real tragedy here.

  • In the end Merlin and Arthur are they gay? Bisexual?

  • Pansexual? In love? Or something else?

  • You decide.

  • Complete subtitles by: Virida Alice Don't hate for the credit here, this took me 4+ hours lol

Set in the all-accepting past, Merlin is a show about: Merlin.

Subtitles and vocabulary

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B1 US

他們是同志嗎--梅林和亞瑟(Merthur) (Are They Gay? - Merlin and Arthur (Merthur))

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    irisfarrell posted on 2021/01/14
Video vocabulary